Topics
All religions share
the common teaching that this world is a place of examination and testing.
Peace and joy result for the individuals or nations that succeed in the test;
Hellfire awaits those individuals or nations that fail the test.
Whether in the
physical world or the world of lights (heaven), in both man has been provided
means of luxury and comfort. Just as houses provide shelter for people in this
world, in the same way palaces await their occupants in heaven. Just as the
fruits of the earth are a means of enjoyment for us here, in the same way
grapes, pomegranates and apples are present in abundance in heaven. Just as men
and women are a source of peace and contentment for each other in this world,
we see in the heavenly world of lights the existence of hoor-o-ghulmaan
[beautiful chaste maidens, and handsome male servants']. As sweet water is
necessary for our life in the mortal world, heaven presents to us aab-e-Kauthar
['water of the spiritual spring of kauthar. Within the confines of time and
space, we experience joy and ecstasy [on the one hand], and sorrow and grief
[on the other]. It is these same aspects that are known as heaven and hell in
the other world.
Within each person
resides the ability of both superficial thinking and deep reflection. When
reflection deepens, the only conclusion that becomes apparent is that each
person carries with him heaven and hell, and it is related to one's way of
thinking. If a person's way of thinking is free and on the pattern of thinking
of the prophets (s.w) of Allah, then his entire life becomes heaven. If the way
of thinking contains elements that are satanic, one's entire life becomes hell.
Those possessing
hoards of gold and silver require the same amount of food to eat and the same
amount of fabric to cover their bodies as those bereft of wealth. A person
living in a mansion consisting of ten rooms sleeps on a single bed [like any
other ordinary person]. No single person, no matter how wealthy, has ever been
shown to require more than one bed.
A difference can be
created in the distribution of resources, yet everyone's requirements to live
are the same. Whether in conditions of material abundance or of scarcity, there
is no guarantee of a peaceful life. The path to a peaceful life and contentment
of heart may be traversed only through a different way of thinking; and that
way of thinking requires that man become familiar with himself. The act of
gaining familiarity with oneself is based on reality, whereas escape from
reality makes life fictitious and imaginary.
Today we are living
in an age where novel discoveries are revealed on a daily basis. In this world
of exploration, man has plumbed the depths of the ocean and is continually at
work uncovering its hidden secrets. In his search of hidden secrets, man has also
reached for the stars. Mars, presenting a new path of discovery, lies before
him. After all these observations, man has no choice but to conclude that this
process of investigation will not reach culmination until man finds himself. It
is necessary that one should find transcendental abilities within oneself. It
is with this intention that the non-Muslim nations have started travelling into
the depths of their conscious. They are in search of new insight that could
serve as a beacon of hope within the stormy seas of man's troubled existence.
To escape the pangs
of anxiety and discontent, we have received an inheritance from our ancestors
that is called muraqabah ['meditation']. It is through meditation that we can
bring to the surface the abilities hidden within us. Meditation is an act that
has been the practice of the prophets"' of Allah mid all the Aulia-Allah
['friends of Allah/ saintly people']. The last prophet, may peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him, mediated in the cave of Hira for a long period of time
before the initiation of his prophet-hood.
According to a
survey report, the number of people in America who meditate in order to achieve
a state of spiritual intuition and ecstasy, exceeds one million. These
statistics clearly show that, even in a self-sufficient country like America,
people are returning to the way of thinking of the Aulia-Allah, in order to
achieve peace of heart and mind, and in order to live their lives properly.
Through meditation
we are not only able to comprehend our own selves, but the past and the present
also lies before us like an open book, and a joyous life becomes our destiny in
light of this comprehension.
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%?
