I
would just like to express some thoughts on the matter of developing
inner faith, or on making a personal resolve to be a devout believer in
God. It is quite a common phenomenon that can be seen or felt, and it
seems that having a glimpse of it through another person, one can sense
an awe of other-worldliness, selflessness, humility, etc. but taking a
closer look and you will see that there are those who profess
religiosity but when they voice their beliefs, there is lack of humility
or consideration of others' point of view, without allowing for any
leeway or flexibility.
One
can see this on certain preachers and writers and I'm not going to
mention names. They impose self-denial, suppression of thought and
expression, bigotry, and unconditional following on their points of
view. I even read someone who said that in an ideal Islamic State, there
is no room for the arts such as poetry or literature which would
comprise as products of 'innovation.' This person even when to the
extent of simplistically attacking canons of philosophy as if they are a
bunch of morons. He imposes an extreme rigid form of religion by
encouraging self-suffering, lack of compassion and love towards others,
and then he goes on to say to his followers that God will redeem their
suffering. Isn't this a form of double suicide? You go on a hunger
strike and refuse to take any food while it's being offered to you and
then you tell others that God will redeem you and reward you for your
suffering, and that the world is a place of temptation equating it to
the concept of woman? That this world is evil and thus it should be
condemned as such? And then you see that person airing his own opinions
with absolute certainty while condemning other teachers as heretics? No
doubt I am slowly realizing that his works though they are widely read
are in fact poorly researched, lacking in depth, and just plain
simplistic and his imposition on the understanding of religion (Islam)
is literal. If one will observe, he does not respect the right of others
to express alternatives while staying true to the traditions, and to
assert ones identity as an individual.
One
does not need to induce suffering to oneself in order to be a better
person, or be near to God. If you are hungry, eat. If you are sick, seek
medication. If you feel ugly, beautify yourself. If you are ignorant,
seek wisdom. If you are physically weak, develop your health: exercise,
breathe fresh air and eat healthy. If your clothes are old and tattered,
buy new ones that are comfortable or suit your taste. Desires or the
self are not demons. They are facilitators that correspond our needs as
human beings. To the extent that they are destructive, reason and
general ethics provided by religion are enough for the person to help
her decide as to their level of destructiveness. There is no need to
conflate desires with the devil unless you are dealing with perversion
which is easy to detect. One does not need to compromise ones
individuality to be a part of a community or a cause. One does not need
to love suffering in order to be near to God. One does not need to shut
ones mind and voice and let it depend entirely on a person's dictatorial
point of view, whether he is a scholar or not. And I am not going to
quote any verse or narration just to prove that what I am saying is
'true'. The reader has a mind of her own to find them or realize them
herself.
