| 09 December 2009
Sister Salma
That phrase has tremendous resonance for a Muslim. Allah swt uses that expression when He responds to the angels. This is my own paraphrase of the translation:
God says he is going to create human beings.
Angels: "Um.... no offense, Sir, but .... REALLY? Why are you creating a creature who will really screw things up and spread corruption in the land? You're SURE about this mud puppet creation...?"
God: "I know what you do not know."
Iblis (Satan) of course (who, as a jinn, didn't even really BELONG with the angels but was up there hanging with them in a kind of special dispensation, I suppose) is the one who said the equivalent of "I WILL NOT SERVE!" He refused to bow down to Adam even though God commanded it...
The same idea of "I know what you do not know" shows up in the story of Moses in 18:60-82. Moses witnesses some very strange-seeming behaviors.... he tries to be patient but in the end fails to trust and maintain patience. It's only at the end of the process that he's told why those seemingly-strange things were happening.
God knows what we do NOT know. Why is it soooooooooo hard to remember that. (speaking to myself, here, ok)
It's amazing how just one line of the Qu'ran can change your entire mood.
"I know what you do NOT know."
Or, as we might say today, "Just CHILL."
Trust Allah.
What if one of the worst things you thought that could ever happen to you turned out to be one of the BEST things that could ever happen to you?
What if you experienced a pretty bad thing that brought you so low that there was no where to look but up?
What if this pretty bad thing was the very thing that pulled you off of Jahaliya Highway and back onto Siratal Mustaqueem?
"Give thanks to the LORD for he is good; His mercy endures forever.
Let the sons of Aaron say: His mercy endures forever.
Let the sons of Israel say: His mercy endures forever."
Let the sons of Ishmael also say: His mercy endures forever.
I think most of us have experienced something like this, in one way or another. Age is not a factor and relative pain doesn't really count--a five year old can endure some pretty bad emotional pain, and it's not any less serious because it's about a five year old's issues. It's serious to the five year old. Telling the person that "Oh, it's not that BAD...others have experienced worse" is really not terribly helpful.
Pain is pain.
But it occurred to me today to ask the question:
"What if the WORST THING that's ever happened to you so far, turns out to be really the BEST thing?"
When you've been knocked down to your knees by life, you're already on the floor, so why not do sujood while you're at it.
What if the worst thing is really the best thing? What if that "worst thing" turned out to be the thing that pulled you off the wrong path, and yanked you back to the Straight Path? When life kicks you in the tuckus and you wind up on your knees, emotionally speaking, well.... that's the place where you can start to worship God. When God is the only One you know you can really trust. That's the beginning.
If you let it work for you like this, then it's possible that your biggest heartache could turn out to be your greatest blessing.
The dunya is short. The afterlife is long.
This also counts for things you think you want but may not be able to get.
"I know what you do not know."
And Allahu alaam. Al hamdulilah ir rabbil alameen.
I just felt the need to preach to myself a bit today. Thanks for listening in.