Tag Archives: Islam

A book of faith…

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I was so happy to see the Quran displayed for people to look through at The Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding, not because it is the Quran per say but because of the fact that I believe religions in general have been misunderstood. We make of them what we want, we look at them from different perspectives, and rigidity in such is what brings much complications. But how the Quran were displayed was a welcoming way to retell us what it really is; a book of faith, that its goal is not to divide but to unite, is not to differentiate and separate but to guide us to love and accept. Just because I am Muslim and I choose to read the Quran, it does not make me any less of a Christian or a Buddhist. They all call for one God and for one Love. If I choose to go with one it should not mean I have abandoned the other, I instead chose to respect them all and accept them all. I am not deviant if I choose to read the Bible or visit the Synagogue. I believe they are all books of faiths and homes to connect with the higher power. All temples that are respected and that we feel we can spiritually connect with should not be or seen otherwise. Or thats just me. But thats how I feel when I see books that call for faith. I see love. And when we try to facilitate them to encourage us to love, then they suddenly shine upon the world.

What Prayers Look Like During Ramadan

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I found this beautiful photograph on Instagram yesterday that I could not take my eyes off. Beautiful. It sure is, as much as prayers in Ramadan is. Serene. Full of color. From the prayer mat to what people are covered up with; to perform their prayers. Their spirits rise above to meet in unity, diverting their hearts and thoughts towards a meditative state of mutual connection towards the Divine. A prayer performed to remember what we are grateful for, to remember there is something much bigger than all of us, all of this and all of that, to remember that we are not alone but gifted, given, surrounded by miracles. Prayers; no matter how they are performed, no matter by whom they are performed, where or when, resemble the same beautiful purpose to express ones presence, gratitude, a beautiful way to express mutual humility and to remember always to take part in the unity of humanity.

Ramadan is a holly month that unites Muslims all around the world to submit their souls in the name of spirituality. They fast, practice their prayers, contribute as much as they can to charity and to their communities, it is a month to unite the people together to remember that we are all here, alive, today, through a common source. To practice not only what is good, but what can be better, to spread love, and peace, to ask for forgiveness and new chances, to start over again, to help people start over again. It is a month of unity, and it is a month of remembrance, a month for-giving.

To a world of today that is thirsty for our unity and love.

Photograph by Yassine Ismail, Morroco, found on EmergEast Instagram account.

Also tagged onto the Pleasure Daily post by wordpress.

muslim, prayer, ramadan, colors

From my readings |On Forgiveness | 03.12.2015

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We sometimes can not imagine forgiving someone for the pain they have caused us, but the more we think about it, the more it pains us, and we can not let go. Even when we do let go, if the name of that person arises it forms bitterness in our hearts, if we cross paths with that person in coincidence, it aches and breaks our thoughts and feelings into rot. So why should we forgive someone or something for being so painful to us? Would you forgive it if you knew that, it really is the only solution to your pain?

Forgiveness really is the cure, it is your only medicine, and there is a reason for that. A cut will only burn you until it heals, and it heals because your body forgives you for the cut. For putting yourself in places where it can hurt itself. We learn by experiencing, by going through with the pain. But not wanting to forgive is self harshness. Because you are the only one capable to forgive yourself first, and then forgiving the cause.

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ ۗ وَإِنَّ السَّاعَةَ لَآتِيَةٌ ۖ فَاصْفَحِ الصَّفْحَ الْجَمِيلَ [Al-Hijr : 85] And We have not created the heavens and earth and that between them except in truth. And indeed, the Hour is coming; so forgive with gracious forgiveness.

Where do I put my faith? Do I put my faith in something loveless that someone did to me, or in the eternal love that lies beyond & corrects all things? To the extent that I withdraw my attachment to what you did, I will no longer be affected by what you did. I have decided to put my faith elsewhere. That is the miracle of forgiveness. [from my readings of: A year of miracles]

The beach and sea in Lebanon

From my Readings |Let your Heart be your Reflection| 01.12.2015

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I have read this verse from the Quran not so long ago, and it really struck me, and it stayed with me.

How beautiful it is written,

how beautiful it means.

From my understanding, the verse stuck with me in the sense of allowing myself to be a color reflection from the colors of the Divine. And what are the colors of the Divine, I then asked myself? How many colors can I wear to be a mirror of the Divine?

But as I continued living, I would remember this verse at different encountering, and I would see different colors to put on, to reflect the act that comes from and within the Divine in us.

‎صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً ۖ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ عَابِدُونَ [Al-Baqara : 138] (We take our) color from Divine (Allah), and who is better than Allah at coloring. We surrender to Him

We all face difficulties in our lives, and staying true to yourself is the best possible way to deal with everything you come across. Being true to yourself, is being true to your heart, and this is where the Divine in all of us reside. So be a reflection of God, surrender to your inner love, become you, the love that is within you.

The spirit within leads to joy, as it inspired me to see the love in everyone & the possibility of miracles that lie inherent in all things. The universe itself is the handwriting of God, as He constantly creates & re-creates the perfection that he is. Within that perfection I have my true being, and within my true being I am happy & at peace. [from the book: A Year of Miracles]

Become a Dervish, become free of everything and anything, surrender only to the color of Love, to the Divine, to the Divine in you, the reflection of everything else.

What does “Dervish” mean?

He is the heart of the world, because by means of his heart, the body attains to its true art.

If the heart is not there, how can the body speak? If the heart doesn’t seek, how can the body seek & search? The dervish that glows with the fire is the theater of the holy rays; and so the heart, not the body; is the theater of God.

All lesser hearts are like a body to the heart of the human being whose heart is complete, aligned with its original source. [from the book: the Rumi daybook]

Rumi, Serhat Atlığ

Photo by; Serhat Atlığ

A little bit more on the meaning of Beloved… و ما معنى العزيز ؟

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al-Aziz in Arabic stands for the Beloved, which also comes from and means strength, intensity, success, greatness, and to refrain. And it also comes from reinforcement which means to strengthen. And the Beloved comes from the Divine and so it is one of the names of God in Islam. And it is very rare to find, and the need for it only exceeds, and it is not so easy to reach to and feel connected to; and those three combined is what “Beloved” means. To take for example the Sun, there is nothing to be compared to the sun, the benefits of the sun is remarkable, and the need for the sun is severe, but it can not described as the Beloved, for it is not so hard to find. “From the 99 names of God in Islam”

العزيز: العز فى اللغة هو القوة والشدة والغلبة والرفعة و الأمتناع ، والتعزيز هو التقوية ، والعزيز اسم من أسماء الله الحسنى هو الخطير ،( الذى يقل وجود مثله . وتشتد الحاجة اليه . ويصعب الوصول اليه ) وإذا لم تجتمع هذه المعانى الثلاث لم يطلق عليه اسم العزيز ، كالشمس : لا نظير لها .. والنفع منها عظيم والحاجة شديدة اليها ولكن لا توصف بالعزة لأنه لا يصعب الوصول الي مشاهدتها . وفى قوله تعالى ( ولله العزة ولرسوله وللمؤمنين ولكن المنافقين لا يعلمون ) فالعزة هنا لله تحقيقا ، ولرسوله فضلا ، وللمؤمنين ببركة إيمانهم برسول الله عليه الصلاة والسلام

lovelocks at the castel saint angelo bridge river love forever

A little bit on Faith… معنى المؤمن من اسامي الله الحسنى

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Faith: To have faith means to be certain. And to have faith, is to be protected and feel at ease when you feel fear. And you gain Faith when you are a believer seeking for it. And Faith comes from the Divine, since believing is knowing the existence of something more powerful than our being. Faith is to feel protected even when threatened, it is to feel tranquil in your heart in whatever situation you are in. And feeling both fear and Faith are both feelings of instincts that are a source of connection with the Divine. It is a feeling for a reason, a reason to differentiate situations. “From the 99 names of God in Islam”

