other|matters

We have this notion in our society that poor people are happier than rich people.  Some of this notion is definitely true.  Indeed, there are poor people who are content.  Indeed, there are plenty of wealthy people who do not know contentment.

But, poverty is not a cure.  Poverty has its perils just as prosperity does.

When hit with prosperity, it is common to follow up that windfall with frustration.  Our society tells us that wealth is happiness.  But, we discover that wealth cures nothing, save debt.  We discover that wealth is a tool.  Otherwise, wealth is liability.

Deeper than that, wealth invites us to assume it has power and gives power.  Wealth invites us to assume that the one who possesses wealth possesses ability.  To a degree, this assumption has validity, except that it is not the wealth that provides the ability, but the Creator.

Now, to prevent being corrupted by wealth, prevent yourself from believing that the wealth possesses and grants ability.  Simply, take control of your wealth, and give from it.  Give, in the name of God, Who provides and gives ability.  Take control of your wealth.  Hasten to give.

Now, poverty has its own concerns.  While prosperity gives the illusion of ability, poverty invites to impotence.  Poverty thus invites you to believe that your devotional obligations will not provide benefit.  Thus, poverty invites you to become unmindful of your devotional obligations.   The key, then, is to hasten to fulfill your devotional obligations.  When you are in poverty, and you find yourself slackening in these obligations, hasten to fulfill them.

And Allah knows best.

I’ve come across this widely publicized story about this thwarted plot to destroy a few synagogues as well as a plane.  Now, without doubt, those arrested are innocent unless proven guilty.  And, if they are guilty, then they should be punished appropriately.  In the court of public opinion, however, that point is irrelevant.  The stories of the arrested individuals are, in the court of public opinion, irrelevant.  It is enough, in the court of public opinion, that some people somehow associated with Islam (in any capacity) were caught on the verge of committing horrific acts of terror.  That it happened involving a synagogue only reifies the notion — in public opinion — that Muslims hate Jews.  Now, imagine if the alleged plot was to allegedly blow up a church.

What is lost in public opinion, of course, was that the case was a setup.    The alleged terrorists were baited and set up in a sting operation. Perhaps these same law entrapment agencies should see how easy it is to bait and setup some white supremacists to blow up a mosque.  No, they should not do either.

But, all of that is besides the point. (more…)

Much of the joy of religion is found in timing.  The perfect thing happens at the perfect moment, and thus, we identify that perfect event — that anomaly of chance — as the foundation of our faith. That is a problem, a very serious problem.

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Much of religion involves the miraculous.  In speaking of the miraculous, we speak of anomalies.  Specifically, we often speak of two anomalies.  The first is the anomaly of habit.  The second is the anomaly of chance.

That the prophet Moses -p- and his people, while escaping the clutches of the tyrannical Pharaoh,  reached the sea, and after Moses -p- put his staff to the ground, and the sea split into two mountains of water, is a miracle.

But, which part of it is the miracle?  (more…)