Imam Ali peace be upon him, said to “Hammam”:
عَظُمَ الْخَالِقُ فِي أنْفُسِهِمْ فَصَغُرَ مَا دُونَهُ فِي أَعْيُنِهِم
When the Creator is glorified within one’s self, everything else becomes insignificant. ([1])
When we are on the ground, a hectare of land seems a large area of land. However, if you board a plane and start ascending in to the skies, the higher your altitude the more the land seems to shrink.
If you look at the total amount of money in the bank, your savings are very insignificant.
Likewise, if we look at the glorifications (tasbeeh) of all the creations, our own glorification of Allahﷻ is insignificant.
If we look at the major libraries of the world and the volume of books they have, we would not be so proud of the amount of our own reading!
When Imam Sajjad peace be upon him, was asked “Why is it that you worship so much?” he replied “Where is my worshipping? and where is the worshipping of Ali Ibn Abi Taleb peace be upon him?”([2])
Allahﷻ in the Qur’an says to the Prophet blessings be upon him and his Purified Household, Remember the hardships of the past prophets so your hardships become easy and light…
Yes! If we look behind at the path you have crossed we may be proud, but we must look forward and ponder over the paths we have not yet traversed.
[1] Speech 193 of Nahjul Balagha
[2] A term used to magnify the efforts of the latter as opposed to the former. I.e Imam Sajjad 7 is saying my worshipping is but nothing as compared to that of my grandfathers.
