Do Flowers Recite Dhikr?
One day, Shaykh Uftada was having a picnic in a meadow with his disciples.
DO FLOWERS RECITE ALLAH’S DHIKR?
At his command, all the dervishes wandered through the most beautiful parts of the meadow and brought their teachers a bouquet of flowers each. However, Kadı Mahmûd Efendi, who later gained fame as Azîz Mahmûd Hüdâyî, the former Kadı (judge) of Bursa, only had a broken, wilted flower in his hand…
After the others presented their bouquets to their teacher with delight, Mahmûd Efendi, bowing his head, presented this broken and wilted flower to Shaykh Uftada. Shaykh Uftada asked amidst the curious looks of the other disciples:
“–My son Mahmûd! While everyone has brought bouquets of flowers, why did you bring a flower with a broken stem and drooping petals?”
Mahmûd Efendi, with great reverence, lowered his head and replied:
“–My Shaykh! What I could offer You is too little. But whenever I reached out to pluck a flower, I found it in a state of reciting the remembrance of its Lord, saying ‘Allahu, Allahu.’ My heart was unwilling to hinder their dhikr. Helplessly, I had to bring this flower with me, which could not continue its remembrance.”
For those who possess a delicate heart, every particle in the universe is a place of instruction and reflection. All beings, animate and inanimate, recite Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah. It is stated in a verse:
“Seven heavens and the earth and whatever is therein glorify Him. And nothing of creation fails to glorify Him. But you do not perceive their glorification. Indeed, He is tolerant and Forgiving.” (Surah Al-Isra, 44)
Thus, humankind should also take a lesson from this magnificent scene in the universe, realize their original duty, and not be negligent of remembering their Lord.