Why Allah’s Chosen Are Subjected to the Evils of People…
“My master Abu’l-Hassan as-Shadhili, may Allah be pleased with him said, ‘The sunna of Allah has been determined concerning His prophets and His intimate friends, that He will subject them to the evils of people in the beginning of their affair and in the conditions of their end whenever their hearts lean towards other than Allah. Then self-government and victory will be for them at the end of their affair, when they accept whatever Allah sends towards them.’
This is because the disciple on the spiritual journey seeks to be free of these hardship 
and he desires an easy road to the presence of Allah, while at the same time he inclines towards people and relies upon their belief concerning him. Then the evils of people began to be hurled at him. They blame him, belittle him, abuse and slander him. His soul then flees from them and it no longer relies upon them for moral support. It is then that his heart becomes purified with his Lord and his acceptance becomes sound due to the lack of acceptance from the people.
So understand, when the inviter to Allah, then returns after completing this training, to guiding people, they will then be attired with the robe of honor of clemency and pardon. They are then able to endure the evils of people and they remain content with Allah in everything which He issues to his servants.
By means of this, their standing becomes exalted among the servants and their lights become perfected. Then their scales become precise in accordance with that of the Messengers in enduring what appeared to them from the evils of people.
For this reason the superiority of their rank became apparent. For a person is only afflicted in accordance with the level of his religion. Allah says:
“The Messengers before you were denied. They were patient against the denial and evils of people until I came with My assistance .”
This is because the station of perfection does not allow them to be free of these two witnessing: Either they witness the Lord of Truth in their hearts. They thus remain with the Lord of Truth and do not turn aside to His servants. Or they witness people and see them as the servants of Allah. He thus honors and respects them (the people) out of regard for their Master, Allah.
If those who deny him are under the decree of Allah, then there is nothing to be said since responsibility is removed in this state. Thus realize that it is essential for those who walk in the footsteps of the Prophets, from among the protected friends and the scholars, that they will be harmed in the same manner that they (the ones before them) were harmed. Slander and defamation will be said about them in the same manner it was said about them.
They should be patient with people just as they were patient. They should behave with people with mercy and compassion. May Allah be pleased with all of them.”
Source: Abdul-Wahab Sharani in Lawaqi al-Anwar
