Why it makes sense to be a Muslim

Why it makes sense to be a Muslim

As a New England woman of faith in her ‘40s, with a foundation of personal experiential spirituality, I find several aspects about Islam that appeals to me and resonates with my own view of spirituality and the role it plays in this life experience.  Specific features about Islam that I find coherent include:
1.    Repentance without the burden of original sin
2.    A holistic faith that constitutes a way of life
3.    A rich legacy based upon centuries of experience & reform

Repentance
Beyond “rethinking,” repentance within Islam is an act of surrender (dhikr) that occurs when the soul awakens to a consciousness of the Divine Reality.

Muslims repent often as they invoke the name of Allah in prayer five times each day.  The very mention of Allah’s name is a holy experience that brings the devotee closer to God.  This purification is a natural part of each day.

Mohammad Ajmal describes repentance within the Chishtiyyah Sufi order as experienced in three phases, “1) Repentance of the present – which means that man should be penitent about his sins.  2) Repentance of the past – which reminds man of the need to give other people’s rights to them.  If one has reprimanded someone unduly, he should ask for forgiveness from the victim of his hostility.  If one has committed adultery, he should seek forgiveness from God.  3) Repentance of the future – which means that one should decide not to commit any sin again.”  (Islamic Spirituality – Foundations, edited by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, p. 299.)

Since Muslims do not believe in original sin their form of repentance feels more achievable.  They are not burdened with an existing scorecard marked with negative points that they cannot erase.  Instead, their lives are clean at birth and can be wiped clean again throughout their lifetime through dhikr.

The main point of repentance, it seems to me, is that it involves the process of spiritual transformation right now – in the present moment.  Repentance isn’t about wallowing in penitence or self-pity or self-flagellation.  It is about recognizing the opportunity in the present moment to be in the presence of the Divine.  One can begin afresh if they have sinned and with sincerity and wipe out past sins.

A way of life
Islam constructs a tightly woven lived faith.  Thought and action are integrated in the beliefs and practices of a Muslim.  Islam is indeed a way of life.

A holistic view of human and spiritual existence is foundational to Islam.  Both the outward/exoterism (Shari’ah) and inner truth/esoterism (Haqiqah) under gird Islam’s Five Pillars.  Common to all Muslims are these five essential and obligatory practices:

1.    Profession of Faith: A simple proclamation, “There is no god but the God (Allah) and Muhammad is the messenger of God.”
2.    Prayer:  Five times each day facing Mecca, the holy city, Muslims, individually or in a group, perform their prayers in a prostrate position.
3.    Almsgiving:  An annual thanksgiving to God tithe of 2.5% of a Muslim’s accumulated wealth and assets to be used to support the poor, orphans, widows, and to free slaves and debtors.
4.    Fast of Ramadan:  A month-long fast for adults, including abstinence from food, drink and sexual activity, from sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadan.
5.    Pilgrimage:  A pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in each Muslim’s life.

This tight construction for living one’s faith supports the devotee’s success in achieving the Muslim’s goal of unity with God.  This structure is appealing because it marks a path and provides ongoing direction for understanding and successfully living the faith.

A rich legacy
The youngest of the three Abrahamic religions, Islam is 1,400 years old.  Founded by the Prophet Muhammad, the Islam faith began with the prophet’s pilgrimage to Medina in 622 C.E.   It’s history and theology are well documented and continually referenced today.

The Qu’ran, Hadith, and Shari’ah, coupled with other inspired writings, comprise the documents that Muslims continually study and interpret.  The Qu’ran represents the divine revelations received by Muhammad during the 22 years between 610-632 C.E.  The Hadith, or Sunnah, is a report of the advice or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad that supplement or clarify the wisdom of the Qu’ran.  The Shar’iah is Islamic law and documents the exoteric rules of the religion intended to guide society in a moral direction.  Other writings by Muslim poets and reformers dating back to the time of Muhammad remain in print and are studied by devotees.

This deep appreciation of history, coupled with the expectation of being able to mine it for today’s relevant expression, is unusual from my perspective.  It is encouraging to think that history can be cherished and reviewed in light of present and future implications.  This is an approach that straddles the divergent and often combative views of the conservative/preservationist and the liberal/reformist.

Through this, my first exploration into Islam, I am enriched by the depth of its theology and history.  Should I embrace Islam, I would most likely be a Sufi dervish engaged in a daily spiritual practice that focuses the mind, body and soul.