A true smile

Many of those I've spoken to, or heard speak using different media have remarked that they don't believe in God. It's becoming quite common. A response from many who follow different religious traditions is that religion brings with it ethical thoughts and behaviours, to which the common reply is to look at different interpretations of Islam around the world. Looking at it, the initial purpose of many religious traditions to my understanding was to bring about social reform and change and to encourage behaviours that are ethically rooted, however this is not the sole purpose of faith.

Human beings, when we are fortunate to have enough empathy and to reach a certain level of educational achievement tend to be intelligent enough to be able to differentiate right from wrong and to live relatively ethical lives. When civilizations develop enough, we are often able to consistently develop people who can consistently act in an ethical manner.

However, material well-being does not equate to happiness. I know many individuals who are materially very well-off, however they don't seem to be happy. They may be content with their lives, they may be satisfied with their position in life, but material well-being alone does not seem to consistently bring with it happiness. Gaining a great deal of material good brings a short rush of what seems to be happiness, but even that fades very quickly. When you finally get that new item you really, really wanted - it makes you "happy," but never for very long. Material goods are actually a bit like an addictive drug, the more you get, the more it takes for you to stay satisfied for the same amount of time.

Spiritual happiness is different. Spiritual happiness brings with it a sense of balance, a sense of true, deep, innate happiness. I believe the ultimate reason for religion and faith has always been to guide us to this happiness.

A true smile is a gift from God, a true smile cannot be taken away from someone for long. Conversely, the smile that forms due to material goods cannot last for long.

I pray all of us have a true smile on our lips at least once.

What's in a name?

Names seem to have a great deal of significance in our lives. Particularly when given the responsibility and the honour of giving a name to a new individual, the consequences and importance of a name become apparent... but what is in a name?

When mankind was created, according to the Holy Qur'an 2:31 God did something, "and He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful.""

The angels then reply to the Creator in 2:32, "They said, "Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You haev taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise.""

Finally, God goes on to say in 2:33, ""O Adam, inform them of their names." And when he had informed them of their names, He said, "Did I not tell you that I know the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth? And I know what you reveal and what you have concealed.""

Names are how we identify ourselves, but that identity is an important aspect. Our sense of self is a very poignant gift of the Creator, one that He didn't even give to the angels. I would argue that although another entity or organism may be self-aware, it cannot hold a true identity without the ability to name itself.

What's in a name? Everything - our thoughts, our persona, our beliefs, our ideals. All of these are found within our names. Not in the actual name or in the meaning of the word or words by which others call us, but by the esoteric process of naming. I have many names, I can be called by many different terms and I respond to many terms of endearment as well as dislike, however I exist through having been named.

I think therefore I am, but I only think because there is an I.

Thy Will be Fulfilled

Rumi wrote a very interesting passage in his Masnavi about a conversation between 2 individuals, one of whom was a saintly person. It is presented here in slightly modified form for the purposes of this medium.

The saint had no possessions, in fact he had no friends and no living family either, yet he was very happy. He was asked why.

Now, when I got to this part, I was thinking in my head - I know why! He is happy because he finds satisfaction in his spiritual life. He must have God and the Angels to fill the place of family, friends, and when you have such company why would you need any possessions? I was right to a certain extent, yet I was also very wrong.

The saint in this story spoke of death, life, happiness and resignation. The crux of his message was one of love. If you love God enough, then His will is your only desire. If God wills that your entire family perishes, that must make a true lover happy, because nothing else matters.

It was a very unique and profound way of stating it. Nothing like what I had expected (Rumi's great at finding a path one wouldn't think of treading alone). The thought that one's desires and wishes can be sublimated to such a level that even what others would label a catastrophe brings joy. That, is deep love. Where the only joy one gains is from what happens... That is contentment.

No matter what happens to that individual, they can never be unhappy. The example of a blade of grass that bends with the wind comes to mind. That blade of grass is small, unobtrusive and does not break. At the end it isn't just belief in God that's important. It is belief in the workings of God, in the way the world is. It is joy in the face of the storm.

Here piggy piggy piggy...

I remember grade 5 very well. I was 10 years old, life was good - until we began our unit on pigs... gasp...

"Why do I need to learn about these animals?" was my first thought, this was quickly replaced by horror when I discovered we had to go on a field trip to a pig farm.

I argued with my teacher and told her that it was "against my religion." ... She responded with exasperation and told me that, "I'm not making you eat the pigs!" The field trip was mandatory, and to be honest I learned quite a bit that day.

Looking at it years later, it really brings to the forefront a prejudice that most Muslims and I would presume Jews and some Christian sects as well would hold - that pigs are a taboo animal. This taboo extends quite a ways into our lives, so much so that some predominantly Muslim countries have few or no porcine livestock at all. I've even heard many Muslims refer to pigs as "dirty animals," and other far worse things.

I've begun to think about this and to take exception to it.

I mean sure, eating and consuming pig flesh is forbidden in the holy Qur'an as well as the Old Testament, yet nowhere (to my knowledge and reading of it) does it state that pigs are evil, that they are creatures to be reviled. Rather, God has created this world, this entire universe and everything in it. That to me is a clear indicator that we should love pigs as a part of creation. When you love the Creator truly, you cannot help but love His creation. Every aspect of creation deserves unconditional love, particularly by a being called upon with the high title, "vicegerent of God on the Earth."

If we are to be worthy of this high title the Divine has given us, we must look past cultural taboos and interpretations and love even that which we feel we should not. Our prayers cannot be for our own sakes, or even our spiritual lives alone, I believe Mark Twain put it best when he wrote,

"But who prays for Satan? Who in eighteen centuries, has had the common humanity to pray for the one sinner that needed it most[...]?"
- Mark Twain's Autobiography

The Mirror

Mirrors have a great deal of spiritual significance - at least metaphorically. Imam 'Aly ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him and his family) was once noted to have said that "remembrance of God (Zikr) is like polish for the heart." Why would we polish our hearts? So that we can reflect better.

The spiritual self is often compared to a mirror. The cleaner it is, the better the individual, the purer one is. However, there is another way of looking at the mirror of the self.

A mirror reflects an image. This image does not exist as substance or matter. Therefore, the internal aspect of a mirror is in it's non-existence. What a mirror reflects is non-existent. It is perceived, it reflects reality, but in and of itself, it does not have a being. If a mirror were to be focused upon emptiness, it would reflect only emptiness.

Our spiritual mirrors reflect our own selves, our own being is reflected in the mirror of the self. What happens when the self disappears? What happens when all we leave is the mirror?

Rumi argues in his Masnavi that since "Not-being is the mirror of Being, [...] a wise person would choose their own self to be Not-being (self-abnegation)." This would mean that Being would be displayed in that Not-being.

Complicated... What does this mean? Not-being in this sense would be to forego the self, when an individual ceases to be an individual, they are infused with the rest of creation. To quote, "Not-being and Defect, wherever they occur, are the mirrors of the Beauty of all beings. [...] Defects are the mirrors of the attributes of Beauty [...] because one contrary shows forth its contrary." Rumi is saying that no individual, no matter how pious is perfect. The belief in self-perfection is a path which leads to only pain.

When we understand that our existence and our faults are actually the reflection of the Divine things become more clear. Our faults, our defects, serve to mirror and showcase the attributes of the Divine. Our clear mirror, when it reflects only it's defects and not our own imaginary image is the closest we can get to understanding and "seeing" God. Only through examination of the unavoidable faults in each of us, do we have the opportunity to see the perfection of He Who has no faults. To get to this stage, we must first remove all the avoidable faults. We must cleanse the mirror, polish it's reflective surface and have it reflect... nothing.

Through the image of nothing, everything becomes clearer.

Patience in Seasons

Living in Calgary, we see a lot of strange weather sometimes. It makes me wonder where the signs of God are buried with regards to weather... God says that His Signs are in all things in creation, so of course there are signs in the weather too - but where to look?

Are God's Signs in the pattern of the clouds? The blue hue of the sky? The fearsome thunder accompanying a storm? The intricate patterns of a snowflake? The whisper or howl of the wind?

Of course, the answer is that God's Signs are all of these and more, and yet - it's very difficult for most of us to see the Almighty and His Markers. Are there signs that are easier to see?

I believe there are - I believe that the signs in creation are mirrored in our own beings and in our relationship with the rest of creation.

Change is the one constant here. Our relationship with creation is never the same, as we change, as we grow, our perception of our surroundings is being constantly modified. I believe this is one of the Signs of the Creator. The fluidity in creation, I believe mirrors the Creator. The Creator must be static and dynamic, both simultaneously, for the Creator is perfect and yet, ever-changing. The definition of perfection is ever-changing, even though what is perfect - doesn't change.

Living in Calgary, I've learnt a great deal about weather, good weather and bad weather. The one enduring fact is that the weather always changes, seasons always eventually change. Regardless of how long the winter is, eventually spring does come and regardless of how long the spring is, eventually winter will come. The one thing that preserves us during winter and keeps us humble during the spring is the knowledge and love of the Creator, or at least the attempt to search out the buried signs.

Let's keep digging.

The Experience of Existence

What is the difference between us? What differentiates one person from another or from another form of creation?

I've been thinking about this question for a while now. It seems obvious what separates a human being from the rest of creation on the Earth - we have the ability to think - but how does this truly manifest itself? It can be argued that we feel emotions that other animals do not or cannot, yet how can we be sure this is the case? It isn't like plants or animals can vocalize their experiences...

Maybe that's the key, the experiences. When I was much younger I remember my perspective on the world. It was vastly different than it is now. I grew up as essentially a different person than who I am today because my perceptions, my experiences were different, and so it likely is with the rest of creation.

I would argue that the difference between mankind and the rest of creation is our intellect and therefore our ability to experience the world in a vastly different way than anything else. Our ability to think and our specific cognizance defines our experiences and thus is an expression of our individuality... Well, that seems like it's pretty common sense doesn't it?

Yes, but this same principle can be extended in the opposite direction. If we are different from other parts of creation by virtue of our ability to experience the world in a way that other creatures cannot, then it must be asked if there are experiences more complete than what our own intellect provides? Maybe our experience of our lives represents only a small fragment of what there is to experience... Maybe there is a perspective - a super-perspective if you will - that enables a more complete view. 

I believe that is our ultimate destiny, if we exist for a reason, that reason may be the extension of our intellect into the realm of the spiritual. When we gain a super-perspective, we become "enlightened," we understand more of creation and the Creator. We become as the spiritual masters of the past, as Rumi, as Shams, as Al-Hallaj or as countless others. We become One.

Subject and Object

Mawlana Sultan Muhammad Shah (peace be upon him) - the Aga Khan III wrote at the conclusion of his Memoirs that, “Life in the ultimate analysis has taught me one enduring lesson. The subject should always disappear in the object.” This short statement requires a careful analysis.

Subject is defined in many ways. Philosophically speaking it is defined as, "a thinking or feeling entity; the conscious mind; the ego, as opposed to anything external to the mind." This word comes from Latin - subjectus meaning 'brought under' and its roots are sub - 'under' and jacere - 'throw'.

Object is likewise defined in multiple ways. Once again, philosophically thinking it is defined as, "a thing external to the thinking mind or subject." This word comes from Latin - objectum meaning, 'thing presented to the mind' and its roots are ob - 'in the way of' and jacere - 'throw.'

What does this tell us? The self, the inner individual in each of us is the subject. This comes from a root which implies being controlled or being dominated. We are in control of ourselves and when we control ourselves we become the subject. That is, when we realize our individuality, when we think and act, we exist as an individual. This creation of the individual self, the creation of the subject creates a duality of existence.

The object is all that exists outside of the self. The object is the rest of creation. When there is a subject, the object is divided into two. The concept of "monoreality" becomes a "duo-reality."

What we are told in this simple quote is that when the self is sublimated in the other, the self expands into the other and ceases to be. When "I" becomes "We," whether it be in our daily affections for each other or our work. As he continues in the following sentences, "any lasting satisfaction, any contentment that we can achieve, is the result of forgetting self, or merging subject with object in a harmony that is of body, mind and spirit. And in the highest realms of consciousness all who believe in a Higher Being are liberated from all the clogging and hampering bonds of the subjective self in prayer, in rapt meditation upon and in the face of the glorious radiance of Eternity, in which all temporal and earthly consciousness is swallowed up and itself becomes the eternal."

I can think of no way to phrase it any better than that myself. When we lose ourselves in creation around us, creation becomes us and the separation that is created by us evaporates and our consciousness breaks free of the self and becomes greater, it becomes eternal. The nature of the intellect of the individual is such. Its destiny is to become greater than the self and this requires the subject to disappear in the object.

Spiritual Vanity

There are many ways to be proud.

One of the most devious ways we can face is spiritual vanity... When a person works hard towards their spiritual selves, eventually there comes a time when they may feel they no longer need support in their journey, or that support is no longer helpful.

This is a fallacy. Looking back, even the greatest spiritual masters of the past need others. Some people grow spiritually by speaking of their spiritual journeys or by teaching others. Some grow by listening or by absorbing the spiritual teachings of others, and still others grow by feeding their spiritual energy into others. However we look at it, we are born of a single soul, and that soul binds each of us together.

One can never continue their journey without engaging others, even if it seems there is nothing to be gained, asking the difficult questions, the ones that have no answers is important - if only to gain perspective.

Of course, this differs from having a guide. I believe that as Rumi once said - without a guide, the journey is impossible. Each person has their own guide, their own belief system, and none of these are wrong. However, a guide is needed to even fully participate in the spiritual journey.

The journey of the spirit is a strange one indeed when looked at through the lens of the material. The spiritual journey benefits from companionship and requires guidance. The spiritual journey also relies on trial and error. The material world frowns on this approach, but it is the only way to take the journey of the spirit. This journey is a personal, deep trip with many obstacles and detours. As such, the only way to progress is to try different techniques within the realm of your individual guidance and see what works, what helps you to progress... Of course, the technique that works best that eventually gets ignored by most seekers is to ask... Ask God for help, ask others around you for their advice, ask learned individuals for their knowledge.

When we refuse to or fail to ask, we are engaging in spiritual vanity. Each person has been put on this Earth for some reasons, it is for us to find those purposes within ourselves and within others.

Speaking about the spiritual is important and it is sadly fading in many circles. Keep talking, keep asking and stay foolish.

Being Wrong!

What's wrong in religion?

Now it's best to be careful and qualify that. I didn't ask what's wrong WITH religion... I asked what's wrong IN religion? Throughout the world today we see conflict everywhere... with many people saying the root of the conflict is within their individual religious pathway, or their faith. This seems to be ridiculous...

Take for example the conflict between Shi'a and Sunni branches of Islam throughout the world. What's the difference between the two?

It comes down to authority. Who has the authority to speak about religion? The answer varies depending on whom you ask. Sunni's would say that after the holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), authority lies within the individual, and each individual's own personal search using the word of God and the example of the Prophet. Shi'a would argue that the authority to lead the community in spiritual and temporal matters was passed on to the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law, 'Ali (peace be upon him).

Besides this there are differences in interpretation of verses of the holy book and specific practices that vary... but what else? That's the issue... there isn't much else. In fact, if you look across the board at most faith traditions around the world - there are more similarities than differences. The principle messages, the inner meanings, they're all very similar.

There's a story told of the Prophet where once there were 2 men who would write down the verses of the Qur'an as they were revealed through the Prophet. These men would always argue about who had written it more correctly. One day when the 2 compared what they had heard the Prophet say, they had differing, contradictory statements. There was an uproar between them until finally it was decided that they would ask the Prophet himself which one was correct. The following day they both presented what they had written based on the revelation that the Prophet had delivered. After reading both versions, the Prophet said, "they are both correct."

What does this story tell us?

It tells us that there is no WRONG in faith. It's not possible for faith to be wrong. Faith is belief. Someone can criticize your faith, someone can point to what they see as flaws in it or in the reasoning behind it, but it is not possible for true faith to be wrong. The concepts of right and wrong do not apply to faith. Rather the concepts of sincerity and falsehood are far more important. Is your faith important to you because you are sincere in your interpretations of it and your belief? Or, is it because you wish to impress others with your perceived piety? Does a person truly believe in this, or is the belief based on a lack of other viable options?

The pathway one takes in life is hard enough without each of us disparaging what another chooses to believe or not believe in. One person can believe in just the power of their intellect and that's okay as well. It isn't for me to judge another person's belief system. Rather my belief system is predicated on not judging another's faith. What's right for me is not right for another, what's right for another is not right for me. In the end if you believe that the Almighty chose to talk to mankind, in whatever manner, there must have been and continue to be something here that is worth talking to.

Keep believing!

