Tag Archives: Islam

Atheism, Islam Religion, Self-Help

Is Buddha a lost or forgotten prophet of Muslims ? – Six Key research questions to the Muslim Intellectual World – a quest from post-modern Muslims

Spirituality is directly linked with various paradigms such Enlightenment, Ultimate reality, Personal development or purification of thoughts & hearts, Oneness of the universe, inner-Peace and even with knowing the true God.

Siddhartha Gautma (500 BCE) transformed as Buddha in India/Chinese origin, is considered and world widely accepted as spiritual or philosophical inspiration across all civilisations such as Eastern religions or philosophies and Western world. Historically, advent of Buddha period was started after Hinduism and before Islam-Judaism-Christianity and others. I will specifically address here acceptance of Buddha as prophet in Islamic context where there are strong evidences reflect that Buddha could be one of thousands of prophets from God who were sent down on earth for the guidance of the people.

Buddha and his philosphy’s does influence greatly, upon many intellectual and domains from classic to modern and then post-modern eras. Buddha’s commandments, sayings and wisdom often are quoted in both eastern and western intellectual world. Of course, it does inspired to modern educated Muslims too. It is also important that there are so many common grounds between Islam and Buddhism. Therefore, Buddhist have always been living peacefully ( with minimise conflict or history of any kind of violence ( under Muslim political regimes in different part of the world in India, Central Asia & Indonesia).

Once, as a Muslim, I thought that wisdom of Buddha is very relevant and applicable in the contemporary complex world to address the mostly psychologically and philosophical issues in mostly domains of modern life. Many authors, gurus, spiritual masters and business leaders do get influenced by Buddha and his wisdom in many ways.

As Muslim, there could be many following criterion to accept and admire Buddha for his worthful and spiritual teachings :

  1. If we would find any clear or indirect clues in the Holy book of Quran and in Muslim recorded authentic traditions, about such a person that could be Buddha as our previous prophet or Nabi or holy person such as ‘Luqman’, ‘Keizer’ before advent of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in 570 AD ?
  2. Being a Muslim, how much extend we can take guidance from life and teachings of previous Prophets such as Jesus (PBUH), Moses (PBUH), David (PBUH), Ibrahim (PBUH) etc.? If yes than why not from Buddha if he would also be proven as prophet?
  3. There could be possibility that Buddha was lost or forgotten prophet of the Muslims and if it is, then why and what make us to deprive to get benefits of his teachings side by side of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and other prophet’s teachings or wisdom.

Great revolution Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his companions including later-caliphs brought from Arab along with Mediterranean region, was most profound in terms of civilisational development, social justice, Tauwheed & Theological , political expansion and of-course purification of hearts and mind through super humanistic and secular values such as tolerance, compassion, love, mercy, integrity & serenity.

It is important to know that there were major developments in fundamental domains such as ‘Science’ had not been addressed in pre-Islamic era till 750-800 CE. Later, science and related modern subjects were flourished with great contribution of chain of Muslim scientists and intellectuals such as Jabir Ibne Haydn, Al-Razi, Al-Khawarzmi, Avicenna, Ibn Rushd etc.

Similarly realms of philosophy were filled by earlier Muslim philosophers such as Al-Kindi, Al-Gazzali, Ibn Arabi , Rumi and Mutzalites in addition with Islamic modernists in last few centuries. Through Islamic mystic traditions we know that our prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to meditate and spend lonely in the caves, away from his family house in the city. A large number of common Muslims and Islamic scholars consider Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also as ultimate spiritual master. There are many authentic sayings that reflects importance of purification of hearts, inner-self and recognising true God through self-discovery. In today’s world, these prophetic ways of struggle to achieve pure inner-self has been institutionalised known as Sufism, ‘Tasawwuf’, a mystic or philosophical version of Islam.

In the fields of personal development and spirituality, a very few Muslims philosophers have contributed as compared to size of geographical regions of 1.8 billion Muslim population across the world i.e. almost 1/4 th of the whole world. Those were included Rumi (1207 C.E.), Ibn Arabi ( 1165 C.E.) Al-Ghazali (1058 C.E.), Iqbal (1877 C.E.) and hundreds of local regional Sufi sheikhs in some Muslim countries.

Modern educated Muslims feel that they do not see clear and direct foundations/guidance from original Islamic literature in today’s pro-Islamic civilisation about modern subjects, issues, challenges and realms of personal and professional or business life such as Psychology, Human behaviour, Self-help, entrepreneurship and monies, Personal and leadership development.

Unfortunately, it seems that Muslims have done very little intellectual and practical works in this context, perhaps, due to the huge gaps and discontinuity with previous asset of Muslim scientists and philospher’s generations many hundreds years ago.

  • 4 In this context, If we Muslims would own Buddha’s philosophy and take its pearls as part of Islamic faith, perhaps, considering Buddha as prophet like others previous prophetic traditions, then we as Muslim individuals, groups and families can reconnect rich Islamic heritage in modern lines. Especially, we can empower ourself, explore self-improvement and purification of thoughts, discover Self and continue to re-write pure wisdom that fulfil challenges of modern Muslim minds.
  • 5 – On the other hand, being a dedicated Muslim, can we learn and explore Buddha’s and his teachings on secular level to cope the modern intellectual challenges?

There could be great benefits for Muslim youth to own Buddhist teaching to keep them inside folds of Islam because there are large concentrated intellectual and spiritual groups in the external world who owns Buddhist teachings as atheistic philosophy. Many people born and brought in western world are inspired by Buddhist philosophy certainly.

  • 6 If we try to connect Buddhist teaching as Islamic heritage along with Prophetic and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) traditions than we can turn many scattered intellectual Muslims minds as ‘Theist’. Therefore, they can work positively in contemporary world towards peace and relevant modern developments in Muslim lands and across the world.

I believe that interesting results from above mentioned research questions or intellectual work to perceive and follow Buddhist teachings in Islamic paradigms, may also help the youth and modern educated Muslim community, keep away from fall into atheism.

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Culture, Humanity, Mind, Paradigms, Path of Mediocrity, Religious, Social Mirrors, Spiritual Intelligence, Uncategorized

Terrorist and his development of SELF

Globally, We all are deeply shocking and still in terrible emotional state of mind after terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on 15th March 2019. Every mind and heart are tense, fearful and in anger then before. Condemnation and expressions of shocks are broadcasting on all media and at mass levels.

I am deeply concerned here on empathetic level about mindset of the killer who is willingly to give not only his life but also killing to one, dozens or hundreds of other people whether in the name of formal war, or undeclared attacked for sake of nationalism, regions, racism, communities and religions etc. I am here also including those formal armies and their arsenal of all countries who feel proud to sacrifice their life for national interest in form of army service personnel or freedom fighter or being a real terrorist. Actually, that gunman using the name Brenton Tarrant may consider himself as freedom fighter who had specific agenda. He opened fire on dozens of innocent children, women and men , mercilessly , in such a way that he is going to be awarded by his god or his ego after shooting? Since, he was planning that incident from last two years therefore he must had highest degree of conviction to do it , locate it and done it. What forces and psycho-trauma he must be in that did not stop him not to kill even children on that day!

There are dozen of such incidents happening around the world for sake of agenda on individuals, group or national level in form of terrorism, wars or name of freedom fighting etc.

I believe that every case is different than other and causes or reasons are also different, however, there is one common element in all killings is everyone is driven by their emotions triggered by environment of depressiveness, mis-guidance, bearing injustice or fears of future etc. Our nurturing of being insecure and self-defence creates a ego that connects with ego of many people around us and it multiply and connect and reconnect with his identity circles where he or she belongs to until it reaches on the level where he or she feel really threat for his or her entire community or region. This heat wave is triggered by those political or socio-economic powers who use or mis-use them for definite or indefinite political agendas. Our whole world and mostly countries have very cruel history of bloodshed especially in last 125 year where entire world history or geographical lines had been changes completely. World War 1, Second World War, Cold War, Holocaust, ethnic cleansing war and War against terrorism etc have been witnesses millions of millions corpses. More importantly, how world has been changing dramatically in terms of socio-economic crises, poverty, pollution, scientism, extremism, racism, suicide rate, gap between poor and rich, imbalance of resources, rise of ignorance/crime etc. are outcome of these wars and aggression. When a country or nation does war for 5 years , they suffer for next 50 years at-least.

Have you ever try to look insight of a killer? Was he or she like always ? or he or she is product of what our societies would planted in their hearts to become suicide bomber or deathly killer for someone or community or nation ?

Let’s have a look inside person who is turn into terrorist. As a whole a terrorist is a fragmented person more like a victim who is influenced by culture of its own and its associations consciously or in consciously. Throughout his mind is rippling with feeling being a victim or deprived person or part of community who never be given justice what he or his community deserve. His thoughts generates such emotions where he can fulfil his negative conscience i.e. Evil Ego. This ego is super-faith for him or his community to motivate his body to plot such a successful or influential act of incidents where they can justify their acts and watering their ego.

This combination of his fragmented SELF with body, mind, heart and spirit will generate of no shared vision and very personal sense of pledge. Although that Terrorist will have definite values however, these values will misaligned with social normals he keeps. That will turn him a secret or scary character and he may feel arrogance, privately. This level of lower and self-deceptive ego pushes his emotions to generate disempowerment continuously and frequently until he will execute his plan according to what he plots, no matter he would save his life or die. I believe this does not happens over night or in months. Actually, this is result of our social and selfish agendas where we inspire from, unfortunately. When we choose and select our heroes and they do not follow any accepted ethical system of morality than scary character are nurtures everywhere.

I am here to notify you the importance of self-development for all of us. If our educational systems in all countries are designed to develop such a character ethics who does not have any hatred or prejudice against other nation or group, as compared to work or nurturing only personality ethics where they can groom their linguistics and should be able to earn great amount of monies after completing their formal education only ?

Do we have places (not religious places) where they can go and work on their self to identify their original SELF and start to live their life peaceful under projection of SELF? What I mean that is there any secular (non-religious places) where they can groom their humanistic values and integrity with peace and compassion?

Why we do not go church or those places where we can feel peace, harmony and real respect for others? Why we hate religion so much that we have ignore our personal and emotional purity from bad or evil entirely?

Do we not know that we all are one as HUMAN BEING. We are not different. It is our national agenda who made us different from other, who make me superior to other nation or races without dignity and humanism.

Billion dollars industry of self-development is growing and growing every year for name of making successful people in their live. Ironically, their purification of thoughts and hearts are still on same degree of level where they started to become Life Coaches, Leadership development trainers or multi-million worth motivational speakers! Are we able to clean those bias, prejudice and hatred from our audience and fans?

On contrary the works of Saints, Sufi(s), Yogi(s), Buddhists and many other peach loving groups have contributed significantly to the world in order to spread values like Love, Mercy, non-violence etc based on compassion, morality and universal brotherhood. Their millions of followers are not only trying to enlightenment their spirits of life but it candles to other millions.

The essence of Personal development is in identify and discovery of SELF that nature has put inside to each and single individuals on this plant earth. I believe we need to write and communicate and research world not only in our academia but also in our political offices. Future is universal brotherhood. There is not even single wave of terrorism will live on our earth. Every human is reflection of other human. Our identity is human and being human we must love human and spread it for not our genuine and peaceful living but also to get rid of our historical generation to generation biases and prejudices. We must heal our selves through a giant collective efforts where all communities must live with peace and spirit of compassion with each other , living with present , not with past.

Since, that terrorist has not identify his true self therefore he will be under misguidance by his super-ego and mental distortions, delusions or illusions.

Let’s stop ourselves from being affecters of waves of terrorism, aggression, wars, atomic weapons and having inferior feelings about others.

We are about to live in age of wisdom where values are dignity, following own voice to inspire other to find their voices, with compassion and love.

As Allah says in Quran:

“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted”. (49:13)

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