Today I was on the phone with our Quality Control Manager in Cairo, he is my mentor and I adore the guy, he trained me for this job and sees me through almost every sticky work situation, which is really very frequent.
While hanging up he asked me when my flight was, I said Saturday morning isa, and he replied in a deep profound voice "la illah ila allah", and in that one line I sensed his concern for my safety and well being, his genuine care that I make it safely back home. He said it with feeling, with compassion, with brotherly love.
With all these bashings on Islam, all this violence and anger, and my distance from everyday cultural reminders, his words instantly filled me with peace and a thankfulness for being a muslim, however non-conventional of a muslim I may be.
When did we forget about the moderate people who know better?
8 comments:
well moderation is relative...what's "moderate"?
I guess everything i write can only be relative to me... mesh 3arfa, i guess moderation for me is rationale, logic, consistent tones of voices and no anger. Objectivity and practicality, being non judgmental, wisdom.
7agat keteer awy, but i guess lets get two extremists of the opposite points of view and that would be the middle of the scale.
We forget about the moderate (aka normal) people because we're surrounded by too much bullshit.
During Ramadan a couple of years ago I walked into a random store in the middle of Manhattan. Upon entering the store I heard the Quran on the radio. I looked at the owner sitting at the counter and said "salam 3alekom". He smiled and returned the greeting. We started talking about Ramadan and how we missed breaking fast at home with friends and families (fitar was at 4:45 that year so I always broke fast at my desk). It was a lovely conversation.
As I was leaving, he stopped me and gave me his dates. It was what he was going to break fast with and I told him that I couldn't take them; that he needed them to eat and he insisted that I take them. In that one gesture he encompassed all that Islam is.
We're stuck with the crazies right now that are manipulating religion to suit their own needs. Sadly, this is normal and has been going on forever.
I was just discussing that a couple of days ago...how life was so simple and uncomplicated with all the "not allowed’s" that people have been fixating on for so long now that they've forgotten about the fundamentals...i know what you mean and the story S shared definitely hit a nerve.
I like to hang around the older crowds(65 and up)every once in a while and especially back home. They remind me of better and MUCH simpler times.
"Moderation" is a concept invented by those who only feel that part of the religion suits them.
Wow, I am impressed. That sounded really profound. I am not sure what it meant, ut it sounded profound
Oh you all know what she means by moderation so don't philosophize! :)
u used to blog on a daily basis...what happened??
i hope everything is okay
Still Breathing: I'm at the coast with no internet access!! Thanks for asking :)
Insoniac: Allah yesalemek :)bi noorek.
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