Illuminating Potential

Based off "The Allegory of the Cave" in Plato's Republic

As we grow and mature in the world we live in, we begin to learn more about our personal fears, hopes, and beliefs. We begin to mold a self-concept of who we think we are. This self-concept is a composite of ideas and attitudes that a person has about his or her own identity. Factors such as the values and opinions of others, however, can play a significant role in the shaping of this self-concept. Although this compound of ideas that we believe is true about ourselves can be one that is admirable, it can also be one that diminishes the light of true self-actualization. Instead of a person becoming more of who they already are, a self-concept can be a chain that merely traps a person in a state of longing to become something they hope they are, while at the same time fearing they are not truly that person they are striving to be. Concepts like these that are conceived in the mind usually represent abstract ideas generalized from mental perceptions about life. Who you truly are does not stem from these abstract and general ideas; however, it stems from something not conceived in your mind. Who you truly are rather stems from something deeper and more real and that is from the depth of your being, your soul.

Recognizing and being in tune with the true essence of our being is what can lead us to self-actualization and the true illumination of our potential. If we live our lives based off a false or generalized concept of who we wish we were, we will never truly realize the things we are capable of overcoming and becoming; we will be shackled in a mindset of false illusions and desires. We will find ourselves in a cave of false hopes, beliefs, and perceptions. Like the cumulative image of the Cave that Plato illustrates in The Republic, we will be trapped in our own misconceptions of reality. The Allegory of the Cave presented in Book VII helps us understand this concept further as it illustrates what is truly preventing us from being enlightened and from attaining true knowledge of ourselves and the world around us.

Through Socrates, we are able to visualize and understand the multi-faceted meanings from the Cave metaphor. These can be seen in the beginning with the presence of prisoners that are chained within the cave; they are bound to the floor and are unable to turn their heads to see what goes on behind them (514a-15a; 516a-c). Behind the prisoners, under the protection of the parapet, lie the puppeteers that create the shadows on the walls that the prisoners perceive as being reality. Since the prisoners are incapable of turning around, they are thus incapable of realizing that the realities they are witnessing are merely shadows created from wooden and iron objects. And so, through the allegory at this point, we can conclude that the prisoners have “names” for only things they can fathom with their minds and not things they are actually able to see.

This inability to see things for what they truly are is one of the major shackles that causes the prisoners to remain in their dwelling of darkness. The shadows cast by the puppets are those that keep the prisoners preoccupied with cultural myths and assumptions. In an unjust society these things can be prejudices, stereotypes, and other false conceptions that hinder members of society from seeing the truth about themselves or those around them. These false concepts are what hold back individuals from realizing their full potential; they conversely influence individuals into forming self-concepts that are not based on reality but rather on ideals and standards unjustly made. If these cultural shackles are not questioned or removed, they will continue to blind the prisoners from the truth of self-fulfillment that can only be achieved when the shackles are removed and one can witness the reality that is not a mere shadow of cultural presuppositions.

This ascent towards understanding the truth about one’s self and reality is not an easy task. Plato describes the vision of the real truth to be "aching" to the eyes of the prisoners, and that after seeing that which is truly real, a previous dweller of the cave would need some time to adjust to his new world above (516a-b). What allows the prisoner to free himself from his shackles and foolishness is the process of acquiring a certain type of education. This education is not obtained through simply putting knowledge into empty minds, but rather through making people realize that which they already know. Thus, the process of reaching enlightenment and self-actualization is not a process of creating one’s self but a process of discovering one’s self. Here we can again see the distinction between a self-concept and reality. If one is blinded about the reality of himself due to cultural assumptions or the opinions of others, he will never truly match his reality with his self-concept. This will ultimately shackle him in the cave and prevent him from illuminating his true potential.

Just like sight cannot be put into blind eyes, knowledge cannot simply be placed into souls that lack it; it requires awareness of one’s own self and understanding. Learning can only occur then when an individual frees himself from the chains that bind him, turns around towards the light, and learns to accept things as they are rather than as one perceives them to be. This learning can be marked and seen when those that achieve enlightenment can see their former chains. They no longer view these chains as being transparent, and the things that previously shackled them become noticeable. This is because the soul has become illuminated and the enlightened person has achieved true self-actualization where he understands the true essence of his being. When we realize that who we are is not the collection of abstract ideas that we have conjured in our minds and we comprehend that "the capacity to learn and the organ with which to do so are present in every person's soul" (518c), we can then begin to ascend from the shadows of our perceptions into the true awareness of our existence.

An allegory, like the Allegory of the Cave, is a representation of abstract meanings through symbolism to illustrate a truth or a moral. Being like an incomplete simile, it requires that the reader supply what is similar to the events described. For this reason, when one reads the Allegory of the Cave, he can make connections to his own life that may be different than the connections others make. These many connections that readers can establish do not take away from the elements of the allegory, but rather enforce them. Everyone must find his or her own path to self-actualization, and although the road may be tedious and difficult, it will always provide illumination to those who reach their full potential and understand reality as it truly is. No matter how strong one’s shackles were or how difficult it was to ascend into that understanding that is based on truth, the destination will yield similar results. Some may take longer than others and some may reach different answers, but no matter how shadowed their previous beliefs were, it is still possible for them to conquer the path to enlightenment.

Those who have been liberated from the cave have achieved the highest level of knowledge that comes with understanding. The contrasts formulated between the shadows, the reflections, and the actual objects are clues to discerning the different levels of enlightenment that can be attained. For example, the shadows reflected in the cave can be a wide variety of disagreements and opinions that individuals have about a certain truth. This can be how others view you or interpret your behavior. In order to “see” the real version of yourself, you must attain reliable knowledge that guides you towards a truth that is not blurred and a truth that is not changing. This truth is not always something that can be seen in your outward behavior and conduct because it stems from an intelligible source rather than a visible source—the soul. True understanding of your soul and the essence of your being is what can de-mystify the shackles that you may be blinded from; with this realization you can enter the world of thought and leave the world of only senses and wavering shadows.

The Allegory of the Cave represents a complex model of how we journey in our lives towards understanding ourselves and reality. The progress of thought, introspection, and human development is what can guide our souls to true self-actualization. Our path to complete awareness will require that we drop created self-concepts that are shadowed and adopt truths about ourselves that are based on reality. In many instances in our lives we may find ourselves placed in situations where we are challenged to stand in the integrity of our soul and who we truly are. But as we accept the reality of our essence, we may find that the opinions of others will affect us less and less. We may discover that through accepting who we are, we are able to relieve ourselves of shackles imposed on us by others; we may find our finally unveiled truths ultimately guiding us from the Cave to illuminated potential.

La crisis humanitaria en Siria [Español]

Cuando pensamos sobre nuestro mundo, querremos creer que tenemos ideales altos para la integridad y valor de cada ser humano. Cada persona no es sólo un número en este mundo, sino que es alguien que tiene derechos y un lugar especial en la sociedad. Cuando hay un evento trágico como una guerra, sería irracional concentrarse sólo en el número de víctimas, especialmente si hay personas que están heridas o son forzadas a ser refugiados. Es importante recordar que cada número es una persona, un niño o una niña, un padre o una mujer. Pueden verse historias individuales de las víctimas humanas y el sufrimiento de la gente en angustiosos detalles en miles de fotos y videos que son tomadas durante la guerra, y este debería ser el foco principal, no una lista de números. Por esta razón, creo que es más importante discutir maneras de ayudar a Siria a través de ayuda humanitaria que a través de la intervención militar.


Cuando el Presidente de Siria, Bashar Al Assad, utilizó armas químicas contra su propio pueblo, el principal debate entre los líderes era el número de víctimas y si la intervención militar era necesaria. Tanto, si cuatrocientas personas o cuatro mil personas murieron, lo que es importante es encontrar una manera de prevenir la pérdida de otra vida inocente. Unos siete millones de personas necesitan ayuda humanitaria en Siria y se estima que la mitad de la población del país se desplazará al final del año (Ibrahim). Las mujeres y los niños fueron los más afectados de esta guerra. Más de un mil niños son refugiados y muchas veces no tienen padres que los cuiden. Creo que debemos centrar nuestra atención en ayudar a esta gente de maneras humanitarias. Hay debate desde ambos lados en contra de y por la participación militar de los Estados Unidos en Siria, pero yo pienso que hay maneras de salvar las vidas de la gente en Siria sin usar la fuerza. Una manera en que los Estados Unidos puede ayudar a Siria sin utilizar las fuerzas armadas es permitir que más gente entre en el país, dar más ayuda humanitaria, y proteger las instalaciones médicas que están en Siria.


El aumento de los refugiados de Siria está creando una crisis interna y regional también. Los números están aumentando muy rápidamente y no hay un plan efectivo. Algunos países han aceptado refugiados, pero esto ha creado más tensiones regionales porque causa pérdidas económicas para los que aceptan una gran cantidad de personas. Por ejemplo, Turquía ha gastado más de 1,5 billones de dólares en asistencia humanitaria y protección de los refugiados con sólo un pequeño porcentaje de la financiación de UN (Ibrahim). Para resolver este problema, los Estados Unidos debe aumentar el número de refugiados que acepta de Siria. Si los países con menos de diez millones de personas pueden aceptar miles de refugiados, seguramente los Estados Unidos puede también. También, yo pienso que las universidades deben proporcionar becas para los estudiantes que llegan a los Estados Unidos sin mucho dinero. Un profesor de la Universidad de Oklahoma dijo que un niño educado puede ayudar a su familia con sus dificultades y sus problemas en el campamento de refugiados; es la manera más eficiente para mejorar la sociedad y es mejor que las bombas (DePillis).


Aparte de permitir que más gente entre, los Estados Unidos debe enviar más ayuda humanitaria a Siria. UNICEF reporta que hay muchos casos de desnutrición y uno de cada cinco de las familias no come comida siete días del mes (Georgieva). El acceso a los alimentos es un problema creciente y están aumentando las enfermedades transmitidas por el agua. Los Estados Unidos contribuyó mil millones de dólares en ayuda humanitaria a Siria. Esto no es nada y hay personas que necesitan más ayuda. Muchos hombres y mujeres están sufriendo de problemas psicológicos. La depresión y la ansiedad afecta a las refugiados tanto como el hambre y la sed, y es muy importante encontrar maneras de ayudar a los refugiados a recuperar su dignidad y su sentido de valor. El envió de psicólogas así como de médicos puede ayudar con esta problema.


Sin duda, una de las mayores causas de la muerte es debido a una enfermedad crónica. Muchos sufren de enfermedades renales ya que no tienen acceso a la insulina o diálisis (DePillis). Estados Unidos necesita encontrar una manera de asegurarse de que la ayuda humanitaria llegue a los refugiados, sobre-todo porque Assad ha impedido que mucha de la ayuda llegue a los campos. Esto puede hacerse a través de negociaciones con Rusia y con nuevas resoluciones del Consejo de Seguridad. El enfoque militar no es la mejor solución en este caso.


Espero que cuando pasen los meses, habrá más énfasis en la humanidad y menos en la guerra. La gente de Siria sólo quiere libertad y dignidad de vivir su propia vida sin un dictador violento. Han pasado más de dos años, y Siria necesita ayuda humanitaria. Los Estados Unidos puede ayudar con la situación sin el uso del ejército. Puede aceptar más refugiados en el país, puede enviar más ayuda humanitaria y puede influenciar a Rusia para proteger los médicos de los campos de los refugiados. El daño que se ha hecho va a necesitar mucho tiempo para ser reparado, pero no podemos ignorar a las personas que necesitan nuestra ayuda. Cada persona tiene el derecho de vivir y de ser feliz.

Real Change

Made of paper, exchanged through hands, crumbled in wallets, and sometimes written on—how can this seemingly insignificant object have the power to create power. When you have a lot of it you are “rich”, but rich in what? We are told over and over again that money can’t buy happiness, but isn’t happiness the most fulfilling richness? Money can be a tool; it can get you places and give you things but it is not anything more than a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver. Without you, it is worth nothing. If we live our lives thinking that money will do everything, we will eventually live to do everything for money. Money will not create the success we desire, but it can be our tool to create change. But to make any progress, we must first severe our attachment to money and our attachment to the idea that its accumulation is what can bring us success and happiness. We are the driving force behind our success and our personal enrichment. The only change money can give us is that in quarters, nickels and dimes. We have to bring about the change we wish to see and enrich ourselves with that which money can’t buy.     

Like a Sky Scraper

When you go to the city, something about your vision changes. You find yourself looking up, around, and way-ahead more than looking down at your feet in the crowd. In fact, sometimes you forget to look where you're walking because what's ahead seems more exciting. Headphones plugged in, suitcase in hand, camera to the eye--everyone seems in their own world walking to a personalized destination following their own pace, and the only thing in common is the sky scrapers above. As they watch over the busy workers of the Chicago streets, they share something in common with the explorers that search above. No need to peer from their infinite windows in horizontal rows; they stretch high into the skies vertically reaching for the clouds while abiding at the center of their being. Maybe we are all sky scrapers. 

Picture taken in Downtown Chicago 09/06/13

Nature's Stories

Life is simple, but sometimes we tend to complicate it. Life is beautiful, but sometimes we only focus on seeing the negatives. There is peace in the world, but sometimes all people can highlight is the destruction. If we only took but a moment to reflect upon our existence and the many blessings that surround us on a daily basis, we would realize that there is more love than hatred, more opportunities than sorrows, and more light than darkness in our world. Life simply is. It follows its own course. If we stop analyzing and fretting, envying and regretting, we can begin to find beauty in the day to day moments that make up life. When you give yourself to the moment, life can reveal itself to you. Nature is the first to reveal its beauty to the eyes that seek it. Take a moment and observe nature in silence; you will realize that words are not always needed. Watch how the ant never gives up trying to hold the piece of bread double its size; watch how over time green is added to each twig and branch of a once bare and empty tree. We are fascinated by words, but nature can tell stories. How the sky goes on without end can maybe teach our hearts infinitude. Slowly, we can realize again...that life is beautiful.

In my Backyard :)

All you got is N:0W

An Arab poet once said, “The past is lost forever, and that which is hoped for is from the unseen, so all that you have is the present hour.” The past is never to return, the future is yet to come, and so we are left with the present day—this present moment. Time is something so often discussed and so often checked. Time is the first thing that pops up on your phone screen, it’s the one that hangs on almost every wall, the one that some even tie to their wrists. Time controls our nights and days; without time the day would not turn into night and the night would not turn into day. We know how time is counted and we know what time brings, yet why do we often find ourselves “running out of time” or feeling like there “ aren't enough hours in the day”? These questions can only be answered when we realize what time really is, how we should perceive it, and how we should manage it. What is time to a Muslim? In today’s society we often hear the phrase “time is money”, but is that really what it is? For when our time is done, will money be there to save us? Truly for a Muslim, time is not money, time is Allah. Abu Hurayra reported: I heard Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) saying: "Allah the exalted and Glorious said: The son of Adam abuses Time, whereas I am The Time. In my hand are the days and the nights”. This means that whatever occurs during the night or during the day-throughout time in general-happens only by Allah’s will and His design; according to His knowledge and by His decree in which no one else has any share. Whatever Allah wills to be will happen and whatever He wills not to, shall never be. For this reason, we should never curse time, we should never be angered by the way that things turn out, and we should always be conscious that Allah is the one who disposes of the affairs that unfold in time. This should be our mindset when we deal with time.

                Now that we know what time really is, we must perceive it in the correct manner; this is through looking at the lenses of solely the present day, the present hour, and the present moment. Being preoccupied with the past and dragging past woes into the present will only bring an unstable and unsound mind. At the same time, being anxious over events in the future only adds worry and stress. Rest assured that your Lord who provided you with solutions to yesterday can similarly provide for what is to come tomorrow.  And so, look to the present moment. Let events flow in their predestined path and have faith in Allah’s timings. “Do not cross the bridge until you reach it”—tomorrow has yet to arrive and you have the present moment to prepare for it.

                In knowing what time is and with what lenses to look at it, we still have to realize that we are “managers “of our time. It will run its predestined path, but it is the requirement of each of us to put in effort at every moment. Every day should be seen as one goal. The Prophet (pbuh) said, “When the morning comes upon you, then do not expect to see the evening, and when you see the night, do not expect to see the morning.” Do not have lofty and long term goals but rather short term appropriate goals that you can accomplish and surpass within the day. Expect death at any moment and do your best in doing good deeds. With this mindset, you will be able to concentrate and spend all of your energies on being productive each day. If I told you today was your last day to live, how would you spend the day? This should be our mindset every day. Pray like it is your last prayer every time. Respect your parents as if you will not be seeing them tomorrow. Live for the present moment and find comfort in the fact that what has been planned for you has been planned by the Best of Planners. Avoid fretting about the future, forget about the pains of the past, and embrace this present moment. In the remembrance of Allah you will find joy in your time and in His obedience you will find reassurance. Don’t think about when you can start to make changes, the time is N:OW.   

An Easy Game of Tic Tac Toe?

Tic Tack Toe, three in a row. Just match the three symbols, X or O, and you're a winner I always thought. Notice a pattern and fill in the blanks, it's one of the easiest games I always thought. But play the game now with any intellectual mind, and you'll find a once too simple game something almost impossible to win. Cat's game, they call it. Life is a cat's game: you win some and you lose some and sometimes the winner isn't immediately known. It's not always as easy as filling in the last O--sometimes life places that O before you do and you have to find a way around it. Sometimes someone finds the pattern before you. Sometimes it's harder than just filling in the blank. But, ultimately, you win if you don't think you lose. Love the game. Appreciate the blessings that surround your day to day struggles and remember that life can be simple if you make it so. Remember you destination and your commitment to Allah, and you'll notice that the struggles in your life are either a lesson or a blessing--two things that you can ultimately benefit from. So if you find yourself frustrated by the events in your life or those happening around the world, remember that beauty can be found when we follow the simple instructions that God has given us. They are the answer to every puzzle. No matter the conflict, love the One who can give you strength to get through it all and have faith that Allah is on your side. Love what's around you. After all, it is XOXO.

Jelly Beans

Green. Yellow. Pink. Blue. Lime green. Popcorn yellow. Bubble gum pink. Sky blue. One Bag. 100 jelly beans in a heterogeneous mixture. To look for a color? To scavenger for a flavor? Or to to let the odds determine your experience? A true parallel to the day-to-day socializing occurrence. The friends you make, the acquaintances you encounter, the differing personalities you come across--they were all meant to cross paths with you and somehow affect your story, even if for just a page from the book that makes up your life. Never burn bridges and close doors of potential friendship. Don't judge the jelly bean by its color, don't continue to pick the one you always enjoy. Step out of your comfort zone; keep an open mind. Pick a jelly bean while closing your eyes. You never know, the "mystery" bean might surprise you.