Life of Ahmad — Page 350
THE ESSENCE OF ISLAM as 350 of the word only when his life of indifference undergoes a complete change, his passions are completely obliterated, and He has granted to him a new life which is so pure that it consists of nothing but obedience to God and sympathy for His creatures. Obedience to God means that one should be prepared to suffer disgrace and insult in order to exhibit the Glory, Honour and Unity of God, should be ready to undergo a thousand deaths to revive belief in His Oneness and should be able to cut off one hand with the other in cheerful obedience to His command; while one’s regard for His commandments and one’s thirst for His pleasure should make sin appear as fearful as consuming fire or deadly poison and one should spurn and flee from it. In short, a true Muslim is he who foregoes his every desire for the sake of God who is willing to sustain painful wounds in order to attain union with Him and who cuts asunder all worldly relationships as a proof of his relation with God. Service of God’s creatures lies in the fact that one should solely for God’s sake, and out of genuine, disinterested and true sympathy, assist the creatures of God in all their needs, do good to them in all possible ways, help everyone that stands in need of help and exert oneself to the best of one’s God-given power. But this surrender of self for God’s sake can be