Don't Think You Are Special

Allah is surprisingly undiscriminating

regarding those upon whom He chooses to shower His affection.

Just look at me

—a rogue of suspect reputation and meager means—

and yet I have been bathed in His kisses

and clothed in His everlasting kindness.

Don’t think you are special. You aren’t.

I don’t care you who are

I don’t care what you’ve done

I don’t care who you’ve hurt

or what blasphemies you have uttered.

Nothing in your history could possibly be so notorious

that it would deter His relentless pursuit of your heart.

I have been Allah’s lover for years now

and I can tell you two things about Him with absolute certainty:

no prostitute is more careless with her affections

and no hunter more stubborn in pursuit of his prey.

Listen to Najat: When you realize He has his heart set on you

just give up and surrender to His seduction,

or you will be running from His advances

until you lay down in the grave

with Him.

Five Pillars

The five pillars are not disciplines imposed upon you

by a harsh taskmaster

out of cruelty or spite. Not at all.

Love asks us to proclaim our faith

as a formal answer to a formal question,

“Will you marry me?”

Love asks us to pray five times a day

because any lover longs to express her affection

at least as often.

We give a bit of our plenty to those in need,

because love that is truly received naturally multiplies

and spills out all around.

Love asks us to fast only to remind us

of what it was like before our hearts

were so full.

Love invites us to travel to show us

that He is present with us

everywhere we go.

Listen to Najat: These five practices

are not arduous requirements of our faith.

They are the five fingers on the hand of Love

that draw you in to Allah’s embrace.

Tease

On this day when my heart feels like sand

and words fail me

my Love leans in to offer His lips

but mine meet nothing but the air.

You tease! 

Absolute Submission

Ali the Baker is wringing his hands,

agonizing over a decision.

I wonder if he has prayed about it, and ask

“And what does Allah say about this?”

Whereupon he looks at me as if I have turned into hummus.

I find it curious

that so many people profess to be Muslims

who have no actual acquaintance with Allah.

It’s a bit like a man who brags about his diet

but never actually puts anything in his mouth.

Listen to Najat: Allah doesn’t want your allegiance,

He wants your heart. He wants to share in your life.

He wants to cry with you when you grieve,

agonize and discern with you at your crossroads,

celebrate with you when you succeed.

Allah has given us so much,

why do we share so little with Him?

The prophet—peace be upon him—

insisted on absolute submission to Allah.

Do you dare to offer him crumbs?

Real Lovers

I am tired of being henpecked

by well-meaning but wrongheaded people

who seem to think it’s their responsibility

to make sure I am doing my religion “right.”

Apparently, there is a rule book somewhere

that dictates the proper behavior in every situation

lists acceptable language and hints at those words that are prohibited

(for it would never come right out and say them)

and provides a comprehensive guide to not scandalizing the community.

No one has ever been so kind as to ever give me a copy of this book, though.

It is not the Qu’ran, for it actually contains much that these people object to.

It is not the Hadith, for I have read most of them

and I don’t think the Prophet—peace be upon him—

would have passed muster with these folks.

Listen to Najat: if anyone ever did give me such a book,

I think I would use it for kindling.

Religion that is orderly and seemly

is built upon a nostalgia for passion long spent.

Real lovers are always getting into trouble. 

Are You Sure About This?

Are you sure about this?

You could pick anyone as your lover.

You could have picked someone who was

much more beautiful than I am

much holier than I am

much more talented

more articulate than I

You could have picked someone

far less likely to put his foot in his mouth

less adept at making stupid mistakes

someone with a lick of sense

You could have picked someone obedient

someone who didn’t argue with you over everything

someone who will do as you ask and not question you

someone decent

So I guess I just don’t get it

—why this interest in me?

You could have done so much better.

Najat says: Sush, dear, be easy.

You’re the only God I know

and the only God I want to know.

Of course I would have picked you.

My Life with Allah

When I am having a bad day,

Allah whispers in my ear

“This has a really funny ending.”

When I am surrounded by friends,

and I feel like singing until dawn,

Allah leads everyone in a dance.

When Mira comes to my bed

cheerfully demanding that I do my husbandly duty

Allah sits in the corner and plays the baglama.

When my heart is broken and I don’t know how I can go on,

Allah holds me close to his breast and says,

“This is happening to me, too.”

I have heard that the gods of other peoples

are aloof and selfish in their desires.

But the Prophet—peace be upon him—has revealed

that the true God is closer to me than the vein in my neck.

I am grateful that He is so intimately involved in my affairs.

But I don’t think I am special.

I think I am different from most people, though,

because I let Him.