Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow them.
To proceed:
I recently read a news story about a Russian woman who traveled to India and lived in an isolated cave in a forest for eight years, until she was discovered by the Indian authorities.
When she was asked why she did such a thing, she replied that she did it of her own free will after speaking with a Hindu monk, who beautified for her this path towards “spiritual elevation.”
She said that she wanted to pray and meditate in search of spiritual peace…
Many people would be astonished by such news! They would see in this woman a touch of madness and mental instability. But there is a psychological secret behind it that I wanted to uncover and clarify…
It is this:
Human beings are created with a natural inclination toward spiritual devotion—to have a god to whom they take their needs, feel his power, and before whom they lay down the burdens of their worries in humility and brokenness, finding peace in his closeness, comfort in his promise and revelation, hope in his mercy, and fear of his punishment.
Allah has placed within this creature a heart that nothing can fill except worship.
When worship is absent, the heart becomes unsettled and disturbed, surrounded by loneliness from every direction.
It becomes like an empty, abandoned house—its appearance might impress onlookers, but within it are colors of loneliness and dread.
No matter how much a person turns to the distractions of this world, indulging in its pleasures to calm the heart and soothe the soul, they may gain a brief sip of enjoyment, but it quickly fades, leaving only more confusion, thirst, and wandering.
{like one whom the devils enticed [to wander] upon the earth confused} (Qur’an 6:71)
In his pursuit to revive his heart, a person may travel a big distance, spending a lot of money, exerting great effort and leaving the world and its desires behind, only to attain inner peace and tranquility of heart.
This is what the Russian woman did. She lived in a free country where nothing prevented her from whatever pleasures she wished. Yet, the moment someone hinted to her about a cure for her heart, she flew to it without hesitation or doubt.
Then I turned my gaze to the lands of the Muslims and found them in a blessing that most of them do not realize that Allah has granted them a gift that outweighs the skies and the earth: The true religion.
• They have the Book of Allah, sent down from the sky by His grace and mercy.
Whenever one of them wishes that Allah speak to him, he only needs to open the Qur’an and gather his heart for it. Then it passes over the heart like pouring rain over barren land and leaves it only after it has stirred, swelled, and produced every beautiful growth.
After that, they find only the joy of the soul, the calm of the mind, and the tranquility of the heart:
{Unquestionably by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured} (Qur’an 13:28)
• Muslims have the blessing of prayer; they know it as the Messenger of Allah prayed it. Whenever a person wishes to speak to his Lord and converse with Him, he only needs to perform ablution (Wudu) and stand before Him.
Whoever turns to Allah, Allah turns to him. Whoever turns to Allah, He will pour upon him from His light, serenity, and blessing.
• They have the remembrance of Allah and supplication. Whoever keeps his tongue soft in remembrance with them will have his heart revived, his loneliness removed, and his inner self illuminated. Because frequent remembrance removes worries and grief, expands every tightness, and clears every sorrow.
Noah (peace be upon him) said in his will to his son:
“I advise you with ‘Subhan Allah wa bi Hamdihi’ (Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him), for it is the prayer of all things, and by it all creation is provided for.”
And what provision is greater than the life and serenity of the heart!
Whoever looks at the conditions of the people of misguidance in the world will magnify these great blessings and feel immense gratitude to Allah for his guidance, while most people are deprived of blessings. He sees others stumbling on their faces, not upright in their path to Allah, while he is enjoying the certainty of tawheed (monotheism) and the delight of the Sunnah.
If this Russian woman knew the reality of what the Muslims possess of guidance, she would have fought them for it with swords, envied them for it with the greatest envy, and said to them:
“I leave my land and my sky, and live in a secluded cave like wild beasts, only to obtain what you have without the slightest effort!”
{Then is one who walks fallen on his face better guided or one who walks upright on a straight path} (Qur’an 67:22)
But true deprivation is when the blessings are in your hands yet you do not enjoy them; when the cure is before you yet you do not see it; when you have fresh, sweet water yet seek to quench your thirst from the sea!
Written by:
Dr Haya bint Salman Al-Sabah