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Interesting points I heard from ustaz:

1. Arabic vocab: hijran as separation. هجر as to leave behind.

Thinking of the many displaced Palestinians today in the light of the latest headlines this morning - from (forced) separation to union with their land, in sya Allah. And yet, this is only in this realm.

2. Love of dunya as non-fitric.

Many a time, what is non-fitric seems to come naturally!

3. The symbol of the bird to denote the human soul (would like to recommend the above book, for its beautiful illustrations)

4. And finally, much impressed with sister Rafeah's take, using the tree's symbol and the seasons accompanying its growth (& death) and growth again.

PS - would love to hear what Rumi has to say about 'Transcendental Unity of Religion", which Ustaz briefly mentioned (and reckoned that we are not ready for it😁)

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I think dying is used here metaphorically to denote its opposite (not the end of things). In dying, we become another form of existence that allows us to achieve the task and trust we learned about in our earlier lesson.

At every stage along the way, we are in a position to actualize our hidden potentialities to become the insan kamil (also from our previous lesson).

So, though the stages of death outlined in the poem may seem like a descent, starting with:

line 1:

I died to the inorganic state

& all the way to line 11:

then I should become non-existent

this is actually an ascent, as shown in

line 4:

...when have I become less by dying

Thus, this dying does not make us less, but rather more!

====================

Another thing that this poem made me recall is the following:

The story goes that the baby in the mother's womb was told about the immensity of the world to come, the dunya that he would be born into, and he was sceptical about it, finding it hard to believe that the world would and could be bigger than the womb, his current home.

So it is with us now—when told that the hereafter would be bigger than the universe that we are living in presently, we find it difficult to imagine. So, taken from this perspective, every stage of our existence will also bring us to a bigger world—physically and metaphysically.

However, the most intriguing part of the poem is the last two couplets, which speak of a

sufferer from dropsy

who is

greedy and craving for death!

I did some research and found out that dropsy (an old medical term) is what we now call oedema. And there are certain cases of patients with edema/oedema who desperately thirst for water even after knowing that that water intake will make his/her condition worse i.e.

water is death to him

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from 'All the King's Falcons' by John Renard.

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Pre-lesson 5

The idea of the prophet (s) being an ummi came to mind when I read

"knowledge that we acquire"

because although ummi is translated as 'illiterate' by some of RUMI's English translators, we know that the prophet's "illiteracy' only means that he did not acquire his knowledge from

"formal and informal institutions"

thus, the Latin illiteratus - denoting an “unlearned, ignorant" person would not apply to the prophet (s).

The path taken by Imam Ghazali also demonstrates this movement from the knowledge that is acquired to the knowledge he sought, which was:

"knowledge of the true meaning of things"

- Deliverance from Error

In that same book, he also spoke about:

"...that was not achieved by constructing a proof or putting together an argument. On the contrary, it was the effect of a light which God Most High cast into my breast..."

So, if indeed this true knowledge is a gift that is entirely dependent on the Giver, where does that place our efforts and responsibility (the task and trust we learned earlier)?

There are a few things I managed to reflect on based on the poem:

1. we are curious and will seek what we are curious about (.. they speak about?)

2. we choose what we want to see (the water, the fish)

3. we start with doubt (where is the pearl?)

4. we are quick to be disheartened (Perhaps there is no pearl)

5. Mere looking is not sufficient (today's emphasis on 'seeing is believing')

6. measuring out the sea cup by cup (today's emphasis on measuring things & to quantify things)

Of course, the excerpt ended with Rumi saying that "to find the pearl calls for a different approach" without him telling us precisely what the approach is, except that what it is not, i.e. measuring the ocean with a cup!

I supposed he wants us to dive deep (be serious about seeking it) and possibly drink some of that water, too 😁!

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Took me awhile to sleep after the interesting (cant find another adjective to describe what Ustaz shared with us especially on the Angels and Devils)discussions.But I kinda felt that it was a 2 thumbs up lesson .

I think my brain and heart are getting used to the ruminations of Rumi..

and 6 days later..my ruminations would be that on the Day of Accountability ,we are held responsible for our choices,decisions and actions whether led into my heart or whisperings.

if none but God has the power of choice, why do you become angry

with one who has committed an offense (against you).

Reminder to my oft- eered soul -As I learn to recognise Allah's Qada,I must always strive to practice sabr and forgiveness,compassion and understanding ..

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Lesson 5 [Pre Reading]

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Pre-Lesson 4

Here is another instance when Rumi's poem for the day coincides with another lesson we are going through with Ustaz. Two terms here are of significance - iradah and ikhtiyar, both appearing in that other lesson from Imam Ghazali's IHYA, Book 2 The Principles of the Creed.

There, on page 11, iradah is translated as will (where in this set of notes, it is explained by way of a freedom of choice)

It was challenging for me to understand what 'energise' means and who the' Neccessitarians' are...

Further reflection after clarifying with ustaz 😁

Line 3050 seems to show Rumi's Sunni stance on our ability to choose. If I were to understand "energise" as motivation (what moves you to do the things you do, i.e. energy, movement), then our recognition of this ability will stop us from being passive participants in our daily mundane activities or, worse still, becoming fatalistic! This surely goes against everything that Islam holds dear.

Of course, Rumi has a special way of emphasizing this when he says that even animals (camels and dogs) recognise this ability of ours (thus putting the Necessitarians to shame) !

Final point!

I have also heard from ustaz on how the Sufis view this matter of will. Looking at it from line 3050, this means that:

The Sufi's 'spirit is energised' when they submit their will to follow God's will. So here it is not the freedom of their will (the Western idea of free will), but rather a freedom from their will !

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On lesson 3:

Interesting how the analogy of fruit is being used as it is more profound that we may view from its outer form. The fruit is not simply the last substance/ produce of the tree but also eventually leaves seeds to reproduce (as khalifah, leaves legacy and lineage).

At the same time, a healthy tree bears healthy fruits and viable seeds and a sound ecosystem (Perfect Man, sound society), while a diseased tree produces otherwise.

Also the roles of khalifah varies for different people in the cosmos, this relates to how different tree species bear different fruit types for diff uses/users, nonetheless all are perfect creations no matter the form/ qualities (different attributes of Allah are reflected as qualities in diff men, some more than others).

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Lesson 4 - Pre Reading Reflection

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This session's poems need to be read in light of last week's poems on universal love.

Our (Bani Adam) position within Rumi's cosmology depends on our understanding of the concepts of TRUST and TASK (Poem 6)

Most interesting idea heard is "I am the first Muslim"!

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Allah created MAN in the best form-purposeful creation and intention and definitely not as what Darwin Theory of Evolution-not a random mutation. We (MAN) are unique creation of Allah,and HIS creations that are subservient to MAN (microcosm)

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my place in this universe...I have a role and a task...I encourage myself and you to learn ,understand and to cultivate reflection of my Creator and my humblest self...

I myself and me is part of a larger connectedness and interconnectedness..

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Pre-lesson 3-random thoughts🙏:

1. the essence of organic things being life itself - that which distinguishes itself from clay (our origin being inorganic). I see God's breathing of His Spirit into man as that source of life i.e. breathe to make me breathe

2. remembering - the important role that zikr (remembrance) of God plays in our deen. Us, not remembering our previous stage of existence, is that a blessing or a curse?

3. the simile employed of a baby's inclination towards the mother as a our inclination towards the season of spring and sweet herbs (spring as a renewal of life, God's re-creation). Brings to mind Cat Steven's famous song:

Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world

...

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day

4. And the idea of creation being connected to mother(hood). The connection between arRahman and arRaheem.

5. and the Creator "leading him from the animal toward the humanity" shows us that He is there, actively participating in our growth (evolution). How does he hold our hands? I suspect it is the revealing of the Qur'an (guidance itself)

6. And finally, "there is a migration to be made" brings to mind the idea of hijrah and transformation (metamorphosis). Bettering ourselves as part and parcel of life here and now.

7. PS - is this poem an argument for a theistic evolution as opposed to the Darwinian kind?

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Lesson 3 Post Reflection

After the end of the discussion, please share your thoughts 👇