Listen to a true story,

A sheikh once met an eighteen-year-old young man during a journey, on a bus. As they talked, the boy began sharing stories from his childhood. He had been adopted at a very young age, and his adoptive parents loved him deeply. He never lacked anything in his life. As he grew older, he came to know that the people he had always called his parents were not his biological parents, but his adoptive ones. Yet, he had received so much care, affection, and love in that family that he never even felt the absence of his real parents. His life passed happily, filled with laughter and ease.

 But as he grew a little older, he began to think more and more about his real parents. He longed to see his biological parents. Lost in thought, he would wonder—does he look like his mother? Whose features does he carry? Do his hands, his feet, his eyes resemble his mother, or his father? Does he have any siblings? And what do they look like? These thoughts would often fill his mind. He longed to know the identity of his parents. The mother in whose womb he had spent ten months—he deeply wished to see her. His heart constantly yearned for his true lineage, for his father’s identity. He would spend his days thinking about where he might find his real parents. He traveled to many places in search of them. Even now, he was on this bus, setting out once again in search of his parents.

He had spent ten months and ten days in his mother’s womb. His heart constantly longed to see that mother and to know the identity of his father. Where could he find the parents who had given him birth? It was in search of them that he boarded this bus and set out on his journey.  

The pure longing of this eighteen-year-old to know his biological parents deeply touched the sheikh’s heart. The young man’s relentless desire to discover his true parentage made the sheikh reflect—this boy would leave no corner of the world unexplored until he found them. And isn’t this exactly what a rational and sensible person should do? 

This incident is deeply relevant to us as Muslims. It raises an important question—do we truly know our Creator? Do we really recognise Him?

Who are we? Why have we come into this world?

Who created us? And what is He like?

Where is He? 

How can we attain His لقاء (meeting)?

As human beings, these questions can always arise in our minds—and they should. Questions about our identity, our Creator, the purpose and goal of our life, this world and the Hereafter. If such questions never come to our hearts, then it means our hearts have been locked. It means we have forgotten how to reflect and think.

For every human being, knowing who gave them birth, how they came into this world, and who their parents are is essential to understanding their own existence. If someone never tries to know their parents, never cares about them, and continues living in this way, it becomes an irreparable loss in their life—a huge loss. Their life becomes meaningless, like a tree without roots. Similarly, gaining knowledge about Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, knowing Him, recognizing Him, and loving Him is extremely important for us as human beings and as His servants.

Perhaps you are thinking—  “Why? Why is there a need to know so much? Allah created us, we are living in this world, and one day we will die and return to Him—isn’t knowing this much enough? What else is there to know? I follow His commands and prohibitions, I pray, fast, and give charity… what more is needed?”

But think about it—
All my life I worshipped Him and performed many deeds, yet did I ever truly come to know who He is? Who is my Lord?
Who created me?
What is His true identity?
Why has He sent me into this world?
What does He want from me?

We traveled the entire journey of life, yet never truly came to know the One to whom we were journeying all along!