Hardest of Hearts

   In response, Shaykh Jarudi simply recited a verse, "If only people would have learned humility when suffering came to them from Us (God)! No, their hearts only became harder, and (when their hearts had hardened) the devil made their foul misdeeds appear even more alluring to them"

   In our self-idolatry, we become so oblivious - absorbed in arrogance, we forget others, forget God and forget ourselves.

   I muttered as if to myself: "We forget God until God allows us to drift in forgetfulness!" Then I raised my voice and recited, "God reveals the signs so you might understand! But your hearts become as hard as rock, or even harder!" And despondently, I started to walk toward the door, but I must have looked defeated because I heard Shaykh Jarudi: "Why don't you complete it? Complete the verse!"

   I looked at him, but before I could respond, he proceeded to complete the Qur'anic passage himself: "For there are rocks that are porous through which streams flow, and there are rocks that crumble down in awe of God. And God does not fail to observe what you do."

   I stared at the shaykh, looking stupefied or perhaps stunned - I am not sure which! He commented rather matter-of-factly: "Son, even at our hardest - even when our hearts become hard as rockm good - like the water - still comes, and even among the most obstinately arrogant, at a single unexpected moment, we fall to our knees in love! If water can come through the hardest of rocks, you think God cannot come through 

the most forgetful of souls and the hardest of hearts?"

________________________________________

                    

Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. For indeed, there are stones from which rivers burst forth, and there are some of them that split open and water comes out, and there are some of them that fall down for fear of Allah . And Allah is not unaware of what you do.

[2:74]

Process

Obscure corners shy away from the light,
unable to see when it shines too brightly,
too comfortably settled in the dark place.

With constancy and persistent patience,
bits of shadow fall apart to light in place,
shades of black to grey and then to white,

Not too fast or it will run away quick,
slow-paced but methodically urgent,
forceful waltzing of light to shadow,

I can feel the corners enlightening now,
purposeful light blaze with comforting warmth,
in time all will be lit in white as it should be.

No good thing comes easy,

Pounds of earth await the seed sown in darkness,

Blazing fire and crushing hammer tempers steel,

Force crushing bone give rise to even stronger bone.

So too must Man go through the same fate,

To rise above the dark desires of his Nature,

To suffer blazing fire that he may be purified,

To batter his Soul against itself to emerge stronger,

For truly, no good thing comes easy.

The symphony of the world is heard clearly above the din of the chaos and life,

Nature brings with it the peace of Life fulfilled and dedicated to purposeful existence,

A tree grows no higher than it has to, a leaf falls not when it is not time, and all is in order.

How could I have not heard it before, the beautiful orchestra of creation laying in beautiful silence.

Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire. 

[3:191]