Allah commanded us in the Quran to run to Him and also shows us how to do so.

He says: “So flee to Allah. Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner.” (1)

The first part of the verse, “So flee to Allah” is in reference to our running from the difficulty we face, created by Him, back to Allah who also creates the refuge we seek from Him.

Usually, this is due to the Jalali (Mighty) aspects of God’s presence, those overwhelming aspects of life.

The Jamali (Beautiful) aspects of God’s presence are the merciful and more subtle signs of His existence.

At times one can be so taken by these symbolic aspects of His gentle indications that we forget the beauty of God, Himself.

As a result we have to detach ourselves from the beautiful and gentle things of this world.

This back and forth, is the fleeing from His Jalal (Might) to His Jamal (Beauty) and from His Jamal to His Jalal.

For those who are drawn close with intimate knowledge regarding their Lord (al Aarifeen) this fleeing is even past the Jamal and the Jalal mentioned above.

They flee from the World, Creation, Ego, the Hereafter and all those things which occur in time and space.

Having traversed creation in every sense of the term, they are really fleeing directly from Him to Him as indicated above.

The second half of the verse, “Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner” is in reference to the Prophet, God’s mercy and peace be upon him, our guide who shows us how to do this as in the following supplication: “(O God!) I seek refuge in You from You.” (2)

When we put these two aspects together we see the declaration of faith, “La ilaha illallah, Muhammad Rasulullah” (3)

 Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch

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Footnotes:

(1) Surat Adh Dhaariyaat: 50.

(2) I put my hand on the inside of his feet and he was in the mosque. They were upright and he was saying, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your anger, and Your pardon from Your punishment. I seek refuge in You from You. I cannot reckon Your praise. You are as You praised Yourself.’“” [Muslim]

(3) “There is no god but God and Muhammad is His Messenger”

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