Paradigm Shift

Awaken to PresenceTransform your life

workshop series

http://www.nurspirituality.org/

Dr. Eren TatariOctober 2012, Orlando

Any topic (theological, practical….etc.) MUST start with the essentials.

Without setting the foundations straight, we cannot get anything else right.

This is why we have a hard time “fitting” in Divine Guidance to “our existing paradigm”…

Every piece of the puzzle is meaningful; but we can only notice this when we look at the meaningful big picture!

Paradigm shift! transformation

As long as you wear green glasses, you WILL see the world green!

- A child - A lawyer- An envious person- Whatever is inside…

What is our paradigm?

• Our current paradigm:– How do you relate to things/people?– How do you interpret your existence?– What is your criteria/guide in making each decision?

• What sources has shaped (and shape) your paradigm?– Family, society, school, media…. Changing norms we conform to,

unconsciously – “Our” version of religion: secular, Godless religion with an aloof God

that has no bearing in our daily life… “ID TAG MUSLIM”• Smudge of popculture and Qur’an understood through ‘pop’ paradigm• So we continue to have all kinds of psychological issues, see none of the

light and peace (salam) promised…• We begin to doubt the message or feel helpless/hopeless…

What should it be?

• What should it be? – Whatever will meet my utmost need/desire: joy –

happiness – peace – The glad-tidings from the Divine… must give it a

chance… see if it will bring peace…

• Qur’anic paradigm: The Creator sets forth all of the above…

• Transformation – Current paradigm Qur’anic paradigm

• There is a message, speaking to us… calling itself glad-tidings (bushra)

• So let’s give it a chance… – To see and confirm if indeed it will meet my needs

Qur’anic Paradigm

Witness (shahada): witness the signs (ayat) in the scriptures and the creation

Divine Oneness (tawheed)

Confirm (tahqiq): by using God given qualities and teachers (scriptures, prophets, universe, me)

Certainty (iman)

Process: submission (muslim)not linear, not once

continuous transformation

Work on IMAN…

The rest flows!

Iman

Mu’min

Joy&Peace

Let’s talk about iman…

The big picture…

The Qur’anic paradigm…

Paradigm shift

Why are we here?

The purpose of our creation is to “worship” our Creator.

“I created jinn and mankind only to worship Me” (Qur’an 51:56)

“Worship” is a comprehensive concept in Islam:

Recognizing our servanthood (ubudiyah) while confirming (tahqiq) our Creator’s Infinite Attributes

(Asma al-Husna)

Paradigm shift

We are special… He creates us because of His Infinite Compassion and Love.

ء� ي� ش� �ل� ك ع�ت� و�س ح�م�ت ي و�ر�“My loving mercy overspreads every thing”

(Qur’an 7:56)

ح�م�ة' ر� ي�ء� ش� �ل� ك ع�ت� و�س �ا �ن ب ر�“Our Sustainer!

You embrace all things within your mercy” (Qur’an 40:7)

Paradigm shift

We are special… Among the many created beings, God has made the human as the most exalted, special.

ل يف�ة' خ� ر�ض � األ� ف ي ج�اع ل4 7ي إ ن �ة ئ ك �م�ال� ل ل ?ك� ب ر� ق�ال� … و�إ ذ�

And Lo! Your Sustainer said unto the angels: ‘Behold, I am about to establish upon earth a steward…’

(Qur’an 2:30)

He reaches out to us through His scriptures and prophets: Loving GUIDANCE

He gives us the potential to connect with Him and to contemplate His Attributes of Perfection (Asma ul-Husna)

Paradigm shift

• Think of a high-tech laptop that is manufactured to perform advanced functions = human being

• It needs a manual to teach the user how to use it = guidebooks = scriptures

• The user also needs teachers to show how to apply the manual = messengers

• Scriptures are our manual telling us how to fulfill our purpose and find ultimate inner and outer peace and success in this life and the afterlife.

Paradigm shift

What the manual says =what the teachers did

• The Qur’an explains us how to be in sync with our nature (fitrah) and submit (tasleem) to our reality (haqiqah)

• Our reality is that we are ‘abd of God

• Essentially, ‘abd means 100% dependence on our Creator, which signifies 0% ownership

• We do not own anything: our life, feelings, thoughts,

actions, or body

• So, the question of what we do with OUR time or OUR life is fundamentally wrong!

Paradigm shift

You are God’s trust (amanah) to yourself!

Use your potential in the best/intended way for His sake

journey towards becoming the pleased soul (pure ‘abd)

��ة �م�ط�م�ئ ن ال ��ف�س الن �ه�ا �ت ي

� أ �ا ي�ة' ض ي م�ر� �ة' اض ي ر� 7ك ب ر� Yى� إ ل ج ع ي ار�

“O soul that has attained to inner peace!Return to your Lord well pleased and well pleasing”

(Qur’an 89:27-28)

Paradigm shift

Happiness / Inner Peace

• All of us want to be happy! = given• The only solution is to function as we were

designed for

LAPTOP

Only for Excel

Potential?

As a coffee tray

Misuse?

Pour a cup of water

Damage?

Paradigm shift

Imagine you…

Paradigm shift