A COLLECTION OF SHORT REFLECTIONS

Twins in the Womb

Baby 1: Do you believe in Mother?
Baby 2: I have never seen her

Baby 1: Do you believe in life after delivery?
Baby 2: Life is over when you leave this womb

Allah's Messenger ﷺ said about a man who had passed away: "He has voyaged from this world and left it to its inhabitants. If he is of the blessed, then he will no more wish to return to it than any of you would wish to return to his mother's belly".

Notes

* "In Sufi symbolism, and indeed in Islam itself, … [we] are surrounded by the feminine in existence... God's Mercy (rahma - grammatically feminine) is said to "encompass all things." The word rahma, is etymologically related to the word raham, meaning "womb." Thus the Mercy of existence is itself symbolised as a kind of "divine womb" which embraces and sustains all being"

    - Maria Massi Dakake

Source: Waking Upon the Path of God Like Men (Essay)

The Master and the Drowning Woman

A Zen master and his student were journeying together when they heard a woman crying for help as she struggled against a strong current in the river. The master lifted her up and carried her across, setting her down before continuing on their way. The student was unsettled by the incident and hours later he finally asked, “Master, I am confused. Our teachings advise us to avoid physical contact with women, especially strangers?"

The master smiled and replied, “Would you have preferred that I let her drown? The student was silent as the master continued, “I put her down hours ago, why are you still carrying her?”

Commentary

* Rigid adherence to rules, without understanding their true spirit, can lead us away from the Truth.

Prison Allegory

Imagine a large prison facility, meticulously designed to make the inmates inside feel there is nothing outside its walls.

Gradually - through subtle drugging - a severe psychosis begins to take hold, convincing the prisoners that this place is the whole world. Some sense the suffocating nature of their existence and the shallowness of their lives. They recall the words of former inmates who spoke of an expansive life before confinement and a vast world beyond these walls. Yet, most dismissed them as madmen, unwilling to entertain the idea that their real home lies outside, where forgotten loved ones reside.

Only a few undertake the arduous task of digging tunnels within their prison cells to escape. This solitary endeavour is even more constricting and isolating than prison life itself, and many return to the false comforts of their confinement. Yet, those who persist in digging begin hearing faint voices on the outside which strengthen their belief. Occasionally, they are granted flashes of light which penetrate the gloom.

The majority must await their release date before they are confronted with the truth. Only a noble few manage to escape.

Commentary 

In this spiritual allegory, the prison represents the material world, the former inmates dismissed as madmen are the Divine Messengers, the tunnel that must be dug signifies the spiritual path, and the real world beyond signifies the spirit world. Additionally, our life before imprisonment is our existence in the divine realm before entering this world.

Is Islam a Form of Cultural Imperialism?

Muslim scholars say Islam is like a crystal clear river - pure water with no inherent colour, reflecting the bedrock beneath. When this river flowed to India, it looked Indian. In Africa, African. In China, Chinese. When it reached the Indonesian archipelago, it became distinctly Javanese. 

Islam did not impose Arabisation or a monolithic identity; rather, it adapted to and enriched diverse cultures, allowing them to flourish. This is evident in the soaring rise of Persian poetry after Islam, with figures like Rumi and Hafiz shaping mystical literature and becoming global icons. Similarly, the architectural marvels of the Mughal Empire, epitomised by the Taj Mahal or the intricate beauty of Andalusian art in Spain are examples of Islam fusing and galvanising local traditions.

Consider also the soul-stirring melodies of Qawwali, where classical Indian raags intertwine with deep Islamic themes, creating a music genre that is both spiritually profound and culturally rooted. Compare this to other forms of Indian music today, dominated by Bollywood which - as its name suggests - increasingly mirrors Hollywood and Western musical structures, reflecting a loss of indigenous artistic identity. Colonialism has slowly uprooted and replaced native traditions, cultural entertainment, languages, and even the attire of the people it has conquered.

The Islamic principle of ʿurf (custom) nurtures the flourishing of local traditions, provided they do not contradict sacred teachings. This principle was exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who famously permitted a group of Ethiopians to perform their traditional dance with spears and drums inside the sacred mosque of Medina, Islam's second holiest site. Despite objections from some of his companions, the Prophet ﷺ affirmed the validity of their cultural expression within the framework of the faith.

Dr. Timothy Winter, a frequent visitor to Bosnia, described an authentic European Islamic culture of great beauty and vibrancy —a harmonious fusion that directly countered the "clash of civilizations" narrative. Tragically, this living testament to coexistence and cultural synthesis became a target during the Bosnian genocide, as its very existence challenged divisive ideologies.

Islam emphasises monotheism (One God), not monoculture (one dominant culture). Today, monoculture poses a significant issue where the imposition of a single culture from Europe began spreading globally. This has lead to Westernisation and the erosion of diverse cultural norms, prioritising uniformity over enrichment and heritage.

Shakespeare’s Allegory

"All the world's a stage 

All the men and women merely players [actors]

They have their exits and their entrances..."

    - Shakespeare

Commentary: If the world is comparable to a stage in a theatre, then our body is comparable to a mask which gives us a temporary identity in the unfolding drama of existence. Most of us identify with our bodily rather than spiritual identity. The greatest human experience has always been described as the discovery of a higher identity which is beyond familial, national, racial and even religious affiliation. To quote Rumi:

"What is to be done, O Moslems? for I do not recognise myself. I am neither Christian, nor Jew, nor Gabr, nor Moslem. I am not of the East, nor of the West, nor of the land, nor of the sea."

    - Rumi (d. 1273)

We should clarify that it was only through their deep religiosity that these saints discovered their supreme identity which is beyond any religion. Religion is a vital vehicle to spiritual realisation - or Self-Realisation - but becomes a barrier when treated as the final destination. 

Notes

* The pre-existence of the soul before our birth in this world can be found in all of the spiritual traditions.

Love

True faith is believing that it is His love and mercy that saves us, not our worthiness or achievements. The Last Prophet (ﷺ) said:

"None will enter Paradise by their deeds alone." The companions asked, "Not even you, Messenger of God?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Not even me, unless God envelops me in His mercy." [Source: Sahih Muslim 2818]

In another instance, a man asked the Prophet (ﷺ), "When will the Hour be?" The Prophet (ﷺ) responded, "What have you prepared for it?" The man replied, "Nothing, except that I love God and His Messenger."The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You will be with those whom you love." [Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3688]

Anas رضي الله عنه, who narrated this Hadith, remarked, "We had never been so glad as we were on hearing those words: 'You will be with those whom you love.'”

Love always surpasses deeds, whether it be our love for Him or His love for us.

Notes

* It is more accurate to say that Paradise is a gift rather than something earned and this attitude is important because it avoids pride and fosters humility. Consider the following analogy: we have to pay for what belongs to others but what comes from our parents is freely ours through their love. In the same way, God grants us Paradise freely as a gift through His boundless love as the Father or we should say Originator (Fatir) of all beings. We acknowledge that God has a special love for those who have earned His pleasure, and this does not negate the universal nature of His love, just as ideal parents maintain love for all their children indiscriminately while naturally feeling additional warmth towards some of them. We also acknowledge that justice is a part of the Divine nature and those who caused suffering upon others or on themselves will face consequences. 

* Christianity also teaches that salvation is primarily achieved through Grace not personal effort. Similarly, many Buddhist and Zen masters, especially those within Pure Land Buddhism, emphasise that enlightenment and the Pure Land are ultimately attained through Tariki (power of the "Other”) rather than Jiriki ("self-power").

The Traveller (salik)

Ancient people believed that the inner world of man was infinitely more vast than the external world. True discovery, they believed, was only possible by exploring this internal landscape. Modern man is only interested in exploring the external landscape and it can be argued that as our knowledge of the outer world expands, the inner world contracts. 

“You have grasped what lies in the sky but never realised what dwells inside you” 

    - Bulleh Shah

“You consider yourself a small thing, but within you is contained the whole cosmos” 

    - ‘Ali

“You are not a drop in the ocean, you are the entire ocean in a drop” 

    - Rumi 

To be a traveller in the traditional sense required you to be still. This may seem contradictory but it was only through mindful stillness that sages were able to explore the seven heavens and discover that the “Kingdom of God is within you” (Jesus, Luke 17.21).

“[Farid Uddin] Attar traversed the seven cities of love (haft sher-i-ishq), we are still at the turning of one street” - Rumi

The seven cities of love correspond to the seven heavens in the Abrahamic faiths or the seven chakras in Hindu Yoga which are the seven levels of consciousness. Suffice it to say that the human being was universally understood to be a bridge or axis between the two realms.

Transcendence and Immanence 

God is above all things and within all things. To lose sight of either perspective is to go astray. Islam and Judaism are two religions that primarily describe Him to be above all things, more so than any other religion in order to make a clear distinction between Creator and creation. However, this can sometimes become so one-sided that it overlooks that He is also present within all things. 

Conversely, there are those who embrace the opposite extreme—an overemphasis on Divine nearness—which is a far greater error, as it leads to pantheism: the reduction of God to the natural world. While the Jewish and Muslim view of God may at times appear limited, it does avoid the pitfalls of heresy and paganism by steadfastly upholding a clear distinction between Creator and creation.

It is worth mentioning that the Native Americans were often accused by European settlers of nature-worship. It is true that they sensed a Sacred presence in all phenomena (particularly animals) but to accuse them of being nature-worshipping pagans is a gross misunderstanding of their spiritual worldview. The Lakota sage, Black Elk, articulates his peoples awareness of of the Divine with clarity;

“We should understand well that all things are the work of the Great Spirit [Wakan-Tanka]. We should know the Great Spirit is within all things… and even more important, we should understand that the Great Spirit is also above all these things and peoples.”

Atheism

An atheist once asked me, “How can you believe in God when there is so much suffering? Look at all the starving people in Africa!”

I pointed out the irony: Most Africans are believers. Yet here you are in Europe, comfortable and satiated, using other people's hardship to justify your unbelief.

If suffering truly disproved faith, the most afflicted would be atheists—but history shows the opposite.

It is interesting to note that in countries like Pakistan—and many others—atheism primarily emerges amongst English-speaking elites steeped in Western frameworks, rather than as an organic grassroots movement.

Let us recall that Europe was the first continent in history where atheism became the mainstream view, and it was also the first to undergo industrialisation on a grande scale. This is not a coincidence. Industrialisation seperated man from the natural world in a way that no other people had ever faced.

Atheism thrives in an artificial and unnatural ambiance. It is not a greater rationality but an increasing disconnect from the natural world that leads to atheism. An artificial environment produces artificial souls divorced from their sacred roots.

As Frithjof Schuon eloquently puts it:

"When people want to be rid of heaven, it is logical to start by creating an atmosphere in which spiritual things appear out of place; in order to declare successfully that God is unreal, they must construct a false reality, a reality that is inevitably inhuman because only the inhuman can exclude God."

[Source: Understanding Islam by Frithjof Schuon]

The Sufi master Ibn Arabi teaches that the natural world, like the Quran, is the speech of God. The Quran itself states that when God creates something, He simply says, "Be," and it is. Therefore, scripture and nature are forms of Divine speech. It is no coincidence that the Arabic word ayah refers to both Quranic verses and elements of nature—two books conveying the same message. To seperate oneself from either revelation is to go astray.

Leniency in the Latter Days 

Many faith traditions teach that people living in the end times will experience greater leniency when held accountable for their actions. In the New Testament, a parable illustrates this concept: workers hired late in the day were paid the same wages as those who arrived earlier and worked longer. This sparked complaints from the earlier labourers:

‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ - Matthew 20:12

Similarly, the Last Prophet ﷺ also emphasises this leniency shown to people living in latter days when speaking to this companions, 

"... if anyone of you [companions] neglects one-tenth of the Law, they will be ruined. However, a time will come when if anyone observes one-tenth of the Law, they will be saved."

(Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2267. Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani)

Notes

* "Blame yourself, not the age. Blame the age, not others" - Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad

Question: If Men Are Promised Maidens in Paradise, What Do Women Receive?

Answer: First, let us clarify that Islam is not the only religion that promises maidens and sensual delights in the afterlife. There is a story about the Buddha showing his half-brother Nanda a vision of Swarga—the lowest heaven in Hinduism and Buddhism—where he sees youthful maidens of surpassing beauty. The Buddha promises him 500 of them if he renounces worldly lust and embraces the spiritual path (See Nanda Sutta 3.2).

It is noteworthy that critics of the Islamic Paradise are always those influenced by Western Christian thought which often sees sexuality and spirituality as opposed to each other.

Now returning to the question: what do women receive? I will try to answer this on a basic level first.

The Prophet ﷺ described a marketplace in Paradise where the spirit may choose from a vast selection of bodily forms—male for men and female for women. These forms can be worn and changed like daily garments. While many interpret this marketplace as a kind of celestial wardrobe—a place to change one’s outward appearance—it may also mean that the spirit is no longer confined to a single identity or personality (the word personality comes from the Latin persona which means mask).  Within each of us lives a poet, artist, dancer, athlete, warrior, singer, scholar, saint, and more. In Paradise, the spirits infinite richness is given the opportunity to unfold and reveal itself in all its glory. 

There is a story from the Vedic tradition that is worth mentioning here. It is said that Krishna was able to multiply himself into countless distinct forms so that each of his 16,108 wives could experience his full presence at all times. This raises an intriguing question: could we not also multiply ourselves in Paradise, inhabiting many forms at once, so that each of our spouses and loved ones receives our undivided attention? While no direct Islamic source confirms this teaching, it remains a conceivable possibility, given that Paradise is believed to be free from all worldly limitations.

In such a reality—where appearances can be changed like garments, and where husband and wife are no longer bound to a single, fixed identity but may multiply themselves endlessly for one another—the question of houris becomes insignificant, perhaps even irrelevant.

The Limits of Dogma

‘Each religion is sufficient unto itself and contains all that is necessary for mans sanctification and salvation. Nevertheless, it remains limited by definition’1. ‘Every religion is a form - hence a limit - which contains the Limitless’2. Those who become aware of these limitations can ascend through the mystical dimension of the religion which opens unto the Limitless. Only here can we avoid the two extremes of a rigid fundamentalism and an unbridled relativism/liberalism.   

Notes

* Sufism embodies the mystical dimension of Islam, much like the Kabbalah in Judaism and the Vedanta in Hinduism.

References

 

1. Frithjof Schuon and The Perennial Philosophy by Harry Oldmeadow, Part II, The Transcendent Unity of Religions

2. Understanding Islam by Frithjof Schuon, published 1998, p174 

The Elephant and the Blind Men

Three blind men from Persia embark on a journey to India, eager to encounter an elephant, a creature their people have never known. The first one, feeling its sturdy leg exclaims, "It is like a great tree, strong and solid!"

The second, grasping the elephant's long trunk, declared, "No, it is like a snake, smooth and sinuous!"

The third, touching the tusk, insisted, "You are both mistaken; it is like a sharp spear, strong and pointed!" 

They all grow more convinced of their own truth as they journey back home, This parable emphasises how each person's viewpoint can be valid yet limited. It has also been employed as a religious allegory where the blind men represent the religions and the elephant represents God whose boundless nature cannot be restricted to any single viewpoint or formulation.

African Folktale

A man walked along a path between two villages, wearing a hat with one side red and the other blue. As he passed by, villagers on either side began to argue over its colour. 

Their debate grew heated, each side convinced they were right. Eventually, the man returned and lifted his hat, revealing its multi-colored design. The villagers fell silent, realising their error, as the man smiled and reminded them that opposite views can equally be right, even if they seem contradictory. 

This tale can be interpreted as a spiritual allegory emphasising respect for different religious points of view. 

Spiritual Reward v Spiritual Awakening

Question:

Why does Islam emphasise spiritual reward over spiritual enlightenment, as found in Hinduism and Buddhism?

Answer:

It is true that the average Muslim is more concerned with salvation and spiritual reward rather than mystical states of enlightenment, which often seem unattainable to ordinary individuals. The "reward-based" framework of Islam mirrors the Hindu and Buddhist concept of karma, where punya (merit) and papa (demerit) affect one's karmic balance and spiritual destiny.

While this approach may appear as a transactional motivation, it actually democratises spirituality, making it accessible to everyone.

It is important to clarify that Islamic mysticism (Irfan, Sufism) explores the attainment of mystical knowledge (ma'rifah) and spiritual unveilings (kashf) which do parallel the Buddhist and Hindu concepts of Enlightenment and spiritual Awakening. As a general truth:

"Spiritual awakening is salvation here-below.

Salvation is spiritual awakening Hereafter."

All religious scriptures agree that humanity in the latter days is spiritually weaker. Islam, as the last religion, lowers the bar — emphasising spiritual reward and punishment over abstract Enlightenment or Awakening. This is a form of divine expediency or concession, similar to the Buddhist concept of upaya (skilful means), where teachings adapt to humanity’s spiritual capacity at the time.

A similar shift occurs in Hinduism, where the direct path of self-inquiry (jnana yoga) becomes less attainable in the latter days (Kali Yuga). Consequently, bhakti yoga (devotion to the Lord) has grown in prominence, ensuring that spirituality remains accessible to the masses.

Notes:

1. According to a Hadith, there are seventy thousand veils between the Creator and creation (the Absolute and the relative), symbolising different degrees of spiritual unveiling that are possible. While absolute unveiling may seem unattainable in this life, partial unveilings (kashf) are possible and are not strictly reserved for saints and sages (awliya).

Prayer and Charity: The Inner and Outer Path

The Quran always mentions prayer and charity together. Serving God and serving others must co-exist.

Serving God usually involves detachment and solitude (i.e. prayer and meditation). Serving others requires active engagement in the world. A holistic approach involves balancing the two. It is imperative to reach out to others but equally vital to reach inward towards the Divine within. A life dedicated to charity should never overlook prayer, and vice versa.

Notes:

* The Blessed Messenger ﷺ said, "The solitary ones (mufarridun) are ahead of everybody". Somebody asked, "Who are the solitaries, Messenger of God?" He replied, "The men and women who remember God abundantly."

[Source: Muslim 2767]

Conversely, he ﷺ also said, “The most beloved people to God are those who are most beneficial to others… That I walk with a brother regarding a need [of his] is more beloved to me than that I seclude myself in this mosque of Medina for a month"

[Source: al-Muʻjam al-Awsaṭ 6/139]

* Obviously, God does not need our worship or service but we obviously need to establish a connection with Him for our sake.

Beyond the Walls

"Let us compare our situation here and now to that of a group of people who are confined to a single room in a great house... How do we describe to the people confined in one room to all that lies outside its four walls? Do we speak of other rooms, some incomparably more splendid? Do we describe the park with its trees and ornamental lake? Is it advisable to draw these people further into the unknown and tell them of stars and galaxies?... this story has no end. Such is the extent of the hereafter in comparison to the theatre in which our human experience unfolds"

    - Charles le Gai Eaton
Source: Islam and The Destiny of Man, page 223-4

Four Epochs

The religious traditions are unanimously opposed to the modern notion of "progress". The whole history of humanity comprises four ages from the traditional perspective:

1st. Golden Age

2nd. Silver Age

3rd. Bronze Age

4th. Iron Age 

The world-wide tradition of the Four Ages is most explicitly found in Western Antiquity, Vedic India, and Native America. Traditionalists believe the best is always behind us, so we have to constantly be on our guard if we are not to lose our hold on it. Reversing this almost universal notion of time, modern culture looks to the future; the best is out there, so we must constantly be evolving to reach it.

 

"Belief in “progress” has made it possible to ignore and even to despise the men and women who lived as Christians in the European Middle Ages... The fact is that most of us today are comparable to amnesiacs who remember nothing that happened a few years ago and.. cannot make any connection with it. Without a meaningful past, we do not know who we are, where we came from or where we are going."  

   - Charles le Gai Eaton

(Source: Remembering God: Reflections on Islam, page 7)

Notes 

"The oldest languages are the most complex and majestic... All languages in use today have devolved from more elaborate languages which they have simplified.. mutilated and corrupted"

    - The Eleventh Hour by Martin Lings

Lings challenges the evolutionary idea that human language evolved from the inarticulate sounds of animals. Devolution, not evolution, is a more accurate history of human language.

Having a Good Opinion (Husn al-Dhan)

“The hypocrite looks for faults (in people); the believer looks for excuses.” 
    - Imam al-Ghazali

“Make seventy excuses for them. If your hearts are unable to do this, then know that the fault is in your own selves.” 

    - Hamdun al Qassar

(Source: Imam Bayhaqi, Shu`ab al-Iman, 7.522)

Projection

One who sees ugliness in every person reveals more about themselves than about others; while one who constantly perceives beauty in others reflects their own goodness.

"The believer is a mirror to his brother"
    - Muhammad ﷺ

(Source: al-Adab al-Mufrad 239. Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Albani)

The Chosen One (al-Mustafa)

"He seemed... ageless, like an immortal. His eyes had lost nothing of their lustre, his black hair and beard had still the sheen of youth"

"... There was a light on his face - the same which had shone from his father, but in the son it was more powerful- and this light was especially apparent on his broad forehead, and in his eyes, which were remarkably luminous."

 "The first time I saw him I knew that this was not the face of a liar"

 

Notes

* First two quotes are from the book titled Muhammad ﷺ by Martin Lings. The last quote is the response from Abdullah ibn Salam, chief Rabbi in Medina, when he first saw the Chosen One ﷺ.

* "I counted no more than fourteen white hairs on the blessed head and beard of Allah's Messenger"ﷺ 

    - narrated by Anas ibn Malik  رضي الله عنه [The Prophet was over sixty at the time]

  

The Real (al-Haqq)

To call upon the Real in a dream
Is to awaken to truth supreme
With recollection, the heedless ascend,
From shallow slumber to a wakeful end.

Commentary: One who calls upon the Real in the midst of a dream will always find themselves awakened. So too in this more tenacious dream we call life, there is an awakening achieved by remembering Reality. With regular recollection, one may gradually rise from heedlessness to a profound wakefulness. The sanctified are described as fully conscious human beings. 

The Basement Allegory

Imagine a man who lived his entire life confined to his basement, unaware of the world above. His basement has a door that opens into a mazy underworld—a realm of struggle, evil, suffering, and only brief moments of companionship with those trapped in a similar fate.

At the back of his basement lies a hidden door, unnoticed and obscured by the accumulated clutter bought in from the underworld.

One day, disillusioned by the endless cycle of suffering, the man withdraws. For days, then months, he isolates himself from the chaos, retreating into the stillness of his basement. In this solitude, he begins to explore the basement’s hidden depths and finally discovers the secret door.

He opens it and finds a staircase that ascends into the light. As he climbs, he discovers a mansion of unimaginable beauty. Golden sunlight pours through grand windows. Youthful attendants, robed in radiant garments greet him with open smiles. The mansion is vast—each room a place of marvel and opulence. 

From the mansion’s windows, he gazes out over a landscape so breathtaking it leaves him speechless. Gardens stretch endlessly, ablaze with vibrant flowers and lush greenery. Rivers sparkle like liquid light, winding under a sun that bathes everything in warmth. Fruit-laden trees sway in a gentle breeze, their branches heavy with sweetness. 

As he rests in his new home, an attendant approaches with a gentle smile and says, "This mansion is but a glimpse of what lies ahead. In time, you will step into the vast gardens and cities beyond. For now, this house marks the boundary, as you still remain tethered to the world below. When you go back to that dark place, you may return here whenever you seek the light."

"Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you" 

    - Christ عليه السلام (Matthew 7.7)

"The Kingdom of God is within you" 

    - Christ عليه السلام (Luke 17.21)

Commentary:

The Underworld symbolises the worldly realm of trials and fleeting joys. The Mansion represents the heart’s inner sanctuary—a foretaste of Paradise accessible through seeking the divine—while the Gardens beyond signify the fullness of Paradise, attainable after death.

Modern Comforts 

The Catholic philosopher Gustave Thibon likened modern civilization to a train speeding towards an oblivion. With every mile, the air-conditioning is upgraded, seats grow softer, food services are added, and television are installed. The train provides every comfort—except an alarm bell. And even if there were one, who would ring it? The passenger has forgotten he is aboard a train, racing toward an inevitable abyss.”

The Intercession (shafa’a)

Hell fears the man of radiant light, Quaking as his presence enters sight;

His effulgence cuts through the scorching blaze, As mercy descends in luminous rays

A legion of faithful follow his lead, Rushing to all who in anguish plead.

Through infernos depths, his light will shine Raising the fallen to heights Divine.

Commentary

The Shafi ﷺ (The Intercessor) will enter the fire and intercede for the fallen with a host of his followers who have enough light to withstand the flames. Some venture deeper than others, according to the Hadith. All the intercessors will be honoured and revered like people who enter a house on fire to rescue those inside. Every Prophet intercedes for their respective nation but the Last Prophet intercedes for all of humanity because he is a mercy to all the worlds.

