Sincerity - the greatest strength

Little do I know about the Qur’an (or Koran), which Wikipedia describes as the central religious text of Islam.

Muslims believe the Qur’an to be the book of divine guidance and direction for mankind, and consider the text in its original Arabic to be the literal word of God, revealed to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over a period of twenty-three years and view the Qur’an as God’s final revelation to humanity.

Little do I know, but I am now curious to read more after I came across the following passage while doing a search about sincerity. It comes from Sincerity described in the Qur’an by Harun Yahya.

The works of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, a renowned Islamic scholar, play an important role in guiding the Muslims who strive to attain sincerity. Bediuzzaman emphasised the need of self-purification in particular, and presented critical recommendations to true believers:

“O my brothers of the hereafter! And O my companions in the service of the Qur’an! You should know – and you do know – that in this world sincerity is the most important principle in works pertaining to the hereafter in particular; it is the greatest strength, and the most acceptable intercessor, and the firmest point of support, and the shortest way to reality, and the most acceptable prayer, and the most wondrous means of achieving one’s goal, and the highest quality, and the purest worship.”

This passage rings true to me and no doubt it would ring true to all the great minds I have quoted in my previous posts. It echoes the sentiments expressed by other religions and philosophies, as we have seen. And to me, it is another example of the universality of the wisdom contained in all spiritual traditions. They are all different faces of the same mountain.

Photo from Wikimedia