Purple Noor

In Bhagavad Gita the exhortation is that Do action without expecting reward. In Islam the reminder is that Do action but expect the reward to be from Allah and not others.

 The edifice of Islam as a religion is constructed in  such a way that it makes the most important aspect of human life possible- the ability to conceive in as much accuracy as a human mind can conceive and fathom.  We clean the floor, and light up incense to place a revered object or do a reverential act. To make the stage ready for Allah in hearts, Islam creates a scenario that is clean, holy and highly evolved.  The 5 times prayer, the tone of submission, the reiteration of the inconceivable, pervasive, almighty nature of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala through Quran, the 99 names of Allah, the many advice to not try relate Allah to created forms, the prohibition of music, the reminder to be reverent in prayer, in holding Quran, in mentioning Prophets' (AS) and Allah's (SWT) names all creates a mindspace that is highly subtle and sensitive to the subtle sensitive aspects of Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala.  Islam's spirituality is rendered in a incese infused lit up pastel c...

What do I mean when I say a green heart.  I mean a pulsing, living, sentient heart.  I see two kinds of them.. one- sentient to the suffering in this world the second- humbled in awe and in obedience to the One Creator The liberals the first green heart kind, they see the injustice, they see the destruction of people, trees, rivers and meadows.. and they search for justice in a seemingly arbitrary world.. Like stubborn Tuskers they shake their heads against "dogmas" of religions, established social conventions, empty their pockets and resources to advocate and fight for social justice.. And they don't see a God because they think its all too unjust in this world for there to be a benevolent CreatorSustainer The believers the second green heart kind, they see the magnitude, they see the expanse of life on this world, the complexity in their own minds and in the whorls of flowers, and they submit to the force of the one Grand Creator..Like humble herds, they enjoin on the p...

The title to this article is pretty stuffy. But I thought it captured best what I had to say about the tendency to ascribe everything to Allah SWT.. even the faults in our paths. Like the propensity to say it was Allah that made me even do the mistakes, so that I could find myself.. kinda thing. I myself have used that logic in the past.. to bring in a sense of sanctity to the mistakes I have made. trying to see all my hiccups as part of God's plan.. I recently heard a speech by Yaser Qadihi that talked about the difference between Satan's and Adam's (AS) sins. When Satan disobeyed Allah SWT and incurred his wrath, his words were, But Allah, you made me do it! Where as Adam AS stated, O Allah! Indeed I have wronged myself and you.. Forgive me. This difference in response is very enlightening. There is this brand of spirituality.. and I too have dabbled with it.. Where the notions are that-  1)  "Everything -all good and bad comes from the One creator. So there is no tr...

  There is a hadith about Prophet Muhammad (SAW) advising a person. The person was praying to Allah to give him the virtue of patience. The Prophet SAW said, do not ask Allah that lest you be tested with hardship. It was also reported in another hadith that our Prophet (SAW) mention the dua for Afiyah, ease in hardship as the most beloved dua to Allah (SWT).  Two things are implicit here.. 1) Allah SWT really listens and responds to Duas.. He gives cognisance to the choices we present to him as our sought duas.. 2) In his eyes, us acknowledging our vulnerability and seeking his protection is more endearing than any brave venture to prove ourselves before him in any other stylish values.. The desire to prove ourselves. Its so embedded in us..  It's also embedded in our diminutiveness that we can't fathom the extent of our diminutiveness and the greatness that is Allah SWT.  My experience with the Dua for Afiyah itself was a testimony for that. There are different...