Wisdom from Islam

While I am not a Muslim, I have incorporated many of Islam's tools to use for peace generation within myself and others. Psychologist William James once said, "A great many people believe they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices." Much wisdom for 'living right' irrespective of religious beliefs are available to us from the world religions and spiritual paths if we are open and non prejudicial in our thinking. As James Allen wrote in As a man Thinketh:

"To think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all - such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor."

James Allen's words do not mean we have to not be concerned with danger to our well being by another, but, it also reminds us we will never be at peace by fostering hatred for another. The problem with the wisdom that the worlds spiritual paths is that it is not the wisdom that is defective. the problem lies with religious practitioners who are defective in their practice of this wisdom. The wisdom works - we don't work the wisdom.

As one Gnostic critic replied to a post I submitted on the Golden Rule as mentioned in the New Testament, he wrote: ... looking at history shows us that the Golden Rule hasn't made Christians especially peaceful..."

V writes:

Yes, this is true that many Christians do not practice what they preach. But this phenomena is not limited to the Christians. It just proves the point that 'knowledge without application is useless' and this applies to every religion known to mankind. Each religion contains perfection's as well as imperfections. It is up to the practitioner or end user to use the tools in the right way. This also confirms the 'eightfold path of Buddhism' that reminds us of the right and wrong ways to peace.

1. Right View
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

I find a useful tool to avoid prejudice is to apply the 'law of opposites' to any questions I have. For instance, if the choice is 'thoughts of goodwill' towards another or 'thoughts oh hatred' - which thoughts will produce inner peace within me and which thoughts would destroy my peace? Always apply the opposite direction or path to the one in question to see the entire picture. Sounds simplistic? Yet how few of us do it and continue on the path of peace destruction when all it takes is that first step in the 'opposite' direction of the path we have been headed down for so long. There are many other tools that we can apply to seek universal truth. I discussed this in an earlier post "Deciphering Scriptures"

The Muslims have a practice of praying five times a day to Allah. For those that do not know, Allah is the same God of the Jews and of the Old Testament that the Christians worship. The Muslims pray at sun up, when the sun is at its zenith at noon, when the sun is part way down in the afternoon, when the sun sets and when they go to bed. Even though I am a Christian / Buddhist and not a Muslim, I borrowed from the Muslim's prayer schedule to use as a reminder for an informal pray schedule and a 5 times a day mindfulness bell to bring my thoughts back to the present moment and practice gratitude.

What did the Gnostic citric have to say about the preceding 'borrowing' of Islam's prayer schedule to use a reminder for gratitude or to guide us in prayer?

Gnostic critic writes: "...or you can tell the universe to go f... itself for all the evil it does to us all."

V writes:

Well, by applying the law of opposites, I prefer to develop peace within by practicing gratitude instead of ingratitude, but I give you the right as well as the freedom to practice as you please my friend. Accepting others right to exist and subscribing to the policy of 'live and let live' has helped me out with rage sickness. Rage stems from control. relinquish control and you can let go of rage. When we spend our time trying to change others it is a signpost of our own disease. This especially goes for trying to change the universe. Accepting what is beyond our control is the way to peace. It is a common fault with humans that they look for an enemy to blame their problems on as the Gnostic critic does. We must always remember that all problems are created in the mind and our problems are individual as well. Sometimes there is someone to blame for these problems which is usually us. Other times it is just how things are and no one is to blame. When you stop looking for an enemy to blame for your problems on you have made a big breakthrough with finding acceptance and peace. The universe does not discriminate against us...we do the discriminating.


Here are the guidelines for living a life as written in the Qur'an. See if anything is of use to you.

1. Respect and honour all human beings irrespective of their religion,
colour, race, sex, language, status, property, birth, profession/job
and so on [Qur'an17/70]

2. Talk straight, to the point, without any ambiguity or deception
[Qur'an33/70]

3. Choose best words to speak and say them in the best possible way
[Qur'an17/53, 2/83]

4. Do not shout. Speak politely keeping your voice low. [Qur'an31/19]

5. Always speak the truth. Shun words that are deceitful and
ostentatious [Qur'an22/30]

6. Do not confound truth with falsehood [Qur'an2/42]

7. Say with your mouth what is in your heart [Qur'an3/167]

8. Speak in a civilised manner in a language that is recognised by the
society and is commonly used [Qur'an4/5]

9. When you voice an opinion, be just, even if it is against a
relative [Qur'an6/152]

10. Do not be a bragging boaster [Qur'an31/18]

11. Do not talk, listen or do anything vain [Qur'an23/3, 28/55]

12. Do not participate in any paltry. If you pass near a futile play,
then pass by with dignity [Qur'an25/72]

13. Do not verge upon any immodesty or lewdness whether surreptitious
or overt [Qur'an6/151]

14. If, unintentionally, any misconduct occurs by you, then correct
yourself expeditiously [Qur'an3/134]

15. Do not be contemptuous or arrogant with people [Qur'an31/18]

16. Do not walk haughtily or with conceit [Qur'an17/37, 31/18]

17. Be moderate in thy pace [Qur'an31/19]

18. Walk with humility and sedateness [Qur'an25/63]

19. Keep your gazes lowered devoid of any lecherous leers and
salacious stares [Qur'an24/30-31, 40/19]

20. If you do not have complete knowledge about anything, it is better
to keep silent. You might think that speaking about something without
full knowledge is a trivial matter. But it might have grave
consequences
[Qur'an24/15-16]

