In Search of Oneness

Book excerpt: This free-flowing narrative illuminates the journey of the author, a devout Muslim, through sacred books and holy men of all religions---starting with his own---in search of a personal god and faith, and his coming upon the Bhagavad Gītā. Examining commentaries on this text, from Sankara to Abdur Rahman Chishti, alongside some renderings of the Quran here, Moosa Raza finds many common threads: summoning God through sādhanā or dhikr; reaching God through daan or giving and the service of the destitute; and seeking ecstasy through self-mastery, detachment and surrender. These original observations are complemented by his encounters with people practising these values, like his ailing school teacher who felt God was always behind him or his friend, a senior civil servant, who, trusting in Allah’s providence, kept an open home for the poor and the homeless. Through these experiences and his own striving, Raza celebrates the oneness and power of faith and spirituality, showing a path for other seekers.