To Earth Day
I will be Cycling 4 Palestine today sending prayers to call for Peace on Earth.
This photograph is from a collection exhibition called “Peace on Earth or Earth to Pieces” by Gerd Ludwig – How are you celebrating today?
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.
“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.
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
I don’t like to believe the media, or how it puts the news and try to deliver it. I don’t like to show the world that we can easily be followers, I don’t like to mix facts with what is difficult to prove. I believe no one in this world has the right to torture or take away the life of someone else. I believe ISIS are calling out for our attention, want us to share the video that was video tapped and shared by them, want us to circulate the horrific images between each other in their name to attract more attention and popularity for them. They want us to stop what we are doing, what ever it is, and give them our full attention, awareness, time and energy. They want us to sit and talk about them, what they are doing with a frown in our face and an energy below zero.
But then what? How will ISIS win? By us doing absolutely nothing? By hiding? Or by waiting for what is going to happen next? We can’t just sit and watch, applause or react without even knowing the basics of their own existence. We all feel sorry and upset for the death of Muath, Charlie, Kenji, we feel sorry and upset for all the Palestinians dying every day since 1948, the Iraqis, the Syrians, the Nigerians, the Americans, the Europeans, for anyone and everyone that is being murdered or killed. Most of us, most of human beings who do not care about power and money to the extent of killing one another for it, do not agree with what is happening to the world today and everyday since the beginning of humanity. The same people who agree to be against the violence in the world of today all agree to want to live in peace with their neighbors and all around. So who are we fighting?
Are they even reading or listening to what we have to say? We must work on ourselves, by ourselves, together unite, and fight this corruption with our own education and moving forward in life and spreading awareness and focus on the solution that must include being positive, spreading love and learning about peace. Let us together create the peace we wish to see between us, this is how we should fight, we should fight by going on, by growing stronger, not in violence and weapons, but grow in more peace, and love, learning better and newer ways to spread the right words, the right positive ways of living and create a safer and a more educated environment for the upcoming generations.
Don’t give in, is the strategy. Be aware of their existence but don’t assume you understand who they are, and don’t give them the power of your own energy and time. May all our victims who are dead rest in peace, and all the victims who are alive to be aware and work together for peace.
Just follow your heart. You will stumble upon millions of distractions but just follow your heart. Listen and observe and feel the attractions & distractions but at the end always follow your heart. Learn the difference between your emotions that shall help you follow your heart. “The Prophet Mohammad PBUH once said to someone “You have no peace because sorrow’s purpose is to empty you of previous joys. So long as food fills your stomach, you are not given new food to eat. During elimination, we eat nothing. When we are empty and hungry, then we are given food. Be patient and grieve, for grieving is the emptying of yourself. After you are empty, then joy can enter—a joy with no sorrow, a rose without a thorn, a wine without crop-sickness.”” Enjoy your day, enjoy the best of today, enjoy experiencing the inner growth, the inner self and all the experience around it. ☀️ have a wonderful start of the week.
Nothing beats the scenery of the blue skies reflecting on the blue sea to make everything around you merge & seem to be within the same color tone. To me this is a magical experience that simply takes your breath away and fills you in tranquility & inner #peace. When witnessed, it is worth living the moment
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It is about time I share on my blog my visit to Amalfi Coast and what it carries from magic, nature, beauty& architecture. Let me know your comments 🙂
Razan Masri 