Muhammad

I found the Muhammad reading very insightful. What is especially neat about it is the fact that we know that Muhammad actually wrote it which is a departure from some of the other readings. Everything we have read to date is very interesting, but it is nice to hear something from the horse’s mouth versus reading documents that have been copied by hand and interpreted hundreds of times over as is the case with other figures such as Jesus. What I also enjoyed about this reading was that it was easy to relate it to our previous readings.

“Islam means ‘surrender to God.’ When we surrender ourselves fully, there is nothing but God; not even a ‘there’; not even an ‘is’; not even a ‘God.’ “

This concept reminded me of the readings we did on Buddhism. The idea of surrendering to God in Islam and not having a concept of there or is reminds me a great deal of The Diamond Sutra where it says,” Because no Bodhisattva who is a true Bodhisattva entertains such concepts as ‘self’ or ‘others.’ Thus there are no sentient beings to be liberated and no self to attain perfect wisdom…The mind should be kept independent of any thoughts that arise within it. If the mind depends upon anything, it has no sure haven.” The way to attain enlightenment is to rid ourselves of distractions or surrender our desires and it seems that one’s surrender to God follows the same path. One cannot surrender to God if their mind is cluttered with distractions nor can one attain enlightenment. It seems that to surrender to God and to attain enlightenment, one must let go of pointless worry and material possessions.

Muhammad said, “All that is in the heavens and in the earth magnifies God. He is the all-strong, the all-wise…It is He who created the heavens and the earth…His is the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth and to Him all things return.”

This reminds me a great deal of The Gospel of Thomas where Jesus said,” I am the light that shines over everything. I am the All. From me the All came forth, and to me the All has returned.” Both the language and the meanings are similar. They are both stating that God is everything. God knows everything and created everything. God brought us into the world and we return to God when our time on earth is up.

Muhammad said, “Wherever you turn is God’s face.”

In The Gospel of Thomas, Jesus said, “Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Pick up a stone, and you will find me there.” Both Jesus and Muhammad are stating that God is everywhere, God is in everything we do, and God is in all of us. God will be there whether we turn left or turn right and he will be there when chop wood or pick something up because God is a part of all aspects of life.

Muhammad said, “Whoever knows himself knows God.”

This reminds of a quote from Jesus in The Gospel of Thomas. Jesus said, “If you know yourselves, then you will be known; and you will know that you are the sons of the living Father.” Both Muhammad and Jesus seem to be stating that if we know ourselves, we also know God because God is a part of everything.

Muhammad said, “Do not despise the world, for the world too is God.”

This quote from Muhammad reminded me the reading Shmelke of Nikolsburg and the concept that because our original souls come from the essence of God and every human soul is a part of God, we must have mercy on all even if they have wronged us. In Shmelke of Nikolsburg, Rabbi Shmelke says, “It is our right to hate an evil man for his actions, but because his deepest self is the image of God, it is our duty to honor him with love.” I feel like Muhammad was conveying the same message. We must not hate the world or the people in it because God is a part of the world and all the people in it.