FROM ESCAPE TO AWAKENING

Man is a weak creature. All of man’s powers are the result of the generous gifts and benevolence of God. When taking into account the endless wisdom, limitless power and knowledge of God, clearly, one who considers having acquired these qualities by himself is in grave error. Carried away by pride, he forgets these realities, and thinks that his success arises out of his own accomplishment. He may become arrogant and insincere. What is more befitting for a true believer is never to consider any of his successes as his own, even if he were the most able, intelligent and perfect man ever to set foot on earth. Arrogance should never take hold of him. If he behaves in a manner by which he takes account of his own weakness, in spite of all these blessings, then God will bestow even greater favours upon him. He will make him obtain His consent, compassion and enter Paradise, on account of his sincerity. Yet, most people forget that this worldly life is nothing but a test. They turn to God in times of affliction, and yet, act ungratefully when they are granted blessings. They also commit a great error by believing that these blessings are the outcome of their own abilities, and that the success belongs to them alone. In the Quran, God commands the following: When affliction befalls man, he appeals to Us; but when We bestow a favour upon him he says, ‘All this has been given to me because of my own knowledge.’ By no means! It is a trial: yet most of them do not realize it. (39: 49 ) hold that any attempt to coerce a person to accept Islam is a grievous sin. Islamic Jurists