Sukihotu
My business has brought me to get to know some new Muslim friends. We had our business discussion but it didn't take long for us to take notice of each other's knowledge in our religion respectively. One of my Muslim friend is Wan who was quick to passed me a book about Islam. "Living in the Shade of Islam" written by Ismail Buyukcelebi.
I've already read a couple of chapter and I must admit, this book was well written. The author knows his subject well and have presented in a simple way that it is fit for beginners and people like me who are curious about this widely accepted religion, Islam.
Here kindly allow me share a page of this book.
Humanity
The quality of being human comes from our immaterial and spiritual aspects, not from our natural and material aspect. The spirit and intellect do not originate in the physical body: rather, the spirit uses the body, and only life gives the body any meaning.
A fruit tree's furure life is encapsulated in its roots. And a tree is worth only as much value of the fruit it yields. In the same way, each person's history is recorded and is of value only in proportion to the number of good deeds done and the level of virtue attained. Again, just as a tree increases by mean of the seeds in its fruit, we prosper by our good deeds, the weight and consequence of which one day will be revealed to us.
We have three principal drives: desire, anger, and intellect. We desire or lust after opposite sex, and love our children and worldly possessions. We direct our anger at what stands in our way, and by using it can defend ourselves. Our intellect enable us to make the right decisions.
The Creator does not restrain these drive, but rather requires us to seek perfection through self discipline so that we do not misuse them. If they remain un-disciplined, immorality, illicit sexual relationship, and prohibited livelihoods, tyranny, injustice, deception, falsehood, and other vices will appear in individuals and through-out society. In addition, humanity could not help but ask these vital questions since its appearance on Earth: Who am I? Where do I come from? What is my final destination? What does death demand from me? Who is my guide on this journey; beginning from day and passing through the stage of a sperm-drop, a blood-clot, and a lump of flash, another creation where the spirit is breathed into my body and finally reaching the grave and through there to the Hereafter?
It is all of these questions that the essential problem of human life lies, and our individual and collective happiness requires being able to give the correct answer to the vital question mentioned, as well as in disciplining our faculties so that we may produce a harmonious peaceful individual and social life. Since it s not possible for the human intellect to totally comprehend where true human happiness lies in both this world and the next, humanity needs a universal intellect, a guidance from beyond human reason and experience, to whose authority all may assent freely. That guidance is the religion revealed and perfected by God through His Prophets.
In the spirit of the Kalama Sutta, we shall respect other people's religion. We should give due value to those who have found peace and harmony in his own religion. I think it'll bring benefit to me if I learn more of other people's faith. I'll continue to read this book and I'm sure there is a lot I can learn. It would definitely be an eye opener for me and will bond my friendship with my Muslim friends even closer.
Mettacittena
26th Jan 2011
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