Author Chatha Akbar Ghulam believes God is universal. With love as his message, he shares a thought-provoking collection of essays, poems, and meditations illustrating how he has come to understand the concept of God and why he feels a loving heart is the only requirement needed to have faith in God. Chatha shares how as a youth he came to discard the traditional teachings of heredity and customs and eventually achieved inner peace and contentment by recognizing universal good and truth. As he offers his opinion on such subjects as God and war, life and death, wisdom versus ignorance, the yearnings of a soul, and heaven and hell, Chatha provides a fresh, impartial perspective on God's influence in today's world. By sharing his thoughts on the differences between the self-righteous and true believers through personal anecdotes and inspiration from Punjabi mystic poets, Chatha quietly encourages spiritual seekers of all faiths to look inward and focus on gratitude rather than desires. Faith, Not Religions offers one man's inspiring reflections regarding his faith in God, his opinions on organized religions, and his journey to seek his own spiritual path in life.

FAITH, NOT RELIGIONS

Essays by Chatha Akbar GhulamBy Chatha Akbar Ghulam

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2012 Chatha Akbar Ghulam
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4759-6460-8

Contents

Foreword.......................................................xiAcknowledgments................................................xiiiIntroduction...................................................xvThe God........................................................1The Terrorism..................................................4The Universal Mysticism........................................7Traditions, Customs, and Homelands.............................10In Search of The God...........................................13Monism and My God..............................................16The God And Wars...............................................20The God's Reward and Punishment................................24The Creator of Time............................................28The God and Ceremonial Prayers.................................30The God and Moralities.........................................34The Protector..................................................37The Merciful...................................................39The God and Civilizations......................................41The God and Human Rights.......................................44The God of Humans..............................................48The God of Unity...............................................51The God and Human Wishes.......................................53The God and Deities............................................56The God and Justice............................................58Life and Death.................................................61Liberalism versus Fundamentalism...............................64The Changing World.............................................66The Necessities of Human Life..................................69Freedom........................................................72The Quest for Peace............................................74To Be a Human..................................................77Majority versus Minority.......................................80In the Name of God.............................................83The Day of Judgment............................................86The Christ You Believe.........................................90I Prayed to the God............................................92Wisdom versus Ignorance........................................93Humans and Animals.............................................95Why Priests, Monks, and Nuns Do Not Marry?.....................97Expecting Miracles.............................................99Is The God Unjust?.............................................101The God Is Just................................................103Faith versus Religions.........................................106Beauty versus Ugliness.........................................109Religion versus Religions......................................111The God and Attachments........................................114I Wish.........................................................116Lawful Vices...................................................118Morale Boosting................................................120The Give and Take of Sins......................................122"Thanks, God"..................................................124Collectiveness and Faith.......................................126The Retreating Religions and Traditions........................128Love versus Hatred.............................................132The God Given..................................................134Universal Harmonies............................................136To Myself......................................................139If I Were......................................................142The Charm of Obedience.........................................144Selfishness (An Explanation)...................................146An Outlaw Faces the Day of Judgment............................147So What?.......................................................150Yearnings of a Soul............................................152Does Not Recognize The God.....................................156Recognizes The God.............................................157The Creator of the Universe....................................158Ministers, Jinn, and Devils....................................160Let Us Say Love Prayers........................................163Depression.....................................................166Heaven and Hell................................................168Some Thoughts and Observations.................................170

Chapter One

THE GOD

Creator of the universe. Worthy of all praises. The mighty God is one and does not share powers with anyone; He is the only supreme. Only The God is to be believed; only The God is worthy of deserving our faith. The God of the universe is not God of any particular faith, race, or group of people, claiming any sort of superiority over others. These are the charges against The God that need to be vindicated, though The God is not affected because He is supreme.

The God created mankind of a nature most liked by Himself—a nature that is extremely good. There is no particular evil, no particular good, because The God created mankind of one nature only. The God likes to be praised but does not authorize anyone to force others to follow His way of prayers. We all know the manners of obedience; certainly prayers cannot be said by crawling. No one should say prayers in a language in which he or she is not fluent; feelings should be expressed in any language or silently.

The whole of mankind is born and dies. The God can do whatever He wants and certainly doesn't do injustice to anyone. The God will not hold responsible a person for his not having a particular faith, or for not believing in anyone except The God. To believe in The God is natural—nothing is more natural. A person is born in nature, not belonging to any area, race, or linguistic or ethnic group. One is often told by others to belong to such and such group, to adopt the likings and hatreds and selfishness that that group endorses. But the people having wisdom and intellect are exceptions. These are the people loved by God because they have pure faith. If you put a newborn baby in another community, he or she will adopt the likings and disliking of that community, even when feeling affection for the acting parents.

Death materially equalizes all, leaving behind affiliations contracted during life. We attempt in vain to make some difference by performing ceremonies as dictated by our clerics, by military parades, or by erecting monuments and tombs. Only God can and will make a difference, rewarding the good and punishing the evil.

The people of wisdom recognize the good and evil the world over, from the beginning of mankind to the present. God is there, and He created mankind to be good but allows it be exposed to evil. Therefore, there is a reward for those who remain good—and punishment for those who are lured by evil forces. A person in the wilderness who is very hungry and shares his piece of bread with another person is doing good. But why? This is because of a God- given good nature. If a person does well to his family, community, or any other in the name of God, God rewards him, though what extent, one doesn't know except God. A believer is the best and most steadfast do-gooder; he or she remains on the straight path in any...