sweet silence
It’s almost midnight and it’s so quiet. My heart sings! I have no idea why.
Archive for the ‘00’
Loving for the Sake of Allah
iqra (2:26:31 AM): assalaamu alaikum
me (2:26:50 AM): hey, walayakumassaalmwarathmatullah
me (2:27:05 AM): can’t sleep?
iqra (2:27:23 AM): umm lol not really
iqra (2:27:24 AM): im just up
iqra (2:27:35 AM): not really as in i can sleep if i want to
iqra (2:27:36 AM): aH
me (2:27:48 AM): same here alhumdullah
me (2:28:05 AM): wassup iqra?
iqra (2:28:17 AM): need your insight
iqra (2:28:26 AM): love for the sake of Allah
iqra (2:28:29 AM): what is it?
iqra (2:28:38 AM): if you love somebody for another reason
iqra (2:28:40 AM): other than for Allah
iqra (2:28:55 AM): is it wrong?
me (2:28:59 AM): is this a girl?
iqra (2:29:05 AM): lol no not for me dude
me (2:29:17 AM): oh…sory context helps
iqra (2:29:20 AM): haha
iqra (2:29:25 AM): ok well soembody asked me a question
me (2:29:29 AM): is it a niqabi?
me (2:29:30 AM): haha
me (2:29:33 AM): ok ok
iqra (2:29:35 AM): that im not sure how to answer
me (2:29:38 AM): *serious*
iqra (2:29:46 AM): and its more in the context of
iqra (2:29:50 AM): love between ppl
iqra (2:29:56 AM): not necessarily partners/couples
iqra (2:30:01 AM): but like your friends
iqra (2:30:11 AM): and just generally ur brothers and sisters
iqra (2:30:15 AM): your friends
iqra (2:30:18 AM): be they muslim or non muslim
me (2:38:11 AM): Loving for the sake of Allah can come in various forms, oddly I was talking about this with another person today and as you probably know one who does this is in the Shade of Allah SWT on the Last Day inshAllah. From what I know (or think I know) loving for the sake of Allah can come in various forms. Some cases I know of was when there was a student of knowledge who would sneek into his peers rooms and do their laundry and iron and fold the clothes for them. And yet another case is when this two brothers in Islam committed to each other to remind each other to be in a constant state of wudu.
me (2:38:42 AM): Loving for not this dunya and gain here
me (2:38:54 AM): but for someones deen
me (2:39:11 AM): and love of Allah
iqra (2:39:25 AM): can you love a non muslim then?
iqra (2:39:36 AM): for the sake of Allah?
me (2:39:48 AM): Non-muslims can love God too.
iqra (2:39:57 AM): true
me (2:40:13 AM): their religion can make them beautiful and virtuous
me (2:40:37 AM): or rather not thier religion but perhaps their love of God
me (2:40:58 AM): and good, a blessing and manifestation of Allah
me (2:42:00 AM): Also there’s a hadith that when you love your fellow sister/brother you should tell them
me (2:42:23 AM): [regardless of "no homo"]
me (2:42:38 AM): let me try and find it
iqra (2:44:29 AM): lol @ no homo
iqra (2:44:37 AM): yeah ive heard it before also
me (2:44:57 AM): A man was sitting with our Holy Prophet when another one passed. The sitting one said, “O Messenger of Allah! I love this man.” The Prophet said, “Have you told him?” The man said, “No.” The Prophet said, “Tell him!” The man rose to his feet and went to the man who was passing by and said, “I love you for the same of Allah.” He said, “May Allah whom you love, love you in return!”
me (2:45:15 AM): Abu Daud; Kitab-al-Adab; Tirmidhi; Kitab-al-Zuhd
me (2:45:21 AM): and reported by Anas bin Malik
me (2:45:30 AM): yeah ok
me (2:45:47 AM): heehee
me (2:47:01 AM): did that answer your question?
iqra (2:47:30 AM): aH it put things in perspective
me (2:47:49 AM): Alhumdullah
Desert Rose
A friend shared a story…
“Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.
His bed was next to the room’s only window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man couldn’t hear the band - he could see it. In his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”
Epilogue:
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.
Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can’t buy.”
Me: that. made. me. cry.
“People start their lives at last when they are able to live for something other than themselves.”–Albert Einstein.
Jazakullahkhair.
Painter: Oh come on Ilana, isn’t that a bit melodramatic? Do you also start weeping at witnessing the humanitarian edge of capitalism when they bring down the prices of flower pots to 50%?
Me: Haha, oh come on Painter, isn’t that a bit of an over simplification and lack of appreciation of the human spirit and it’s capacity for self sacrifice and good? Or are you too pessimistic and self-absorbed?
Painter: It is the nature of things that those at one extreme become that which is at the other extreme…but yeah, you do cry at flower shops don’t you 
Me: Realization of the above mentioned fact is what should motivate us to be humble and help grasp the significance and true depth of the beauty of good. It is the freedom of will that makes morality and virtue possible.
Painter: Indeed. Very well said.
Me: And I cry for flowers not pots. 
Climax
(inspired by this picture–which wasn’t taken by me)
There’s something within me,
a climax–a moment to lose then share–
heart wants to be exposed laid bare…
but keeping in mind time maxes
curious how you feel the pain in your chest it pulls, turns and twists
and for what? Not even a risk–
for that involves chance—
yet, all we know of the heart is that it is a pump
and yet it is felt a lance
of romance, piercing pain;
back and forth oh heart– what stance?
saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
i need sajood.
A conversation about logic vs emotional justice
me: (12:05:57 AM):sometimes when I am in pain I go into the rain and I make sure no one is looking and I just stand and let it wash over me and pray
someone: (12:06:40 AM):Ilana. when I’m in pain I just remember that God said He’ll never burden any soul with something it doesnt have the strength to bear and then the pain kinda loses its edge
me: (12:08:28 AM):mashAllah
someone: (12:09:07 AM):its possible that its different for me b/c I’m a guy
me: (12:09:46 AM):you are such a sexist–it’s the same
someone: (12:12:12 AM):lol i eas referring to the differences in thought processes in women and men and there are very clear differences
me: (12:13:06 AM):it’s cynical vs optimism it’s faith vs no faith it’s character and perception and the chemical of a males vs female I think have littel to do with it
someone: (12:14:05 AM):i was referring to emotions-driven female thought processes vs. logic-driven male thought processes
me: (12:14:45 AM):the difference is that you don’t trust your emotions
someone: (12:14:48 AM):for a woman in emotional pain, its harder for her to forget about it or overlook it than it is for a man [on average]
me: (12:14:52 AM):it’s all logic with you
someone: (12:15:03 AM):i’d rather trust logic than emotion
me: (12:15:29 AM):I’d trust balance dear
someone: (12:18:01 AM):logic is balance its not like logic and emotion are the equal and opposite ends of a scale, and you’re trying to stay in the middle
me: (12:20:53 AM):yes, in the nature world they would have some elements occurring of the opposite therein but would you not agree logic in it’s purest form is devoid of emotion meaning if justice is emotionless then there would be no retribution
someone: (12:21:47 AM):emotion, if not held in check by logic, misleads people
retribution?
me: (12:22:20 AM):and logic if not held in check by emotion misleds people
someone: (12:22:20 AM):how do you figure that? how does logic mislead people? me an example
me: (12:23:19 AM):okay, let’s kill all the people with genetic diseases so they don’t pass it on to the next generation or dispositism
someone: (12:23:44 AM):that has nothing to do with logic lol
me: (12:24:04 AM):oh? self-preservation of the human race isnt’ logic? of the future? wanting the best off-spring isn’t logic?
someone: (12:24:49 AM):in the context of human life, you have two logical choices in that scenario, and its far more logical to let someone with a genetic disease live in order to try and find a cure yeah but people with genetic diseases do not pose a mortal threat to the human race so you can’t argue the grounds of self-preservation
me: (12:25:31 AM):they might to you or your future off-spring so why not do away with them
someone: (12:25:49 AM):-yes that’s a faint possibility
me: (12:25:52 AM):wasting food and energy anyways
someone: (12:26:03 AM):and that possibility does not justify eliminating such people energy is constant food is replenishable if on the other hand it was some rapidly spreading contagious disease then logically, that justifies quarantine
me: (12:27:13 AM):or killing
someone: (12:27:17 AM):and even in such a dire scenario, killing them wouldn’t be justified
me: (12:27:35 AM):justifed?
someone: (12:27:38 AM):unless they pose a mortal threat, a clear and present danger to the majority
me: (12:27:41 AM):interesting word wrapped in emotion
someone: (12:27:53 AM):no
me: (12:27:58 AM):oh yes
someone: (12:28:01 AM):i meant logical, rational justification
me: (12:28:26 AM):and you sound like disopition right now
someone: (12:28:39 AM):lol
me: (12:30:22 AM):I am serious why are you laughing?
someone: (12:30:57 AM):because I don’t know what “disopition” means.
me: (12:32:06 AM):I meant Despocrary
someone: (12:32:24 AM):i don’t know what that means either
me: (12:32:51 AM):despotism
someone: (12:33:05 AM):oh, I see.
me: (12:33:16 AM):from democracy to despotism your dealing with grey not black or white in which I was dealing with. Your dealing with emotion ridden words like justice which is fueled buy a desire sometimes vengeance–revenge is apart of it but nature cutting another’s hand when they have cut off your own how does that initially serve? now if we were purely logical and could see the future we would choose a mode of action or judgment
someone: (12:37:15 AM):but we cant see the future
me: (12:37:22 AM):that would do the least harm I am talking about pure logic don’t loose the point.
What role do you believe the media should pay in interfaith dialogue?
A question I was facing on my internship app
Media is a powerful medium. Plato describes the elements of media such as images and music best in the Republic when he uses it to influence the masses and suppress individualism to create a peaceful and stable society.
Plato is political theory and this is reality; yes, media can be used to create a peace and stability but in the most everlasting way. The only way is entrusting humanity through education and empowerment since by default and the nature of our existence, we already have the trust and power.
So through artificial and super-supplementary means media can elevate communication of the human experience and introduce a greater comprehension. Introducing a narrative, not to be argued over (unlike dogma) but to be considered and to enlighten and widen the horizon of human understanding.
f00
Life is flowing with the clouds ease and stars above, a glimmering delight sun on twilights glosummer of grey misty sight of confusion. Perchance these zeal and oppertunites is just an illusion? I see the losers fail, struggling so hard, hungry and weights in eyes the window to the soul, pangs of hunger just wanting to live without fear–homelessness cometh near and yet the esteem and high regard is here. No one knows, and dependents hugs so soft. Doing thikir to fight the mess of doubt, depression, and yet somehow fighting for expression
ilana