The Thirteenth Flash

Indeed, on the path of misguidance, powerless people seek to appear powerful, and unknown people strive for fame. To achieve this, arrogant, fame-seeking, and hypocritical individuals take a stand against the believers. With minimal means, they try to display their power and intimidate others by causing harm, in order to gain a higher position, to become visible, and to attract attention. They seek to become a subject of discussion through the destruction they cause, even though such destruction requires neither authority nor power, but comes about through neglect and passivity.

There is a folk tale about one of these vain fools who once defiled a place of prayer so that people would talk about him. Even when people spoke of him with disgust, his craving for fame made that very revulsion seem pleasant to him.

O human being, created for the eternal world yet captivated by the transient world! Reflect on the mystery of the verse:

فَمَا بَكَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّمَٓاءُ وَ الْاَرْضُNeither the heaven nor the earth wept for them. — The Qur’an 44:29

and listen to its message. Its explicit meaning declares the following:

When one of the people of misguidance dies, the heavens and the earth, which are connected with mankind, do not mourn his death; rather, they are pleased by it.

And its indicative meaning expresses this: when those who follow the right path die, the heavens and the earth weep over their passing; they do not wish to be separated from them. For the whole universe is connected with the believers and is pleased with them. Since, through their īmānFaith; belief in the six articles of faith: Allah, His angels, His revealed scriptures, His prophets, the Hereafter, and divine decree (qadar)., they know the Creator of the universe, they appreciate the value of the universe and treat it with reverence and love. They do not belittle its value or harbour hidden hostility toward it, as the people of misguidance do.

O human being, consider this well: you will inevitably die. If you follow your nafsThe aspect of the soul associated with lower desires and negative traits. and Satan, your neighbours, and even your relatives, will be relieved to be freed from your evil when you die.

But if you say:

اَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجٖيمِ‌I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed.

and follow the Qur’an and obey the Beloved of the All-Merciful (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him), then the heavens, the earth, and all creatures will, according to your spiritual degree, grieve at your separation and, as it were, shed tears. With an exalted mourning and a majestic funeral procession, they will indicate that beyond the gate of the grave, in the eternal world, a beautiful future awaits you according to your spiritual rank.