exploring the signs on the horizons and in ourselves
This text is an English translation of a Khutba (sermon) given in Spanish by Sidi Hashim Cabrera, specifically Khutba 4 from the book ‘Khutbas of Dar-as-Salam’. The Quranic translations are by Muhammad Asad, but I have done the translation from Spanish myself and am responsible for any errors. I have left many of the key Arabic terms untranslated, as per the original sermon. A key term is ‘maqaam’ meaning ‘spiritual station’. Another key term is ’nafs’ meaning ‘soul’.
Before light there was Light - invisible, previsible. Moses asked to see the Light but how could he see with eyes? Light beyond light, Light beyond eyes.
Light’s mercy was to create shadow so that we might see light - a pale, obscure, wavering reflection.
Light’s mercy was to create eyes so that we might see yellow, red and blue. Light’s mercy was to create green so that we might see Beauty.
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June 2008
A Swiss couple on vacation in India found a beautiful picture in a store. They bought it, and in order to protect the picture the store-keeper rolled it up and slotted it into a long cardboard tube.
The couple continued to travel around India and so for the rest of their journey they had to carry the tube everywhere they went. It was long and awkward, and they were forever trying to protect it, to stop it getting bent or dented as they climbed into buses, or clambered out of rickshaws.
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