Subhahanallah for travel and the wonder of time. That we can cross entire oceans in a few days and the body can adjust to these immense changes of circadian rhythm with a few hours of sleep. I am in Sydney, Australia for a conference mashaAllah and then on my way back hope to stop at my island home and see my beloved grandmother. I know it is a very long shot, but if any of you my beloved friends on wordpress are here, I’d love to see you!

I am here on work and there is much to do. But to remind myself of the why and wherefore that really matters, here is a poem from Rumi that I wanted to copy out. It is ‘A real gem‘ from the Mathnawi

 

Until the gem surrendered itself,

when did it ever become a jewel set into a ring?

 

To keep being stony,

and to say “I” is crazy-

it’s time for you to die to self; let go.

 

Pride always grasps after power and riches

because the bath furnace burns perfectly with dung.

 

These two nurses just plump up the skin-

they stuff it with fat and flesh and arrogance and pride.

 

They focus on the shell, thinking it’s the kernel;

and they don’t raise their eyes to the kernel of the kernel.

 

May Allah always be with us and guide us and help us to keep our focus on ‘the kernel of the kernel’. It is good to start this way, with an urgent reminder. A four day conference of scientists can be a pretty ego-full event! ;). But it is why we do the work that counts. As the prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) said in a sound hadith, and it is the this hadith that Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim and Imam Nawawi (raheemahullah alai) chose to open their great collections of ahadith with… ‘Innamal amali- bi-niyaath’, ‘actions are but by intentions’. This hadith is considered half of the religion, or a third of it, by our scholars, testifying to it’s immense importance. So may God make my intention to be here and how I deport myself here pure and pleasing to him. And may He make my travel enlightening and rewarding. This prayer I make for myself and you all. May we all be here (this world) with purpose and a great peace!

 

InshaAllah I’ll post some pictures later on. That’s it for now from this mesmerized wanderer, the slave of the one God and your beloved sister.

 

Peace be with you all, Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah