Ran'dem Rhymes vol. #16

By Ruhudeen Ali

December 29th, 2012

I wonder why everything is notorized

why social-networks use my info to commercialize

but its also useful for domestic spies

no more warrants, just one-click to subscribe

and follow me when I socialize and fraternize

they wanna globalize their probing eyes

put terms of service so its legitimized

I don't really care I just parenthesize

and minimize what's less important

and get back to philosophize

proselytize and publicize my views

my people have been stigmatized

and victimized by the yet to be criminalized

abuse that we tax-payers subsidized

I'm traumatized cuz mommas cried

over senseless homicides and suicides

when will these issues ever subside?

we're living in extreme times

get back to the middle in other words the ides

Mankind's divide- why're we all so polarized?

hate results in colder eyes

why people try to colonize each other?

squash the beef and pulverize

whether Anglicized or Islamicized

it doesn't matter how you categorize

your size or worldview side 

its compromise, the devil tryna dramatize 

and demoralize, we must be civilized

humanity in one picture-frame mentally picturized

but wars militarize and brutalize

one group against another that's demonized

rackin up bodycounts cuz they're desensitized

to the military-complex industrialized

or the 'War on Terror' as its stylized

bombs and tanks kill helpless people terrified

the fact they hide

that war is terror, only victims realize

Don't sweat when they ostracize and scrutinize

and charge you with lies like you're ionized 

don't aggrandize lest you get bastardized

stay true don't apostatize 

keep the faith even if you're marginalized

its okay to cry as long as you tried

to change the world to humanize 

eventually the tears will vaporize

by the burning desire to get to the prize

 devise, organize and enterprise so you can monetize

but don't monopolize give others a chance to try

the apple pie's not only for I n I 

 Surprise! Surprise! The world will try to hypnotize 

to break the spell just look em in the eyes 

falsehood despise, does all that coughin' cover up the lies?

Reflect on your demise,

cuz coffins break up good ties, got us saying 'goodbyes.' 

The Five Remembrances of the Buddha

"I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old. I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape having ill health. I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death. All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them. My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground on which I stand." - (Pali Canon, AN 5.57)

To Live or Not to Give?

What is love and mercy ultimately when it comes to the question of existence? This is a problem I've faced for some time now in my attempts to answer it in a satisfactory manner. The dilemma is this: life (existence) offers us all we ever knew and perhaps all we will ever come to know. Do we then say, that life is worth the troubles, sorrows, suffering, misery, sadness, pain, and loneliness we face over the joys, beauty, happiness, enjoyment, entertainment, jubilation, and excitement it offers as well? Or do we say one is greater than the other; that life is skewed toward misery or happiness? Or is it balanced? How do our choices affect what it means to be merciful and loving toward non-existent, uncreated beings?

What is verified by our natural senses is that we exist right now. We were born at some temporal point and we will die at some temporal point after which, for all we know, we will come to a physical end though our memory may continue to exert influence on others for the time that our memory is shared with living people. Eventually that too will pass away from this world, and perhaps, we will then become essentially, non-existent to the world as we once were before we were conceived. This does not take into consideration that death may be an entirely other experience, or that life may well continue in some wildly different fashion from what this current existence offers. However, be that as it may, claims of existence before or after this one are not naturally verifiable but can only be taken on faith or theory.

Having said all this, can we say that life is worth bringing into the world in an ultimate sense? Does joy win out over sorrow in the long run? How can we guarantee either net joy or net suffering when most of the conditions of our lives that shape our development come to us outside of our ability to shape or reconfigure them? For it may well be that a person in evident dire straits, extreme difficulty, stress and lack of comfort may find net happiness and a person in evident luxuries, comforts, extreme ease, and lack of displeasure may find net misery; afterall, there is a question of relativism in this. A strict empiricist would say that life and all its experiences ends at death and that net happiness over net suffering could be tallied but its value is still undefined, for we can say John mostly lived a good life as he had X, Y, Z causes to be happy (things we may want ourselves) and undermine the A, B, C difficulties John faced in his life. But perhaps to John his A, B, C difficulties outweighed his X, Y, Z successes? The same could be true of the opposite and perhaps our assessment of John's life was more or less correct. In other words, we can guess whether a life was well-lived by tallying the quantifiable measures of what makes an average person happy or sad but that does not give us a subjective value for what those quantities qualitatively meant to the individual that lived them. In short, we can never know fully whether a life was well-lived or not.

As a believing man myself, I believe in an afterlife and in the abodes of heaven and hell. But with this belief the stakes of life are raised quite dramatically as one can either attain to the ultimate satisfaction above (or a culmination of) all of life's good pleasures combined for eternity or attain ultimate misery worse than (or a culmination of) all of life's sufferings combined for eternity - that is one hell of a choice! (no pun-intended.) If we subscribe to this view, we see that the question of net happiness and net suffering is not only extended but amplified in the so-called afterlife. What this means is that we have a fundamental choice in life- to be happy or sad- and that our actions will determine which side of that equation we will find ourselves in ultimately. There is, of course, relativism in this as well- that if we subscribe to belief in deity, a moral rubric, and metaphysical worldview we are being told what is 'good' and 'bad' and that we follow a course given to us not by our own dictates but by a tradition of those who followed these same guidelines. What is 'good' and 'bad' is inherited from previous people who have expired and sacred texts that cannot reason or think for themselves decide what is lawful and unlawful for us, and yet we are the subjects who experience the good and the bad and the ones who's judgments concerning them is what matters; not the past nor future peoples. Thankfully, most religious traditions evolve and allow for discussion of these topics to include our voices and make adjustments where deemed appropriate. But coming back to the question of what is good and bad, we may discover something ourselves (from our personal experiences) which gives us personal happiness but is traditionally accepted as something bad or something that gives us personal sadness yet is seen as something traditionally good. This would put our personal experiences at odds with the moral rubric we profess to follow and hence, lead us toward eternal misery. But did we deserve such a fate when we only discovered that what we like and dislike is at odds with what is deemed as such within the tradition? Maybe our ignorance got the better of us and we did not comprehend the wisdom behind what is traditionally good and bad. Maybe our passions blinded us to what was right and wrong. Be that as it may, and however misguided we may be, were we not seeking comfort over discomfort as all sentient beings seek? Is eternal punishment justified here? If we followed what was considered traditionally as good, but believed personally was bad or to our disliking, does that warrant eternal happiness? Those who are fortunate to have their natural dispositions in complete harmony with the moral rubrics of the religious traditions they follow should not have as much of a difficult time for they will find bliss in this life and presumably in the life to come for what they believed was in accordance with reality. But most people do not fit so neatly.

The Qur'an acknowledges this and addresses this dilemma quite openly, "It may be that you detest something which is good for you; while perhaps you love something even though it is bad for you. God knows, while you do not know." [2:216] As believers we accept this statement that God knows what He is talking about and we do not know everything as He does. So we see that our personal "good" and "bad" is not the good and bad that takes precedence. For the majority of us who believe, we find then that often our personal good is matched with what is divinely bad and that our personal bad is matched with what is divinely good and hence, we feel guilt and shame for not fitting in neatly into the divine moral outline. We have solace in knowing that God is forgiving and overlooking of these deficiencies and accepts our intents to mend our personal good and bad to His divine good and bad. This should suffice as enough for the believer to find hope and happiness that ultimately he/she will be lead to ultimate happiness but for many this is still not enough to bring happiness, and certainly the devil has succeeded in making such people feel defeated and unworthy of the divine forgiveness. "Certainly no one despairs of Allah’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve." [12:87] As believers we must be careful in avoiding this pit of falling into despair.

Coming back to the discussion of net happiness and net sorrow, we cannot know whether one is ultimately saved or ultimately ruined as hadith informs us

A person among you may do deeds of the people of Fire till there is only a cubit or an arm-breadth distance between him and the Fire, but then that writing (which God has ordered the angel to write) precedes, and he does the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it; and a man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise till there is only a cubit or two between him and Paradise, and then that writing precedes and he does the deeds of the people of the Fire and enters it. (Sahih Bukhari)

So we see that ultimate/net happiness or suffering is unknowable, both within this life (as it is a qualitative distinction over a quantitative one) nor do we know where we will end up in the final analysis as mentioned by the above stated hadith. Coming back to why I wrote this essay, the question of having my own children some day made me wager in my mind whether the safety of nonexistence was worth forfeiting for the vulnerability of existence.  In other words, is no sensation at all better than sensation if it entails both suffering and happiness, and what if misery were the end result? (God forbid.) It is too late for me as I am already here on this Earth, my decision to exist was made for me, but the decision for my children can still be made and hence this debate. I once believed that life offered a balanced mix of happiness and suffering, but that the danger of facing the possibility of eternal damnation was worse than the option of being non-existent. And so for me, being loving and merciful to my children meant not having them to begin with. I felt that, at this point in my life and for various reasons, I was no longer in the optimal position to provide the best for my children; that whatever factors in their lives that I could shape and control, were no longer favorable for them, and that would probably translate to more suffering than happiness. But now I am not sure. Some could rightly say that I need to have more faith and that most of these things- in fact all of these things- are in the hands of God and there's no telling what degrees of happiness and bliss await my future children God-willing. If my faith has any meaning at all I should place my faith in God that the life He created is more merciful and loving ultimately than a bleak scenario of endless suffering and misery. I should have faith that my vitality and providence for myself and my children all come from Him, again, it's the quality (blessing) within life not the quantity of things. How can I even make the assumption that nonexistence is safer than existence because existence involves pain when nonexistence does not- how do I even know what nonexistence feels like or indeed if it is painful, more so than existence? I do not. Maybe what we call "pain and suffering" are actually gradations of happiness relative to nonexistence, which may be the most miserable state one can imagine? I confess, I do not know. After having examined my life, I can clearly state that I do not know my future and I do not know my ultimate end. I know that I've been provided for and blessed throughout my life and that others I know have as well. I do know there are many in this world with less than I have but they also have more than me in ways I cannot perceive as easily. God has provided and compensated for us all in different ways. Life is a gift, after-all, and now I see that giving that gift is not in my hands to decide (to have children or not) nor whether it will be a good gift (of life) or a bad gift, as a gift is a gift; you make of it what you will. We can only be hopeful for the best.

Stylistics - Children of The Night

Guerillas In The Shrub

by Ruhudeen Ali

Of the twenty-one soldiers in the unit to maneuver with

Pvt. Po is now the most useless;

always making bad decisions

forgetting his original mission

when releasing captives his aim was to relieve

yet other times when doing so it led to grief

most of the time sitting there looking smug

uniformed & camouflaged,

hanging around just to see what's up

while mostly hungover, he often threw up

'he's not ready for war' says the Commander

'he lives for no purpose great, unlike Alexander'

though he was not always this way

Po was once a hero in his day

once given a mission only he could fulfill

he was given two helpers, he knew the drill

They were three musketeers, always looking for a ride

Corporal Po, causing trouble for his buddies by his side

like guerillas in the thick shrub searching for light

fighting to release their friends was their plight

Cpl. Po sought a cozy retreat to seek refuge in

so he could form his organization

with the aim that membership grow

and allow the seeds of tomorrow to flow

but at the time the fight was intense

and the number of soldiers dying, immense

finding the base was difficult

so they searched for the supply line like an umbilical

thinking it would lead to the fortress

Once discovered, they had to seize the chance

it was a delicate dance

capturing the base would give them an audience with the Empress

allowing her to concede so they could conceive peace

but the orders from their general were to infiltrate, not negotiate

yet the fortresses' walls were impregnable

and so the three retreated, dishonored & ashamed

mission failed- they returned scarred & maimed

they could not look up to their dreams the same way

thus they were demoted to privates again

And now the three stooges- Harry, Curly & Po

are never put on assignments anymore

they party up their days on army pay

always together, some even wonder if they're gay

but they're just three buds who could've had it all

but instead they lost the battle, and succumbed to the fall.

Palestine!

Black for the darkness of a desperate occupation 

White for their mourning & lamentations 

Green for the peace for which they pray

Red for the blood wherein their heroes lay

Palestine!

My Thoughts on the M.E Conflict, War & Peace

I truly hope that I see real, sincere, and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians before I die. This is a global human tragedy that is solvable. I refuse to accept otherwise. My mother taught me that there is no problem in the world that cannot be solved except death. I believe that all the worlds' brilliant influential minds, beloved and charismatic personalities, powerful and affluent, and tolerant, open hearts can help achieve an agreeable settlement, overcome hatred, ignorance and politics. Sometimes the power of forgiveness, common good-will, acceptance and change is a stronger force than the threat of nuclear weapons, power struggles, persuasions of money, zealous religious beliefs, nationalism/racism etc. We've seen it before in our human history. The human family cannot allow this travesty to continue for decades more to come. This conflict is at the root of global antisemitism (yes, of both Jews & Arabs) and its resultant spillage of extremism, racism, and ethnophobia of other forms, the war on terror and other terrorist movements since the 20th century. War is not good business. Money is not the holy grail of life. Respect is not just achieved through fear and deterrence. Might is not always right. Power and control is not a sign of divine sanction. Religious faith does not equate with moral superiority and belief does not guarantee one is categorically correct. The freedom, peace, and dignity of ALL humans matters and affects us all. Enough is enough. It's time for a change- indeed it has been long since.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team OP - Arashi no Naka de Kagayaite

Ran'dem Rhymes vol.#15

By Ruhudeen Ali

October 12th, 2012

Can I get a few scraps from the landfill of love

or is it overrated, just an ant-hill lookin' down from above?

Piles of discarded emotions start to reek

with no where to go so we go out to seek

more food of love til we become fools of love

and those who get none increase their love of food

chasing after moods writing poems about the moon

but it's all for naught, that's some food for thought

thought is my food I get fat on what was taught

I learned that what you dream of, some people toss away

everyday, somebody gets what you could only wish for

and you'd never imagine they'd be this bored

meanwhile you sit on top of things others wish they had

but you just shit on it, like a toilet

boil it, heat it up and eat it

with barely any words of gratitude to speak of it

the things you take for granted someone out there needs it

like the needs you have someone else done discard it

"Life is a plate man, gotta eat what you can

then trash the leftovers," nobody gives a crap

about the scraps you coulda had off their plate

"go out there man and satiate!"

is the message of my culture

but forget being a lion I can't even survive as a vulture

a scavenger of love who gets none

and forget physical, I'm talking emotional and spiritual

I'm hustling out here stuck in my rituals

sort of similar to biblical but its quranic

fixing people's love while being lonely, isn't it ironic?

And sorry Alanis, I never bought your cassette

cuz I was focused on singing about the opposite

in other words, serendipity

but instead of good luck I got the other end that of pity

malware corrupted up my system

saying prayers to try to fix 'em

fearing the blue screen of death

but the brother of the screen got me fallin' asleep in heedlessness

I wanted to make a change to impact it all

but my plan was apparently too impractical

I need guidance so I can gal-dance

with the woman I love

nowadays that's why I'm either lookin' down or up above

cuz I need some love from the Creator who is like none of the above

yea I got up from the shove the world had thrown me

now I'm just tryna do me and grow me

but mostly alone cuz I'm runnin' out of homies

I'm not tryna say they're phoney cuz I love 'em

but they barely have the time to telephone me

plus some of them are in different GMTs & zoneys

every now & then askin' if I'm talking to some sonis

but my response is usually the same baloney so I'm left alone G

thinkin something's fishy like he's not wearin cologne G

sorry I gotta say this but to all the haters you can blow me

erect a plan like Zhuge Liang's Longzhong, that's what she said

create something amazing and leave behind a legacy

something to be proud of after the death of me

I thought this day I'd never see, the future I can't foresee

I'm not one to prophesy but just wanna profit-see
materially and spiritually, so I can get with the program
and be the man with my ma'am on instagram
settle down and start an instafam
but i'm trying to slow it down 
reverse a frown & quit bein' a clown
cuz you gotta learn the patience of Ya'qub
if you wanna be that dude.

Cdrama Review - Three Kingdoms (2010)

WOW....

So I just finished watching this mammoth-size series, a whopping 95-episodes that took me literally one year to finish! And I thought NHK's Shinsengumi! was long (zhe jiushi taa shuo de.) Anyways, no really- wow...where do I even start? Well, the series begins with the period of unrest during the waning days of the Eastern Han dynasty with the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Han Emperor's call to protect the court, local warlords unite to suppress the rebellion and since, by that point, the Han were too weak to enforce their rule this led to a period of unrest between opposing warlords seeking dominion over the land. Ultimately warlords fought and united, merging into three major powers which would come to be known as the Three Kingdoms of Wei, Wu, & Shu. The drama begins (circa 189 A.D) and covers all relevant "history" up to the dismantling of the three kingdoms (circa 251 A.D) and what would become the beginning of the Jin Dynasty. I put "history" in quotations because its not 100% accurate information but a romanticized version based off of the famous historical novel by Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms - and I'm rather glad they did so (afterall we're watching a drama not a documentary!)

For those familiar with the folklore surrounding the three kingdoms era, you know well enough that the story shifts between many battles and historical events but focuses on the characters, or heroes [romanticized] of the prevailing three kingdoms. Therefore, in my review I'll mostly skip over the historical events in favor of the characters and settings. All major leads in this drama were exceptional from an acting standpoint, though I must admit I was at first put off by Liu Bei's [stylized Xuande] actor but then quickly realized (due to my own ignorance of the historical Liu Bei) that he was perfect for the role. I had another gripe with the actor who played Sima Yi [Zhongda] until about the last 10-15 episodes or so, then I realized he was amazing! Plus the actor who played Pang Tong [Shiyuan] was a bit annoying for some reason until his last mission. Standouts for me were the main leads- from the cunning and crafty Cao Cao [Mengde] to the virtuous and beneficent Liu Bei and his majestic and fearless brothers Guan Yu [Yunchang] and Zhang Fei [Yide] to the wise and discerning Sun Quan [Zhongmou], the gallant and pompous Lu Bu [Fengxian] the valiant and courageous Zhao Yun [Zilong], the brilliance and genius of Zhuge Liang [Kongming] juxtaposed to the intelligent and tactiful Zhou Yu [Gongjin], to the diplomatic and kind Lu Su [Zijing], and finally to the ever-patient and shrewd Sima Yi - each one of them was just right for their role and the acting was emotional and spot on. Bravo! Even the supporting cast was great- some of my favorite characters were actually the court ministers and generals who died along the way though most of them were loyal to their lords a few of them were not. My favorite among these were ministers Wang Yun [Zishi] Chen Gong [Gongtai], Lu Su, Xun Yu [Wenruo], Zhuge Jin [Ziyu] and generals Lu Meng [Ziming], and Sima Zhao [Zishang.] To me, this series was all about the characters and they delivered!

You would think that a drama about war for 95, 46-minute episodes would get boring and stale at various points but the producers and directors did an excellent job of pacing and each episode has some side-story that grabs your attention before you realize a major event occurs. This drama has a lot going on, obviously, because the cast of characters is huge there's never a dull moment in this drama. The music is also very good and fitting as well as the setting of the drama. You really begin to feel at some point that you've been immersed in some distant heroic age with all these warriors, heroes, and ministers, emperors and bashful women, the candles and lanterns lit at night, traditional chinese dress and mannerisms, simplicity of life, and horse-riding that goes on in this series (to name a few.) They did a wonderful job in that respect, but I will say that for a 95 episode series there aren't a whole lot of diverse settings, though the range that they have suffices. As a long-time fan of Dynasty Warriors (a series which itself is based off of three kingdoms' lore) I fell in love with this drama and it was actually my first Chinese drama and I was very impressed by the effort and care that went into it. Many of these characters are legends in Chinese folklore and some of them are even worshipped in temples and shrines. That is why I am focusing on mainly the characters in this review and I think the producers had the same idea in mind. In an age of chaos, heroes came from the corners of China to unite and vie for hegemony and rule, and the result is one fine and gripping story over the lives of countless heroes who sacrificed their lives for a greater cause of unity and peace for all.

I would say that if you like or are interested in anything related to the three kingdoms era of Chinese history then this is a must-watch for you! If you are interested in historical, period/war dramas then this is also a highly recommended series for you. The only major drawbacks I can think of is the length (as it took me a year to watch on my free time) but its possible to watch the entire series within a few months if you dedicate your time to it. Other than that, I honestly found this series very enjoyable and I count it among one of my favorite dramas, along with 1 Litre of Tears, and Shinsengumi! Cheers to the makers and thanks to uploaders and fansubbers! I would buy this if I came across it, I enjoyed it that much!


Presentation/Story: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Setting: 8/10
Music: 9/10
Value: 8.5/10
Quirks: 3.5/10 (+6.5)


THE GOOD: Great series! I also learned a lot of Chinese history and a few words in Mandarin like "da do do" (commander) "chu-gong" (my lord), "bi shia" (your majesty) "nu-oh" (yes sir), "way-kher" (why) "pi-fu" (imbecile) "fa-sur" (insolence) etc, etc.
THE BAD: It's too long for most people (zhe jiushi taa shuo de.)
THE UGLY: I would hate to think all those pot-roasted chickens they had on every table for every meal during the entire series went to waste (assuming they were real of course, as y'know, all things Chinese tend to be...ehem.) ...Yea. I think that last remark was "the ugly." [by the way, I was joking, I have nothing against the Chinese nor their products.] ^_^


Review: 8.5/10

The Rapture - The Devil

Jamiroquai - Corner of The Earth

The Unveiled Vigils - Prayer #1

A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ar-rajeem, 
Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim

Lord, I am utterly useless

If I put myself first, and expect You to care for me 

to the exclusion of the world

then I am as a deluded heretic

and if I put myself last, and regard myself as the least among Your agenda

then, like so many, I pretend that I can manage on my own

I can neither insist on Your exclusive attention nor trust in my self-reliance

My conundrum in requiring more from myself while needing You more

means I must rely on myself to do worthy deeds and attract Your Love

but myself is unreliable in securing Your Love

it is only through Your Mercy that myself wishes to seek You

Because it is only by You that I get to You.

Lord, You are completely managing the whole affair-

I am just a vessel; a medium of nothing

I am totally dependent on You

This is all Your story, not mine-

So write it as You see fit

You are the best Author, Writer, Speaker

Lord of 'Be and it is!"

Let it be that these moldy, unread pages of my life

contain some eloquent and riveting tale

of adventure and excitement

of joy and laughter

of intrigue and pleasant surprise

of trial and heroic sacrifice

of drama and moving love

of benevolence and great service

of determination and satisfying triumph

of 'God is Greater!' in Your worship

O Lord of "Be and it is!"

Let it be so, for You are Everything to aid me

and I am nothing to aid myself
Help Your servant to write this story well

Ameen ya Rabb al-'alameen

The Benefits of Studying Hypocrisy & Acting The Opposite

It is beneficial to study the qualities of hypocrisy (nifaq) and hypocrites (munafiqun) because it is by doing the exact opposite of hypocrisy that one can achieve the highest state of piety known as ihsan and be a muhsin, bi idhnillah. 

The hypocrites do not believe in God and the Last Day, they deceive themselves and they have a disease in their hearts [Qur'an 2:8] so believers should believe in God and the Last Day as well as as the divine mission of Muhammad (saw), not deceive themselves and seek a cure for the ills of the heart by seeking knowledge and the path of purity from those who have knowledge and achieved it. The hypocrites make mischief [2:11] have secret pacts with the disbelievers [2:14] and have bartered guidance for error by wagering on this life and being doubtful about the next [2:16] they are deaf, dumb, and blind, [2:18] so the believers should be making peace and having open alliances with the faithful and should barter error instead for guidance by wagering on the next life and being doubtful about the nature of this life, they (believers) should be paying attention by listening, observing, and being thoughtful and reflective of the signs of Allah. The hypocrites turn away from revelation and religious injunctions when they are invited to it [4:61] so believers should turn toward the revelation and religious injunctions when invited to and when there is no invitation. They (hypocrites) do not honor their oaths and promises so the faithful should honor their oaths and promises and take them seriously. Hypocrites do not struggle in the cause of God and show their backs (i.e- turn away) in the face of difficulties so believers should struggle in the cause of God and not show their backs when the going gets rough. The hypocrites make a show of their good deeds while anxiously hiding their bad deeds, so believers should conceal their good deeds as they conceal their bad deeds and not make a show of either. They make a dazzling display of speech but do not have any real substance (action) to back up what they say [2:204] so believers should be modest in their speech and put their substance in their actions instead. The hypocrites are afraid of being found out and discovered, they have an understanding with each other to enjoin evil and forbid justice and they have forgotten Allah such that Allah has forgotten them [9:64-7] therefore, believers must not be afraid of people knowing their true natures (because Allah already knows it) and they should have an understanding with each other to enjoin and promote good and prohibit/discourage evil and they must never forget Allah, lest He forgets them (God forbid.) The hypocrites obstruct people from the path of God, their exteriors are polished and pleasing as if to appear holy and pious, and when prayer is offered for them they turn away in arrogance (thinking that they don't need it) [63:2-5] so the faithful should never hinder anyone from the path of God- rather promote it in word and deed, and focus on rectifying their interiors more than making their exteriors pleasing, and humbly accept any and all who pray for them or on their behalf.

By using the hypocrites qualities and doing the opposite we can, bi idhnillah, safeguard ourselves from hypocrisy, inshaAllah ta'ala.  The Qur'an says the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire, [4:145] so then wouldn't the opposite of them be the people who will be in the highest heights of Jannat al-Firdos inshaAllah? May Allah (swt) grant us all ability (tawfiq) to implement good deeds over good words and help us to be true to God and to the prophets (peace be upon them all) and true to ourselves and the world around us, and to remove whatever qualities of hypocrisy we may have and replace them with the qualities of a sincere devotee of God ameen ya Rabb al-alamin.

On Muslim Crazies, Islamophobia and Real Islam

I am appalled by the tragedy met by U.S Ambassador Christopher Stevens and the three other Americans who died for no reason other than guilt-by-association for some anti-Islamic video that went viral and again, stirred up rage riots that took the life of innocents and diplomats. However, I am even more upset at the fact that these barbaric acts continue in the face of Islamophobia and indeed perpetuate the myths and stereotypes that Muslims are savages with no morals. Truly the lands of Islam are living in the dark ages where true guidance is forgotten, obscured or unknown and ignorance has taken precedence. As a practicing Muslim, I feel its my duty to not only condemn these attacks but explain how distant their reaction is to the prophetic model of patience and forgiveness in the face of bigotry, hatred, insults, and personal injury.

The Qur'an states: "Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord and for a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the Heavens and of the Earth, prepared for the righteous - those who spend (freely) whether in prosperity or adversity; who restrain anger and pardon all men; for Allah loves those who do good." [3:133-4] further it states, "You shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in your [personal] selves; and you shall certainly hear much that will grieve you, from those who have received the Book (i.e-scripture) before you and from those who worship many gods. But if you persevere patiently, and guard against evil- then that will be a determining factor in all affairs." [3:186]

The Prophet Muhammad (S) endured countless insults, mockery, and injury at the hands of unbelievers but did not resort to violence over attacks on his person. [See Quran 15:6, 16:103, 25:4-5, 38:4, 68:51, etc.] One of the Prophet's own uncles and enemy (Abu Lahab) would torment him by way of insult and injuries: Tariq bin 'Abdullah al-Muharabi narrated that he wouldn't stop at simply insulting the Prophet (S) but would throw stones at him until his ankles bled. Abu Lahab's wife would tie bundles of thorns with ropes of twisted palm-leaf fiber and scatter them in the paths which the Prophet (S) was expected to take. One day when the Prophet noticed there wasn't any thorns in his way he went to go inquire about the health of his aunt to see if she was feeling ok. Abu Lahab's and Abu Jahl's households would even throw the womb of a sheep and entrails of camel upon his back while he prayed but he still did not retaliate and only removed the animal parts with a stick and continued with his business. At Ta'if he was mocked and pelted with stones again until he bled and had to leave the city. Still all he did was pray to God for their forgiveness even though the angels offered to punish them for their rebellion. (The Sealed Nectar 87-9, 124-5) We can also see from the following hadith how tolerant the Prophet (S) was in the face of seemingly blatant disrespect in a place of worship:

 Anas b. Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "While we were in the mosque with Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him), a desert Arab came and stood up and began to urinate in the mosque. The Companions of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: "Stop, stop!" but the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: "Don’t interrupt him; leave him alone." They left him alone, and when he finished urinating, Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) called him and said to him: "These mosques are not the places meant for urine and filth, but are only for the remembrance of Allah, prayer and the recitation of the Qur’an," or Allah’s Messenger said something like that. He (the narrator) said that he (the Holy Prophet) then gave orders to one of the people who brought a bucket of water and poured it over.” [Sahih Muslim Book 2, #559]

These are only a few examples in the life of the Prophet (S) of how he dealt kindly and justly with those who attempted to belittle him and how he always returned good for evil. [23:96, 41:34] If you read his full biography and life story you will find much more. There have been extremists in every faith who taint the image of the community for every faith-based group and Islam is no exception. The kharijites (an early extremist group) killed the Prophet's own cousin 'Ali ibn Abu Talib (ra) and were responsible for much discord in early Islamic history but that didn't stop the majority of peaceful followers from acting kindly and righteous, especially toward non-muslims [60:8] The Quran includes the People of the Book (Jews, Christians, Sabians) as those who will attain God's reward in the Hereafter: "Those who believe (in the Quran) and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve." [2:62, 5:69] God is not careless with words. This is stated twice in the Quran and those who argue it is an abrogated verse need to reflect on this point.

Prophet Muhammad (S) has stated: "Whoever hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state hurts me, and he who hurts me annoys God." (Sahih Bukhari) In a historic document known as the Charter of Privileges (Achtiname of Muhammad) with the monks of St. Catherine Monastery, the Prophet (S) explains further the depth of care for non-Muslim citizens:

This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
No compulsion is to be on them.
Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.
No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses.
Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.
No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight.
The Muslims are to fight for them.
If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.
Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.
No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).

This is the Prophet of mercy we Muslims believe was sent as the "Mercy to the Worlds" [21:107] One who was peaceful with all who wanted peace and forgave offenses to his own self but fought to defend his community only when it was absolutely necessary after enduring 13 long and difficult years of persecution and misery in Mecca. So I say to those who claim to "defend" the Prophet's honor- there is no need, for God has already honored him above the creation. [68:4] I also say to them to remember our Prophet's love and commitment to all who sought peaceful relations, for they will be held accountable by God for killing those who do not kill and make war with them. If it were not for the U.S help in removing Ghadafi, Libya would still be under his boots. I also say to them that if they do hear anything distasteful - so what? Its not anything that hasn't been said or done before. Let them say what they will, its between them and God. And lastly, I quote the Quran, "So lose not heart nor fall into despair for you must gain mastery if you are true in Faith" [3:139]  

Notes

- Holy Quran

- Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim

- The Sealed Nectar: Biography of the Noble Prophet (Ar-Raheeq al-Makthum) by Safiur Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri

Native Deen ft. Junaid Jamshed - SubhanAllah

Zain Bhikha ft. Dawud Wharnsby - Can't Take It With You

The Price of Humanity

By Ruhudeen Ali

September 6th, 2012

Yesterday I wanted eggs

to power my skinny legs

today I crave for chicken

as my body begins to lengthen

Years of supervision and play
sleepless nights with no pay
just to see me smile and be gay

I need a hundred pounds of meat a day
just to be bred and raised as a vicegerent of clay

But I have to build the mind before the spirit

and before the mind comes the body

so feed me tons of things

and do the same for my kin

Kill life to feed and grow mine
and destroy their homes that I may build mine

and rip off skins of animals to cover mine
and pillage the Earth to discover ores

to make tools to help with my chores
all these things I need of worth
just to make this all work

But wait, I still have more demands
I need a house and cars, plus trips to the sands of Qatar
I need an education to aid my contemplation
I need comfort in my deprivation
I need richness for meditation
that I may finally attain to that exalted station-

Still not there yet, the truth hasn't set
you see, we are the products of the sacrifices bled
for being in charge of this Home that was meant
to be the seat of vicegerency
incalculable is the cost to raise humanity

So you have to be the best that you can
it was the reason so much was given to you from the lands
for this high price we were raised
and the only way to pay back is to be worthy of praise

So reflect over all that went into making you
and secure yourself against what goes into breaking you
and live by what is best in the most honored hue
and praise God for Whom all praise is due.

Owais Raza Qadri - Phir Karam Ho Gaya

InshaAllah (ameen)

Parasite Eve OST - Missing Perspective

Silent Hill OST - selected tracks

Wild Arms - Port Town Theme (Arranged)

Awesome arrangement

Junaid Jamshed - Meetha Meetha Pyara Pyara

Roothay Huaoon Ko Rab Se Milana Meray Muhammad Ka Kaam
Ummat Ke Gham Main Shab Bhar Rona Meray Muhammad Ka Kaam
Sab Se Ansab Sab Se A’ala Meray Muhammad Ka Kaam
Doobte Huoon Ko Kinaray Lagana Meray Muhammad Ka Kaam
Sotay Huoon Ko Pyaar Se Jagana Meray Muhammad Ka Kaam
Bay Talboon Main Talab Jagana Meray Muhammad Ka Kaam


My fav lines..so beautiful, mashaAllah. <3 p="p">

Hafiz Khalil Sultan - Hamd (La ilaha ilAllah)

Ya 'Adheeman - Ahmed Bukhatir

Allah Ki Chahat (God's desire)

*Blogger's Note- The following tradition, often referenced in Urdu-speaking circles, is credited as being among the qudsi ahadith but reference to any isnad; person or authentic hadith collection is hard to find. If anyone knows the source, please do inform me as I really do find meaning in this tradition/poem and I'm eager to endorse it if it is indeed from a divine source. Otherwise take it for what it is.

Urdu Transliteration

***

Aye Ibn-e-Adam,

Aik teri chahat hai aur aik Meri chahat hai..!

Magar hoga wohi jo Meri chahat hai..
 Pas agar tu ne apney app ko sapurd..
 ker dia uss ke jo Meri chahat hai..
Toh Mein bakhsh doun ga tujh ko wo bhi jo teri chahat hai..
Aur agar tu ne nafarmani ki uss ki jo Meri chahat hai..
 Toh Mein thaka doun ga tujh ko uss mein jo teri chahat hai..

Phir wohi ho ga jo Meri chahat hai...

English Translation

***

O Son of Adam,

You have your desire and
 I have My desire
 But My desire shall reign
 Though if you surrender yourself unto My desire,
 Then I shall bestow upon you your desire
But if you oppose My desire,
 Then I shall tire you of your desires

And ultimately My desire shall reign….”

A Bedouin Came to Interview the Prophet (saw)....

SubhanAllah, this is one of my favorite hadith!
Narrated by Khalid bin Walid (May Allah be pleased with him):

"A Bedouin came one day to the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi was-sallam) and said to him,"

‘O, Messenger of Allah! I’ve come to ask you a few questions about the affairs of this life and the Hereafter.’

‘Ask what you wish’ said RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi was-sallam)

‘I’d like to be the most learned of men.’ said the Bedouin

‘Fear Allah and you will be the most learned of men.’ replied Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi was-sallam)

‘I wish to be the richest man in the world.’ said the Bedouin

‘Be content, and you will be the richest man in the world.’ replied Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi was-sallam)

‘I’d like to be the most just man.’ said the Bedouin

‘Desire for others what you desire for yourself and you will be the most just of men.’

‘I want to be the best of men.’

‘Do good to others and you will be the best of men.’

‘I wish to be the most favored by Allah’ said the Bedouin

‘Engage in Allah’s praise and you will be most favored by Him’ said the Messenger (saw)

‘I’d like to complete my faith’

‘If you have good manners you will complete your faith.’

‘I wish to be amongst those who do good.’

‘Adore Allah as if you see Him. If you don't see Him, [at least know that] He sees you. In this way you
will be among those who do good.’

‘I wish to be obedient to Allah.’

‘If you observe Allah’s commands you will be obedient.’

‘I’d like to be free from all sins.’

‘Bathe yourself from impurities and you will be free from all sins.’

‘I’d like to be raised on the Day of Judgment in the light.’

‘Don’t wrong yourself or any other creature, and you will be raised on the Day of Judgment in the light’.

‘I’d like Allah to bestow His mercy on me.’

‘If you have mercy on yourself and others, Allah will grant you mercy on the Day of Judgment.’

‘I’d like my sins to be very few.’

‘If you seek Allah’s forgiveness as much as you can, your sins will be very few.’

‘I’d like to be the most honorable man.’

‘If you do not complain to any fellow creature, you will be the most honorable of men.’

‘I’d like to be the strongest of men’

‘If you put your trust in Allah, you will be the strongest of men.’

‘I’d like to enlarge my provision.’

‘If you keep yourself pure, Allah will enlarge your provision.’

‘I'd like to be loved by Allah and His Messenger.’

‘If you love what Allah and His Messenger love, you will be among their beloved ones.’

‘I wish to be safe from Allah’s wrath on the Day of Judgment.’

‘If you do not lose your temper with any of your fellow creatures, you will be safe from the wrath of Allah on the Day of Judgment.’

‘I'd like my prayers to be responded.’

‘If you avoid forbidden actions, your prayers will be responded.’

‘I’d like Allah not to disgrace me on the Day of Judgment.’

‘If you guard your chastity, Allah will not disgrace you on the Day of Judgment.’

‘I’d like Allah to provide me with a protective covering on the Day of Judgment.’

‘Do not uncover your fellow creatures faults and Allah will provide you with a covering on the Day of Judgment.’

‘What will save me from my sins?’

‘Tears, humanity, and illness.’

‘What are the best deeds in the eyes of Allah?’

‘Gentle manners, modesty, and patience.’

‘What are the worst evils in the eyes of Allah?’

‘Hot temper and miserliness.’

‘What assuages the wrath of Allah in this life and in the Hereafter?’

‘Concealed charity and kindness to relatives.’

‘What extinguishes Hell’s fires on the Day of Judgment?’

‘Patience in adversity and misfortune.’

{It was related by Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal RA}

Holy Qur'an - Surah (Chapter) 93 - Ad-Duha (The Forenoon)

In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

I swear by the early hours of the day

And the night when it covers with darkness

Your Lord has not forsaken you, nor has He become displeased,

And surely what comes after is better for you than that which has gone before.

And soon will your Lord give you so that you shall be well-pleased.

Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter?

And find you lost [that is, unrecognized by men] and guide (them to you?)

And find you in want and make you to be free from want?

Therefore, as for the orphan, do not oppress [him.]

And as for him who asks, do not chide [him]

And as for the favor of your Lord, do announce [it.]

                                         - Holy Qur'an [ch.93,] trans. by Shakir

Abrar ul-Haqq - Maa

 

Maison Ikkoku - Ashita Hareru Ka (Carillon Instrumental)

All of Maison Ikkoku's songs are wonderful but I've always loved this one. This instrumental is a delight to listen to.

Rurouni Kenshin OST - Departure

Nightmare - Alumina

The Destined Path

By Ruhudeen Ali

6/9/12

I wandered around this land feeling lost, confused

not knowing how to find my path

searching for a lost road, I assumed,

I might make a new track

Many travel on their paths with confidence

not looking back or around for signs

relying completely on self-competence

guided by their unfaltering minds

It's no wonder then, that I am the one lost

For in truth, I no longer have that confidence

I once loved to hear myself talk

but now I see behind the veil of pretense

Blinded, I fell off my road

left to wander in the wilderness 

my mind began to mold

and my situation looked hopeless

'Til one day I realized the Lord's Call

I understood why I was so confused

He was reaching out to me all along

this bemusement was just a ruse

Now I know I cannot wander aimlessly

I must follow the map given to me

To come back to the Lord's path

I shall sacrifice ego happily

So fellow traveler, I say to you

do you still think you follow your own way?

the path is really only one, though it seems as two

our paths converge with His anyway, remember Judgment Day.

On The Importance of The Moment

Thought for the moment: The time of sentience is the present; not the past, not the future. The here & now is the only time we experience. Our senses teach us to pay attention to this moment but our thoughts drift to the past or the future, though we are not meant to act on yesterday's fatigue nor tomorrow's appetites- only today's. The more we dwell in these other states the more out-of-tune we become with reality and begin to suffer from regret/remorse, guilt, stress, anxiety/fear, etc. as opposed to the needs we have at this moment, which is enough to occupy our thoughts.

It is an unfortunate case for our society that runs on excessive future-planning and scheduling and a culture of entertainment that focuses too heavily on the past. And yet the irony is that we are constantly searching for an escape from these temporally-challenged realities in search of what feels more real and experiential in the moment- love, attention, stimulation, drugs, sex, war, pain, sleep and other quests for satiation of our bodily and spiritual, temporal needs. Why do people love sporting events so much? It's because of that rush of excitement in the now that one feels with other fans, that connectivity and validation from seeing in another person what one is experiencing in the present. Why is fashion so important to us? It's because we crave that attention. Why are we an overweight, substance-addicted, and over-sexed culture? Because we need that stimulation; all of these issues address our needs in the here & now. And the stronger the influence of the past or the future bares upon us, the more intense our present needs cry for attention; demanding from us actions and solutions.

It's not a crime to think about the past or the future, but it is a problem if you base your life-your present- upon it, because the past is gone and the future is not guaranteed. Only the breath we breathe is the reality we need-not yesterday's breath, not tomorrow's. So how do we find a balance between our past, present, and future? Only by giving to what is due here & now, will the past, present, and future quiet down and stop competing for your attention.

On Jihadist, Crusader, and Zionist Cults

Today I read an article in the news that upset me beyond my usual tolerance for this sort of thing. An article on wired.com presents evidence of U.S Army training materials that instructs cadets to view Islam and all of its worldwide adherents as the enemy of America. (http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/05/total-war-islam/)

Thankfully, the instructor of the course was dismissed and the Dept. of Defense has redressed this issue on the highest level and condemned it in the strongest terms. (http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/05/dempsey-islam-irresponsible/) The notion that we must go to war to kill 'them' before they kill us is the same mentality carried by all terrorists. But what I came to realize is that our country still fails to see the parallels between jihadist cults and crusader/zionist cults. In the case of these three radical movements within their respective faiths of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, I find that each of these cults has twisted or corrupted what was once (originally) a noble endeavor; allow me to explain.

In the Quran a true jihad is a resistance against oppression as outlined succinctly by this verse in Surah Nisa'a (Chapter 4- Verse 75:)

"How should ye not fight for the cause of Allah and of the feeble among men and of the women and the children who are crying: 'Our Lord! Bring us forth from out this town of which the people are oppressors! Oh, give us from Thy presence some protecting friend! Oh, give us from Thy presence some defender!'"

We find that the root cause of this struggle is one to uplift an oppressed people who are too weak to defend their own rights (e.g- Syria and the Arab-spring is a good current example.) The same can be said of a true crusade (e.g- fighting for the rights of Christians or others in non-Christian lands) and even zionism in its true understanding (e.g- the right for Jews to live in the land of Israel equally among others.) We find that in each of these movements, there was a drive to restore equality and restore rights. However, with the modern interpretations of these movements there is a radical element that makes them fringe and cultist. The notion that we must violently attack this group because they have affected or changed our culture is wrong, and that is the difference between true jihad, true crusade, and true zionism- that its no longer about restoring order, rights and liberties but rather killing in the name of so-called 'self-preservation' of identity which is slowly changing.

