05-15-2004, 05:50 PM
Bismillah
As salam alaikum
I have discussed 'abd and how it is translated with brothers at my masjid. Slave and servant do not quite carry the all of the conotations that are invoked with this word. Devotee is another aspect of the word. One is submitting willingly and eagerly due to the love and devotion that one has for Allah. Like ukhti stated, if we do not serve Allah, we will serve something else. It is the nature of humanity. Something will always be our focus, money, family, jobs, pleasure, music, or even food. Where will we focus our innate desire to worship? It is up to us to understand that the only truly rewarding worship is for our Creator who has Power over everything. So many paths in life, only one leads to a true destination. The rest just lead to isolation, unfulfillment, and condemnation.
May we ALL realize our true purpose in life and fulfill it with our hearts, minds, and souls.
As salam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu
