Originally posted by AYOUB_SHEIKH: It's almost impossible to misunderestimate their dumbness The word "misunderestimate" has the malodor of a newfangled neologism. Yes, it smells like something Bush would say. I hope you utilize it only as a jocularity jab.

In His Name, the Exalted For those who wish to read this piece, please do so whilst in a state of concentration and spiritual reception. I have simplified the language and the concepts as best as I can. I post it as general information and theoretical knowledge only, for God knows that I am not of those who have reached any station on the way of this journey of purification. May these words lighten the punishment of some of my sins... The journeys we undertake can be divided into two cardinal categories: the voluntary and involuntary The involuntary consists of the stages that take us from the womb to the grave and then to the resurrection, to end at the final abode. Every breath we take is a step closer to that final destination. We are unaware of this journey, because of our distraction by the ornements of this life, and the veils of sins that cover the eyes of our soul. The voluntary journey (the one that is of interest to us, because there is more than one): is that of the heart and the soul. The finality of creation is for the heart to reach such purity and proximity, that it enjoys the pleasures of witnessing the beauty and glory that are the Absolute. "I was a hidden treasure; then I wished to become known. So I created the creation, so that I may be known." But the heart faces obstacles that only intensify the separation between the creature and his Creator. One must recognize these obstacles, understand them, and overcome them, in a continuous and active effort, in order to be ready to go on such a journey. The first of these veils is that of ignorance vis-Ã -vis the Beloved, of His attributes. "Surely Allah does not forgive that partners be ascribed to Him [. . .]". This is why knowledge is important. It is certainty and knowledge that replace the darkness and perplexity of doubt and igorance. Who would not want to understand his Beloved? As the lover starts understanding the Beloved, his love and understanding will show him the importance of worship, obedience and servitude. The increase, in quality and quantity, of worship is the key to the seeked nearness. The more you love someone, the more you wish to please them, and serve them, and sacrifice yourself for them. Our Beloved has explained to us the means and ways of worship. Now that your external self has shown its good conduct through servitude and subservience, it is time for your internal self to do the same. You must annihilate pride, jealousy, stinginess, ingratitude, hypocrisy, despair, impatience, negligence... and purify your soul from these states at all times. Instead, your inner kingdom must continuously be illuminated by humility, compassion, magnanimity, gratitude, sincerity, hope, patience, tolerance awareness, rememberance... This is all most necessary for he who wishes to make a step on the way towards the Beloved. Our soul is a mirror. The more we purify it, the more and the better we can reflect the Names of the Beloved. This rank, a truly elevated position that reached by chosen ones, is that of being a projection of an attribute, each depending on his purity and capacity. O Allah! Let our souls taste a glimpse of the ecstasy that is your worship, and see a ray of the light that is your Beauty, as you made us taste and see when we were incapable creatures entering into this life, for we are still the same incapable creatures. With Salaams PK

In spades redoubled, I could not have said it any better myself, Good Nur. The notion of Freedom is a multi-facted conception, which requires a meticulous examination. Many variables have the potentiality to thwart freedom (i.e. people, oneself, etc), but there is no enemy more formidable than oneself. If one conquers the enemy within, then Allah will guarantee one the conquest of the enemy without. If the unruly desires of Man steers the besieged boat of Being, then one is not free; nay, one is but a slave to one's baseborn desires. To be free, indeed, is not the ability to do anything but the ability to do only certain things. Should the state-of-affairs be different from the account so described, lo! ,Good Nomads, true freedom is not attained; assuredely, one will have forsaken the offer of love that Allah, exalted be He, so offered. Freedom is only attained when one controls, as it were, the ever-adamant appetite of the carnal desires. Needs must we obtain freedom, else the light of Freedom, to utilize Nur's extended metaphor, will be forever dim. With Salaams PK P.S. I have to say that this is the most beatific Ramadan yet; never have I felt a genuine and colossal content in the Lord. O Allah! prolong the proximity that we "appercieve" during the month of Ramadan.

Originally posted by Jacaylbaro: Putting aside all the pholosophy ideas,,,,, Peace Alahayow qof aanan wax ogeeyn ha cadaabin

I will second OG-Girl With Salaams PK

The author of this poem is Imru' Al-qays; one of the most renowned arabic poets when it comes to "adab and balaaqah". This poem was and continues to be, of course, of momentous interest to both linguists and religous scholars for reasons all too conspicuous. دنت الساعة وانشق القمر****عن غزال صاد قلبي ونÙر أحورٌ قد Ø­Ùرت٠ÙÙŠ أوصاÙÙ‡****ناعس الطر٠بعينيه حوَر مرّ يوم العيد بي ÙÙŠ زينة****Ùرماني Ùتعاطى Ùعقر بسهام٠من لحاظ٠Ùاتك****Ùرَّ عنّي كهشيم المحتظر وإذا ما غاب عني ساعة****كانت الساعة أدهى وأمر ÙƒÙتب الحÙسن على وجنته****بسحيق المسك سطراً مختصر عادة٠الأقمار٠تسري ÙÙŠ الدجى****Ùرأيت٠الليل يسري بالقمر بالضحى والليل من طرته****Ùرقه ذا النور كم شيء زهر قلت إذ شقّ العذار خده****دنت الساعة وانشق القمر

نادت بوشك رحيلك الأيام*** Ø£Ùلست تسمع أو بك استصمام ومضى أمامك من رأيت وأنت لل*** باقين حتى يلحقوك إمام مالي أراك كأن عينك لا ترى*** عبراً تمر كأنهن سهام تأتي الخطوب وأنت منتبه لها*** Ùإذا مضت Ùكأنها أحلام قد ودعتك من الصباء نزاوة*** Ùاحذر Ùما لك بعدهن Ù…Ùقام عرض المشيب من الشباب خليÙØ©*** وكلاهما لك حلية ونظام وكلاهما Ø­Ùججٌ عليك قوية*** وكلاهما نعم عليك جسام أهلاً وسهلاً بالمشيب مؤدباً*** وعلى الشباب تحية وسلام ولقد غÙشيت من الشباب بغبطة*** ولقد وقاك عتاده الإحكام لله أزمنة عهدت رجالها*** ÙÙŠ النائبات، وإنهم لكرام أيام أعطية الأك٠جزيلة*** Ø£Ùلا يضيع لدى الزمان ذمام؟ Ùلعبرة أخرت للزمن الذي*** هلك الأرامل Ùيه والأيتام زمن، مكاسب أهله مدخولة*** دخلاً Ùروع أصوله الآثام زمن هوت أعلامه وتقطعت*** قطعاً Ùليس لأهله أعلام ولقد رأيت الطاعمين لما اشتهوا*** وهم لأطباق التّÙراب طعام ما زخر٠الدنيا وزبرج أهلها*** إلا غررور ÙƒÙلّÙÙ‡ وحطام ولرب أقوام مضوا لسبيلهم*** ولنمضين كما مضى الأقوام ولرÙبّ ذي Ùرش ممهدة له*** أمسى عليه من التراب رÙكام وعجبت إذ علل الحتو٠كثيرة*** والناس عن علل الحتو٠نيام والغيّ٠مزدحماً عليه وعورة*** والرشد سهل ما عليه زحام والموت يعمل والعيون قريرة*** تلهو وتلعب بالمÙنى وتنام والله يقضي ÙÙŠ الأمور بعلمه*** Ùالمرء ÙŠÙحمد مرة ويلام والخلق يقدم بعضه بعضاً يقو*** د الخَلقَ منه إلى البلى القدَّام كل يدور على البقاء مؤملا*** وعلى الÙناء تÙديره الأيام ولدائم الملكوت ربّ٠لم يزل*** ملكاً تقطع دونه الأوهام والناس يبتدعون ÙÙŠ أهوائهم*** بدعاً Ùقد قعدوا هناك وقاموا وتخيَّر الشّÙبهات من لم ينهه*** عنهن تسليم، ولا استلام ما كل شيء كان أو هو كائن*** إلا وقد جÙت به الأقلام Ùالحمد لله الذي هو دائم*** أبداً وليس لما سواه دوام والحمد لله الذي لجلاله*** ولحلمه تتصاغر الأحلام والحمد لله الذي هو لم يزل*** لا تستقل بعلمه الأÙهام سÙبحانه ملك تعالى جدّÙÙ‡*** ولوجهه الإجلال والاكرام

Yes, there are more somali expatriates then I previously had thought. Many members of SOL are, as the American writer, Hemingway, wrote in his literary masterpiece, The Sun Also Rises , "a lost generation".

It is not quite as simple as you think.

I see Feynman has left his wilderness to come to the city that is SOL. Welcome back.

No. I am more or less an expatriate; a civil war was not even concievable when I left the country. Nothwithstanding, I wish the new Somali government success. With Salaams PK

Nur Much obliged Akhi! I, too, shall give philosophy and Kalam a rest in the month of Ramadan if not permanently. Hopefully, this way I will be able to focus on my cibaadah. With Salaams PK

Originally posted by 7 of 9: If the verbal vomit of some the others can be given a place in internet pages, yours should be too. I must say this is the first time I have laughed hysterically while reading a reply on SOL. Be nice now.

I must own that you are an asset to this site. May He crown with success your deeds. Rabbi haku garab galo. With Salaams PK

Nur: I have no qualms with your linguistic analysis. It is important to mention, however, that hikmah has been "construed" or intrepreted by philosophers to mean falsafa. In like manner, I suppose, hikmah has been construed by mystics to mean 'irfan or ma'rifah. From a strictly linguistic point of view, hikmah does not always mean falsafa. I agree with you on this point. I thought that it is important to breifly explain the nature of islamic philosophy and islamic philosophers (i.e. Al-Kindi, Ibn Sina, Ibn Rushd) and theologians (Fakhr Ad-diin Al-raazi, Al-Zamakhshari, Al-Ghazali to name a few). Islamic Philosophers and Theologians (mutakallimuun)are not like western philosophers in their manner of living. The western philosopher only reads philosophy as a means of improving his "theoritical (علم النظري) knowledge"; thusly, philosophy has no practicable fruits for the western Man. It is only an excerise in intellective indulgence. التر٠الذهني Islamic Philosophy combines both the speculative and practical aspects of philosophy into one science. This is why Ibn Sina writes in his book "Cuyuun Al-Hikmah" Al-Hikmah [which he uses as being the same as philosophy] is the perfection of the human soul through conceptualization[tasawwur] of things and judgement[tasdiiq]of theoritical and practical realities to the measure of human ability Al-kindi also writes in his On First Philosophy Philosophy is the knowledge of the reality of things within people's possibility, because the philosopher's end in theoritical knowledge is to gain truth and in practical knowledge to behave in accordance with truth. We should, as you intimated, build mosques, help the needy and the like. I am sure you will agree, all the same,that knowledge of, as Abu Hanifa called it, "al-fiqh al-akbar" is a prerequistie to such deeds. In all of Islamic history, scholars from different camps of articulation agreed that the knowledge of the principles of religon is a hundredfold important than "Ax-kaam ash-shariica". In other words "'ilm at-tawheed", "ilm al-kalaam", "ilm usul ad-diin", or "ilm al-'aqaid" (all these title are categorized, terminologically, as "Kalam") is infinitely more important than jurisprudence. Ofcourse juridical knowledge is also necessary, but the "awaail sciences" take precedence. I would also like to know how you would respond to someone who tells you that: 'aql is our first means of establishing the truthfulness of the Quran and the Prophet, if one later puts naql above 'aql, one is undermining the very means which led to the acceptance of the naql. I do not hold that 'aql should be put above naql for reasons I shall divulge after you post your answer. والله اعلم بالصواب With Salaams PK

Caaqil:- As the rabble often say, "I catch your drift". I shan't urger this point any farther. It would be advisable that you not opine on subjects you are not intimately familiar with. That is all. Nur:- I guess you meant to say that there is a problem with the translation. The semantics of the phrase is not wrong at all. Either you have not perused my posts or you did not understand what I have written. In any event, the word "Al-hikmah" has been used by philosophers to mean "al-falsafa". Philosophy literally means the love of "wisdom". The exact translation of the word wisdom in arabic is hikmah (حصاÙØ© is not an accurate translation of the word). One of the names of He who has disappeared due to the excess of his presence is "Al-Hakiim". From a terminological perspective, hikmah is defined as falsafa. This definition is obviously not an arbitrary definition, rather it based on a certain intrepretation of the Quran and traditions. Philosophy is both a means and an end in and of itself. Do think that is meaningless? Do but reflect a little on this point. عليك بالحكمة Ùان الخير ÙÙŠ الحكمة With Salaams PK

Danger: It is true that the majority of my posts are replies to threads. You see I think I like taunting those who lack an academic conscience (i.e. plagiarism). Would'nt you? Go figure! Elysian: I do not think one should post topics either because one finds it interesting or because one thinks that others will find it intriguing. I post topics that are, forsooth, weighty and important. As such, I do not expect, and frankly do not desire that most members reply to my threads. I only expect the top 1% of posters to read and respond to my topics; that is the segment of SOL members who are my readership. Most members will, naturally, find my posts boring or unintelligible. This is just fine. With Salaams PK

Actually, I would not desire that most people reply to my threads. The replies are often a bane and not a boon. Thusly insofar as the thread is read I am satisfied. With Salaams PK

As prophet Lut says in surat Hud لو ان لي بكم قوة او ءاوي الى ركن شديد

LSK: You have a unique sense of humor. Alas! somali politics is something I abhor, thusly I shan't comment on "charismatic" Colonlel.

I used to associate everything in life with a statement I read in the philosophy class. Suddenly, I found myself reasoning like the dudes I was reading about. Xataa hoyadeey markaan siin u diro Philosophy in general and islamic philosphy in particular (kalam is not pure philosophy, rather it is more appropriately described as "discursive theology" or "islamic dialectic")is not a dedcidedly western and/or unislamic phenemonenon. Equally important, although less conspicous, is the notion that Philosophy is not merely an academic discpline or a subject one learns within the confines of a classroom; philosophy is the most self-concious of all the displines and as such it has been described as the "sumum bonum of life". Philosophy is, forsooth, a comprehensive way of life. Critical thinking ayaan jeclaan jirey. Laakin markaan soo caqliyeeystay waxaan ogaaday in khurafaad laigu soo akhriyey. Please edit the above-quoted statements. I can only hope that no else reads nonsense of this strain. It sounds like you are saying that critical thinking is "khurafaad". Whatever you think critical thinking means, it does not mean being able to bend spoons with your mind. The definition of Critical Thinking is to be found in "reportive" definitions and not "stipulative" definitions. Critical thinking is an exercise that is oft-encouraged by scriptural revelation. Allah constantly invites humans to reason and think in the most critical manner. In order to come to any conclusion one has to go through a process of ratiocination. So for you to even say that critical thinking is moot, you would have to think "critically" to come to that conclusion. We are by nature, as Aristotle said, "rational animals". If you do not think critically, then you are, de facto, not any different from the beasts of nature. I shall endeavor to explain the divine nature of islamic philosophy. Needs must you apprehend the nature of islamic philosophy in its unadulterated form. Islamic philosophy has many functions and as such is necessary. Whilst the dissolution of the tension between religon and reason (narrational and rational) is not the sole objective of islamic philosophy(despite the sayings of others), it is one of the major functions of islamic philosophical thought. I think the 'aql is, if used aright, in complete accordance and harmony with scriptural revelation, because He, the Exalted, has made available through "hikmah" ( an arabic word which has been defined as "falsafa" by philosophers and mutakallimuun or theologians) what he has revealed through prophecy. As the age-old and time-hounoured aphorism states "philosophy issues from the niche of prophecy".تنبع الحكمة من مشكاة النبوة That is to say, a blatant contradiction of the narrational by the rational is not possible as the rational iteself is a part of that reality which is the "revealed". In other words, what we learn through ratiocination and 'aql is a microcosmic reflection of the macrocosmic reality which is the instrument of revelation; hence the saying, Plato was Moses in Attic Greek. Islamic Philosophy is not merely a regurgitation of greek thought. Revelation is ultimately the "measure of all things". Revelation, however, is construed by the "logos", the intellect. Unlike Jurists we are not concerned with the branches of religon (furuuc ad-diin, shariica), instead we study the fundementals of religon (usuul ad-diin). All of religon is based on a set of "axioms" and everything else is merely derived therefrom. Nur:- I can not say that I have read the works of Ibn Taymiyyah, the 14th century dogmatist par excellence, but I have studied excrepts of his book during my undergraduate years. Thusly I am familiar with the cardinal objections to philosophy that he articulated. Most but not all of the arguments advanced by this sunni jurist are emotive arguments (logically invalid). God willing, I will initiate a thread pertaining to this matter. I shall show that his arguments suffer a grave logical error. The strongest counter-argument to philosophy is Al-Ghazali's magnum opus, The Incoherence of Philosophers (tahafut al-falaasifa). But even Al-Ghazali's arguments are counter-intuitive as evidenced by his reasoning. والعقل يعجب والشرائع كلها خبر يقلد لم يقسه قائس متجسمون ومسلمون ومعشر منتصرون وهائدون رسائس Or as the other poet said: reason is our "xujjah" Ùسال حجاك اذا اردت هداية واحبس لسانك ان تقول مجازا With Salaams PK

7 of 9: It is interesting to observe the method of editing posts that the moderators pracitce. Some members are allowed to criticize and query the meaning of a poem while others are not afforded the same privilege. My post regarding the meaning of a member's poem was deleted. From this I naively inferred that poetic analysis (i.e. form and content) is an exercise alien to SOL moderators; perhaps, a method that is even frowned upon. However, I see that it is not poetic analysis per se that is disallowed, rather it is the person who does the criticizing. Such a sham, indeed! I have learned not to attempt to reason with those who are are decidedly irrational. Replying to thier ill-formed queries is, forsooth, a bane and not a boon. With Salaams PK

استراح من لا عقل له

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