Philosophy
Question 1: Contrast Knowledge of the mind versus knowledge of the heart
Text:
Selected Poems pages 11-13https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M8gwtEmwhI&list=PLEqYRHQPWlTvfZGMFvcdMMKihFwysSege&index=7Extra Notes:Golden age of Islam – age of enlightenment, progressive Contrast of the middle ages- different picture, church ignorant, texts were forbidden, no religious tolerance Rumi opposite stance as maimonidis, born in afghanistan baghdad, cairo,same climate, same opennessess.knowledge of the heart-the need to purify the heartsuffering is the experience that can purify the heart followed Sufism following religion with the heart
●his poetry is the code for a deep spiritual truth. what is being spoken in a subtle undertone way.
●spiritual teachings of sufism Traditional Islam-concept of god; mysterious, judge, creator, important friend, 2. transendence of god.when you draw god you make god small, ultimate sin You made god like you.proximity of god; Quran is poetic work“god is as close to me as the vein of my neck”God is a living force within me.God is my essence
God is a force within, he is a spirit The throne of god is in the heart of the believer.1.The importance of law- 5 pillars of islam – haj, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, faith.Haj represents the path to enlightenment
●depend no more on possession but on god, cleanse yourself of material possession. the true safety is that we learn to spend on god.
●Prayer; 5 times a day. constantly contaminated by your surroundings. 5 times of dipping into a stream of water to purifying stream. purification of soul and body
●charity- the money you hold onto is impure, only when the water is allowed to flow it becomes pure, wealth has to continuos flow through you back into the community.Always allow the money to flow out or else it becomes polluted.
●10% of everything you earn ( the money is not ours, its a sense of gratefulness.)-learning detachment fasting- self control, discipline to ones passion, feel what its like to be hungry, to be poor. you’re more spiritually awake when not eating Sufism- love is more important than the law.The law will bring you to the door of palace but the love will bring you in, the goal of the law is to develop the capacity of love.Traditional Islam has rational investigation of scripture averroes- the Quran should always be read with reason. you have to read with a critical mind. if you take the Quran literally it’ll become dangerous.it jihad- struggle (for the scholar that has the intellectual power)jihad- war
●we are supposed to be struggling with the text. we are supposed to be at war with it.(humanize text)sufiism- the heart has feeling that knows, intuition.
Question 2: Contrast maimonides on suffering
Text:
The Guide to The Perplexed pages 166-173; 55-63https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJLD0uIrqgU&list=PLEqYRHQPWlTvfZGMFvcdMMKihFwysSege&index=6
