Life Supreme — Page 80
LIFE SUPREME. THE REAL SELF 83. Our real self is an immortal spirit or soul-body which is attached to a body of flesh which sooner or later dies; but we never die. We are a soul with a body attached to it; not a body with a soul attached to it. . In order to see, know, and understand ourselves we have to keep our eyes turned inwards. Although both bodies are inter-related, the existence of the soul-body-our real self-is not dependent on the physical body except in as much as the soul body-our real self-is created along with the physical body during the months of development in the womb. The birth of the soul is a point which has been discussed by the Promised Messiah-the Holy Founder of the. Ahmadiyya Community in his book The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam. The soul body-our real self-is as much alive after death of the physical body as it was before its expiration. We are immortal. . PURPOSE OF LIFE "We have not created the jinn and the men but that they shall worship me. " (51:57). Worship of God is not confined only to prayer and meditation but embraces every thought, word and action; for whatever we think, say or do for the sake of God is an act of worship. . While we are connected with this world our goal in life should be self-purification. We should seek the attainment of this goal through prayer and constant effort in reflecting the attributes of God in our general behaviour. High is the goal and tremendous the task; efforts made in this direction are always most rewarding. We should never despair despite our failures and weaknesses but rather find inspiration in the following words of Hazart Mizra Bashir-ud-Din. Mahmood Ahmad: 'Islam rescues man from despair and tells him that he can, inspite of his errors and mistakes, attain to the purity of mind and conduct which is the highest goal of man. It thus encourages him to make constant efforts towards virtue and purity and enables him ultimately to arrive at this goal. '. Real prosperity lies in self-purification which should be the cherished goal of our lives: 'Verily he truly prospers who purifies himself, remembers the name of his Lord and offers prayers. ' (87:15)