Knowledge of Four

Excerpt from Kashf-ul-Mahjoob

Hatim al-Asamm said:

"I have chosen four things to know, and discarded all the knowledge in the world besides." He was asked: "What are they?"

"One," he answered, is this; I know that my daily bread is apportioned to me, and will neither be increased nor diminished; consequently I have ceased to seek to augment it.

Secondly, I know that I owe to God a debt which no other person can pay instead of me; therefore I am occupied with paying it.

Thirdly, I know that there is one pursuing me (i.e. Death) from whom I cannot escape; accordingly I have prepared myself to meet him.


Fourthly, I know that God is observing me; therefore I am ashamed to do what I ought not."


[Hazrat Data Gunj Bakhsh Ali Hajvery]

4 Year Old Wisdom

My dear friend's four year old nephew shared an epiphany:

"You can never escape your mind, until you open your eyes."

War Profiteering

Please read this article, or at least skim it, because this is ridiclous:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8481774.stm

I simply don't understand how people can claim to achieve a specific capability with a product meant to save lives, full-knowing they are lying. It is so evil and selfish. For money, these people will risk the lives of thousands. Goodness... money is truly the root of a lot of evil, I wouldn't say it is the root of all evil, some people don't care for money and commit the most heinous crimes.

Pretty much, these "bomb detectors" are made of the cheapest piece of electric hardware, which is nothing really, technology with a worth of a few pennies, and they sell each supposed bomb detecting device for $40,000 a piece.

Now, I won't blame the manufacturer of this product completely, the governments that employ this kind of technology are also to blame since obviously they didn't test the products, they just trusted the manufacturer and bought their products by the boat load. It's funny to note that this comes from a British manufacturer and was used by the British army in Iraq, and after several hundred people died due to failed bomb detection, they started to question the capability of the device.

Could this be a conspiracy? I wouldn't go so far, even if it was, who cares? Believing it is a conspiracy or not won't change the fact that this stuff happens and is currently happening and will continue to happen.

War profiteering is as old as modern civilization, how can you put an end to the most lucrative business in this capitalistic world? We just might get hit with another recession or worse, depression.

Love

You May Be One Person To The World - To One Person You May Be The World. ♥

 

 

3 Idiots

Ahhhhh.....


Life is good, isn't it?

I am pumped and sore at the same time, that's what kickboxing does to you I guess, feel the burn!

Anyway, I recently saw THE BEST BOLLYWOOD MOVIE OF ALL TIME twice in theaters, once with a friend and once with my whole family, even Ehan loved it, it's Aamir Khan's latest masterpiece and it was amazingly beautifully hilariously enterainingly profound.

Basically, you are a waste of space unless you watch this movie. Harsh words, but that's the reality of it, suck it up and watch this movie, you won't regret it, promise.

STOP

READING

THIS

.......


GO


WATCH


3 IDIOTS!!!!

Chase Excellence. Success Will Follow

AAL IZZ WELL!!!

I thought this was clever

"There are plenty of fish in the sea but there's only one fishie for me."

Whom do You see in Your Cup?

My favorite poet, Mevlana Jalalludin Rumi once said, When you look in your cup, whom do you see? Is it you or God? This is a paraphrase of a very beautiful poem. I was struck deeply by this when it was read to me. Hence the lack of a direct quote. In any case, the message, I hope, has been effectively transferred.


When you look in your cup, you gaze at the reflection, whom do you see? Is it yourself, staring back, or is it God smiling back? To me, this means a world of thoughts and love. If you see yourself, you can be several things, oblivious, ungrateful, preoccupied, or simply ignorant. If you see God, you are aware, grateful, and knowledgeable.


Sure, I may have used some synonyms to describe these two states, but each word hold different weight and hence different meaning and feeling, each word is deliberate and necessary.


When you see yourself in your cup, you don't realize who delivered this sustenance, this blessing to you? You may think, "I work for a living, I earned the money I used to buy this tea, I thank myself for being proactive and hardworking." You are so incredibly mistaken. I am sorry, just take a step back, look up at the sky and think, did your hard work make the sky as beautiful as it is? Do you bring the sun up and down, the moon around?


No, not at all. You do nothing of your own accord.


When you realize that everything in your life, your success, your wealth, your tea, is because God blessed you with it, then you will see your Lord and Master in your cup, then you will smile as He smiles at you, and you will know that God is happy with you and provided you with a sip of His love. Or perhaps, God is testing you now with the blessing he gave you, so use it wisely, be grateful, be generous, and always show compassion, as your Master is endlessly showing it to you.


How egotistic are we? To presume that a bum on the street deserves the life he or she earned, that as we walk in our fine business attire across the Monroe St. bridge, passing beggars in this city of progress and capitalism, that we think they are the weak ones who could not make it in a city of opportunity, that maybe if they just got a job they would not be in such a predicament. It's disgusting sometimes, to actually realize this is how we think. No! Do not be that person. Sooner or later, you might be there and you will know the course of events that led you there, and you will realize that no matter how hard you worked, it may have all been to teach you how to be grateful.


I am not saying that even if you work hard you will one day be begging for alms, but I am saying that you need to be grateful. For everything in your life, for everyone, for God.


May God have mercy on us all, Ameen.


[Tuesday, January 19, 2010]

Happy Friday!

Don't you just love Fridays? I do, very much, since it's like a mini Eid for me every week. First, it's the last day of work, so get to enjoy the weekend, second, there's Jumma Namaz, third, we have our weekly classes for the Balkan American youth group in the evening, so we get to see all the kids and enjoy a great lecture by Huseyin Abiva, and actually learn something!


I think we are talking about the Ottomans tonight, this is why this particular Friday is so nice. I love Ottoman history. I remember reading a lot about the Ottomans when I was younger and I always wished and thought that I was Turkish or that I had Turkish/Ottoman ancestry. There was something about the Ottomans that I continue to marvel at. They seem like the only modern legitimate governing entity. Well, that's only to me, I still need that refresher tonight, when Huseyin will talk about how Islam came to Bosna, through the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. How a country that was primarily Roman Catholic, and partially Eastern Orthodox, came under the sway of Islam. No, it was not by the sword. That is rubbish. Perhaps today you can claim such a thing due to the ignorance of extremist groups such as the Taliban or Al-Qaeda.


In any case, Islam was brought to the people through the compassion displayed upon them by the Ottoman peoples. The poor were taken care of by the foreigners and were not taken care of by their own masters and rulers. It's not hard to pick a side when that side is the one feeding, clothing, and sheltering you. Islam is truly a religion of Peace, Love, and Compassion. Today, many have a skewed image, but I truly hope that who's ever life I have touched, they have seen this to be true, through me. Insha'Allah.


Insha'Allah, today is going to be a good day for you and me both. Maybe it will end with laughs and smiles and continue till tomorrow, and then the next day, and then the next day, and so on and so on, and by gone and by gone.


With Love,


Salman

A Message From My Brother

 “Ours is essentially a tragic age, so we refuse to take it tragically. The cataclysm has happened, we are among the ruins, we start to build up new little habitats, to have new little hopes. It is rather hard work: there is now no smooth road into the future: but we go round, or scramble over the obstacles. We’ve got to live, no matter how many skies have fallen.”

Disney Wisdom

“A single thread in a tapestry, though its color brightly shines, can never see its purpose in the pattern of the grand design. So how can you see what your life is worth or where your value lies- you can never see through the eyes of man, you must look at your life through Heavens eyes.”

 

- Prince of Egypt

I like to flaunt my hair

Today, on the train ride in, I flaunted like crazy. Sometimes unintentionally, sometimes, intentionally. Not for any reason other than being able to do it. 

Thought I would share >_<

Go flaunt!

Gives Me Hope

Anyone ever come across this site: www.givesmehope.com ?


It's supposed to combat the negative coming from the FML site. That site is really dumb and ungrateful in my humble of humblest opinions.


Anyway, I read it occasionally, and I saw this post today: http://www.givesmehope.com/view/Inspiring%20feats/33717


Check it out, it's about a girl who broke up with her abusive boyfriend, thanks to the inspiring things people were saying on this site. I am happy for her, since I have known many people in abusive relationships and those are always the hardest to get out of, especially unscathed. I think no matter what relationship you find yourself in, you will be affected, positively, negatively, or both. Their mark will always be left on you.


In any case, this is a very encouraging and inspirational site, unlike FML, which makes people want to slit their wrists and curse God for giving them everything except an XBOX 360. Okay, so I am exaggerating, but that's what you do when you want to move the bias over to something you like and away from something you don't, it's all part of "good" journalism.


Read this site if you are ever feeling blue, or red, and relish (green) in the thought that as bad as people have it, they continue to trust God and themselves and have the courage to smile. I mean really smile, not put on a facade, but truly and deeply smile.


Have a wonderful day everyone! And smile once for yourself!

What do you want to know today?

Alo,


This is going to be rather informal. Like all of my posts. I am at work now, and as I was riding the elevator to the fifth floor, a funny thought passed through my mind: "I can't wait to get to my office so I can relax"


Haha, it seems the hardest part of my day is the train ride in the morning to work. Maybe it's not even that, maybe it's just actually getting up for work. In any case, it's always pleasant to see what surprise the day has in store for you, like today, I bumped into my friend Nina again and had a great time conversing. Stuff like that really help my day move in the right direction.


I realize now that continual remembrance of the past will make my present lame and my future bleak. So, forget about it. I think we all need to smile more, laugh more, love more, and forgive more. Yeah, I think so. If someone asks you for something and it's well within your means to give it to them, then don't even think twice, just give it to them. If someone intentionally or unintentionally offends you, bite your tongue, let the anger or upset pass, it takes no more than 10 seconds, and then continue on your day, as if it never happened.


Really, if you worry about everything that goes on in your life, you will go mad. You must already be mad, aren't you? Probably for others reasons though ;)


Gosh, I should write a self-help book, for me, and read it religiously.


I am tired... I hope my day is interesting today, Insha'Allah.


Have a good day everyone!

Madad Ya Rasulullah (S)!

If man wants to destroy himself, just keep thinking about the past.


[Prophet Muhammad (S)]

Saintly Woman with a Saintly Message

Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.

[Mother Teresa]

Meet Me?

Out beyond ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing there is a field. I'll meet you there.

[Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi]

Bektashi Knowledge

For those with no connection, a thousand 

words aren't enough. For those connected a glance is enough.

 

[Haci Bektash Veli]

Malang

This is a poem I came across on a facebook group dedicated to Malang, I actually heard about Malang just 5 minutes ago while reading the poem. But, I feel it's something I can relate to and ought to aspire to, at the very least it's something worth mentioning:


To be Malang is to live Islam in full color.
The Malang rejects the world, attuning the eye of the heart to Allah alone.
A Malang wears the tattered clothes of submission (islam),
necklaces of true faith (iman) and rings of purity (insan)
The Malang is clear water, clearing away all limited consciousness,
dying before death and living as a soul on fire.
The Malang's banner is bright glowing green, deep sunset red,
black as the inner Kaaba and a piercing orange.
To be Malang is to cry for the Beloved, dancing furiously in
ecstatic joy in the face of life's suffering and pain.
Our imam is Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (pbuh),
the guiding lamp of all dervishes.
Our blood flows while explaining, "Ya Ali, Ya Ali!" for Hazrat Ali is
our breath and key to Allah's vast treasury.
La ilaha Ilallah (Nothing but God alone) is our only wealth.
A Malang's heart is still, yet outwardly always wandering.


[Azeem Muhammad Khan]

This is what my boy Sead Hadzibullic told me about the Malang Party:

"Malangs are ascetics..and owe allegiance to Ghouse Pakh, and also all
the sects in India are closely connected to Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
Garib Nawaz..the head is Peer Naubat Ali.. and he is the Gaddi Nashin
of the Malangs and the Rafaees..he sits at Char Yaar,(Ajmer Shareef)"

Inner and Outer

Not Christian, Jew or Muslim,
Not Hindu, Buddhist, Sufi or Zen.
Not any religion, or cultural system.
I am not from the East or the West,
Nor out of the ocean or up from the ground,
Not natural or ethereal,
Not composed of elements at all.
I do not exist, am not an entity in this world or the next,
Did not descend from Adam or Eve
Or any origin story.
My place is placeless,
A trace of the traceless.
Neither body nor soul.
I belong to the beloved
Have seen the two worlds as one
And that one call to and know,
First, last, outer, inner,
Only that breath breathing human being.

[Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi]

A Few Lessons Learned

After maturing and growing up, in my humble opinion, a bit too quickly and harshly, I have learned some vital lessons necessary to living a content and peaceful life. I may have already shared a few in previous posts, and I always find the need to reiterate and repeat myself, repetition is key to acquiring any skill or attribute. Ask a pianist.


I can't say it was the most enjoyable process, growing up via rude-awakening. Yet epiphanies have their place and if you delay in reaching those new heights, you will be smacked and it will hurt. Learning the easy way is easier said than done. Fortunately, my "epiphany" as it were, has enabled me to begin learning the easy way. The only missing ingredient that was required for this to happen was, indifference.


You see, I care too much. When you care, you become invested, whether it be in a person, a situation or conflict, or even a good book. Continually learning the hard way for me was determined by the fact that I cared more than I had ought to. I can't really bring myself to trust anyone. People are selfish, cruel, and cold.


Perhaps this is really a curse, yet, I find myself under constant female attention. Not by any particular female necessarily, but by many. I don't mean two or three. This is really stressful. I don't care for this attention. I know most guys would love it, most guys would hate me for having it, I can't imagine what they would do if they knew I hated it. Do people still get lynched these days?


Don't get me wrong, I love women, I think they are the most beautiful of creation, in every way. Yet, today's women have proven to be very cunning, selfish, and at times, evil. That's been my unfortunate experience. Perhaps it's more fortunate that not, considering that now I practice a great deal of caution.


I guess I am still healing from my past relationship, she was my everything and she showed me how little I meant to her. In the end, it wasn't my love she wanted, it was my time and attention, even when it was given on a regular basis she was ungrateful. Do you have any idea what kind of dedication it takes to write two letters, one by pen and the other by computer, everyday for almost 2 years? I think that kind of dedication should come under psychoanalytical scrutiny. I can't believe I did that for her. It all turned out to be wasted. My sister tells me I didn't waste it since it was a positive way for me to express my missingness of her (I think we established that "missingness" was now a word, coined by yours truly, as was the word "sharmie"). Perhaps it wasn't wasted, perhaps this girl that I adore actually did appreciate it, even though she never ever showed it.


I can say that she never ever showed it because when you compare how much I showed her appreciation to how much she showed me, you might as well give her a 0 and me a 100. This is statistics, I think like a scientist, I now only have time for the rational, these matters of the heart are not rational. They never are.


One can even posit the claim that loving God is irrational, that would probably be a scientist, yet even others feel they have a right to say that God doesn't exist. I think atheists are the the dumbest people on earth. I don't care if they have a degree in the most advanced field *cough* Aerospace Engineering *cough*. To not believe in God is to be blind. Quite simply. To see the proof of God's existence, all one needs to do is stand up nice and straight, spin in place 360 degrees, slow enough to see everything as you spin, and then you realize, this is NOT coincidence. Damn right it's not coincidence!


Anyway, before I go off on what seems like a pretty formidable tangent, allow me to continue my spiel on the lessons I have learned. Spiel by the way is German for "play", in case you didn't know that. I just want to make clear that when you hear someone, probably a white person, say "Allow me to continue my spiel" they aren't saying "schpeel" but they are probably spelling it that way, because they are ignorant. Don't believe me? Look up a dictionary, Merriam-Webster is good, and no, Urban Dictionary does not count, nice try.




I feel, that it is necessary to express oneself in a positive manner, art, literature, music, these tends to be my muses. Anyone who says that's gay is retarded. Their brains sucked dry by the media, believing good to be bad and bad to be good. Anyway, this is my reason for writing. I didn't think I would actually have people reading this, I truly meant this for myself, now I feel an obligation to entertain, so to speak. Is that so?


Regardless, I will continue writing my thoughts, they probably won't get very personal anymore since I am not comfortable sharing deep thoughts or concerns so openly. I really don't trust people anymore. I see no reason to trust people. Everyone I know has let me down at one point or another and I know they will do it again. It's okay, I am quick to forgive, but I won't be putting my head under the guillotine each time if they prove themselves incapable of stopping the blade.


Ciao!

Untitled

Back in the biz, back in the Chi, live and 

breath till the day we die, don't even 

recognize a punk without him on the sly,

you know what I be saying is legit in the 

knit of space in between of every 

scheme.

A Friend's Words

My friend Alison said this, and I completely agree with her:

"Laugh when you can, appologize when you should. let go of what you can't change, kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything, and have no regrets. Life is too short to be anything but happy.♥"

Thanks Alison