WILAYAH NEWS VOICE OF THE GLOBAL AWAKENING
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**The Presence of God in Our Lives**
Meeting God occurs in two ways: a meeting in this world and a meeting on the Day of Resurrection at the time of judgment. Our discussion here focuses on meeting God in this world before the Hereafter. By “meeting the Truth” (God), what is meant is not a physical encounter or seeing Him with the material eye, because God is not a body, He is not confined by place, and He cannot be perceived by sight. As the Qur’an states:
“Eyes do not perceive Him, but He perceives all eyes, and He is the Subtle, the All-Aware.”
Rather, what is meant is a spiritual meeting: the constant presence of God in our lives, never being heedless of Him, continually turning toward Him, and witnessing His signs and the آثار of His power in everything. Thus we worship none but Him, call upon none besides Him, and seek our needs only from Him. When a person realizes that God is his Creator, the Owner of everything, that all affairs are in His hand, that He is the God in the heavens and the God on the earth, and that He is the Lord of all worlds, it is natural for that person to turn to Him in devotion and submission.
Reaching this lofty human state—meeting the Truth and living in His presence—becomes possible in only one condition: when God is constantly present in a person’s life. The person sees his Creator present and existing in all aspects of his life and always sees himself standing before the greatness of God and within the arena of His judgment on the Day of Resurrection.
How could it be otherwise, when He is with us wherever we may be:
“And He is with you wherever you are, and God is Seeing of what you do.”
He is closer to a person than the jugular vein:
“And We have created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than his jugular vein.”
And He is a witness to every movement we make and every word we utter:
“You are not engaged in any matter, nor do you recite any portion of the Qur’an, nor do you perform any deed, except that We are witnesses over you when you are engaged in it.”
Therefore, if a person wishes to attain a place of truth with God, he must first see God as present and watching over him in all his affairs. Then, on the basis of this awareness, he performs all his deeds sincerely for the sake of God alone.
Among the counsels that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, gave to Abu Dharr (may God be pleased with him) was:
“O Abu Dharr, you are among us, the People of the House. I advise you with a counsel—so preserve it—for it encompasses the paths and ways of goodness. If you hold fast to it, you will gain two shares of reward. O Abu Dharr, worship God as though you see Him; and if you do not see Him, know that He sees you. And know that the first act of worship of God is knowing Him.”
This state is attained by a person in this world through purity, piety, worship, and refinement of the soul. It is reported that a man named Dhi‘lib asked the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (peace be upon him):
“Have you seen your Lord?”
He replied: “Woe to you, O Dhi‘lib! I would not worship a Lord whom I have not seen.”
The man said: “O Commander of the Faithful, how did you see Him?”
He replied: “Woe to you, O Dhi‘lib! Eyes do not see Him through physical sight, but hearts see Him through the realities of faith.”
