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.

The importance of Being Knowledgeable

We live in a society that is increasingly getting smaller...

Unfortunately our society is not getting increasingly more equal. We are going into unprecedented extremes of polarity between the "haves" and the "have-nots" and it is quite worrisome. Gaps between wealthy individuals and those who are poor are increasing, yet the greatest gap seems to be forming in the realm of knowledge.

A long time back, it was possible for an individual to be a "master" of all or almost all fields of human endeavor. Nowadays, our fields of endeavor are so vast and complex, it takes a lifetime to master (sometimes not even reaching that far) a single field. Conversely, individuals are being misled and misguided in what they feel is truthful. Unfortunately, today the world is full of information and ignorance. I am someone who always wanted to be known as being well-informed. I would love to read news articles and discuss the events of the day with others.

I remember a discussion I once had with a friend of mine about the Iraq War (during the Iraq war - in early 2002). I told her that it seemed a bit premature for the US to have just jumped ahead with a war. It seemed almost a knee-jerk reaction and very few specifics were provided, besides the fact that Iraq apparently had "weapons of mass destruction." She replied that the war was justified and shot off a ton of factoids about the many different areas where the US was being attacked, the areas where the US army was helping civilians, etc... At the time the information I had was insufficient to adequately argue what I felt about the war effort, so I simply shrugged and stuck to the basic facts I had, it didn't make sense.

Looking back at this example I have learned a few things. It is remarkably easy to be well-informed in our society. There are facts and figures and information everywhere. It is extremely difficult to be knowledgeable though. My friend was well-informed. I was not well-informed nor was I knowledgeable. Being knowledgeable is an exceedingly difficult thing, it requires an individual to be well-informed and then interact with this information to produce knowledge through our critical faculties.

We all need to become more knowledgeable, we need to see when things we read are bluster and when they contain true substance. Even the best sources of information get it wrong, or have an angle on the information they feed the public. This is normal because news and information cannot be objective when it is reported by a person. We bring our own biases and subjectivity to anything we relay. Critical thinking is what leads to knowledgeability.

I don't want to just be well-informed anymore. None of us should be pleased with that title. We need to all strive to be knowledgeable... Maybe then we can figure out how to close that knowledge gap.

The Beggar's Lesson

We recently had the good fortune of going on our honeymoon to Italy and France. Fantastic countries with great food, usually friendly people and amazing sights. One of the interesting things I noted were the number of beggars in the streets. There were far more than we are familiar with in Canada (though admittedly far less than I've seen in Tanzania and other parts of the world). However, one experience in particular stood out for me.

I saw a man sitting on the ground smoking contentedly on a cigarette... casually put out his cigarette and then ask for money.

This was interesting for me because it led me to examine the morality of the decision. Now, in Islam we are encouraged to give to the needy and the poor, however there is also the deep belief against harming the self and the intellect. I personally cannot stand cigarettes and know that this individual asking for money is subsidizing the tobacco industry, so I feel that giving in this circumstance is not correct morally, by doing so I would be giving some money to something I feel is wrong.

What about other cases? How many people who are begging are going to use the money they gain from begging on personal expenses that the giver would feel are wrong or unwarranted? Does it matter? Or rather, did it matter? Because when I think of that I wonder - the issue of misuse of donations had to have occurred even during the time of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), yet still, the Prophet urged Muslims to give to beggars and the needy. How would he expect individuals to discern which beggars were going to use their gains in a positive manner and which would use it frivolously?

When I think about it... maybe it doesn't and didn't matter. Maybe the gain from giving to a needy person is simply meant to be enjoyed by the giver and the consequences of the action lie purely in the hands of the receiver. This doesn't mean that I personally can condone giving to someone whom I know will spend the money on alcohol or drugs or cigarettes, rather if one does so with a full heart and intent focused on helping another - The good far outweighs the bad.

Maybe I'm not blessed enough, maybe I'm too cynical... I couldn't do it. I can't do it... yet. However, I hold out hope that someday, I'll believe in my fellow human beings enough to be able to give to a person who asks without questioning their motives or what they'll do with it. I'm sure that's what our Prophet had in mind with the revelation of Surah 93 Ayat 10 of the Qur'an, "and for he who asks (begs/petitions), do not repel (him)"

To giving with a full heart.