Lecture Lahore — Page 18
18 i. e. , verily, he who purifies his self is released from the shackles of his carnal passions and is granted a heavenly life, but whosoever allows his self to get mired in the ma- terial world, and does not turn to heaven, shall languish in grief and sorrow. Since it is not possible to attain these stages by our own efforts, the Holy Quran urges us again and again to pray as well as to strive. It says: 22 i. e. , pray and I will accept your prayers. 23 i. e. , if My servants ask you what is there to prove My ex- istence, and why they should believe in Me, tell them that I am very near. I answer anyone who calls Me, I hear his voice, and I speak to him. For their part, let My servants make themselves deserving of My converse and have per- fect faith in Me, so that they may find My path. 24 i. e. , We surely show Our path to those who toil for it and make every effort in Our quest. 25 22 Al-Mu‘min, 40:61 [Publishers] 23 Al-Baqarah, 2:187 [Publishers] 24 Al-‘Ankab u t, 29: 70 [Publishers] 25 Al-Taubah, 9:119 [Publishers]