There is a famous hadith wherein the Prophet, peace be on him, tells followers returning from a battle, “You have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad…the struggle against one’s self [nafs].” This tradition is one of the classic sources for the widespread interpretation of Jihad as a primarily personal spiritual struggle against ones own sinful inclinations and only secondarily a military conflict. (Incidentally, on this point, Islamophobes eagerly endorse the worldview of jihadis and fundamentalists, arguing that this longstanding reading is a fringe “Sufi” reading, despite the fact that it is implied by numerous verses in the Quran.)
Obviously, this prophetic saying has inspired countless Muslims for centuries, but it turns out it and other Sufi teachings have even been borrowed by Jewish sages and incorporated in their own spiritual teachings.
Muslim influence can sometimes be found far from Arabia. The first book of Eastern European Hasidism, Toledot Yaakov Yosef by Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polnoye, disciple of the Baal Shem Tov (1780) twice includes the saying: “The wise man has said: You have returned from the minor war, now prepare yourselves for the major war”. That is, prepare for spiritual struggle which is more important than any material struggle. This is a well-known Sufi saying, usually attributed to Muhammad. It probably found its way into Hasidic tradition through its appearance in Rabbenu Bachya’s Duties of the Heart. Rabbenu Bachya included many Sufi teachings and stories in his work, ascribing them to anonymous sages. (see Paul Fenton, “Judaeo-Arabic Mystical Writings of the XIIIth-XIVth Centuries”, in Golb, Judaeo-Arabic Studies (1997), 89.)
Personally, I’ve long been struck by how philosophically kindred Hasidism seems to the Sufi tradition in Islam, but I couldn’t have asked for a more dramatic confirmation of the shared spiritual heritage of Islam and Judaism than this.
Everyone who’s reasonably well informed knows about the deep parallels between Islamic shariah and Jewish halakha, but who would’ve guessed that Jewish scholars had freely borrowed from Sufism in this manner?
And the fact that these Jewish scholars were not only inspired by Islamic mysticism but specifically by Islamic teachings on jihad—yes, jihad—is doubly intriguing as it not only displays a deep affinity for and awareness of Islamic thought, but shows that great Jewish mystics customarily viewed as apolitical pacifists could understand warfare in much the same way as traditional Muslim scholars.
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Games are very popular and provide entertainment for all kinds of people. Most homes have at least a single gaming platform. Obviously that shouldn't mean that you already are aware of everything there is to know about online gaming. Use this article to provide you with some great tips to enhance all that your video games have to offer.
Turn off chatting capabilities on games for kids that are young. You should not expose your young kids to these types of communications. If the game won't let you disable chat, don't buy it. If you can't figure it out, search online for more information or talk to the people in the store.
Watch your body when you play computer games. If you are playing online gaming, try sitting on a exercise ball to help you maintain proper posture. Also, be sure and take regular breaks and stretch every so often.
Sit down and play some online gaming together with your children. This helps you learn much more about your kid's interests. You will find many amazing conversations happen while gaming. You can also watch and help their developmental skills grow.
Copy online video tutorials precisely. You have to follow every step they take verbatim. To see all the details on the screenshots, zoom in and view at full-screen.
Before allowing your child to use a gaming system online, be sure that you have set it to "family friendly" options. This will filter out inappropriate content so your child will not be exposed to it. You can also determine how much they can chat with others while online.
When playing video games, remember to exercise your arms and legs periodically. It's not good to sit doing the same thing for long periods of time. Additionally, if you sit immobile for long periods of times, you will get cramps and perhaps even blood clots. This is for your health.
Supervise your child if he or she plays online computer games. While most of these games are rated by the ESRB, some also warn that in-game situations can change, falling into unrated territory. Many games offer chat features and customization options for characters and equippable items. When you take the time to monitor the online game play, you can ensure that your child is interacting in an environment that you are comfortable with.
You shouldn't play online games all day long; keep it down to a couple of hours at most. Playing these games can lead to an addiction, which can impact your social life. Do not exceed more than three hours of game play per day. If you have sessions longer than that, make sure you are taking breaks often.
Reserve games that are high in demand to ensure that you will get a copy. You may get special bonuses when ordering early. The bonuses could be some special features, outfits, or anything that could help you when it comes to playing. The only way you can get them is by ordering early.
Figure out how to operate the safety and parental controls of any gaming system that comes into your home. You can likely make adjustments that keep kids from viewing mature content. Some allow each gaming profile to be customized separately, allowing adults to enjoy games not meant for younger audiences.
Video games is a part of our yesterday, our today and our tomorrow. It's amazing how fast they grow in complexity. You can only dream of where video games will go in the future. It will be interesting to see what types of gaming systems you will be enjoying in the future.
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