WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE GOD'S LIGHT SHINE FORTH
THROUGH THE DARKNESS AROUND US?
After over fourteen hundred years of our reading, and chanting the Quran in every rhythmic style, we still hear this poignant cry:
But
Most of mankind still do not know. Holy Quran 34:28
This
is the concluding phrase of the verse revealed fourteen hundred years
ago. It was the factual situation of
the then religious world. The
question which must be asked is if it is any different today? Not
at all! There are
today more Mushriks
in the world than there are believers in the One True God.
Is
there any hope of changing this situation? Allah commanded His
Prophet then as He is commanding us
now through the first seven
verses of Sura Muddaththir (chapter 74).
1.
O
THOU WRAPPED UP (IN A MANTLE)! "As usual, there is these
wonderful early mystical verses
(including the ones that follow),
a triple thread of thought:
(a)
A particular occasion or person is referred to
(b)
a general spiritual lesson is taught, and
(c)
a more profound mystical reverie is suggested.
As
to (a), the Prophet was now past the stage of personal contemplation.
Wearing his mantle; he was now to
go forth and boldly deliver his
Message and publicly proclaim Allah The One True God. His heart had
always been
purified, but now all his outward doings must be dedicated to God,
and conventional respect for
ancestral customs or worship must
be thrown aside. The work of his Messengership was the most generous
that could flow from his
personality, but no reward or appreciation was to be expected from
his people, but quite
the contrary, there would be much call on his patience, but his
contentment would arise from the good
pleasure of God.
As
to (b), similar stages arise in a minor degree in the life of every
good man, for which the Prophet's life is to
be a universal pattern.
As
to (c), the Sufis
understand, by the mantle and outward wrappings, the circumstances of
our phenomenal
existence, which are necessary to
our physical comfort up to a certain stage; but we soon outgrow them,
and our
inner nature should then boldly proclaim itself, not that it brings
any credit or reward with men; the very
hope of expectation of such would
be inconsistent with our higher nature, which should bear all checks
and rejoice
in the favour of God."
2.
ARISE AND DELIVER THY WARMING!
3.
AND THY LORD DO THOU MAGNIFY!
4.
AND THY GARMENTS KEEP FREE FROM STAIN!
5.
AND ALL ABOMINATION SHUN!
"(a)
Rujz or Rijz means abomination and is usually understood to mean
idolatry. It is even possible that there
was an idol called RUJZ. But
these days it has a wider significance as including a mental state
opposed to true
worship, a state of doubt or indecision."
6.
NOR EXPECT, IN GIVING, ANY INCREASE (FOR THYSELF)!
"(b)
The legal and commercial formula is that you give in order to receive
what is worth to you a little more
than you give, but expect nothing
from the receiver. You serve God and God's creatures."
- BUT, FOR THY LORD'S (CAUSE) BE PATIENT AND CONSTANT!
(c)
[Remember to memorize Allah's
Kalaam with its meaning] Holy
Quran 74:1-7
"(c)
Our zeal for God's Cause itself requires that we should not be
impatient, and that we should show
constancy in our efforts for His
Cause. For we have faith, and we know that He is All-Good, All-Wise,
and All Powerful, and
everything will ultimately be right." AbdullahYusuf Ali [The
English translation and the
commentaries were by Abdullah
Yusuf Ali. Obtain your volume from the IPCI at a specially
subsidised price. Ako order a volume for your non-Muslim friends.]
To
the Arabs in general and to our Holy Prophet in particular "a
mantle" was the protective covering used for
protection against the sun, wind
and sand. He was so to say girding himself, rolling up his sleeves,
to accomplish
his task. Although most of the Muslims in the world do not cover
themselves with shawls
(mantles), in their day to day
living, they carry a host of mantles in the way of inferiority
complexes.
WHAT
CAN WE DO TO MAKE GOD'S LIGHT SHINE FORTH THROUGH THE DARKNESS AROUND
US?
WE
MUST FIRST LET IT SHINE IN OUR OWN TRUE SELVES WITH THAT LIGHT IN THE
NICHE OF OUR INMOST
HEARTS WE CAN WALK WITH STEPS BOTH FIRM AND SURE: WE CAN HUMBLY VISIT
THE COMFORTLESS
AND GUIDE THEIR STEPS. NOT WE, BUT THE LIGHT WILL GUIDE! BUT OH! THE
JOY OF
BEING FOUND WORTHY TO BEAR THE TORCH, AND TO SAY TO OUR BRETHREN-
"I TOO WAS IN DARKNESS, COMFORTLESS, AND BEHOLD, I HAVE FOUND COMFORT AND JOY IN THE GRACE DIVINE!"
THUS SHOULD WE PAY THE DUES OF BROTHERHOOD, - - BY WALKING HUMBLY SIDE BY SIDE, IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD, WITH MUTUAL AID AND COMFORT, AND HEARTFELT PRAYER, BACKED BY ACTION, THAT GOD'S GOOD PURPOSE MAY BE ACCOMPLISHED, IN US ALL TOGETHER!
"I TOO WAS IN DARKNESS, COMFORTLESS, AND BEHOLD, I HAVE FOUND COMFORT AND JOY IN THE GRACE DIVINE!"
THUS SHOULD WE PAY THE DUES OF BROTHERHOOD, - - BY WALKING HUMBLY SIDE BY SIDE, IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD, WITH MUTUAL AID AND COMFORT, AND HEARTFELT PRAYER, BACKED BY ACTION, THAT GOD'S GOOD PURPOSE MAY BE ACCOMPLISHED, IN US ALL TOGETHER!
BUT
MOST OF MANKIND STILL DO NOT KNOW
Thus
spake, inspired our Holy prophet, Muhammad (pbuh) on whom we invoke
God's blessings for ever and
ever - AAMEEN!
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