Love is the essence
Some time ago I heard the Jordan Smith song “Only love”. Smith suggests that only love can save us. The song asks why we refuse to learn from our errors? The song epitomises the condition in which humanity finds itself as a collective.
Jalal ad-Din Rumi the 13th-century Persian poet, scholar, theologian and Sufi mystic wrote that the essence of creation and the universe personifies love. Rumi held that our Creator is love and love is also a universal, intrinsic human quality and the basis of all natural existence.
Rumi advised that from time to time we have to lose what we have; to unearth who we truly are. We must give up who we are to become that which we need to be. Thus the Creator permits hardship so that we learn and evolve to a higher self. Thus those who seek truth, will find truth.
The Corona virus is a lesson. As humans we must reflect on what we thought was historically usual behaviour. Most lost freedom of association and movement, many lost their livelihood whilst others died. As a collective humanity fears what tomorrow might bring, possibly illness, poverty and death.
We must learn that only the Creator is perfect. Humans make mistakes because we are created weak. Thus we need to be reminded to seek the Creators mercy, we must learn humility. We must be honest about what we want and who we are. We must believe that we are meant to live a life of passion but also be realistic. Since it is better to pursue what captures the heart, not what catches the eyes, we must learn to listen to our souls or else we will repeat our own mistakes.
The rich must realize that the poor are not inferior. We share this earth and need each other. Those who have resources, material, intellectual or spiritual have a duty to assist. It is in our collective interest to help others. The Creator is interested in our efforts. Why else did God create rich and poor? God could have made everyone rich, but chose disparity to give the chance to show humanity. The poor has the duty to uplift themselves and not spread their self-destruction and dependence.
We cannot go back to the way things were. We cannot accept the inequality, the inhumanity the degradation of some for the benefit of others. This virus is a warning, it could be the beginning of our evolution from selfish, indifferent individuals towards a conscious dignified collective.
If we did not learn gratitude for life and love from the Corona lockdown, then what did we learn?
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress