World Peace Begins from Within

• Author: Aliaa Rafea
• CPWR Peace Conference in Barcelona 2004

By: Aliaa R. Rafea

The self, who is manifested in the earthly existence, is like “clay”. It is so dense that you can never see what is inside the “pottery”. But if it is melted and made so delicately see-through it becomes transparent like clear crystal. It is no longer a veil that hinders you from seeing the Light of God within.

Women Is Islam

• Author: Aisha Rafea
• Presented to the International Association of Sufism Symposium held in Seatle, USA, 2000

The approach presented herein supposes that when remembering their spiritual origin, humans blossom as spirits, and all aspects of their life are enlightened. When they get enslaved to matter they spiritually degenerate. It proposes that   "true faith", not credulous or superstitious, is the primary force pushing wo/man to steadily improve her/his mundane life through wisdom, science, art, and social conduct. Wo/man's endeavor for that improvement is part of a comprehensive approach to life where the earthly phase is a stage in an eternal life. Short or long it might be it is where wo/man learns and develops spiritual capabilities that cannot be gained otherwise.
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A Spiritual Approach to Women Would Change the World Positively

Humans while on earth are in a place to take one of two opposite directions. The Holy Qur'an says:

The blind and the seeing are not alike; Nor are the depths of Darkness and the Light; Nor are the (chilly) shade and the (genial) heat of the sun: Nor are alike those that are living and those that are dead. (HQ: 35: 19-22)

On the Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad

• Author: Magda al Mufti

On the occasion of the Prophet Muhammad's birthday, Magda al Mufti calls upon Muslims to practice group prayer for peace and love
On the Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad
We need to transform ourselves into better human beings who are motivated by love, tolerance, peacefulness and honesty. We should not exchange hatred, oppression, and brutality with similar feelings. When we change any possible negative response into a positive one, we shall be inspired by honest means and ways to restore our lost rights, spread peace, and shed light.
I call upon all of you on the holy occasion to direct all energy for that purpose.

Listening to the Inner Voice

• Author: Aisha Rafea

A Sufi once said, "if the Messenger of God were away from me for a twinkle of an eye, I would not consider myself as one of the alive".
For the Sufi, to listen to the guidance of the Messenger of Allah within and to be alive is one and the same thing. We can learn through him that the Messenger of God transcends limitations of time. The Messenger of God is not a mere historical person; he is a living truth, and a manifestation of Light that expressed itself in all prophets and faithful Servants of Allah. Thus, it is only the truly living person who can listen to him from within. Such a Sufi is in full harmony with the Divine's saying in the Holy Qur'an:

In The New Age The 'Divine' and The 'Human' Are No Longer In Conflict

While man’s idea of himself in the twentieth century was colored mainly by the materialistic approach, in the last decades, he seems to have been realizing the spiritual dimension of himself. The number of spiritual circles is tangibly increasing. Such circles in all countries are coming so popular. It is noticed that most of the circles avoid being affiliated to a certain religion. Reason for that, I suppose, is widespread notions that :

1. Religions impose on man rigid traditions that contradict sometimes with reason as well as personal freedom.
2. Religions have been causes for wars among nations.
3. Religious authority was a direct obstacle on the way of progress in Europe. Western progress was not possible until secularization took place.
4. Countries which still cling to religious traditions now-mainly Islamic- are not among the most developed.