will continue, writing rather quickly

Because I did not get to finish The Islamic Tradition I want to put down the passages I underlined in case I do never get back to this book. I like to use my books; to write, underline, fold them because books are real and most of all interactive. So to memorize the essence of what I have taken so far from this book I want to copy these captions.

In addition to required beliefs and rituals, the faithful are called upon to practice virtues such as charity, humility, patience, contentment, and sincerity, as a means to reforming their moral character. The beliefs, the rites, and the moral reformation were deemed to purify the soul of man and to lead to salvation at the hour of death through entrance into Paradise. The Hells were reserved for those who lived in disbelief, impeity, and immorality.

Muhammad's mission, as both a Prophet who foretold future events and a Messenger who founded a new religion...

As we shall see later in greater detail, the Qur'an was revealed in piecemeal fashion to the Prophet over a long period of time.

That being so, revelation is, among other things, a reminder sent to those who have forgotten the true nature of the One:"We have not revealed thee ths Qur'an," Muhammad is told, "that thou shouldst be distressed, but only as a Reminder to those who fear, and as a revelation from Him who created the earth and the loftly heavens, the Compassionate, who is established on the Throne"

The One is above the world and its imperfections; it is within the world but not of it.

So Islam, in this respect, recognizes the validity of pre-Islamic revelations and recognizes other Prophets and Messengers, apart from Muhammad, also has celestial support of their missions on earth.

By rigorous mental discipline, they eliminated within themselves even the subtle shirk that is like an interior obstacle, or set of obstacles, blocking their path from towards perfect spiritual Tawhid.

The spiritual extinction of the ego is a logical consequence of Tawhid and an aspiration of the Sufis.

This is illogical; therefore the illusory ego, the human "I" has to go. In some respects Sufism is the art or science of eliminating the self or the "I" in order that the Divine Ego or Self may shine through the purified psychophysical nature of man.

With this in mind, we grasp why shirk is the cardinal sin in Islam- all others are forgiven.

wuthering

It is all on an account of an insecurity. That makes me want to cry. For why? - Why must I speak out of self discontented woe? For I know myself so little that I try to find my reflection in others. My words are in others. My words are their words. When I say my I mean you and when I say you, do I mean you? Who am I to make such a jest? All I want, all I’ve wanted, is a fact, a known fact of who I am to be; a fact of prosperity or at least content. When the other little girls were asking for money or designer purses, I would pray for happiness because I had already experienced a place of such deep self loathing. I never thought I would live this long. And I don’t think for a period of time that my parents or the doctors did either. I never wanted to live this long. As a child I saw my life as a dead end line of fast experiences ending in a fast way. I was rushing to the end and now that I by some shame have lived passed that rush I’ve been living in neutral hoping for a force to kick me back up again. Back again- back under. I see myself more clearly now in the mirror. Remnants of the disease of mis-figure are beginning to become a more distant memory and my reflection has cleared to show me who I am. I am the same person I hated so much when this all began. I see the same things, the same measures falling just short of what I want. Just short but far enough to never make it. I will never have a healthy mind. I feel too much of whom I am to ever have moments outside myself. I have stripped myself bare of all exterior layers and lived for an extended amount of time naked. Once you have seen yourself you can never escape what you know you did. Can I ever get out of my mind? No.
I am at a point where I can feel his hand on my body and for once I know that he can be enough. That if there is any hope for me it is outside- outside of my world of words of worlds- and he is it. His honesty is piercing yet correct. His words are sometimes not enough but just what I need. He doesn’t treat me like I thought I deserved but I find myself okay. I love him more for he sees me as a person while everyone else I know has known me for sick. I can never make him understand but on some levels I don’t want him to. I just hope with any distinct amount of will of future in me that he and I last.

dare you

I do not create paradoxal words of wisdom. I can not write a self to discover a self. I can not write structure. I dont write a being as a mere breath in a plot of time. I can not recreate that way. I see shadows, shadows are my words of writing. I see breaths that represent my thoughts. I am halted by periods and graphs- pictures and symbols called grammar. I am stopped by my own limitations of skill. I am lost in a journey of finding my soul. I can not understand a day to day tick of time but I do understand how one can manipulate words to create images. Intangible images. Painters are to meant to recreate the tangible, writers are meant to write about the beyond.

We have not met in awhile. Hello my little coke doll.
Ashamed, I rise.
I was not expecting you till late.
My lips, parched petals, a rose. Pursed open by your silken touch.
I was not expecting you till late.
Only you, my little coke doll.
Don't say that.
Only you.
Don't say that.
Why?
Because I don't know who I am. Because this is not about you.
Black legs unending, wrapped around forever. Interwoven at the waist in your overabundance and my lack thereof.
You are wearing your mask.
I never took it off.
Lose yourself, do not speak.
Shy.
The rose opens, you pull out the silken string. I was choking on it. Your too good. I like your taste.
Don't speak.
Shy.
But I have to.
Close your eyes and do what you always dreamed.
I'm alone there.
There is too much space. Spider legs wrapped closer, my jaws open to clench yours.
You never took off your mask. My little coke doll. I can see through you.
I was working hard on that.
Could you grab me?
I open my eyes, your fingers are wet.
Don't speak.
My rose opens, pull out your silken string. You taste so good. Too good.
I'll lose you when the lights fade.
Don't speak.
Shy. Space weighs too heavy with time. I clench closer.
I'll lose you when the night fades.
I never took off my mask
Why?
I don't know who I am.
My little coke doll Emaciate yourself.

our fathers brought forth

I am angered, increasingly, by a lot of things within this new election. Voting. To vote or not to vote is American. We have the choice to go either way and to say not voting is un-American is ignorance to the original ideals our country was founded on. Our Founding Fathers did not want all of us to vote. To see the common people, so to speak, voting as we are now would scare them and move them to further action. White men, who could vote, only made up 1/4 of the total population of white males. Jews, Catholics, Minorities, and women were excluded also from the voting mix. We are a country founded on the beliefs of a Republican Democracy, because originally for us Democracy failed. It failed miserably. If you do not believe me simply look at the Articles of Federation. Women have only been able to vote in the last 88 years. So for anyone to say voting is your American God born right, you are wrong.
For people to vote just because they can is a waste. I would rather go with our Founding Fathers and only have a selected few vote than have a ignorant vote count towards our country. To have voted because one is Republican and the other Democrat or because Barack Obama is black and you are too, is another example of an ignorant vote. To split a ballot and then have a write in of Chuck Norris or Mickey Mouse (which gets 3,000 write ins each year) is also ignorant. I do not understand.
To not vote because you do not like either candidate and feel you must choose between the lesser of the two evils is a cop out. America is not a two party system and to say that your vote wont count if you vote for a third party is contradicting those founding ideals so many preach. You want a Democracy, you got it, now make an educated write in and vote for a third party if you do not like the Democratic or Republican candidate.
To not vote because you feel that it is man trying to substitute God is a confusion. Voting is not a replacement of God and to believe so shows insecurity. God is above all else but in all else and voting will not replace him unless you already have a doubt seeded in your mind about him.
Not voting because you do not like our government is wrong. Voting has nothing to do with the core of the problems in our government and perhaps those who think so should redirect their attention to detail.

The young will vote to make their difference, the old will vote to accept the change.

Movie night

I couldn't write this again. I tried. When I saw you in my door frame. Each captivated in images projected on a screen. I scream for freedom, windows too small, roof does not reach up high enough. I could break that space, touch your finger tips, and crawl for my sins. Your voice penetrates my ear to my brain and makes my heart beat ever faster. I just want to be your lover, and you, your friend. I try to remember all that I wanted to be. If I could stay in that space forever, could I? Just because I wouldn't be anywhere but there. I wouldn't matter. I could be enough for no one. That's enough, for me. I want his touch, not yours- present one. I want his love, not yours- present one. I could want him forever.
I want to drown my sorrows out of a pixel of thought, forefront in all other extremities. I could afford to be absent from me. It might be beneficial for us all. But I want to be better for you. Only you.