I recall a moment in time when I was feeling neglectful of my faith. I was in correspondence ,at that time, with Fazil. He was most reassuring. reminding me that Allah (WT) preferred his believers to sin and seek repentance. It was comforting at the time. Typed his name into the blog search engine seeking to retrieve his exact words. Fazil mentioned in 23 regurgitated blogs.Those words nowhere to be found. Hmmm, Nothing is perfect – not even search engines. Hahaha. Fazil and I are no longer in correspondence, Oh well, it is most definitely more important that I be in correspondence with Allah (SWT) anyway (hahaha).
I had no idea of intense sociability that has characterized this visit. I did bring Marin Lings What is Sufism, but not until yesterday did I crack open its covers. It was an immediate reward. This in the very beginning, still in the Authors Preface :
Nearly 1,000 years ago a great Sufi defined Sufism as ‘taste’ because its aim and its end could be summed up as direct knowledge of transcendental truths , such knowledge being, insofar as its directness is concerned, more comparable to the experiences of the senses than to mental knowledge.” (Authors Preface vii)
Every word found in this book is precious, it does seem. Speaking of the sea and the waves.
“There is only water, but no two Revelations are outwardly the same. Each wave has its own characteristics according to its destination, that is, the particular needs of time and place towards which, and in response to which it has providentially been made to flow. These needs, which include all kinds of ethnic receptiveness and aptitudes such as vary from people to people, may be likened to the cavities and hollows which lie in the path of the wave. The vast majority of believers are exclusively concerned with the water which the wave deposits in these receptacles and which constitutes the formal aspect of the religion.” Mystics, on the other hand—and Sufism is a kind of mysticism—are by definition concerned above all with the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and it would therefore be true to say, in pursuance of our image, that the mystic is one who is incomparably more preoccupied by the ebbing wave than by the water which it has left behind.”
I commend to you the reading of this entire book. Unfortunately, gentle readers, you do not have a Personal Assistant by the name of Shamir to get it for you. He is far too busy with his other responsibilities (and with me) to take on a greater burden. Hahaha
Yesterday I received a blessed communication from Alina.
She: Not sure if you realize this – that your birthday 29th May falls on the first day of Dzulhijjah. First 10 days of of Dzulhijjah are the most blessed of days. Alhamdulillah
Me: Alhamdulillah
This exchange inspired me to learn more I looked to reliable Wikipedia first:
Dhu al-Hijjah (also Dhu al-Hijja Arabic: ذُو ٱلْحِجَّة, romanized: Ḏū al-Ḥijja IPA: [ðul ħid͡ʒːa]) is the twelfth and final month in the Islamic calendar.[1] Being one of the four sacred months during which war is forbidden, it is the month in which the Ḥajj (Arabic: حج, lit. ’pilgrimage‘) takes place as well as Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى, lit. ’The Festival of the Sacrifice’). The Arabic name of the month, Dhu al-Hijjah, means “Possessor of the Pilgrimage” or “The Month of the Pilgrimage”.[1] During this month, Muslim pilgrims from all around the world congregate at Mecca to visit the Kaaba. The Hajj rites begin on the eighth day and continue for four or five days. The Day of Arafah takes place on the ninth of the month. Eid al-Adha, the “Festival of the Sacrifice”, begins on the tenth day and ends on the thirteenth day.
Went on to find more. .
“Eid al-Adha[a] (Arabic: عيد الأضحى, romanized: ʿĪd al-ʾAḍḥā, lit. ’Feast of Sacrifice’) is the second of the two main festivals in Islam alongside Eid al-Fitr. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar.[3] Celebrations and observances are generally carried forward to the three following days, known as the Tashreeq days.Eid al-Adha is also sometimes called Eid II or “Greater Eid” (Arabic: العيد الكبير, romanized: al-ʿĪd al-Kabīr).[4] As with Eid al-Fitr, the Eid prayer is performed on the morning of Eid al-Adha, after which qurban the udhiyah or the ritual sacrifice of sheep, is performed. In Islamic tradition, it honours the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God‘s command.”
I have now increased my knowledge. I knew that throwing stones was a rite performed at Hajj, No I know why. There is SO much to learn. Thankfully I love learning.
“Abraham prepared to submit to the will of God and to slaughter his son as an act of faith and obedience to God.[12][13] During the preparation, Iblis (Satan) tempted Abraham and his family by trying to dissuade them from carrying out God’s commandment, and Abraham drove Iblis away by throwing pebbles at him. In commemoration of their rejection of Iblis, stones are thrown during Hajj rites at symbolic pillars, symbolising the place at which Iblis tried to dissuade Abraham.”
It is now 7:40 on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Awoke for Fajr prayer, began the writing of this blog. Decided to breakfast at the Executive Lounge rather than the sumptuous breakfast buffet. It is quiet, sipping on coffee, examining the view. Early this morning friend Yasmin sent me a photograph of my beloved Penang sunrise.
Me: Thank you my dear!! I so miss my morning sunrises. You have gifted me. Alhamdullah.
Later I sent a photo with this caption.
Me: This my view from the Executive Lounge where I am breakfasting this morning.
Sent the photos to my nearest and dearest. Alina responded:
She: Vantage point it is!
Me: Yes! I am writing the blog from here. A change of pace for me, including your messages and the research I did to learn more of the faith.
At this moment I have peace of mind knowing I have not neglected my faith, nor ‘my family’ — the people that care about me. I have both. How blessed I am!!! There is still a playful side to me, not given that up. This exchange with Shamir.
He: I know how you think. 21 year old mind in an 82 year old body.
Me: That summarizes it perfectly. Would prefer it the other way around though. Of course!!! Hahaha I am laughing SO hard.
He: 🤣 🤣🤣
Also an ongoing correspondence with Delaware Dennis. Told him he was mentioned in a blog.
He: I hope you mention that I’m a perfect blend of James Bond and Indiana Jones…
Me: Oops forgot. Will mention it in a subsequent blog I promise
Photographs of the morning will follow. I extended my Marriott stay for three more nights, explaining my decision to friends.
Me: This is one of the reasons I am extending my stay at the Marriott. This musician in the lobby soothes the souls that listen.
