Life Supreme — Page 59
29 62. LIFE SUPREME "Offer your five daily prayers with such concentration and awe of mind as though you were seeing God in front of you with your physical eyes. ,. A true believer would no more think of missing his prayers than a hungry man would think of missing his meals. Hazrat Mirza. Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad-the second successor of the Promised Messiah once issued a pronouncement that if an Ahmadi. Muslim intentionally forsook only one prayer over a period of ten years then he could not be considered a true devotee of. Ahmadiyyat-the True Islam. . The Promised Messiah has affirmed that some effort is required to rise early in the morning before sunrise, perform ablution and offer prayers; but without self-discipline there can be no worthwhile progress. This truth applies to spiritual development no less than it does to physical development or to advancement in any secular field. . A Muslim should be anxious to make every moment of his life worthwhile and to avoid idleness; and in order to achieve this purpose he must keep his mind and body alert and virile. All types of slovenly behaviour should be eradicated. The manner in which he sits, stands and moves about reveal significant points of character. . Slouching in armchairs and sofas, leaning up against some object for support, shuffling along the streets are unsalutary habits indicative of laziness. Muscles and mind are inter-related, when the muscles become lazy the mind becomes lazy; and vice-a-versa. . The span of human life is incomparable with the age of the universe; and one third of that is usually passed in sleep; so time for up-and-doing is very short. It has been said that idleness is the sepulchre of a living man. The ambitious spiritual wayfarer knows that laziness is an obstacle to his progress and he is watchful never to be the victim in the following lines: "He slept beneath the moon,. He basked beneath the sun,. He lived a life of going-to-do,. And died with nothing done. . PRIDE (James Albery) "God has revealed to me saying 'Show humility so that no one may rise above another, nor pride himself above another. " (Holy Prophet)