The Existence of God

Why Should We Worship God? Part 2

Why Should We Worship God - Part II

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Azhar Goraya, Mexico

In the previous article we looked at the nature of God and how He does not require worship, rather it is man himself who benefits from worship. In this article, we will explore the philosophy of Islamic worship and some of its benefits for man.

What is Worship?

Much has been said about the nature of God, but it is also necessary to delve into the reality of worship in Islam to understand how it is truly man himself who benefits from this exercise.

The primary term used for worship in the Holy Qur’an is Ibadat (عبادة).

Linguistically, Ibadat is from the triliteral Arabic root Ain-Ba-Dal (عبد). It primarily means obedience, submission, and humility. It also has a secondary meaning of accepting the impress of something else [1]. Together, the Ibadah (worship) of God means to show absolute humility before God and to receive the impress of His blessings and attributes. Though the worship of God can take many forms (righteous actions or prayer), there is an underlying essence to it that permeates all actions that qualify as worship, and which is seen best in formal worship and prayer.

In Islam, true worship is a state of mind and heart that is achieved by traversing certain stages – the first stage is the correct recognition of the beauty of God and His beneficence. This naturally leads one to love God. This love is further refined and developed through acts of prayer and adoration, principally the five daily prayers, known as Salat. The love of God leads a person to adopt His attributes and abandon his vices. As he does so, he is blessed with spiritual fruits in the form of acceptance of prayers, revelations, and the special help of God in his day-to-day life. These act to further increase His certainty in God and His attributes. The process continues in this manner until it culminates in him becoming a perfect reflection of God’s divine attributes. The entire process is one that grants enormous internal satisfaction and pleasure, the like of which is not found in other pursuits.

This is not a linear, rather a revolving process – each pass serves to further refine one’s internal purity and connection with God. Naturally, as God has no end to His being, neither does the process of His understanding and worship. The Promised Messiah (as) in one place summarizes the essence of the Islamic worship in the following words:

“The essence of worship is that the worshipper should feel as if he is in the presence of God, or at least that God sees him. He should be free completely from every diverting and distracting tendency, and keep in view only His greatness and His Providence. He should continue addressing to God prescribed as well as other prayers and have repeated recourse to tauba (seeking refuge with God) and Istighfar (seeking forgiveness and obliteration of wrongs) and should repeatedly confess his own helplessness, so that his self may be purified and his communion with God may be strengthened and he should be completely absorbed in His love.” [2]

This undertaking is the quintessence of the Islamic concept of worship that underpins our relationship with God and is the vehicle of our salvation. It is for this very lofty purpose that the Qur’an states that Allah has created mankind:

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

“And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me.” [3]

Some may feel that no one (even God!) has the right to dictate the purpose of their lives to them. The Promised Messiah (as) responds to this type of thinking in the following words:

“…Different people, being short-sighted and lacking high resolve, appoint different purposes for their lives and limit themselves to worldly goals and ambitions. But the purpose that God Almighty has appointed for man in His Holy Word is as follows:

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

That is, I have created jinn and men so that they may know Me and worship Me. Thus the true purpose of man’s life is the worship of God, His understanding and complete devotion to Him. It is obvious that man is not in a position to appoint the purpose of his own life, for he does not come into the world of his own accord, nor will he depart therefrom of his own will. He is a creature and the One Who created him and invested him with better and higher faculties than those of all other animals, has also appointed a purpose for his life. Whether anyone penetrates to it or not, the purpose of man’s creation without a doubt is the worship and the understanding of God and complete devotion to Him.” [4]

It is for the same reason that the very first commandment in the Holy Qur’an is to worship God (2:22). It is not at all a vain or derogatory practice with no benefit for man, rather one that is a prerequisite for witnessing higher levels of divine grace. The Promised Messiah (as) explains:

“…There is a type of Divine grace which is conditioned upon supplication and cannot be achieved without supplication. This is the way of Allah and is a definite law the contravention of which is not permissible…Prayer is not in vain, nor is it a type of worship which does not procure any grace. This is the thinking of those who do not estimate God Almighty as He should be estimated, and who do not reflect deeply on God’s words nor do they observe the law of nature. The truth is that grace does certainly descend in response to supplication and bestows salvation upon us.” [5]

Nor can it be said that worship of God is somehow an alien concept to man. Man has been created to seek out God and he has been granted intrinsic faculties to achieve this sublime purpose. The Promised Messiah (as) writes:

“…Man has been created for eternal worship, and the love of God is by nature imbued in his heart. This is why his soul has an eternal relationship with God…” [6]

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The Correct Recognition of God’s Beauty and Beneficence

At this point, it would be beneficial to understand the steps to the development of true worship in Islam, so that those inclined to experience it have a blueprint before them.

True worship of God is based on true love for God, and the love of God begins with His correct recognition. The Promised Messiah (as) in one place narrates:

“The truth is that the source and root of personal love of God are two things: (1) First, to repeatedly study the beauty of something and to always keep in mind its characteristics, features and traits and to visualize it over and over (2) Second, to repeatedly visualize the continuous benevolence of someone and to again and again bring to mind their various generosities and favours and to seat within your heart the greatness of their beneficence.” [7]

Thus, a dual recognition of God – both of His intrinsic beauty and beneficence – is necessary to embark on the journey of worship. Commenting on the aspect of the recognition of the intrinsic beauty of God, the Promised Messiah (as) explains:

“…The worship of Allah, the Supreme, must be characterised by the fervour of the soul and a strong inclination, animated by love and ardour, which cannot well up, unless it is established that the object of worship is a Being, possessing all perfect excellences that inspire the heart spontaneously with admiration. It is obvious that comprehensive praise is inspired by two qualities, the perfection of beauty and the perfection of beneficence. If a being combines both these excellences, the heart melts and yearns for him with fervent devotion. The Holy Quran aims at impressing these two excellences of the Supreme Being upon the seekers after Truth, so that mankind may be drawn to that peerless and unique Being, and worship Him with fervent devotion and yearning. That is why in the very opening chapter, this charming description has been set forth to demonstrate the wonderful excellences of the Divine Being to whom the Quran invites mankind…In the terminology of the Quran, Allah is the Being all of Whose excellences are the culmination of beauty and beneficence, and Who suffers not from any shortcoming or defect. Allah alone comprises all attributes according to the Holy Quran, and thus the name Allah is justified for that Being alone in Whom all excellent attributes culminate. As, therefore, every kind of excellence centres in Him, the perfection of His beauty is established.” [8]

Alongside the recognition of His intrinsic beauty, one must also meditate on His beneficence. Commenting on this aspect, the Promised Messiah (as) states:

“Beauty and Beneficence are the only two incentives of love. The epitome of Divine attributes of beneficence is set out in Surah Fatiha. Perfect beneficence on the part of the Supreme Being is that He created His servants from a state of nonexistence and then His providential care encompasses them all the time and He supports everything and all kinds of His mercies come into operation in favour of His servants and His benevolence exceeds all bounds and is beyond reckoning. God has drawn attention to all this beneficence many times; for instance: If you were to try to count the favours of Allah you shall not be able to number them (14.35).”[9]

The Love of God

Once one has contemplated and correctly understood the beauty and beneficence of God, the next step is to develop and refine the burgeoning love for God that grows as a result of this understanding. Islam teaches that the highest form of worship of God for which a believer should strive to achieve is one that is done out of sincere and unsullied love for Him. The Promised Messiah (as) writes:

“The Holy Qur’an has maintained that the highest form of the worship of God and good deeds is that the love and pleasure of God be sought with a sincere heart…God Almighty has named this religion Islam so that man may worship God Almighty not because of worldly motivations, rather personal enthusiasm. This is because Islam means to leave aside all ulterior motives and to be resigned to the divine decree. There is no other religion on earth that has these objectives. It is true that to make His mercy known, God Almighty has promised all kinds of blessings to believers, yet for those believers who are desirous of a high spiritual status, He has given the teaching that they should worship God out of a personal love for Him.” [10]

Love Leading to Obedience and Purification

One of the wonderful effects of the worship of God out of love for Him is that it purifies a person of different sins and vices. The Promised Messiah (as) comments about this effect in the following words:

“The love of God is the second most important requirement of salvation after Ma‘rifat [recognition of God]… Love is a wonderful thing. Its fire consumes the fire of sin and extinguishes the flame of disobedience. There can be no question of ‘punishment’ where there is perfect and true love. One of the signs of true love is that the lover dreads the very thought of being estranged from his beloved. He thinks himself doomed at his smallest fault, and sees the beloved’s displeasure as a deadly poison. He is also beset by a great longing to meet his beloved, and absence and separation takes the very life out of him. That is why he does not only regard as sinful, actions which are regarded as such by the common man— e.g., murder, adultery, theft and bearing false witness— rather, he considers even the slightest estrangement from God, and the slightest inclination towards anything other than Him, as a grave sin. He, therefore, constantly seeks forgiveness (Istighfar) from his Eternal Beloved. Since he can never bring himself to accept separation from Him at any time, the slightest neglect—which he might commit due to his human weakness—appears to him like a mountain of sin. It is for this reason that those who enjoy a holy and perfect relationship with God always occupy themselves with Istighfar. A true lover is always apprehensive lest his beloved should become annoyed with him, and his heart is filled with the thirst to please Him perfectly, and he is not content even when God Himself informs him that He is pleased with him. Just as a drunkard is not satisfied with drinking once and is constantly asking for more, in the same way, when the spring of Divine love gushes forth in a man’s heart, he naturally wants to win God’s pleasure as far as possible.” [11]

Love Leading to Adopting the Attributes of Allah

Another of the effects of worshipping God out of love for Him is that a person comes to adopt the attributes of God. Complete love necessitates that a person adopts the attributes of His beloved; in this case, the attributes of God. The Promised Messiah (as) states:

“…In point of fact, when a person falls in love with someone and his love is total, it becomes his food and his drink, as it were. Indeed he takes on the complexion of the character and lifestyle of the beloved. The greater the love, the more a person is involuntarily drawn towards the qualities of the loved one, so much so, that he becomes his very reflection. That is why, consistent with his capacity, a person who loves God acquires, metaphorically speaking, God’s light…The true lover loses himself in the beloved. He becomes the manifestation of the beloved and reflects in himself the image of the beloved to the extent that it becomes part and parcel of his person. After acquiring his complexion and by standing with him, he demonstrates to the people that for a fact he is totally lost in love for his beloved.”[12]

The Prophet Muhammad (sa) also alluded to this in one hadith-e-qudsi, where he stated:

“Allah said, ‘I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My Refuge) and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him.” [13]

Worship: The Only Means of True Satisfaction

Worship of God is thus a wonderful exercise that has many benefits, many of which have already been discussed briefly in the above passages. One of these benefits is that the true worship of God is something that brings deep satisfaction and contentment. The Holy Qur’an tells us:

أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

“Aye! it is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts can find comfort” [14]

“Bear patiently then what they say, and glorify thy Lord with His praise before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and glorify Him in the hours of the night and at the sides of the day, that thou mayest find true happiness” [15]

In a world that is everyday growing further from God, it is no wonder that we see a greater number of people feeling greater dissatisfaction, frustration, and discontentment in their lives. What the soul and heart of the age are crying out for is connection with the Creator, a connection that can only be realised through true worship.

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Pleasure in Worship

Aside from general contentment, there is a certain pleasure that has been placed in the act of worship itself. This is to facilitate its realization for man, much like the short-term pleasures associated with other human activities that serve to preserve or maintain his physical well-being (eating, drinking, procreation, etc.). The Promised Messiah (as) explains:

