Who are the Addressees of the Invitation?

From this perspective, the only thing that will make the human being victorious over Satan and the soul is the wish to reach Allah by following the demand of the spirit. This wish must be made from the heart. A person may declare this wish with his tongue—or may not—but if it is expressed only with the tongue, it is not valid in the sight of Allah. It must be wished from the heart. For this reason, the second step of the Islamic scale carries a vital importance, for at this stage, the wish to reach Allah either blossoms in the heart or it does not.

For years, the Imam of the Time has continually conveyed and warned with the teaching he has received from Allah, saying: “O people! Wish to reach Allah. If you wish, this is glad tidings of Paradise for you. If you do not wish, the place you will go is Hell.” Yet despite this constant call, most of the people who hear it go and ask their religious instructors about what they have heard. Without any examination, the instructors respond: “No, he does not know. He interprets the verses according to himself. This is not correct.” From this we understand that such people have not themselves wished to reach Allah. By acting in this way, they also prevent others from wishing. For this reason, a burden of responsibility is placed upon them. Allah Almighty has described many of their qualities in the Holy Qur’an. These people are:

Those upon whom is the curse of Allah.

Those who create mischief on earth. 

Those whose hearts are sealed permanently.

Those who deny the verses of Allah.

Those whose deeds are in vain.

Those who cannot ascend beyond the 2nd step of the 28-step ladder of Islam.

Those who are not chosen by Allah Almighty.

Allah Almighty states that:   

Al-Qasas-41: And We made them Imams (leaders) who call to Fire, and on the Day of Resurrection they shall not be helped.

Al-Qasas-42: And We sent a curse after them in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be from those far away (from the Mercy of Allah).

At-Tawbah-32: They want to put out the Light of Allah with their mouths. And Allah does not want anything but to complete His Light, even though the disbelievers don't want.

At-Tawbah-33 He is the One Who sent His Messenger with Hidayah (with subjugation) and with true religion, in order to reveal its integrity to all (other representatives) of religion (to prove that this is the true and only religion), no matter how hateful it is for blasphemers!

Abu Huzayfah (PBUH) narrates:

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “In the end of times, there will be callers inviting to the gates of Hell, and whoever accepts the call will be cast into Hell.” I said: “O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us.” He said: “They are people from among us; their skin is like our skin and they speak our language.” I asked: “O Messenger of Allah, if I live to see that time, what do you command me to do?” He said: “Hold fast to the imam of the Muslims and to their community. If the Muslims have no community and no imam, then keep away from all the groups, even if you must cling to the root of a tree and eat it until death overtakes you. Continue in that way until death comes to you.” (S: Ibn Majah, Fitan 3969; Bukhari, Fitan 11, hadith no. 6673; Muslim, Imara, hadith no. 1847.)

So whoever respects not to the inviter of Allah but to those who create mischief on the earth, it is not possible for that person to attain hidayah (guidance). Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) warns us against this danger as follows:

“A person is upon the religion of his friend, so let each of you be careful whom he befriends.” (S: Abu Dawud, Adab 16; Tirmidhi, Zuhd 45)

“Whoever narrows a place, blocks a path, or harms a believer has no jihad.” (S: Abu Dawud, Jihad 88/2629; Ahmad, III, 441)

“The sin of one who acts upon a fatwa given in ignorance falls upon the one who issued that fatwa.” (S: Abu Dawud, Ilm 8)

“In the end of times, there will appear people who use their religion for worldly gain. To appear gentle before others, they will cover themselves with the skins of lambs. Their tongues will be sweeter than sugar, but their hearts are like wolves.” (S: Tirmidhi, Zuhd 59, Hadith No: 2404)

Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says in another noble hadîth:

“O Lord, I seek refuge in You from knowledge that brings no benefit, from deeds that do not elevate, and from a prayer that is not accepted.” (S: Abu Dawud, vol. 2, p. 192, Hadith No: 1548; Jami‘ al-Saghir 1490)

This noble hadith contains the following key concepts:

Knowledge that is of no benefit.

