LEARNING FROM HAPPY DOGS - don't be a postman-chasing, vet-biting malevolent cur. Be a servant and be happy!

Let us be like happy dogs!

Human beings are more like dogs

Than some are willing to accept,

Just like dogs, we are happiest

When we have a master to serve.

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

In one of James Herriot's dog stories, he recounts how, as a Yorkshire veterinarian he had to deal with a pair of small dogs owned by a couple. The problem is that the dogs are an absolute menace, out of control, bossy and always looking to give a nasty nip at the ankles or hands of unsuspecting postmen or veterinarians. 

While attending to them, the vet noticed how the husband and wife molly-coddled the two dogs in the most saccharine and sentimental manner. That is fine, but when the dogs misbehaved, they appear to take no notice and allowed the animals to think that they can misbehave and act as they please. So the dogs became the masters of the house. 

But just because the dogs ruled the home, it does not mean that they are happy, observed the good vet. In fact, these dogs were much more natural and happier when they first arrived in the household, but the 'tolerant' and 'openminded' nature of their owners turned them from nice, good dogs to malicious, postmen-chasing curs. 

We humans are like that, I think. We need some centre, some focus of service and duty to align our life to the best that we can be. And perhaps there is no more natural essence of a soul than to be a blessed servant of the Soul-maker, the Creator, a.k.a. God Almighty. That we might be of some service to mankind, to animals, and to all of Creation. But when we lose our  bearing, when we forget that we are meant to be servants and not bosses, we open humanity's door to oppression, tyranny, exploitation and violence. Just like those damn dogs. And just like the dogs, we are actually not even happy being so mean.

So my friend says, "Seek happiness, seek servanthood!" And I cannot agree more with him.

Woof Woof!

wa min Allah at-taufiq

- Notrumi Embun, 22nd June 2014

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

LEAP OF FAITH - releasing the power of the spirit through gaining mastery over our ego..

"Why does one pass away the instant someone shoots a bullet through them? Who takes that secret away?Why does someone pass away when they are fatally ill? The spirit is always trying to run away and break free from the cage of the body. When it find a way it will run away and go back to its origin. When you yourself, through your power over your own ego, free your spirit, at that time you can control the power of the spirit and it cannot run away. At that time you can do miraculous powers through your spirit."

From Mercy Oceans Secrets of the Heart, Rajab & Ramadan Lectures by

Sheikh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani

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

I sketched the above picture not knowing what I actually wanted to say with the drawing. But yesterday I found a beautiful part of Sheikh Hisham's book (one of the older ones, published circa 1992) which I feel compliments the sentiment of the picture. I hope you enjoyed them both!

Have a blessed Friday, sunshine. And a wonderful weekend...

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

A FATHER'S MEMOIR - the shy doctor

A Memoir. My father is writing his memoir. After the unexpected passing of my brother, Abang Chik (a.k.a. Poone) last September, my dad turned rather quiet and sober. And this is for someone naturally quiet and sober. Talking about this with Mr. Ikhlas, my old friend suggested that this would be a good time for my dad to finally complete his memoir in time for his 80th birthday this coming March 2014. At the very least it would be a project to distract him from the painful memory of having buried his second son. So I mentioned this to my father, and since then there is no stopping him. He is now giving the finishing touches to his latest draft which he typed with an old manual Olympia typewriter. He is also sorting out some grand old pictures to be part of the memoir. 

A Typist. His draft needs to be keyed into the computer for editing, and originally I planned to get a typist to do it. But after glancing briefly, there is much I discovered in his recollections that I didn't know about his life... and I am keen to find out more. So I have volunteered my typing skills. Though it must have pleased him, since then my father has been strangely reluctant to part with his manuscript for me to type. Every other day, I keep nagging him for it, and each time he said it is not ready yet.

Is the doctor shy? I think he is just contented to have something cerebral to fill his days.

A Fathers' Poem. Some years back, I wrote something for my dad on Fathers' Day. It is a little late in the day to share it with you, but here it is...

5. Now That I am a Father

Now that I am a father,

Worrying becomes second nature,

As I look at my son and wonder,

How will he fare when

I am here no longer?

Now that I am a father,

I can share my father’s joy and sorrow

And his firmness that grated people so,

By taking the high road,

When easier seemed the low.

Now that I myself am a father,

I think, finally…

I know mine a little better.

And on this day,

Which celebrates fathers everywhere,

I have my own to share with you,

Abdul Khalid, my dad,

From the tips of his toes

To the ends of his white hair!

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

Have a lovely day, sunshine. Don't forget to tell your father and mother that you love them so. No matter that your love for them will never equal their love and sacrifice... and I think we certainly don't need a parent's memoir to realise this God-beautiful truth.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

MY MASTER AND MY BOOK - adab (good manners) and knowledge, a human and a computer...

My Master and My Book

I was walking with my master when suddenly, my book of Sufi stories fell from my grasp. My spirit groaned but I kept on walking beside him. For my master cautioned me before we began our journey, "If you wish to follow me, you must stick by me whatever happens." I cannot deny a little pang of loss, as I looked back to see my poor book, still lying there by the lonely path. And as the skies loomed grey with rain clouds, I had no doubt it will soon get soaked and ruined. I gazed wonderingly at my master, thinking perhaps that he may have noticed my discomfort. But no such luck. He appeared quite distant and thoughtful, as if busy in some unseen conversation.

We arrived at our first rest stop, beside a little wooden bridge. My master bid me to sit next to him on a broken tree trunk. He then asked, "Hey. Where is your book?" To which I answered, "I dropped it, master, some miles back."  

"Then why did you not stop to pick it up?" He interjected.

"What can I learn from the book, that I cannot learn better from you? Anyways, you said I had to stick by you. So here I am, with you."

The master smiled and ruffled my hair gently. "Yes, and here's your book. Do be careful with it from now on, okay?"

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

This story was sprung from last night's supper with my friend, Moses. I did not know how it would conclude, but with the last dying rays of the Sun hiding behind the overcast sky, I think it is a good end and a milestone for the mureed (spiritual aspirant) in the story. And for myself.

An ancient friend (but schooled in this modern age) is restless to lay the final words for this moral tale...

The Book Collector

Adab(good manners) comes before knowledge,

For the first signs of ignorance

Is the lack of Adab!

Be a practitioner of Adab,

Don't be a mere collector of information.

Otherwise, what is the difference 

Between a human being

and a computer?

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

Have a lovely day, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way 

The Physical Gloss over the Spiritual Essence - knowledge and learning in the embrace of the Master

I asked a friend of mine recently, "Have you read Shaykh Abdul Qader Geylani?* (*a famous Sufi Grandshaykh of the Syariat (the Law) and the Tarikat (the Path)). To which he replied in the negative. And I think he was amused by my crestfallen reaction (which I think I found hard to hide) for he said, "He is not in my priority of reading..." 

So I asked him what was his priority reading, and he said, "The Holy Quran, the Hadith (verbal traditions of the Prophet), perhaps the books of the four school (mahzabs) of jurisprudence of Islam..." He felt that it is important for him to focus on these basic groundings and not be distracted by other books, which I guess appear to him to be secondary and collateral to these books.

My first (and emotional) reaction was to spring on him and shake his structure- Oh why oh why would you not want to open yourself to the love manifested by someone such as Shaykh Abdul Qader? A love of divine presence connected through the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and the Companions and Saints? A love that you can sense, taste and feel through his spiritual discourses? Why would you not want to grab hold of this Saint's robe and let him drag you through our simple hypocrisies though it may hurt our spiritual sensibilities? Why would you not want Love at all? But then someone interrupted us and he whispered to me,

In the Kiss, In the Embrace

Love cannot be informed upon,

Love cannot be explained,

Love cannot be told from 

One person to another.

Love must be transmitted in a kiss,

In the embrace of the Master 

And submission by the apprentice.

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

So I said no more on this matter.

But the next day, another old friend of mine dropped by in the hallow of my thoughts and by this he challenged my friend's view - You say that you wish your religious study not to be distracted by other spiritual books than the Holy Quran and the Hadith and the books of the four Imams of Jurisprudence. But in your life you are reading the newspaper, you are reading about politics, the economy and society in general. You are driving and you would be studying the advertisement billboard that litter the roadside. You are reading books, journals, magazines, brochures for computers and surfing the internet and reading all sorts of things, written by all sorts of people. And this you say is okay because those reading material are not spiritual or religious in nature. 

But what is 'nature'? At another level everything in its very nature is spiritual. Whether it is about health or wealth, science or technology, people and society, politics and ideologies, banking and commerce - Such things sometimes appear with a gloss of materialism because we are dealing with the physical world and its inhabitants. But truth be told, the knowledge is coming from the same source and MORE importantly, one way or another, it is TALKING about that same source - the One Originator of all things physical, felt or deserving of our contemplation, our One Lord God.

Coming and Returning

All knowledge comes from God,

And all knowledge returns to God...

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

But I cannot share such things with him because there is of course adab (good manners) to consider. I cannot intrude into the bridal chamber of Love. So I ask of Love for Love and no more. Love will bide His time as He wishes.

Have a lovely day, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

TOUGH BUT TRUE - Love and Discourses of Love with the Great Shaykh Abdul Qader Geylani

Actual excerpts from the Jila' al-Khatir

Nothing happens by chance, and everything happens for a reason. How many years ago was it, when I first came across the discourses of Shaykh Abdul Qader Geylani, the great Shaykh and Sufi Master? Maybe 17 years ago? ...all those many moons ago when I was still a paid-up member of a bachelor pad in Bandar Utama that was full, not surprisingly, of bachelors.

Now all of those bachelors are happily married, with their own little brood. None of them are rolling in the riches, but they appear to me to be happy and contented with their lot. But I bet that however they have matured as men and husbands and fathers, when they begin to furtively open their old books of the Great Shaykh Abdul Qader, they are prepared to be criticised, lambasted and generally made aware of their terrible shortcomings.

He he he. It is called tough love. 

For me at least, the discourses of the Great Shaykh is always a direct conversation, as his sincerity and love for Allah (s.w.t.) and the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) resonates through his words. And this is true even though they have been translated by different people. I say it is a conversation, but I guess it is almost always a divine monologue, with me cringing, and mumbling my acceptance of my poor state as Shaykh Abdul Qader dissects through the many layers of my ego, "...yes, yes, Shaykh... yes, yes... yes, Shaykh..."

If you have not read any of his discourses, why haven't you? Step up and  take it like a man (or woman). It will make your day.

He he he. God bless you, sunshine.  

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

THE KEY TO THE GARDEN - Muhammad Sayyidina Miftahul Jannat (saws) and His blessed Nation

You may find Beauty in the Garden,

You may find Mercy in the Garden,

You may find Compassion in the Garden,

You may find Light in the Garden,

You may find Truth in the Garden,

You may find Love in the Garden,

And you may find yourself in the Garden,

So seek the One who has the Key to the Garden,

Seek the One who is the Key,

There is no mystery,

It is Him that you speak of...

Muhammad Mustafa, Sayyidina Miftahul Jannat!

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

What is Dalail-i Hayrat? Or to give its complete name... 

Dalail-i Hayrat 

wa Shawarqi'l Anwar fi Zikris Salat ala Nabiyil-Mukhtahar

It is a book written by Shaykh Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Suleiman Abu Bakar al-Jazuli al-Simlali, containing prose and verse of praise for the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s). Therefore, the title is translated thus - 

Guide of Good Deeds 

and the Brilliant Burst of Light in the Remembrance of Blessing on the Chosen Prophet.

It is a wonderful little book. For all those times when a Muslim is at lost of words to describe his (or her) love for the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s), this little guide nurtures this love and introduces them to the bewildering names and titles of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). So much so, that you will find yourself pausing and smiling... thinking happily over one of his titles, "Yea... I did imagine the Prophet that way..."

Click Here to a PDF copy of this wonderful book by Shaykh Jazuli. Courtesy of the Naksibendi...

And do you know what is the amazing thing..? I do believe that the Dalail-i Hayrat is still be written. As the devoted lovers and followers of Muhammad (saws) continue in their study and understanding of his prophetic station, which is rising with each moment passing in creation, there are more wonderous names to discover, more wonderous titles to remember him by, this person whom God Himself calls Habibullah (Beloved of God).

Have a wonderful day, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

LAMP OF THE LAMP, LANTERN OF THE LANTERN - books, saints and experiences

Why I Read

I read to sooth my nerves,

Tossed about like a ship in a storm,

I seek a quiet harbour full of divine words,

Stories of God and His Prophets...

I read to sooth my nerves,

Pulled and pushed by Love,

Driven to distraction by Beauty,

Pained by the bitter sweet taste of Truth!

I read to sooth my nerves,

To settle my ship in calmer waters,

And see how and where Love may take me

On my next love-drunk journey!

I read to sooth my nerves,

Torn ragged and sundered from my flesh,

To pass back through history

To the time of Adam and Eve,

And finding assurance in the Assurances of God,

His Words intimate, personal 

And oh so compelling!

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

Fitrah. Oh my friend, you and I, we are so alike, yet different. Heaven knows what divine fitrah (essence) that God has placed in your being... to be a cook, a leader, a soldier, a poet or a judge, or perhaps a singer or dancer? Or a preacher man preaching from the soapbox? And to be the best that you can be in your essence. May Allah (s.w.t.) guide you there. Me? I am the dog!

Book and Man. No book is comparable to experience and there is no book comparable to the Holy Quran and the walking, talking breathing manifestation and mirror of the Holy Criterion... that being our beloved Prophet, Muhammad Seal of the Prophets (s.a.w.s.). We look to our Murshid as he walks  us step by step, each moment closer and closer to the most exalted presence of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). May Allah Almighty sanctify the secrets of the Saints who walk amongst us as a lamp of the Lamp and lantern of the Lantern, shining a bright starlight to guide us through the maze that is our life. insyaAllah...

May Allah bring you peace, and give you the ability to recognise peace. I stand outside your door, sunshine, to be your companion and friend always. Woof!

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

THE HOBBIT, A MOVIE REVIEW - of dragons and gold, of God, the Sufis and the human ego

The Hobbit. Last Thursday evening, I grabbed hold of Mikhail to head for the first-day screening of The Hobbit, An Unexpected Journey. Mikhail enjoyed himself, despite two toilet intermissions during the 3-hours plus film by Peter Jackson. But for his father (a.k.a. me), as a Tolkien geek, it was just as close to cinema nirvana as I could hope to achieve, reveling in Peter Jackson's expansive and sensitive adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's first ever book of the Lord of the Ring world. The Hobbit was written for his son, Christopher, you see. And from this humble literary effort by an Oxford Don (for Tolkien was indeed a Professor of English in Oxford - after he left my alma mater, University of Leeds), the LoTR franchise came forth and conquered the global box office with tales of Wizards and Balrogs, Rangers and the Riders of Rohan, the Hobbit Halflings, Elves, the Dwarfs, the Orcs and of course, Sauron, the Dark Lord sitting on his dark throne in Mordor... where the shadow lies.

The Book(s). Being written for a young readership, The Hobbit story is light and easy to read, and does not come near to exploring Middle Earth's history, characters and concepts later developed in Tolkien's trilogy of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. There is one more important book in his later works, and that is The Silmarillion, an even more ambitious effort which encompasses the creation of Middle Earth universe which resonates with the idea of Eru (being God), and the fallen divine favourite, Morgoth (as the Devil) who is revealed to be Sauron's master. This close resemblance to Judeo-Christian (and might I add, Muslim) lore is not unexpected, as Tolkien was a believer and a practicing Catholic. 

The Movie. Being also the shortest book of all four volumes of the Lord of the Ring world, it took us by surprise that Peter the Kiwi has managed to extend the film adaptation into a nine-butt-aching hours of three movies, the first now being The Hobbit, An Unexpected Journey. What this means is that Peter Jackson has a greater cinematic canvas to bring to life the story of the dwarf kingdom of Erebor and their golden horde, the priceless Arkenstone, Smaug the Dragon, his attack and capture of the Lonely Mountain and the expulsion of the dwarfs as ragged exiles, a humiliated and overthrown race. On top of this enthralling story, the director has also managed to better capture the emotion and characters of the book, the two key personalities being Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the defeated dwarf tribe of Ererbor, and of course the reluctant 'burglar' himself - Bilbo Baggins the Hobbit.

Helping the Dwarfs to return home. For myself, one of the best moments in the movie was when having escaped the Goblins, Thorin (who has always held great doubt as to the suitability of Mr. Baggins to survive the dangers and tribulation of the wild quest) confronted Bilbo and asked him why did he continue to stick with the ragtag band of dwarfs, on a foolish mission to regain their home and expel the dragon squatter currently occupying their fortress mountain of Erebor. After all, Bilbo has a cozy life and a beautiful little home for himself already in the Shire and has no need to assist the dwarfs in this foolhardy quest. To which Bilbo replied that it IS because he enjoys a home for himself that he is moved by empathy to help the Dwarfs return to their own home, far away in the Desolation of Smaug, in the place called the Lonely Mountain. For the little hobbit, having faced so many dangers and difficulties with the dwarfs, now truly understands the lonely pangs of a traveler in the wild, dreaming and yearning to return home. A sentiment that is shared by all of us, the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve, as we too, make our bitter sweet journey through this life, to one day return to the Divine Presence... insyaAllah...

The Hobbit & The Sufi

Each of us, Men, Elf or Hobbit,

Has a Smaug to conquer,

A Dragon to call our own

And to tame,

That is our Ego.

And each of us, of high or common birth,

Has a horde of gold to regain,

A gold without the 'L',

That is our One God by any

Other name.

In a journey to a homecoming

Blessed in the Divine Presence,

To return and to rest,

and end our tearful wandering. 

In every kernel of human thought, in every tinkering of the tireless human imagination, there is a spark of truth. In every book ever written, there is a secret door to God. And I think I found one in the Hobbit.    

I hope you have enjoyed this little review. It was unexpected!

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

THE STORY OF THE ONE RING IS NOT ABOUT THE RING AT ALL - Tolkien, story devices, miracles, saints and the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.)

Hearts & Clouds

Clouds turn into hearts,

When you recite,

BismiLlahiRahmaniRahim,

And if they don't, 

Will you now turn on your heel

And walk away from 

Allah and His Prophet?

You can heal the sick,

And you can fly

When you say

BismiLlahiRahmaniRahim,

But if you are not able to,

Will you now turn on your heel

And walk away from

Allah and His Prophet?

Among the wisest of the wisest,

The Universe is in their hands,

But they see it as bad manners

To ask God to use such story devices,

Seeing the miracles already in themselves

And in Creation and the Flawed Splendour that is Mortal Man.

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

(bismiLlahiRahmaniRahim - in the name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful)

Story Devices. I have read somewhere that J.R.R. Tolkien, when he wrote his magnum opus, The Lord of the Rings, were not too keen on 'story devices'. These literary devices are magical events or creatures that are used by him to  turn the plot in a direction that he desired - such as the giant eagles, and of course the One Ring itself, that is able to turn the wearer invisible. Ironic when you think about it. 

The best fellows. The best of fellows are those who rarely if ever use 'miraculous' powers. Because the role of such teachers is to guide mankind unto the path of the Prophet (s.a.w.s) and His Companions (r.a.). There is of course an avenue for the use of some magic to turn people's hearts, but to be quite honest here, I don't believe that the saints like doing such miracles. For they do not desire to alienate their own person from that of their mureeds (students). "Well, of course he is a saint! I once saw him fly!" Saints do not desire to differentiate based on these story devices. Rather, they are calling us to the very human and yet very spiritual journey of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). And the greatest miracle of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) are not such things as the splitting of the moon, but the change he made in the heart, the conscience and the life of Man, for the better - learning a good habit, leaving a bad habit, healthy living, caring and kindness, forgiveness and empathy, friendship, courage and forbearance.

Sentiments. This may not make for grand cinematic scenes, but as Tolkien himself was aware of, the story of the One Ring is not about the Ring at all, but the sentiments, good and bad that drove the plot and the lives of the Hobbits, Men and the Elves. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) would have understood this.

Have a lovely day, sunshine. Be useful, be happy and forget about the One Ring and the parlour tricks of the Devil. The unadorned finger pointing to the Oneness of God is the best accessory your soul can ever wear...

Galadriel rejected the Ring. You should too. Stay mortal and simple.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way   

I owe God some money for late-return of His book. But I am not worried.

Borrowing The Book from The Lord’s Library

The rain came to ease the oppressive heat of the tropical sun,

But more cooling to me is Muhammad, created as Mercy to the Worlds,

Love came in the guise of a comely maiden and her inviting smile,

But more beloved to me is Muhammad, from whom I learn to love and to be loved,

The wind came to knock leaves of the trees and fall upon me like a heavenly curtain,

But more heavenly to me is Muhammad, the dictionary of Love from the Lord’s own library,

...And I am borrowing the book, and I do not care how much

The Lord will charge me for late-return,

For the truth is, o’ Lord…

I shall never return

The book!

……………………………………

ADAB. There is good manners (adab), and then there is GOOD MANNERS (ADAB). If you borrow something then come on... it is simple good manners that you must return it, whether it is money, a car, a camel, an umbrella, a house or case in point, someone's book.

WHEN CAN I HAVE MY BOOK BACK!? I have a decent sized library. My literary taste is what some would call eclectic. I like to read about history, economics, wars, business, travel and spiritual stuffs. For fiction, I am fond of PG Wodehouse (humour), JRR Tolkien (fantasy) and Stephen King (horror). It sometimes irritates me that people borrow and don't return books (you know who you are). I am saddened because some of the books, especially the spiritual stuffs, are precious. And if I don't get the book back, I am unable to share the book with someone else. I think most people do not get pleasure in 'owning' the books. Rows and rows of books doesn't give anyone a 'high', it is reading and sharing them that is important.

CONFESSION. But then again I too am guilty of not returning books. And, may God forgive me, because it is the worst thing ever... I am guilty of borrowing a book from God's Own Library and not returning it. No, it is not the holy Quran, since anyone can pick a copy of the book for less than 2 USD. It is the Book of Muhammad, the one-size-fit-all guide and indispensable dictionary for interpreting the Universe, as well as the Book of the Universe (aka the Holy Quran itself).

That cretin Taufiq is still holding on to the book! I cannot find it anywhere here!

BUT I HAVE A CUNNING PLAN - We should not be too worried about the Godly late-return charges and penalty. Because, ha ha ha... I am never going to return the book. And even if we are banned from the Holy Book's Club, so what? Because if we have the Book of Muhammad(pbuh) already, why would we crave (or need) any thing else?

GOOD ADAB! And I think God would consider this bad Adab, the very best of Adab. Of course, you don't have to take my word for it. Together, when that day of finality arrives, we can stand before the Divine Throne and confirm what is written here.

There he goes again, writing! I do think, my brethren,
that he is either very brave or very stupid. 

Bless you, sunshine. Thank you for keeping me company.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

Love found me sheltering under the bridge, that was when I left everything...

Love and the Path

When context is everything,

Who is right and who is wrong?

For the longest time, o' Lord

I have been asleep.

When one preacher says this,

And another says that,

Who is right and who is wrong?

For the longest time, o' Lord

I have been misinformed.

When one book says go,

And another says stop,

Which is the right one for me?

For the longest time, o' Lord

I knew not the road.

Until finally, I stopped looking,

And let Love find me...

Sheltering under a bridge,

A fool caught without an umbrella,

As God's own lightnings thundered

Across the grey wash sky...

...and Love drew me out

From under the bridge

Though I did protest,

"It is raining, we will get wet!"

And then Love smiled and Love said,

"This is the way, if you want to play

You have to get a little wet."

So I let Love take me by the hand

As we walked through the park,

A solitary anonymous pair...

While the grey wash sky

Continues its shower

Unabated.

While books and preachers

Continue their

Endless debates...

But I am leaving them all behind, you see

Having at last found Love,

Having at last found the Path
That is right for me.

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

Love is a romance, and Love with God is a romance unfolding with every breath that you take. Asleep or awake, He is with you. Good or bad, He is with you. It would be heart-breaking for us if we knew just how concerned is He for us, and how He feels when we persist in hurting ourselves.

"My Mercy is greater than My wrath..." the Lord assures us. But of course it is greater, because He is the Most Merciful and He is Mercy itself. While that wrath bit? That wrath is carried not by Him but by Mankind in our overbearing ego, hatred and anger. So thank God that He is bigger and infinitely greater than us. But in this brief span of time that we are alive? By God we can be very, very good at hurting ourselves.

Well, I am tired of this life's anxiety and worries. I cannot continue to huddle under the bridge, forever afraid and nervous. I want Love to lead me. Love to lead me down the Path, however and wherever it may go. And yes, even in the pouring rain.

Have a thoughtful day, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

*1st picture entitled 'Hyde Park, Couple in the Rain, London' by Aldo Cervato, Italy.

Love is a Mystery to Me, So I Sought Her in the Library

Love Among the Books

Love is a mystery to me,

So I sought her in the library,

Under the section of Fiction,

I found all of her anger,

Sorrow and despair

Were but a temporary state.

“I am not always this way,” she said.

Under the section of Current Affairs,

I found books and books about me,

And often it is about love and hope,

But sometimes the story is very sad,

To which I must answer her

And say, “I am sorry.

My bad".

Under the section of History,

I read about her birth, her childhood,

Her family and friends,

Thus she found me there, and said,

“May our own history never end.”

Under the section of Humour,

I found her funnier

Than Karl Marx,

Her slapsticks more hilarious

Than Spinoza,

And her laughter more musical

Than Gershwin.

Under the section of Literature

I found her as Lizzie

In Pride and Prejudice,

As Marianne to tame willful Willoughby,

As Layla being courted by Majnun,

Wracked by love, overwrought by jealousy.

To which she fussed, “Jealous… ME?”

Under the section of Poetry

She found my soul there,

Hard at work, scribbling prose

Of God, Prophet and Love,

And she demanded,

“Where am I in all of this?”

To which I said,

“Why, love, in the kiss…”

She paused for a bit, biting her lip

Before firmly summing up,

“Damn the kiss, write something about ME!”

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

Heche says I don’t write much about her. That even when I do, it is in the passing, a minor point before I tear away into the stratosphere.

So I will stop here before I go any further.

For those celebrating love on Valentine’s, I wish you many happy kisses. For those celebrating love each and every day, you have my utter admiration....

Wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

SOPA, PIPA and the Great Copyright Oligarchs

Well, the black-out is on currently for Wikipedia and a few other major websites against SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect Intellectual Property Act), and many internet giants have drawn the line against these proposed US government acts.

As a netizen, I am not entirely with the internet giants (Wiki, Google, Reddit etc...) on some issues, but SOPA and PIPA would have a terrible effect curtailing the freedom of expression, sharing of information and opinions, and the development and innovation of the internet as the ultimate forum of human discourse.

I would follow my internet ideas and thinking Guru on this, Cory Doctorow (editor of BoingBoing). And he who has written so well on the digital and internet intellectual property issues is vehemently against SOPA and PIPA. If you have not read his book "Content", read it. It is available free online as an E-book, just CLICK HERE. Read and arm yourself intellectually against the copyright oligarchs.

Have a sharing day, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way