Embrace An All-Encompassing Vision
By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
30 November 2024
I fully agree with Professor Adis Duderija that, "To navigate the complexities of belief and disbelief, it is essential to adopt a more nuanced understanding that transcends rigid categorizations. This involves recognizing the subjective nature of belief and the diverse ways in which it can manifest.
It also requires acknowledging the impact of context on how beliefs are perceived and evaluated. “The only way to construct a robust philosophy for life and religion is to have a clear and realistic picture of what life and religion actually are. This underscores the significance of embracing reality and avoiding delusions or distorted perspectives. Constructing a philosophy for life and faith requires an unwavering commitment to discerning the genuine essence of life and religion. By doing so, one can effectively navigate the complexities and challenges of existence.
The clarity and realism offered by a profound comprehension of life and religion enable individuals to cultivate a philosophy that is resilient, meaningful, and applicable in various scenarios.
An accurate understanding of life and faith's intricacies serves as the foundation for a robust and purposeful philosophy. We've concretized life and faith and oscillated between binaries. We need fluidity and less rigidity in our approach to life and religion.
All religions are static and rigid because they've failed to evolve and remained unchanged. Many strict religious beliefs and tenets are in need of dilution if not outright deletion at the moment. For that, the follower of a faith will have to go beyond the confines of his respective faith and embrace an all-encompassing vision.
Remember, if you can approach the world's complexities, both its glories and its horrors, with an attitude of humble curiosity, acknowledging that however deeply you have seen, you have only scratched the surface, you will find worlds within worlds, beauties you could not heretofore imagine, and your own mundane preoccupations will shrink to proper size, not all that important in the greater scheme of things.
Imaan, Kufr (sacrilege) or even Irtidaad (apostasy) are mere words. Don't attach too much importance and seriousness to them. Maintain a humble and curious attitude when faced with the complexities of the world. By acknowledging that our understanding of the world is limited, and that there is always more to learn, we open ourselves up to new possibilities and discoveries. This attitude allows us to appreciate the beauty and wonders that exist beyond our current perceptions.
Moreover, it puts our own mundane concerns into perspective, reminding us that in the grand scheme of things, they are not as significant as we might believe. By approaching the world with humble curiosity, we can find hidden worlds within worlds and expand our appreciation for the vastness and diversity of existence.
There're greater worlds than the world of religiosity. To quote Dr Muhammad Iqbal, "Kho Na Jaa Iss Sahar-O-Shaam Mein Ae Sahab-E-Hosh/ Ek Jahan Aur Bhi Hai Jis Mein Na Farda Hai Na Dosh" (Don't get too much involved in the mundane activities of this world / There's a world that has no tomorrow and no yesterday; Dosh: pronounced Doosh in Persian, the last night/ It also means 'shoulder' but only in a given context).
Iqbal didn't mean afterlife by that eternal world. Religions have created much complexity and where redundant complexity exists, it is usually the result of incomplete understanding. When a situation appears excessively convoluted or burdened with unnecessary intricacies, it is typically a sign that there is a gap in our comprehension. In essence, complexity arises from a lack of understanding, as we tend to compensate for our incomplete knowledge by adding needless layers of complexity.
This is a reminder to continually seek deeper understanding and challenge superfluous complexity in order to uncover the elegant simplicity that often lies beneath the surface.
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A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/embrace-encompassing-vision/d/133877
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