I realized that the Quran is full of truly beautiful analogies. Everytime I read it and I start to lose concentration I come across a really interesting analogy that re-captures my attention. I came across the analogy in surat al-ankabut (the spider). It is interesting the way the whole surah is called the spider when the spider is actually mentioned in one single verse. The rest of the Surah discusses other things. But the whole surah circulated around the idea of the spider's web.
Allah said that people who take other people as protectors, other than Allah is similar to the spider who builds himself a house. It goes on to describe how in fact this house is the flimsiest and weakest of houses, but only if they knew.
Analysing this was interesting and beautiful. Spiders have 2 kind of homes, a home that is like a tube, where they sleep. And a home that is for catching insects etc, the one most of us see, which is like a radiating array of fine strings arranged in a net-like manner. Once something hits the web, the vibrations reach the spider and he/she goes in to munch up the poor little ant/fly/whatever.
The tubular nest could be home in which we reside, our possessions. And the other concentric web is our work and careers.
If you read up about spider's silk you'll find out that it one of the most refined and tensile materials relatively. Only relatively. But in comparison to the actual world, they are indeed very flimsy. You could destroy a web in seconds by just sticking your finger into it.
So is the house and strength of the man who relies on material resources however fine or beautiful relatively; before the eternal reality they are as nothing. The spider's most cunning architecture cannot stand against
a wave of man's hand.
I liked that analogy quite alot and it is the kind of thing that'll stick to my mind. I hope I explained it clearly.
Other things I have observed today is how I need to become more tolerant and patient. In the masjid today, a lady was crowding in on me, I couldn't tolerate her even touching me. Everytime she moved an inch closer and her shoulder would touch mine I would lose my concentration and try to edge away. I dont get it! I know that in prayer we should be relatively close, but seriously if there is space then I guess you dont need to stick to the person right beside you.
I just wasnt comfortable. I dont like being close to people I dont particularly know or like. She also closed in on me during sujood that I could barely find a place to put my head. I was tempted to hiss in her face and tell her to back off (lol) but I kinda tried to keep myself calm. It was pretty hot in there, and there were kids running around and it was so easy to get irritated and want to run out of there in a huff but I tried to keep myself composed because it was all part of the 'sabr'. The Imam was talking about sabr and how sabr is one of the golden traits of a believer. That during all sorts of minor or major irritabilities of life, one must be patient. And not just any patience, but patience for the sake of Allah.
وما صبرك إلا بالله
God loves patient people.
It is a minor incident and I'm sure we have annoying little things in each encounter of the day, but I just thought I'd mention it since it is the small things like these that matter when accumulated over time.
G'night :)
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