Make Muslims Spiritual Again
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The islamic (and religious) community has gone shallow.
The very essence of our religion, spirituality, is considered comical or even blasphemous.
There are gems to be found in various different walks of life. Zen, Taoism, Buddhism, these are not "religions" in the sense that they require worship. These are ways of life...
Although such paths have brought wisdom to humanity for thousands of years, many (not all) modern muslims only wish to explore his/her fixed domain, judging those who seek openly as kuffar (disbelievers).
Is islam about following robotically and not asking questions? Running life on auto-pilot, lacking in self-awareness and judging others who don’t see things our way.
This may be how many of our parents taught us, but it is not the case.
Islam is for scientists and those who seek the truth... that is, the real Islam.
Todays Islamic community is unfortunately rich ego more-so than heart…
We need to revive the importance of spiritual enlightenment and Khushu (awareness). Using our heads as tools while taking homeage within the heart.
Personal Story
Before I start this letter please allow me to begin with a prayer:
The picture above accurately describes what my earlier years of life looked like.
We had food on the table (alhamdulillah) and our survival needs taken care of (alhamdulillah).
The bottom of Maszlow’s hierarchy was taken care of.
What was neglected however were the higher levels of fulfilment.
Emotional support, meaning, depth and something other than fear to motivate our religious worship.
An emphasis on the importance of Self Mastery…
Religion always felt shallow to me during those years.
There was a deep substance missing from what was spoken of the be “the perfect system”.
At the age of 17 I realised how much I was suffering with mental health.
Constant fear, guilt, shame and worry plagued me.
I lacked confidence as a teenager and often felt deeply inadequate.
The islamic community (and other religious communities) consider talking about “feelings” a taboo.
If your story is anything like mine, you’ve probably felt alone and unable to relate to most people around you, often resulting in the feeling of being an outsider.
Having found no success in alleviating my mental/ emotional suffering through the surface level islamic practices passed down to me, I began to seek in other directions.
And that is when I stumbled across Buddhism, its principles and the practice of meditation or being present in the moment…
In this chapter of my life I realised the power of “the now” and that what we call in islam Khushu (presence & attentive humility) has been sadly forgotten.
A Commitment Self Mastery
As a kid, success was spoken of in such a way where becoming a doctor and going to university were the pinnacle of achievement.
In reality… they were just the top of our parents world-view and the peak within the level of Maslow’s hierarchy they were trapped in.
Paying the bills is all they know. May God bless them for how hard they’ve worked for us.
My parents came from Pakistan to the UK when they were teens.
The most important thing for them was learning how to survive in a foreign country that didn’t like them because of their skin colour and the language they spoke.
They did the best they could…
As I write this I realise (in real time) that our parents fulfilled their duty. That was, to take care of theirs and our survival needs.
For them to have taken us beyond into philosophy, truth seeking, spirituality and self mastery would be asking an awful lot from a single generation of immigrants.
Self Mastery is a generational pursuit, not an individual one. Progress on this path is the greatest success you could ever achieve.
It’s now the duty of you and me to use the springboard our parents provided and climb the ladder of fulfilment, giving our children what we did not have (particularly in the non-physical domains)
Action Step: Write down how you currently are measuring your level of success in life vs. What you believe to be true success.
And remember…
Pursue Self Knowledge
We’re taught to follow our religion as kids believing that the point is to get into paradise.
What does that really mean?
How does one get granted access into eternal bliss?
We’re taught that it’s through adhering to the 5 pillars of Islam, reciting specific prayers and doing more good deeds than bad ones.
I believe this is true, however the problem here is that we’re talking about effects and not causes.
Let me explain…
Did you as a child follow the 5 pillars of islam, along with adhering to additional guidelines simply because you were told to do so?
The chances are your answer is no.
Perhaps you did for a short while, primarily through fear of your parents’ punishment.
Yet when left to your own devices, you strayed.
That’s what happened in my case.
And why was that?
Because my foundation was unstable.
I did not have a solid ground to stand on in order to keep my faith secure.
What is that foundation?
It is “who you are” and the desire to improve yourself. In other words it is Self Mastery.
When one is committed to Self Mastery everything else follows.
It becomes clear and evident why in fact we have been ordered to pray 5 times daily and so on.
There is then meaning behind our acts of worship and understanding as to why we’re doing them.
One does not simply follow robotically but does so through personal choice and rational thinking.
Fasting and the month of Ramadan go from starving oneself through force to feeling a sense of honour and gratitude for the opportunity to engage in a
30 day period of deep self reflection and improvement.
When I was smoking £120 of weed a week and binge eating all day I decided (with Allah’s permission) to return to Islam and realised that Ramadan is Islam’s built in anti-addiction protocol.
Progress is purpose.
In order to master yourself you must learn to identify your ego and witness it as something separate to your true Self (capital S).
When the aim of the game changes from “getting into paradise” to “seeking Truth” it becomes clear that the real purpose is to transcend and master the ego.
This is the cause for living on the path.
The effect is spiritual development, connection to one’s true self, and through that, connection to Allah The Most High.
“Know yourself and you shall know your Lord”
This is the spiritual essence that has been forgotten in modern Islam.
Such ideas might seem far out there but in fact they are central to the true meaning of Islam.
Islam is Self Mastery. Wage the war within and win over the nafs (ego).
The first place to look for the devil is not outside but rather within yourself.
When you realise how troublesome the ego is and how much unnecessary suffering it creates for both you and others, the importance of mastering it will become clear.
So how can you experience the ego as a separate entity to your true inner-being?
In other words, how do you learn to clearly distinguish between your mind and your soul?
Promotion: Just a quick one. If you want to learn how to discipline your ego and get to know your true, higher self check out this link for more information on Alpha-Mind, my mind-mastery program.
Getting Out Of The Head
Are you here? Or is your mind elsewhere?
You eyes see the words, but your mind wanders from here to there.
Do you ever notice yourself drifting off in prayer a little too frequently?
You want to concentrate and be attentive in salah but the mind keeps drifting away.
Doesn’t it feel frustrating?
The answer to this problem and surest way to gain a closer connection to Allah is in The Lost Art of Khushu.
Khushu is an arabic word that roughly translates in English to attentive humility, inner-stillness, or presence and concentration.
It means to be here in the moment, not there elsewhere.
For you this might be an alien concept, or perhaps you are familiar with that which I speak of.
Your body is here, your senses are here, but your mind is not.
Is that not true for so many of us in prayer?
“Concentrate!” We were continually told in school. “Focus!” “Pay attention!”
But how does one actually go about doing these?
Let me make something clear. The ability to concentrate and be present in one’s life is utterly impossible without deliberate practice.
You must practice being present in your life, otherwise you will drift from event to event as a bystander.
I’ve been getting hate on social media for this recently, but I stand firm in the belief that salah (prayer) alone is not enough.
Don’t get me wrong, prayer what the key missing from my life when I was at my lowest.
Prayer and consciously communicating with Allah brought me back on to the right path. Alhamdulillah.
However…
Prayer is only half of the equation for connection to God.
The importance of meditation is what I’m hinting at.
This seems controversial to main-stream muslims because they say our beloved prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) never told us to meditate, and if he never told us to do it then we shouldn’t.
Yet it is well known to many he (peace upon him) received the revelation while meditating in the cave of Hira.
Perhaps the reason why he never told us discretely to “meditate” is because meditation is a more modern term we use for the true meaning which is simply “to be”.
After 12 years meditating it is clear that meditation is not a verb.
It is not something you do. In fact, there is no such thing as “meditation”.
Because again, meditation means simply “to be”. Is there anything more natural than being?
All beings are being. We are human beings. The essence of our existence is “being”, not doing…
Practicing “just being” requires a coming away from thinking and doing.
Salah is doing, therefore it is not “being”.
“Being” requires doing no-thing. And that is why salah is not the same as meditation.
The key in this practice is regaining ownership over one’s attention.
When you begin to train your attention you will see just how much the ego misbehaves.
There are many ways to practice “being” but I’ll share the simplest method with you.
Action Step: Use the following link to access a free guided meditation I’ve provided for you.
No sign up, no details, no cost. Just use the free guide and that will teach you the foundational meditation technique that changed my life forever.
Remembering The Heart
When we come out of the head where else is there to go?
Naturally, as we learn to be more present, the heart becomes our home.
I refer not to the physical heart but rather the one that is spiritual in nature.
“Follow your heart”
We see sense in this for a reason, although to the mind the heart is simply a physical organ that pumps blood.
Something deep within us knows that there is more to the heart than just that.
A good friend once told me that the heart is like a mirror.
It receives the light of God and reflects it out back into the world at a level of clarity depending on how radiant it is.
When our hearts are dusty and veiled, God’s light does not penetrate so deeply.
This manifests as the experience of feeling disconnected.
Cleaning the heart is essential if we wish to know God and reflect goodness back into the world.
And as that goodness is reflected outwardly, it is also reflected back at us.
The cleaner your heart, the more pleasant you are as a human being.
The more pleasant you are, the more pleasant your experience of life will become.
It is an emphasis on the heart that is missing from our mainstream religions.
Stop focusing on possessing knowledge so that you may impress people and start concentrating more on being a pleasant human being.
For the real muslims are not “terrorists”, abusers, gangsters or haters.
The real muslims are kind, strong, generous and inspiring.
Action Step: Use the technique from the meditation above and start applying it for 3-20 minutes solely the area of your heart.
Have you forgotten your heart?
Be honest.
Do you tend to overanalyse, overthink and struggle to switch off your mind at the end of the day?
Is it often that you find yourself in arguments and debates on and off the internet?
If that is the case… you consider remembering your heart and returning to it.
Explore Your Curiosity
Allah planted a compass within each one of our hearts.
That compass is curiosity and when you follow it there is more meaning to your life.
The problem with modern people in religion is that they refuse to explore.
If you dare to be one of the few that do, you’re often ridiculed for being an innovator or non-believer.
How foolish, sad and unfortunate this is…
When you reject curiosity you reject your unique gifts and purpose in this life.
Every one of us has something unique to offer the world.
Curiosity is what guides us to it.
It was my curiosity in Buddhism, Yoga, Meditation and the workings of the mind that lead to be impacting the lives of so many today.
Often times (but not always), curiosity is prompted in the name of solving problems.
My scattered mind and tendency for depression from a young age were what lead to my exploration of the topics above.
Interest in a particular topic is necessitated through struggle and problems.
“The obstacle is the way” - Ryan Holiday
The unveiling of your authentic self is depending on pursuing that which your curiosity points towards.
That is why authenticity is often met with rejection and ridicule from small minded people.
To find your authentic flare, discover unique solutions and reveal your specific God-given gifts means to escape from the herd and be an individual instead.
Yes, community is key in thriving on earth.
But if everything were the same colour and we all were to agree, life would be boring.
There isn’t just one solution to every problem.
Although that is how the majority of modern religious followers think.
Can you understand how robotic that is?
The human being is part-machine but not one entirely.
We are flesh, blood, bone and soul also.
Action Step: Make a list of the most burning problems/ desires in your life currently, along with the areas of interest your curiosity compass points towards.
What skills do you want to learn?
What knowledge do you want to acquire?
What questions do you wish to answer?
Follow your curiosity. Expect resistance, for the path of the heart is only walked by the few.
The path of the heart is the road less travelled.
Beware, it can get lonely at first, but in time it’s well worth it and you will find your place to belong.
Summary
Modern religion is missing the point. No wonder so many people rebel and stray away.
Submitting to the will of God is not possible without a commitment to Self Mastery.
For the war between lower and higher nature within us all is always at play.
Master your base desires, learn to be present and come to know who and what you really are.
The mind is a miraculous tool but a terrible leader.
Use it, be not used by it.
For those who submit to the mind are idolaters, unconsciously in worship to illusion.
Remember your heart and polish it well, let it reflect the light of The Divine with brilliance.
Dare to follow your curiosity and tread the road less travelled.
It is here that you will find most fulfilment, purpose and connection to your Lord.
For Allah is not found, as controversial as it might sound, in blindly following along with the crowd.
Promotion: If you want to learn how to master your ego and connect to your true, authentic self, check out my new meditation program “Alpha-Mind”.
If you’re muslim, it’s fully halal. More info here.
Promotion: If you’re being dominated by your Lower Nature and are fed up of cycles of guilt, shame and knowing you’re not living true to your potential then check out my Unchained Coaching Program (currently 1:1). Learn more here.
Break the chains of self-limiting beliefs and discover what true freedom feels like. More info here along with the opportunity to book a FREE 60 minute call with me.
Promotion: Stop overthinking, get out of your head and into your body while learning a new system for holistic, nature inspired health and well-being with the 5 Element Yoga System. More info here.
If you don’t want to buy anything that’s cool.
I just hope you got some value from this piece of content.
Thank you for reading all the way until the end.
You my friend are one of the few.
As always I wish you well,
Share this with a friend,
Keep an eye out for the next one and,
Stay sharp.
Usman.
Who is Usman Ali?
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