“Understand well that worship is not a burden and a tax. There is a pleasure and satisfaction in worship, and this pleasure and tranquility surpasses all other gratifications and carnal pleasures…The relationship between man and woman is artificial and temporary. I announce that the relationship which is true, eternal, and an embodiment of pleasure, is the one that exists between man and God Almighty… Just as there is pleasure in the relationship between man and woman which exists to preserve posterity, so too is there a pleasure in the relationship between Rububiyat (the Providence of God) and Ubudiyat (the coinciding faculty of man to accept the Providence of God through humility and obedience) to maintain the eternal spiritual life of man. Mystics state that he who is granted this pleasure prefers it to the world and all that it offers. If one comes to experience it even once in his entire life, he will lose himself completely to it. But the difficulty is that there is a large number of people in the world who have not understood this hidden matter…”[16]

Worship as a Means for the Removal of Anxieties

Aside from general dissatisfaction, there are moments where a person is beset by different difficulties in which his heart becomes agitated, and he finds no means to liberate himself. The Promised Messiah (as) discusses how true worship of God is not only a means for inner enlightenment, rather it is also a means for the concrete removal of the various problems and anxieties that assail us in life:

“True worship and reward are such that their blessings and light are experienced in this very world. The signs of the acceptance of our worship are that while in the act of prayer, we observe with our heart that a healing light descends from God and purifies the poisonous substances of our heart. It falls upon us like a spark and immediately fills us with a holy state of satisfaction, certainty, love, pleasure, affection, and ecstasy. If our prayers and worship do not have this quality, then they are merely convention and habit. Every prayer, though it may be for removal of a worldly problem, is accepted while first passing over our religious and spiritual condition. Meaning, it first increases us in our religious and spiritual rank and grants us pure satisfaction, contentment, comfort and true wellbeing, and thereafter casts its influence upon our worldly problems and removes our apprehensions in whatever way that is appropriate.”

About the Author: Azhar Goraya is a graduate from the Ahmadiyya Institute of Languages and Theology in Canada. He is currently serving as an Imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Mexico. He is also the Central American Coordinator for The Review of Religions en Español.


ENDNOTES

[1] Mufradat Imam Raghib

[2] Commentary on Surah Fatiha, pg. 196, original reference from Al-Hakam, Oct. 24, 1907.

[3] Holy Qur’an 51:57

[4] Islami Usul Ki Filasafi, Ruhani Khazain vol. 10, pg. 414. Eng. Trans. The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, pg. 158-159

اگرچہ مختلف الطبائع انسان اپنی کوتاہ فہمی یا پست ہمتی سے مختلف طور کے مدعا اپنی زندگی کے لئے ٹھہراتے ہیں اور فقط دنیا کے مقاصد اور آرزوؤں تک چل کر آگے ٹھہر جاتے ہیں مگر وہ مدعا جو خدا تعالیٰ اپنے پاک کلام میں بیان فرماتا ہے وہ یہ ہے ۔جیسا کہ وہ فرماتا ہے ۔  وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِیعنی میں نے جن اور انسان کو اسی لئے پیدا کیا ہے کہ وہ مجھے پہچانیں اور میری پرستش کریں۔ پس اس آیت کی رو سے اصل مدعا انسان کی زندگی کا خدا کی پرستش اور خدا کی معرفت اور خدا کے لئے ہو جانا ہے۔ یہ تو ظاہر ہے کہ انسان کو یہ تو مرتبہ حاصل نہیں ہے کہ اپنی زندگی کا مدعا اپنے اختیار سے آپ مقرر کرے کیونکہ انسان نہ اپنی مرضی سے آتا ہے اور نہ اپنی مرضی سے واپس جائے گا۔ بلکہ وہ ایک مخلوق ہے اور جس نے اسے پیدا کیا اور تمام حیوانات کی نسبت عمدہ اور اعلیٰ قویٰ اس کو عنایت کئے۔ اسی نے اس کی زندگی کا ایک مدعا ٹھہرا رکھا ہے۔ خواہ کوئی انسان اس مدعا کو سمجھے یا نہ سمجھے۔ مگر انسان کی پیدائش کا مدعا بلاشبہ خدا کی پرستش اور خدا کی معرفت اور خدا میں فانی ہو جانا ہی ہے۔  (اسلامی اصول کی فلاسفی، روحانی خزائن جلد ۱۰، صفحہ ۴۱۴)

[5] Ayyam us Sulh, Ruhani Khazain vol. 14, pg. 250. Eng. Trans. The Essence of Islam vol. 1 pg. 95-96

خدا تعالیٰ میں ایک قسم کا وہ فیض ہے جو دُعا کرنے سے وابستہ ہے اور بغیر دعا کے کسی طرح مل نہیں سکتا۔ یہ سنّت اﷲ اور قانونِ الٰہی ہے جس میں تخلف جائز نہیں ۔۔۔دعا محض لغو امر نہیں ہے۔ اور نہ صرف ایسی عبادت جس پر کسی قسم کا فیض نازل نہیں ہوتا۔ یہ ان لوگوں کے خیال ہیں کہ جو خدا تعالیٰ کا وہ ؔ قدر نہیں کرتے جو حق قدر کرنے کا ہے اور نہ خد اکی کلام کو نظر عمیق سے سوچتے ہیں او رنہ قانونِ قدرت پر نظر ڈالتے ہیں۔ حقیقت یہ ہے کہ دعا پر ضرور فیض نازل ہوتا ہے جو ہمیں نجات بخشتا ہے (ایّام الصلح، روحانی خزائن جلد ۱۴، صفحہ ۲۵۰)

[6] Brahin-e-Ahmadiyya part five, Ruhani Khazain vol. 21, pg. 200. Eng. Trans. Baraheen-e-Ahmadiyya vol. 5 pg. 279

انسان تعبّد ابدی کے لئے پیدا کیا گیا ہے۔ اور طبعی طور پر اس کے دل میں خدا تعالیٰ کی محبت موجود ہے پس اسی وجہ سے انسان کی روح کو خداتعالیٰ سے ایک تعلق ازلی ہے۔ (ضمیمہ براہین احمدیہ حصہ پنجم ، روحانی خزائن جلد ۲۱، صفحہ ۲۰۰)

[7] Nur-ul-Qur’an, Ruhani Khazain vol. 9, pg. 439 note.

حقیقت یہ ہے کہ محبت ذاتی کا اصل اور منبع دو ہی چیزیں ہیں (۱) اوّل کثرت سے مطالعہ کسی کے حسن کا اور اس کے نقوش اور خال و خط اور شمائل کو ہر وقت ذہن میں رکھنا اور بار بار اس کا تصور کرنا (۲) دوسری کثرت سے تصور کسی کے متواتر احسانات کا کرنا اور اس کے انواع و اقسام کے مروتوں اور احسانوں کو ذہن میں لاتے رہنا اور ان احسانوں کی عظمت اپنے دل میں بٹھانا۔ (نور القرآن، روحانی خزائن جلد ۹، صفحہ ۴۳۹ نوٹ)

[8] Ayyam-us-Sulh, Ruhani Khazain vol. 14, pg. 247. Eng. Trans. Commentary on Surah Fatiha pg. 77

۔۔۔خدا تعالیٰ کی عبادت رُوح کے جوش اور طبیعت کی کشش سے ہو اور ایسی کشش جو عشق اور محبت سے بھری ہوئی ہو ہرگز کسی کی نسبت پیدا نہیں ہو سکتی جب تک یہ ثابت نہ ہو کہ وہ شخص ایسی کامل خوبیوں کا جامع ہے جن کے ملاحظہ سے بے اختیار دل تعریف کرنے لگتا ہے اور یہ تو ظاہر ہے کہ کامل تعریف دو قسم کی خوبیوں کے لئے ہوتی ہے۔ ایک کمال حُسن اور ایک کمال احسان اور اگر کسی میں دونوں خوبیاں جمع ہوںؔ تو پھر اُس کے لئے دل فدا اور شیدا ہو جاتا ہے۔ اور قرآن شریف کا بڑا مطلب یہی ہے کہ خدا تعالیٰ دونوں قسم کی خوبیاں حق کے طالبوں پر ظاہر کرے تا اُس بے مثل و مانند ذات کی طرف لوگ کھینچے جائیں اور رُوح کے جوش اورکشش سے اُس کی بندگی کریں۔ اس لئے پہلی سورۃ میں ہی یہ نہایت لطیف نقشہ دکھلانا چاہا ہے کہ وہ خدا جس کی طرف قرآن بُلاتا ہے وہ کیسی خوبیاں اپنے اندر رکھتا ہے۔ ۔۔اور قرآن کی اصطلاح کی رُو سے اﷲ اُس ذات کا نام ہے جس کی تمام خوبیاں حُسن و احسان کے کمال کے نقطہ پر پہنچی ہوئی ہوں اور کوئی مَنقصت اُس کی ذات میں نہ ہو۔ قرآن شریف میں تمام صفات کا موصوف صرف اﷲ کے اسم کو ہی ٹھہرایا ہے تا اِس بات کی طرف اشارہ ہو کہ اﷲ کا اسم تب متحقق ہوتا ہے کہ جب تمام صفات کاملہ اس میں پائی جائیں ۔پس جبکہ ہر ایک قسم کی خوبی اُس میں پائی گئی تو حسن اس کا ظاہر ہے۔ (ایّام الصلح، روحانی خزائن جلد ۱۴، صفحہ ۲۴۷)

[9] Commentary on Surah Fatiha, pg. 180. Original reference from Report of the proceedings of the Great Religious Conference, p. 186.

[10] Nur-ul-Qur’an number 2, Ruhani Khazain vol.9, pg. 441

۔۔۔ قرآن شریف نے اعلیٰ طبقہ عبادت الٰہی اور اعمال صالحہ کا یہی رکھا ہے کہ محبت الٰہی اور رضاء الٰہی کی طلب سچے دل سے ظہور میں آوے ۔۔۔ خدا تعالیٰ نے تو اس دین کا نام اسلام اس غرض سے رکھا ہے کہ تاانسان خدا تعالیٰ کی عبادت نفسانی اغراض سے نہیں بلکہ طبعی جوش سے کرے کیونکہ اسلام تمام اغراض کے چھوڑ دینے کے بعد رضا بقضا کا نام ہے دنیا میں بجز اسلام ایسا کوئی مذہب نہیں جس کے یہ مقاصد ہوں بے شک خدا تعالیٰ نے اپنی رحمت جتلانے کے لئے مومنوں کو انواع اقسام کی نعمتوں کے وعدے دیئے ہیں مگر مومنوں کو جو اعلیٰ مقام کے خواہش مند ہیں یہی تعلیم دی ہے کہ وہ محبت ذاتی سے خداتعالیٰ کی عبادت کریں ۔ (نور القرآن نمبر ۲، روحانی خزائن جلد ۹، صفحہ  ۴۴۱)

[11] Chashma-e-Masihi, Ruhani Khazain vol. 20, pg. 378-379. Eng. Trans. Fountain of Christianity, pg. 56-58

