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“Fear not: for I am with you. I hear and see everything.” (Qur’an 20:46)

“The Ocean cares for every wave
Until it reaches the shore.
You are given more help
than you will ever know.” ~ Rumi

It is so easy to feel lost in this sea of illusion, this world of mirages. So many times we feel like we are being barraged with troubles, beset with failures, and frustrated by obstacles in our path. We set a worthwhile goal and find ourselves waylaid onto a path that is not leading us to our goal.

“Fear not: for I am with you. I hear and see everything.” (Qur’an 20:46)

“The Ocean cares for every wave
Until it reaches the shore.
You are given more help
than you will ever know.” ~ Rumi

Do you understand who you are? You are a reflection of God’s love. Like snowflakes, we all come in different shapes, with a unique mission on Earth. No matter what your calling is, this world is depending on you.

“Fear not: for I am with you. I hear and see everything.” (Qur’an 20:46)

“The Ocean cares for every wave
Until it reaches the shore.
You are given more help
than you will ever know.”
~ Rumi

This Qur’anic verse was revealed to Prophet Moses when he was asked by God to confront the mighty Pharaoh and warn him about his injustices. Be courageous and have faith. Divinity will help us in ways we cannot imagine in our noble mission to fight oppression.

“In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of the night and day, there are indeed messages for all who are endowed with insight.“ (Qur’an 3:190)

“The God who made the stars, the seas, the mountains and its peaks, the universe and its galaxies felt this world would be incomplete without you and without me. Do you see how you are a puzzle piece in the whole – how without you here, there would be a hole? You are not just star dust and dirt, you are a reflection of God’s beauty on Earth…You are not a human being meant to be spiritual, you are a spiritual being living this human being miracle.” ~Abu Barzak

Everything on Earth points to God. Everything here has a divine fragrance. As the Qur’an says, “We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this is the truth” (41:53), confirming the idea that a divine signpost resides at the core of all creations, and an underlying unity exists among all manifested multiplicity.

“In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of the night and day, there are indeed messages for all who are endowed with insight.“ (Qur’an 3:190)

“If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.” ~ Rabindranath Tagore

One of the best ways to grow in spiritual wisdom is to reflect on divine signs in nature. More than seven hundred verses of the Qur’an extol these natural signs. Many chapters are named after natural phenomenon and some chapters start with mysterious invocations. God takes an oath invoking nature: “By the fig and the olive” or “By the dawn.”

Let’s admit it, truth is a slippery topic. Gandhi lived by the Hindu dictum: “God is Truth.” Al Haqq, or The Truth, is one of the 99 Divine Names of God in Islam. We all know that truth is important. However, there are so many aspects to truth, and we don’t all agree on what truth is, although most of us recognize and abhor falsehood when we encounter it. If this seems contradictory, please read on.

By Imam Jamal Rahman “Confound not Truth with Falsehood.”  ~Qur’an 2:42  “There is Truth and there is Truth of Convenience.”  ~Sufi Saying One day the Mulla knocked on his neighbor’s door and asked to borrow a large pot to prepare food for a large celebration. The neighbor was reluctant to let go of her prized […]

“We have bestowed upon you the source of abundance. So to your Sustainer turn in prayer and sacrifice.” (Qur’an 108:1-2)

“Do not barter away your bond with God for a trifling gain!” (Qur’an 16:95)

I am fascinated by all the verses in the Qur’an that use economic metaphors when talking about our relationship with Allah.