High Levels of Maarifah

High Levels of Maarifah The Quran tells us that man was created so that he might worship God. In the words of the Quran, “I created the Jinn and mankind only so that they might worship Me.” (51:56) In this verse the worship of God means the realization of God. Discovery of the realization of God is without doubt the highest destination of anyone’s intellectual progress. The noblest is he who can attain this level of realization. There are three kinds of such realization. The experience of realization of the first and second kinds has become a reality in history. So far as the realization of the third kind is concerned, the prospect of it becoming a reality has become achievable only in the 20th century for the first time in history. The experience of the first kind of discovery was achieved by the prophets. This experience happened at the level of what is seen (ruyat). It is described in the Quran in this verse: “We showed Abraham our Kingdom of the heavens and the earth, so that he might have certainty of faith.” (Quran 6:75) The words regarding the Prophet of Islam are similar. “And certainly he saw him descend a second time.” (Quran 53:13). This kind of realization is attainable at the level of the seen. This realization is reserved solely for the prophets. The second level of realization is at the level of the discovery of one’s helplessness. Man discovers his total helplessness as compared to the all powerfulness of Almighty God. In this way he achieves the realization