The Goal That is Sought"
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by Ruhudeen Ali
October 9th, 2005
My mind is a frontier awaiting to be known and explored.
I once traveled from thought to thought misguided by maps,
until I realized the wayfarer is the better guide for the tour.
From him I learn what I cannot find from those printed traps.
They say, "Beware! follow a path that has already been paved with footprints clear!"
But I see those prints leading to places I wouldn't fare - so I reply, "I hardly fancy the
snare!"
Right then and there, I decided to make my own trail; for I imagine my destination is near.
My footprints will set a new precedent to follow for those who dare.
But why this insecure feeling I bear? Do I hesitate in making my own mark?
Afterall, did not those before me experience the same thoughts?
And yet this is my own land, my own mind, my own heart!
"If I'm barred from making such a path, then who else dare start!?"
Reassured within, I gallantly lift my head far from naught.
And suddenly the thought harbors a new fear; I realize there's no record of anyone being here.
With no maps and wayfarer to help steer, I must rely on this fragile being called "self."
I take for granted that I will return to everything once held close and dear.
Hopeful, and yet foolishly I shout, "Perhaps this new land will grant me great fame and wealth!"
And before I know it, the seemingly fertile land begins to transform to my surprise.
What I had first imagined turned out to be a toxic marsh disguised as a mirage!
Could it be, the maps were true and wise? And all the while the wayfarer only told lies!?
"Do not challenge conventional wisdom" - why had I never accepted the adage!?
I was beginning to see that I was misguided by my whims.
Perhaps it was this realization that helped me escape that dark and deceitful prison.
As I gather myself I miraculously stumble upon yet another map!
And without second thought I follow its path, praying to avoid another mishap.
It tells me to take so-and so's path, and wait for an applause.
But even I know that's a detour because I can already see my destination's gate.
So instead I just pause for a bit and meditate.
Instead of turning to a map or the wayfarer again, I start singing a hymn,
I hear a voice inside say, "Forget the map and the wayfarer, those with the hymn find the answer within."
This inner voice threw my heart back to unrest -
"Why do we follow maps if they only begin as humble guess?
It's only time and experience that make them refined and refreshed."
Rethinking it all made me lose desire for my own quest; it was clear I had to redress!
I used to think, "wouldn't it be great if I could make my own map?
Charting each corner of my thoughts, with no gap."
Suddenly it all became clear to me, that my dream to create my own map
was nothing but seeking vanity; more self-righteous crap.
And from that moment on, I realized that maps, wayfarers, and hymns can only take one so far.
It's not about making known one's own teachings, desires, nor disposition.
It's about one's passion to reach the goal of helping others that brings one beyond par.
So instead I now say: Put an end to all your vain-glorious missions.
They only succeed who have selfless visions.
What's Up Parijaan?
6 years ago
5 comments:
Let me try to explain this one..basically, I speak in the first-person about my own mind and liken it to a country or land that has yet to be defined. The central theme of this poem concerns the true motives behind one's goals..the poem itself revolves around the idea that everybody wants to become somebody special that will change the world (hopefully for the better,) whether for selfish or selfless reasons..some only seek self-praise through their own works, while others are truly sincere in helping others and do not want or need such attention..this poem is a reflection of this particular issue, and the inner dilemma and struggle that one faces to keep one's intentions pure..it's a question that every humanitarian must ask themselves, "am I really doing all of this to help people? Or am I seeking to be praised in my work?" Now granted, I'm neither a humanitarian nor a famous person..but nonetheless, somewhere inside me I aspire to be both..and for this reason, I too face this inner struggle and dialogue..hence my writing the poem
When I refer to "maps," I'm metaphorically speaking of 'systems of thought' that usually guide people in certain directions..(i.e - philosophies, ideologies, etc.) The idea is that people's generic philosophies can only guide you so far, in that they are structured and not specifically tailored to one's unique and dynamically changing needs..that brings in the metaphor of "the wayfarer," who is actually one's own caprice or whims (hawa/nafs)..this is why (in the poem) I make the shift from depending on hallmark institutions such as philosophy and the like, to my own original ideas and thoughts which come from my whims and desires..however, in the poem i come to the realization that those very whims and desires are misleading too, and help me realize that I was only seeking to make my name known, instead of a more noble and selfless effort of creating a philosophy that would help people.
Some passages try to reflect the psychological tension of insecurity/confidence of the one who attempts something new in any field (i.e- a pioneer.) and although it is definitely encouraging to pioneer something new in any field..in this particular case, the idea mentions challenging norms and conventional wisdom which, at least in my mind, led me to the conclusion that one should not reject such collected wisdom over accepting something new and shaky.
Moving on, after initially distrusting others' motives behind their philosophies, and consequently following my own and distrusting that as well, I then go BACK to following what I now believe to be "wisdom" (in the poem.) As I try to understand the ideology more, I realize it was something very similar to what I invented with my own fancies - nothing but vain-glory (hence the reference to applause)..feeling disgusted and lost, I make a desperate cry to God to guide me on thought to which is most correct and best-suited to succeed..this is the metaphor of the "the hymn." A sincere prayer or reflection then leads me to see that the guidance I seek can be found within the heart - if and ONLY if it is sincere.
With that realization, I come to the point in the poem where I believe that philosophies, ideologies, and selfish whims all amount to the same thing - to seek self-praise. And in the conclusion of the poem I see that the goal of all of this craziness is NOT to push an agenda, a belief, a philosophy, a desire - for such drive only comes from self-glorious motives (to make one's self known.) One might expect fame, or honorable mention, or money and status in return..but the true goal is the selfless help of others that expects no return - that is to say, altruism..the vital realization is to have sincerity and whatever endeavor we pursue - simple as that..the implication is interesting from a religious perspective because such were the examples of the prophets (alayhum as-salam) as referenced in the Qur'an [11: 51]. Another interesting implication is that all these philosophies, ideologies, and theories seek to promote some agenda not intrinsically implied within the given ideology (the idea that the ideology says one thing, but its practical purpose is something else)..and the conclusion that most people arrive at in the end is, "gosh, person X is a genius!" however, religion is the only ideology which seeks to promote itself for the betterment of man, which it states is its reason for being..not giving praise to man, but rather to God.. even man-made religions do not necessarily make it a focal point of their beliefs to give credit to the author but rather focus more on the practical improvement of society. Interesting isn't it?
What started out as a search for fame and a way to be known, ended with the conclusion - "they only succeed who have selfless visions"..so really, this poem is a journey in the evolution of one's realization of the mechanisms behind one's motives. That's, in a nutshell, what i was attempting to convey :)
they only succeed who have selfless visions indeed
wow! you have impeccable timing! lol.
lol i carry a REALLY big clock.
lol
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