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We seek the
support of Allah and pray to Him for His protection that we may not be among
those who speak falsehood, spread iniquity, and display arrogance. We direct
ourselves to Him, rely upon Him, and start each and every thing in our life and
our talks in His name the Most Gracious and Most Merciful. We pray to Him to
endow us with mercy, forgiveness and success in our message on this earth for
which we were created, and for which we exist to fulfill. We know as well as
learn that the talk of the Truth and His Signs are directed to
those who fear God; who believe in the Unseen,
are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what God has provided for them
This is the Book; In it is guidance sure, without
doubt, to those who fear God; Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in
prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them (HQ: 2: 2, 3)
It (the Book) is not touched except by the purified
ones (HQ: 56: 79)
The verses
refer to those who have purified their hearts, souls, minds and bodies so that
they might become worthy of the graces of God and His benedictions, and be
worthy of Allah’s words and signs.
Servants of God,
there is a step that
human has to start, as
we always learn.
And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your
(Prayer): (HQ: 40: 60)
Whenever a human comes an
arm's length closer to Me, I shall forward to him two arms' length. If he comes
to Me walking, I shall come to him running," (DH).
If
he remembers Me in a gathering, I
remember him in a gathering better than his (DH)
All ideals, truthful knowledge,
and righteous acts originate from within human. So, when human take their first
step on the Path of righteousness, God supports them by His Mercy, and helps
them by His wisdom and His Might to adhere to the Path .
When we
reflect upon what takes place on earth in terms of the knowledge attained and
the capabilities endowed upon humankind in their earthly existence, we find that
humans learn most through their own experience, and from their personal
meditation and contemplation. No matter how many lectures a person may attend,
or teachings he listens to, the knowledge that he attains will always be
conditioned by his own capability to perceive and to grasp. Humans may sometimes
think that they could be transformed just by being negative receivers
attending a group who gather in remembrance of Allah. However, they cannot be
transformed unless they are interactive participants who work their minds and
hearts by reflecting upon what they listen to and the knowledge presented to
them.
Verily never will Allah change the condition of a
people until they change it themselves (with their own souls)(HQ: 13: 11)
As such, it is
man’s struggle in the first place that enables him to become a devoted Servant
of God and to be transformed into a better being, a more elevated creature, and
a more noble existence.
Do not wait
for change that comes from without.
Instead, you have to initiate change of the traces of darkness, ignorance and
misconceptions that are hosted within your own selves. All of this can be
changed when you try to turn your sight inwardly and see what is within you;
when you question yourselves about what it is you are doing, to which direction
you are heading, whom you are truly seeking, whom you rely upon, and what you
really aspire. These are questions that every human being has to direct to
himself, and to find answers to. His answers will be the basis according to
which he interacts with and handles everything.
Be what you will, whatever you will be I will
be
We learn in
practical matters of earthly life, that when we want to accomplish some task, we
have to define a goal, and then turn that goal into specific and tangible
objectives that when achieved, will make us realize the main goal. Each of the
identified objectives needs a set of actions and premises in order to be
fulfilled. So, if your ultimate goal is to attain being a Servant of God, what
then, are the objectives that you have to fulfill?
First,
you have to be sincere in all what you do in this life for the mere sake of
sincerity and perfection. You should not carry out an act just to please
someone, then refrain from accomplishing it even if it were an act of goodness,
just because he is not pleased with it. Rather you carry out an act for the sake
of goodness, and because you see that it is within your capability and that it
is a duty that you have to fulfill. In the meantime you will be subject to many
tests.
Do men think that they will be left alone on
saying, "We believe," and that they will not be tested?(HQ: 29: 2)
So, to
accomplish this (attain sincerity in all that you do), there are many manners
that you have to live out as a means for seeking God’s support against your
lower self. Religion gives you those means through prayer which is embodied in
all forms of worship. In Ritual Prayers you pray, in fasting you pray, in
pilgrimage you pray, and in almsgiving
Zakat you pray. All aspects of
worship, all morals and teachings are means for accomplishing this goal. You act
according to what you see as good, truthful, and gaining you life.
Second
when you turn your sight inwardly, and ask yourself what your goal is, you find
that you only want to gain a life in Allah. You see no other goal that you want
to achieve. This requires struggle against the lower self with all possible
means. Like in the first point, the means can be found in all forms of worship
in which struggle against the lower self is clearly manifested.
Narrow the devil's passageways by hunger and
thirst (fasting) (PH)
That is, one
should not follow the lower self that urges one towards atrocities, and should
seek God’s support in order to succeed.
Third
when you reflect upon the outside
world, you see nothing and no one but Allah. You know that everything that you
undergo is but from Allah and you know that all you accomplish is but from
Allah. So, you never feel that you have done someone a favor, nor do you enslave
yourself to anyone who has done you a favor; all favors are from Allah and all
endowments are from Allah. You do not despise someone (who has caused you pain
or loss) as you realize that all (adversities) you undergo is but to purify and
teach you. It is through dealing with people that you are trained to realize
this state by putting those teachings into practice and actually living them. We
often go through such situations, so we have to remember these words and turn
them into a reality when we can. When we cannot, we should ask God for His
support against our lower selves so that someday, we may.
