Another kind of Love

One of the most important questions that we face today is the role of religion in our lives. The international war on terror and our homegrown Lal Masjid have brought this issue in even sharper focus. In the west we are labeled as fundamentalists and terrorists. In our own country most of today's youth is either confused or unconcerned on questions of religion. We seem to be rapidly dividing into two schools of thought; from those who believe it's fashionable to show that religion has no role in their lives apart from paying it the occasional lip service, to those who like to show others how pious they are by observing the basic tenets of Islam and taking it upon themselves to impose them on others. In my view the question that we should ask is not that which group is right, but which is to be pitied more. The lucky ones are those who have discovered religion on their own terms. Who have enough faith not to be swayed by other people's arguments and invested their time and energies in forming their own opinions and answers. But unfortunately, such people are rare to find as the minutiae details of our lives always seem more important and rarely leave us with time to spend time to learn our religion. But I have also come across people who have complete faith but very little factual knowledge about their religion. They are fully practicing Muslims and do not have questions or confusions regarding their faith.

Does this mean absolute faith without actual knowledge can also be a wonderful thing? My grandfather was a learned person whereas my Grandmother was an illiterate simple soul. Yet both had the anchor of absolute faith and belief of Islam in their lives. In times of stress and distress, they only had to turn to prayer or reading the Holy Quran for solace and support.

Faith is a personal thing. But the admission of the existence of the Divine begins with the very fact that we have the ability to reason. The question of why we exist is the core that strengthens our belief system in his Divinity. Koi to hai jo nizam e hasti chala raha hai; wohi Khuda hai. I believe that without acknowledging Allah's (God's) existence and divinity, we would be left rudderless. Allah exists, therefore we exist.
As Muslims most of us who pray do so because we perceive the daily prayers to be either qarz or farz (a debt or a responsibility). It is something that needs to be done, gotten over with. Many a times when I am praying, my mind wanders and mundane things from everyday life crowd it. When I am supposed to be in front of ALLAH having a one to one conversation, sometimes I am only going through the motions. I am sure I am not the only one.

A few months ago I read a very interesting incident by a newspaper columnist. He said that a non muslim in his area converted to Islam and started praying regularly at the local mosque. But he always took a much longer time at his prayers than everyone else. The columnist asked him for the reason for the unusual delay and the newly converted Muslim replied that "you people are fortunate, you were born muslims. You already have a strong relationship with Allah but when I start to pray it takes me time to enter into a state of mind where I am truly in front of Allah's presence. That's why it takes me longer to pray."

As a friend of mine put it are we truly believers or just reciters of the Kalima (Kya hum waqai Ahle Eeman hain ya sirf kalima goh)?

I believe there is also another way to pray, which is the essence, the soul of prayers. Prayers based on a relationship of love between us and Allah. An opportunity to express our love, our admiration to him. To seek his forgiveness and his guidance, his mercy and his benevolence. This is another kind of love.

I think we can all relate to the moments of anticipation and anxiety that we pass through when we are about to meet our beloved. We are on tenterhooks if (s)he is even a little late. Our entire attention is focused on the beloved's arrival. If only we were lucky enough to share the same passion when we are about to meet the one who loves us most, the Creator. But turning the act of prayer from one of necessity to one of love requires a greater degree of faith, an absolute certainty in one's belief.

The journey of faith is always difficult, but this is a journey that each one of us must undertake individually to find our own truths, our own reasons and our faith. Hopefully, some of us will be lucky enough to discover another kind of love.