Malfuzat - Volume VII — Page 101
30 December 1904 101 The heart is the centre of all worship. If worship is per- formed, but the heart is not turned towards God, then what is the use of worship? This is the reason it is absolutely essential that the heart be turned entirely towards Him. Now, look—there are thousands of mosques, but what else goes on inside except for ritual worship? Such was the condi- tion of the Jews at the time of the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that they performed wor- ship as a ritual and routine while the true inclination of the heart, which is the spirit of worship, was never there—so God Almighty cursed them. Thus, during this time as well, those who do not care for the purity of heart will derive no benefit, even if they keep making hundreds of prostrations through ritual and routine. The purity of heart brings about the verdancy of the garden of deeds. That is why Allah the Exalted says: 1 ْدَق َحَلْفَا ْنَم اَهىّٰكَز۰۰ َو ْدَق َباَخ ْنَم اَهىّٰسَد۰۰ ْدَق َحَلْفَا ْنَم اَهىّٰكَز۰۰ َو ْدَق َباَخ ْنَم اَهىّٰسَد۰۰ That only he will be successful who purifies his heart, and he who does not purify it but mixes it with dust—that is, makes it into a storehouse of base desires—will remain unsuccess- ful. I do not deny that there are thousands of obstacles on the way to God. If this were not so, there would be no Hindus or Christians in the world today; everyone would have become a Muslim, but removing these obstacles is also through the grace of God. Only if He grants the ability can man distinguish between good and evil. Therefore, it again boils down to this in the end, that man should turn to Him so that He bestows strength and power. 1. S u rah ash-Shams, 91:10–11 [Publisher]