The Democracy of Knowledge

The previous blog received some interesting comments, with it being correctly stated that our society seems to have evolved even past the concept of a knowledge society into one where there is significant importance that will be placed on  "being Actionable"  (Nav Nathoo - Facebook, December 3, 2013).
This is a great point and very true. Gaining information is simple, converting that information to knowledge is expected of all people, now we need to move forward into the realm of using knowledge... right!?

It's true that some societies in the world are at that point and soon enough the same shall be expected of all societies, however what we see at a micro level and what is expected at the macro level are very different things and I feel that there are specific reasons for this in today's context.

We live in a world where, increasingly, acceptance means approval. These are not the same things by any means. We must accept everyone, because regardless of where individuals are at in terms of physical ability, cognitive ability, social/economic means, personal fulfillment or any host of descriptors for human endeavor, each of us is where we are due to a sometimes skewed mix of circumstances, personal striving and societal expectations. However, I see an alarming trend today in society where things are being brought to the "lowest common denominator."

In striving to be inclusive of all peoples we seem to be forgetting that all people are not the exact same. Increasingly, having a "good education" refers to a degree where courses are taught that are the exact same as hundreds of other courses throughout the world (or in some cases, of inferior quality). I feel this is because we have a misguided interpretation of a "good society," and of pluralism. Pluralism (the ideology corresponding to acceptance of diversity) by it's very nature assumes that people are different. We are not the same, and should not be seen as such. We have different paths, different educational aims and different abilities. These differences, when viewed as a strength are what give pluralism it's ability to change the world.

We judge individuals based on tests that are flawed by their very nature, to encourage some people to pursue educational endeavors that may or may not be right for them or what society truly needs. This reduction to bringing knowledge to the level of the masses is good in many ways. We want an educated society, we want all individuals to understand everything they possibly can understand and engage with in a meaningful manner, but is this what is good?

Is it our goal to create a society, or societies with individuals who are "jack-of-all-trades, master of none"? Is this even something that society can or should play a role in governing?

On a societal level, we are already at the level of the "wisdom society," but are we doing it in a way that will lead to what Plato called, the "good society"?

The Importance of a Thick Skin

It is very easy in our world to get angry.

Anger is a natural phenomenon and it is accompanied by a host of diverse physiological reactions... in effect, being angry is similar to being afraid and let's be honest, in today's world we all have a lot to be afraid of and about.

Between climate change, wars, instability, and a lack of feeling secure in even the safest areas we all carry some low-grade stress with us at all times... sometimes, it only takes something small to set this off and make us... angry.

What usually happens to me is a host of different factors combine together with a single trigger point, something small that really isn't that big a deal, but seems to be a great injustice at the time, leading to acting in ways I normally wouldn't. Now don't get me wrong, I'm a very calm person and even when I am very upset, usually only those who know me well can tell that anything is wrong at all, but it feels terrible.

I hate being angry because it is irrational.

The trigger point that sets off most of us to being upset and angry is usually another person in our lives, often someone we care about, but sometimes just a random stranger who we feel has slighted us in some manner. That's the key there though... Very few people out there do things to make others angry (there are some though, but only a very, very small minority). Usually that checkout clerk that tells you that you have one item too many in your cart to use the express lane doesn't want to make you mad. People often do things out of their own self-interest, not in the interest of hurting others. That lady at the checkout counter may not want to be there, or maybe she's having a bad day, or maybe she just let someone else slide for having one item too many, only to be burnt by her decision.

We have the gift of knowledge and articulation, but we all have so much trouble articulating our why's... Even to ourselves. Why am I angry? Why is this a big deal?

Or maybe the issue isn't with articulation... maybe the issue is with reflection. Maybe we all need to regularly just stop, take a deep breath. Especially on those days when we've maybe had just a little bit less rest than is good for us, or on those days when we feel a bit more stressed out than normal.

Anger is a driving emotion, and a negative one. When a person is angry, they cannot think about the spiritual world, they cannot connect with the Divine, the material world and the cause of the anger become a consuming force. Anger is like a fire, spiritual search is like water. Fire has it's uses and is important to have, but one shouldn't bring it too close. Water on the other hand gives life, it suffuses our being, it is in our every cell. Too much time in the fire burns away the water and leaves only ashes behind.

Hydration and a thick skin are what is needed.