Compiled by Islamic Humanitarian Service
ISBN 1-894701-10-0
BP161.2.I57 2001 297 C2001-902761-3
Islamic Humanitarian Service 81 Hollinger Crescent
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Additional copies of this booklet can be ordered free of charge from any office of the Islamic Humanitarian Service (see last page for addresses)
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Amina Inloes
The Islamic College, London, UK
Originally Published in Journal of Shi‘a Islamic Studies,
Autumn 2014, Vol. VII, No. 4
There are verses in the Holy Qur’an that points out the viciousness of one's soul. If any of the faculties other than ‘Aql (intellect/reason) rules the soul, the soul descends to the level of (ammara) carnal desires. The Holy Qur’an says that your greatest enemy within you is your nafs al-ammara, no one can escape it lest Allah (SwT) shows his mercy towards this person.
وَمَا أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِي ۚ إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
As the cart pulled through the village, the screams of a desperate woman seeking help echoed in the air, but in vain. Not because the people of the village were heartless, but because it was the abandoned section of the village.
The cart pulled in front of a broken cottage, the woman with much struggle alighted the cart and went into the cottage and after much struggle and pain, finally delivered. However, to her much surprise, they were quadruplets. She knew it was more than one baby, but she never thought they would be four.
The last thing I remember is answering a call at my desk and the next thing I remember is being pushed by nurses frantically shouting, emergency!! Emergency!! A male nurse running along with me trying to make notes. I don’t know if I was dreaming or was it real, however, the images would constantly go blur and I would lose track of things around me. I guess I was fainting.
The grand day was here, the day that I have waited for many long years, As I look at my reflection the glass doors slideway and I was struck with the awe of the beauty of the place, huge hall with shiny walls as I walk in, I am welcomed by a well-dressed, decent man. However, I was so distracted that I barely paid any attention to him, I kept walking towards it, and its irresistible beauty just dragged me to it. It reminded me of Gollum from Lord of the rings, my heart was pounding hard and at the back of my mind I could hear those whispers "My preciousssss" "My Preciousssss"….
The father was pacing up and down the hall-way, He would constantly look at the watch as though every moment is precious for him, his forehead was perspiring, he has forgotten that he has not eaten anything since morning, as though he doesn’t feel the hunger anymore. It was evident on his face; as the moments passed by, his concerns grew stronger. It was almost evening now and the wait was unbearable for him.
It was a long time before the little kid blinked his eyes, he was staring away through the glass, lost, oblivious of the world around him. His eyes would move from one corner to another as if He is following something and then suddenly his eyes would jump to the other subject and then lost again for moments. He would every now and then shout something, as if trying to gain the attention of the entity on the other side of the glass, but by the looks of the kid I presume no one answered him.
Progress has become the norm of the world and man in this progressive world may feel that they are heading in a particular definite direction, while on the other hand they also feel a little lost. Especially when they are faced with simple questions, either they choose not to give way to these questions or that they choose to ignore them when they arise.
However, time and again it is these simple or fundamental questions that matter the most. These are the questions that ensure that we are headed in the right direction, they are like our guiding compass.
