Toward God

According to Qur'an and Islamic narratives, God has created every human being of all times and places, based on Divine “Fetrat” which means that all humans, deep in their souls and hearts, know that they have a loving God and God has appointed the best of His creations to guide others; this Divine Fetrat can absolutely not be changed into something else (Qur’an, Surah Roome, verse 30). The parable used in Islamic narratives, to express Divine Fetrat is, an everlasting mirror which reflects God's light. The dustier and foggier a mirror is, the less it reflects. A decent human who tries not to commit sins and lives a normal and healthy life has a more shining Fetrat and therefore, does not forget God. By performing acts which God has forbidden and disobeying God, we actually make our Fetrat dusty and dark, and as a result, slowly but surely, we'll get farther and farther away from God.

Throughout the ages, human has always felt this familiar love in his heart and therefore, he has tried to find a way for getting closer to the loving God whom he knows and loves in his soul. Sometimes he has made statues and idols and imagined that those are the means for getting closer to God. Other times he has worshiped statues or even humans in place of God. Another times he has created images in his mind and has supposed those as gods. In all aforementioned cases and others, the goal is the same; human is eager to establish a relationship with the God whom he loves in his heart, the God who introduced Himself to human through Fetrat. But the important and essential point overlooked in these cases, is that God is not imaginary rather, He is only one and He is real.

If I wish to establish a relationship with you, I have to get close to you and try to know you as you are. I should not just imagine you the way I want, if I do that, the one I am imagining, is not the real you. In the same manner, we must not imagine a personal god and then choose means and ways we wish and like ourselves, to establish a relationship with that god. Since our destination is towards the real God, who is beyond our imagination, we have to use His specified Means and Ways, which He has Created for this purpose; otherwise, we'll approach an imaginary destination, a mirage, and not the real Him.

God knows any matter in our minds and hearts before we know it ourselves; as Qur'an indicates, God is closer to and more aware of us than ourselves (Qur’an, Surah Qaaf, verse 16); Allah is not far from us and He does not have a special place; He, being the Creator of space, is not limited to space. Getting closer to God -by loving and obeying the perfect guides and role models whom He has chosen- means, getting to know God's Will, loving Him and feeling His love, and getting closer to the peak of humanity and obedience which pleases God; and the final result, Allah-willing, will be, living forever, close to chosen-ones in God's heavens.

God has introduced Himself to us (Qur’an, Surah A’raaf, verse 172) in our Fetrat and has appointed Prophets and their successors at all times, so that in our search for the real God -whom we know in our hearts- we won't have any excuse whatsoever for deviating from the right path and worshiping things other than the one and only God or using unauthorized means for getting close to the real God. We, being dependent upon God for every thing, need to obey the loving God and get close to Him through the Means He has specified. When we are thirsty, we use water as a mean for quenching our thirst, while God has the power to quench our thirst without us drinking the water but yet He does not do that. His Will is for us to use the means He has provided. Perhaps one reason is so that we may never forget His love and Lordship and our total dependence upon Him and therefore, this acknowledgment may help us to be humble and kind to one another and not to harm each other.

God has clearly introduced certain people, who are the possessors of His bestowed knowledge, as the Means for us to follow in order to get closer to the real compassionate and merciful Him. The last and most perfect of those guides and means are Mohammad and his progeny (PBUT).

O' you who Believe! Guard against sins by obeying and fearing God (be Pious) and seek the Means of nearness and approach unto Him and strike with might in His cause, so that you may achieve salvation.

(Qur’an, Surah Maa'edah, Verse 35)

In interpretation of this verse, the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH&HP) has introduced his infallible Ahl-Ol-Bait as God-authorized Means whom if followed and obeyed, the exalted goal of getting close to God is accomplished.

(Noor-O-Ththaqalain; Majma'-Ol-Bayaan; ...).

Mohammad and his progeny (PBUT) have been the most perfect, knowledgeable and obedient servants of God, chosen by God Himself. Their greatest honor is, being servants of God. Today, the last of this most blessed and beloved progeny -Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his Appearance)- is among us and some of us -by not truly seeking, in our hearts and thoughts and prayers and actions, his Appearance- have forsaken him, the kindest and most benevolent human on earth. Did you know that his Appearance and bestowal of “Divine relief” depend on us?!