Day 11: The ocean and the Quran
I love the beach. I love the ocean. I love to swim, and I love to get saltwater on my face, and I love to get sand in my swimming clothes. The whole experience is something so special to me – I can’t fully describe it, or explain why, but it’s just something that I love to do. When I was in primary school, we would have school excursions to the beach. On family holidays, I’m the one my mum is yelling at not to go so far out – something she still does even though I’m 22 (bless her).
With Ramadan being the month of the Quran, I’m reminded of a Nouman Ali Khan quote I came across while scrolling Facebook (you really come across the most fantastic things sometimes, scrolling through Facebook) which provides such a beautiful analysis of the analogy of the Quran and the ocean. (It’s Friday, here’s my Surah Kahf reminder for you, Muslims)
[dropcap]“[/dropcap]Allah compares His Quran to the ocean. When you jump into the ocean, you will come out drenched, but all you experienced are the few drops that touched your body. You can dive deeper and deeper but you will only experience a few more drops from the vast ocean. For someone to dive in and claim they experienced the entire ocean is foolish. And to think that you will experience the same drops every time you dive in is also foolish. The parable between the Quran and the ocean is incredible. I will dive into the Quran my entire life and all I will experience are little drops.â€- Nouman Ali Khan
Nouman Ali Khan is really good at these explanations and simplifying things, may he be spared. I loved coming across this for the reflection it provides – when you put everything into perspective, it reminds you to keep pushing, to keep striving, to remain reminded of what it is that is significant. The vastness of possibility, the endlessness of the unknown – there is a lot that we stand to learn from the condition of the oceans, that would do us good to stay mindful of in our daily lives.
Oh, and here’s a video from my last visit to the beach – the waters of the magical Pacific Ocean at Cathedral Cove in New Zealand’s North Island in March 2016.
This is a special Ramadaan series by our fave Muslim reporter, Aaisha Dadi Patel. For Day 10’s musings, click here.Â
