Hunger

I ran into a wonderful blog today .. http://mysticsaint.blogspot.com/...
Read a beautiful thought there by Rumi. Felt like sharing here as it specially is so relevant because Ramzan is here ...

Two men see a loaf of bread. One hasn't eaten anything for ten days. The other has eaten five times a day, every day.

First sees the shape of the loaf.

The other man with his urgent need sees inside into the taste, and into the nourishment the bread could give.

Be that hungry, to see within all beings the Friend.

- JALALUDDIN RUMI
translated by Coleman Barks with A.J. Arberry

Beautiful character...

Somebody had sent this wonderful article and I had saved it on my computer .. while cleaning some old files, I found it again .. Following is a beautiful excerpt from that article ......defining what is a beautiful character.. seerah...

The essential idea of good moral character ( or tahazeebi akhlaaq )is to bring our natural faculties in a state of balance. The three basic faculties are anger, desires, and intelligence.

Anger: When in equilibrium it results in valor, forbearance, steadfastness, the ability to restrain anger, and dignity. Excess will result in rashness, boastfulness, pride, inability to restrain anger, and vanity. A deficiency will result in cowardice, disgrace, and feeling of inferiority.

Desires: Equilibrium here results in chastity, generosity, haya (decency), patience, and contentment. Its excess leads to greed and lust. The other extreme results in narrow-mindedness, and impotence, etc.

Intelligence: Equilibrium here makes man wise, sharp-witted and one with great insights. Excess here makes one deceptive, fraudulent and imposture. Its lack results in ignorance and stupidity with the consequence that such a person is quickly misled.

A person will be considered as having a beautiful seerah (character) only when these faculties are in the state of balance and equilibrium

Love of God...

A friend sent me this quote couple of days back ...

"God gives and forgives ... Man gets and forgets .."

I really liked the quote but somehow I kept thinking about how simple the words are and how deep is the meaning of the saying ...

Reminded me of a beautiful analogy that I have heard somewhere in past .. It is said that the love of God is like the love of your mother ..

As a spoiled kid we play in the mud of sins .. sometimes small mistakes ..little sins..sometimes big... a bad thought ...a little greed ... a harsh word .. speckles of dust when we start playing with the mud ... not knowing that this can take us down if dont constantly strive to cleanse ourselves...

And even if child is drenched with the mud of sins ...and when the child realizes he is all dirty ... One pleading look .. One true Ah! from the heart! and realization of mistakes ... And God comes and hugs you .. pardoning you of all your sins...like a mother who forgets the dirty muddy clothes of the beloved child and takes him into arms on a single plead.....So is the love of God ......