Balance & Harmony

By: Shaista Khurshid, Calgary Alberta

وَالسَّمَاءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ الْمِيزَان- أ لَّا تَطْغَوْا فِي الْمِيزَانَ - وَأَقِيمُوا الْوَزْنَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا الْمِيزَانِ

"And the heaven He raised and imposed the balance. That you do not transgress within the balance.And establish weight in justice and do not make deficient the balance.” (55:7-9)

BESEECH:

Many religions, cultures and scientific institutions are striving to find what is a balanced life. Some say that balance lies in austerity, while others claim that balance comes from being in-sync with nature. Others might add that a healthy lifestyle is a balanced life if it maintains equilibrium between healthy food and regular exercise. Others might state that balance lies in monasticism.

Whether it lies in nature or nurture, human quest has not given up strategizing and exploring the mystery of balance. Despite the achievements and innovations humans have accomplished, the human soul is ever devastated, and the human heart is in greater anguish. What is the solution to this conundrum, which neither anguish our hearts, nor bleed our soul?

SYNCHRONY:

الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍ

“The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation…” (55:5)

Nature tends to work together in harmony with delicately working with each other. Whether it is symbiotic relationship with bacteria in plants or gut friendly bacteria that keeps our digestive system healthy. Or our ears, those are not only for listening, but also keep our bodies balanced. Or In space, where planets and moons float in each of their orbits harmoniously. Every unit has its harmony and balance. This all-inclusive universe is born on balance. Disturb that rhythm and lose its efficiency, integrity or even its existence. The survival of humans lies in living with equity and adapting with nature. Whether it’s a life cycle of plants, animals or humans, there is coherence and stability in the system.

ANGUISH

Any distortion of this harmony in this universe, can create many glitches. However, the imbalance of human hearts and souls, takes away the peace and tranquility that a human craves. A human becomes the most bewildered among species. To gain this peace, he lost from his heart, he causes rampage through the world in the name of making things better.

أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ

“Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth?.....” (57:16)

Words and actions are powerful; it can create or destroy harmony in a society. We know that our passions, obsessions and wanting more might have contributed to wars, pandemics, pollution, and global warming. Overzealous passions and desires can open doors to the dark world where evil and oppression not only survive but thrive.

The earth’s resources are limited. When divided with equity, they are enough for everyone on this planet, but if we accumulate or want more, others will be deprived. Our narcissism has made systems which hoards most of the resources for some, while dispossessing the rest of the world of its rightful needs. More so, it is becoming more apparent as the new era is dawning upon us that there is not one facet where we need to push a reset button.

LOSE THE ATTITUDE

The Core teaching of “like for your brother what you like for yourself” tends to keep our societal, emotional, and physical coexistence in harmony. But it’s we who hold the essence of it. Even if our culture, society, trends, people, friends, demand us to run a rat-race, it’s we who decide what to do. We should be mindful that whether it’s our words or actions, our desires or passions, our expenditures or savings, our learnings, or teachings; each must be subjected to balance and equity.

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا

“And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate.” (25:67)

وَآتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَىٰ حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا - إِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوا إِخْوَانَ الشَّيَاطِينِ ۖ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا

“And give the relative his right, and [also] the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully. Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful.” (17:26-27)

وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّكَ لَن تَخْرِقَ الْأَرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ الْجِبَالَ طُولًا

"And do not walk upon the earth exultantly. Indeed, you will never tear the earth [apart], and you will never reach the mountains in height." (17:37)

CROP THE CORE

As physical parts of our lives should be balanced so do spiritual paths. One of the ways to do so is by learning. Learning through authentic sources is the key, but in today's world due to mindless following of religious groups, celebrity lecturers, and scholars, our learning is only passing by us superficially. Unfortunately, we grasped the rush and high of it, but, our hearts and minds remain flustered, while our times are filled with seemingly accomplishing and successful activities. What we require is mindful moderation, free from overzealous desires and actions.

وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَامًا

"And [they are] those who do not testify to falsehood, and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity." (25:72)

SAVE THYSELF

Balanced life is far from mediocrity and austerity. It allows us to live in peace and tranquility within ourselves. It creates systems in-sync with nature where nothing is excessive or extreme. Where we live a thriving life together in harmony with all the inhabitants or systems of this universe. Where we create systems which work on equity, justice, and fairness. Where we don’t participate, propagate, or even be a part of anything which causes pain and oppression in the society.

أَفُوا الْكَيْلَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُخْسِرِينَ - وَزِنُوا بِالْقِسْطَاسِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ - وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءَهُمْ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ

“Give full measure and do not be of those who cause loss. And weigh with an even balance. And do not deprive people of their due and do not commit abuse on earth, spreading corruption.” (26:181-183)

HEAL THY HEART

For our hearts, and minds to be healed, we need to see what narratives we believe. What are the pressures and mindsets we follow? Who are the influencers and persuaders of the choices we are making?

When we sincerely look inside our hearts and minds, we will find that there are many facets where the narratives we believe are skewed. Looking towards each angle, one by one, we need to get back to each affair, desires, or wishes, in our hearts and mind, and push it near to the center where fairness, balance and harmony lies. How hard the reset would be, depends upon how much deeper the dirt has seeped in.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا ۚ اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

“Do you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” (5:8)

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا

“And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace,” (25:63)

TO YOU I SUBMIT

The heart is a vessel which can hold whatever we put in it. What if instead of filling our hearts with obsessions, egos, selfishness, narcissism, self-righteousness, delusions, and greed, we fill the heart with love, kindness, care, empathy, justice, equability, and humility. Our attitudes, passions, actions, beliefs, cultural norms, or societal rituals must be attuned with what the creator wants and what his creation needs. This will put us into a clear straight path of moderation, which will then heal our hearts and enlighten our souls. Once we do that Allah has promised us a great bounty out of it.

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ - ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً - فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي - وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي

[To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul, return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], And enter among My [righteous] servants and enter My Paradise."(89:27-30)

Quranic Reference: https://quran.com/

Photo by isabel-garger-Kumk- on unsplash