Man finds himself in a world where there is a creation, but the Creator of this creation is, apparently, not visible. All The Prophets have told man that there exists an invisible, intangible Being behind this visible, tangible creation; and that this invisible being is God Almighty. The discovery of God takes place when one discovers one’s total helplessness as compared to the all-powerfulness of God Almighty. The discovery of God is the discovery of the Benefactor, who is the source of all blessings. It has been aptly described in these words attributed to the fourth caliph Hazrat Ali: “I discovered my Lord by the shattering of my ambitions.” Such a discovery of God which revolutionizes one’s personality is called maarifah in the language of religion, while in secular language it may be termed spirituality. The Quran says:

“I created the Jinn and mankind only so that they might worship Me.” (51:56).

In this verse, the worship of God means the discovery and realization of God. Such a discovery is, without doubt, the highest destination of anyone’s intellectual progress.