English Literature

Sufism or tasawwuf, as it is called in Arabic, is generally understood by scholars and Sufis to be the inner, mystical, or psycho-spiritual dimension of Islam. Sufism (Sufism) may be best described as a mystical practice that emphasizes certain unique rituals for guiding spiritual seekers into a direct encounter with God. Muhammad is considered their chief prophet and many consider Sufism to be a mystical brand of Islam. Today, however, many Muslims and non-Muslims believe that Sufism is outside the sphere of Islam. The essence of Sufi practice is quite simple. It is that the Sufi surrenders to God, in love, over and over; which involves embracing with love at each moment and the contents of one's consciousness (one's perceptions, thoughts, and feelings, as well as one's sense of self) is considered as gifts of God or, more precisely, as manifestations of God. Definition: When asked about Sufism, Junayd said, "Sufism is that you should be with God- -without any attach...

Theism Theism is the belief in the existence of God. According to Theism, God is neither fully immanent nor transcendent; He is both immanent and transcendent. Thus theism is a synthesis of Deism and Pantheism. This is the view of almost all great religions of the majority of religious thinkers and many great philosophers. According to Hegel, God is both immanent and transcendent in human and lifely being. But according to Martineau God is transcendent from living things. After creation He has given freedom of will to His creatures. But His infinite power and potentialities are not fully exhausted in this finite world. Criticism: Theism is criticized in the following ways: Merits: 01. Theism escapes the special disadvantages that attach to deism and pantheism. 02. It is stimulating to man's higher aspirations and struggles for better existence. Defects: 01. But theism cannot maintain the infinitude of God. If God transcends the finite spirits, He becomes limited 02. Theism seeks to...

Materialism is the philosophical position that states anything in material or state of matter. The word comes from Greek word "Materia" that means matter. Materialists particularly deny that human self is a spiritual or in any way non-material entity. They interpret beliefs, thoughts, desires, sensations and other mental states as properties of Material system. According to Oxford Dictionary, "Materialism is the theory or the belief that only material things exist.� Materialism is a tendency to be more interested in material possession, physical comforts etc. than in spiritual values. Materialism is a philosophical doctrine consists in affirming that the entire universe including life and mind can be explained by matter-in the only self -existent and ultimate reality. And all things and beings mere derived from matter. Prof. Tyndoll says "Matter contains the promise and potency of al forms of existence, even life and mind". Life is a complex physiochemical f...

Deism Deism is a religious and philosophical belief speaking about God is fully transcendent and external. According to deism, God was alone for a long time. There was no trace of any world at that time. He thought that a new world is needed so he created His new world in a special moment out of nothing. Then he created many necessary forces and laws and send them into this world. These forces began to drive the universe. God is the main and the primary cause of world and these forces and the secondary cause. After that God have many rules and regulations and elements, so that the world could be run well and men could live happily. God left the newly created world and began to live out side of the world. If there arise any problem in the world, he will come back to the universe by a special act in order to correct the irregularities. He interferes by special act of divine power overcoming the action of natural forces by the introduction , for the emergency, of his own divine force. Thi...

Hinduism, a religious tradition of Indian origin, comprising the beliefs and practices of Hindus. The word Hindu is derived from the river Sindhu, or Indus. Hindu was primarily a geographical term that referred to India or to a region of India (near the Sindhu) as long ago as the 6th century BC. The word Hinduism is an English word of more recent origin. Hinduism entered the English language in the early 19th century to describe the beliefs and practices of those residents of India who had not converted to Islam or Christianity and did not practice Judaism or Zoroastrianism. In other religions the ultimate reality is known as God. Hindus refer to it by many names, but the most common name is Brahman. In the case of most religions, beliefs and practices come first, and those who subscribe to them are acknowledged as followers. In the case of the Hindu tradition, however, the acknowledgment of Hindus came first, and their beliefs and practices constitute the contents of the religion.Hind...

Materialism and Idealism are the two contrary doctrines in philosophy. According to the materialistic view, the world is entirely mind-independent, composed only of physical objects and physical interactions. In epistemology, idealism is opposed to realism, the view that mind-independent physical objects exist that can be known through the senses. However, the distinction and relation between materialism and idealism is given below:- Idealism: Idealism, in philosophy, a theory of reality and of knowledge that attributes to consciousness, or the immaterial mind, a primary role in the constitution of the world. More narrowly, within metaphysics, idealism is the view that all physical objects are mind-dependent and can have no existence apart from a mind that is conscious of them. Materialism: Materialism is the philosophical position that states anything in material or state of matter. The word comes from Greek word "Materia" that means matter. Materialists particularly deny th...

Buddhism, a major world religion, founded in northeastern India and based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is known as the Buddha, or Enlightened One. Buddhism is not as old as Hinduism but it is the most important next to Hinduism. Originating as a monastic movement within the dominant Brahman tradition of the day, Buddhism quickly developed in a distinctive direction. The Buddha not only rejected significant aspects of Hindu philosophy, but also challenged the authority of the priesthood, denied the validity of the Vedic scriptures, and rejected the sacrificial cult based on them. Moreover, it is a religious philosophy which combines three things. 01. Buddha, the man 02. His thought and 03. His community. Life of Buddha: No complete biography of the Buddha was compiled until centuries after his death; only fragmentary accounts of his life are found in the earliest sources. Western scholars, however, generally agree on 563 BC as the year of his birth. Siddhartha Gautama, th...

Proof of the existence of God Contents The Ontological Argument The Cosmological arguments/The First Cause Argument The teleological argument/The Argument from Design The Moral Argument Arguments for the existence of God come in many different forms; some draw on history, some on science, some on personal experience, and some on philosophy. Here the arguments for the existence of God are given from philosophical point of view. In philosophy four factors are discussed to demonstrate the existence of God. These are:- 01. The Ontological Argument 02. The Cosmological arguments/The First Cause Argument 03. The teleological argument/The Argument from Design 04. The Moral Argument These arguments, however, have not played any vital part in converting the not believers to religious belief. However, these things are written below:- The Ontological Argument : The first purported proof of the existence ...