FROM THE SPIRITUAL TREE
There is a tree beside my house. I call it the 'Spiritual Tree'. I derive spiritual inspiration from it. A tree is an evergrowing being that was initially a seed possessing the potential of becoming a full-grown tree. A seed takes food from the universe around it and then grows into a tree. The same is true with spirituality, the desire for which is intrinsic to, and an integral part of, the very nature of every human being. To realize this spirituality, Man must derive spiritual food from the universe around him. A tree converts carbon-dioxide into oxygen; a spiritual person is one who can take positive lessons from negative situations. From this perspective, a tree is an embodiment of a spiritual personality. —Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
GOD IS THE GREATEST
THE phrase Allahu Akbar (‘God is Great’) is the most important part of the Islamic form of ritual prayer. If you add up the number of times this phrase is used in the azan (the call to prayer), and while performing the ritual prayers five times a day, it comes to around 300 times every day! This declaration of God being the greatest is the phrase that is heard and uttered the most number of times in a Muslim’s life.
This shows that in Islam the most important thing is that a person should discover the greatness of God. The glory and greatness of God should be the most important part of his consciousness. God’s greatness should be an integral part of his consciousness in such a way that under no condition should he lose awareness of it.
The phrase “God is Great” enjoys the status of a master-stroke in a person’s life. If you truly discover God, you will experience the most enormously possible positive transformation in your life. You will be transformed into a completely new person. God will become the only focus of your thinking. Your life will become a truly God-centred one. God will become your sole concern. Everything other than God will become secondary for you. You will stop thinking in materialistic terms. Instead of thinking on communal lines, your thinking will be shaped on the basis of certain principles.
You will seek success in the Hereafter. You will be fully cleansed of negative thinking. You will become modest and will be freed from arrogance.
If you truly discover God you will be transformed into a completely new person. God will become the only focus of your thinking. Your life will become a truly Godcentred one.
In a sense, the phrase Allahu Akbar speaks of a belief. In another sense, it embodies a complete way of life for a person. In fact, Allahu Akbar is the essence of faith.