The Real Business why we are here

My riches consist not in the extent of my possessions, but in the fewness of my wants
—J. Brotherton

A broken jug. An old rush mat. A brick for a pillow. Such were the possessions of Rabi’ah Adawiyah. A person would grieve at such deprivation, but Rabi’ah would accept nothing more. Her poverty was self-chosen, a vehicle for a message proclaiming complete submission and dependence on the God she served.

To Rabi’ah, poverty was not the enemy. She was asserting another scale of values. Austerity and simplicity had marked the life of the Prophet s.a.w and his companions. Muhammad s.a.w himself had just one cushion in his room, stuffed with palm leaves, and gave it to his guests while he sat on the floor.

For Rabi’ah, the real business of life was a total concentration on the love of God. Gratitude, so strong a note in her life, must be for the Giver, not the gift. She rebuffed anything that could distract her, and her refusal of any form of comfort is ascribed to this motive. One day she was persuaded to replace the rags she wore, and sent a servant to buy a piece of cloth. The man turned round as he went and asked, “What colour?”. This was too much for Rabi’ah, and so she snatched back the dirhams and threw them in the Tigris. “How did colour come into the business?” she said.

Be Content: Just Be

If you would make a man happy, do not add to his possessions but subtract from the sum of his desires
- Lucius Annaeus Seneca -

To a man who reviled the world, Rabi’ah Adawiyah said, “You love the world very dearly. You talk about it so much”.

Then to a man who talk about prayers, she said, “You are a good man, but for the fact that you love the world, you love reciting traditions” The man was deeply moved, and started praying that God might be satisfied with his work. To this, Rabi’ah said, “Are you not ashamed to seek the contentment of One with Whom you yourself are not content?”

People Get Ready

People get ready, there's a train a comin'

You don't need no baggage, you just get on board

All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'

You don't need no ticket you just thank the lord

-People Get Ready by Curtis Mayfield, 1965-

Aptly themed Songs of Inspiration, the American Idol show of last night showcased Crystal Bowersox (pic'd) in her most emotional performance. Singing People Get Ready, a song I first heard from Jeff Beck's 1985 record with Rod Stewart on vocals, Bowersox managed to inspire the audience to have their own interpretation of the song.

And my interpretation is this - That "train-a-coming" is our death. The "diesels humming" is the sound of Angel Azrael's wings. So, "people get ready", as we need to go. We "don't need no baggage" because nothing in this world belongs to us. All we need to get ready is to be thankful.