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The God and the ceremonial prayers
Mankind has been praying to the God or gods from prehistoric times and from the beginning of mankind. In the old times, there have been nonsense, foolish and cruel ceremonies including so called sacrifices of human lives. All these ceremonial activities seemed to the concerned communities so sacred, that they fought dreadful wars against each other. The people having different manners and methods of prayers have been fighting against each other due to their disagreements. Some of these activities seem to civilized world very absurd but some likewise absurdities are continuing even in now a day’s modern world. Millions of people believe that these activities are very much sacred and many are upholding these as customs and traditions of their forefathers.
The inclusion of Italian or Greek mythology in customs and traditions is understandable but to take them in as a belief is foolishness. Apart from these absurd activities groups own their manners and methods and hold those sacred which they own. Those who dare to disagree are called apostates. So called believers have to learn all these manners and methods, only then they can pray. While praying they should be very much alert with regard to observance of these manners otherwise their prayers will be nullified. The praying persons keep their attention on the so called sacred manners and not on the God. The clergy tells them about the number of virtues they have earned by keeping these manners on numerical grounds.
Different religions have different manners, days, time, languages and different places. All these differentiations are necessary to maintain their separate identities. The maintenance of these identities is their primary concern and for this very reason the religions have separate names for persons also. Every religion claims superiority over others and this so called superiority is a part of their beliefs. The God is not concerned with these identities and superiorities because these are not for the God but to satisfy their own selfishness. The God strongly dislikes all such thoughts and likes every manner and every word which is for him only. To remember the God with sincerity, love, solemnity, fear and hope pleases the God no matter in which manner, language or place.
The mystical poet Bulley Shah says,
“Mullah (Muslim clergy) pressed me hard to learn bay (second alphabet) but I only learnt alif (first alphabet) so he beat me and expelled me out.” (All knowledge leads to one the God and no more is necessary)
He says,
“Why I should go to Kabbah (the Muslim pilgrimage center)? My heart longs for Takhat Hazara (town of the local classical love story hero). People prostrate (their faces) towards Kabbah but I shall towards my beloved” (the God).
He says,
“The God is creator and master of all, does not matter you went to the Mosque and prayed after ablution but without purification of heart you have merely stood like a column.”
He says,
“Your (the God's) love has made me a non believer (as people say) so a Muslim faith is not required.”
If the founder of a religion (might be a prophet) gave his follower a particular day or days, weekly or yearly, this was to promote the sense of collectiveness, harmony and social celebrations. How the God can change a holy day with another and a holy place (the places already existing) with another? Is the God interested in architectural designs and splendor of the places of worship?
The mystical poet says,
“The way to the God is not the prayers in mosques, keeping the fasts, leaving the affairs and attractions of the world and beauty (like a monk) but way to the God is in good intentions of the heart and mind which the God knows”.
The God prefers neither designs of prayer buildings nor the days or time. He neither needs the meat of the sacrifices nor the hunger of the fasts if these do not evoke love and mercy. The same words uttered by different persons, in the same manner, in the same place have different weightage and impact. This difference can be unimaginable. The God knows the best about intentions and sincerity. He can also measure the depth of the unspoken words which are not of any language. There isn’t any time or place, when and where the God should not be prayed but most of the prayers of all religions are just ceremonies and not actually the prayers of the God.
The mystical poet says,
“Those who have found the way to one God need not the recitation of the Koran (Muslim holy book”). They follow the way of love and thereby remove all the curtains” (obstacles).
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