Between I and I

By Abd-Rasheed .A. Babatunde

In his first book (God The Truth), Abd-Rasheed discussed wholly about God - Who, What, Where and How He is.In this book, he went further to expose God's ultimate creation - man - his being, nature, composition, drives...etc. Topical subjects like soul, senses, body, psyche, intuition, desire, fear, death, wisdom, happiness, peace of mind, sin, religion and many others are discussed and analyzed. It is a highly philosophical and motivating book. a must read for discerning minds.Happiness is a house with many doors; the door presented in this book is the one the author knows, and readers are invited to enter the house (happiness)through this door - you are welcome to the bliss of eternity!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Oct 30, 2008
• ISBN: 9781456774837

Abd-Rasheed .A. Babatunde

Abd-Rasheed Adeyemo Babatunde has an uncommon gift of simplicity, objectivity and an analytical mind and composure. Born on February 15, 1957, he was brought up and trained in the classical Islamic way and an African setting. He assiduously studied to understand various philosophical and religious issues troubling God's most complex creature - Man. The outcome of his scholarship in the " University of life" is his books, which he hopes will further contribute to man's search and understanding of himself, his world and his creator. He is a businessman and is married with children.

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© 2008 Abd-Rasheed .A. Babatunde. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 11/3/2008

ISBN: 978-1-4389-0146-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-7483-7 (e)

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

TABLE OF CONTENTS

P R E F A C E.

ACKOWLEDGMENT

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE SELF

CHAPTER TWO THE MIND

CHAPTER THREE THE EGO OR SELF- ESTEEM

CHAPTER FOUR THE DESIRE OR A STRIVING AFTER WIND

CHAPTER FIVE FEAR

CHAPTER SIX AWARENESS [CONSCIOUSNESS]

CHAPTER SEVEN PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

CHAPTER EIGHT SIN

CHAPTER NINE RELIGION

CHAPTER TEN LAST LINE - THE CAP.

R E F E R E N C E S

P R E F A C E.

………So, the swallowing or the acceptance of the absolute truth continues, slowly and steadily as it began. The similitude of the content discussed here, in this book, is as a seed planted by a Farmer and it becomes a plant and blossomed, flowered, produced fruit and it was beautiful to behold. It later withered and died.

Questions.

Now, where is the original seed planted? Has it become the stem or trunk, the leaves, the flower or the fruit? The Farmer, what does He desire by planting the seed? Does the Farmer have power to re-produce the plant or not?

The plant, what is its duty to the Farmer? What kind and how many fruit or seed has it produced? What is the relationship of the plant to other similar or different plants around it? When the plant dies, is it the end of the plant? At the plant`s death, what has become of the original seed planted?

The Farmer is God, the seed is the soul, and the plant is man while the flowers and fruits are man’s deeds. Because, here I ‘am moving through the haze of life, I do not know what I ‘am seeing, I do not see what I know, confusion all around. However, something inside of me knows me, knows what is around and beyond me. Ah! Now I know the answer. All I have to do is connect with my inside, tap what is inside and I will have all the answers. There will no longer be turmoil, any more confusion but peace and peace. I`AM is within!

Questions and more questions but few answers. All these questions are pertinent between man and his God, between man and man and between man and himself. Answers and answers are hereby proffered…

Abd-Rasheed.A.Babatunde.

ACKOWLEDGMENT

Again, many thanks to the Lord of the Universe, for His Grace and Inspiration to me. Lord, the Bestowal, the Most Praise worthy, You are Most Wonderful!

My gratitude also goes to all my teachers (very numerous to mention), my family, friends and critics. All of you have greatly inspired and encouraged me, thank you all.

DEDICATION

I dedicate this work to all troubled and discerning souls.

I am smaller in things that are nonhuman and bigger in things that are human. (The Unseen)

AND

The sum total of what we know of YOU is that we do not know YOU. (Siddur Sim Shalom).

INTRODUCTION

In the name of God, the Manifest, the Hidden, The omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, The Almighty, The Alpha and the Omega, The Reality, The Truth…

This book is a follow-up or a rider to the first book - GOD THE TRUTH. As it became imperative that when one has known his God and how He is to be worshipped, one should also know God’s commandment; know how he can become close to his creator; know himself and his relationship with other beings; know who himself is, his composition and constitution.

Since all religious teachings and doctrines are based on two basic laws (1) Recognize and worship God (2) Be good to others or be righteous – and as we had dealt with the first law (in the book – God The Truth), it then follows that the second must be as thoroughly discussed as the first, hence the need for this book.

Again, this thought provoking teaser from the Hadith Qudsi-1 that I always love to ponder on –

Know Me before you worship Me, for if you don’t know Me, how will you be able to worship Me.

It is when you know God, His wishes and wills that you can know how to worship God.

However, how can you know God, if you do not know yourself? How can you go far if you do not know where you are going? How you do what, if you do not know what you have? How can you do which if you do not know what is placed before you?

What makes me become me and what makes you become you?

To someone (You and I) It was said Physician heal thyself. Yes, you have to heal yourself, because, man is the architect of his fortune or misfortune, of his salvation or damnation.

Man must therefore know himself to know and serve God. He must discover himself to know and help others.

When you know both yourself and others, you are never in danger, when you know yourself but not others you have a chance of winning and when you know neither yourself nor others you are in danger in every battle.

SUNTZU -2

To some people, the statement know yourself is ridiculously simple. They know their names, addresses, history, biological or medical data etc. However, Know yourself is not referring to your biography, data or character. The query is to know your inner self, not the mass of matter and metabolism you call yourself that will soon die, rot and fade away. The question is to determine yours sincerely, that which is eternal and deathless, indestructible and the real motivator of your being. The real engine that operates your being - your real self!

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:3

Jesus Christ (P.B.O.H) is not saying you have to enter your mother’s womb and be-born again to enter the kingdom of God, nor is he saying that you should change your doctrines to be saved. No, he is saying, you should be reborn or born-anew or you rediscover yourself.

Already, you are out of your mother’s womb, but you must find yourself, know yourself, then your salvation is easy and sure. When you are ‘born-again", then you know yourself, your brother, your God and life.

In another word, as Prophet Muhammad (P.B.O.H) puts it - "Die before your death" - he means you have to die and resurrect; die and be born-again; die and live anew!

The Holy Qur`an queries -`

Can he who was dead, to whom We gave life and a light whereby he can walk amongst men, be like him who is in depths of darkness from which he can never come out ? Thus to those without faith, their own deeds seem pleasing.

(Emphasis is mine) Qur`an 6: 122

Nevertheless, we all know that every single seed we plant dies before it lives and germinates!

It is when you kill your ignorant self and you are born anew, then you have light; it is when you discard your emptiness you will gain true self. Thus, it is when you discover self and know self, it is then you will know God and life!

What is Life?

Life is life. Life is you and I. Life is about the relationship or the association between us and other creatures in accordance with the Will of Almighty God.

Life is sweet, life is bitter. It can be bittersweet but not tasteless.

What makes life bitter or sweet is how the individual relates to his neighbor and how he puts himself in accord with the Will of God. In other words, give your neighbor sincere, unconditional love, and give your God, obedience and total submission to His wills and you obtain a sweet unalloyed life. Give the reverse, then a bitter and a confused life will be the consequence.

Recognizing and to be in accord with God’s will makes life, which is unpredictable, with its twists and turns, its difficulties and bitterness; easy to understand and live.

However, you cannot achieve this unless you know yourself.

Self-knowledge would make you understand that life is like wine, both of which need moderation to be of good value. You drink moderately as you must live with moderation.

Self-knowledge would make you understand that this life is the testing place where you purify your soul through suffering.

Self-knowledge would make you understand that pain, suffering, hardship, kindness, consideration, failures, teaches you lessons. Whereas, easy and soft life, slothfulness, sin, indolence, complacency, success teach not.

Verily, we have created man into toil and struggle thinketh he that none hath power over him?

Qur’an 90:4-5

Self-knowledge will make you know that life is like a string on a guitar. If you do not stretch it well enough there would be no sound, no harmony. If you stretch it too much, it would break – no harmony is produced. You have to find the middle way in life to live harmoniously.

This harmonious life is man’s ultimate search in life. Man is forever in search of the most difficult thing in life, the most elusive, the most desired – Peace of Mind!

Man will search everywhere but will not find it, because it resides within man, not outside him. It is simplicity, egolessness, lack of lusty desires, lack of want, and love of others.

Yes! These are some of its composition. Peace of mind is your inner self. It is God!

The right path is close at hand, yet mankind search for it afar.

T. Lobsang Rampa -3

The main purpose of this book is to assist in an attempt for the search, an attempt in the discovery of oneself, in the emancipation of one’s souls for the lofty desire – salvation!

For, No one will know who we are until we know who we are. We never will be able to go anywhere until we know where we are.

Malcolm X -4 (Pg 257)

We must not be misled. We are not discussing a perfect life - which is a state of impossibility in this world - as we are living in an imperfect world and life itself is never perfect. Nevertheless, what we are attempting is to be a better person, a better being to others and to our God, for when you are good to others, you become best to yourself!

Our attempt is to achieve redemption. For, how can we redeem ourselves, if people hide their faces and hearts from their fellow men; if we do not strive for an end to wickedness and evil in our world; if we do not see and correct the flaws in ourselves?

Redemption will only be achieved when justice, love, equality are realized and prevails; when the sparks that is our souls are released from the self-bondage, to do its duty in compliance with its principal.

You can achieve redemption when you discover, and accept self. Then and only then, man can be free in earnest pursuit of his achievement of salvation. God said:

"But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood, I will require at the watchman’s hand.

Ezekiel 33:6

Therefore, as the watchman let us blow the trumpet to discuss and warn one another as to the dangers in our life. It is by being our brother’s keeper that we can be nearer to our God. We all know and accept we should love God but how can we do this if we do not love our brothers and other beings that are created as we are by the same creator whom we profess to serve and love. How can we love the Unseen and hate the people we see?

If you so hate the creature, you have hated the creator as well, for if you love me you will love my handiwork as well.

If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

I John 4:20

Our inner-light, variously called soul, spirit, inner being or real self needs to be discovered and developed for emancipation and a fruitful life. We must bring it out of the shells (lusty desires, sin, egoism, logic and intellectual domination etc) that imprison it, tend to destroy it and cause its downfall from its lofty state at creation.

We must. This is our duty…

….. Warn (man) that there is no god but I. So, do your duty unto Me.

Qur’an 16:2

But,

By (the token of) time (through the ages), verily, man is in loss Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and join together in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and constancy.

Qur`an 103: 1 - 3

Happy and Blessed Reading.

CHAPTER ONE

SELF

Breathe slowly and steadily for a minute or thereabout, and then close your eyes for a moment - everything become blank.

Open it and close it again - longer than before. Time seems to be at a standstill! That is the immediate sign. The eyes that belong to the body and the senses are timely, when you close your eyes, you are now looking with your inner self and that is timeless; there is no form, no limitations, no walls, no dimension – you just exist. Practice this more often and you begin to see tiny illuminations. With more consciousness and concentration, the spark of light enlarges.

Again, try it for another longer period but this time, try and look at the back of your head with your eyes closed without turning or straining your eyeballs. Keep at it for long, be seeing without opening your eyes, be aware without your eyes and mind. At first you feel as if you are sinking (that is the inner self shying at the first look), then you feel it rising to a level and then it stops. The quickness of the sinking and the rising depends on your level of consciousness or development, but at least, you now know there is something within; an inner thing that is innate.

More constant practice and awareness will hasten its discovery (it is