The Collegian » Sister Anisah David

Developing an intense knowledge of our faiths

Sister Anisah David — Tue, 26 Nov 2002 05:00:00 +0000

Sister Anisah David

Living in a campus environment tends to draw people into the process of questioning everything.

One of the most important questions a person can ask, however, is one that is often asked privately or inwardly.

The question is one that has been asked through the ages by people of all walks of life and from all cultures.

How can human beings recognize the existence of this transcendent Reality, the invisible God, all-pervasive truth?

Although the vast philosophical literature dealing with proofs for God’s existence is beyond the scope of this article, there are certain arguments which are put forth in scripture.

Although God is invisible, the Creator has left evidence of God’s reality by which people can know God, if they only look.

These include:

- The doorway of contemplation by which God is sensed by the inner self.

- The universality of the moral law, which mirrors the law of nature.

- The evidence of God’s handiwork in the glories of creation.

- The testimony of the founders of religions.

By these means and traces, the Ultimate Reality can be ascertained in the midst of this relative existence.

Many faith traditions of the world speak of the issue of the transcendent Reality of the Creator.

They not only speak of the Creator, but also speak to the issue of the signs of the Creature on earth.

We find in the Islamic religious scriptures:

“And of His signs is that he created you from the dust; now behold you are human beings, ranging widely.

“And of His signs is that He created for you, of yourselves, spouses that you might find repose in them, and He has planted love and kindness in your hearts.

“Surely there are signs in this for people who reflect.

“And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the variety of your tongues and hues, surely there are signs in this for people who have knowledge.

“And of His signs is your slumber by night and day, and your which He shows you for fear and hope is yet another of His signs; He sends down water from the sky, thereby reviving the earth after it is dead.

“Surely in this there are signs for people who understand.

“And of His signs is that space and the earth stand firm by His command; then when He calls you, suddenly, from the earth you shall emerge.” (Quran 30. 20-25)

This verse not only addresses the doorway of contemplation, but also directs the worshipper to go further and observe those things around him or her within nature that are signs of the Divine.

Islam is not alone in directing it’s followers to be observant of nature, as a sign of the Creator, through creation.

For we also find in Christian scriptures:

“The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims His handiwork.

“Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.

“There is no speech, no are there words, neither is their voice heard; Yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” (Psalm 19, 1-4)

What ever your faith choice, I encourage everyone to develop a strong understanding of the fundamental teachings of the faith, through their scriptures, whatever they may be.

Grounding yourself in faith can often provide you with a cornerstone to build a greater awareness of your role in family, community and the world.

Sister Anisah David is the director of Human Interaction for Religious Understanding. She can be reached at so_dakota_islam@hotmail.com.

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Battling the barren culture of alcohol

Sister Anisah David — Tue, 05 Nov 2002 05:00:00 +0000

Sister Anisah David

As a daughter of an alcoholic, who also was a survivor of child abuse by that same father, I find it extremely bizarre that our society has romanticized the consumption of alcohol, a product that is often at the center of domestic violence and sexual assault.
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Pro-lifers become hypocritical with war

Sister Anisah David — Wed, 09 Oct 2002 05:00:00 +0000

Sister Anisah David

I have been thinking recently about political culture and ethical thought in America.
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Looking for patterns of peace in all of creation

Sister Anisah David — Wed, 11 Sep 2002 05:00:00 +0000

Sister Anisah David

(Editor’s Note: This is the latest in a series of columns written by members of the Campus Interfaith Council. For more information on the council, contact the Reverend Bob Chell at bchell@hotmail.com.)

The pattern of peace is interwoven through religious teachings the world over. Through unity peace is obtainable. Many systems, doctrines and rituals are built on the fundamental idea of peace, unity and balance.

Like other faiths, Islam is a religion which teaches unity. It teaches unity and balance comprised of all elements, from a single particle to the most advanced species of life.

It is the unity of all existence; inanimate, plant, animal, and human. All activities in the cosmos are included in this concept of unity, whether they concern the environment we live in or the working of the human mind.

In the Quran we read, “Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one unit of creation before We clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not them believe?” (Q. 21: 30)

Life is not an accidental occurrence. Man is made of the same basic substance that comprises the most primitive life forms.

All individuals are equally related to the same origin. God created the first man and the first woman from which all humankind is descended. The fact that people are different is not a reason for dispute amongst themselves. On the contrary, it should be a reason for mutual acquaintance and cooperation.

Whether one believes in the teachings of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Native American traditional beliefs or some other faith tradition, all cultures and peoples have creation stories telling of the first man and first woman. From them all people came forth. Thus we are truly united by blood and tribe. Our tribe is that of humanity and our blood is that of creation.

By establishing the singularity of humankind’s origin, and emphasizing that all individuals have the same nature, we strongly repudiate racism, nationalism, and injustice.

This is not only a belief held by followers of Islam, but many other faiths as well. Only through a forthright effort to come to know one another will we as Sisters and Brothers of humanity insure our security, our unity and ultimately our peace.

But first we must grow brave and step outside our small territory, which we have held tightly to, and make the effort to interact with those different from ourselves, be that difference skin color, culture, language or faith.

Let us start this semester out with not only a prayer for peace and security here in America, but let us pray for peace, equality and justice the world over. Not a justice that is just only for a few. Not a peace that is peaceful only for a few.

Let us want for our Brothers and Sisters in humanity a justice and equality that is universal. Let us not only pray for that, but act upon that prayer by taking one small step for humanity here at South Dakota State University through acts of a greater kindness to those whom we have long feared.

I pray that SDSU will use collective and individual opportunities to expand the boundaries of understanding.

Let us become aware of our weaknesses and build together a stronger unity of peace through action and thought.

“Oh mankind! We created you from a single pair of male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may come to know one another.” (Quran. XLIX 13)

Sister Anisah David is the director of Human Interaction for Religious Understanding. She can be reached at so_dakota_islam@hotmail.com.

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