Pearls from the Seera

The Prophet’s wives asked who would be first to rejoin him in the next world, meaning which wife will be first to die after him? “She who has the longest reach” he replied. They set about measuring their arms in all seriousness. Sawdah was the winner of this contest, a large Ethiopian woman. Zaynab, on the other hand, was a small woman with a short reach. Yet it was Zaynab who died first of all, ten years after the Prophet ﷺ.

Only then did they realise what the Prophet was saying. "Longest reach" meant the most charitable because Zaynab was exceedingly generous and her title was Umm al-Masaakin - 'Mother of the Poor'".رضي الله عنهما

Notes

* Many commentators presume that Sawdah was the winner of the contest - though it is not recorded.

Reference

1. Muhammad by Martin Lings

Moses and The Simpleton - Rumi Story

One day, Moses encountered a simpleton who prayed, “O God, where are You, so that I may serve You—sew Your shoes, comb Your hair, wash Your clothes, and care for You.” 

Moses rebuked him, saying, “What blasphemy is this? Silence your tongue!” The simpleton, deeply hurt, tore his garment in sorrow and walked away, ashamed. 

Then, a revelation came to Moses from Heaven: “You have separated Me from one of My own. Did you come to unite or to divide? What seems wrong to you is right for him. What is poison to one is honey to another. I do not simply look at the words they speak but the humility of the heart. Those obsessed with propriety are one kind and those who burn with love are another. The way he talks is better than a hundred perfect words from others.” 

Moses returned to the simple man and apologised, revealing that his sweet blasphemy was true devotion. 

Reference

* https://www.reflectionisremedy.com/moses-and-the-shepherd-poem-by-shaykh-rumi/

The Cave of the Heart

God says in a Hadith Qudsi, 

“My heavens and my earth cannot contain me but the heart of my servant does contain me” 

The poet Rumi says,

“I looked in temples, churches and mosques but found the Divine within my heart”

Commentary: These type of quotes from Rumi can be taken out context to suggest that he and other Sufis were “spiritual but not religious”. It is worth clarifying that Rumi was actually an accomplished Muslim scholar and imam who taught Islamic sciences to hundreds of students at his madrasa in Konya. His mystical insights emerged precisely from this strong religious foundation as well as his encounter with the great wondering dervish, Shams-i-Tabriz. The same is true of all the other great Sufi masters.

Seeking Reality in Reflections

In a grand room, a King sits so bright,
Surrounded by mirrors, capturing His light.
Each mirror reveals a glimpse of His face,
Yet none can display His infinite grace.

This Sovereign is He, Mighty and True
We are small mirrors reflecting him too. 

Each creature a mirror, displaying His being, 

Yet none can capture the fullness of the King.

In a world of reflections, we yearn to find
The sole Reality, Unique and Divine.
In each piece of glass, there’s something we seek—
A glimpse of the One that makes our hearts speak.

Commentary

Sufism compares everything in existence to countless mirrors reflecting a single image or reality. We are all seeking this reality amongst reflections, only to find that it continuously evades us. In certain cases of extreme lust, one can observe a desire to grasp and possess something which can never be grasped and possessed. This inconsolable longing is to be explained by the fact that we are pursuing Reality among reflections. 

“Every image is you, yet I am still homesick for you” - Rumi

"... Wheresoever you turn, there is the face of Allah" - Quran 2:115

Imam al-Ghazālī teaches that when people love others, they are actually loving God. What is truly loveable in others is the Divine reflection within them. Ghazālī and Ibn-Arabi also conclude that when God loves a human being, He is actually loving Himself. In the well-polished mirror, God contemplates Himself, thereby fulfilling the goal of creation. 

In the perspective of Fakhruddin ‘Iraqi, love of forms is defined as “apparent love” (‘ishq-i-majazi), but must end with the love of God, which alone is “real love” (ishq-i-haqiqi).

Cultural Homogenisation 

In the beginning, there exists a rich diversity of cultures. In the end-times, you will see that all nations and cultures have become as alike as peas in a pod.

"The monoculture annihilates difference for fear that the other might show it what it truly is" 

    - Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad (Source: Contentions)

References

1. The Richest Vein: Eastern Tradition and Modern Thought by Charles le Gai Eaton

We Reap What We Sow

“This world is the seedbed for the Otherworld.” We reap what we sow and none can escape the consequences of their accumulated actions. Every religion teaches that we will be held accountable for our actions, whether we speak of karma, Doomsday or any other religious teaching. All agree that we are constantly acquiring karmic credit or debit and our balance will be revealed when we die. 

“On the Day when every soul… will be paid in full for what it earned and they will not be wronged.”
    - Quran 16.111

“The balance that day will be true: those whose scale (of good) is heavy will prosper.”

    - Quran 7.8

“Due to performing, accumulating, heaping up, and amassing those deeds, when his body broke up, after death, he was reborn in a goodly place, a heavenly realm”

    - The Buddha (Source: Digha Nikaya 16)

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal...”

