Unmasked on Friday II: And I Woke Up This Morning
2/8/2021
Living in a sick society is toxic to the soul and a challenge to the spirit. And today—more than ever—humanity is drifting in a sea of toxicity, both natural and man-made. We are not well.
As a species, we are so far gone that even the reigns of Attila the Hun or Adolf Hitler now seem like walks in the park. Yes, many died in those bloody ages—but at least the wars had faces. They had names, borders, and twisted reasons. You could still point a finger at the villain and say, “There.”
But today? We are sick for no reason other than we are sick of it all.
Our illness is invisible. Mental, physical, spiritual decay—without flags, armies, or even language. We live in a pressure cooker with no release valve. And still, we press on in denial, pretending we aren’t racing toward some silent self-created Armageddon. But the truth is—it’s gathering speed. And we’re right in the middle of it.
It must be Friday morning.
Over the years, I’ve come to realize that Fridays—the holiest of days in Islam—have not always felt like a “holy day” for me. Maybe it’s because I seldom pray like the “God-fearing” Muslims are supposed to. Friday prayers included.
They say if you miss three consecutive Jumaat prayers, you are no longer a Muslim. That would’ve ruled me out long ago.
Does that mean I’m not afraid of God? Or of death?
No—I’m scared shitless, come to think of it.
Which is exactly why I try not to think.
But the mind… oh, it has its own gravity.
When everything else fails to shake me from my false resolve, the mind throws in the big cards: God and death. Always these two.
What is my resolve, anyway?
At the heart of it, I’ve resolved to know who I am before I meet my Maker.
Yes, I believe in God wholeheartedly. The One and Only. Call Him by whatever name your culture or religion has handed down to you. I don’t care for names—I care for presence.
I know this much: God exists in my heart and my mind. I am His.
Every breath I take is commanded. Every move I make is watched.
Yes—just like the song. (Sting was onto something.)
But I do not fear my Lord like a mindless worm afraid of being stepped on. I am not crawling through life waiting to evolve into something higher. I am already human. With free will. With a mind that cuts sharp when I let it.
And if I don’t use that mind to search inward—if I don’t dig deep into my relationship with this Universe and with God—then I have wasted the very gift that makes me human.
Is it ego speaking?
Perhaps.
But even ego can tremble. And I do.
I tremble at the thought of what lies ahead in the afterlife. Not just for my sins, but for having been given so much—and still wavering. I’ve been blessed more than I deserve, and I know it. And that’s why I’m not just afraid of punishment.
I’m afraid of disappointing the One I love.
Yes—I love my Lord.
I look forward to death.
(Except for the process itself.)
When we look deeply into impermanence, we realize:
Things change because causes and conditions change.
And when we look into the truth of non-self, we see:
Nothing exists in isolation. Everything relies on everything else.
We are connected.
Everything we are is everything else.
And in that, we are complete.
If we practice the art of mindful living, we won’t die with regret.
We’ll smile, because we did our best to enjoy this borrowed time—and maybe, just maybe, made someone else’s journey lighter.
As Thich Nhat Hanh wrote:
"The teaching of impermanence helps us appreciate fully what is there, without attachment or forgetfulness."
So yes.
It’s Friday.
And I woke up this morning.
And for now, that is enough.
#UnmaskedOnFriday #ToxicModernity #SeaOfSuffering #FridayAwakenings #GodAndDeath #TheSearchForSelf #FearAndFaith #BelieverWithoutBorders #ThichNhatHanhWisdom #MindfulLiving #IslamBeyondRitual #SpiritualDisconnection #ImpermanenceIsGrace #JiwaYangBerfikir #StingAndSurah #WhenFridayHurts
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