Three Years Later

These past three years and in particular the last twelve months have been, for want of a better word, weird. Every aspect of my life, without exaggeration, has transformed to such a state that it is almost unrecognisable to the way it was merely three years ago. And most unexpectedly, I've changed. My way of thinking and the way I perceive this world has adapted according to the experiences I, and those around me, have gone through. Whether this is for the better, I guess time will tell.

It's been three years since I left my home to study at university, and despite the frequent visits back, most of my time was spent staying at my university accommodation. In the meantime, my family and I have undergone different experiences. With the prospect of moving back home after three years, I need to realise that our different experiences will result in differing ideas of the world. Now I have two options here: Either let the differences cause divisions; or understand the fact that our ideas stem from different life experiences, and embrace them.

In my second year of university I got highly involved with one particular society on campus. This society was influenced greatly by a certain type, or class of people. As the outsider, it was difficult to blend in with these people, who in essence I shared a similar identity with, but had decided to react to it in a different way. At the time, I pretty much tried my best, and eventually gave up and left the society. What is most frustrating in retrospect is that neither they nor I were able to understand that our differing opinions stemmed from different life experiences. If we had realised this at the time, we could have worked very well together. Or at the least, I could have explained my stance on certain issues with more clarity.

Anywho, that's where my life stands right now, I'm preparing myself to move home, and to finally finish my degree Insha'Allah (If God Wills.) As for how much I've changed, let's see if that reflects in my style of writing as well...

Oh yes, and my dissertation, which Alhamdulillah (thanks be to God,) has been handed in, will be posted about soon. My loyal subject (my brother,) is reading through it at the moment and until or unless he gives it the thumbs-up, I don't want to paste extracts of it on her just yet. More on that in the coming weeks Insha'Allah (if God Wills.)

The Incurable Disease

"Verily the physician, with his physic and his drugs,
Cannot avert a summons that hath come.
What ails the physician that he dies of the disease
Which he used to cure in time gone by;
There died alike he who administered the drug, and he who took the drug,
And he who imported and sold the drug, and he who bought it."

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"The physician says to thee, "I can cure thee,"
When he feels thy wrist and thy arm;
But did the physician know a cure for disease
Which would ward off death, he would not himself suffer the death agony."

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I'm writing my dissertation on "Islam's Contribution to Medicine," and keep stumbling across the above verses, so thought I should share them. More on my disso in the near future Insha'Allah (If God Wills.)

Easier Said Than Done

I have a tendency to come out with some corkers sometimes. Like the other day whilst discussing the Israel-Palestine issue with a friend, I was adamant that despite everything that has happened, peace can still be achieved; if not in my lifetime, then one day. I know it's an incredibly delicate topic, and unfortunately no "artistic licensing" allows one to elaborate any further, especially in the sphere of blogging. All I can say is that I did not state such an opinion without realising exactly what I was asking for; Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God,) I'm not that naive.

But that got me thinking: I haven't seen peace for so long. I used to see it, and I won't say where, but even that's gone now. I don’t just mean on the political scene, but almost in every dimension of our existence. The majority of people have become angry; bitter; vengeful; forgetful; uncompromising; opinionated; hypocritical; doubtful; unjust; corrupt and absolutely merciless on their onslaught on anything, and I mean ANYTHING that gets in their way. What hope has some feeble person like myself, who cries for peace in the corner of a room full of such violence and oppression got in this world?

Suddenly when all this starts to hit-home, I detach myself from it all. I try my best to look at the "bigger picture," and to think how temporary this all is. I'm dying. Every second of every minute of every hour of every day I'm dying; and so are you. As soon as, AS SOON AS we forget that we're all mortals, we start acting like gods; we think each one of us is qualified to impart our idea of justice on each other, and that any sense of accountability is reduced to a mere court of law. Buy enough people off, and even that isn't a threat to the megalomaniacs of this world.

My detachment leads me therefore to believe even more strongly in the necessity of peace in this world. To my friends and to those reading my blog: Don't for one second think I don't know what I ask for. I ask for peace, compromise, patience, equality, forgiveness, justice, mercy, love, courage and all that good stuff because we're all going to die one day; and I would like to leave my children, and yours in a world where they don't have to witness as much conflict as we have had to; Where their innocence isn't raped from them as soon as they open their eyes; and where, most importantly, they remember that they are only human, and can relate to others on a human level, ignoring anything that may divide them.

On the creation of man, it says in the Qur'an:

"[Prophet], when your Lord told the angels, 'I am putting a successor on earth,' they said, 'How can You put someone there who will cause damage and bloodshed when we celebrate Your praise and proclaim Your holiness?' but He said, 'I know things you do not.' He taught Adam the names of all things, then He showed them to the angels and said, 'Tell me the names of these if you truly [think you can].' They said, 'May You be glorified! We have knowledge only of what You have taught us. You are the All Knowing and All Wise.' Then He said, 'Adam, tell them the names of these.' When he told them their names, God said, "Did I not tell you that I know what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?'" - The Qur'an, Surah 2, Ayat 30-33.

Despite the "bloodshed" the angels could foresee in the future of mankind, there has to be a reason we were still created.

Whether you believe in God or not, most people realise that there is a reason we exist; there is a reason there are wars; and there is a reason people like me will not give up in asking for peace.

For those who love war, I'm a thorn in your side. Live with it.

A Desi Monkey Recommendation

Just a quick post to recommend the following article: "Over Sexualized Muslim Men Syndrome."

Don't let the title put you off. Before anyone says anything, yes I know it works both ways: Muslim women are just as bad *sometimes* as Muslim men; and no, I'm not a feminist.

Read away!