November 1998: Page 1, 2, 3, 4

Submitters Perspective

Page 2

Remembering God

Continued from page 1

So, we understand from the above verse that we cannot withdraw ourselves from day to day life, and we must continue to live out our time on earth within some kind of community. So the question is how can we live out our personal life, our family life, and our professional activities, in short our total life on this planet, and at the same time ensure that our every action, thought and deed is permeated with the remembrance of God?

An undertaking which, I feel sure you would agree, is certainly a tremendous challenge. However, God is forever Merciful and He continues to give reminders and guidance to all those who seek it. God tells us in 58:7 that He sees and witnesses ALL things. No three people can conspire secretly without Him being their fourth, nor five without Him being the sixth, nor less than that, nor more, without Him being there with them wherever they may be. Because on the Day of Resurrection it will be God to be there to inform them of what they have done.

God can inform them because He sees all that we do, good or bad, right or wrong, just or unjust, stingy or mean, merciful or un-merciful, kind or spiteful. He is the One who sees all. God tells us that He is nearer to us than our very own jugular vein (50:16-17). Therefore, by remembering that God is with you at all times, that God witnesses everything you do, that God hears everything that you say and knows every thought that you make, by remembering these things, which can be done frequently throughout the day without any interruption to any daily activity, you will be thinking about God day and night as commanded by your Lord.

Another way is to reflect during our waking hours on some of the blessings given to us by the Almighty. No one but God gives you anything; everything comes directly, or indirectly, from God alone. He is the One that

causes the rain to come down. He is the One that causes the plants to grow. He is the One that causes the sun to shine. He is the One that creates the night and the day. He is the One who causes the wind to blow. He is the One who subdued the animals for us. He is the One who gave us clothes to wear. He is the One who has blessed us with transportation. He is the One who has blessed us with our homes and families. He is the One who has blessed us with our jobs to enable us to provide, by His grace, for our families. And He is the One who teaches man what he never knew. All these things are blessings from God that we should thank Him for during our day. These are some of the ways of remembering God throughout the day and night in whatever we do.

The Quran is full of examples of how to remember God. The Salat prayer is one way that God teaches us to remember Him. When time for prayer comes we know that we have to make our ablution. We are then thinking about Him again by watching the clock to check when it’s time for prayer and time to make ablution. God teaches us that we are to mention His name over the things that we consume. Ask yourself how many times do we eat and drink on a daily basis and if you observe this command, how many times therefore do you think of God in that day!

God also tells us in 18:24 that we shall not say, “I will do this or that” without saying God willing, because it is only with God’s will that we will be able to do whatever it is that we wish to do. God instructs us that if we forget to do this, then we are to say, “May my Lord guide me to do better next time.” All these are ways that God Himself is teaching us to remember Him by.

God is forever teaching those who wish to learn. In 18:39 God reminds us that it is He alone who blesses us with things and reminds us that we should be thankful: When you entered your garden, you should have said, “This is what God has given me. No one possesses power except God.” God alone is teacher of the Quran.

Nothing in the heavens or the earth happens unless God wills it. No leaf falls from a tree, no person dies, no one is hurt, nothing can happen without the direct authority of God. By reminding yourself throughout the day that nothing can happen in this world without God’s permission, this is remembering God as He commands you throughout the day and the night.

Our life on this earth will one day be terminated and on that day we will be returned to God. No one knows when this will take place, even today might be the time for that termination; no one knows except God. Remembering that our life can be ended at any time should be enough to remind us that we should continually remember God at every opportunity. When we become engrossed in worldly affairs, which so often happens, then just as prayer time approaches and you withdraw from the world to worship your Creator, take a few extra minutes to think about God, His blessings, His mercy and His kindness and remind yourself that it is to Him that you will eventually return.

God has given us this life as a test. A test to see whether we will worship Him freely or not. During our time on this earth, which is very short, we have to prove to both God and ourselves that we are worthy to be saved. We ourselves are nothing without God. An insignificant being and we walk the earth so proudly!

A thought to end on, just to remind us of how little power we actually have over anything, most of all our very existence:

The heart beats approximately 72 times in one minute, and every time it beats it does so only with the permission of God. Once He removes that permission the heart stops beating and life, as we know it, comes to an end, and it is to God we will then return.

You shall remember your Lord within yourself, publicly, privately, and quietly, day and night; do not be unaware. (7:205)

Linda Moore