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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Spiritual Journey of the Mystics (Suluk al-Arifan) Translator's Foreword “In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful” The Day of Judgement in the Holy Qur'an has been described as the Day of Regret (Yaum al-Hasrat), when the people would witness the inner essence of this world for the first time with their own eyes; they would then be crying: Is there a way to get out of Hell?[^1]1 But then it would be too late.

Unfortunately, for most of the people, it is only after their death or their being transferred into other world that they witness the esoteric essence of this creation. But the esoteric essence of this creation is a reality and there exists a complete harmony and co-ordination among its various constituents.

In the Islamic narrations it has been mentioned, that if a group of people are sitting at a place, then in case if they were engaged in a righteous deed, that piece of earth prays and seeks Allah's forgiveness ( istighfar ) for them. But if they were busy in sinning, the same spot sends cursing upon them. For a pious righteous scholar ( alim al-rabbani ), it is said that the whole universe, i.e.

earth, mountains, plants, rivers, and even the fishes inside the water pray and seek Allah's forgiveness ( istighfar ) for him.[^2] Therefore, there is a direct relationship between human existence and the created world, if he sins the entire creation curses upon him, likewise if he engages into Allah's servitude and obedience, the entire creation prays for him and beseech Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), to bestow upon him His best blessings and bounties.

Because, a sinner moves in the direction opposite to the divine aim of human creation, his sinning creates a disorder in the aim of human creation which is the movement towards Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted). Since, Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), likes the tears of shame of sinners, he has created the Holy Month of Ramadhan a month of blessings and mercy. It is a month of worship, prayers, supplications, repentance, night-vigil, and self-purification.

Worshipping in this month is bestowed rewards many times the reward of worship performed in other months. Even the sleeping and breathing of a believer are given the reward of a worship. It is a month when the gates of Paradise are opened while Hell's doors are closed.