Mysticism : A Truth , A Reality, a path

[Theunderground]

I would like to ask you why you believe the quran is unchanged when manuscripts from olden times show a lack of vowelization (tashkeel.) which were added later.There are also variants in dialects still. Historically many of the companions viewed the quran as different from the current version,and Uthman in fact burnt many ofl the variant readings when he was khalifah. During muhammeds life and until Uthman the quran was not complete in a single accepted volume or standardised.
And on your final point,yes i do dislike Muhammed as having 9-11 wives,marrying your step sons ex wife and marrying a nine year old (not to mention the barbaric laws and bloodthirtsy wars.) are in my mind the behaviour of a sick man. If you want to hold 'thinkers' repsonsible for humanitites downfalls heres your man.

[usman.khawar]

I would like to ask you why you believe the quran is unchanged when manuscripts from olden times show a lack of vowelization (tashkeel.) which were added later.There are also variants in dialects still. Historically many of the companions viewed the quran as different from the current version,and Uthman in fact burnt many ofl the variant readings when he was khalifah. During muhammeds life and until Uthman the quran was not complete in a single accepted volume or standardised.
And on your final point,yes i do dislike Muhammed as having 9-11 wives,marrying your step sons ex wife and marrying a nine year old (not to mention the barbaric laws and bloodthirtsy wars.) are in my mind the behaviour of a sick man. If you want to hold 'thinkers' repsonsible for humanitites downfalls heres your man.

I would say these misunderstandings are due to only lack of knowledge of history and religion. There are many points u have mentioned but m sorry there is none of any new but the same old ones which were born by the propaganda to mislead or divert attention. m just holding the explanation due to contunuity of what i have started for You guys..

[usman.khawar]

2/4 Is Personal Freedom Absolute?

Assuming for a moment that we have absolute personal freedom, does this entitle us to impose our tastes and ethical outlook on others? If this were the case then life in general would be driven by the basic reptilian instinct of self-obsession, imposing their ideas on others regardless of any higher values. The strong would dominate the weak, resulting in a state of tyranny and perpetual strife. Should this assumption not be scrutinized? Are we really free to do whatever we like or are we answerable to some higher force who has blessed us with all of our faculties? It is the moral and intellectual duty of all human beings to answer this basic question in the early part of their life so that they are able to fulfill the responsibilities which come with being human.

The greatest obstacle in considering this question is the concept of God, as it will determine whether we are absolutely free or have obligations to someone greater than Man. If God exists then we are not free.

We have not shown much interest in finding out about the greatest adversary whose potential existence threatens our freedom, the force which claims to have created the Earth and the skies, a being which, from the genesis of time through to eternity, is upholding and overseeing the order of the Earth, its physical and natural resources, its population, the rise and fall of its inhabitants, and the consequences of war and disputes between them. This invisible intelligence has set up the systems we take for granted; the changing seasons, ethnic and family groupings, children and offspring. It regulates our livelihoods and commercial success, determines our health and sickness, our sadness and joy.

It declares that the devastating gale force winds, the gentle morning breeze, the dazzling dew drops caressing the cheeks of the tulip and rose, the dry and dying bright yellow leaves of autumn, the snow-capped peaks of distant mountains, the mighty clouds bursting with rain, the deep and mysterious oceans, the silent mountains, and the merciless cycle of life and death, all these are just a few glimmers of its influence and control over the universe. In the presence of such a force how can we ever be free? Are we not helpless in front of it? Our power, our arguments, our efforts, our hopes, our knowledge and intelligence, our science or any other human quality or achievement cannot interfere with its control over us.

Has any philosopher, scientist or self appointed spokesman for mankind ever made an attempt to answer the fundamental question at the heart of human self-awareness? Is there anyone who has dedicated their life to the pursuit of God and concluded their research with the declaration “Mankind you are totally free for I have objectively established that God does not exist”. In matters of religion, scientists were mean and frivolous. They were blinded by a very basic caricature of religion and everything associated with it. For instance, they failed to distinguish between the timeless truths of religion and the corrupt gatekeepers of faith who exploited the name of God for their own ends. They cast aside their high standards of objectivity and did not apply these to the realities claimed by religion. It is not uncommon for a scientist to dedicate his entire life researching a single phenomenon, spending twenty to fifty years in the pursuit of one equation. The pharmacologist Alexander Fleming occupied years of his life looking at dishes of bacteria which led to the discovery of Penicillin; and after years of mental and mathematical training Issac Newton was able to formulate the Law of Gravity. We find one scientist spending his entire life engrossed in the motion of heavenly bodies and another obsessed by the search for a fungus which will save lives.

However, when intellectuals and popularisers of science, such as Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) and Carl Sagan(1934-1996) turned to religion they displayed a strange, irrational and reactionary approach to the study of religion. In scientific matters they maintained their integrity and objective approach, but were conspicuously biased when it came to religion. If they were around today one could ask: if the study of a simple phenomenon of nature requires the dedication of a whole lifetime then is it right that the study of the All-knowing and All Wise intelligence and force behind the Cosmos should be left to casual comments, unsupported by research, and an intellectual approach more characteristic of children then sincere scientists? It is even more astonishing that when scientists approach the study of natural phenomena they are strictly opposed to undertaking research clouded by personal feelings, prejudice, hidden assumptions, and subjective reasoning. These things are so abhorrent that any scientist who allows personal biases to influence their research becomes the target of criticism and ridicule. Yet the speed and foolishness of their knee-jerk response to metaphysical realities is beyond belief.

To be continued ...2/4

[cacian]

The greatest obstacle in considering this question is the concept of God, as it will determine whether we are absolutely free or have obligations to someone greater than Man. If God exists then we are not free.

How does freedom compare to God?
and
How does Absolute got anything to do with Freedom?

How does and can God determine anything if he/she is not on earth amongst us?
You are only determined through your own actions , words and beliefs.

what's more how can God determine the lives of those do not believe He exist?
Atheist separate themselves from God, so how can you vouch for their freedoms if it is as you say controlled but God?

[Theunderground]

All the points i mentioned are either from the quran or the accepted islamic hadith. Seems to me that any history not agreeing with your deification of the quran is rejected as 'propoganda'. The quran has really in its totality nothing to offer modern man,unless its intrepeted away. What is the meaning of chopping of the hands of thieves,polygamy,whipping those who have sex without marriage and declaring war on those of a different mindset? Are these laws one can apply nowadays?

[usman.khawar]

All the points i mentioned are either from the quran or the accepted islamic hadith. Seems to me that any history not agreeing with your deification of the quran is rejected as 'propoganda'. The quran has really in its totality nothing to offer modern man,unless its intrepeted away. What is the meaning of chopping of the hands of thieves,polygamy,whipping those who have sex without marriage and declaring war on those of a different mindset? Are these laws one can apply nowadays?

again so many points to discuss objectively..take any one like , chooping the hands of thieves! i would suggest u to stop thinking like theif hehe rather think like a common human being of a society. a person who earn his earning at right way for his family his sons, daughters wife mother , so many expenditures, and a thief come and take all his saving with him. may be he kept that mony for basic needs like for medicines, what if his mother is in hospital or his wife is going to give birth a new child what if that person is you? you were theft?. think like a person who has departed from all his life savings.. which was earned by the efforts of day n night with both hands. dont u wish to chop the single hand of the thief who take away all ur money? moreover if a thief know about the sever punishment he will never try to rob someone.

my question is "which human made system of punishment in any country of the world has been proved the best? which eliminated the crimes ratio in the society." ??

[usman.khawar]

Is Personal Freedom Absolute? 3/4

Leaving aside the giant of science, there are mediocre professors who oppose religion solely on the grounds of personal choice and freedom of expression. They fear that an objective study of religion might destroy the imaginary demon of religion they have created and placed in from of the people; a monster which feeds on basic human fears, instincts and ethnic differences. To maintain this myth they deliberately present religion as irrational. However, they are keen to preserve religion as a symbolic totem will permit them in times of need to visit a shrine, to supplicate at the door of a holy man, or to fall at the feet of a religious healer. How could anyone follow such a religion or worship a God who is dumbfounded and confused by a handful of facts based on empirical research?

Is God still stuck in the past? Has he not been able to advance His understandings? It seems that modern science has shattered the foundation of hypothetical faith and left it in a dilemma in the desert of skepticism. The Devil (Shayatan. Iblees) is no fool; his strategy is to portray God as undesirable and pathetic. Is it not strange for a God, who does not have a limited understanding of the basic branches of science, to claim that He is the originator of all creation? A God, still living in a bygone era dependent on outmoded means, who trembles in awe at modern Man’s intellectual and technological advances. Like Gulliver, He has been brought down and pinned to the ground by the tiny Lilliputians. The Emblem of power and majesty, possessing absolute wisdom has lost His nerve in the face of a few scientific facts and is content to accept that His existence is only a supposition which has no basis in reality. This is precisely the view of God held by secular scientists. What else do you expect from this kind of intellect? The distinction between what is conceptual and what is real is of huge importance to scientists. It is also the biggest stumbling block in their approach to God. The assumption that God does not exist distorts their research. Of course they will acknowledge the concept of God but will never accept even the remotest possibility that he could really exist. Why is this the case? Has there never been anyone who has specialized in the reality of God; or dedicated their entire life in the pursuit of God? Did the desire to fathom the reality of the cosmos not take hold of any human being? Has the intellectual garden of the human mind never witnessed the blossoming of a divine flower rooted in objective research and enquiry? Has the concept of God always been bereft of intelligence and reason? Have those who claim to be certain of God’s existence relied purely on blind emotion and feeling? Perhaps religion was only destined to last for a specified time in human history, and when the sun of reason reached its zenith, the only way for religion to survive was for it to suspend itself upside down, like a totally blind bat, and withdraw.

The idea that Divine knowledge should not be delved into, for the fear that it might prove to be primitive in the light of modern science, is ludicrous. There are many scientifically minded individuals who are adamant that we must not search for scientific ideas and inspiration in the book of God (Quran). What would these people do if God did decide to reveal scientific realities in His divine revelation? Perhaps they have forgotten that although a revealed book is not a book of science it is definitely a book of creation. It is impossible to imagine that such a book will not contain the laws and principles relating to the origin of the universe, the mystery of life, the end of the cosmos, and casual effects and outcomes. If you feel that it is your duty to investigate then, do so, Remember that a human can make a thousand mistakes and still retain his status as a human being, but God makes a single mistake He can never keep the title of God. Here we have God claiming that the Quran is His data. This is a brilliant opportunity for mankind to set up an objective test to prove or disprove God. The myth of God could be buried forever if we are able to find one single flaw in His data. Surely we can find a tiny flaw in the book of God!

This is an open challenge to mankind from God. All we have to do is to undertake a detailed study of the Quran in the same objective and diligent manner as we would a piece of scientific research. We can then declare with credibility that God’s understanding of basic scientific facts is flawed and His knowledge of the cosmos is limited. We could conclude that God is merely a storyteller who accompanies the desert caravans to relieve the boredom of the weary travelers by transporting their imagination into the realms of supernatural fantasy. You may notice that I have specifically referred to the Quran when inviting you to challenge God. This is because it is the most perfectly preserved religious scripture and it is the only book that God himself has guaranteed to preserve. He has given a personal guarantee that each phrase and sentence and every fact within it is His direct speech. All one needs to do is to pinpoint one error and that is the end of God! How simple it is to cure this phantom that has haunted mankind for centuries!

However, the intellectuals who undertake the critique of the Quran must demonstrate that they possess the capacity to conduct such as enquiry in accordance with the highest standards of scientific research. They cannot sit in a comfortable armchair and declare their conclusions. The issue at stake is far too important. This research and investigation will be long and arduous. It is not like the approach of the sociologist whose concept of God is of an idea people have made up in order to cope with the harsh realities of life, a concept created in response to the terror and helplessness of their situation. God is escapism!

If such an expert concludes that the mental turmoil experienced by those who believe in God is itself proof that He is merely a supposition, and then he must go back and check his research methodology. Our expert is not actually researching God. In fact he has no inclination to find out about God or to understand Him and then give a considered opinion based on his findings. What he is actually doing is giving an anthropological assessment of how people relate to society’s concept of God. This is not the same as researching God. This is probably true for most scholars involved in social research. Their concern is on mundane matters such as how a particular community engages with food and hunting; how settlements grow and the dynamics of family and tribal units; and how myths and beliefs are utilized to maintain tradition and culture. They are not really interested in God, but in the idea of God as it is found in the minds of a particular social unit. As any anthropologist will tell you there is no escape from the concept of God; it keeps raising its head like an uncontrollable weed in prehistoric and later civilizations.

[Theunderground]

The quran is human made,by mister muhammed. And in the whole of history when has the implementation of quranic law created a sucessful society? Both during and after muhammeds life there were wars and bloodshed. The western standards of society are by and large more conducive to a prosperous society. Before the discovery of oil many of the middle eastern countries really were quite primitive and illiterate. I suggest that you are idealising the 'quran' and that if in 1400 years it has not really helped mankind positively (except in bloodshed,division and hate.) No matter how you rationalise and use apologetics to justify it,the fact is it doesnt work in practice nor does it appeal to a sensible mans emotions.

[usman.khawar]

look i justify and explain only one point about choping the hands of thief. before going ahead u should reconsider that if ur one point is wrong then ur further talk become doubt full. if u can counter argue wiht any strong reason about wt i explained in the answer of ur point about choping the hand of theif. u will find me ready to change my decisions or state of mind if i get strong argument from any side. if anyone have any strong objective argument against God i'll listen that. and consider that if its really strong and there is no above argument on that then u know i'll leave God who doesnt have strong argument i dont like to admit Him as God.

[usman.khawar]

Is Personal Freedom Absolute? 4/4

What I find fascinating in the study of sociology and anthropology is that prehistoric Man who did not know how to wash his face or clean his teeth; who had no idea of how to cook meat and food; who had no knowledge of how to build houses and dwellings; who had no concept of having a courtyard or a living room, who was not familiar with the practice of growing vegetables, let alone irrigating land, sowing seeds and harvesting crops; whose physical form evolved from Homo Habilis( earliest Hominid known to use tools) into Home Erectus; who spent day and night like wild predators swinging from tree tops; and who did not experience any feeling or emotion other than sexual gratification: how strange it is that the first thing that such a creature should do is to start searching for a higher reality(God). The earliest human settlements were religious in character. In fact, all Paleolithic civilizations were priestly societies with religious rituals and symbolism. The dead were buried with formal rites of passage; prayers said, flowers scattered and offerings made in places as far flung as Mesopotamia and China.

How can one explain this aspect of prehistoric civilization? Did these helpless and unintelligent human beings have access to some alien life from which taught them these metaphysical realities? Perhaps the slightest threat on the human intellect forced it to acknowledge the power of an Almighty God? could it be possible that human consciousness was gradually being guided by some external agency to adopt practices and ideals which supported human existence and perfection? It is hard to avoid the conclusions that some external agency or force has been supporting mankind in meeting all their physical , social and spiritual needs. We observe that when our ancestral mother was not yet aware of the nature of her feminine form, she is ’instinctively ‘ taught how to sever the umbilical cord of her newborn child. Threatened by wild and predatory animals, our human ancestors are guided to place one brick on top of another and build secure dwellings. Having created systems to satisfy his physical needs we find these same ancestors being directed towards perfecting the art of communication through the use of rhetorical devices and deep understanding of language and grammar. How could all this and more have been independently developed by our uncivilized and prehistoric human ancestors who were driven only by animal passions and the need for survival?

Based on archaeological evidence alone it is difficult to establish that some external agency or force was involved in human progress and development. Such an idea is hard for secular scientists and philosophers to swallow; their minds reach breaking point if they have to accept that the concept of God is as ancient as humanity itself. Their minds are already in mental anguish. The certainties that the scientists have established after painstaking Endeavour did not last the course of a century. The certainty of Newton’s universe was shattered by Einstein’s theory of Relativity. The certainty of Einstein’s universe is in turn being eroded by modern discoveries and research. It seems that uncertainty is intrinsic to the scientific process. In fact, some of the latest discoveries in the field of quantum mechanics have left scientists bewildered. The number of subatomic particles in addition to neutrinos, quarks, muons is growing, not to mention other particles such as the tachyon, which can travel faster than the speed of light. We cannot claim to have mastered the understanding of our galaxy, let alone the cosmos. At every turn we are faced with a reality that we cannot completely fathom: black holes, parallel universes, dark matter and antimatter. All this suggests an intelligence and power greater than that of Man; yet modern Man insists there is nothing greater than him!! We find it difficult to acknowledge the limitations of our intellects and the understanding of life which this generates.

We focus on the here and now and neglect to ponder on the final outcome of the universe; the expansion of the universe is an established fact but its contraction and end is an occurrence which does not seem to concern us much. Our origin was in a specific moment of time in the past but our future has no endpoint. The stakes are high. Are we willing to barter a few decades of life at the expense of eternity? Science has certainly made life more convenient for us, giving us toasters, ovens, cars, trains plains. It has also made life more dangerous by providing chemical weapons, smart bombs, ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads. However, it has neglected to focus on the fundamental question of the purpose of life. Perhaps science does not have the tools for this. The paradigm established by science to understand reality is as fleeting as the playful dance of the morning breeze on the buds; it then fades away with the dawning of the new day. Time is indeed relative!

By this point you might be forgiven for thinking that I am like a disgruntled teenager who is making mockery of the learning and experience of respected authorities: far from it. I would describe myself as a lost traveler in the desert who finds that all the landmarks and signposts he was given were mirages and guesses. He feels angry and betrayed by his intellectual and knowledgeable superiors, and in this state expresses his frustration in a cultured and respectful manner.

4/4

to be continued with the next chapter : Priorities in Life

[Theunderground]

This is just spam. Islamic shariah has no business in the modern world,its not about debating point by point,its about the real world. Even most muslims would not want shariah law implemeted.

[usman.khawar]

Priorities in Life 1/2

Life is all about priorities. We are nothing but the sum of our choices, which are made on the basis of what is deemed to be important. Is the capacity to priorities inherent within the structure of mind? It appears that this quality is an intrinsic attribute of the psyche of Man. The far-reaching impact of this habit of the brain can be felt in all spheres of life; all of us behave and act according to priorities which we have arrived at consciously or unconsciously. These mental guidelines govern our decisions of life. Interestingly, our internal framework of priorities resists change and continues in it trajectory as long as life’s routines stay the same. Only a major trauma or tragedy can cause us to reshuffle our hierarchy of priorities. In such a situation all lesser priorities are ignored and our whole focus shifts to dealing with the major priority.

The ability to identify priorities and link them to the factor of time is a key distinguishing feature of the cerebral cortex. Gaining skills and qualifications, leading to job security and a secure income, are seen as urgent and necessary priorities. The mind declares these as important priorities towards which the productive portion of a person’s life is dedicated. Yet the time to address the most important priority is postponed till a period of life in which an individual becomes weak and decrepit. He does this believing that the purpose of his intellectual faculties is to help him attain some basic aims in life. Ignoring the advice of all religions, he insists on postponing his focus on the single most important priority until the most unsuitable time and place. Intellectual pride and animal desires are complicit in this. Despite possessing everything, such an approach intensifies feelings of depression, dissatisfaction and anxiety. The heart finds no solace or joy. Many people become the victims of absolute despair, and in their dying days plunge deeper into darkness, having lost all hope of salvation. This seems to be the stage when those who regard themselves as intelligent deny God and reject the reality of facts.

The acceptance of God is not necessarily linked with the choice of feeding your reptilian self or restraining it. It may follow that a person who can control the negative self will perhaps be more inclined to God. On the other hand, there are people who restrain their animal passions without actually believing in God. Once again the issue goes back to the priorities each person has in life. Someone who wants to understand the purpose of life will make God a priority, whereas someone who is only driven by personal interest will do whatever is necessary to attain self mastery and not give God a second thought. We cannot ignore God because the question of whether God exists is central if we are to attain felicity. Suppose that God does exist: the consequences of not recognizing God are extremely painful. For instance you will have lost the opportunity to have a life of joy and plenty, stretching over billions of years and will instead have a despicable and painful existence for the same length of time, which is unlimited.

