Peace, one and all…
In recent weeks, a number of bloggers have been talking about synchronicity – what it is, what it might mean and the emotional impact it brings. Allah! In a strange way, I find this an example of synchronicity in itself! I had a very similar experience myself recently, during my trip to London.
As I travelled through the streets of London by bus one day, my thoughts turned to all my human sortcomings: I felt depressed by the weight of them, bearing down on me. As I reflected on these human frailties, I looked up from my seat to see a bright, shining white van with the words Bism Allah al-Rahman al-Rahim (’in the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful’) in Arabic. The van was from a North London halal butchers. The shining van really struck me, and Allah’s name lifted my spirits.
As I travelled on, I saw a cafe called Dervish (a Sufi title for a seeker) and shortly afterwards another called Shamsuddin (the name of Mevlana Rumi’s soul-friend). Finally, shortly before I arrived at my aunt’s house in the evening, I had my final example of synchronicity as I passed a Turkish restaurant called ‘Mevlana’ (literally, ‘Our Lord’ – a title used to describe Rumi). Above the legend was a large and very beautiful picture of a whirling dervish.
Al hamdu lillahi ala kulli hal. Praise be to God for His signs in the midst of life, and for the ability to read them (however infrequently).
Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman
July 23, 2008 at 11:39 am
Yes, I too am rewarded when I remember to look out for those signposts.
I like this redesign of your blog by the way – quite a radical change and very simple.
July 23, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Nice to travel with your eyes wide open. Abdur, I noticed in your comment on the lovely poem below you mentioned you would like to read Hafiz poem in the original language…my new endeavor is to learn Arabic now. Can you recommend a good accessible program? As a Spanish-speaker myself, I always recommend to the lawyers I work with that there is nothing better than total submersion in the language within the culture where the language is spoken, but being a woman, that of course is not an option for me. Also, how was the candy store? Any sweets to recommend?
Blessings dearest Abdur to you and yours,
Barbara
July 23, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Salaams Barbara,
There are many Arabic programmes around. Sunnipath are a very good organisation (though I’ve never taken part in their language training). Zaytuna Institute run such things I believe.
The candy store was delicious!
Al hamdu lillah.
I’ve brought back all sorts of useful gems. I’ve got lots of stuff in electronic format – let me know if you’d like some of it.
Abdur Rahman
July 23, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Peace Tess,
Sometimes (usually, in fact) they force their way into my awareness!
I’m glad you like the redesign. I figured it was time for a change.
July 24, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Salaam,
I’ve been thinking about this post of yours, dear brother Abdur Rahman; felt ’something’ needed to be said, but wasn’t quite sure what! The issue was initilly that one kept thinking “well, that’s not a sychronicity. Its something else.” Now it seems the matter is clearer, Alhamd’uli’llah. Surely ALLAH IS The Best of Those who Guide.
Synchronicity, both linguistically and conceptually, is deeply related to the notion of ‘time’, and ‘togetherness’. Root word is (per my helpful dictionary) is derived from the Greek words ‘Sun’ (!!) and ‘Khronous’. ‘Sun’, being Greek for ‘Together’, and ‘Khronos’, of course, being Greek for ‘time’.
So a synchronicity involves 2 or more (semi) ‘independent’ systems that come ‘together’ in a given point in ‘time’.
What you experienced is actually a complex of ‘events’ which was initiated with a form of ‘un-Veiling’, when the Divine Friend, who is “With you where so ever you may be” [Q 57.4], Shined a Light in your eye to dispel a dark mood from your being.
Clearly HE IS Watching over you with great affection!
You were traveling ‘away from home’. A ‘Stranger’. You were feeling weighed down by your ’shortcomings’. Got ‘blue’. You ‘forgot’ something ‘True’ and you ‘bought into’ something quite ‘un-True’.
You forgot that God Gave you these ‘frailties’. So that you will Remember HIM who IS Free from All Imperfections (as we say in our daily prayers), and always turn to HIM to uphold you with HIS Right Hand. (Reading of Psalms of David (s.a.w.s.) should be included in your dialy Reading, my dear brother.)
At that moment you had bought the notion that you (!) all by yourself are to ’shoulder’ the burden of these shortcomings. un-True! No wonder you felt ‘weighted down’.
Then comes ‘Bismillah Ar’Rahman Ar’Rahim’ to ‘dispel’ that ‘lie’.
Now dispel is another interesting word. It means to ‘drive apart’.
Here is a synchronicity:
I was reading just a couple of days ago in the excellent USC site for Hadith and other online Muslim texts, a Hadith of the Beloved of ALLAH, Mohammad (s.a.w.s.), who on observing a member of his community, may ALLAH ever Protect us and Shower us with HIS Bounty and un-Failing Love, ‘curse’ sheitaan, our avowed enemy, due to a mishap, said (and this is a paraphrase) that: rather than curse, say “Bismillah”, for cursing it ‘inflates’ it, where as invoking the Name of ALLAH makes it ’shrink and shrivel away’.
So: The first un-Veiling for you what just that:
BismiLLAH Ar’Rahman Ar’Rahim. (Now, a halal “butcher” — think about that, and see below ..
)
Then, dear brother, the “Seeker” was ‘Reminded’ that the ‘Friend’ likes and keeps company; and (Shams – Sun – Together) is “With you where so ever you may be” [Q 57.4]. That means you must always ’seek’ the ‘company of blessed friends of ALLAH’. (Company -> Cafe -> a place to get together with Friends.)
When Shams came to Rumi in Konya, nearly everyone and everything was consipiring to ‘keep them apart’. They had to go into seclusion to really have the heart to heart sohbat that they desired.
London is like Konya. The Soul (Rumi) lives there and is busy with his household and his disciples, and what not. But he is not yet alight; he is not yet burning.
Every ad plastered all over the place is *designed* to inflame your nafs and is a modern form of magic; every noise that comes to jar your harmony, every step you make, every time someone bumps in to you, every act of discourtesy, these all keep telling you ‘the lie’, that: “you are alone”; “we are all in competition”; and other assorted lies, big and small.
Say/Zikr the Divine Name always, for it is the Best Means of keeping away the lies.
Then Keep Company with Friends of ALLAH, for that is The Best Company.
Then, partake of the Divine Food that is Prepared by a Master (Movlana Restaurant) for that is True Nourishment for the Seeker and Friend of ALLAH. And if the Chef only minces words “In The Name of ALLAH The Gracious The Ever Merciful”, then surely it is “halal”.
So “Hold fast to The Book ‘O you Living’” [Q 19.12]
All Praise is Every Due to ALLAH, The LORD of Majesty and Honor, The Glorious The Ever Merciful, the True in Love, The Best of Friends! Surely there is none like unto our LORD, Ar’Rahman!
May ALLAH Bless you always and keep you and your loved ones Secure and Saalem!
/& Salaam
July 28, 2008 at 11:09 am
Salaams Joubin,
Thank you for your interesting reflections. You’re right, of course, it wasn’t synchronicity in the strict sense.
How right you are! We feel down when we mistakenly believe that the weight is ours alone! Allah! Truly, He is with us wheresoever we may go – whether physically or emotionally.
Ya Haqq!
May Allah bless you and yours always.