tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055731550061612061.post7214329204424949916..comments2023-06-01T08:34:58.883-04:00Comments on Musings of a Thinking Muslim: The Two Faces of "Dunya"ThinkingMuslimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918186782767861692noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055731550061612061.post-66727244156042191252009-01-18T10:39:00.000-05:002009-01-18T10:39:00.000-05:00> you may be uncomfortable in the realization t...> you may be uncomfortable in the realization that the nafs has many of us in a stranglehold <BR/><BR/>Not really, I am uncomfortable because I worry that this sort of thinking is behind the abject poverty, hunger and disease that abound in the Muslim world.ThinkingMuslimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09918186782767861692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055731550061612061.post-88549789823124949542009-01-17T23:37:00.000-05:002009-01-17T23:37:00.000-05:00AA-Its understandable that you may be uncomfortabl...AA-<BR/><BR/>Its understandable that you may be uncomfortable in the realization that the nafs has many of us in a stranglehold (although to term that 'extreme' is a bit...extreme).<BR/><BR/>Indeed, to reach such a stage requires an immense supply of humility and patience - both of which are lacking in our community.<BR/><BR/>As Imam Ghazzali so aptly put it, we are the like the rider who is being ridden by his ride. Its quite humiliating and extremely uncomfortable.Naeem:https://www.blogger.com/profile/15397380149160556040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055731550061612061.post-1897927898390068732009-01-17T14:33:00.000-05:002009-01-17T14:33:00.000-05:00>Who among us can claim to be an adult...As I s...>Who among us can claim to be an adult...<BR/>As I said, extremism in either direction breeds extremism in the opposite direction. I am not comfortable with your characterization, I think it's a bit extreme.ThinkingMuslimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09918186782767861692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055731550061612061.post-40208499699422166582009-01-16T23:32:00.000-05:002009-01-16T23:32:00.000-05:00AA-"Of course...that is like saying before you cro...AA-<BR/><BR/>"Of course...that is like saying before you cross the road, one must look to left and right, otherwise one might be run over by a car. That is a given."<BR/><BR/>True, that is a given when dealing with adults who have years of experience crossing streets. But when talking to a child, one MUST be sure to remind to look both ways.<BR/><BR/>Who among us can claim to be an adult in the spiritual world, where adulthood is measured not by age but by control of the nafs and nearness to Allah?<BR/><BR/>I would say very few.<BR/><BR/>So, no, I don't believe that reminding each other to *know* our nafs and understand our level of spiritual development before we take on the duty of embracing the dunya is a 'given'.Naeem:https://www.blogger.com/profile/15397380149160556040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055731550061612061.post-69892022267982309472009-01-16T09:04:00.000-05:002009-01-16T09:04:00.000-05:00Naeem wrote:> One must be in control of oneself...Naeem wrote:<BR/>> One must be in control of oneself, otherwise <BR/><BR/>Of course...that is like saying before you cross the road, one must look to left and right, otherwise one might be run over by a car. That is a given.<BR/><BR/>I believe extremism in one direction INVITES extremism in the other. Muslims tend to so over-emphasize this "before we embrace dunya, we must first reject it" bit that we have the sort of obscenity that litters the landscape in Dubai and other Gulf states.<BR/><BR/>My other observation is that wealth is as dangerous as a lot of other things. Piety itself is to be feared, it will be the reason many fall in the eyes of God if not done with proper intention (rather with intention to be recognized as a pious person), as is scholarship, as is charity. I find the over-caution on this issue a bit out of place.ThinkingMuslimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09918186782767861692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1055731550061612061.post-52014615577348244822009-01-15T00:42:00.000-05:002009-01-15T00:42:00.000-05:00AA- ATM,I agree but with a condition. One must be...AA- ATM,<BR/><BR/>I agree but with a condition. One must be in control of oneself, otherwise the allurements of dunya will overtake and destroy. The affluent sahaba (like Uthman and AbdurRahman bin Awf) had conquered their nafs so that all the riches in the world could not sway them from the true goal of life.<BR/><BR/>Before we embrace dunya, we must first reject it. Only then can we achieve greatness.Naeem:https://www.blogger.com/profile/15397380149160556040noreply@blogger.com