المؤمن: الإيمان فى اللغة هو التصديق ، ويقال آمنه من الأمان ضد الخوف ، والله يعطى الأمان لمن استجار به واستعان ، الله المؤمن الذى وحد نفسه بقوله ( شهد الله أنه لا اله إلا هو ) ، وهو الذى يؤمن أولياءه من عذابه ، ويؤمن عباده من ظلمه ، هو خالق الطمأنينة فى القلوب ، أن الله خالق أسباب الخوف وأسباب الأمان جميعا وكونه تعالى مخوفا لا يمنع كونه مؤمنا ، كما أن كونه مذلا لا يمنع كونه معزا ، فكذلك هو المؤمن المخوف ، إن إسم ( المؤمن ) قد جاء منسوبا الى الله تبارك وتعالى فى القرآن مرة واحدة فى سورة الحشر فى قوله تعالى ( هو الله الذى لا اله إلا هو الملك القدوس السلام المؤمن المهيمن العزيز الجبار المتكبر سبحان الله عما يشركون ) سورة الحش


An old house occupied by Israeli in Yafa Yafo Jaffa

What does PEACE stand for in Islam?

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We live to learn about the Divine in each one of us, here is one name of divinity to learn and expand within, during the month of Ramadan. Also explains how Peace is a core in the religion of Islam.

السلام: تقول اللغة هو الأمان والاطئنان ، والحصانة والسلامة ، ومادة السلام تدل على الخلاص والنجاة ، وأن القلب السليم هو الخالص من العيوب ، والسلم (بفتح السين أو كسرها ) هو المسالمة وعدم الحرب ، الله السلام لأنه ناشر السلام بين الأنام ، وهو مانح السلامة فى الدنيا والآخرة ، وهو المنزه ذو السلامة من جميع العيوب والنقائص لكماله فى ذاته وصفاته وأفعاله ، فكل سلامة معزوة اليه صادرة منه ، وهوالذى سلم الخلق من ظلمه ، وهوالمسلم على عباده فى الجنة ، وهو فى رأى بعض العلماء بمعنى القدوس . والأسلام هو عنوان دين الله الخاتم وهومشتق من مادة السلام الذى هو اسلام المرء نفسه لخالقها ، وعهد منه أن يكون فى حياته سلما ومسالما لمن يسالمه ، وتحية المسلمين بينهم هى ( السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته ) والرسول صلى الله عليه ةسلم يكثر من الدعوة الى السلام فيقول : السلام من الاسلام.. افشوا السلام تسلموا .. ثلاث من جمعهن فقد جمع الأيمان : الأنصاف مع نفسم ، وبذل السلام للعالم ، والأنفاق من الأقتار ( أى مع الحاجة ) .. افشوا السلام بينكم .. اللهم أنت السلام ، ومنك السلام ، واليك يعود السلام ،فحينا ربنا بالسلام.  من اسماء الله الحسنى

Peace: Is one of the names of God in Islam, and it means the feeling of being safe, tranquil, protected, and secured. And it also comes from salvation and survival. And a Peaceful heart has no defects or infections. And to be at Peace, is to be Peaceful and never fight. And God in Islam is Peace, for God spreads Peace between creatures, gives Peace in life and after. Peace is God, from God and to God. All Peace that comes within you and out of you is the source of the Divine in you, peace comes and is given from the Divine. And the religion of Islam comes from the word of Salam which means Peace in the Arabic language, which also means to free oneself from the self and into the Divine, and therefore to promise in life to only be Peaceful, spread Peace and make Peace. Muslims traditional greeting between one another is the saying “Translated from Arabic: Peace be upon you along with God’s mercy and blessings.” And the Prophet Mohammad PBUH promotes excessiveness in spreading Peace and he said: Peace “In Arabic: Salam” comes from Islam, spread Peace and you will be in Peace which also in has a second meaning: Spread Peace and you will be a Muslim “Since Islam & Salam are derived from one another.

