Dismiss That Which Insults Your Soul

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 20 September 2024 People Are Reading (Scriptures Like Quran, Gita, Bible And What Not) But They're Unable To Imbibe The Spirit Of The Book. They're Reading The Moral Precepts Described In These Books But Aren't Following Them For, Their Souls Are Dead And Decadent And Their Morality Is Frothy ------ "Re-examine all that you have been told... dismiss that which insults your soul." Walt Whitman In these simple yet profound words, Walt Whitman urges us to engage in critical thinking and introspection. He encourages us to challenge the beliefs and teachings we have inherited, emphasizing the importance of questioning everything. By doing so, we gain the ability to authentically shape our own beliefs and values. Whitman goes further by urging us to dismiss anything that offends or insults our innermost being. This suggests the significance of embracing our individuality and refusing to conform to societal pressures or dogmas that clash with our core essence. In essence, Whitman invites us to embark on a journey of self-discovery and self-assertion, enabling us to live a life true to ourselves. But the problem is: Do we listen to our conscience? Whitman used the word 'soul' for conscience as he believed that the word 'soul' had a greater depth than the word 'conscience.' He mentioned this in the very first edition of his book of poetic musings, Leaves of Grass. Whitman was a lifelong seeker who believed that every individual must be mildly iconoclastic. But sadly, everyone is a conformist. We believe in things that have no significance. Our philosophies are borrowed. Our metaphysics lacks personal conviction and our spirituality is inherited self-deception. We inherit our faiths and gods from our ancestors. What we all follow should have been discarded long ago. We're all like the Russian novelist Nikolai Gogol's 'dead souls' carrying the garbage of our primitive past and spreading the miasma of ignorance, hatred, ill-will, envy and discrimination. We're unable to re-examine anything because we've lost our ability to think and question. Socrates said millennia ago that an unexamined life wasn't worth-living. Alack, every life is unexamined, that too, in this 'modern' age. We're talking about AI but are still stuck in our hoary-old religious tenets and scriptures. We talk at length when it comes to sympathy, empathy and fellow-feeling but our collective conscience remains unaffected when African countries like Namibia and Zimbabwe decide to cull wild elephants and kill them to feed the famished people of those countries as you may be aware that Zimbabwe and Namibia have announced plans to slaughter hundreds of wild elephants and other animals to feed hunger-stricken residents amid severe drought conditions in the southern African countries. We're insensitive and impervious to all that can move us. Kisi Ki Aahon Ka Koi Asar Nahin Roohon Par/ Hum Apni Hi Laashon Ko Dhoye Jaa Rahe Hain (The sighs of an oppressed cannot move us/ We're carrying our own dead bodies). Our slothful complacency is our undoing. To quote Dr Muhammad Iqbal, "Khuda Tujhe Kisi Toofan Se Aashna Kar De/ Ke Tere Bahar Ki Maujon Mein Iztiraab Nahin/ Tujhe Kitaab Se Mumkin Nahin Faraagh Ke Tu/ Kitaab-Khwan Hai Magar Saahib-E-Kitaab Nahin." Yes, people are reading (scriptures like Quran, Gita, Bible and what not) but they're unable to imbibe the spirit of the book. They're reading the moral precepts described in these books but aren't following them for, their souls are dead and decadent and their morality is frothy. ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/insults-soul-quran-gita-bible/d/133240 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminis