Spiritual Health and Purification of the Soul

[EtuMalku]

So be it:

THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
The Sufi Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan
Chapter 0ne
The first thing that a seeker after truth must realize, is the purpose of life. No sooner does a soul begin to feel sober from the intoxication of life, than the first thing it asks itself is, 'What is the purpose of my life?' Each soul has its own purpose, but in the end all purposes resolve into one purpose, and it is that purpose which is sought by the mystlc. For all souls, by the right and the wrong path, either sooner or later, will arrive at that purpose, a purpose which must be accomplished, a purpose for which the whole creation has been intended; but the difference between the seeking soul and the soul who blindly works towards that purpose is like that between the material and the maker of it. The clay works towards the purpose of forming a vessel and so does the potter; but it is the potter's joy and privilege to feel the happiness of the accomplishment of the purpose, not the clay's; and so it is with the beings who are unconsciously striving towards that purpose and the souls who are consciously striving towards it, both in the end corning towards the same accomplishment; the difference is in the consciousness.
The first step on the spiritual path is when a soul realizes its outer purpose in life. For it is not every soul in the world which even realizes its outer mission in life. And the soul who does not realize it, may go on, perhaps, for its whole life and may not realize it even to the end of its life, but the one who cares to realize it, must sooner or later realize it. For the answer to his question is continually being heard in his own heart. As Sa'di says, 'Every soul is created for a certain purpose and the light of that purpose has been kindled in that soul.' If there is already a flame lit even before the person was born on earth, it remains for the person to find out for himself the purpose of his life, although everything outside himself also points to that purpose.
One may ask,' What is the best way for a person to understand his life's purpose?' If one follows the bent of one's own mind, if one follows the track to which one is attracted, if one follows one's inner inclination, which is not satisfied with anything else, one feels, 'There is something waiting for me (which one does not know at the time), which will bring me satisfaction.' Besides, if one is intuitive and mystical, it is easier still, because then one is continually told what is the purpose of one's life. For nature has such a perfection of wisdom. One sees that the insects are given the sense to make their little houses and to protect themselves and to make a store of their food. The bees, who have the gift of making honey, are taught how to make honey. So nature has taught every soul to seek its purpose. It has made every soul for that purpose, and it is continually calling that soul to see that purpose. If the soul does not hear the call and sleeps, it is not the fault of nature, which is continually calling. Therefore, if I were to say in a few words how to find one's purpose, I would say: by waking from sleep.
One might ask, 'Would the outer purpose lead to the inner purpose of life?' Certainly it would. Everything a person does, spiritual or material, is only a stepping-stone for him to arrive at the inner purpose, if he can only take it to be so. If he is mistaken, the mistake is in himself; he is working towards the inner purpose just the same. For all is created to work as one scheme, and therefore each individual is acting towards the accomplishment of the divine purpose. If there is a difference, the difference is of that particular individual.
There are five aspects which give one the tendency towards the accomplishment of the inner purpose: desire to live, desire to know, desire for power, desire for happiness and desire for peace. These five things work consciously or unconsciously in the profound depth of every soul. Working within one, they prompt one either to do right or to do wrong, and yet these five aspects belong to the one purpose in the accomplishment of which the purpose of the whole creation is fulfilled. When the desire to live brings one in touch with one's real life, a life which is not subject to death, then the purpose of that desire is accomplished; when one has been able to perceive fully the knowledge of one's own being, in which is to be found divine knowledge and the mystery of the whole manifestation, then the purpose of knowledge is attained; when one is able to get in touch with the Almighty Power, then the desire for power is achieved; when one has been able to find one's happiness in one's own heart, independent of all things outside, the purpose of the desire for happiness is fulfilled; when one is able to rise above all conditions and influences which disturb the peace of the soul and has found one's peace in the midst of the crowd and away from the world, in him the desire for peace is satisfied. It is not in one or the other of these five desires that there is the accomplishment of the purpose; it is in the fulfillment of these five desires that one purpose is accomplished, the purpose for which every soul was born on earth.

[EtuMalku]

Chapter Two
The desire to live is not only seen among human beings but it is also seen continually working through the most insignificant little creatures creeping on earth and living in the ground. When one sees how even the smallest insect wishes to avoid any pursuit after it and how it seeks shelter against any attempt made to touch it, fearing that its life may be taken away from it, that shows that even the smallest creature in the world, in whom man cannot find a trace of mind, has a desire to live. It is this desire that, developing in the lower creation in many and varied aspects, shows in fear, in the tendency to seek shelter, in the intelligent way of looking round as the hare does in the fields, as the deer that is continually careful to protect itself from other animals. This desire developed in man shows still greater phenomena of intelligence. War and peace are brought about with the desire of living; the cause behind war is the desire to live; the cause of peace is also the desire to live. There is not one normal soul living on earth who has not the desire to live. Yes, a person most distressed, in a mood of unhappiness, will say at the moment, 'I would rather not live; I seek death'. But it is not the normal condition. One may say, 'Why is death not a desirable thing, since it is only a getting rid of the dense body?' But can we not turn the dense body into a light body? Even matter can turn into spirit. If the divine blood begins to circulate through the veins of a person, this body is no longer a heavy body; it becomes as light as vapor. It is heavy when the weight of the earth has fallen upon it, but when the weight of the earth is taken away from it, it is lighter than the air.
'But', one may say, 'is not death an increase of life?' It is another phase of life. The body is a complete instrument; why should we not make the best of it? Why must one hasten death, if one can be here and do something worth while? Sometimes one longs for death because one does not know what one is to do here; one is not yet acquainted with the purpose of life; it is that which makes one long for death. Every moment in life has its mission; every moment in life is an opportunity. Why should this opportunity be lost? Why not use every moment of one's life towards the accomplishment of that purpose for which we are here? It is the question of bestirring ourselves to make the best use of every moment of life. That itself will give such a happiness to a person that he will not wish to go. Even if the angels of death came and were dragging him towards death, he will say, 'Let me stay here a while longer; let me finish something which I would like to finish.'
That must be the attitude. When a person is in his normal condition of mind, his one desire, his innermost desire, is to live. What does it show? It shows that man has acquired all other desires after coming on earth, but this desire to live he has brought with him on earth. Only that, by not understanding the meaning of this desire, its nature and character, its secret, he submits to its being broken by what is called death, by mortality.
If the desire to live is his innermost desire, if it is a divine substance in him, then there is the answer to this desire also; there is a possibility of the fulfillment of this desire. But when one does not dive deep into the secrets of life, without the knowledge of life and death one becomes subject to disappointment, and that disappointment is death. One may say, 'If the desire to live is natural, would it not be better to live and prolong the youthfulness of body; and how can that be done?' There are three aspects the Hindus have personified, as Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheish (Shiva), the Creator-God, the Sustainer-God, and the Destroyer God. In retaining youth there comes the conflict between the two Gods, the Creator-God and the Destroyer-God, because the Destroyer-God is destroying, the Creator-God is creating. If the Creator-God in you is stronger, then he will win a victory over the Destroyer-God. Nevertheless, there is nothing which is void of beauty in this world. If the soul has received the divine blessing, it will enjoy every aspect of life.

[Cordoba]

Reviving the Individual

If you look at how you pray five times a day, you will have a barometer in your hand to find how much you love Allah.

Once you are praying to Him, you are in front of Him, you are near to Him, you are talking to Him, you are responding to Him in gratitude, you are asking for His forgiveness. Prayer is not just a ritual in which you go through certain postures. The soul has to surrender itself exclusively to Allah and love Him. This love is like a seed that, as it grows, envelops the entire personality. This will make us the sort of person Islam needs today.

The next question is how to nurse and cultivate this seed of faith?

The most important nourishment for it is the Qur'an. We know that the first workers for Islam got their training from the Qur'an. It was their guide, their light, their leader. It is a treasure house of soul-stirring inspiration and wisdom. We should spend much effort in trying to understand the Qur'an. But we must know that the real test of benefiting from the Qur'an lies in translating those divine words and ideas into action in our own daily life.

The Qur'an says that when people really listen to it, their faith will increase. The eyes of those who truly listen to the Qur'an, allowing their hearts to be affected, will well up with tears that trickle down their cheeks. ...

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1171897358703&pagename=Z one-English-Living_Shariah%2FLSELayout

[Cordoba]

Close Relation Between Faith and Hope

Faith and hope are closely related; a true believer is the most hopeful and the most optimistic person among people, and the farthest one from pessimism, complaining, and dissatisfaction.

This is because true faith indicates the belief in the power of Allah that controls this universe. Faith also indicates the belief in the infinite might, the boundless mercy, and the unlimited bounty. Allah is Mighty and Merciful. ...

A true believer leads a hopeful, happy, and optimistic life. He trusts and seeks refuge with his Lord, Allah, the Beneficent and the Most Merciful, the Exalted in Might and the Wise, the Oft-Forgiving and the Ever-Affectionate, the Owner of the Throne and the Glorious, Who does what He wills. The believer, therefore, looks at life cheerfully, and faces its challenges smiling, not frowning or with a gloomy face

http://www.islamonline.net/English/Ramadan/1425/HopeSpringsEternal/Keeping%20Hope%20Alive/03.shtml

[Cordoba]

The Basis of Inner Peace, or Peace of the Heart

Denial of the Creator takes away peace, and the light of reason and intellect from the heart of a person and fills it with doubt.

