An Eid Message - Water, Milk, Wine and Honey In a description of Jannah for those who have Taqwa, Allah says “a Parable of the Garden which the Muttaqun are promised: in it are rivers of water incorruptible; rivers of milk of which the taste never changes; rivers of wine, a joy to those who drink; and rivers of honey pure and clear.” The four substances - water, milk, wine and honey are rich with spiritual symbolism. These rivers in paradise reflect the different spiritual states in this world related to having Taqwa – which is that consciousness of God rooted in hope for His mercy, fear of His anger, knowledge of our complete dependence on Him, the very purpose of Ramadan having been to attain that Taqwa. Water is the source of all life - and it represents the first step in spiritual awakening – pure and perfect Tawhid - embracing and imbibing the Oneness of Allah, which we drink from to sustain ourselves, without which no spiritual life is even possible. Water is also closely connected to mercy, and there is no true faith if we despair of the Mercy of Allah. Milk is nourishment and it symbolizes the bonds of love, which nourish our spirituality and allow it to grow… we must nourish our souls with the love of Allah through devotion, worship and surrender to His will. Wine symbolizes that intoxication with the love of Allah, through His dhikr – through constant remembrance and reflection of Him – to be intoxicated is to be in an altered state of mind, when we view the world entirely differently. Honey is both healing and sweetness. Allah also says the Qur’an is a healing for humankind, and our deep engagement with the words of Allah bring both healing from the rigours of worldly life, and sweetness to our faith. May we all taste the water of Tawhid, the milk of Allah’s Love, the wine of His Dhikr and the honey of His words, in this world and the next. May the celebration of the fast be a celebration of spiritual purity, nourishment, intoxication and sweetness for you all ... and my prayers are with all those who need justice in this world. Eid Mubarak.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 14:47:35 +0000
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