Why is God Laughing?
The Path to Joy and Spiritual Optimism
Deepak Chopra
"Why God is Laughing?" is a wonderful book by Deepak Chopra which shows the intangible connection between spiritual awareness, optimism and humor, which we can feel like a tickle but cannot express in the words very easily. This book of deep spiritual insight with the touch of light comedy takes you on a journey of soul. On this path you will see three major intersections: Fear, Egotism and Addiction each of which can mislead you to paths that can result in losing freedom of your soul to realize its true potential. Deepak Chopra uses the help of Mike Myers the comedian to give touch of laughter to the very deep and enlightening concepts in spirituality. Besides jokes he uses many riddles which are certainly worth a thought and I quote some of them:
"I tell many lies but am always believed.
If the worst happens, I'll be greatly relieved
Oh the day you were born I poisoned your heart
I'll be there on the day you depart"
Or
"I'm keeping your secret, you're paying my price
You know if you don't, I'll stop being nice
Protection is worth it, wouldn't you say?
Life is so empty when you don't get your way
Who am I?"
All the jokes, riddles and philosophical inside unveil the fact that comedy is a mean to make truth realized. "Plainly put, 'ha ha' is related to 'ah-ah' the sound one makes upon the realization of truth"
Seeking the truth is a painful process and laughter eases the pain and as a result we can explore our self and ultimately free our soul by bravely crossing the intersections of fear, egotism and addiction.
Certainly this book is worth a read, especially when you feel low and down and need a spiritual boost to get up and walk out.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Maslaha
Word of the Day
Maslaha
Concept of the public welfare or common good in Muslim judicial thought. It has been interpreted to reflect a broader concern for public interest through a more flexible approach to the application of the principle of Qiyas. In general, it afforded legal scholars and state a degree of flexibility in meeting exigencies or situations where the welfare of the community as a whole might be compromised.
In recent times advocates of reform have argued that the principle permits the addressing of social and legal issues that had not arisen previously, so that every new generation is able to interpret Muslim tradition and legal practice in the context of the need of the time. Some of these issues relate to economic aspects, such as modern form of banking and finance, others to ethical issues, such as family planning and modern medicine and issues of governance such political representation and human rights. (Dictionary of Islam: Azim Nanji)
Maslaha
Concept of the public welfare or common good in Muslim judicial thought. It has been interpreted to reflect a broader concern for public interest through a more flexible approach to the application of the principle of Qiyas. In general, it afforded legal scholars and state a degree of flexibility in meeting exigencies or situations where the welfare of the community as a whole might be compromised.
In recent times advocates of reform have argued that the principle permits the addressing of social and legal issues that had not arisen previously, so that every new generation is able to interpret Muslim tradition and legal practice in the context of the need of the time. Some of these issues relate to economic aspects, such as modern form of banking and finance, others to ethical issues, such as family planning and modern medicine and issues of governance such political representation and human rights. (Dictionary of Islam: Azim Nanji)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Muslim Ethics: Emerging Vistas - review continued (Chapter 4 - final)
Muslim Ethics Emerging Vistas
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In chapter four the author’s studies are focused on Pluralistic Governance. He analyzes in the detail the democracies of today and how they lack the fundamental ingredient of plurality, both in the western world as well as the Muslim world. To make pluralistic governance functional it requires inclusion of all citizens and their engagement in the society beyond the theory of tolerance only. He explained that pluralism cannot be obtained by force because uncivil means cannot bring civil outcomes. The author refers American academic Nancy Fraser, author of numerous works on social justice, and he quotes: “..underlying problem with prevailing multicultural strategies is that they favor recognition of group identities over citizenship-based equity of participation.”
Our author, Amyn Sajoo, gave many examples from West as well as from Muslim world where the concept of equality of citizens was not taken into consideration. He mentions the incident of Ziyad Yasin, a 22 year old biomedical engineering student at Harvard University who was invited to deliver commencement speech in 2002. He was harassed from death threats to removing him from the list of speakers because the topic of his speech was “Faith and Citizenship” with the sub-title “Jihad”. Leading the protests against Ziyad, Hilary Levy claimed that she could only visualize planes flying into the buildings when she heard the word ‘jihad.” Harvard’s President Larry Summers, who approved the content of the speech was forced to remove the word “Jihad” from the title.
Another incident from Iran was of Iranian academic Hashem Aghajani who encouraged his students and ordinary Iranians to interpret Quran and Shi’a theology for themselves rather than passively follow the interpretations of the clerical establishments’ became subject to death sentence by bringing religion to bad reputation.
In all these incidents freedom of expression, freedom of thoughts and inquiry as well as civic pluralism were undermined in the name of safeguarding the rules that govern the relationship between Religion and State. Thus, he concludes that “rule of law needs the support of public ethics for civil society to deliver pluralism”.
This book is an excellent reading material. In fact, in my opinion, it would work great as a text book in universities for the students who want to understand Islamic ethics and their roots in the society; their practical applications in everyday decision making, and their expressive depictions in Islamic Art, buildings and everything related to their environment. Certainly this book can work as a window to peek inside Islam and see its true essence.
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In chapter four the author’s studies are focused on Pluralistic Governance. He analyzes in the detail the democracies of today and how they lack the fundamental ingredient of plurality, both in the western world as well as the Muslim world. To make pluralistic governance functional it requires inclusion of all citizens and their engagement in the society beyond the theory of tolerance only. He explained that pluralism cannot be obtained by force because uncivil means cannot bring civil outcomes. The author refers American academic Nancy Fraser, author of numerous works on social justice, and he quotes: “..underlying problem with prevailing multicultural strategies is that they favor recognition of group identities over citizenship-based equity of participation.”
Our author, Amyn Sajoo, gave many examples from West as well as from Muslim world where the concept of equality of citizens was not taken into consideration. He mentions the incident of Ziyad Yasin, a 22 year old biomedical engineering student at Harvard University who was invited to deliver commencement speech in 2002. He was harassed from death threats to removing him from the list of speakers because the topic of his speech was “Faith and Citizenship” with the sub-title “Jihad”. Leading the protests against Ziyad, Hilary Levy claimed that she could only visualize planes flying into the buildings when she heard the word ‘jihad.” Harvard’s President Larry Summers, who approved the content of the speech was forced to remove the word “Jihad” from the title.
Another incident from Iran was of Iranian academic Hashem Aghajani who encouraged his students and ordinary Iranians to interpret Quran and Shi’a theology for themselves rather than passively follow the interpretations of the clerical establishments’ became subject to death sentence by bringing religion to bad reputation.
In all these incidents freedom of expression, freedom of thoughts and inquiry as well as civic pluralism were undermined in the name of safeguarding the rules that govern the relationship between Religion and State. Thus, he concludes that “rule of law needs the support of public ethics for civil society to deliver pluralism”.
This book is an excellent reading material. In fact, in my opinion, it would work great as a text book in universities for the students who want to understand Islamic ethics and their roots in the society; their practical applications in everyday decision making, and their expressive depictions in Islamic Art, buildings and everything related to their environment. Certainly this book can work as a window to peek inside Islam and see its true essence.
Muslim Ethics: Emerging Vistas - review continued (Chapter 3)
Muslim Ethics Emerging Vistas
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In third chapter “Humanist Ethos”, Amyn Sajoo talks about how terrible and sad event of 9/11, which was an act of some irrational militants was taken as a religious obligation of Islam. How Islamic term “Jihad” was manipulated and Quran Ayats related to jihad were quoted out of context to explain the causes of 9/11. Huntington’s “Clash of Civilization” which claims underlying problem of west is not Islamic fundamentalism but Islam itself which is a different civilization and is in clash with western civilization. Huntington undermines all rational, scientific and ethical contributions of Muslim and limits Islam to a traditional religion which is lacking modernity’s vital attachment and civic rationality, thus becoming a focus of all western media. The religion of 1/5 of world’s population (Muslims), is seen as harboring terrorists. Irony of the matter is where liberalism sees Islam as lacking rationality, whereas opposite is true for the majority of Muslims all over the world. First revelation of Quran talks about this matter in detail which was quoted and explained by Amyn Sajoo which condemns all the claims that Islam lacks rationality and believes in rigid and stagnant law. A quote from the book is worth referring here:
“The opening word of the Quranic revelation dating to the year 610 CE, enjoins the prophet – and by extension all who encounter the text – to “Read” in the name of a God “who teaches humanity by the pen ---- the which it knew not” (96:1-5). Thereafter, the text repeatedly exhorts the reader with phrases like “what! Would you not reason out?” or “They might perchance reflect!” or “perhaps you may exert your mind!” Argument abounds in the verses or ayat as they are called. And the term “ayat” also means “sign”, a double meaning that is no accident. For act of reading the Quran was to be an exercise in discerning the sign of the Divine, unraveling the truth in the ayat. The invitation to “Read” then, was emphatically not the kind of exercise to be pursued without the fullest acuity or proper engagement of human intellect.”
The author then gives the detailed analysis of Muslim societies or Umma who flourished for centuries with the values of integrity, generosity, solidarity and forbearance in both areas of religious and civic arenas, with the underpinning foundation of human reason. This benefited the society in many scientific inventions and discoveries like paper making, Arabic numerals drawing on Indian innovation, and earliest system of commercial credit. There are always people in all civilizations which go against rationality, but relating them to any religion especially the one (Islam) whose historical records prove free thinking, rational reasoning and intellectual contribution to the human society, is the work of unsophisticated commentators like Lewis or Huntington (author of “Clash of Civilization”) and their like minded people who lack the clear understanding of Islam and who want to be “politically correct” rather than “ethically correct.”
It is better to see “Islam and the West” instead of “Islam versus West”. We need to remember that when we are talking about Islam then we are actually talking about Muslims who are individuals and communities and not objective figures. These individuals have their own identities which are as pluralist as the world itself. This notion of understanding may not please the clash-of-civilization warriors or those who persist in clinging to fixed images of the others. But it would be “ethically” as opposed to “politically” correct.
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In third chapter “Humanist Ethos”, Amyn Sajoo talks about how terrible and sad event of 9/11, which was an act of some irrational militants was taken as a religious obligation of Islam. How Islamic term “Jihad” was manipulated and Quran Ayats related to jihad were quoted out of context to explain the causes of 9/11. Huntington’s “Clash of Civilization” which claims underlying problem of west is not Islamic fundamentalism but Islam itself which is a different civilization and is in clash with western civilization. Huntington undermines all rational, scientific and ethical contributions of Muslim and limits Islam to a traditional religion which is lacking modernity’s vital attachment and civic rationality, thus becoming a focus of all western media. The religion of 1/5 of world’s population (Muslims), is seen as harboring terrorists. Irony of the matter is where liberalism sees Islam as lacking rationality, whereas opposite is true for the majority of Muslims all over the world. First revelation of Quran talks about this matter in detail which was quoted and explained by Amyn Sajoo which condemns all the claims that Islam lacks rationality and believes in rigid and stagnant law. A quote from the book is worth referring here:
“The opening word of the Quranic revelation dating to the year 610 CE, enjoins the prophet – and by extension all who encounter the text – to “Read” in the name of a God “who teaches humanity by the pen ---- the which it knew not” (96:1-5). Thereafter, the text repeatedly exhorts the reader with phrases like “what! Would you not reason out?” or “They might perchance reflect!” or “perhaps you may exert your mind!” Argument abounds in the verses or ayat as they are called. And the term “ayat” also means “sign”, a double meaning that is no accident. For act of reading the Quran was to be an exercise in discerning the sign of the Divine, unraveling the truth in the ayat. The invitation to “Read” then, was emphatically not the kind of exercise to be pursued without the fullest acuity or proper engagement of human intellect.”
The author then gives the detailed analysis of Muslim societies or Umma who flourished for centuries with the values of integrity, generosity, solidarity and forbearance in both areas of religious and civic arenas, with the underpinning foundation of human reason. This benefited the society in many scientific inventions and discoveries like paper making, Arabic numerals drawing on Indian innovation, and earliest system of commercial credit. There are always people in all civilizations which go against rationality, but relating them to any religion especially the one (Islam) whose historical records prove free thinking, rational reasoning and intellectual contribution to the human society, is the work of unsophisticated commentators like Lewis or Huntington (author of “Clash of Civilization”) and their like minded people who lack the clear understanding of Islam and who want to be “politically correct” rather than “ethically correct.”
It is better to see “Islam and the West” instead of “Islam versus West”. We need to remember that when we are talking about Islam then we are actually talking about Muslims who are individuals and communities and not objective figures. These individuals have their own identities which are as pluralist as the world itself. This notion of understanding may not please the clash-of-civilization warriors or those who persist in clinging to fixed images of the others. But it would be “ethically” as opposed to “politically” correct.