پھر معرفت کے بعد بڑی ضروری نجات کے لئے محبت الٰہی ہے۔ ۔۔محبت عجیب چیز ہے۔ اس کی آگ گناہوں کی آگ کو جلاتی اور معصیت کے شعلے کو بھسم کر دیتی ہے۔ سچی اور ذاتی اور کامل محبت کے ساتھ عذاب جمع ہو ہی نہیں سکتا اور سچی محبت کے علامات میں سے ایک یہ بھی ہے کہ اس کی فطرت میں یہ بات منقوش ہوتی ہے کہ اپنے محبوب کے قطع تعلق کا اُس کو نہایت خوف ہوتا ہے اور ایک ادنیٰ سے ادنیٰ قصور کے ساتھ اپنے تئیں ہلاک شدہ سمجھتا ہے اور اپنے محبوب کی مخالفت کو اپنے لئے ایک زہر خیال کرتا ہے اور نیز اپنے محبوب کے وصال کے پانے کے لئے نہایت بے تاب رہتا ہے اور بُعد اور دُوری کے صدمہ سے ایسا گداز ہوتا ہے کہ بس مر ہی جاتا ہے۔ اس لئے وہ صرف ان باتوں کو گناہ نہیں سمجھتا کہ جوعوام سمجھتے ہیں کہ قتل نہ کر۔ خون نہ کر۔ زنانہ کر۔ چوری نہ کر۔ جھوٹی گواہی نہ دے۔ بلکہ وہ ایک ادنیٰ غفلت کو اور ادنیٰ التفات کو جو خدا کو چھوڑ کر غیر کی طرف کی جائے ایک کبیرہ گناہ خیال کرتا ہے۔ اس لئے اپنے محبوب ازلی کی جناب میں دوام استغفار اس کا ورد ہوتا ہے اور چونکہ اس بات پر اس کی فطرت راضی نہیں ہوتی کہ وہ کسی وقت بھی خدا تعالیٰ سے الگ رہے اس لئے بشریت کے تقاضا سے ایک ذرّہ غفلت بھی اگر صادر ہو تو اس کو ایک پہاڑ کی طرح گناہ سمجھتا ہے۔ یہی بھید ہے کہ خدا تعالیٰ سے پاک اور کامل تعلق رکھنے والے ہمیشہ استغفار میں مشغول رہتے ہیں کیونکہ یہ محبت کا تقاضا ہے کہ ایک محب صادق کو ہمیشہ یہ فکر لگی رہتی ہے کہ اس کا محبوب اس پر ناراض نہ ہو جائے اور چونکہ اس کے دل میں ایک پیاس لگا دی جاتی ہے کہ خدا کامل طور پر اس سے راضی ہو اس لئے اگر خدا تعالیٰ یہ بھی کہے کہ میں تجھ سے راضی ہوں تب بھی وہ اس قدر پر صبر نہیں کر سکتا کیونکہ جیسا کہ شراب کے دَور کے وقت ایک شراب پینے والا ہر دم ایک مرتبہ پی کر پھر دوسری مرتبہ مانگتا ہے۔ اسی طرح جب انسان کے اندر محبت کا چشمہ جوش مارتا ہے تو وہ محبت طبعاً یہ تقاضا کرتی ہے کہ زیادہ سے زیادہ خدا تعالیٰ کی رضا حاصل ہو۔ (چشمہ مسیحی، روحانی خزائن جلد ۲۰، صفحہ  ۳۷۸ تا ۳۷۹)

[12] Nur-ul-Qur’an Number 2, Ruhani Khazain vol. 9, pgs. 430-431. Eng Trans. Essence of Islam vol. 3 pgs. 36-37.

درحقیقت جو شخص کسی سے کامل محبت کرتا ہے تو گویا اسے پی لیتا ہے یا کھا لیتا ہے اور اس کے اخلاق اور اس کے چال چلن کے ساتھ رنگین ہو جاتا ہے اور جس قدر زیادہ محبت ہوتی ہے اسی قدر انسان بالطبع اپنے محبوب کی صفات کی طرف کھینچا جاتا ہے یہاں تک کہ اسی کا روپ ہو جاتا ہے جس سے وہ محبت کرتا ہے۔ یہی بھید ہے کہ جو شخص خدا سے محبت کرتا ہے وہ ظلی طور پر بقدر اپنی استعداد کے اس نور کو حاصل کر لیتا ہے۔۔۔ سچی محبت کرنے والا اپنے محبوب میں فنا ہو جاتا ہے۔ اپنے محبوب کے گریبان سے ظاہر ہوتا ہے اور ایسی تصویر اس کی اپنے اندر کھینچتا ہے کہ گویا اسے پی جاتا ہے اور کہا جاتا ہے کہ وہ اس میں ہوکر اور اس کے رنگ میں رنگین ہوکر اور اس کے ساتھ ہوکر لوگوں پر ظاہر کر دیتا ہے کہ وہ درحقیقت اس کی محبت میں کھویا گیا ہے۔  (نور القرآن نمبر ۲، روحانی خزائن جلد ۹، صفحہ۴۳۰ تا ۴۳۱)

[13] Sahih Bukhari, Book To make the Heart Tender (Ar-Riqaq), Chapter: About Humility, Hadith #6502

إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ عَبْدِي بِشَىْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَىَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ، فَإِذَا أَحْبَبْتُهُ كُنْتُ سَمْعَهُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ بِهِ، وَبَصَرَهُ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيَدَهُ الَّتِي يَبْطُشُ بِهَا وَرِجْلَهُ الَّتِي يَمْشِي بِهَا، وَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي لأُعْطِيَنَّهُ، وَلَئِنِ اسْتَعَاذَنِي لأُعِيذَنَّهُ، وَمَا تَرَدَّدْتُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ أَنَا فَاعِلُهُ تَرَدُّدِي عَنْ نَفْسِ الْمُؤْمِنِ، يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ وَأَنَا أَكْرَهُ مَسَاءَتَهُ (صحیح البخاری، كتاب الرقاق، باب التَّوَاضُعِ، حدیث ۶۵۰۲)

[14] Holy Qur’an 13:29

[15] Holy Qur’an 20:131

[16] Malfuzat vol. 3, pg. 26-27

خوب سمجھ لو کہ عبادت بھی کوئی بوجھ اور ٹیکس نہیں اس میں بھی ایک لذّت اور سرور ہے اور یہ لذّت اور سُرور دنیا کی تمام لذّتوں اور تمام حظوظِ نفس سے بالا تر ہے۔۔۔عورت اور مرد کا جوڑا تو باطل اور عارضی جوڑا ہے۔ میں کہتا ہوں حقیقی ابدی اور لذّت مجسم کا جو جوڑا ہے وہ انسان اور خدائے تعالی کا ہے۔۔۔جیسا کہ عورت اور مرد کے جوڑے سے ایک قسم کی بقاء کے لئے حظّ ہے اسی طرح پر عبودیت اور ربوبیّت کے جوڑے میں ایک ابدی بقا کے لیے حظّ موجود ہے صوفی کہتے ہیں کہ یہ حظّ جس کو نصیب ہو جائے وہ دنیا اور ما فیها کے تمام حظوظ سے بڑھ کر ترجیح رکھتا ہے۔ اگر ساری عمر میں ایک بار بھی اُس کو معلوم ہو جائے تو وہ اس میں ہی فنا ہو جائے لیکن مشکل تو یہ ہے کی دنیا میں ایک بڑی تعداد ایسے لوگوں کی ہے جنہوں نے اس راز کو نہیں سمجھا۔۔۔ (ملفوظات جلد ۳ صفحہ ۲۶ تا ۲۷)

[17] Ayyam-us-Sulh, Ruhani Khazain, vol. 14, prg. 241

حقیقی عبادت اور حقیقی ثواب وہی ہے جس کے اِسی دُنیا میں انوار اور برکات محسوس بھی ہوں۔ ہماری پرستش کی قبولیت کے آثار یہی ہیں کہ ہم عین دُعا کے وقت میں اپنے دل کی آنکھ سے مشاہدہ کریں کہ ایک تریاقی نور خدا سے اُترتا اور ہمارے دل کے زہریلے مواد کو دھوتا اور ہمارے پر ایک شعلہ کی طرح گرتا اور فی الفور ہمیں ایک پاک کیفیتِ انشراح صدر اور یقین اور محبت اور لذّت اور اُنس اور ذوق سے پُر کر دیتا ہے۔ اگر یہ امرنہیں ہے تو پھر دُعا اور عبادت بھی ایک رسم اور عادت ہے۔ ہر ایک دُعا گو ہماری دنیوی مشکل کشائی کے لئے ہو مگر ہماری ایمانی حالت اور عرفانی مرتبت پر گزر کر آتی ہے۔ یعنی اوّل ہمیں ایمان اور عرفان میں ترقی بخشتی ہے اور ایک پاک سکینت اور انشراح صدر اور اطمینان اور حقیقی خوشحالی ہمیں عطا کرکے پھر ہماری دنیوی مکروہات پر اپنا اثر ڈالتی ہے اور جس پہلو سے مناسب ہے اس پہلو سے ہمارے غم کو دُور کر دیتی ہے۔   (ایّام الصلح، روحانی خزائن جلد ۱۴، صفحہ ۲۴۱)