THUS MY PROSE COLLAPSES INTO RUINOUS WORDS...

The Worlds

The Straight Path is a path

In both this world and the world hereafter,

And it is also the bridge

From this world to the world hereafter.

............................

I am told that the siratulmustaqim (the straight path) is so thin, you cannot even see it with your naked eye. But you can sense it with your conscience. So I try not to ignore my conscience, lest I become blind(er). Pray for me, sunshine!

The Worlds

This world is known as the natural world,

And the world of the Prophets and Angels

May be known as the supernatural world,

And the world of the Devils and the Djinns

May be known as the subnatural world...

Lo, the regret for those

Who think that the world of the Devils and the Djinns

Is equal to or greater than this natural world!

Lo, greater the shame and loss for those

Who think that the world of the Devils and the Djinns

Is even comparable to the world of the Prophets and the Angels! 

.............................

There is but one God. And His vision over His countless worlds and creatures is perfect and manifest. May we always be reminded of this, wherever providence may bring us temporarily, on our way towards the only place worth chasing... the Divine Presence of Allah (swt) and His Most Beloved, Muhammad Habibullah (saws). Pray for me, sunshine!

The Utterly Incomparable

... And nothing created is comparable to Him,

The incomparable One, absolute in His Uniqueness,

Utterly Alone in His Praiseworthiness,

Inexplicably Different in His Difference to His Creation,

Unimaginably Breathtaking in His Beauty,

Completely Absolute beyond any created understanding

Of completeness and absoluteness...

Thus my prose collapses into ruinous words,

Turning songs and poems
Into sighs and moans for the Unknowable 

Who desires to be known!

......................

Someone said to me, "Lo! How long have you been lost? Desiring something other than His desire? Desiring something other than Him?" Yes, that is me alright. So you, see. It is only natural that I ask for your prayers, sunshine.

Have a lovely Sabbath.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

Death Beneath the Bowing Eaves

A MEETING
I came to see you, 
Beneath the bowing eaves
Of the willow trees, 
Bent in praise to the Lord,

I greeted you kindly, 
But your downcast eyes
Did not see me at all,
Cast in pearly tears
For a life spent
Looking for love
All your weary years,

Beneath your emerald robe
Rivers of sadness streamed,
Above your noble head
Was tied a turban 
Of strange symmetry,

Two roses keep your company,
Burnished white and crimson,
The shy fleeting prayers
From two constellations,

At the end of the river
Two clouds form
Like a burial wreath,
For all your trials,
Your poverty, your sickness
And your wealth,

Now finally, you looked up
And you saw me,
And then you said,
"O Death...?"   

...................................................

Prepping for death. I am advised that all I need to know about life is that it is best spent preparing for death. For that moment not to be hastened or delayed when we are introduced to Mr. D himself. But waitaminute... my mistake, it is not about prepping ourselves for death, but for the life after death. "I am but a door." Death says.

Evil does not win by death. In the ancient and modern take of life and death, I find it interesting that ghosts, demons and all sorts of nefarious creatures (including mankind also) are treated to have succeeded in their wickedness if they are able to terminate the life of the hero / heroine / innocent in a story. You will find this in the oldest folklore and you can watch it in the most contemporary horror films. For a believer, death is not a dice game between good and evil. For these fellows death is a threshold to a homecoming, as birth is a witness to a sorrowful parting.  

Azrael (Izra'il) Mr. Death is no servant of the wicked or evil. As an Arch Angel of God, he gets his instructions from the Divine Presence. And no doubt a piece of paper with our names scribbled will one day pass into his angelic In-Tray. InsyaAllah, may we all end in a good passing, at the end of a life beautifully lived as a servant of God and humanity. You know... to be remembered as good sorta chap (or chapette).

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

THE DJINN SPRING - Politics, the Devil and his small 'd' and the Arab Spring

1. The small 'd'

My Lord is not democratic,

So I do not subscribe to

What is not of My Lord,

My Lord is unique

And He does not account

For rights which He bestows not,

Some say it is the Greek,

From where this story began,

But the tale is old,

Much older than the age of this world

To a time and a tale many have forgotten,

When a Djinn of the highest rank

Felt compelled to reject the Lord's command,

Looking at Adam and replying dismissively,

"I will not bow. I am better than he."

.....................

The Big 'D'. That 'Djinn of the highest rank' is of course, as you may already know, the Devil, or Satan or Bezelbub or by any other name that he is known to mankind. God created our common ancient grandfather, and then commanded the whole of creation to prostrate before Adam. And inevitably, Azazil (as he was then known honourably as the first, mightiest and most loyal Djinn of God) in his pride and hubris gazed into Adam, scoffed at the idea of bowing before a puny, weak creature of water and earth, and uttering in disdain, "Ana khairun minhu (I am better than he)". And verily followed the rest of the Djinn Nation in rebellion against God's Word.

Thus arose the very first democratic protest in all of Creation. The 99 Percent against the One. No doubt, media commentators (if they were in existence way back then) would label it 'The Occupy Creation Movement' or 'The Djinn Spring'.

My personal distaste for democracy comes not just from the scriptural lessons, but from real life events that overtakes my otherwise happy days with examples of Man's folly. And how sad when clerics and religious teachers (who really ought to know better) decide to take part in the electoral process and muddy their scholarly cloaks by dragging them through the mud of human politics. Because this is what would happen - they would call unto the population to their most base common denominators - fear, anger, greed and pride.

Yesterday's headline in a local newspaper: "UMNO (the Muslim party in Federal power) heeds the call of PAS (the Muslim party in opposition) to unite to against the Prophet-insulting movie.".This is religious jingoism and the inevitable end when you mix religion and politics.
Why must we ALWAYS play according to someone else's script?
We are led by the nose and we don't even realise it,
thinking ourselves so pious and learned.
*sigh*

My brother, may God bless his soul, said this to me, "Why must we ALWAYS react in anger, with street protests, the burning of flags and blood-curdling cries for vengeance? Why not say, 'How sad we are by the insults towards our beloved Prophet by those who know nothing of him, but lies and prejudices?' We hope they will be rightly-guided, insyaAllah..." 

I don't always agree with my brother, but he is right, I think. May we all be rightly-guided always.

InsyaAllah.

Have a happy insult-free hate-free Sunday, sunshine. It is a beautiful wet drizzly morning here in Kuala Lumpur.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam.

Love will show the Way

Mr. Ikhlas Prayer - Waiting outside the Gate of Knowledge and walking through...

49. What is your God like?

One day someone asked me,

“O’ stranger, what is your God like?”

And this was what I wished

I was able to reply,

“My God is kind, like me.

My God is generous, like me.

My God is truthful, like me.

My God is patient, like me.

My God is understanding, like me.

My God is loving, like me.

My God is merciful, like me.

“He is all that?”, he asked.

“Yes. And so much more.

For He is not my God.

He is our God.”

And thus would I conclude,

“So if you wish

To know Him,

Then know me.”

...........................

The above prose does not make sense perhaps, unless the stranger is one of the Prophets of God, and even more so if he is the Seal of the Prophets himself, Muhammad ibn Abdullah (pbuh), born in Mecca, passing on in Medina but a Mercy to all the world(s).

And if it is not the Prophet Muhammad, then the stranger could very well be one of his Companions (Umar perchance?), and in that context God is taken out of the equation, and in His absence the Prophet becomes the best guide to God.

And if it is not a Companion, then it may be one of the Saints of Islam, say perhaps Shaykh Abdul Qader Geylani, and the other person he is referring to would be a Companion, Salman al Farsi, for instance.

You can guess where this is heading. He he he. The stranger is you.

.........................

I had a long chat with my friend, Mr. Ikhlas this morning. Many fascinating things we covered (which I hope to share with you here one day) but this is one nugget of advice he gave me. "You must have the best of ambitions. Do not allow the Prophet, the Companions or the Saints to become a veil between you and success in this world and in the next. The holy ones are meant to be gates of knowledge, not veils of knowledge."

"I am a little afraid, Ikhlas." I confessed. "Who am I, and who are they? I am worse than nothing, I am a bad sinner."

"No, my friend." He admonished me. "Why are you sitting out here by the gate of knowledge, pussy-footing at the peripherals? Are you waiting for the holy ones to invite you in? There is the gate. There is the door. Walk through!"

(Easy for him to say, I thought)"Walk through? How?"

Mr.Ikhlas then chuckled, "He he he. The easiest thing in the world - just ask. Ask God - o' Lord, however you have made Shaykh Abdul Qader to be, make me like him! However You have made Shaykh Jelaluddin Rumi to be, make me like him! However You have made Khalid al Walid to be, make me like him! However you have made my Mawlana to be, make me like him!"

Then he paused, before giving me the clinching reason. "After all, Taufiq, if you ask for something good from God. Would He deny you? If you asked your mother for something, if it was in her powers to give, would she have not granted you your wish? Are you telling me God does not love you as much and even better than your own mother? Or are you suggesting that God's power to grant His servants their most impassioned desire is limited or somehow constricted?

..............

The story of Mr. Ikhlas is an interesting and continuing tale that traverse across decades of his long life, and crisscrosses between the world of Man, the world of the Unseen beings and the world of the Djinns. But essentially, at this point in his life, it is to the world of Man that Mr. Ikhlas belongs. Contented at home and happy to be in his skin... perhaps that is why he can come up with some poignant and wonderful prayers.

I just thought I would share this prayer with you today, on the eve of Malaysia's Hari Merdeka. So be not reticent in your congress with your God, sunshine. Ask! Ask! Ask and never stop asking! 

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

Life and the Alchemy of Meanings - The Prophet(pbuh), music and messrs rock and roll

I Cannot Be More Than This

I cannot be more than this,

A man dressed in the humanly attributes

Of weakness, shamefulness and error.

I cannot be more than this,

A sinner hidden by a veil,

A jester in a court…

But who’s court?

Playing and dancing for a king,

But who is the king?

I cannot be more than this,

To have feelings of success and disappointments,

To be weary sometimes, to be strong sometimes,

And I am ashamed to ask for anything

When I am asking only

To be nothing,

… or so I claim.

I cannot tell you what to do

I cannot tell you what not to do,

I am only a gold digger,

A hobo with a pan in my hand

Scouring the world for

Signs of God in

The earth

Of Man.

You speak to me of your worry

...But I cannot understand,

For just now I heard my Master

Tell me of the Beauty of God

And the blessings for Man,

You tell me of the signs, the names

The words and the secret numbers

Of Djinns and Demon Kings,

But I must be forgiven for taking

My indiscretions a step further -

For I do not care for such meanings,

Looking for the dictionary of the dictionaries,

Looking for the hidden meanings behind the meanings,

For I change the world

With every breath I take,

With every good or bad

That possesses my being

I give meaning

to everything.

………………

This morning my friend arrived from the mountain bearing some grave news, and upon his furrowed brow I saw discontent and worry.

He was worried about his way in life, about responsibilities and knowledge, about effort and sacrifice. I told him not to worry too much, for to be honest, I have always believed him to be a fine and upstanding fellow. A gentleman cut from a fine beautiful jewel, and one whom I am honoured to call a bosom buddy. 

Then he spoke to me of a shirt I made and gave to him many, many years ago. On it was emblazoned the heading 'We Rock 4 Mustafa', a phrase that made me extremely happy, in reference to some presumptuous love we have for Mustafa a.k.a. the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Now I am informed that the phrase is wrong. I should have not used the word 'rock' in relation to the Prophet. Because it appears that the word 'rock' as in 'rock and roll' is actually the name or title of a pair of Djinn Demon lords who conspired for rock & roll to be the name of their dastardly new musical form, intended with the sole purpose of corrupting mankind. Yes, I remember the shock that engulfed humanity when American TV first aired Elvis Presley and his gyrating hips. Cunning, these Djinn Bosses.

Well, I cannot please everyone, nor is it my intention. I am not 'a Sufi', though I love them all (both the sober and the drunkards), and my admiration for the Masters is I believe sincere. I do believe in the existence of Djinns, though I see them not. I have not acquired (nor do I want) the talent to see these foul creatures. But then again I also do not see God nor His Angels, yet I believe in Him and the Angels, and I believe in the teachings of the Prophet(pbuh) and the Saints.

Of the Djinns and Demons..? Let them play their part. And let those who fight such creatures do their noble duty. But if there is a stout little Djinn out there (and no... not Dwayne Johnson) who connived to have his name glorified as Rock (or Roll) through some hedonist and soul-corrupting genre of sexually pulsating melodies, well... we are taking your name and changing it for our own purpose. We can do this, you see, and not just to words or names, but also to  sounds and music, symbols, signs and any other visual or audio depictions that the Djinn mind can conjure. If you knew the extent of our mischief in this regard, you would be scandalized. 

This is a technical posting, sunshine, that may be of interest to some but possibly an utter drag for others. We will revert to our normal programming tomorrow.  

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

The Djinn Battles above Kuala Lumpur, circa early 1970s - the Djinns, the Caliph and the coming melee

The sky seems empty but for the gorgeous sunset. But what is
going on up there that we do not see?

Sunday ended beautifully with a dimming sunset in red and golden hue. But it was under this same sky, some 40 years ago that a young Mr. Ikhlas (see below on my earlier postings about Mr.Ikhlas) was driving to Kuala Lumpur one auspicious night. He was travelling along one of the main tributaries into the capital city, Jalan Kuching, which was then a single lane trunk road winding its way through a quiet and very much rural scene when he suddenly notice something very strange overhead. Very strange indeed. He stopped the car by the side of the road and came out to have a better look.

The Djinns were in a pitch battle with each other above the skies of Kuala Lumpur. "It was a pitiless fight, a very bloody battle. No quarter was given and none was expected...", said Mr. Ikhlas.

It is funny that coincidentally I am informed that there is a right ruckus now in the Djinn nations. With the advent of the new Caliph of Islam, King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the ancient veteran Djinn soldiers of the Caliphs are mobilising in battle orders for yet another upcoming melee against their old adversaries, the evil Djinns.

Fascinating stuffs. These are interesting times that we live in, sunshine. And just when you think that the sinner is only writing about love, mercy and beauty. But such events are occurring even as I am writing this. Just as the saints and angels go about their business often unseen, so too do the Djinns, and belief in their existence is an implicit part of our faith. Not many people are given (I shall not say blessed, because it is a burden) the third eye to see the Djinns, but for some, like Mr.Ikhlas and others, it is already a part of their life.

It is only with the grace of God and the guidance of the Prophet(pbuh) and the saints that such men are able to carry the weight of their responsibility with a light heart but a determined will. For contacts between mankind and djinnkind is always fraught with dangers, both physical and spiritual. And some men and djinns, alas, have fallen very low indeed. May God have mercy on them.

Contacts with Djinns is like climbing a mountain.
You get to see interesting things but lo, if you misstep
and lose your foothold and slip!

My prayers and thoughts today go to Mr.Ikhlas and such men who unbeknownst to the rest of mankind have toiled hard in the dark spaces between our reality and the Djinn's world to keep at bay the hounds of hate that ever seek to possess and misguide the human spirit.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Earlier Postings on Mr.Ikhlas -
*The Holy Quran, Mr. Ikhlas and Katmir the Dog - Man's Best Friend
*Mr. Ikhlas, Black Magic and The Divine Shyness in the Presence of Villainy

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

Map of the Hidden Saints and Devils

Map of the Hidden Saints and Devils

In the worst country,

And in the worst region of that country,

And in the worst city of that region,

And in the worst neighbourhood of that city

You will find a great Saint of God,

In the best country,

And in the best region of that country,

And in the best city of that region,

And in the best neighbourhood of that city

You will find a great minion of the Devil.

....................

The Balance.

The eternal balance of the cosmos, as depicted by the Chinese symbol of ying-yang, and by the Hindu contemplative churning of the Milk Ocean is forever depicted by two opposing halves of reality, the good and the bad - the truthful and saintly in a protracted and continuing cosmic struggle against the deceitful and villainous.

The Light and the Shadow.

So aspirants of the spiritual path, in whatever religion, have often been warned - near the holiest and most saintly of teachers, evil treads not more than seven paces behind the good man. And it is also true for the worst and despicable creatures amongst men, for not more than seven paces behind him walks a saint of God, whether in spirit or physically there, to balance the cosmic scale of good and evil.

Holy Mecca.

These dual scenario is played out again and again in the holiest sites of religion all over the world. And no place is an exception. As one Sufi Grand Shaykh once noted, "The Devil can and does come before the Holy Kaaba in the holy city of Mecca itself, a malevolent spirit hiding amidst the faithful thousands who come to Mecca to worship God."

Saintly Mission.

The role of saints are to attend to sinners, and to hold spiritual clinics for the spiritually needy. Sometimes this happens in homes, mosques, temples and churches. But often, the spiritually needy are not there, and the saints would then need to go down to the ground to help those whose lives are blighted by oppression of the human ego, whether it is their own ego, or the rampant egos of other human beings. This tend to happen quietly and the agenda is hidden. Ordinary folks would then, uninformed as to the true nature of the Saint's mission, judge the Saint by his action - Look, he associates with drug-dealers and gang members! Look, he is at a club and spending time with bankers and politicians! Oh, how scandalous! Thus some people inadvertently commit slander because they forget an important Sufi adage -

A place, any place, is honoured and blessed 

by the presence of an honoured and blessed Awliya Allah (Friend of God).

Looking for a Saint. So if you are the sort desiring the attention of a saint, really, they are everywhere. There is probably one in your neighbourhood or city. The degree and extent of their authority and scope of influence varies according to the role that they will play in God's plan for you. Some saints may only have a temporary role, guiding you to one maqam (spiritual station) only for another senior saint to take you on. And there are those saints who will be the main pillar of your entire life. In any event they all report along their own chain of silsilah (chain of spiritual and temporal authority between Saints) that go generations back to either two of the Companions of the Prophet(pbuh), Saidina Ali or Saidina Abu Bakar, and of course ultimately to Saidina Muhammad, the Prophet of God(pbuh). It is accepted knowledge that ALL Sufi orders originates from Saidina Ali, save for one that comes through Saidina Abu Bakar.

Just Ask. And how do you find the Saint intended for you? You need only ask in your heart and you will be answered. That is the key to reading the map to the Hidden Saints. And funnily enough, it will also be the key to open the map to the Hidden Devil. But even this bad fellow will be as to nothing when compared to the rampant ego that mankind often hides in their thoughts and actions. And that is why, some people are driven unto the spiritual path. To seek the help of a Saint to tame and subdue their ego to the Grace of God manifested in the infinite merciful reflections of Muhammad Habibullah (pbuh).

Right, that's about enough, sunshine. I hope there is something useful for someone in this extended bla-bla-bla. I just enjoy the writing. Hehehe.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

Mankind, the Devil, Civil Wars and the Bitter Sweet Chalice of Choice

21. It is the much alike (The Devil and Man)

It is the much alike,

Not the wholly different,

Who are bound to

Bear grudges between

Each other.

It is ironic.

Almost funny, save that

It can bear a sea of pain

Stretching from the young

To the death bed.

I wonder if

The Devil

And man

Has considered this.

MAN AND DJINN. According to conventional lore in Islam, the Devil is of the race of Djinn (not Angels although he was raised to an arch angel-like rank). Like a family secret nobody wants to admit, we are actually similar to Djinns, us mankind. Otherwise God would not have said that He created Mankind and Djinn to praise and worship Him. What's the point of putting two entirely different species of creation in one sentence, if not to imply some comparison between the two. And indeed we are similar, the most significant common ground being that both humanity and Djinn have been given the bitter sweet chalice of choice - Our choice to do what is right or wrong, our choice to be patient or impatient, our choice to do charity or be greedy, our choice to contemplate the reflected glory of God in our worlds or to be borne by our egos to some poor end.

CIVIL WARS. Civil wars are the worst sort of conflict. And the irony is that it is most often fought by those very, very similar to one another. Civil wars are fought between a group of people who tend to look the same, eat the same type of food, wear the same type of clothes, dance the same type of dance and probably even worship in the same faith. But for one reason or the other we fall out, then once we stop talking we start fighting. A horrible precedence from the days of Cain and Abel, the very first civil discord in recorded history. Unless of course you want to count Adam, Eve and the Devil.

Mankind is blessed but he ought to remember that the Devil was blessed too, with great knowledge, with great victories over the rebellious Djinns, and with great piety, for nay an inch of the world exists where the Devil did not prostrate in worship and praise of God. The Devil was the poster-boy, a Hero of the Ancient Wars of the Djinns, and he made only ONE mistake in refusing to bow before Adam, and looked what happened to the poor fellow. That is the Devil, but how many mistakes have we made? How many times have we ourselves erred?

No conclusions, today. Just something to think about, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

One Thousand Million Angels - Prose of Ramadhan Part 42

One Thousand Million Angels (Ramadhan Verses 24)
The sky opened
And a thousand million
Angels descended
With the rain.

You wrote a love letter
And a thousand million
Angels spilled from the pen.

Your eyes opened this morning
And a thousand million
Angels left their perch
On the Tree of Life.

You said "I am sorry, my love."
And a thousand million
Angels sighed in relief
By the pillars of
The Throne of God.

You light a cigarette,
And a thousand million
Angels cried in sorrow,
“Why do you poison your temple!?”

You took your daughter
Into your warm embrace,
And a thousand million
Angels paused to take pictures
Of you and your child,

You would have been undone
Many times over, had
The Lord not commanded
The Angels to mind over
Your welfare.

Trust me.
I saw it all.
I was there.

The overwhelming numbers of sentient beings are Angels, followed by a small percentage of Djinns and a tiny drop of humanity in the infinite sea of creation. I guess a lot of people would like to actually see the Angels, but as beings created of spiritual light, you shall need to see them through the window of your heart and not your eyes. Of course, they have often manifested themselves in human form on the command of the Lord, to bring down holy scriptures to the prophets, and often enough, to test them. Abraham was tested and so was Adam (yes, even after his exile from heaven), amongst many others.

But these you are talking about the arch-Angels. There are many, many, many other minor angels attending to their different ministeries of creation and specific human agencies. It would be a thing of joy to learn of them, if not while we are alive, perhaps later on in the University of the HereAfter. You don't have to worry about passing any entrance exams into this fine academic institution. Everyone, sooner or later will be admitted into this university.

Hehehe. Have an angelic day, sunshine. The Sun is up, but in my sky I could see the Moon still hovering bright like a lantern. It is a good omen. 

wa min Allah at-taufiq.

Friday Contemplation on Dzikr, Heartbreaks, Djinns, Demons and the Human Ego

20. Dzikr is not

The remembrance

Of God and Prophet by recitation,

But through listening.

Yea! Listening!

In the purring of kittens,

In the laughter of children.

In the crying of women.

Sometimes dzikr (recitation of the Divine Names of God and contemplation of His Attributes) is not just about verbal recitation, the enunciation of the beautiful names of God.

For some, it is the silent recitation in the heart. And when you do that you are not just reciting, but listening to your heart. A strange man shared with me that the silent recitation helps unlock our senses. For once we can listen to the divine reverberations within ourselves, it will help us hear them in other things to. In all things really… In the smile of your son, in the embrace of your father, in the happy company of old friends. And sometimes, even when you inadvertently hurt the feelings of someone very dear to you…

15. Stupidity knows no boundary
I hurt the heart of someone,
And did not the world crumble all around me?
Did not all of creation sigh and roared in woe?
For though I fear to admit this,
Oh Lord, in her I saw You!

So you see – Sufis lap up all this dzikr not for nothing. It is not for no good reason that they steal intimate moments with their Lord, alone or even in a crowd. You may notice one of them during your meal. He would be there physically, listening to the dinner chatter, but then you noticed that his fingers are twiddling thin air,… his hand remembering the contented counting of the tasbih (rosary beads), each breath remembering God, each smile and glint in his eyes KNOWING that God too is remembering him. He is in a happy, happy place.

But this transcendental exercise is not a selfish act, a willful desire to away yourself from humanity and its many sorrows and tribulations. At a certain level, it is intended to arm the Sufi with the facility to TRULY hear the cries of the weak and heart-broken, to see through the layers of the human personality, to find the blackness that is worming through the person’s being and help him expel the darkness. Or at least tame its effects on him. And no, I am not really talking about demons or Djinns, I am talking about the human ego, which has the ability (and inclination) to impersonate demons and Djinns - nay, sometimes even demons and Djinns would cower at the sight of the appalling human ego. For although mankind can rise above the station Angels, but lo, how far they can fall… only God knows!

So you see, there are many, many thing we have yet to learn about ourselves. Walk with me, sunshine, and help me learn, and perhaps we shall always be the endearing, caring and helpful friend that God always wanted us to be. And be of some use to our brothers and sisters in humanity.

Have an excellent Friday, pet.

Pax Taufiqa.

Rumi, the Cherubim and the Acre of Tears

Rumi, the Cherubim and the Acre of Tears
I planted an acre of tears,
From seeds of luminous light
Trickling from my eyes,
Bright as day, and
Dark as the night
Created for
Love’s Delight.

I planted a row of roses,
And count as custodian
The passionate Moses,
For it was he who
Admonished God
To relent and give
Ease to the
Nation of the Beloved.

I planted an orchard of friends
But saw myself leaving them behind.
I dined with the Cherubim that night
But declined the wine.

I didn’t want to be rude
But I was worried,
For I can hear Rumi knocking
On the door, asking to be let in.

“Confound you, Taufiq!”
I can hear him yelling,
“It’s raining angels out here.
Open the door before I am drenched
In this heavenly downpour!”

In the truest sense of the word, I am no poet. I wonder if Rumi was ever asked in his lifetime whether he thinks himself a poet. You can ask him now if you want. I have no doubt, he would find a way to get his reply passed on to you. Perhaps a passing Cherubim would agree to take his message.

THE WORLD IS A STAGE said Shakespear. I was being rather optimistic in the above sketch. I do not think Rumi will give up so easily. For Love is not about giving up. Love is about trying your darn best even when the chips appear down. Love is about not giving up on your friend, even when he has given up on himself. For you see, everything is fated. Fate is like a script to a play. You are given by God your daily script (good day, bad day, pay day, Friday, appalling day, bad hair day, wedding day…) and you have absolutely no choice in the matter. But how you read your lines is entirely up to you, don’t you agree?

SAY YOUR LINES WELL. So say your lines with love and submission, my friends. At times we play the hero, and sometimes we would play the victim or damsel-in-distress. At other times we are just extras walking in and out of the scene. And for some stressful occasions, we must act the villain – the father who refuses to buy a toy for his son, a boss who must cut overtime, or a class teacher who must send her student to the disciplinary master. But villain or hero, extra or superstar, it is our call how we act out our script.

THE SECRET GIFT. If you can remember the preceding paragraph, sunshine – then the world will become nothing but a plaything in your hand. And happiness and sadness becomes mere roles which you – the consummate artist, can act out, as and when you please, and as how you desire. And that is the Secret Happiness of Choices - a gift granted by God our Creator to all Mankind and Djinns, flowing from His Incalculable Wisdom and Love for His creation.


DEAR OLD RUMI. The new prose began as a stream-of-consciousness thingy which is not really my style. But I am glad that I have come to a bright happy conclusion. That is often the case when I recall Rumi’s name.

Have a happy day, pet.

Pax Taufiqa.

Objectivity? What Objectivity?

Mika was looking for objectivity,

I told him, "Don't bother."

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OBJECTIVITY? My last posting was labelled 'the uncommented prose'. What this means is that the prose published is not commented by way of any writing whatsoever. The prose stands as is, not expanded or qualified in any way by me. But is it uncommented when it already has a heading? I think that whatever or however we choose to say or write, nothing goes uncommented. Which means that objectivity doesn't truly exist. There are only personal experiences...
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19. I notice that…
Human observations never go naked
Without a gloss of objectivity
To hide what are, in truth, personal experiences.
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ABSOLUTELY EXISTING. Absolute objectivity doesn't exist, not when the SIngle One True Object pre-existing and actually existing is the Lord - The AbsoluteLY Existing and Eternal Essence. We are just reflections of His Divine Utter Absoluteness to which there is no comparison to the human intellect. But so long as you and I are here on planet earth, we must strive to understand this world for this is the best way for us to understand and come to love Him. The path of the aspirant is not to reject the world, but to comprehend the meaning of this world, its purpose and how he may serve God and His creation.

