Religion is a common feature found in all communities around the world. The main purpose of religion is to fulfill the gap between the body and spiritual needs of individuals. It provides a way through which people worship the existence of a supreme being. All religions acknowledge God as omnipresent, omniscience, the sole creator and controller of the universe. Christianity dominates all other religions in the United States. However, there are other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islamic, and Bahai. People in the United States believe that religion helps them to relate with God (Sharīf 26).
Islamic religion has spread and established roots in the United States despite its association with terrorism. According to Christopher, all religions are equal and serve towards unification of mankind and equate to believing and serving of one God (Willocks 13). However, different religions contain varied religious beliefs and practices. This has brought about divisions and prejudices among followers of various faiths, who believe that their faith is dominant. Despite the difference, religion serves an integral part in shaping behaviors of its members. Peace, love, unity, harmony, justice among other virtues form the foundation of any true religion.
In the United States and the United Kingdom, the constitution was embedded on religious principles. Justice, human rights and equality of all remain as some of the fundamental elements adopted from the religious holy books. This paper presents teachings from the sayings of Imam Ali and Jala-al Din and Rumi poetry works. It aims at focusing on insight of religion and how Islamic teachings can apply in different contexts to both Muslims believers and non Muslim believers.
Imam Ali was born in Mecca in the 4th century. As the first Imam, he contributed significantly to the spread of Islamic religion around the world. Many of his teachings reverberate in the heart of Muslims and other people who read his works. Imam Ali advocated for righteous living through his rich sayings. His sayings laid the basic life principles which Muslims should earnestly follow.
The essence of life must engage spiritual guidance in actions and behaviors of societal members. Morality forms one of the greatest virtues that Imam Ali focused in his teachings. He denounced infidelity and preached moral uprightness in the society. His teachings instilled a sense of self awareness to Muslims. Individuals should be conscious and make the right judgment concerning their actions and behaviors. To become fully committed to Islamic religion, Imam Ali posited that one must be wise and have knowledge. He provided Islamic religion with guidelines that could enable members to live a purposeful life. People in Muslim communities and other societies at large had different desires in life. Some longed for materials gain, while others searched spiritual fulfillment and understanding society. Imam Ali rebuked those who desired material fulfillment, and described them as lost. He urged Muslims to remember that their life on the Earth is short. Therefore, they should serve Allah with all their determination.
Ali believed that for people to be freed from societal problems, they must understand religion and their purpose in life. Knowledge and wisdom are the basis of understanding things. Religion helps in understanding the past and future and, thus helps to align people in the right direction. Wisdom forms the noblest heritage that exists in society. Wisdom and practical knowledge distinguish people in society. Ali asserted that human beings had solutions to all societal problems if only they thought deeply and sought for spiritual guidance.
The desire of people in life is to excel. However, it depends on effort made by individuals to fulfill their desired goals. Unfortunately, less people achieve success in life because of their failure to overcome existing hurdles on their path to success. Wisdom lies as the guiding principle that elevates people to overcome challenges and achieve success. Ali articulates that it is hard to live a righteous life without going astray. In a daily life, a lot of temptations exist. Only wise people avoid going astray. Imam Ali cautions Muslims from fulfilling inordinate desires as they simply lead into sin. He attributes failures as a root of sin which corrupt individuals’ minds and soul and divert their attention from the conventional ways of attaining success. Ali associates success with foresight and resolution by an individual. It largely depends on deep thinking and planning before executing actions. Ali cautioned his Muslim community from exposing their plans since they can face resistance from pessimists and kill their morale.
Ali saying expounds in almost all spheres of life. The daily routine of human life composes many actions and reactions. Individuals constantly interact, throughout their daily activities to make life complete. Communication becomes one of the significant features in the interaction, where people must communicate their ideas and let their will known to others. Ali advocates for people to be good listeners and speak after thinking. This helps to prevent chances of annoying and embarrassing people they communicate with, and ensure a harmonious relation prevail. Ali asserted how people utterances and how they express themselves revealed hidden thoughts and mind. He taught Muslims to be cautious while speaking and express love to others as expected by Allah. Ali taught people to observe their actions since wrong ones cannot be amended history of good deeds. He taught Muslim community to be bold and abandon fear, shun disappointments, endure through temptation and work hard to ensure that they became successful in life (Jalāl et al 14).
Ali rebukes vices in Muslim society. In every society, vices such as immorality, greed among members is the root of suffering. Everyone has a duty to play and make the world a better place. Vices corrupt society and impede justice to all and thus disrupt the proper functioning of the society. Ali taught against greed and recommended society, to mind others through offering help in times of need. He condemned all acts of selfishness and urged society to be humble and live honest lives as God desired them to live.
Jelaluddin Rumi, the 13th century poet in Afghanistan, contributed significantly to the shaping lives of many through his poems. He is one of the most remarkable poets in history, known to have written over 60,000 poems. His teaching linked the people actions and their spiritual requirements. Rumi believed that God created people to serve a special purpose. People in the society should act and behave in a way that God wants (Langley, 11).
Rumi asserts that spirit influenced the functioning of the body. He believes that Spirits influences people actions and behavior in life. However, people have autonomous freedom to choose what they desire. Thus, they can either choose to do right or wrong. From his poems, he taught people to see beyond what their physical eyes saw. Rumi believes that a man can only attain delight and happiness if he takes time and listens to his spirit. According to Rumi, when actions of individuals conform to the will of their soul, they are able to attain joy. The essence of actions should be guided by inner soul.
Rumi observed the vices and suffering people endure in life, such as injustice and corruption, as acts of selfishness. His poems encourage people to be selfless and help others in times of need. Rumi poems teach about hard work as the only way to achieve success. People should toil and persevere in order to attain success and fulfill the will of God (Derrida et al, 23).
Ali and Rumi works have profoundly impacted on lives of many Muslims and others who have read their teachings. Societies need guidance to have insight and should rely on a strong foundation of truth. Islamic religion proves significant in shaping the society actions and behavior. It has strong principles, which can be conceived by both Muslims and non Muslims in providing insight and giving direction. Ali and Rumi teachings give a reflection on the meaning of life. Knowledge and wisdom help people to make the right judgment in life. Vices and acts of selfishness can be eliminated through having a clear insight. The teachings help people to realize that everyone has a purpose and a role to play in society. People should not be selfish or be conceited, but should choose to do right things in life, thus attain everlasting happiness and satisfaction.
References
Derrida, Jacques, & Gianni Vattimo. Religion. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1998. Print.
Jalāl, al-Dīn R, & Coleman Barks. The Essential Rumi. San Francisco, CA: Harper, 1995. Print.
Langley, Myrtle. Religion. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1996. Print.
Sharīf, al-Raḍī M.-H, & Mohammad A. Jafery. Nahjul Balagha =: Peak of Eloquence : Sermons, Letters, and Sayings of Imam Ali Ibn Abu Talib. Elmhurst, N.Y: Tahrike Tarsile Quran, 1984. Print.
Willocks, Tim. The Religion. New York: Sarah Crichton Books, 2007. Print. Bottom of Form