In this episode of Soul of Islam Radio, Ahmad and Ihsan discuss the topic of Sufism and Islam.
You will learn about the origin and meaning of Sufism, its etymological roots and its historical development. We also discuss the vital importance of both the inner and the outer dimensions of religion, the importance of one’s lineage in the transmission of knowledge and a living connection to the Prophet (saws).
Ihsan explains the importance of dhikr, or the meditative remembrance, recitation and chanting of the divine names of God, as a tool for self-purification and the awakening of the Heart.
Ihsan states that ego-consciousness is destroying our world and culture, and that real spirituality, which is the development of consciousness and compassion, is the cure. We as a species are at the precipice, and awakening, change and spiritual evolution are now necessary both individually and collectively.
Ihsan also provides suggestions for a daily practice of dhikr, meditation and contemplation, and explains that identification with Sufism is an error and in fact counter to the very principles of Sufism, the goal of which is the transcendence of all temporal identity.
Ahmad and Ihsan also explain the meaning of zuhd, or spiritual asceticism, and how one can live and thrive in the world, yet not succumb to its attachments.
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Sufism and Islam

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Based upon the Hadith of Jibril (as), we learn that included in the fundamental and foundational components of the religion is knowledge of the signs that pertain to the last days of the current age, traditionally known as Akhir Zaman.



Traditional knowledge transmits that the world will continue to descend into its demise with increasing corruption, tyranny, abuse and oppression, and that a tragic state of affairs will continue to deteriorate until an entity known as the Dajjal, or the anti-Christ, manifests as the embodiment of evil upon the earth.



At this point, the Mahdi (as), or the "Guided One," will be revealed and revive divinely guided leadership within the nation of believers. This moment will then be immediately followed by the return of the great messenger and prophet of God, Jesus (as), who will then proceed to slay the anti-Christ and re-establish peace and justice within the earth.



Regarding the anti-Christ, or perhaps more accurately the "anti-Messiah," the Messenger of God ﷺ described the signs as well as the trials and tribulations that would accompany this great deceiver, and admonished the believers to strengthen faith in their hearts so as to not be seduced by the deception this greatest of tests for humanity.



Among the qualities and characteristics that describe the anti-Christ, the following are chief and essential for they who seek truth to be mindful and vigilant of:




Materialism.



Deception.



Corruption.



Inversion.




In this post, I share essential traditions related to the trials and tribulations of the anti-Christ, and make the point that there is a strong correlation between the above characteristics that define his methodology with the current trajectory of technological innovation.



As they who seek to prepare ourselves for the inevitable destiny of this world and the conclusion of our own personal lives, we remind ourselves of the vital imperative to strengthen the light of faith within our hearts so as to meet eternity in the best of states and conditions, and to stand upon truth, excellence and beauty in times of both ease and difficulty.



May Allah Almighty grant us the sacred and divine power of discernment through the light of faith within our hearts, and lead us to our best possible destinies in seeking to serve He Most High, Most Sublime, Absolute and Eternal.



Ameen.



To your divine and eternal success.

Trials and Tribulations of the Anti-Christ

Teresa Lesher is the author of the new Searching for God, Finding Love, which is an inspirational account of her personal journey deeper into faith upon the quest for truth, and in which she details her personal healing path and realization that God's divine love and mercy are both imminent and accessible by turning "inwards and upwards."




The truth is easy to see. The decision is the hard part. I thank God every day for being Muslim. I'm very grateful to be among the Muslims.
Teresa Lesher



In this illuminating conversation, Teresa describes how she came to embrace Islam in the early 1980's while at college in the United States at a time prior to the internet and when there was remarkably little information about the faith.



She explains the importance of belief in the Day of Accounting, the necessity of balance in faith by deepening one's spirituality in addition to upholding the formal disciplines of religion, that love must be based in action and in service, the key to authentic self-discovery, and much more.



Teresa also shares the impact of the Course in Spiritual Healing upon her personal spiritual journey and awakening to the power and presence of God, and emphasizes the importance of realizing that the key to connection with our Creator lies in the very breath we are given each living moment.




The best part of the course for me were the meditations and the breathwork. They helped me to still my soul, to feel more centered and to find some balance, and to find some quiet and peace.
Teresa Lesher



We also discuss the importance of recognition of results in the context of discernment, the profound and incomprehensible gift of access to the very speech of God in the form of the Holy Qur'an, how love heals and connects, the impact of technology and the internet on our culture, the importance of unplugging from the world, the difference between information and enlightenment, the power in the emptiness of the desert, and much more.



About Teresa Lesher



Teresa Lesher as of the time of writing lives in Kuwait with her family and is wife, mother, writer and most importantly servant of God. She is the author of Searching for God, Finding Love, and you can learn more about Teresa as well as purchase her book and connect with her directly via her website, Teresa Lesher.




All this time I’ve been searching for God, and I found Him, as close to me as my breath.



And so, before and beyond all my labels, titles, positions, and duties, I remembered my source in God, His breath breathed into my tiny body, and eventually a breath my body will exhale as I make my return journey to my Maker. Now I’m sure of who I am. And now that I know myself, I know everyone. We are all, essentially, a breath from God; we are created by Him, we belong to Him, and we are returning to Him. In the meantime, I will do my best to honor the privilege of my existence and implication of my origin. I will respect myself, and strive to be whole and wholesome, loving and loved, tender and joyful. I will honor all living things, since they, too, house that divine breath. I will stay conscious of my source and my destination and, in between, during this sojourn on earth, I will do my best to stay true to my essence, to always be, first and foremost, a breath of God.



When I leave my bodily dwelling and return to God, I hope that I am recognized as belonging to Him, deemed worthy of His presence, welcomed home at last.
Teresa Lesher

Teresa Lesher: Searching for God, Finding Love

The fundamental and central tenet of modern Christianity essentially posits that the key to salvation is essentially the acceptance of Jesus Christ (as) into one's heart as their personal lord and savior, and that it is thus no longer necessary to follow the traditional Judaic Law.



This idea then results in the belief that the criteria for both forgiveness and damnation are but the belief to which one subscribes, relegating one's deeds and actions to what generally becomes an inconsequential role in the eternal state of the human soul.



In light of what is happening is currently happening in the world today (and in reality what has been happening for centuries), particularly with regards to the ongoing ethnic cleansing and genocide in Palestine, as well as the myriad of other illegitimate wars and conflicts that have been perpetrated by the nominally "Christian" western world, I felt it was time to take a closer look at this basic belief upon which modern Christianity is based, as well as to point to the danger of an ideology the divorces deeds from piety by reducing salvation to but one's professed identity.



In this post, I share a clear and unambiguous statement by Jesus (as) from the Gospel of Matthew in which he himself invalidates this specific idea, i.e. that those who simply claim to believe in him will be saved.




Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father Who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity
Jesus (as), Matthew 7:21—23



I reiterate in this post that Islam does not require the conversion of Christians, but only that they actually live up to the principles they claim the faith is based upon, and thereby avoid the descent into hypocrisy that results when our deeds and actions are inconsistent with our professed and stated beliefs.



In truth, the Holy Qur'an states clearly that they who do believe and do righteous works in reality from the People of the Book shall have their share of God's divine mercy and forgiveness in the hereafter.




Verily, they who believe and they of the Jews and Christians and others who believe in God and the Last Day and who act righteously by doing good shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall be upon them nor shall they grieve.
Surah al-Baqarah, 2:62



May Allah Almighty, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, guide us to goodness, to purity, to righteousness and to peace.



Ameen.



To your divine and eternal success.

Jesus Versus Christianity: Doctrine of Salvation

Jonathan Selwyn also now known as Abdus-Samad since having embraced Islam has spent the bulk of his life upon the spiritual path seeking the way and truth, and has devoted an immense amount of time in mastering meditative and spiritual practice.




Buddhism led me to Islam.
Jonathan Abdus-Samad



As a practicing Buddhist and promising student of his master, he was given the role and responsibility of teaching and leading on behalf of their school and in place of the teacher. Yet his quest and journey for greater levels of development, awakening and connection with the Divine ultimately resulted in profound spiritual vision that then led him directly to Islam, which was the last place he thought to look for truth and spirituality.




Islam was the last religion that I wanted to look into because of the mainstream media bias.
Jonathan Abdus-Samad



In this interview and conversation with brother Abdus-Samad, we discuss his journey and arc towards and into al-Islam, the powerful guiding force of the fitra, or original disposition within, the two fundamental approaches to meditation and meditative practice, the importance of the middle path and way that naturally integrates all aspects of our temporal lives within and into the spiritual path of self-development and awakening, the way of the heart, the human need to seek and appreciate beauty, how Islam uniquely includes encompasses all paths, what to look for in a spiritual guide and mentor, and much more.




In Islam I found the most complete path. Nothing is missing. Islam is the fastest way to peace.
Jonathan Abdus-Samad



May you enjoy and benefit from this conversation, and if you find value herein, please share with family and friends whom you think may also benefit.



To your divine and eternal success.

Jonathan Abdus-Samad Selwyn: Buddhism Led Me to Islam

As human beings we have an innate need for stability that provides the experience of safety and security. We likewise have an innate disposition that finds instability, disorder and chaos unsettling, stressful and difficult. Therefore, we tend to seek control in our lives so as to manage and minimize the stress that we experience as a result of uncertainty.



With what appears to be escalating chaos on the global stage, and with who are clearly incompetent in temporal positions of power, it is only natural for us to be feeling anxious and uncertain with regards to the future.



Yet this state of affairs also provides us a valuable opportunity to practice patience and perseverance through which we can learn how to deepen and strengthen faith in our hearts, and so grow and develop our spirituality which reduces stress and suffering based on the changing circumstances and conditions of the world.



It is important to remember that safety, security and stability originate with and are qualities and attributes of God, and the more connected and attached we are with the Divine Presence of Allah Almighty, the greater the sense of peace we will experience.




Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find serenity.
Surah ar-Ra'd, 13:28



By increasingly immersing ourselves in sacred worship such as prayer, meditation, remembrance and supplication, we strengthen our connection with the Divine Presence of God and progressively experience the stability, safety and security that we seek and that can only be found in the presence of our Lord and Creator, He Who is in control.

Sufism and Islam

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