Hakim al-Umma Sahykh Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“Goal and objective are the maqamaat [stations: i.e. acquiring patience (saber), thankfulness (shukur), sincerity (ikhlas), etc. and getting rid of envy, arrogance, anger, etc.] and not the ahwal (temporary overwhelming emotional states).

This is because the former are voluntary (can be acquired by one’s effort) and the latter are involuntary (occur sponateously irrespective of one’s effort).”

Malfuzat

Rockville, MD/Washington DC