Ray Two Feathers (Cherokee) performs Eagle Dance in Thunderbird American Indian Dancers’ Dance Concert and Pow-Wow, presented by Theater for the New City January 31 to February 9, 2014. Photo by Jonathan Slaff
These are some of the things which come to mind when I celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, not Columbus Day:
I remember being told that my maternal GreatGrand Mother was a full-blooded Cherokee, this did not startle me because I had come to know that many black Americans had shared lineage with Native Americans. I was also told of relatives in Oklahoma, but I have never met them. Maybe some of them were also in Tulsa about a hundred years ago…
My government professor at Cornell University speaking about them and the birth of America. Then there are the stories of smallpox blankets and the Trail of Tears, two separate events but both in the name of conquest over Native Americans.
I recall reading The Native American Prayer (Great Spirit Prayer) and drawing comfort from its words because I could relate to it as a black American Muslim. There is only One Great Spirit!
Designed by Irisangel
One day, my youngest son and I visited an African American Business event held at Javits Center in New York. The was a group of people representing the Shinnecock Tribe from Long Island performing a pow-wow (an event where Native American people gather to meet and dance, sing, socialize and honor their cultures). He looked at me in wonderment when I joined in and began dancing with them! I was quite comfortable and in synch.
A business associate, who happened to be a member of the Sioux once took me to the top of the Sears Tower (currently called Willis Tower) in Chicago. This got me thinking about images of Mohawks helping build the tall structures that would one day etch the New York City skyline.
Six generations of Mohawk Indian ironworkers, known for their ability to work high steel, have helped shape New York City’s skyline. Hundreds of Mohawks still commute to Manhattan each week from reservations in Canada to work on the city’s skyscrapers and bridges. In September 2001, a new generation returned to the World Trade Center site to dismantle what their elders had helped to build.
It is difficult not to imagine some of the contributions of these great people, misnamed Indians because someone got directions confused and thought they had landed in India!
As I was taking a break from my regular Coronavirus (Covid-19), shelter-in-place routine, I came across this video which seemed to be encouraging me to watch it several times in succession, which I did…
Each time took me deeper into the clear message which it was conveying:
Fasting is prescribed to make us more mindful of God (SWT)
Ramadan is important because…
God’s intention is not a hardship but ease
We should remember Him and always be grateful
He is always near.
Please reflect and enjoy, as I did…
I am grateful that God (SWT) sends His message to me in particular, but generally to all of us. We just have to listen!
Bill Withers was an inspiration to many of us in our earlier years. I did not realize how much many of his tunes had affected me until I reflected on his passing. In addition to favorites like “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean on Me,” and “Lovely Day,” I was particularly moved by “Let Me in Your Life,” “Hello Like Before,” “Can We Pretend” and his anti-war song, “I Can’t Write Left-Handed.” From God, we all come and to Him we all return! While we may miss him, he is in a better place now…
REDNECK MUSLIM explores the life and work of Shane Atkinson, the first Muslim chaplain in-training at North Carolina’s biggest trauma center and founder of the “Society of Islamic Rednecks (later called the Southern Hospitality Islamic Center).” It follows his quest to celebrate and redefine Southern culture with a reformed vision of “redneck” identity stripped of racism and sexism and embracing diversity.
I enjoyed this short film and encourage you to view it.
It is a glimpse of man’s humanity toward other men and reflects God (SWT)’s words:
O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted. (Surah Al-Hujurat 49:13)
There is a song fills my heart with much joy. It is the Berklee School of Music rendition of Kun Faya Kun. This is a composition from the A.R. Rahman musical Rockstar.
The fact that this also led me to the discovery of the extremely talented musicians at this Boston School only added to my excitement.
I have always had an appreciation for good music praising God (SWT)! Their performance more than lived up to anything that I would have expected.
It has also given me greater insight into Chapter from the Holy Quran entitled Surah Al Baqarah.
“Kun Fayakun” actually is a verse referred to five times in Quran. It comes from Arabic words “Kun (كن)” which means “to be,” “to manifest,” or “to exist” and “fayakun (فيكو)” which means “it is.” So its literal meaning is “Be, and it is.”
It symbolizes God’s creative power. This term is about God’s will and absolute control over every creation.
In Surah Baqarah (2:117) this phrase appears as :
“The Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it: “Be, and it is!”
Please try and follows the lyrics (loosely transcribed below), to this song as well as its English translation.
