and innately fashioned to love their own worth.
The modest one is prevented by modesty, because of the beneficence that has overwhelmed him, from resisting the benefactor in what he calls him to. He is compelled by beneficence to come and accept what this benefactor wants of him, out of modesty and fidelity. He also makes this a recompense for the first beneficence, so that he may escape the ruling of being under an obligation of favor. This is among the soul’s hidden stratagems. For one who follows its path, no compulsion is greater than the compulsion of beneficence, and “few are they” [Sad 38:24].
As for compulsion by domination and overpowering, although it is accepted outwardly, and the compelled one cannot refuse or resist because of his weakness, he does not accept the compulsion inwardly. It therefore has an effect only outwardly. The benefactor’s compulsion is different: its effect rules both outwardly and inwardly through desire, modesty, or recompense, as we have established.
(Essential Compulsion and the Servant’s Compelling Power)
Essential compulsion comes from self-disclosure in the majesty that rules over every soul. The soul is distracted from its own essence and might, and then knows that it is essentially compelled, so it is not ignorant of itself. Here the knower considers who rules over him, and finds only majesty subsisting within him. He knows that nothing rules over him except what subsists within him, and nothing subsists within him except what is temporally originated. Compulsion becomes tremendous to him, and he then knows the Real’s compelling power.
But the servant’s compelling power through such an attribute is hateful to God, because it does not belong to him
