The world of Tzu Chi July 2020 (Vol.124)

TZU CHI 124 43 I believe every creed and every religion has its merits, just as Tzu Chi has principles and philosophies that it upholds. Through Tzu Chi, I have learnt that spiritual wealth is more important than material wealth. Material possessions are finite, but an enriched spirit is a lasting asset. Tzu Chi has been trying to achieve this all along by providing refugees with the opportunity to reinforce their spirituality with the values of love, humanity, compassion and wisdom. The Islamic and Buddhist faiths differ from each other in more ways than one, yet share many similarities, as both religions endorse ethical and moral behaviour, humanitarian endeavours and kind deeds. After attending the lessons conducted over the past few days, I have concluded that Master ChengYen’s philosophy on life and living is present in all faiths, for the universal virtue of kindness transcends religion. With that, I hope that the Tzu Chi community will spread the awareness that the Master has no intention of changing the faith of any Muslim. Rather, the Master encourages those of Islamic faith to be even more pious Muslims. The word “Islam” originates from “salaam”, which means “peace”. Our Creator conceived mankind to be His messengers on Earth and designed humans as the most sophisticated of all sentient beings by granting us the innate capacity for maintaining peace and committing to kindness. Our Creator has quoted in the Quran that the ability to perform acts of kindness is not exclusive to Muslims, but extends to all communities. The Prophet Muhammad once proclaimed, “Every single penny that you have contributed to the world will bear the weight of a mountain on Judgment Day!” Our Creator bestowed upon mankind the capacity for compassion to enable us to rise to heaven. The ways to enter heaven are manifold. Even a seemingly insignificant contribution, be it being kind to animals or offering food to the famished, qualifies one for a ticket to heaven. We believe that all of life’s trials will be resolved come Judgment Day, when the kind- hearted will be rewarded, while those who have sinned will be punished. Allah the Almighty wields the power to decide who deserves a harsh trial, such as those who have started wars or committed heinous crimes. Likewise, Allah holds the power to decide who deserves to be rewarded, such as people who promote peace and spread love. A verse in the Quran states: “He who murders a soul is as guilty as if he had slain the entirety of mankind; he who saves a soul is as benevolent as if he had saved all of mankind.” Killing a fellow human being is prohibited according to the Quran. All Muslims share a loving, compassionate and peace-loving disposition. In Islamic teachings, He paved the path to kindness and peace. I give thanks to our Creator for instilling love in the hearts of the students at the El Menahil International School! Back in 2014, we visited the municipal government of the district of Sultangazi in Istanbul to discuss the construction of the school. We advised the deputy mayor against taking the Syrian children’s lack of access to education lightly, for if the children grow up to be illiterate, the country’s future will be severely impacted. Worse, no amount of policemen, army personnel or financial capital will be able to guarantee the safety of the community by then. On the surface, we are helping 3,000 children through education, but the reach extends to 3,000 families. The welfare of these 3,000 families is the catalyst for the hope and