The spirit has no relation or demand for anything other than the Essence of Allah—neither Paradise, nor Hell, nor the world. It wishes only and only for Allah.

Deeds that do not Elevate.

The human being is created with three bodies and free will. A person may follow the demands of the physical body, the soul, or the spirit. The demands of the physical body and the soul may be in different directions, but the demands of the spirit is only one. The spirit is the Spirit of Allah and is a trust to us from Him. Allah Almighty commands us to return this entrusted spirit to Him during this worldly life. By his noble hadith: “Die before you die” our Prophet (PBUH) also pointed to the spirit’s reaching to Allah before death. 

Al-Hijr-29 "So when I have made him complete and breathed into him of My Spirit, immediately fall down to him in prostration!”

As it is understood from the 108th verse of Surah Yusuf, the Rasul (Messenger) is the one who brings the invitation; he invites to Allah. Allah Almighty also says in Al Imran-132:

Al Imran-132: And obey Allah and the Messenger! That you may be shown Mercy.

The meaning of the phrase “Obey Allah” in the verse is that the Rasul (Messenger) calls people to the essence of Allah Almighty . The one who obeys is the one who accepts Allah’s invitation. The Rasul (Messenger) continually conveys hidayah (guidance) to people and says: “O people! Let it not be said you did not hear; 'You wish to reach Allah'. If you wish, this is glad tidings of Paradise for you. If you do not wish, then the place you will go is Hell.”

The people who receive this message are divided into four groups.

First Group: These are who remain indifferent to the message. Although the invitation reaches them, they show no interest because of the attractions of worldly life. Allah Almighty places obstacles to the senses (of soul's heart) of those who ignore the invitation of the Rasul (Messenger) He has sent.

Second Group: These consist of those who, because of emaniyye (handwritten books), oppose the Rasul (Messenger) and deny him. Allah places barriers on their organs. For such a person, whose organs are blocked, he becomes—according to the verses of Allah—deaf, mute, and blind. He is deaf, for he does not hear the verses of Allah. He is mute, for he does not speak the verses of Allah. He is blind, for he does not see the post of guidance (irshad).

Third Group: Those who, after receiving the message, fight against the Rasul (Messenger). Such a person, as expressed in the Qur’an, becomes a mischief-maker on Earth (who prevents others from reaching to Allah). Allah seals the heart of that person, and whoever’s heart is sealed he will not be chosen by Allah. The sealing of the heart means that the path to salvation is closed for that person. Those whose hearts are sealed do not wish to reach Allah when the message comes to them. Moreover, they incite others against the Messenger who delivers the invitation, thereby preventing other people from receiving hidayah (guidance). Today, the imams who call people to the fire belong to this group.

Allah Almighty states that:

An-Nur-54 Say: “Obey Allah and the Messenger. But if you turn away (do not obey) after that, then only the burden of his duty is on him (to convey)”. And the burden of your duty is on you. If you obey him, you reach Hidayah (guidance). No responsibility rests on the Messenger but to convey (the message) clearly.

When he said: “All of my community will enter Paradise except those who insist.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, who are those who insist?” Sultan of the Nabîs our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) replied: “Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me is the one who insists.” (Bukhari, I‘tisam, 2)

As it is understood from the noble hadith, those who do not accept the Rasul's (Messenger's) invitation are the ones who do not obey the Rasul (messenger). Whoever disobeys the Rasul (messenger) of Allah disobeys Allah, and his destination will be hell, where he will remain forever.

Those who obey Allah and His Rasul (Messenger) constitute the fourth group.

Fourth Group: The chosen ones, who are continually tried with hardships. These hardships are, in a sense, reminders from Allah and lessons from which we should take heed as a grace. Among the chosen, the one who realizes this grace and, even when a hardship reaches him, he says “I am for Allah,” is the one who wishes to reach Allah, when addressed by the message. After a person wishes to reach Allah, Allah manifests to that person with the name of the Merciful. This manifestation of the Name of Merciful means that mercy begins to descend upon that person.

Al Imran-132: And obey Allah and the Messenger! That you may be shown Mercy.

The person who accepts the invitation and wishes to reach Allah has basically obeyed Allah. But since it was the Rasul (Messenger) who brought the invitation to reach Allah, he has also obeyed the Rasul (Messenger). In fact, it is not possible for the person who wishes to reach Allah not to obey the Rasul's (Messenger's) invitation. We also see that, from the very beginning, such a person—after experiencing hardships—surely says, “I am for Allah,” and wishes to reach Him. Allah Almighty commands us to accept His invitation, and the only way to salvation is to surrender to His command.

The one who obeys Allah and His Rasul (Messenger) holds a faith so firm that:

He is certain that every spirit will return to Allah through death. Regarding this, Allah Almighty says:

Al-Baqarah-156 Who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: “Surely we are for Allah (We are created to reach and surrender to Him) and to Him we shall surely return (reach)”.

Al-Baqarah-46 (Filled with awe are those that) they are certain to meet with their Lord (while they are alive) and that they shall return to Him (after death as well).

If this person, during his lifetime, wishes to reach Allah using his free will, he is certain according to 13th verse of Surah Ash-Shura that Allah Almighty will surely guide him to his murshid, and through guidance of murshid, Allah will deliver him to His Divine Essence.

Ash-Shura-13: In the religion, what He (Allah) had enjoined upon Noah (the Law (the Shari’a)), He had enjoined, by saying: ”Maintain the Religion and in it (in religion, in faith) do not divide into groups," upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus, and by revealing to you, made it a “Law (Shari’a) for you too. What you have called them upon for (to wish to reach Allah before death) had been very difficult for the disbelievers (mushriqun). Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills, and he will deliver to Himself (their spirits before death of) those who turns to Allah (yuneeb ones).

We see up to this part of our subject that what truly matters is that a person, first of all, must be chosen by Allah. In fact, the vast majority of people, more than 90 percent, are chosen. Yet, unfortunately, among those who are chosen, less than 10 percent eventually wish to reach Allah while living in this world. The great importance of wishing to reach Allah comes without doubt from the fact that Allah Almighty has given the human being a spirit which He has not given to any other being. About this, Allah Almighty says in 72nd verse of Surah al-Ahzab:

Al-Ahzab-72 Surely We did offer the Trust (the Spirit) to the heavens and the earth and the mountains but they (all) declined to bear it, and feared from it and human undertook it. Surely it (the soul) is very tyrant, very ignorant.

Indeed, the spirit that Allah has breathed into us is of His own spirit, entrusted to us, and it is only the human being who has undertaken this trust. The reason why the human being is the most honorable of creatures and why Allah commanded the angels to prostrate to him is this spirit that Allah has breathed into him. About this, Allah Almighty says:

Al-Hijr-28 And your Lord said to the angels: "Surely I am going to create human from moist soil (Hamein Mesnûn Salsâlin, which has been given the form of a standard man and which has undergone organic and inorganic changes)!"

In the Qur’an verse, Allah Almighty says to the angels: “I will create a human being.” It refers to our physical body. The phrase “I will design him with a soul” refers to our soul. Then comes the statement, “When I have breathed into him from My Spirit, fall down to him in prostration.” From this we understand that Allah’s command to the angels and jinn to prostrate before Adam (PBUH) was because of the spirit that Allah had breathed into him. In other words, the angels and jinn were in fact commanded to prostrate before the Spirit of Allah. Since Devil did not know this truth, when he was faced with the command to prostrate he said: “You created me from fire, and You created him from clay. I will not prostrate before him.”

Prayer that is not accepted.