Hawzah News Agency - A limited human being, facing thousands of material and spiritual challenges and torn between true and false desires, needs a strong refuge—and the best refuge is God. Humanity has no choice but to move and flee toward God.
The Almighty God states in the Qur'an:

«فَفِرُّوا إِلَی اللَّهِ.»

"So flee toward Allah."
(Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:50)

Explanation:
In various texts and writings, a concept attributed to Plato can help us understand this verse of the Qur'an. It is narrated that he said:

• The world is spherical in shape.
• The heavens are like a bow (in this universe).
• The events of this world are arrows (for that bow).
• The target is the human being.
• The archer, who releases the arrows of events toward humans, is the Almighty God.

Plato ultimately poses this question:

"Where is the way to escape? (Where and to whom can one seek refuge?)"

The answer to Plato's question is best expressed in the words of the Qur'an itself:

"Flee toward Allah."

However, there is a profound and subtle point here that deserves careful attention.
Where in this world have we ever seen a prey fleeing toward its hunter?
According to reason, habit, or instinct, the prey should escape from the hunter. But the story of God is a different story. That is why Imam Zainul Abideen (Ali ibn Husayn, peace be upon him) addresses the Almighty God in this way:

«یَا مَنْ لامَفَرَّ إِلا إِلَیْهِ، یَا مَنْ لا مَفْزَعَ إِلا إِلَیْهِ، یَا مَنْ لا مَقْصَدَ إِلا إِلَیْهِ، یَا مَنْ لا مَنْجَی مِنْهُ إِلا إِلَیْهِ، یَا مَنْ لا یُرْغَبُ إِلا إِلَیْهِ، یَا مَنْ لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ إِلا بِهِ، یَا مَنْ لا یُسْتَعَانُ إِلا بِهِ، یَا مَنْ لا یُتَوَکَّلُ إِلا عَلَیْهِ، یَا مَنْ لا یُرْجَی إِلا هُوَ، یَا مَنْ لا یُعْبَدُ إِلا هُوَ.»

O He - there is no retreat but towards Him,
O He - there is no place of protection except with Him,
O He - there is no right path except that which leads to Him,
O He - there is no shelter against Him but with Him,
O He - there is no inclination towards anyone except Him,
O He - there is no strength and vigour but from Him,
O He - none is invoked for help but He,
O He- trust is not reposed in anyone but He,
O He - hope is not entertained from anyone except from He,
O He - none is worshipped except He.

But truly, why should one "flee" toward God?

Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) clarifies this matter in one of his narrations. He states:

«کُلُّ ذِکْرٍ سِوَی اَللَّهِ ظُلْمَةٌ.»

"Every remembrance other than the remembrance of God is darkness."

(Misbah al-Shari'ah, v. 5, p. 192)

Therefore, it is rational for a person to flee from darkness, from anything that carries the scent of something other than God, and seek refuge in the true shelter, the Almighty God.

Of course, if someone in this world does not flee from things other than God, then on the Day of Judgment, they will inevitably flee from everything other than God. As the Qur'an states:

«یَوْمَ یَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِیهِ، وَ أُمِّهِ وَأَبِیهِ، وَ صَاحِبَتِهِ وَبَنِیهِ.»

“the day when a man will evade his brother,
his mother and his father,
his spouse and his sons.”
(Surah 'Abas, 80:34-36)

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