SPIRITUALITY

When Alexander was leaving for his world conquest, he went to see Diogenes, a great sage, who was lying on a sandy bank of the river and enjoying the morning sunshine.

He asked Alexander : Where are you going and for what ?

Alexander : I am going on a world conquest, I will conquer Asia Minor first.

Diogenes : And what will you do after conquering Asia Minor ?

Alexander : I will then go to conquer India 

Diogenes : And what then ? 

Alexander: I will have to conquer the whole world.

Diogenes : And what then ?

Alexander: Then I will rest and relax.

Hearing this Diogenes laughs out loudly, and addressing his dog who is sitting neare by says: "Listen to what this mad king is saying. The man says that he will rest after he conquers the world. Here we are resting right now, without conquering a single place. Alexander dear, if rest is your ultimate objective, why not join me and my dog right now on this beautiful river bank ? There is enough space here for all of us. I am already resting.Why are you bent on creating so much mayhem and blood shed around the world, just to rest at the end of it all ? You can rest right here and now"

Dear friends does it ring a bell. Who are we fooling but our own self. Just reflect on what you want to achieve in life. Reflect on the all pervading Spirit, which sleeps in the stone, dreams in the animal and wakes up finally in Man. Try to understand it, reflect upon and sure enough you will find joy, sustenance and ever lasting peace.

While on the subject of Spirituality, let me recall the childhood game of spoon and lime race, very popular in school Sports Meet. The one who touched the tape first with lime firmly placed in the spoon won. In real life though we find that people are running blindly at times, focused on reaching first with the spoon firmly in their mouth,( all worldly materialistic possessions ) but when they touch the tape, they find that in their blind dash, some where down the road, they have dropped the lime. 

Friends those who touch the tape, even if they come second or third or tenth for that matter, but with their lime firmly in their spoon, are the winners of this life's race. 

On the Day of Judgement everyone will be gathered together in HIS RADIANT PRESENCE, the rankings will melt, those with lime in their spoon will be considered, and those who ran blindly only with spoon firmly in their mouth and without the lime will for ever regret. 

The lime constitutes VALAYAT of AQA MOULA (TUS) it comprises of all noble deeds as enshrined in our Deen. Reaching out to your relatives and community members in need. I need not elaborate. 

In your mad rush to touch the finishing line of life, and to come out winner, please be focused on 'the lime' that may have fallen down. Reflect inward this Sehrullah, prioratize, and pick up the lime if need be,  and journey to the tape. You will be the ultimate winner.

When one surrenders on its own to the Supreme Power -to the Will of Allah in the larger context, to our Moula (TUS)in the micro context, his Spirituality, will achieve the ultimate flowering, because in this willing surrender is the ultimate salvation. 

If someone forcibly turns you into a means and uses you, you are bound to loose your soul. However, your soul will be fulfilled, if you surrender on your own, and become an instrument in the hands of existence.

The Greek sage Diognes, was once captured by a group of petty traders to enslave him. The traders are baffled when Diognes himself voluteers to be handcuffed. As they take him to the slave market to be sold, he proudly walks ahead of all of them. There is not a trace of fear on his face, while his captors look like captives.

Diogenes mounts on the platform and proclaims : ' What are you looking for ? They are all my slaves, and although they are not in chains yet, they cannot run away from me. HERE IS A MASTER FOR SALE - whosoever can afford a master should bid for him'

There are many savants who on account of their wisdom and spirituality have lived a fearless life, because they have willingly surrendered themsleves to the Will of Allah. Our Fatemi history is enriched with many such incidents of true heroism, the one that readily comes to mind as I write is that of Syedna Kutbuddin Saheed (AQ)

He was chained and bound in the durbar of Auranzeb, but by his fearless utterance of Truth, he made all of them look like minions

' Shere Khuda na sher woh garraya aa kadr..... ' Nashihat of Syedi Sadik Ali Saheb

It was the radiant Spirituality and surrender to the Will of Allah that enslaved Auranzeb, sitting on the throne, and although tied and bowed down in chains, Moulana Kutbuddin Saheed (RA) towered over every one. This is the power of Spirituality and Wisdom

The sheer joy when individual consciousness merges with the Divine Consciousness, it is difficult to say wether the drop merged into the ocean or the ocean merged into the drop.

Friends try to inculcate Spirituality in your daily lives, and feel true ecstacy and joy, that the material world will never be able to offer. Reaching out to the needy fellow mumineen, in what ever way possible etc: there are numerous ways and means of enriching yourself by enriching the lives of others less fortunate than you. 

Become Spiritual to become Free

REPENTANCE - ISTIGFAR

Repentance -Istigfar requires five elements

01. The first and foremost is recognition of one’s sin as sin, which largely depends upon one’s intelligence and moral consciousness. Moral consciousness is formed by adhering to the tenets of deen, imbibing values cherished by our beloved Aqa Moula (TUS)etc: For an intelligent and devout mumineen, a small transgression is a sin, to those who are seeped in materialism, a sinful act in fact, may not be viewed as such. This is a subject, which requires in-depth analysis. In short, recognition of sin as sin- is the first step.

02. Remorse – it is feeling that one should have if he wants to repent. A feeling of regret, despair and anguish, for having failed to maintain one’s moral standard. An intense feeling of being alienated from Allah and His Wali and one’s own spiritual roots, a feeling of having cheated his own self.

03. Desisting from sin – now this is neither a moral or intellectual analysis nor feeling, it is ACTION (‘Just Do it’ is not the only prerogative of NIKE – it should also be a resolve of every mumineen ) How one has to achieve – by changing of the course, by desisting from the pattern of sinful action, to which one has become addicted, a concerted effort has to be made, by consciously suppressing the thoughts and fantasies about the sinful activity. Once that is achieved, to make a firm commitment never to commit the sinful act.

04. Restitution – which means making good or giving compensation from an injury or hurt inflicted by word or action. It is act of making good, as best as one can, for the damage done. If one has stolen, one must return the object or pay compensation. If one has damaged one’s reputation, one must attempt to correct the injury inflicted.

05. Confession requires uttering of specific wrong done personally to the wronged person. In other cases pleading to Allah with true fervor to forgive for the sins committed.

Sinfulness is a very deep rooted malady of human existence, and dealing with it calls upon all our spiritual, intellectual, and moral resources – desisting from sin, is the bedrock of true repentance.
Ref: Article – Repentance and Forgiveness – David R. Bumental

http://www.hikmaah.com

TREE AND ME - Sharing my Thoghts

The Mansha Mubaraka of Aqa Moula (TUS) to plant more than 2 lac trees to save the Environment and in order to attain his 'khushi' and sawab this Sehrullah, at the age of 69 years I planted my first tree, in the forest land of our Society.

In all 53 trees were planted by the mumineen residents of the Society on Sunday 11th June 2016. It was indeed a joyous and memorable occasion.

After returning home I reflected and read - Sehrullah is the month of reflection.

''Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky' Khalil Gibran

' Nature has many marvels; but a tree
Seems more than marvellous. It is divine
So generous, so tender, so benign.
Oh ! Privilege beyond explaining words
To plant a tree. '  -  Ella Wheeler Wilcox

I read with interest how trees help in combating climate change, cleaning the air we breath, provide us with Oxygen, cool the neighborhood, conserve energy, save water, shield children from ultra violet rays and many more benefits that will make this world of ours a better place to live.

As I read and reflected my mind went back to the tree I had planted and wondered how much my tree  will contribute to the Environment. I share with readers what I learnt.

Hopefully my tree when matured will consume 48 pounds of Carbon Dioxide per year and as it will convert CO2 and release Oxygen it is going to give me an Oxygen supply for  two years.
( the amount of Oxygen consumed by an individual in two years will be released by my tree in the atmosphere)

My tree will absorb ozone, a portent green house gas. The shade of my tree as it grows will save the same amount of energy as what ten room size air conditioners running for 20 hours a day. WOW!

I felt so blessed to have been a small part of the noble and far reaching initiative of our beloved Aqa Moula (TUS) to combat the harmful effects of carbon prints and save and re- energize our Environment.

Pune received it's first proper monsoon rains yesterday evening (27 mm) and so today early after Fazr namaz, I climed the steep slopes of the Society to see MY TREE. 

It was a joy to look at it, ever so fresh and gently swaying in the cool breeze, and so were the remaining 52 trees. MY TREE as it swayed seemed to whispering to me - ' I am fine and  I may outlive you, I will be there for everyone to enjoy and share and provide Nourishment to the Environment, do not worry !!

I returned home feeling blessed with doa on my lips for A'li Qadr Muffadsal Moula (TUS) for having made me aware of the importance of preserving the Environment and the importance of planting trees.

KABIR

Just came across a very soulful rendering of Kabir Doha - CHADDAR JHEENI RANG JHEENI which I share with my readers.

https://youtu.be/Bte_-QW_WkI

Subtitle in English will make it easy to understand the depth and meaning of the Kabir Doha. Kabir was a 15th Century mystic poet and saint, who was a weaver by profession. He was raised by a Muslim family, but in his later life was influenced by bhakti leader Ramananda.

VIPUL RIKHI  is a poet, translator and singer based in Bangalore. He has worked extensively on Kabir and I have become an admirer of his soul stirring rendering of Kabir Dohas and his in depth explanations which brings to fore the nuance and beauty of Kabir Dohas.

Herein below I have tried to note down a few excerpts from his explanation prior to rendering of the Doha   CHADDAR JHEENI RANG JHEENI in a two  hour satsang in Mumbai. The excerpts are not verbatim and I am conveying what I have managed to write down and understand and reflect upon.

KABIR  has referred to the Divine Essence with many different names and symbolism - Ram - Rahim - Allah.

Being a weaver by profession KABIR creates a symbolism and imagery of Chaddar. KABIR did not write, but conveyed the spiritual knowledge in oral tradition. Music if rendered with bhakti - devotion carries the words and thoughts beyond mind, it seeps deep down into our entire being. It moves the Mind - Heart and Soul.

The divinity is the material which is woven on the spinning wheel which turns on eight lotus comprising of five senses ( elements)  and three gunas.

Our actions, our karmas are the balls of cotton that are being Ginned, the dross (seeds)  is removed and the pure cotton moves on in 'waft' and 'weft' ( ingla - pingla) - referrers the duality of this world ( night -day, man - woman etc:)  but KABIR says that we should be mindful of the 3rd Channel the middle one the SINGLE on which the ingla -pingla are being crafted.

It took 9 solar months ( 10 lunar months ) for the cloth to be made, and it was woven right ( thik thak)  which symbolizes our physical body in a sense.

It was given to the washer man, who dipped in the pool of water  (word - actions) and was beaten on the stone of awareness and dyed with different hues, but KABIR says the permanent everlasting color is that of Universal Love (Bhakti - Spirituality)

This Chaddar was worn by all of us - the enlightened and also the worldly, and thus got soiled and dirty  (maili ) KABIR says it should be worn with Awareness, and he was the one who wore it with Awareness and returned it in good condition as he had received it.

We should live a life of Spiritual Awareness, so that when it is our time to depart we leave behind a clean, unblemished CHADDAR.

Hope I have been able to convey the essence. If there is some error it is because of my limited understanding and I seek forgiveness.

I never get tiered of hearing the following lyrical composition of VIPUL RIKHI which made me undertake this journey of trying to understand and appreciate KABIR and in a sense my true self.

https://youtu.be/mFCDDeTSBGA

If one is a true seeker, you never know at which turn the horizon in all its glory opens up and enriches your mind and soul.


   

































   

PROFILE OF AN ACHIEVER - DR. S.S.RAHI

THE ONLY IMPORTANT THING IN A BOOK IS THE MEANING IT HAS FOR YOU 

W, SOMERSET MAUGHAM

MILAD UL NABI (S.A.) MUBARAK TO MY READERS. Would like to share a very fortunate meeting during the Milad Celebration maukib with a very talented mumin bhai - a true Achiever,  about whom I had heard but had an opportunity to meet and interact for the first time.  Dr. Shafaqat S. Rahi is a true achiever in the field of Gujarati Literature, specially Gujarati Gazals, although his literary works comprising in all of 32 publications, covers all genres, and he is also been writing in many renowned syndicated columns. 

Dr. S.Rahi received his Doctorate from Gujarat University in 1991 and besides that has received many awards and accolades from prominent Gujarati literary circles. It was a real privilege to talk with an Achiever of our community. As we interacted over coffee I traveled back in time, to the sixties, much before TV and Electronic Media ruled the roost, and a good book reading drove away the blues and struggles of daily living. 

I recall borrowing books from Saifee Club Library - Calcutta for my mother, who had a difficult time raising five boisterous kids in a single room, which we called our home. I fondly recollect, once she got hold of a SHAYDA book, she would find solace and peace in the literary world of her own. I myself recall reading  MAA TE MAA  ( in 2 parts) Another famous read of his was AMINA. 

SHAYDA was the pen name of Harji Lavji Damani who studied only till Class 4 but was a genius, when it came to story telling

I write this with a purpose. I know that most of my readers may not be knowing Gujarati, I myself over the years have not read Gujarati literature, but interacting with Dr. Rahi made me aware of a lost passion and my parents. Likewise, I hope there may be elderly parents and relatives in your family, who may have learnt to read and send whats app messages, most forwards, with no individual creativity,  but at the same time may be pining to read some good Gujarati literature and relive their old passion.  

Dr. S. Rahi's books are available on line.

 If you have in your family some elderly persons, parents or relatives, you may gift them a book or two and bring back joy in their lives. His books are available on line.  Do please order, and make your loved ones day.

Sharing the links which may prove useful to those interested to know more about Dr. S. Rahi.

https://sites.google.com/site/ssrahibooks

 E. Mail dr.ssrahi@gmail.com

http://ssrahi.blogspot.in/

 You Tube :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43fA-hzO50E

  

    

DEMONETIZATION TAMASHA

The night of 8th Nov: 2016 will be for ever etched in the hearts and the minds of Indians. For the past five days each waking and at times sleeping hours have been hijacked completely by HDN which took a royal bow at the midnight hour, and left the entire nation in a state of shock and awe.

The epoch moment is etched in my memory. On that particular night my wife Rabab had loaned me her 'telly time'  for I was interested to watch the news of the American Election on Al Jazeera. I was amused and dismayed  at the news report of Hindu outfits in India  organizing 'havans' in Mandirs and homes for the success of  Donald Trump victory. They wanted him to come to power for he had declared that he will not allow Muslims to enter the US once he assumes Presidency.

With complete blanket ban on Muslims,  the Hindus of our great country, saw  an opportunity to get more H1 - B Visas and an American Dream. I am sure within hours of PM Modi's surgical strikes, the 'havans' may have been put aside and new 'havans' for protection of wealth may have been started.

The American population in general regard Indians as a single entity. An incident after Trump victory will prove this. Manik Rathee in his twitter account states that he was stopped at a gas station by jubilant Trump supporters and told " time to get out of the country Appu" So the bigots and personal agenda driven Hindu outfits will have to work real hard with the general American population to make them aware of the difference between a Hindu and a Muslim, which they broadly classify as Asians, brown skins, which both Hindus and Muslims sadly have.

Now it was time to watch  the Hindi News 8 pm  - one full hour coverage on American Election, but the Anchor announced ' Breaking News- stand by important announcement by Prime Minster Narendra Modi. As the Nation waited including your's truly, the Anchor read the news of skirmishes at the border and the high powered Meeting the PM had with the Home Minister and three Army Chiefs. I assumed that it will have something to do with the announcement of launching massive surgical strike on Pakistan to teach them a lesson once and for all.

Who knew that the surgical strike announced  by PM Narendrabhai Modi will make our entire Nation ( 1.25 crores minus the 1 lac or thereabout  as per PM 's estimate who have amassed black money ) stand in line for days.

Today after returning from Japan he greatly appreciated the sacrifice we ordinary Indians are making on daily basis, and gave out an emotional appeal, with pregnant pauses in between, to bear for only 50 more days at the end of which he will place a ' GREAT INDIA ' in our laps, although he had failed in his Election promise to put 15 lacs in each Indians Bank Account. I for one was moved to tears by his speech.

Although having returned empty handed from Bank after having stood in line for hours, I have resolved to go each day, stand in line for my country till I receive from the Bank the allotted quota of my own money, and show exemplary sacrifice by buying the basic necessity of life and do with the amount that I hope to receive.

The News channels always play spoil sport. I was so moved by PM Modi speech and my resolve to do my bit for the Nation. My dream like reverie was shattered when all the News Channels started to broadcast the reaction to PM Modi's speech by the maverick Arwind Kejriwal. Now this fellow is a real thorn in the rapidly growing robust flesh of the BJP.

He has very simple down to earth solutions. The nail in the coffin of his reaction to PM Modi's speech was that, why make the entire Nation of 1.25 crores ( minus the 1 lac or thereabout corrupt) stand in line for days on end and suffer deprivation, why not bring to book the 600 + holders of Swiss Bank Accounts, the names and all the details are there with the Government. Why not use the Power Vacuum and flush out the dirt, at one single go. Swatch Abhiyan with broom sticks and water hoses, is good, but very laborious, and the results will take 50 days to show.

It is for this very reason I do not like Arwind Kejriwal. I would have stood in line joyfully for days on end, but after his 'spanner in the works' it will make my standing - I have to stand in line for my own money at the micro level and for good of the Nation, at the macro level - my standing in line will be less joyous, painful at times, as he has implanted doubts in my Modi enthused mind.

Readers who have been following my 'write up' will be feeling surprised by my present genre of the post. It is my surgical strike on their  Mindset.

In truth I would not have written but out of the hundreds of whatsapp messages, Face Book posts twitter and numerous news items, some really very funny, creative and informative I came across a precious gem of reflective thinking, which being a writer of Spirituality and Deen really blew me off. A great piece of reflective thinking, when everyone is busy with money (wordly) matter. It is sad that the author remains unknown, but I have said a prayer for him. Such are the people who in turbulent times, become our beacon and guiding light.

It was this niyat to publish the reflective thinking that on this Sunday evening I decided to forgo all the News, punditry, discussion, political slug fest, and dismaying reports of India standing 'in line' to share with my Readers the following reflective piece.

At the end of 50 days we will have a Better Vibrant India, I fervently hope, but honestly do not know. However, this much I know, on reading this shared gem of a piece, you will surely become a better person. Please share my post if you feel that the shared insightful piece will help your loved ones, and friends to become better person.

*7 SPIRITUAL LESSONS FROM THE CURRENCY INVALIDATION IN INDIA*

*1. Change is Sudden*⚡

Everybody is concerned about the overnight action making high value currency invalid across India. Nobody saw it coming; or was prepared; or had even any idea of its happening.

But there is something else which we know will surely come, but are not sure when, where and how -  that is death. And it will come even more stealthily than this!

We had 4 hours advance notice for this - but  in death, there will not be 4 seconds. Are we prepared for the secrecy and suddenness in Death?

*2. Value can be Lost in a Second*

We had Lakhs of Rupees in 500 and 1,000 denomination yesterday - but today they are just pieces of paper!

Similarly,  all wordly gains -  money,  wealth,  fame,  power -  not just high currency -  will all be worthless for us a second after death.

*3. Don't Bank upon Banks*

Like the ATMs and Banks are closed today,  options to do good deeds will close with death. No further good deeds can be done / notes withdrawn by us directly.

We can enjoy the assets we purchased earlier with the 500 / 1,000 currency but can't purchase any new ones now. Similarly, only the lasting assets of good deeds we created will benefit us after death -  no new goodness can then be done.

*4. Fakes Will Not Last*

One of the purposes of the action is to deal with fake currency. After this, all fake notes will be out of the system. So will it be with ourselves and our actions...

Let us test ourselves - do we have authentic notes or fakes ones -  of success, relations, happiness, even good deeds? Is our life itself authentic or are we living a fake life in a fake world?

*5. Small is Big*

Big deeds run the risk of breeding pride and arrogance. The real gems are the small,  quiet, hidden, good deeds that are done with sincerity when no one is looking.

The person with two 100 rupee notes is today richer that the a person with a thousand 500 rupee notes!

*6. Source Matters*

For each of your actions, you shall be questioned and your source / intention seen.

When you go to the Bank to exchange the Rs 500 / 1,000 note, you will be asked for identity / PAN / source of Income.

Similarly when you bring your deeds to the Creator, he will ask for your source / intentions / purpose. Did you do it to be called a generous person? Or to compete with someone? Or only for the will and happiness of God?

Only the last will be valid currency there!

*7. Plan Ahead*

A lot of people are busy worrying and planning what they can do with the invalidated currency now. But it may be too late.

Planning for the Hereafter needs to be start in the Now -  with right intention,  sincere devotion and regular action. Else it could be too late.

MY QUEST TO UNDERSTAND TAWHEED

The mountain beckoned and knowing the path to be trekked will be difficult, I was confident that my QUEST will open up some hidden trails among the difficult and rugged mountain terrains, which will lead me to understand the truth. My climb was not in vain,as you will surely agree if you trek along with me. Believe me you will surely rise into and above the clouds and witness the amazing radiance of knowledge.

The mountain which beckoned was the Book : Hyperspace – A scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes by Dr. Michio Kaku.

Not being a student of science you will now understand why the trek was so daunting, but if you trek along, you will find how I found some hidden trails that led me to better understanding. The hidden trails are the insights I was blessed with. They are giving in the brackets, as I managed to read a scientific best selling book.

This book is about a scientific revolution created by the theory of hyperspace, which states that dimensions exist beyond the commonly accepted four of space and time. There is a growing acknowledgement among physicist, that the universe may actually exist in higher dimension space.

For me personally although not a student of science, the Book provided deep insights into my belief, science seems to be finally starting to accept long held spiritual truths.

In the very onset of the Book in Chapter 1 Dr. Kaku gives a brilliant example from his childhood days, when he used to watch the carps, in the shallow pond in a Japanese garden.

‘Living their entire lives in the shallow pond, the carp would believe that their ‘universe’ consisted of the murky water and the lilies. Spending most of their time foraging on the bottom of the pond, they would be dimly aware that an alien world could exist above the surface. The nature of my world was beyond their comprehension. I was intrigued that I could sit only a few inches from the carp, yet separated from them by an immense chasm. The carp and I spent our lives in two distinct universes, never entering each other’s world, yet were separated by only the thinnest barrier, the water’s surface.

I often think that we are like carp swimming contentedly in our pond. We live out our lives in our own “pond”. We smugly refuse to admit that parallel universes or dimensions can exist next to ours, just beyond our grasp. (Great Spiritual Masters and mystics have experienced and visualized and some have tried to convey the unseen dimensions and universes. Now scientists are accepting in theory )

Another striking example is given by Peter Freud, who has stated that laws of nature become simpler and elegant, when expressed in higher dimensions, which is their natural home (A’lam al Ibda – ten dimensional A’lam al Amr which came into existence by the Command ‘kun fayakun’ )

Freud, in explaining why higher dimensions are exiting the imagination of the scientific world, uses the following analogy. ‘Think for a moment of a cheetah, a sleek beautiful animal, one of the fastest on the earth, which roams freely on the savannas of Africa. In its natural habitat, it is a magnificent animal. Almost a work of art, unsurpassed in speed or grace.

Now think of a cheetah that has been captured and thrown into a miserable cage in a zoo. It has lost its original grace and beauty, and is put in the cage for our amusement. We only see the broken spirit of the cheetah, not its original power and elegance. The cheetah likewise can be compared to the laws of physics, which are beautiful in the higher dimensions. However, because of human limitation, we can only measure the laws of physics, when they are broken and placed on display in a cage, which is our three dimensional laboratory. We only see the cheetah when its grace and beauty have been stripped away.

(From this I infer how the Spiritual Masters are able to experience the Higher Truths, as they can ‘home in’ to the higher dimensions, and be able to comprehend, whereas we laymen, miss the bus as we have not the knowledge to comprehend, as we are used to seeing and understanding at our own level )

The advantage of ten dimensional space is that we have enough room in which to accommodate all the four fundamental forces.

The leading scientists like Alan Guth and Freund are of the opinion that the energy scale necessary to investigate the higher dimensions is far beyond anything available on earth. The energy necessary to probe the tenth dimension is a quadrillion times larger than the energy that can be produced by our largest atom smasher!!

Introducing higher dimensions may be essential for prying loose the secrets of Creation. According to this theory, before the Big Bang, our cosmos was actually a perfect ten dimensional universe. (Is Dr. Kaku talking of A’lam al Ibda ?) However, this ten dimensional world was unstable, (read Sayedi Sadikali sahib Nashihat - ' khatir na varq par likh hiqmat ni kahani ne ' pages 321 to 323 ) and eventually it ‘cracked’ in two, creating two separate universes; a four and six dimensional Universe. The Universe in which we live was born in that cosmic cataclysm. Our four dimensional Universe expanded explosively (‘huboot’ tenebrosity according to our belief ) while our twin six dimensional universe contracted violently, until it shrank to almost infinitesimal… this six dimensional universe may ultimately be our salvation !!

(Reading this made me wonder is this some theoretical physicist talking or a Spiritual savant. Science and Spirituality are coming so close. Hope in near future with the help of both, we will be able to understand Tawheed – ONENESS )

How fortunate are we in this internet age. Information on practically all topics under the Sun, for ordinary guys like me is so very easy to acquire. Just Google it – and hey presto! It is there.

Let me share with you an interesting story. How difficult it was for the best of minds in the bygone era. They had to sweat and burn midnight oil just to crave for information. But still the bottom line is that, they were original thinkers, and torch bearers.

Let me share with you an interesting story. Dr. Albert Einstein’s proudest piece of work, even more than is celebrated equation
 E = MC2 was the simple yet profound equation ‘ Matter – energy determines curvature of space- time’

This deceptively short equation is one of the greatest triumphs of the human mind. From it emerge the principles behind the motions of stars and galaxies, black holes, the Big Bang and perhaps the fate of the Universe itself.

Nevertheless Einstein was still missing the piece of the puzzle. He had discovered the correct physical principle, but lacked a rigorous mathematical formula powerful enough to express this principle.

He discovered the physical principle but lacked mathematical apparatus. He spent 3 long frustrating years, from 1912 to 1915 in a desperate search for mathematical formula powerful enough to express the principle.

The world’s most powerful mind was in search for 3 long years.
 ( How I wish Google was there during his time, it would have made it a child’s play, and would have given him space to concentrate on other weighty problems.)

Einstein in desperation wrote to his close friend and mathematician Marcel Grossman, pleading “ you must help me or else I’ll go crazy !” Poor soul !

Fortunately Grossman, to help his friend, combed through library for clues to Einstein’s problem, and fortunately accidentally stumbled upon the work of Riemann. His work had been ignored by physicist for over 60 years, but to Einstein joy he found the mathematical formula that was long evading him. The celebrated 1854 lecture by Riemann was the key to the problem.

He found that he could incorporate the entire body of Riemann’s work in the reformulation of his principle. Almost line for line, the great work of Riemann found its true home in Einstein’s principle.

Riemann’s great contribution was that he introduced the concept of metric tensor, a field that is defined at all points in space. The metric tensor is not a single number. At each point in space, it consists of ten numbers !! ( Now this is exiting for me – ten numbers in all points of space. The Tenth Intellect – Sayedi Sadik ali sahib in his Nashihat says “ aa duniya na A’shir ne havala chhe” )

Now let us look back on little Albert while he was growing up. The life of Albert Einstein appears to be one long series of failures. His mother was distressed at how slowly he learnt to talk. His elementary school teacher thought of him as a foolish dreamer. They complained that he was constantly disrupting classroom discipline with silly questions. He had few friends, and dropped out of high school.

He took special exam to enter College but he flunked and had to take it the second time. On graduation he applied for teaching jobs, but was rejected several times. Finally with the help of a friend, he landed a clerical job at the Swiss Patent office and the rest is history.

Likewise, the life struggle of George Riemann who gave the world the theory of higher dimensions, which Albert Einstein would use after six decades to explain the creation of Universe, also makes an interesting reading.

The core of Riemann’s work was the realization that physical laws simplify in higher dimensional space, the very theme of this book.

Riemann was born in 1826 at Hanover, Germany, the son of a poor Lutheran pastor, the second of his six children. Life was a day to day struggle.

At the very early age, Riemann exhibited his famous traits, fantastic calculation ability, coupled with timidity and life long horror of public speaking. He set out to become a student of Theology, but his thoughts always drifted back to mathematics.

He was an avid reader and he completed reading of a ponderous 859 page masterpiece Theory of Numbers in just under 6 days.

Beset by daily struggle to put food on the table, Riemann’s father might have sent the boy to do menial jobs and help the family finances. Instead he scraped together enough funds to send the 19 year to the renowned University of Gottingen, where he met and befriended the acclaimed Mathematician Carl Gauss.

Life for Riemann, however, was an endless series of set backs and hardships, coupled with frail health. Eventually, Riemann was able to give his famous lecture on June 10, 1854 before the faculty of University of Gottingen and a new Geometry was born.
Riemann’s lecture exposed the world to the dazzling properties of higher dimensional space.


My dear fellow trekkers, hope you found the trek both rejuvenating and exiting. A learning experience. Feel free to share your views and experience.