he sixth quality is khushu. The humility and servility which is engendered in a person as a result of comprehending the awe, grandeur and majesty of God is called khushu‘ by the Quran. This is an internal feeling of a person which makes him submit himself before God and also produces in him the feelings of mercy and love for other human beings.

In the first case, its best manifestation is the prayer, especially the tahajjud prayer when a believer communicates with the Almighty while being cut off from the world, and nothing except the remembrance of God fills his secluded moments. At other instances, words such asمُسْتَغْفِرِيْنَ بِالأَسْحَارِ (3: 17) (those who seek forgiveness in the later part of the night, (3:17)) and وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًا (25: 64) (those who spend their nights while standing and prostrating before their Lord, (25:64)) express this. By placing khushu immediately before charity and the fast, the Almighty through this arrangement has referred to this very aspect and called the prayer by its essence. As referred to earlier, in the tahajjud prayer, this essence manifests the most. It is evident from various indications of the Quran and from the guidance of the Prophet (sws) that in this time a person is in the presence of his Lord, and it is a time cherished by people who love God. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi says:

… the calm and peace at the time of tahajjud stands unrivalled in the twenty four hours of a day. Peace and tranquillity reign supreme from the earth to the heavens above. Everyone is asleep at this time. Perhaps, even Satan is sleeping. Only the Almighty, who never sleeps, is awake or he is awake who is among the most fortunate. If one stands up in the shade of the stars, one will, in reality, feel that the doors of the heavens are open; one will hear a proclamation of mercy and acceptance of repentance. The aura and ambience of this time is so manifest that both the pious and the profane, the righteous and the sinful are aware of them. Those who sleep at this time think that it is the best time for sleep, and those who are awake at this time think that it is the best time for being awake. In reality, both are correct in their contentions. The time which is the most cherished for sleeping is precisely the one which is the most cherished for being awake. Real sacrifice is the sacrifice of what is cherished. Consequently, for this very reason, the Almighty has fixed this time for the prayer of His near ones. For those who leave the comfort of their beds at this time, the Almighty Himself descends to the nearest heaven to hear their prayers and wishes and proclaims: “Is there any person who repents at this time that I may forgive him? Is there anyone who seeks My mercy that I may enshroud him in My mercy?”[1]

In the second case, this feeling effects the whole personality of a believer and makes him an embodiment of affection for his family and very caring and sympathetic towards his friends, relatives and acquaintances and a fountainhead of guidance for the society. Consequently, it is because of such kind, humane and benevolent people that comes into being a society which is a paradise of God on earth and the objective and desire of every upright person. While mentioning the attributes of such noble souls, the Quran says:

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًا وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا إِنَّهَا سَاءتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا …وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَامًا (25: 63-72)

And true servants of the Merciful are those who walk humbly on the earth and if the ignorant argue with them, they say: “Peace be to you!” and leave their way and those who spend their nights standing and prostrating before their Lord and pray: “Lord, ward off from us the punishment of Hell, for its punishment is ever-clinging,” it is an evil dwelling and an evil abode … and who maintain their dignity when they pass by anything which is immoral. (25:63-72)

(Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

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[1]. Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tazkiyah-i nafs, 243.