Abi'l-Khayr

Even though this writer is of Islamic origin, I did not get the sense that he was until I looked at the name again. In fact, if a European name had been used instead, I would have thought him a Christian. This is intriguing because this exemplifies the relatedness of the two theologies and how much they are actually alike. The part of the text that really stood out to me was when he says, "You desire what God desires; your own desires are gone, you are emancipated from your wants, and have gained peace and joy in both worlds." This is a demonstration of how this philosopher's Islamic view is entirely on track with the Christian idea of living with as little indulgence, and even adequacy, as Jesus Christ had. It also reminds me of Buddhism and the path to Enlightenment. This is clearly a critical moral, communicated between several religions around the world and it still lives on today.