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
MARIFAH, OR GOD REALIZATION
MOST people talk frequently of marifah (God-realization) without having attained it. The reason is that they want marifah, but they are not willing to pay the price for it, and in this world, nothing can be achieved without paying the price. What man ought to do is that when he is not ready to pay the price for something, he should not talk about it. For talking about something for which he is not willing to pay the price will mean that he is only mouthing words about marifah without understanding its significance.
There is an Arabic saying translated as: “Knowledge gives you a part of it only when you give yourself to it completely.” This is true of marifah. The price of marifah is that a person should give his all to it, that he should make it the sole concern of his soul, that while going to bed he should think of marifah, while getting out of bed he should think of marifah. He should engross himself in it to the point of starting to dream of it. The price of marifah is total surrender. One who does not totally surrender to marifah, will find that the doors of marifah will never be opened to him.
How does one achieve this marifah? This journey begins with the acceptance that there is a God and finishes with one discovering the true Creator. The individual must first of all become a seeker and later become a finder. It is this order of the journey of marifah which applies to common man as well as to a prophet. Another Arabic saying brings out the above understanding with clarity, “I don’t know, is half of knowledge”. First of all, an individual has to discover his own ignorance, and then a spirit of enquiry is born within him. The greater his acknowledgement of his own ignorance, the greater is his spiritual and intellectual learning. It is a natural reality to which there is no exception.
The discovery of God is not something to be inherited that a father may give to a son. It is of a personal nature. Whenever anyone attains to Godrealization, it will happen only as a result of personal effort.
Marifah or the discovery of God is not something to be inherited that a father may give to a son and the grandson may receive from his forefathers. It is of a personal nature. Whenever anyone attains to God-realization, it will happen only as a result of personal effort. Without personal effort, no one can ever achieve marifah. Whatever one receives without personal struggle will be just a kind of traditional belief rather than a living marifah.
Marifah relates to the entire personality of the human being. It is initially achieved at an intellectual level. Subsequently through a natural process, it pervades his whole personality. The attainment of marifah for anyone colours his whole personality in its hue. No aspect of his life will remain unaffected by its influence.
The journey of marifah is indeed one of discovery. This discovery continues during the whole of one’s life. One who thinks that he has achieved complete marifah would in effect never have discovered marifah at all.