The Third Way

You wouldn’t go to a chicken for milk,

unless you are demented.

Just so, you should not go to Najat for a fatwa.

A chisel is a useful tool, unless you need to hammer a nail.

Then, it is just awkward.

Just so, if what you want is a ruling on jurisprudence,

   Najat is the wrong man for the job.

I am not an imam (Allah be thanked).

I am not a scholar (dogs will chase their tails).

I am a dervish (my chest relaxes and I sigh).

There are three ways that a person can be faithful to Allah,

three ways that the soul can find its way

and the first two are easy:

You can do the right things

   —the imams will be happy to tell you what those are and how to do them

You can believe the right things

   —the scholars will let you know when they’ve reached a consensus.

But the third way is hard,

and requires much close listening, discernment, and effort

on the part of any who pursue it.

The third way is to do what is beautiful,

to love what you love,

to sing the songs that demand singing,

to express what cannot be spoken,

except in the language of the heart.

If you want to know how to do that,

you have come to the right place,

and Najat is your man.