Purple Noor

 Reading principles of Hermetic philosophy. It seems- they say- that Good and Bad is relative. That it is our preception that make things good and bad. It accepts polarity as a natural law. Thereby validating the existence of evil. Its a cowardly attempt to protect oneself from pain, uncertainty. Buddhism- atleast when we do Vipassana- we try to neutralise pain and pleasure. Working at the sensory level to weaken our pain-pleasure reactions.  What is we ARE supposed to feel both pain and pleasure unadulteratedly. And seeking Allah in times of both not obfuscating both a part of straight path? I have never heard Islamic scholars say things that neutralise pain. Instead they seem to stress on patience, fortitude, asking forgiveness. 

 Sirat Bridge Questions in the 7 stations is said to be as in http://www.myreligionislam.com/detail.asp?Aid=5951  1. Faith 2. Salat 3. Fasting 4. Zakat 5. Hajj 6. Human Rights 7. Ghusl, Cleanliness

 I incline to choose that nature of my custodianship of other beings on Earth is that, as a Muslim who prays, I can pray for the well being of believing beings on Earth. The more sentient I am, the more I can maybe understand their needs. The more pure and clean I am and the more faith I have, I can pray better for them. 

 Magic has many degrees, connotations. I when I started thinking about this subject was thinking about magic as in the "alchemical transactions" cultures of people make with spirits, nature, deities in order to gain/appease them. It can range from the offering of coconuts to Ganapati to Spells to invoke spirits or so called deities. I was wondering, if Adam AS were sent to be Calipha on Earth, did that include him understanding the alchemical secrets of nature spirits and other beings that inhabit this realm or did Allah want us to totally not speak to Nature that way through alchemical transactions. I found the answer two ways. One through deduction and the other through an enlightening video.  What I deduced is nothing new. I was just chancing upon insight most Muslims already have through their faithful thinking. Allah SWT wants us to approach Him and Only Him for help. If we are appeasing river and forest spirits and asking for interpretation from supernatural beings what

 When the world cup final was on, I was hoping praying desperately that Argentina wins. In the first half it seemed the easy outcome. But as things took different turn in the second half of the match I became so consternated... the suspense seemed to be too much. I wished it wasnt so. I even lost a bit of courage to pray because I thought Allah intended to make Argentina lose. What is the purpose of prayer I thought in such a scenario. But towards the penalty I was praying again and finally Argentina did win! The outcome of the game was just as I wished - Argentina's win.. But the way Allah maximised the game as an event where the best skills of so many people could be stimulated and exhibited - made me feel that Allah is the master scriptsman. He knows how to pen an exhilarating masterpiece.. While those faint of heart like me was praying for a simple, straightforward, placid victory scenario to be painted.. I use this as a metaphor for many events that happen in life. Each time,

Is the essence of human life to only obey what has been revealed to the Prophet PBUH and the Quran? What about diversities of ways of being and ways of living?   If a woman who lives in a tribal context who has to climb trees to seek food for herself doesnt dress in a hijab, is she a sinner? Doesn’t her immediate context justify her way of dressing? Or should she strive to go beyond her immediate context upon her contact with Islam and give up her livelihood, immediate community, ease and relatedness and be a woman   who covers herself up and secludes herself from the men in her community? Let me think through this… i imagine her coming to contact with Islam.. she progressively becomes attracted to it’s principles… she starts practicing the religion little by little. some of her family and community members supports, some resists. she engages in constant dialogue with her community about why she is changing. the dialogue sometimes validates her decisions to be Muslim and sometimes unse