Hopefully, it will uplift your spirits as it did mine…!
Kun Faya Kun1
Ya Nizamuddin Auliya,
Ya Nizamuddin Salqa
Oh Ruler of the Saints,
Oh Ruler of the crestfallen
Kadam Badhaa Le, Hadon Ko Mitaa Le,
Aaja Khaali Pan Mein Pee Ka Ghar Tera,
Tere Bin Khaali Aaja, Khali Pan Mein
Tere Bin Khaali Aaja, Khali Pan Mein
Take a step forward, destroy these distances
Come into this void, the home of your beloved
Without you there is emptiness, come into this void
Rangreza(3)
He who fills me with color
Kun Faya Kun…
[He said] Be, & it is!
Jab Kahin Pe Kuch Nahi.
Bhi Nahi Tha
Wahi Tha Wahi Tha
Wahi Tha Wahi Tha
When, there was nothing,
He was the one,
the only one.
Woh Jo Mujh Mein Samaya
Woh Jo Tujh Mein Samaya
Maula Wahi Wahi Maaya
He is the one who is in my soul,
He is the one in your soul,
O dear Lord, He is the one that is mystery
Kun Faya Kun, Kun Faya Kun
SadaqAllahul-alliyul-Azeem
[He said] Be, & it is! Be, & it is!
The truth is Allah, the sublime, the magnificent
Rangreza Rang Mera Tan Mera Mann,
Le Le Rangaayi Chaahe Tan Chaahe Mann,
My painter, color my body my soul
Take away the colors, from the body, from the soul
Sajra Savera Mere Tan Barse
Kajra Andhera Teri Jalti Lau
Qatra Mila Jo Tere Dar Par Se
O Maula… Maula…
The Morning showers(blessings) rain on me
And it cleans up the dark soul of mine which is like darkness of night.
It’s only for the drop of nourishment that flows from yours,
Once in a while, I will hear a beautiful piece of music (by Armand Amar) and observe a beautiful video (by Satash 8) at the same time. The sound is soothing to my ears and what I see is pleasing to my eyes.
It eases my mind and causes a much-needed contemplation.
Ibn ‘Arabi was a 12th-century Andalusian Scholar of Islam, Sufi mystic, poet, and philosopher. He is renowned by some practitioners of Sufism as “the greatest master” and also as a genuine saint.1 Others have labeled him a heretic. Such controversy warrants further investigation…
Ibn ‘Arabi and other Sufi mystics used to refer to a realm that mediated between the visible, sensuous world of matter and the higher, invisible realms of spirit.
Henry Corbin was a 20th-century philosopher, theologian, and professor of Islamic Studies at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. In 1928 he was introduced to Persian mysticism and philosophy. This was to profoundly affect the course of Corbin’s life.
In his book, “Alone with the Alone: Creative Imagination in the Sufism of Ibn ‘Arabi,” through the richness of his personal experience and the constructive power of his intellect, he made a unique contribution to Shi’ite Sufism.Corbin begins with a kind of spiritual topography of the twelfth century, emphasizing the differences between exoteric and esoteric forms of Islam. He also relates Islamic mysticism to mystical thought in the West.²‚³
He is responsible for redirecting the study of Islamic philosophy color: as a whole. In his Histoire de la philosophie islamique ( 1964), he disproved the common view that philosophy among the Muslims was no longer evolving, demonstrating rather than a lively philosophical activity persisted in the eastern Muslim world – especially Iran. I would venture to say that this contributes to the spiritual dichotomies that we witness today.
This is what I would characterize as a video interpretation of some of that thought.
I enjoyed it and I hope you will too!
I am grateful to Satash 8 for creating this production.
I was on my way to Jummah (congregational prayer for Muslims held every Friday) this particular afternoon. I normally give the transit officer stationed at the York Street station a “nod of acknowledgment” as I pass him. I take the F train a few stops to West 4th Street.
This time there was no officer at the post. As I continued my walk into the inner bowels of the station, I saw the officer about a hundred feet ahead of me in “stealth pursuit” of a group of fellows singing at the other end of the station.
I have seen the group on numerous occasions. They sing a cappella (music without instrumental accompaniment) and there is a harmony in their voices, which is truly a God given talent!
Finally, he confronts them, they seem harmless enough but I cannot hear what he is saying. Perhaps he issued some words of admonishment. I am now observing more closely to see just how far this unnecessary interaction is going to proceed.
