20.4.05 1:00 am

Location: Cairo, Falaki Street, my car
Weather: Midspring night, cool weather
Occasion: almost 3 hours of talking after watching Silly Goose
Question: 'What will you raise your kids to believe in then?' A finale statment to a long conversation.'

It is one of these questions that no particular answer is needed or expected. Something to contemplate upon. A kind of question that seems so natural after the kind of discussions we have; after almost all our discussions; after almost all my contemplations alone or with others.

'I don't really know. Believe in themselves, maybe!!'

Can this really be an answer? Is this what we really need as a necessity before choosing what we should or shouldn't believe in? I would like to think so. Enough slogans under any name, be it God, prophets, saviours, pharos, paradise, hell, haram, halal... and the list keeps getting longer and longer every second. Reducing man's clean fitra to an animal one. Nothing will stop man except himself. God, with all my due respect, can't do it. Not because He can't but because simply this is not the way the system was designed to work. Only Rule: No outside power needed, but just an inside awareness. No outside spots, but an inside ray.

'The real teacher', as khan puts it in his the inner life, 'is in the heart of man. The outward teacher is only a sign. A persian poet has said that he who is a lost soul, even if he is in the presence of a saviour, will be lost just the same, because his own clouds are surrounding him. It is not then the question of 'guidance', 'books', 'saviour', God; the obscurity which our mind creates surrounds us and keeps us blind.' So, the whole trick lies in ourselves. Discovering our own. Uncovering because there is nothing new. All is there, ancient as Allah.

But there are lots of impacts hitting us from the moment of our birth. Mother figure?! Very sacred role. Hardly would you find a prophet with no female impacting his role and persona. The more the direct influence, the more sturdy the steps were; the stronger the influence, the deeper the message. Think about Moses, Jesus, Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Mohammad, Adam, Soliman... Think about mother earth too!

Cherechez la femme?
'Al-Umm madrasa izza a'dadtouha a'data sha'ban tayeb al-a'rak.' (mother is a school, if you prepared her well, you prepared a great nation). Is this Shawky or Hafez Ibrahim?
The prophet was Ummi.
Allah is rahman, from the mother's womb.

Now, who will be the future mothers? When I look around and see the future mothers, I just get scared!

Comments

Mohamed said…
I think its best if you can raise them so that they are able to figure out what to believe in for themselves. But does this mean that you won't teach them how to pray and fast for example?
Anonymous said…
Easy said than done, Mohamed.

Regarding praying and fasting, I will sure do that, but which fasting and which praying? The rituals/movements or the significance?
Mohamed said…
Ofcourse its easier said than done. But I think you'll find a novel way to do it. I wish I can watch.
Anonymous said…
Well, you dont have to watch , will sure share through your own kiddos. Just try to pick a good mother!
Mohamed said…
Not sure how you'll share through my own kiddos? Atleast make sure to blog about what you do with them. I'm sure it will be too interesting.

Pick a good mother.. a good lover.. a good partner.. too many things to pick.. damn.
Anonymous said…
'you will share through ur own kiddos...'
Anonymous said…
Wonderful post. I have the same type of wondering, Haal.

M
Anonymous said…
I dont think most women or girls think this way. Not because they are shallow or anything, but could be our society just didnt bring us to think this way. Girls get married, have kids and dont know what to do then. Raise them as they were raised ofcourse the curve keeps going down and down.
haal said…
Thanks guys/gals.

Sitting with my cousin last night and listening to him talking doubled my anxiety. If all jeune gens are like that, the country will be gone in no time.
Anonymous said…
Mother figure is indeed very important. Can you just elaborate on this female side in relation to the prophets? I know in case of jesus it is obvious, but what about the rest?

Why do you write about jesus that much though? But you do write about him beautifully. Sure not all the Christians reading this blog will like it though.
haal said…
I meant that every prophet spoke about in the Koran, to some level, had a direct female influence in his life. Soliman, Joseph, Moses, Jesus, Mohammad, Abraham.... There are some good female influence up there. I might elaborate more later.

hmm... I think I just like this mystery around jesus.
Anonymous said…
Indeed will be really interesting to see Haal raising her kids, and marrying her finace. Sounds like she will be a cool mother and wife. Although a little heavy, at times but sure very attentive to small details...

I suspect this can be too much for the kids at times. They will need some sort of security and assurance of some kind, even a fake one. SOunds like you Haal will refrain from doing that. But indeed it will be real fun to watch.

Good Luck.
haal said…
Don't know! Interesting point. Reaching for a safe haven is important. Security, assurance,...etc. But not sure to what extent should we or shouldn't we fake it for the kids. I guess I am just speaking from a theortical point of view. Practical raising of the kids will be too different. Maybe will end up just faking everyhting and save myself the hassle. Easier!

Popular posts from this blog

ISLAMIC SHOP

WISH

CAN IT BE