CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF RELIGION

CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF RELIGION world. All commands and manners serve to guide the servant to this ultimate level. Whoever attains this connection with their Lord in this life will also find their Lord in the Hereafter, while those who miss it here will also be deprived of the blessing of meeting their Lord in the Hereafter. Let there be no misunderstanding that I am endorsing the view held by certain schools of thought which claim that human perfection in this world lies in merging with God or achieving a direct vision of Him. Some have even idealized the event of the Mi‘raj (ascension of the Prophet) as a goal to strive for. These people are indeed under a significant misconception. They regard closeness to God as a literal, physical reality, whereas it is only a spiritual or sensory experience in this life. True closeness to God, to the extent possible for a servant, can only be achieved in the Hereafter. However, this closeness will be granted to those who have become acquainted with this state in this world. The difference between the two is that the closeness we experience in this world is sensory, whereas the closeness in the Hereafter will be a real, tangible experience. From this perspective, defining the ultimate goal of the faithful as—“Our purpose is to establish the system of truth in the world”—is incorrect. While it contains some truth, it is an inaccurate representation