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As we analyze the months and years of life, we see that life is
a machine made up of billions upon billions of mechanical parts. Just as any
man-made machine depends upon energy and fuel [in order to function], in the
same way the machine within the human skeleton also depends upon energy and
lubricants [for its function]. Just as a machine made of wood, Iron, or some
[other] metal is useless without fuel, similarly, if the human machine is not
fed, each one of its parts becomes Inoperative and useless.
What an interesting spectacle! Man says, 'my heart' "my
brain” kidneys.' An unseen energy is operating the heart, the brain, and the
kidneys, and along with these basic parts, billions and billions of other parts
(cells) are automatically in motion. But man is so short-sighted that he is
neither able to see, nor hear, the machine that operates within him whether it
operates loudly, or convulsively, or at a fast or a slow speed. If the invisible
process of energy that operates the machine breaks, man is unable to restore
it.
The work of energy is to burn itself and keep the machine in
motion. If the expenditure of energy is moderate, life is prolonged; if energy
is wasted, the flame of life starts to dim, and after flaring up once, it is
extinguished.
Flames of fire are of two types. One type of flame causes
everything to burn down to ashes, while the other type of flame causes life to
run within everything. When man nourishes himself with the lights of khair
['goodness], these blazing flames become for him like flowers and orchid,
whereas, when man chooses for his consumption that which comes from shar
['evil'], these flames push him into the of hell.
What are goodness and evil? These are two styles of thought. If
one's way of thinking consists of servitude to Allah and love of Allah, then
this is goodness [' /chair]; if one's way of thinking consists of loving
another instead of Allah, then this evil, ['shar]. Goodness is self-sustaining
([through] the glorious God), whereas, evil is established upon Satan. The
definition of goodness is that, it is what Allah likes, and evil is that which
Allah does not like.
In today's sitting, come let us study, not the universe, but a
mechanical part of the universe—the human being.
Before entering into consciousness, a person is not aware the
kindness of the father or the maternal love of the mother. As soon as he enters
the school of thought of consciousness a new zeal and a new passion is awakened
within him. He pays attention to the creative abilities within him. And these
creative abilities, eventually, bring him towards a point —a point which itself
initiated from new creations. When a person enter this point, within him bursts
the fountain of the father's kindness and the mother's maternal love. As a
result, he constructs a living image just like himself. This image is also a
mechanical part of the human machine and to feed this part, an automatic system
operates continuously. Man searches for resources keep this image alive and in
motion, and in that search for resources, he goes so far away that
consciousness itself revolts against him.
Allah the Exalted has called this image, children, and the
resources, wealth. According to the saying wealth and children fitnah, yet man
with all his energies and all his abilities and all his intelligence is moving
closer and closer to this fitnah.
Keep in mind, everything that is temporary, is not real, and
what is not real cannot attain nearness to Huq ['the Truth']. Whether it is
wealth or children, these are temporary and unreal images. When man turns these
temporary and unreal images into the purpose of his life, they all becomes for
him a hardship and fitnah.
KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DEEN AZEEMI
Science has made immense progress, yet many believe that, even with all of the modern tools at our disposal, human beings function at no more than 10% of their mental capacity. This leads to the question of what exactly it is that comprises the remaining 90%. Yet another question that arises is this: If it has taken man four and a half billion years to be able to apply only 10% of his ability, how long will it take for him to make use of the remaining 90%?
