The posting for Juz' 19 is in honor of the late Amjad Sabri.
I recently read a Facebook post lamenting his tragic and nonsensical death in which the individual said she would not wish him (Sabri) to rest in peace, because he is not someone for whom peace was a passive act. My interpretation of this is that, through his art and through his words, he communicated so palpably a restlessness. This restlessness came from a striving toward Allah, and a struggle away from one's ego. This also reminds me of one of the first times I shared a video qawwali with my nephew Ayaan. I believe he was just 3 years old and he asked me, "Natu Khala, why is that guy having a tantrum?". I found this question hilarious but also incredibly profound". In fact, he was having a tantrum, he was in a state of being maladjusted---there was no peace. There was striving. There was struggle. There was anguish. There was ecstasy. But no peace. Perhaps this is what we need, less peace in the world and more agitation---more tantrums about the injustices, both within humanity and the human condition of being ripped from truth just to languish in delusion.
Before I get more messages from you about how depressing my posts are, I will get to the uplifting stuff. Surah al-Naml (the Ants) starts with the story of Moses and what is presumably the burning bush.
[Remember] when Moses said unto his family, "Verily, I perceive a fire. I shall bring you some news therefrom, or a brand, that haply you may warm yourself." Then when he came to it, a call came unto him, "Blessed is the One in the fire, and the one around it. A glory be to God, Lord of the worlds! O Moses! Verily, it is I, God, the Mighty, the Wise!" (27:7-9)
The authors starts their commentary by noting a Sufi interpretation of these ayahs as progressions of spirituality. Leave it to the Sufis who are all about mysticism to create a staggered 3-step, easy to follow, framework.
Step 1 refers to Moses having conceptual or innate knowledge of the fire. It is also worth saying here that the commentators, in a separate section, mention that fire and light were often used interchangeably by Arabs during this time, and that "Ibn Abbas said it was not fire, but a flickering light, and in another statement he referred to it as the 'Light of the Lord of the worlds' " (p.929). So, take it as you will, but the Sufi interpretation offered here is powerful regardless of the analogy.
Step 2 refers to an actual encounter with the fire, or the seeing of the fire. This is still in the role of an observe but the knowledge goes beyond conceptual, to "real".
Step 3 refers to being consumed by the fire and becoming one with it.
In other words the spiritual progression here goes from "theoretical knowledge about spiritual matters" to " direct vision of spiritual realities" and finally to "the realization attained when the substance of the soul is transformed by being consumed by the Truth" (929).
This framework makes me wonder if this is truly a linear progression, spiritually speaking, or if it is a returning home---a circular journey. I am thinking, here again, of the innate knowledge which for me is so incredibly powerful. Without any external impetus there is already a knowledge, one that cannot be measured or observed. And perhaps burning in the fire is just a full recognition of that innate knowledge.
For further reflection I am posting one of my favorite qawwali's from Amjad Sabri, "savere savere". This qawwali speaks of an awakening----a light of love which wakes us from a peaceful slumber. I cannot bring myself to hear or watch any of his art at this time but I offer it to you with an open heart, and with the du'a that we all strive to seek comfort in life-long striving and agitation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dppCsWFTsc
andhere mein dil ke chiragh-e-mohabbat yeh kiss ne jalaya savere savere
tasawwur ke suraj ki aik aik kiran se naya noor paya savere savere
lagan jis ke dedar ki lag rahi thi qareeb aur aaya savere savere
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