Man requires a support system for his subsistence in this world. Every man lives in the glory of something or the other. A believer is one who lives in the glory of God alone. An unbeliever lives in the glory of things other than God.
In ancient times, man lived in the glory of heavenly bodies such as the sun and the moon. In the present materialistic world, man lives in the glory of some contrived material power. Some have glorified wealth and pursue it to find the answer to their inner quest. Some others are engrossed in the worship of their heroes and leaders, living in someone else’s glory. In this way they derive satisfaction for their natural urge of relying on a sustainer that will support their existence.
All these are different forms of shirk, or associating others with God. These are artificial solutions to a natural quest of man. A momin or a true believer is one who finds the true answer to this natural quest. He does not get caught in the allure of external appearances; instead, he passes them by and reaches the ultimate goal.
A momin is not deceived by the glitz and glamour of the world. To him, all these things are mere creations. He finds them in the same powerless position as himself. A momin does not stop at any of these things but continues his journey until he reaches God. He passes by all of creation to reach the Creator.
A momin is one who considers everything that belongs to him as given to him by God. He expresses his utter helplessness to God. In the beauty of the earth, he finds the beauty of God. The glory of the Universe makes him realize the glory of God. All greatness to him is only a reflection of the greatness of God. He loses himself in the glory of God, finding joy in praising and glorifying the Lord.
Faith in God refers to discovering the Unseen in the perceived; to uncover the truth hidden in appearances. One who develops this kind of vision finds the glory of God all around him. He makes God alone his everything. He is so engrossed in the glory of God that he cannot see any other glory, in himself or in anybody else.
Source: Spirit of Islam, July 2014
