Monthly Archives: August 2010

Desires for Accumulation – Surah Takathur

Takathur refers to accumulation/pursuit of material and sensual things, including boasting about status, possessions, credentials, ancestors and lineage.

Surah Takathur and Surah Kawthar have the same root and are related to the Arabic word, kathira (many). Many-ness can be a blessing when you see the oneness behind the many-ness. But there is great suffering when you only see the many-ness and it's tearing you apart in a thousand different directions, depending on the moment and the circumstance.

Surah Takathur tells about knowing naeem (true happiness) and the yaquin (certainty) with which we discern what is naeem. Surah Takathur confirms that the Quran guides us to an open-minded spiritual perception that is the source of our happiness.

The Living Tradition

So maybe an interesting place to begin would be with the subject of “shar’iah,” which is understood and misunderstood in so many ways. From the point of view of a spiritual seeker and from the point of view of a spiritual community what should we understand about the term “shar’iah”? What can it contribute to our spiritual journey and our spiritual life and what are the elements that are worth mentioning concerning establishing the optimal conditions for human dignity in this life, and for our souls in everyday life?

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