Who shall inherit the earth?

Dear Friends

The latest round of 'Wikileaks' may well be a victory for freedom of speech and expose the intentions of certain global stakeholders particularly in the middle-east.

However it will help to destroy carefully crafted bridges between common people especially neighbours of different faiths who are merely attempting to lead honest and decent lives. The 'trust deficit' will deepen and mass egos sustained by relatively few zealots on all sides will be fanned and inflamed. And the greatest casualty will be inter-faith friendships.

Consequently inter-faith dialogue work becomes even more important and soul-workers will have to become a-political and put humanity FIRST.

I am reminded of the following divine inspirations:

Matthew 5:5 - Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Surah 28: Verse 5 - And We desired to show favour unto those who were oppressed in the earth, and to make them examples and to make them the inheritors


Faisal

Keep climbing...

Dear Friends

A highly qualified colleague of mine who is also a brilliant scholar made a 'killer' remark:

''Faisal you are only as good as your last lecture or research paper''.

There will always be someone who is better in the worldly and otherworldly spheres.

The inner-work continues…And I am reminded of a classic Zen tale where we are implored to keep climbing even when we reach the summit…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK1yGn9bt34 

Faisal

Supplicating to Allah...

Dear Friends

We could all learn to supplicate to God like the great Francis of Assisi:

Dear God, please reveal to us your sublime

beauty that is everywhere, everywhere,

everywhere, so that we will never again

feel frightened.

My divine love, my love, please let us touch

your face.

(St. Francis of Assisi)

 

Faisal

'Cooking' & 'Sharing' Faith...

Dear Friends

Take a sweet dream
Mix some  tear drops
A dash of hope
Not forgetting some desire
Bake in your heart till golden
And share the faith...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7ZnnHCtlv8


http://www.youtube.com/user/WindsofMercy#p/u/3/bJvLnAvGglY


And We have sent you (O Muhammad) not but as a mercy for the worlds.(Quran 21:107)


Yaa Haq!

Faisal

ZEITGEIST...

Dear Friends

I recently discovered the meaning of the German word - ZEITGEIST. It means the spirit of the age…a wonderful gem!

The current Zeitgeist across Europe is fear. Fear of sustained economic turbulence coupled with an almost schizophrenic fear of Political Islam.

Personally I feel Muslims should operate from a standpoint of faith rather than belief as this would dampen negative perceptions of Islam and suffocate Political Islam which is a problem. Faith is something universal and facilitates authentic dialogue and trust which is so lacking between the 3 great monotheistic Religions. It is such a shame that Muslims, Christians and Jews do not get on better as our common patriarch is the great Abraham (pbuh) whose hallmark was his intense faith & devotion to God.

There are too many 'gate keepers' in Islam, Christianity and Judaism who have a disproportionate amount of power. And it is high time that we believers take the initiative and kick down these doors and start sharing our HEARTS.

Just like Jesus (pbuh) who preferred to be with and heal lepers or Moses (pbuh) who left the comfort of Pharaohs palace to be with his mother or Muhammed (pbuh) who empowered a Black Slave to rebel against and forgive his cruel slave master…Inshallah / God Willing!

Peace be to you, fear not.  ~Genesis 43:23

Faisal

Sufi Eros...

Dear Friends

The Sufi Philosophy of Eros or Love is deeply painful yet life affirming as it is rooted in hardcore experience.

It is a 3 dimensional jewel beginning with lust, transforming into platonic love and then rebirth in and beyond the God / The Truth / Allah / Brahman. The key to the journey of love is desire which is in contradistinction to other traditions such as Buddhism which attempt to nullify it.

Platonic love washes away the rust of the heart and prepares it for the gentle yet heavy landing of The Truth…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO5TDmYmUnY

Yaa Haq..

Faisal

The 'Mystic Coffee Cup'...

Dear Friends

I was recently enjoying a cup of coffee on my way to work. As I looked out at the majestic scenery I reflected how these hills & plains were here before I was born, and will remain after I complete my earthly 'career' and move on…

I turned to take another sip of coffee and noticed that it had a wonderful inscription on it:

''Sit and relax

whispered the

tree to the bird…''

Faisal

EID REVOLUTION...

Dear Friends

Eid Mubarak / Greetings to all my readers! : )

Muslims celebrate the devotion of the great Prophet Abraham (pbuh) by performing the annual pilgrimage in Mecca. There are currently 3 million pilgrims in Mecca as you kindly read.

The celebrations culminate in a mass slaughter of animals. The spiritual if not real lesson is to dampen if not annihilate the ego which is the root cause of all socio-transpersonal-economic problems.

Thus my new vision statement from now on is:

'BE THE CHANGE I DEMAND…'

Beginning with micro gestures such as smiling more and letting train passengers get on board before me…

POWER TO THE HEART!

Faisal

Gidiyorum...

Dear Friends

When I was living and working in Istanbul I would often listen to Kazim Koyuncu. I only realised towards the end of my 3 month sojourn that he had passed away. I was absolutely gutted...Such a young man...When ever I listen to this track I am transported to the Bosphorus and the streets of Istanbul...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My2LvqSKo_o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-4BPq9KLyc&feature=related

Anatolian, as is most Muslim culture, is deeply nostalgic and emotional which is its strength and flaw. Hospitality especially spiritual is the hallmark of my culture…

Gidiyorum…I am leaving

Rishi Faisal

Journey to Leadership...

Dear Friends

I have just emerged after 3 days of 'Leadership Training' which has been breathtaking to say the least. Thirteen days, over the next 12 months, remain and I wonder what will accrue...Our Tutors / Facilitators are world class authorities in their fields coupled with the finest business acumen.  

Personally the big break through has been that in a nut shell leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less. And therefore the good news is that everyone is a LEADER!  YES!  ME!  YOU!  EVERY ONE!!!…

Consequently the challenge is to rise to the mantle of leadership and seize the opportunity to change.

'By doing you BECOME…'

…and the journey has begun with earnest…

 

Rishi Faisal

Ps  - Do please check out:

http://www.integralleadership.com/

Broken Hearts...

Dear Friends

Broken Hearts are the stuff of spirituality and above all love / ishq…Why do humans hurt each other so much? Is the pain a prerequisite to enlightenment?  If so why bother with love or spirituality or BOTH?

A Zen sage cried not so long ago a clue to the above conundrums…

When your bow is broken

And your last arrow spent

Then shoot

Shoot with your whole heart…


This is the human condition and tragedy that not until our hearts are broken and gushing a story we will and CANNOT GROW AND ABOVE ALL LOVE...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMD2TwRvuoU


Rishi Faisal

Jewish Inspiration!

Friends

Please watch this and share...TRULY REMARKABLE!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwR0QFgNT28

This is my history as well...for all human beings are connected at a deeply subtle yet fundamental level.


Shalom / Salaam / Peace...

Rishi Faisal

The 'Raging Silence'...

Dear Friends

We discussed a beautiful concept this morning entitled 'Hidden Curriculum' in my weekly PGCLTHE  class which is the other knowledge that is unwittingly transmitted to students such as educator attitude and demeanour which is equally as important as the formal curriculum. Since I have become an educator I have become even more fascinated in people to people encounters and we must admit that we 'say' more than we speak.

This got me thinking about  one of the names of Allah namely Al Batin - THE HIDDEN. This attribute of Allah has been associated with hidden or esoteric knowledge and Allah operating behind the scenes.

I personally feel that Al Batin is similar to the pedagogical concept above but it is more conscious such as a smile which is a form of charity in Islam. And Masters of Wisdom such as The Sufis are experts at instructing even in silence…

A toast to the raging silence…

Rishi Faisal