Forget everything you know about Muslims. Erase that word.
From your mind.
Erase images of folded creased materials wrapped in circular fashion on heads or scattered dark images of those with coffee colored skin in the desert. Angry faces you don't know. Angry faces you assume belong on all those who seem Arab or Muslim...or are they the same? Forget all of this. Forget what you were fed. Because it's only what you think you know.
There's a different story.
You're looking at an oyster...focusing only on its shell all rippled and seemingly unbalanced... Unbeknownst to you, within it glows something gorgeous and bright... A pearl - lonely and still.
Before you back away... Because I dress that way. Or my husband's name sounds strange. Yes, we have friends named Muhammad, but we have friends named Luis, Sarah, and Noah, too. And they're Muslim... Muslim, I say.... But forget those names - connotations cast away.
So let me put it like this.
Picture this.
Instead.
You wake up from sleep. You are searching for togetherness. You are lonely in your heart. It is empty. Those around you worship money, cars, drugs, themselves, a band, or something tangible and replaceable and obsessions take the form of an imbalanced state. You feel sick... You want out of this space. You want truth. You know the earth is billions of years old. You love the science... But this time you want to feel it. Know the Milky Way and be excited like a child when you see a shooting star...dip your toes into the river and let your bones reap the relief felt in this temporal life, But, little do you know, that your soul aches for home... You want to Love your neighbors...give your all..Bake a cake - get a rake -instead of a passing glint on your heart... Sometimes it's just too much of a bother to care. You're too lazy to care.. And you know that dinosaurs existed... Way before you. So there you have it. You are small already... And that should just be enough to put you in your not so egocentric place...but why do we all feel lost without somebody or something to love???
Even a cold hearted man might snap back "this ain't true" Though, he sure loves his cigarettes and Jack.
Crap, I've been there before! And then you want to know why people believe... What's the point??!
But emptiness swallows you up and loneliness never felt lonelier. I wanted out of the superficial and fake. I wanted to see the tips of our human race... The roots in my face. The lists of the prophets -
Proof!!! I begged!
prove it to me!
I'd say to the man with his heart in my hand, and mine in his and a - click click - all puzzle pieces in place. Adam and Eve story suddenly not so literal and laughable but rooted in science and seriousness - a fable no more - table turned up to wipe clean smears from these names and false claims from twists in the tongue ...now clearer and nearer to my heart.
Check.
Jesus the messiah? An actual human being?
Check.
The fact that there were messengers sent to all communities of mankind? Check.
Moses = a righteous prophet who with God's permission saved the Jews? Check!
People practicing what they preach ... Flooring me with hospitality and respect from men I have never seen from any other tradition.
Check!.
Respect for women. CHECK!!!
Mary having her own chapter in the book I call not mine but ours because it's for you, too. She was tough - never weak... listen to her speak!.
Check!
And you don't have to run to the statues or cry at their feet. Any place... anytime...Anywhere!
God is closer to you than your life vein. But scary pictures place not in your brain. No depictions of an old man and the sea. A humble fool God is not. I learned this all... I felt complete. Lined up in a row - all the truths.. Explanations abundant of the paranormal and events appearing abnormal, not brushed off 'omg it's satan' or 'omg a 'ghost' .
We like to ask questions - we don't cover up what exists. We don't ignore what science shows or what history claims to know. Because this rhythm flows within whatever story you sow. This flows not just in sand, maybe it eventually came to a final bloom in that land...did you know Ishmael's beautiful descendant lived there - and, didn't you know some nation would come out of that fact? This story flows from there and across the world. This story was there all along. Some listened- some didn't. God is One. Those who didn't listen forgot... Those who listened went on. Knowledge never came from foolery and fools. Slaves built the pyramids - skilled in hand - oppressed in the land - I'll call them our brothers and sisters because they refused to worship a foolish man. We pray for the oppressed and we always want what's best... For the other as well as ourselves. When something bad happens we don't cry 'the devil did it' and escape the realities of a balanced earth. Only God has control, yet we have free will. The angels are programmed to worship, but we have multiple chances to learn. Don't think of angels like your ornaments and treasures. Think phenomenon - not
cherub!
Clear your mind of past grime. String these pearls in a line...
We don't laugh for no reason, and we are sensitive to others. Look us in the eye and we'll look back. We don't talk smack and we'll say it how it is. Balancing mercy and justice. I hope you soften at the sight of our actions in direct or indirect light. Fully present and aware. The whole universe reflects the truth in this faith. Details lain down to the development of an embryo. Or mysteries in
space. Not a mystery to me. And the answer isn't just 'God did it... So I give up.' Hurdeehurrr
No.
Knowing the facts but energized by the divine and theories fly between my eyes as I gaze in wonder. It leaves a poetic print on my brain and heart, but sends the scientist in me out to see the stars.
This is not a time line package deal.
"So basically your belief started from this date to this date?" No. I'm saying this idea was always there.. People of the book knew, and came in crowds to hear the news. Open hearted and open minded to the possibility of a guide. Not disillusioned,, as they always scraped at the past and the clues to the path. Didn't cover up the facts. And when each messenger came they understood why he claimed what he claimed without yearning for fame. The betterment of humanity. Sometimes Shuffled to the side.. Muddled and muffled, attempts were made... In and out of so many ears..
Hey- What will be - will be.
So it finally was completely revealed in this specific land in that year - there's a reason for everything... Even more so in this case. This is a universal puzzle that connects square one's couple among others with the final message place. Get what I'm saying?
We have a solid understanding of God . The names say it so clearly you cannot doubt. Think metaphysics and spiritual but without distractions of a chorus. The Ten Commandments and so much more without feeling like you got jipped...
like 'hey, where's the rest of our story?'
"Why do we need to know these people from thousands of years ago? Clumps of frumpy clothes in moldy time! How does this relate to my modern life... Aren't you just a reenactment of a past lie?"
No. Last messenger means the last. But it doesn't mean forget. It means you take lessons from the
best teacher in the world ever - I mean, ever! with the best advice and guidelines made clear from the Sustainer...
You now make the colors reflecting off each dew drop glow with your meaningful steps as you move forward in time in technology, art, architecture, and every subject and genre.
Who doesn't want to learn from the best? From the beginning of time til Ishmael's descendant was given a mission.. The Messiah made this clear what was to come. A complete book. A complete message. Knowledge for those who seek it...No missing letters words or accents. For all...in any state... No need to change your cultural face.. And don't we know...Things come slowly to humankind because it takes a while for us to admit our mistakes- to accept and embrace the idea to submit - when all our ego wants is to walk and talk with arrogance, and not grace. Things came down slowly on purpose for the human race...
So did I mention any camels? Or Saudi Arabia or shariah law? (which btw came later and is a human invention...the human's way of trying to package this uncontainable 'way of life' - its flexibility, a budding beauty, unraveling layers of meanings and interpretation....into a way of law... Not taking into account the specifications for individuals and situations, but who wants to have an educational discussion - let's not learn anything!!!! But that's besides the point)
These things are surface labels. You are looking through dark lenses, without sensing their pretenses.
Look deeper.
Look under rocks and see a wisdom in how ants march on.
Look under water at how sharks seem full of spite but are actually doing everything... Just right.
Look at how we can't place a platypus in its supposed category... Is it a joke? Are we the smartest? Or is there something else.
Look in your book and ask yourself: what do I believe? Did I read ALL of this? Do I believe every bit?
Because I do.
Then ask yourself... Do I really know this stranger?
If my heart - struck by their words of gold - ached for more...Would I seek the company of this stranger?
If a genuine hand reached out when all other grips failed, would I hold onto ... This kind stranger?
If my tears melted at the softness of its petals to realize there really are no thorns...
Would I fall in love with this stranger?
This stranger.
That's So "strange" to the world.
" The friend I'll possibly never know...."
Introducing. (in my erratically poetic way to say)
Your stranger friend.
Islam
The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Islam began as a something strange and it will return to being strange, so blessed are the strangers.”
