Religion - Abdo Magdy | Entrepreneur, Researcher & AI Engineer

Life: Mistakes, Lessons or Fate?

Hi All,

That had been a comment on a blog I’ve wrote recently on Dina‘s blog Chosen Odyssey.

Take your time to believe that which you are conventionally expected to believe. We are not expected to make any mistakes, but are there any absolute mistakes in Life’s lessons?

Well Dina, to respond to the question we had to define 2 words “perception” and “mistake”.

Going back to the concept of paradigm shifting, and the fact that the image formed in our minds about a certain issue is nothing more than a formation from our past experiences and what we grew up believing from the our community and that image will, accordingly, differ between people, as they have different experiences and may be, cultural or religious background.

So, the perception of a “mistake” will differ widely between people.

In Engineering when someone ask for “the best” solution, he shouldn’t be given an answer till he defines all the variables associated with his problem. For example: What’s the best programming language to learn. the response had to be it depends! What applications are you going to develop, what’s your background in the topic, how much time you can dedicate for that .etc

When you go for a competition, you might be the most experienced or most knowledgeable among the competitors but you might not win! Why, they’re mostly judging based on a set of variables that might not be set the right way, they might be judging your technical writing skills and you’re the most qualified craftswoman .etc

So, when I say, I made a mistake or someone made a mistake, I defined some variables that I saw fit in that situation, and judged that based on my previous experience or background. And surely there is something I didn’t take into consideration when doing so, especially if we’re talking about life events.

But there is still things that’s considered to be mistakes by everyone, for example cheating on partners, is that a mistake or not? everyone knows that it’s a mistake.

So, everyone will pick a set of variables to judge actions, these variables might be coming from his own experience, the perception of his community, or religious teachings.

As believers, we’re supposed to believe in Al-Qadr or the Fate. As it’s among the 6 articles of faith for Muslims. That what happened, god wanted it to happen, and it’s the absolute good for us.

That concept might be hard to understand and believe, but much harder to practice while we’re in the acme of troubles.

That article will communicate what I want to say better, when it comes to perceiving actions as god’s will and as a result, it might be “wrong” or “mistakes” according to a certain standard, but for us it’s god’s will.

Attributes of Allah “The all Wise” check that article:
http://www.nabulsi.com/english-nab/ideology/names/names-24.php

We as humans aren’t knowledgeable enough to find out all the variables associated with our life problems or situations, and as a result, while we do our best to approach the solution based on the variables we’re able to define, we should trust the ultimate knowledgeable entity which is aware of all the variables, and whether what we wanted worked or not, that was our fate, and god’s will.

We haven’t done a mistake, if we do that, even if we didn’t reach what we wanted.

You know, that’s the core belief of being a Muslim. Islam means submission to God. Which means accepting god as the all knowledgeable and submitting our will to him as he only knows the best for us.

– Abdo

Sharing Link: https://www.abdomagdy.com/cp685n

Don’t talk to me about Mohamed …

Hi All,

It would be such a pleasure to have you come along with me,
I accept your gracious offer of kindness and company.
But as we walk along young man and as you help me with my load,
I’ve only one request as we travel down this road,

Don’t talk to me about Muhammad.
Because of him there is no peace and I have trouble in my mind,
so don’t talk to me about Muhammad
and as we walk along together we will get along just fine,
and as we walk along together we will get along.

That man upsets me so, and so much more than you could know,
I hear of his name and reputation everywhere I go.
Though his family and his clan once knew him as an honest man,
he’s dividing everyone with his claim that “God is One”

So don’t talk to me about Muhammad.
Because of him there is no peace and I have trouble in my mind,
so don’t talk to me about Muhammad
and as we walk along together we will get along just fine,
and as we walk along together we will get along.

He’s misled all the weak ones and the poor ones and the slaves,
They think they’ve all found wealth and freedom following his ways.
He’s corrupted all the youth with his twisted brand of truth
convinced them they all are strong, given them somewhere to belong.

Thank you now young man, you’ve really been so kind
Your generosity and smile are very rare to find.
Let me give you some advice, since you’ve been so very nice,
From Muhammad stay away, don’t heed his words or emulate his way.

And don’t talk about Muhammad,
or you will never have true peace and trouble is all you will find.
So don’t talk about Muhammad
and as you travel down life’s road you will get along just fine.

Now before we part and go, if it’s alright just the same,
may I ask, my dear young man, who you are? What is your name?

