Human Inclinations to Godliness

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Man's turning to Allah 'Azza wa Jalla during times of calamities is a sign of his inclinations to Godliness. Man gets involved with his position and status so much that he forgets about Allah 'Azza wa Jalla. He gets fully entangled in his sins and disobedience. 

Once a calamity befalls upon man, he suddenly remembers Allah and turns to Him for help. Thus, we realize that this sense of Godliness is intrinsic in humans, but man's involvement in worldly affairs results in his forgetting Allah 'Azza wa Jalla.

There is a well known tradition that states that a man went to see Imam Ja'afar bin Muhammad al-Sadiq r.a and expressed his amazement about the recognition of Allah 'Azza wa Jalla. 

The man said: "I have discussed this issue with many knowledgeable people, but they have not been able to help me". 

Imam Ja'afar r.a ended his amazement using his intrinsic human Godliness and asked him:  "Have you ever been aboard a ship?"

The man answered: "Yes".

Then Imam Ja'afar r.a further asked: "Have you ever been on a sinking ship and reached out for a narrow piece of board to stay afloat?"

The man said: "Yes, I have".  

Imam Ja'afar r.a said: "Then, while you could not see any dry land or anyone there to save you, were you not really attracted to some power to rescue you?"

The man replied in the positive answer and was finally relieved of his amazement about Allah 'Azza wa Jalla recognition.

* Imam Ja'afar r.a is a scholar of tabi'in era which is the era of Medina just like Imam Anas bin Malik r.a. He is the son of Muhammad bin Ali bin Hussain bin Ali bin Abi Talib. His paternal grandmother is lady Fatima binti Hassan bin Fatima binti Muhammad s.a.w. If brethren notice this, we have this tradition to rename our newly born child with the same name like the grandparents to carve the memory about them in our children mind... My middle name which happens to be my personal name is the same name with the place or the mosque where lady Aisha r.a put on her pilgrimage garment to perform 'omra. When we transcript it into Chinese sound, it would be the name of a 12th century Buddhist temple in Beijing yet the meaning is synonymous, hehe...  

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!