“There you will have whatever your souls desire,
and there you will have whatever you ask for.”
is Jannah as sweet,
without the triumph of making it there?
would the rest be blissful,
without the toils of this world?
is justice fulfilling,
without tyranny widespread?
is faith astounding,
if everyone simply has it?
isn’t it firmer,
as it stands against doubt?
isn’t it brighter,
in the darkness that it shines through?
Yusuf’s rise brings wonder
because it was a rise,
so low in the well
then in pressure
then in prison
darkness after darkness
before everything comes to light
before everything becomes light.
“We relate to you the best of stories.”
what are stories without conflict,
heroes without villains,
champions without struggle
great goodness combats great evil
great courage rises in face of great fear
great justice comes in return for great oppression
if i try to imagine
a life in Jannah
without having been here first
something feels incomplete
a piece missing.
“Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we exalt You with praise and declare Your perfection?”
there is a particular loveliness in imperfection
in being a mess of a creation
in working day in and day out to overcome that messiness
just to get
to Him.
“Indeed, I know that which you do not know.”
—-
1: Fussilat 41:31
2. Yusuf 12:3
3. Baqarah 2:30
4. Baqarah 2:30