Muslim Ethics Emerging Vistas - review continued (Chapter 2)
Muslim Ethics Emerging Vistas
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In the second chapter, “Civility and its Discontents” he addresses how modern concept of civil society and basic practice of Ummah differ on their fundamental perceptions, which creates discontent or uneasiness in Muslims. In this explanation of differences he mentions that modern concept of civil society must have three required elements that are rule of law, equal citizenship and participatory politics with accountability to state in civic sphere. These pre-requisites separate state and church and promote the concept of dualism. It generalizes all civil societies irrespective of diversity and historical and cultural realities. So it limits the modern public sphere to serve contemporary diversities of ethnicity, culture, religion, politics and individual purpose. Where as perception of Muslim civil society for Muslims is very unique in its roots and I quote, “The world’s 1.2 billion Muslims are diverse in their cultures and understanding of Islam. But they share a weltanschauung in which din and dunya (but not the modern dawla) are merged, so that both secular and sacred resonate in the public domain. Far from precluding the institutional separation of mosque and state, this perspective takes no ideological position in that regards; the umma can thrive in a plurality of political arrangement.”
This drift in perception in civil society between liberal approaches which talks about human rights between state and society but marginalize ethics in civil domain and Muslim pluralist society where the identities and practices have deep roots in religion, create a debate in which liberal approaches have prevailed. So “appropriate conduct” and rational conduct was substituted by ethic norms and functions creating uneasiness and discontent in civil society of today’s time.
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In the second chapter, “Civility and its Discontents” he addresses how modern concept of civil society and basic practice of Ummah differ on their fundamental perceptions, which creates discontent or uneasiness in Muslims. In this explanation of differences he mentions that modern concept of civil society must have three required elements that are rule of law, equal citizenship and participatory politics with accountability to state in civic sphere. These pre-requisites separate state and church and promote the concept of dualism. It generalizes all civil societies irrespective of diversity and historical and cultural realities. So it limits the modern public sphere to serve contemporary diversities of ethnicity, culture, religion, politics and individual purpose. Where as perception of Muslim civil society for Muslims is very unique in its roots and I quote, “The world’s 1.2 billion Muslims are diverse in their cultures and understanding of Islam. But they share a weltanschauung in which din and dunya (but not the modern dawla) are merged, so that both secular and sacred resonate in the public domain. Far from precluding the institutional separation of mosque and state, this perspective takes no ideological position in that regards; the umma can thrive in a plurality of political arrangement.”
This drift in perception in civil society between liberal approaches which talks about human rights between state and society but marginalize ethics in civil domain and Muslim pluralist society where the identities and practices have deep roots in religion, create a debate in which liberal approaches have prevailed. So “appropriate conduct” and rational conduct was substituted by ethic norms and functions creating uneasiness and discontent in civil society of today’s time.
Muslim Ethics: Emerging Vistas - (review continued - chapter 1)
Muslim Ethics Emerging Vistas
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In the first chapter, “Taking Ethics Seriously” he discusses the concept of Maslaha (human welfare) and Istihsan (equality) in relation to today’s realities, especially from the field of biomedical, ecological and developmental issues. He gave many examples such as abortion, human genetic intervention and euthanasia to give clearer reasoning for ethical understanding in those matters, especially the fine line which changes Maslaha (human welfare) into pure science with the motives of profit and publicity and touches on the very foundation of birth and death.
In his explanation of taking ethics seriously he mentioned that ethical choices are not forced by the outside agents, instead it is demanded by person himself as he/she is the part of a whole and hurting others will result in hurting himself in the end. He quotes Williams from “Ethics and Limits of Philosophy” as follows:
“Moral choices have to do with the deliberative priority that is accorded to specific courses of action, and this priority in turn relates to a whole range of possible motivations, of which obligation is only one. Ethically outstanding choices may not be a matter of obligation at all, in that they cannot be demanded or the actor subjected to blame for not doing them: instead they may be done because the actor feels there is no alternative for him personally, while recognizing that this could not be demanded of others.”
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In the first chapter, “Taking Ethics Seriously” he discusses the concept of Maslaha (human welfare) and Istihsan (equality) in relation to today’s realities, especially from the field of biomedical, ecological and developmental issues. He gave many examples such as abortion, human genetic intervention and euthanasia to give clearer reasoning for ethical understanding in those matters, especially the fine line which changes Maslaha (human welfare) into pure science with the motives of profit and publicity and touches on the very foundation of birth and death.
In his explanation of taking ethics seriously he mentioned that ethical choices are not forced by the outside agents, instead it is demanded by person himself as he/she is the part of a whole and hurting others will result in hurting himself in the end. He quotes Williams from “Ethics and Limits of Philosophy” as follows:
“Moral choices have to do with the deliberative priority that is accorded to specific courses of action, and this priority in turn relates to a whole range of possible motivations, of which obligation is only one. Ethically outstanding choices may not be a matter of obligation at all, in that they cannot be demanded or the actor subjected to blame for not doing them: instead they may be done because the actor feels there is no alternative for him personally, while recognizing that this could not be demanded of others.”
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Muslim Ethics: Emerging Vistas
Muslim Ethics
Emerging Vistas
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In this book Amyn Sajoo has undertaken a detailed analysis of Muslim Ethics and its impact on society in past and present. The focus of his studies is on practical implementation of ethics which reflects Islam as a way of life. His reasoning on ethics was not based only on good or bad, rather he uses his intellectual energy in exploring the question “Why act ethically?” His study is based on very nature of pluralistic Islamic society which is very different from those portrayed by fundamentalist persuasions or better referred to as political Islamists.
He concentrated his thoughts on practical applications of Islamic ethics, which requires balance between material and spiritual life; and all definitions of good and bad lie on that balance. He very intelligently defined ethics and morals and the fine line between them; an how it defines individual identity and its impact on society.
I quote:
“….In formal disclosure, however, ethical perspectives are about what guides an individual or a community in choices that concern the “good” relating closely to perception of who one is and how best to live in one’s universe. Moral, on the other hand, are more specifically about rules that concern what is right and wrong, whether for individual or society.”
Certainly, ethics and moral overlap each other. As the social fabric of Muslim society is woven by those threads of ethics and morals, Muslims see Islam as a way of life.
Amyn Sajoo sees ethics as a common thread between all the ethics based religions. This thread ties all human beings and connects them to work in unity for the betterment of all mankind. This view was depicted by the illustration on cover page of his book, which is Noah’s Ark painting from Mughal period.
He explains this painting as follows:
“…consider the sheer diversity of life in the vessel where humans are far outnumbered by the birds and animals, and human themselves come from various walks of life. No overt religious symbol appear in their midst, even though the depiction stems from a scriptural narrative: God’s message to the Prophet Nuh (Noah) to salvage life from the flood (detailed in the Quran 11:25-49). Rather, secular and sacred are in easy confluence. The dragon-motif of the vessel itself is a popular borrowing from Chinese tradition, recalling a pluralist impulse that imbues Islamic Art.”
Amyn has divided his book into four chapters:
- Taking Ethics seriously: Adab to Zygotes
- Civility and its Discontents
- A Humanist Ethos: The Dance of Secular and Religious
- Pluralist Governance
I will tackle each chapter separately for easy reading.
Emerging Vistas
Author: Amyn B. Sajoo
Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
In this book Amyn Sajoo has undertaken a detailed analysis of Muslim Ethics and its impact on society in past and present. The focus of his studies is on practical implementation of ethics which reflects Islam as a way of life. His reasoning on ethics was not based only on good or bad, rather he uses his intellectual energy in exploring the question “Why act ethically?” His study is based on very nature of pluralistic Islamic society which is very different from those portrayed by fundamentalist persuasions or better referred to as political Islamists.
He concentrated his thoughts on practical applications of Islamic ethics, which requires balance between material and spiritual life; and all definitions of good and bad lie on that balance. He very intelligently defined ethics and morals and the fine line between them; an how it defines individual identity and its impact on society.
I quote:
“….In formal disclosure, however, ethical perspectives are about what guides an individual or a community in choices that concern the “good” relating closely to perception of who one is and how best to live in one’s universe. Moral, on the other hand, are more specifically about rules that concern what is right and wrong, whether for individual or society.”
Certainly, ethics and moral overlap each other. As the social fabric of Muslim society is woven by those threads of ethics and morals, Muslims see Islam as a way of life.
Amyn Sajoo sees ethics as a common thread between all the ethics based religions. This thread ties all human beings and connects them to work in unity for the betterment of all mankind. This view was depicted by the illustration on cover page of his book, which is Noah’s Ark painting from Mughal period.
He explains this painting as follows:
“…consider the sheer diversity of life in the vessel where humans are far outnumbered by the birds and animals, and human themselves come from various walks of life. No overt religious symbol appear in their midst, even though the depiction stems from a scriptural narrative: God’s message to the Prophet Nuh (Noah) to salvage life from the flood (detailed in the Quran 11:25-49). Rather, secular and sacred are in easy confluence. The dragon-motif of the vessel itself is a popular borrowing from Chinese tradition, recalling a pluralist impulse that imbues Islamic Art.”
Amyn has divided his book into four chapters:
- Taking Ethics seriously: Adab to Zygotes
- Civility and its Discontents
- A Humanist Ethos: The Dance of Secular and Religious
- Pluralist Governance
I will tackle each chapter separately for easy reading.
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