All-Pervasive Spirituality Is The Need Of The Hour
By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
18 January 2025
"At the heart of a healthy religious tradition lies the affirmation of universal spirituality. This perspective transcends specific doctrines and practices, recognising the underlying spiritual essence that connects all humanity. It emphasises that, regardless of cultural or religious backgrounds, individuals seek meaning, purpose, and connection to something greater than themselves.
Universal spirituality encourages a sense of belonging and unity among diverse groups. It allows individuals to explore their spiritual paths without feeling confined to rigid dogmas."
Adis Duderija
Professor Adis has hit the nail on the head with his aforementioned passage that has appeared in his superb article, "A Healthy Approach To Religion: Criteria for Spiritual Growth and Inclusivity."
Too much religiosity is proving to be a bane, rather than a boon, to mankind. We need spirituality, but not the kind of spirituality we've been led to believe in. Humanity needs the spirituality of a compassionate and all-encompassing heart sans an iota of the so-called divinity.
The Universal Spiritual Spirit of Inclusivity can save the embattled mankind. Like love, spirituality is the most overused and misinterpreted word in our lingo. Don't associate it with any esoteric mumbo-jumbo.
True spirituality sees no disparity. The root of all turmoil and unrest in the world is because of disparity; disparity in wealth, disparity in different religions and sects and disparity in understanding the viewpoints of others. A truly spiritual person is above all these differences and discriminations. He looks at things as they're without being judgemental.
Unhappiness prevails across the globe because we tend to judge others. More often than not, an individual judges others on the basis of their faith, practices and rituals and makes fun of them. Others do the same when it's their turn to judge the individual. This goes on, creating more rifts and causing continuous bad-blood.
But a spiritually educated, evolved and enlightened person will see a World in a Grain of Sand. And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, to use William Blake's metaphor from 'Auguries of Innocence.' He'll not have the parochialism of a typical, dyed-in-the-wool religious person as the latter is accustomed to seeing everything in the context of his religion and sect. Remember, religiosity shrinks, but spirituality swells. Humans are sparring over petty (religious) issues because they're scripture-driven sheep in a herd.
Spirituality goes beyond that. It engenders empathy, universal empathy at that. Persian mystic Anwari called it Qahtif - an archaic Persian mystical word that connotes universality of emotions that paved the way for Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam (The World is One Family) of Eastern consciousness. We're talking incessantly about Sanatan Dharm, not knowing its lofty and exalted spiritual profundity that urges mankind to come together and live in a perennial state of peaceful coexistence. We're all becoming religiously vocal by the day but spiritually local in effect and impact.
It's time to universalise spirituality of values, compassion, equality and love for the survival of humanity. Go beyond your holy books and tenets of religion and focus on the core and crux of universal goodness. Remember the words of Allama Iqbal, 'Sitaron Se Aage Jahaan Aur Bhi Hain...' (there are worlds beyond the stars....).
The complete reliance and insistence on just one so-called 'holy' book also blocks our spiritual growth and evolution. No book is complete. Truth comes in fractions. Glean whatever good and noble from the Koran, Gita, Bible, Avesta, among others and compile those 'lofty' and 'exalted' teachings into a book just like Rumi wrote his Masnavis with the pulp of the Quran and omitted its 'bones' (a metaphor for all that's unnecessary; like its certain violent verses that can never be explained and extenuated by the exegetes).
Today, the universality of Rumi is because of his all-encompassing and munificent spirituality. Rumi is often called a mystic, a saint and an enlightened man. He's less frequently described as a Muslim and that's a very good thing. A spiritually enlightened person doesn't flaunt any man-made faith or indulge in any religious practice or rigmarole whatsoever.
Remember, taking a dip in the contaminated waters of the Ganges during the ongoing Mahakumbh is not spirituality. It's unmitigated obscurantism. It's not just the religious primitivism of morbidly superstitious, god-fearing Hindus, but also the reflection of mankind's collective religious fatuousness and fundamentalism.
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A shortened version of this article appeared in TOI's Speaking Tree space a few years ago.
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/religiosity-spirituality-need/d/134369
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