Some people have not, in their hearts, bowed to God. Their outward prostration to God in prayer is a mere pretense. Prostration is not just a ritual and time-bound sort of physical action; it is to surrender oneself to sublime reality. It is to make oneself follow truth in one’s practical life.
In this world, people–both on an individual and national level–do not in their hearts bow to the reality; they do not adopt the path of truth. Yet, in their outward demeanour, they pretend to be on the side of truth; they speak words which make it seem that they are in the right and are not wronging or exploiting others.
But such deceit is only possible in this world of trial. In the next world, everything will change. Fake notes can be passed on the streets, but banks will not accept them. In the same way, in the next world there will be no possibility of making lies appear true, and unjustness appear like justness.
In the next world, words will refuse to take on false meanings. No one will be able to call injustice justice or disguise falsehood as truth. The difference between outward and inward will disappear. One will only be able to express what is in one’s heart. A person will appear exactly as he was in relation to reality, rather than the manner in which he used to contrive in front of others.
If people can convince others that they are in the right, then they are sure that they have been proved right. But, in fact, only those who are proved right in God’s sight are truly in the right. In the next world, only those who are truly right will be proved right. Falsehood will be exposed as nothing but false.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is an Islamic spiritual scholar who has authored over 200 books on Islam, spirituality, and peaceful coexistence in a multi-ethnic society.