Reflections (Page 2) The Prophet came out to us from his house while we were discussing the Antichrist. He said, "Shall I tell you about something that is more frightening to me than the Antichrist?"
The people replied that he should.
He said, "Hidden shirk. In other words, that a man should perform the salat (prayer) and do it beautifully for the sake of someone who is watching." Islam, Ibn Maja, Zuhd 21. The most frightening thing that I fear for my Community is associating other with God. I do not mean to say that they will worship the sun, or the moon, or idols. I mean that they will perform works for other than God with a hidden desire. Islam,Ibn Maja, Zuhd 21. The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
William Wordsworth, The World is Too Much with Us.

As we meditate, this spark is kindled inside. As long as this spark is not kindled, we find outselves restless even in the midst of all this beauty: beautiful mountains, beautiful lakes, beautiful land, beautiful paths, and beautiful people. When the spark is not lit inside, we feel we are lacking something, and often we do not know what it is. We think we feel this lack because something external is missing, and we keep on trying to find out what it is. But what we are looking for, what we are longing for, is the kindling of the inner flame that will reveal God to us. Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, Kindle My Heart at 242-3.

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