Muhammad.com collection in 109 languages

Thereupon, perceiving my impotence and having altogether lost my power of
choice, I sought refuge with Allah Most High as one who is driven to Him,

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because he is without further resources of his own. He answered me, He who

`answers him who is driven (to Him by affliction) when he calls upon Him‟ (Koran
7, 63). He made it easy for my heart to turn away from position and wealth, from
children and friends. „ I openly professed that I had resolved to set out for Mecca,
while privately I made arrangements to travel to Syria. I took this precaution in
case the Caliph and all my friends should oppose my resolve to make my
residence in Syria. This stratagem for my departure from Baghdad I gracefully
executed, and had it in my mind never to return there. There was much talk
about me among all the religious leaders of Iraq, since none of them would allow
that withdrawal from such a state of life as I was in could have a religious cause,
for they looked upon that as the culmination of a religious career; that was the
sum of their knowledge.