Religion is often misunderstood and misrepresented in our society. Many people think that religion is a set of rules and rituals that one has to follow in order to please God and secure a place in heaven. They view religion as a transactional exchange, where good deeds are rewarded and bad deeds are punished. They see religion as a way of controlling people’s behaviour and imposing a certain morality on them.
But this is not the true essence of religion. Religion is not a caricature, a trade, or a fiction. Religion is a path to transcendence, to transformation, and to beauty. Religion is a way of connecting with the divine, of becoming one with the ultimate reality, of finding peace and joy in this life and the next.
This is the message of the great saints and mystics of Islam, such as Hz Ali, Hallac-i Mansur, Yunus Emre and Rumi. They taught that the aim of true religion is to lead all people to transcendence, to help them overcome their ego and their attachments, to purify their hearts and souls, and to make them reflect the attributes of God.
They showed that true religion is not about outward forms and appearances, but about inward states and realities. They demonstrated that true religion is not about fear and guilt, but about love and gratitude. They revealed that true religion is not about dogma and doctrine, but about experience and wisdom.
They also showed that good morals are not the goal of religion, but the by-product of it. A person who attains transcendence does not need any external motivation or incentive to do good. He does good because he is good, because he is beautiful, because he is united with God. He has no desire or ability to do evil, because he has transcended his lower self and aligned his will with God’s will. He does not do good to earn paradise, but because he is already in paradise, in this life and the next.
This is the true meaning of religion, the true spirit of Islam, the true legacy of the saints and mystics. This is what we need to rediscover and revive in our times, to counter the distortions and corruptions that have plagued our faith and our society. This is what we need to share and spread, to inspire and enlighten ourselves and others. This is what we need to live and embody, to become true servants and lovers of God.
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