T h e Ess e n ce o f Re lig i o n
15
been previously unacquainted. Similarly, if in this life you have not
previously passed through phases of feeling yourself to be nearer
to God than to all others, how can you expect proximity with God
in the Hereafter? Surely, prayer deserves such a great reward as will
cool the eyes of the worshippers in the Hereafter. But this reward
will be shared only by those who had known in the world such
prayers as had been alluded to by the Prophet: “I found the balm
of my eyes in worship” (
Nasai
).
T
he
D
emands of
W
orship
What God desires of man, first and foremost, is that he display
humility in His presence. It is this attitude which is called worship.
Butmanhas not beencreated in a vacuum; hehas rather beenplaced
in a world full of diverse circumstances. It is necessary that this
spirit of worship should be evinced, no matter what circumstances
he faces in this world.
1. The first aspect of this relates to his own person. In the
course of normal living, whenever he is faced with two
options, one path leading to God and the other leading
to self, his spirit of worship compels him at that point to
renounce the latter path and take the one which is pointed
out to him by God. This happens when he has surrendered
his being in all respects, in the physical as well as the
spiritual, before the God to whom he has already bowed
psychologically. This manifestation of worship is related
to one’s own self, another name for which is submission.
Occasions for such submission will occur at home, in the
office, in the market, and in all other such places where the
faithful may be faced with making a choice between godly
and ungodly ways.
2. The second aspect of worship relates to the external
world, that is, to non-Muslims. The precarious conditions
of all those inhabitants of this world who have not yet
