As A Tree Torn from the Soil

Peace, one and all…

‘As a tree torn from the soil, as a river separated from its source, the human soul wanes when detached from what is greater than itself.  Without the holy, the good turns chaotic; without the good, beauty becomes accidental.  It is the pattern of the impeccable which makes the average possible.  It is the attachment to what is spiritually superior: loyalty to a sacred person or idea, devotion to a noble friend or teacher, love for a people of for mankind, which holds our inner life together’
(Abraham Joshua Herschel)

This Human Orchestra

Peace, one and all…

Story, it seems, is fundamental to the human construction of meaning.  We tell stories to convey truth, to express joy and to share sorrow.  If this is so, it is important that I tell my story.  Not in order to impress others, nor in order to drown out other voices, but simply to add my own small voice to this vast symphony of humanity.

Each human being has their own story, their own part to play in this human orchestra.  But, we become a symphony only when we play in harmony.  That is, we become a symphony only when we use our individual talents together.  Each of us makes a different sound, each of us strikes a different note.  Using them together, we become a harmony – and, it is important to remember that a symphony is unified but it is not uniform. 

In other words, we all have our own part to play, our own stories to tell. 

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

IIIT Lecture Series 2008

Peace, one and all…

The International Institute of Islamic Thought UK (IIIT) is holding a series of lectures during the course of the summer.  Further information can be found on their website (pdf document).

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman