SPIRITUALITY GRATITUDE
Strongly Connected
THERE is nothing mysterious about spirituality in Islam. It is the
direct result of the kind of intellectual development that takes
place when a believer ponders over the Creator and His creation:
he gains something in the process that may be termed spirituality. The
source, therefore, of Islamic spirituality is perusal and reflection rather
than any sort of mysterious exercise.
That is why the Quran rejects monasticism, referring to it as an
innovation in religion, which God did not prescribe for people. ( 57: 27 )
From the Quran we learn that, in the very creation of the universe, the
signs of God lie hidden all around us. A person who is in a state of keen
awareness when he reflects upon the things of the world, comes to see
the Creator in the creation. The meaning of the creation of the universe
is laid bare before him. Ultimately, the universe becomes a permanent
source of spiritual inspiration. He is continuously nourished by it during
his worldly experience, and his observation of the universe awakens in
him latent divine qualities.
This observation and contemplation of the universe does not result
in his shunning normal life. Far from withdrawing from the world, he
lives in it, participating in all its activities; yet despite his involvement,
remaining aloof. That is to say, although he fulfills all his duties and
responsibilities, his heart is not attached to worldly affairs.
He appears to live in the world, but he stands apart from it. Thanks
to this state of his heart, he acquires tremendous spiritual gains. The
Prophet Muhammad says of such individuals:
“God plants wisdom in the heart of one who shows
disinclination for the world.”
It is important to note that the concept of spirituality in Islam is based
on the principle of God-realization. God is the treasure house of all
virtues. And when man’s contact with God is established in the world
of his feelings, at the psychological level, an unseen, inner revolution
is brought about, which is called spirituality. In this matter the
relationship between God and man can be likened to an electric wire
and the powerhouse. When the wire is connected to the powerhouse,
electricity is produced, and the place is lit up. In this way, spirituality is
the result of the connection to the power house of God.
Human nature is like an inflammable element. When an inflammable
substance like petrol comes near a fire, it is ignited. Similarly, human
nature is awakened when it comes in contact with God. This finds
expression in the Quran in these words:
God is the light of the heavens and the earth. His light containing
a lamp, the lamp inside a crystal of star-like brilliance lit from
a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west. The
[luminous] oil is as if ready to burn without even touching it.
Light upon light; God guides to His light whom He will. God
draws such comparisons for mankind; God has full knowledge
of everything. ( 24: 35 )
This is a compound simile. ‘Light’ here means the guidance of Almighty,
‘niche’ means the human heart and ‘lamp’ denotes the capability to
receive divine inspiration. Glass and oil elaborate upon this receptivity.
‘Glass’ shows that this receptivity has been lodged in the human heart;
protected from outside influences, and clear oil indicates that this
receptivity is very strong and is eagerly waiting to receive inspiration.
When it comes to
interactions with
people a spiritual
person will render
service to alleviate
the sufferings of
humankind.
This verse makes it clear that, on the one hand, is God, the source
of inspiration, and on the other, is the consciousness of spirituality
(God-consciousness) with which man is born. In this way when these
two things come together, Islamic spirituality
comes into existence. This is indeed
another name for the awakening of Godconsciousness. When it reaches its highest
stage, the believer’s realization of God
comes to that point where he begins to feel
consciously in his worship that he is seeing
God and if he is unable to come to this stage
then he consciously feels that God is seeing
him. If the first type of experience is called
direct spiritual experience, the second type
may be termed indirect spiritual experience.
As the Quran tells us, “Prostrate yourself and come closer to God” ( 96:
19). For God is always close to us—closer than our jugular vein ( 50: 16 ). By
total surrender to God, the soul can realize nearness to God.
These spiritual experiences cannot be explained in words. Everything
in the universe seems to convey a divine message. The leaves of the
tree become a thrilling experience. A waft of air gives a message of
truth. Divine music can be heard in the burbling of the river and the
chirping of the birds.
Due to this high state of receptivity, he is enabled, in the words of the
Prophet: “to see with God’s eye, to speak with God’s tongue, to walk
with God’s foot, to hear with the ear of God.” Then all limitations vanish
and his day and night are spent in God’s neighbourhood. All this can
be felt, not described in words. This can be explained with the example
of a child who has limitless love for his mother. He knows it himself in
the full sense but he cannot fully describe it in words. The same is true
of spirituality.
When a person is linked with the source of spirituality, he undergoes
such spiritual experiences as he himself fully understands, but has
difficulty in conveying to others. He may describe some external signs
but he cannot describe inner reality.
Although it is difficult to describe the inner reality of spirituality, its
method of attainment can be described to a certain extent and
followed by others. To attain spirituality, first of all man has to free
his mind from confusion. It is difficult for a confused mind to undergo
spiritual experiences. The basic reason for
confused thinking is that man is not able
to differentiate between the real and the
superficial, the relevant and the irrelevant,
rational thinking and superstition, logical and
illogical statements. One who thinks thus will
always remain in a state of mental confusion.
He will never be able to find the straight path.
As a result, his spiritual journey will never
start.
The Prophet
Muhammad has
said that, “One who
does not express his
gratitude to other
human beings will
never be thankful to
God.”
On the path of spirituality, a believer cannot
be his own guide. And one certainly needs a
guide. This guide is the Quran. It is an authentic and carefully preserved
book of God. That is why the Quran can be trusted as a guide by the
spiritual traveller. After making the Quran one’s guide, one can set
one’s spiritual journey on the right track.
The spiritual journey demands a change in lifestyle. The lifestyle for a
spiritual traveller may be put briefly in these words: ‘Simple living and
high thinking.’
Simple living means limiting one’s worldly requirements to the
minimum and assiduously avoiding comfort and luxury. That is why the
Sufis used to wear coarse clothes as a symbol of the simple life. It helps
the traveller in his spiritual journey. High thinking means that one's
thoughts are not embroiled in material things. By engaging one’s mind in higher realities, one becomes a recipient of divine inspiration. This
inspiration of divine light comes to his mind uninterruptedly, igniting
his whole existence.
The Quran attaches great importance to contemplation, reflection
and serious thought. There are a number of verses in the Quran that
indicate that innumerable signs of God are extant in the heavens and
the earth. The observance of God’s signs is the greatest source of
spirituality.
According to a Hadith, ‘Worship God as if you are seeing him’, (Sahih-al
Bukhari). When man engages himself in true devotion; he is linked with
God at a sensory or psychological level.
He comes close to God. Through an invisible cord he comes in contact
with God; God’s light passes through him. His entire existence comes
to be pervaded by this indescribable feeling, which is called spiritual
experience.
This is called rabbaniat in the Quran (Be devoted servants of the Lord)
( 3: 79 ). Rabbani means one whose thinking, and whose actions are Godoriented, who has placed God at the centre of his attention. When an
individual attains spirituality, his state becomes like a lamp lit all of a
sudden. He undergoes spiritual experiences.
His heart becomes an ocean of spiritual
waves. He appears to live in this world, but
he has found another far superior world for
himself.
The spiritual journey
demands a change in
lifestyle. The lifestyle
for a spiritual
traveller may be
put briefly in these
words: ‘Simple living
and high thinking.
When it comes to interactions with people, he
will render service to alleviate the sufferings
of humankind. The following incident brings
out the concept of service to others in a very
profound way. During the British monarchy,
one of the British Emperors disguised himself
as an ordinary person to inspect his military
establishments. During an interaction when one military officer
admonished him in a very stern and harsh manner, the disguised king
asked, “Do you know who I am?”
Taken aback at such a question and doubting himself the officer said,
“Are you a military officer just as I am?” The king replied, “I am of a
greater position than that”. The officer said, “Then you must be a
Captain.” Again to this the king replied, “I am greater than that.” “Are
you a colonel?” asked the officer. “No, I am greater than that”, was the reply. The officer said, “Then you must be a General”. “No, I am even
greater than a general”, said the king.
