Human beings are at their purest state before reaching adulthood. What is their nature and disposition? The exact answer to this can be found in observing a child.
As they grow up, the reins of nature and culture are placed upon them, and if you remove culture and religion from them, what remains behind is just an ‘animal.’ This is why the Quran says:
“Man is at a loss, except for those who have faith, do righteous deeds, encourage truth, and recommend patience.”
This verse from Surah Al-Asr, verse number 2, is a complete statement that suggests that without religion and culture, humans are worse than animals because animals are not at a loss. However, humans are at a loss in their animal-like state, and the cause of this loss is their ‘intellect.’ When a person, possessing intellect, is content with their animal-like state, then the consequences are nothing but loss.
Famous actions of children teach us how to maintain a relationship with God. One of them is that when a child needs something, they cry for it, expecting to receive it. This is evident from the very beginning of life when we see that a baby cries for nourishment. It appears as if the baby is presenting its very first demand in life by crying. And this crying expresses the intensity of its need. That’s why the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) would seek from Allah while crying and also teach the Ummah (community) to do so.
This same crying behavior is exhibited when a child is deprived of something. If a toy breaks, the child cries; if it gets lost, the child cries; if someone takes something from them, they cry. In essence, every deprivation leads to this intense expression of grief. It’s not just about material things; even in later years, if someone experiences the loss of a loved one, they cry. If their property or land is taken away, they cry. If they lose a good job, they cry. In short, every form of deprivation leads to this intense expression of grief.
The question is, does one also cry when deprived of the greatest blessing in life, ‘faith-based living’? By faith-based living, we mean a life characterized by positive deeds, not disbelief. The division between faith and disbelief is essentially a division between positive and negative. The greatest act in this world is to surrender to the truth before God. So, should we cry for this deprivation? We do express remorse in our solitude, don’t we?
Remorse is not an ordinary thing. It involves expressing regret to some extent. The first result of remorse is that a person refrains from repeating the mistake. Therefore, divine forgiveness is also a result of remorse. Repentance is a commitment. It’s an agreement that says, ‘My Lord, I did wrong. Please forgive me,’ along with the understanding that ‘I won’t do it again.’ It’s not just about expressing remorse; it’s about making a commitment to not repeat the mistake. So, a person who frequently repents is successful in God’s forgiveness.
We can learn from children how to express love for God as well. What does it mean to express love for God? Have you ever thought about it? Sometimes, a child comes to their father or mother, hugs them, and says, ‘You are mine.’ If you think about it, the father and mother are also the parents of the other siblings. But the child is not denying that; they are simply expressing their love. In their eyes, the father and mother are theirs.
Likewise, we should express our love for God in the same way. Our belief is that Allah is the ‘Lord of the Worlds,’ but when we express our love for Him, we should say, ‘You are mine, O My Lord.’ Human beings often engage in conversation with Allah in the form of supplication, and in supplication, it’s important to personalize it, just as a child does. In this way, our expression of love will be complete. In supplication, we should talk to Allah as if it’s a one-to-one conversation. Try it, and you will see the response that comes.
