We can Move Mountains!

Seek KnowledgeI was not born Muslim, but the one piece of Muslim philosophy my mother imparted to me was if the mountain would not come to Muhammad, Muhammad would go the mountain.

This Muslim philosophy had such an impact that I have wanted to know about the man who is so revered by millions of people around the world.

Seeking KnowledgeThis proverb reminds us to be seekers – to seek knowledge and to seek everything we need in this life. If things won’t come to me then I must go towards what I want.

This proverb is how I relate to Prophet Muhammad – a life-long quest for knowledge and working towards the important things of life. This proverb which is part of English culture teaches us that we have to go out if things don’t come to us, and let us be honest that mountain is never going to get legs and come to us. So we have to be the seeker.

Today, writers on Wikipedia opine that Muhammad did not say this but perhaps English writers in earlier times felt he would say it and the proverb is so valuable that Prophet Muhammad could have said it. Nevertheless, the proverb is one of the influencing factors in my life.

Climbing MountainsThanks to the internet I came across Mike Ghouse through a friend. Mike Ghouse is an American and a Muslim. He is tireless in his pursuit of teaching the Oneness of Religion and spreads knowledge about Islam and how many of the concepts are similar to Christianity, Judaism and other religions. He has asked the question: “How do we relate the prophet?”

Mountains of QuestionsMuslims are supposed to follow a way of life called the Sunnah. That includes emulating the way of life of Prophet Muhammad – wearing similar clothes, eating like him, living like him.

Cohesive MountainAccording to Mike Ghouse Prophet Muhammad believed in building cohesive societies. This included earning the respect of people of other faiths – Jews and Christians. We also build cohesion when we are truthful, trustworthy and just.

Peaceful MountainThere may not be as much peace in this world as we would like; nevertheless, we can do much to spread peace and harmony in the world we operate in. Our peace may just be a pebble but many pebbles make a mountain. Nurturing goodwill and mitigating conflicts adds up. Forgiveness is part of the peace equation and a cardinal principle of both Islam and Christianity.

Mountain of HurtMike Ghouse thinks of the Prophet when someone hurts him because the Prophet advised against score keeping, revenge and aggravating each other. “I love the freedom it gives me, freedom from brooding and obsession to get even with the other,” he explains.

Every MountainProphet Muhammad’s last sermon was certainly ahead of its time when he declared that no man is superior to the other and that all are equal. Even in the 21st century this is a principle that not all men have embraced but there certainly has been progress in many nations.

Last MountainAn idiom my mother also frequently used: This is the pot calling the kettle black. This idiom means that in some way we are the same as what we are judging about others. There are many natural emotions we need to curb including the tendency to be judgmental. When we have those times, we should remember either our Christian or Muslim heritage. Christians are told: Judge not lest you be judged too, while Prophet Muhammad said: God knows every thing about the other, not me. Let me not judge without knowing it all.