Surah 41 verse 34-36
34. Nor can Goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (evil) with what is better: then between whom was hatred, become as it were, friends and intimates.
35. And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self restraint--none but persons of the greatest good fortune.
36. And if (at any time) an incitement to discord is made to you by satan, seek refuge in God. He is the one who hears and knows all things.
Goodness is a powerful tool---powerful enough to melt away hate--but, to use it well, requires the strength of patience and self-restraint.
The Golden rule of Confucious--
" What one does not wish for oneself, one aught not to do to anyone else, what one recognizes as desirable for oneself, one aught to be willing to grant to others"
--- it is a wise rule to follow in our daily relations and the foundation on which courtesy and manners are built. But to take it a step further and be kind, courteous and good to those whom we dislike can be difficult. It can be done if we are able to develop in ourselves compassion and mercy for those whom we cannot like or understand.
In today's uncertain world, it is worthwile to have faith in the power of good--to have good intentions that create good actions for the benefit of God's creations.
Zoaraster
Every human being must strive to understand the eternal law of truth and righteousness (Asha vahista=Good mind) and must try to realize it in his daily life. In order to do this, he must cultivate love---universal love---(Vohu manu=ethical thought) and realize it deep within his inne self. This truth and love once realized, must be translated into acts of service (khshathra vairya=supreme power) All through, one must hold fast to firm unshaken faith (Spenta armati=Holy devotion) faith in the essential goodness and divinity of all creation, and thus one attains to perfection and immortality (Haurvatat and Ameretat) and becomes perfect as our Ahura mazda (divine) ....
What goodness shall we spread today?
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
life
Surah 102
1.The mutual rivalry for piling up things diverts you
2.Until you visit the graves
3. No, you shall soon know
4. Again, you shall know!
5. Nay, were you to know with certainty of mind
6. You shall certainly see hellfire!
7. Again, you shall see it with certainty of sight
8. Then shall you be questioned that day about the indulgence.
The approval of others, success, the desire for achievement, these become our goals so that we forget ourselves. We get caught up in accumulating approval, success, achievements etc and we can feel lost without these goals. But our life here on earth is short. Our fast paced life, from birth to death is like a falling raindrop. It is too late to realize what is important when it is almost over. "Things" can never satisfy our soul. Such hunger can only be satisfied by spirituality.
In order to live in such a way that regrets are minimal, it is important to create balance. We need to feed both our worldly needs and our spiritual needs.
Tao te ching
"The five colors blind the eye
The five tones deafen the ear
The five flavors overwhelm the palate
Fancy things get in the way of one's growth
Racing here and there,
hunting for this and that---
Good ways to madden your mind that's all
Relinquish what is without
Cultivate what is within
Live for your center, not your sences. "
1.The mutual rivalry for piling up things diverts you
2.Until you visit the graves
3. No, you shall soon know
4. Again, you shall know!
5. Nay, were you to know with certainty of mind
6. You shall certainly see hellfire!
7. Again, you shall see it with certainty of sight
8. Then shall you be questioned that day about the indulgence.
The approval of others, success, the desire for achievement, these become our goals so that we forget ourselves. We get caught up in accumulating approval, success, achievements etc and we can feel lost without these goals. But our life here on earth is short. Our fast paced life, from birth to death is like a falling raindrop. It is too late to realize what is important when it is almost over. "Things" can never satisfy our soul. Such hunger can only be satisfied by spirituality.
In order to live in such a way that regrets are minimal, it is important to create balance. We need to feed both our worldly needs and our spiritual needs.
Tao te ching
"The five colors blind the eye
The five tones deafen the ear
The five flavors overwhelm the palate
Fancy things get in the way of one's growth
Racing here and there,
hunting for this and that---
Good ways to madden your mind that's all
Relinquish what is without
Cultivate what is within
Live for your center, not your sences. "
Sunday, January 11, 2009
"The will of God Prevails"
Surah 105
In the name of God, Most compassionate, most merciful.
1. See you not how your Lord dealt with the Companions of the elephant?
2. Did he not make their treacherous plans go astray?
3. And he sent against them flights of birds
4. Striking them with stones of baked clay
5. Then did he make them like an empty field of stalks and straw (of which the corn) has been eaten up.
The Surah refers to an event around 570 CE when the Abysinnians tried to destroy the Kaba. Here the will of God prevents this from happening.
Today---with the ongoing conflict between Israel/Palestine --It is interesting to reflect on this verse along with the observations made by Abraham Lincoln during the American civil war.
"The will of God prevails. In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be, wrong. God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time. In the present civil war it is quite possible that God's purpose is something different from the purpose of either party---and yet, the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaptation to effect his purpose. I am almost ready to say this is probably true -- that God wills this contest, and wills that it shall not end yet. By his mere quiet power, on the minds of the now contestants, he could have either saved or destroyed the Union without a human contest. Yet the contest began, and having begun, he could give final victory to either side any day, yet the contest proceeds"
It seems to me that when the passionate desires for hate, revenge, power, and possession of territory are changed to the noble virtues of justice, compassion, mercy, recognition of our brotherhood and sharing our earth, then we will have learned the lesson that a better world will come about when we try to submit to God's will. For 60 years this contest has continued.
In the name of God, Most compassionate, most merciful.
1. See you not how your Lord dealt with the Companions of the elephant?
2. Did he not make their treacherous plans go astray?
3. And he sent against them flights of birds
4. Striking them with stones of baked clay
5. Then did he make them like an empty field of stalks and straw (of which the corn) has been eaten up.
The Surah refers to an event around 570 CE when the Abysinnians tried to destroy the Kaba. Here the will of God prevents this from happening.
Today---with the ongoing conflict between Israel/Palestine --It is interesting to reflect on this verse along with the observations made by Abraham Lincoln during the American civil war.
"The will of God prevails. In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be, wrong. God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time. In the present civil war it is quite possible that God's purpose is something different from the purpose of either party---and yet, the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaptation to effect his purpose. I am almost ready to say this is probably true -- that God wills this contest, and wills that it shall not end yet. By his mere quiet power, on the minds of the now contestants, he could have either saved or destroyed the Union without a human contest. Yet the contest began, and having begun, he could give final victory to either side any day, yet the contest proceeds"
It seems to me that when the passionate desires for hate, revenge, power, and possession of territory are changed to the noble virtues of justice, compassion, mercy, recognition of our brotherhood and sharing our earth, then we will have learned the lesson that a better world will come about when we try to submit to God's will. For 60 years this contest has continued.
Friday, January 9, 2009
God
Surah Ikhlas (112)
1. Say: He is God, The One
2. God, the eternal, absolute
3. He begets not, nor is he begotten
4. And there is none like unto him.
God is one, indivisible unique. God is the creator, all else is the created. God is independent of his creation but all creation is dependent on him.
God does not "need" or "want". God will exist regardless of what we do or do not do. So what is the purpose of Guidance?
Guidance is given to people because God is compassionate and merciful and gives us warning of Judgement day so that we can choose the path that is right and avoid the path that is wrong.
1. Say: He is God, The One
2. God, the eternal, absolute
3. He begets not, nor is he begotten
4. And there is none like unto him.
God is one, indivisible unique. God is the creator, all else is the created. God is independent of his creation but all creation is dependent on him.
God does not "need" or "want". God will exist regardless of what we do or do not do. So what is the purpose of Guidance?
Guidance is given to people because God is compassionate and merciful and gives us warning of Judgement day so that we can choose the path that is right and avoid the path that is wrong.
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