This is the worst disease of the heart, which causes every imaginable spiritual malady

There is no point of being sad when faced with hardships, nor being over-joyful when scoring a worldly gain

Our earthly life is very short, so much so that it has been compared with a short nap which one traveler might take under the shadow of a tree while traveling on the road and then goes on his way

Faith in God and trust in Him are the real sources of inner peace
Without the light of faith, inner peace is difficult to achieve

[Cordoba]

Look Up, Face Life, Smile

Every one of us is tested through various things. It could come in the form of financial crisis, losing a loved one, accident, disability, illness, discrimination, dysfunctional family, physical appearance, weak personality, or failures. The list is endless.

So what do we do when faced with them?

As positive, faithful Muslims, we need to condition our minds to:

1- Accept that difficulties are part of this life as they are Allah's tests for us and realize that there is no such thing as a worry-free, ideal life.

2- Respond to hurdles with active patience and believe that Allah is able to take away all hurdles.

3- Believe with conviction that there is no such thing as pure bad in what Allah has put us through.

4- Search for that elusive sliver of goodness and wisdom even in the darkest of situations.

5- Supplicate to Allah before taking any steps to tackle problems.

6- Seek not to please the world. You'll fail! Aim to please Allah and that will suffice.

7- Not despair. You can always start again. Remember that Allah forgives all sins except polytheism.

Look Up, Face Life, Smile - IslamOnline.net - Youth

[Cordoba]

Contentment and Inner Peace

By looking at the situations of those who have a lesser wage/salary, less position, less property or less wealth, we should be grateful to Allah for all the blessings we have in life.

To avoid anxiety and to avoid worries and uneasiness, one has to be content and satisfied with what he has. To fulfil your needs, desires and your worldly requirements, one has to look at the situation of those who are less fortunate
Once it was said:

“Contentment is a treasure that will never be depleted.”

Therefore, may we be content and satisfied with the little we may have. Do your best; strive hard and leave the results in the hands of Allah.

[Cordoba]

The Spiritual Path of Islam

Spiritual development should not take the form of a man turning away from this workshop and retreating into a corner. Rather, man should live and work in it, and give the best account of himself that he can.

It is in the nature of an examination for him; every aspect and sphere of life is, as it were, a question paper: the home, the family, the neighborhood, the society, the market-place, the office, the factory, the school, the law courts, the police station, the parliament, the peace conference and the battlefield, all represent question papers which man has been called upon to answer. If he leaves most of the answer-book blank, he is bound to fail the examination. Success and development are only possible if man devotes his whole life to this examination and attempts to answer all the question papers he can.

Islam rejects and condemns the ascetic view of life, and proposes a set of methods and processes for the spiritual development of man, not outside this world but inside it. the real place for the growth of the spirit is in the midst of life and not in solitary places of spiritual hibernation

http://www.islam101.com/sociology/spiritualPath.htm

[Cordoba]

The Remembrance of Allah and Reading The Qur'an

The remembrance of Allah for the heart is like water for fish

As the body needs food for life, the heart needs to remember Allah for inner peace and tranquility

Allah (SWT) says in Chapter 2, Verse 152:

"And remember me, I will remember you"

Each time a believer remembers Allah, Allah remembers him

The Qur'an is also a cure for the heart.

Allah (SWT) says:

"O mankind, there has come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers" (11:57)

why is The Qur'an a healing for the heart?

The diseases of the heart are divided in 2 main groups: doubts (shubuhat) and desires (shahawat)

The Qur'an cures both types of diseases, with clear verses and guidance which shows the path of Truth, and wisdom and guidance that reminds the reader of the Hereafter

Ibn Mas'oud said: He who loves the Qur'an loves Allah and His messenger

And 'Uthman ibn 'Affan said: "If your hearts are purified, you would never have enough from (listening and reading) the words of your Lord"

(Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured) (13:28)

Remembering Allah and reading The Qur'an cure the heart, make it more sound and give it inner peace

[Cordoba]

Reliance on Allah & The Path to Paradise

Self-confidence is borne from the believer's intimate knowledge and understanding that Allah is ever ready to assist those who strive and struggle in His way.

Self-confidence comes from depending upon Allah and knowing that He is there to help you, protect you and shower His mercies upon you ...

Self-confidence also emanates from knowing that Allah in His infinite mercy has equipped you with all that you require to undertake the tasks set before you. It is not characteristic of the One that is Most Just and Most Merciful to prepare you for a task without equipping you with the necessary tools.

Self-confidence is thus borne of total reliance and trust in Allah. It is knowing that at every step of your journey, Allah is there assisting you. If you constantly hold yourself back believing that you are weak and incapable and blame your incompetence on minor inadequacies, then you are bound to fail. ...


Likewise, having hope is central to your efforts and your success. You must sincerely hope and believe that everything you do to earn the pleasure of Allah will lead you to fulfillment ...

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1209357102317&pagename=Z one-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout