ISLAMIC SPIRITUALITY

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 waves of the river and the chirping of the birds. Due to this high state of receptivity, man reaches the stage where the wavelength of God and man becomes one. And 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 be started. 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 traveler. After making the Quran one’s guide, one can set one’s spiritual journey on the right track. 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.