Life: Mistakes, Lessons or Fate?

Hi All,

That had been a comment on  a blog I’ve wrote recently on Dina‘s blog Chosen Odyssey.

Take your time to believe that which you are conventionally expected to believe. We are not expected to make any mistakes, but are there any absolute mistakes in Life’s lessons?

Well Dina, to respond to the question we had to define 2 words “perception” and “mistake”.

Going back to the concept of paradigm shifting, and the fact that the image formed in our minds about a certain issue is nothing more than a formation from our past experiences and what we grew up believing from the our community and that image will, accordingly, differ between people, as they have different experiences and may be, cultural or religious background.

So, the perception of a “mistake” will differ widely between people.

In Engineering when someone ask for “the best” solution, he shouldn’t be given an answer till he defines all the variables associated with his problem. For example: What’s the best programming language to learn. the response had to be it depends! What applications are you going to develop, what’s your background in the topic, how much time you can dedicate for that .etc

When you go for a competition, you might be the most experienced or most knowledgeable among the competitors but you might not win! Why, they’re mostly judging based on a set of variables that might not be set the right way, they might be judging your technical writing skills and you’re the most qualified craftswoman .etc

So, when I say, I made a mistake or someone made a mistake, I defined some variables that I saw fit in that situation, and judged that based on my previous experience or background. And surely there is something I didn’t take into consideration when doing so, especially if we’re talking about life events.

But there is still things that’s considered to be mistakes by everyone, for example cheating on partners, is that a mistake or not? everyone knows that it’s a mistake.

So, everyone will pick a set of variables to judge actions, these variables might be coming from his own experience, the perception of his community, or religious teachings.

As believers, we’re supposed to believe in Al-Qadr or the Fate. As it’s among the 6 articles of faith for Muslims. That what happened, god wanted it to happen, and it’s the absolute good for us.

That concept might be hard to understand and believe, but much harder to practice while we’re in the acme of troubles.

That article will communicate what I want to say better, when it comes to perceiving actions as god’s will and as a result, it might be “wrong” or “mistakes” according to a certain standard, but for us it’s god’s will.

Attributes of Allah “The all Wise” check that article:
http://www.nabulsi.com/english-nab/ideology/names/names-24.php

We as humans aren’t knowledgeable enough to find out all the variables associated with our life problems or situations, and as a result, while we do our best to approach the solution based on the variables we’re able to define, we should trust the ultimate knowledgeable entity which is aware of all the variables, and whether what we wanted worked or not, that was our fate, and god’s will.

We haven’t done a mistake, if we do that, even if we didn’t reach what we wanted.

You know, that’s the core belief of being a Muslim. Islam means submission to God. Which means accepting god as the all knowledgeable and submitting our will to him as he only knows the best for us.

– Abdo

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Unity In the Holy Quran

Asalamo Alikum WB everyone,

In this post we’re going to explore how the Holy Qur’an encouraged Muslims to unite and how the stories in the holy Qur’an built an analogy to the unity between Muslims that we’re all seeking today.

First of all, let’s explore different definitions to unity and which one the Qur’an meant when mentioning unity between Muslims.

Logical definition:

Unity is grouping some units together to form a more solid structure. Let’s see an example from the wise man who while dying, wanted to teach his kids the meaning of unity, so asked everyone of them to take a stick and break it, it’s easily broken, but when we collect those sticks together, it’s much more harder to break.

And told them: That’s why my sons you’re supposed to be always together; not to be easily broken individually by your enemies.

So, according to this definition; unity is being safe by being with those who share the same fate, you unite with them to be safe, so if you can handle it yourself, why might you consider uniting with them?

Strategic definition:

Let’s go across some strategic definition, that definition is much more clear in business and military, achieving an economic benefit or a strategic advantage.

If I as a single unit will be able to achieve a little, while If I united with some other people who share my vision, we’ll together have much more resources and we’ll be able to achieve more profit individually, or defend ourselves against common enemies, with much more “resources”.

So unity is sharing of resources to achieve things that couldn’t be achieved individually. So, there is still something for the “self” that motivate people for unity and when I think about establishing such strategic unity, I should be wondering; what’s in it for me ..

Islamic definition:

So which definition of those would be more close to the idea of Muslim unity, in Islam we have a more solid concept when it comes to unity:

“The Believers are but a single Brotherhood.” [Al-Hujurat 49:10]

So, Muslim unity isn’t like the solid structure or the strategic allegiance, it’s sharing of not only destiny but the way that leads to it as well. And this unity is established not upon fear from challenges or profit and strategic advantage, but upon brotherhood!

This is the strongest human relationship, if we look to the issue individually the meaning of being a Muslim is being as close as my brother and sister.

So, why aren’t Muslims united nowadays! Why there is always problems among Muslim countries,  Islamic groups and even different schools of thought. Why there is always attacks and hatred sometimes inside the single mosque?

Sharing the goal and destiny of living according to God’s guidance is what bring Muslims as close as brothers and sister. The Qur’an stated that everyone is in a loss except those who unite and join together in Allah’s way.

“By (the Token of) Time (through the ages), Verily Man is in loss, Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy.” [Qur’an 09:47]

The holy Qur’an calling all those people with different backgrounds, from different nationalities or different groups to unite and not divide themselves because of  some minor differences.

“And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah.s favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth Allah make His Signs clear to you: That ye may be guided.” [Quran 03:103]

But, isn’t unity being used to manipulate communities, by pushing them to either deviate from the authentic teachings of their religion or accept a methodology that will harm them in the long run.

The holy Qur’an opens our eyes to some people among us who might intend harm to the Muslim community, like happened in Ohod from the hypocrites.

So, unity isn’t just a romantic word to group all people together giving absolutely no thought to those who might intend harm to us. The holy Qur’an says about hypocrites in Ohod:

“Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you – and there are some among you who would have listened to them. And Allah is the All-Knower of the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers). “[Quran 103:1~3]

So, as much as the Holy Qur’an encourage us to unite and get over all our differences, also, having a strategy and understanding the motives of some groups that will seek to deviate us from the truth had been presented as well.

As we saw from these verses in the Holy Qur’an the Muslim community is supposed to be solid and united, despite all the differences the one-to-one relationship had to keep as close as “brotherhood” and “sisterhood”.

At the judgment day, all these forms of hatred or dis-unity are going to be removed from our hearts.

“And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury: (they will be) brothers (joyfully) facing each other on thrones (of dignity).” [Qur’an 15:47]

So, why not to start removing it from now?

– Abdelrahman

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