The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 4
Essence of Islam-III 4 enter My Paradise. '. This is the stage at which the soul, having been delivered from all weakness, is filled with spiritual strength and has such a relationship with God Almighty that it cannot live without Him. Just as water flows downwards and rushes forth because of its sheer volume, and removes all obstacles in its way, so does the soul flow towards God. . It is to this state that the Divine injunction refers: 'O soul that has found peace in God, return to Him. ' It brings about a great transformation, not only after death, but also in this very life, and is granted a paradise in this world even before the hereafter. As indicated in the above verse, such a soul is directed to return to its Lord the Nourisher, for He nurtures it. His love becomes its sustenance, and it drinks from the same life-giving spring. Thus it is delivered from death, as Almighty Allah says in the Holy Qur'ān: قد افلح مَن زَكْهَا وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دَشها ه 4. That is, He who cleanses his self of earthly passions shall be saved and will not perish, but he who is lost in such sensual desires shall lose hope in life. . In short, these are the three states, which may be called the natural, moral and spiritual states. Since natural urges become dangerous when aroused and very often destroy morality and spirituality, they have been described in the. Holy Book of God Almighty as Nafs-e-Ammārah [the self that incites to evil. ] If it is asked how the Holy. Qur'an affects these natural states of man and what guidance it furnishes about them, and to what extent it 4 Al-Shams, 91:10-11 [Publisher]