On the day of resurrection, when “you can do nothing” in Allah’s court, where “your eyes, ears, and heart are the best witnesses of what you have done,”
You and every organ of your body are responsible for your deeds. While you are in this “house of correction” get ready for the “house of justice”. Exercise death before you die-go to Hajj! [Qur’an 17: 36]
Hajj represents your return to Allah, the absolute, who has no limitations and none is like Him. To return to Him signifies a definite movement toward perfection, goodness, beauty, power knowledge, value, and facts. On your way toward the eternal, you will NEVER approach Allah. He is to guide you in the right direction and not to be your destination!
Islam is different from Sufism. A Sufi lives “in the name of Allah”, and dies “for the sake of Allah”. But, a Muslim strives to approach Almighty God
To Allah we belong and to Him is our return.
All affairs tend toward Allah. [Qur’an 2:156 & 42:53]
Our goal is not to “perish”, but to “bloom”. This is done not “for Allah” but rather to bring us “toward Him”. Allah is not so far away from you; therefore, try to reach Him! Allah is closer to you than yourself!
We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. [Qur’an 50:16]
On the other hand, everyone beside Allah is too far to be reached! Oh man, all the angels prostrated to you; yet, through the passage of time and societal influence you have changed greatly. You have not abided by your promise to worship none but Almighty Allah. Instead, you have become a slave to idols, some of which are man-made.
In an assembly of truth, in the presence of a sovereign omnipotent [Qur’an 55: 54]
Your nature is characterized by loyalty to other individuals, self-devotion, cruelty, and ignorance, a lack of direction, fearfulness, and greediness! This life has caused you to acquire animalistic traits. Now you are like a “wolf”, “fox”, “rat”, or “sheep”.
Oh man, return to your origin. Go to Hajj and visit your best friend who created you as the best creature. He is waiting to see you! Leave the palaces of power, the treasures of wealth and the misleading temples. Dismember yourself from the flock of those animals whose shepherd is the wolf. Join the flock at Miad who is going to see the house of Allah or the house of the people.
*From the book Hajj(The Pilgrimage) by Dr Ali Shariati
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