Alchemy Of Hippie-ness
  • Home
  • Courses
  • Registrations
  • Musings
  • Media
  • Contact

Into The Wild

8/1/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Some years ago, a good friend gave me the book "Into The Wild" by Jon Krakauer, as my traveling companion for the 27hrs flight from Singapore to Seattle. The moment I read the first page, I was transfixed and completed the book by the time I left Narita, Tokyo - way ahead of time. Fortunately, I had Sir Richard Burton's unexpurgated translation of "One Thousand and One Nights @ The Arabian Nights" for the rest of the journey.

A sleeve description of the book reads as follows: "In April 1992, a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandles. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. He took up residence at the ragged margin of our society, wandering across North America in search of raw, transcendent experience. His family had no idea where he was or what had become of him until his remains turned up in Alaska." It was McCandles' journey into the wild to find himself, as a reaction to the kind of life he was expected to live.

Such introspective journey, albeit not as dramatic, also resonates in Islam. We are encouraged to travel through this earth. In surah Al-Ankabut, Allah says: "Journey in the land, then behold how He originated creation" [29:20]. A striking example is the story of Prophet Musa (a.s.) who travelled far and wide to search for Khidr who had been favoured with divine knowledge. You can find the details enumerated in surah al-Kahf 18:60-82.

In another beautiful story about the spirit of traveling for knowledge, a man came to Abu Darda' while he was in Damascus. Abu Darda' asked him "What has brought you here, my brother?" He replied, "A hadith which you relate from the Prophet (s.a.w.). Abu Darda' asked, "Have you come for some other worldly need?" He replied, "No." "Have you come for business?" He said, "No." "You have come only to seek this hadith?" He said, "Yes."

Abu Darda' then said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) say: 'Whoever travels a path seeking sacred knowledge, Allah will place him on a path leading to Paradise. The angels lower their wings for the student of sacred knowledge, pleased with what he is doing. The creatures in the heavens and the earth seek forgiveness for the student of sacred knowledge, even the fishes in the water. The superiority of the religious scholar over the devout worshipper is like the superiority of the full moon over the other heavenly bodies. The religious scholars are the heirs of the prophets. The prophets leave no money as a bequest, rather they leave knowledge. Whoever seizes it has taken a bountiful share." (Ahmad, Abu Dawood, at-Tirmidhi, ibn Majah)

There is a colossal difference between traveling to savor different experiences, engaging lifestyles different from yours so that you are enriched by contrasting perspectives - as opposed to being a tourist, consumed by taking landmark Instagram photos or designer shopping. Its akin to another classic literature, The Odyssey, the Greek epic poem attributed to Homer, concerning the adventures and ordeals of the Greek warrior Odysseus after the fall of Troy as he struggles to return home and reestablish himself as the King of Ithaca. The Odysseus who left Troy, was not the same Odysseus who eventually arrived at Ithaca.

That is the effect of discovery and travel - you will be transformed. The Beloved Prophet (s.a.w.) commented on our human condition: "Be in this life as though a stranger or a traveller." [Bukhari] Our existence in itself is a journey - be it physical, mental, spiritual, emotional or intellectual - life is a journey manifested in different experiences, so don't make excuses for it. We are never static, and as far as this is our condition, we are always on a journey. Broadly speaking, we all are on a journey of returning 'Home."

Such journeys, even if not physical, forces us to leave our comfort zone - and that is a good thing. It makes us taste the richness that Life has to offer, open up our minds, acknowledge our vulnerabilities, see the beauty and ugliness of fellow mankind all at the same time, it keeps us on our toes, to be more conscious, to take calculated risks and helps in the maturity of the Self. Through it all, we will be humbled by His Majesty and be more grateful for our small share in it.

In another quotation from "Into The WIld," McCandles said: "My point is that you do not need me or anyone else around to bring this new kind of light in your life. It is simply waiting out there for you to grasp it, and all you have to do is reach for it. The only person you are fighting is yourself and your stubbornness to engage in new circumstances.” 

Keep on traveling into the unknown, either physically to places, or by learning new things so your mind can be dazzled by various wonders.

To be charmed by Life is to have lived.

Love,
The Alchemist.

1 Comment
Liza
13/3/2016 09:34:52 pm

I came across this writing through a friend of mine, who was a student of one of your courses. I really loved that you were inspired by McCandless' journey, albeit his journey and his thinking, despair et al with the material world was a bit extreme, but I can relate to his sentiments and awe for the outside world and Allah's many creations.

Many times when I travel on my own, i am struck by how much more beautiful everything is, in moments of solitude and quietude I have found life to be so meaningful only because I can gaze upon his creations and have the time to value all of this.

The story of Prophet Ibrahim asking God to fortify his belief, even as he already believed in Him, made me tear. When he asked that of Allah for more signs of His Majesty, Allah asked him to place 3 dead birds at the top of the mountain. By Allah's Creed, the birds came alive and flew out of the mountain and into the skies. The Prophet's request was granted. That he already believed, and that he asked for His signs to be continually shown to him in order that his belief be fortified, enraptured me.

I see His signs everywhere around me, even when I am not traveling. When I take the bus in the morning it is dark, and by 710am when the bus turns at Yio Chu Kang road, the bus faces the warm stirrings of colors such as red and yellow, and I thank Him for giving me those signs.

Thank you for writing this & keep writing.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    The Alchemist

    Archives

    July 2015
    June 2015
    July 2014
    June 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    Categories

    All
    2014
    Abu Bakr
    Adab
    Ali
    An-Nawawi
    Beautiful
    Beauty Of Faith
    Be Better
    Be Grateful
    Be Humble
    Celebrate
    Charity
    Child
    Children
    Choice
    Christmas
    Death
    Detachment
    Discipline
    Etiquette
    Exchange Gifts
    Faith
    Fasting
    Forgive
    Forgiveness
    Forty Rules Of Love
    Happiness
    Hope
    Hunger
    Intimacy
    Into The Wild
    Journey
    Joy
    Keep Moving
    Kg Holland Mosque
    Khusyuk
    Knowledge
    Laylatul Qadr
    Life Is Beautiful
    Loneliness
    Love What You Do
    Moderate
    Mosque
    New Year
    Odyssey
    Opportunities
    Paths To God
    People Of Faith
    Pleasures
    Prayer
    Private Deeds
    Prophet Musa
    Quran
    Ramadhan
    Reborn
    Reflections
    Relationships
    Rest
    Restraint
    Rumi
    Shepherd
    Small Stuffs
    Solitude
    Thirsty
    Tourist
    Travel
    Umar
    Uthman
    Weekend
    Work

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.