21. When you hear something malicious about someone, keep a favourable
view about him/her until you attain full knowledge about the matter.
Consider others innocent until they are proven guilty with solid and
truthful evidence [Qur'an24/12-13]

22. Ascertain the truth of any news, lest you smite someone in
ignorance and afterwards repent of what you did [Qur'an49/6]

23. Do not follow blindly any information of which you have no direct
knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception) you
must verify it for yourself. In the Court of your Lord, you will be
held
accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty of reasoning
[Qur'an17/36]

24. Never think that you have reached the final stage of knowledge and
nobody knows more than yourself. Remember! Above everyone endowed with
knowledge is another endowed with more knowledge [Qur'an12/76]. Even
the Prophet [p.b.u.h] was asked to keep praying, "O My sustainer!
Advance
me in knowledge." [Qur'an20:114]

25. The believers are but a single Brotherhood. Live like members of
one family, brothers and sisters unto one another [Qur'an49/10]

26. Do not make mockery of others or ridicule others [Qur'an49/11]

27. Do not defame others [Qur'an49/11]

28. Do not insult others by nicknames [Qur'an49/11]

29. Avoid suspicion and guesswork. Suspicion and guesswork might
deplete your communal energy [Qur'an49/12]

30. Spy not upon one another [Qur'an49/12]

31. Do not backbite one another [Qur'an49/12]

32. When you meet each other, offer good wishes and blessings for
safety. One who conveys to you a message of safety and security and
also when a courteous greeting is offered to you, meet it with a
greeting
still more courteous or (at least) of equal courtesy [Qur'an4/86]

33. When you enter your own home or the home of somebody else,
compliment the inmates [Qur'an24/61]

34. Do not enter houses other than your own until you have sought
permission; and then greet the inmates and wish them a life of
blessing,purity and pleasure [Qur'an24/27]

35. Treat kindly: Your parents; Relatives; The orphans; And those who
have been left alone in the society [Qur'an4/36]

36. Take care of: The needy, The disabled, Those whose hard earned
income is insufficient to meet their needs; And those whose
businesses have stalled ; And those who have lost their jobs.
[Qur'an4/36]

37. Treat kindly: Your related neighbours, and unrelated neighbours;
Companions by your side in public gatherings, or public
transportation.[Qur'an4/36]

38. Be generous to the needy wayfarer, the homeless son of the
street,and the one who reaches you in a destitute condition
[Qur'an4/36]

39. Be nice to people who work under your care. [Qur'an4/36]

40. Do not follow up what you have given to others to afflict them
with reminders of your generosity [Qur'an2/262]

41. Do not expect a return for your good behaviour, not even thanks
[Qur'an76/9]

42. Cooperate with one another in good deeds and do not cooperate with
others in evil and bad matters [Qur'an5/2]

43. Do no try to impress people on account of self-proclaimed virtues
[Qur'an53/32]

44. You should enjoin right conduct on others but mend your own ways
first. Actions speak louder than words. You must first practice good
deeds yourself, then preach [Qur'an2/44]

45. Correct yourself and your families first [before trying to correct
others] [Qur'an66/6]

46. Pardon gracefully if anyone among you who commits a bad deed out
of ignorance, and then repents and amends [Qur'an6/54, 3/134]

47. Divert and sublimate your anger and potentially virulent emotions
to creative energy, and become a source of tranquillity and comfort to
people [Qur'an3/134]

48. Call people to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful
exhortation. Reason with them most decently [Qur'an16/125]

49. Leave to themselves those who do not give any importance to the
Divine code and have adopted and consider it as mere play and
amusement [Qur'an6/70]

50. Sit not in the company of those who ridicule Divine Law unless
they engage in some other conversation [Qur'an4/140]

51. Do not be jealous of those who are blessed [Qur'an4/54]

52. In your collective life, make rooms for others [Qur'an58/11]

53. When invited to dine, Go at the appointed time. Do not arrive too
early to wait for the preparation of meal or linger after eating to
engage in bootless babble. Such things may cause inconvenience to the
host [Qur'an33/53]

54. Eat and drink [what is lawful] in moderation [Qur'an7/31]

55. Do not squander your wealth senselessly [Qur'an17/26]

56. Fulfil your promises and commitments [Qur'an17/34]

57. Keep yourself clean, pure [Qur'an9/108, 4/43, 5/6]

58. Dress-up in agreeable attire and adorn yourself with exquisite
character from inside out [Qur'an7/26]

59. Seek your provision only by fair endeavour [Qur'an29/17, 2/188]

60. Do not devour the wealth and property of others unjustly, nor
bribe the officials or the judges to deprive others of their
possessions
[Qur'an2/188]



Take Care,



V (Male)

A Christian-Buddhist practitioner living a life of Voluntary Simplicity and grateful recovering Debtor, Drug and Substance Abuser, Compulsive Overeater, Clutterer, Rageaholic, Speculative Gambler, Compulsive Spender, Sex and Sensation Addict.