Posterity Will Not Require Today's Knowledge
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
20 July
2023
"Editing
out on a massive scale would be good for our book. In fact, let us call it
"the religion of righteousness and justice", rather than "the
religion of the book".
The learned
and balanced contributor Mr
Arshad Alam's article on Houris described in the Quran and Hadees as well
as the aforementioned statement of a level-headed reader must be taken
seriously by all devout Muslims who blindly believe in all the inanities in
their books.
Turkish
critic of Islam, Turan Dursun rightly said that Islam's books, including the
Quran, are its bane. But this issue is not just limited to Islam. All religions
have been sullied by their books. Followers of all faiths are dictated by their
books which lost their utility and relevance long ago. An example from the life
of Buddha will drive home the point.
Once,
Buddha was engaged in a discourse with a few disciples. A disciple, whose name
was Shravin, was writing frantically. " What're you doing, son?"
" I'm writing what you're saying, replied the disciple." "That's
good. But, did I ask you to write? You're writing without mulling over my
words. Your comprehension of my words is not complete. Reading without
understanding is like eating without digesting, " said Buddha. " But
I'm doing this for posterity", Shravin said. The great Buddha smiled and
said, "Son, the posterity will not require today's knowledge. It'll have
its own wisdom and that'll be greater. What we speak today will be useless
tomorrow.
So, please
stop writing and exist in the moment you're in. All these talks of educating
the generations to come are full of ego". Remember, Sahir Ludhianvi also
said the same, albeit in a poetic way, "Kal Aur Aayenge Naghmon Ki
Khilti Kaliyan Chun-Ne Wale, Mujh Se Behtar Kahne Wale, Tum Se Behtar Sun-Ne
Wale".
Any
scripture is like a newspaper; useless by noon. Written words in screeds and
scriptures often create an aura of inviolability and infallibility. That's not
desirable. Believe nothing to be specifically sacrosanct. Then only will
everything be naturally sacred and pious.
Evolving (if indeed we believe that we're
evolving!) mankind needs no religious books. Cultivate all noble attributes
like love, equality, righteousness, justice, piety, fellow-feeling and empathy.
What else do you need to learn from your Agamas, Pitakas, Granths, Gaathas, Geeta,
Torah, Bible and Quran? At least, shelve all these 'holy' books and
move on if you're still not ready to consign them to the bin of history. Don't
let them pull you back.
----
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://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/posterity-today-knowledge/d/130259
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism