Juggling books...

With every passing minute I find myself having not read so much more. 'There has to be a way to devour the whole stack' says my conscience and I always have to shut him by telling him 'its not about devouring them you idiot, you need time to digest too!!!'. With an air of heedlessness, my conscience says 'oh well' and continues biting me from the inside...


Last night I got hold of one book from the shelf (that has gotten messier than before!) and started flipping the pages. Somewhere near the first quarter, my eyes glued to the page and I began reading. Surprisingly I had kept the book in the pile of incomprehensible(s)! But now each and every word sank in, as if their beloved was dying to reach out for them only!

I am reading .......?

A discussion on Post-Modernism

While having a discussion on 'post-modernism' with a relative of mine this is what I concluded... A discussion of post-modernism would take much too long. It has shaped our world-view, but mostly in ways that people don't realize, e.g., in familiarizing them with alternative views of what "makes sense". It is the ultimate rebellion against the authority of the canon.

In an explicit sense, only a few people - mainly in academia - are really aware of post-modernism. Its greatest contribution, is to undermine the idea of objective meaning and to expose the essential subjectivity underlying all claims of objective truth. From a traditional viewpoint, it is mainly a "destructive" approach and, indeed, rejects the value of constructed structures. In this, I think, it does not take sufficient account of human nature, which is based on the "real fictions" of agency and self-reference. Formally, it is a much more rigorous approach than traditional theories of meaning and signification.

According to Ali Minai, Assoc. Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Cincinnati (with whom I was having the discussion), we're now seeing the birth pangs of the post-postmodern age, where people are seeking a return to meaning without falling into the old traps of tradition, religion, nationalism, etc., that they have only recently escaped. Of course, not everyone agrees with this direction, e.g., the jihadi movement in Islam and the right-wing in Europe, in America. However, they will lose because this genie is out of the bottle, and is fueled by globalization. The biggest threat to it is that some great calamity, e.g., climate change, may yet turn people back towards parochial ways...

Tough Measures

 

"Autobiography is only to be trusted when it reveals something disgraceful. A man who gives a good account of himself is probably lying, since any life when viewed from the inside is simply a series of defeats."  - George Orwell

The much heated debate

Today we had our Reading Club Session after 1. We all were really excited about this particular sitting because the book under discussion and the person going to present it, both attracted our attention. You must have heard of the famous Dan Brown series, and most of you I'm sure must have been perplexed by its plot. Such an amusement this whole concept of the All-Seeing-Eye and the Satanic cults that not a single being on this planet stays untouched by its discovery. It is mystified by the organizations believing in it and the impact remains for too long. In such trance-like moments, we tend to forget our purpose of existence and we are often taken up by the fear that some supernatural force is going to destroy us. Such a pity, this kind of emotion that is likely to be found amongst the youth....that energetic youth who is capable of performing far more valuable tasks in the name of the (only)Creator: 

In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Say: He is God, the One and Only;
God, the Eternal, Absolute; 

He begetteth not, nor is He begotten;
And there is none like unto Him

                                                                                                    (Surah Ikhlas)

Sir Faheem from Department of International Relations was the visiting guest for the meeting and he felt it was necessary for the students to realize that mental luxury, specially at this point in time cannot be afforded at any cost. This definitely needs further discussion which I'm hoping will take place in the meetings to come. What was most surprising for me was the turn his presentation on the novel took -- Why did Dan Brown, a 'non-believing Jew' write such a blasphemous novel in the first place? Are reading club discussions on books like these generating unwanted political/conspiracy theories? Would the reading of the novel be more lethal than the awareness of a harsh reality one has to face sooner or later? How should the novel be read AT ALL?  (to this I add, why was Dan Brown born in the first place?!!) 


Can we afford to remain in ignorance? Is not our duty clear to us; awareness of (and its rigorous practice) the Islamic tradition being handed down to us through the Prophets (may Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon them)? This needs more attention. 

I am still thinking about the growing chaos in th society, which our presenter rightly pointed out, needs to be dealt with more straight forwardly than in a 'dream-like state' or lets just call it denial. . .       

                                             

:(

... longing for what I parted with precisely five minutes ago... I'm surrounded by complete silence again. Hope to see you all again... Miss you...

Tafakkur

 Tafakkur (Reflection)

---

Shaikh Ahmad Hendricks

Many years ago a book called " Penny for your thoughts" was published. It would be interesting to see whom of the modern generation read this book or heard of it. The cliched title shouldn’t fool one. The intention of the author is to explore the content and quality of everyday thought. This book is not a treatise on logical thinking or the rules of correct reasoning.

The systematic study of logic has to be looked for in other works and is usually the forte of experts and scholars. The subject of this book is more humble but extremely important. People you meet often are so deeply steeped in some thought or issue. A look of utter surprise comes into their faces when you ask them, "Penny for your thoughts?". What is of great interest to me is the fact that often people fail to recall the stream of thought that so deeply engrossed them. Yes we are aware of some of the many reasons why this happens.
But for a Muslim to be so entirely taken over by everyday worries and concerns is not good enough. The author of this book suggests interesting and useful methods to help gain control over ones propensity to sink into purposeless thinking and well worth a read.

The quality of our thought is a very serious and important subject for any Muslim to consider. Says Allah, the Most High, in the Qur'an surah ali 'Imran verses 190 – 191,
"Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the rotations of the day and night are signs for the ulul albab. Those who remember (dhikr) Allah, the Most High, standing, sitting and whilst reclining on their sides and who think (tafakkur) about the creation of the heavens and the earth, [They say] O our Lord You have not created this in vain, Glory be to Thee and protect us from the fires of hell".
In this verse Allah, the Most High, speaks highly of the ulul albab or literally the possessors of mind or the intellectuals. Qualities of this kind are mentioned in the Quran precisely because Muslims are expected to emulate them. The second important attribute of this level or quality of Muslim is remembrance (dhikr). We will discuss that in a later article. Our focus in this article is on the crucial matter of tafakkur.

Imam ‘Abdallah ‘Alawi al-Haddad says in his Book of Assistance, "Know that the reformation of both the din and the dunya depends on sound purposive thinking (tafakkur), and the individual who has mastered this ability has gained a portion of every possible good. It is said: Purposive thinking (tafakkur) for an hour is better than a years worship. It is also related that Sayyidna ‘Ali, may Allah bless him, said: There is no worship ('ibadah) like purposive thinking (tafakkur). A certain gnostic is reported to have said: Purposive thinking (tafukkur) is the lamp of the heart, if it removed the heart has no light."

The reader will notice I’m translating the word tafakkur as "purposive thinking" not simply ‘thinking" or "contemplation". Imam Ahmad al-Haddad in his excellent book "Key to the Garden" defines tafakkur as follows: "And tafakkur is the focus and movement of the heart and mind through the meaning of things in order to reach the underlying intention, and by this, the pearls of truth is reached." Tafakkur is the art, if you like, of churning a matter around in ones mind. The intention driving this process must be to discover the truth behind a saying or clarify the real nature of a principle of belief. We shouldn’t be fooled, this is a skill one has to learn. Thinking to some purpose is a skill we have to acquire.

It is also important to note that this kind of "quality thinking" formed an integral part of the texture and culture of Muslims since the time of the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. A saying attributed to both ibn ‘Abbas and Abu Darda, may Allah be satisfied with both of them, goes like this
"Tafakkur for an hour is better than a whole nights salah." This ability and capacity to think deeply about things is the light of a Muslim. The author compares the human heart to a house and tafakkur to the lamp that provides the light in it. The heart is steeped in darkness without the light of tafakkur. Indeed the full and even basic understanding of our din is beyond the scope of the unthinking.

Tafakkur in the context of din is traditionally divided into four types.

The first is the level of the ordinary people (al-‘ammah). This level involves the search and discussion proofs and arguments to arrive at some conviction. Interesting to note is that the requirement or need for proofs before you believe in Allah, for example, is placed at the most basic level.

The second type of tafakkur is that of the worshippers (al ‘abidin) whose main interest is to know the rewards of a particular ‘ibadah. They want to get on with the work. Knowledge of the rewards inspire them to greater activity.


A third type is the tafakkur of the ascetics (zuhhad). At this level the main focus is on the contingency of existence. They are deeply impressed by the truth of verses such as " everything will disappear and only the Face of Allah will remain". The results of that kind of thinking, which is often inspired by Allah, is a complete break from this world. They loose interest in wealth, fame, power and position.

The fourth type is the tafakkur of the gnostics (‘arifin). They are the great searchers of the truth behind the universe and its creation. They delve into the secrets of the Names and Attributes of Allah, the Most High. And often they speak of things that far exceed the capacity of ordinary people. They are also the great lovers of Allah, the Most High. Love flows from knowledge of the Beloved. The greater our knowledge of the Beloved the greater out love for Him.

So as Imam Ahmad al-Haddad says, "Knowledge comes from tafakkur and from knowledge adoration, and from adoration love".

Maulana Jalalud'din Rumi - Whoever Brought Me Here

Whoever knows the original work please let me know it's title.

Whoever Brought Me Here

All day I think about it, then at night I say it.
Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing?
I have no idea.
My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that,
and I intend to end up there.
This drunkenness began in some other tavern.
When I get back around to that place,
I'll be completely sober. Meanwhile,
I'm like a bird from another continent, sitting in this aviary.
The day is coming when I fly off,
but who is it now in my ear who hears my voice?
Who says words with my mouth?
Who looks out with my eyes? What is the soul?
I cannot stop asking.
If I could taste one sip of an answer,
I could break out of this prison for drunks.
I didn't come here of my own accord, and I can't leave that way.
Whoever brought me here, will have to take me home.
This poetry. I never know what I'm going to say.
I don't plan it.
When I'm outside the saying of it,
I get very quiet and rarely speak at all.

Trans. Coleman Barks.