Life Supreme — Page 66
LIFE SUPREME 69 restless ocean in the heart of every Muslim. He should not rest content in living a mediocre life with the thought that higher advancement is reserved only for the chosen few. He should endeavour to excel others and strive to pass even those who seem to be far ahead of him. His daily prayer and aspiration should be that each day should bear witness to an improvement in his spiritual development. Spiritual competition is a healthy exercise endorsed by the Holy Quran: ". . . Vie, then, with one another in good works", (2:149). In the field of commerce the spirit of competition is ever active and those who outstrip their competitors become the leaders of business and industry. Similarly, in the field of religion the desire to be among the most favoured in the sight of God is a wholesome and rewarding endeavour; and the lead cannot be taken unless others are overtaken; but the race must be run in a spirit of humility wherein the motive is only to win the pleasure of God and reflect His attributes for the glory of Islam. . The Muslim who has little or no concern about his spiritual development and progress has not yet understood the essence of Islam and the purpose of existence. When his body ceases to inhale the breath of life, his earthly treasures will no longer be a source of comfort to him and only his dark and empty soul will cross the border into the realm of eternity; but the translucent soul of the blessed servant of. God will shine like a radiant star in the firmament of the Hereafter. . Health, wealth and knowledge are gifts of God which should all be used for His Glory. Hazrat Mirza Ghalam Ahmad-the Promised. Messiah and Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement-has written: ". . . all our powers and organs and whatever belongs to us should be surrendered to God and devoted to His service". . An earnest Muslim is always attentive to his self-improvement and in order to progress far he must be prepared to render and submit all his faculties and possessions in the way of God. That is to say his love for God should reign supreme over all other kinds of attachments. . Submission to God is the meaning of essence of the spirit of Islam. . The Queen of Scots was executed in the year 1587 on the orders of. Queen Elizabeth. Due to her close attachment with France it is said that the Scottish Queen died with the name of "Calais" engraved upon her heart. Likewise the word "submission" should be engraved upon the hearts of all Muslims. God says in the Holy Quran: