I remember back in uni there was a time when Vincent (my Buddhist friend) and I attended a lecture by a Sheik during the âIslamic Discovery Weekâ. At the end of the lecture the Q&A session became a fierce debate between Christianity and Islam. I remembered I put up my hands and wanted to ask the Sheik instead of what the Quâran talked about religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism which seems to be an area which was greatly missed out in all the multi-faith debates.
I think I should be glad I didnât have the opportunity to ask the question because if I think about it, the debate would disintegrate into polytheism and the violation of the concept of Tawhid â the oneness of God: the first pillar of Islam and embodiment of the entire belief system of Islam; God is only one and that He has no partners, He is the only one worthy of worship. However, it would be the spirituality not their object of worship of these religions which I would be more interested to finding out what the Quran and Islam talks about.
Anyhow, I have been doing some digging lately. Like the kid in Paulo Coelhoâs Alchemist, I have come across many signs lately, and have read a several stories of Sheikhs finding their âpersonal legendâ and their stories of travels, dreams and metaphysical experiences which I do not have the ability to put in words. Amongst many of them, I came across Rene Guenon. He was a French born spiritualist (from 1800s) who later became a Sufi sheikh in Egypt. He saw the corruption of morality and spirituality in modern society which at that time in Europe meant pinnacle of logical thinking and scientific enlightenment. He was inspired by what he called the orientalist religions in particular Hinduism (as well as Taoism and lesser extent Buddhism) and pioneered some of the terms such as Esoteric and Exoteric truth. I was particularly interested in him because of Martin Lings. Lings was a Shakespearean Expert who studied English Literature in Oxford University early 1900s I was actually first introduced to him (without knowing it was him) through my teacher in Madrassah in Hong Kong. It was his book which I was supposed to read: the life of Prophet Muhammad. It wasnât until last year when I listened to a lecture about Shakespeare that I had a new found respect for him. Lings found one of Guenonâs books and was inspire to learn under him in Egypt.
It wasnât until lately I have reaffirmed that despite all the written materials readily available in print, the bulk of the knowledge is still of an oral tradition. There is an importance attached to finding your own sheikh whether he should live in East Jerusalem, the deserts of Muratania or if he should find you on the street of Shibuya (As of the story of the imam of the mosque in Tokyo). InshaâAllah (God willing) when I am ready, I shall embark on my personal legend to find the truth beyond the truth. I feel the time is nearing and am just waiting for the sign.