Ramadan!!!

As Ramadan begins, I am wishing my fellow Kosovans a blessed and peaceful time. I pray we all remember, as the Holy Quran quites, that Piety does not lie in the East or West but only in God. Let us seek the face of Allah and prayerful seek a renewal of our minds and souls which are on the brink of total human corruption. In this spirit, I share with you a personal prayer from a friend of a friend:

RAMADAN

My Dear Sweet Allah,

the Holy month of Ramadan is coming upon us with the subtle certainty of time.

The flame inside re-ignited, the burning within me reinforced.

This passion I have for You erupts with vigor, this vigor resonates within all my brothers and sisters, covering the ends of the earth, touching all of humanity.

The energy of our worship is consolidated into a bright, shining light, a reflection of that flame inside each of us, the manifestation of our selves fully realized.

With every heartbeat, every movement, every hunger spasm, every prayer, this energy pulsates with a constant beat.

It propels me forth, I go forward in your Name, I actively engage in this world as your humble servant.

I look to only You for an understanding, a greater meaning, a rationalization of all I see.

My Dear Sweet Allah,

the Holy month of Ramadan is almost here,

Every drop of blood inside me flows with the goal of prayer,

Every muscle contracts with the goal of personifying a noble Islam in Your name,

Every frustration, every ounce of knowledge I have, all is submitted to Your will,

I trust in You, I know that on the Day, the meanings will all unravel,

I will not allow myself to feel that you have failed my brothers and sisters in Islam whom I see suffering at all corners of this earth.

My soul will no longer bleed as I think of their suffering, my heart will no longer mourn tears for injustices in this world.

I will channel all of my hurt and all of my frustrations into sincere and desperate prayer.

For these are your dearest children, those you hold closest to your bosom,

Veiled by my human ignorance, I cannot see what You know

I will not allow my faith in You to waver at the sight of adversity

On the contrary, my conviction grows even stronger

I trust in You, the Most Merciful and Most Beneficent.

The Holy month of Ramadan is now but breaths away,

I am eager to please You, my Dear Sweet Allah.

For what cause should I not serve You, Who hath created me, and unto Whom I shall be brought back? (36:22)

By Asma Chandani UC Berkeley, 2001