Author: Charlene Marie Muhammad
May 2017
Prayer is better than sleep.
In my romantic muses about the early morning songs of nature, I envision these creatures to be the truly devoted callers of the Adhan or Morning Prayer- coaxing we early risers to meet that first glimpse of sunlight and love with reverent thanks and praises.
What pride I have in my ability to awaken at the first chirps of the chickadees who’s peeping sounds appear to be 20 times the size of its being.
Reality has a way of defusing romantic fantasy. The assortment of ornithological species in my neighborhood that rise up for dawn calls have different modus operandi than I concocted in my head. These birds –no matter how small- are flexing their mighty voices to attract a mate. These are mostly of the male species, beginning the day singing their little hearts out to attract a female. The “early bird gets the worm” – probably meant “womb.” For the loudest and most brazen of chirpers wins the booty.
The master think tankers behind the social media phenom “Twitter” envisioned a platform for “short burst of inconsequential information” like the “nonsensical chirping of birds.” Tweeting like Twerking, appeared to be for fun! In the current reality, we are experiencing the depth of that alternative fact. Tweeting these days by the loudest and most brazen amongst mankind is quickly proving to be most consequential, and like twerking exposing the depths of our immorality in search of some booty.
Everything matters.
Yet by God’s Grace, we all have something to say.
The Divine opportunity of the early morning salutation binds us to our nature. We are given a platform to offer our tweets in harmony with the energy of the life-giving sun.
The Mu’adhdhin’s urgent reminder that Prayer is better than sleep, is a daily wake up call that life is consequential. The blessed Opening Prayer- el Fatiha- albeit more than 140 characters- does provide us with 72 words for reconnecting our human character to its root: humility.
Human. Humble. Hum….
El-Fatiha
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
All praise is to Allah, Lord of all the worlds
Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Master of the Day of Judgment
You Alone do we worship and You Alone do we ask for help
Guide us to the straight path
The Path of those on whom you bestowed Your bounties
Not the path of those who incurred Your wrath or those who went astray.
(Quran 1:1-7)
Amen.
