Allah says in His Quran:
"O you who believe, keep your duty to Allah, and seek means of nearness to Him, and strive hard in His way that you may be successful " [Al-Maidah:35]
A large number of scholars and mufassir have explained the Arabic word "wasila" as a method to get closer to Allah by doing good deeds. In "tafsir ibn kathir", ibn Kathir writes that no Mufassir has disregarded the above meaning and all of them agree upon it.
Let me tell you a personal story...
Sometimes in March,2011 my friend Kamarul Azhan has started a cycling group called Putrajaya Urban Riders.We started with friends we already know but slowly new ones came to join us.At first ,we were strangers but over the last six months,we become close friends and some are closer than our immediate family members and old buddies.How did it happen?We share the common interest in cycling and we cycle together in Putrajaya three to four times a week.After our cycling,we continue communicating using Facebook and our mobile phones(Whatsapp/BBM).These constant togetherness and continuous communication made us closer to one another and we do look forward to be together again for our next ride!
What is the above story got anything to do with Wasilah-getting closer to Allah?Let me use the above as analogy for people who wish to get closer to Allah.
Again,from my personal experience I feel that I am close to Allah when I am doing my solat at His House a.k.a masjid.If I could visit my friend in his house every week,I must be very close with him.How often do you go visiting your brothers and sisters?The more often I meet my brother and sister,the more closer I feel towards them.What if you visit masjid everyday-two or three times a day?Surely,you will feel closer to the Owner of The House.What more if you solat,read Qur'an and zikir while you are in the masjid or else where.The acts of solat,reading Qur'an and Zikrullah are the ways/media we communicate with Allah.So ,to get nearer to Allah,we must be regular visitors to His House a.k.a masjid and do more ibadah sunnah like solat sunat,reading and tadabbur Qur'an and zikkrullah.InsyaAllah
Let us put more efforts to get closer to our Lord to whom all of us shall return.Allah does not need us but we all do need Allah all the time and all the way.
Sdr,
I am taken aback by yr writing and yr latest a personal experience is analogous to what you you rightly pointed - the need for closer association. yes I do feel too the Putrajaya members do have plenty to show. Likewise all that trust to be in contact always esp with Allah's home. BTW I took note of yr earlier story about the garden around Shangrila and added a story about the place too in my blog. Kotastar.
Semoga selamat bersolat Jumaat dengan rakan-rakan. Salam
Posted by: Zainal Abidin | Friday, October 28, 2011 at 10:08 AM
Pak Non,Thanks for your kind feedback to my posting above.Wassalam.
Posted by: Adib | Friday, October 28, 2011 at 07:51 PM