STUPIDITY TRAVELING AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT... and the few not joining the race.

You Are Never Alone

If you feel disconnected,

Underwhelmed by

The Consumer Society,

Don't worry,

For you are not alone...

If you feel sidelined,

For nobody's side

Appears appealing,

Don't fret about it,

For you are not alone...

If you ask yourself,

Why do I bother

To read the news

Or the walls on Facebook,

Don't be anxious

For you are not alone...

If you are in a group,

And all the chats revolve

Around insignificant things,

It is no course for concern,

For you are not alone...

You are never alone.

We are here with you.

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

Why am I here? I wonder sometimes. Why do I bother opening the newspaper in the morning. Why do I bother to read tweets and postings on Facebook walls. The amount of vitriol, sarcasm, cynicism, hubris, hate, envy, depression, misinformation, propaganda, under-researched conclusions, racism and bigotry, and just plain old simple imbecility is breath-taking.

Not all sharing is good. It is not that I think this generation is particularly more bad than the previous ones. But the instantaneous sharing (or crowing, is another word) of things online is just too easy. Here we are, sitting with our laptop or smartphones, and throwing our thoughts into the cyber world as if there is no one out there to judge what we write. But you are judged by your peers. All the time, 24/7. 

Online crows real life turtle doves. The funny thing is that when you personally meet some of these online crows, they turn out to be so much more nicer and sensible birds of an altogether different plumage. What is it about writing and sharing online which appears to bring out the bad in people?

Stupidity traveling at the speed of light. You know, there is no harm keeping some bad thoughts in us. For we are all generally normal human beings with normal bias and social conditioning which has made us less than perfect. Often, with the grace of God Almighty, we never actually get around to act out the bad deeds. And in the old days, where you would have to write a letter and post it to a newspaper or magazine and hope that the editor might choose your letter or opinion to publish, the chances of you actually permanently sharing your opinions are actually very, very small. Now though, every envy, every malice, every misinformation, every hubris and idiotic observations will have potentially millions of audience at the press of the button. The Disinformation and Corruption Superhighway we can call it. Hate and Stupidity racing across the globe at the speed of light.

Oh boy.

Doing good. But I am kept on the net because of a few. And these few shine like bright stars in an otherwise ocean of malice, hubris and foolishness. So thank you, sunshine... for without you, what little faith I have in humanity would long have ebbed with the rising tide of violence, corruption and exploitation that appears to be part and parcel of our daily life nowadays. 

They are not all Muslims, these few. But they are living their lives in worshipful praise of God with no agenda, no objectives and no particular aim save one... To do good. 

And to the good is to do God's work.

Don't you agree, sunshine? Auw... bless your heart.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

- Notrumi Embun, 17th August 2014

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

Bring Your Extraordinary to Your Game - The Caliph of Islam and the Times (they are a changin'...)

15. Extraordinary Friend

Dear friend,

Your ordinary is already very good,

So your extraordinary

Must be something really special.

Were it for your sake alone,

I would be contented with the ordinary you,

But the days are growing short,

And really,

Only your extraordinary

Would be good enough now

for me.

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

Hi, sunshine. You, like many of my other friends, are really a good person. Charming, witty, kind and generous. Patient when times are tough and thoughtful when times are good. Unlike me, you are not easily swayed by your emotion nor do you stray far from the path of goodness. With your sort of people still walking on this Earth, I know that in humanity there shall always be hope.

The Caliph

But the days are getting shorter and shorter. The times are a changin' and after more than 80 years, the Caliph of Islam has made a reappearance in the form of King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. And many saints and masters have discarded their earthly shell to find, as one Grandshaykh puts it, Real Power.

These changes, while occurring perhaps far from where you live, will have significant impact on the balance of the World, the ying and yang, a ripple in the Force, a blip in the Matrix. Oh, it is all good, of course, as things move in the manner, timing and momentum pre-ordained by God and managed by the Prophet, the Saints and the Angels. With such events happening, perhaps we need to up our game, to become stronger, to improve our lives, to eat better, work better, play and sleep better.

Ordinarily, I would not ask people to change for any reason. But we are at the cusp of an extraordinary age, and I want you to change for the better. So that I too might improve, following your extraordinary example. For I shall always be a follower, you see... and I would like to follow good examples.

God bless the Caliph, God bless the Saints, God bless you and may God forgive this weak, vacillating servant.

Have a lovely day, sunshine.

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

King Abdullah of Jordan, the Caliph of Islam, Emir of All the Believers - May God grant his reign to be merciful and beautiful

The Lion of the Desert

O’ rightful heir,

O’ rightful king,

O’ rightful deputy,

We are in the desert of ignorance,

We are thirsty for guidance,

We are waiting for a leader,

We are proclaiming our allegiance to thee,

Following a full moon shining over Qubruz,

We are proclaiming our allegiance to thee,

O’ Lion of the Desert,

O’ Lion of God!

Accept our allegiance

With kisses on your blessed hands and feet,

Accept our allegiance

As weak servants to thee,

O’ Sultan!

O’ Lion of the Desert!

O’ Lion of God!

With your three regiments,

Bearing the Banner of the Prophet!

The banner of the Mahdi!

And your royal standard!

Truth is with you, we are with Truth!

Falsehood is broken and wounded!

Truth is with you, we are with Truth!

Falsehood is broken as Truth commanded!

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

We have all been waiting...

This is what I call a technical prose and perhaps more relevant to the Muslims, as it is related to the new Caliph of Islam, Amirul Muqminin (Leader of the Believers) - His Majesty King Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. But Muslim, believer or otherwise, you will want to be able to answer your kid, "Hey Dad, where were you when the new Caliph of Islam was announced?" Your reply: "Oh my son, I was reading that fatuous blog 'The Sinners Almanac'. In fact I got the news from there, of all the unlikely places!" But to share a little bit more disclosure than is common by your reticent writer, the pronouncement by the Sufi shaykh in the small town of Lefke, Cyprus can be seen on video by Clicking Here - The pertinent videos are entitled "To King Abdullah" (28.04.2012). And you can scroll down to the earlier video entitled "Arshu Sham" (08.04.2012). For English, click on the subtitle.

Have a beautiful Sunday, sunshine. God bless you.

Earlier Postings on the New Caliph:
* ISLAM'S CALIPH ON THE THRONE OF JORDAN? - Islam came as a stranger and will come back as a stranger... Therefore give glad tidings to the strangers...
* IN THE STRUGGLE IN THE MEANING OF WORDS THE LION OF GOD IS NOT SLEEPING - The Caliph, The Believers and the Banner of Truth

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Footnote 30.04.2012: There is a little bit more flurry of activity about the pronouncement on the new Caliph. And perhaps it is enlightening (but predictable) that it has become some subject of ridicule and even vilification in some Muslim forums. It is also ironic that the only online coverage is by Muslims forums that attack the good King Abdullah as either unworthy (read too Western), a traitor to the Arabs, a CIA flunky or even worse, an Israeli-zionist agent on one hand, and on the other hand are a whole tribe of neo-con fundamentalist 'Christian' end-of-time Dominionist websites (like Jihadwatch) that have long eyed King Abdullah, being a direct descendant of the Prophet (pbuh) as a likely candidate for the Caliph.

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

The Tweeter Ego and the Nuclear Ego.... go KABOOM!

182. Body Language

The ego does not need words

To express itself;

Gesticulations, shrugs

And miniscule eye movements

Are enough to express

A compendium of emotion

That your mouth keeps secret.

So guard your limbs and eyes

As well as your lips and tongue!

…………………………….

THE TWITTER EGO. Anger, annoyance, irritation, despair and all the other off-springs of our ego, need not our mouths to express them. Sometimes it is the slightest shrug or the smallest rolling of the eyes that can speak volumes on behalf of our ego. This prose was written back in 2004, before Facebook (unless of course you were then in an Ivy League University) and Tweeter. Now with the advent of the online social networks, our rampant ego has found fresh ground to conquer and spread its dismay. We have read the most shocking rants and tirades on Twitter and Facebook already, so it is now nothing new. People are shooting out flaming Tweets and posting angry comments on Facebook walls… and for what? It serves nothing but to feed the human ego that tells us we are always right, and someone else is the wrong one.

THE NUCLEAR EGO. A couple of days back in the posting entitled God, Adab, Ego and the Nuclear Reactor of Love (Click Here), I wrote – “Don’t let our ego into the nuclear reactor of love. It can start a chain reaction that will annihilate our most cherished hopes…” I am full of this blinding-flash-of-the-obvious sort of wisdom. But recently I found an amazing video (by Japanese artist, Isao Hashimoto) which faithfully recorded via time-lapse animation ALL nuclear explosions from the first experimental atomic bomb in Los Alamos, followed by the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, right to Pakistan’s first bomb in 1998. The entry of countries into the Nuclear Club is seen in the flags depicted and each atomic flash is coloured according to the country doing the exploding. It starts slowly from the 1940s into the 1950s, but from the 1960s onwards things start to get exhilarating (in a morbid kinda way), as colourful explosions start to flash all around the globe. After a while it starts to look and sound like a deranged pinball machine. Here’s the video… Play it with the volume loud. 

May God protect all mankind from the worst excesses of the human ego- by politicians and military leaders acting under some misguided sense of patriotism and national self interests. They know not what they are doing, and what they are risking... May God guide them to the right path to abolish and destroy all nuclear and bio-chemical WMDs.

Thank you for dropping in, sunshine. Let’s have a thoughtful day.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

Whirling and Loving in the Last Quarter of Time

After we perished, we returned and we whirled

We perished, did we not?

When life appeared unfair and

Sadness fell like rain from the heavens

Leaving puddles of sorrow all around us.
Friends came visiting to wish us well,
Unknowing that they were consoling
An empty shell.

We died, did we not?

When hateful thoughts and bombs left

In buses, trains, marketplaces and falling from the sky

Took away our children, our fathers and mothers,

Our life reflected in the mirrors of our beloved,

Now cracked, broken and buried

In the meadow and sand dunes of our pain,

While orphans and widows turn to us crying, "Why?"

We were lost, were we not?

No humour amused us,

No song calmed us,

No balm soothed us.

We were simply blown away, were we not?

By the rising storm from the east,

By the despairing horde from the south,

By the lords of the north and west,

Where has gone the light of the universe?

Where is the orphan from the desert?

Where is the Moon above Medina?

Where is Layla and her Majnun?

From this despair we return;
We are now whirling,
We are now loving,

Expelling the death of hope,

Turning aside the defeat of humanity,

Ending the famine of mercy,

Watering the drought of love,

We are struggling, are we not?

We are asking, ‘Forgive us’

We are pleading “Do not forsake us, o' Lord’

We are begging, 'This way that You love us,

Do not ever stop...'

How needful are we for You,

Are we not?

O' God?

Sinner. Do not worry, sunshine. If I could whirl, I would not write. If I was so busy 'being good' I would not spend so much time in the grubby confines of the sinners' almanac. Things are difficult, but perhaps things were never so easy to begin with.

Still around. It is coming to the end of 2011, and soon the Christians will celebrate Christmas, and later in 2012, it shall be the turn of the Chinese to celebrate their new year. Thank you for still being around, my friends. Thank you for sticking with it, for rising up however fate has put you down, for facing the big and small adversities of your life with patience and submission.

End of Time. People worry about the end of time, and there are pundits out there whose sole job is to chronicle the passing of Armageddon's milestones. I do not have the talent nor the sheer chutzpah for that. My job is only to write and remind myself how beautiful this world is, how it can still be preserved and how there exist still millions upon millions of people out there, whom without funfair or grand gestures continue to live their days, making beautiful changes, and sparking a beautiful light in the lives of those whom they touch.

I appreciate all that you are, and all that you are trying to be. God bless.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

THE THIRD EYE, LOVE AND HER FURY - The future of Mecca

The Third Eye, Love and Her Fury

I whirled and twirled,

I turned and burned

Until the sky itself

Started to turn red around me,

And all of creation cascaded

In perfect symmetry,

Until no sound can I hear

But my own gasping death,

I could now see

Buildings standing higher

Than the holy stations,

As the Sun rises in the West,

And from the east, merchant ships come upon me,

To trade for my third eye their splendid cargo of love and fury.

I tell them that I am not he that they seek,

But they will not be swayed from their bargain

And asked again to see the celebrated third eye.

Relenting, I sighed and gestured towards the sky.

When I was in Mecca earlier this year I saw the tall hotels, malls and clock tower that now stand majestically and towering over the Masjidil Haram Mosque within which sits the Holy Kaaba. Aesthetically I think that it is rather unbecoming to have such high commercial edifice overlooking the single point to which all Muslims pray to.

If people think that God cares not for aesthetics and beauty, then perhaps they have been walking this earth with their eyes blind and their hearts stone cold.

May our eyes be open always and our hearts softened by remembrance of the Divine Gifts that the Lord has bestowed upon us. Have a lovely Sabbath, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

Insane Root, Sign of the Times. So light the world with your example - Prose of Ramadhan Part 63

Sigh. Humans...

257. Insane Root
The many will oppress the few,
And money will have no value,

Children will want to be adults,
And adults will yearn for childhood,

Men will lose their station,
And women will rule in their stead,

Life will be one long misery,
And many will long to be dead,

Priests will desire kingship,
But no man will want to be led.

Workers will work in tall buildings
Turning as pale as ghouls,

Patience will be seen as unbecoming
And the patient will be regarded as fools.

Music ceases to be soothing,
Men is wont to be cruel,
Prayers will cease
To have meaning,
And egos will come to rule.

You don't need an angel with a mighty horn to announce the state of the times that we live in. What I do not share with you here, what I talk about with my friends and family is the unaccountable sadness that is afflicting our world. And you yourself will discern the pattern in the news, medias and blogs that continue to harp on and on about the bigotry, hate, violence, greed, corruption and terrorism that continues to plague our planet earth.

Imam Shafi'e (who is the founder of one of the four schools of Islam, the other being Hanbali, Maliki and Hanafi) once said that knowledge without action is equivalent to arrogance. In those old days, you barely know what is going on in your town or village, much less the rest of the country. Nowadays,  global bad news are speeding down the internet to spoil your days with stories of rape, pillage, murder and mayhem. Add in a smidgen of environmental catastrophe somewhere and there is your cup of anguish for the day. People say that caffeine is bad for you... I say bad news is too. Especially when we can do nuts about it. It just sits in your system like arsenic, slowly consuming your happiness and hope for a better future.

I do not know who's the good guys or the bad guys. Everyone is claiming they are right. So all we can do is to live and interpret events according to our conscience. And we make changes where we can first, starting with the man / woman in the mirror. It is the hardest thing ever, as my litany of failed New Year's resolutions will clearly illustrate - Stop smoking (nope), more exercise (what exercise?), less eating junk food (but it's so delicious). You know...

But as Heche likes to observe, to drag me out of my miserable pit of contemplation - only when the night is darkest do the stars shine the brightest. So very true.

My light is dim, but you sunshine... you can light the world with your example.

wa min Allah at-taufiq.

The One-Eyed King behind his Besieged Walls of Deceit and Conceit - Prose of Ramadhan Part 22

31. Affections of the Master II (a reappraisal)

There are those who would preach,

That choices have no role

In the Realm of Love.

But it does,

And at many times,

Your choice magnifies Love.

For have you not contemplated,

That when the Lord created us,

He too, chose.

My son Mikhail has his entire life ahead of him, while statistically I have passed more than half of mine. In the course of his life Mika shall have an ocean of choices to make. To weigh as best as he can, in the circumstances that he shall find himself in, which path to take, which door to open and which destination to choose. 

It is my earnest hope, that he shall always choose to magnify Love. To not be quelled and cowed by the illusion of our limitations. To not be bogged down by the baggage of regret and fear. To put faith in his heart and act upon his good conscience. And that perhaps, in the course of his mortal time, to unearth someone who shall always recall him to the Lord of Mercy and Compassion, as I have found in my son and his hypnotic glances.

If it is fated that I am to pass on earlier, I hope he shall remember his father's hopes. And if you bump into him on the street, or sitting next to you in the bus, tell Mika what I wished for him. So that he knows that his father is never truly gone.

When we act upon hate, envy, hubris and anger, we lose our choice to our manifested ego. It is our egos that choose, not us. It is only when we elect to do good, to be on the side of God that we retain our honoured gift from the Lord. To choose to be the gentle friend, the firm support to all humanity, as chevaliers in dowry to the court of Fatima az-Zahra the Renowned. The conspiracy theorists talk of the one-eyed king in the end of time and his vast black dominion. But in my writ, we are besieging the dark lord behind the walls of his conceit and deceit. He hasn't a snowball's chance in hell. Into the breach, my friends!

God bless you on this early hours of a Sunday morning in Ramadhan 2011.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Let the Mounts of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse Starve. Facing the One True Conspiracy - The Human Ego

Quite a few people bump into this almanac because they googled up ‘sword ali zulfiqar’. And it is good because the Muslims (and non-Muslims, come to think about it) should always learn more about Muslim lore. There are also quite a few hits arising from search words like ‘dajjal’, ‘antichrist’, ‘Obama’ and of course, the inevitable favourite - ‘jihad’.

CONSPIRACIES. This obsession however, with the so-called conspiracies and grand designs of 'the Bad Guys' in coming to the end of time is worrying. Simply because a large chunk of what is out here in the worldwideweb is rubbish. The internet casts the illusion of knowledge. It builds a façade of information in the absence of real life experience. Like the television, and religion to a big segment of humanity, the cyberworld has become an opium of the masses. A disinformation superhighway, and the car crashes and wrecks are piling up, my friends.

THE HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE. If you want to look for anti-Christian sites, they are all here. If you want to drown in a sea of hate for the Muslims, they are here. If you desire to read about the anti-Israeli sites, you need only press a button. If you want to bask in the glory of your faith, ideology or country – it is all here, splendid in their sanctimonious and arrogant postures. Hate, fear, despair, envy and hubris – all these Horsemen of the Apocalypse, they are all here. And the tragic thing is these websites or Facebook pages all portray themselves as being the saviour. The warner. The superhero that is warning humanity of the impending doom and how the problem is never ever ‘us’ but always ‘them’ and ‘the others’. THE EGO. Things never change. From the year dot, mankind has been troubled by the most cunning and wily adversary. And no, I am not talking about Azazil the Accursed (you can call him Satan or Bezelbub or Iblis or Mephisto). My prying mind is addressing that thing which all of mankind carries in their pocket. Our ego. And I do not wish to talk to your ego. I wish to talk to you. Can you tell the difference?

192. An Egologue II
Ego! These words are not for you.
They are meant for that poor fool
You have bound and trampled
Under your cloven hooves.

THE ENEMY OF ALL. It is through the human ego that the very worst of our nature arises. Ego is the fodder that fuels the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It is from the ego that all our hate, fear, despair, envy and hubris manifests itself – in all things. Each second of the day, each moment of your life is an ego-moment, unless you are rightly guided and have the conviction of your conscience to overcome it. Even in Sufism, even in your highest aspiration to goodness and servanthood to God, whether you are a Hindu priest, a Jewish Rabbi or a Christian Pastor – your ego will seek to misguide you. For a Muslim, especially those dutiful aspirants of the Tariqah order, shelter under the protection of the Master is no guarantee of safety from the ego.

13. Beware
Even the ego
Will love the Shaykh,
But for its own
Selfish reasons.

THE CUNNING OF THE EGO. It is easy for us to grasp upon the big conspiracies to validate our smallness in the face of the vast cosmos. The bigger the Masonic conspiracy, the bigger the Illuminati plans, the bigger our egos grow to meet our so-called enemies. Such is the delicate test which this life has to offer us. Even when we think we are learning, when we are acquiring knowledge, we are in truth only feeding the human ego – whose appetite has no limits. For the Masters of the Tariqah, what is more important? Is it the so-called devious establishment of the New World Order? Or is it about how you brush your teeth or button up your shirt? You will be surprised by the answer.

THE HUMAN CONSCIENCE. The only hope that mankind has rests within them too, it is the human conscience. Just like the ego. But our ego, encouraged by the what’s-in-it-for-me generation and mass consumerism has grown to such proportions that we have become confused where we begin and our egos end. Instead of our ego being submissive to our conscience, it is our conscience that has adapted to fight a guerrilla war against our dominant ego. But thank God – the Conscience is winning. Indeed, the Conscience must win. Otherwise, the future will be black for our children and grandchildren.

157. Dear Man-Ego
You think you are on your own,
You think you will have it all your way.
But your soul, your secret name
That common man call conscience,
Is already planning his next trespass.

So do not be fooled, sunshine. Do not take part in the mass hysteria of despair, crusade and jihad which is being fanned by the extreme religious and economic zealots on one hand, and the mass media on the other hand. It is all lies. It is all a pack of lies.

Today, the Sun is still shining. And I have just sent my son to school. Shortly I will be going to work. And it is my prayer, that I will be guided in all that I do by my conscience. For this is what my Prophet Muhammad is teaching. Religion of the Conscience, of which Love is the Highest Law.
LET THEIR HORSES STARVE. I offer my hand, though it is sinful. I offer my eyes, though it has seen many bad things. I offer my heart though it is unpolished, to you. You must make a difference in this world. You are the hope on which all Creation rests. So do good in the name of Love, God, Beauty, and in the very best etiquette of Servanthood. Even if it is simply brushing your teeth or buttoning up your shirt. Your ego will hate you for being concerned and taking pleasure in such mundane things. And that is the best way to take away the fodder from the black stallions of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Let them starve, I say.

Have a conscionable day, pet.

Pax Taufiqa.

The Servant and the Scale

The Servant & the Divine Scale

One night in the fastness of a dream, a servant of the Lord contrived to enter the Lord’s Court and found himself standing in front of the Divine Scale. He grabbed hold of the holy appliance, muttering – “O’ thee of perfect balance and judgment. I will put you to a better use than what you are being used for now!” He huffed and puffed, carrying the Divine Scale, “I am going to use you as a wedge to keep the Lord’s Door of Mercy open for humanity. That’s what I am going to do with you!” The Scale was saying something in reply, but the man merely retorted, “Speak not to me your arguments! My will is made.”

Lugging the protesting Scale on his back, this man made his way up, then up and then up further still until he reached the furthest edge of his understanding. And there finally, before his eyes he saw the Door of God’s Mercy. But surprisingly the Door was already being kept wide open. He looked up and saw that a hand was holding the door ajar. Then he saw the face of the person to whom the hand belongs, and he blurted amazed, “Prophet of God,…you are here?”

To which, Muhammad Habibullah replied, “Where else would I be?”

The Divine Scale then gently tapped him on his shoulders and said in a tone of mild rebuke, “That is what I have been trying to tell you all this while, mortal.”

Chapter 21 Verse 107 - And we did not send you (o’ Muhammad) except as a mercy to the worlds. (wa maa arsalnaaka il-laa raHmatal lil 'AAlamiyn)

I have read and heard many Sufi tales of the Prophet and the Scale. This isn’t one of them. I know I am knocking my head against the wall of hubris of both Muslims and Non-muslims - of those who are using their idea of Muhammad to propagate their hateful worldview and those who are reacting to this false representation of the Prophet. As a sinner, I am saddened by these believers, who are so busy alienating others and monopolizing God and heaven just for themselves. If this is how believers behave, then really, I don't want to be a believer in their eyes. I just want to be sinner, knocking on Mercy's door...

Have a nice merciful day, sunshine.

Pax Taufiqa.

Jesus, the Mahdi, Dajjal aka AntiChrist, 4 Golden Rules of Interpretation pre Armageddon and The Camel Saloon (Whew!)

(If caption unreadable please click on picture)
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THE IMAM MAHDI (or simply the Mahdi) is a personality foretold by the Prophet to be born in the future, to revive the truest form of faith for all mankind. How the Mahdi intends to do this, I do not know. There has been quite a few claimants to be the Mahdi since Muhammad prophesied his coming. According to such Muslim lore as have come to the Sinner’s ear, together or perhaps soon after the arrival of the Mahdi, Jesus of the Immaculate Conception would descend from the heaven and they would greet each other to embark on their duties as the All-Loving God has anointed their hearts to bear.

THE DAJJAL / ANTICHRIST. Of their many tasks, (and I am sure they have a long list of Difficult Things To Do) the most publicized is their mission to battle and vanquish the Dajjal (the AntiChrist) and his armies.

THE FOUR GOLDEN RULES AT THE END OF TIMES. There are some specific details about Jesus, the Mahdi and the AntiChrist being expressed by both the wise and the ignorant – since I am neither, I shan’t say much – and I am sure you can find out for yourselves! I only beg you remember these 4 rules…

1. Things are always more complicated than it seems.

2. God always keeps the best secret for Himself until He Decides to spring the surprise on you.

3. If something smells like rat, then in all probability IT IS a rat. Even (or especially) in this anticipated Armageddon –End Times–Apocalyptic-Cosmic-Finale, things ought to be judge by the ultimate faith shared by all humanity, the religion of Love and your Conscience. Neither will betray you. So polish up your obedience to your Conscience, that you might actually listen to it when it REALLY matters.

4. Oh yes… perhaps the most important rule of it all – God loves you. And not just insignificant us, but every other man, woman and babe that dot this small chunk of space debris that we call Earth.

CAMEL SALOON AND THE SALOON OF INNER BEAUTY. Being a stranger (and sinner) in this parts, I was looking for Ms. Kitty’s establishment, but instead came across a Camel Saloon. A little bird perched on my pointy-hat turban and whispered… “Your poems are appalling. If you want to read REAL poetry, click to the Camel Saloon." As I am not the sort of sinner to ignore an imaginary bird, I have added the site to my blogroll. The worthy bartender at the Camel Saloon is Mr.Russel Streur. It is an active poetry blog site with really good poems for your consumption. Some whimsical, some serious but always heartfelt and real prose. As for me, I would call it The Saloon of Inner Beauty, simply because I believe that the word ‘camel’ comes from the Arabic word ‘jamal’ which simply means ‘beauty’ and can also mean 'the Inner Beauty of the Heart".

MY DEAR READERS, in this posting we (meaning the Mahdi, Jesus the Prince of Peace, a broken-back Camel and your humble sinner) are all congregating in the Saloon of Inner Beauty that you commonly call your heart. Is it still Happy Hour, Mr. Bartender?

Have a great Sabbath, mankind!

Pax Taufiqa.

IMPORTANT FOOTNOTE - (1) As far as I am aware, the Imam Mahdi has not authorised anyone to form his Army... so you guys (you know who you are) who are using his name for recruiting purposes for your political and often violent ends... I post to you one question - Who died and made YOU the Imam Mahdi? SO JUST DROP IT.

Abu Bakar, Abu Yazid, the End of Hell Part II, Calvin & Hobbes and My Left Foot

An anonymous reader left a comment in the earlier posting entitled "God Heart, the Light of Love, the End of Hell and Childhood Memories" asking me to recall the story of Abu Yazid, Abu Bakar and the End of Hell. So here it is. But before we go there, I would like to introduce them both by way of my earlier writings on this worthy fellows. To put these fine chaps in my context.

Abu Bakar as-Siddique was the constant companion of the Prophet. He is generally accepted to be the closest companion of the Prophet. He was the first man to accept the prophethood of Muhammad ibn Abdullah and Islam. His love for his Prophet is beyond my stumbling prose to describe. But I wrote the poem anyway of course…

26. The Stingy Bartender
What is this love you speak of?
A fanciful plaything
We appraise others with,
Conditional and poured from its vessel
In stingy measured draughts.

We should be ashamed to name it love
In the presence of
Muhammad and his Abu Bakar.
……….
Chapter 11, ‘Winter & Rain’, December 2004

Abu Yazid al-Bistami is a saint famously known as the rebuffed visitor at God’s Door. Again and again he was refused entry by God. Each time, God asked him, “Who is knocking on My door?” And each time Abu Yazid replied, “It is I, Abu Yazid, your servant!” Then one day he finally gave the right reply – Abu Yazid answered God’s question, saying, “Oh, It is you, O’ Lord!”. The above cartoon was an early work and inspired by the story of Abu Yazid. The twist in the tale is courtesy of my brother, ergo the ‘by Poon’. Poon is a common Malay nickname for ‘Saiful’. Don’t ask me why. It makes no sense to me too.

THE STORY
(If you wish for an authoritative version, read a book. Or if you happen to bump into any saint, well just ask him/her. I can only recall bits and pieces of what I was told, and which I read in a book. And of course, I have taken great liberty with the language and personality of God and His Saint. I am incorrigible, I know)

So now you know that old Abu Yazid is a great mystic, a champion of Fana-fillah (Annihilation in the Oneness of God), a saint of the highest order, a lover of Muhammad and a true servant of God.

Well, one rosy day, Abu Yazid got it into his head to take his Love of Muhammad one step further. He prayed to God Almighty that he, Abu Yazid, be manifested in Hell, in such an enormous size to fill up each valley, abyss and dungeon of Hades – so that not one member of the Nation of Muhammad shall be fated to dwell and suffer the tribulations of Hell.

God the Lord Creator, being in a buddy-pal relationship with Abu Yazid, answered the saint’s prayers. God said, “Sure, A.Y. But perhaps, before we begin transmogrifying you (to use a Calvin & Hobbes phrase), let me show you Hell first’" The Lord lifted the veil and manifested the unimaginable vision of Hell to poor old Abu Yazid. He was speechless and transfixed, for he saw that the whole of Hell was already fully occupied by a gigantenormous left foot. It was breath-taking. In awe, Abu Yazid asked, “Whose left foot is that?!” God replied (and I would like to think He did so with a smile and a little chuckle), “It is Abu Bakar’s". God-Dramatic-Pause-Here. “He beat you to it. Sorry.”

PROLOGUE
Now your friends are gonna ask - So does Hell exist still? Are we sinners going to be thrown into its welcoming inferno? So what is Abu Bakar’s shoe size? And what about all those infidels? What will their fate be?

Does it matter what the answers are, my friends? If we do good, shouldn’t we feel the joy of kindness and love already? If we do bad, shouldn’t our conscience hurt already? Does the Almighty really need to constantly wield the Carrot of Heaven and the Stick of Hell to herd us lambs in the right path? Sigh…

I do believe in the End of Times. But not as envisioned by some of the fans of Armageddon theology (and I mean both Muslims and Christians). For I believe that in each moment of Creation, the spiritual station of the Prophet and the Saints are rising and rising. That love, mercy and compassion of the divine messengers and prophets is growing ever larger, and we have the good fortune to take shelter under their wing.

I am a poor sickly felon. Please don't rely on me. But you are one of those who are establishing true Lordly worship. I am taking a little sweet from your pantry of sweets. God will bless you for your generous attention towards this guilty but stubbornly happy sinner.

And happily, it is Sunday again, sunshine!

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Pax Taufiqa.

Sufi Stories and AntiChrist, the One-Eyed King (Dajjal)

30. Caravan
Blessed is the journey, Love
Blessed is the companionship,
Had there been no separation,
How shall I ever know you?

Blessed is the birth, Love
Blessed is the kiss of death,
Had there been no promise of union,
How shall I ever know you?

We have traveled far, you and I,
Our caravan has fallen prey to bandits,
But you are still here with me,
And at night, beneath the Companion's stars
You hold me spellbound with your stories.

200. The Secluded Pond
To sleep, to sleep,
The sun curls beneath
A blanket of drifting clouds…

Come to me,
My Sleepy head!
And let me tell you
Of shooting stars,
And lazy streams,
Of the moon reflected
In a secluded pond,
And the willow trees
That line its bank.

Of minstrels
And storytellers
That gather there,
Talking and singing
Tales of an orphan
Born in the dunes
Of a Kingdom faraway.

Together,
They are weaving lore
Stronger than the mightiest
Towers of the one-eyed king.

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Sufi stories and lore are all part of the journey. It is often written, but many are also oral traditions, passed on from one wanderer to another. The stories often say different things to you, depending on when and where you are. Sometimes the same account may even have two different endings. When I queried this, my brother simply said that both endings are true and real. Okaaay.

Sufi tales appear to achieve two distinct and seemingly divergent results (for me at least) – They make prophets and saints appear human and real, yet at the same time, the stories often carry transcendental divine meaning. Sufi tales are like drinking the Universe in a tea cup.

Often, these anectodes share many common parables with mystical stories from other religions like Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism.

I think I have had my fair share of Sufi and mystic stories, but I am hopeful for more in future. Some I expect to read in a book, while other oral tales are waiting to be told to me. Perhaps next time, the narrator will be you.

Sufi lore of Prophets, Saints, Angels and all creation are not whimsical add-ons to the mainstream core of religious teaching. What Sufis perform is essential, because like the poem concludes...

They are weaving lore
Stronger than the mightiest
Towers of the one-eyed king.

Have a good day, sunshine.

Pax Taufiqa

The Devil, Mankind, Hubris, Mercy and Compassion

I sent an sms to my friend earlier this morning:

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I feel pity for d devil. Whatever his spiritual station may be. And i do not take well to people who feel they r given license to curse n pour malicious insult on d poor fellow. Is this not hubris? Did d devil too not curse on himself, when he read abt d servant of god who shall disobey god, not knowing it would be himself? So who r we cursing when we curse d devil? He is our enemy, but he is also d dog at God's door, says d master. If people only understood his role, they wud think twice before cursing him with malice. And only if people understood themselves better, they wud not act with hubris n arrogance towards even him - d poison dat brought d downfall of d devil himself. But people r foolish, thinking their good deeds as great, the little patience they have as like Noah, and their knowledge as wisdom of solomon. God bless d Nabi n may he protect us from reflecting d hubris that brought sorrow unto d devil. may we always treat ALL God's servants n pray with mercy n compassion. Ameen

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A little later my friend replied:

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Ashiq Azazil... Al Faatihah Ameen

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I thank you, my friends, for guiding me when I am misguided, for reminding me when I am forgetful, and for forgiving me when I err. But most of all, and above all kindness, I thank you, for accepting me no matter how many times I persist in being misguided, forgetful and erring.

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I say all sorts of stuff, and despite my stupidity and indiscretion, you still tolerate me. And you are witty. So you see, I do not need to look any further than to you, to find the grace and blessings that were promised to me, long long ago, on the Day of Promises.

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May you continue to be guided by your conscience, and may I continue to follow your example, in the stumbling-bumbling-mumbling-grumbling way I am infamous for.

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Have a good day, sunshine.

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Pax Taufiqa.

A Guide to America, Obama, the AntiChrist, the End of Time and You

Poor old Devil. He does all the work and the USA gets all the credit. Personally, I do not think that the America is ‘the Great Satan’. I wouldn’t even call her “the Evil Minion’ or ‘Igor’ (as in “Fetch the braaain, Igor!”). It is simply a big country, a rich nation with loads of guns and tanks. But above all, America is a country of ideas, ambitions and dreams. And simply put, it is so big economically and politically, it is still the defining country of the world. A country that good or bad, defines the worldview of a large segment of mankind, regardless of their faith, creed or masonic credentials.

I have bushels of stuff about the Devil. Indeed the very identity of this funny fellow is interesting and deserves attention. The names of Satan, Iblis, Azazil, Lucifer, and Beelzebub are just some of his more common aliases.

So is Obama the AntiChrist? In Christian and Muslim lore, there is some shared perception that the AntiChrist can be depicted as a person. An individual (man, djinn, hybrid?) foretold to do a lot of not-very-nice-things on Earth. Mr. AntiChrist is probably not a guy you would like to have as your neighbour. And clearly, you wouldn’t be happy if he was your President. Well, rest easy. I don’t think Obama is the AntiChrist. I could be wrong of course, but it’s my gut feeling. And as my gut is bigger than average, you can depend on my observations more than average.

According to some Muslims though, the AntiChrist (or Dajjal) may be personified (also) in a system. The much maligned ‘New World Order” rang the warning bells of many conspiracy freaks, not just amongst the Christians, you see, but Muslims too.

For me though, I don’t really care about that. My attention is centred on an enemy far more personal and far more intimate than either a global world government or the current incumbent in the Oval Office. It is myself, and in that context, I recorded a parable (circa 2004) about the AntiChrist, the End of Time and our egos…

97. Do I Look Familiar?
Do you think the anti-Christ shall come garbed in black,
With black crows on his shoulders,
And a robe of black on his back?

No.

He shall descend as a man of God,
Calling himself Christ,
And come to you,
As you,
Offering paradise.

O’ self-indulgent one,
Will you be able resist yourself?

So, my friends. if you seek the enemy, you need not look far. He is there with you. That is why the teachings of ‘mystics’ in all religions require your immediate attention, whatever your faith may be. For in their traditions and wisdom, are ancient lessons that all humanity must learn in order to recognize, appreciate and control our supreme nemesis – our ego and Nafs (roughly translated as our earthly desires – such as our physical and sensual needs).

Hmm? And how is my own battle with my Ego and my Nafs getting on, you ask? Well… *sigh*, its still getting on and going on. Every freakin’ day. So, really, we should thank God for making each day different and always challenging! And what about the AntiChrist? Don't you worry (too much). He will just be another footnote in the Story of God and the Good. Ya Huu!

Pax Taufiqa

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p/p/s Obama pic is courtesy of frontpagemag, the ego t-shirt is courtesy of zazzle.

Post Script 2.11am, Thursday, 14/10/10. It is just too hot to sleep, and my a/c is kaput. So I will share a bit about my earlier googling for Obama and AntiChrist pics for this posting -Basically, I came across a whole world of hate against the dude. Obama with horns, Obama in a turban and a beard, Obama with backdrops of fire (of Hell presumably). Obama as Hitler, Obama as a Fascist, Obama as a Communist, Obama with '666' tattooed on his forehead, Obama captioned as the AntiChrist, Satan's choice and etc. ad infinitum ad nauseum. All these emotional commitment and creative energy being poured into a single crosshair aimed at Obama. If I was the Secret Service, I would increase the protection around POTUS. Who knows what these people would do in the name of their hatred and anger. Come on, by their belief, if they are up against the AntiChrist himself, surely almost any act is justified right? May God save us all from the loonies, they are all the same, from any religion. Amin.