SPIRITUALITY & GRATITUDE

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. 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. When it comes to interactions with people a spiritual person will render service to alleviate the sufferings of humankind.