"Part of someone's being a good Muslim is his leaving alone that which does not concern him."
Abu Hurairah
I am taking a break from the short story, as I was reading Hadith last night and came across this very short but very wise admonition. I thought about this for a long time, and I realized I need to work on this issue, not only to be a better Muslim, but for my very peace of mind. The key for me is not that I occupy myself with things that I don't think concern me, but that I do occupy myself with things that should not concern me but do. As a matter of fact, these things might be the most difficult for me to deal with.
Letting go of things, of issues is sometimes very difficult for me. I can let them go, let them be, but they cause me ongoing pain nonetheless. Opening up and trusting is not something I do naturally, and when I do invest I am not sure I am prepared to let go. I know how to leave them alone, but not how to remove their presence from my heart. This is what I want to learn from this Hadith, leaving those things alone emotionally. Perhaps it is just an ugly selfishness that tries to keep some sort of remnant near.
Relationships are no different. I have let someone go, have left her alone, have truly wished the best for her, but the pain of her loss never leaves me. I feel no pangs of jealousy, nor do I ever, even for a moment, feel like striking out at her. I don't focus on where she is, who she is with, anything like that, only the space deep in my heart that was occupied by her love that now echos with the sad melodies of memories that can only resurrect her warmth for moments at a time. It sounds pathetic, but perhaps I cannot even let that go. This is what the Hadith speaks to me, letting that last bit go, the thing that I no longer deserve, the thing that should no longer concern me.
I will work on this, and I will pray for the strength to let go of this last stubborn bit of loss.
Abu Hurairah
I am taking a break from the short story, as I was reading Hadith last night and came across this very short but very wise admonition. I thought about this for a long time, and I realized I need to work on this issue, not only to be a better Muslim, but for my very peace of mind. The key for me is not that I occupy myself with things that I don't think concern me, but that I do occupy myself with things that should not concern me but do. As a matter of fact, these things might be the most difficult for me to deal with.
Letting go of things, of issues is sometimes very difficult for me. I can let them go, let them be, but they cause me ongoing pain nonetheless. Opening up and trusting is not something I do naturally, and when I do invest I am not sure I am prepared to let go. I know how to leave them alone, but not how to remove their presence from my heart. This is what I want to learn from this Hadith, leaving those things alone emotionally. Perhaps it is just an ugly selfishness that tries to keep some sort of remnant near.
Relationships are no different. I have let someone go, have left her alone, have truly wished the best for her, but the pain of her loss never leaves me. I feel no pangs of jealousy, nor do I ever, even for a moment, feel like striking out at her. I don't focus on where she is, who she is with, anything like that, only the space deep in my heart that was occupied by her love that now echos with the sad melodies of memories that can only resurrect her warmth for moments at a time. It sounds pathetic, but perhaps I cannot even let that go. This is what the Hadith speaks to me, letting that last bit go, the thing that I no longer deserve, the thing that should no longer concern me.
I will work on this, and I will pray for the strength to let go of this last stubborn bit of loss.
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