I Took It as a Sign
by Daniel Ladinsky
Someone sent a band to my house,
And it started playing
At five in the morning.
I took this as a sign
God wanted me to sing!
Then the moon joined in
And a few of the tenor-voiced stars,
And the earth offered its lovely belly
As a drum.
Before I knew it,
I realized
All human beings could be happy
If they just had a few music lessons
From a Sweet Old Maestro
Like Hafiz
~~~~
I had a very exhausting day today. I had been putting up flyers for a music festival we are having next weekend. The sun was nice and hot, but I was very tired by the end and some grumpy attitudes that emerged later in the day did not help.
I stole off to the bookstore later and sautered by the religion section, my candy store, just for a quick peek. I saw a book of poems and opened to the poem I wrote above and smiled in my own secret satisfaction. Here was a clear message given. I began singing in my head and pondering the own impact of music in my life.
Music is a very powerful thing to me. It helps me communicate, think, feel, work out issues and move smoothly through things that sometimes just would not make sense any other way. I see music as my first language because I read music before I read words. It courses through my veins and brings fluidity to silence.
Music allows me to connect to God in ways words never could. I can express myself through it and can develop prayers around it more powerful than those created in other mediums for myself. I see the beauty of creation and the vibrant way life moves in a rhythmic, musical way that brings the reality of God in focus for me.
Music is very deep to me and at different times, different words and sounds can mean more to me than others. A strong, heavy metal song with hard words brings a psychological release that can bring me to peace instantly while a pastoral classical song can help me through the stressful rigors of rush hour traffic. When I lived overseas, a rap song infused with the sounds of my home state brought immediate tears to my eyes, despite its absurd subject matter, because the sounds of it sent me home in my mind at a crucial moment. On the way home from the bookstore tonight, a poignant Arabic song with words I did not understand, helped me understand my arrogance of thought.
I believe music serves many purposes in life and no matter where we find ourselves, there is some type of music that can help bring us closer to ourselves and closer to something higher than ourselves.
Today, music deflated my ego, recentered my thoughts and helped me breathe.
~~~~~
"But celebrate the praises of thy Lord, and be of those who prostrate themselves in adoration."
Qu'ran 15:98
~~~~
Kelly
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Definitions and Respect
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~Anne Frank
I attended a lecture last week where the speaker introduced some new concepts in relation to thinking about Islam. It fascinated most people in the group who asked lots of questions about the concept and troubled one guy fiercely. He had been taught a certain view about Islam and the new concept did not fit within that taught definition. The speaker was very patient and considerate. At the end, you could see that busted bubble of certainty the man once had about Islam. You could feel a palpable change. The speaker understood there had been a change, but never once acted arrogant.
I asked him later how he was so deft in introducing a completely new concept to someone and how I might do the same. He assured me that by relating to someone in an unobtrustive way and offering familiar examples was the way that had worked best for him. He was not always successful at a complete change, but sometimes just putting enough thoughts into a person's head was enough to render some sort of movement to consideration, which was the speaker's only goal.
I looked at my own self and wondered how I could possibly take on the whole of someone's psyche and change it. I did not have the education nor did I have the respect the speaker had. God then reminded me of a time when I had been able to move people to thought.
I once taught a group of students and came upon a very touchy subject for them, the Holocaust. I had several students protest and refuse to participate in the mandatory reading for the class. I had never experienced anything where a majority of people in a group I was dealing with moved together to deny something I had always accepted as fact.
I spent the next couple of days, all I had before the next class, and read all I could about the Holocaust. I tried to understand my student's point of view through research, as well. I did want to convey to my students I absolutely did believe in the Holocaust, but I wanted to approach them in a way that could instigate change. I had limited resources, so I decided to print a picture of Anne Frank and a picture of people in a concentration camp.
I went the next day to class not knowing what I was going to say, but I knew I had to at least try. I first showed a picture of Anne Frank and asked if anyone knew who she was. No one knew exactly, but they decided the picture was of someone from a nearby town in the past, based on what she looked like and what she wore. I next showed the other picture and once again asked the student's thoughts. The students saw the people as being victims of something horrible and expressed many feelings about how they wanted to help or could help the people they saw.
I mentioned the picture of the girl was of the person we were going to read about that day and the other picture showed an example of what happened when she was writing. The students read the story and then realized the pictures I had showed them were of Jewish people in the Holocaust.
A couple students were angry I had "tricked" them, but I said I never talked about the pictures, the students had. The students realized they had defined the pictures and things changed. One guy, who was a leader in the class, said he was not sure if he could believe the Holocaust was a big as it was portrayed to be in the story, but he did believe the words of Anne Frank were genuine and the picture was not fake, for no one would purposely do that to themself. He also stated that it did not matter who was in the pictures because people should not be treated that way, even if they were an enemy. The other students reacted positively to the guy's statement and came to a consensus the Holocaust, at the very least, was something they could consider having happened.
I had not completely changed the students' opinions, but I had at least affected a change. The students respected me enough to eventually see I was not trying to "trick" them, but rather was trying to help them think outside their world.
I then thought about what had been presented to me by the speaker. I finally understood enough to think outside my own limitations. I knew I did have the ability to move others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"God has taught you that which you knew not in the past."(Qur'an 2:239)
Kelly
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com
I attended a lecture last week where the speaker introduced some new concepts in relation to thinking about Islam. It fascinated most people in the group who asked lots of questions about the concept and troubled one guy fiercely. He had been taught a certain view about Islam and the new concept did not fit within that taught definition. The speaker was very patient and considerate. At the end, you could see that busted bubble of certainty the man once had about Islam. You could feel a palpable change. The speaker understood there had been a change, but never once acted arrogant.
I asked him later how he was so deft in introducing a completely new concept to someone and how I might do the same. He assured me that by relating to someone in an unobtrustive way and offering familiar examples was the way that had worked best for him. He was not always successful at a complete change, but sometimes just putting enough thoughts into a person's head was enough to render some sort of movement to consideration, which was the speaker's only goal.
I looked at my own self and wondered how I could possibly take on the whole of someone's psyche and change it. I did not have the education nor did I have the respect the speaker had. God then reminded me of a time when I had been able to move people to thought.
I once taught a group of students and came upon a very touchy subject for them, the Holocaust. I had several students protest and refuse to participate in the mandatory reading for the class. I had never experienced anything where a majority of people in a group I was dealing with moved together to deny something I had always accepted as fact.
I spent the next couple of days, all I had before the next class, and read all I could about the Holocaust. I tried to understand my student's point of view through research, as well. I did want to convey to my students I absolutely did believe in the Holocaust, but I wanted to approach them in a way that could instigate change. I had limited resources, so I decided to print a picture of Anne Frank and a picture of people in a concentration camp.
I went the next day to class not knowing what I was going to say, but I knew I had to at least try. I first showed a picture of Anne Frank and asked if anyone knew who she was. No one knew exactly, but they decided the picture was of someone from a nearby town in the past, based on what she looked like and what she wore. I next showed the other picture and once again asked the student's thoughts. The students saw the people as being victims of something horrible and expressed many feelings about how they wanted to help or could help the people they saw.
I mentioned the picture of the girl was of the person we were going to read about that day and the other picture showed an example of what happened when she was writing. The students read the story and then realized the pictures I had showed them were of Jewish people in the Holocaust.
A couple students were angry I had "tricked" them, but I said I never talked about the pictures, the students had. The students realized they had defined the pictures and things changed. One guy, who was a leader in the class, said he was not sure if he could believe the Holocaust was a big as it was portrayed to be in the story, but he did believe the words of Anne Frank were genuine and the picture was not fake, for no one would purposely do that to themself. He also stated that it did not matter who was in the pictures because people should not be treated that way, even if they were an enemy. The other students reacted positively to the guy's statement and came to a consensus the Holocaust, at the very least, was something they could consider having happened.
I had not completely changed the students' opinions, but I had at least affected a change. The students respected me enough to eventually see I was not trying to "trick" them, but rather was trying to help them think outside their world.
I then thought about what had been presented to me by the speaker. I finally understood enough to think outside my own limitations. I knew I did have the ability to move others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"God has taught you that which you knew not in the past."(Qur'an 2:239)
Kelly
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com
Friday, May 9, 2008
The Qur'an- A Composition of Faith
"When the Qur'an is read, listen to it with attention, and hold your peace: that you may receive Mercy." 007.204
"And do you (O reader!) Bring thy Lord to remembrance in your (very) soul, with humility and in reverence, without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings; and be not of those who are unheedful." 007.205
In preparation for the next AIF meeting, I have been reading, "The Qur'an: A Biography" by a Duke University Professor, Bruce Lawrence. Through this work I am discovering various ways that people have used this amazing book throughout its history.
I am discovering that it has been used as a book of enlightenment, guidance, law, and even for healing. It has been perceived and understood in thousands of different ways. It is believed to hold special force in its spoken utterance as well as explicit and implicit meaning in its verses. I knew much of this before, being familiar with many different interpretations and perspectives of Islam. What struck me today was my own prejudice.
Being an 'intellectual' person trained by academic thought and processes, upon reading that the Qur'an has been used for healing among the illiterate, I scoffed inwardly. My academic self rolled its eyes at the implausability of this phenonmena. But then, I stopped an reconsidered.
The Qur'an and its Message are larger than words on a page, bound by a printing press. Are the teachings of Islam only for the educated? The poverty stricken in Africa and India are just as entitled as I am to identification as a 'Muslim.' While literacy is certainly beneficial, it is not a prerequisite of faith. If this is the case, what benefit does an illiterate Muslim glean from a silent, incomprehensible book? Perhaps it is the power of that which we do not know. It occurs to me that, to the illiterate, the Qur'an may represent all of the unknown wonder and majesty in the world, and that there exists something greater than all of it, something that bears all knowledge.
But, how would the Qur'an be used in the daily life of one who could not read it? It could become an icon or an idol or perhaps, it could be used in faith acts through participating in rituals of healing, hope, and prayer. In this context, is it not possible that God would afford the Qur'an special properties in order to participate in the lives of those who will never read the words therein?
For those of us privileged enough to take literacy for granted, I remain skeptical of magical tomes. Yet, I believe in Faith. Words are empty symbols until they are given meaning by the speaker, reader, or listener. Taken out of context of one another, the words in the Qur'an are stripped of meaning, like poetry magnets. It is only through their cohesiveness and inter-context that they relate messages of the unknown. The cohesive quality of the Qur'an is something I hope will be mirrored in the community of the AIF.
Much Peace
-Melissa
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com
"And do you (O reader!) Bring thy Lord to remembrance in your (very) soul, with humility and in reverence, without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings; and be not of those who are unheedful." 007.205
"Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Qur'an, or are their hearts locked up by them?" 047.024
In preparation for the next AIF meeting, I have been reading, "The Qur'an: A Biography" by a Duke University Professor, Bruce Lawrence. Through this work I am discovering various ways that people have used this amazing book throughout its history.
I am discovering that it has been used as a book of enlightenment, guidance, law, and even for healing. It has been perceived and understood in thousands of different ways. It is believed to hold special force in its spoken utterance as well as explicit and implicit meaning in its verses. I knew much of this before, being familiar with many different interpretations and perspectives of Islam. What struck me today was my own prejudice.
Being an 'intellectual' person trained by academic thought and processes, upon reading that the Qur'an has been used for healing among the illiterate, I scoffed inwardly. My academic self rolled its eyes at the implausability of this phenonmena. But then, I stopped an reconsidered.
The Qur'an and its Message are larger than words on a page, bound by a printing press. Are the teachings of Islam only for the educated? The poverty stricken in Africa and India are just as entitled as I am to identification as a 'Muslim.' While literacy is certainly beneficial, it is not a prerequisite of faith. If this is the case, what benefit does an illiterate Muslim glean from a silent, incomprehensible book? Perhaps it is the power of that which we do not know. It occurs to me that, to the illiterate, the Qur'an may represent all of the unknown wonder and majesty in the world, and that there exists something greater than all of it, something that bears all knowledge.
But, how would the Qur'an be used in the daily life of one who could not read it? It could become an icon or an idol or perhaps, it could be used in faith acts through participating in rituals of healing, hope, and prayer. In this context, is it not possible that God would afford the Qur'an special properties in order to participate in the lives of those who will never read the words therein?
For those of us privileged enough to take literacy for granted, I remain skeptical of magical tomes. Yet, I believe in Faith. Words are empty symbols until they are given meaning by the speaker, reader, or listener. Taken out of context of one another, the words in the Qur'an are stripped of meaning, like poetry magnets. It is only through their cohesiveness and inter-context that they relate messages of the unknown. The cohesive quality of the Qur'an is something I hope will be mirrored in the community of the AIF.
Much Peace
-Melissa
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Epiphany
"I have learned silence from the talkative, tolerance from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind. I should not be ungrateful to those teachers." ~Kahlil Gibran
Reconsidering what one thinks of a person can be a difficult path, but a necessary one sometimes, especially if our impression of a person is possibly based on inconsistencies from our very selves.
I found myself in this position today after reading a particular news article highlighting a person I admire greatly. The person was being compared and contrasted to a person I find very irksome and, in some ways, irrational in her approach to certain philosophies I hold. I cheered as the article implied my "hero" could never be in the same realm as the "annoying one." Then, as the article was closing, I read something shocking to me. The two people were friends.
It made perfect sense in retrospect, but I was so set on the two people having nothing in common, it never occurred to me the two could be amiable to each other. It then also occurred to me that I could possibly be friends with this person if I knew them. This made me stop and really think.
One of things I enjoy most in life is finding the possible in the impossible and I was not doing this here. I had to face the fact that in this situation, I was being the very type of person I often criticize others for being; someone who is judgmental and too critical of others who do not fit into their perfect bubble of life.
This evening, in flipping through my Zen calendar, I found the words of Khalil Gibran noted above and found the very strong message I believe I was to learn.
Life lessons often come from unexpected sources and sometimes we have to delve into the very places we may not want to look.
Verse about judgment:
"Therefore, you shall judge among the people equitably, and do not follow your personal opinion, lest it diverts you from the way of God." Quran 38:26
"Follow what is revealed to you, and be patient until God issues judgment; God is the best judge." Quran 10:109
Muslim Rebel Sisters: At Odds with Islam and Each Other
Kelly
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com
Reconsidering what one thinks of a person can be a difficult path, but a necessary one sometimes, especially if our impression of a person is possibly based on inconsistencies from our very selves.
I found myself in this position today after reading a particular news article highlighting a person I admire greatly. The person was being compared and contrasted to a person I find very irksome and, in some ways, irrational in her approach to certain philosophies I hold. I cheered as the article implied my "hero" could never be in the same realm as the "annoying one." Then, as the article was closing, I read something shocking to me. The two people were friends.
It made perfect sense in retrospect, but I was so set on the two people having nothing in common, it never occurred to me the two could be amiable to each other. It then also occurred to me that I could possibly be friends with this person if I knew them. This made me stop and really think.
One of things I enjoy most in life is finding the possible in the impossible and I was not doing this here. I had to face the fact that in this situation, I was being the very type of person I often criticize others for being; someone who is judgmental and too critical of others who do not fit into their perfect bubble of life.
This evening, in flipping through my Zen calendar, I found the words of Khalil Gibran noted above and found the very strong message I believe I was to learn.
Life lessons often come from unexpected sources and sometimes we have to delve into the very places we may not want to look.
Verse about judgment:
"Therefore, you shall judge among the people equitably, and do not follow your personal opinion, lest it diverts you from the way of God." Quran 38:26
"Follow what is revealed to you, and be patient until God issues judgment; God is the best judge." Quran 10:109
Muslim Rebel Sisters: At Odds with Islam and Each Other
Kelly
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com
Friday, May 2, 2008
Journeys
"And You? When will you begin that long journey into Yourself?" ~Mevlana Rumi (1207 - 1273)
I was contemplating how I would start this blog today and my mind wandered into journeys...so then I automatically started thinking about one of the main principles associated with Islam and really any part of a person's religious or philosophical part of oneself, the journey.
I was moved towards thinking about my own journey in my life and where I first remembered having thoughts in relation to religion and philosophy. I know I was six when the concept of something higher than myself just made sense. I recall that moment because I told the preacher of my home church these exact words...God just makes sense. He said, it's good to come to that conclusion...now you have your life to figure out what that means.
My preacher, and yes I still consider him my preacher, always has found a way to be a fantasic light on my path. Sometimes when I feel I'm meandering a bit, I can go to him for advice. When I was contemplating my conversion to Islam and the many complications that came with it, it was my preacher who helped guide me towards the source of strength of my journey, God, for guidance. Even though we are on different journeys, my preacher and I still have many crossroads where we can meet and learn from each other along our own paths.
So, here I encourage you, even if you do not know where you are going, to plan for a journey of sorts. Perhaps you haven't figured out what your ultimate goal is, what a higher power is or, maybe you are certain like I was and have a definite path in mind. No matter. Declare your journey as far as you know.
If you have a statement of your journey, verbalize it, write it down or put it in front of you in some form. For me, I have the Shahada, or declaration of faith, from Islam. There is no god but God and Mohammed is his prophet. You have something similar you can declare.
Look for crossroads along the way and people and things at those crossroads to help guide you through the meandering times. These things can be completely within your path or not. Never forget that sometimes a path is not a mere two-dimensional object, but can wind its way through space, time and realms we may not have conceived of yet during our adventure.
A Quranic verse for journeys:
In the name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful:
Praise be to God, the Lord of the Universe.
The Most Merciful, the Ever Merciful.
King of the Day of Judgment.
You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help
Guide us to the straight path;
The path of those whom you have blessed, not of those who have deserved anger, nor of those who stray.
Verse 1:1 (The Opening)
Kelly
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com
I was contemplating how I would start this blog today and my mind wandered into journeys...so then I automatically started thinking about one of the main principles associated with Islam and really any part of a person's religious or philosophical part of oneself, the journey.
I was moved towards thinking about my own journey in my life and where I first remembered having thoughts in relation to religion and philosophy. I know I was six when the concept of something higher than myself just made sense. I recall that moment because I told the preacher of my home church these exact words...God just makes sense. He said, it's good to come to that conclusion...now you have your life to figure out what that means.
My preacher, and yes I still consider him my preacher, always has found a way to be a fantasic light on my path. Sometimes when I feel I'm meandering a bit, I can go to him for advice. When I was contemplating my conversion to Islam and the many complications that came with it, it was my preacher who helped guide me towards the source of strength of my journey, God, for guidance. Even though we are on different journeys, my preacher and I still have many crossroads where we can meet and learn from each other along our own paths.
So, here I encourage you, even if you do not know where you are going, to plan for a journey of sorts. Perhaps you haven't figured out what your ultimate goal is, what a higher power is or, maybe you are certain like I was and have a definite path in mind. No matter. Declare your journey as far as you know.
If you have a statement of your journey, verbalize it, write it down or put it in front of you in some form. For me, I have the Shahada, or declaration of faith, from Islam. There is no god but God and Mohammed is his prophet. You have something similar you can declare.
Look for crossroads along the way and people and things at those crossroads to help guide you through the meandering times. These things can be completely within your path or not. Never forget that sometimes a path is not a mere two-dimensional object, but can wind its way through space, time and realms we may not have conceived of yet during our adventure.
A Quranic verse for journeys:
In the name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful:
Praise be to God, the Lord of the Universe.
The Most Merciful, the Ever Merciful.
King of the Day of Judgment.
You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help
Guide us to the straight path;
The path of those whom you have blessed, not of those who have deserved anger, nor of those who stray.
Verse 1:1 (The Opening)
Kelly
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com
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