Discovering the True Spirit of Life

When the following verse was revealed – “Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should humble themselves to the remembrance of Allah and to what has been revealed of the truth?” (57:16) – Abdullah ibn Masʿud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “There were only four years between our embracing Islam and our being admonished by this verse.” Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) remarked: “Allah found the hearts of the believers slow to respond, so He admonished them.”

This address is directed to every believer. It is the gentle reproach of the Most Merciful, calling His servants to hasten toward humility and responsiveness in the face of the clear truth and the divine revelation that plainly sets forth the path of guidance and success.

The verse reminds believers not to become heedless of Allah’s immense favor in granting them His Book — a revelation containing His very words, by which He guides them and clarifies the path to His pleasure. Such heedlessness appears when one no longer hastens to the remembrance of Allah, or responds readily to the truth. Left unchecked, this neglect gradually hardens the heart. For this reason, Allah warns the believers not to follow the example of the People of the Book, whose hearts became hardened after a long period without renewed remembrance and sincere responsiveness to revelation. As a result, many of them fell into open disobedience. Allah, the Exalted, says: “And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient” (57:16).

Hardness of the heart is not merely a spiritual condition; it is the beginning of estrangement from Allah, and its natural consequence is disobedience and turning away from His guidance.

The illumination of the heart can only be attained through the remembrance of Allah and humble submission before Him. Without them, its light is extinguished, darkness overtakes it, and it gradually becomes dull and hardened. Allah, the Exalted, says: “Then woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah. Those are in manifest error” (39:22).

We have already explained that the foundation upon which the divine light descends into the heart — and from which the believers’ light will shine on the Day of Resurrection — is Hamd (praise of Allah) and supplication, both of which are rooted in remembrance (Dhikr).

But what is the true meaning of this remembrance?

It is the living relationship between the servants and their Lord throughout the journey of this worldly life. When this relationship is understood correctly and lived sincerely, it gives rise to hearts filled with humility. The mark of such hearts is that they tremble with reverence whenever Allah is remembered.

The noblest and most intimate moments in this relationship are those in which the servants stand before their Lord in complete submission, humbly imploring Him and presenting their needs. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said “The closest a servant comes to his Lord is while he is in prostration.”

For this reason, Allah made prostration the means of drawing near to Him, saying to His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): “ ˹continue to˺ prostrate and draw near ˹to Allah˺” (96:19).

One of the greatest manifestations of Allah’s mercy is that He multiplies these opportunities throughout the believers’ lives, repeatedly inviting them to stand before their Lord in humility, devotion, and complete dependence. From this perspective, the wisdom behind trials and tribulations becomes clearer. They are often the means by which Allah brings His servants back to those moments of complete surrender, gently guiding them to the station where the reality of servitude is most fully realized.

Indeed, the true spirit of life is found in these moments of humble supplication and sincere prayer. They are the moments that give blessing to one’s lifetime, purify the soul, elevate the servants, and draw them ever nearer to Allah until they become among those brought close to Him (Al-Muqarrabeen).

Reflect upon the story of Prophet Ayyub, peace be upon him. The Quran portrays the pinnacle of true servitude to Allah through a single moment in his life. The severe trials that Ayyub endured were, in reality, preparing him for that very moment in which the perfection of servitude, the abundance of divine generosity, and the greatness of Allah’s favor would all become manifest. Allah, the Exalted, says: “And remember Our servant Ayyub, when he called to his Lord, ‘Indeed, Satan has touched me with hardship and suffering.’ [Allah said], ‘Strike [the ground] with your foot; here is a cool spring for washing and drinking’” (38:41–42). The greatness of Allah’s favor was not confined to healing Ayyub, restoring his family, granting him their like once more, and enriching him. Rather, it culminated in something far greater: the beautiful praise bestowed upon him by his Most Merciful Lord.

