The Quran and the Aramaic Gospels, Part II

I gave a khutbah in April about the work of two scholars – Neil Douglas Klotz and Emran El-Badawi - who have focused on the relationship between language and meaning – especially the Aramaic language that was commonly used in the Middle East during the time of prophets Jesus and Mohammed.  I had first become interested in the idea of translation as a distorter of original meaning through reading Klotz’s work.  He offers a much more nuanced, non-didactic interpretation of biblical texts like the Lord’s Prayer (Prayers of the Cosmos) and the Gospels, (The Hidden Gospel:  Decoding the Spiritual Message of the Aramaic Jesus).  Klotz’s interpretations reinforced for me the notion that the foundational texts of the monotheistic faiths – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – are indeed a continuum of a single faith trajectory.  But Klotz is a Sufi scholar (The Sufi Book of Life:  99 Pathways of the Heart for the Modern Dervish, is a meditation on the 99 names of Allah), not an academic researcher. 

Emran El-Badawi’s work has taken the “continuum” hypothesis to the level of focused academic research.  The book that followed from his doctoral dissertation, The Quran and the Aramaic Gospels, is a comparative analysis of the Quran’s Arabic text and the Aramaic text of the Gospels, a scientific study of linguistics.  I consider this work to be a seminal contribution to our understanding of Quranic revelation and it’s place in the evolution of human spirituality. 

By studying both meaning and linguistic structure in the Quran and the Aramaic Gospels, El-Badawi was able to discern the main verses that form the backbone of the interface, or “dialogue” between the two scriptures.  He described four categories of meaning that apply to both scriptural traditions:  1/ the prophets and their righteous entourage, 2/ the evils of the clergy, 3/ the divine realm, and 4/ divine judgment and the apocalypse. 

In his linguistic analysis, El-Badawi looks at whole passages, clauses or phrases, and short phrases that share multiple relationships.  El-Badawi’s study provides a detailed analysis of the concentration, distribution and frequency of these types of relationships, and summarizes the findings in several graphs.  Short phrases form 71 % of all the relationships that he found.   He also looks at words that are derived from the same root words or borrowed words; these comprise 27 % of the relationships.  Finally, he examines rhymes and repetitions that are related between the scriptures.  These are comparatively miniscule, however the repetition of the curse formula against the ‘scribes and hypocrites’ in Matthew 23 (and Luke 11:44) and its parallel against the ‘disbelievers’ in Q 77 puts those texts in dialogue.

El-Badawi concludes that “Quran is in close dialogue with the text and context of the Gospels through their transmission in the Syriac and Christian Palestinian dialects of Aramaic….  This dialogue was mediated through a literary and hermeneutical (interpretive) strategy that he calls ‘dogmatic re-articulation.”  His conclusion is that “the Quran does not demonstrate a superficial awareness of the Gospel texts.” 

His evidence shows that the Prophet and his companions were familiar with the prophetic tradition of the Jews and the Christians around them, especially texts from the Bible like the books of Psalms, Isaiah, Acts, Romans, Revelations, and related Aramaic traditions of Rabbinical commentary and Christian preaching.  The Quran is familiar with the events in the Acts of the Apostles, the doctrines of Paul’s epistle to the Romans and the apocalyptic imagery of the book of Revelations.  In other words, the Quran reveals a “broader conception of al-injil beyond just the Gospel Traditions to include the New Testament as a whole.” 

El-Badawi found parallels between the experiences of Muhammad and his community of believers, and the Old Testament prophets.  Prophet Muhammad and his followers experienced expulsion, fear, and hunger, after which they were rewarded with a (new) ‘secure sanctuary’ (haram amin) and many fruits (Q 24: 53-57; 28:57; 106) – just like Abraham and his people. 

         Surah 106  Quraysh

         So that the Quraysh might remain secure [1]

         Secure in their winter and summer journeys [2]

         Let them, therefore, worship the Sustainer of this Temple [3]

Who has given them food against hunger, and made them safe from danger. [4]

They received ‘mercy after hardship,’ fleeing upon land and sea (Q 10:21-23; Q 17:70) – just like Noah and his family, and not unlike Jonah in the belly of the fish.”

         Surah 17:70  Al-Isra  The Night Journey

Now indeed, We have conferred dignity on the children of Adam, and borne them over land and sea, and provided for them sustenance out of the good things of life, and favored them far and above most of Our creation…

El-Badawi found that, contrary to the predominant focus of contemporary Muslim preaching, the Quran’s main focus is not with the pagan cults of cities and towns in or near the Prophet’s surroundings (Mecca, Yathrib, Taif, and so on).  These cults, maintains El-Badawi, were – unlike the image portrayed in the Sirah – probably in serious decline by the time of the prophet Muhammad.  El-Badawi contends that the Quran’s reference to the so-called ‘names’ (asma) of the daughters of Allah (Manat, Lat, and Uzza; Q 53:19-23; 37:149-50; further Q 12:40) likely reflected only one trend of the diversity in the Quran’s time and culture in any case.

The predominate conversation in Quran is with surrounding Christian dogma and Jewish law.  Rival camps of Jewish, Christian, and Hanafite monotheists seem to have constituted the standard form of religious practice in the Quran’s milieu, and polytheistic pagan cults its exception. 

The evidence from El-Badawi’s study “makes it clear” that traditions from the Aramaic Christian sphere intersected with the Quran’s environment early, on multiple occasions, and from different individual sources.  [This is]… best illustrated in the opening verses of the so called ‘Meccan Surahs,’ including Q 51:1-9 which integrates terminology from Syriac, and [other dialects] of Aramaic into the Arabic grammatical constructions (maf’ul mutlaq) that are a hallmark of the … prophetic speech employed in the Quran.” 

         Surah 51:  Adh-Dhariyat  The Dust Scattering Winds

Bismil-lahir-Rahmanir-Rahim 

Wadh-dhariyati dharwa [1] - Consider the winds that scatter the dust far and wide

Fal-hamilati wiqra [2] – and those that carry the burden [of heavy clouds]

         Fal-jariyati yusra [3] – and those that speed along with gentle ease

Fal-muqassimati amra [4] – and those that apportion [the gift of life] at [God’s] behest

Innama tu’aduna lasadiq [5] – Truly, that which you are promised is true indeed

         Wa innad-dina lawaqi [6] – and truly, judgment is bound to come!

Was-samaa ‘i dhatil-hubuk [7]- Consider the firmament full of starry paths!

Innakum lafi qawlim-mukhtaliff [8]- Truly you are deeply at variance as to what to believe

Yu faku anhu man ufik. [9] – perverted in view is the one who would self-deceive.

El-Badawi shows that Qur’an itself is part of a prophetic continuum. 

“The Qur’an may be appreciated as both a collection of divine revelations as well as a product of religious cross-pollination.  Therefore, it is not the finality of an individual prophetic tradition nor its written legacy – scripture – but rather the continuity of prophetic tradition and scripture that bestows upon us the broadest perspective from which to appreciate them both.”

“The broadest appreciation of Qur’an – which goes beyond the confines of classical exegetical literature (Tafsir) and contributes truly original insights to the genre of Qur’anic Sciences (Ulum al-qur’an) is to perceive its dogmatic re-articulation of the scriptures coming from earlier prophetic traditions as well as its contribution to later prophetic traditions.  It is to appreciate a complicated text whose inspiration from the divine realm and articulation onto the plane of human history make it one of the greatest manifestations of scripture, both in the world of late antiquity and in our world today.  Wa allahu a’alam.” 

El-Badawi’s work provides support and concrete evidence that the monotheistic faith traditions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – cannot be separated, and can best be understood when viewed in relationship with each other. 

Innal-ladhina amanu wal-ladhina Hadu wan-Nasara was-Sabi’ina man ‘amanu billahi wal-Yawmil-Akhiri wa ‘amila salihan-falahum ajruhum inda Rabbihim wa la Khaqfun ‘alayhim wa la hum yahzanun.  [2:62]

Truly, those who attain to faith, as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians – all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds – shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and no fear need they have and neither shall they grieve.  [2:62]

The Dunya Blues

The title of my khutbah today is “Dunya Blues“.

When I volunteered to give the khutbah two weeks ago I thought to myself, “no problem.” But in the space of two weeks, just two weeks, I have to say that this dunya has really gotten me down. Watching our president and his behavior towards our immigrants, allies and bullies, has made me very upset. I don’t think I have been this down in the dumps since the George W Bush years. Because my children were too small to remember that time, they think something is really wrong with me. No dear, this is just a repeat, a remix if you will, of things that have happened before. This is the Dunya Blues.

One typical trigger for my Dunya Blues was something I saw on CNN. It said that 55% of the American people disapproved of the President’s handling of his recent trip abroad, but 68% of Republicans thought he did a great job. All I could think of was our recent trip to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in Germany this summer. At the museum, it became clear that Hitler could do no wrong in the eyes of his supporters. It was only after their major cities were in ruins, their friends and family were killed, they were starving and four foreign armies occupied their country that these people thought “Maybe Hitler wasn’t such a good idea.” I feel like it would take these kinds of events to change people’s minds in our current political climate. If these events sound hellish, I would agree. The events of WW2 were hellish, but perhaps to change people’s minds, Hell is required.

The Quran does assert that some people will not change their erroneous beliefs while they live in this world. The first mention of this is in Surah Baqarah

“Behold, as for those who are bent on denying the truth- it is all one to them whether thou warnest them or doest not warn them: they will not believe. God has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and over their eyes is a veil, and awesome suffering awaits them.” (2:7)

The metaphor of “sealed hearts”, which lead to sealed hearing and vision, is a common motif in Quran.

“Say: ‘What do you think? If God should take away your hearing and your sight and seal your hearts- what deity but God is there that could bring it all back to you? Behold how many facets We give to Our messages- and yet they turn away in disdain” (6:46)

“As for anyone who denies God after having once attained to faith- and this, to be sure, does not apply to one who does it under curess, the while his heart remains true to his faith, but only to him who willingly opens up his heart to a denial of the truth- upon all such falls God’s condemnation, and tremendous suffering awaits them; all this because they hold this world’s life in greater esteems than the life to come, and because God does not bestow this guidance upon people who deny the truth. They whose hearts and whose hearing and whose sight God has sealed- it is they, they who are heedless. Truly it is they, they who in the life to come shall be the losers.” (16:106-109)

“In this way God lets go astray such as waste their own selves by throwing suspicion (on His revelations)- such as would call God’s messengers into question without having any evidence therefor; (a sin_ exceedingly loathsome in the sight of God and of those who hath attained to faith. It is this way that God sets a seal on every arrogant, self-exalting heart.” (40:35)

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People with sealed hearts will never see the truth until they are forced to confront the truth on the Day of Judgment. However, the thing to remember is that for us humans it is difficult to distinguish between people whose hearts are completely sealed versus  those who can be ‘toggled’ into better behavior. Keep in mind that some of the Prophet’s fiercest opponents actually, by the grace of God, came around and were his biggest defenders.

How can people be nudged into better behavior? From the time of our Prophet until today, this question continues to be a major topic of interest and research. The Prophet’s primary tool was the Quran, but not everyone who listened to the Quran heeded those words.  I gave a few examples, but the ‘sealed heart  or ‘hardened heart’ phrase, “ is used more than twenty times throughout the Quran, a testimony to the stubbornness of the population.

We might like to think that facts and data can change people’s behavior, but in our modern age of spin, hyperbole and sophisticated propaganda, real world facts can be held under suspicion in the alternative reality created by these ‘spin machines’.

What makes the spin machines effective is they tap into the human code- our structure of beliefs.  I was reminded of this after  a recent “Westworld” binge, when one of the characters said, “You don’t think people can change?” and the robot replied, “I think the best they can do is live up to their code.” What does a human ‘code’ look like and does this code provide us with some insight as to how better behavior can be encouraged? If you will indulge me, this is my thought experiment: perhaps humans have a code of ethical and moral behavior which they get from an early age- a product of their personality and environment. Human beings act in accordance with this code, and reject ideas or behavior that seem to contradict this belief framework. Good behavior could result if the messaging can conform to the standards of the code. What are some of the codes that Islam teaches us?

In the Islamic Tradition, there is a code which tells humans about not getting too invested in this life, in this world, in this dunya. In this strand of traditional thought supported by sunna, Muslims are told that they should be focused on the next life, not this one. Muslims should prepare for the next life by fulfilling moral obligations in this world, for example by praying and giving charity, and not worry so much about the material aspirations (power, legacies) of this life. Well, after the past couple of weeks, I can really understand where that advice is coming from. Why invest yourself emotionally and spiritually in a world where you have little control and where people and circumstances are certain to thwart your plans and sense of logic?  In times like these, detachment feels , not so much like a philosophical stance, but, more like a survival choice.

Detachment is not the only code in our Islamic Tradition and there are many more options in the Quran itself. One example is in Surah Luqman.  This is considered a mid-Mecca surah, revealed at a time of uncertainty in the nascent Muslim community. I want to emphasize, this was a time of uncertainty, no one knew there was going to be a happy ending of a triumphant march through Mecca. At this time, the Muslim community was growing, but also finding itself under increasing tension with their pagan neighbors. At this time there may have been the beginnings of physical persecution and talk of migration to Abyssinia. The context of this time was turmoil, the rumble of thunderclouds on the horizon, great uncertainty.

In this time of transformation, the surah Luqman was revealed to the Prophet. The surah is named after Luqman, a wise man prone to counseling his son. We are also told Luqman is wise because he is “Grateful unto God” (31:12).

The beginning of Surah Luqman acknowledges the difficulty in changing human behavior:

“But among men there is many a one that prefers a mere play with words so as to lead (those) without knowledge astray from the path of God and to turn it to ridicule: for such there is a shameful suffering in store. For whenever Our messages are conveyed to such a one, he turns away in his arrogance as though he hd not heard them- as though there were deafness in his ears; givbe him then, the tiding of grievous suffering (in the life to come)” (31:6-7)

The surah goes on to say that for people who do listen, there is a great reward. As Osama told us a few weeks ago, much of the advice Luqman imparts to his son consists of the “Ten Commandments” which are repeated in numerous surahs throughout the Quran. These ten commandments are consistent with a code which allows all of us to do some good in this world. We do not have a presence on the world stage that would allow us to facilitate political changes, but we can all do small things which make the world a better place: worship one God, be respectful to our parents, pray, don’t be arrogant, be patient,  and one I needed to hear “But as for him who is bent on denying the truth- let not his denial grieve thee: unto Us they must return and then We shall make them understand all that they were doing. For verily, God has full knowledge of what is in the hearts.” (31:23)

(PAUSE)

Since it is summer and I did call this khutbah the Dunya Blues, I would like to close with a reflection derived from the biggest blues of all in this world- the ocean. Growing up along the California coast, I saw the ocean nearly every day in my youth. A deep royal blue on a sunny day, a cobalt blue dotted with white caps of foam on a windy day, or slate gray as the storm approached. The waves crashing along the shore, the extremes of low tide and high tide, the detritus after a storm- all these things served as a constant reminder of a creation which embodied beauty and strength, ferocity and tranquility. As the Danish author Isak Dineson once said, “The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.”

Surah Luqman also makes mention of a parable in the context of the ocean and ships.  Just so we all understand some of the layers of this important metaphor, I turned to the “Penguin Dictionary of Symbols”. According to the dictionary, the ocean

“…is a symbol of the dynamism of life. Everything comes from the sea and everything returns to it. It is a place of birth, transformation, and rebirth. With its tides, the sea symbolizes a transitory condition between shapeless potentiality and formal reality, an ambivalent situation of uncertainty, doubt, and indecision which can end well or ill. Hence, the sea is an image of death and of life.”

With regards to ships, the dictionary states, “Ships conjure up ideas of strength and safety in the dangers of a voyage and the symbolism is as applicable to space-flight as to sea-travel. The ship is like a star which orbits about its pole, the Earth, but under human control. It is a picture of life in which the individual must choose a goal and steer a course.”

Now that you have some clues about the symbolism, this is the story as related in Surah Luqman:

 “Art thou not aware how ships speed through the sea by God’s favor, so that He might show you some of His wonders? Herein, behold, there are signs indeed for all who are wholly patient in adversity and deeply grateful to God. For when the waves engulf them like shadows, they call unto God, sincere in their faith in Him alone; but as soon as He has brought them safe ashore, some of them stop half-way. None reject Our signs but the ungrateful.” (31:31-32)

The parable of a storm at sea is symbolic to every danger that humans face in life- whether it is a physical danger, or just the passions within one’s own heart.  Just to convey how important this story is, this parable is repeated two more times in Quran.

“Your Sustainer is He who causes ships to move onward for you through the sea so that you might go about in quest of some of his bounty; verily, a dispenser of grace is He unto you. And whenever danger befalls you at sea, all those powers that you are wont to invoke forsake you, (and nothing remains for you) saw Him: but as soon as He has brought you safe ashore, you turn aside (and forget Him)- for indeed bereft of all gratitude is man!” (17:67)

“And so, when they embark on a ship (and find themselves in danger), they call unto God (at that moment) sincere in their faith in Him alone: but as soon as He has brought them safe ashore, they (begin to) ascribe to imaginary powers a share in His divinity and thus they show utter ingratitude for all that We have vouchsafed them, and go on enjoying this worldly life. But in time they will come to know.” (29:66)

Yes our times are uncertain and we may feel abandoned and ignored. But God does not ignore us. He is there for us in calm seas and in rough waters. Our code as Muslims is not to forget His connection to us. We live up to our code when we to keep our hearts open-unsealed- and to listen to His signs. Amen. 

References:

Quran translation  "The Message of the Quran" by Muhammad Asad

"Penguin Dictionary of Symbols" translated from the French by John Buchanan-Brown 1994 (Penguin Books: London)

Three Character Traits and the Test of Ramadan

A few weeks ago I was reading a book called “The Collapse of Parenting” by Leonard Sax. The book was rather alarming because it pointed to some disturbing parenting trends coupled with a lack of discipline with respect to our newer technology- screens and the internet. Leonard Sax is a pediatrician and he bases his observations on thirty years of clinical practice as well as citing studies in the medical literature. Some people say Sax approach to parenting is rather traditional, but I like it. Many of the qualities Sax urges parents to instill in their children are qualities which Islam and the Quran also value. SO my khutbah today will be an exploration of three character traits which Leonard Sax says are crucial to the development of healthy young adults and how these traits are manifested during Ramadan.

The first trait is perseverance. Sax believes if children are not taught perseverance they become fragile children who turn into fragile adults. Children need to learn that they may not succeed the first time they try something, they may need to be patient and work harder to achieve goals, and that their self worth is not built around easy success. He gives two examples, one is a boy who plays video games all day and has a certain measure of accomplishment doing this. His father suggests that he try out for the football team. The boy does, but is told by the coach that he will have to lose 15 pounds, do a rigorous work out schedule and may not be on the starting team. The boy decides not to try out and returns to his video games because that is easier for him. The father lets the boy do so with the refrain, “He should do what makes him happy.” This attitude is, Sax feels, bad parenting because the boy is not learning perseverance. Another example is a girl who takes a challenging AP Physics class. The girl had always gotten straight As and saw herself as a stellar scholar. She started the AP Physics class and it was not easy for her. She really had to struggle even to get a B. This experience plunged her into a near catatonic state of depression because her whole self-worth and identity had been built around this image of herself as the super brainy student. This extreme reaction to a bit of challenge is what Sax calls “fragility”.

Does the Quran value perseverance? Yes it does, and I will give some examples. Sometimes, the word used is “steadfast”.

"Seek Allah's help with patient perseverance and prayer. It is indeed hard except for those who are humble." (2:45)

"Oh you who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer, for God is with those who patiently persevere." (2:153)

“Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods, lives, and the fruits of your toil. But give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. Those who say, when afflicted with calamity, 'To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return.' They are those on whom descend blessings from their Lord, and mercy. They are the ones who receive guidance." (2:155-157)

“Or assumed you that you would enter the Garden while God has not yet know those who struggled among you and known the ones who remained steadfast?” (3:142)

“Oh you who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy. Vie in such perseverance, strengthen each other, and be pious, that you may prosper." (3:200)

"Patiently, then, persevere - for the Promise of Allah is true, and ask forgiveness for your faults, and celebrate the praises of your Lord in the evening and in the morning." (40:55)

How does perseverance manifest itself during Ramadan? Well, it seems self-evident, we have 30 days to fast. And at this time of year, the days get slightly longer and it can be really hot outside. You have to be careful and pace yourself because dehydration can be a real problem. Fasting is about endurance, which isn’t terribly glamorous. It’s about hanging on with sheer willpower, and that is tough. Ramadan is not just about fasting, it is also supposed to be fasting while maintaining patience with others and having good behavior. This is not easy when you are hungry and thirsty. It is really easy to get angry and snap at people, much harder to maintain calm and have patience. Also, with our schedules in the West, we often don’t get enough sleep during the week and have to struggle doing our jobs while sleep deprived in addition to being hungry and thirsty. Sometimes people can’t fast because of medical or other health considerations. Sometimes people have to break a fast for these reasons. Just because you can’t fast does not mean you are a bad Muslim. Many people feel very guilty if they can’t fast, and they shouldn’t. Your identity as a Muslim is not solely based on whether you can fast or not. Don’t  be a fragile Muslim.

The second quality good parents should teach their children is self control. This character quality is reinforced by psychological research which has shown that children who have the most self control, this is tested by how long they can delay getting a reward (delayed gratification), these children have the highest success in life as measured by education and income levels.

A big problem with our Western technological society today is that the internet and social media do not encourage self control. These technologies encourage excess and binge-watching and instant gratification in the form of “likes” and numbers of followers. Most of use grew up in environments where television was only on for certain times of the day, and certainly, when children’s programming was only a small portion of that time. Today, children have access 24/7 to any show that appeals to their tastes and the only thing that restricts them is parental authority. If parents do not implement rules and restraint with regards to screen time, children will not learn self control. Social media does not teach self restraint.

Does the Quran value self control or self restraint? Yes does it, and I will give some examples but first some language and translation caveats. Sometimes the language that is used is for self control is translated as “purify” or “purification”. The other word that is used in Quran is “sabr” which is translated in a variety of ways but typically as “God consciousness” or “God fearing” but which I think you could interchange with self control or self restraint. 

"No one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint, none but persons of the greatest good fortune." (41:35)

“And as for him who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord and forbids his own soul from its whims and caprices then surely Paradise is the abode. (79:40-41)

“…and by the soul and what shaped it and then inspired it to its acting immorally and God-consciousness. He who makes it (the soul) pure prospers. Surely is frustrated whoever seduced it.” (91:7-10)

How does self control manifest itself during Ramadan. Well, the Quran spells that out pretty clearly:

“O those who have believed! Formal fasting was prescribed for you as it was presecribed for those before you so that perhaps you would be Godfearing.” (2:183)

The final quality which Leonard Sax says parents need to inculcate into their children is humility. Children need to know that they are not necessarily the best at something, that the world does not revolve around them or cater to their tastes. Humility is the building block to maturity and acknowledging the needs of others as well as the community as a whole.

Again to bash our preoccupation with social media (creator of  the "selfie": social media encourages self promotion and self aggrandizement and pairs this activity with a vision of self identity based on how many “friends” you have (quantity over quality) or “likes” you get on your Facebook page.

Does the Quran value humility? Please judge for yourself from this small selection of verses:

“The servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say words of peace.” (25:63)

“Call to your Lord humbly and inwardly. Truly He loves not the ones who are aggressors.” (7:55)

“Before thee We sent (apostles) to many nations, and We afflicted the nations with suffering and adversity, that they might learn humility. When the suffering reached them from us, why then did they not learn humility? On the contrary their hearts became hardened, and Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them.” (6:42-43)

I would also like to add a nice hadith I came across:

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “No one who has the weight of a seed of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.”  Someone said, “Indeed, a man loves to have beautiful clothes and shoes.” So the Prophet said,”Verily, Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty. Arrogance means rejecting the truth and looking down on people.” Sahih Muslim 91

Does humility play a role in Ramadan? This is not as obvious as the previous traits, but I think it does. I find it humbling that at the end of the day, when we break our fast, we have pure clean water to drink and good food to eat. Sadly, this is not the case in so many parts of this world. We have been blessed by Allah in this regard. While fasting, it is humbling to know how dependent my body is on food and water. I realize, pretty quickly, that I have limits. I cannot”do it all”, and I must slow down. Some things in Ramadan just don’t get done, and that is ok. I find it very humbling when non-Muslims make a solidarity fast with me. They don’t have to fast, but they see the value in fasting and they want to show they respect me and my religion. I find it humbling when I drive by a sign in someone’s yard that says, “To our Muslim neighbors, Blessed Ramadan”. For many people, who we are and how we behave, our personal interaction with non-Muslims—that is their introduction to Islam. It is a very humbling feeling to know that your behavior represents Islam for those outside the religion.

In conclusion, Ramadan can be a great teacher. Ramadan can instill in us the character qualities of perseverance, self control and humility. These are not easy lessons by any means, but as Muslims who believe in delayed gratification, we think these qualities will help us in this life and in the next.

Frivolous Portraits

Today I am going to be giving a khutbah on something I never thought I would give a khutbah on, and I can only attribute this to the Power of Art. My khutbah is called, “Frivolous Portraits”.  These are some reflections on the Syrian refugee crisis which were inspired by Mounira Al Solh’s exhibit ‘I strongly believe in our right to be frivolous’ currently showing in the Contemporary Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago. This past Sunday, Abid had to do some volunteer hours in the city and while he was helping the homeless, I went to the Art Institute. 

In the modern wing, they were having a show by the Lebanese artist Mounira Al Solh. Mounira Al Solh works in Beirut and Zutphen (Netherlands). Her father is Lebanese and her mother is Syrian. Beirut is about two hour car drive from Damascus. She lived in Beirut through the Lebanese civil war in the 1980s, but she could not speak out about the war through her artwork at that time. In an interview with Henrik Folkerts, Al Solh said, “Growing up in the war is not about analyzing; it’s more about surviving. It’s beyond words. Even when you get older, there are traces that you will never be able to analyze or speak about.” However, this changed for her when the Syrian civil war broke out.  Al Sohl said, “I was living in Beirut at the time, and it was like being in the direct image of the war- not the actual war, but its mirror. A direct reflection of its impact, an immediate witness to how people flee and are focused on survival.” This ‘mirror effect’ gave her enough distance to be able to express the experiences of Syrian refugees through art.

The exhibit at the Art Institute is called “I strongly believe in our right to be frivolous” and this title is taken from an interview with the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish.  When Darwish was asked how he felt about being identified as a poet of the “Palestinian cause”, the poet responded that he would prefer to speak about love, life, and great literature. Rather than reducing people to victims or advocates of a political cause, he insisted on their humanity. He strongly believed in the right to be frivolous.

So while this exhibit is about refugees and the political crisis in Syria, it is a lot more than that. For me, this exhibit demonstrated the humanity of the refugees, and the humanity does sometimes get lost when people are reduced to the one dimension of victimhood. Yes, there were stories about trauma, but there was a lot of every day life, hopes, dreams, and humor. The exhibit consists of over two hundred drawings; portraits of refugees the artist drew as she interviewed them. Some people she interviewed more than once, and about their experiences at different points in time. At the beginning of the popular uprising, people were optimistic about the opportunity to live in a freer and more open society. As the civil war progressed, people became more pessimistic, and when people escaped, in addition to trying to adapt to a refugee camp or settling into a new country with a different culture, nearly all of the refugees were grappling with the guilt of leaving friends and family behind.

Another part of the exhibit is embroideries. Some are portraits on, what looked like to me, ready to be assembled throw pillows. There is also an embroidered sperveri, a Greek tradition of decorating canopied bridal beds. This sperveri is decorated on the outside with Ottoman and Greek motifs and when you look at the bed portion there are ten or so stories in Arabic and English which memorialize those lost and deceased. The embroideries were collaborative efforts with women in refugee camps and minority communities.

Al Solh has interviewed refugees in Lebanon, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Greece, and even Chicago.  She has collected so many different stories and different perspectives. Young Syrian refugees in Lebanon are unaware that Syrian soldiers fought in these Beirut neighborhoods in the Lebanese civil war, and many of the Christian residents still remember the trauma. Refugees coming into Chicago are heavily vetted and come to this county via airplane, a very different experience for refugees coming to Greece via boat or those who have to cross a land border to Turkey or Jordan.

Why I bring up the refugees during a khutbah is not just the fact that they are Arab Muslims, which is one good reason, but I am also reminded that the religion of Islam is full of refugees and immigrants. Our Muslim calendar is dated from the hijrah, the migration of Our Prophet from Mecca to Medina. Even earlier than, a group of Muslims had immigrated to the Christian kingdom of Abyssinia – this group included Uthman ibn Affan and Ruqayyah, the daughter of the prophet who was Uthman’s wife at the time. Our Qur’an has many examples of the migration of the Bani Israel from Egypt to Palestine, and there are a number of ayat concerning migration. Some examples are

2:218 “Lo! those who believe, and those who emigrate (to escape the persecution) and strive in the way of Allah, these have hope of Allah's mercy. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”

3:195 “And their Lord hath heard them (and He saith): Lo! I suffer not the work of any worker, male or female, to be lost. Ye proceed one from another. So those who fled and were driven forth from their homes and suffered damage for My cause, and fought and were slain, verily I shall remit their evil deeds from them and verily I shall bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow - A reward from Allah. And with Allah is the fairest of rewards.”

16:110 “Then lo! thy Lord - for those who became fugitives after they had been persecuted, and then fought and were steadfast - lo! thy Lord afterward is (for them) indeed Forgiving, Merciful.”

59:8-9 “And (it is) for the poor fugitives who have been driven out from their homes and their belongings, who seek bounty from Allah and help Allah and His messenger. They are the loyal. Those who entered the city and the faith before them love those who flee unto them for refuge, and find in their breasts no need for that which hath been given them, but prefer (the fugitives) above themselves though poverty become their lot. And whoso is saved from his own avarice - such are they who are successful.”

 One aspect of human nature that does not seemed to have changed very much for the last two thousand years is the pattern of immigration and displaced persons- whether people leave their homes to escape persecution or find new opportunities, the refugee phenomenon has continued for centuries, and does not show any signs of letting up. Whenever the refugee finds themselves in a new environment, inevitably, there is a response to that person from the native population; acceptance and help, or suspicion and hostility.  Religion urges people to be generous to those in need, while the base human survival instinct has a far less open-handed agenda.

PAUSE

Whenever I come across a Muslim artist, I am interested in how they come to terms with the hadith prohibitions on figurative art. These are in Al-Bukhari and Muslim collections and state

1) The most greviously tormented people amongst the denizens of Hell on the Day of Resurrections will be the makers of images (al-musawwirun)

 2) He who makes an image (sawwara suratan) will be punished by God on the Day of Resurrection until he breathes life into it- which he will not be able to do.

The second warning is most likely a reference to Quran 5:110

When Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My favour unto thee and unto thy mother; how I strengthened thee with the holy Spirit, so that thou spakest unto mankind in the cradle as in maturity; and how I taught thee the Scripture and Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and how thou didst shape of clay as it were the likeness of a bird by My permission, and didst blow upon it and it was a bird by My permission, and thou didst heal him who was born blind and the leper by My permission; and how thou didst raise the dead by My permission; and how I restrained the Children of Israel from (harming) thee when thou camest unto them with clear proofs, and those of them who disbelieved exclaimed: This is naught else than mere magic.” –Marmaduke Pickthall translation

For the legal jurists, Jesus is the only artist who is allowed to create. The Hadith scholar and Shafi’I jurist, Sharaf al-Din al-Nawawi (1234-1278) wrote in his collection of Hadith,

“The authorities of our school and others hold that the making of a picture of any living thing is strictly forbidden and that is one of the great sins because it is specifically threatened with the grievous punishment mentioned in the Hadith….the crafting of it is forbidden under every circumstance, because it imitates the creative activity of God…This is the summary position of our school on the question, and the absolute majority of the Companions of the Prophet and their immediate followers and the succeeding generations of scholars accepted it; it is the view of al-Thawri, Malik, Abu Hanifah, and others besides them.”

By invoking the names of these other scholars, al-Nawawi is implying that ALL the legal schools have the same opinion about figurative art. However, I would argue that with this reasoning, that art “imitates the creative activity of God”, one could also put forward the same argument in discouraging modern medicine, forensic science, anthropology, robotics, and computer sciences. In the Qur’anic reference, the art of bringing birds to life as well as the curing of lepers and the blind and the bringing forth of the dead is all possible only with God’s permission. Do our artists, physicians, scientists, and programmers have God’s permission in practicing their craft? We can talk about this after the khutbah.

While it is true that in many Muslim societies there has been a general discomfort or even outright destruction of figurative art (think of the Bamiyan Buddha statues and the Afghan Taliban), it is also true that there has been a lot of figurative art which was supported by Muslim rulers and other court elites and these artists were regarded with high esteem and status in their societies. Clearly, these patrons of the arts found value and meaning in figurative art which did not constitute worship (idolization) but rather the image led them to discover higher truths.

What are the higher truths that Mounira Al Sohl’s images of refugees tells us? For me, despite a language and cultural barrier, I felt a connection to the humanity the portrait was trying to convey. (Show example here). The portraits, for the most part, were done on yellow legal paper, and what they said during the interview is written as marginalia around the face/faces. I couldn’t read or understand the Arabic, but I could read the expression on the faces: hope, despair, kindness, perseverance, grief, dignity, contentment, trauma, guilt. The legal paper is also a reminder of the status of refugee (stuck in a bureaucracy) and as well as the fragility in the face of change and time. The portrait is a snapshot of a particular person at a particular time in their life. One day you have a normal life, and then a month later, a week, even a day and your life can be thrown into total chaos.

(Recite Surah Al-Asr).

The portrait is a snapshot of a particular person at a particular time in their life. The portrait is not the complete person, it can never be. We are far too complicated beings to be crammed into and summed up in a single snapshot. Even a thousand portraits could not capture the complete person, and all artists and photographers realize this. But an image can help the viewer find their way to a higher truth about the conditions of human existence.

At the end of her interview, Al Sohl said,

“It is a great joy to see those who really fight to make their way into this new life. They have to climb up again with everything they have: their feet, their teeth, their toes, their mouths, to reach a certain level, a bit closer to how they used to live back at home. Many others are slow and won’t be able to go that far. And some are just happy that their children at least will have a life and they forget about themselves…Guilt is a common emotion among the many people I have met. Although their reasons for feeling guilty varied, one should not forget that living in a safe place doesn’t mean that a person’s mind is fully shielded from trauma and violence. As I experienced myself when I came to the Netherlands…once you are in a safe place, emotions rooted in your past come out stronger than ever before.”

Let us thank God for our ability to have empathy for our fellow human beings, thank God for the gift of art which can often facilitate this process. Let us make du’a for the refugees and immigrants, to make their way easier as they make a new life for themselves in a different country, to help them heal and give hope.  Let us ask God to help us make refugees and immigrants welcome and help them to the best of our abilities in a way that is pleasing to God. Amen

References:

Mounira Al Sohl interview based on a conversation on June 1, 2017 in Kassel, Germany conducted by Hendrik Folkerts, Dittmer Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, printed in her artist statement pamphlet for the February 8-April 29 2018  I strongly believe in our right to be frivolous exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago

Interview with Mahmoud Darwish in BOMB Magazine No. 81, Fall 2002

Quran translation by Marmaduke Pickthall

Sharif al-Din al-Nawawi Riyad al-salihin (Garden of the Righteous)

A Worthy Adversary Part 14: The Perplexity of Single-Mindedness

I was reading and I came across this passage:

“But why, Ramsay would ask, do we confine our study to great political and military figures to whom the generality of mankind has attributed extraordinary, almost superhuman qualities, and leave out the whole world of saints, to whom mankind has attributed phenomenal virtue? It is trivial to say that power, or even vice, are more interesting than virtue, and people say so only when they have not troubled to take a look at virtue and see how amazing, and sometimes inhuman and unlikeable, it really is. The saints also belong among the heroes, and the spirit of Ignatius Loyola is not so far from the spirit of Napoleon as uniformed people suppose.” P  358 The Manticore by Roberston Davies.

What struck me about it was characterizing virtue, which we always think of as a good thing, as “inhuman and unlikeable”. If we look carefully at the lives of saints, or political leaders, or political leaders who are considered saints, we often find less than savory sacrifices which are made in the name of the Cause. It isn’t the sacrifices which necessarily bother me, but what I find more unsettling is the single-mindedness of purpose, the unshakable conviction that what they are doing is absolutely right. While I admire focus and concentration and deplore multi-tasking, and I understand that attention to detail and strength of purpose can produce amazing results, I also find the lack of doubt to be very alien to me. I am confused by people who don’t question their own motivations and beliefs. This confusion on my part has led me to today’s khutbah which is called ‘Perplexity of Single-Mindedness”.

My model for single-mindedness of purpose is Iblis. Iblis’ declared purpose is to drive humans off the path to God, to test them and only the ones who are not tempted by Iblis have the possibility of closeness to God. In my previous khutbahs, we have discussed Iblis, his mythic biography as documented in Qur’an, tafsir, hadith, qisas and historical texts in the Islamic tradition as well as the use of the Iblis motif in the Sufi tradition. All Sufis agree that Iblis is a negative force within the spiritual life. However, this didn’t stop Sufis from using the stories of Iblis to engage in discussions of difficult theological topics, such as how one deals with God’s will (irada) and God’s command (amr), particularly when the irada seems at odds with amr; Iblis’ failure to bow before Adam is the classic example of this conundrum. Sufis, such as Rumi, Ibn Ghanim and al-Junayd, who saw Iblis’ primary motivation as unabashed evil (arrogance, power, ignorance, etc) did not see any rehabilitation possibilities and considered Iblis condemned to Hell forever. Iblis as evil and condemned is a primary track of Sufi thought. However, there is a parallel track of thought which sees Iblis in a very different light. This line of reasoning goes back very far, to Husayn ibn Mansur Al-Hallaj (850-922 CE).

Al-Hallaj explored the Iblis motif in his book Kitab al-Tawasin.  This book has been preserved in its entirety in the original Arabic and there is also a Persian translation with extensive commentary by the famous Sufi Ruzbihan Al-Baqli (1123-1230 CE). The Arabic is difficult and often obscure, so the Persian translation is helpful that way, but it is also interesting because al-Baqli has a more traditional Sufi outlook and he really struggles with some of al-Hallaj’s paradoxical and unorthodox views of Iblis.

Al-Hallaj teachings use opposites to pull the reader to considering new possibilities. He uses the Zen “shock and awe” method. The 20^th century Sufi Idris Shah explained it this way,

“If you clap your hands and observe only the movement of the hands, they appear to oppose one another. You have not seen what is happening. The purpose of the ‘opposition’ of the palms was…to produce the handclap.” P 100 The Magic Monastery

Al-Hallaj’s first ‘shocker’ is to mention Iblis and Prophet Muhammad together when he writes, “The only ones whose preaching was sound are Iblis and Ahmad- may God bless him and grant him peace!” In the heavens Iblis preached to the angels about obedience and the Path to God, while on earth he taught mankind the ways of Evil. However, the opposite poles are complementary if you look at their ultimate purpose:

“Because things are known through their opposites, fine white silk is woven with a backing of coarse black wool. The angel can point out good deeds to someone and say to him as an abstract statement, ‘if you perform these deeds you will be rewarded’. But he who does not know evil in the concrete, cannot know good.” Al-Hallaj, Tawasin #19

Al-Hallaj sees both Iblis and Muhammad as essential characters in the unfolding of God’s divine plan. They carry out God’s will unswervingly, despite the pain each much suffer.

“Iblis was told, “Bow!” and Ahmad was told, “Look!”. But this fellow did not bow and Ahmad did not look. He turned his face neither right nor left.’ Tawasin #2

Al-Hallaj backs up this assertion from a verse from Quran “His Eye turned not aside nor did it wander from its orbit.” (Quran 53:17)

In dealing with God’s amr, Iblis relied on his majestic power and spiritual perfection of centuries of obedient worship, while Muhammad was overcome by his own frail humanity and God’s overwhelming power. Al-Hallaj does not ascribe moral significance to this difference, but his translator Al-Baqli repeats the traditional condemnation of Iblis’ preoccupation with power and his underestimation of Adam’s true nature (since Iblis misjudged Adam’s worth, all that prior obedience and preaching is nullified). But Al-Hallaj is going to create even more problems for his translator.

Al-Hallaj singles out Iblis for two estimable qualities: preaching and single-minded obedience. Al-Hallaj even goes on to say that Iblis is a spiritual model for all Muslims because he, more perfectly than any other created being, witnessed the Unity and Oneness of God even at the expense of self destruction.

“There was no monotheist like Iblis among the inhabitants of the heavens. When the essence revealed itself to him in stunning glory, he renounced even a glance at it and worshipped God in ascetic isolation…God said to him “Bow!” He replied, “To no other!” He said to him “Even if My curse be upon you?” He cried out “To no other!” My refusal is the cry, “Holy are you!” my reason is madness, madness for You. What is Adam, other than You? And who is Iblis to set apart one from the other?” Tawasin #6-7

Iblis as the perfect monotheist? Al-Hallaj takes it even further, he uses Iblis and Pharaoh for models of spiritual life because they share the virtue of futuwa, noble and chivalrous qualities of a Muslim knight since both Iblis and Pharaoh demonstrate fidelity and dedication to duty. In the words of Richard Roeper in the TV series “The Night Manager”, “You make a decision. And then you commit.”  Iblis and Pharaoh are fully committed to the decisions they make.

Most people, then and now, are not willing to accept these two anti-heroes as spiritual guides. Al-Baqli took Al-Hallaj’s futuwa designation and reduced by acknowledging their extraordinary but misguided courage. Al-Baqli says any act of bravery is a laudable deed but the morality of the deeds must also be taken into account. He blames Iblis and Pharaoh’s perverted futuwa on going overboard in the ecstatic religious experience, the sin of “I”.  This was Al-Hallaj’s problem when he said “I am the Divine Truth’ “Ana al-Haqq”- he failed to differentiate between himself and God. He saw only the “I” when he should have seen that he only reflects traces of the divine, creative spirit. God’s breathing into Adam did not make Adam divine but allows him to shine forth the spirit of God.

Muslims who idolize reason have a hard time dealing with the paradoxical teaching of Al-Hallaj because instead of ascribing moral blame to Iblis (his pride, arrogance, love of power), Al-Hallaj portrays Iblis as a tragic, martyr figure who, despite his dedicated preaching, perfect monotheism, and eternal loyalty, suffers destruction by the God he lovingly worships. In Al-Hallaj’s Tawasin, Iblis is an example of the power of the mystic contemplation to carry the soul beyond the paradoxes and logical contradictions that permeate everyday experience of materiality and individuality. Perfection of this single-minded mystic contemplation leads to an experience of annihilation in the Beloved.

PAUSE

From the Qur’an, we know that Prophet Moses had an encounter with God on Mount Sinai. The exchange is recorded as;

“And when Moses came to Our appointed tryst and his Lord had spoken unto him, he said: My Lord! Show me (Thy Self), that I may gaze upon Thee. He said: Thou wilt not see Me, but gaze upon the mountain! If it stand still in its place, then thou wilt see Me. And when his Lord revealed (His) glory to the mountain He sent it crashing down. And Moses fell down senseless. And when he woke he said: Glory unto Thee! I turn unto Thee repentant, and I am the first of (true) believers.” Qur’an 7:143

A common Sufi teaching story is Moses encountering Iblis on his way down from Mount Sinai after the crumbling mountain incident. We find this story in Ibn Ghanim, in Ahmad Al-Ghazali (brother of Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali), Farid ud-Din Attar (contemporary of Al-Baqli), and in al-Hallaj’s Tawasin. 

In al-Hallaj’s version, Iblis scolds Moses for gazing on the mountain instead of focusing on God alone. Then Moses asks Iblis if he remembers God. Iblis answers,

“O Moses! His remembrance is my remembrance, and my remembrance is His remembrance: can it be that those who are remembering be anything but united together? My service is now purer, my moments freer, and my dhikr clearer. For I used to serve Him for the sake of my own prosperity; now I serve Him for His. …. He refused me access to others because of my jealous ardor. He deformed me because of my bewilderment; He bewildered me because of my exile. He exiled me because of my service; He made me a pariah because of my companionship; He reviled me because of my praise…He separated me because of my unveiling of Him; He unveiled me because of my attainment of union. He brought me to union because of my being cut off. …If He should torment me with His fire for eternities on end, I would not bow to anyone. Nor would I grovel before any person or physical body, for I know of no adversary to Him, nor any child begotten of Him. My preaching is the preaching of truthful men, and I am a sincere lover.”- Al-Hallaj Tawasin #14-17

We have two distinct, parallel tracks of the Iblis narrative in the Muslim tradition

1) All visions of Iblis are the products of his power of evil deception, despite the emotional quality of his words and the tragedy of his separation

2)  Iblis is a complex and tragic personality who serves as an exemplar of loving self-sacrifice and unquestioning faith to the point where he defies God to serve God.

But both narratives of Iblis have one notion in common: Iblis’ downfall was due to his single-mindedness and blind conviction. In the narrative of Iblis as purely “evil”, he is convinced that he knows man’s fate and man’s flaws and that this gives him the right to not bow down to Adam. In the Sufi narrative of Iblis as a complex and tragic personality, he again is convinced that defying God is the best way to worship and serve God.

What can we learn from this? We are often told by scripture and tradition that we should not follow in the footsteps of Iblis. The PG interpretation of this commandment which our Sunday Schools provide to our children is that Muslims should always obey God. Here is a different – TV-MA rated -interpretation: Avoid the trap of blind zeal. We may think we have it all figured out and we may want to pursue our goals unquestioningly because we are convinced we are righteous. But this was Iblis’ downfall. He forgot to doubt himself. Let us pray that we never forget to doubt ourselves.

References:

The Manticore from The Deptford Trilogy by Robertson Davies (Penguin Books) 1983 p 358

The Magic Monastery by Idries Shah (Octagon Press: London) 1981 p 100

The Night Manager  by John Le Carre and David Farr (BBC miniseries) 2016

Meaning of the Glorious Qur’an translation by Marmaduke Pickthall 1930

Kitab at-tawasin by Husayn ibn Mansur Al-Hallaj, edited by Louis Massignon (Paris: Paul Geuthner) 1913

The Reward of Testing

Last week, I attended Jummah prayer at a different masjid. The khatib’s sermon was based on the premise “When God tests you, it doesn’t mean that He is punishing you.”  A ‘test’ is not equivalent to ‘punishment’. The iman then followed this up with examples from the lives of the Prophets, beloved by God, who were tested. I think this concept  (test does not equal punishment) is fairly self-evident to the audience here, but the khatib felt it needed to be said. Today, I would like to expand on some of the examples the khatib used last week to explore the value of testing. These examples are complicated, and I can understand why he chose not to ‘get into it’ last week. However, I think that all of you can handle it and we can certainly open this up for discussion afterwards.  The title of my khutbah today is “The Reward of Testing“.

In the sermon last weeks, the khatib talked about how testing is an opportunity to reveal someone’s “true character.” By this definition, when times are good, people attribute all kinds of virtues to themselves; kindness, generosity, telling the truth. But, when times are rough, people slip into their “true character” because only in bad times can these virtues truly be measured. If you say you are generous, How generous are you, really? Do you only give when you have a surplus? Do you give even when it means having to sacrifice for yourself? Do you give to everyone or only to family members or people you like? A test can provide the context and boundaries for your self-described virtue. While I agree that humans have a tendency to oversubscribe virtues in good times, I think a test can provide more than just character assessment.

Testing provides the possibility of hope for change. Perhaps we do fail a test the first time around. But sometimes, failing a test can teach us a lot more than passing it. If we are disappointed that our virtue live up to our expectations, then maybe the next time we are tested, we can resolve to do better, or resolve to do something different. We can strive to pass the test.  To illustrate the resolve to do better, I’m going to use and example within  story that the khatib chose, which was  the story of Joseph/Yusef, may God be pleased with him.

The khatib used a number of examples in Joseph’s life to show how Joseph was tested (abandoned by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused of sexual harassment, time in prison), and in the end, he passed the tests because of the quality of his character and was successful.  Joseph even forgave his brothers who betrayed him.  But that was all the khatib said about Joseph’s brothers, “Joseph forgave them” and in the audience I said to myself “Wait a second! There’s a whole lot more to that story!!”-maybe because I can identify more easily with the jealous brothers and not so much with the saintly Joseph.  Josephy didn’t automatically forgive his brothers, he tested them first.  I know this because when my son attended his friend Reuben’s Bar Mitzvah, Reuben had to read the part of the Torah about Joseph. The rabbi gave him this passage because Reuben, in the Torah, was the oldest son of Jacob. According to the Torah, the other brothers wanted to outright kill Joseph, but Reuben convinced them to put Joseph in the well as a delay tactic. After the brothers put Joseph into the well, Reuben came back that night to rescue him. Only by that time, Joseph was gone, he’d been picked up by the slavers, and Reuben was distraught, he “rent his garments” (Genesis 37:29).

How did Joseph test his brothers? What did testing his brothers reveal ? What insights does testing give us about our character, the values of our culture, and our community? For the first part of my khutbah, I’ll use the example of Joseph and his brothers and the silver cup. In the second part, I’ll return briefly to the example of Prophet Muhammad and his appeal to the people of Ta’if.

In the Quran, the story of Joseph starts with his dream.

“Mention when Joseph said to his father: O my father! Truly I saw eleven stars and the sun and the moon. I saw them as ones prostrating themselves to me. He said: O my son! Relate not your dream to your brothers so that they contrive cunning against you. Truly Satan is a clear enemy to the human being.”  Quran 12:4-5

This dream is a prophesy of the future and despite being betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, raised in Egypt, spending time in jail, Joseph eventually rises to a high position the court of the Pharaoh. Many years later when a famine comes to the region, Joseph’s brothers travel to Egypt to buy grain for their survival.  In Quran it states, “And Joseph’s brothers drew near and they entered before him. He recognized them but they were ones who did not know him.” Quran 12:58

In the Old Testament (story of Joseph is in Genesis 37-50), Joseph accuses his brother of being spies. They deny this and explain “We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land in Canaan; and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.” (Genesis 42:13) In this statement, the “one is not” is Joseph. The brothers still count Joseph as being part of their family, they have not forgotten him.

Joseph agrees to give them grain but tells them that if they come again they will only get grain on the condition 

“Bring me a brother of yours from your father. Do you not see that I give full measure, and that I am the best of hosts? But if you bring him not unto me, you shall nave no measure from me, nor shall you come nigh unto me.” They said, “We shall seek to lure him from his father; that we shall surely do.” (Quran 12:59-61).

Joseph is testing his brothers. He’s given them grain, and he actually unknown to the brothers, puts their money back into the saddle bags, such that when the brothers open up the grain, they see their money. The grain is free.  The brothers are astounded by this, and don’t quite know how to interpret it. The famine continues, and they have to go back to Egypt again for food. They know they must bring their youngest brother, Benjamin- Joseph’s full brother, with them. And Jacob is very torn up about this, but their situation is dire.

“He said, ‘I will not send him forth with you till you give me a solemn pledge before God that you will surely bring him back to me unless you are surrounded.’ So when they gave their solemn pledge, he said, ‘God is Guardian over what we say.’” Quran 12:66

The brothers return to Joseph with Benjamin. Joseph draws Benjamin aside and tells him his identity, but continues to keep it secret from the other brothers. The saddlebags are filled with grain, again the money, and in the youngest brother’s pouch the silver drinking cup from Joseph’s table. The brothers are stopped by the chief steward who accuses them of being thieves. They deny it.  The steward asks them what will be the punishment if one of them is a thief?

“They said: Its recompense will be that he in whose saddlebag it is found-he himself shall be its recompense.” Quran 12:75

The cup is found in Benjamin’s bag. The brothers are astonished and dismayed. They plead with Joseph to have mercy, “They said: O viceroy! He has a venerable, aged father; so take one of us in his place. Truly we see you as being among the virtuous.” But Joseph would not be swayed. The brothers talk amongst themselves, in their own language which they assume Joseph (they still haven’t recognized him) cannot understand.

“The eldest of them said ‘Do you not know that your father has taken a solemn pledge from you before God, and earlier you neglected Joseph? Thus I shall not depart from this land till my father grants me leave, or God renders judgment on me. And He is the best of judges!” Quran 12:

The brothers return to Jacob, minus Reuben and Benjamin, and Jacob is, according to the Quran, “choked with anguish.” (12:83). Jacob tells them they must return to Egypt and get the brothers back and also inquire about Joseph.

The brothers return, desperate, begging. The eleven stars, the sun and the moon are prostrate before Joseph- prophesy fulfilled. Joseph says to his family,

“Do you know what you have done with Joseph and his brother, when you were ignorant?” 12:89

This is the summation of the test. Can the brothers see the effect that their jealousy and envy have had on the family, on their own integrity, on the pledges they have made to their father and to God? Has time and pain given them the gift of introspection?

At this moment, the brothers recognize Joseph. Some commentators say it is because he smiled at them, other s say because he removed his crown.  Joseph verifies that he is Joseph.

“By God!” they said, “God has preferred thee over us, and we were at fault.” (Quran 12:91) The brothers recognize Joseph’s character, and they take full responsibility for their actions.

Joseph’s reply is recorded in the Quran as “There is no reproach against you this day. God will forgive you. And He is the most Merciful of the merciful.”  (Quran 12:92).

The surah of Joseph was revealed in mid-Mecca period. But many years later, when the man they had scorned has conquered them, the Prophet addressed the Quraysh, “Verily I say to you as Joseph said to his brothers; there is no reproach against you. Go, for you are free.” (notes to 12:91-91 in The Study Quran edited by Seyyed Hossain Nasr)

PAUSE

In the khutbah last week, the khatib gave the example of the Prophet being tested when he went to the city of Ta’if and appealed to them for sanctuary for him and his followers. Prophet Muhammad was in desperate straits, and the people of Ta’if not only refused to give sanctuary, but humiliated him verbally and physically. The children were told to throw stones at him.

In the hadith tradition, Aisha asked the Prophet, “Have you encountered a day harder than the battle of Uhud?” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Your tribes have given me a lot of trouble, and the worst was the day of Aqaba when I presented myself to Ibn Abd Yalail ibn Abd Kulal (chiefs of Taif) and he did not respond to what I intended. I departed, overwhelmed with excessive sorrow, and I could not relax until I found myself at a tree where I lifted my head towards the sky to see a cloud shading me. I looked up and saw Gabriel in it. He called me saying: Allah has heard your people’s saying to you and how they have replied, and Allah has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people. The Angel of the Mountains greeted me and he said: O Muhammad, order what you wish, and if you like, I will let the mountains fall on them.” The Prophet said, “No, rather I hope that Allah will bring from their descendants people who will worship Allah alone without associating partners with him.” (Bukhari vol 4 book 54 #454)

The prophet is telling us, worse than the battle wounds and friends he lost at Uhud, was the humiliation he suffered at Ta’if. And when given the opportunity for revenge, total destruction of the city, the Prophet does not answer their brutality with brutality. Why not?

I found one possible answer (there could be many more) in a mystery novel I am reading. Inspector Gamache says,

“Corruption and brutality are modeled and expected and rewarded. It becomes normal. And anyone who stands up to it, who tells them it’s wrong, is beaten down. Or worse.” (How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny, p 19)

Instead of modeling corruption and brutality, the Prophet chose to model mercy and forgiveness for the people of Ta’if.

God gives all of us many tests in life, and I would argue that tests are interwoven into the fabric that is the tapestry of life in this world. We may not pass every test, and that is ok, chances are we will probably face the same challenge again and maybe we will learn to do better. Whether we pass or fail the test, how we choose to cope with these tests has far reaching effects on our own souls, as well as on those around us; our family, our community, our nation. What kind of behavior are we modeling to others as we take these tests?  Do we model corruption and brutality? Or is it something else?

 It is very easy, when given a particularly difficult test, to become angry and sink into bitterness. All too often in our society you hear the refrain,  “I’m the victim here” and then the mantle of ‘victimhood’ is used to justify all kinds of corruption and brutality. There are times when we will find ourselves in extremely negative circumstances facing difficult challenges and the only way to navigate through these times is to be clear headed and ask God for help.  Ask Allah for guidance- He’s the one who brought you this test, and He is the one who can help you through it in a manner that is pleasing to Him. And what is pleasing to Allah is good for all of us.

In closing, I would like to say a dua from  18:59: Our Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who have preceded us in belief, and do not allow any grudges to remain in our hearts towards those who have believed. Our Lord! Truly You are Kind, Compassionate.

References:

Quran translations into English are from Layleh Bakhtiar "The Sublime Quran" 2009 (www.sublimequran.org) or  "The Study Quran" edited by Seyyed Hossein Nasr 2015 (HarperOne, NY)

"Holy Bible, Standard American Version" 1929, (Thomas Nelson and Sons, NY).

"How the Light Gets In" by Louise Penny, 2013 (Minotaur Press, NY).

Spiritual Practice and Climate Justice

Last month I attended an environmental justice retreat led by a Chicago-area interfaith group. I expected the retreat would be depressing. I thought that because of the Trump administration decisions involving the environment- pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord, removing all references to global warming from government websites, appointing a coal lobbyist to be head of the EPA, defunding the EPA- would have all the attendees in a rather glum mood. I was happily surprised. Everyone was actually quite upbeat and had a can-do attitude. This was largely because Illinois had passed a multi-million dollar clean energy/clean jobs bill and this group had a lot to do with its passage. More about that governmental bill later. 

At the end of the day, I was at a reception and talking to one of the pastors. I said something like, “Well, with all these big hurricanes and the warming climate, should anyone be that surprised?”  The minister said to me, “You know, we don’t feel comfortable any more preaching about how natural disasters are the result of bad behavior. For example, this earthquake is a result of gay marriage or legalized abortion. But with climate change and the amount of carbon we are contributing to the greenhouse effect, well, it is hard NOT  to preach that message!” And I admit, I feel like all these destructive hurricanes are just the chickens coming home to roost. As the surface water of the ocean heats up, storms get more intense and destructive. This hypothesis is not a liberal conspiracy: it is supported by empirical facts. We can measure the water temperature, we can measure the storm intensity. In the 21st  century, the activities we do as human beings, particularly in developed countries like the USA, produce vast amounts of carbon dioxide which affect our global climate. With more CO2 in the atmosphere, our climate has greater chance of producing droughts, intense storms, cooler summers, warmer winters, melting polar caps and rising ocean levels. The more energy we require from fossil fuels, the more we grow our economy with these fuels, the more we change our climate with often unpredictable and unwanted effects.

In the Quran there are many examples of communities whose behavior and spiritual practice led to unwanted effects, typically resulting in their own destruction. Noah told his people:

“O people, if you find my staying with you and warning through God’s signs unbearable to you, know that I have reposed my trust in God. So plan your move, and call your associates, and make certain of your plan: then do whatever you intend against me, allowing me no respite. If you turn away from me I do not ask any recompense from you. My reward is with God. I have been commanded to be one of those who submit to Him.' Even then they denied him: so We saved him and those with him, in the ark, and established them in the land, and drowned those who denied Our signs. So think of the fate of those who were warned.” 10: 71-73

Lot warned his community, 

“Would you commit this abomination with your eye open?Must you really approach men with lust instead of women? Nay, but you are people without any awareness!” But his people’s only answer was this: “Expel Lot’s followers from your township! Verily, they are a folk who make themselves out to be pure!” Thereupon We saved him and his housefolk- all but his wife, whom We willed to be among those that stayed behind- the while We rained a rain upon the others; and dire is such rain upon all who let themselves be warned.” 27:54-58

Salih preached to the people of the Thamud tribe unsuccessfully. The Thamud people said,

 “Are we to follow one single mortal, one from among ourselves? In that case, behold, we would certainly sink into error and folly! Why- on him alone from among all of us should a reminder have been bestowed? Nay but he is a boastful liar!”54:24-25. They asked Salih for proof of his divine warning, and God said, 

“On the morrow they will come to know who the boastful liar is! Behold, We are letting loose this she-camel as a test for them; and thou but watch them, and contain thyself in patience. And let them know that the water is to be divided between them, with each share of water equitably apportioned.” But they summoned their companion and he ventured and cruelly slaughtered (the camel) and how severe was the suffering which I inflicted when My warnings were disregarded! Behold, We let loose upon them one single blast and they became like the dried-up, crumbling twigs of a sheepfold.” 54:26-31

The prophet Hud was sent to warn the people of ‘Ad: “Will you not be conscious of God? Behold, I am an apostle to you, worthy of your trust: be then conscious of God and pay heed unto me! And no reward whatever do I ask of you for it: my reward rests with none but the Sustainer of all the worlds. Will you, in your wanton folly, build altars on every height, and make for yourselves mighty castles, that you might become immortal? And will you whenever you lay hand (on others), lay hand (on them) cruelly, without any restraint? Be then conscious of God and pay heed unto me and be conscious of Him who has amply provided you with all that you might think of- amply provided you with flocks, and children, and gardens, and springs. For verily, I fear lest suffering befall you on an awesome day!” They answered, “It is all one to us whether thou preaches or are not of those who preach. This is none other than that to which our forebears clung, and we are not going to be chastised. And so they gave him the lie; the thereupon We destroyed them. In this, behold, there is a message , even though most of them will not believe.” 26: 124-139

Before they were destroyed by an earthquake the people of Midian were warned by prophet Shu’ayb,

"O my people! Worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him. Clear evidence of the truth has now come unto you from your Sustainer. Give, therefore, full measure and weight (in all your dealings) and do not deprive people of what is rightfully theirs, and do not spread corruption on the earth after it has been so well ordered: this is for your own good. If you would but believe. And do not lie in ambush by every road, threatening and trying to turn away from God’s path all who believe in Him, and trying to make it appear crooked. And remember when you were few and He made you  many: and behold what happened in the end to the spreaders of corruption. And if there be some among you who have come to believe in the message which I bear, the while the others do not believe, then have patience in adversity till God shall judge between us for He is the best of all judges.” 7:85-87

Now out of these many tales of destruction, there is one prophet whose community did listen to him and they averted disaster. This prophet was Yunus, Jonah. Intially, Jonah balked at warning his community, seeking to escape his responsibility by taking a sea voyage. This didn’t work out, he was swallowed by the whale.  Quran tells us: 

“And him of the great fish? When he went off in wrath thinking that We had no power over him! But then he cried out in the deep darkness, “There is no deity save Thee! Limitless art Thou in Thy glory! Verily, I have done wrong!” And so We responded unto him and delivered him from distress; for thus do We deliver all who have faith.” 21:87-88

After that initial set back, Yunus resolved to warn his community, and they actually listened to him, changed their ways, and successfully avoided disaster.

“Why has there been no habitation that believed and profited by their faith, except the people of Jonah? When they came to believe, We removed from them the affliction of shame in the world, and made them prosperous for a time. “ 10:98

As Muslims we believe that Muhammad was the Seal of the Prophets, that prophesy ended with him. While we don’t have prophets and miracles, we do have scientists and empirical evidence which can warn us of imminent destruction and guide us to better behavior. The second half of my khutbah will be about what we can do, as khalifas of this world, to promote climate justice.

PAUSE

I spoke in the first part of my talk about climate change which can be defined by four parameters 1) changes in temperature ( extreme hot, extreme cold, seasonal) 2) changes in precipitation (floods, drought), 3) changes in sea level (rising levels, storm surges,  salt water intrusion) and 4) extreme weather ( storms, hurricanes, tornados). These changes can effect our health in many ways: asthma, dehydration, famine, water borne diseases, vector borne diseases. The problem we face is that negative impacts of climate change (heat waves, droughts, floods) are disproportionately felt by people and countries that did the least to cause the problem, and can least afford to respond.

Therefore, we define climate justice as a local, national, and global movement to protect at-risk populations who are disproportionately affected by climate change.

For instance, in Illinois, we lead the country in the number of fossil fuel burning plants located in communities of color. This is a big problem because in addition to producing greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, fossil-fuel burning power plants emit pollutants that exacerbate asthma. Children of color are four times as likely to be admitted to the hospital for an asthma attack and ten times as likely to die from one as white children.

In 1987 the United Church of Christ's Commission of Racial Justice issued a "Report on Race and Toxic Wastes in the United States” which stated."... race was the best predictor of the location of hazardous waste facilities in the U.S."

We clearly have a lot of work to do in this country when it comes to establishing climate justice and

I would urge you to consider making climate justice part of your spiritual practice. Justice is a common theme in Islam, and our stewardship of the earth is explained to us in Quran 2:30 where God tells the angels “Behold, I am about to establish upon earth a khalifah.” Well, how would God judge our term as khalifahs if we did not strive to achieve justice? Fortunately, this concept of stewardship and justice is shared by many billions of people in world, Muslims as well as people of different religions, people who can be our interfaith partners.

I’d like to share with you some words from Pope Francis’ 2015 Encyclical Letter:

“Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods.”

“Many of the poor live in areas particularly affected by phenomena related to warming, and their means of subsistence are largely dependent on natural reserves and ecosystemic services such as agriculture, fishing and forestry. They have no other financial activities or resources which can enable them to adapt to climate change or to face natural disasters, and their access to social services and protection is very limited. “

“Our lack of response to these tragedies involving our brothers and sisters points to the loss of that sense of responsibility for our fellow men and women upon which all civil society is founded.”

I said earlier we don’t have prophets anymore, and I don’t believe we need strong political leaders to tell us what to do. We need a grassroots movement of like minded people telling the leaders what to do. While revolutions have a lot of drama and energy, they can also sputter out or turn in on themselves. Grassroots movements, while slower growing and a little more boring, allow for deep roots and committed change. Although a lot of khatibs like to go over the battles and victories of the early Muslim community, Prophet Muhammad himself saw the treaties and cease-fires as real victories. Because it was during peacetime where people had time to discuss and reflect, where hearts and minds could be transformed.

To end I would like to explain to you why the people at the event I attended last month were not depressed. Last year, the Illinois legislature passed a law which would ensure clean, renewable energy for Illinois as well as clean jobs (solar panel installers, wind turbine engineers, etc). Furthermore, this group made sure that introduced into the legislation was the creation of 2000 jobs for graduates of the foster care system and returning citizens (ex-convicts). They are planting seeds of opportunity for people who our society often forgets.

What can you do? Look for opportunities to reduce, recycle and reuse. Ask your electricity provider to only use renewable energy sources. Make climate justice your spiritual practice and work together with partners of similar mind set.

There is a famous hadith of the prophet narrated by Anas ibn Malik which says:

 “If the Hour (of Judgment) starts to happen and in the hand of one of you is a palm shoot or seedling; then if he’s able to plant it before the Hour happens, then let him plant it”.

What is interesting about this hadith is not only the sense of impending doom and response to doom- plant a tree- but also the fact that a date palm takes at least ten years before it bears fruit. The people of the prophet’s time were keenly aware of the actions of their ancestors, they only had to walk past a ruined city or a palm grove or an olive orchard to the see the effect of past generations on their current prosperity. In keeping with the spirit of our role as khalifas of this planet, Let us work together to buck the trend of short-sighted decision making and aim for choices which will benefit our children and our grandchildren and the world in which they live.