Dr Muhammad Maroof Shah

Everything can be taken away from us but not the power to contemplate, “to say I” and dwell in freedom or joy that is Spirit.  In the wake of the kiss of death from current pandemic, it is urgent to ask why flee from the honoured angelic (Izrael’s) embrace whose agent is Corona. And what do we really seek in this world that will be denied by abiding by laws of lockdown?  For those who were never attached to the world, Corona is not an issue as death is no punishment. Let us analyze our most basic existential commitment to faith and belief in paradise and ask why Corona disturbs.  God/ the Real/ Being is our Origin and End to whom/which is return and what is indestructible is the Face of God/the Real. It means that the fellowship of God is being in one’s home. But people have fuzzy and fantastic notions and even doubts about heaven, our real home. If a man succeeds in being loyal to himself or divine image on which he is created, he enters what has been called terrestrial ...

Understanding Islamic View on Universality of Salvation and limited duration of hell Most Muslims assume that punishment for nonbelievers will not end as they shall be compelled to stay in eternal hell and that none will enjoy stay in hell at any point of time as if God’s mercy has no dominion or role there. Many Muslim theologians believe that God doesn’t need any reason (sin) to consider punishing someone in hell and can send anyone to hell.  None of these assumptions have gone unchallenged by towering Muslim scholars, philosophers and Sufis. Before discussing the specific case of Ibn Taymiyyah against eternality of hell and exclusivist view on salvation, let us sum up certain points against the popular view.       How come hell is called a friend ( mawla ) and mother ( umm ) in the Quran?  How can any place be sealed for good against penetration of divine mercy? If we note that one is not punished for sins but by sins as noted by many astute minds and if suff...

Understanding the Perennialist view of plurality of salvation Will Gandhi/Mother Teresa go to heaven? This question is often asked in Muslim circles. Counterpart of this question asked in Christian circles is regarding some Muslim saints/devout believers who didn’t recognize death and resurrection of Christ. A great number of followers of some religions believe that salvation is restricted to their religion only, sometimes to their sects within religion only. Unless one knows Christ (A.S) or Muhammad (S.A.W) salvation can’t be granted, they assert. Mystics have generally resisted this belief and it is perennialists who have most comprehensively questioned it and provided alternative view of plurality of salvation. Many Muslim scholars have the following misgiving about perennialist approach to religion/ Islam:  Perennialists think all traditional religions are true and can lead to salvation. And this claim contradicts the thesis that the Quran asserts that the only acceptable relig...

What is wrong with modern fear of death and why we need voluntary lockdown for a week or two every year?  Last few weeks have exposed certain pathological attitudes we have been living with including the following: Taking affairs of life too seriously and thus failing to appreciate the adventure of the climax of life – death or the great secret and joy of dying every moment or dying before death in which lies the true art of living well. Art’s abiding value in reconciling us to life is mediated through transcendence of life wedded to ego/self, thus embracing the tragic/death. Those who are ready to die every moment really live. Death is no punishment as Socrates noted and literature is one with philosophy in its aim of preparing us for death.  Fear of Corona shows how much we have understood this elementary lesson of religion, philosophy and art. Our failure to live with ourselves and be truly religious understood in Whiteheadian mystical sense as what one does with one’s soli...

Reading a modern classic on Sankara’s reading of Upanisads on life’s most important task So many misunderstandings about religions and philosophies of Indian subcontinent continue down to this day despite the protests and clarifications of stalwart scholars including AKC. Original understanding of key doctrines as received and preserved by the community of faithful and great sages/Masters of traditions is not easy to access in popular fora or literature. This applies to major religions and esoteric currents in dialogue here. Rare it is to get to know first order Sufi metaphysicians who would explain the scripture or traditional canon in comprehensive sense that would satisfy the brightest and the subtlest minds. The same applies to Vedanta and other traditions that have thrived in the Indian subcontinent. Transposing key terms like Atman , Brahman , jnan in Sufi soil ( Absolute/Reality/ Haqq centric irfan oriented endeavor) one may better appreciate the point that the following ...

Debating Traditionalist Thought in Kashmir What does one do to squarely face scores of influential books and websites targeting Islam, especially in the wake of modernity and post-modernity? Turn to the greatest Masters of Islamic tradition to examine for oneself how far can one’s moral, intellectual and spiritual legacy sustain this battery of critiques and in turn gives one certitude and meaning amidst torrential currents of doubt and despair that beset us in troubled irreverent times. This is what bright Kashmiri youth like Aamir Suhail Wani have done. Brought up in typical Kashmiri mystical ambiance and having unconsciously assimilated the heritage transmitted orally by parents/educators/Sufis in Kashmiri households, Aamir has been able to stay Muslim and modern thanks primarily to great modern sages of traditionalist school who have presented a compelling critique of modernity and defense of Tradition of which historical Islam is a subset. Few know that even Iqbal was ...

Reading Kierkegaard, Buber, and Heschel on prayer as listening and seeing why God can’t refuse to grant prayers of sages. It is often suspected or believed that the stars are silent and man encounters a deaf sky. Man’s attempt to talk to the stars has, however, been the most indefatigable. Beyond the stars, man has been more desperate about news from the other side of grave while newer philosophies and exoteric theologies have claimed that man is imprisoned in the world while the other world is far off and we need to die before we can enjoy colours or smells of Paradise. Man’s attempt has been to seek freedom against the iron walls of life of bondage. This attempt to talk to the stars and beyond and to the other side of grave and break free from the prison of self/world/mechanism is called prayer. Prayer is an adventure to the most distant or hidden or most sublime heights we can imagine and it achieves the deepest longing of all of us for union, for meeting, for talking to the Belo...