Important Lesson
This part explains how ma'rifah (deep, inner knowledge of God) makes someone more obedient to Him.
If a person already has a natural tendency to do good, and then gains ma'rifah, that good will become stronger and last longer.
For example:
A wise and generous person, when jealous, his jealousy isn't the same as a regular person’s. His jealousy is guided by wisdom.
A loving wise person’s love is deeper and more sincere than normal people’s love.
A shy person who is wise will avoid doing bad things, because their shyness is tied to their knowledge of God.
So, their good traits are rooted in understanding, not just habit or personality.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "People are like gold and silver mines. The best of them in the time of ignorance will also be the best in Islam, if they understand it."
So, if someone already has good character, and then learns about God and understands deeply, that goodness becomes even more refined and beautiful.
(from Syajaratul Ma‘arif, Syaikh al-‘Izz bin Abdus Salam)