By Jamal Rahman
“Do not deprive yourselves of the good things of life which God has made lawful to you; but do not transgress the bounds of what is right.”~ Qur’an 5:87
“One regret, dear world
that I am determined not to have
is that I did not kiss you enough.“ ~Hafiz
The Qur’an says that God has made in service to the human all that is in the heavens and on earth and has made His bounties flow to us in abundant measure, seen and unseen. Ours is a beautiful and enchanting universe. Rumi exclaims that if a drop of the wine of vision could rinse our eyes, everywhere we looked we would weep with wonder.
Out of a divine design, God has created spaciousness, abundance and magnificence in the universe. She wants every human to enjoy the basics of life: food, water and shelter. May we also marvel at the exquisite wonders of creation.
We transgress the bounds of what is right when out of selfishness, greed and apathy we exploit and plunder mother earth to satisfy the extravagant and wasteful lifestyle of the privileged and powerful. We deprive others of their basic needs; we lay waste to God’s creation.
Sages point out that when governments demarcate and exert ownership over land, sea and sky, they forget an essential point. These do not belong to humans or institutions; these belong to God.
In the course of time, through the evolution of consciousness, may we share and enjoy the lavish gifts of Divinity in ways that are just, equitable and compassionate.
