Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Love Already Told Me, But I Disbelieved - Religion, Sufism, Escapism and Our Bold Presumptuous Promises

Love Already Told Me, But I Disbelieved
Love told me, "Be patient..."
Love told me, "Persevere..."
Love told me, "Eat healthy..."
Love told me, "Go to the gym..."
Love told me this and Love
Told me so many other things,
But did I listen?
Never...

So I was brought down,
My stature lowered,
My station left down low,
My wealth and my health
Waiting for a better tomorrow,

And then Love came to me in the night
And said, "Will you NOW then listen to me?"

Thus I replied, "Give me my pen that I might write 'Yes',
Give me my face that I might prostrate before Thee,
Give me my hands that I might do charity,
Give me the Sun that I might know where is West,
Give me my veil that I might hide my piety,
Give me my health that I might do all this
When now I know that all that
You've ever wished for me
Was for my best.
..................

TWO AIMS. The spiritual path of the Sufis has two aims, to address our heavenly endeavours and our worldly enterprises. Because you know, unless you are packing it in, and retiring from your job to become a full-time paid-up member of the Path, you still gotta eat, sleep and work to provide a living for those whom you are responsible for.

What is the point if you are learned in the transcendental truths and knowledgeable in the history of the Saints when you are not well? You have to take care of yourself, sunshine - in all aspects of your life, health, wealth and worldly knowledge, that you might contribute to society as an upstanding citizen, and nevermind your most Sufi-esque pretension.

Otherwise, for all these 'meaningful' and 'profound' expositions on love, truths and mercies, your faith and your 'sufism' would become nothing but a form of escapism. And I know, masyaAllah, how I know that there is so much promise in you.


Believe me. For I am not lying. For I too was there on the Day of Promises when we each made our bold presumptuous promises to our One Loving God. And we promised each other before Him that we shall look out for one another, and to remind one another. So here I am, reminding you. And reminding myself too. God bless.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam
Love will show the Way

No comments: