Fanaa

Fanaa in Arabic means annihilation or death. The word is used in some extreme levels of Sufism to refer to the state a mystic reaches in which they have union with God. it's the state of Nirvana in which all in this universe is leveled down and reduced to one principle immanent in the world.
To extreme Sufis in this state, God dwells in every thing. As a result, dualities like God/man, and man/nature disappear. And the holy becomes equal with the unholy, the human with the nonhuman, the sacred with the profane , the relative with the absolute, the good with the evil, the above with the below, everything with everything else. Eventually, everything becomes nothing.
In this state of fanaa, God has no meaning, and humanity has no purpose or any essential value in this life. This state of Fanaa only leads to a nihilistic view of life.

Reference: http://i-epistemology.net/attachments/414_V14N1%20Spring%2097%20-%20Elmesseri%20-%20Modernity,%20Immanence,%20and%20Deconstruction.pdf

Muslims' Attitude Toward Differences of Opinion

At the time of the prophet peace be upon him, there was a war between Muslims and Jews ( Banu Quraythah). The prophet instructed his companions to go and fight the enemy and he told them " Do not pray until you get to Banu Quraythah". On their way and when it was asr time, a dispute occurred between the companions. One group understood the prophet's order metaphorically .They thought the prophet meant 'hurry up'. So some of the companions prayed at asr time while the others prayed after asr time when they got to Banu Quraythah.

When the companions met the prophet peace be upon him again , they told him about what happened, and asked him which view was correct. Of course one of the two views must have been right but the prophet peace be upon him said " Whoever performs ijtihad ( interpretation) and errs will receive one reward. Whoever performs ijtihad and arrives at the correct answer gets double the reward."
This is a great example from the greatest prophet of how people can stay united even when they have different opinions.
In Islam, Muslims can have differences as long as these differences are not on definite matters. For instance, there is no difference of opinion on not performing prayer or not drinking alcohol. But differences on indefinite matters , those subject to ijtihad ( interpretation) , must be tolerated and respected. 

Unfortunately, Muslims today divide themselves over matters of ijtihad. What I see on websites, forums, blogs is shameful. Muslims labeling, insulting, name-calling each other for their differences of opinion.

Such Muslims are ignorant about their Islamic history. Stories of the prophets and companions of prophet Muhammad peace be upon him are filled with great examples of people with highly civilized behavior. What stops Muslims from following these examples?

And oh you might find the same Muslims who offend and insult others for their different opinions express their wishes and hopes for Muslims to be united :)

Good and Evil

"Is the world divided into good and evil, and is man thus halved? I think that that is where lies the difference between a “romantic” and a “realist.” Romantics see the world as a battle arena between men, of whom some are good and some are evil. Realists see the same battle, but primarily within man himself. I think that the latter is closer to the truth." Alija Izet Begovic

Making Someone Happy Makes You Happy

Even though our definition of happiness may not be the same, we know the feeling of being happy. Having a happy life and being happy is what we all seek. But how do we do that? How can we be happy?

There is a beautiful verse in the holy Quran that tells us how to be happy and have a happy life "Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do." Quran 16:97

This is what happens when we do righteousness. We are happy and have a happy life. And this is what happens when we help people who need help.

Helping the poor, the needy, the homeless, or whoever needs our help brings happiness to the heart. There is nothing like the satisfaction that one feels when they see the joy that they have brought to the lives of others. Such unselfish work for the sake of Allah purifies the soul , softens the heart, and makes us share other people's joys. It also shows our love for one another. The greatest prophet peace be upon him said " No one truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. "

If you want to be happy, help those who need your help. Making someone happy makes you happy.

The Human Soul

My soul is the essence of my being. Without it , I'm dead. I see many people in my world biologically alive but spiritually dead. They have sold their souls for their whims, desires, and lusts like Faust who sold his soul to the devil for worldly pleasures and knowledge.

What do such people really gain when they lose their own souls?

Prophet Muhammad's, peace be upon him, Last Sermon

This sermon was delivered on the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah 10 A.H. in the 'Uranah valley of Mount Arafat' (in Mecca)


"O People, listen well to my words, for I do not know whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.
O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Treat others justly so that no one would be unjust to you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. God has forbidden you to take usury (riba), therefore all riba obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital , however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer inequity. God has judged that there shall be no riba and that all the riba due to `Abbas ibn `Abd al Muttalib shall henceforth be waived.
Every right arising out of homicide in pre-Islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that I waive is that arising from the murder of Rabi`ah ibn al Harith ibn `Abd al Muttalib.
O Men, the Unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible that which God forbade, and to forbid that which God has made permissible. With God the months are twelve in number. Four of them are sacred, three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Sha`ban. Beware of the devil, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.
O People, it is true that you have certain rights over your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under God's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers. It is your right and they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste...
O People, listen to me in earnest, worship God (The One Creator of the Universe), perform your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your financial obligation (zakah) of your wealth. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.
All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.
Remember, one day you will appear before God (The Creator) and you will answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.
O People, no prophet or messenger will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I am leaving you with the Book of God (the QUR'AN*) and my Sunnah (the life style and the behavioral mode of the Prophet), if you follow them you will never go astray.
All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people."

Lilith

According to Jewish folklore, Adam had a wife before Eve. Her name was Lilith which means night.

Lilith refused to be Adam’s wife, and rejected the fact that men and women are different . She revolted against God , and as a punishment for her revolt, she was thrown out of the Garden of Eden. She took revenge on God, men, women, and the world by killing new born babies which turned her into a demon that only lived to destroy.

Lilith’s view of men, women, and the world is no different from that of the  radical feminists. She is only their symbol.

In his book “The Invisible Hand”, Elmessiri states that feminism is not a question of rights and it’s not a movement that calls for justice and women’s human rights. But it's a movement that bases its views on the notion  that history is only an expression of male dominance over female. This dominance happened after battles between males and females  when societies, characterized by peace and harmony, were ruled by females . But ever since males dominated, the world has been based on fighting and wars. Therefore, everything must return to what it was like . And that’s why war has been declared on men. Here, feminism is like Zionism in its view. For the Zionists, everything must return to what it was like. Jews must return to their homeland for they are the chosen people, the superiors, so nothing is found wrong with killing Arabs and occupying their lands!!

The author continues and says that the underlying view of feminism originates from an Immanentistic world outlook that reduces the whole universe to one level.At this level, God, nature, man, history are all integrated into a single entity, in an attempt to create a new world where boundaries are leveled with the locus, and where there is no male and female.Feminism rejects the differences between men and women, and distributing roles. So men become fathers and mothers, and women become fathers and mothers. This even extends to feelings. A man’s feelings must not be different from a woman’s.

But this immanentistic world view always fails to be right and possible. And as a result of its failure , a sharp dualism emerges that completely isolates the female from the male considering that what a female feels cannot be felt by a male, and that the historical experience of females is completely different from that of the males. Perhaps that’s why Men from Mars Women from Venus came into existence?

Here, we see a development in the issue of male-female relationship. From equalizing between men and women to completely isolating the female from the male. And when we get to this stage, we can’t speak of a reform program but rather of a destructive one in which the female male duality disappears, and the distinction becomes impossible. At this stage, feminism is coherent with other similar immanentistic movements like the lesbian movement ,for they all assume what is absolute does not transcend matter but it dwells in it. So everything to feminists is female and female is everything.


Elmessiri's Views on Immanence