Islam - not "interesting" ??

Dont get me wrong .. im not an Imam or a Sheikh or anyone on the lowest rung of the Islamic knowledge ladder. But im working on it ...

This blog (since im not worthy to write a book on the subject) is about lots of people i've met in my real life, actually not just "any" people, my own relatives ... who have been "big" in their peak of life ... Many a time, after talks with them or with someone else abt them, i've realised that the things they have done were based on "instincts" ... and they've completely immersed themselves ONLY in things they've found interesting.

If they were education imparters, its coz they luvd their job or "the respect" they gained from it. If they were social servants, they enjoyed every inch of making others happy or "the luv n praise" they got in return. If they were into politics they worked their guts out for the betterment of life of their folks and neighbourhood. That wud be bcoz they wanted to see their people reach heights or coz they wanted to be "the reason" for the development of others.

Whatever apparent service objective u take, there wud be some "other" drive involved, some buttoned-up green-eyed motive (i wudnt say always). Whatever it is, they wud find something interesting in what they did or what came after it (the laurels maybe) ...

In the morning i called up my grandpa's (mom's dad) brother .. "just called to tell u that i'll be coming over for Eid (Eid Al-Adha) .. and Oh ! I also have that book u asked me to search for." A book about Islam that my brother borrowed to read once. But why would he want the book back? As far as i know, this would be the last book a person like him would want to read.

He was a big shot during his peak, whose power n fame haven't faded out as yet, except within his family .... This person normally has literature for breakfast, history n biographies for lunch and world news or politics for dinner. The man hogs on books rather than food. If he took a trip from Kayamkulam way up to Ernakulam alone in a car, he'd probably come back with his car full. "Aaaah, u see there was this book fair on the way and ...". Thats him. But mind you, this isn't any ordinary shit he reads. The best of the best, only the classiest, most premium composition find their way to his shelf.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP ... Okay, now its time for some un-buttering .. Though the Almighty has showered this man with every gud thing possible, i dont think he has been gratifying the Lord to the required extent. Forget "required", he has even tried to get people off-track at times or so it seemed ... im no one to judge.

The reason was clear to me only sometime back, when i was talking to him abt his depth in everything else other than religion. He opened up (the thing he does least) and was talking abt his life to me. How his brother (my grandfather) was so much into religion when he was into books. He didn't have anyone to teach him the importance of religion, the place it should have in his life (he does seem to regret all that now). Anyway, it kind of made sense and thats maybe why Allah the Most Merciful has given him a chance to repent for what he did (since he did it unknowingly??)

After such an eventful life, he "HAD" to settle down coz of his diabetes that had affected his legs so much that he couldn't walk. His family started to nibble on his authority, his wife went out-n-out domineering and his son kinda started to ignore him and was probably using the chance he got to work his way to becoming the next family head.

Thats when he told me about this book he casually came across sitting in his shelf (probably the only book that he ignored for years) and finally started reading it. It was "Islam ... Oru Samagra Padanam". He read a few pages and "Okay boy, not my cup of tea ... if i go any further, i'll doze off ... Now i know why it stayed all dusty in my shelf."

So u see, this layman in Islam hadn't found the book "interesting". Or even if he was purposely avoiding it, how do u think such a person would ever find his way to even an Ayah of the Qur'an? Now thats my whole big point. This thought struck me in the morning today just as i hung up after a talk with him.

Islamic education should be made more interesting that people who want to become part of the REAL Muslim world should be encouraged and not discouraged. Teaching methods should change. It isn't a rule that everything should be taught outright serious from the very start (even though the issue is).

Interesting books on Islam should be released. Books that educate people lightly ... lovingly ... SLOWLY find a place in their heart ... bring them onto the learning track ... and then gradually but permanently pull them into the REAL world ... take them to the very depths of this life and the life in the hereafter ... slowly but surely make them aware of their duties and responsibilities as a Muslim ...

... tune them in ... shape them completely, so finely, that they have a lasting effect on the coming generations as well ... they know what to teach the next gen, how to bring them up in the right spirit ... luv all ... no fights ... not even grudges ... and slowly the whole world will be in love ... "at peace" ... which is what "Islam" actually means.

Man, that was some prose ... actually its a thought that maybe lurking in other minds as well.. i have a lot to learn myself, Insha Allah, hope all this happens soon ... and Astaghfirullah, if what i said is wrong in anyway, I hope it doesnt mislead anyone to not going to Islam at all, just coz it doesn't seem "interesting" ...