Setting: Sometime in the year 2018
An Orphan's Thoughts
I was
12-years-old, having been an orphan for four of those years, when I used a
sword to decapitate the Imam responsible for the death of my good friend
Mohammad. Imam Manhood ordered the beheading of Mohammad, and that his head be
placed on top of a pole in my town's main square. I was grief stricken beyond
belief, but that's not why I paid daily visits to see my friend's head. I wanted
to behold the miracle - the look of joy and the smile that adorned Mohammad's
face.
That's not what one would usually see adorning bodiless heads.
It
didn't take long for the Imam's enforcers to notice my daily visits. I call
them, "the assholes who roar into town in their Toyota pick-up trucks that
have machine guns mounted on them." One of these guys asked me if I was
worshipping Mohammad's head. Can you believe that? He used the word worshipping?
He warned: "If that is the case, we will place your severed head on a pole
next to his."
That's
when I decided I had a score to settle with this Imam. Looking back, it was
easy to get close enough to kill this man. Even easier to actually kill him. I
approached him after one of his sermons and asked how I could learn more about
Islam. I was surprised when he suggested private lessons with him! Turns out,
he had a fondness for young boys and found me, in particular, irresistible.
That gave me a chance to be alone with him, and to kill him when he let his
guard down.
I am now
16-years-old as of this year (2018), having been on the run since 2014. Right
now, I am thinking these thoughts, since thirst has robbed me of my power of
speech. Wandering alone in the desert, far from "civilization" can do
that to you. That, plus, I have been utterly alone since I killed my first - and so far "only" - man.
I don't
know how my words can possibly reach you, since I am only thinking them. I
guess I'm praying that some mindreader picks up on my thoughts and reveals them
to an audience.
= = = = =
Mohammad
and I lived in a medium-sized town which was becoming overwhelmed by the
presence of extremists who owed their allegiance to Manhood the Imam. Mohammad
was like a father to me and would welcome me to visit and eat with his family -
his wife and two daughters. He was a poor man who had always dreamed of making
the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. That's one of the Five Pillars* of Islam:
- Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad;
- Establishment of the daily prayers;
- Concern for and almsgiving to the needy;
- Self-purification through fasting; and
- The pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able.
The hajj
is considered mandatory for all Muslims who are physically and financially
able, which also means amply providing for the welfare of their families during
their absence.
Even
though poor, Mohammad made a determined effort over a five-year period to save
enough money for the pilgrimage. And he succeeded! However, when he started on
his journey to Mecca, he passed an orphanage and decided to pay a visit. He
wanted to tell the children and their caretakers he would think of them when
praying in Mecca. But he was so shocked at the miserable conditions he saw, he
donated all his hajj money to the orphanage.
He
explained to his wife, "How can I go to Mecca when there is so much need
right here in our home town?"
After
three more years, he had again saved enough money for hajj. Only three more
years, this time, because he had been blessed by Allah with better financial
circumstances. This time, when leaving home for the trip to Mecca, he passed by
a hospital. You guessed it, the result was the same as with the orphanage.
But
Mohammad made a mistake in the way he described his hajj attempts. He said,
"Maybe it is Allah's will that there are to be only four pillars of Islam
for me. I cannot seem to resist the needy by insisting on a journey which
benefits only me." Word of Mohammad's comment reached the Imam, who became
enraged. He told his henchmen: "Just before you cut off his head, yell
these words at him - 'There are FIVE, not FOUR, Pillars of Islam, you
infidel.'"
But I
knew Mohammad's heart, when it came to helping the poor. The man was fanatical
in this regard - but not so with that hard edge that spoils other fanatics. He
was always giving to others, sometimes to the point where he himself would end
up going hungry by not having enough money for food. He made sure, though, that his
family never suffered.
In
confidence, Mohammad once told me: "You know, young man, I never saw the
reason for the Fifth Pillar." I volunteered, in response: "Is it to
make Saudi hotel owners rich from pilgrims needing lodging?"
He
answered with a laugh: "No. For the Saudis, it was never about money but
about power. A way of saying, 'You must prove your faith by traveling, in some
cases an obscene distance, to come to my country to pay homage. Not to Islam
but to Saudi Arabia as the capital of Islam."
I was
stunned at this possibility. Then he added softly: "If you help the poor and
disabled, you are doing Allah's will. How the Saudi's feel about your absence? That
is of absolutely no importance. But...be careful who you say this to."
Poor
Mohammad! I guess he wasn't careful enough himself, when expressing his heart
to others.
* * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * *
Steven
Searle, just another member of the
Virtual Samgha
of the Lotus and
former
candidate for US President (in 2008 & 2012)
Footnote:
Five
Pillars* - [source: http://www.islam101.com/dawah/pillars.html ]
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