Page 54 - Zeal and Enthusiasm in the Qur'an

Zeal and Enthusiasm Described in the Qur’an

Him. Indeed, Allah grants mercy to whom He wills, and a person
leads a pleasant and happy life only because Allah has decreed it.
This fact is stressed in many verses such as these:
"And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses." 64

"He brings them out from darkness into the light." 65
"And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path." 66
A believer knows that he owes the blessings he enjoys to Allah.

Allah’s choosing him, enabling him to live in goodness, keeping
him away from evil, and creating him with particular abilities
greatly excites him. With zeal he turns toward Him and strives to
attain His approval through both his behavior and attitude. As he
observes the beauties of this world, he thinks about paradise, how
perfect and flawless the beauties in paradise must be, and be-
comes excited with the hope of attaining them. The spirit of believ-
ers is manifested in the Prophet Muhammad’s (saas) words,
"Truly, in every glorification of Allah is a sadaqah, in every magnifi-

cation of Him is a sadaqah, every praise of Him is a sadaqah, and
in saying, ‘There is no god but Allah’ there is sadaqah." 67
What has been cited above is only a few examples of what ex-
cites believers. The scope of this book is too limited to mention all
the details that believers notice. Their horizons are broad, and their
power to reflect is strong. The pleasure that disbelievers can never
experience is the great favor which faith grants to believers.

Love and friendship

A majority of people complain about not being able to find true
love and companionship throughout their lives and are thoroughly
convinced that it is impossible to experience them. In a sense this
is true for the people in ignorant societies who never attain true

52