Many in today's world have completely walked away from religion because of some logical appropriate reasons. Unfortunately, fanatics have taken over the meaning and structure of different religions, esp. Christianity and Islam, and have reinterpreted them in such a way that people who are formerly religious find no validity and it gives those who were never religious reasons to not want to be.
What is spirituality? Broadly, it is the belief that one has a spirit and is concerned about it. Where does spirituality come from? Billions of people believe that spirituality comes from the creator. For thousands of years people have thought extensively about the spirit, the creator, and the afterlife. From ancient Chinese spirituality to Islam, the belief in Allah, Heaven and every other name the creator has given himself, people have sought solace in spirituality through religious practice. However, modern people have decided to take it upon themselves to develop their own spirituality and "connection" with the creator. Talk about making the biggest mistake first, which is the lack of humility due to extreme ego inflation! How can anyone face the creator through their spirit when they are still completely controlled by their ego?
Instead of seeking religious affiliation, many, esp. in the West are seeking spirituality, which is the heart of all religions. People are wanting all the benefits of religion without wanting to take responsibility in this existence for their actions that are moderated by the direction that the creator has given to us through religion.
As I am a Muslim, and one who initially did not want to assimilate religion with spirituality, I cannot help but to promote my opinion with arguments based on 1400 years of Islamic thought. When I was reintegrating myself into spirituality I thought that it would be possible to just practice the spirituality of Islam without having to follow the laws of Islam, quickly I realized that without the discipline that the religion gives me, I would not get anywhere with my spirituality. I began to ponder why it was that I needed to follow these 1400 year old ideas in my modern life. Outwardly, in the west, Islam appears to be mid-evil, uncivilized, and even static. One has to swallow a lot of pride to follow the general rules of Islam if they are reverts in the west. I, myself, had to give up going out on dates along with flirting, eating haraam food, my very cool bicycle, alcohol, and my general status in culture. I had to also give my friends, not because Islam dictates it, but because I know longer had anything in common with them. I knew though, that if I wanted to develop any form of spirituality whether directed by Western religions or Eastern, I was going to have to give up all of my ego through ritualistic discipline first before I was going to taste any spiritual "wine".
As of yet, I have not met any real spiritual person who is not deeply religious, not to say that it cannot be, but that the odds are far greater if one has developed the strong discipline of religious ritual and rites first or in conjunction with spiritual development. Understandably, when people who seek to know their spirit have to contend with narrow-minded religious zealots, instead of trying to understand that religion, they immediately walk away. Instead, what our spirit is truly asking us is to educate ourselves about the religion, humble ourselves to the fact that we know so little, and find the truth.
Islam, is a religion based on law, enlightenment, and justice. Prophet, saaws, was immediately enlightened by the light of the creator and was immediately purified spiritually. Others around him, the sahabis, also became enlightened when they received the undeniable word of Allah. It was only in subsequent generations, that people turned away from enlightenment and became fully immersed in ego aggrandizement and personal idol worship, instead of following the path to enlightenment that Islam offers.
The right of practice of Islam is essential to enlightenment. It is by far the quickest path and most explicit. The path to enlightenment, sirat al-mustaqim, is begged upon in every prayer, essentially one who practices Islam puts intention to have enlightenment 40+ times a day. That's INCREDIBLE! As a practicing Muslim, one says that they want the straight path to Allah (enlightenment) so often. Although, not everyone is making true intention when they ask for the path, the fact is that what passes the lips still has an affect on the heart. It is healthy for the heart to feel those words. In our human life, we walk easily with 2 feet, religious practice and spiritual servitude are the 2 feet that we use to walk on the path to enlightenment. If one only practices religious doctrine they will have a struggle to know Allah, if one only uses "spirituality" they miss the whole point of life and thus will struggle in the long-term to know Allah. When one uses both their lives will become meaningful and if Allah wills it, their path to Him will be easy.
The whole point of Islam and sunnah of rasul, saaws, is to facilitate spiritual development and social harmony and illumination. It recognizes the fact that ALL deserve to find the Creator in their lives right now. Islam (synonym for spiritual work) is for everyone, not just priests, fathers, popes, pastors and monastics, it is the right for all in humanity. It is a right that Allah has on us that we try to know Him, through his generous and loving nature, he has created this miraculous universe and the way to him through 140,000 prophets and through the exemplary human P. Mohammad, saaws. Why waste time constructing your own spirituality, when the quickest path to spirituality has been given to the world?
I would be surprised to hear any reason that is not based on ego attachment. The path to spiritual success is a well trodden path especially amongst the Muslims. May Allah guide us all on the sirat al-mustaqim so that we can experience enlightenment here and now.
jzk.
Showing posts with label islam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label islam. Show all posts
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Monday, December 22, 2008
Human Love
Human love can be a messy part to life. Allah subhana wa ta'ala has decreed upon us rules to our intimacy and relations and we must do our best to follow those.
Prophet Mohammad, sallallahu wa salaam, showed us what that should look like. Even his wife Hazrat Aisha, ra, described in detail what it meant to love a husband, this leaves women with a model of how to act appropiately.
In detail the saints and wise walay left us with a distinct knowledge of the types of love and lust we feel and where they come from.
A: When love/lust/desire comes from Nafess, stomach. It is just like a gas. It smell very bad. It makes us unfordable. It takes away all good experiences. One gets in a bad mood and one must go to toilet. When one is finished with this feeling they quickly want to leave it.
B, If it comes from Aqhel, brain. It is mostly from shytan. It is very selfish feeling. It sees only itself and self interest. One must be slap on the face to weak up. Your desires may overwhelm you and you will not see the other person, but only see your desires to control that person and the relationship.
C: If it comes from Qhalb, heart, it is spiritual. All it's feelings are from Allah (swt). A sense of gratefulness, appreciation, patience and submission. It weighs everything with the purpose of our life in this world. There are no senses of self centrism there. It actually seeks the approval of that Divine Power.
No matter if you are in a marriage with someone you choose to be with or arranged by your family you must find it in your heart to reach for the love that Allah, swt, gives every moment and give that love to spouse and family. If anyone has the secret to developing that love than please sell it to the world so that we can all be better off.
Prophet Mohammad, sallallahu wa salaam, showed us what that should look like. Even his wife Hazrat Aisha, ra, described in detail what it meant to love a husband, this leaves women with a model of how to act appropiately.
In detail the saints and wise walay left us with a distinct knowledge of the types of love and lust we feel and where they come from.
A: When love/lust/desire comes from Nafess, stomach. It is just like a gas. It smell very bad. It makes us unfordable. It takes away all good experiences. One gets in a bad mood and one must go to toilet. When one is finished with this feeling they quickly want to leave it.
B, If it comes from Aqhel, brain. It is mostly from shytan. It is very selfish feeling. It sees only itself and self interest. One must be slap on the face to weak up. Your desires may overwhelm you and you will not see the other person, but only see your desires to control that person and the relationship.
C: If it comes from Qhalb, heart, it is spiritual. All it's feelings are from Allah (swt). A sense of gratefulness, appreciation, patience and submission. It weighs everything with the purpose of our life in this world. There are no senses of self centrism there. It actually seeks the approval of that Divine Power.
No matter if you are in a marriage with someone you choose to be with or arranged by your family you must find it in your heart to reach for the love that Allah, swt, gives every moment and give that love to spouse and family. If anyone has the secret to developing that love than please sell it to the world so that we can all be better off.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Learning to truly love Allah, subhana wa ta'ala, should be the prime goal for all existence. What else you do with your life should be to satisfy his love of you.
It is a lot easier to talk about loving allah, but to truly love him as you love your parents, spouse, and children is more difficult. when I read these ecstatic penned by Maulana Jelalluddin Balkhi (Rumi) or hear the words of Rabia Adawiya, I grow so curious as to how they practiced to find the romantic and sensual love for Ar-Rahman.
As I read about the devotion of the christian nuns towards their marriage to Jesus, I can understand how they can devote themselves because they have a visual representation of their idea of God. How do we lovers of Allah, the one pure representation of the creator of the universe, find that love and devotion that produces the ecstasies that spiritual poets describe?
What amount of our lives should we give up, at least temporarily, in pursuit of this exercise of love through our hearts?
In the coming month of Muharram the 10th of Ashura gives everyone the perfect opportunity to learn to love Allah through the fasting and du'a that one can make on that day.
Never forgetting to make dhikr Allah every day
It is a lot easier to talk about loving allah, but to truly love him as you love your parents, spouse, and children is more difficult. when I read these ecstatic penned by Maulana Jelalluddin Balkhi (Rumi) or hear the words of Rabia Adawiya, I grow so curious as to how they practiced to find the romantic and sensual love for Ar-Rahman.
As I read about the devotion of the christian nuns towards their marriage to Jesus, I can understand how they can devote themselves because they have a visual representation of their idea of God. How do we lovers of Allah, the one pure representation of the creator of the universe, find that love and devotion that produces the ecstasies that spiritual poets describe?
What amount of our lives should we give up, at least temporarily, in pursuit of this exercise of love through our hearts?
In the coming month of Muharram the 10th of Ashura gives everyone the perfect opportunity to learn to love Allah through the fasting and du'a that one can make on that day.
Never forgetting to make dhikr Allah every day
Friday, December 12, 2008
Duty Parent Child Allah,swt.
Before I reverted back to Islam, I felt a very limited desire to care for my father. My mother, I always felt it was necessary to ensure her safety and security, but I had not cared so much for whether my father could get along. I had reasons, or at least I thought I had reasons to feel that way.
One day I was sitting in a coffee shop chatting with an old friend about my recent understanding of Islam and how I felt that I need to return to believing wholly in Islam. She asked me whether or not I was willing to follow all the rules. Well, at that time, I had not really cared to follow all of the rules that solidify my role in life as determined by Allah, swt.
A few months later I was faced with my dad's mortality. He became really sick and was on the verge of dying. I had not ever cared about my father's health because he had not cared about it.
Because of Islam, I look forward to caring for my father everyday when I wake up. I do this because of Allah, swt, and not just because it is my duty as a child.
We are all children of someone whether living or not. May we live to fulfill the duties that we have to Allah through our familial and community duties.
May Allah, swt, bless you with a clean heart so you can fulfill your duty with the intent to only do it for Allah.
Salaam.
One day I was sitting in a coffee shop chatting with an old friend about my recent understanding of Islam and how I felt that I need to return to believing wholly in Islam. She asked me whether or not I was willing to follow all the rules. Well, at that time, I had not really cared to follow all of the rules that solidify my role in life as determined by Allah, swt.
A few months later I was faced with my dad's mortality. He became really sick and was on the verge of dying. I had not ever cared about my father's health because he had not cared about it.
Because of Islam, I look forward to caring for my father everyday when I wake up. I do this because of Allah, swt, and not just because it is my duty as a child.
We are all children of someone whether living or not. May we live to fulfill the duties that we have to Allah through our familial and community duties.
May Allah, swt, bless you with a clean heart so you can fulfill your duty with the intent to only do it for Allah.
Salaam.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Sacrifice Eid Al-Adha
Eid Mubarakum,
Today the 10th of Dhul Hijjah marks the midway point for the Hajj when Muslims sacrifice an animal for the love of Allah, swt. But what does this sacrifice mean? What does it represent and what is sacrifice that we do in our day to day lives?
Although during Eid al-Adha it prescribed that each able head of household sacrifice an animal, we must take into consideration that the annual animal sacrifice is only one aspect of our obligation to Allah, in my opinion. It is important that we sacrifice our sense of self (ego) to Allah and ask Allah, swt, to bless our rouhhe.
May we all continue the Major Jihad against our own opinions and ego and sacrifice what we think we know to Allah.
May our Lord accept all of the sacrifices that we make to Him.
Salaam.
Today the 10th of Dhul Hijjah marks the midway point for the Hajj when Muslims sacrifice an animal for the love of Allah, swt. But what does this sacrifice mean? What does it represent and what is sacrifice that we do in our day to day lives?
Although during Eid al-Adha it prescribed that each able head of household sacrifice an animal, we must take into consideration that the annual animal sacrifice is only one aspect of our obligation to Allah, in my opinion. It is important that we sacrifice our sense of self (ego) to Allah and ask Allah, swt, to bless our rouhhe.
May we all continue the Major Jihad against our own opinions and ego and sacrifice what we think we know to Allah.
May our Lord accept all of the sacrifices that we make to Him.
Salaam.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Abrahamic Faiths- Mind Heart Body
Please be aware that there is no base difference between the 3 major religions. They are all based on the acknowledgement, submission, and love of 1 god. All these religions have 2 aspects, which are spiritual and worldly. Before I discuss the difference or the rise of one religion we must look at the unity of these 3 religions. All 3 of these religions believe in a supreme master who is the creator of this vast universe. Who is unique in it's perfect being from which nothing resembles. God is aware of everything- of the rise of Islam.
Islam is exactly the same as the teaching of the founding father of all 3 religions- Abraham. Islam is Judaism. Islam is Christianity. Christianity is submission to Allah, to one God. Judaism is submission to one God, Allah. All 3 of these religions love their 1 God. LOVE-ISHQ. Ishq is pure love and belief in 1 God that gives all abundance to us in this World. We all believe that there is a negative energy (Shayateen, Satan etc) that tries to pull us away from the Ishq of Allah.
All 3 believe in Judgment Day where we will have to take full responsibility for how we lived our lives here in this World. This is the heavenly, spiritual relation that ALL of the Abrahamic religions concede as being completely shared.
It is the material/physical aspect that separates the 3 Abrahamic religions. All of these practices were built at different times for different circumstances for differing groups of people. These religions have to be different, obviously. The Judaic people pray differently than the Christians than the Muslims. They all observe different holidays/day. These are nuances that are not important when you have pure love and submission to the One creator, God, Allah, Yahweh. These differences that people try to use to divide the believers of Allah of God of Yahweh are evil and not lovers of Allah, of God of Yahweh. To bring up a topic such as the "RISE OF ISLAM" is complete nonsense. If you believe in submitting to 1 supreme God, you believe in Islam (the submission to Allah subhana wa ta'ala). We are all born Muslims; it is a matter of living that takes us away from the Ishq of Allah. These differences that we scream and fight about have nothing to do with the true believers of the love of God.
Please allow me to explain what the word Islam means. It does not refer to a group of people that follow certain rituals, have a certain language or dress a certain way. Islam refers to a unique stage of mind, heart and body.
1. Mind is to believe that there is a creator of this vast universe with this highly scientific structure. That the creator is so supreme and perfect that he has everything in its control. We, as human beings, have intellectual entity to acknowledge him, to appreciate him, and to submit to HIM-God. We believe that we are created for a purpose to be here, to use our intellect to choose what is right and wrong.
2. The heart. We believe in our hearts that we have no ability to make anything happen without the WILL of a supreme being. We cannot make the ocean tides rise. We cannot make the night come faster or the day longer. We cannot make new stars form. We cannot even make seeds sprout unless Allah swt wills it.
3. All 3 religions believe in the advancement of our physical body over all other of Gods creatures. We have the ability to acknowledge because of our 6 senses to identify and appreciate the Supreme power of the Universes. We all believe that there is a unique negative force that will always try to misdirect us. Unfortunately because of language we have different words that have created different ideas about the same energy that is prevalent in all of the major religions.
As a consequence the relationship of these 3 Abrahamic faiths have a unique value. As a person, if we follow that value precisely that person will attain peace, tranquility, and love, enlightenment. In Arabic the word that describes those values is the word "Salam" which has the letters s-l-m. Islam is made of those same letter s-l-m. In Hebrew they say "shalom" and in Aramaic they would use the word "khalom" to describe that comfort in peace and love.
None of us are Muslims unless we practice that pure peace, love and enlightenment and tranquility. We are all hypocrites whether you are a Jew, Christian or "Muslim" if you are not practicing the love through the heart of God you are not practicing your religion.
It is advisable that we use a manual to understand our car. It is with our lives that we were given a manual to live by. Why would we use a manual for 1980 Audi when we have a 2006 Ford? Allah, swt, Yahweh sent down through the Angel Gabriel a new manual as described would happen in the old testament and new testament to the beautiful sweet prophet Moh'd, saas, so that we could live our lives in a way that opened us up to our spirituality clearly. If we live by the laws of the Sharia and the Sunnah we open our spirits to the opportunity to be one with God at all times in our Mind, heart and body. That is Islam, that is Judaism, that is Christianity. That is the Love of Allah, swt.
Islam is exactly the same as the teaching of the founding father of all 3 religions- Abraham. Islam is Judaism. Islam is Christianity. Christianity is submission to Allah, to one God. Judaism is submission to one God, Allah. All 3 of these religions love their 1 God. LOVE-ISHQ. Ishq is pure love and belief in 1 God that gives all abundance to us in this World. We all believe that there is a negative energy (Shayateen, Satan etc) that tries to pull us away from the Ishq of Allah.
All 3 believe in Judgment Day where we will have to take full responsibility for how we lived our lives here in this World. This is the heavenly, spiritual relation that ALL of the Abrahamic religions concede as being completely shared.
It is the material/physical aspect that separates the 3 Abrahamic religions. All of these practices were built at different times for different circumstances for differing groups of people. These religions have to be different, obviously. The Judaic people pray differently than the Christians than the Muslims. They all observe different holidays/day. These are nuances that are not important when you have pure love and submission to the One creator, God, Allah, Yahweh. These differences that people try to use to divide the believers of Allah of God of Yahweh are evil and not lovers of Allah, of God of Yahweh. To bring up a topic such as the "RISE OF ISLAM" is complete nonsense. If you believe in submitting to 1 supreme God, you believe in Islam (the submission to Allah subhana wa ta'ala). We are all born Muslims; it is a matter of living that takes us away from the Ishq of Allah. These differences that we scream and fight about have nothing to do with the true believers of the love of God.
Please allow me to explain what the word Islam means. It does not refer to a group of people that follow certain rituals, have a certain language or dress a certain way. Islam refers to a unique stage of mind, heart and body.
1. Mind is to believe that there is a creator of this vast universe with this highly scientific structure. That the creator is so supreme and perfect that he has everything in its control. We, as human beings, have intellectual entity to acknowledge him, to appreciate him, and to submit to HIM-God. We believe that we are created for a purpose to be here, to use our intellect to choose what is right and wrong.
2. The heart. We believe in our hearts that we have no ability to make anything happen without the WILL of a supreme being. We cannot make the ocean tides rise. We cannot make the night come faster or the day longer. We cannot make new stars form. We cannot even make seeds sprout unless Allah swt wills it.
3. All 3 religions believe in the advancement of our physical body over all other of Gods creatures. We have the ability to acknowledge because of our 6 senses to identify and appreciate the Supreme power of the Universes. We all believe that there is a unique negative force that will always try to misdirect us. Unfortunately because of language we have different words that have created different ideas about the same energy that is prevalent in all of the major religions.
As a consequence the relationship of these 3 Abrahamic faiths have a unique value. As a person, if we follow that value precisely that person will attain peace, tranquility, and love, enlightenment. In Arabic the word that describes those values is the word "Salam" which has the letters s-l-m. Islam is made of those same letter s-l-m. In Hebrew they say "shalom" and in Aramaic they would use the word "khalom" to describe that comfort in peace and love.
None of us are Muslims unless we practice that pure peace, love and enlightenment and tranquility. We are all hypocrites whether you are a Jew, Christian or "Muslim" if you are not practicing the love through the heart of God you are not practicing your religion.
It is advisable that we use a manual to understand our car. It is with our lives that we were given a manual to live by. Why would we use a manual for 1980 Audi when we have a 2006 Ford? Allah, swt, Yahweh sent down through the Angel Gabriel a new manual as described would happen in the old testament and new testament to the beautiful sweet prophet Moh'd, saas, so that we could live our lives in a way that opened us up to our spirituality clearly. If we live by the laws of the Sharia and the Sunnah we open our spirits to the opportunity to be one with God at all times in our Mind, heart and body. That is Islam, that is Judaism, that is Christianity. That is the Love of Allah, swt.
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