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

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

WHAT is spiritual development? It is creating divine awareness in one’s inner personality. The spiritual personality of man becomes healthy through delicate experiences which the Quran calls as divine provision.

July 16, 2004, was a very hot day in Delhi. The electricity went off and the ceiling fan stopped functioning. I sat in my room in this heat. After a long time the power returned and the fan started functioning.

It was a moment of sudden experience. The body cooled with the rotation of the fan. It felt as if the period of suffering was suddenly over and replaced by another period of joy. I was reminded of a tradition of the Prophet of Islam in which it is said that the world is a place of suffering for a believer. When death comes, he will find himself all of a sudden in the garden of Paradise. The period of worldly suffering will instantly end and the joyous period of Paradise shall begin.

On experiencing this, the hidden divine feeling in my nature awakened. The material incident was converted into a spiritual one. My heart wished that God would deal with me in the same way. When the time of my departure from this world comes may it be the end of suffering and an entrance into the joyous world of Paradise.

Spirituality raises man above materialism to a higher plane of the world of meaning.

Spirituality is an intellectual journey—a journey which raises man above materialism to a higher plane. This journey takes place internally. Others apparently do not see the stages of that journey but the traveller feels it deeply. Spirituality makes man a human being in the true sense. One whose life is devoid of spirituality leads a life at an animal level.