In the name of Allah, the most merciful to all of His creation and specifically to those who love Him, we read. For too long we have taken that first command in the final piece of divine communication for granted. We are proud that it is in "our" book, but applying it to our lives seems to get demoted on the priority list of our semi-functional daily routines.
The First Command
For centuries now, we have left the reading to others, other groups, other faiths, other people, and it was indeed their gain. He told us to read in His name, and He didn't tell us what to read, on two accounts in those first five verses. The second time He said "read and your Lord is the most generous", just read, everything and anything, and you will receive all that you ever dreamed of.
He was right. Once we read, using the broader meaning of the term; to read, learn, analyze, share, and gather information, the figurative meaning of the word read. Once we did that, the world changed forever. We figured out the laws that govern the universe, improved medicine, utilized energy sources, protected ourselves from harsh weather conditions, invented efficient transportation, and learned how to make technology serve our lives. The human race made astronomical advances in every field, and it is those who continue to read, that continue to do so.
The Discourse of Knowledge
Someone must write in order for another to read. Then the one who reads will write in response for others to read, they in return will do the same, and so on. This is the discourse of knowledge, the sharing of ideas and thoughts, this is where we all grow.
Our Legacy
We are here for such a short amount of time. Being born is standing in line for a turn to get on a ride, and then -if we're lucky- we get around 80 laps around the sun. Once they're done, once the ride is over, we are too. The universe has been around for 14 billion years. Our entire existence is a cosmic blink of an eye, very soon all of us will no longer be.
Reading, writing, sharing, discussing, this is our legacy. This is how others will know we were once here. We have the opportunity to tell our stories, express our ideas and feelings, and share with those who will come after us how we were and what our lives were like. Conversations that travel through time, documentations of our short existence on this blue and green planet, this why He said "taught you with the pen" in those profound initial five verses.
Today we are able to appreciate, more than ever before, the depth and impact of these early teachings. It is precisely for this reason that it is difficult for me to accept and understand how little we read as an Ummah. I know this because I spend time with people, talking to them and listening to them. I know that our youth do not have the culture of reading, and that if they do read, their choices are usually disappointing.
Reading gives us the opportunity to witness other people's experiences and thoughts. Through reading we are able to enter the lives and minds of others, allowing us to live beyond our own lives and stretch greater than our means. What is seeking knowledge -one of the grandest acts of worship- other than organized reading? It saddens me how few book clubs there are in our community, how rare it is for two younger people to discuss pieces of literature they read or articles they thought were meaningful. You don't have to be academically oriented to perform this honorable act of obedience. It is, however, the best part of my day and the reason I do what I do, when I see two or three individuals reading a book together, discussing the content, or teaching each other something they learned. It gives meaning to the work we do.
A Culture Shift
Over the years, I have come to realize that we speak about our religion, countries, and politics with our emotions, and not through reason. This is why most of our gatherings end with loud voices, red faces, and sometimes severed relationships.
"Reading" was a culture shift for that first generation of men and women who listened to the forty year old Quraishi man challenge the norms and status quo of his time -peace be upon him. It changed how they were going to think and deal with the world around them, how they would talk about issues and topics, how they viewed other people and their opinions, and how they built their own convictions and beliefs. This was powerfully refreshing for them, and at the same time, very different from what others were doing.
The better argument always won. The goal was not to be right, but to find out what was right. What was said mattered, not who said it. Value was applied to the strength of the idea and not to the status of the one who pitched it. To "read" meant to see their egos for what they were, barriers between themselves and growth. This shaped their characters and polished the lens through which they understood the world.
Moving Forward
We can regain that which we have lost, as an Ummah, which I confess is a lot, and too much to fit into this short rant. However, the process of regaining it must start with a culture shift, we must "read" again. We have to stop passing judgement, sticking to our opinions without periodic scrutiny, deciding on our own what others think, feel, or want, and investing our egos in our choices and decisions. This is what "reading" changes for us, if we allow it to.
This publication is our small attempt to contribute something to the world. We hope to share through it the thoughts and experiences of our minority Muslim community that lives in a simple city most will confuse with the originally named one. There may only be a few of us, and we may not be that significant in the grand scheme of things, but we can try to tell our stories, document our challenges, and add something of value. I invite you all to read, learn, analyze, think, contemplate, and if at all possible, contribute.
May we embrace the culture of Iqra' as the Divine intended for us, and may we find, through doing that, all we ever hoped for come true. Hopefully my Khutbahs will become more mellow as I let out some of my ideas in writing. Enjoy our first edition and give us feedback, and until we meet again, peace be with you. Salam.