Tadhkirah — Page 475
1900 475 eyes, will not fail to realize, and will not dispute that this commonality in the meanings of nusuk reveals the secret that the worship which delivers one from a loss of the Hereafter is the slaughter of nafs-e-amm a rah which is the self that fervently incites towards evil in the likeness of a ruler who constantly enjoins evil. Thus, salvation lies in the fact that one slays the self that enjoins evil by the knives of turning exclusively towards Allah, the possessor of bounties, power and authority; and by considering God Almighty—to the exclusion of all creation—as being an intimate friend and the comfort of one’s soul. Moreover, one must endure diverse forms of bitter hardships to save one’s self from the death of heedlessness. This is the meaning of Islam and the true import of perfect submission. A Muslim is one who submits himself to slaughter before Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, and who, for His sake, has slaughtered the she-camel of his self and has thrown it down on its forehead; and is never oblivious, even for a moment, of the time of death. In short, the slaughters and sacrifices that are ordained in Islam are a reminder of the objective of giving oneself freely. They are also an incentive for achieving this station, and a forerunner of the reality to be attained after perfect enlightenment. Thus, it is incumbent upon every believing man and woman who seek the pleasure of the Loving God to understand this reality, so as to make it as their ultimate objective, and to imbue this reality in to their own being until it permeates every particle of their existence. They should not rest or sit at ease until they have offered this sacrifice for the Lord whom they worship, and not be content, like the foolish and ignorant, with the outer