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
