1. Understand the Core: Tawhid (Oneness of Allah) - How would I know when to draw the line before kufr.

 How would I know when to draw the line before kufur.

This is an important and subtle question — and your carefulness shows humility, which is itself protective in Islam. The key is intention, recognition of limits, and grounding in core tawhid. Let me break it down clearly:

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1. Understand the Core: Tawhid (Oneness of Allah)

No matter what knowledge you pursue or what experiences you have:

• Do not place anything above or equal to Allah.

• Do not deny His attributes or His commands.

If your exploration ever leads you to question Allah’s existence, His oneness, or His authority, that’s the point to stop and step back. That’s where kufr begins.

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2. Keep Intention Pure

Always check:

• Are you seeking truth and understanding?

• Or are you seeking to replace Allah with another source of power or certainty?

Intention distinguishes legitimate inquiry from paths that might lead to disbelief. Seeking knowledge to understand creation, patterns, or consciousness is fine; claiming these are self-sufficient gods is where risk appears.

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3. Respect Revelation and Prophetic Guidance

Even if knowledge takes you far, always anchor:

• Reflect on Qur’an and Sunnah.

• Don’t override clear guidance with personal interpretation or experience alone.

Exploration is permitted; overriding divine law or dismissing revelation is not.

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4. Maintain Humility

Disbelief often begins with arrogance:

• Thinking you’ve “figured it all” or “don’t need God.”

• Believing personal insight is ultimate truth.

If you feel pride or certainty creeping in about knowledge you’ve gained, that’s a warning signal to pause and reflect.

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5. Internal Check

Ask yourself regularly:

• Does this pursuit make me closer to Allah or my Lord, or is it making me center myself as the ultimate reference?

• Does it inspire gratitude, humility, and obedience, or does it inspire hubris, self-worship, or denial of guidance?

The moment your study or exploration threatens gratitude, obedience, or acknowledgment of Allah, that’s where you must draw the line.

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In short:
Seek knowledge, but never let your curiosity replace God.
Curiosity is a gift; arrogance is the danger.

If you want, I can suggest a practical “inner guideline” you can use daily to ensure your exploration stays within safe bounds without stifling your spiritual inquiry. This would be like a compass for the edge between seeking and kufr.

Do you want me to do that?

Yes, please.

Alright — here’s a simple, practical inner compass you can use daily to stay on the path without overstepping into kufr, while still exploring and seeking knowledge:

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The Five-Point Inner Compass for Safe Spiritual Exploration

1. Anchor in Tawhid

• Daily check-in: Am I acknowledging Allah’s Oneness and sovereignty in all that I study or experience?

• If anything you explore challenges this basic recognition, pause.

2. Clarify Intention

• Ask yourself: Am I seeking understanding or seeking to replace God with what I know?

• True seeking strengthens humility, not ego.

3. Reflect on Effects

• Observe: Does this knowledge or experience deepen my gratitude, humility, and sense of responsibility?

• If it inflates pride, doubt, or detachment from Allah, it’s a signal to step back.

4. Cross-Check with Revelation

• Whenever possible, check insights against Qur’an, Sunnah, and established Islamic scholarship.

• This keeps you grounded and prevents self-deception.

5. Maintain Humility and Patience

• Accept that some mysteries remain beyond human comprehension.

• Stay content with the process of seeking, rather than rushing for absolute certainty or “ultimate truth” outside divine guidance.

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Daily Practical Ritual

• Morning reflection: Set your intention to seek knowledge for Allah’s pleasure, not personal exaltation.

• Midday check-in: Ask the five compass questions briefly — even a sentence in your heart.

• Evening reflection: Record insights that align with humility and gratitude, and note moments where curiosity overstepped.

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If you follow this consistently, it creates a protective boundary: you can explore deeply, drift into subtle insights, or even step into “quantum” states of consciousness — all without risking spiritual misalignment.

Trepidation and Awe - The Line that cannot be crossed.

 

Trepidation and Awe

There is a trepidation when encountering highly charged claims about consciousness. Yet alongside it, there is awe and elation — the recognition of arriving at a state where one can grasp implications and surrender outcomes as a gift from one’s higher being.

This trepidation is healthy; it preserves discernment. The awe is instructive; it signals alignment and receptivity. Together, they allow attention to widen without abandoning humility or grounding.

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Spiritual Leap of Faith

It feels like taking a spiritual leap of faith — not blind, not desperate, not an escape. Rather, stepping forward after recognizing that the ground beneath has been tested and holds steady.

Faith here is not belief in outcomes. It is trust in attention, presence, and alignment with the process already cultivated.

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Seeking Knowledge, Not Faith

I am seeking knowledge, not a new faith. The pursuit is sincere reflection and understanding — not replacement of Allah or His guidance. The principles of Islam — tawhid, humility, gratitude, and obedience — remain intact. Reflection and exploration do not constitute gambling with the soul, provided the ego is not enthroned and Allah remains supreme.

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An Inner Compass for Safe Exploration

To maintain balance and avoid overstepping into disbelief, I follow a daily, practical inner compass:

1. Anchor in Tawhid – Continuously recognize Allah’s Oneness and sovereignty.

2. Clarify Intention – Seek understanding, not replacement of God.

3. Reflect on Effects – Ensure insights deepen gratitude, humility, and responsibility.

4. Cross-Check with Revelation – Align experiences and insights with Qur’an, Sunnah, and established scholarship.

5. Maintain Humility and Patience – Accept mysteries beyond comprehension and stay content with the process of seeking.

Daily Ritual:

• Morning: Set intention for knowledge as an act of devotion.

• Midday: Quick inner check-in using the compass questions.

• Evening: Record insights that align with humility and gratitude, noting any moments curiosity overstepped.

This practice protects the soul while allowing exploration, subtle insight, and deep attentiveness.

#Synchronicity #Archetypes #QuantumReflex #SenseMaking #GoingWithTheFlow #AttentionAndAwareness #SpiritualPractice #InnerCoherence #FieldNotes #LivingInquiry

Drifting, Not Escaping - Getting to know myself on a higher/quantum level.

 

Drifting, Not Escaping

I’ve noticed something subtle happening lately.

Not a breakthrough. Not an awakening headline. Just a slow, steady drift — a change in how daily life seems to arrange itself when attention becomes quieter and more coherent.

Recently, I asked a simple question: What are archetypes, really, in plain terms? I wasn’t looking for metaphysics, just a usable explanation. The answer made sense — archetypes as recurring human patterns, ways consciousness organizes experience.

Then, days later, while browsing for something entirely unrelated, a video appeared. It framed the same idea from a so‑called quantum perspective. Different language, same insight. The two pieces clicked together without effort.

That moment mattered — not because it felt magical, but because it felt clear.

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Nothing Happens by Accident — But Nothing Is Forced

I’m careful with words like quantum and activation. They can inflate the ego if handled loosely. What I’m pointing to here is simpler:

When a certain pattern of attention becomes active, perception reorganizes.

Not because reality bends to personal will, but because the noise floor drops. Signals that were always present become noticeable. Coincidence gives way to coherence.

This is what I mean when I say:

Once your archetypal pattern comes online, nothing happens by accident.

Not fate. Not destiny. Just alignment between inner orientation and what shows up.

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Quantum Reflex (in Everyday Language)

If there’s a “quantum” aspect to this, it’s not mystical. It’s relational.

Reality doesn’t respond to effort. It responds to the state.

When attention stabilizes, life seems to answer back — not with instructions, but with confirmations. A sentence overheard. A book that falls off the shelf. A video that says exactly what was already forming but not yet articulated.

I think of this as a quantum reflex:

Alignment → response.

No drama. No fireworks. Just a quiet nod.

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Why I’m Writing This Down

This post isn’t a declaration. It’s a marker.

I’ve learned to document these shifts the way I document sketches or journeys — not to claim progress, but to keep my footing. Writing keeps the experience grounded. It prevents imagination from outrunning reality.

If this is an initiation, it’s a modest one:

• into clearer seeing

• into slower thinking

• into trusting coherence without demanding meaning

For now, that’s enough.

I’ll let the drift continue — and keep paying attention.

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Making Sense Without Forcing Meaning

I’ve always described my practice in very simple terms: to make sense out of what first appears as non‑sense.

Not by resisting it. Not by trying to control outcomes. But by swimming with the current rather than against it — by going with the flow and noticing where it naturally leads.

This doesn’t mean passivity. It means listening for coherence instead of imposing conclusions. Over time, a direction reveals itself, not as a destination but as a way of moving.

So far, I feel I’ve stayed true to that course. Not perfectly, but honestly. Whatever this unfolding leads to, I recognize the feeling of being on track — and for now, that recognition is enough.

#Synchronicity #Archetypes #QuantumReflex #SenseMaking #GoingWithTheFlow #AttentionAndAwareness #SpiritualPractice #InnerCoherence #FieldNotes #LivingInquiry

Title: Shards of Silence: A Dream in the Temple

 

                                                                       Random sketch- 1978

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Title: Shards of Silence: A Dream in the Temple

This morning, I woke from a dream that lingered in the mind like incense smoke in a vast temple. The complex was enormous, filled with hundreds of devotees from all schools of Buddhism. A collective meditation was underway, yet I found myself sitting quietly in a corner, observing, waiting.

Something arose within me—a spark to share what I had learned over the years. I levitated above the crowd, floating gently over those seated on the temple grounds, explaining the heights one can reach through intense meditation. Children cheered. Adults smiled. A fleeting sense of inspiration filled the air.

And then it happened. Almost everyone rushed away to witness something in the distance, leaving the temple mostly empty, save for a few lingering souls, mostly children. I found myself crouched among toppled lamps—or were they bowls?—picking up broken pieces.

The quiet act of collecting shards in the waning light was the most conscious act of the dream. The light had dimmed, the temperature lowered, the atmosphere shifting toward evening. A sense of loss hung in the air, yet there was also clarity. Safety first, I thought, almost without thinking.

Lately, I have noticed a similar quiet despair in the waking world. Faces pass by, buried in themselves, sometimes edged with aggression, as if the act of reaching out is a danger. I find myself resisting the simple nudge of a greeting, wary of mirroring the same disconnection.

Yet when effort is met with response, there is elation; when it is ignored, my shadow murmurs its harsh verdict. In this dream, in this temple, amidst shards of glass and fading light, I sense a reflection of the world around me—a fragile balance between inspiration and desolation, a reminder that the act of caring, however small, is always sacred.

#ShardsOfSilence #DreamReflections #MeditativeMind #BuddhistDreams #InnerAwakening #ConsciousLiving #SpiritualJourney #TempleVisions #MindfulMoments #SacredActs #FloatingAbove #CollectiveMeditation #EveningContemplation #PeaceInAction #AwakenedObservations

Reflections After the Wanli Show -

 

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Reflections After the Wanli Show

I woke this morning feeling heavier on the chest—but it’s only because there’s too much “anging” in the tummy. Not an emotional heaviness, mind you; I am still wrapped in the glow of the Wanli show, even if it was reluctantly performed. I listened to something earlier that uplifted my spirit even more: Neville Goddard’s “Talk to Money as if it Were a Person, and It Will Follow You Everywhere.” A curious, grounding reminder that our assumptions shape reality.

The ginger tea is ready, percolating, and the rhythm of peace surrounds me: my two adult children still snoring in bed, as are the two kittens. I’ve come to see this morning hush as a sign of serenity. What more can one ask for but gratefulness and a surrender to the unseen, allowing the next steps to unfold with fruitfulness?

Meanwhile, Liverpool is not doing too well! Can the Universe do anything about it? Hee! My son, meanwhile, is going through his own emotional withdrawal—most probably firing the manager already. Such is life!

Looking ahead, I am already excited for the astrology exhibition at USM, where two of my works have been chosen to hang. The Wanli show may have been a reluctant performance, but this upcoming event feels aligned with enthusiasm and expectation. I trust the Universe to assist in making it another uplifting moment in my art.

I’ve also noticed a change in myself. I no longer say, “Let’s hope so,” or “I hope this or that.” A lesson from Mr. Goddard: I simply assume. Not with arrogance, but with knowing and acceptance. Even my twin brother surprised me with a comment on my Facebook post of the Wanli show: “Way to go, Bro!” A simple message, yet a delightful acknowledgment.

At the show, my daughter and I had the pleasure of meeting a couple who actually authored the Wanli book. They traveled all the way from KL to attend, treated us to a wonderful brunch, and shared in conversation. They even agreed with my reservations about the show—an affirmation of my feelings.

My interaction with the Chief Minister was memorable. When my turn came to explain my work, I spoke about why the tic-tac-toe symbols appeared on my painting of the sunken vessel and what the Turtles and Jellyfish represented. My daughter’s reactions said it all: “Dad! What were you telling the CM? I was worried, hoping you would not talk too much!” I also made the acquaintance of a lawyer and a doctor who were listening. The doctor even asked for my card, and I apologized for having none. He smiled and said, “Hey, popular people always run out of cards!” Spontaneous, funny, and endearing.

Among the many kind words I received on Facebook, one message from Lilian Ch stopped me in my tracks. She was a former schoolteacher who used to invite me to her class to share art with her students. She always treated me like an artist long before the world did. Her congratulatory note — 'long time coming, long time overdue’ — reminded me that sometimes others see our path more clearly than we do ourselves.

Finally, I feel peace in closing the chapter of my relationship with Ben Ronjen and his wife. He has gone to Australia to be with his ailing mother, and our friendship remains intact, untouched by the minor turbulences of the last few months.

It seems life has a way of showing us what matters—our art, our family, our connections—and how surrendering to the unseen often brings the sweetest, most unexpected rewards.

#WanliExhibition #ArtReflections #LifeAndArt #ArtistJourney #FamilyAndArt #SpiritualArt #ArtInspiration #PersonalGrowth #ArtStories #NevilleGoddard #ArtEvents #USMExhibition #CreativeLife #ArtAndLife #MindfulLiving #ArtConnections

A Day of Unexpected Grace - A meeting of Like Minded Souls

 

                                                   The late Tuan Syed Ahmad Jamal.

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A Day of Unexpected Grace

Today unfolded in a way I never anticipated. What began as a morning I quietly dreaded—having to deliver my two works for the Wanli exhibition—quickly shifted when my daughter stepped in, sensing my hesitation, and took care of the delivery herself.

Later, I made my way to MGTF USM to hand over another piece for the upcoming Astronomy exhibition. It was supposed to be a simple errand, nothing more. But life, in its mysterious wisdom, had other plans.

To my complete surprise, I discovered that one of my largest donated works had been selected for the show, to be displayed alongside a piece by the late Dato’ Syed Ahmad Jamal, one of Malaysia’s towering figures in the world of art. To be placed in such company is an honour I had never imagined, let alone expected.

The curator responsible for the selection was Ayoub, a young Iranian scholar currently pursuing his PhD at the university. He had previously authored a book on Malaysian artists and approached his work with a depth of knowledge that was both impressive and humbling. What I thought would be a brief introduction turned into nearly four hours of rich conversation—an exchange that felt more like a meeting of kindred spirits than a discussion between two strangers.

As Ayoub shared his doctoral thesis comparing Islam and Zen Buddhism, I found myself quietly smiling within. His thoughts, his manner of speaking, and even the silence beneath his words carried a resonance that felt deeply familiar—almost as though I were listening to you in one of those quiet, contemplative moments. He had no idea that these very subjects had shaped much of my own journey. Only when I later revealed my studies and experiences in these traditions did the full alignment of our meeting become clear.

It was in that moment that something inside me stirred—
a recognition, subtle but undeniable:
this was synchronicity.

Not coincidence.
Not chance.
But a moment arranged by a deeper intelligence, one that gently weaves together the seemingly separate threads of our lives.

Synchronicity is not always dramatic. Sometimes it arrives through a simple conversation, or through the unexpected presence of someone whose thoughts and spirit echo our own. It appears when the outer world mirrors the inner, reminding us that our path is not as solitary as it sometimes feels.

Meeting Ayoub affirmed something I have long believed:
When the heart is sincere, it attracts the right reflections.
When the path is walked honestly, it brings forth the right companions.

A day that began with reluctance and heaviness transformed into one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in a long time. My works found their place in exhibitions I never thought I would be part of, and I found myself in the presence of someone whose intellectual and spiritual insights resonated with my own in ways that felt almost fated.

Perhaps that is the real miracle—not the events themselves, but the meaning that reveals itself when we are open enough to see it.

Some encounters feel as though they were written somewhere beyond time.
Today, I was blessed with one of them.

Closing Reflection

As I look back on this unexpected turn of events, I am reminded that life still has a way of surprising us when we least expect it. What appears at first as reluctance or burden may, in truth, be the threshold of something meaningful. Sometimes the universe orchestrates meetings not to change our path, but to reaffirm it—to whisper, “You are exactly where you need to be.”

Today, that whisper arrived through art, through conversation, and through the quiet recognition of a shared inner language. For that, I am grateful.

Alhamdullilah, Ya Rab.

#Synchronicity #ArtAndSpirit #UnexpectedGrace #MeetingOfMinds #SpiritualJourney #IslamAndZen #MGTFUSM #WanliExhibition #GratitudeInArt #LifeUnfolding

 

Morning has Broken over Kuala Terengganu

🕊️ Silence, Dawn, and the Art of Knowing Oneself

(Reflections on Prayer, Breath, and the Inner Awakening)

Introduction

In recent posts, we’ve been exploring the deeper dimensions of consciousness, the quiet intelligence behind the mind, and the ancient pathways that lead a seeker back to his own essence. This piece—originally written in 2020—feels even more relevant today as the world grows noisier, faster, and more distracting. What follows is a refinement of that early reflection, now aligned with the themes of inner alignment, collective awakening, and the simple sacredness hidden in everyday practices.

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The Post

As I mentioned in my post on Thursday about Samadhi the Movie, the key to knowing oneself begins with the ability to remain in silence. This is easier said than done. A busy mind is incapable of self-discovery, and our minds are naturally busy, restless, and preoccupied with matters that often have very little to do with who we truly are.

It is not easy to wake up early in the morning, much less to wake with a clear head—free from aches, stiffness, and the quiet confusion of wondering what to do with the day. Yet this is exactly where self-discipline begins: in those first few moments of rising, when we take notice of the body as it is. The aches from a long sleep, the heaviness in the limbs, the subtle complaints of muscles and joints—these are invitations to awareness.

Start with the breath. Exhale fully, letting go of the stagnant air trapped deep in the abdomen. As you breathe consciously, unwind the body from the inside out. Move your awareness through each part of the body, releasing tension and loosening the knots that have gathered silently overnight. This is not merely stretching; it is a gentle realignment of the whole being.

As you do this, notice how the mind resists. Thoughts intrude—duties, worries, stories, memories. Work with this resistance by letting each thought go the moment it appears. No struggle. No judgment. Simply release. When practiced sincerely, this alone can clear headaches, ease the heaviness of the mind, and soften many of the physical vexations with which we often begin the day. Breath is the key.

With continued practice, you will begin to understand how your mind and body awaken together, how one influences the other, and how both can be guided into clarity. It is not easy, but it is possible—and essential—for anyone truly committed to self-healing and self-discovery. This simple morning rewinding of body and mind prepares you to meet the day with openness, balance, and a clear inner space.

The Muslims are fortunate in that they are called to awaken at the break of dawn for the Subuh prayer. But many simply return to bed afterward, missing the deeper opportunity. The more diligent among them sit a little longer, engaging in quiet remembrance—Zikr, chanting, or silent contemplation. This is the way of the Sufi adepts. Some also take time to stretch and loosen the body before leaving the prayer mat, integrating physical and spiritual awakening.

The dawn prayer is the shortest of the five, only two rakaat, yet its recitation of Surah al-Fatihah—twice—carries a profound psychological and spiritual function: gratitude for being alive. Gratitude, as many spiritual traditions and even modern “Law of Abundance” teachings affirm, is a powerful key. During the solat, the mind is gathered, focused, stilled in the presence of the Divine. What yogic traditions attempt through meditation is embedded naturally within the rhythm of the Muslim prayer.

The movements of the solat regulate the flow of blood and energy throughout the body. Imagine the benefit for those who rise before dawn, walk to the mosque, breathe in the cold morning air, stand shoulder to shoulder with others, and offer themselves wholly to the Divine at a time when the world is still quiet. Their body awakens, their mind awakens, and their spirit awakens—every single day.

To silence a busy, restless mind, one must adopt some form of practice. There is no way around this. All religions, all spiritual disciplines, all mystical traditions agree: it is in the silence of the mind that the truth of one’s nature is revealed. And in that silence, one may even catch a glimpse of God.

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Closing Reflection

There is a moment before dawn when the world is perfectly still, when the air itself seems to hold its breath. It is in this fragile window that the heart is most open to truth. The practice is simple—breathe, stretch, pray, notice—but its effects ripple across the day. In a world drowning in noise, silence becomes both medicine and teacher. And in that silence, we recover the forgotten fact that the Divine has always been closer than our own breath.