The Purpose of Change

muslims

I disagree. . there are so many contradictions, for example. . .

Whoever with God walks, liberty talks.
vs.
The more mastery towards personal problems, the more mastery towards social ones.

Whoever with God walks, liberty talks.
vs.
Then, continue reading the scripture.

Just kidding. . ;D

Great words . . . bravo

R_H_-Ustahi

LOL! I asked once a dedicated critical thinker, a colleague of mine

What happens to the critical thinking if thoughts cease to exist?

Peace,
R.

muslims

What happens to the critical thinking if thoughts cease to exist?

It cannot be, we will become the worst living creatures without thoughts.

Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah
are the deaf <- sense perception
and dumb
who do not use reason
8.22

Thoughts must exist for creating balance and justice in the society , Islam . . that's our purpose of life.

R_H_-Ustahi

What if I told you that the mind is the barrier between you and the All-Mighty?

muslims

What if I told you that the mind is the barrier between you and the All-Mighty?

I wonder where does it say in the Quran that mind is the barrier between me and Allah ?

In fact. . I think it is contradicting verse 8.22 above .

Zulf

Let's understand the nature of man and our mind.
I'd agree to that the mind is that which acts as the barrier between us and Allah...

not the mind per se since the mind, i.e. the capability of us to think and reason and create, is part of what we are and is also a tremendous blessing that sets us apart from other creation. It is in fact both a blessing and a curse... and which one of those it becomes depends totally on how we relate to it. If we are slaves to the mind, unaware of the serfdom, we are lost. We'd be totally absorbed by the mind, and the mind cannot make sense of God. The mind can create images of God, but the mind cannot reach out to sense God and the unseen world. This is why there are so many brilliant people, who totally reject any idea of God.
The mind should be what it was designed for... to be a tool, not a hypnotic master feeding us lies and conjecture. The mind is a marvelous tool, a blessing from God, but it will only be so if we are able to surrender to God and set ourselves free from and above our own minds. When we surrender, unknowingly, to our minds, we are doomed and helpless. What we need to do it to take back control... or rather to peacefully let go of the blinding chains that we let the mind fetter and imprison us with.

This is not new knowledge, or something odd. It has been around for ages upon ages. If it is not visible in the quran it either means we are not in a current state of understanding, especially linguistically and traditionally, to see it... OR, the quran simply deals with issue more basic, and therefore doesn't mention it... because the quran is afterall a guide, reminder and criterion... not an all encompassing list or manual of everything.

God guides... sometimes through the quran, but always through the rest of creation.

Peace

muslims

Maybe Allah does not speak about the mind and many writers are confuse between the nafs, mind, heart and souls ?

Allah has not made for a man two hearts in his interior. 33.4

See ? Allah does not speak about the mind, but it is the heart. . .

Therefore, how the nafs, mind, heart and soul interacts and what are their traits and differences ?

Zulf

Agreed.
It would be foolish to insist we know exactly what is what and how the terms you mention relate to each other.
I really have no remark on the ayats in question, but I do think that mind and heart are different things, both physically and non-physically. I see it that the mind is a great tool, but which cannot perceive God. The heart is the thing which connects us all to each other and "to God", as far as I see it currently.

Also see the website of Global Coherence Initiative for more on the heart.
http//www.glcoherence.org/

Peace

muslims

I see it that the mind is a great tool, but which cannot perceive God. The heart is the thing which connects us all to each other and "to God", as far as I see it currently.

Yes, and the Quran says we can perceive God. . .
and I believe we should optimize our "mind" to the highest level for "reasoning"
and should empty or free our "heart" for guidance, ie. be open minded heart for finding truth, balance and the straight path. . .
and not rejecting people or denying them from speaking truth simply because they have different perspective or practices.

. . .

The critical factor is whether one uses the information according to the laws of Allah. So, there are two conditions in becoming a Mumin to gain knowledge from nature, and to use it according to the injunctions of Allah. The Quran demands that ?its system be accepted in its totality.? (2/20 A nation that does not meet both of these criteria cannot be Mumin, and since Muslims fail regarding the first condition, we cannot claim to be Mumin

(take note this requires an active mind for reasoning and thinking; cf. Moses vs. Pharoah)

. . .

If we Muslims want to shape our society according to the Quran, then we must become competent researchers and scientists in every field of knowledge. Through observation and experiment in both the internal world (anfus) and external world (afaq), the forces of nature can be harnessed and then the rewards amassed can be used and distributed according to the laws given in the Quran. Only people with these characteristics are qualified to be called ulema; The Quran refers the actual ulema are the scientists

Zulf

Nice! I agree with this point of view!

One huge problem is that we, human beings in general, do not know our selves and how we function. We are blindly imprisoned by the faulty (although sometimes honest, but fatally incomplete) reasoning of the mind and ego. Fear rules our lives due to our ignorance about ourselves and about the unseen realities.

Peace

muslims

One huge problem is that we, human beings in general, do not know our selves and how we function. We are blindly imprisoned by the faulty (although sometimes honest, but fatally incomplete) reasoning of the mind and ego. Fear rules our lives due to our ignorance about ourselves and about the unseen realities.

You are right, the "animal mind". . .
it is easy to spot these traits and many people may look nice etc, but once you test them. .
they will turn into their true "human animal" mode
(like an animal, sometimes they are good and nice , other times they are evil etc. .
and some like chicken, wolves, tiger etc, eg. chinese horoscope and animal traits)
or they will believe in Allah when the life is good, but when they are tested. . they cry and become a disbeliever etc

And whatever you have of favor - it is from Allah
Then when adversity touches you, to Him you cry for help.
16.53

And as for man, when his Lord tries him and is generous to him
and favors him, he says, "My Lord has honored me."
But when He tries him and restricts his provision, he says, "My Lord has humiliated me."
(89.15-16)

(like animals. . when you feed them, they are nice. .but when there is no food, they might bite you etc)

This is not "human mind", but it is the "animal mind" . . . and it is easy to spot them

and . . .

I believe the "mind and ego" is not related to the "mind" or "heart" etc. . but the "nafs" department
many people mistakenly believe the "mind" control everything, but the mind is nothing
the "mind" is the followers, slave, a bridge. . .
and the "nafs" is the boss. . .
it is "God"

Have you seen the one who takes as his god his own desire?
Then would you be responsible for him?
(25.43)

Have you seen he who has taken as his god his desire,
and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge
and has set a seal upon his hearing
and his heart and put over his vision a veil?
So who will guide him after Allah ?
Then will you not be reminded?
(45.23)

What is Islam?
http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9605723.msg336793#msg336793
http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9605723.msg336800#msg336800
http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9605723.msg336782#msg336782

therefore, until one is able to control and defeat his nafs, ie. "God" . . . he will not have the "human mind"
many identify this "human mind" as "subconscious mind" or "super conscious mind", ie. the bridge. . . to hello the "heart"

That's why we need consciousness. . meditation, sadaqah, dzikr etc
and that's why we need to reduce our needs (self) and follow the path of Allah

By no means shall you attain to righteousness
until you spend (benevolently)
out of what you love <- everything ?
and whatever thing you spend
Allah surely knows it
(392)

And they ask you as to what they should spend (sadaqah)
Say What you can spare
Thus does Allah make clear to you the communications
that you may ponder
(2219)

What is Islam?
http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9605723.msg337102#msg337102

or. . they will live like animals, and they die as animals. . .

The example of those who disbelieve (the system) is like that of one who shouts at what hears nothing
but calls and cries cattle or sheep
deaf, dumb and blind
so they do not understand
2.171

(it will become worse if they do not think and use reasoning. . absolute animal traits)

It cannot be, we will become the worst living creatures without thoughts.

Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah
are the deaf <- sense perception
and dumb
who do not use reason
8.22