Forgive me – what was that? Your words weren’t very clear,
my ears are getting old – sometimes its difficult to hear.
It is truly rather funny, though I’m sure I must be wrong,
but I thought I heard you said that your name is Muhammad……

Muhammad?

Ash haduallah ilaha il Allah wa Ash hadu ana Muhammad ur-Rasulullah.

Oh talk to me Muhammad!
Upon you I pray for peace for you have eased my troubled mind!
Oh talk to me Muhammad
and as we walk along together we will get along just fine,
and as I travel down life’s road I will get along just fine.

—————

Give your neighbors a chance

We don’t like it when people point fingers at us

So, remember we’re all in this planet together

Let’s work together – Peace be with you (Asalamo Alikum)

– Abdo

Sharing Link: https://www.abdomagdy.com/38ygeb

Name of God Al-Muhaymen

Salam Everyone,

I’m starting or restarting to listen to an amazing series that helped me much in phases of my life, I wanted to make that restart long time ago, but things just worked out to b starting it just now.

The name of God I listened to this morning as Al-Muhaymen http://www.nabulsi.com/english-nab/ideology/names/names-13.php The following is some Twitter posts, I post real time from my head.

The meaning of the Al-Muhaimen can be summed up in: Ultimate Knowledge + Ultimate Capability + Knowing the future #Nabulsi

As humans we can have knowledge about something and a few of us would have the top knowledge in that matter, so that’s a point

Some of humans can be more skilled in something than the others, they’re capable of doing something more than the rest.

It’s very rare in humans to find someone who’s knowledgeable + capable in the same field, in the same situation #Nabulsi

You can measure that in anything you’re doing, you might have a great knowledge on how to grow your business but lack resources#Nabulsi

So with lacking capability while having the knowledge, you can’t go forward growing your business. Equation is incomplete #Nabulsi

While some others might have the resources you need the capability, they lack the knowledge to get things going. Eq. incomplete #Nabulsi

In life it’s rare to find someone who’s knowledgeable + capable in the same field or in the same situation #Nabulsi

Rarely if knowledge and capability met, always there are going to be insecurity about the future, no human knows what will be#Nabulsi

The name of God Al-Muhaymen means that god has the Ultimate Knowledge + Capability + Owns the future in every moment and situation #Nabulsi

The meaning of Al-Muhaymen is what calls us for submission to him and not anyone else or even ourselves #Nabulsi

Our lack of knowledge, ability and security about the future is what should drive us to relying on Al-Muhaymen and none else #Nabulsi

Human arrogance when we think we can be Muhaymen, when we think we can be in control by ourselves when we superficially own smthing #Nabulsi

Human arrogance can be shown in Titanic, the most knowledgeable eng. most skilled builders, so you think you’re in control? #Nabulsi

Human arrogance can be shown in Challenger; everything is calculated and under complete control? Complete in fire after few seconds #Nabulsi

Human arrogance is our daily situations, that me and you go through believing we owned it, we planned to it and we’ll surely get it #Nabulsi

That’s why our core is submission, the name of our religion and lifestyle we should have #Nabulsi #Muhaymen

We lose the path when we obsess upon something to the extend of forgetting that we’re created to believe & trust only #AlMuhaymen #Nabulsi

And that’s my friend when we need to be punished by bitterness in the heart to submit to #AlMuhaymen again https://www.abdomagdy.com/kvfba3

– Abdelrahman

Theophany of perfection – Ibn El-Arabi

Hey Everyone,

One of the most amazing pieces of spiritual writings I’ve ever read or heard for Ibn El-Arabi:

Listen, O dearly beloved!
I am the reality of the world, the centre of the circumference,
I am the parts and the whole.
I am the will established between heaven and Earth,
I have created perception in you only in order to be the object of my perception.
If then you perceive Me, you perceive yourself.
But you cannot perceive Me through yourself,
It is through my eyes that you see Me and see yourself,
Through your eyes you cannot see Me.

Dearly beloved!
I have called you so often and you have not heard Me.
I have shown myself to you so often and you have not seen Me.
I have made myself fragrance so often, and you have not smelled Me,
Savorous food, and you have not tasted Me.
Why can you not reach Me through the object you touch
Or breathe Me through the sweet perfumes?
Why do you not see Me? Why do you not hear Me?
Why? Why? Why?

For you my delights surpass all other delights,
And the pleasure I procure you surpass all other pleasures.
For you I am preferable to all other good things,
I am Beauty, I am Grace.
Love Me, love Me alone.
Love yourself in Me, in Me alone.
Attach yourself to Me,
No one is more inward that I.
Others love you for their own sakes,
I love you for yourself.
And you, you flee from Me.

