The Life’s Journey

                               “O God! You are the Companion

                                in the journey!”

                                (Prophet Muhammad’s supplication)

Abu Dawud, one of the famous collectors of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace and God’s blessings be upon him) and also Imam Muslim reported that Abu Hurairah narrated that whenever the Prophet went on a journey used to supplicate God: “O God! You are the Companion in the journey!”

On such journeys, which were short and limited, and where he used to bring with him material provision, the Prophet always needed the companionship of God, the Almighty. Consequently, it would be even more relevant to the long life’s journey: we do not know how long it will be nor its limits.

Like our beloved prophet, for our short journeys not only do we need material provision, but also the company of one or more persons whom we can rely on to be the helper in need, and yet the companionship of God is indispensable, and more so in our life’s journey: we need God’s companionship, which is none other than our being conscious of Him in all our thoughts and deeds.

How can we get the companionship of God, the Almighty? That cannot be only by remembering Him: “So remember Me, I will remember you; and be thankful to Me, and be not ungrateful towards Me” (2:152). Remembering God means be thankful to Him, and to be thankful to Him can only be achieved by our efforts to obey His guidance. God also says: “And as for those who strive for Our sake, We shall assuredly guide them to Our ways, and truly God is with the virtuous” (29:69).

To have the companionship of God a person has to strive for God’s sake in his life’s journey. We need to strive because God has put us in an arena of trial. God says in the Qur’an: “.. and We cause you (human being) to be a means of testing one another: are you able to endure (this test) with patience, for your Lord is truly all seeing” (25:0). “Verily, We have created man in travail” (90:4).

To have the companionship of God means to endure this TEST with patience: “God is with those who patiently persevere” (2:153; 2:249; 8:46; 8:66). “God loves those who patiently persevere” (3:146). During our life we need to endure patiently, while doing positive and good deeds as much as possible.

It is expected from us is to make the effort to exploit intensively all our energy and natural resources, which were created by God for us to benefit from, in developing social life justly.

God says in the Qur’an: “And He (= God) it is Who has made you inherit the earth, and has raised some of you by degrees above others, so that He might try you by means of what He has bestowed upon you. Verily, Your Lord is swift in retribution, yet, behold, He is indeed much forgiving, a Dispenser of grace” (6:165).

We can understand from this decree that the differential between people in their quality of intelligence, strength, capability etc. should not create jealousy, on the contrary, it is to cover the needs of the society. This is why nobody can claim not to need others, and lethargy causes trouble and can therefore be considered a sin.

We see in the Qur’an a very nice admonition: “O you who believe, no men shall deride (other) men: it may well be that those (whom they deride) are better than themselves; and no women (shall deride other) women: it may well be that those (whom they deride) are better than themselves. And neither shall you defame one another, nor insult one another by (opprobrious) epithets: evil is all imputation of iniquity after (one has attained to) faith; and they who (become guilty thereof and) do not repent – it is they, they who are evildoers” (49:185).

All human deeds in this worldly life are observed and recorded by God and every person will be requited in the Day of Judgment with a just balance: “And, verily, to each and all will your Lord give their full due for whatever (good or evil) they may have done: behold, He is aware of all that they do” (11:111).

To understand how important the companionship of God for human being is in this worldly life, we must see the frequency with which the Hereafter and its sequences are featured in the Qur’an to remind the readers of its inevitability. Most chapters of the Qur’an are full of references to the Day of Resurrection, and sometimes with long details about what will happen therein. Nobody will escape the rigorous questionings on that Day. Those who used to live without the companionship of God will meet a very difficult situation: “That very Day shall be a day of anguish, not at all easy for the disbelievers” (74:9-10).

While those who used to live with the companionship of God will be at peace: “Truly those who say: our Lord is God, and then remain upright, the angels descend upon them (saying to them): Do not fear, nor grieve, and rejoice in the good tidings of the Paradise which you were promised” (41:30).