    - Jesus  (Source: Matthew 6.19-20)

Tradition with a Capital ‘T’

"Tradition speaks to each man the language he can comprehend, provided he wishes to listen... [it] can never "become bankrupt"; rather it is of the bankruptcy of man that one should speak, for it is he that has lost all intuition of the supernatural”

    - Frithjof Schuon [Source: Play of Masks, No Initiative Without Truth, 77]

Notes

* The traditionalists - also known as the perennialists - believe that Islam was the last manifestation of the primordial Tradition, within the framework of Semitic monotheism. 

A Spiritual Guide

"He who travels without a guide will take two-hundred years for a two-day journey" – Rumi

“It is much rather from a master than from any book that wisdom can be learned... Every cultured Indian unaffected by modern European influence would agree wholly.” 

    – Ananda Coomaraswamy (d. 1947)

Modern education encourages us to "think for ourself", to be proud of our opinions and challenge authority. 

"Perhaps the greatest thing I have learned is to never 'think for myself'... Took me three years to get a Harvard education. Took me ten years to get rid of it"

    - Ananda Coomaraswamy

The Secret (As-Sirr)

The highest truth—or rather, the deepest truth—is never explicitly stated in religious texts but is veiled within them, hidden beneath layers of meaning. It is likewise buried within the human heart, residing in the innermost depths of consciousness. Those who uncover these higher mysteries are warned against revealing them openly, for doing so may lead to confusion and outrage amongst the unprepared masses.

Jesus عليه السلام cautioned his disciples:

"Do not cast pearls before swine, nor give what is holy to dogs, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”

—[Matthew 7:6]

Yet, throughout history, some mystics have felt compelled to share these truths publicly despite their consequences. This sentiment is captured in a statement from a famous Sufi;

"You have not reached the [highest] truth until a hundred honest people have called you a heretic."

This paradoxical assertion underscores how the most profound spiritual insights often appear as heretical to conventional understanding. In Sufism, this highest truth is known as as-sirr (the secret), a reality that must be safeguarded from those who lack the spiritual readiness to comprehend it.

The Prophet’s companion, Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه, once said:

"I memorised two types of knowledge from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I have revealed one of them to you, but if I revealed the other, you would cut my throat." —[Sahih al-Bukhari, 120]

This hadith highlights the distinction between general religious teachings, accessible to all, and the deeper, esoteric knowledge reserved for those who have attained sufficient spiritual maturity. To expose these higher truths to the masses would not only invite accusations of blasphemy but could also result in harm—both to the one who speaks and to those who hear.

Notes

* The death of Mansur al-Hallaj is a tragic reminder that the 'higher mysteries' can never be divulged to all.

The Hidden Treasure

"Just as people walk over the ground, unaware of the golden treasure beneath their feet, so do all these creatures, live with God and yet find it not"
    - Chandogya Upanishad 8.3.2

Imagine a person living in a small, gloomy house, unaware that it holds a hidden door to unimaginable treasures. Unable to stay home for long, he spends most of his time outside, bringing in clutter that only further obscures the door.

"Stop searching here and there, the jewels are inside you"
    - Rumi

There is a famous story of Mullah Nasruddin, the "wise fool," who was seen searching intently on the street. A passerby asked, "What are you looking for, Mullah?" "My key," Nasruddin replied. The man joined him, but after a while, he asked, "Are you sure you lost it here?" "No," said Nasruddin, "I dropped it in my house." Puzzled, the man asked, "Then why are you looking out here?" Nasruddin replied, "Because the light is better here."

The story is a meditation on how we often search in the visible world for what has always been within. The streetlight outside symbolises the visible world—bright and easier to navigate for the senses. Just as Nasruddin should be searching inside his own dwelling, we, too, must turn inward to find Truth.

Rabia Story

There is a famous story from the life of the female saint, Rabia al Adawiyya. On a vibrant spring day, she sat quietly in her dark room, chanting the Supreme Name. A member of her house urged her to come outside and witness the glory of God's creation as a breath-taking display of flowers bloomed in the garden. Rabia replied, “Why not come inside here and discover The Creator Himself? Through her detachment and devotion, Rabia had arrived at the centre of her being, (the centre of consciousness) which is the point of intersection between this world and the Otherworld. Described by some as a garden from the celestial Gardens producing blooms more captivating than any flowers outside. 

"Without going out of the door, one can know the [true] world; without peering through the window, one can see the Heavenly Tao." 

    - Lao Tzu

Notes

* "We are closer to him [man] than his jugular vein"

     - Quran 50.16

Consciousness

The following is a conversation inspired by an actual dialogue somebody had with Ramana Maharshi.

Student: Is paradise a physical place above this world? 

Teacher: What if I told you it exists within the mind? What would you say?

Student: I would say it is not a real place.

Teacher: What if I told you that this world you are experiencing now exists within the mind and is comparable to a dream. This world and the heavenly worlds exist within our consciousness. Each world corresponds to different levels of awakening within consciousness [different degrees of reality].

“Man is asleep, and when he dies, he awakens.’

    - Muhammad ﷺ

‘The Kingdom of God is within you.’

    - Jesus Christ  عليه السلام

Notes

We exist in the mind of God, metaphorically speaking.  The outside world does not exist outside of consciousness and is comparable to a dream. This also applies to the celestial and infernal realms. Such teachings are explored fully in Buddhism, Hinduism and even in many sci-fi films like The Matrix. 

Involution Not Evolution

Consciousness creates the world, not vice versa

Involution not evolution. 

Top-down not bottom-up. 

This is the traditional worldview.

 “Man is asleep, and when he dies, he awakens.’

    - Muhammad ﷺ

Shaykh ad-Darqawi

Things are hidden in their opposites,

Greatness in humility,

Life in death,

Gain in loss,

Freedom in service.  

Give and you receive.  

Prostrate and you shall rise;

Surrender and attain victory.

Be still and traverse the heavens.

For things are hidden in their opposites;

It cannot be otherwise.

Sapiential Knowledge

The more the mind expands with information, the further it moves away from enlightenment because Truth lies at the centre of the mind. External knowledge is only truly beneficial when it compels the mind to turn away from the world and look within itself, rather than endlessly expanding outwardly in pursuit of more information.

The centre of consciousness is where truth resides, and spiritual sages have long taught that truth is attained through mindfulness, meditation, and other practices of inner contemplation but never through rationality, information, or debate.

Supreme knowledge is the direct experience of Truth buried within us. Plato calls this supra-rational knowledge "gnosis," known as "jnana" in Sanskrit and "ma’rifah" in Arabic. Knowledge that liberates,

"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free."

    - Christ عليه السلام (John 8:32)

Notes 

1. "The striving of the mind is in itself powerless if Divine Grace does not exercise its pull upon it: 'If God, who is in the mind, does not draw the [...] mind inwards by the might of His Grace who can attain Peace by diving into the Heart, by the mere power of his own mind, which is treacherous?"

[Source: Surrender to the Self, Ramana Maharshi's Message for the Present, by Patrick Laude]

 

References

* "The more the mind expands, the farther it goes and renders Self-Realisation more difficult and complicated."
[Source: Talks with Ramana Maharshi, Talk 427]

Religion is a Vehicle, Not the Destination

Those who join a particular religion and believe they have arrived at ultimate Truth are mistaken. Religion is a vital vessel but it is not the destination. Each of these vessels should be regarded with respect as gifts from Heaven that takes us home. 

In India, many people transitioned from Hinduism to Islam over the centuries, symbolically represented as stepping off an older ship to a newer one. We can imagine that some must have called out to their departing companions, “Have you know faith in this vessel?” An appropriate response might have been, “Indeed, we honour it as the mothership which carried countless of our ancestors to the distant shore. Yet, we cannot ignore this new vessel that beckons people from every nation. Constructed by the same skilled hands that created our mothership but different in form. We are informed that it is the last ship to be sent before the end; specially crafted to withstand the harsh conditions of the eleventh hour.”

Notes

* Those who are “spiritual but not religious” resemble those who believe they can wade through the turbulent waters and reach the far shore without a vessel. Such an endeavour is highly unlikely to be successful, even if we acknowledge that all things are possible with God.

* The eleventh hour is known in Hinduism as the Kali-Yuga, the final phase before the dissolution of the world (pralaya) where all living energies return unto the Source (Brahman). Known in the Islam as the Day of Gathering,

Frozen Fragments

The relationship between God and His creation—the Absolute and the relative—can be likened to the ocean and the ice fragments on its surface. Ice solidifies and divides the ocean's surface into forms creating a temporary illusion of seperation and multiplicity. However, these fragments are not entirely different from the ocean, and when the ice melts, it returns to its source. The true identity of the ice is water, and this is why the Sufis say, "To know oneself is to know the Lord." To know one’s essence is to know the Divine substance hidden within all phenomena. The saint (wali) is one who perceives the Divine in all things, having first discovered it within himself.

"I never looked upon anything without seeing God within it."

— Imam 'Ali رضي الله عنه

"Wherever you turn, there is the face of God."

— Quran 2:115

"There is [actually] nothing in existence but Him."

— Imam al-Ghazali

He is Alone, without partner.

No god but God.

No reality but the Reality.

No self but the Self.

La ilaha ill'Allah.

Notes:

1. The more water a frozen fragment contains, the greater its share in being. God is most present in the human being and least present in plants and inanimate forms of nature. 

2. The water trapped within the ice fragments symbolises our earthly state. As the ice melts and merges back into the ocean, it can either become a bubble within the vast expanse, representing a heavenly state, or it can merge fully with the ocean, symbolising the unitive state—known as Nirvana in Buddhism or Moksha in Hinduism. To go deeper is to go higher as depth implies height in this allegory.

3. It is true and necessary to say that the ocean and the ice fragments are two separate entities. However, a deeper understanding reveals that they are also one. Separation is a necessary stage before any higher understanding of convergence. To quote the Maharshi,

"Brahman is real, the world is illusion"
[Separation]
"Brahman is the world"
[Convergence]