Dearly beloved!
You cannot treat Me fairly,
For if you approach Me, It is because I have approached you.

I am nearer to you than yourself,
Than your soul, than your breath.
Who among creatures
Would treat you as I do?
I am jealous of you over you,
I want you to belong to no other,
Not even to yourself.
Be mine, be for Me as you are in Me,
Though you are not even aware of it.

Dearly beloved!
Let us go toward Union
And if we find the road
That leads to separation,
We will destroy separation.
Let us go hand in hand.
Let us enter the presence of Truth.
Let it be our judge
And imprint its seal upon our union
Forever.

View on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVqLShfyrzc

Sharing: https://www.abdomagdy.com/kvfba3

I’m my neighbor’s Qur’an

Salam Everyone,

This is a very interesting video posted by a new Muslim sister who reverted to Islam and facing opposition to her decision by her family, I enjoyed watching all her videos so far and has so much respect for her, you can subscribe to her channel on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/justmissmarla

Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ndFVZAoG88

My Neighbors Quran

I am my neighbors Quran;
He reads me when we meet.
Today he reads me in my home—
Tomorrow in the street.
He may a relative or friend
Or slight acquaintance be;
He may not even know my name,
Yet he is reading me.

And, pray, who is this neighbor
Who reads me day by day
To learn if I am living right
And walking as I pray?

Oh, he is with me always
To criticize and blame,
So worldy-wise in his own eyes,
And Sinner is his name.

Dear Muslim sister, friends and brothers,
If we could only know
How faithfully the world records
Just what we say and do;

Oh, we would write our record plain
And come in time to see
Our worldly neighbor won to Allah
While reading you and me. ¯Author Unknown

Please note that I did not write this poem but if anyone knows who did I’d be happy to list it. InshAllah.*

—

* Copied from Video description by justmissmarla

Sharing: https://www.abdomagdy.com/esgfey

Choosing friends …

The prophet Mohamed PBUH said:

‘A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfume-seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes or at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.”

[sahih al-Bukhari, vol 3, #314 & Muslim]

Ambition to meaning; relating to the definition of Islam

I watched a touching movie lately where the concept the movie going around is simply the definition of Islam and Wayne the wise man in the movie is presenting the concept as the idea way to lead our lives.

So, just like Islam teaches us we’re not supposed to lead our lives with ambitions other than focusing on why we’re here; the meaning of our existence and other than stressing over the results will come out of what we do, we should focus on the intention and as Wayne said surrender to the Will of God.

It comes out very beautiful when some non-Muslim man relate to an Islamic concept without knowing that more than 1.3 billion people on earth are supposed to be living this way!

Check that clip form the movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdA-v9lzHMY

Playlist Full Movie:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Amagdy1#g/c/99A82A37AC9C6A67

What do you think?

Double-faced people!

Hi All,

Following up with some of the virtual problems I had from a while, I found that Hadith from ILoveHadith.com touching and expressive to meanings I felt:

Narrated Abu Huraira (Radiyallaahu `anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said,

“The worst people in the Sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be the double faced people who appear to some people with one face and to other people with another face.”

Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 008, Book 073, Hadith Number 084

Source: http://ilovehadith.com/social-dealings/double-faced-people.html

What a derogatory quality to be a hypocrite and what an ugly behavior is it? Be yourself and tell the people you dislike that you dislike them, take a solid situation and then be yourself.

I can bring some screen shots of Twitter direct messages expressing ultimate respect to my logic and situation and then public posts mocking me from the same person, who present herself as righteous, freedom and truth fighter!

Understanding that our religion is more about how you behave to people is an essential component of the belief of every Muslim. As I wrote before about the essential and religious ethics and how our religion focused on planting these essential ethics deeply inside every individual, this Hadith comes to confirm that boldly!

Whatever happens, don’t deceive, manipulate or use anyone. Not only that’s wrong, but it’ll put you under a lot of troubles on the Day of Resurrection

– Abdelrahman

Sharing: https://www.abdomagdy.com/va4y2f

Why do you kill, Zaid?

Hi,

This is a comment I posted on a blog on Ecademy and thought to share it on my blog too, the comment is a reply to a topic about torture

Check it out here: http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=132933#c645421

Hi John, Yes, I understanding what you mean and I’m not personally offended or anything, the point is just, when referring to torture and wrong doing in warfare in the last 100 years, how much of that wrong was coming from those you’re referring to as your people. Taking war on Iraq as an example?

In the video from 6:00 to 8:00 :

“We created a great lie to live with, the lie was, we’re the good ones, we’re the idol, we’re the ones who help others, But that’s not the case. I think we in the west didn’t control the world because of our great way of thinking, or for our great values, or for our great religion. But, because we used merciless violence more than others.

If I can be more serious. Muslims weren’t who slaughtered 4 million people during the crusade. Muslims weren’t the people who slaughtered 50 million people during imperialism. Also, Muslims weren’t the people who killed 70 million people during WWI & WWII. Muslims weren’t the people who killed 6 million Jews either.

But, that had been the result of western invasion, and when we talk about the victims of Al-Qaeda, and here I repeat that Al-Qaeda to me are murderers, then we need to talk about the victims of the western policies in Iraq & Afghanistan”

By the way, I’m pretty open minded and while I proudly belong to Egyptian, Arabs and Muslims. I had been in close personal relationships with westerners, including a Jew, and quite sense that they’re my people too, as long as they don’t do or wish any harm to anyone.

And I’m being religious and following my religious teachings while doing that:

8 Allah does not forbid you respecting those who have not made war against you on account of (your) religion, and have not driven you forth from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of justice

9 Allah only forbids you respecting those who made war upon you on account of (your) religion, and drove you forth from your homes and backed up (others) in your expulsion, that you make friends with them, and whoever makes friends with them, these are the unjust.

English Translation of the Holy Qur’an [60:8 ~ 9]

– Abdo

Answer to a Question of Faith, Philosophically Speaking!

Hi All,

I wrote that comment as a reply to an Ecademy blog entitled: “A Question of Faith, Philosophically Speaking” and as keeping my content in one place is what that blog is all about, had to publish it here too.

Link: http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=132840

As a Muslim, we do have a reply to that question. Simply, God or Allah or whatever you call it, will never subject people to punishment and reward without giving them a physical evidence to make them believe both in his existence and the way he wants them to lead their lives.

So, for people to follow God’s guidance, prophets had been sent with visual miracles that convince everyone watching it that, this is something extraordinary and the person presenting it and claiming that he’s a messenger of god, had to be right, accordingly. So, in this case as you saw yourself Jesus returning the dead back to life (by god’s will) and telling people what they’re keeping in their homes, without visiting it.

If you or me had been personally in that situation, we’d find it easy to follow Jesus (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him), or if we attended miracles of Moses (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him), we’d definitely believe him, because that’s something extraordinary, and we saw it with our eyes.

So, for our situation currently, if there were a God shouldn’t he give us a miracle that should drive us to believe in his existence and guidance?? Is it fair to be judged the same way, the followers of Jesus, Moses and Mohamed attended such VISUAL miracles?? And we didn’t saw it with our own eyes?? So, Is god or Allah fair, to put us in such doubtful situation and others before us attended miracles visually and lived it??

As Muslims we believe that God is fair and he did send an ever remaining miracle to the end of the world with prophet Mohamed, which wasn’t only VISUAL, for the attendees of the miracle to believe and then tell the others what they’ve saw and they believe.

No, God sent via the final messenger PBUH, a miracle that will remain to the end of the world, which is the holy Qur’an. Oh! Ya! So you believe that it’s a miracle so should everyone just believe that is a miracle like you do.

Absolutely not, the Qur’an hold scientific facts that had been revealed 14 centuries by a man who can’t read or write and still till today, scientific research is coming with these facts and finding it in a book from more than 1400 years! So, isn’t that an evidence that make people believe in that book, that the person told these facts is the messenger of God?

Not only scientific facts, while it might be the sharpest for a non-Arabic speaker, the words itself and the combination of verses is a miracle in itself, that no one was ever able to come with a writing that approach it, either in style or content. The concept of miracles is presented here in that video from minute 4:00 to 13:00 after that they continue their talk about how the Qur’an is the miracle of our age.

So, as a simple reply to your question, there is is a miracle that’s not visual and still miraculous, from every angle it’s approached from and sincere study from someone trying to find the truth, will drive to the believe in God and his messengers peace be up on him, including the final messenger Prophet Mohamed PBUH.

Regardless, of all the propaganda from haters and envious to the truth, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, especially the USA, where millions of dollars are invested in anti-Islam propaganda.

Feel free to ask about anything ambiguous in my post and the concept itself, these are one of the subjects that interest me.

– Abdo

Sharing Link: https://www.abdomagdy.com/5npqhy