The Enlightened Prayer
Last Updated on Monday, 20 December 2010 17:58
The Enlightened Prayer
Rehan Ahmed Yusufi
In homes with young children, an incident frequently occurs. At some stage during the night when the world is enjoying a deep sleep, a child wakes up crying for his mother. On hearing the cry, the mother wakes up instantly. She gives him milk if he is hungry and changes his clothes and bedding if he has wet his bed; in essence, the mother sacrifices her sleep and comfort to relieve any discomfort the child may be experiencing. This love is what signifies a mother.
People are aware of these qualities of a mother but oblivious to such attributes of God. They do not realize that when someone calls on God, He leaps towards His servant quicker than a mother goes towards her child, the only requisite being that the prayer should be one associated with an insight of God’s attributes and not one of self-interest. A selfish prayer is the one in which a person calls upon God as if He is a problem-solving machine and forgets Him once his prayers are acknowledged. He concentrates upon his own self only when he prays to God; he has no realization in his heart of the need to be grateful to Him for His magnanimity, compassion and magnificent attributes. God is very benevolent; He also answers such prayers albeit, He answers them in accordance with His wisdom and suitability for people.
In contrast, an enlightened prayer comes from a heart that appreciates God from the aspect of His blessings and attributes. Like a child, such a heart also calls out to its Lord when it faces hardship however; its calling is not just a self-centred vocal call but is also an acknowledgment of the finest attributes of God. When such a person sees a mother get up in response to her child's crying, he prays, ‘O Lord, this sleeping mother has woken up in response to her child's crying; how can I accept that the Almighty, who neither sleeps nor slumbers, would not act to ease the suffering of His servant?’ Impossibilities become realities following this prayer; the Lord of the Sky and the Earth moves faster than a mother does to help His servant. Unfortunately, in these days of plentiful praying, this prayer of enlightenment is made only occasionally.
The article translated by Bilal Khan with thanks to
www.ishraqdawah.org,where it was originally published in Urdu.
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