Reflection for a moment is worth more than 60 years of worship

Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran:

 

Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the Night and the Day…Surah Baqarah (2:164)

 

Truly, it is not for fools to look at something and deduce something good from it.  They look at things the way animals look at things.  What do they care for the secrets and subtleties hidden in them?  Or for the wisdom of the One who created them, as to how He must have created it out of nowhere.  This was done in such a time when except Almighty Allah no one was present.  Understanding things like these is the privilege of the intelligent folk.

 

For this reason, Almighty Allah presents His creation and directs us to reflect over them, and to learn as much as our intelligence permits that these are the signs of our Lord.  This will make it easier for them to walk the path of closeness to the Lord Almighty.

 

Thus, this is what happened.  Those people immersed themselves in the study of this world and started reflecting over it.  Each leaf was a masterpiece of the works of the Lord Almighty.  The beauty of all these things entranced them as if the beauty of a fairy-like beloved entrances the lover.  The more deeply they reflected over the creation, the more subtleties became clear to them.  This led them to see the Creator in every creation.  This reached such a peak that in every creation, nay in every movement and ripple, the attributes of Almighty Allah became perceptible to them.  With this, their connection with Almighty Allah became so strong that whatever they did, heedlessness would never be a part of it.  If, as a human being, they do become heedless, they are immediately warned. 

 

All their affairs, be it worldly or religious turn into worship.  They always enjoy the proximity of Allah Most High…they see, hear and do everything, but their deeds are in an entirely different league.  This is the reason what the Companions and later elders of the faith did cannot be accomplished by anyone else now.

 

What is not gained through years of worship, the intelligent folk gain it in a short time through reflection over the works of Allah Most High.  For this reason, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  A moment’s worth of reflection is greater than the worship of 60 years.

 

And why shouldn’t it be?  Worship also brings one closer to Allah Most High, but it is open to various kinds of shortcomings like ostentation, pride, egoism, etc.  On the other hand, reflection over the works of Allah Most High is free of all this and it increases one’s gnosis of Almighty Allah now and then.  Obviously, is gnosis which develops love, about which we have written in the write-up on faith.  Such effects are seen with love, which are not seen with worship.

 

[Excerpted from Maqasid Ul Islam, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 2,3,4]