When the Manhattan bound F train enters the station, the singers get on, the police officer accompanies them and I seat myself in the adjoining car, still watching ever so closely to see what is going to happen but hoping for something good to come out of it.
The group begins to sing. All eyes light up in that subway car. Their talent is evident. Passengers begin searching for dollar bills to give them. The transit officer exits the train at the next stop.
When the group enters my car, I too am mesmerized, as well as just about every one else in subway compartment. These guys have a rare talent. Their voices are like finely tuned instruments. “I could have listened to them all day,” one passenger remarks. I am not sure but I think they were singing about a train taking people to freedom. I eagerly give my dollar and as the last member of the group passed by me. We fist-bumped, acknowledging that long journey and the distance we may still have to travel…
On the way back, I exit the train at York Street. The police officer is back at his post. This time I do not give a nod, instead I just sigh. It was an unnecessary confrontation!
This is one of the most beautiful movies that I have even seen! It is a 1946 American classic fantasy comedy-drama by Frank Capra. It was not well received when it first debuted but it has withstood the test of time and gone on to become the “holiday classic of all classics!”
It features at cast of well-known character actors from a bygone era in American history (among them, James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Henry Travers, and Thomas Mitchell).
The plot is as follows-
George Bailey has so many problems and is thinking of taking his own life. As we see the Angels in Heaven discuss George, we view his life in a series of flashbacks. “Each man’s life affects another life…” George has always put the needs of others before himself. We learn that “no man is a failure who has friends…”
There is a universal message in this film that God (SWT) is watching over all of us and wants the best for all of us. We see an example of this unfold in this movie. I highly recommend this film to all, regardless of religious orientation. It has contributed to my enlightenment!
It is available on YouTube and other Internet outlets as well as on compact disk and other forms of media.
How often have we had the chance to listen to really good music, live? There are many extremely talented “troubadours” plying their craft in our subways! I had the opportunity to listen to two of them today at various locations in Manhattan.
I had just come from my favorite bagel shop and was entering the Lexington Avenue line. I heard the sound of a Bass Guitar. At first I didn’t pay that much attention to it, then the guitarist began to play a medley of old tunes from my college days (quite some time ago…). He strummed a couple of chords from “Betcha’ By Golly Wow” by the Stylistics and it took me to another time and place.
Such simple, beautiful and timeless lyrics about a lover finding his “other half.”
I noticed people listening and smiling but saw no one contributing to the man for his wonderful efforts. I didn’t have any change so I purchased a bottle of water from a nearby vendor and placed a dollar in the man’s guitar case. Moments later, several other listeners’ felt compelled to give. I wondered what were all these people waiting for. I was just happy that my one-dollar had prompted about ten more. I also let my train go by and continued enjoying this man doing something that he enjoyed, playing music for others…
Part of the way to my destination, I had to switch trains. This time I was waiting for the E train. There was a Chinese man playing the Cello in this station. He was playing something classical but I could not identify the melody. Ever since Tan Dun and Yo Yo Ma were nominated for soundtrack awards for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, I have fallen in love with the cello. There is something about string instruments, which appeal directly to my heart.
Here again, this man was playing extremely beautiful music in the subway and people were just passing him by. My dollar contribution didn’t seem to prompt any additional money. As he ended one melody, I decided to applaud, then the dollars began to flow. One hyperactive child added to the show by attempting a few crude ballet moves. Once again, I was able to enjoy a man doing something that he enjoyed, playing music for others.
This had to have been the best two dollars that I have spent in quite some time!
A little over 3 years ago, I had the opportunity to see Ravi Shankar in concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City. As I think back before that time, going back to Woodstock, he was my introduction to Indian music and my expansion beyond typical American music. Others have ordained him the “godfather of so-called World Music.”When I first heard the sound of the sitar, it was alien to my ear. It was as if something was trying to communicate with my soul. In growing accustomed to its sound, I began to appreciate ragas (melodic patterns representing specific moods, times of day, seasons of the year or events) and talas ((intricate rhythmic patterns) as well as the sound of other Indian musical instruments.Ravi Shankar once said, “The music that I have learned and want to give is like worshipping God. It’s absolutely like a prayer.”While I mourn his passing, I celebrate his life and how his music has made mine better.The following is a collaboration of Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass.
Visions of a Seeker 