THE SECOND WORD

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحٖيمِIn the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

اَلَّذٖينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ“Those who believe in the unseen.” – The Quran 2:3

If you wish to understand what immense happiness and blessing, what great joy and peace are contained within īmānFaith; belief in the six articles of faith: Allah, His angels, His revealed scriptures, His prophets, the Hereafter, and divine decree (qadar)., then look at and listen to the following parable:

Once, two men set out on a journey for pleasure and trade. One of them was self-centred and unfortunate, while the other was devout and blessed. Each followed his own path and continued travelling until they arrived in a certain land.

The self-centred man, being selfish, self-seeking, and pessimistic, regarded that land as extremely miserable because of his pessimism. Everywhere he looked, he saw weak and helpless people lamenting under the oppression of terrifying tyrants. Wherever he went, he encountered similar heart-rending scenes. The entire land had taken on the appearance of a place of mourning. In order to escape this miserable and gloomy experience, he found no refuge other than intoxication. For he regarded everyone as an enemy and a stranger. Around him he saw dreadful corpses and despairing orphans weeping, and his conscience was constantly tormented.

The other man, being devout, religious, and truthful, viewed that same land as most pleasant because of his virtue. This good man saw a celebration throughout the land, an atmosphere filled with joy and delight. Everywhere there were places of worship where dhikrThe remembrance of Allah through the repeated recitation of a word or short phrase as an act of worship. was being performed in ecstasy and enthusiasm. Everyone appeared to him as a friend and a relative. Throughout the country he witnessed farewell celebrations, accompanied by gratitude and appreciation, for those who had completed their service. For those newly entering service, he heard joyful welcomes in which Allāhu AkbarAllah is the Greatest. and Lā Ilāha IllallāhThere is no god except Allah. were proclaimed. Unlike the suffering experienced by the first unfortunate man because of his own sorrow and that of all the people, this blessed man found joy and peace through both his own happiness and that of the whole people. Moreover, he conducted profitable trade and offered thanks to Allah.

After some time, he encountered the other man. Seeing the condition he was in, he said:

“What has happened to you? You have lost your reason. It seems that the ugliness within you has been reflected outward, causing you to imagine laughter as weeping and release from service as robbery and plunder. Come to your senses and purify your heart, so that this miserable veil may be lifted from before your eyes and you may behold the truth. For we are in the realm of an exceedingly just, merciful, powerful, and orderly ruler who cares for his subjects and shows them shafqaCompassionate and unconditional love, such as a mother's love for her child.. Furthermore, a land so clearly advanced and flourishing cannot possibly be as you imagine it to be.”

Thereupon, the unfortunate man came to his senses, repented, and said:

“Indeed, I had lost my reason through intoxication. May Allah be pleased with you; you have rescued me from a hellish condition.”