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Realm of Mystics and SeekersThere are as many Ways to God as there are created Souls - Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him December 30 Want to Know the Truth? Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love December 28 A Realm Without You
Tere bin-nnnnnnn main yun kaise
jiya?
Tanha badan
Tere binnnnnn main yun kaise jiya-aaaaaaaah Without you, how can I live like this? Kaise jiya tere bin ... How can I live without you???? Tere binnnnn main yun kaise jiya-aaaah? Without you, how can I live like this? Kaise jiya tere bin? How can I live without you? -- Atif Aslam, "Tere Bin" Click Here to Listen/Download December 27 What is the Point? This is not an entry about whether or not Madame Benazir Bhutto was the right leader for Pakistan, nor is it about the corruption charges against her or the controversy that surrounds her involvement with Pakistan’s treasury. This entry is about questioning the many mysteries that exist in our extremely troubled and conflicted world, and how murder is an absolutely cruel form of demonstration (it pains me to even use the word “demonstration”) that should never be tolerated by anyone.
What is the point of murder? What is the point of taking human life? Where is our Muslim leader who keeps the Qur’an close to his/her heart and truly follows it? Have we forgotten that to take a human life is like killing all of humanity? Our politicians drive around in their vehicles, make their speeches, wave to their supporters, yet it’s like the power and praise gets to them, and they forget about God. Those who disagree with other views get fueled by anger which drives them to violence. Remember Maulana Rumi’s inspiration, Shams-i-Tabrizi, and what he said about the flame of anger. The more you add to the flame, the more it spreads, and the harder it is to extinguish. The more the flame spreads, the worse and more violent it gets. This is what happens when we try to take control of things. We forget that God is in control of everything. We try to take matters into our own hands, and the poison of believing it is “God’s will” to carry out such heinous acts fill the veins. Why do we put our faith in leaders, why do we behave as if we have to take violent or radical action? I know this is not about God or religion at all; it is about the political climate. Politicians use religion to tempt the young, and they twist teachings to ignite youth with religious zeal.
My father woke me up this morning, telling me that “they killed her, Benazir Bhutto.” Immediately, I had flashbacks when I was in elementary school while she was the prime minister of Pakistan. I can't begin to describe my frustration at what the media and others are saying about today’s tragedy. Of course the media wants to simplify everything and narrow it down to “terrorism,” but the situation is so stubbornly complex. Ever since the Bush administration launched their “War on Terrorism,” it has wrapped Pakistan and other Muslim countries around their finger. Ever since this "War on Terrorism", all we've seen is more and more violence. What terrorism has been eliminated? The Vice President said we would be "greeted as liberators" in Iraq, did that happen? If anything, all this war has done is radicalize the Muslim world. Pakistan would never have had these issues of suicide bombings or terrorist attacks if there wasn't so much uncertainty in its political world. One of the many reasons why I have lost my faith in politicians is because of how corrupt, dishonest, deceptive, and multi-faceted they are, and the situation in Pakistan is exactly that. So often have leaders been talking about establishing a democracy in Pakistan, but any educated and intellectual individual knows that the democracy these leaders speak of is merely a disguise for dictatorship. The U.S. will not tolerate anyone else in Pakistan’s office unless it is someone they want (i.e. a puppet). Remember those ‘free elections” in Afghanistan? All the candidates dropped out and who was left? Who else but U.S. favored Karzai?
I know people will criticize or
even laugh at me and call me a conspiracy theorist. But before you do that, let us consider the
history of the U.S. government. Let
us consider slavery, the Tuskegee experiment, the CIA overthrowing the
parliament of Iran, the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin
Luther King Jr.; the CIA training Osama bin Laden and empowering the Taliban,
the U.S. government supporting Saddam, their relentless military support
Israel, and now this deceptive war on Iraq, the Patriot Act, the PNAC report
(Project for New American Century commissioned in 2000), etc. If our U.S. government can commit these crimes and injustices, then
I personally believe there is no way to predict what it can or cannot
do. Why is the U.S. in the Middle-East?
Why do we, as intelligent citizens, question our involvement in other
countries affairs? The PNAC report
states that the U.S. government seeks absolute domination in military
technology, space technology, and natural resources. Why doesn’t this disturb anyone? If elections were to take place in Pakistan and if the U.S. government really cares about democracy there, then why
did our President remain silent when Musharraf refused to supply security for
Ms. Bhutto? Wasn’t Musharraf supported
by Bush? Bhutto survived a previous attack,
but no one seemed to take it seriously.
Why? Didn't they consider that her death would merely invite radicalism?
There are some sick people out there who are cheering or shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great) that Bhutto is dead. I don’t know what is more disturbing: those who committed this crime against humanity or those who support it. In Islam, we are taught to never speak ill of the dead and we are no one to say who deserves to die or not. We do not know who will be in Heaven or Hell; that is for God to judge.
There are so many unanswered questions and suspicious activity going on in the world, especially behind the closed doors of world governments. Why don’t we learn from history? Did we forget the Knight’s Templar during the Crusades and their agenda to propagate the wars between Muslims and Christians? Why do we simply just sit around and watch the world fall to pieces around us? Why do we accept everything at face value on the news? All I see people doing is appearing on television and condemning the actions. Politicians say with great determination that they will “get to the bottom of this” but they never do. They never do. They say it because they are politicians, because they use deception for their own material gain.
Sometimes I feel powerless, I feel like there is no hope here. The only thing that points me skyward is my faith in the Last Revelation as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. I believe we are from God, we are here for a greater purpose, and reality is not what it seems to be. We have an inner light that we must establish contact with, so that we may shine in turn. There are so many beautiful ideas, teachings, and practices that we can bring forth to improve the shape of this world. We must remember we are of Divine origin. Maybe a few of us can help make that dream come true. If only we believed.
If only we believed… how so many beautiful dreams could come true.
Rest in Peace Madame Benazir Bhutto, and may God be pleased with you. Inna lillahi alayhi ra'jaoon (21st June 1953-27th December 2007). December 08 She Really Loves Him, Prescilla I recently came across a British-based band called “Bat for Lashes” via ethnotechno.com. Their half-Pakistani and half-British singer, Natasha Khan, sings in a style that reminds me of Elizabeth Fraiser of the Cocteau Twins. She draws some of her inspiration from her Pakistani father, who used to tell her many fairy tales when she was younger. With storybook-ish lyrics and a touch of ethno, one can best describe this flight of music as deeply magical and enchanting. November 27 Transcend FROM the unseen world October 08 The Heart of Islam Over 1400 years ago, in the
predominately pagan society of 6th century Arabia,
a message was revealed to the populace. This
was no ordinary message declared by an emperor, or delivered by a politician,
or even preached by a saint. This
message radiated with a light that would change the world forever and touch the
hearts of billions of human beings across the globe. It was a guardian, a liberator, a revelation,
a savior; it was rebellion, revolution, beauty, grace, transcendent music
whenever it was recited by its blessed recipient, and an awakening to a new and
deeper world. It was Divine, sent by God
Himself to a humble and honest man who was not simply a shepherd or tradesman,
but a seeker of spiritual Truth; a man who never passed anyone on the street
without a smile yet felt a strong and powerful calling in his heart towards a greater
meaning of life; a life that was opposed to passing through the course of time
in society’s materialistic, selfish, and pagan ways. It was a message of pure monotheism, of tawhid,
or absolute Oneness of God. “There is no
other God except Me,” God revealed in the Holy Words of what is known as the Qur’an
(or “the recitation”), and He ordained these revelations be delivered
through His beloved and final Prophet:
Muhammad ibn Abdallah, sal Allahu alayhi wa salaam (may God’s
blessings and peace be upon him), who was not just a messenger to Arabia, but a
messenger to all of humankind.
As we are in the final week of Ramadan, Muslims all over the world strive on these last days to reflect on the life of Prophet Muhammad and Laylat al-Qadr (or “Night of Destiny”) in which the first revelation of the Qur’an was revealed. In the year 610 CE, Muhammad withdrew to a cave on Mount Hira, where he would often visit to meditate, pray, and reflect on his life, but unlike his normal retreats, this night was different; it was filled with such spiritual power and mystery that the Heavens were opened and a luminous Archangel with magnificently massive wings descended. This Angel was none other than Gabriel, the messenger of God to earlier Prophets as well as the mother of Jesus (peace be upon them all), and now his duty was to deliver Divine order to Muhammad. Unto him, Gabriel said: Read! Stunned at the vision and then reflecting on his illiteracy, Muhammad responded, “I cannot read.” Gabriel engulfed Muhammad in an embrace of passion that nearly exceeded the limit of which Muhammad could withstand and said again, “Read!” Muhammad responded again, “I cannot read,” and Gabriel embraced him again. “Read!” the shining Angel said once more, but Muhammad repeated “I cannot read.” For the third time, Gabriel embraced Muhammad, then released him and said: (Holy Qur’an 96:1-5)
As I reflect on this amazing and powerful experience, my entire being shakes in awe and I think about so many things. One of them is how Muhammad felt at the time and how ran out of the cave, and upon every turn of his head, he only saw Gabriel. Frightened, he ran home, trembling and shaking to his dearly Loved wife, Khadijah (peace be upon her). I also think about how God destined and chose this exact moment to reveal His message to humanity. As God says in the Qur’an, “wa ma arsalnaka rahmatal il ‘alamin - And we (God) did not send you (Muhammad) except to be a mercy to the Universe” (21:107). I reflect on how this historical and spiritual event changed many of our lives and how we can all still look back on it and feel so much humility towards God. When Muhammad finally preached his revelations to his clan, he was received with laughter and disliking, except for his thirteen year old cousin, ‘Ali (peace be upon him), who was the first to accept Islam (submission to the One and Only God). It’s important to note here that to this very day Muslims don’t believe Islam was something new to the world. On the contrary, the message delivered to Muhammad is the same message that was sent to the Prophets of the Old Testament like Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Moses; and to Jesus of the New Testament (all of whom are mentioned in the Qur’an). But the message received by the earlier Prophets were changed, altered, and corrupted over the course of time, which is why God needed to reveal His Message another time and to ensure that it would be preserved and not tampered with. If one were to observe the Arabic text of the Qur’an in the 20th century and compare it with the Arabic text of the 6th Century Qur’an, one would not find an alteration of a single dot. I do not bring up this point to “brag” about how unchanged the Qur’an is, but to shine some light on how important the Qur’an is for Muslims and what it means to them. As Muhammad was illiterate and could not write, it is the richness and beauty of the Qur’an’s Arabic language and recitation that has awed Muslims and non-Muslims alike. During the early years of Islam, countless of pagan Arabs who fought against Muhammad and Muslims would drop their swords and convert just on hearing the Qur’an alone. It’s flowing elegance and divine poetry continues to be recited melodiously five times a day all around the world.
It seems almost unavoidable to talk about Islam and not address contemporary issues, but it has become very important for Muslims to share their knowledge and Love for Islam with others, especially the uninformed. Every time I read about the Prophet’s life, my eyes get blurry with tears, and no matter how many times I read the same stories in his life, I never get bored or tired with them. I encourage Muslims and non-Muslims to read more about Prophet Muhammad and to learn about his revelations, his struggles, his teachings, his contributions, and his personality. Many non-Muslim critics make misinformed accusations that Muhammad ordered Muslims to kill Christians, Jews, and/or anyone non-Muslim, but there is nothing in the Qur’an nor in the history of his life that shows the slightest hint of that. These same critics quote certain verses in the Qur’an which permit fighting, but these critics fail to see that these verses were directed to the pagan Arabs who waged war upon the Muslims through persecution, torture, murder, rape, and eviction. A lot of people with very strong anti-Islamic sentiments like to magnet themselves to the word “kafir” which means “infidel” or “unbeliever”, but to associate such a word with Christianity or Judaism or any other religious faith is completely contradictory to the very scripture of the Qur’an. In fact, the Christian, Jews, and anyone who believes in God is a “Believer” according to the Qur’an: (Holy Qur’an 2:62)
The above is not the only verse that speaks of unity with the Christians and Jews, nor is it the only verse that claims Muslims worship the same God. The message of God, in which Muhammad spoke, was not about exclusiveness, and whenever Muhammad heard exclusiveness preached by Jews or Christians, he would denounce it. The Qur’an itself is very pluralistic, it is inclusive, and a message of peace and tolerance with all people (since it’s the Word of God, why shouldn’t it be?) The evidence of tolerance can be read in the follow verses: (Holy Qur’an, 2:136) (Holy Qur’an, 29:46)
Besides religious tolerance, the Message of God conveyed to Muhammad stated that in order to have a just and righteous society, there must be equality of human beings (this includes gender and ethnic equality). In 6th century Arabia, we see rights being given to women; rights that women in the west did not have until the 19th century. The rights for women to marriage, divorce, inheritance, and take up arms was so revolutionary that many Muslim men were infuriated by them, especially one of Prophet’s companions, ‘Umar. Equality for all people was also emphasized. One of the key figures during Muhammad’s lifetime was the black-skinned Ethiopian, Bilal (peace be upon him), who was freed from slavery. Bilal became the first muezzin in Islam when he was requested by Muhammad to use his beautiful voice for the call to prayer. However, as mentioned with ‘Umar, it was difficult for some of the early Muslims to shake off their old pagan habits, so there existed times when Bilal was verbally harassed for his dark skin, but the Prophet disputed with them and defended his friend. As the Qur’an states: “Another of His signs is the creation of the heavens and earth, and the diversity of your languages and color. There truly are signs in this for those who know” (30:22). Diversity was also highly emphasized on in Muhammad’s Last Sermon, in which he said “An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab. A white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have superiority over a white… You know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. You are all equal. Nobody has superiority over another except through piety and good action.”
As acknowledged by Karen Armstrong, a contemporary admirer of the Prophet, “Muhammad wanted every man, woman, and child in Mecca to develop within themselves the humble thankfulness that should characterize the human condition.” With all that engrosses our lives, it is sometimes easy to fall into forgetfulness and not reflect on the Unseen world as we would like to. But when we have friends, Loved ones, and other sources of reminders, it’s a blessing to find your spirit return to that deeper part of yourself where you feel Unity, Truth, and Love. Muslims believe that everything Muhammad said was not his words, but God’s words. Therefore what Muhammad wanted for us is what God wants for us. Learning and reading about the unity and Love that God wants for us is enough to make our entire Being’s smile and find that Happiness we are all looking for. As the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, Imam ‘Ali said just before he died:
“My advice to you is that you should not consider anyone as a partner of the Lord, be firm in your belief that there is One and only One God. Do not waste the knowledge given to you by Muhammad, and do not give up and destroy his Sunnah (traditions). Keep these pillars of Islam aloft. If you act according to my advice then you cannot be blamed for damaging or destroying the religion.” (Nahj al-Balaghah, Letter 23)
I believe all of us can learn something about ourselves by heeding to his advice. Thank you for reading.
Salaam, Shalom, Shlama, Peace
~JehanZeb~ October 05 A New Beginning Carry me into the wind I think of my longings, my desires I want to borrow my Angel’s wings September 29 Ramadan Mubarak Tonight, let’s move out of the dining hall August 23 Oneness Look beyond the illusion of separation August 18 A Dance Under Moonlight My Love, may I play the violin of longing for you
tonight? |
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