Fourth:,
you should not exhaust in vain what God has endowed you with; He has taught you
that with those endowments, you can either be a means for goodness, or a means
for evil. The realization that everything is from Allah (as detailed in the
third point) should not lead you
to stumble along the path, go astray, and fall victim to confusion. Rather, you
should be the kind of a person who can distinguish between what is true and what
is false; what is good and what is evil. You should not waste all what Allah has
gifted you with. Instead, you should make it a means of doing goodness and a
means by which you walk along the path of goodness.
I have only created Jinns and men, that they may
serve Me.(HQ: 51: 56)
… That
they may learn, that they may
exert themselves, that they may be
constructive. You should appreciate God’s endowments and His will inherent
within you and which He has lent to you in the form of the ‘Trust’ of life.
There are
many other objectives that we would like to achieve in order to become servants
of God. These objectives are in fact embodied in all attributes and qualities
ascribed by Religion to Servants of God. All those attributes and qualities, of
which we have mentioned only a few, can be identified by humankind, as they can
know if they had actually attained them or not. As a matter of fact, realization
of those objectives is relative; there is nothing that we see as perfect for
which there does not exist a more perfect form before Allah. We know that we’re
only taking steps in the Way of Allah. If we achieve something, we know that we
have to perfect it. We also know that we’re better today than we were yesterday.
That is what we want always: for our present day to be better than the prior
one, and for our coming day to be better than our present one. These are steps
that follow other steps. This is the struggle in the Path of Allah.
And those who strive in Our (Cause), We will
certainly guide them to Our Paths: for verily Allah is with those who do
right.(HQ: 29: 69)
In the case of those who say, "Our Lord is Allah,"
and, further, stand straight and steadfast, the angels descend on them (from
time to time): "Fear ye not!" (they suggest), "Nor grieve! but receive the Glad
Tidings of the Garden (of Bliss), that which ye were promised!(HQ: 41: 30)
We pray to
Allah to be on the Path of goodness and fruitfulness, to be on the Straight Way,
and to be Servants of Allah who seek His Face, deal with Him, and seek only His
reward.
Servants of
God, the ultimate aspiration is for Allah’s Face and so our ultimate goal is to
become Servants of Allah. To realize that goal, we need to transform ourselves
into better and more upright beings. What is better and more upright is that
which has been ascribed to Servants of God.
And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those
who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say,
"Peace!"(HQ: 25: 63)
.. men whom neither traffic nor merchandise can
divert from the Remembrance of Allah (HQ: 24: 37)
Men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing,
sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of)
creation in the heavens and the earth, (with the thought): "Our Lord! not for
naught hast thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the
Penalty of the Fire.(HQ: 3: 191)
And keep thy soul content with those who call on
their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face (HQ: 18: 28)
So many
qualities do Servants of God have and so many states do they undergo because
these qualities and states are related to life with all its dimensions; the
mundane life as well as life in the hereafter. Actually this life and the
hereafter are nothing but one world, the world of Allah, the creation of Allah,
the universe of Allah.
There are
teachings that provide us with guidance regarding our life on earth:
Allah would like to see everyone of you
seeking perfection in every work he is charged with
Say: "Travel through the earth and see how Allah
did originate creation; so will Allah produce a later creation: for Allah has
power over all things.(HQ: 29: 20)
There are many
holy words that urge us towards serious work and serious search for knowledge.
However, we’re also guided not to make that distance us from being directed to
the Unseen, or from remembering Allah through praying to Him earnestly, being
connected to Him and seeking His support, strength, and mercy. We are tried in
all aspects and on all levels.
Do men think that they will be left alone on
saying, "We believe," and that they will not be tested?(HQ: 29: 2)
Those
tests are but there for us to reform ourselves,
and to recognize what we truly are and what we have become. When we find that we
have succeeded, we direct our gratitude to God, and when we know that we have
failed, we seek God’s support so that we might attain success the following
time. We do not lose hope of being subject to the mercy of Allah, the grace of
Allah and the generosity of Allah. We believe in what Allah has entrusted us
with from His mercy, His secret and His power. We believe that by the support
of Allah, we will attain being Servants of Allah. Our hope in Allah is great,
and our expectations from Him are even greater. Our support is the God-gifted
Mercy and the God-rewarded Grace: the Messenger of Allah. We hope to be worthy
of his intercession, and of his support. To be worthy of the Messenger’s
intercession is a matter of great significance. Intercession is not for those
who are ignorant of its value; it is only for those who are aware of its value
and effect.
If they had only, when they were unjust to
themselves, come unto thee and asked Allah's forgiveness, and the Messenger had
asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah indeed Oft-Returning,
Most Merciful.(HQ; 4: 64)
The Messenger
of God’s prayer for forgiveness was but for those who came to him and who asked
for Allah’s forgiveness; those who recognized their faults and their darkness,
and, hence, sought support for overcoming that darkness. Their seeking of
support was their intercessor, and was the cause for the Messenger’s prayers for
their forgiveness. Intercession is thus for them who recognize their
wrongdoings, who truly aspire to become Servants of Allah, and who
undertake steps in that direction. To come unto
the Messenger of God asking for Allah’s
forgiveness is in itself a step in the
righteous direction that makes them who take it, worthy of the Messenger’s
prayers for their forgiveness. The Messenger’s prayers supply them with strength
that would be added to the strength that was generated within them. This is the
Law.
Verily never will Allah change the condition of a
people until they change it themselves (with their own souls)(HQ: 13: 11)
So, start if
even with but little for what is little can grow tremendously if carried out
with sincerity.
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