BiIsmillah Arrahmaan Arraheem,
With the name of the One God [Allah], the most beneficent, the merciful
Yeah, that. It's something to which I am highly prone. From a young age, I remember being proud of who I was. My parents very specifically told me not to mention to anyone that the first man on this world was a Muslim. I suppose the act which cements in me the fact that I am naturally prone to such pride was when I mentioned to someone about how I was academically excellent compared to my peers, and my father very quickly took me aside and chastised me for speaking so. I think that ever since, I've been [to my concious attempts] very shy of my achievements and always avoided praise.
One of the big reasons for me to publish anonymously is to prevent arrogance. How, the inquisitive reader asks, is mildly confusing. You'd think that to post as I am in a semi-preaching manner implies an amount of arrogance that I believe my opinion is worthy of being voiced. But by maintaining my anonymity, no one knows whom to praise. I could be your neighbor, your cousin, your parent, your child, or a complete stranger. I could be white, brown, black, yellow, or a combination of all of the above. Thus, I myself can never take any profit from this blog. Hence, I can only feel an inner sense of arrogance and that ego will never end up being stroked. All it can do is feel the futility of not being known. InshaAllah this will help me end my hubris.
Something I've tended to worry about growing up is my huge ego and desire to be liked. You always have to watch your reasons for doing something. I've never known, and have feared, the reasons for my being religious. Was I god-fearing? Or was I wanting my parents to love me? Was I just wanting respect by those who were religious? I'd prefer praying in private, or not being seen when doing voluntary acts of goodness. The downside of this, much like being a schizoid or a conspiracy theorist, is that you can't really do it very consistently if you're around people. Thus, I've had the intention for good, but never acted for it, not wanting to be construed as a religious person or be heralded as one such. I've thus started hiding things from my parents. I told my father that I was trying to memorize the Qur'an from the end forwards (oh, hey, I don't think I've mentioned that yet; I've so far done Surah An-Naazi`at). He promptly mentioned this to my grandfather in front of me and who knows who else behind my back. And I can't explain that I don't want people knowing that I'm religious, that I just want to be religious, because of a language and emotional gap. Yes, an emotional gap between father and son and mother and son. Who saw that coming?
Arrogance. You hate it, but at the same time, that pride, that appreciation of self is precisely what is needed for a strong mind, or a strong leader. You need to think that you are worth it, or that your goal is worth it and you are worthy of your goal. The right amount of self-worth is like that tipping point between added just enough soda and adding too much soda that the bubbles go to the top and pop before going over the edge so that nothing spills. It's just as hard to achieve and requires much more practice.
All good from what I say in this blog comes from the One God [Allah], and all evil and wrong comes from me.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Allah
BiIsmillah Arrahmaan Arraheem,
With the name of the One God [Allah], the most beneficent, the merciful
One of the greatest irritations a person can feel is that from a person ignorantly mispronouncing something dear to the person, and not being sure if it's ignorance or malice. Allah, Subhana wa Ta`ala, is one of those. Allah is "the name of the Muslim God", so is the apparent feeling for what it is. Really, I have to wonder why we stick to it. Allah is composed of two parts - Al + Lah. Lah translates to "god", and Al translates to the definite article. Thus, all it really means is "The God", and yet we Muslims always stick to saying Allah when possible. Why?
There are many things in our religion that focus on the fact that we are human and thus forget ("Insan", the word for man, can be argued to come from the same root as the word forget, in Arabic), so there are many attempts towards reminding. Pray five times a day, special congregational prayer once a week, and not to mention the Qur'an which will inshaAllah have a blog post of its own. Hence, I would argue that use of Allah is to remind us regularly of the Oneness that is called God.
In Arabic, the definite article is not just used for definite instances, but for definitive declarations. Whereas we in English would say "Boys like girls", using indefinite forms of each (or, some may argue, collective plurals), the Arabic translation would best be "The boy likes the girl", because though it's not talking about a specific boy, it is saying a definitive statement that holds true regardless of which boy is being referred to. Another way to consider it is in line with the Platonic allegory of an ideal world. In that ideal world, there is one representation of any single figure. Hence, the definitive article can indicate that the instance being referred to is the absolute which is thought of. Hence, saying "Allah" is a constant reminder of that Oneness, that Unity that is the greatest.
That said, there's no point in using words that no one understands. Thus, saying Allah when surrounded by people who don't know anything at all about Islam and have only a tangentiary or cursory interest, it really would be more effective using an amply translated form - "The One God" - in any instance where Allah would be used. Sure, this would lead to awkward grammatical constructs - "The One God's infinite power and ability is why we believe that he would not have 'rested' on the seventh day." or "And so my mother said to me, 'Go ask The One God for patience.'", but both are more effective to English speakers than the more likely to be used "Allah".
Some would argue that using "Allah" forces people to inquire about Islam or learn more. That is possible. For those people for whom it is possible that they would be interested in learning more, using Allah would good. But for those whom you have to force religion into their lives, speaking their language would most likely be most effective, I believe. But, that could just be a personal idiosyncracy.
All good from what I say in this blog comes from the One God [Allah], and all evil and wrong comes from me.
With the name of the One God [Allah], the most beneficent, the merciful
One of the greatest irritations a person can feel is that from a person ignorantly mispronouncing something dear to the person, and not being sure if it's ignorance or malice. Allah, Subhana wa Ta`ala, is one of those. Allah is "the name of the Muslim God", so is the apparent feeling for what it is. Really, I have to wonder why we stick to it. Allah is composed of two parts - Al + Lah. Lah translates to "god", and Al translates to the definite article. Thus, all it really means is "The God", and yet we Muslims always stick to saying Allah when possible. Why?
There are many things in our religion that focus on the fact that we are human and thus forget ("Insan", the word for man, can be argued to come from the same root as the word forget, in Arabic), so there are many attempts towards reminding. Pray five times a day, special congregational prayer once a week, and not to mention the Qur'an which will inshaAllah have a blog post of its own. Hence, I would argue that use of Allah is to remind us regularly of the Oneness that is called God.
In Arabic, the definite article is not just used for definite instances, but for definitive declarations. Whereas we in English would say "Boys like girls", using indefinite forms of each (or, some may argue, collective plurals), the Arabic translation would best be "The boy likes the girl", because though it's not talking about a specific boy, it is saying a definitive statement that holds true regardless of which boy is being referred to. Another way to consider it is in line with the Platonic allegory of an ideal world. In that ideal world, there is one representation of any single figure. Hence, the definitive article can indicate that the instance being referred to is the absolute which is thought of. Hence, saying "Allah" is a constant reminder of that Oneness, that Unity that is the greatest.
That said, there's no point in using words that no one understands. Thus, saying Allah when surrounded by people who don't know anything at all about Islam and have only a tangentiary or cursory interest, it really would be more effective using an amply translated form - "The One God" - in any instance where Allah would be used. Sure, this would lead to awkward grammatical constructs - "The One God's infinite power and ability is why we believe that he would not have 'rested' on the seventh day." or "And so my mother said to me, 'Go ask The One God for patience.'", but both are more effective to English speakers than the more likely to be used "Allah".
Some would argue that using "Allah" forces people to inquire about Islam or learn more. That is possible. For those people for whom it is possible that they would be interested in learning more, using Allah would good. But for those whom you have to force religion into their lives, speaking their language would most likely be most effective, I believe. But, that could just be a personal idiosyncracy.
All good from what I say in this blog comes from the One God [Allah], and all evil and wrong comes from me.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Init; Al-mubtada; Beginning
BiIsmillah Arrahmaan Arraheem,
With the name of the One God [Allah], the most beneficent, the merciful
This being the first post of this blog, and that at three in the morning, I suppose I have "a lot of 'splaining to do". I should explain the name, my purpose, what to expect, who I am, and so much more. InshaAllah that will come out within this post, but if not, it shouldn't be too rough to pick up the answer to those questions as time goes on.
The easiest to explain is the name: "A Muslim Anon". For those whom this is enough: La ilaha illaAllah, wa muhammadaRasool Allah. For those who don't know what that means, the translation is "There is no God, but the One God [Allah, is the usual translation there], and Muhammad [peace and prayers be upon him] is his messenger". This is the Shahada, the bearing of witness, that defines at the most basic level what a Muslim is. Thus I explain the middle word, leaving two others to scrutiny. "A" is the standard article in English denoting an inspecific instance. Now notice the play between that and the final word, "Anon". By dictionary.net: "1. Straightway; at once. [Obs.] 2. Soon; in a little while. 3. At another time; then; again.". Someone out there, besides me, has to chuckle at the fact that only the first definition is deemed obsolete. To add to the confusion: I fully intend all three definitions simultaneously, plus the fourth obvious-to-the-internet explanation which is quadruply its definition: anonymous. So who am I? I'm an anonymous Muslim blogger, or a Muslim who is currently submitting to the will of the One God [Allah], or a Muslim who soon will, or at another time will.
Who am I? Another easy question. To make biases evident, I'm American raised and in the middle to lower class. I'm avoiding heritage and ethnicity because I'm an American. The rest shouldn't matter. I'm a young man, contrary to the ostensible e-mail address; it's real though so if you wish to contact me I'll use it. I value anonymity for a reason that may come in another post. I love the English language, playing with it, using it, and expressing myself with it. I'm slightly elitist, and fairly liberal.
What to expect is the next most obvious question for me to answer: opinions. Opinions on possibly world events, though I tend not to near those. Opinions on issues of religion that happen or have happened in my life. Opinions on Muslim things. I'm not a very opinionated person in that I don't act on my opinions in an aggressive manner nor do I force them on others. In fact, I would admit to not having had many opinions at all in the past, but having met with some adversity, I now am slightly the wiser and much the more opinionated. Expect verbosity (I love this language), confusion (I'll think in my post), an attempt at science (being a lover of rigor), and possibly hope (Romanticism...). Know that there will likely be sarcasm, and mild attempts at wit, along with many puns.
