THE ENEMY, THE DOG, THE PIG AND THE RELIGION ... ending the illusion of 'religion'

What is Religion?

Things took a turn for the bad

When the Muslims took what they had,

The faith and the way that Muhammad brought,

And shoehorned Islam into their limited conception of

Religion and God.

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

Think about it, sunshine. There is no comparable religious study program of Islam and any other religion. For the truth is Islam encompasses everything. It is the tea that you drink, the charity that you do, the sin that you commit, the trust that you keep, the friendship that you have betrayed, the life that you live, and the love that you have faithfully kept or lost. For God has said that He knows your all, your past and future deeds, your black and white and grey. Islam of the Prophet Muhammad (saws) is a key to the infinite, and as such cannot be judged in finite empirical methods. 

Often, we repeat similar sentiments when we say, "Oh... Islam is not merely a religion. It is our way of life!". But the truth is we are merely parroting some preacher man. For in our conduct, in our prejudices and delusions of humility and obedience, we have still far, far, far to go in understanding and keeping to the Islam and Sunnah (traditions) of Nabi Muhammad (saws). Sad that many of us still cling to the intoxication that we somehow deserve Islam and the Prophet of Islam - that we have better rights than the pig in the sty, than the dog in the gutter... may Allah (swt) save us from this foolish 'piety'!

The Islamic Pig

You have not completed your faith 

Until you can look at the lowly dog, 

The dirty, stinky pig, 

The Devil and your worst enemy,

And perceive the Islam

In their action and purpose

Of their creation.

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

Dwell on this, my love. For one day, you may find me reprehensible, a liar and a wretched fool. And I hope that on that day, you will still perceive the Islam in me.

Have a hopeful beautiful Sunday.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

- Notrumi Embun, 25th May 2014.

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

DIVINE IRONY - Beware who you hate, God might make you fall in love with him/her.

Oh oh! He is following me! Is he friend or foe? 

17. Friend or Enemy?

I am writing for God,

I am writing for me,

And I am writing

For the me that

I perceive in

Others that

I see.

And though

I am already

In the company

Of such friends,

Others are still

Hidden

From me,

So if perchance,

O’ seekers,

That you are

One of me,

That let me bid you,

“Hello friend!”

And you shall not

Then call me,

“Enemy!”

Though the truth is,

As friend or enemy,

You cannot run

From me.

Nor can I flee

From you.

Not for as long

As I can conceive

You and you

Can conceive me!

I am acquainted with a Mureed (student) of a Sufi Tariqa Order. I remember him recalling this story...

"Do you know, before I met him I regularly cursed the Mawlana (Grandshaykh of the Sufi Order). I said that he was full of it and what he preaches is bida'ah (innovation). I even used four letter words in my rants. Then one time I was performing my mini-pilgrimage (the Umrah)  in Mecca. I was lazing about in my room when a particular verse of the holy Quran suddenly crossed my thought. Then it crossed and crossed and kept running through my head. It was the most craziest thing to have happened. It literally drove me mad and I was hitting my head against the wall trying to make it stop. It didn't stop, but I got a huge headache for my efforts. 

Some months later I was back in Malaysia when I heard that this crazy Mawlana was in town. I decided to visit him and went to the house where he was giving his sohbet (sermon of sorts). A large crowd was already in the house. I peeked through a window, then I tentatively made my way to the front door, and saw him sitting in the middle of a lot of mureeds. Then, by some strange coincidence, people started to move aside and open a way for me to walk in. Curious to hear what the Mawlana was saying, I stepped into the house. Then again the crowd gently parted like the Red Sea before me, so I edged further and closer, until finally I was in front of the Mawlana. He was unlike any man I have ever met. He looked up and saw me and gazed into my eyes. Then he started to recite the exact Quranic verse that almost drove me mad in Mecca. I started to cry. I fell into his honeypot, my friend... and have been in love with him since."

We do not know how long our friends will be friends, and our enemies will be enemies. We do not know what fate may have in store to turn your most hated foe into your most beloved friend. It happened to Umar the 2nd Caliph with the Prophet Muhammad and it happened to my friend with his Mawlana.

So be careful whom you hate. For the Lord may decide to have you falling head over heels in love. Such is the way of God - Most Wonderful, Most Beautiful, and always Most Surprising and Ironic!

It is Friday, sunshine. May this day turn your enemy into your beloved companion.

wa min Allah at-taufiq