Posted 20/7/2009 Allah (SWT), the Almighty, has no problem...Revised

 Posted 20/7/2009

Allah (SWT), the Almighty, has no problem...
You do plenty of them.

Whether you believe in Him or not, whether you have faith or none at all, Allah is not concerned. But you should be.

I just finished reading Al-Ghazali and His Theory of the Soul: A Comparative Study by Mdm. Noor Shakirah Mat Akhir is a lecturer at USM. It was a thoughtful and well-laid-out study of Imam Al-Ghazali, whose works had largely eluded me until now. Reading it has given me a better understanding of who he was and what deeper spiritual terrain lies ahead for me. I found the book at the MGTF mini library—Hasnul’s copy, I believe—and I grabbed it while staring blankly out a window, caught in one of those liminal spaces of inner stillness.

While I can't claim to fully comprehend all of it (the Greek philosophers still remain 'Greek' to me), the book left me with a new sense of admiration and reverence for the Imam. Al-Ghazali may just become my companion on this ongoing spiritual journey.

A few days later, my daughter and I visited the Salvation Army second-hand store on Perak Road. Among the cramped shelves of discarded magazines and forgotten books, one title jumped out at me: New Beginnings, published by the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University. It felt oddly familiar, like something aligned with what I had just absorbed from Al-Ghazali. My daughter, Marissa, happily scored a corduroy jacket for her prom. She loves that place—her own Kedai Jimat. I paid one ringgit for the book, less than a quarter in U.S. dollars.

Later, I shared the find with my friend Shahram, the Iranian artist. He looked up and smiled knowingly. “It’s about the soul,” he said. I hadn’t realized it when I picked it up. The book, rooted in Raja Yoga—the Royal Path—felt like a gift from beyond. It offered me the practical side of what I had just encountered philosophically through Ghazali.

Raja Yoga isn’t new to me. It’s been part of my spiritual toolkit since the day I left Green Bay for Alaska. My barefooted friend Lizzy gave me a copy before I left—a parting gift. I held on to its wisdom tightly while navigating the icy trials of the Aleutians. From those teachings, I memorized affirmations that still echo within me:

• I am the Master.

• I am the master of my thoughts and consciousness.

• I am the master of my body, speech, and mind.

• I am the master of environments and circumstances.

• I am the master of my destiny... Insha’Allah!

These mantras became my silent prayer, my compass through Alaskan darkness. I came to believe I was the creator of my own scenario. I had the power to change, adapt, leap—sometimes too far, too fast, burning bridges as I crossed them.

And here I am—still the Cheeseburger Buddha. Rambling to the world about things I hardly know, offering free lessons in how to survive the End of Dharma realm. Not too bad, really, considering I’ve written over 300 blog entries (some may call them “garbage,” but they come with great pictures).

Not too bad compared to others who worry less and become the Beer Barrel Buddha or Couch Potato Buddha.

There’s no right or wrong in who you choose to be. A Buddha knows he is a Buddha.
He’s a cobbler—mending broken soles.
He’s a fisherman—a fisher of men.
He’s a farmer... Outstanding in his field.