77 Branches of Faith Event in DE

Lovers

Your earthy lover can be charming and coquettish but never very faithful.

The true lover is the one who on your final day opens a thousand door

Loss

Why does pain exist

So that the servant may persist

In evoking his Lord for bliss

An everlasting kiss

What does the drunkard have to say

His mind is held in sway

From his beloveds gaze he can not turn away

nor can he run away

Alas the heart is in a state of ruin

The drunk has smashed the cup due to his lack of diligence

Had be been vilgilent, had he been vigilant

Duties and Time

You have a duty to perform.

Do anything else,

do any number of things,

occupy your time fully, and yet,

if you do not do this task, all your time will have been wasted.

The Company of Lovers

Stay in the company of lovers

Those other kinds of people, they each

want to show you something

A crow will lead you to an empty barn,

A parrot to sugar

Oh God,

Though I may be an offender,

I am a Muslim.

If I am a sinner,

I am regretful.

If you want to punish me,

I’ll obey your command.

If you have mercy,

I deserve it.

Whether the Beloved gives us agony or pleasure,

whatever comes from the Beloved is good.

We do not think of good or evil –

our intent is His pleasure and contentment

~Kwaja Abdullah Ansari

The Rose Garden

O bird of the morning, learn love from the moth
Because it burnt, lost its life, and found no voice.
These pretenders are ignorantly in search of Him,
Because he who obtained knowledge has not
returned.
O thou who art above all imaginations, conjectures,
opinions and ideas,
Above anything people have said or we have heard or
read,
The assembly is finished and life has reached its term
And we have, as at first, remained powerless in
describing thee.

Agree or Disagree: Let’s Try to Understand

These questions are topical and pointed. They are also, however, hegemonic, in that they proceed on the apparent assumption that Western norms (presumed to be uncontested among Westerners themselves) are both the proper point of reference and the most ideal manifestation of the values under consideration. As I have stated in previous posts, this has the effect of forcing Muslims out of an explanatory posture and into an apologetic one, where the aim shifts from simply speaking about Islam to attempting to assuage Western fears, prejudices and misunderstandings. In such a context, the very fact of a Muslim response can, if we are not careful, serve to dignify such fears and prejudices as legitimate, with the result that Westerners end up subjecting Islam and Muslim apologetics to meticulous critique, while leaving their own fears, prejudices and misunderstandings unchallenged.

Great Article by Dr. Jackson link

Imam Al Ghazali on Belief

The norm that must needs be followed in principles of belief is moderation and restraint upon the straight path, and anything that deviates from the proper intent of things is reprehensible. [Iqtisad]