Despite its importance, many intellectuals have completely ignored the issue of God due to their mental prejudice against religion. The bigotry of a scholar is more dangerous than that of the ordinary man as it is veiled and intricate. Most philosophers, scientists, statesmen or writers are only interested in gaining recognition for themselves. They have no time or inclination to ponder the ultimate question. Confused and bewildered themselves, in turn they misguide others. In the corridors of fame and survival, fear of an afterlife and accountability to God seems like an imaginary proposition. On the other hand, knowing that human beings have wasted the better part of their lives and intellects pursuing lesser priorities, and have ignored the most important priority of all, they become oblivious to their purpose in life and continue to live in this state of anxiety and ignorance until the approaching pangs of death. Inactivity is worse than rejection and denial of God.

To be continued... 1/2

[usman.khawar]

Priorities in Life 2/2

Having grown up with the great thinkers of science and literature, I too feel a desire to preserve the romantic and nostalgic view of these personalities. However, when I observe the deliberate attempts to divert people from the most important priority of the human race, by showing lesser priorities as the most important, and leading mankind towards doubt, instead of showing them the path of salvation, then, there is no doubt in my mind that the responsibility for the destruction of the human race lies with the intellectuals. Perhaps this is the ‘diverting people from the path of God’ that is referred to repeatedly by the God “Those who divert people from the Path of God, and seek to make it crooked, and they reject the Hereafter (7:45)”

It is astonishing that this denial of God is not based on any research backed by objective reasoning. Many also reject God due to the personal loss and pain they have experienced in life for which God is held accountable directly or indirectly. This derives from another misconceived idea that if there was a God, then there wouldn’t be any suffering in the world, everybody would be equal. It is beyond dispute that there is disparity of wealth and status around us and this has profound impact on people. For instance, deprivation can produce feelings of inferiority and low self-esteem which may lead to jealousy, anger and rage. Sometimes these outbursts take on the form of negative Marxist and Leninist counter action, and at times they manifest themselves as a rejection of the soul in the form of existentialist philosophy. People want the world to the form of existentialist philosophy. People want the world to function in accordance with their limited and relative conceptions of justice. What they ignore is that God is not the Deity of a single individual or group: He is the God of the entire human race. The reality of suffering cannot be truly understood if it is divorced from our purpose of existence, the idea of divine requital and the afterlife.

Unfortunately, the manifestations of religion today seem to promote injustice and discrimination. This is the distorted face of religion. Faith which is rooted in God does not tolerate inequality or oppression. The heart of God is open with equal compassion to all his creatures. Ritual worship and the focus on difference and hate is not divine teaching, but the preaching of Man. True religion is driven by the search for God and love for Him and His creation. All those who worship God in this way are followers of religion in the real sense. Their actions can never lead to discrimination in the administration of justice. It is only because of the self-interested interpretation and execution of God’s law that religious bigotry is becoming widespread. The means by which humanity was to be united has itself become a tool of division.

to be continued with next very interesting chapter.. Mysticism and Shariah(religion's code of conducts)

[usman.khawar]

Mysticism and Shariah 1/2

An allusion to Tassawuf (Islamic mysticism) in the Indian Subcontinent is necessary as the masses in this land came to know God through the Sufis (Mystics). Their personalities and conduct led humanity towards the recognition of God. However, the existence of mystical thought in human history was also reflected by teachers like Zeno of Elea (d. 430 BC), Diogenes (d.323 BC), Plotinus (d.270 CE), Dionysius Exigus (d. 544 CE), St Augustine(d.430) and St Aquinas(d.1274) followed by a long list of Muslim Sufis (Mystics). Through self-purification and by establishing the most important priority of the human intellect they were able to achieve sincerity, love and awareness of God. they left clear signposts for those who came after them thus ensuring that the thought of returning to God continued to exist among the masses.

Islam has produced a large number of Sufis is succession. This is because the religion of Islam has a clear concept of God and its path of guidance is brightly illuminated. The concept of God contains no confusion and the role of the messenger is utterly transparent. Whosoever wants to follow the path towards God will not find a scripture better than the Quran, nor a teacher better than Muhammad, the messenger of God. The complete preservation of the Quran and the numerous and testified reports of the Prophet’s conduct have provide us with unambiguous guidance in every aspect of life. In Islam, mysticism is not an exclusive or selective approach; rather it is the common and standard approach. Every effort to acquire sincerity or striving for self-awareness, balance and moderation naturally leads to God.

It is the Quran alone that leads to a universal conception of God. In other religions the personal views and prejudices of people let to a localized notion of God. Each tribe and nation perceived God as their personal inheritance and appropriated God for themselves. They ranked themselves as God’s beloved. Such a pledge from God is not found in God in His words or in any of His books.

The Quran tells us that the vastness of the cosmos is a minimal expression of His infinite creative force. It informs us that He is infinite and self-sufficient. How could He be the Father, Son or Brother of anyone? It is impossible for His wondrous beauty to be reflected in idols and statues. He, the infinitely Just, does not decide to reward conduct and character on the basis of how closely related someone is to someone. His providence is not contingent on our acceptance or denial. He provides sustenance both for the believer and the non-believer. In fact, He gives more to the non-believer taking all considerations into account. God, the Sublime and Exalted cannot be comprehended by the human intellect without knowledge and understanding.

Better knowledge leads to better recognition. Because of this the Sufis consider knowledge of God and self-awareness as the ultimate priority. From the hordes of Mullahs and holy men of today not a single one has accomplished even the generic standards of the self-recognition of God. they have failed in the because they are inclined to embroil the general public in mythological stories so that they can conceal their inner vices and depravity. Their sole aim is to seek their personal interests and satisfy their own desires. Nevertheless, there are conscientious few who have a glimmer of sincerity. However, they have not been able to climb out of the matrix of deceptive representation. Their journey continues in darkness. Those who trust the insincere Mullahs (Traditional Muslim Cleric, priest) are so naïve and innocent that not only are they bewitched by this magical system but they have been deceived to such an extent that they have become prisoners to blind following. They do not dare to question their masters.

The path of the Shariah, the external Law, and Tareeqt, the inner Law, have been hijacked by quacks. Knowledge and reality gave way to absurd fictions and long and useless litanies begun to pile up. The world of forty-day retreats, invocations, mystical powers and spiritual states was created. Control of every street and corner was handed over to the recruits of these schools of magical charms. Now every morsel of daily bread, Every matter, every marriage and wedding, every job and career opportunity was not possible without these magical spells. Godhood was handed over to magicians. It seems as if these people have got together and exiled God from the universe. There were only a handful of those who are able to watch over the reputation of their virtuous forefathers.

The vicious contest between the forces of pseudo-Sufi schools and the reprehensible clerics completely erased any distinction between truth and falsehood from the minds of both sides. The reality of the divine vanished in the swarm of litanies and baseless fairy tales. When the Mullahs saw that the Sufi pretenders were more popular and much loved by ordinary people, they began to make their own claims to mysticism in their own groups. They had no understanding of the gradations of mystical thought. In their grand design of greed and gluttony they prepared a mythology of mystical powers which shocked and surprised the people of real understanding. The minds of the Mullahs set up the most stringent principles of allegiance to themselves (Ba’ayat, oath). In the style of free masonry they straitjacketed their followers into a Madrasah system based on conflicting views which wiped out any independent thought or action. Dazed, bewildered and confused, their followers became trapped into movements similar to those of the Hashshashin (Assassins) of Alamut (A religious sect during the 8th and 13th Century CE which trained assassins using hashish to control the minds of their followers.

Religion disappeared: only the traditions of extremism, hatred and exploitation were left behind. In addition to the Mullahs (Islamic traditional priest) there were certain families who exploited the names of the Naqshabandis,Suharwardis, Qadiries and Chisties ( Names of famous Sufi Orders in the Indian subcontinent) to drive forward their own interests. These parasitic creatures fastened their tentacles around the neck of the people. The Masters of mysticism had already reached God and all that was left in the hands of these Crows (imposters) were oaths of allegiance, feasting and singing. A simple general fact-finding exercise can reveal this fact. In the contest of worldly power, the descendants of the great mystics rose above every moral constraint. They became captives to the lust for land, gold, status and control. Mullahism, like Catholicism and Judaism, succeeded in creating a system which safeguarded its interests. Sincere and well-meaning leaders were replaced with seminary trained but uneducated fanatics.

To be continued....

