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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
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 greif [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 with him heaven and hell, and it is related
to one's way of thinking. If a person's way of thinking is live 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%?
