my patron saint....

"If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men."-–St. Francis of Assisi.

Francis loved everyone and everything. He has been called “alter Christus” or other Christ and with good reason.

I admire this great man although I am a muslim,Muslims are taught that any good advice or learning should be accepted as valid regardless of where it comes from.I seek Knowledge.

Every Muslim man's and every Muslim woman's prayer should be:"My Lord! Enrich me with knowledge.." (Quran, 20:114)

I am sure that we have all come across people, who know very little and they understand even less; yet they think that they know everything. Remember, "Empty vessels make the most noise."

In the words of the great poet Alexander Pope: " A little knowledge is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or drink not from the Pyrenean Spring; whereby a little intoxicates the brain, and only drinking largely sobers it again".

The only cure for getting drunk on a tiny bit of knowledge, is to consume heavy doses of even more useful knowledge, so that understanding can develop and wisdom can lead to real enlightenment.

Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] said: "Seek knowledge, from the cradle to the grave; seek knowledge, even unto China."(Narrated by Anas,Ibnu umar and many others - Hadith HASAN MASHHUR, Wallahu Taala Alam wa Ahkam.)

As we grow physically from youth to maturity, so also must we grow emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. Our advancing years should reflect some growing wisdom and understanding of life.

I know that my thirst for knowledge is as essential as water to a plant.

As life goes full circle from womb to tomb, the happiest people in the world are still growing with minds more fertile than ever, as they draw their last breath, knowing that we humans have more than one dimension and:

"You're either green and growing or ripe and rotting."

Abu Rayhan al-Biruni was a great scientist, physicist, astronomer, sociologist, linguist, historian and mathematician whose true worth may never be known. He is considered the father of unified field theory by Nobel Laureate - late Professor Abdus Salam. He lived nearly a thousand years ago and was a contemporary of Ibnu Sina (Avicenna) and Sultan Mahmoud of Ghazni.

When he was on his deathbed, Biruni was visited by a jurisprudent neighbor of his. Abu Rayhan was still conscious and on seeing the jurisprudent, he asked him a question on inheritance law or some other related issue. The jurisprudent was quite amazed that a dying man should show interest in such matters.

Abu Rayhan said, “I should like to ask you: which is better, to die with knowledge or to die without it?”

The man said, “Of course, it is better to know and then die.”

Abu Rayhan said, “That is why I asked my first question.”

Shortly after the jurisprudent had reached his home, the cries of lamentation told him that Abu Rayhan had died.

Francis of Assisi is not for everyone. Even many saints would not be comfortable with Francis. He appeals primarily to the heart. He would never be accused of being lukewarm, for he lived his life afire. Francis found God in real life. He led a life of radical devotion to God and to service of other people, especially poor people.

He was always drawn to life, to the preciousness of the everyday. He shunned intellectualizing and instead looked for God in the flesh, in the earth, and in simple things. He preferred to pray with his feet, with his hands, and with his voice raised in song.

Francis often is credited with the St. Francis Prayer and though it is one of my favorites.

“May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

Amen.”