FROM THE SPIRITUAL TREE

FROM THE SPIRITUAL TREE There is a tree beside my house. I call it the 'Spiritual Tree'. I derive spiritual inspiration from it. A tree is an evergrowing being that was initially a seed possessing the potential of becoming a full-grown tree. A seed takes food from the universe around it and then grows into a tree. The same is true with spirituality, the desire for which is intrinsic to, and an integral part of, the very nature of every human being. To realize this spirituality, man must derive spiritual food from the universe around him. A tree converts carbon-dioxide into oxygen; a spiritual person is one who can take positive lessons from negative situations. From this perspective, a tree is an embodiment of a spiritual personality. —Maulana Wahiduddin Khan ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE TRUTH G OD manifests Himself on earth through truth. Disbelief in the truth is disbelief in God. There is no greater crime than to refuse to accept the truth after it has been made plain. Truth emanates from God. Whoever rejects it is, in fact, rejecting God. There is nothing strange about the truth. It is inherent to human nature, yet people fail to accept it. This is because they are psychologically inhibited from doing so. Acceptance of the truth might disrupt their materialistic life-pattern. They might have to lower their worldly status. If the truth is presented by some insignificant person against whom they are prejudiced, they are reluctant to acknowledge it. Psychological barriers such as these dominate their minds, preventing straight thinking. They reject matters which a little honest thought would surely have led them to accept as the truth. Rejecting truth on the grounds of prejudice, pride or expediency, is to reject God Himself. It is a failure to recognize God in the truth. It is equivalent to placing yourself above God and giving precedence to your own petty requirements.