Prophets’ Invitation to Life
A sage was once asked if God could be seen, how one would see Him. The sage answered: Close your eyes. When you open them, whatever you see first is God.
The Quran says: “Believers, listen to God and the Messengers when they call you to that which gives you life. Know that God is between a man and his heart and that before Him you will all be brought together.” (Verse 24 of Surah Al-Anfal)
This verse is amazing in terms of beauty, wisdom and brilliance of life. What a blessing and happiness it is to be invited to new life by feeling close to the life of the universe, which is closer to us than our life.
There are three points in this verse that gift us life, love and hope. First, it says that the invitation extended by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to people is inviting from death to life as faith is a new life for those who accept the Prophet’s (PBUH) invitation. And who does not want to get alive and be given a new life?
This new life is moving up from the material life (eating, sleeping, anger, and lust) to the position of knowledge, beauty and goodness, which is the status of humanity.
The second point is that the verse says God is between a man and his heart, which means God is closer to us than we are to ourselves. If one wants to escape from his self, no one but God can be between him and his self.
Since God is between a man and his heart, he would see God before he could see himself. So based on Verse 3 of Surah Al-Hadid, “He is the First and the Last, the Clear and the Hidden. He has knowledge of all things,” the first thing we comprehend from the existence is God.
A sage was once asked if God could be seen, how one would see Him. The sage answered: Close your eyes. When you open them, whatever you see first is God.
And the third point is the good news that we will return to God and unite with Him. We should have that day in mind and prepare ourselves for that great event.
