Truly GOD's hands are open wide,
HE gives as HE please.
- The Quran 5:64
Generosity in giving, in providing for others is a Divine Quality and we partake in that Divine action when we give to others. One of the Holy Names of God is al-Wasi or One Who is Vast, the all-Embracing, Bountiful and His generosity is also vast. The success of man in becoming a true human being, him being "the Divine image" rests upon his becoming "like" God. There are very few qualities which accelerate the journey of becoming "like" God - than generosity or giving of his material wealth.
The specially devoted people yearn to acquire this quality. Also in a reverse way, to attain true devotion - giving up of material wealth, to give it to the poor is a pre-requisite. The disciples of Christ, their transformation to become like Christ, the very training of becoming like Chrirst began by the instruction of giving their wealth to the poor, to leave the dunya (material world and its wealth) behind and only then to follow the path of love, wisdom and surrender. Their Master, the archetypal Sufi Master for the Sufis whole heartedly embraced holy poverty and walked on the path of holy poverty (faqr).
The spiritual alchemy that transpired between Christ and his sahabis (companions, close disciples), in
the beginning of it is giving wealth to the poor. This is the Tariqa of Isa, the Path of Jesus of Nazareth. Not a single disciples he called to him but he commanded them with authority first to give their wealth to the poor.
This is because from esoteric point of view, the material wealth is a veil between the servant and the Lord. Thus the Path of self-purification begins by torning down the veil that keeps the servant from depending upon God. It is the love of wealth which takes away the focus from God to the worship of material. It is the love of wealth that prevents the Spirit of God to rush into the heart of God. A spiritual teacher used to teach, "just as it is against the nature that vacuum exists, like that God abhors vacuum, so when we create emptiness in heart, it is the Light of God which rushes into it, that is to say, it is God Itself which rushes to occupy the emptied heart."
Nothing occupy the heart of unenlightened man than his concern and love for money and wealth and for every age it is true
Emptying the heart from the love of the wealth, no matter how painful it might be, no matter how resistance one must feel to do it, is the necessary first teaching instruction of Christ to all his disciples as a mean of tazkiyat an-nafs (purification of the self). Whenever Christ found a suitable soul to bless him or her to be his chosen companions, he looked at them with the glance of complete love and such glance of Master initiate the disciples in the path of Love and Surrender. When they were asked, "leave everything, go and give all your wealth to the poor and only after that follow me", wisdom entered in them and they exchanged that which perishes with incomparable wealth that never perish. This gift is the Eternal Life as communicated by Christ.
2.
All those who are unhappy in the world
are so as a result of
their desire for their own happiness.
All those who are happy in the world
are so as a result of
their desire for the happiness of others.
- Shantideva
3.
In the Name of the Most Loving, the Exclusive Source of Love
By the covering night, by the radiant day,
by the male and the female He created,
the ways you take differe greatly.
There is the one who gives, who is mindful of God,
who testifies to goodness - We shall smooth his way towards ease.
There is the one who is miserly, who is self-absorbed, who denies goodness -
We shall smooth his way towards harshipd, and what use will his wealth be to him when he falls?
Our part is to provide guidance - this world, and the next belongs to Us
so I warn you about the raging Fire, in which none but the most wicked ones will burn,
who denied (the truth) and turned away.
The most pious one will be spared this - who gives his wealth away as self-purification,
not to return a favour to anyone but for the sake of the Face of his Lord the Most High - and he will
be well pleased.
- The Quran 92
The task of Messengers to give guidance and to purify people. The whole science of spirituality whether its called by any name or not, first step on that path is self-purification. The chalice must be cleaned from outside and inside first - before the finest quality of drink be poured into it to drink. Self-purification is the cleaning of the cup and charity or giving wealth to others, not for any favor in return, or other motivations (a contemporary one is tax exemption, or to hide illegal income) but for the sake of the Highest motivation conceviable, which is the Face of God.
This good news, this glad tiding, this gospel is of teremendous status. Look a the extra ordinary exchange that is promised. In exchange to the wealth which perishes, what is granted is ever abiding - the Face of the Lord, the Most High.
Everything shall perish except the Face of Your Lord.
Will you not be magnanimous then? Even after tuning in to the higher octave of truth doesn't your heart stir up with the urge to sing the song of self-less giving?
18 Nov 2011
Paturia, Manikganj, Bangladesh
HE gives as HE please.
- The Quran 5:64
Generosity in giving, in providing for others is a Divine Quality and we partake in that Divine action when we give to others. One of the Holy Names of God is al-Wasi or One Who is Vast, the all-Embracing, Bountiful and His generosity is also vast. The success of man in becoming a true human being, him being "the Divine image" rests upon his becoming "like" God. There are very few qualities which accelerate the journey of becoming "like" God - than generosity or giving of his material wealth.
