SPIRITUAL UPLIFT

each prayer, worshippers turn to both sides and say, Assalamu-Alaikum wa rahmatullah (May peace and God’s mercy be upon you). This act symbolises a pledge to society: ‘You are safe from me. Your life, your property, and your honour are secure with me.’ Thus, worship in Islam is directly connected with the promotion of peace in human relationships. This, in essence, is the spirit of true religion, whose ultimate goal is spiritual uplift. The Quran refers to the culmination of this process as the state of the “soul at peace” (89: 27). This is not merely a poetic expression; it describes a real psychological and spiritual condition. A person who has reached this stage experiences inner tranquillity. He is no longer disturbed by external circumstances in the same way as others. His heart becomes free from negative emotions such as anger, hatred, and jealousy. Such a person becomes a source of peace for others. From him, people receive only goodness. He may be likened to a flower that spreads fragrance in all directions. Just as a flower cannot emit a foul smell, a spiritually developed person cannot harm others. His presence itself becomes a blessing for those around him. An incident related to a Sufi saint illustrates this reality in a vivid manner. It is said that once a Muslim Sufi was travelling with his disciples. During their journey, they halted near a grove where many doves were perched. While they were resting, one of the disciples hunted a dove, cooked it, and ate it. Shortly thereafter, a flock of doves gathered above the Sufi and began circling and making a loud noise. The Sufi, addressing them, inquired about the reason for their distress. The leader of the doves replied, “We have a complaint against you. One of your companions has killed one of us.” The Sufi called the disciple and questioned him. The disciple replied that he had done nothing wrong, as the birds were lawful food and he had merely satisfied his hunger. The Sufi conveyed this explanation to the birds.