This is the last entry for this year and this has put me in a reflective mood, in particular as I look out at the big tree, from the mat’am window, whose branches shade part of the path that leads down to both the mu’beets; as it sits firmly rooted in the ground at the top of the hill with its vertical stem reaching high up to the heavens whose strong branches are spreading out in all directions to provide a shade across as great a circumference as possible. I wonder how many times we have passed this tree either in a state of happiness or sorrow, laughter or solemn reflection, how many times we have sat under its shade, walked by with friends, passed by in a car, talked loudly or whispered under our breadth; and in all this how many times have we looked up at this tree and reflected on its quiet witness of ourselves.

If only the tree could speak it would tell us the great secrets it holds, the conversations it has been privy to, the actions it has observed, the changes in human fortunes it has witnessed, the exchanges of power and influence from one civilisation to the next, from the height of human prosperity in the highest standard of human behaviour to the low self-debasement of the self through selfishness, pride and arrogance. If it could speak it would be a living history lesson transporting us back in time to witness human society at its highest and lowest.

From this point let us consider the verse of the Quran in which God the Almighty sets forth the parable of the tree, He writes:

أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلاً۬ كَلِمَةً۬

طَيِّبَةً۬ كَشَجَرَةٍ۬ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصۡلُهَا ثَابِتٌ۬ وَفَرۡعُهَا فِى

ٱلسَّمَآءِ تُؤۡتِىٓ أُڪُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينِۭ بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهَا‌ۗ وَيَضۡرِبُ

ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡأَمۡثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَذَڪَّرُونَ

“Seest thou not how Allah sets forth a parable (similitude)?― a goodly Word like a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the heavens― It brings forth its fruit at all times, by the leave of its Lord. So Allah sets forth parables (similitudes) for men, in order that they may receive admonition. ” (Qur’an: Surah Ibrahim: 14: 24-25)

This tree is a parable for us to reflect, ponder and contemplate as we leave the kulliyah for yet another year, some for good others intending to return. We take with us a small part of knowledge that we have acquired, good knowledge like a good seed that needs constant watering  from the natural spring of Good wholesome Word to nurture it and enable it to grow and be established with firmly grounded roots (faith) whose branches (good actions) reach like a comfort to the world, a shade from the heat of ignorance and arrogance, across as wide a sphere of human influence –a good influence, beneficial influence, wholesome and nurturing influence -whose shadow remains long after our demise, like this tree that continues to quietly witness long after those who pass under it are forgotten to the history of time.

And thus, let us take this moment to ask God to root within our hearts a good, wholesome seed that is watered directly from His Word, a tree whose shadow is a good and a beneficial influence for our societies, for our countries and for our world, a shade for our people, the brotherhood of humanity, Muslims and non-Muslims alike; ameen.

So the next time we pass this tree let us give ourselves an opportunity to reflect, ponder and contemplate and take a moment to thank God for this unique opportunity that he has forwarded to you.

 

eyes blinded, ears deafened –hands tied
international ruse –legalised
population enslaved –pacified
plundering, looting -capitalised
–‘we are but civilised!’

the governments –compromised
the bankers permeated -codified
-new rules, game, and reign –idolised
signs of the times –exemplified

awaken! –realise
enslaved one –open your eyes
let’s defy –echo the freedom cry

the withered world –testifies
-‘together we will survive!’

to reinstate the purified!

Tuesday 15th May 2012

when we say ‘we’ to the world’s community
we express that we value the interests of the majority
the uniting of “I” with the “we” excludes the selfish ‘me’
but what does it really mean, the “we”?

it is a word which removes selfishness and ethnocentricity
and goes beyond our person, space and biological family
it is to extend our hand in friendship, love and charity
to join together on others terms, understanding and reflect on their reality

it is a knowledge that is key to becoming a true culturati
in celebrating the differences and recognising the subtleties
one who gives unrestrained love, affection and attention
to invite the world to its social interactions
for now we are all part of one big human family,
to live together in a single global community

as for those who insist on their perverse goal of supremacy
recognise not the self with all its declaration of diversity
that demands attention to every part, the nook-and-cranny, for self-harmony
so how can we destroy and enslave the ‘we’ of our single body, the extended family
how can we refuse a place at the dinner table and make vulnerable, a party
we claim diversity, but we readily close the door to exclude femininity
in a room without windows, without communication, without even a view of beauty

if we continue to tread this path of suicide, with a selfish stride
to breakdown and isolate everyone within our sight
to impose on the ‘we’ a single view of the ‘i’
thus, we announce to the world our foolish, misguided pride
that leads to nothing but our eventual death and demise

just because you are a loud minority, within our inclusive family
why do you demand, we cannot do this, just because you perceive this to be
don’t shut down our freedom to experience, the heart that guides freely
we have a right to exchange ideas, thoughts and emotions
to open the doors to exciting new possibilities

but, if we stumble on the way of our self-discovery,
recognise this, that this is God’s plan of our frailty
for no one is perfect and we never once claimed to be,
just like Adam who ate of the tree

and thus, don’t impose on us your misguided reality
your values, your believes and your views of morality
your arguments are flawed and in many cases shine of hypocrisy
for your infatuation with sexuality, to us is just insanity

we know humans are created with deep qualities,
for we echo God’s attributes within the whole of humanity
we embrace the tenth of love, that descends from on high
to enable us to admire the beauty that twinkles in the worlds eye

finally, remember, that our sanity is tied together within a healthy community
a diversity that reflects God’s plan for humanity
for His Will is ‘be’ and it is; that is our right to be free
it is the only choice that makes sense
-a global community that unravels the physical world, despite its overwhelming frailties

and thus, we hold hands as part of a single world community
inviting all to live, equally together, in one big extended family

Sunday 13th May 2012

you strive to reign at the glitters ebb
ignorant of the world, the beauty it contains

your heart fluctuates between the twain
like a bull in a china shop, it can’t be restrained

remember those that oft-repeated said:
“I am the lord, the god so obey my every request”

now they live in pillaged graves, dead
with crumbling bones, covered in dust, the insects fed

we see them in prison of glass, passed from one place to the next
‘this is the king that once reigned supreme’ –the caption read

consumed by the illusion, the world –a mirage self-created
oblivious to the sun across the horizon, in its final descent

as the shadow fades, the heart realises it has grave mistake
unable to grasp the grain; it falls to join histories sands, again

thus, long after the words are said, a fading imprint is all that remains
‘here once a king reigned supreme’ –the caption explains, as it is read, once again

Saturday 12th May 2012

This became known as the golden age of the Islamic Civilisation lasting for around 600 years at its peak.

The decline in development, although many would argue lent itself to early books like al-Ghazali’s ‘incoherence of the philosophers’, really set in, after many centuries, when the appetite for searching for the truths gave way to regurgitation of classical works without any desire (or at times even an opposition) to develop and enhance upon them. With the exception of some brilliant minds, this downward trend set the Muslim mind on a track that initially rejected and subsequently lost the tools of critical thinking and innovative development, as pointed out by the great historian Ibn Khaldun.

This decline inevitably spread into all areas of development, and thus led to failures in all political, social and economic fronts thus allowing the Western powers to take up the baton of social, educational and scientific development and fill the void left by the Muslim civilisation.  The translations and further development of great works from Greek/Rome period into Arabic as well as original works by great Muslim thinkers and philosophers, which were housed in the great libraries of Andalusia, provided the first real glimpse of the future to the invading Christian armies of the north. Their immediate translation of the works into Latin and absorption into their societies saved and developed the Western world into the power it was to become and what it is today.

The Muslim mind asleep, oppressed and imprisoned in glorious historical past did not wake up until the late 18th/19th century. This awakening came on the back of relinquishing the mind from the prison of the past and enabling it to incorporate the newly developed knowledge and ideas of the West while at the same time correlating these ideas with a new reading (or re-reading) and understanding of the Islamic sciences and classical heritage of Muslim scholarship. This was seen to be more in line with the real spirit and objective of Islam and ultimately what God wants from his creation.

This renewal of the Muslim mind and intellectual thought has greatly benefited from the rediscovery of the lost tools of critical thinking and intellectual development, that really have only been made possible by the utilisation of free thinking environments and scientific tools that have been developed by the Western subsequent to Muslim decline.

Critical thinking and freedom of the spirit are the tools for the renewal of the Muslim mind. With the unfortunate current decline in the West within the areas of discovery, innovation and development it is imperative that the Muslim mind sets out on the path of renewal and reform, to free itself to grow and discover, and thus to ultimately fill the void; not because of some superiority complex or to create a bipolar view of the world, but rather through the need to maintain the chain of searching, discovery and development whose sole purpose is to benefit humanity.

And thus God states “He will not change the condition of a people until they are willing to change what is in themselves”.

a washed heart in the wilderness of the desert, a pure soul elevated to hold the Word
an answer to a constant calling, an agitated state -a searching and a thirst
taught from on high by a trusted source, one from the realm of light
to project words of beauty that beautify, while holding knowledge of the ghabe
an imprint of reflection through a stainless window of an honoured heart
while even its shadow, on a pure canvas, is celebrated and held in great regard
an expression of artistic delight by the One that holds him in esteem
and thus it is He who has praised him by naming him rahmatu-lil-alameen

Sunday 4th December 2011

Rachid Ghannouchi “God says in the Qur’an that “There is no compulsion in religion”; therefore we believe that neither the state nor any social actor has the right to interfere in society in order to impose a certain lifestyle, belief or idea. These should be matters of free personal choice.”
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/oct/17/tunisians-islamic-secular-ennahda-election)

The above quote is from an article published in the Guardian by Rachid Ghannouchi, a Tunisian born scholar and activist who has dedicated his life, much of it in exile, to exploring the meaning behind the message and how it can best be understood in our time and context. Below I provide my understanding of the above quote.

All reading of the text must be done with the trajectory of the objective of God’s Will in mind. This Will, although cannot be known absolutely, after all God’s Words -the Quranic terms, are wrapped in many layers of complexity and require unpacking to reach a level of understanding from which we can move forward in understanding the objective of God; are filtered through human language for our comprehension. The Will has to be searched for through the reading of the text in line with time, space and the understanding that God does not want to impose anything on His creation. And if God chooses not to do this than what right or authority do humans have. In this rests the secret of free will, intellectual freedom and choice -a gift that was given to Adam and by extension all human beings.

There is a clear distinction between making a personal choice to live our lives according to our understanding of God’s will and what he requires of us, which we develop through our own personal investigation and learning from teachers and guides and walking the path of searching; and having the state or a social actor impose a set of ideas or beliefs that they understand to be God’s will and objective.

Since no human is vested with the authority to ‘rule by God’ or can in anyway attain such authority, no human can claim to impose his/her will on anyone, personal or collective. More over the state can become tyrannical if they believe they have a mandate by God irrespective of what the people want. Human freedom and personal choice must and should be protected, as long as it does not undermine others rights and ones responsibilities as understood by the social contract between the people of the community.

This is not to say that Islam is to be relegated only to regulate one’s personal life and have no place at state level, on the contrary Islam has a central role to play in the collective life of a community, especially when it comes to imparting moral and ethical teachings. At a collective level the objective has to be searched for, it can’t be a literal reading of the text. This searching, in light of the social and cultural context, has to be done collectively with the community and has to be in line with the social contract (or can adjust the social contract but only when the whole community is authorising this adjustment). This searching should place the revelation in its proper context, in its best light, and attempt to understand and search for the meaning within the meaning.

While I write this I must emphasise that God is the Creator and that ultimate sovereignty in the Universe lies with Him, but this does not negate the fact that, God, in creating mankind has made mankind independent to think and act. He has made mankind free to choose the path they wish to choose, He has built into mankind the ability to learn, preserve their learning and build on ideas and thinking of previous people and nations. He has placed in mankind the ability to comprehend complex ideas, unravel the mysteries of the universe and poke deep into themselves. He has raised the status of humanity, not because He has created them, but because humanity has utilised the gift that He has endowed them with to go beyond their basic ‘programming’, to push boundaries, to not allow their physical restrictions to become a handicap in experiencing the world of ideas beyond our physical space. It is these qualities, this determined attitude, this desire to know and be known -attributes that God has placed in every child; that leads the human race to be truly deserving of a status above the creation.

All these qualities, that mankind display at a subconscious level, are there to facilitate the freedom of choice and action. God did not create humanity to be ‘dumb’ servants (he has angels to fulfil that role), he created humanity to utilise the Gift of thought and action and through this process of searching to come to know God. This required on the part of God to relegate authority to mankind over their own actions, to empower them to make their own decisions that best fit their environment and their needs, and to enable them to build for themselves the systems and processes necessary to support and enhance their existence.

This does not mean that God does not have a role, on the contrary everything beyond mankind’s volition is created into existence by God, where God is not a dictator, rather he is a compassionate Creator Who holds to the original promise of creating a free thinking and acting human beings. God, in his last direct revelation, through Muhammad (pbuh) provided the clearest framework for a moral and ethical living. He placed in this framework the process towards achieving true freedom. In this communication, the High, placed objectives based on sound reasoning and rational, and placed at the heart of these objectives the preservation of human freedom and choice -the original promise. This framework revolves around a set of universal principles that act as pillars. Each one of these principles requires deep insight, searching and analysis, it requires an attitude to explore and chart new boundaries, free ourselves from dogmatic thought and utilise all the tools at our disposal to extract the meanings and objectives (not forgetting that our exploration into this world of unlimited possibilities and infinite pluralities will always be limited by our own time, space, cultural and social context as well as our understanding).

Coming back to the original statement, it is God’s own wisdom that He stated the principle that ‘there is no compulsion in religion’. This at the very fundamental level states that no one, individual or state, has a right to impose a set of beliefs and ideas on another. Each individual is created free and this should be the prime concern of any social community and society to protect and honour. This is at the very heart of the Islamic faith, teachings of God in the Quran and actions of the Prophet Muhammad.

Thus finally it must be emphasised that it is humanity, of which freedom and choice are fundamental pillars; that need to be protected, praised and raised to the level where it is not fear that governs but love and understanding, forgiveness and tolerance, compassion and mercy. This is the trajectory across which the teachings of God and His prophet point towards, move towards and define as the model of Ihsan that should be sought both at personal and collective levels.

And only God knows best.

three brave boys -no, Men, have died -shaheed
freed from the world of sorrow -their souls peaceful and tranquil
while, the one who has mowed them down
will live, forever condemned; with this action, his hands bound
forgiveness can be sought, but who can remove the pain
a constant reminder of one’s actions -a signpost for future generations and shame

Wednesday, 17th August 2011

I held once a shining star, as it learnt to illuminate the heavens
the joy shone through the darkest night, time suspended, day imprinted so bright
while now how distant the thought has become, how infrequent the name mentioned
where memories once dominated every moment, the constant melody, the heart lingered to see
time now is no longer suspended, thoughts no longer captivated, the days pass by with ease
odd is life, while now it shines in another’s place, bringing joy and happiness for sure
rarely can I steal a glimpse, rarely it’s light reaches my space
and thus rarity has now become my hearts cure

Wednesday, 17th August 2011

“And to you [Muhammad] We have revealed the Book with the truth. It confirms other books that have come before it and prevails over them. Therefore rule over them according to God’s revelations and do not follow their whims and fancies in deviation from the truth that has come to you. We have ordained for each [community] a system of laws and assigned them paths to follow.”

Explores, while maintain the authority of God -the Creator; the responsibility of the free-thinking, rational human mind and its elevated position in the sight of the One that ‘taught him the signs’; as to how it should approach the legislative commands within the text.

Commenting on this verse, al-Ghazali makes a distinction along the doctrinal and belief matters -which were perfected and concluded with the message of Prophet Muhammad; and the divine legislative matters. He states, when talking about the divine legislative matters, “it is people’s responsibility to decide how to use God’s revelation to serve the needs and interests of the human community” through interpretation and application of “basic and fundamental principles” as revealed by God and by the use of peoples “mental and intellectual capability of deduction, rationalisation, and wisdom”.

Al-Ghazali outlines the universality and durability of the Prophet’s message that by its very nature necessitates the need for harmonious conformity to common sense and human development that exists within the limitations of human nature and the material world.

Al-Ghazali quotes Shaykh Muhammad Rashid Rida from his commentary of the Quran, to say:

“The essence of the universality of Islam and the mission of Prophet Muhammad, God’s peace and blessings be upon him, does not become evident until we live and establish Islam on the basis of rationalism, and understand its laws and imperatives through active and incisive interpretative work [ijtihad], and by taking a lead from bona fide and competent scholars and legislators. Those who oppose this rational free-thinking approach put themselves in opposition to God and completely undermine the essence of the Shari’ah of Islam and its relevance and effect. Through their ignorance they do a great disservice to Islam.”

It is well worth considering these reflections deeply since they have tremendous impact on our understanding of Islam in civic society. In saying this, these reflections are not new but rather are as old as the Islamic legal tradition. What is interesting is how Muslims do not know about the rich Islamic tradition that is used to interpret divine legislation and thus provide a diverse understanding of Shari’ah and how it applies to peoples lives; but rather Muslims nowadays, due largely to colonisation, jump on the ‘other’ bandwagon (Islam is antithetical to the West and its institutions), often uttering rhetoric like “In Islam there is no distinction between religion and politics” and “Islam opposes the separation of religion and politics” while not spending the time to understand what is Islam and what does it say about secularity, democracy, religion in public and private space, Governments role and Sovereignty of God, the Shari’ah, hudud laws, human rights and civic society.

My Lord I seek Your acceptance and Your guidance, for I am forgetful. I seek the praised example and intervention for I am sinful. I seek knowledge, wisdom and understanding along the path that is all good, blessed and surrounded by mercy, for I am indeed in need and dependent.

While I pray for the best of this world I seek the best of the hereafter, that promise You have made Your creation -a promise you will bestow not because of our deeds but solely because of Your Mercy; for I stand at your door in supplication and prostration.

My Lord I am but a human being, Your creation, created weak and dependent, please do not take me to account for the favours that I may have inadvertently (through forgetfulness) denied. My Lord make my bad actions of the one you accept rather than good actions of the one you reject. For I stand alone, inwardly and outwardly naked both my good and bad actions visible in your Majestic court.

Above all, My Lord, I seek You; to look upon the face of the one that Created me, that sustains me, that enables my heart to love and my being to feel, that bestowed upon me reason and rational, that provide me the tools to read and understand the signs of both revelations. For I have nothing that does not belong to you, I am present with my being waiting for an audience.

I am seeking My Lord, I am seeking the way to be a humble servant, I am seeking the way towards the light, I am seeking the way towards You. Please make my journey easy; ameen.

Yesterday, our weekly Wednesday study session was one of the most memorable ones for us. One of the participants wanted to take the shahada and one couple wanted get married. No sooner had we helped them with their major steps in life, another participant decided that it was the right time to take the plunge too. Two shahada and one nikah all in one evening – it left us all in tears and elated.

where the former dither at the waters ebb, the latter are surfing the spiritual edge
glistering pearls of endless energy, their faces emitting God’s boundless beauty
and so, the former can only but introspect, while the latter have already forged far ahead

Thusrday 14th July 2011

Excerpts from Conference of Books by Dr. Khalid Abou El-Fadl (http://www.scholarofthehouse.org/sunnaofbeloved.html)

“The essence of music is an intangible thing. It can be measured by vibrations, sound waves, and resonances, yet those factors alone cannot explain music or why it affects us the way it does. Perhaps the best way is to say that music is a gift from God, meant to ease our suffering in this world, to remind us of His goodness, His mercy, and most of all, to help us connect with Him at a deeper level. It is a way for us to catch a glimpse of heaven.” -Julie Ann Cunningham, Fountain Magazine

The article was forwarded to me by Adam Seedat.

Friday 8th April 2011