……….. have you ever considered what the desire to serenade or write love poems stems from in humanity? A large part of world literature is filled with love poems. In this type of literature, a man praises his beloved, asks for his needs to be satisfied by the beloved, raises the position of the beloved as he lowers his own status and suffers greatly from separation. What is this? Why does humanity not behave in the same way towards other needs? Have you ever seen a person who worships money or a person who is ambitious for higher material positions, writing love poems on money or on ambition? Has anyone ever written a love poem asking for bread? Why is it that people enjoy listening to or reading the love poems of another? Why is it that so many people receive such pleasure from Hafiz's love poems? Is it not because each person senses that it conforms to some very deep instinct which possesses their whole being? How mistaken are those who say that the one and only reason which forms the basis for human activity is an economic one!
Human beings have developed special literary rhythmic forms to express sexual love just as they have done with spiritualities whereas no special literary rhythmic forms have been developed for things which are essentially material like bread and water. We do not want to insinuate that all loves are sexual nor do we mean to imply that all of Hafiz's or [Sir Thomas Wyatt’s] poems stem from their sexual instinct. This is something which needs to be discussed separately at another time.
But what is clear is that many of the love poems are ones written by men in devotion to women. It is sufficient for us to recognize that a man's attention towards a woman is not based on bread and water so that it can be satiated when the stomach is full. Rather, it either takes the form of greed and worship of variety and multiplicity or the form of love and love poems. We will later discuss under what conditions the state of greed and sexual covetousness is strengthened and under what conditions love and love poems assume a spiritual quality.
At any rate, Islam has placed special emphasis upon the amazing power of this fiery instinct. There are traditions which speak of the danger of a 'look', the danger of a man and woman being alone together and, finally, the danger of the instinct which unites a man and a woman.
Islam has established ways of controlling, balancing and taming the instinct. Duties have been given to both men and women in this area. One duty which is the responsibility of both men and women relates to looking at each other. "Say to the believing men to cast down their glance and guard their private parts..." (24:30). And, "Say to the believing women to cast down their glance and guard their private parts." (24:31). In summary, the command is that a man and a woman should not fix their eyes upon each other; they should not flirt with each other; they should not look at each other with lust or with the intention of seeking sexual pleasure (unless it is within the sacred bounds of marriage).
Islam has established a particular command for a woman which is that she covers her body from a man with whom she is not mahram and that she should not flaunt herself or put her body on display in society. She is asked not to stimulate the attention of men by any means.
The human soul readily accepts stimulation. It is great error to think that the sexual desires of humanity are limited in extent and that after a certain point, are naturally satisfied. Just as the human being, man or woman, is never satiated with wealth or position and is continuously seeking more, in the area of sexual desires, it is the same. No man is ever naturally satisfied by beauty and no woman is ever naturally satisfied by a man's attention and the conquest of his heart. Clearly the desires of the heart are never satiated.
On the other hand, unlimited demands are never fulfilled and a sense of deprivation is continuously felt. Not achieving one's desires results in psychological illnesses and complexes. Why is it that in the West psychological illnesses have increased? The reason is freedom of sexual ethics and continuous sexual stimulation through the newspapers, magazines, cinemas, theaters and official and unofficial parties and even the streets and alleys.
The reason why the Islamic command to cover is exclusive to women is because the desire to show off and display one's self is a particular trait of women. She is the hunter in the domination of the hearts of men and man is the prey, whereas man is the hunter in the domination of the body of women and she is the prey. A woman's desire to display herself comes from this essence of the hunter. It is the female instinct which, because of its particular nature, wishes to capture hearts and imprison the male. Thus, the deviation begins with the female instinct and therefore the command to cover was issued.
The above is an excerpt from a book by a scholar called Murtadha(or Murtaza) Mutahhari entitled “The Islamic Modest Dress”.
It was one of the most comprehensive and logical books I have ever read on the notion of modesty for Men and Women and it also answered many questions in regards with the Lord’s *greater* emphasis on a woman’s modest attire rather than a man’s.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Reasons for the Differences Among the Miracles of the Messengers
I've been reading some of the translations of the books of a Shia scholar called Murtada Mutahhari. Its amazing to see the wide range of subjects he has managed to cover and a good point about his works is that they are usually very easy to understand for an average person.
This is an excerpt from his book Guiding the Youth of the New Generation.
The book itself is very enlightening in terms of trying to prove that people of different generations or time periods need to be shown the 'Truth', taking into account the 'specific' situations and needs of their time and this is very important when one is talking to the younger generation. Then he gives the example of the different kinds of miracles that different prophets brought for their 'specific' times and I think this part answered one of my own questions about miracles of different prophets.
[ a man (Ibne Sikkiyt) asks the 10th Shia Imam] : Why is it that when Prophet Moses (a.s.) was raised as a Prophet, his signs and the ways and miracles that he employed to invite the people and to bring guidance to them was through his staff being transformed into a serpent, and his hand that radiated with Divine light and other things such as this. However when Prophet Jesus (a.s.) was raised as a Prophet, we see that his method and the miracles which he used to invite the people was something different. He cured people who were born blind; he healed the lepers; he brought the dead back to life and other things such as this. However Prophet Mohammad (s.w.a.) – when he was appointed as a Messenger, his form of miracle were none of these – meaning his miracle was through expression and words – the Noble Qurān.”
The Imām (a.s.) replied to him that, “This was due to the difference in times when these Prophets were raised. During the time of Prophet Moses (a.s.), people were amazed by magic and trickery, thus, the miracles of Moses (a.s.) resembled the things that the others were performing, but the difference was that Prophet Moses (a.s.) brought a miracle with substance to it, whereas the other people had magic and witchcraft.
As for the time of Prophet Jesus (a.s.), his era was one in which doctors were in abundance and they were able to cure the most serious of sicknesses and this brought amazement and bewilderment to the masses. Thus, Allāh (s.w.t.) gave Jesus (a.s.) miracles that would be in line with what the people of his time were performing.
As for the time of the seal of the Prophets (Prophet Mohammad) (s.w.a.), his time was that of speech and verbal communication and the attention that people paid to oratory powers was very high. It is for this reason that the greatest teaching of Islām was brought forth through the noble words clothed in the perfect garment of eloquence and expression (the Noble Qurān).”
Ibne Sikkiyt (r.d.a.) thoroughly benefited from the answer given to him by the Imām (a.s.) and now that he understood this issue, he said to the Imām, “O’ Son of the Messenger of Allāh! What is the Hujjah of Allāh right now?” The Imām (a.s.) replied to him, “Intelligence” and said to him:
هٌذَا وَاللٌّهِ هُوَالْجَوٌابِ
“This, by Allāh is the answer.”
Thus, it is clear that the reason for the difference in miracles of the Prophets was that through each of them, they were able to guide the people in different time periods. If this was not the case, then it is possible that from Ādam (a.s.) till Muhammad (s.w.a.) – if Prophet Ādam (a.s.) had any miracles and if he was a Prophet (since there are some people who say that he was not a Prophet) - there would have only been one type of miracle. However we see that this is not the case and that each and every Prophet brought along with him his own specific miracle that was fit for his time and age.
This is an excerpt from his book Guiding the Youth of the New Generation.
The book itself is very enlightening in terms of trying to prove that people of different generations or time periods need to be shown the 'Truth', taking into account the 'specific' situations and needs of their time and this is very important when one is talking to the younger generation. Then he gives the example of the different kinds of miracles that different prophets brought for their 'specific' times and I think this part answered one of my own questions about miracles of different prophets.
[ a man (Ibne Sikkiyt) asks the 10th Shia Imam] : Why is it that when Prophet Moses (a.s.) was raised as a Prophet, his signs and the ways and miracles that he employed to invite the people and to bring guidance to them was through his staff being transformed into a serpent, and his hand that radiated with Divine light and other things such as this. However when Prophet Jesus (a.s.) was raised as a Prophet, we see that his method and the miracles which he used to invite the people was something different. He cured people who were born blind; he healed the lepers; he brought the dead back to life and other things such as this. However Prophet Mohammad (s.w.a.) – when he was appointed as a Messenger, his form of miracle were none of these – meaning his miracle was through expression and words – the Noble Qurān.”
The Imām (a.s.) replied to him that, “This was due to the difference in times when these Prophets were raised. During the time of Prophet Moses (a.s.), people were amazed by magic and trickery, thus, the miracles of Moses (a.s.) resembled the things that the others were performing, but the difference was that Prophet Moses (a.s.) brought a miracle with substance to it, whereas the other people had magic and witchcraft.
As for the time of Prophet Jesus (a.s.), his era was one in which doctors were in abundance and they were able to cure the most serious of sicknesses and this brought amazement and bewilderment to the masses. Thus, Allāh (s.w.t.) gave Jesus (a.s.) miracles that would be in line with what the people of his time were performing.
As for the time of the seal of the Prophets (Prophet Mohammad) (s.w.a.), his time was that of speech and verbal communication and the attention that people paid to oratory powers was very high. It is for this reason that the greatest teaching of Islām was brought forth through the noble words clothed in the perfect garment of eloquence and expression (the Noble Qurān).”
Ibne Sikkiyt (r.d.a.) thoroughly benefited from the answer given to him by the Imām (a.s.) and now that he understood this issue, he said to the Imām, “O’ Son of the Messenger of Allāh! What is the Hujjah of Allāh right now?” The Imām (a.s.) replied to him, “Intelligence” and said to him:
هٌذَا وَاللٌّهِ هُوَالْجَوٌابِ
“This, by Allāh is the answer.”
Thus, it is clear that the reason for the difference in miracles of the Prophets was that through each of them, they were able to guide the people in different time periods. If this was not the case, then it is possible that from Ādam (a.s.) till Muhammad (s.w.a.) – if Prophet Ādam (a.s.) had any miracles and if he was a Prophet (since there are some people who say that he was not a Prophet) - there would have only been one type of miracle. However we see that this is not the case and that each and every Prophet brought along with him his own specific miracle that was fit for his time and age.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Submission is harmony
There was once a King who wanted to learn Arabic. No one in his region spoke it except for one old man. This old man was summoned to the Kings palace where he was immediately instructed to give his first lesson to the King. During the lesson the old man excused himself informing the King that since it was noon it was time for him to pray.
The King laughed mockingly.
“O you poor man, what type of religion do you follow? I can pray to my god any time I please”
The old man smiled revealing his was not perturbed by the King’s offensive on his religion.
“As can I” the old man responded. “Yet how unfortunate it is, whenever you call God He is there but when God calls you, you are not”
The King was taken aback by the old man’s response. Yet not content with being upstaged the King continued.
“Your religion of Islam says God is All Forgiving, thus it does not matter whether you are late for your prayer or even if you miss your prayer for your God will forgive you. If He does not then He is not the All Forgiving”
The King’s facial expression was one of pride, he was clearly pleased with the argument he put forward.
“Forgiveness is never given without repentance and repentance is never proven without rectification”
The King became flustered.
“You can rectify tomorrow. For now you will continue to teach me this language”
“I may not see tomorrow” replied the old man.
“If you do not continue to teach I will ensure you do not see tomorrow” threatened the King.
“So be it. There is no better prayer performed than the one who believes it is his last”
The King suddenly became fascinated at the old mans uncompromising obedience to his God.
“Your unyielding submission to your religion leads me to believe it does not allow you to think for yourself. You cannot deny this. You are told when to pray, how to pray, how to wash, what to eat and many other things, the list goes on. This is not a liberating religion.”
“Do me the honor of informing me as to how I teach?” the old man asked.
The King was confused.
“You teach well but how is this relevant?”
“Is it possible for someone to teach better than I?”
“Yes it is possible, but again how is this relevant?”
“Do you not see that any thing could be performed better?”
“This is true, but old man, you have not told me how all this is relevant?”
“Do you believe God is All Knowing?”
“Yes. Now old man, tell me the relevance of your questioning before I have my guards cut off your head”
“I have shown you that there is an ideal way of doing any particular thing and there is none better to show us what that ideal way is than the All Knowing.”
"Old man what you are suggesting is we cannot think for ourselves"
"Did you summon me to your palace?"
"Yes"
“May I ask why?”
“Old man what type of foolish questioning is this? You know the language I wish to learn who else will teach me?”
“Indeed. Now from what I had taught you thus far, have you listened attentively?”
“Yes”
“Will you implement everything I have taught you?”
“Yes. Old man you are testing my patience, now get to the point”
“You have exercised your free will in choosing me as your teacher. You have also exercised common sense in choosing me as I know the language you wish to learn. You have also given me total submission for without it, you will not be able to speak this language. Only a liberated mind can recognize he who is worthy of total submission for such a person will also recognize that with this total submission you improve and when you improve, things work how they should and when things work how they should there is harmony.
Now take a look outside. Do you notice complete harmony between the sun, the earth, the water, the vegetation, all working in unison together, a most beautiful equilibrium, achieved only through total submission. He, the Almighty, the Author of this perfect system is showing us in the most manifest of ways, we too can achieve the same equilibrium and harmony, this time between mind, body and soul. All one must do is submit. Yet because man has free will everything submits except him and the result? Wars, oppression, injustice, depression and yet audaciously, despite all that, when man does not submit to Gods will he claims to have a liberated mind!
Nay only the foolish and arrogant mind will do contrary to what the All Knowing advises. And this is the difference between you and I. My common sense recognizes the All Knowing is best to teach me about life and how it should be lived, from the fundamental to the minor. And this is where the treasures of life are found, through submission. For one cannot understand its secrets and experience nirvana with its Author when one is opposed to His divine system.”
The King laughed mockingly.
“O you poor man, what type of religion do you follow? I can pray to my god any time I please”
The old man smiled revealing his was not perturbed by the King’s offensive on his religion.
“As can I” the old man responded. “Yet how unfortunate it is, whenever you call God He is there but when God calls you, you are not”
The King was taken aback by the old man’s response. Yet not content with being upstaged the King continued.
“Your religion of Islam says God is All Forgiving, thus it does not matter whether you are late for your prayer or even if you miss your prayer for your God will forgive you. If He does not then He is not the All Forgiving”
The King’s facial expression was one of pride, he was clearly pleased with the argument he put forward.
“Forgiveness is never given without repentance and repentance is never proven without rectification”
The King became flustered.
“You can rectify tomorrow. For now you will continue to teach me this language”
“I may not see tomorrow” replied the old man.
“If you do not continue to teach I will ensure you do not see tomorrow” threatened the King.
“So be it. There is no better prayer performed than the one who believes it is his last”
The King suddenly became fascinated at the old mans uncompromising obedience to his God.
“Your unyielding submission to your religion leads me to believe it does not allow you to think for yourself. You cannot deny this. You are told when to pray, how to pray, how to wash, what to eat and many other things, the list goes on. This is not a liberating religion.”
“Do me the honor of informing me as to how I teach?” the old man asked.
The King was confused.
“You teach well but how is this relevant?”
“Is it possible for someone to teach better than I?”
“Yes it is possible, but again how is this relevant?”
“Do you not see that any thing could be performed better?”
“This is true, but old man, you have not told me how all this is relevant?”
“Do you believe God is All Knowing?”
“Yes. Now old man, tell me the relevance of your questioning before I have my guards cut off your head”
“I have shown you that there is an ideal way of doing any particular thing and there is none better to show us what that ideal way is than the All Knowing.”
"Old man what you are suggesting is we cannot think for ourselves"
"Did you summon me to your palace?"
"Yes"
“May I ask why?”
“Old man what type of foolish questioning is this? You know the language I wish to learn who else will teach me?”
“Indeed. Now from what I had taught you thus far, have you listened attentively?”
“Yes”
“Will you implement everything I have taught you?”
“Yes. Old man you are testing my patience, now get to the point”
“You have exercised your free will in choosing me as your teacher. You have also exercised common sense in choosing me as I know the language you wish to learn. You have also given me total submission for without it, you will not be able to speak this language. Only a liberated mind can recognize he who is worthy of total submission for such a person will also recognize that with this total submission you improve and when you improve, things work how they should and when things work how they should there is harmony.
Now take a look outside. Do you notice complete harmony between the sun, the earth, the water, the vegetation, all working in unison together, a most beautiful equilibrium, achieved only through total submission. He, the Almighty, the Author of this perfect system is showing us in the most manifest of ways, we too can achieve the same equilibrium and harmony, this time between mind, body and soul. All one must do is submit. Yet because man has free will everything submits except him and the result? Wars, oppression, injustice, depression and yet audaciously, despite all that, when man does not submit to Gods will he claims to have a liberated mind!
Nay only the foolish and arrogant mind will do contrary to what the All Knowing advises. And this is the difference between you and I. My common sense recognizes the All Knowing is best to teach me about life and how it should be lived, from the fundamental to the minor. And this is where the treasures of life are found, through submission. For one cannot understand its secrets and experience nirvana with its Author when one is opposed to His divine system.”
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
In seeking asylum with God
1 O God, if Thou willest, Thou wilt pardon us through Thy bounty
2 and if Thou willest, Thou wilt chastise us through Thy justice. So make our ways smooth to Thy pardon through Thy kindness
3 and grant us sanctuary from Thy chastisement through Thy forbearance, for none of us has the endurance for Thy justice
4 and none of us can reach deliverance without Thy pardon!
5 O Richest of the rich! Here we are, Thy servants, before Thee.
6 I am the neediest of the needy toward Thee, so redress our neediness through Thy plenty
7 and cut us not off from our hopes through Thy withholding, lest Thou makest wretched him who seeks felicity through Thee
8 and deprivest him who seeks help from Thy bounty!
9 Then to whom would we return after Thee?
10 Where would we go from Thy gate?
11 Glory be to Thee! We are the distressed, the response to whom Thou hast made incumbent,
12 the people from whom Thou hast promised to remove the evil.
13 That thing most resembling Thy will
14 and that affair most worthy for Thee in Thy mightiness is showing mercy to him who asks Thee for mercy
15 and helping him who seeks help from Thee. So show mercy upon our pleading with Thee
16 and free us from need when we throw ourselves before Thee!
17 O God, Satan will gloat over us if we follow him in disobeying Thee
18 so bless Muhammad and his Household
19 and let him not gloat over us after we have renounced him for Thee
20 and beseeched Thee against him!
verse 3 holds so much wisdom and truth. I always thought to myself that the best thing we expect from people is to be just towards others in all their conduct. Yet justice is such an ambiguous term in practice. Sometimes justice would mean punishment for some and reward for others, which may not be deemed fair by those who are punished (even though they may really have done something wrong in the eyes of the one who passes judgement)
On the other hand God is the source of true justice and His judgement is the ONLY true verdict, which shall see no opposition, because He is always alert and can even see out secret intentions let alone our actions! So if He were to judge His creatures He would know about them more than they may know about themselves....would I then, want God to be *Just* towards me and my deeds? Knowing myself and my past actions I would surely vote for *mercy* rather than *justice* from an all-knowing powerful God who is free to judge me since He created me in the first place and I belong totally to Him.
As kristenmomof3 said "The answer to trouble is prayer". This is so true! Prayer is the only way for salvation , but I believe that its a very good idea to pray to God through his *mercy*.
Eli
From Islamic Psalms called sahifa-sajjadiya
2 and if Thou willest, Thou wilt chastise us through Thy justice. So make our ways smooth to Thy pardon through Thy kindness
3 and grant us sanctuary from Thy chastisement through Thy forbearance, for none of us has the endurance for Thy justice
4 and none of us can reach deliverance without Thy pardon!
5 O Richest of the rich! Here we are, Thy servants, before Thee.
6 I am the neediest of the needy toward Thee, so redress our neediness through Thy plenty
7 and cut us not off from our hopes through Thy withholding, lest Thou makest wretched him who seeks felicity through Thee
8 and deprivest him who seeks help from Thy bounty!
9 Then to whom would we return after Thee?
10 Where would we go from Thy gate?
11 Glory be to Thee! We are the distressed, the response to whom Thou hast made incumbent,
12 the people from whom Thou hast promised to remove the evil.
13 That thing most resembling Thy will
14 and that affair most worthy for Thee in Thy mightiness is showing mercy to him who asks Thee for mercy
15 and helping him who seeks help from Thee. So show mercy upon our pleading with Thee
16 and free us from need when we throw ourselves before Thee!
17 O God, Satan will gloat over us if we follow him in disobeying Thee
18 so bless Muhammad and his Household
19 and let him not gloat over us after we have renounced him for Thee
20 and beseeched Thee against him!
verse 3 holds so much wisdom and truth. I always thought to myself that the best thing we expect from people is to be just towards others in all their conduct. Yet justice is such an ambiguous term in practice. Sometimes justice would mean punishment for some and reward for others, which may not be deemed fair by those who are punished (even though they may really have done something wrong in the eyes of the one who passes judgement)
On the other hand God is the source of true justice and His judgement is the ONLY true verdict, which shall see no opposition, because He is always alert and can even see out secret intentions let alone our actions! So if He were to judge His creatures He would know about them more than they may know about themselves....would I then, want God to be *Just* towards me and my deeds? Knowing myself and my past actions I would surely vote for *mercy* rather than *justice* from an all-knowing powerful God who is free to judge me since He created me in the first place and I belong totally to Him.
As kristenmomof3 said "The answer to trouble is prayer". This is so true! Prayer is the only way for salvation , but I believe that its a very good idea to pray to God through his *mercy*.
Eli
From Islamic Psalms called sahifa-sajjadiya
Monday, May 4, 2009
A Mere Coincidence?!!
Dear all,
I have just come across some absolutely fantastic information in the form of a video I found today. I have already posted sth on the mathematical miracle of the Quran (Islam's Holy Book) but this video is by far much more exciting and amazing.
It has always been of the utmost importance to me to be able to find Science and spirituality go hand in hand, yet when I searched through some Christian or Jewish texts I encountered instances where The Book was in complete violation of science (I do know that it is wrong to try and judge religion according to some-not so certain-scientific discoveries, but then we should always remember that NOT ALL of scientific discovery is misleading, doomed to be ignored by religious texts.
As it says in the video "the probability calculations indicate, that all these facts cannot be a mere coincidence!!"
I have just come across some absolutely fantastic information in the form of a video I found today. I have already posted sth on the mathematical miracle of the Quran (Islam's Holy Book) but this video is by far much more exciting and amazing.
It has always been of the utmost importance to me to be able to find Science and spirituality go hand in hand, yet when I searched through some Christian or Jewish texts I encountered instances where The Book was in complete violation of science (I do know that it is wrong to try and judge religion according to some-not so certain-scientific discoveries, but then we should always remember that NOT ALL of scientific discovery is misleading, doomed to be ignored by religious texts.
As it says in the video "the probability calculations indicate, that all these facts cannot be a mere coincidence!!"
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
What happened to me
One can never know what is coming ones way and to my dismay my son's hospitalization was a real shock from which I am still trying to recover.
I could'nt believe that such a rare case would inflict *my* darling one and I guess we are allways like that! we think that all the bad things happen to others and we are in some ways *immmune*-what a naiive outlook of me to have-
Yet I'm sure that the Dear Lord was with my family the entire way and I cant but see the positive effects of this ordeal on all of us, especially on myself. Guess there is really a silver lining to every cloud (sth I did not completely believe in before).
Spiritually I have gotten much closer to my Dearest Lord and am feeling His ever alert and loving presence more and more. I tried to repent from many of my past un-lordly ways which I am sure were part of the cause for this affliction [I feel that anything bad that comes our way is either due to our own bad conduct (action-reaction) but also a blessing from the Dear Lord to remind us and help us save ourselves from destruction because of His immense Love]
Another "positive" point about his illness, was to persuade me (even more than before) to "choose" to become a wife and a mother, which I believe are the first and most important roles a Godly woman should play in this short life of uncertainties about one's future.
I know that all great religions advise women to perform these great responsibilities as best as they can and looking at women who choose to stay at home and raise good children with "feminist contempt" is the root of many evil weeds sprouting in our societies.
May everyone live in good health
Eli
I could'nt believe that such a rare case would inflict *my* darling one and I guess we are allways like that! we think that all the bad things happen to others and we are in some ways *immmune*-what a naiive outlook of me to have-
Yet I'm sure that the Dear Lord was with my family the entire way and I cant but see the positive effects of this ordeal on all of us, especially on myself. Guess there is really a silver lining to every cloud (sth I did not completely believe in before).
Spiritually I have gotten much closer to my Dearest Lord and am feeling His ever alert and loving presence more and more. I tried to repent from many of my past un-lordly ways which I am sure were part of the cause for this affliction [I feel that anything bad that comes our way is either due to our own bad conduct (action-reaction) but also a blessing from the Dear Lord to remind us and help us save ourselves from destruction because of His immense Love]
Another "positive" point about his illness, was to persuade me (even more than before) to "choose" to become a wife and a mother, which I believe are the first and most important roles a Godly woman should play in this short life of uncertainties about one's future.
I know that all great religions advise women to perform these great responsibilities as best as they can and looking at women who choose to stay at home and raise good children with "feminist contempt" is the root of many evil weeds sprouting in our societies.
May everyone live in good health
Eli
Monday, April 20, 2009
Lovely!
It is said that Satan told the Lord:
"How is it that man loves you yet he disobeys you, on the other hand he hates me yet he obeys whatever I command?"
The Lord said:
" Oh satan, due to that love that he has for me and his hatred of you I shall forgive him"
note: I'll include the "source" as soon as I can. (this was taken from an Islamic text)
"How is it that man loves you yet he disobeys you, on the other hand he hates me yet he obeys whatever I command?"
The Lord said:
" Oh satan, due to that love that he has for me and his hatred of you I shall forgive him"
note: I'll include the "source" as soon as I can. (this was taken from an Islamic text)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Imam Hussain Part III --(By Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Call to Surrender or Die
Presently messengers came from Kufa, and Imam Husain was asked to surrender. Imam Husain offered to take one of three alternatives. He wanted no political power and no revenge. He said "I came to defend my own people. If I am too late, give me the choice of three alternatives: either to return to Mecca; or to face Yazid himself at Damascus; or if my very presence is distasteful to him and you, I do not wish to cause more divisions among the Muslims. Let me at least go to a distant frontier, where, if fighting must be done, I will fight against the enemies of Islam." Every one of these alternatives was refused. What they wanted was to destroy his life, or better still, to get him to surrender, to surrender to the very forces against which he was protesting, to declare his adherence to those who were defying the law of God and man, and to tolerate all the abuses which were bringing the name of Islam into disgrace. Of course he did not surrender. But what was he to do? He had no army. He had reasons to suppose that many of his friends from distant parts would rally round him, and come and defend him with their swords and bodies. But time was necessary, and he was not going to gain time by feigned compliance. He turned a little round to the left, the way that would have led him to Yazid himself, at Damascus. He camped in the plain of Kerbela.
Water cut off; Inflexible will, Devotion and Chivalry
For ten days messages passed backwards and forwards between Kerbela and Kufa. Kufa wanted surrender and recognition. That was the one thing the Imam could not consent to. Every other alternative was refused by Kufa, under the instructions from Damascus. Those fateful ten days were the first ten days of the month of Muharram, of the year 61 of the Hijra. The final crisis was on the 10th day, the Ashura day, which we are commemorating. During the first seven days various kinds of pressure were brought to bear on the Imam, but his will was inflexible. It was not a question of a fight, for there were but 70 men against 4,000. The little band was surrounded and insulted, but they held together so firmly that they could not be harmed. On the 8th day the water supply was cut off. The Euphrates and its abundant streams were within sight, but the way was barred. Prodigies of valour were performed in getting water. Challenges were made for single combat according to Arab custom. And the enemy were half-hearted, while the Imam's men fought in contempt of death, and always accounted for more men than they lost. On the evening of the 9th day, the little son of the Imam was ill. He had fever and was dying of thirst. They tried to get a drop of water. But that was refused point blank and so they made the resolve that they would, rather than surrender, die to the last man in the cause for which they had come. Imam Husain offered to send away his people. He said, "They are after my person; my family and my people can go back." But everyone refused to go. They said they would stand by him to the last, and they did. They were not cowards; they were soldiers born and bred; and they fought as heroes, with devotion and with chivalry.
The Final Agony; placid face of the man of God
On the day of Ashura, the 10th day, Imam Husain's own person was surrounded by his enemies. He was brave to the last. He was cruelly mutilated. His sacred head was cut off while in the act of prayer. A mad orgy of triumph was celebrated over his body. In this crisis we have details of what took place hour by hour. He had 45 wounds from the enemies' swords and javelins, and 35 arrows pierced his body. His left arm was cut off, and a javelin pierced through his breast. After all that agony, when his head was lifted up on a spear, his face was the placid face of a man of God. All the men of that gallant band were exterminated and their bodies trampled under foot by the horses. The only male survivor was a child, Husain's son Ali, surnamed Zain-ul-'Abidin - "The Glory of the Devout." He lived in retirement, studying, interpreting, and teaching his father's high spiritual principles for the rest of his life.
Heroism of the Women
There were women: for example, Zainab the sister of the Imam, Sakina his little daughter, and Shahr-i-Banu, his wife, at Kerbela. A great deal of poetic literature has sprung up in Muslim languages, describing the touching scenes in which they figure. Even in their grief and their tears they are heroic. They lament the tragedy in simple, loving, human terms. But they are also conscious of the noble dignity of their nearness to a life of truth reaching its goal in the precious crown of martyrdom. One of the best-known poets of this kind is the Urdu poet Anis, who lived in Lucknow, and died in 1874.
Lesson of the Tragedy
That briefly is the story. What is the lesson? There is of course the physical suffering in martyrdom, and all sorrow and suffering claim our sympathy, ---- the dearest, purest, most outflowing sympathy that we can give. But there is a greater suffering than physical suffering. That is when a valiant soul seems to stand against the world; when the noblest motives are reviled and mocked; when truth seems to suffer an eclipse. It may even seem that the martyr has but to say a word of compliance, do a little deed of non-resistance; and much sorrow and suffering would be saved; and the insidious whisper comes: "Truth after all can never die." That is perfectly true. Abstract truth can never die. It is independent of man's cognition. But the whole battle is for man's keeping hold of truth and righteousness. And that can only be done by the highest examples of man's conduct - spiritual striving and suffering enduring firmness of faith and purpose, patience and courage where ordinary mortals would give in or be cowed down, the sacrifice of ordinary motives to supreme truth in scorn of consequence. The martyr bears witness, and the witness redeems what would otherwise be called failure. It so happened with Husain. For all were touched by the story of his martyrdom, and it gave the deathblow to the politics of Damascus and all it stood for. And Muharram has still the power to unite the different schools of thought in Islam, and make a powerful appeal to non-Muslims also.
Explorers of Spiritual Territory
That, to my mind, is the supreme significance of martyrdom. All human history shows that the human spirit strives in many directions, deriving strength and sustenance from many sources. Our bodies, our physical powers, have developed or evolved from earlier forms, after many struggles and defeats. Our intellect has had its martyrs, and our great explorers have often gone forth with the martyrs' spirit. All honour to them. But the highest honour must still lie with the great explorers of spiritual territory, those who faced fearful odds and refused to surrender to evil. Rather than allow a stigma to attach to sacred things, they paid with their own lives the penalty of resistance. The first kind of resistance offered by the Imam was when he went from city to city, hunted about from place to place, but making no compromise with evil. Then was offered the choice of an effectual but dangerous attempt at clearing the house of God, or living at ease for himself by tacit abandonment of his striving friends. He chose the path of danger with duty and honour, and never swerved from it giving up his life freely and bravely. His story purifies our emotions. We can best honour his memory by allowing it to teach us courage and constancy.
Imam Husain And His Martyrdom, Abdullah Yusuf Ali (d. 1952), 41 pages Lahore: M Feroz-ud-Din & Sons, 1931. [Harvard] [Columbia] [McGill] [MELVYL] [Library of Congress] [Try the Guide to Online Libraries to locate this text elsewhere]
Further Reading
To find out more about Imam Husayn [a], his position in Islam, his noble family, their sacrifice in the deserts of Karbala, and its universal relevance, see the following resources:
The Excellences of Imam Husayn In Sunni Hadith Tradition
The Revolution of Imam Husayn
Karbala, an enduring paradigm of Islamic revivalism
Imam Husayn's Concepts of Religion and Leadership
Victory of Truth: Life of Zaynab bt. 'Ali
The Illustrious Period of the Imamate of Imam Zayn al-'Abidin
Karbala and the Imam Husayn in Persian and Indo-Muslim literature
Presently messengers came from Kufa, and Imam Husain was asked to surrender. Imam Husain offered to take one of three alternatives. He wanted no political power and no revenge. He said "I came to defend my own people. If I am too late, give me the choice of three alternatives: either to return to Mecca; or to face Yazid himself at Damascus; or if my very presence is distasteful to him and you, I do not wish to cause more divisions among the Muslims. Let me at least go to a distant frontier, where, if fighting must be done, I will fight against the enemies of Islam." Every one of these alternatives was refused. What they wanted was to destroy his life, or better still, to get him to surrender, to surrender to the very forces against which he was protesting, to declare his adherence to those who were defying the law of God and man, and to tolerate all the abuses which were bringing the name of Islam into disgrace. Of course he did not surrender. But what was he to do? He had no army. He had reasons to suppose that many of his friends from distant parts would rally round him, and come and defend him with their swords and bodies. But time was necessary, and he was not going to gain time by feigned compliance. He turned a little round to the left, the way that would have led him to Yazid himself, at Damascus. He camped in the plain of Kerbela.
Water cut off; Inflexible will, Devotion and Chivalry
For ten days messages passed backwards and forwards between Kerbela and Kufa. Kufa wanted surrender and recognition. That was the one thing the Imam could not consent to. Every other alternative was refused by Kufa, under the instructions from Damascus. Those fateful ten days were the first ten days of the month of Muharram, of the year 61 of the Hijra. The final crisis was on the 10th day, the Ashura day, which we are commemorating. During the first seven days various kinds of pressure were brought to bear on the Imam, but his will was inflexible. It was not a question of a fight, for there were but 70 men against 4,000. The little band was surrounded and insulted, but they held together so firmly that they could not be harmed. On the 8th day the water supply was cut off. The Euphrates and its abundant streams were within sight, but the way was barred. Prodigies of valour were performed in getting water. Challenges were made for single combat according to Arab custom. And the enemy were half-hearted, while the Imam's men fought in contempt of death, and always accounted for more men than they lost. On the evening of the 9th day, the little son of the Imam was ill. He had fever and was dying of thirst. They tried to get a drop of water. But that was refused point blank and so they made the resolve that they would, rather than surrender, die to the last man in the cause for which they had come. Imam Husain offered to send away his people. He said, "They are after my person; my family and my people can go back." But everyone refused to go. They said they would stand by him to the last, and they did. They were not cowards; they were soldiers born and bred; and they fought as heroes, with devotion and with chivalry.
The Final Agony; placid face of the man of God
On the day of Ashura, the 10th day, Imam Husain's own person was surrounded by his enemies. He was brave to the last. He was cruelly mutilated. His sacred head was cut off while in the act of prayer. A mad orgy of triumph was celebrated over his body. In this crisis we have details of what took place hour by hour. He had 45 wounds from the enemies' swords and javelins, and 35 arrows pierced his body. His left arm was cut off, and a javelin pierced through his breast. After all that agony, when his head was lifted up on a spear, his face was the placid face of a man of God. All the men of that gallant band were exterminated and their bodies trampled under foot by the horses. The only male survivor was a child, Husain's son Ali, surnamed Zain-ul-'Abidin - "The Glory of the Devout." He lived in retirement, studying, interpreting, and teaching his father's high spiritual principles for the rest of his life.
Heroism of the Women
There were women: for example, Zainab the sister of the Imam, Sakina his little daughter, and Shahr-i-Banu, his wife, at Kerbela. A great deal of poetic literature has sprung up in Muslim languages, describing the touching scenes in which they figure. Even in their grief and their tears they are heroic. They lament the tragedy in simple, loving, human terms. But they are also conscious of the noble dignity of their nearness to a life of truth reaching its goal in the precious crown of martyrdom. One of the best-known poets of this kind is the Urdu poet Anis, who lived in Lucknow, and died in 1874.
Lesson of the Tragedy
That briefly is the story. What is the lesson? There is of course the physical suffering in martyrdom, and all sorrow and suffering claim our sympathy, ---- the dearest, purest, most outflowing sympathy that we can give. But there is a greater suffering than physical suffering. That is when a valiant soul seems to stand against the world; when the noblest motives are reviled and mocked; when truth seems to suffer an eclipse. It may even seem that the martyr has but to say a word of compliance, do a little deed of non-resistance; and much sorrow and suffering would be saved; and the insidious whisper comes: "Truth after all can never die." That is perfectly true. Abstract truth can never die. It is independent of man's cognition. But the whole battle is for man's keeping hold of truth and righteousness. And that can only be done by the highest examples of man's conduct - spiritual striving and suffering enduring firmness of faith and purpose, patience and courage where ordinary mortals would give in or be cowed down, the sacrifice of ordinary motives to supreme truth in scorn of consequence. The martyr bears witness, and the witness redeems what would otherwise be called failure. It so happened with Husain. For all were touched by the story of his martyrdom, and it gave the deathblow to the politics of Damascus and all it stood for. And Muharram has still the power to unite the different schools of thought in Islam, and make a powerful appeal to non-Muslims also.
Explorers of Spiritual Territory
That, to my mind, is the supreme significance of martyrdom. All human history shows that the human spirit strives in many directions, deriving strength and sustenance from many sources. Our bodies, our physical powers, have developed or evolved from earlier forms, after many struggles and defeats. Our intellect has had its martyrs, and our great explorers have often gone forth with the martyrs' spirit. All honour to them. But the highest honour must still lie with the great explorers of spiritual territory, those who faced fearful odds and refused to surrender to evil. Rather than allow a stigma to attach to sacred things, they paid with their own lives the penalty of resistance. The first kind of resistance offered by the Imam was when he went from city to city, hunted about from place to place, but making no compromise with evil. Then was offered the choice of an effectual but dangerous attempt at clearing the house of God, or living at ease for himself by tacit abandonment of his striving friends. He chose the path of danger with duty and honour, and never swerved from it giving up his life freely and bravely. His story purifies our emotions. We can best honour his memory by allowing it to teach us courage and constancy.
Imam Husain And His Martyrdom, Abdullah Yusuf Ali (d. 1952), 41 pages Lahore: M Feroz-ud-Din & Sons, 1931. [Harvard] [Columbia] [McGill] [MELVYL] [Library of Congress] [Try the Guide to Online Libraries to locate this text elsewhere]
Further Reading
To find out more about Imam Husayn [a], his position in Islam, his noble family, their sacrifice in the deserts of Karbala, and its universal relevance, see the following resources:
The Excellences of Imam Husayn In Sunni Hadith Tradition
The Revolution of Imam Husayn
Karbala, an enduring paradigm of Islamic revivalism
Imam Husayn's Concepts of Religion and Leadership
Victory of Truth: Life of Zaynab bt. 'Ali
The Illustrious Period of the Imamate of Imam Zayn al-'Abidin
Karbala and the Imam Husayn in Persian and Indo-Muslim literature
Monday, February 16, 2009
Imam Hussain Part II--(By Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
image
Geographical Picture
In placing before you a geographical picture of the tract of country in which the great tragedy was enacted, I consider myself fortunate in having my own personal memories to draw upon. They make the picture vivid to my mind, and they may help you also. When I visited those scenes in 1928, I remember going down from Baghdad through all that country watered by the Euphrates river. As I crossed the river by a bridge of boats at Al-Musaiyib on a fine April morning, my thoughts leapt over centuries and centuries. To the left of the main river you have the old classic ground of Babylonian history; you have the railway station of Hilla; you have the ruins of the city of Babylon, witnessing to one of the greatest civilisations of antiquity. It was so mingled with the dust that it is only in recent years that we have begun to understand its magnitude and magnificence. Then you have the great river system of the Euphrates, the Furat as it is called, a river unlike any other river we know. It takes its rise in many sources from the mountains of Eastern Armenia, and sweeping in great zig-zags through rocky country, it finally skirts the desert as we see it now. Wherever it or its interlacing branches or canals can reach, it has converted the desert into fruitful cultivated country; in the picturesque phrase, it has made the desert blossom as the rose. It skirts round the Eastern edge of the Syrian desert and then flows into marshy land. In a tract not far from Kerbela itself there are lakes which receive its waters, and act as reservoirs. Lower down it unites with the other river, the Tigris, and the united rivers flow in the name of the Shatt-al-Arab into the Persian Gulf.
Abundant water & tragedy of thirst
Husain the Righteous refused to bow to worldliness and power
Driven from city to city
Medina was the centre of Husain's teaching. They made Medina impossible for him. He left Medina and went to Mecca, hoping that he would be left alone. But he was not left alone. The Syrian forces invaded Mecca. The invasion was repelled, not by Husain but by other people. For Husain, though the bravest of the brave, had no army and no worldly weapons. His existence itself was an offence in the eyes of his enemies. His life was in danger, and the lives of all those nearest and dearest to him. He had friends everywhere, but they were afraid to speak out. They were not as brave as he was. But in distant Kufa, a party grew up which said: "We are disgusted with these events, and we must have Imam Husain to take asylum with us." So they sent and invited the Imam to leave Mecca, come to them, live in their midst, and be their honoured teacher and guide. His father's memory was held in reverence in Kufa. The Governor of Kufa was friendly, and the people eager to welcome him. But alas, Kufa had neither strength, nor courage, nor constancy. Kufa, geographically only 40 miles from Kerbela, was the occasion of the tragedy of Kerbela. And now Kufa is nearly gone, and Kerbela remains as the lasting memorial of the martyrdom.
Invitation from Kufa
Journey through the desert
Imam Husain left Mecca for Kufa with all his family including his little children. Later news from Kufa itself was disconcerting. The friendly governor had been displaced by one prepared more ruthlessly to carry out Yazid's plans. If Husain was to go there at all, he must go there quickly, or his friends themselves would be in danger. On the other hand, Mecca itself was no less dangerous to him and his family. It was the month of September by the solar calendar, and no one would take a long desert journey in that heat, except under a sense of duty. By the lunar calendar it was the month of pilgrimage at Mecca. But he did not stop for the pilgrimage. He pushed on, with his family and dependants, in all numbering about 90 or 100 people, men, women and children. They must have gone by forced marches through the desert. They covered the 900 miles of the desert in little over three weeks. When they came within a few miles of Kufa, at the edge of the desert, they met people from Kufa. It was then that they heard of the terrible murder of Husain's cousin Muslim, who had been sent on in advance. A poet that came by dissuaded the Imam from going further. "For," he said epigramatically, "the heart of the city is with thee but its sword is with thine enemies, and the issue is with God." What was to be done? They were three weeks' journey from the city they had left. In the city to which they were going their own messenger had been foully murdered as well as his children. They did not know what the actual situation was then in Kufa. But they were determined not to desert their friends.
Imam Hussain Part I--(By Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
In my plight for the real truth in terms of Islam and especially the Shiah sect I have become very much interested in a very important religious and historical figure, none other than the Islamic prophet, Muhammad’s Grandson called ”Imam Hussain” and what Happened to him and his family at a place called “Karbala”. I read the written version of a speech delivered (ironically) by a famous Sunni scholar and translator-commentator of the Quran, Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
As the original version is too long I have tried to summarize the text but have found it very difficult to cut pieces out. So I have decided to post the different part in separate sections so as to make it all an easier reading.
The whole speech can be found here.
Imam Husain And His Martyrdom
Sorrow as a Bond of Union
Karbala is one of those wonderful events in our (the Muslim) religious history about which all sects are agreed. More than that, in this room I have the honor of addressing some people who do not belong to our religious persuasion, but I venture to think that the view I put forward today may be of interest to them from its historical, its moral and its spiritual significance. Indeed, when we consider the background of that great tragedy, and all that has happened during the 1289 lunar years since, we cannot fail to be convinced that some events of sorrow and apparent defeat are really the very things which are calculated to bring about, or lead us towards, the union of humanity.
How Martyrdom healed divisions
When we invite strangers or guests and make them free of our family circle, that means the greatest outflowing of our hearts to them. The events that I am going to describe refer to some of the most touching incidents of our domestic history in their spiritual aspect. We ask our brethren of other faiths to come, and share with us some of the thoughts which are called forth by this event. As a matter of fact all students of history are aware that the horrors that are connected with the great event of Kerbela did more than anything else to unite together the various contending factions which had unfortunately appeared at that early stage of Muslim history. You know the old Persian saying applied to the Prophet:
Tu barae wasl kardan amadi;
Ni barae fasl kardan amadi.
"Thou camest to the world to unite, not to divide."
That was wonderfully exemplified by the sorrows and sufferings and finally the martyrdom of Imam Husain.
Commemoration of great virtues
I think it would be good to sit together, even people of different faiths, - sit together and consider the great historic event, in which were exemplified such soul-stirring virtues as those of unshaken faith, undaunted courage, thought for others, willing self-sacrifice, steadfastness in the right and unflinching war against the wrong. Islam has a history of beautiful domestic affections, of sufferings and of spiritual Endeavour, second to none in the world. That side of Muslim history, although to me the most precious, is, I am sorry to say, often neglected. It is most important that we should call attention to it, reiterated attention, the attention of our own people as well as the attention of those who are interested in historical and religious truth. If there is anything precious in Islamic history it is not the wars, or the politics, or the brilliant expansion, or the glorious conquests, or even the intellectual spoils which our ancestors gathered. In these matters, our history, like all history, has its lights and shades. What we need especially to emphasize is the spirit of organization, of brotherhood, of undaunted courage in moral and spiritual life.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Letter of the Soul
I don't feel well. In fact for a long time I have not been feeling well. My body is full of wounds, wounds very deep, wounds which are infected and painful, wounds which are bleeding. I need help, but I cannot talk to anyone. People around me are all wounded, but they either turn away and ignore, or they are busy with wounds much bigger than mine, yet the strange thing is that they try to conceal it, there are also those who are putting the wrong ointment on their wounds or washing them with contaminated water from the springs of death, so many springs with black liquid gushing out of the drenched soil. There are also those who look at me and laugh.
I need help. I have to see a doctor. A doctor who would know the reason for my ailment, a doctor who would wash my wounds and treat them with healing ointments, a doctor who is a stranger to the poison of death, a doctor who won't interrogate me, who won't torture me with words and sentences, "what have you done to yourself?"," where have you been all this time?", "why did you neglect?", treatment is useless", "it’s a long way to recovery, you'll have to be examined, and examined and examined, only if you passed the tests….. otherwise you won't even be allowed to enter, let alone receive any kind of treatment".
I need a doctor who would heal me, knowing that I have wronged myself, knowing that I have returned to be cured. I need a doctor who would ignore my wounds and would only pay attention to my heart, see that it's still beating, still pumping life. I need a doctor who would heal my wounds because of what he sees in my heart: an earnest desire to return and get healed, and to be guided to a path which would lead me straight to the source of LIFE.
Most important of all, I need a doctor who is not himself contaminated with festering wounds!
I think I'm on the right track.
Eli
I don't feel well. In fact for a long time I have not been feeling well. My body is full of wounds, wounds very deep, wounds which are infected and painful, wounds which are bleeding. I need help, but I cannot talk to anyone. People around me are all wounded, but they either turn away and ignore, or they are busy with wounds much bigger than mine, yet the strange thing is that they try to conceal it, there are also those who are putting the wrong ointment on their wounds or washing them with contaminated water from the springs of death, so many springs with black liquid gushing out of the drenched soil. There are also those who look at me and laugh.
I need help. I have to see a doctor. A doctor who would know the reason for my ailment, a doctor who would wash my wounds and treat them with healing ointments, a doctor who is a stranger to the poison of death, a doctor who won't interrogate me, who won't torture me with words and sentences, "what have you done to yourself?"," where have you been all this time?", "why did you neglect?", treatment is useless", "it’s a long way to recovery, you'll have to be examined, and examined and examined, only if you passed the tests….. otherwise you won't even be allowed to enter, let alone receive any kind of treatment".
I need a doctor who would heal me, knowing that I have wronged myself, knowing that I have returned to be cured. I need a doctor who would ignore my wounds and would only pay attention to my heart, see that it's still beating, still pumping life. I need a doctor who would heal my wounds because of what he sees in my heart: an earnest desire to return and get healed, and to be guided to a path which would lead me straight to the source of LIFE.
Most important of all, I need a doctor who is not himself contaminated with festering wounds!
I think I'm on the right track.
Eli
Monday, January 26, 2009
Modesty, the Most Beautiful Natural Outfit
Dear All,
Some days ago I came across a truly inspirational post in a blog which belongs to one of blogger world's most talented writers, Amy. (this is not my personal conviction but the conclusion of many many people who visit her blog and who have become lifelong fans)
In that post she talked about modesty and its certain implications and also the outlook of our present so-called, very free, very civilized society on people, esp. women who choose to be modest in all aspects of life and particularly in their clothing.
Literature being my major and specialty, I remembered a poem I sometimes analyse in one of my classes, so I wrote Amy and told her about it and hope that she would do a post on it very soon.
I shall paste the text of my email in this post so that anyone interested would be able to read the points I've mentioned.
Dear Amy,
Your post on modesty was so thought-provoking and beautifully written that I've decided to pin a copy of it on our department board (of course with your consent). I'm sure I can also use it in some of my other classes where we discuss different short stories [especially feminist ones which I sometimes choose on purpose in order to analyze in my very own special way ].
I'm not writing this letter to tell you just about my intent (of course I do need your permission). The reason why I'm writing is that, reading the "responses" to your post (I'm the kind that reads "all" the responses to a particular interesting post prior to writing my own) I came across one in which the writer had agreed with some of your points about modesty in clothing but then declared that she did NOT see any reason why a woman should cover her hair, as she saw no real temptation in that.
Knowing your great talent in writing very reasonable articles worthy of re-reading I decided to send you some information that I have in literature (my specialty), concerning this very matter. I'm sure you would be able to write something very interesting on it.
For one of my courses (literary schools) I teach the different literary trends and one of these is a movement called "symbolism". What I think you would find most interesting is that a French world-famous poet, Baudelaire, who is in a sense the founder of symbolism, in a series of poems entitled "Flowers of Evil" has one particular poem worth paying close attention to.
The poem called "Of Her Hair" is the embodiment of an inspirational effect of a woman's (Jeanne Duval) perfume and, above all, her magnificent flowing black hair on the poet.[this was super interesting for me as I know that in Islam apart from covering ones hair and not showing it to anyone other than ones husband or male relatives whom the Lord has allowed in the Quran -like fathers, brothers, fathers in law, uncles, and grandfathers who are in the Islamic word called "Maharem", or Mahram -if I'm not mistaken- a women is also FORBIDDEN to use perfume in the presence of non-mahram men, and reading Baudelaire's poem ( and also my own experience as a married woman who knows men much more than unmarried women) shows how very true and reasonable this order of the Lord is].
By the way your own explanation of modesty seems very "Islamic" especially the parts where you said covering even up to ones wrist and covering ones feet (have you read the Islamic orders for "hijab"?) or was that just your own convictions about modesty?
Once again I've gone "way" past my intended length of the email, really sorry for that.
Anyway I'll copy/ past the text of the poem and leave the rest to you and your able pen.
Kiss little Peapod, she is so very cute and loveable in her pics, reminds me of a long ago family friend's daughter who had a philippinian mother and an Iranian Father, she was two when I was 14 so now she must be a young lady, we've lost touch for a long time now.
May the Dear Lord Bless you and your lovely family and be an ever present guide and help.
I am very much in need of prayer so please keep me in mind when you pray.
Lots of Love
Eli
Of Her Hair
O shadowy fleece that falls and curls upon those bare
Some days ago I came across a truly inspirational post in a blog which belongs to one of blogger world's most talented writers, Amy. (this is not my personal conviction but the conclusion of many many people who visit her blog and who have become lifelong fans)
In that post she talked about modesty and its certain implications and also the outlook of our present so-called, very free, very civilized society on people, esp. women who choose to be modest in all aspects of life and particularly in their clothing.
Literature being my major and specialty, I remembered a poem I sometimes analyse in one of my classes, so I wrote Amy and told her about it and hope that she would do a post on it very soon.
I shall paste the text of my email in this post so that anyone interested would be able to read the points I've mentioned.
Dear Amy,
Your post on modesty was so thought-provoking and beautifully written that I've decided to pin a copy of it on our department board (of course with your consent). I'm sure I can also use it in some of my other classes where we discuss different short stories [especially feminist ones which I sometimes choose on purpose in order to analyze in my very own special way ].
I'm not writing this letter to tell you just about my intent (of course I do need your permission). The reason why I'm writing is that, reading the "responses" to your post (I'm the kind that reads "all" the responses to a particular interesting post prior to writing my own) I came across one in which the writer had agreed with some of your points about modesty in clothing but then declared that she did NOT see any reason why a woman should cover her hair, as she saw no real temptation in that.
Knowing your great talent in writing very reasonable articles worthy of re-reading I decided to send you some information that I have in literature (my specialty), concerning this very matter. I'm sure you would be able to write something very interesting on it.
For one of my courses (literary schools) I teach the different literary trends and one of these is a movement called "symbolism". What I think you would find most interesting is that a French world-famous poet, Baudelaire, who is in a sense the founder of symbolism, in a series of poems entitled "Flowers of Evil" has one particular poem worth paying close attention to.
The poem called "Of Her Hair" is the embodiment of an inspirational effect of a woman's (Jeanne Duval) perfume and, above all, her magnificent flowing black hair on the poet.[this was super interesting for me as I know that in Islam apart from covering ones hair and not showing it to anyone other than ones husband or male relatives whom the Lord has allowed in the Quran -like fathers, brothers, fathers in law, uncles, and grandfathers who are in the Islamic word called "Maharem", or Mahram -if I'm not mistaken- a women is also FORBIDDEN to use perfume in the presence of non-mahram men, and reading Baudelaire's poem ( and also my own experience as a married woman who knows men much more than unmarried women) shows how very true and reasonable this order of the Lord is].
By the way your own explanation of modesty seems very "Islamic" especially the parts where you said covering even up to ones wrist and covering ones feet (have you read the Islamic orders for "hijab"?) or was that just your own convictions about modesty?
Once again I've gone "way" past my intended length of the email, really sorry for that.
Anyway I'll copy/ past the text of the poem and leave the rest to you and your able pen.
Kiss little Peapod, she is so very cute and loveable in her pics, reminds me of a long ago family friend's daughter who had a philippinian mother and an Iranian Father, she was two when I was 14 so now she must be a young lady, we've lost touch for a long time now.
May the Dear Lord Bless you and your lovely family and be an ever present guide and help.
I am very much in need of prayer so please keep me in mind when you pray.
Lots of Love
Eli
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Of Her Hair
O shadowy fleece that falls and curls upon those bare
Lithe shoulders!O rich perfume of forgetfulness!
O ecstasy! To loose upon the midnight air
The memories asleep in this tumultuous hair,
I long to rake it in my fingers, tress by tress!
Asia the languorous, the burning solitude
Of Africa — a whole world, distant, all but dead —
Survives in thy profundities, O odorous wood!
My soul, as other souls put forth on the deep flood
Of music, sails away upon thy scent instead.
There where the sap of life mounts hot in man and tree,
And lush desire untamed swoons in the torrid zone,
Undulant tresses, wild strong waves, oh, carry me!
Dream, like a dazzling sun, from out this ebony sea
Rises; and sails and banks of rowers propel me on.
All the confusion, all the mingled colors, cries,
Smells of a busy port, upon my senses beat;
Where smoothly on the golden streakèd ripples flies
The barque, its arms outspread to gather in the skies,
Against whose glory trembles the unabating heat.
In this black ocean where the primal ocean roars,
Drunken, in love with drunkenness, I plunge and drown;
Over my dubious spirit the rolling tide outpours
Its peace — oh, fruitful indolence, upon thy shores,
Cradled in languor, let me drift and lay me down!
Blue hair, darkness made palpable, like the big tent
Of desert sky all glittering with many a star
Thou coverest me — oh, I am drugged as with the blent
Effluvia of a sleeping caravan, the scent
Of coco oil impregnated with musk and tar.
Fear not! Upon this savage mane for ever thy lord
Will sow pearls, sapphires, rubies, every stone that gleams,
To keep thee faithful! Art not thou the sycamored
Oasis whither my thoughts journey, and the dark gourd
Whereof I drink in long slow draughts the wine of dreams?
— George Dillon & Edna St. Vincent Millay, Flowers of Evil
O ecstasy! To loose upon the midnight air
The memories asleep in this tumultuous hair,
I long to rake it in my fingers, tress by tress!
Asia the languorous, the burning solitude
Of Africa — a whole world, distant, all but dead —
Survives in thy profundities, O odorous wood!
My soul, as other souls put forth on the deep flood
Of music, sails away upon thy scent instead.
There where the sap of life mounts hot in man and tree,
And lush desire untamed swoons in the torrid zone,
Undulant tresses, wild strong waves, oh, carry me!
Dream, like a dazzling sun, from out this ebony sea
Rises; and sails and banks of rowers propel me on.
All the confusion, all the mingled colors, cries,
Smells of a busy port, upon my senses beat;
Where smoothly on the golden streakèd ripples flies
The barque, its arms outspread to gather in the skies,
Against whose glory trembles the unabating heat.
In this black ocean where the primal ocean roars,
Drunken, in love with drunkenness, I plunge and drown;
Over my dubious spirit the rolling tide outpours
Its peace — oh, fruitful indolence, upon thy shores,
Cradled in languor, let me drift and lay me down!
Blue hair, darkness made palpable, like the big tent
Of desert sky all glittering with many a star
Thou coverest me — oh, I am drugged as with the blent
Effluvia of a sleeping caravan, the scent
Of coco oil impregnated with musk and tar.
Fear not! Upon this savage mane for ever thy lord
Will sow pearls, sapphires, rubies, every stone that gleams,
To keep thee faithful! Art not thou the sycamored
Oasis whither my thoughts journey, and the dark gourd
Whereof I drink in long slow draughts the wine of dreams?
— George Dillon & Edna St. Vincent Millay, Flowers of Evil
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Pain
Today as I was watching my husband and my little son laugh and play as they playfully wrestled and as I thanked the Dear Lord for All that he had blessed my precious family with, I could not help but remember the painful situation of the people in Gaza...... I could not help but remember all those children who no longer have parents or all those parents who no longer have even one child left, people who have lost 5 children in a moment, all their hopes and wishes for the future disappearing into thin air full of burning phosphorous gas which is suffocating them even as they mourn their precious lost ones. I read somewhere on the internet that one entire Gazan family has decided to live in one room so that in case of their home being bombed they would ALL die together not some dead some alive.... Oh dear Lord entire families -if they survive- would have nothing left of their loved ones but their memories, not even pictures as their whole house has been demolished... Dear Lord, you are the Wise, the compassionate, the all-knowing, help resolve the catastrophic situation in Gaza in the best possible way as you see fit in your ultimate wisdom.... help the people of the world to know you and to love you and to know themselves and love themselves and their brothers..... help us free ourselves from ignorance, self worship and materialism, help us dear Lord help us.
Eli
Eli
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