What is my purpose is the most difficult question. Before each prayer of the five mandatory daily prayers, followers of the Hanafi school of thought typically state their intentions for the upcoming prayer session, but alas, such clear intentions are only for clear actions. I'm not here to preach, because I've realized that the only way to become a hypocrite is by preaching, so if one eliminates the preaching he eliminates the hypocrisy. But at the same time, when one discovers information, she can't resist sharing the knowledge with the people she cares about, and sometimes that knowledge is just how to live life or think about important issues. And that turns into preaching. On some level, this is more of a personal journal or diary, an attempt at self-expression. On another, this is an attempt to vainly leave a footprint on someone while trying not to touch anyone.
I'll accept feedback, but only specific type. 1) Exclamations or statements of positive things: NOT ACCEPTABLE. Why is this? It's a long story, but quite frankly I don't give a damn if you agree with me. If you really want to tell me that you like what I'm saying, e-mail me. 2) Exclamations or statements of negative things: bring it on. Being a Muslim today means thicker skin more often than not. 3) Argumentation: I love it. 4) Discussion: I'll work with it. 5) Pseudo-random-yet-connected-comments: May God have mercy upon you and your family.
All good from what I say in this blog comes from the One God [Allah], and all evil and wrong comes from me.
With the name of the One God [Allah], the most beneficent, the merciful
This being the first post of this blog, and that at three in the morning, I suppose I have "a lot of 'splaining to do". I should explain the name, my purpose, what to expect, who I am, and so much more. InshaAllah that will come out within this post, but if not, it shouldn't be too rough to pick up the answer to those questions as time goes on.
The easiest to explain is the name: "A Muslim Anon". For those whom this is enough: La ilaha illaAllah, wa muhammadaRasool Allah. For those who don't know what that means, the translation is "There is no God, but the One God [Allah, is the usual translation there], and Muhammad [peace and prayers be upon him] is his messenger". This is the Shahada, the bearing of witness, that defines at the most basic level what a Muslim is. Thus I explain the middle word, leaving two others to scrutiny. "A" is the standard article in English denoting an inspecific instance. Now notice the play between that and the final word, "Anon". By dictionary.net: "1. Straightway; at once. [Obs.] 2. Soon; in a little while. 3. At another time; then; again.". Someone out there, besides me, has to chuckle at the fact that only the first definition is deemed obsolete. To add to the confusion: I fully intend all three definitions simultaneously, plus the fourth obvious-to-the-internet explanation which is quadruply its definition: anonymous. So who am I? I'm an anonymous Muslim blogger, or a Muslim who is currently submitting to the will of the One God [Allah], or a Muslim who soon will, or at another time will.
Who am I? Another easy question. To make biases evident, I'm American raised and in the middle to lower class. I'm avoiding heritage and ethnicity because I'm an American. The rest shouldn't matter. I'm a young man, contrary to the ostensible e-mail address; it's real though so if you wish to contact me I'll use it. I value anonymity for a reason that may come in another post. I love the English language, playing with it, using it, and expressing myself with it. I'm slightly elitist, and fairly liberal.
What to expect is the next most obvious question for me to answer: opinions. Opinions on possibly world events, though I tend not to near those. Opinions on issues of religion that happen or have happened in my life. Opinions on Muslim things. I'm not a very opinionated person in that I don't act on my opinions in an aggressive manner nor do I force them on others. In fact, I would admit to not having had many opinions at all in the past, but having met with some adversity, I now am slightly the wiser and much the more opinionated. Expect verbosity (I love this language), confusion (I'll think in my post), an attempt at science (being a lover of rigor), and possibly hope (Romanticism...). Know that there will likely be sarcasm, and mild attempts at wit, along with many puns.
What is my purpose is the most difficult question. Before each prayer of the five mandatory daily prayers, followers of the Hanafi school of thought typically state their intentions for the upcoming prayer session, but alas, such clear intentions are only for clear actions. I'm not here to preach, because I've realized that the only way to become a hypocrite is by preaching, so if one eliminates the preaching he eliminates the hypocrisy. But at the same time, when one discovers information, she can't resist sharing the knowledge with the people she cares about, and sometimes that knowledge is just how to live life or think about important issues. And that turns into preaching. On some level, this is more of a personal journal or diary, an attempt at self-expression. On another, this is an attempt to vainly leave a footprint on someone while trying not to touch anyone.
I'll accept feedback, but only specific type. 1) Exclamations or statements of positive things: NOT ACCEPTABLE. Why is this? It's a long story, but quite frankly I don't give a damn if you agree with me. If you really want to tell me that you like what I'm saying, e-mail me. 2) Exclamations or statements of negative things: bring it on. Being a Muslim today means thicker skin more often than not. 3) Argumentation: I love it. 4) Discussion: I'll work with it. 5) Pseudo-random-yet-connected-comments: May God have mercy upon you and your family.
All good from what I say in this blog comes from the One God [Allah], and all evil and wrong comes from me.
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