My 30 Day Challenge - Day 23


Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book.
(Read more about the 30-Day Challenge)


I have no clue how far would the discussion take, or how long the back-and-forth arguments would last, trying to convince me that this is not a book to be considered among other books, such as novels or biographies, existential or philosophical literature. In fact this book is simply another perspective that goes way beyond the title, to the point that I can truly admit it (somewhat) never speaks about religion in the first place! The book is titled "The truth about Islam" and the author chose to caption the front page with the most amazing saying ever "A book that is 4000 years overdue" (4000, don't confuse it for 1400..)

Why is this book my favorite? I saw myself inside, I say a complete projection of all what I wanted to say and all that I didn't know of. The fact that there's someone else who backs the things I kept my mind busy around in the last few years and confirms them was reassuring by itself. Let's add a more awesome fact, I have met the author, several times. He is younger than me and thus, still is capable of defining right from wrong, especially in the light of the way he was raised and brought up. This guy lives on no food. Shocked? He's planning on living only on breathing, meaning he'll refrain from eating AND drinking his whole life. This person is a pure genius, who has showed me repeatedly so many secrets that can never be revealed to the public especially in these days.

I quote the following:

"Since our early childhood, we have learned to repress our feelings. Kids are told not to cry, not to play, to stop making noise, to do this and to stop doing that. Some grow to believe that they do not measure to a sibling or a parent, females sense great discrimination between them and their male peers, some grow to think that they are ugly, losers, fat, dark skinned etc. It’s a vicious reality we’re all experiencing. More and more conflicts are imposed through the peers – who have undergone the same parental dilemmas. More is imposed by the schools, by the mainstream’s media and by the society. Gradually, we are programmed into believing that a certain social standard must be met in order for us to measure up. And sadly, almost each one of us falls into the traps of this mindset. The youth of the society experiences the greatest amount of confusion, being lost between parental and social expectations, each showering them with stereotypes of those whom are most popular and accepted."

What I love about this book and its author, is the crucial variant of offering a SOLUTION, a way to sort out all the issues he methodologically discusses throughout the early chapters. What's even better is that he tried every single one of them on his own self. He was his own lab rat until he was convinced with the result.

"One of the best exercises we have come to experiment with involves sitting and starting to chant a sad melody, one can chant freely as long as the melody resonates with one’s wounds. Keep chanting and gradually feel how the chanted melody becomes the feeling rather than just a harmonic sound, start expressing these feelings more and more with the sounds you chant. And when you feel like it, slow down into silence, and once so, open your eyes and keep them opened, stare into the void in front of you, and feel how the feelings become more and more surfaced, usually causing the eyes to start crying. You might not be aware what exact memories are causing this to happen. For the time – as it’s not important - just allow the feelings to surface and the eyes to express."

Don't get me mistaken for someone who doesn't read any literature, I used to be a regular reader, but I simply became fed up with problem posing, and would love to skip to problem solving.

Comments

  1. I wasn't a bit shocked about the choice, u tend to like opinions with spiritual/ philosophical currents.
    Just wondering, from the name of the author and the fact that he wants to live with no food and secret unrevealed ways, he's sufist right?
    I'm also amazed with the simplicity of the cover :-)

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  2. not sufi in terms of performing rituals or chanting sufi music, but it's the sort of life we call "zohd", with a scientific twist. He's much more indulged in the "why" aspect of life, and eventually it seems he was one of the few who's living it right. No worries, no burdens, no regrets, happy whenever he wants to be, he got no sort of repression, no hunger for fame or money, no sort of earthly attachments. Isn't that what the prophets were trying to teach us?

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  3. Modern sufism :-)
    U know I can't find myself wih these ppl because they sometimes lose track and go off road. If the prophet ate and drank, does he consider himself better than him?
    I like how they approach matters and try to philosophy even the simplest things, they can trigger thoughts u never believed possible which leads to doubt. And doubt my friend is a totally diffrent world...

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  4. Why are you sure the end of the road will be doubt? because of history and previous stories, right? This man, just like me, just like any other new-age thinkers, wouldn't deserve the privilege to be spoken about if they didn't profit from previous experiences and genuinely learned and carried their essence all the road ahead. There is actually a truth, a "sirat mustaqim" that's leading the way, which, if it weren't there, this boy would surely now be lost in truth, became mad, and honestly would've become insane. But from what I've seen, each step he takes further is one more step towards knowing who is God really, and what did the prophets bring onto this world. Surprisingly, when compared to writings and teachings (of course mostly Quraan and Hadith) it seems to all make sense. That's what worked as a magnet for me and for anyone who follows his work.

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  5. I'm sure u know the hadith of how to "etyammam" right? There's a hadith that says (i will provide the original text later) if religion was bl 3aql kenna masa7na 3al khof mn wara. It's true, if u come to think of it it makes more because where we step gets dirty not the front of the foot. My point is, deligion is about believing not reasoning. When i try to explain things by science it might not be always right. Did the prophet not eat or drnk? Of course he did. It's human nature and the fact that u mentioned that this guy.didnt really provoked.me!

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