To start with, it’s very tempting to put my half baked thoughts through Claude (the free model) and it gives a fully formed post. But as some people suggest, I will restrain, so this is only with Google Docs autocorrect (2nd pass with harper-ls).
First, I do not go to extremes. Case in point: though I am a practicing Muslim, I do not force my sect’s view on others. The most important decision was my marriage, and I never ask which sect my wife subscribes to. It turned out to be a complex mix, with my father-in-law being a practicing Barelvi. A few posts ago I wrote that I also went to Hajj with them. Of course when I say I do not force my worldview on them, it does not mean I am open to concepts that contradict my beliefs. My silence is not acceptance of your acts; it’s just your way, and I am on mine.
Second, I often write that hindsight is a dangerous thing, it is not that I never think of scenarios where things were different (double negative I know), but I refrain and say it is God’s will. Why am I noting things here, remember the audience of one. It is for me to not look back or lament, but to stay firm on concepts which sustain peace in my life.
Third, I am teaching my wife how to drive. Yesterday she got her learner’s license and today she took the car to the market. We took some trips before this one, but now she can legally drive, though we do not have an L marked on the car. She was driving good today until a guy talking on the phone decided to cross the road without looking, she braked abruptly and a bike wala hit the car. I convinced her that repairs will cost 5k which she said she will pay, but I couldn’t contain my laugh.
The bumpers are already repaired a couple of times until a major repair is due; these things just add up. The other day I hit a stray dog, and the front bumper cracked a little. The dog was fine and it just ran away, again the bumper was already weak.
Reflecting on the last post I rambled that Urdu text does not add context, but there was a contradiction that I have not read much in Urdu, well I have not read much in English either. But at that time the English text was giving me context much faster than the Urdu one, so don’t take my words literally.
Also, on following Ihya Ulum al-Din the core philosophical concepts did not start in the audiobook, so it was easy to follow. I know when the core concepts will come I will need lots of AI searches to get to the core, and on religion you need a teacher more than AI. So here is the 3rd refrain. I don’t know how much I can contain myself from writing about religion. But, as this is a blog, and it is normally meant for me to reflect and grow. I will keep airing my rambling. It makes me cautious in real life, when you put things in public it is as if you add a stencil to a projector, things lit up and you see through your shortcomings.
Last, I saw a post on Instagram (I know taking directions on matters of deen from the internet is dangerous but this one just melts the heart). “Was not Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam tested more than you? Did he not bury his beloved wife? Did he not lose his noble uncle?” and it lists all the hardships in Arabic. It really humbles the heart. Surely, it reminds of the hadith where Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam mentions that he was tested more than any prophet. I recall, in a bayan someone told if you feel heavy from life, remember what our Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam went through and how he prevailed. People also say reading Sura Yousuf brings heart to its place.
That’s it for this week, it is still so tempting to put this to AI, but I will refrain.