The specially devoted people yearn to acquire this quality. Also in a reverse way, to attain true devotion - giving up of material wealth, to give it to the poor is a pre-requisite. The disciples of Christ, their transformation to become like Christ, the very training of becoming like Chrirst began by the instruction of giving their wealth to the poor, to leave the dunya (material world and its wealth) behind and only then to follow the path of love, wisdom and surrender. Their Master, the archetypal Sufi Master for the Sufis whole heartedly embraced holy poverty and walked on the path of holy poverty (faqr).
The spiritual alchemy that transpired between Christ and his sahabis (companions, close disciples), in
the beginning of it is giving wealth to the poor. This is the Tariqa of Isa, the Path of Jesus of Nazareth. Not a single disciples he called to him but he commanded them with authority first to give their wealth to the poor.
This is because from esoteric point of view, the material wealth is a veil between the servant and the Lord. Thus the Path of self-purification begins by torning down the veil that keeps the servant from depending upon God. It is the love of wealth which takes away the focus from God to the worship of material. It is the love of wealth that prevents the Spirit of God to rush into the heart of God. A spiritual teacher used to teach, "just as it is against the nature that vacuum exists, like that God abhors vacuum, so when we create emptiness in heart, it is the Light of God which rushes into it, that is to say, it is God Itself which rushes to occupy the emptied heart."
Nothing occupy the heart of unenlightened man than his concern and love for money and wealth and for every age it is true
Emptying the heart from the love of the wealth, no matter how painful it might be, no matter how resistance one must feel to do it, is the necessary first teaching instruction of Christ to all his disciples as a mean of tazkiyat an-nafs (purification of the self). Whenever Christ found a suitable soul to bless him or her to be his chosen companions, he looked at them with the glance of complete love and such glance of Master initiate the disciples in the path of Love and Surrender. When they were asked, "leave everything, go and give all your wealth to the poor and only after that follow me", wisdom entered in them and they exchanged that which perishes with incomparable wealth that never perish. This gift is the Eternal Life as communicated by Christ.
Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Rabboni, My Master, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"In every age the perfect masters of humanity who were sent to teach us spiritual perfection reminds us of the way of the eternal life, the world to come and not to be deceived in the present life. They were divine guide and exemplar who taught what are the pre-requisite to attain eternal life and one of such pre-requisite on the Path of Love and Surrender is giving up of what one attach ownership to. This is also a key not only to enlightenment, but also key to real happiness.
"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is truly good (al-Barr), the Supreme Being. If you want to enter eternal life, obey the commandments."
"Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." - Matthew 19:21
2.
All those who are unhappy in the world
are so as a result of
their desire for their own happiness.
All those who are happy in the world
are so as a result of
their desire for the happiness of others.
- Shantideva
3.
In the Name of the Most Loving, the Exclusive Source of Love
By the covering night, by the radiant day,
by the male and the female He created,
the ways you take differe greatly.
There is the one who gives, who is mindful of God,
who testifies to goodness - We shall smooth his way towards ease.
There is the one who is miserly, who is self-absorbed, who denies goodness -
We shall smooth his way towards harshipd, and what use will his wealth be to him when he falls?
Our part is to provide guidance - this world, and the next belongs to Us
so I warn you about the raging Fire, in which none but the most wicked ones will burn,
who denied (the truth) and turned away.
The most pious one will be spared this - who gives his wealth away as self-purification,
not to return a favour to anyone but for the sake of the Face of his Lord the Most High - and he will
be well pleased.
- The Quran 92
The task of Messengers to give guidance and to purify people. The whole science of spirituality whether its called by any name or not, first step on that path is self-purification. The chalice must be cleaned from outside and inside first - before the finest quality of drink be poured into it to drink. Self-purification is the cleaning of the cup and charity or giving wealth to others, not for any favor in return, or other motivations (a contemporary one is tax exemption, or to hide illegal income) but for the sake of the Highest motivation conceviable, which is the Face of God.
This good news, this glad tiding, this gospel is of teremendous status. Look a the extra ordinary exchange that is promised. In exchange to the wealth which perishes, what is granted is ever abiding - the Face of the Lord, the Most High.
Everything shall perish except the Face of Your Lord.
Will you not be magnanimous then? Even after tuning in to the higher octave of truth doesn't your heart stir up with the urge to sing the song of self-less giving?
18 Nov 2011
Paturia, Manikganj, Bangladesh
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