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196. You Have Chosen
Now that you are chosen
To be corporeal,
So you must study
The reflections, veils and mirrors
That are the trappings
Of your corporeal existence.

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TRUE MEANING OF THE PURPOSE. It is not for us to check-out from the World of Forms. As death has taught us, checking-out is wholly the province of God, not for us to chase nor postpone for a single milisecond. So while we are here, let us attend to the purpose God has set for us. The holy scriptures say this simple reason - that mankind and djinn are not created for mere sport, but to worship their Creator. And if you find this simple purpose either burdensome, dull or a lot of ho-hum, then surely, you have not found its true meaning.

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ONE MORE DAY! It is only touching 7am this Sunday morning. I am catching the early glimpse of the Sun dawning upon this world of men. So it appears that God has permitted one more day for us to find the true meaning of our existence, in as far as we may be guided. May we all be guided to the very best and joyous of meanings, and may we have the wisdom to accept and follow such guidance.

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And in the meantime, we can still pluck the low-lying fruits that God has blossomed in our grove for us to love and ponder upon - such as the overwhelming love you have for your children or parents, which is a mere glimpse of the Love of God, just like the sun now rising upon our day! Just like this pair of perfect and naughty yellow bananas!
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When I have absolutely nothing else to add, I bring out the heavy guns of Love, Mika and Rafa. Hehehe. Have a lovely Sunday, sunshine..

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Pax Taufiqa

The Love Story Between Gabriel & Muhammad, and Angelic Humour

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ANGELIC HUMOUR. I don't actually believe that Angels have a sense of humour. You cannot stop me however from hoping that they do. But such is the enormity of their responsibility, and the identity of their Boss (the Almighty God) that such hopes appear unlikely to be fulfilled. Angels are creature of pure light after all, and how can we have humour without some colour. Unless of course, the Angels can be broken through the prism and unleash the colours contained in their nature. Then maybe they can make Haha. But I am not holding my breath.
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THE LOVE STORY OF GABRIEL & MUHAMMAD. It is however incorrect to suggest that Angels are totally devoid of personality. In the interaction between Gabriel and the Prophet Muhammad, there are stories which appear to suggest the delicate personality of this angelic herald of God. I believe that whatever happened to Gabriel, happened simply because of the Prophet Muhammad, and by the fact that the Arch Angel was the first of his kindred to give his bay'at (oath of love and loyalty) to Muhammad Messenger of God. I remember writing thus...

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101. The Oath of Angels
Gabriel had the honour
To be the first of his kind
To give bay’at
To Muhammad.
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Blowing his circuits,
As he wonders,
What is this thing
Into me
Flooding?
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The existence of Angels, just like God Himself, is something which is believed implicitly based on faith. I cannot see them, nor do I hear them. But sometimes, quitely alone in the solitude of my writing, I feel them - "Look, look, he's writing about us again." I could feel them chatting. They are everywhere, being by far the most populous creation compared to Man and the Djinns. And they are certainly there with you, attending to you by the command of God, who first commanded all of Creation and the Angels to prostrate before our common grandfather, Adam.
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LOVECHILD. To every child born into this world, are anointed angelic guardians. They answer and are familiar to our true spirit. As a sinner, I do not know where my true spirit is residing. I know I am apparent, after all, I see my reflection in the mirror. But sometimes I feel I am hidden, and that these fingers that are typing these words now are being moved by invinsible strings. Mind you, we are not puppets, but I do believe we have a Master, more loving than the clouds, more forgiving than the rain. We just cannot see Him, that's all. It doesn't mean that He doesn't exist, nor that His Love is an illusion. How can it be, when you and I are here still? And I feel that slowly, I am falling in love with you already... Just like how Gabriel fell in love with the Prophet. And I am not confounded by anyone who says otherwise...
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46. Lot of the Self-Taught
O’ retarded spirits!
O’ puzzled kindred!
If Islam is not mystical,
Then show me God.
If Islam is not magical,
Then show me the angels.
If Islam is not spiritual,
Then show me thy spirit.
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Hah! It is to thy convenience
That thou scoff at us sinners.

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Have a lovely Thursday, sunshine.

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Pax Taufiqa