Pure Awareness

The implication here is awareness, constant, perpetual, self-effulgent awareness for its own sake, and not an awareness of any particular created thing. Awareness of something is ghaflah –غفله – (distraction), because of it we will miss some other thing. But if we have a pure awareness, then we are open and made available, and the knowledge we need in any circumstance will come to us...

If we are sensitive enough, we find meaning in every breath, and then every occurrence that takes place in front of us has meaning. But we are generally insensitive, and if we do not see it as it passes, then it is gone forever and we have missed it…Every split second Allah is giving us a meaning in order to show us the total ecological balance in this existence, the mizan – ميذن - (balance)."

- Sheikh Fadhlalla Haeri

The Goal of Religion is Alchemy

In Alchemy it is said that a first minimum portion of gold is needed to enable the transformative process from lead into gold. It is the basic yearning for nearness with Allah, the Source of everything. This first godsend of Allah is required to enable the transformation from urge-driven human beings into believers. Every human being is in possession of this "start-capital" that he or she has received as a gift from Allah. Therefore we have to respect each individual person for being a carrier of this gift, this potential for transformation, even though thick layers of personality may cover it.

Religion is meant to support this transformation. Religion reaches far beyond our intellectual capacity, and its ultimate value cannot be comprehended by the mind.

- Peter Huseyin Cunz

Tawhid Involves Reconciling Apparent Duality...

Tawhid involves reconciling that which is apparently irreconcilable, there are mutualities between us and the people of Isa (as) and between us and the people of Musa (as). Let us accentuate those mutualities in a bid to revive the spirit of tawhid, to revive the dream of virtue and take on the characteristic of Allah Subhana Wa Tala. Why have we shortchanged ourselves and not aspire to that aspiration? This is a question we must ask ourselves.

The Prophet (pbuh) says if you find people without aspiration, leave them. The mu’min by definition is a visionary, he is by definition someone who is living beyond the apparent and who’s reference point is in the hereafter. Is that our reference point? Is that our reference in the way in which we interact with ourselves? Our reference point in the way we interact with others? We must have rahma upon ourselves and have mercy upon the creation of Allah and Allah will have mercy upon you.

- Imam Luqman Ali

On Tawhid and Shari'ah

...This is the completion of the message of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), that Allah Subhana Wa Tala is transcendent, He is majestic, and He is also beautiful. He is also closer to us than closeness and more approximate to us than we can imagine. The entirety of the deen and the Sharia is designed to minimise and bring to an absolute minimum, the inherent conflict in duality. If our Sharia results in the division of people, it is not tawhidi Sharia, it is not a tawhidi deen. It is Sharia being used by people for other ends, for power and other such corruptions.

- Imam Luqman Ali