Living The Quran
From Issue: 647 [Read full issue]
Contacting God
Al Insan (Man) - Chapter 76: Verses 25-26
"Remember your Lord's name morning and evening. At night prostrate yourself before Him, and extol His limitless glory throughout the long night."
The Prophet is told these are the means to maintain the bond with God who gave him the Quran and who entrusted him with His message. He is the source of all power. The way ahead is long, the burden he carries is heavy, and he needs much support. Now, the support is identified as maintaining contact with God by glorifying Him through the long night. Thus, the servant meets his Master alone, speaking to Him directly, looking up to Him for favour and support, feeling His compassion that removes all trouble and relieves exhaustion. His power will transform His servants' weaknesses and lack of numbers. When they shed their earthly burdens and look at the great task entrusted to them, they will think little of all the hardships they are going through and their resolve to get on with the task ahead will be that much strengthened.
God is ever merciful. He entrusted his servant, the Prophet, with His message and revealed the Quran to him. He is aware of the hardship he would meet along his way. Therefore, He did not leave him without support. On the contrary, He gave him the support and help He knew to be most useful and effective along his difficult journey. This remains the support needed by all advocates of the divine message, regardless of time, circumstance or place. It is the same message, with the same circumstances, facing the same unyielding opposition by falsehood, and for the same reasons. Falsehood employs the same tool and means against it. Let, then, the means the truth employs be the ones God knows to be the most effective.
Compiled From:
"In The Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 17, pp. 417, 418