Way of The Seekers — Page 11
11 THE purpose of his creation. In Arabic Abd means slave. Abudiyat literally is humility or subordination of the utmost degree. This degree of subordination implies complete readiness to receive the impress of another. To become Abd is to receive and reproduce the total impression of another. It is to accept another as sovereign and model. Now mark the words: Man has not been created but for the one purpose of becoming an imitation, an image of God. This purpose to achieve fulfillment needs absorption by man of the attributes of God. The great spiritual teachers, prophets, messengers, were sent with this end in view. We read: Our Lord, raise up among them a Messenger from among themselves, who may recite to them Thy Signs and teach them the Book and Wisdom and may purify them, surely Thou Art the Mighty, the Wise. (2:130) This was Abraham's prayer at the time of the renovation of the Kaaba. Abraham implored God to send a Messenger who should show them His Signs, teach them the Law and the Wisdom behind the Law, also purify them and deliver them from sin. He indeed is the God of Power, the God of Wisdom. A spiritual teacher (as we learn from holy books and from history) arises to strengthen faith by Signs, to teach men what is right and what is wrong, to give them a law and to point to the wisdom behind the law, and to train them to live in accordance with the Law and the Knowledge so imparted. Man should acquire faith, belief, knowledge of right and wrong and–this Is important–make himself pure, a worthy image of God, so as to deserve to sit in His holy company. For our community this is no ordinary question. It is indeed a life-and-death question for us. Amongst us has come a prophet, a divinely appointed teacher. We accepted him. To quicken our faith he has recited to us the Signs of God. Having