Way of The Seekers — Page 91
91 THE soul and that there is in him an ingrained resistance to the pursuit of virtue and the avoidance of vice. This condition could be ascribed to the cumulative effect of evil actions done in the past. Istighfar: Praying for forgiveness. The primary remedy lies in Istighfar – in seeking God's forgiveness by invoking His attribute of covering up and forgiv- ing sins. Istighfar has two aspects. In one, the sinner seeks divine forgiveness for the sins he has committed in the past, or prays to ward off sins to which he is a prey. In the other, the person concerned prays to God that his tendency towards sin be suppressed altogether and not even a vestige of sin should touch him through His grace. It is in this sense that Prophets seek Istighfar of God. Deeper and deeper knowledge of God One should have true knowledge with an enlightened understanding of divine attributes and allow them to envelope one’s soul and study them at close quarters and try to imbibe their true spirit. For instance, while contemplating His grace, one should recall the bounties one has received from Him and say: Why should I not give to His creatures that which He, in His Infinite grace has given to me? Such reflection would Inspire him with resistance to evil and love of virtue. Reflection on consequences of good and bad actions One should reflect on the good consequences of virtue and bad consequences of evil. One should visualize how virtue ultimately yields good and vice harmful results. This would help one acquire knowledge of good and evil. Taubah (Repentance) The next step is Tauba, or repentance before God with an awakened conscience. Taubah means: 1. Genuine remorse over past sins. This is a permanent state