The Essence of Islam – Volume I — Page 20
We are nearer to him than even his jugular vein. In this manner, God honours mortal man with His near- ness. Then the time comes when blindness is removed and eyes are given insight and man beholds God with his new eyes, hears His voice and finds himself wrapped in the mantle of His light. Thus, the purpose of religion is fulfilled and having beheld God, man casts aside the dirty garment of his lower life and puts on a garment of light. He waits for a sight of God and of heaven not merely as a promise to be fulfilled in the hereafter, but in this very life. He achieves the bounties of sight and con- verse and heaven. As Allah the Exalted has stated: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَيْكَةُ الَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَ ابْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ 13 This means that: Angels descend upon those who affirm that their God is the One Who possesses all perfect at- tributes and Who has no associate in His Being or His attributes, and after their affirmation, they are steadfast and no earthquake and calamity and no confrontation of death can shake their faith. God speaks to them and reas- sures them not to be afraid of calamities or of enemies and not to be sorrowful over past misfortunes. He reas- sures them that He is with them and that He has bestowed upon them in this very world the paradise that was promised to them in which they should rejoice. These are not statements without testimony, nor are they promises that have not been fulfilled. Thousands of the faithful in Islām have tasted of the spiritual paradise that is promised in this verse. The true followers of Islām have been made heirs by Almighty God to all the previ- 13 Hā Mīm al-Sajdah, 41:31 [Publisher]