Part Whole Relationship

Though we know we don’t need everything in this world, still our ego wants every thing only for us if possible. One of the reasons for that is our physical needs for survival. The actual reason is the part and whole relationship which exists between us and this universe. Everything in this universe is interconnected and we augment each other.

We like skies, land, trees, mountains, rivers, oceans, flowers, those of different kinds; animals, people, people of different types and shapes. We like variety of things and a lot of them in this world, like food, music, stars, knowledge etc. In other words we want pretty much the whole world. Also we want to know all of the world and universe because we are part of it. 

There is synergy and centralization in this universe which shows up as a scattered truth. We can have it all or we can be it all; in a nice way or in a bad way. The bad way is that of greed and lust and the nice way of having everything is being part of the whole. Sufis teach us how we can attach ourselves with the whole to enjoy everything without causing any chaos.

Heartily Things

Heart seems to be at the heart of the affairs of life. Anything done heartily is very impressive and effective because we like things which appeal our heart. Things done otherwise do not penetrate into our mind and just pass by like something routine or unimportant. Mental maneuvering and philosophical talks though impress us but do not really make us fall for them until and unless our heart approves of it. Why is the heart so important and why the work done with heart is so good and impressive?

 

Things done with heart have truthfulness and a person puts love and labour together when s/he does things with heart. As truth has enormous appeal and impact therefore we are attracted and overwhelmed by the things done in a heartily manner. There is either truth or falsehood and the in between things are nothing but hypocrisy, which is probably the worst form of falsehood.

 

Truth is what we really like as it makes us really happy and satisfied. Since heart is the part of the body which links us with the spiritual or real world therefore it produces and recognizes the truth. Also because heart is synchronized with the reality, that’s why it is the place where we find God very close to us. No wonder why things coming out of heart or done in a heartily way, appease and amuse us so much.

خوبصورتي~Beauty

خوبصورتي دنيا ۾ ائين پکڙي پئي آ

خدا جي رحمت جيئن وکري پئي آ

حبيبن جي حب اهڙي ٿيندي رهي آ

 مهراڻ ۾ موج جهڙي ٿيندي رهي آ

 دلبر مٿان ديد اهڙي کتي پئي آ

جنت جي حور جهڙي ستي پئي آ

محبت جي ميخ ائين کپي وئي آ

 غريبن جي چيله جيئن ٽٽي وئي آ

چڱن جي چڱائي ائين هلندي رهي آ

 باغن ۾ بهاري جيئن هلندي رهي آ

ڏاڍن جي ڏاڍائي اهڙي ڦهلي پئي آ

شيطان جي نحوست ڄڻ ته اٿلي پئي آ

ماڻهن منجهان محبت ائين وڪامي وئي آ

گلن منجهان سرهائي جيئن اڏامي وئي آ 

Leaders and Prophets

Leaders and prophets do and deliver great things. A leader who communicates and performs unusual things is considered as having a prophetic personality. A prophet not only performs unusual actions but has excellency in character, command, love and all other aspects of life. He is not only a great leader but also a flawless king. A prophet is not only good to his people but blessing for all human beings. His love and message is not only for his nation rather for all people. He is so just and charismatic that even the enemies who don’t like his message, approve of his character and conduct. On top of that a prophet delivers a message which is universal and beyond the time, space and other dimensions which we know of.

We praise and follow leaders who have done just a very little for human beings, and even in some cases caused more harm to humanity than doing good. Due to one-sidedness and bias to religion some of us some how always try to ridicule and rebuke as great a person as a prophet. It is actually ridiculing and mocking at one’s self, because a prophet has prophetic qualities and he does not need our approval. He is approved and authorized by the Nature. By doing so we essentially are ridiculing the Nature, forgeting that we are part and parcel of it!

Even if we don’t believe in God, which the prophets claim to be the representatives of; we should at the least look at the worldly virtues which alone put them very high and above all the leaders, philosophers, social workers, thinkers, activists, kings and scientists all together. Because we can find all virtues in our leaders but piousness, equality, justice, love for all, flawless character, eternity of their message, and selfless service to the humanity. That is only the characteristic of prophets and it raises them to such a high level in the society that is witnessed only by those who were lucky enough to be with them and who did not like anything else but just to be close to them.

Devil ~ شيطان

شيطان ڪنهن خاص روپ ۾ نه ٿو اچي. شيطان انسان جي ڪڌن ارادن ۽ ڪرتوتن جو نالو آهي. ٻين لفظن ۾ شيطان  ظالم انسان جو نالو آهي. جيڪو ماڻهو ٻين انسانن کي ڏکائي ۽ هيسائي پاڻ کي خوش ڪرڻ گهري ٿو اهو شيطان آهي. ڀلي اهو پاڻ کي بادشاه، وڏيرو، پير، مير، جرنل، اڳواڻ، امام يا اڪابر ڪوٺائي پر حقيقت ۾ اهو شيطان آهي

شيطان هڪ فرد به ٿي سگهي ٿو ته حڪومت، فوج ۽ جٿو به. شيطان جو ڪم آهي دنيا ۾ ڏڦيڙ ۽ فساد پيدا ڪرڻ، پوءِ اهو هڪ ماڻهو هجي يا جٿو، جيڪو به عوام جي لاءِ آزار پيدا ڪري ٿو اهو ملعون آهي. شيطان کي سڃاڻڻ سولو آهي. شيطان ڳولهڻ لاءِ ان جي ڳالهين کي نه ٻڌبو ۽ نه ئي ان جو منشور پڙهبو، پر ان جو عمل ڏسبو، جي ان جو عمل انسانن جي ڀلائي جي خلاف آهي ته اهو شيطان آهي

ٽي شيون انسان کي شيطان بڻائن ٿيون؛هڪ وڏائي، ٻيو لالچ ۽ ٽيون ساڙ. وڏائي رڳو خدا کي جڳائي ٿي، انسان وڏائي ڪري پاڻ کي شيطان جي درجي تي پهچائي ٿو. دنيا جي لالچ انسان کي هڪ وحشي ۾ ڦيرائي ڇڏي ٿي، ڇاڪاڻ ته لالچ هڪ ڌٻڻ آهي جنهن ۾ انسان فاسندو وڃي ٿو. ساڙ انسان جون سڀ نيڪيون ساڙي کيس انتها پسند بڻائي ٿو جنهن کان پوءِ ان کي انسانيت نظر نه ٿي اچي

Knowledge and Fear

Knowledge and Fear are antonyms. If someone possesses knowledge, that person won’t be under fear, whereas a person who is really illiterate would be very fearful. That way you will find that even many so-called educated people are actually illiterates where as many assumed illiterates could be knowledgeable in fact. The worldly knowledge makes us fearful.  A kid who does not have any knowledge of this world is not scared of anything.

As we gain knowledge of this world, our fear starts rising and to overcome that fear we need to brush up our real knowledge. True knowledge is reflection of God into human beings. As much knowledge we have as much we would be close to the reality. For us either there can be reality or fear. If we know the reality then there will be no fear, because there is one-ness in this universe. As Shah Latif narrates:

پُنهون پُنهون پَئِي ڪريان آءُ پِڻ پُنهون پاڻ

اديُون هُيَسِ اڻڄاڻَ جو ڪونه سُڃاتم سچ کي

In daily life we are scared of so many small and big things; the ultimate fear is that of Death. If we are not fearful of  death, many of our problems would be solved already and there would be much more peace and tranquility in this world. There are two interesting points here which we forget: first, we did not belong to this world before and second, that death does not eliminate us from the universe, it’s just change of place/form. 

To make it more interesting Sufis consider death as a step forward to the reality and closeness to God, as they consider this world as an unnecessary layer between the creator and the creature. With the real knowledge we consider each and everything from Almighty who is the ultimate reason behind everything. Shah Latif beautifully puts it: He is this and that, who makes us dead and gives us life, who is the sweet beloved and life, who is foe and friend at the same time.

سو هِي سو هُو، سو اَجلُ سو اللهُ

سو پِرين سو پَساهُ، سو ويرِي سو واهَرُو

So who and why to fear?  Many is one and one is many, if we believe in many we may be in trouble but if we believe in the One then there is no fear. We have been told that those who know the truth will have nothing to fear about and will have no grief because it is the fear which brings grief !

Seeking Beauty

Beauty is priceless. We always seek beauty; we look for different forms of beauty at different times. We feel unhappy if we don’t find any beauty in life and we feel very happy and content if we find it. Beauty has various forms; each and every form amazes us. Looking at a beautiful thing, having a beautiful conversation and listening to a beautiful voice, all amaze us.

Since all forms of beauty attract us therefore the origin of the beauty must be the same. We want more and more of beauty; we never get satisfied. First we are amazed by beautiful things, then more so by beautiful people and then by beautiful ideas and even more by this beautiful universe. This amusement finally culminates at the Creator or the Artist(Almusawwir) who is behind all this beauty.

Some of us are happy with a beautiful car, mansion or some other beautiful thing. While others feel happy if they are surrounded by bunch of beautiful people around them. Whereas the “big minds” are happy with great ideas and innovations. But the Sufis who know the origin of the beauty, are only content with the Source of all the beauty. As Shah Latif Bhittai says:

سيوا ڪر سمونڊ جِي، جِتِ جَرُ وهي ٿو جال

سَوين وهنِ سِيرَ ۾، ماڻِڪ موتي لال

جي ماسو جُڙئِي مال، ته په پُوڄارا پُر ٿِئين

Thinking outside the Box

Thinking outside the box or out of the box means thinking differently or unconventionally. People who think conventionally, normally do not accomplish much and are followers of someone or something. Those who think outside the box, normally achieve a lot and are the leaders and pioneers. We think at different levels because we are contained in and belong to different boxes. Those who cross more boxes are more successful in life because they are more close to reality.

We and our brain are confined within certain boxes, logically and physically. The facts and reality is not visible / obscure to us because of these boxes which we live in. Some of those boxes are: spatial box, location box, senses box, language box, religion box, sectarian box, racial box, ethnicity box, class box, color box, age box, instinct box, creed box, greed box, need box, cultural box, bias box, illiteracy box and so on.

If we knew the level or number of the box we are in, then we would know where we stand and what is the value of our talk and thought. Some one has to categorize and classify those boxes. There are certain tools available to measure the amount of our knowledge and mental capability but there are no tools which determine the quality of our knowledge because those tools do not take into consideration those boxes which we reside in.

What is Worship ~ عبادت

People do worship for various reasons; some consider it as a religious obligation, some do it for mental and spiritual satisfaction while others do it for rewards in the next life, but some folks do it for pleasing the Lord. So what is worship and its purpose?

If God is the beginning and the end of the universe then He does not need our appreciation or worship. If He is all-encompassing, omnipotent, omnipresent and the creator of everything then what difference does it make whether we (the useless little beings) bow before him or not?

If we worship for rewards in the life hereafter, it makes some sense. When we do worship as an obligation only, then our heart and soul are not really into it, it is just like doing something which we ought to do. In most cases it turns into a formality and does not bear any fruit in this or the other life, killing the very purpose of rewards.

Those who do it for mental and spiritual satisfaction, they find so many other ways to fulfill their needs so that they keep jumping from one option to the other. It becomes more of a work out, exercise and tricks to make oneself happy rather than the worship.

Sufis think that worship is the way to reunite with the Creator. If our worship puts us in harmony with the universe, if it makes us good and gives us pleasure then that is the right way to worship. We can do it only when our heart and soul are into it and that happens when we don’t consider it as a mere duty, rather something which is good for our soul. If worship makes us a bad and irritated person then we are doing something else in the name of worship.

خوشي جي حد~Limits of Happiness

انسان جي دماغ جو حال اهو آهي جو وقت سان گڏ اسان جون حدون به ڦرنديون رهن ٿيون. ٻار ننڍو آهي ته سندس خوشي ننڍڙين شين مان ئي پوري ٿيندي رهي ٿي، ۽ جيترو وڏو ٿيندو ٿو وڃي اوترو ان جو ڍاپو مشڪل ٿيندو ٿو وڃي. ان ڪري انسان جو ڪڏهن به ڀرجي نه ٿو

پهريان جڏهن انسان جي ڄاڻ گهٽ هئي تڏهن هي زمين ئي سندس لاءِ سڀ ڪجه هئي؛ آسمان ۽ تارا ان لاءِ رڳو خيالي پلاءُ هيا. هاڻي حالت اها آهي جو جديد ڄاڻ مطابق قائنات اندر هي زمين ليکي ۾ ئي ڪونهي. انڪري جڏهن مون اها ڳاله ٻُڌي ته ڪجه ماڻهن جو خيال آهي ته خدا هن دنيا کي پيدا ڪيو پر پوءِ ان کي وساري ڇڏيو، ڇاڪاڻ ته هي ايتري وسيع قائنات آهي، ته مونکي کِل آئِي

 اسان جي خوشي جا ماپا مختلف آهن، ڪوئي چانه پي ڪري به خوش ٿو ٿئي ته ڪوئي بادشاه ٿيڻ کان پوءِ به بتال آهي. اسان جي خوشي هن دنيا جي حدن اندر محدود آهي. اسان جي خوشي ننڍين شين کان شروع ٿئي ٿي ۽ وڃي زن، زر يا زمين تي پوري ٿئي ٿي. ان کان وڌيڪ خوشيءَ جو تصور هن دنيا ۾ ڪونهي. انڪري جن ماڻهن کي اهو سڀ ملي ٿو وڃي، سي پوءِ اهو ٿا چون ته مزو ڪونهي، بور ٿي ويا آهيون

 ان جو مقصد اهو آهي ته يا ته اسان کي اها خبر ڪونهي ته ٻيون ڪهڙيون شيون ۽ ذريعا آهن جيڪي اسان جي خوشيءَ کي پورو ڪري سگهن ٿا، يا ته وري اهي شيون هن دنيا ۾ ممڪن ئي ناهن، جن سان اسان جي جسم ۽ روح کي قرار ملي. اسان جو پورو خوش نه ٿيڻ ٻڌائي ٿو ته اسان جو دارون هن دنيا ۾ ڪونهي، ۽ اهو به معلوم ٿئي ٿوته خوشيءَ جا اصل ٻيا ذريعا آهن جن جي اسان کي سُڌ ڪونهي. جي خبر هجي ته شايد اسان به سائين ٻڍل فقير وانگي چئي اُٿون ته؛

اڄ سڄڻ مون عيد ٿي جڏهن يار جا ديدار ٿيا؛؛؛؛؛؛؛