The Ninth Note

Know that prophethood is, within humanity, the origin and foundation of all human virtues and perfections. True religion is the source of true happiness, and īmānFaith; belief in the six articles of faith: Allah, His angels, His revealed scriptures, His prophets, the Hereafter, and divine decree (qadar). is in itself pure beauty. In this world, where radiant beauty, abundant goodness, manifest justice, and exalted perfection are plainly visible, there can be no doubt that truth and goodness are found in prophethood and manifested through the prophets, while misguidance, evil, and loss lie on the opposite side.

Among the countless beauties of worship, consider only the following:

Through the congregational prayers of EidAn Islamic religious festival; particularly Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adhā, celebrated during the Hajj season. and Friday, the Prophet (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him) unites the hearts of those who believe in the unity of Allah and gathers their voices into a single harmonious expression. Through prayers and invocations rising from countless hearts and tongues, people respond to the exalted words of the Mabūd-i AzalīAllah, Who alone is worthy of worship and whose existence is without beginning.. Strengthening one another through their unity, these prayers and invocations display a magnificent act of servanthood before His Divinity.

It is as though the earth itself offers these prayers and invocations and, with all its parts, responds to the majestic command:

اَقٖيمُوا الصَّلٰوةَEstablish the prayer.

which has descended from the heavens in splendour and majesty.

Although the human being is insignificant and small in relation to the universe, through the prayers and invocations arising from countless hearts and tongues he becomes a beloved servant of the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the vicegerent and sultan of the earth, the most exalted of living beings, and the reason and purpose underlying the creation of the universe.

Indeed, if the voices of the hundreds of millions of people who, after the five daily prayers and especially during the EidAn Islamic religious festival; particularly Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adhā, celebrated during the Hajj season. prayers, simultaneously proclaim “Allahu AkbarAllah is the Greatest.” were to unite in the visible world just as they do in the unseen world, they would correspond to a mighty proclamation of “Allahu AkbarAllah is the Greatest.” by the whole earth, which is like a vast human being.

Since such a collective proclamation corresponds to a magnificent takbīrThe declaration that Allah, in His essence, attributes, and actions, is greater and more exalted than everything else. uttered by the earth itself, it may rightly be regarded as the earth’s own “Allahu AkbarAllah is the Greatest..”

It is as though the surface of the earth, through the collective dhikrThe remembrance of Allah through the repeated recitation of a word or short phrase as an act of worship. and invocations of the Islamic world during the EidAn Islamic religious festival; particularly Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adhā, celebrated during the Hajj season. prayers, trembles in a supreme act of exaltation and proclaims “Allahu AkbarAllah is the Greatest.” with all its parts. With the KabahThe sacred House of Allah located at the centre of al-Masjid al-Harām in Mecca. It is the direction (qiblah) toward which Muslims face during prayer and the structure around which pilgrims perform tawāf during Hajj and Umrah. as its pure heart, Mount ArafātA sacred mountain near Mecca where pilgrims gather during Hajj on the Day of Arafah to supplicate to Allah and seek His forgiveness. Standing at Arafāt is an essential part of Hajj. as its tongue, and Makkah as its mouth, it forms the intention of exalting Allah and then utters “Allahu AkbarAllah is the Greatest..”

Thus the words “Allahu AkbarAllah is the Greatest.” resound through the air from the mouths of believers in every part of the earth, like an echo reverberating through caves. Just as the echo of a single “Allahu AkbarAllah is the Greatest.” gives rise to countless echoes in this world, so too this accepted dhikrThe remembrance of Allah through the repeated recitation of a word or short phrase as an act of worship. and takbīrThe declaration that Allah, in His essence, attributes, and actions, is greater and more exalted than everything else. reverberates with mighty resonance throughout the realms of the heavens and the unseen.

Finally, to the number of atoms in the universe, we offer our gratitude to the Dhāt-i Dhul-JalālAllah, the Majestic Lord Whose greatness and majesty are boundless. and glorify Him. He has made the earth a cradle for His creatures, a mosque for His servants, and itself a worshipper and servant before Him, glorifying Him with “SubhānAllāhAn expression meaning “Allah is far above all imperfections.”” and “Allahu AkbarAllah is the Greatest..”

And to the number of beings in existence, we offer Him praise for having made us members of the community of the Noble Messenger (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him), who taught us such worship.