This is one of the profound secrets behind the blessed lives of the Prophets, peace be upon them all: trials that lead to moments of humble supplication and sincere turning to Allah, followed by the outpouring of His infinite generosity.

The story of Prophet Sulayman, peace be upon him, illustrates the same reality. His trial concerned wealth, worldly possessions — particularly his horses — and his kingdom. Allah, Glorified and Exalted, says: “And We certainly tested Solomon and placed upon his throne a body; then he turned back [to Allah]. He said, ‘My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Ever-Bestowing’” (38:34–35). After Sulayman turned to Allah in repentance and sought His forgiveness, Allah answered him with an extraordinary bestowal, granting him a kingdom unlike any other. Likewise, consider Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him. After leaving his wife and infant son in a barren valley in complete obedience to Allah, he turned to his Lord in humble supplication, saying: “Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful” (14:37). His sacrifice and sincere supplication marked the beginning of blessings whose effects continue until the end of time.

Whoever learns to view life’s trials through this lens will discover that they are not merely hardships to be endured, but divine opportunities to attain a higher station of servitude. According to one’s rank with Allah, every trial that is met with patience, sincere supplication, and complete reliance upon Him becomes a means of receiving a share of His generosity — similar in nature, though never equal in degree, to the gifts He bestowed upon His Prophets, peace be upon them all.

Opposite these moments of divine honor are the lowest moments in a servant’s life: moments of heedlessness and arrogance. If such moments persist until they consume a person’s entire life, they become even more astray than cattle — distant from Allah, oblivious to their own reality, and ungrateful for their Lord’s countless blessings. Rather than becoming a source of goodness, they become a source of harm, spreading corruption and contributing to evil wherever they go. Such a person enters among those concerning whom Allah says: “… and upon many the punishment has become deserved. And whoever Allah humiliates, none can honor them” (22:18). As a consequence of turning away from Allah, they deserve to be abandoned to the devils, as Allah says: “Have you not seen that We have sent the devils against the disbelievers, driving them relentlessly [toward sin]?” (19:83).

How then, can servants transform their perspective on life so that their relationship with Allah becomes the very essence and soul of life? How can they make that relationship the means of multiplying those blessed moments of humble supplication and sincere devotion that fill their lives with divine generosity, steadfastness, and guidance from the Most Generous, the Ever-Bestowing?

The answer begins with two fundamental principles.

First: Servants must make turning to Allah and fleeing to Him the only path to every good they seek. They should regard returning to Allah as the sole means of overcoming every obstacle, receiving divine support, remaining steadfast, and achieving success in this world and the Hereafter.

Second: Servants must recognize Allah’s power, wisdom, and decree in every step of their journey. This is the practical realization of the statement, “There is no power and no might, except through Allah.” When this awareness settles in the heart, they perceive Allah’s care and guidance in every circumstance. Their heart is filled with humility, they willingly submit to their Lord, and they constantly seek His help, guidance, and support.

Among the most profound descriptions that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) gave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) were those intimate moments when he stood before his Lord in prayer, weeping until his beard was soaked with tears and even the ground beneath him became wet. Among the supplications he would make during those moments was: “O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your wrath, in Your pardon from Your punishment, and I seek refuge in You from You. I cannot adequately praise You; You are as You have praised Yourself.”

How then, does a servant attain honor and worth in the sight of Allah?

The answer lies in the state of the heart. Reflect upon the words of Allah, the Exalted: “Say, ‘My Lord would not care for you were it not for your supplication’” (25:77). The servant should also realize that they may become one of the party of Shaytan — not necessarily by consciously choosing to follow him, but simply by neglecting the remembrance of Allah. Allah says: “Shaytan has overcome them and caused them to forget the remembrance of Allah. Those are the party of Shaytan. Surely, it is the party of Shaytan who are the losers” (58:19).

Whoever fails to acquire worth in the sight of Allah has no end but to become fuel for the Hellfire — may Allah protect us from such a fate.