[usman.khawar]

Mysticism and Shariah 2/2

Islam and God began to be associated with killing and bloodshed. This gave the secularist another excuse. He found another argument for the superiority of his civilization and the necessity for social freedom. So, with extreme cruelty, secularism began to pursue religion, especially the followers of Islam. Alas, how unfortunate for mankind! Gone is the religion which was the only way to attain the proximity of the ultimate reality and instead we are left with nothing but the stench of personal prejudice. Gone is the religion which is the science of all sciences, leaving behind displays of sheer madness. The intimate knowers of God’s mysteries have disappeared and in their place are the assassins of character and morality. Gone are the true mystics such as Bayazid Bistami (d. 874), Junaid al Baghdadi(d.910), Rabia al-Adawiya (d.801) and Hasan Basri (d.737), and we are left mere Mullahs, (Traditional Islamic Priests), Mullahs and more Mullahs.

These self-intoxicated individuals desecrated all the requirements and protocols of humility. To gain control of the minds of people they bestowed upon themselves and their insignificant and minor teachers the titles of the great masters. To this day, I have not come across any reason that would justify a mystic to sing the praises of his own piety. Where did the title of Religious Reviver of the Millennium (Mujadad Alf Sani) come from? Who received it and who gave it? Other titles are the Master of the Arabs and the non Arabs, Leader of the Mystical world, Lord of the Six Dimensions, the upholder of the Age, the Helper, and the Pole of Existence. All these stations have been claimed by these self-sanctifying parasites. Today these crows flap where eagles one soared. The outward behavior of these friends of Evil is all religious and saintly. As a result of this, the search for truth has become extremely difficult. Intellectual curiosity and Endeavour alone can resist and prevail over the seductive captivation of this exploitation of the unsuspecting masses.

Knowledge and scholars have both disappeared. The goals of the Secularist, the Mystic and the Mullah were all different and personal. However in the pursuit of power and status they were all equally ruthless. In using religion they were all cold and calculating. The worst types of sexual corruption, misappropriation of funds and intellectual monstrosities at one time or another reveal the true nature of these groups. Unfortunately, authority still remains with the Secularist and the mullah. Perhaps the time of Islam has not yet come, and the coming of the Mahdi( According to Muslim traditions the savior(Messiah) who will establish the kingdom of God on Earth towards the end of time and will be joined by Jesus Christ) seems distant.

Islam is not the birthright of the Muslims, nor are the ordinary Muslims the vehicles of the religious scholars’ personal desires. Islam belongs to every individual and human being. Wherever anyone is searching for God and whatever path he chooses, it will lead to Islam. The hatred of Islam amongst Non-Muslims is because of the Muslims. During the centuries of killing, fighting and war when Islam and falsehood were locked in battle, Islam transformed from a religion leading to God to become a religion of vested interests and specific nationalities. This was purely the outcome of twisted thinking. This was the same corrupt approach that the Jews and Christians had taken regarding their own religions. The Jews regarded the religion of Moses and the Torah as personal possessions and acted wrongfully in relation to it. The Book of God was reduced to the commonplace prejudices of different tribes. In the same way the Bible became a victim to the highhanded approach of the Christians. Its priests created distortions in it to further their own aims. Even though God permits mankind to ponder and reflect upon scripture, yet these exploiters of religion vested themselves with the authority to misinterpret the verses of the Holy Books. The paths leading to the welfare and happiness of all mankind now became means for promoting personal, tribal and nationalistic interests.

In every religion the cleric has always been the least educated in the higher truth. Secularism has always lusted for power. In essence the battle between the secularist and the cleric should have centered on the struggle between the body and soul. This did not happen, as the ultimate goal of both was to gain power. Although the secularist has the upper hand today, the die-hard Mullah, who possesses an instinctive intelligence which is primitive and natural, knows that secularism can never provide tranquility to the human mind. It can offer the means to improve the quality of life, but it does not have anything called peace and contentment. This clan of religious pretenders is waiting for the time when the desire of the people for peace and tranquility will outstrip their hunger for physical necessities. This will be the time when it will leave its protected fortress and once again will make a bid to establish its own authority. In response to this act of history, God and the godly people will be reasserting, as always, the doctrines of priorities in order to face such a major crisis, and this will pave the way for the coming of Mahdi and Jesus Christ.

to be continued ... with new mind blowing chapter.. The working of Inner self