This was written on the morning of April 21, 2024. Something rather miraculous happened. It was not a miracle actually but a meeting of three very important elements. A good night’s sleep, an instructive Fajr prayer and a Whats App conversation with best friend Noor. I now have peace of mind, that blessed state which surpasses any human emotion. Impossible to describe to people who have never experienced it – so I shall not try.
This insight came upon me in the relaxed, almost clairvoyant state, that peace of mind provides. One must take one step at a time, but one must know where you are going and be on the Straight Path – otherwise you are stepping into unchartered territory.
We shall now compare the two. Unchartered territory is an unfamiliar area or situation, especially one that has or seems to have no maps or guidelines.Two very interesting examples of the use of the concept were found on Dictionary.com. Both are applicable to the place I find myself at this moment.
The Daily Beast suggests: “The world of play, they realized, was truly uncharted territory.” I am very playful at times. When I think about it play is fun because it is unexpected, challenging and therefore absorbing.
The Daily Beast also provides this wisdom: “ It is exhilarating, though, to be leading at such an important period and, in many cases, through uncharted territory.” All I can say is this is – it may be exhilarating but it is also most stressful and very disconcerting. Disconcert means to disturb the composure of to unsettle. Saudi Arabia, at this point in time is totally unchartered territory. Despite MBS’ ‘far reaching’ rather grandiose plans when one is here – and on the ground – there is a far different reality. It starts out being exhilarating but ends up being stressful and disconcerting.
As you shall see, if continue reading this blog, I shall not make KSA my home. Will leave in approximately a week. My tourist visa is expiring, therefore this is a timely trip. I guess I have been in KSA for about six months.. I do admit that I am becoming disillusioned. I do not blame myself, I do not blame MBS – I suppose I blame the truth. I am learning more truths about Saudi Arabia. I shall return for pilgrimages and perhaps to attend an Islamic School in Medina. I will return as a pilgrim or a student but not as a tourist.
Residing in Saudi Arabia for me, at this time is not following the Straight Path. But I am not going to burn my bridges, not at this moment anyway. If you burn your bridges, you do something which forces you to continue with a particular course of action, and makes it impossible for you to return to an earlier situation or relationship. This is an example: Burning a bridge involves taking a risk. If you tell your sleazy boss that you’re leaving your job because you can’t subscribe to your boss’s brand of business ethics, you’ll burn a bridge. One would say to the sleazy boss, merely that you have found another job. Or in my case, just say that I have found another country that is more to my liking.
One knows that they are on the Straight Path, rather than unchartered territory because one has peace of mind. Peace of mind is a subject that I have extensively explored in this blog. I typed it into the search engine and came up with over two hundred entries. I shall quickly read a few, find some language that is appropriate to the state of mind I am currently enjoying.
This from my September 7,2023 blog
“The Australian Journal of Islamic Studies speaks of peace. Not only does Islam mean peace, but it also has a strong affiliation with inner peace through the tranquillity and peace it offers as a result of internalising the Islamic faith.The paper, Inner Peace in Islam, was written by Zuleyha Keskin. It is extremely intellectual and challenging. This is an example.
“The three concepts that will be analysed in this paper are riḍā (contentment), sakīna (serenity) and itṃ ī nā n (peace). These concepts can be brought together to produce a definition of inner peace that is true to the Islamic tradition: inner peace is attained when life and events are given a tawhị̄ d-centric meaning in a way that satisfies the heart and mind.
The paper spoke of this a concept was easy to grasp: “Khaled Abou El Fadl has also tackled the topic, but from a slightly different angle. In his paper titled “When Happiness Fails: An Islamic Perspective,”36 Abou El Fadl states there is an inextricable link between knowledge and happiness, where knowledge is about the self, other people, other cultures and the world. It is such knowledge that leads to a state of peace and harmony with the self, with creation and with God. Drawing on this analysis, Abou El Fadl argues that puritanical Muslims are undermining the ability to experience happiness at the individual and social level due to their jahiliyyah (ignorance). After this point, Abou El Fadl continues to analyse the puritanical mind-set, which has caused nothing but distress and ugliness for humanity. By the way, I must read El Fadl’s paper . Puritanical Muslims are a total pain, they truly are. They remind me of the Canada Taxing Authority. Khaled Abou El Fadl, “When Happiness Fails: An Islamic Perspective,” Journal of Law and Religion 29, no. 1 (2014) I am not insisting you read either article.”
