We who are not Muslim have SO much to learn from our devout brothers and sisters.
A Nigerian leader for peace
Notice both on this blogsite (on behalf of other Ramzan/Ramadan fasts and breaking of fasts) as well as yesterday and today around the world such as a nigerianecho.com that faithful are including one another in peace as fasting draws to a close and and eating, celebration, community and service unite many. (I have also several earlier posts here in this site such as Bethlemem Christians Fast with Muslims in Bethlehem under August 2010 in archives.
There is no religion or race larger than the HUMAN RACE and no family bigger than the FAMILY OF GOD
Here are a few links which compel similar discussions of our common ground (the following are from Dawn.com - Pakistan where floods have added quite a lot of difficulty to Eid in Karachi. Prayers for our friends there!):
My Name is Human By ARIEB AZHAR(The comments here are as interesting as the article.)
http://dawn.com/news/1034535/my-name-is-human
Children of Lesser Gods By NIAZ MURTAZA (newer than the article above -- keep going back to see comments on his site http://dawn.com/news/1034940/children-of-lesser-gods Niaz Murtaza )
The following wise sayings perhaps among the most beautiful of any devout commemorations. To me, they sum up many of the reasons for our spiritual fasts and celebrations.
The Fast of Ramadan - The Inner Heart Blossoms:
"The real fast is the blossoming of the inner heart." — M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen
There wouldn’t be such a thing as counterfeit gold if there were no real gold somewhere.
-–Sufi Proverb
If you make intense supplication
and the timing of the answer is delayed,
do not despair of it.
His reply to you is guaranteed;
but in the way He chooses,
not the way you choose,
and at the moment He desires,
not the moment you desire.
Give yourself a rest from managing!
When Someone Else is doing it for you,
don’t you start doing it for yourself!
Actions are merely propped-up shapes.
Their life-breath is the presence of the secret of sincerity in them.
A feeling of discouragement when you slip up
is a sure sign that you put your faith in deeds.
Aspiration which rushes on ahead
cannot break through the walls of destiny.
(the above are all from Ibn Ata’llah
(Due to lack of time and place to perfect this simple post, I plan to add additional links, topics and thoughts later in the comments section. I encourage readers to do the same here on this site:
http://nommorecrusades.blogspot.com)or just add a thought now below under comments. Thanx for coming by.
Greetings,
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful teachings. Thank you for sharing. I very much like Bawa's teachings.
All good wishes,
robert
Robert, dear brother and friend, I am so grateful for your teachings on the deeper considerations of Ramadan and the life of prayer. I also loved these teachings and pray that they help deepen and purify my life.
ReplyDeleteI just found the following needed quotes from:
ReplyDeletehttp://freeaafia.org (Plz read the current Eid post in full!)
As our father said: "one who bows to others only sees his own feet but not the path ahead". You can always lead such people (or nations) over the cliff as they will never see it until they have stepped off.
But life is not black and white. As one door closes, others open.
Greetings,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this.
I like the quote you share here ("As our father said...").
It must be a blessing to be able to participate in Ramadan in a community of like-minded persons. That's something I have not experienced.
All good wishes,
robert
For any who missed the original site for the quote beginning: "As our father said..." it's from Aafia's family who wrote this following message upon the most recent Eid al Fitr:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.freeaafia.org/Family Message on the Ocassion of Eid al-Fitr Eid al-Fitr 1434 (2013)
I plan to share with you more moving writings and talks from this amazing family in the future. Meantime explore the above site and pray for Aafia.
Meantime, I am wondering how all of us who want to look ahead to Ramadan/Ramzan for 1435 (2013) whether as full participants from any interpretation of Islam or whether as supporters who want to participate in a full fasting at the same time -- let's find a way to be community across the seas. How might we find a palpable way to be community now and then? How might we with the help of our common One God/One Holy Spirit find and sustain community with one other even now?