Following a System to Gaining Spirituality

Allah Ta‘ala has created certain things with fixed systems and some without. For example, there is a system for one to earn his livelihood and obtain education. Without following this system one will not be able to earn a living or gain education. In fact, if
someone abandoned the systems that are in place, we will refer to him as a madman. On the other hand, you will find animals etc. that have no apparent system for earning their livelihood. There is no education or training that they undergo. This is the plan of Allah Ta‘ala.

This is as far as our physical needs. The same applies to our spiritual needs. We will have to follow a system in order to gain spirituality. There may have been a few individuals who gained spirituality without any means, but they are an exception and not the norm. A common perception among people is that if a person passes away in Makkah Mukarramah or Madeenah Munwwarah, or on a Friday etc. then he has ‘cashed in’. However, passing away in these places or days, does not necessarily mean that this person has
struck a ‘jackpot’. Instead, you would look at the life of this person, the way he conducted himself and his level of submission to Allah Ta‘ala. If outwardly he seemed to be a righteous person and he passes away in this beautiful manner then it would be like a ‘cherry on the top’. On the contrary, if he was not an outwardly righteous person, then Allah Ta‘ala knows best, but it does not necessarily mean that he has struck the ‘jackpot’. Though we all desire to have such deaths, but the more important thing is the way we lead our lives and the level of our submission to Allah Ta‘ala.

Stepping Stones to Reformation