The notion discussed in Rhonda Byrne’s best-seller The Secret, one of the books that sparked heated debate worldwide since its release over three or four years ago, is quite an old concept that was revived in modern times, capturing the interest and the amazement of simply everybody, proponents and critics alike.
Those who accused the book of being on the atheist side… I tell them, have you ever related to The Law of Attraction in an Islamic way?!
A quote from the book reads “What you think about you bring about”- and indeed it sums up the meaning of the Law of Attraction, referred to by the authors of The Secret as “the most powerful law in the universe”.
Co-authored by a number of specialists in fields varying from life coaching, psychology, quantum physics, finance, Feng Shui (known as The Law of Heaven and Earth), and personal development, The Secret without a doubt offers some inspirational, mind-boggling insights, all revolving around the Law of Attraction, the foundation of which is primarily embedded in the Islamic teachings. But we Muslims know for a fact that the will is the Will of Allah, and the bounties are form Allah; not what is referred to in the Law of Attraction concept as “The Universal Power”.
Massive debate, similar to that stirred by the release of the 91-minute feature film carrying the same title and viewed by millions around the world, erupted following the release of the book. Some rejected the notion of the Law of attraction in its entirety, and thus the book, accusing the idea of promoting atheism, some others were simply overwhelmed by the book that reintroduced the concept and brought it back to light. And I must admit that since I finished reading The Secret and started reading new ones, I still keep it close and dip into it frequently.
But whilst it lists a number of facts about human nature and how our inside thinking affects our daily lives and circumstances, you might feel the idea somehow superstitious and may be freakingly on the atheist side, for it indirectly implies that we are the creators of our destiny- as if we are Gods directing the Universe.
Simply put, the Law of Attraction says that if your thoughts are all negative, focusing only on the upsetting facts in your life, you will continue receiving bad things. If you are only focusing on the good things in your life, then you’re on a frequency that will bring forward more good events. So your thoughts are like a magnet. The idea has received a fair amount of criticism in the wake of the book release, probably because of its flawed assertion of an absolute power hidden in human beings.
However, I admit it is the best book ever written about the Law of Attraction.
According to The Secret “your life is a mirror of your thoughts”, and thus you are the one who is responsible for what happens to you, whether it is good or bad. Although I do not support this concept wholeheartedly and definitely I do not see it as absolute, I find it to a great extent true and sound.
I actually link it to one beautiful Hadith Qudusi wherein Allah says:
“I am as My servant expects Me to be”.
Narrated by al-Buhkari (also by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn-Majah)
Also in the book, the Law of Attraction suggests that you first need to know what you want to happen to you and Ask for it (step number one in putting the law of attraction into use), Believe that your wish will be fulfilled (step number two), then prepare yourself to Receive what you have wished for and actually visualize that you already got what you want, and it shall come to you; (step number three).
Replacing what the Law of Attraction refers to as the Universal Power with God, you will find what it says quite similar, yet with some differences, to what Allah commands us; i.e. that we supplicate without having any doubts that He shall fulfil our Duas. God commands us to set aside any doubtful feelings when supplicating. In other words, we must be certain and have strong faith that when we supplicate to God to fulfil whatever wish we have, that He is listening and shall fulfil our prayers, for doubt hinders your prayers, and probably that’s the greatest reason our prayers are sometimes not fulfilled.
Another beautiful idea promoted in the Law of Attraction is related to the feeling of gratefulness. In The Secret, the authors encourage you to feel grateful for the good things in your life, and to busy your heart and mind with feeling joyous for the great things you already have instead of feeling resentment for not having other things. By doing so, you’re actually inviting more bounties to befall you.
Isn’t that what God promises us?
“And when your Lord said: If you are grateful I shall increase My favours upon you …”– Qur’an (14:7)
As you read through the book you will feel fired up and decide to immediately put the concepts discussed into use, mistakenly believing that the authors of the book have offered you some new method or some kind of magic spell.
Actually the secret about this book is that it’s not presenting anything new, what it does is pinpointing mistakes people unconsciously do; best example is returning to God to fulfil a certain wish without being certain He will fulfil such wish. There is so much to life that we miss out on by failing to recognise the great powers strong faith can place in us.
But the book generally could be viewed as a good source for someone who has been busying his mind and heart all of his life resenting, regretting, doubting and hating. It invites us to live our dreams and evoke more ones, fill our hearts with love till it’s no more tolerant of hate. It encourages us to clean up our minds, ridding them off negative thoughts and fears. It includes a number of life-enhancing facts you’ll find yourself tempted to apply once you’ve reached the end of the book.
Read the book and it shall change your heart, your perception of things, and eventually your life- just make sure you read it with strong faith in the Almighty, the only creator of this universe. God has created this universe and has, in all of His three legislations, given us the recipe to success in our lives, the guiding manual to living, but as we live we gradually forsake His advices.
Replace hate with love, resentment with gratefulness, doubt with assertiveness, and you will sense a major shift in your life, this is The Law of Attraction and The Secret to life!!!
Wassalaam
Maha Youssuf
The Muslim Tribune Editor
