sent by Zaahied Sallie

Allah

HEARTS OF STONE

If We had sent this Quran down to a mountain, you [Prophet] would have seen it humbled and split apart in its awe of God: We offer people such illustrations so that they may reflect.’ [Quran, 59:21]

Mountains have a certain stoicism and an aura of indestructibility. We are filled with deep wonder when gazing at the magnificent ranges that peg our earth.

From the Himalayas, our planet’s highest mountain range, to the incredible Andean backbone, the longest mountain chain on earth, our vocabulary often fails the needed superlatives these dramatic landscapes evince within our souls.

Sadly, our awe-filled hearts for these majestic peaks are often cold and indifferent to its Divine Source:

‘Your hearts became as hard as rocks, or even harder, for there are rocks from which streams spring out, and some from which water comes when they split open …’ [2:74].

These allegories are indeed frightening. It suggests that our hearts can grow harder than mountains, for even Everest’s granite yields to the elements.

The Quran further reminds us that the egoic self is of no value on a Day when only those with sound hearts will prosper [26:89].

The Prophet (s)

SOMNAMBULANCE

The world has grown numb to the loss of life. Witnessing death all around us but not being jarred by it nor believing that we will soon be its guests is an incredible phenomenon. We have become so anaesthetized to people dying that we only wake up when it’s one of our own.

Death always impacted the Prophet Muhammad (s), regardless of the identity of the deceased. He frequently meditated on death, not because he was morbid but because he deeply cared about life in this world and the next. 

Once, a funeral procession passed by, and the Prophet (s) stood up. His Companions told him that it was a Jew. The Prophet (s) replied: ‘Is it not a soul?’

In 2012, Candy Chang, in a poignant address at TED Edinburgh, said: ‘Thinking about death clarifies your life.’ 

Ask?

We live in a quizzing culture, but unfortunately, the gains from fielding questions do not always elevate our thinking, increase our understanding, or activate positive behaviour and action.

Asking questions is vital, but it’s asking the right questions that matter.

Take as an example the question: When did Israel impose the blockade on Gaza? Educationists litter our schooling careers with such queries. Another famous one is: ‘When did Jan Van Riebeeck land at the Cape?’

Now, more critical and illuminating questions would be: Why did Israel impose a debilitating siege on Gaza, and what did the Dutch do to the indigenous population in 1652?

The latter questions will lead to further inquiry and inch one nearer to the truth. 

Similarly, in the Quran, Allah asks the right stuff to prompt reflection and contemplation.

Below are two examples of Allah’s many probing questions from His Final Testament (Quran):

1. ‘Were they created from nothing, or did they create themselves?’ [52:35].
2. ‘Have you considered the seeds you sow in the ground? Is it you who make them grow, or We? … Have you considered the water that you drink? Is it you who brought it down from the clouds, or is it We who bring it down? … [56: 63-70].

Life and history are crucial; it’s not a game of trivia.

Until next week, InshaAllah

Zaahied Sallie

p.s. Howard Zinn is one of the most influential Historians of the 20th and 21st centuries. He is also my favourite. Here’s the link to my most beloved lecture of his: Artists In A Time of War

Author of The Beloved Prophet – An Illustrated Biography in Rhyme

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