Loved reading about how much Dr. Omar Suleiman’s series is resonating with you, I have loved listening to his wise words this Ramadan when the world feels unliveable. And watched Crashing Eid twice in January, it’s a really heartwarming series with so much authenticity. It related so deeply with me, even if I’m not an arabic speaker (Indian muslim👋🏻), the emotions were pretty relatable.
ps: I don’t usually comment, but perked up at your recommendations. 😄 Ramadan Kareem🌙
There are specific lessons in every episode, but I specially loved Ep 15, which focused on the regrets of the past, and about our decisions. How sometimes we keep pestering ourselves, overthink, if things don’t go as expected.
Thank you for this. I think I read this exactly at the time in my life I needed to. I am not religious, I consider myself a spiritual person. But this year my soul has guided me to not only Hinduism but also Islam. I held a fast for shivratri(a Hindu festival) and feel deeply called to fast for Ramadan. But it seems to be too late to start this year. Next year will be different though I hope.
This brought me so much joy, thanks Meghana! Hopefully this exploration is fulfilling, nourishing and enriching. Also, it's never too late to start - even trying one day of Ramadan is a wonderful step!
Ramadan Mubarak dear Yassmin. Crashing Eid looks much better than the Norwegian "Crashing Xmas" netflix movie. I suspect they are a cross fertilisation.
People of the Christian faith are about to enter Holy Week which means people of Jewish faith are about to enter Passover. It's all come up a bit too fast! I've been preparing prayers and talks for Wayside & pondering on the silence of many, pondering on my silence when I am tempted to stop, to numb, to turn my face. Searching for meaning in the maelstrom. Grateful for these questions on prayer. As for dune 2, which I want to see and yes I was a reader of the books - mainly because Paul (spoilers) turns into a giant sandworm. 🙄😅 Herbert wrote the dune series as a warning against worshipping messiahs, but its really clear he meant one form of Messianic worship. Sigh. But it's why he wrote the 2nd book. Similarly, the Narnia tales, a Christian allegory that I still (semi love) are also tainted by the obvious Orientalism of Narnias enemies. He got into a huge lot of trouble when, in the final book, he let a Calormene (see Muslim) into heaven. Tainted with "universalism", the great heresy for Christians.
Your reference to moving through Ramadan like a python, I'll take that because it's too bloody humid here.
May our prayers all combine over these next weeks, sparking thoughts and actions upwards. May I continue to carry the rage you are asked to put aside this month by not numbing. Selah. 🙏💔💜
Thank you, Janet! For always sharing such thoughtful comments. Lots of religious festivals and moments coinciding at the minute it seems... May all our prayers indeed, combine.
Yassmin, so many thoughts here but I want to share that I am fasting for the first time in 20 years. I was 15 when 9/11 happened and very quickly, I drank the western kool aid and believed all the stereotypes they whipped up about Muslims and Islam. I am not proud of myself. But I think i just wanted it assimilate and be “cool” when I got to university since I was bullied for years through middle and high school. Anyway, I decided to go back to my roots this year and it’s been a grounding experience. So I am happy to read your thoughts here and will check out Dr. Omar Sulieman’s podcast.
Secondly THANK YOU for spelling out *exactly* my thoughts on Dune 2. I watched it with my husband (read white American) who loves Herbert’s books and the director but could not understand my many issues with it. We got into a whole thing about it *for days*... 🤦🏻♀️ I’m sending him the vulture review to show him it’s not just me being extreme in my judgment.
Thanks so much for sharing this, Naz. I hope Ramadan so far has been kind to you, and you've found some of the sense and connection you were looking for. I think our relationship to faith ebbs and flows like the tide, but I take solace in knowing we can always come back to it...
Oh I love thinking of it like that - that we can always come back to it.. I'm stealing that!
Annnndd my husband. Well, he didn't argue with the article. He sort of mumbled that he agreed. I guess the fact that the author had read the books - while I haven't - and provided "evidence" to my argument based on the books about how certain aspects were flattened, omitted or skewed in the movie left him with little to say. He just gets defensive from the get go and then mellows out. I should have known better than to approach his beloved books-turned-movie like taking a hammer to glass. Like my sister says, presentation is (almost) everything. Word.
And like the saying goes: احنا بدنا ناكل عنب ولا نقتل الناطور؟
Loved reading about how much Dr. Omar Suleiman’s series is resonating with you, I have loved listening to his wise words this Ramadan when the world feels unliveable. And watched Crashing Eid twice in January, it’s a really heartwarming series with so much authenticity. It related so deeply with me, even if I’m not an arabic speaker (Indian muslim👋🏻), the emotions were pretty relatable.
ps: I don’t usually comment, but perked up at your recommendations. 😄 Ramadan Kareem🌙
Thanks so much for the comment, I love a comment from a typically quiet reader ! Do you have any fav eps of OS's podcast atm?
There are specific lessons in every episode, but I specially loved Ep 15, which focused on the regrets of the past, and about our decisions. How sometimes we keep pestering ourselves, overthink, if things don’t go as expected.
Thank you for this. I think I read this exactly at the time in my life I needed to. I am not religious, I consider myself a spiritual person. But this year my soul has guided me to not only Hinduism but also Islam. I held a fast for shivratri(a Hindu festival) and feel deeply called to fast for Ramadan. But it seems to be too late to start this year. Next year will be different though I hope.
This brought me so much joy, thanks Meghana! Hopefully this exploration is fulfilling, nourishing and enriching. Also, it's never too late to start - even trying one day of Ramadan is a wonderful step!
Ramadan Mubarak dear Yassmin. Crashing Eid looks much better than the Norwegian "Crashing Xmas" netflix movie. I suspect they are a cross fertilisation.
People of the Christian faith are about to enter Holy Week which means people of Jewish faith are about to enter Passover. It's all come up a bit too fast! I've been preparing prayers and talks for Wayside & pondering on the silence of many, pondering on my silence when I am tempted to stop, to numb, to turn my face. Searching for meaning in the maelstrom. Grateful for these questions on prayer. As for dune 2, which I want to see and yes I was a reader of the books - mainly because Paul (spoilers) turns into a giant sandworm. 🙄😅 Herbert wrote the dune series as a warning against worshipping messiahs, but its really clear he meant one form of Messianic worship. Sigh. But it's why he wrote the 2nd book. Similarly, the Narnia tales, a Christian allegory that I still (semi love) are also tainted by the obvious Orientalism of Narnias enemies. He got into a huge lot of trouble when, in the final book, he let a Calormene (see Muslim) into heaven. Tainted with "universalism", the great heresy for Christians.
Your reference to moving through Ramadan like a python, I'll take that because it's too bloody humid here.
May our prayers all combine over these next weeks, sparking thoughts and actions upwards. May I continue to carry the rage you are asked to put aside this month by not numbing. Selah. 🙏💔💜
Thank you, Janet! For always sharing such thoughtful comments. Lots of religious festivals and moments coinciding at the minute it seems... May all our prayers indeed, combine.
Yassmin, so many thoughts here but I want to share that I am fasting for the first time in 20 years. I was 15 when 9/11 happened and very quickly, I drank the western kool aid and believed all the stereotypes they whipped up about Muslims and Islam. I am not proud of myself. But I think i just wanted it assimilate and be “cool” when I got to university since I was bullied for years through middle and high school. Anyway, I decided to go back to my roots this year and it’s been a grounding experience. So I am happy to read your thoughts here and will check out Dr. Omar Sulieman’s podcast.
Secondly THANK YOU for spelling out *exactly* my thoughts on Dune 2. I watched it with my husband (read white American) who loves Herbert’s books and the director but could not understand my many issues with it. We got into a whole thing about it *for days*... 🤦🏻♀️ I’m sending him the vulture review to show him it’s not just me being extreme in my judgment.
Thanks so much for sharing this, Naz. I hope Ramadan so far has been kind to you, and you've found some of the sense and connection you were looking for. I think our relationship to faith ebbs and flows like the tide, but I take solace in knowing we can always come back to it...
Now, what did your husband think of the article?
Oh I love thinking of it like that - that we can always come back to it.. I'm stealing that!
Annnndd my husband. Well, he didn't argue with the article. He sort of mumbled that he agreed. I guess the fact that the author had read the books - while I haven't - and provided "evidence" to my argument based on the books about how certain aspects were flattened, omitted or skewed in the movie left him with little to say. He just gets defensive from the get go and then mellows out. I should have known better than to approach his beloved books-turned-movie like taking a hammer to glass. Like my sister says, presentation is (almost) everything. Word.
And like the saying goes: احنا بدنا ناكل عنب ولا نقتل الناطور؟