Proceedings of the Prayer Meeting — Page 23
The Sermon 23 property and life; courts are freely accessible for the protection of rights, and one may seek as much legal help as one likes. How remarkable, indeed, are these favours that have ensured our practical freedom! Then surely, it is very surprising if in such an environment—wherein countless favours are being enjoyed by the body and soul—we do not develop within ourselves a sense of amicability and gratitude? One who is not grateful to God’s creation cannot be grateful to God Almighty. Why so? Because that creation is an ambassador of God Himself and moves under the authority of the will of God alone. In short, all these things that I have pointed out compel a good- hearted person to be grateful to such a benefactor. That is why I repeatedly speak of the favours of the British Government in my books and speeches, for my heart actually fills with joy at its favours. The ungrateful and ignorant people, by imputing their own hypocritical inclinations to me, regard this practice of mine— which is born out of honesty and sincerity—as sycophancy. Now, reverting to the issue at hand, I would like to explain that, in this surah, God Almighty first stated النَّاس ِّ رَب [ Rabbin- naas —Lord of mankind], then ملک النَّاس [ Malikin-naas —King of mankind]. In the end He stated اِلٰہ النَّاس [ Ilaahin-naas —the God of mankind], who is the One truly sought after and desired by man. The term اِلٰہ [ Ilaah ]means ‘One worthy of worship’, ‘the desired One’, and ‘the sought after’. The phrase ل َ اِلٰہ اِل َّ ہللا [ La ilaaha illallah ] therefore means ُ. ل َ مَعْبُوْد َ ل ِْ و َ ل َ مَقْصُوْد َ ل ِْ و َ ل َ مَطْلُوْب َ ل ِْ اِل َّ الہل [‘I have no object of worship, no target, nor anything sought after, except Allah’]. This alone is true Tauheed [the Oneness of Allah] that