The article highlighted here points to all Muslims (civilians) as targets because they supposedly attack the American lifestyle (which of course isn't true.) The twisted logic then becomes, "if they wish to attack us then we will pre-emptively attack them." This is the 'clash-of-civilizations' mentality that defines the modus operandi of terrorists essentially. Jihadi cults like al-Qaeda claim a U.S attack on Muslim values/lifestyle so they feel justified in carrying out physical (violent) attacks on innocent American civilians. The Army instructor, Col. Lt. Dooley's views mirror the same logic - "these Muslims wanna change us so let's kill them." Zionist parties who see Palestinians and non-Jews as a threat in the region of Israel want to kill the opposition before they can sway change. It is this feverish claim to self-defense and self-preservation that justifies, in their minds, a war and death of the 'other.' There is virtually no difference.

In a world with increased inter-connectivity and inter-dependency, it is vital for all groups to accept the 'other.' Violence is not the answer. Genuine dialogue and engagement with different communities needs to occur in order to appreciate and respect our similarities and differences. Let's not kid ourselves in thinking that these cults offer viable solutions to the problems [and benefits] of global cultural assimilations. The Islamic world is becoming more Westernized and vice-versa and there's nothing wrong with that. It is a natural result of our shrinking world and the emergence of a global, meshed-culture.

K'Naan - Take A Minute

A Message To Give

We each have our own role to fill in the communications of life- some of us will be the epics & dramas, some will be the allegories, fables & fairy-tales, some will be the comedic jokes, some will be the tragedies, some will be the serious "real talk," some will be the nonsense & gibberish, some will be postcards & memos, some will be statuses & tweets, some will be the apology notes, some will be jealous gossip, some will be the egoistical vain-talk, some will be the cold-hard facts, some will be the legal & instructional manuals, some will be the arguments & debates, some will be diplomacy & negotiations, some will be the revelation & scriptures, some will be prayers & mantras, some will be the poems, songs & sonnets, some will be the aphorisms, cliches, & inspirational quotes, some will be the sermons & motivational speeches, some will be the monologues & soliloquies, some will be sign & body language, some will be meta-communication & some will be miscommunication, some will be the questions & some will be the answers, and yet some will be silence. Each of us has a powerful message to give to the world, and all of us contribute to the dialogue of life and society in this way.

Life

Written on 26th of May, 2009

Life must go on, though lives themselves must end. It’s something that’s been on my mind for a few days now. Why does life have to continue though lives end? Life provides benefits to those who have it but also risks and harm. There is gain and loss, good and bad, happiness and suffering. Those who have life fight for it while others throw in the towel. And yet still, most would argue that life is worth living, albeit difficult at times. What is life? Nearly all living things seek to preserve it and run from the danger of losing it. But what about the propulsion mechanisms of life itself? What benefit does ‘it’ receive? Why is there a drive for life in this world, and why is it that this drive is programmed into us? The molecular DNA and the cells that are programmed to generate life, what benefit is it to them? Are they slaves? They are in existence themselves so do they also feel this joy and sadness? This gain and loss? Most likely not. But what is amazing is that life is precious and worth pursuing even to those species where the cost of living is not only to a host but to its own self-detriment. Certain viruses and parasites continue living at the expense of the host; if they are lucky they leave the host before it dies (in the case of parasites) yet viruses continue living and spreading, while killing off the host that gave them life. In effect, they end their own lives but spread life itself. Why? Isn’t life only worth the experiences of the self, or is there something beyond? Is life such a gift that one’s own passing from it is negligible to the greater cause of spreading life itself, even if it means the end of its own? Life must continue though lives themselves don’t. A colony of bugs will have the wounded, weak, and the dead while the others work to move them away from the eyes of would-be predators and save the colony; though many die the colony continues to live. Cancer lives by converting normal cells into cancer cells but what happens in the process is the path to its own demise as the result of the flaw of its own design, and still, it must survive.  The cancer cells themselves die, but Cancer (the disease) continues to live. Life is a stream of consciousness, where contributors are added and subtracted at every moment, but the stream itself must go on.

So what is life? A religious dogmatic response would explain the whole enigma as the giving of a higher Power who seeks to spread life. A scientific response would explain how it works but not the question of why? Why the drive? To what end is the function of life? “Passing on one’s DNA” does not explain why its so necessary as to explain why all living things prefer to be alive rather than dead. So even if we take this answer of “passing on life” we are left in the same place, with the same question – why must life go on when lives themselves come to an end?  Is life just a gift that keeps spreading or giving  itself? The same can be said about death, as death is spreading and death must go on as well. So are the two in competition for existent beings and existence? It seems that death too is fighting for life.  And with the drama of life and death competing to exist, there is mention of an afterlife – a post-death life. If this belief is true then death is not death at all, for the threat of non-existence does not exist.  In fact, non-existence does not exist, so existence or life is resistance to not-exist. But theoretically, nothing really doesn’t exist – everything that is, is. That which is not existing, exists in some way as a thought or idea. This would take us to the idea that non-existence in fact, is not real, even if we take death to be the final resting – it is a state of existing/being nontheless (albeit it non-living.) This would give us a definition of life and some motivation as to why life must go on (because it cannot not exist) but still doesn’t explain why non-existence is something to be dreaded when it, in fact, doesn’t exist. In other words, life can never die entirely. Religion and philosophy have a simple explanation for this, and that is that life or being is actually necessary upon the Necessarily Existent, or reality itself; otherwise known as “God.” Since God cannot not exist, He would be the Necessarily Existent reality upon which all realities and existence depends. Being itself, is God’s quiddity. Life then, would seem to press forward for this reason because there is no other alternative to it, being that Being itself is a necessity and that non-being is not a reality. In some state or fashion everything, even nothing, exists. Since there is no non-existence, life, death, and all they contain compete for being though they cannot not be, they only fight for the state of the moment in the cycle of being (i.e- lives of the existent things.) Life must go on but lives themselves don’t. This question for me, has now been resolved.

Dil Badal De (Junaid Jamshed version)

May Allah bless Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmed Naqshbandi (db) for this beautiful and poetic dua and Ustad Junaid Jamshed for the rendition. Ameen.



Ameen ya Rabb.

Fasihuddin Sohrawardi - Mujh Mein Unki Sana Ka Saleeqa Kahan

SalAllahu 'alayhi was-sallam

Maaey Ni Mein Kinnu Akhaan

Written by Shah Hussain (d. 1599 CE)
Performed by Hamid Ali Bela