We are all made from one blood

During a recent devotional time with my bedfast Mother I was startled by this bit of scripture from the New Testament

"God has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth."  Acts 17: 26 

Shortly thereafter, in a book called "Agape Love" by chance, I found the same reflection a Persian Poet:

"The descendents of Adam are members of one body, for from the moment of Creation they are made of a single substance.

If the hands of fate causes pain in a single member, the other members will lose their tranquility and peace.

If thou are not saddened by the affliction of others, thou are not worthy to be called human.

Saadi, Thirteenth-Century Persian Poet (Trans. S. H. Nasr)

(See more translations below)

The reflection following the quote from Acts, spoke of a conversations between a writer and her 7-year-old friend who was of a beautiful color of brown.  He was wondering why so many Bible-story books indicated in paintings that Adam and Eve were white.  This led the writer to a sense of heart-sickness  and to let the little friend know that all people have their roots in the One Creator God and therefore we are all equal. 

The writer's reflection continued with the following: No race nor ethnicity is superior or inferior to another.  He gives to all life and breath. 

"Every life has been created, God's handiwork displayed:  When we cherish His creation, we value what He's made."

Sper

I found the following via the internet search.  You may also want to look at:

saadipage.tripod.com

The most famous aphorism of Saadi

Saadi is well known for his aphorisms, the most famous of which, Bani Adam, in a delicate way shows the essence of Ubuntu and calls for breaking all barriers between the human beings:

Iranian Poetry 'Bani Adam' Inscribed On United Nations Building Entrance

بنى آدم اعضای یک پیکرند

که در آفرینش ز یک گوهرند

چو عضوى به درد آورد روزگار
دگر عضوها را نماند قرار

تو کز محنت دیگران بی غمی
نشاید که نامت نهند آدمی

The poem is translated by A.Marandi as:

Humans are peers of a united race,

Thus in creation, share the same base.

If one is affected with pain,

Others share the faith of same.

When you are indifferent to this pain,

You shall not earn the Humans' name.

Also translated by M. Aryanpoor as:

Human beings are members of a whole,

In creation of one essence and soul.

If one member is afflicted with pain,

Other members uneasy will remain.

If you've no sympathy for human pain,

The name of human you cannot retain!

by H. Vahid Dastjerdi as:

Adam's sons are body limbs, to say;

For they're created of the same clay.

Should one organ be troubled by pain,

Others would suffer severe strain.

Thou, careless of people's suffering,

Deserve not the name, "human being".

and the last translation by Dr. Iraj Bashiri:

Of One Essence is the Human Race,

Thusly has Creation put the Base.

One Limb impacted is sufficient,

For all Others to feel the Mace.

The Unconcern'd with Others' Plight,

Are but Brutes with Human Face.

The translations above are attempts to preserve the rhyme scheme of the original while translating into English, but may distort the meaning. What follows is an attempt at a more literal translation of the original Persian:

"Humans (children of Adam) are inherent parts (or more literally, limbs) of one body,
and are from the same essence in their creation.
When the conditions of the time hurts one of these parts,
other parts will be disturbed.
If you are indifferent about the misery of others,
it may not be appropriate to call you a human being."

==========

How sad that even this poet himself was so abused by Christians during the Crusades even without any
cause yet did not seek revenge.  He himself understood so much more clearly than so many from a Christian background today the wisdom taught in our own New Testament.

Peaceful Co-Existence Inside and Outside Family

 

Even if you don't have diverse neighbors and friends, just a little perusing inside a few family magazines and sites makes so clear how much we all have in common and how we can help our children to be true to themselves and still respect others.

Aaila The Muslim Family Magazine  http://www.aaila.org/

Also see the current issue of the long-standing American Magaine, "Parenting" for the following.  I applaud "Parenting" magazine for publishing this article and the author, Dr. Aliya Hasan for writing the same:

http://living.msn.com/family-parenting/the-family-room-blog-post?post=9d70cd0c-0da3-48cf-8e6c-cce33210c513&ref=bfv

Here's one more site and a popular article on this big topic:

http://www.happymuslimah.com/


http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/an-islamic-view-of-parenting/ 

Some crucial points are made in the article above on raising children with gentleness, love and forgiveness.  At the same time, there may be one or two assumptions about South Asia.  From what I've been learning about Pakistan and Bangladeshi for example -- there are plenty of amazing families and family teachings on mercy and love just like everywhere else.

Maybe you'll add your own sites, references and opinions on family?

Make of yourself a pearl

Continuing with the same theme of the last two posts...The following is from  "The Second Birth"  p. 36 pb edition "Perfume of the Desert"

...Think of an oyster you fish out of the sea

That hasn't given birth to a pearl ---

What use is it? Who wants to buy it?

Its value will not appear to any eyes,

However experienced they may be.

You must, then, give birth to yourself a second time

Like silver and gold that are born from earth

And free yourself from all danger

And live in peace under God's protection...

When the soil of the mine is thrown in the furnace

It melts and transmutes and becomes precious.

You, too, if you are a real seeker; must melt away

Through the passion of the fire of love

In the furnace of absolute sincerity.


How else can you free yourself from the veils

Of your existence and become drunk on God?


...So you can know the secret of Union.

Dedicate your soul to the path of Reality

So you can receive the help and teaching of God.


#########

Just a few notes:

The body everywhere sometimes seems to reign supreme.

Here in California there are the glamorous ones of every size, age and gender. Their build
and clothes dazzle every minute.  I marvel that the young everywhere have a chance to find
out who they REALLY are with such temptation on every hand.  I admire those who are able
to pursue a deeper path. The most beautiful persons who walk about appear pleasing without
seeking rather desperate attention -- even conventionally so.

Then there are the super-athletes here who's body astounds. In forested areas, there are the
mountain bikers.  In California, there are the "spinners", cyclists and walkers. Their aloneness or comraderie feels quite healthy to a point.  Of course, there is superb inspiration concerning health and discipline with much of this.  Yet by itself this too is limited.

Of course the TV, FaceBook and other media are full of bodies all over the world.

Yet of what value and good is just the body by itself alone?  All too soon there's not much
anyone can do to slow down time's mark.  Or by some hard work and miracle, a few are
able to do so, of what good is a perfect body not only at the end or along the way home?

The body is a necessary and beautiful part of life.  Yet it is only a part of the whole.

I love this poem of which part is above because just about anyone in their "right mind" can
do something about this secret -- no matter how limited their means nor how imperfect their body.
Finally, the pay off is huge:  receiving help and teaching from the Divine.  What could be more
important than that?





 

Pearls and Poultices

A Teaching Story from Perfume of the Desert: Inspirations from Sufi Wisdom by Andrew Harvey and Eryk Hanut  (A highly recommended book -- a perfect gift from a friend who takes such a story as the following to heart.)

Here's a story by Junayd titled "The Pearl."

"Shibli sought out Junayd as a teacher and said to him, 'Many people have informed me that you are a supreme expert on the pearls of awakening and divine wisdom. Either give me one of these pearls or sell one to me.'

"Junayd smiled. 'If I sell you one, you won't be able to pay the price; if I give you one, coming by it so easily will drive you to undervalue it. Do like me; dive headfirst into the Sea. If you wait patiently, you will obtain your Pearl.' "

To Practice: Dive deeper into your spiritual practice and watch for a Pearl.

========

To  add more layers to the metaphor above, sometimes waiting for the gift of the Pearl may take time no matter how prepared we may be.  So, what about rejoicing with the little "gifts" along the way -- which are also often greater than we may notice at the time.  In fact these may be JUST what we or a loved one may need most.

See Steinbeck's The Pearl.  Here's the excerpt:

The baby, having been cured by the poultice of seaweed, the gift of the sea, does not need the doctor, but Juana does not fully appreciate the power of the sea, and hopes for a pearl so that they can pay the doctor to treat him. To satisfy their misguided understanding of what is best for their child and for their family, Kino violently cuts into the flesh of the oyster, making its "lip-like flesh...(writhe) and...subside)", and takes the pearl, in his ignorance and greed destroying the natural order between the land and the sea (Chapter 2).

From EndNotes.com/Pearl

BECOMING a human being...

May I open up a little conversation from an highly-trusted spiritual classic...
"Becoming a human being...is a mandate and a mission, a command and a decision.  We each have an open-ended relationship to ourselves...

'We, however, are challenged and questioned from the depths of our boundless spirit...to become
human through the exercise of our freedom -- that is the law of our Being...(yet) not devoid of law
and necessity. (This freedom)  reveals itself at work when we accept and approve with all our heart the being that is committed to us...Thus, the free process of becoming ...human...unfolds as a process of service...obedience and faithfulness to the humanity entrusted to us...

'By its very nature this process is a trial; imbedded in it is the danger of going awry...We are always a potential rebel.  We can secretly betray the humanity entrusted to us...we can try to run away from ourselves, from the burdens and difficulties of our lot, even going so far as to take our own life.  Under the myriad evansions of (the materialistic), we can stifle the truth of our Being...

'On the other hand, we may withstand this temptation and lovingly accept the truth of our Being.  For the moment we shall call this attitude "love of self"...the deep and positive significance of an attitude whose ethical and religious scope is usually overlooked and underrated...Understood correctly, our love for ourselves, our 'yes' to our self, may be regarded as the categorical imperative of faith:  You shall lovingly accept the humanity entrusted to you!  You shall be obedient to your destiny.  You shall not continually try to escape...

'You shall be true to yourself.  You shall embrace yourself."


From the forward of Johannes Baptist Metz'  "Poverty of Spirit" (an classic which has been translated by John Drury and includes Inclusive Language by Carole Farris):


NOTE:  funny that I just read the above and then a few hours later found this same discussion among a precious online community of people across the world with whom I've learned such similarly deep concepts.  So, I am hoping, inshallah, to come back to encourage some similar quotes from these dear friends.

Well, I heard the Spirit speaking to me twice before noon with this very same message and want to
get this out to some of my readers before I lose the essence.  I posted this beginning here on "No More Crusades" because I feel deeply it's time for each of us to embrace that which is so embedded in each one of us and thereby be slowly yet steadily done with violence toward one another once and for all.

where Muslims pray alongside Christians

St John’s church in Aberdeen is believed to be the only place in the UK where Muslims and Christians worship side by side.  Photograph: Narendra Shresthaepa/EPA

by Tamsin Rutter

A Scottish reverend has invited Muslims to pray alongside Christians in an Aberdeen church because the nearby mosque is so small that some worshippers were forced to pray outside.

The rector of St John’s church, Rev Isaac Poobalan, has made parts of the building available to the congregation of the mosque. Up to 100 Muslims now pray in the main chapel five times every Friday.
Church leaders believe this may be the only place in the UK where Christians and Muslims worship side by side; there have been similar moves in the US, including in Memphis two years ago.

The building which now acts as the Syed Shah Mustafa Jame Masjid mosque was built on the grounds of St John’s Church at St John’s Place, off Crown Street, in the mid-1980s. In 2006 it was turned into a prayer room, but developers did not anticipate that up to 200 Muslims would want to worship there.

“If they all squeezed in very tightly about 60 or 70 people could fit inside,” said Poobolan. “One day when I was walking past the mosque, I found 20 or 30 people outside on the ground around the pavements with their hands and feet exposed. You could see their breath. When I spoke to people at the church about the situation, someone actually said to me this was not our problem, but I had seen it with my own eyes, so it was a problem.”

The two faiths have been working closely together in Aberdeen for several years. On Christmas Eve 2010 the church and the mosque held simultaneous prayers and then both opened their doors to provide food for local people.

On 11 September 2011, Poobalan and the chief imam held a joint service, and together read from scriptures of the Bible and the Qur’an, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the US terrorist attacks. “We had the sense that we were in this together and we really wanted to convey the message that, if we are genuinely seeking peace, we had to work together and pray together,” said Poobalan.

Poobalan grew up in India and had many Muslim and Hindu friends. He said: “Religion does not play a role when it comes to friendship and hospitality. They transcend the religious divide.”

St John’s Church also opens its doors to people from a local mental health hospital every Wednesday. Poobalan said some members of his congregation were reluctant to accept those with mental health problems into the church, and later hesitant to accept Muslim worshippers, but they were learning to “transcend” such instincts.

The church is part of the Scottish Episcopal Church, which belongs to the Anglican Communion and not the Church of Scotland.

The Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, the Right Rev Dr Robert Gillies, said: “Internationally, the news speaks of tension and struggles between Islam and Christianity. Yet, here in Aberdeen, a mosque and a church have built bonds of affection and friendship. It must be stressed that neither has surrendered or compromised any aspect of the historic faith to which each holds. But mutual hospitality and goodwill exists.”

Original post: Aberdeen church opens doors to Muslims

(Credit for photo above also goes to original post)

May we be filled with the vision of peace.

War is STILL not the answer. Occupation is not liberation.

We pray to let go of the belief that we need wars...

A War Never Ends...

an interfaith response from

Fellowship of Reconciliation

by Phil Bentley of Jewish Peace Fellowship,

Rabia Harris of Muslim Peace Fellowship, and

Janet Chisholm of Episcopal Peace Fellowship

We are Americans, US citizens

Followers of many spiritual traditions

Compelled to speak, for ourselves and for others.

Convinced that war achieves neither freedom nor peace.

Called to speak the truth as our faiths demand.

May we be filled with the strength to seek peace.

War will not end when the guns are silent.

Violence can never lead to peace.

Our government does not faithfully represent us

Therefore it is our obligation to speak.

We will bear the responsibility.

We will willingly accept what is required.

We will stand against the forces of death.

We will stand for life.

May we be filled with the courage to seek peace.

Duty calls upon us to prohibit violence

Directed at our helpless brothers and sisters

To limit the monstrous domination of war

To repair the ruin, whenever, wherever we can:

The direct horrors inflicted on the people

The damage to their homes, lands, heritage, institutions

The disruption of their eating, drinking, traveling,

breathing, living

May we be filled with the compassion to seek peace.

We grieve for the harm to our own country

The degradation suffered here in common

The contagion of fear and distrust

The restriction of our freedoms

The quashing of our dialogue and dissent

We grieve the terrible wounding of sisters and brothers sent to fight

Children captured by the demons of war

Who will suffer illness of body and spirit

Whose families too absorb the blows of violence

We grieve the rupture of families when a member is killed

Parents, spouses, infants overcome with grief

Losing a source of sustenance and survival

May we be filled with the endurance to seek peace.

War will not fulfill those government promises.

For it is based on lies, and lies have been told.

Here we stand on truth, and stand together.

United as one humanity, here we are.

We grasp the horror of war in all its fullness.

And embrace it with our joined compassion.

May we be filled with the vision of peace.

Recognizing our weakness

We call on the Spirit of Mercy to guide us now.

Nothing is stronger. The spirit will prevail.

Amen.

Light a Candle for Peace  on your own or GO to:

GRATEFULNESS.ORG