Then the officer who was by now in total shock said, “Then you must be
the Emperor”. He said, “Yes, I am the king”. The officer handed his gun
to the king and said, “You may shoot me for my crime, I have failed to
recognize my king”. The king said, “No, you are a good military officer
but I have an advice for you. Whenever you interact with any common
man think of him as your king and of yourself as an ordinary soldier
then you will treat every individual in the best manner and will consider
the common man’s affairs as the affairs of the king”.
To understand the above more clearly the following Hadith is very
important. On Doomsday, God says to a person, “I was ill, but you did
not come to nurse Me.” The man will reply, “God, You being the Lord
of the universe, how can You be ill”? God will answer, “Such and such
servant of Mine was ill. Had you gone there, you would have found Me
there with him.” Then God says to another person, “I was hungry but
you did not feed Me.” The person will reply, “God, You are the Lord of
the worlds, how could You go hungry?” God says, “Such and such of My
servants came to you, but you did not feed him. Had you done so, you
would have found Me with him.” Then God says to yet another man,
“I was thirsty, and you did not give Me water to drink.” That person
will also say, “God, You are the Lord of the worlds, how could You be
thirsty?” God says, “Such and such servant of Mine came to you, but
you did not give him water to drink. Had you offered him water, you
would have found Me there with him.”
In this Hadith the teaching is that you consider every interaction with
others as an interaction with God. The words used in the Hadith are
symbolic and this Hadith guides us towards the character of a believer.
A person who treats every human interaction as an interaction with
God will not commit any excesses in his behaviour.
The Islamic principle highlighted here is that if a person wants to find
God, he shall first have to make himself deserving of this by serving
others. This paves the way to spiritual progress. Only those who have
elevated themselves spiritually will find God.
Now what is the connection between spirituality and gratitude?
If we realize the Unseen God in the above sense then it is impossible that
we will be ungrateful to our fellow beings as we are all interdependent
to live our life on earth. With this understanding we will move on to the
aspect of gratitude which highlights this point with more clarity.
The Prophet Muhammad has said that, “One who does not express his
gratitude to other human beings will never be thankful to God.”
Thankfulness is a state of mind which cannot be compartmentalized.
If it manifests itself in one place, the chances are that it will do so in
other places too. If a man shows gratitude to one person, he will surely
show it to others likewise. When a man does
someone a good turn, it is something quite
obvious—a tangible direct experience. On the
contrary, God’s kindness, being an indirect
experience, is not at all obvious. One has to
be perceptive, and reflective to be able to
realize the favours granted to man by God.
While the favours a man does are observable,
God’s favours can be realized only by thinking
about them.
If a person wants to
find God, he shall
first have to make
himself deserving
of this by serving
others. This paves
his way to spiritual
progress. Only those
who have elevated
themselves spiritually
will find God.
One who fails to perceive an event which is
directly observable cannot be expected to
grasp something which can be apprehended
only after a great deal of cogitation.
If the recipient of a favour fails to acknowledge it for fear of belittling
himself in the eyes of his benefactor, he does himself nothing but
harm. It is more a question of being belittled in the eyes of his own
conscience than falling down in others’ eyes—a course by far the more
injurious.
An even greater disadvantage of an ungrateful attitude is that it
produces a mentality of non-acknowledgement. Failing at first to
acknowledge the favours of one’s fellow men leads on to failure to give
wholehearted credence to the Lord of the universe. There is no greater
loss in this world than one who has failed to acknowledge his Creator.
Thus, Islam inculcates the spirit of gratitude towards one’s fellow
beings and towards God.
True spirituality is the elevation of the human condition to a plane on
which the mind is focused on the higher, non-material realities of a
Godly existence. The sign of a person being spiritual for sure is that
he will contribute positively towards humanity, will be compassionate,
kind to the animals as well and will not harm the environment. He will
be self-motivated in doing this.
