WITHOUT MEDIATIONThe concept of mediation is an obstacle in the path of tazkiyah. When God is closer to man ‘than his jugular vein’ (50:16), why should there be any need for mediation? Consciously or

concept of mediation, the religious guide (shaikh) himself becomes the goal, or the focus, whereas it is God Who must be at the centre and the position of the religious guide must be purely peripheral, i.e.,

contact with God, without any mediation; no mediation can be of any help in this matter. Real tazkiyah is bestowed by God. There is no need of mediation to receive this gift from God. God directly bestows

of whether God exists itself raises another question. Studies in anthropology, that is, the science of man, have established that the concept of God is ingrained in human nature. Belief in God runs in our

his or her life. Then why this question? If the concept of God is present in our flesh and blood, why does one question the existence of God? The reason is very simple. People want to know whether there

feelings. I must emphasise that there is certainly a scientific basis for belief in the existence of God. But people generally fail

existence is a miracle, no part of which can be reproduced, however minute. Then man thinks about how God sends him light and heat from the sun in the space and has provided him a continuous supply of oxygen

oceans of gratitude to God. It is as if his soul has been engulfed by a huge divine storm, which has had a thrilling effect upon his mind. When man experiences these indescribably godly feelings, he spontaneously

universal acknowledgement. This is true gratitude to God. It is these feelings of praise to God which have been expressed thus in the Quran: “Praise be to God, the Lord of the Universe.” (1:2)THE SOURCE OF THE

he recalls to mind God’s commandments. Then he bows down and prostrates himself. This is saying by his actions that for him only one course is proper, and that is to lead his life in this world as an obedient

obedient servant of God. When this act of prayer comes to an end, and the worshippers turn their heads to both sides, and say Assalamu alaykum warahmatullah (May peace and blessings be upon you), it is

men. Offering prayers is in one respect the worship of God. It is an acknowledgement of God and God’s godhead. It means surrendering before God, acknowledging Him as the one for whom all greatness is

God’s sense of, fair play. When one bows before the rights of another, one is not really bowing before another human being, but before God, for it is on account of God’s commandment that one bows before

that person, rather than because of any excellence inherent in him. God, the Lord of the Universe, is the Supreme Reality. To discover God is the greatest triumph that a human being can achieve. In this world

acceptable to God only when a man’s entire life is coloured by humility and submission. It is only then that the devotee can be said to be psychologically prepared for being the recipient of God’s divine light

to us? We yearn for our Lord to admit us among the righteous.’ And for their words God will reward them with Gardens through which rivers flow, wherein they shall abide forever. That is the reward of those

recognized and accepted in the Hereafter by God will be ushered into Paradise, where they will live in a world of unending happiness and comforts. The first thing that God desires is that faith should enter in

earn God’s acceptance or which will establish the utterer of those words as a believer. Words which fall from the tongue are, in fact, only a verbal expression of the acceptance of faith. To God, the

also an expression of these feelings for Almighty God. They are not just another name for a set of words uttered by the Prophet on certain occasions. The Prophet’s prayers are, in actual fact, spiritual

of words. According to a Hadith Qudsi (Hadith Qudsi is the hadith in which the Prophet says that God says so and so), the Prophet observed: “I am with the expectations of My servant, so he ought to have

fact to one’s discovering certain attribute of God, and then on the basis of this discovery, having good expectations of God: that is, seeking goodness from God. For instance, the Quran says: “He has given

The truth is that Noah’s Ark represents a history of the prophets. It is historical evidence of God’s creation plan and the veracity of the prophetic mission. The appearance of Noah’s Ark gives this message

near. Prepare yourself for your appearance before God, before the time comes for the Great Reckoning when one will find oneself face to face with God.” ‘The appearance of Noah’s Ark is not just an item

is an inevitable part of the creation plan of God: why has man been created, and finally what awaits him in terms of this creation plan, in future, when God will deliver His final judgement regarding man’s

option but to proclaim the existence of God. The next step is to aver there is no God but the one God. This declaration inevitably follows surrender before God. One who makes such a declaration not only

truth but he becomes a worshipper of God and a follower of God’s guidance. His thinking, his speech, his behaviour are all coloured in the dye of God. He adopts a God-oriented life. This faith, or iman,

to us? We yearn for our Lord to admit us among the righteous.’ And for their words God will reward them with Gardens through which rivers flow, wherein they shall abide forever. That is the reward of those

recognized and accepted in the Hereafter by God will be ushered into Paradise, where they will live in a world of unending happiness and comforts. The first thing that God desires is that faith should enter in

earn God’s acceptance or which will establish the utterer of those words as a believer. Words which fall from the tongue are, in fact, only a verbal expression of the acceptance of faith. To God, the truly