A short look at the human community shows that they differ very much as they have different takings and views on various matters.

This is evident even in understanding the holy Qur’an. Ayah 2 of surah Anfal says in this regard, “The faithful are only those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned and when His signs are recited to them, they increase their faith and put their trust in their Lord.”

As a matter of fact this spiritual development will appear once their deeds are observed; for, if the heavenly ayahs are recited heedlessly and superficially they will have no impact on the lifestyle and faith of the faithful. But if these ayahs are recited with contemplation and deep thought they will have spectacular impacts. The holy Qur’an describes the faithful in ayah 3 and part of ayah 4 of surah Anfal, “They are the ones who maintain the prayer and spend out of what We have provided them. It is they who are truly the faithful.”

According to the divine law, no one will be awarded without deeds. In the end of ayah 4 of surah Anfal we read, “They shall have ranks near their Lord, and forgiveness and a noble provision.”

The climax of humbleness in the divine court is manifested at the time of prostrating. Elsewhere in the Qur’an the believers in the signs of God are described further. For instance in ayah 15 of surah Sajda, God states, “Only those believe in Our signs who, when they are reminded of them, fall down in prostration and celebrate the praise of their Lord, and they are not arrogant.”

This ayah indicates that if a person really believes in the signs of God and understands them he will automatically prostrate and will not be arrogant before the divine commandments.   

 Such people will not only realize the greatness of the Qur’an but they will attain the status of Khashyat (Fear) which, according to the Qur’an, exclusively belongs to the ulema. As a result they will tremble and then will reach an indescribable serenity in the divine court. The holy Qur’an describes such people in ayah 23 of surah Zumar, “Allah has sent down the best of discourses, a scripture of similar motifs, whereat quiver the skins of those who fear their Lord, then their skins and hearts soften to Allah’s remembrance. That is Allah’s guidance by which He guides whomever he wishes and whomever Allah leads astray has no guide.”

Describing the greatness of Qur’an, God also says in ayah 21 of surah Hashr, “Had We sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain you would have surely seen it humbled and go to pieces with the fear of Allah. We draw such comparisons for mankind so that they may reflect.”

According to a narration from one of the infallible Imams, this world is a market in which some people profit while others lose. No profit will be perpetual except the one which is divinely-oriented. Part of ayah 96 of surah Nahl reads, “That which is with you will be spent but what is with Allah shall last.”

The difference between the spiritual and material trade is that the former one will never perish and is everlasting while the latter, how much great it is, will perish since the entire material world is perishable.

RM/SS