Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow — البقرة) (Ayah 177)

There is no doubt that there are certain accepted forms of religious conduct but, in essence, a religious act is aimed at discovering God as the light of the earth and the heavens, One who is closer to man than his jugular vein. What brings man closer to God is not the mere adherence to outward religious forms but such actions as he performs, in total sincerity, for the sake of God alone. Man must discover God in a way that He becomes a part and parcel of his being. All his actions must aim at earning God’s pleasure. His attachment to God should be so great that, even in the most trying circumstances, he must not waver from the straight path. In short, the Almighty’s pleasure can be earned only by displaying true faithfulness and not just by turning our faces in one or the other direction. Believing in God is to trust in God in the full sense of the word. Believing in the Hereafter means giving the utmost importance to the life of the Hereafter instead of to the life of this world. Believing in the angels means believing in God’s emissaries who are running this world at the divine command. Believing in the Book means believing that God has sent His guidance for man, which man must follow. Believing in the prophets is to accept these mortals as God’s chosen messengers. The faith in all these matters must so deeply pervade the believer’s psyche that he helps the needy and others in distress by spending his wealth, says his prayers by surrendering himself totally to God, and pays the poor due—his only motivation being to earn God’s pleasure. One of the characteristics of a true believer is that when he enters into a contract, he fulfills it, treating it as if he has entered into a covenant with God. His trust in God is so great, even in the most dire of circumstances, that he always adheres to the godly path. These are the characteristics of a true believer. One who possesses these qualities will earn God’s blessing in this world as well as in the Hereafter.