Holy war, suicide bombings, fighting for faith, and killing in the name of God?from Crusaders to terrorists, from sacred shrines to New York City, history is tainted by a grave disease afflicting humankind. This cancer of the heart ravages reason and emotion, breeding numb and blind souls who cling to their belief in desperate defense for meaning. Only infected fanatics are capable of twisting the sacred guidance common to all faiths into a weapon against the faithful. They leave their marks on time but they cannot change the ideals shared by all religions; wisdom that can help heal and in

still a peace that consoles us from inflicting more suffering.

What is the ideal of Islam?

Islam is not a name that defines you as better than your neighbor or rewards you a special status with God. The name itself is an Arabic word derived from the meaning to surrender or submit. True Islam (Submission) is a way of life that guides your actions and forms your character. You embark on an inner journey to purge your soul, the true Self, from ego and vice by reverencing the One who created you from dust. Surrender is a state of unceasing awareness and appreciation of God’s boundless attributes (Quran 7:205).

As your soul submits, you are able to practice the meaning of peace, compassion, love, forgiveness, and charity that originate from one Source. You feel a gradual separation from the body that adorns the soul and all the attachments that nourish the ego. The shades of superiority, prejudice and judgment fade as the world comes into focus with the eyes of your soul.

In Submission, the best among us in the sight of God is not the wealthy Christian, erudite Jew, or fanatic Muslim, but rather, the one who is the most righteous (Quran 49:13).

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