Malfuzat - Volume VIII — Page 133
Lecture Ludhiana 133 the children be mutually helpful to each other and not be at loggerheads with each other. In the same way, where Islam emphasises the Oneness of God, it also desires that there be love and unity among humanity. 1 Congregational Prayer is promised to be more rewarding because its purpose is to develop unity. To translate this unity into practice, Islam goes so far as to enjoin with great emphasis that when we line up for Prayer, our feet should be in line, the lines should be straight, and all worshippers should stand close to one another. The purpose of this is to unite the many into one so that the light of one may infuse into the other—so that the divide that causes egoism and selfishness may be removed. Remember well that man is gifted with the power to absorb the light of others. Then, for the realisation of unity, we are enjoined to offer daily Prayers in the local mosque of the neigh- bourhood, and after a week to pray in the central mosque of the town, and then after a year, offer the Eid Prayers in a large open space in the city. And, once a year, all the Muslims from all over the world should gather in the House of Allah [the Ka‘bah]. The purpose of all these injunctions is none other than forging unity. As Allah the Exalted prescribes, our obligations are only of two kinds: our obligation to Allah and our obligation to His creatures. The Holy Quran deals with this subject at great length. In one place, Allah the Exalted says: 2 اوُرُكْذاَف َهّٰللا ْمُكِرْكِذَك ْمُكَءٓاَبٰا ْوَا َّدَشَا اًرْكِذ اوُرُكْذاَف َهّٰللا ْمُكِرْكِذَك ْمُكَءٓاَبٰا ْوَا َّدَشَا اًرْكِذ Meaning that, remember Allah the Exalted as you remember your fathers or even more than that. 1. Al- H akam, vol. 10, no. 36, p. 4, 5, dated 17 October 1906 2. Celebrate the praises of Allah as you celebrated the praises of your fathers, or even more than that ( S u rah al-Baqarah, 2:201). [Publisher]