ENTHUSIASM FOR THE DIVINE BANQUET(2)

God the Glorious and the Compassionate does not like that the personal faults of people are revealed in society so that it would cause embarrassment to them. He is the All-Merciful and the All-Forgiving and His Clemency is ready to answer the supplications of the penitents. Once, when Prophet Mohammad (blessings of Allah upon him and his progeny) felt concerned of the sins of people and the embarrassment it would cause when these are disclosed on the Day of Resurrection before the entire humanity, God said: O the Beloved of My court! I am more kind and affectionate to My servants than you. If you are sad concerning their faults, I am displeased over the disclosure of their wrongdoings. So I will reckon their accounts in such a way that no one except me will become aware of their wrongdoings. The blessed month of Ramadan is coming to its end. What a wonderful opportunity it provided us for becoming aware of our duties as well as becoming more cognizant about out Creator the One and Only God. We should obviously feel like persons born anew after the spiritual experience that we have been through in this month of fasting, prayers and recitation of the Holy Qur’an. Of course, the first fundamental principle that grants meaning and direction to life is Towhid or monotheism, which means God is One and Only. The second fundamental principle is Adl or Divine Justice, which means God never wrongs or oppresses His creatures. The 3rd fundamental principle is Prophethood, which means He did not leave humanity in dark but sent Messengers in all eras and in different parts of the world for the guidance of humanity, with the Last Messenger being Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), to whom He revealed the universal faith of Islam that is a synonym for peace, a healthy way of life and submission to none except God. The 4th fundamental principle is Imamate or Leadership of the 12 Infallible successors of the Prophet, whose authority is divinely inspired and the last of whom, Imam Mahdi (AS) will appear towards the end of time to cleanse the world of all oppression and exploitation and establish the global government of peace, prosperity, justice and equity. The 5th and last fundamental principle is belief in the Day of Resurrection, when God Almighty will raise to life all humanity since the Day He created the first human pair, Adam and Eve, and will mete out justice by awarding paradise to the pious and the repentant and casting into hell the unrepentant sinners and those that tyrannized human societies. The Day of Resurrection or Reckoning and the Hereafter are among the issues that one should properly ponder upon. Human life after death is full of mystery and wonders. In several verses of the holy Qur’an, God invites human beings to ponder on the phenomena of nature like the winter, sleep, plants and the revival of the earth every year in spring. For instance in verse 50 of Chapter Rum, God says: “Look then at the signs of Allah’s mercy, how He gives life to the earth after its death, most surely He will raise the dead to life; and He has power over all things.” Prophet contemplation on such phenomena ought to guide towards God even the most skeptical of persons who engrossed with material life and the transient pleasures of the flesh, neglect the proper grooming of their inherent spiritual tendencies. The holy Qur’an that was revealed to the Prophet over a period of 23 years is undoubtedly the most perfect and universal code for human societies. It is often called the Living Miracle and its matchless wisdom and eloquence has even by vouched by non-Muslim scholars of the Arabic language. It is book that seems fresh as a flowing river whenever it is read. It opens new vistas of knowledge and intellectual stimulation. At the same time its recitation grants tranquility to the soul, enlightens the mind, fills the heart with patience and inspires the faithful to do good to society. In verse 21 of Surah Hashr, God says: “Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, you would certainly have seen it falling down, splitting asunder because of the fear of Allah, and We set forth these parables to men that they may reflect.” This verse is indeed an indication of the awe and power of the Divine Words, which when human beings reflect upon in sincerity are capable of transforming both individual and social life.