The Valley of Knowledge & Acquaintance

 

I created Jinn & Mankind only that they may Worship Me (The Holy Qur’an, 51:56)

There is a hadith of Holy Prophet (PBUH) which means that when Divine Light enters man’s heart it creates in it spaciousness, capacity & openness. The Noble Companions asked:“O Messenger of Allah, is there any sign of this light by which it may be recognized? He (PBUH) replied: These are feelings of distance from the house of fraud (the world), turning to the eternal house (the here after) and care to prepare for death before its arrival. If any one have these qualities and tendencies in him, it is a sign that light
has entered his heart.

When the intention of taking the path of Worship arises in a man’s heart, he begins to think that he has been enriched with the blessings of Exalted Allah, viz,., life, strength, wisdom, power of speech & many other blessings and means of comfort, bestowed upon him by Allah. With these he protects himself from troubles, looses, distresses and calamities. So, he begins to believe that there must be some being, who has granted him all these blessings and bounties and that, if he is now grateful and obedient to that
Being, he will afflict punishment on him and take away his blessings.

He also begins to think that the true benefactor (Allah) has sent Prophets (PBUH) to furnish to the people knowledge about him. These Prophets (PBUH) displayed, with the help of Allah, supernatural Miracle lying beyond the human power and capacity. These Prophets (PBUH) taught the people that their is only one Sustainer Lord who has power over everything. He is All - Knowing, Everlasting & Eternal. He has asked you to do good deeds and refrain from sins and vices. He is able to punish those who are disobedient
and to reward those who are obedient. He knows the secrets of heart and the notions passing through them. He has promised to grant salvation & rewards. He is also warned the people against His punishment & torment. He has commanded them to be regular in abiding by the injunction of the Sharee’ah.

All these directives & teachings create a firm belief in the hearts of the servants of Allah that all these assertions are quite possible from the rational point of view and nothing is impossible. This belief creates in the heart of the people a fear of Exalted Allah & on anxiety about accountability before Him. This fear and anxiety awaken them for carelessness and negligence, complete the final argument and dispel their pleas and excuses and urge them to reflect upon the signs of Allah. As a result, a sound - minded person searches for ways and means for his salvations and a place of security. All this shows him the way of acquiring knowledge about the creator of the Universe by reflecting with his sense and wisdom upon the universe and what it contains. He is guided to know the
maker of the universe by pondering over his creation, so that he may come to believe in the unseen and may know that he has only one master and creator who has imposed on him the duty of obeying the injunctions of the Sharee’ah, to enforce, what is right and refrain from what is wrong. Thus, the first Valley in the path of worship is to reflect on the creation of the universe to acquire the knowledge of its Creator (Allah). This is called The Valley of Knowledge & Acquaintance.

“ I have only one True & Genuine Allah who has created me, bestowed upon me His bounties, asked me to be grateful to Him, for His blessings and to obey Him openly and secretly and to refrain from ingratitude & disobedience. He has promised everlasting reward for obedience and gratitude and everlasting punishment for disobedience and ingratitude”.