Surah al-Ala

Peace, one and all…

Ever since I first became a Muslim, I have loved listening to the recitation of Surah al-Ala (the 87th chapter of the Quran: see the Resources page for text links).  So, with this in mind, here are two different recitations.  Enjoy…

Recitation 1 (Mishary Rashid al-Efasi)

Recitation 2 (Salaah Bukhatir)

As a Newly-Spilled Goblet

Peace, one and all…

Love’s hand is upon me
squeezing blood-red wine from my aching heart,
that this I may fall prostrate
as a newly-spilled goblet of joy.

With each press of the hand
my heart yields up ever more blood;
I must be utterly wrung out
that the wine of love might flow.

And when I am exhausted,
still then will love’s task require more,
until spirit and flesh become as one,
an offering truly fit for the Beloved’s table.

Abdur Rahman 4th August, 2008

Rising into the Night Air

Peace, one and all…

I was putting my youngest daughter to sleep last night and as she was really rather excited, this took quite some time.  As she began to drift off, I picked up Shaykh Kabir’s book, The Knowing Heart.  The book opened at the following quotation:

‘Humility is our connection with our own fundamental Being, which has certain qualities:

• Acceptance of what is, rather than complaints of ‘poor me’ or ‘why me’?
• Openness, rather than preoccuptation with ‘me’.
• Gratefulness, rather than resentment for what has happened to ‘me’.
• Generosity, rather than possessiveness.
• Modesty, rather than the self-importance of ‘me’.
• Forgiveness, rather than blame of others or ourselves.
• Trust, rather than insecurity and doubt.

One way this process of transformation can be described is in terms of the changes of state from solid to liquid to gas.  The compulsive self is like ice – hard, separate, and alone.  The balanced self is more like water, fluid, able to merge with others and flow, able to dissolve and even purify the negativity of life.  The higher stages are more like the molecular state of a fragrance – very subtle, penetrating, not nearly as limited in space or time.  We can visualise the self as something that can become ever more subtle, refined, spacious, penetrating.  The more we spiritualise our animal qualities and bring them into service, the more we tame ‘the beast’ with love, the more we attain wholeness, and the more that natural self can be the instrument of real values, which are transpersonal or spiritual in nature’.

And as I finished reading these words, I happened to glance out through the window – in time to see a puff of water vapour escaping into the night air, as it left the tumble dyer exhaust.

Related Post:

• Where Angels Walk Uncloaked

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman