Disagreements and Binaries

Disagreements and Binaries Sometimes it appears that we create and then refuse to see past mutually exclusive binaries. If you identify with X then all X is good/right, and all Y is bad/wrong. If I don't agree with X then it must mean that I hate all X and must prove X to be bad and wish X ill. We may dress up our arguments with complicated words, concepts and lots of references and data, but at its core, this is a childish and immature way of regarding and dealing with the world. Reality and human beings are much more complex and nuanced and cannot be forced into binaries. All of existence, including ourselves, are mysterious, subtle and contain unlimited, hidden potential. One of the things we desperately need to learn as a species is to disagree without anger, hatred, ill-will and judgment -- the kind of judgement which presumes and does violence to the other. This requires us to suspend our need to be right, to be good, to be important. It requires us to give up our need to defend ourselves, our views, our beliefs, our politics, our identities. It requires us to listen with the intent to understand. It requires us to be open to the possibility that we may be wrong, misinformed, misguided or ignorant, or at least to the possibility that we have not considered all details, thought about all aspects of the issue. It requires us to keep our minds, hearts and ears open. It requires us to be humble, generous and courageous. Allah's world is vast and generous enough to accommodate all of us - saints and sinners, kings and beggars. Our hearts have the capacity to be this vast and generous as well. May Allah grant us this humility, generosity and courage. and Allah knows best. photo: with thanks via Maarten Maarten Appel