Believing as ourselves #2

Continued...

At further point of this book, the author included the story of how she dropping out from the Muslim community due to how things are done slightly wrong. Again, this is the break point of the whole story. Midlife crisis. Dropping out from something you cannot afford to face anymore was good. But, when it comes to faith, heart is the best speaker to decide. In her story, she tells on how the alternative, the books can be the source of motivation to continue become a Muslim again. Taking the example from the pilgrimage, the author begin her personal pilgrimage

  

 According to her, personal pilgrimage, a private search to regain faith and peace is amazingly effective. Turning inward to the spirit can enable us to embark on an inner journey that is as meaningful, important and ultimately as wonderful as any experience we will undertake. By her experience, taking a time for oneself is absolutely essential in order to begin. For her, taking a time for herself by doing the most things you love and go for a walk is great help. Thinking your own thought and enjoying the nature while walking alone can put your mind at ease. 

“Earth with thousand voices praises God”

-Samuel Taylor Coleridge knew the benefits of “stepping out” into the world. By then, a feeling of peace, connection, and awareness of God, come naturally while walking in your own direction and pace. Furthermore, after some time here and there a silence overtakes, and you begin to open to even greater feelings, and to ability to hear the “thousand voices praising God,” one of which will be yours.

Later on in this book, the author describes in her hindsight to the subject of sin. Particularly in Chapter Six and Chapter Seven where she put aside all the perception she had received on the subject by a community she involved in. For her, a new Muslim is very impressionable for every bit of what he or she learned from other already-Muslim. In her case, when she is judged by fellow halaqa mates, she almost fell for it. The only judgment can be made by God is told in her face. 

As a reflection, she take herself some time to discover that sin is about oneself to God, and to creation or in other word is called hablumminAllah and hablumminannas. Thus, people around has no right to judge but only to remind on what deeds should be done and what should not in exposition and wisdom.

pic courtesy : Torkhelle