 |
This is a really thoughtful insight that I overheard two old men discussing in the corner of the mosque following Isha Prayer. It was so profound and inspired me to write this piece. Maryam (a.s.). A prominent and an honored figure in our Islamic civilization. We may have heard of her chastity, and purity as qualities that Allah has emphasized many times. That was essential so it can counteract any foul and blasphemous discourse that others may bring, and solidify the truth of Jesus (a.s.). That he was a man born without a father, but by a miraculous circumstance and not otherwise. But that's not all who Maryam is. She is a source of light for all of us. It's such a beautiful motif in the Quran that Maryam (a.s.) has become one of those figures that we look up to when we remember chastity and self-control. And how relevant is this for our times? I personally believe that's one of our greatest human afflictions today. We've lost so much shame with our own souls, and have wronged ourselves and wronged others many times over and over. Whether it's the spread of pre-marital relations, the viewing of pornography, betrayals in sacred marriages, and the celebrated platforms that shamelessly display these acts so cheaply for the world to see. It's easy to realize we have a crisis, and in moments of crisis, we perhaps need to recall on a certain light: Maryam's legacy. Because she was able to withstand what some of us aren't able to. Fortunately this self-control, this chastity will and always be manifested in the timeless words of Allah. This is a very subtle observation to show you to what incredible lengths this woman's (a.s.) chastity has reached. But first, let's look at this passage in Surah Yusuf: The wife of the minister who attempted to seduce Yusuf (a.s.) earlier in the story has now brought women from the city to a feast she prepared, in order to show them how beautiful Yusuf (a.s) really is and that she is essentially not blowing anything out of proportion. Pay attention to the reaction here: These women were so taken back by his beauty that they weren't even able to hold themselves still and cut their hands from how stunned they were. They have never seen anything like this. In fact, they say, "This is not a human being, this is nothing but a noble angel". We as readers know this is not true. This was only a human being. If you are confused what does this have to do with anything, just keep reading. If we were to contrast this certain episode of Yusuf's life with Maryam (a.s.) we get to see something beautiful. Maryam is all alone, secluded in her room, and Jibreel is about to appear before her in order to give her the news of the coming of Isaa (a.s.): Surah Maryam (19): Verse 17-18 This time it's different. This time an angel really did come, and took a human form. Angels are breathtakingly beautiful creatures, and so when they do take a form of a human, they would also take the form of a breathtakingly beautiful human. Maryam (a.s.), unlike those other women earlier, remained in control. Shocked, yet in control and very alert. The first thing she does is remember Allah by seeking his refuge by the name of the Most Merciful, because she's appealing to Allah to place mercy for her in this situation, and secondly appeals to any remnants of faith and fear of God in this man to leave her alone. Amazing, isn't it? The women of Egypt who lost control of themselves for a beautiful man, who was confused with an angel, and Maryam (a.s.) who sought refuge against an actual angel. A powerful image for us to remember, and cherish. In our struggles we have to acknowledge these great moments in history, and know that at the end of the day Maryam (a.s.) was a human being and so this chastity, in essence, is very much possible for all of us to attain and grow within our souls in the midst of the shameless climate of today. May Allah keep us chaste, May Allah give us our light. [link] [comments] |
from Islam http://bit.ly/2HCHkpd
Post A Comment:
0 comments so far,add yours