THE BELIEVER MUST ALSO BE A TRAVELLER

The spiritual journey of a believer can be expressed in a simple yet profound formula: siahat (travelling) plus tawassum (learning lessons) equals Marifah (realization of God). Travelling represents the physical aspect of travelling, while learning lessons involves the spiritual reflection that accompanies the journey. Together, these lead to Marifah, the realization and recognition of God’s presence and majesty. Travelling offers unique opportunities for spiritual growth that are not always available in the confines of daily life. When a believer travels, they encounter new environments, cultures, and experiences that broaden their perspective and enhance their spiritual understanding. This dynamic process allows for a more rapid and diverse development of the believer’s personality and spirituality. Consider the simple act of purchasing a return ticket for a journey. This ticket symbolizes the assurance of returning home. Reflecting upon this, a believer can draw parallels to the journey of life and death. Death is the ultimate journey with no return ticket, leading to the Hereafter. This reflection is a profound example of tawassum, where a mundane object like a ticket becomes a reminder of the eternal truths of existence and the afterlife. For the believer, travelling is more than a physical activity; it is a means to expand the horizons of their spirituality. While at home, a believer’s growth may be steady but limited by the familiarity of their surroundings. In contrast, travelling exposes the believer to a myriad of new experiences, each offering fresh insights and lessons. This expanded exposure accelerates spiritual growth, adding new dimensions to the believer’s understanding and appreciation of the divine. The Quranic call for believers to be travellers is an invitation to embark on a lifelong journey of spiritual discovery and growth. By integrating tawassum into their travels, believers transform every journey into an act of worship and a step closer to Marifah. This approach to travelling ensures that believers remain spiritually vigilant, continuously learning, and ever closer to God, regardless of where their physical journeys take them. The believer, therefore, must always be a traveller, both in the physical and spiritual sense, ever seeking the signs of God in the vast, wondrous expanse of His creation. o