مسد الاقصى المقدس - Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem، أسماء الله الحسنى ،God's 99 names in Islam

How is Islam a religion of Love?

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“The true Sufi is such that even when he is unjustly accused, attacked, and condemned from all sides, he patiently endures, uttering not a single bad word about any of his critics. A sufi never apportions blame. How can there be opponents or rivals or even “others” when there is no “Self” in the first place? How can there be anyone to blame when there is only one?”

The Sufi mystic & Islamic scholar Jalal ad-Din Rumi – Rule#30 from the book 40 Rules of love by Elif Shafak

And what is Sufism? It is a concept in Islam, defined by scholars as the inner, mystical, dimension of Islam. It is purely based on the tenets from Islam, and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The religion based on Peace and Love.

And what about terrorism? Terror exists, since Adam & Eve gave birth to their first two sons; “for those of you who know the story” and for those of you who don’t; Terror existed as soon as human beings became concerned about the “Self”. Religions, were sent to help us live in harmony, together, but humans who grew to become selfish, greedy and fall in trouble, tend to use anything to twist things and just put the blame on something. And what better than to blame religion?

Islam calls for love, for peace, for unity, for harmony, to leave judgments only to God, for us to be ethical, to have respect for one another, to work on building a pure heart… so how can it contradict itself and call for terror? Terrorism has been misused, misinterpreted, and labeled to Islam. But terrorism has no religion. And those who do it in the name of religion, are only ignorant’s trying to cover themselves up.

We were born in love, we were born with love, we were born for love. We shall die in love, we shall die spreading love, and we shall win with love. Don’t let the media mislead you, read, learn and lead yourself.

There are 11 fountains in Solothurn

If you keep breaking other people’s hearts, whatever religious duty you perform is no good.

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Nothing should stand between yourself and God. Not Imams, Priests, Rabis, or any other custodians of moral or religious leadership. Not spiritual masters, not even your faith. Believe in your values, and your rules, but never lord them over others. If you keep breaking other people’s hearts, whatever religious duty you perform is no good. Stay away from all sorts of idolatry, for they will blur your vision. Let God and only God be your guide. Learn the truth, my friend, but be careful not to make a fetish out of your truths.

The Sufi mystic & Islamic scholar Jalal ad-Din Rumi – Rule#32 from the book 40 Rules of love by Elif Shafak

Beautiful flowers

Motive of the day: Believe in the light of hope that exists in all of us even in the darkest nights, the light can be found.

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January 20 2015

Marry-go-round

We sometimes don’t know what is going to happen, we care when the situation is so dear to us. We sometimes look for things or people to blame, we sometimes wish the world would end, we sometimes begin to see the world turn from bright light to dark night. In each of us; the light of hope exists. To each of us; is the choice to lightening it up, even if it starts with a very light light. This hope is there for us to choose to use, but not to abuse. It is for us to learn how it works & how to let it shine bright. Nothing comes easily, and specially not the good things in life. Some of us were lucky enough to start a life full of bright light but it is only to those who are grateful that this light might stay all bright. But to the most of us that take it for granted, this light will for sure hide. Those of us who have never believed in the hope light in us then we begin to see life as a misery, and those who were aware of their lucky start to a bright light will be certain to find that light again. This is the jolly of being aware of your existing luck, existing good, existing light that has been taken for granted because it was given all along. And taking anything for granted will take away the joy of it. And what is it like to live like a king but not feel it? Or live in love but not appreciate it? Life is magical, because the light exists in all of us, we just have to be aware of it, use it while it is there shinning for us, and look for it once it goes hiding from us. Those who were born with no bright light are also lucky if they believe it exists and go in search of it, because once it is found they will grasp tight to it. The beauty of life is being present, aware, appreciating, giving, loving & defiantly being very grateful in both bright times & darkness. Embrace your life, your light and the magical power of faith.

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ حَتَّىٰ نَعْلَمَ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ مِنكُمْ وَالصَّابِرِينَ وَنَبْلُوَ أَخْبَارَكُمْ [Muhammad : 31]