You are still trying to be something!

One day, a murid was traveling through Christian lands
with his Master when he saw a Muslim standing under a tree.
He gestured to the man and said to his Master,
"Look, Master. A Muslim!"

"No.", replied the Master, patiently.
"He is merely a something trying to be a human being.

Once he has succeeded in becoming a human being,
He can try to be a decent man.

And if he has achieved that, He may try to be a believer.

When he has attained that station, At last, he can then try to be a Muslim."

"Oh.", the boy said.

The two continued walking, until finally,
Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, the murid asked,
"And what about me, Master?"

"You, Taufiq? Why, you are none of the above.

You are still trying to be something."

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

Story is extracted from current and untitled chapter. By the way, I think I shouldn't sketch on rough paper anymore. Hehehe. Salams, and Happy Ramadan!

Endless Yearning for Endless Forgiveness

40. If
If I have been unkind,Forgive me,
If I was ungrateful, Forgive me,
If I was human and erred, Forgive me.

In the calumny of my ways
In the darkest of my days
If I have sought others,
Forgive me.

If I have not sought
Your forgiveness
Often enough,
Forgive me.

For I was created
To forget and to remember.

I was created
To lose and to find You.

I was created as a vessel
Of errors and misplaced passions,
And I would have long perished,
Had I not been sailing
The Ocean Of Your
Endless Mercy.
..............................................................
From the chapter entitled "Keeping Count", October 2007

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

I was a rotter last night. But this evening, I was forgiven. Not by God, but by my friend Heche. I am still a little groggy from the wine of forgiveness served to me, and am alas, not thinking too straight. Not that I famous for thinking straightfully.

I believe, that when you forgive someone, you are taking water from His Mercy Ocean. And I do think He wants you to take from his Mercy Ocean, again and again and again. As many times and as often as you can. So forgive. Forgive whomever and whatever. Forgive and complete this month beautifully.

So be like Heche and forgive, so that sinners like me will take some Mercy to quench our endless yearning for endless forgiveness.

Especially for fathers, mothers, sons and daughters

BY YOUR BIRTH AM I DIMINISHED (A Parent’s Lament)


O’ my child,
O’ my beloved child.

Why do you appear surprised
To see me cry this way?
Only because you have not
Seen me cry before?
Only because I was always
The strong one,
Strict and unbending?

The truth is,
I have cried for you
In all the years of your life.
From the first moment
I cradled you in my arms.

I cry because
So much of me have passed to you,
And I am left with only a little.
By your birth am I diminished.

I cry not of sorrow,
But in the state of witnessing
Of our Lord’s promise.

And the mirror which you carry
Within you hurts my eye
Whenever I look into you,
And see me.

For in you
Is a ray of hope
For a better me,

A ray of light
That at times,
Shines a little too bright.

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

Found this little prose written in 2006. I cannot remember what transpired behind the writing. But I think, such sentiments are eternal and real, any time, anywhere. May God bless our parents and our children, may God forgive us this Ramadan the Fabulous for the sake of Muhammad, the Last Word in Fabulousism.

Wahdatul-Wujud

Wikipedia (roughly)says that "Wahdat al-Wujud literally means the unity of creation. Wahdat al-Shuhud (Apparentism, or Unity of Witness), on the other hand, holds that God and his creation are entirely separate." For me, Wahdat al-Wujud is the fullstop to all human thought and conjecture. The perfect excuse to stay in bed on a lazy Monday.

.

Hehehe.

Believe (or a Man on Fire)

If you are on fire, come swim in My Ocean,
If you cannot reach My Shore
Wait for My Rain Clouds,
If you are buried in soil
Wait for My River to cleft
Its way to you, My love.

I have not seen your record,
I have not read your report,
I am only looking at the Sun
Which is lighting the passages of your heart
And setting alight,
Your Book of Errors.

.

If you burn, do not be anxious,
If you hurt, do not think you are forgotten,
Have I not been your solace
Through all of your years?

You are My Gift,
A nanosecond of My Sublime Imagination
And wrought in My Mercy and My Love
For Muhammad.

Why despair?
Do you think I do not care?
My Love for you is the similitude
Of an infinite Seas of Love
Lapping upon your sorrowful shore,
Of an infinite horizon of white clouds
Waiting to rain on your barren soil.

.

.
Oh my servant!
Believe.

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

No. 82 from a chapter entitled 'the Dam.SunSun.Ana'. Believe, and doubt no more. And if you are still unable to, at least remember that the Lord and His Beloved, certainly believes in you.

A Layla Majnun Exposition No.2

22. Before I ever saw…

Before I ever saw henna flowers

Appear on her hands,

My heart was already

In her hands.


Before I ever saw the ring

Adorn her finger,

My heart was already wrapped

Around her finger.

O’ Layla!

I was yours,

Before I ever knew

You existed

And your Love assured me

<>

Of my own existence.

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

No. 22 is from the current and untitled chapter. The picture is courtesy of Balqies Arafia Zaed, a young but talented photographer. Her website is on the Poet link, because, though she would be the first to deny it, she takes pictures poetically.

Me a Ghost!? ....NEVER!

208. Shakespeare
The world is at best a stage
For ghosts, shadows and imagination.
A path that may take you far inland,
Or return you home to the Ocean.

2. Layla’s ghost
I thought I was tangible,
I thought I had meaning,
I thought I was a lover,
Ruling with the heart of a king.

I now know
I am none of the above,
I am but a ghost,
A vagrant amongst the living.

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

From the chapters entitled 'The Dam.SunSun.Ana' and 'These Words', and posted here in response to my dear friend, Feisal Bajrai's question (via Facebook) to an earlier posting. So you see, Feisal, my conscience is quite prepared to be a ghost to God's True Reality. But my ego doesn't want to be some silly intangible ghost! My ego is NOT prepared to play a minor role... It wants to be the Real Thing!

Stupid stubborn ego.

Help!