These Are Satanic Verses (satire)

Now then, O people, you have a right over your wives and they have a right over you. You have the right that they should not cause anyone of whom you dislike to tread on your beds; and that they should not commit any open indecency. If they do, then God permits you to shut them in separate rooms and to beat them, but not severely. If they abstain from evil, they have the right to their food and clothing in accordance with the custom. Treat women well, for they are like domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. You have taken them only as a trust from God, and you have made the enjoyment of their persons lawful by the word of God, so understand and listen to my words, O people. --- Mohammad, The Farewell Sermon

To ignorant people the above words could be mistaken for condoning domestic violence and the treatment of wives as animals. However, such a view of these verses might makes them seem to be Satanic verses, but only if you didn't read the whole Farewell Sermon by Mohammad.

I'm pretty sure when he says "beat your wives but not severely" isn't a call for ritual domestic abuse, but rather a call to have a nice poker game with the wife and discipline her mercifully.

Seriously though, "Beat her but not severely" means "discipline her but don't use a belt or fists or verbal abuse." I'm sure that men who love their wives and treat them like queens aren't going to beat them at all. The real intent of this part of this sermon was a warning to wives to be faithful to their husbands and not be tempted to adultery and other similar things. The part about treating wives like animals implies that you care for them and tend to them compassionately, just like you do with the camels and goats (and cars).

Sadly though, a few Muslim men and women don't get this part of the sermon at all, mainly because they are forced to memorize it in Arabic, but not taught what it actually means.

In short, there is much a modern day Muslim imam or mullah could teach his followers. Instead, most of them waste their time bringing politics into the sermon instead of actually doing their job, which is to teach the truth of the Quran.

Telling your followers about the evils of the Great Shaitan America and the Zionists and what awaits them before the Fire is not proselyting; it is preaching ignorant fire-and-brimstone propaganda much like Christianity does.

There is much good in teaching the unconditional love of God Almighty like Rumi does that the imam could use to proselyte to his followers.

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Reference:

Mohammad - The Farewell Sermon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Farewell_Sermon

The Meaning of Good (poem)

Listen: right means good.
Good means pure, pure means right, and
once again, listen:
Right concentration arises
from a good meditation
to help attain the pure mind.

See: loving-kindness is good.
For compassion pours from a pure heart
working with the right mind to see
the Buddha world in all its goodness
certainly is the Pure Land,
until everything is right with the world.

Speak of the goodness
in the heartmind that is pure,
for right-mindedness speaks
with a good heart to all
who seek the pure mind
For this is the meaning of good.

All is a miracle

I like to walk alone on country paths, rice plants and wild grasses on both sides, putting each foot down on the earth in mindfulness, knowing that I walk on the wondrous earth. In such moments, existence is a miraculous and mysterious reality.

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child--our own two eyes. All is a miracle.

-Thich Nhat Hanh, "Miracle of Mindfulness"

When the Buddhist practitioner walks in this world in mindfulness, existence becomes "a miraculous and mysterious reality."

The life of ordinary existence is like that when mindful of each moment in it, savoring the miracle and mystery of walking on this earth, enjoying the moment.

This is known in Tibetan Buddhism as the basic goodness of reality as it is.

In Mahayana Buddhism, when we see with wisdom eyes, everything under the sun is basically good.

When even one sentient being sees reality as it is, it is true that "all is a miracle!"

Reference:

Thich Nhat Hanh:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thich_Nhat_Hanh
http://www.answers.com/topic/nhat-hanh
http://here-and-now.org/IMSB/pages/TNH.page.html

Reviews of Thich Nhat Hanh's book, Miracle of Mindfulness:
http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/thihan/part8.shtml
http://theyogashop.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=246