Life Supreme — Page 18
LIFE SUPREME 21 ultimate goal of Islam in this life. Physical health is a great blessing but spiritual health is a far greater one. Man becomes very concerned for himself over the smallest physical ailment and will anxiously seek relief even for a headache or common cold. It is unfortunate that usually he has little or no concern for his spiritual ailments. Everyone is a walking advertisement of himself and in order to show himself at his best he must imbue himself with heavenly qualities. These he may acquire through prayer, right thinking and right actions for as 'a man thinketh so he becomes. ' Contemplation on holy and noble virtues crystallize into holy and noble conduct. This is the golden gateway to spiritual prosperity which brightens the soul with the sunshine of paradise. Such a person takes paradise with him wherever he goes. . Spiritual development does not depend only upon the avoidance of wrong and improper tendencies but also on the observance of good and proper conduct. The doing of good is an important ingredient of spiritual prosperity. Allah says in the Holy Quran: وو "Do good that you may prosper. (22:78). A gardener does not only remove weeds but he also plants and cultivates a variety of flowers in order to create a lovely garden. . Likewise, the making of a garden of paradise within oneself requires both the removal of spiritual weeds and the planting on the mind of good and virtuous thoughts which, on cultivation, will blossom forth into flowers of paradise in the form of heavenly characteristics. . The Holy Prophet (peace be on him) has said that prayer is the key to paradise; and Allah says in the Holy Quran that He answers the prayers of those who call upon Him. One should constantly pray for help in one's efforts to win the pleasure of Allah to the extent that He be pleased to make us worthy and fit to reflect the light of heaven and enjoy the serenity of paradise in one's life-time. There is a depth of meaning in the oft-repeated daily prayer: 22 "Guide us on the right path. The path on which those have walked who have received Thy blessings and favours. (1:5-7). The right path leads to paradise and the task of the spiritual wayfarer is to advance further and further along this highway and so deeper and deeper into paradise. This is real prosperity and the earnest seeker expresses his yearning for it in the following prayer: