Monthly Archives: October 2016

Maulana Rumi

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While new age interpretations of Maulana Rumi have often made him out to be some airy fairy kinda hippy dude … he is hardly ever that when addressing his students/readers/listeners … Maulana Rumi expresses heights of respect, deference, and love for the Prophets (peace and blessings on all of them) and the Awliya (friends of God). But when it comes to regular people – i.e. everyone else – well, he has little or no niceties. This is consistent, because the point of the teachings of tasawwuf or irfan, or even the practice of “exoteric” Islam, is *not* to build up or strengthen the ego …

“If anyone is looking for any purchaser
Other than God,
He is nothing but a donkey.
He’s searching for something to eat
Like a donkey at the green of that sewage* hole. ” -Maulana Rumi (Divan-i Kebir)

*translated as “stock hole” – I think this is referring to the hole around an outhouse – where green may grow.

a concern #blacklivesmatter

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The treatment of African American Muslims in the US by Muslims of immigrant background (who, more than often, are either from affluent backgrounds, or are upwardly mobile – proudly proclaimed so by groups such as CAIR and ISNA)- is how they would treat their servants “back home.”

A servant is not allowed to talk back when the master has spoken – but to say (specific to Pakistan) “ji (mem)sahib” (“yes sir, yes maam”). This poison is both a racist and classist mentality – that is not just limited to those who are themselves immigrants, but is passed on to their children, and grandchildren. The children are taught, through innuendos, while outwardly keeping a liberal facade, that the equivalents of servants in the US are two major groups: African American, and to a lesser extent Latino(a). But the brunt of this poison is reserved for African Americans.

Those Muslims (of immigrant background) who wish to be in solidarity with such movements as #blacklivesmatter – must go through a detoxification process before they’ll be of much use. And going through detox means that you do what you are being told / prescribed to do. Talk back to the counselor, but remember that you (who have come to detox) is the one who has the problem.