Unlpugging

Hi all - I've decided to unplug for a few weeks or so. I won't be photo blogging either, sorry. Be safe.

Quote of this day

My body's doing things down there that have nothing to do with me.
- Pregnant Aalya discussing her belly

A Monopoly on The Truth

"...when the CIA or FBI cannot legally hold a [alleged] terrorist subject, or wish a target questioned in a firm manner [interchangeable here with: tortured], they have them rendered to countries willing to fulfill that role. He said Mr. Arar was a case in point."

I won't discuss either the CIA or the FBI's tactics mentioned above because this information is not new. What I wish to point out is the shameful behaviour of countries calling themselves 'Muslim' - not with respect to the misunderstood concept of 'secular' human rights, but rather their very status as 'Muslim' countries, because the country to which Mr. Arar was sent was a so-called 'Muslim' country. This being one of the tragedies of Islam in the modern world, when the Muslim 'states' stand not for justice, but are known to uphold and proliferate the very things Islam demands one fight against.

There is not one 'Muslim' country who truly follows the straight path; who extend the simplest Islamic rule of war - to not maim a tree unless is absolutely necessary - to the human population. Such controlled behaviour is meant to be upheld in the most strenuous of circumstance, imagine the high standard of control one is to execute under normal circumstance.

Our nations are a self-loathing representation of Islam and we will reap what we deserve, and right now, we deserve to be the chumps of the world. The state of the Ummah is disgraceful due to the collective and absolute stupidity of its Nations. It is no surprise that 'outsiders' (a concept I loathe, but a reality nonetheless) do not respect Islam when we so very clearly do not respect ourselves on a national level (not to be confused with individual behaviour). I am constantly shattered by the actions of the Ummah because they go against the very nature of who We - Muslims - are supposed to be and represent. And when all is said and done, it represents me as equally as I represent it.

To me, the treatment of Arar would have been unacceptable had he been tortured at the hands of Americans or Canadians (which, by proxy, he was). His treatment would have been equally unacceptable had he not been a Muslim.

I believe one of our biggest problems was and remains arrogance and our own misunderstanding of who we are. This is not solely an affection of Muslims, it is unfortunately a virus of the human condition which, I believe, the essence of religion attempts to remedy. Unfortunately, the remedy continues to be ignored.

I write 'arrogance' because today's Muslims believe - as most other denominations also believe - that we are the only ones who hold The Truth and so we will naturally be placed in positions of power over others (by God, nonetheless).

In terms of Islam, because of the simple reality that we forge the paths we walk and even if we believe we have been shown the straight path, it does not mean that we are following it. More importantly, and more to the theological point, if we are to follow the straight path, it is not for this world - it is neither for power nor gain in THIS world, but rather in the hereafter...a hereafter that belongs not exclusively to Muslims. A fallacy so many Muslims take for granted and use to justify so much bigotry and hate and separation, even amongst ourselves. We need to be reminded that just as Heaven is not exclusive to Muslims, neither will Hell be free of Muslims. This was told to us directly by God; that there are Believers who are not 'Muslim'. This is a declaration made repeatedly in the Quran, supported by several hadiths.

I once had a conversation with a fellow Muslimah who was appalled by my thinking because her response was: "But if that's the case, then I don't have to wear hijab, pray, fast or pay zakaat to go to Heaven!" My simple answer was "You do those things because you choose to do them and because you choose to believe in them. More importantly, you do them because you believe they make you a better individual in terms of who you are, and not in terms of your station with respect to other people in this world." She didn't get it and refused to open her mind to it.

It later dawned on me that she felt she was owed her standing in the hereafter because Islam can be perceived as demanding at times - like a child, her mind thinks along the lines of: Well, why should the person who doesn't fast and doesn't pray and doesn't pay zakaat and who wears mini-skirts get to go to heaven like me? rather than I do these things because I believe in them and I wish for my brothers and sisters - Muslims and not alike - peace on this earth and the hereafter. But not to pedophiles, rapists, oppressors, human rights abusers, etc. et al.

So many choose to follow the first route because the world is easier when it's compartmentalised. I have to make clear here that it is not simply Muslims who do this, it is every collective. It's easier to live and breathe when I say 'I am better than you' because the other alternative, the alternative I believe to be the true basis for all religion, is the alternative to wish even for your enemies: peace.

Only that's much too difficult, because it takes a level of sophistication to define ourselves by who we are, rather than by who we are not. It is truly a pity that humanity - Muslims and 'Not' - is still too stupid, self-possessed, and much too weak to embrace this.

Please note: I didn't pull any of the above out of thin air, I was taught this by my religion. The above is the essence, the underpinnings, the draw of justice and egalitarianism that is taught by Islam. That it has been perverted by Muslims and non-Muslims alike is something I have to argue against because it demands I do just that...and because silence truly is complicity.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I've been having the most interesting and wonderful exchange with someone who was once a very important part of my life quite nearly 10 years back. When we met, he would have nothing to do with God or with any divinity at all. He was a 'Scientist', and a man of 'Reason'. He was also 22 and the centre of his own universe, but I dug him still.

I quite clearly recall one conversation where he was expressing his 'interest' at a recent turn of ideas re one of his immediate family members who had come to believe in Angels. Can you believe it, he asked me. Of course I can, because they're real, I responded as I strummed uselessly and painfully on a guitar in the middle of Oliver's Pub. My Angels look a little like pretty little faeries, only in long flowing white robes and golden belts, but no harps. I think they laugh quite often and fly around my head to whisper in my ear. Always, they're guarding me, I believe.

He had looked at me as though I were a complete fool, but I didn't mind. I continued to pluck away at the guitar and offered You have Angels too, you should learn to be nice to them, before he LOL-ed and I decided I think the drums are more suited to my type of personality, anyway.

So it was with much surprise and even more amazement that I read the following he sent me in a message: "I'm no longer an atheist nor can I say I'm religious. I think of the religions as different languages to express the same source of divinity. I didn't grow up speaking any language and like kids who aren't spoken to as infants, I will probably never be fluent in any given language. But although I'm mute, I'm not blind. Make sense? Best metaphor I can muster on three neurons."

And a metaphor, I think, worth posting because of it's complete beauty.

God. I love watching the evolution of people. It's a beautiful thing. (And now, he is in fact a real Doctor who works with the human brain.)

Two quotes for this day

"And among His signs is that He created for you, of your kind, spouces, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you love and mercy. Truly, in that are signs for people who reflect."
- Qur'an (30:21)

"The minute I heard my first love story,
I started looking for you,
not knowing how blind that was.

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.
They're in each other all along."
- Rumi

Lulu's 1st ride!

As promised...