The Teaching of Hazrat Inayat Khan

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Holiness is the spark of divinity in man, and no soul should be regarded as being deprived of this spark of divinity. This spark is light itself, and though it also exists in the lower creation, among animals and birds, in trees and plants and in any form of life, it is in man that it has the opportunity to blaze into a flame. At first this light is buried in the heart of man, but as soon as this spark of divinity begins to shine from his heart he shows the sign of holiness. This is because holiness is not a human heritage; it is inherited by every soul from God. But it manifests only when the heart is open, and when out of that divine spark there rises a tongue of flame which illuminates the path of man in life's journey towards the spiritual goal. It is lack of understanding of this subject which has made man accept a certain teacher in whom he or his friends or ancestors recognized divinity, and at the same time reject another with all his apparent holiness. Holiness does not belong to a particular race, community, or family. It manifests naturally in the life of some; in the life of others it has to be dug for. The fire is there, but it is buried; it needs to be brought to the surface. Sometimes blowing is needed to help the flame to leap up.


 
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