Searching for Middle Ground

"And the earth We have spread out (like a carpet); set thereon mountains firm and immovable; and produced therein all kinds of things in due balance. " (Qur'an 15:19)

Homeostasis: the property of an open or closed system, especially a living organism, that regulates its internal environment so as to maintain a stable, constant condition. Multiple dynamic equilibrium adjustments and regulation mechanisms make homeostasis possible.

Recent conversations with friends and family have left me contemplating the nature and importance of Balance. The topic came up at a recent AIF Meeting: the importance of this concept and its application to our daily lives. What does it mean to be "Balanced"? It is seen in the natural world, the cycles of life and death, creation and destruction - the Balance between the two and the intricate way biospheres and habitats function so harmoniously. We have seen the damage caused by foreign species introduced to new environments that multiply too quickly, suffocating the other life forms and causing changes in the habitat itself. The miraculous balance of chemical and mechanical function in the human body has always fascinated me.

Balance is not limited to the realm of natural order- its application to our lives and our very selves is deeper than that. We know the result of partaking of anything to excess- food, drink, sex, wealth - they all have the ability to corrupt our thinking and change the way we act in the world. Not only do our beliefs and philosophies influence our actions, but our behaviors likewise influence our characters, personalities and how we think. We make choices about what we believe and what actions we take every moment of every day. We should tred lightly, gently on the earth, always questioning our reasoning and intent.

Yet, each of us, as individuals, hold our own ideas about the boundaries of extremisms. How do we decide what lines to draw? Can we judge others against the lines we have drawn for ourselves? In thinking this through I am working from the assumption that nothing existing on the earth is, by nature 'wrong.' Nothing goes against the Nature of God as it is all His creation. I was thinking about one of the issues that inspired Kelly and I to create the AIF - Music. In our estimation, music is a wonderful thing- an expression of human emotion and self. Yet, there do exist people who find it objectionable. Not only certain groups of Muslims, but also some of the Christian faith, and others. While I disagree with them, I cannot tell them that they are 'wrong' for feeling and thinking as they do. It is perfectly acceptable to me if they choose not to listen to music- that is the choice they have made based on the information they have and the framework they live their lives by. We simply have different understandings.

Another example of finding balance would be choices about dress. I choose to wear the hijab because I find it helps me to achieve balance in many areas of my life, habits, thoughts, and actions. Yet, others feel it is an extreme. We disagree but that does not make me, nor them 'wrong' for feeling or dressing as we do. We have come to different conclusions and have chosen, for ourselves, different practices.

The lines we draw as boundaries for ourselves in order to achieve balance in our lives regarding action, dress, conduct, spirituality, religious practice, belief, and a great many other areas, are simply that - individual boundaries. The trouble begins when we start to impose our beliefs, practices, dress codes, and actions on others. We are only responsible for ourselves and our personal choices. On the Day of Judgement, "A day on which no soul hath power at all for any other soul. The absolute command on that day is God's" (82:19) we will only be judged for our own actions and have no part in the affairs of one another.

What we do need to practice is mutual respect. This, in itself is a balance- respecting the choices of others, being able to question our own choices, and continuing to make our individual decisions without being swayed simply because we have encountered a new perspective. Throughout our journeys we will develop and grow in our faiths, and our perspectives will change as well. I make different choices than I made 5 years ago but I would not tell my younger self that I was 'wrong' rather, that because of the choices I made and the experience of them, I have come to different conclusions about what boundaries work better for me, at this time in my life, in my search for Balance.

If I visit the home of a friend who does not listen to music I will respect her choices so long as she respects mine. I will not be offended if she does not attend a Music Festival or chooses to step out of the room during the Music portion of our meetings. We can have a friendship and work with and in spite of our differences so long as we don't try to impose our ideas on one another. We will not agree with everyone around us but that does not mean that we cannot form meaningful, friendly, and cooperative relationships with each other.

Our human community, like the human body must make "Multiple dynamic equilibrium adjustments and regulation mechanisms" to "maintain a stable, constant condition" (Peace) possible.

May we always work toward Peace and Balance,
Melissa
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com

Honoring a Father

My father is not particularly religious, but he has always been spiritual. A higher power has never been a question for him and he has never been apologetic to anyone about that one belief.

My dad is one of the reasons I was able to comfortably question everything around me, including my faith. It was always important to him that our family think about why we did things. Tradition was important, but it did not take the place of contemplation. Dad was one reason why I could comfortably move into Islam and be proud of the path I had chosen.

When I was a new convert and getting a lot of uncertainty from all sides, it was my father who helped hold onto my provervial bike seat and steady me until I was more sure of myself. He showed his support of my decision and told me to be sure of the decisions I had made, especially since it was clear to him I had done so through my own self. Dad kept reminding me of keeping my mind on my higher power and inspirations I found inside and outside Islam.

My dad even went as far as to show his support by stating he could be my "backsliding, Muslim father" who definitely believed in God and had no problem accepting Mohammed as a prophet. The other things involved in making Islam a religion, he said, were more than he was willing to step into and constituted his "backsliding" persona. As strange as this exchange may seem to some, this support gave me the ability to move forward from being stuck on my spiritual path to moving, once again, along that path.

The quirkiness of my father may be hard for some to understand, but he has an unwavering faith that has helped solidify my own spiritual foundation. His faith is an inspiration and something I hope I can pass onto my own children.

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"God has decreed you shall worship no god but God, and your parents shall be honored."
~Quran 17:23

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Kelly
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com

AIF Music Festival

"We are as the flute, and the music in us is from thee." ~Rumi

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We were very blessed this past Sunday to have the opportunity to host a music festival in midtown Atlanta featuring some very talented local artists. Each of the artists was very unique in their own sound and presentation and brought so much energy and meaning to the festival.

The day was hot, but the food catered by fellowship members, the enthusiasm of the audience and the ambience of Coan Park, helped at least make the heat bearable. We were assisted by the absolutely awesome coffee shop, Breukelen Mojo, nearby with a place people could grab a drink or find some a/c.

Our festival had the sounds of Mika of Smyrna, Alex Neely, Mikhail Peterson, Kerry Wentworth, Reverend Bob and the Wayne Fishell Experiment.

In the end, I believe we each found new faces, friends and perspectives to consider. The purpose of the festival was to bring a wide variety of people together through music and that was definitely accomplished.

Next year's festival and possible expansion through this year's artists and participants is something I look forward to seeing.

Thanks to everyone who helped make the 1st annual American Islamic Fellowship Music Festival a success!!

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"Wheresoever the sun shines, the wind blows, there is an ear to hear, and a mind to conceive, there let the precepts of life be made known, let the maxims of truth be honoured and obeyed, let there be music, and let there be Peace". ~Dave Johnston

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Kelly
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com