Our Purpose Exposed

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Originally Published on the Hartfordfavs.com

 


On Thanksgiving, this Muslim American gave thanks for enjoying religious freedom in America. The first pilgrims to the New World, the Puritans, wearing their traditional bonnets and trousers, fled an intolerant Europe. Today, in places like France, Muslim women are banned from wearing headscarves in public places.

constantly escaping into the enrapturing embrace
we wonder why only after tasting beguile’s burn
we realize at last; retreating back home
always was the sole quenching of dissatisfaction

recklessly craving novel fleeting excitement
hastily overlooking the secretly hidden source
freely offering expanding power and intensifying ecstasy
remaining ever so calm, meek and patient

every passion intimately exuberates from
and primitively restores to the deserving abiding origin
whose unbiased generous providence authors
and warmly encompasses all entities and realms

unstoppable benevolence fueling unconditional love
reminding us of our brave father and tender mother
manifestly overpowering yet alluringly veiled
we find you dearer yes closer than our essence

each day’s caliber dawns unrivalled from the last
fattening hubris exuding from worthy dominion
we mount beholding catastrophically ignored obligations
laughing scarcely, lamenting profusely, we awake to reality

vehemently moaning our confession; “sovereignty is not ours”
we strive in surrendering convenient illusions
until we hunger enough to unlock evolution;
we liberate through service not enslave by force

desperate for accruing guidance we drag along
the burden crushing us amidst the unending quest
ease never more distant, the pressure ever piercing
suddenly rising, we fly after summoning our passion, our love
ascending to wed our majesty’s charm, we advance still
transforming at every pleasurable elevation without diversion
transcending obstruction, opportunity is reborn
we have forgotten how to fall, even rest has become absurd

-Zahir Muhammad Mannan

About the author

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Zahir Muhammad Mannan

Zahir Mannan is the Head Teacher and Administrative Associate at the Early Learning Program, Inc. at Central Connecticut State University, and a previous Associate Research Scientist at Yale University School of Medicine. He leads a weekly Holy Quran study group at Baitul Aman "House of Peace" Mosque in Meriden, CT, where he also teaches an advanced Holy Quran class for Tahir Academy. He has served the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in diverse capacities including national follow-up coordinator for 1-800-WHY-ISLAM, local Youth President, local Interfaith Outreach Director, local Holy Quran Education and Temporary Devotion Director, and local Youth Publication Director.

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