BASICS

MY BELIEVER BASELINE

1. To believe is to seek knowledge and change my mind and actions when the evidence is clear.
2. To believe is to struggle to abolish relational hierarchies of domination.
3. To believe is to seek signs of Truth that exist in me, each other, and in the world, not just in verses.
4. To believe is to not justify cruelty, oppression and exclusion in the name of an All-Compassionate Creator.
5. To believe is to not worship, prioritise, or devote myself to any modern construct or human power above the Source.

These are the beliefs that inform my values and the way I struggle in the world.

1. To believe is to seek knowledge and change our minds and actions when the evidence is clear.

I disavow narrow, literal, and sectarian readings of the Qur'ān. Muslims believe the Qur'ān is an instance of Divine disclosure revealed in 7th century Arabia that is meant for all times and ages. Surely this means accepting that some of its signs can only be understood in later times. As collective knowledge of Reality grows— and we must increase our knowledge (20:114)— we cannot cling to past interpretations of a matter if evidence in the present is clear. Muhammadﷺ in his final speech to his followers even said of his struggle that "all those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and it may be that the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly." The end of Islamic prophecy is an invitation for each of us to be caretakers and ethical agents of social change. We must use our reason and current location in human history to adjust our positions in the face of clear evidence, and use that knowledge to struggle for justice. I write to connect revelation and reason, to be part of a dynamic and living Islam.

2. To believe is to struggle to abolish relational hierarchies of domination.

I do not believe that faith can be meaningfully assigned at birth, only chosen later in life as a state of engaged surrender and translating one's spiritual growth into physical commitments. I write not to preach to non-Muslims or lead Muslims astray, but to express myself and share notes from my study practice. It is not possible for over a billion Muslims to agree with each other. But I hope we can at least agree that because A!!ah is a Singularity that cannot be divided yet created everything, that everything radiates from one Source and participates in A!!ah's unity. This means no matter how it seems externally, ultimate separation between Creator and creature or one and another is internally just an illusion. To accept A!!ah's presence is to understand that there can only be a non-hierarchical relationship of horizontal (or equal) reciprocity between us all. It is not the Beloved who wrongs people, people wrong themselves, through control and domination. Our fundamental enemy is the virus that corrupts our desires and transforms us into mini-gods. I hold to the motivation mortal messenger Muhammadﷺ had of a more loving world for women and children.

3. To believe is to seek signs of Truth that exist in you and the world, not just in verses.

I write because I was asked to convey a verse. Hopefully it may benefit someone else, wandering back but anxious about befriending divine revelation. But I always say that signs of Truth exist in ourselves too— in nature and in people— and not just in the Qur'ān and Sunnah (41:53, 45:3-4, 51:20-21). Although the Qur'ān is the primary source of Islam, it is not our only way of knowing. There are verses of knowledge from here out to the cosmos and deep within the universe of our own bodies. So our journeys contain signs for all to learn from in explorations of compassion, spirituality, and solidarity. In all our intense diversity, the Beloved only distinguishes between us on the basis of something no human is able to truly perceive in others (3:179, 49:13). There are inevitable consequences for our relationships with care, power, and supremacy. Pride and arrogance must be strongly condemned (39:60, 39:72, 40:35). Surely we will be held accountable for how confidently we dominated and alienated each other.

4. To believe is to not justify cruelty, oppression and exclusion in the name of the Beloved Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim.

A theology of rejection and persecution is incompatible with belief in an All-Compassionate God. The Divine Creator forefronted Their chosen names of ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim; Rahman is used to refer to A!!ah throughout the Qur’an in a way that no other of Their 99 Names (Asma ul-Husna) are. Because it is no mistake that Rahma is foregrounded, when we consider all possible meanings of a verse or hadith, we must choose the one that displays the most Rahma. Rahma grounds the basic principles of Quranic and Divine engagement (1:1, 6:12, 6:54, 17:82, 21:107). Ibn Qayyim al-Jawyziyah said: "Shariah is meant to be built on justice, compassion, and humanity, whoever uses religious interpretations to justify cruelty, oppression, and discrimination has no part in shariah even if they lean on Quranic verses and hadith." The Prophetﷺ's mission was one motivated by concern of the suffering in his community and their wellbeing (9:128).

5. To believe is to not worship, prioritise, or devote ourselves to any modern construct or human power above the Source.

Islam rejects the notion of a clergy, central church, hierarchy or hereditary rule. Humanity was created from an agender being, not a man's rib (7:189). All messengers were mortals, albeit inspired (21:7). The only unforgivable sin in Islam is to deify any creation as equal to the Source of all creation (4:48, 4:116, 4:3, 23:116-117). In a time where power abuse, wealth, and the market are openly worshipped, we must consider as idolatry any blind loyalty to nation-states, leaders and "experts", materialism, celebrity culture, social hierarchies, political rulers, scholars, tribes and family ties. To be Muslim is to struggle against domination, coercion, and false idols. Nationalism becomes idolatry if it replaces loyalty to the Beloved with allegiance to earthly entities. Being told not to ask questions and pressured into distrusting the sense the Divine gave you is a red flag. Nothing about Islam requires you to give unquestioned obedience to any person.

Signs

Emotional support Quranic bookmarks

• Listen closely to everything that is said and follow the best/kindest interpretation— that is the one with insight (39:17-18).
• Emphasise equality, justice, and the saving of life. (2:179, 5:8). To save even one life is equivalent to saving the life of all humanity (5:32).
• We have a right to privacy and consent (24:27-28). Resist surveillance (49:12). The Beloved warns us that surveillance culture feasts on our lack of trust in each other.
• Do not walk on the earth arrogantly— there are limits to our actions over nature (17:37).
• Explore and learn about what has happened before our time (3:137). The Beloved asked us to travel to learn about how the powerful who reject reality are inevitably overwhelmed by what they used to ridicule (6:11, 27:69, 30:42, 35:44, 40:21, 40:82-84, 47:10).
• Do not waste nourishment, the Beloved does not like the wasteful (7:31, 17:27).
• Do what you came here to do and pay attention to the person who is in front of you regardless of their status or position (80:1-11).
• Check the news you receive so that you don't wrong others by sharing misinformation and disinformation (49:6).
• Gain knowledge against ignorance and stand firm on justice (3:18, 9:122, 29:69).
• Condemn the entitled and the oppressive (83:1-3) because no one should submit to the tyranny of an oppressor (42:39).
• Help each other to do what is right and good; do not collaborate in hostility and transgression (5:2).
• Delay debts owed to you until things become easier for them, or better yet pardon the debt altogether (2:280).
• Give your wealth to those with less to purify your belongings from concealed injustice (9:103).
• Practicing the ability to be grateful is valuable (2:152, 14:7, 31:12).
• Fasting is prescribed for us (2:183), but not for everyone; some have been exempted by the Beloved so they can care for their health (2:184-185). To compromise your body and fast through difficulty is a disobedience and a rejection of Divine will and kindness.
• Dress well when at worship (7:31).
• Stay patient, do not give people without firm beliefs the power to dishearten you (30:60).
• Any disagreements about belief should be met with patience until the Best of judges (7:87, 67:29).

• Competing to accumulate worldly goods is a distracting delusion (102:1-2. 3:14, 9:24, 9:34).
• It is a transgression to see ourselves as self-sufficient (96:6-7).
• There is an inherent value in the proper use of akal / reason (21:67, 30:28, 36:62, 45:5, over 50+ more). The worst of all beings in the sight of the Beloved are those who choose to look away, choose not to speak up, and do not reason (8:22).
• The practice of redistributing our resources resurrects our hearts (2:261). To hoard bounty and blessings from the people we are in community with only leads to regret (4:36-38, 92:8-10, 3:180).
• We were tasked with the generational authority of being responsible to serve and care for the Earth, and we inherit each other's responsibility over the planet (2:30, 6:165, 7:69, 7:74 10:14, 10:73, 27:62, 35:39, 38:26).
• Taking responsibility for one's actions precedes freedom of choice and expression (10:41).
• Our collective condition changes when we change ourselves (13:11).
• All living beings communicate to the Source in ways too diverse for us to understand (17:44). Like humans, all animals have their communities and systems of living too (6:38), including prayer to the Beloved (24:41). Animal and wildlife are all there for us to observe and benefit from (16:5-9). It is useful to perceive more than just the human world alone. There are signs in space, earth, alternations of night and day for those with understanding (3:190). See Muhammad Iqbal in Socrates, sense-perception, and the Qur'an for a list of verses where the Beloved invites us to observe nature.
• Believers should not insult what others worship (6:108). We do not know enough about anyone to ever prevent them from praying (96:9-14). When Muslims insult what others worship, they risk driving a deeper disconnect between people and the Divine.
• Faith cannot be forced (2:256, 2:208, 10:41). Forcing people to be Muslim disrespects the Beloved's decision not to make everyone Muslim (10:99-100, 5:48). Any belief to the point of conviction can only be attained through reason, not passively by birth.
• We were formed well (40:64, 95:4) and not for nothing or pure recreation (3:191, 29:44, 44:38-39). Signs of Truth exist in nature and in people, (41:53, 45:3-4, 51:20-21) not just in revelation and texts. See The Signs In Ourselves.
• Gender is not a binary but a spectrum manifesting Divine creativity (42:49-50). The Beloved will not allow our efforts to go to waste based on gender, because we are similar to one another (3:195).
• There are signs in loving relationships and the diversity of our tongues and tastes (30:21-22).
• In our diversity, only our taqwa distinguishes us (49:13). Taqwa can be described as conviction and mindfulness of the Source. Its Arabic root word means a barrier of protection. I like to think of taqwa as spiritual sunscreen.
• Relationships should build spiritual peace: conviction that they are each other's partners (2:187), upholding commitment as a promise (4:21), mutually upholding each other's dignity (4:19), solving problems through discussion (2:228, 3:159).
• Beloved made Earth manageable so we could move about its regions and gain insights from the past (67:15, 3:137-138, 22:46, 29:20).
• We were given wide paths not narrow ones (71:19-20, 5:48, 92:4). Everyone does according to their disposition and nature (17:84). There are signs in the diversity of all creation (16:13, 35:27-28). The ways we take differ greatly (92:4).
• Everyone is only accountable for themselves (2:138, 35:18). If you use your influence to be complicit in an evil cause, you take on a share in its burden (4:85).
• Bad thoughts are not fit to turn into speech unless voiced by those who have been wronged. (4:148).
• Love, justice, and generousity are intrinsically connected (16:90, 2:3-5).
• Falsehood is perishable (17:81). What is false expires by nature, and what is True will not. We are capable of great illusions, but illusions cannot prevail over truth (7:118).
• With every hardship comes ease (94:5-6). There is a time to turn inward and a time to expand (2:245).
• When we make a plan, the Divine plans too— and A!!ah is the best of planners (8:30).
• The Beloved does not only communicate to particular messengers in this simulation, evidenced in how They suddenly answer an unnamed traveller's casual question on resurrection (2:259).
• A shared scriptural framework is essential for interfaith activism (5:68, 3:64). Saints and sages of biblical teachings can affirm Muslim faith (10:94).

• We live in a simulation / All the world is a stage (57:20). Life and death are built into this simulation to test our best conduct (67:2)— but no soul is burdened with more than it can bear (2:286). We have free will, a demonstration of Divine faith in us to make goodness from our choices towards our potential (21:35, 95:4-5).
• The Source knows of every action, interaction, thought in this simulation (2:284, 58:7, 6:59). It is documented (6:38, 27:75). We may be able to conceal things in this simulation from others, but never from the Source (16:19, 24:29, 13:10, 67:13, 27:74). The Source will not forget injustice in this simulation (19:64). This is a comfort for the hearts of the oppressed.
• There is a moment outside of the simulation with full recognition of what you have earned and what has happened to you, unlike the imperfect justice humans struggle with in this simulation (2:284, 18:30, 21:23).
• Mutual endearment and affection is part of waking up from the simulation (2:260).
• On that Last Day of Total Accountability, we return to Source without all our social and identity markers of the simulation (6:94, 21:92-93, 35:18). We bring with us only the choices we made here.

Gathering 40 lessons from 40 hadith

My ongoing curation of documented stories re: the mortal messenger Muhammadﷺ

🍉 Notes after Muhammadﷺ's last speech

40 lessons from 40 hadith (in progress):

1. Believing is meant to be easy, not impractical.
2. When given an option, favour the easier choice— but no convenience is worth an injustice.
3. We can get everything right and still fail if we are selfish and envious of others.
4. It is an act of care to prevent oppressors from harming others.
5. To speak a word of justice to an oppressor is the best form of struggle.
6. None can prevent the call of the oppressed to the Most Powerful.
7. Children too are an oppressed group of people.
8. We cannot normalise surveillance, competition, inflation, grudges, and exclusion.
9. Greed corrupts soul and society by multiplying domination.
10. To generalise one's pessimism as universal is an act disconnected from reality.
11. The believers of Reality to struggle for liberation are like one body in their mutual compassion.
12. Effort and faith go hand in hand, so do not neglect what you are responsible for.
13. The Beloved favours those who care for and defend humankind's orphans.
14. Your abundance is hollow if you let your neighbours go hungry.
15. Encourage men to confess their love for each other.
16. Show compassion for those who die by suicide.
17. Exploited animals will complain about you.
18. Every living being will testify to the way you interacted with them.
19. Killing animals for food is not something we should do uncritically.
20. Blessed are the strangers and the weirdos.
21. [pending until 40]

Believing is meant to be easy, not impractical

Believing is easy. Overburdening your religious practice is extremist and unsustainable.

Abu Hurayra narrated that the Messengerﷺ said: Religion is easy, and anyone who overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So do not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded. Gain strength by worshipping in the mornings and afternoons and during the last hours of the night. (al-Bukhari 39)

Choose the easier option unless it is unjust

When given an option, favour the easier choice— but no convenience is worth an injustice.

Aisha narrated: Whenever the Prophetﷺ was given an option between two things, he used to select the easier of the two as long as it was not sinful; but if it was sinful, he would remain far from it. (Muslim 2327d, al-Bukhari 6786)

We can get everything right and still fail if we are selfish and envious of others.

Being a good person isn't easy. We can get everything right and still fail on the grounds that we are selfish and envious.

Anas narrated that the Messengerﷺ said: None amongst you believes (truly) until he loves for his brother or for his neighbour that which he loves for himself. (Muslim 45a, Bukhari 13)

It is an act of care to prevent oppressors from harming others.

Help oppressors by preventing them from oppressing others.

Anas narrated: A!!ah's Messengerﷺ said, "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one." People asked, "O A!!ah's Messenger! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophetﷺ said, "By preventing him from oppressing others." (al-Bukhari 2444, also in 6592 and Jami' at-Tirdmidhi 2255)

To speak a word of justice to an oppressor is the best form of struggle.

The highest form of struggle is to speak justice against the oppressive ruler.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri narrated: The Prophetﷺ said: The best fighting (jihad) in the path of A!!ah is (to speak) a word of justice to an oppressive ruler. (Abu Dawud 4344)

None can prevent the call of the oppressed to the Most Powerful.

The prayers of the oppressed are powerful and directly connected to the Most Powerful.

Ibn 'Abbas narrated: The Messenger of A!!ah sent Mu'adh [bin Jabal] to Yemen, and said: Beware of the supplication of the oppressed; for indeed there is no barrier between it and A!!ah. (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2014 also al-Bukhari 2448)

Children too are an oppressed group of people.

Children are also an oppressed class and group of people.

Ibn 'Abbas narrated the Messengerﷺ said: "My mother and I were among the weak and oppressed. I from among the children, and my mother from among the women." (al-Bukhari 1357, also 4587)

We cannot normalise surveillance, competition, inflation, grudges, and exclusion.

We were warned not to normalise what feasts on our suspicion and lack of trust in each other: surveillance, competition, inflation, grudges, cancel culture. To search for the faults of the people is to try to corrupt them.

Abu Hurayra reported that A!!ah's Messengerﷺ said: Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales, do not look for the others' faults. Do not spy, and do not be jealous of one another. Do not abandon one another, and do not hate one another. (al-Bukhari 6064, Muslim 2563a) Do not completely abandon each other, nurse malice and aversion against each other, do not spy/eavesdrop, do not enter transactions others have already entered, do not outbid each other to raise prices. Do not sever relations of kinship, do not feel envy of each other. Live as fellow-siblings as A!!ah has commanded. (paraphrase of Muslim 2563b, 2563c, 2563d, 2563e)

Greed corrupts soul and society by multiplying domination.

Greed is a corruption of the soul and society that breeds injustice and oppression.

Jabir reported that A!!ah's Messengerﷺ said: "Be on your guard against committing oppression, for oppression is a darkness on the Day of Resurrection, and be on your guard against greed/selfishness/stinginess for it has destroyed those who were before you, as it incited them to shed blood and make lawful what was unlawful for them." (Muslim 2578)

To generalise one's pessimism as universal is an act disconnected from reality.

To generalise one's pessimism is self-destructive and disconnected from reality.

Abu Hurayra reported the Prophetﷺ said: When a man says, 'The people have gone to ruin,' he is the most ruined of all. (Muslim 2623)

The believers of Reality to struggle for liberation are like one body in their mutual compassion.

The believers of Reality who struggle for liberation from oppression are like one body in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy.

Nu'man bin Bashir narrated that the Messenger of A!!ahﷺ said: The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever". (Riyad as-Salihin 224, Muslim 2586a)

Effort and faith go hand in hand, so do not neglect what you are responsible for.

Effort and faith go hand in hand, so take precautions and don't neglect what you are responsible for.

Anas narrated that a man said: "O Messenger of A!!ah! Shall I tie [my camel] and rely upon A!!ah, or leave it loose and rely upon A!!ah?" He said: "Tie [your camel] and rely upon A!!ah." Other chains report similar narrations. (at-Tirmidhi 2517)

The Beloved favours those who care for and defend humankind's orphans.

The Beloved loves those who care for and defend society's orphans.

Sahl ibn Sa'd reported that the Prophetﷺ said, "I and the guardian of the orphan will be in the Garden like that," indicating his forefinger and middle finger. (Bukhari 6005, Adab 135, at-Tirmidhi 1918, Abu Dawud 5150)

Do not let your neighbours go hungry.

Your abundance is hollow if you let your neighbours go hungry.

Ibn 'Abbas informed Ibn az-Zubayr: I heard the Prophetﷺ say, "He is not a believer whose stomach is filled while his neighbour goes hungry." (Adab 112)

Encourage men to confess their love for each other.

Inform him!

Anas narrated: A man was with the Prophetﷺ and a man passed by him and said: "Messenger of A!!ah! I love this man." The Messenger of A!!ah then asked: "Have you informed him?" He replied: "No." He said: "Inform him." He then went to him and said: "I love you for A!!ah's sake." He replied: "May He for Whose sake you love me love you!" (Abu Dawud 5125)

Show compassion for those who die by suicide.

Show compassion for those who die by suicide, like the Messenger was said to have done for an anxious migrant.

Jabir narrated: Tufayl bin ‘Amr went to the Prophetﷺ and he said: “O Messenger of God, do you have a secure fortress?” The tribe of Daws had a fortress in the days of Jahiliyya. The Prophetﷺ refused that offer, as God had reserved it for the Ansar. When the Messenger of God performed the Hijra to Medina, Tufayl made the Hijra with a man from his tribe. They reached Medina and the man became sick, and felt anxiety. He took iron arrowheads and cut through his finger joints, and his hands gushed out until he died. Then Tufayl saw him in a dream. His condition was good, but his hands were bandaged. Tufayl asked him, “What did your Lord arrange with you?” He said, “He pardoned me with my Hijra to his prophet, God bless him and give him peace.” Tufayl asked him, “Why do I see your hands wrapped?” He said, “It was said to me, ‘We do not repair what you damaged.’” Tufayl told the story to the Messenger of God ﷺ, who said, "O God, forgive his hands too." (Adab 614)

Exploited animals will complain about you.

The animals you exploit complain about you to those who listen.

Abd Allah bin Ja’far narrated: One day, he entered the garden of a man from the Ansar when a camel came to him, dragging along, tears flowing from its eyes [Bahz and ‘Affan, transmitters of this hadith, said that when the camel saw the Prophet, he felt compassion as tears flowed from its eyes]. The Messenger of Godﷺ wiped its tears and head, and it became calm. He said, “Who is the master of this camel?” A youth from the Ansar came and said, “It is mine, O Messenger of God.” He said, “Do you not fear God with this animal, that God has given you? It complains to me that you starve it and wear it out.” (Abu Dawud 2549)

Every living being will testify to the way you interacted with them.

Every living being will testify to the way you interacted with them, so act lovingly and compassionately— to dogs, to animals, to all beings.

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of A!!ahﷺ said, "One day a man became very thirsty while walking down the road. He came across a well, went down into it, and drank and then climbed out. In front of him he found a dog panting, eating the dust out of thirst. The man said, 'This dog is as thirsty as I was.' He went back down into the well and filled his shoe, putting it into his mouth (in order to climb back up) and then gave the dog water. Therefore A!!ah thanked him and forgave him." They said, "Messenger of A!!ah, will we have a reward on account of animals?" He said, "There is a reward on account of every living thing." (Adab 378, Bukhari 2466)

Killing animals for food is not something we should do uncritically.

A hadith that is the basis of Muslim eco-activist perspectives and vegan diets.

Mu'awiya ibn Qurra reported that a companion said to the Prophet, “Ya Rasul A!!ahﷺ, I was about to slaughter a sheep but was overcome by rahma.” The Prophet replied, “Since you took rahma on the sheep, A!!ah will take rahma on you twicefold.” (Adab 373)

Blessed are the strangers and the weirdos.

Blessed are the ghurabaa, the dispossessed, the refugees and migrants, the precarious, neurodivergents, the disabled, the queer, the homesick and the abandoned. Blessed are the weirdos.

Abu Hurayra reported the Messenger of A!!ahﷺ said: “Islam began as something strange and it will return to being strange, so blessed are the strangers.” (Muslim 145)