In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
By the sun in its morning brightness and by the moon as it follows it, by the day as it displays the sun's glory and by the night as it conceals it, by the sky and how He built it and by the earth and how He spread it, by the soul and how He formed it and inspired it [to know] its own rebellion and piety! The one who purifies his soul succeeds and the one who corrupts it fails. In their arrogant cruelty, the people of Thamud called [their messenger] a liar, when the most wicked man among them rose [against him]. The messenger of God said to them, [leave] God's camel to drink, but they called him a liar and hamstrung her. Their Lord destroyed them for their crime and levelled them. He did not hesitate to punish them.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Qur'an: The Night
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy*
By the enshrouding night, by the radiant day, by His creation of male and female! The ways you take differ greatly. There is the one who gives, who is mindful of God, who testifies to goodness- We shall smooth his way toward ease. There is the one who is miserly, who is self-satisfied, who denies goodness- We shall smooth his way towards hardship and his wealth will not help him as he falls.
Our part is to provide guidance- this world and the next belong to Us- so I warn you about the raging Fire, in which none but the wicked one will burn, who denied [the truth] and turned away. The most pious ones will be spared this- who gives his wealth away in self-purification, not to return a favor to anyone but for the sake of his Lord the Most High- and he will be well pleased.
*Some have said that the religious tendency to capitalize odd things runs more than a bit toward the silly. Progressive Christians might say that it's often unneccesary- because we can have no love but God's love, say, there would be no need to capitalize divine love, except at the beginning of a sentence. Obviously the distinction between God and gods is clearer- but how would people of Islamic faith react to this notion? When to capitalize, and when not to?
By the enshrouding night, by the radiant day, by His creation of male and female! The ways you take differ greatly. There is the one who gives, who is mindful of God, who testifies to goodness- We shall smooth his way toward ease. There is the one who is miserly, who is self-satisfied, who denies goodness- We shall smooth his way towards hardship and his wealth will not help him as he falls.
Our part is to provide guidance- this world and the next belong to Us- so I warn you about the raging Fire, in which none but the wicked one will burn, who denied [the truth] and turned away. The most pious ones will be spared this- who gives his wealth away in self-purification, not to return a favor to anyone but for the sake of his Lord the Most High- and he will be well pleased.
*Some have said that the religious tendency to capitalize odd things runs more than a bit toward the silly. Progressive Christians might say that it's often unneccesary- because we can have no love but God's love, say, there would be no need to capitalize divine love, except at the beginning of a sentence. Obviously the distinction between God and gods is clearer- but how would people of Islamic faith react to this notion? When to capitalize, and when not to?
Qur'an: The Morning Brightness
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
In the morning brightness and by the night when it grows still, your Lord has not forsaken you [Prophet], nor does He hate you, and the future will be better for you than the past; your Lord is sure to give you so much that you will be well satisfied. Did He not find you an orphan and shelter you? Did he not find you lost and quide you? Did He not find you in need and make you self-sufficient?
So do not be harsh with the orphan and do not chide the one who asks for help; talk about the blessings of your Lord.
In the morning brightness and by the night when it grows still, your Lord has not forsaken you [Prophet], nor does He hate you, and the future will be better for you than the past; your Lord is sure to give you so much that you will be well satisfied. Did He not find you an orphan and shelter you? Did he not find you lost and quide you? Did He not find you in need and make you self-sufficient?
So do not be harsh with the orphan and do not chide the one who asks for help; talk about the blessings of your Lord.
Qur'an: Relief
In the Name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
Did We not relieve your heart for you [Prophet], and remove the burden that weighed so heavily on your back, and raise your reputation high?* So truly where there is hardship there is also ease*; truly where there is hardship there is also ease. The moment you are freed [of one task] to work on, and turn to your Lord for everything.
*So many of these begin with questions- I approve. There is no God like a challenging God.
*Holocaust survivor Primo Levi wrote that there is no such thing as perfect suffering. I always figured, he would know. Where there is hardship there is also ease, indeed.
Did We not relieve your heart for you [Prophet], and remove the burden that weighed so heavily on your back, and raise your reputation high?* So truly where there is hardship there is also ease*; truly where there is hardship there is also ease. The moment you are freed [of one task] to work on, and turn to your Lord for everything.
*So many of these begin with questions- I approve. There is no God like a challenging God.
*Holocaust survivor Primo Levi wrote that there is no such thing as perfect suffering. I always figured, he would know. Where there is hardship there is also ease, indeed.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Notice: Seven Up
Last week I realized that I've had three transformative spiritual visions or revelations in my life: one when I was twelve (God is a lake); another when I was nineteen (God is a field); and the last when I was twenty-six (God is a storm). If you do the math, that's seven years apart. And it really is, give or take a few weeks. Next up? When I'm thirty-three, perhaps I'll realize that God is a mountain, bathe in the Susquehannah River, and make a pilgrimage to Bethlehem, PA. I just hope no one kills my mentor.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Love Poem: Beyond Distinctions
Beyond Distinctions
That fire
whose name is love
burns away
both belief and disbelief.
Belief is one thing-
the religion of love
is something different.
Love's Prophet is beyond race,
beyond creeds,
beyond petty distinctions.
Abu Said Abi 'l-Khayr
That fire
whose name is love
burns away
both belief and disbelief.
Belief is one thing-
the religion of love
is something different.
Love's Prophet is beyond race,
beyond creeds,
beyond petty distinctions.
Abu Said Abi 'l-Khayr
Love Poem: Wholly Unique
Wholly Unique
I asked, "Who are you like
in your overwhelming beauty?"
He replied, "Only myself,
as I am quite unique."
I am love, lover
and the Beloved
I am Beauty, I'm the mirror,
and the longing eye.
Abu Said Abi 'l-Khayr
I asked, "Who are you like
in your overwhelming beauty?"
He replied, "Only myself,
as I am quite unique."
I am love, lover
and the Beloved
I am Beauty, I'm the mirror,
and the longing eye.
Abu Said Abi 'l-Khayr
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