In His Name
Most Beautiful are His Names
The Rahman, The Rahim
After a full day of work, with contemplation being his lot, oscillating between a state of peace, serenity and un-certainty, he had reached his desired destination. It turned out to be a short journey, for the thoughts were his miraj, the horizontal ascent towards God, the one whom he seeks, and is seeking, may God have mercy on this poor soul
As he stepped out of the train, with his head down, with thoughts as a distraction to his surroundings, he walked by a mother to be. What striked him was not her state of fulfillment, but the weight that she carried. Not of the child, but of the two bags. They were a burden on but, there was a smile on her face, as she slowly paced her-self to the end of the train platform.
His thoughts now betrayed him, and he turned around, and paced him-self to the mother. "Mam, I can help you carry these bags". She remarked with a face brimming with joy, "Oh, that is so kind of you". We walked, and I congratulated her, asked her if the baby was the first in the family. She said, "Yes, and I have two".
Praise be to God, I said to my-self, two bundles of joy. He thought of his own family, how they had no one to assist when their first one was born. I asked her, "God bless, I hope that you have help and family around". In her state of exuberance, she said, "Yes".
"Is there some-one who is going to pick you up?". She remarked, "I am going to take the cab".
The pace to the end of the train platform was slow. She walked down the steps with such grace, with such calmness, and also with the utmost sense of protection, since she was carrying twins. I marvelled, and I had purposely walked behind her. I wanted to walk this walk, as my mind thought of several a things
Oh Lord, Our Rabb: how beautiful it is that a mother anchors her-self to the firmness of the ground, as if she is already aware that we are created from the dust beneath our feet. How gladly she bears this burden, and how generously you reward a mother for bearing children. O Lord, what would I know, alas?
The sense of attachment to the ground, with the feet taking steps, to balance the pull of the earth and the holding on of the mother to the children, is what awed him. He recalled that his Lord, declared in His Holy Book, that there are times, when the world, with all the glitter and the gold, draws us to this world, the ground under-neath. Its burdens one from reaching the miraj, and also the isra' (the vertical ascent to the state of seeing and meeting the transcendent, the in-effable).
Mother-hood is yet different, she has already reached the pinnacle of miraj, for her drawing to the earth, while being a burden, is for the sake of God, and for the protection of the children. She thinks of God, and makes her 'isra, as she wants the children also to partake in it
Alas! The walk was brief. Here ended the sojourn. He gladly handed over the bags to the cab driver, and went his way, afraid to look back. He had witnessed an act of submission, within the womb of the mother, and the mothers own act of submission, something that he has been seeking for some time
O Lord, Bless Muhammad and his house-hold and his chosen Companions
O Jabbar, O Jabbar, O Jabbar, O Jabbar
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