Religion is one of the great dilemmas which have been changed into the most controversial issue. Moreover, it has passed a tortuous history in the human societies. In our age, on the one hand various schools of thought have emerged to compete with religion and threaten the convictions of the religious individuals. But on the other hand, groups of religious fundamentalists have risen to react against the menacing factors and to protect their beliefs from erosion. Therefore, it remains a conflicting point between the conservative and the progressive.
I remember vividly when our colleagues offered prayer but one of them never did. An Indian professor, who was Christian, asked him why he was not offering prayer. He reasoned that it would be of no use to offer prayer and then disobey many other religious guidelines as many people do. He added that he would respect and obey other religious orders rather than offering prayer and it was a better job. The professor asked me: “Do you really think that offering prayer will reflect one’s real personality?”
According to Dr. Abdul Karim Sorosh, religiosity is divided into three classes. The first one is introduced as living-minded religiosity which means that some people perform religious rituals for mundane life. According to them, religious guiders should be the political leaders so as to bring justice to comfort their life. In short, they want a religion to be intertwined with policy.
He further divides this type of religiosity into two more branches. The first one is common living-minded religiosity which is rampant among the common people in a society. For example, they worship God strictly with certain dogmas. For them, God and as well as prophets are reflected as strict and harsh lawmakers who are ordering them what to do and what not to do. For this group of people, arguing about their convictions will be the sore point. The arguments other than their religious leader will either fall on deaf ears or result in serious reaction. In addition, their view about religion is so perilous for a society which will divert to extremism. Religion suffered many blows from such type of people throughout the history. They still foment sectarianism and religious conflicts in the societies.
For the aforementioned group, religious law and personalities change into mythical issues. As Mr. Durant says that the more mythical a religion is the more acceptable it will be. Indeed, currently we have the same people in our society that have changed our religious personalities into mythical ones sanctifying them with the thick halo of sanctity. The personalities are as exaggerated as their real characteristics have been overshadowed and even remain ambiguous.
The other is wisely living-minded religiosity which entails the wise and knowledgeable part of a society. They are the people akin to secular Protestants that adopt utilitarianism. Furthermore, they make use of religion for their world. As Dr. Shariati, an Islamic intellectual, said that if a religion is not appropriate for the life on earth it will be the same for the hereafter.
The second is knowledge-minded religiosity which does not necessarily contradict the first one; however, the focusing point won’t be the mundane issues. For this type of people, God and religious instructions are all as mystery and mathematical issues to be pondered over. They are highly interested in arguments and analysis. Philosophers and thinkers fall in this category who are searching regarding religion nor simply copying it from others. For example, the first, aforementioned, group prays and worships God, whereas the second one is arguing as why and how to pray? They endeavor with voracious appetite to resolve the mathematical issues of the religion. Furthermore, these people are pluralist being nurtured by different sources just to quench the strong thirst they feel in them. According to their ideology, prophets are not only lawmakers but also teachers who are sent to teach their followers about the world and the way of life. Hence, they are mostly skeptics.
The third class of religious individuals practice experience-minded religiosity. They experience the love and the presence of God in their real life without going towards philosophical issues. Religious issues are mysticism for them rather than myth or mystery. They are imbued with the burning emotions for empirical issues. In other words, this is the religion of mystics who feel God in their hearts and worship them in the dark nights and early dawns. For them, God and Prophets are no more than love. They pray with strong feelings the same as a lover who is whispering with his love. The third group is in higher position that has passed the two aforementioned steps.
To know the emotions of the last group, let us put a glance over some poems of Hafiz, a prominent Islamic mystic, who has stated about God: “When, into the mirror of the cup, the reflection of They face fell, From the laughter of wine, into the crude desire of the cup, the Aref [mystic] fell. With that splendor that in the mirror, the beauty of Thy face made, all this picture into the mirror of fancy fell. All this reflection of wine and varied picture that have appeared, is a splendor of the face of the Said that, into cup fell… Every moment, another kindness to me of consumed heart is His: behold, how fit for reward, this beggar fell….” Hafiz uses mystical terms.
I would like to conclude with the nice statement of Elizabeth George: “And now, dear Lord, I acknowledge afresh that You are the God of all peace…. My job is to receive. You give me Your peace. My job is to take it. You lead me to Your still waters. My role is to follow. You extend Your hand. My role is to take hold. May I enjoy Your presence and the tranquility of the still waters where Your pour out Your promise of peace. Amen.”