Prayer, God, Faith, Resurrection. I have all the clues and yet in a labyrinth I wander. ‘Extremist’ – I detest the word; ‘Atheist’ – I am not; ‘Moderate’ – in quest of which I am in a lurch. Where do I stand? This my society fails to dictate. I am a Muslim – Alright. Living in a democratic Islamic state – Great! Living like a Muslim – Ahem! The Quest continues…

What is it then that hinders our path towards religion and creates a blurred vision of reality? What is it that has grasped us? Answers to these reside within our lives. Rather than considering Islam as an integral part, we treat it as an adjacent aspect of our lives, making it occasion-oriented on deaths and marriages. Had rituals been the rule of the game, success would have been guaranteed. But reality goes beyond our superficial acts. It goes on to touch deep into our souls, to regulate our philosophy of lives, to help us in our quest, and to make us complete.

The injunctions of the Holy Qur’an, though embracing a large number of subjects and topics covering almost every aspect of human activity, are clearly classified into two broad categories: obligation towards the Creator and towards his creation, both you and me. Practically, these activities intervene with each other. The emphasis in this religion of peace is rendering service to Almighty via rendering service to humanity. All human relations – be it friends, parents, siblings – are exhorted to discharge obligation with moral uprightness towards each other in order to gain Almighty’s pleasure.

God is emphatic that religion is not a mere profession of a creed or a faith in certain moral principles. It is a righteous conduct that constitutes this religion. Bit by bit, step by step, think. Is this asking for too much? Lets influx our life into it and facilitate the quest for Truth!