Shaykh Abdullah Hakim Quick, who is proud to state that he was 'son' of former slaves. in this khutbah, finally 'joins' the dotted lines between happiness and contentment with the unlikely state of suffering, forbearance and 'sabar'[ endurance] in the down and out of previous soceities in the past.....Sons, daughters and ancesteors of former slaves, and slaves who endured the burden of suffering from 'bad and awful' white men from the West whose watch word was 'plunder and rob' the yellows , the black and the sawo matang' of the East and the Far East.
Indeed the white men of the West had and has been bad news from time immemorial till the present time.
Before it was trying to free the impoverished, uncultured 'indians' from false gods and demigods and introduce to the cleansing vision of Jesus Christ Superstar and the nebulous concept of Trinity.
....now in more modern times: in the name of democracy, female emancipation and human rights.
Before it was the Knights of the Templer, East India Company and the much hated Dutch VOC
Now in the guise of NATO, UN and UN security council resolutions, NGO's and what have you.
At the end of the day, with respect to contentment/happiness, as the shaykh concedes, we come one whole circle:
It not about any profound psychological endpoints; neither is it about a healthy body with a thick fat bank balance; or a young beautiful wife waiting at home in a nice big bungalow.
It is about sabar, endurance, ridza, cognizance of revealed wisdom.
It is about returning to HIM.
It is about returning to HIM.
Hasan al Basri, a tabi'in sufi saint endeared and respected by millions during his time put it simply for the poor and the unschooled of his time, a definitive 'trinity' of sort :
Reading the quran,
Constant remembrance of HIM through zikr,
and the obligatory prayers.....fullstop.
He was a great philosopher and thinker of his time and he could go on and on and write volumes.
But his prescription was simply practical.......a product of 'experiential Islam.
But his prescription was simply practical.......a product of 'experiential Islam.
Otherwise happiness and contentment can only be the monopoly of the elites, the rich and famous and those with high iq's.
God is great and at the same time most merciful and compassionate.....anyone , just anyone can be happy [ or sad, it is a double edged sword ! ] be he a poor road sweeper, a slave, a 'pm' or mrs 'pm', or a mighty king with millions at his beck and call.
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