MAKE ANGELS YOUR COMPANIONS
Every human being needs trustworthy companions who will support him at every juncture of his life. According to the Quran, these trustworthy companions are none other than the angels. In the chapter Fussilat (Revelations Well Expounded), the Quran guides us on this point. The relevant verses are as follows:
As for those who say, ‘Our Lord is God,’ and then remain steadfast, the angels will descend on them, saying, ‘Have no fear and do not grieve. Rejoice in the [good news of the] Garden that you have been promised. We are your companions in this life and in the Hereafter. Therein you shall have all that your souls desire, and therein you shall have all that you ask for.’ (41:30-31)
Here the Quran tells us that the greatest blessing for both men and women is having angels as their companions. It is the angels who guide them from the present world to the world hereafter. They lead them onwards, day and night, until they reach the final destination, that is, Paradise. These are no doubt good tidings for all those who believe in God Almighty.
Who are those men and women who will be blessed with angels as their companions? In the above verses, the Quran gives only two basic conditions, which cover every aspect of the human personality and determine which fortunate souls will have the companionship of the angels.
The first condition given in the Quran is that the deity worshipped by the believer should be God. Saying this is not simply the mouthing of words: it arises out of a discovery. This means that when a person discovers the existence of God, he consequently adopts a God-oriented life in the real sense of the word. That is, he adopts God-oriented thinking, a God-oriented approach, God-oriented behaviour, and so on. In short, he develops a divine character. God becomes his sole concern.
The second condition laid down in the Quran is that the believer should remain steadfast. It means that he should become so cautious about his new decision that he makes every effort not to deviate from the divine path and endeavours to save himself from all kinds of distraction. This second condition means that the person concerned is completely in earnest about his decision to wholeheartedly accept God as the sole focus of his worship.
It is the angels who guide them from the present world to the world hereafter. They lead them onwards, day and night, until they reach the final destination, that is, Paradise.
These two conditions are a major part of rab culture, or divine culture. Those who adopt this culture in all seriousness will instantly find the angels descending upon them. Although this experience remains unseen, anyone who seriously adopts this culture feels that he has begun receiving its benefits in terms of solace, peace of mind and a tension-free life. He finds himself completely free of negative thoughts and develops into a positive personality in the fullest sense of the word.
When one has this kind of experience, one cannot be other than convinced that one has the companionship of angels, and is therefore able to lead a divine life on a path which leads directly to Paradise.