This written later on April 21, 2024. am now in the Emergency Room of the Al Salama Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. I am here because the site of the polio vaccine received three days ago became red and swollen. Decided it would be a good idea to have it checked out before my return to Kohbar. Everything is working out okay, I guess. I wouldn’t be in such a good mood but I have my computer and phone with me. For some reason I am all alone but I have paid money, weighed, had my blood pressure checked and talked to two doctors. Everyone spoke English perfectly – the two men and one woman physicians trained in Saudi Arabia.
It is a fascinating experience, one seldom enjoyed by the average tourist or pilgrim. One has to ‘be on the ground’ for some period of time to accurately observe what is going on in a country. I have been here in Saudi Arabia for six months but every day brings new challenges and new adventures. My most recent physician – Muhammed Z and I spoke of the adventures of my life that keep me young, keep me alive, keep me interested and actually make me a better Muslim Now I have no idea where he went – but nonetheless I am not in a state of panic because I packed my suitcase before leaving my hotel room. It will be brought down to the lobby by 3:45 which will enable me to grab it and leave for the airport, catching my flight to dreaded Kohbar for about a week. I do an excellent job of taking care of myself with the incredible assistance of the staff at the Jeddah Shangri-La Hotel. I cannot wait to return (the feeling is mutual) .
I will attach a photo of the hospital male triage sign. Apparently new signs are on order which will say instead. Triage One and Triage Two. I was too busy being treated (like Royalty) at the brand new Al Salama Hospital. I promised Muhammed the Tall ( Mohammed Abdullah Alghamdi) that I would announce to the world via a video what an amazing hospital is was – how pleased I was with their stellar medical care. This are videos all over Saudi Arabia speaking with positivity and enthusiasm. None of the rage I do feel at the greed and corruption I have seen. I am not stupid. Both coexist – are allowed and,I suppose, are encouraged to coexist.
This written on the morning of April 27, 2024. I have returned to Kohbar, to the HHH, enthusiastically greeted by the good people working here. I shall ignore the evil people here. Good and evil are allowed to coexist in the world created by Allah (SWT) It is a trial, it is the ultimate test
Looking for guidance, remembering that something I had read spoke to this, I opened M. Alghazali’s Muslim’s Character, randomly found a chapter Performance of a Duty is Also a Trust.
“ This sense is also included in the meaning of trust that the man to whom responsibility has been entrusted should have the sincere inclination of satisfactorily of fulfilling those responsibilities and that he should devote all of his energies for doing justice to fulfill it. Undoubtedly it is a trust. Islam considers it worthy of honor that a man should be sincere in his work, should be keen on doing his job in a better way, and should be alive to safeguard that right of the people that are in his charge, for however ordinary that responsibility may be, a slight negligence is likely to cause undue harm to the whole community and society; and the germs of corruption and mischief enter the body politic. Dishonesty in performing official duties causes various moral disease in the society. It causes great harm to the religion, to the Muslim public and to the country. This sin, and its punishment and its evil appear in different forms. The Messenger of Allah has said: On the day of Judgment when Allah will gather all the people, past and present, a flag will be fixed for every deceiver, by which he will be recognized. So it will be said that this is a group of such and such deceivers.” (Bukhara) In another tradition it is stated: “There will be a flag near the head of every deceiver which he will rise in proportion to his deceit. Listen, there is none worse deceiver than the Amir who deceives the public. (Muslim) In other words there will be none more deceitful and deserving of bad consequences than the person who is made responsible for the affairs of men he sleeps peacefully while the public is undergoing hardships or facing destruction.” (Pgs. 76-78)
Is is not necessary for me at this moment to name the leaders of the countries of this world who are ‘sleeping peacefully’ while Palestine is undergoing hardships or facing destruction? There will be many flags being flown on that day over the heads of many a man and a woman. Flag production will have to go into high gear.
Went to the Internet to research going into high hear. It means intense activity. The website uses a rather trivial recent example from the web. “Swift’s career kicked into high gear with the release of her 2008 album, Fearless.— Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 18 Apr. 2024. (“In/into high gear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%2Finto%20high%20gear. Accessed 21 Apr. 2024.)
I return to Kohbar somewhat bruised and battered by many recent events in my life. I shall speak of them in due course. This morning awoke for Fajr prayer, earnestly praying for guidance. Then came sunrise. Rather impulsively went into the hallway at exactly the right moment, to try and catch a vision of the sunrise as it faces the proper direction. I have done this only once before. Alhamduilliah! Allhanduillah The photograph will reveal the vision that appeared before my eyes. It filled me with immense hope, faith and gratitude for everything that has happened, even the hardships bestowed upon me by Allah (SWT) Allhanduillah.
