Author: Jamal Rahman

“But if you are patient in adversity and conscious of Him- truly this is something upon which to set one’s heart.” (Qur’an 3:186)
The patience shown by the moon to the dark night is what keeps it radiant; the patience shown by the rose to the thorn is what keeps it fragrant.” (Rumi)

Early in his ministry the Prophet Muhammad was in deep despair. After a burst of divine revelations from the realm of Mystery in 610 CE in a phenomenal event called the Night of Power, no new revelations were forthcoming. . .

“Assuredly the creation of the heavens and earth is greater than the creation of humankind. Yet most people understand not.” (Qur’an 17:37)
“The earth is like your mother; honor her and protect her.“ ~Hadith
The Qur’an makes it clear that the human is not superior to nature. “Do not walk upon the earth with proud self-conceit,” says the holy book. . .

“God will not change the condition of a people unless they change what is in their hearts.” (Qur’an 13:11)
“All your life, O Ghalib
You kept repeating the same mistake
Your face was dirty
But you were obsessed with cleaning the mirror.” ~Mirza Ghalib
To heal and change the conditions of social injustice and planetary degradation, we simply have to do the work of transforming the ego and opening up the heart…

“Do not sell your bond with God for so paltry a price.” (Qur’an 16:95)
“Say, what has seduced you away from your most Generous Instructor?” (Qur’an 82:6)
The Qur’an talks about a sacred bond Allah established with humanity before sending them to earth. Allah gathered all the souls of unborn humanity and asked, “Am I not your Sustainer?”

“It was in the month of Ramadan that the Qur’an was revealed as a guidance for humankind.” (Qur’an 2:185)

The Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the lunar month of Ramadan on the mysterious Night of Power, said to be “greater than a thousand months” (97:3). . .

“Fasting blinds the body in order to open the eyes of your soul.” ~Rumi

“It was in the month of Ramadan that the Qur’an was revealed as a guidance for humankind.” (Qur’an 2:185)

“O God, favor upon favor have You bestowed upon this handful of dust.” (Sufi prayer of Gratitude)

Why do Muslims undergo the sacred practice of self-purification for an entire month, abstaining from food, drink and sex, from sunrise to sunset? Essentially, this is to express gratitude to God for the first verses of the Qur’an that were revealed to the Prophet in the month of Ramadan. . .

“So I call to witness the rosy glow of sunset; the night and its progression; and the moon as it grows into fullness; surely you shall travel from stage to stage. What, then, is the matter with them, that they do not have faith in the unfolding?” (Qur’an 84: 16-20)

We never know how our actions can inspire those around us. Sometimes a little bit of light is all that a flower needs to blossom. . .

“So I call to witness the rosy glow of sunset; the night and its progression; and the moon as it grows into fullness; surely you shall travel from stage to stage.” (Qur’an 16-19)

“A new moon teaches gradualness and deliberation and how one gives birth to oneself slowly.” (Rumi)

The major religions of the world teach us that a major task entrusted to us by Divinity on this mysterious journey of life is to evolve into the fullness of our being. To describe this life-long process, sages use different metaphors….

Don’t despair over things that pass you by nor exult over blessings that come to you.” (Qur’an 57:23-25)

The Qur’an calls us to be grateful for our worldly gifts, but to not be so attached to this fleeting realm that we lose sight of our eternal Lord. We must not forget that our bodies are just vehicles that God has given us as a loan; and this world is just a bus stop along the way from God back to God.

Don’t despair over things that pass you by nor exult over blessings that come to you.” (Qur’an 57:23-25)

The 13th century Sufi sage Attar tells the story of a powerful monarch who was exhausted by the unpredictable ebb and flow of fortunes, and he yearned for inner peace. He sought counsel from the court sages for words of wisdom that would protect him from being overly exultant and prideful in times of victory and save him from falling into the depths of depression in times of failure.