Goldfinch stepped forward, with her duckling-sway and astonishing warble, she sang,Look at this face, I know the years are showingLook at this life, I still don't know where it's goingI don't know much, but I know I love youThat may be, all I need to knowLook at these eyes, they never seen what mattersLook at these dreams, so beaten and so batteredI don't know much, but I know I love youThat may be, all I need to know *)Afterward, Professor Nightingale talked, "O my brothers and sisters! Expression is a blessing from Allah. Expression means an act, process, or means of putting something into words, or facial appearance regarded as an indication of mood or feeling. It can also means a pronounceable series of letters having a distinct meaning especially in a particular field, ora sequence of words having a specific meaning. Expression is disclosed with articulation, formulation, phrasing, statement, utterance, verbalism, voice, wording and many more.Being able to fully express ourselves, increases our mental wellbeing and helps us to connect with our real-self, and become more balanced and happier within. When we truly express ourselves, we can explore what feelings and emotions lie within us, rather than our exterior self that we might be showing to the world. Expressing your-self can be means expressing your identity, making yourself heard, assertiveness, creativity, or even individualism.Allah urged men to speak for himself and express. Sharing and showing feeling are indeed a blessing, but Allah telling men, to speak or stand for himself. Allah says,اَلرَّحۡمٰنُۙ عَلَّمَ الۡقُرۡاٰنَؕ خَلَقَ الۡاِنۡسَانَۙ عَلَّمَهُ الۡبَيَانَ"Ar-Rahman, taught the Qur’an, created man, [and] taught him Al-Bayaan." [QS. Ar-Rahman (55):1-4]If you base the expression on men's point of view, then the importance of self-expression, will vary depending on your location and the culture you are steeped in. Therefore, as Muslims, before expressing your-self, knowledge of what and how to express, based on the commandments of Allah, as well as the example and attitude of His Messenger (ﷺ). Believe it, no man, will judge the expression correctly, except by Allah's Wisdom.Man's creation, is a great boon of Allah, and in the natural order of things he is first and foremost, so much so that even imparting the knowledge of the Qur'an, which is mentioned first, can only take place after his creation. However, the bounty of Qur'anic knowledge is mentioned first, and the creation of man later, because the fundamental object of man's creation, is to impart to him the knowledge of the Qur'an, and for him to follow its guidance. Surely, worshiping and do good deeds correclty, without Divine guidance, is not possible, because the source of the Divine guidance is the Qur'an. Thus Qur'anic knowledge is mentioned before man's creation.Having created man, uncountable bounties are bestowed upon him, of them, imparting the knowledge of expression, has been mentioned especially, because the bounties necessary for man's growth and development, and his existence and survival like his food and water, his protection against cold and heat, his dwelling arrangements and so on are bounties in which all creatures are equal partners. Among the bounties that are peculiar to human beings, knowledge of the Qur'an has been mentioned first, and it was followed by the knowledge of expressions, because deriving benefit from the Qur'an, and imparting it to others, is dependent on the knowledge of expression. The word "Bayaan"—how to express himself—comprehends all the means of communication created by Allah, like speech, writing etc. There are various languages and dialects of various nations in various regions of the world. All these are constituent parts of linguistic knowledge and all of its kind, enables mankind to know how to address others amongst their equals and counterparts. As for the people of faith and gnosis, their speech is their knowledge of how to address their Rabb, and this is of varying degrees. Some address Him with their tongue, some with their breath, and some address Him with their tears, yet others address Him with their moans and sigh.Allah shows signs of how to express. Allah says,اَلشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍۙ وَّالنَّجْمُ وَالشَّجَرُ يَسْجُدَانِ وَالسَّمَاۤءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ الْمِيْزَانَۙ اَلَّا تَطْغَوْا فِى الْمِيْزَانِ وَاَقِيْمُوا الْوَزْنَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا الْمِيْزَانَ"The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation, and the stars and trees prostrate. And the heaven He raised and imposed the balance, that you not transgress within the mizaan, and establish weight in justice, and do not make deficient the mizaan." [QS. Ar-Rahman (55):5-9]Two of the celestial bodies, the sun and the moon, are among the bounties of Allah. The entire system of this world, depends on the movement of these bodies in their orbits in perfect succession, according to precise calculation that is never delayed nor disturbed. The two bodies, on which depends man’s entire life, run on fixed courses. They are subject to certain laws and they perform regularly, punctually and unerringly their allocated tasks-alternation of night and day, change of seasons and determination of years and months. All of them prostrate to Allah. Prostration is the supreme symbol of humility, respect, surrender and unconditional love and obedience of Allah.Everything, from the largest celestial body to the smallest plant, is subject to His laws manifest in nature. A little disturbance in or deviation from their set course, would bring down in pieces the whole universe, which has been created for the service of man. It is inconceivable, therefore, that man for whose service this vast and complicated, but perfectly regulated universe, has been brought into being would have been created without a purpose.Allah has raised the heavens as well. This could have its obvious or outer meaning referring to the physical height of the sky, and it could also have its metaphorical meaning, referring to the high status of the heaven. In relation to the earth, the heaven occupies a higher position. Normally, the earth is understood to be the opposite of the heaven. From this point of view, the heaven and the earth are treated as opposites and mentioned throughout the Qur’an in that way. Having described the high position of the heaven, the Qur’an goes on to describe that Allah has set the balance, but 'placing the scale' vis-a-vis 'raising the heaven' does not seem to form a suitable pair according to the linguistic norm.In between the two, a third factor—that of placing the mizaan or balance—is inserted for a sage reason. The wisdom in this seems to lie in the fact that the verses that follow, lay stress on observing justice and fairness. They do not allow violation of rights and practice of injustice. This implies that the ultimate purpose of creating the heaven and the earth was, to establish justice, peace and harmony. Peace, safety, security and harmony, cannot prevail on earth without establishing justice. Without justice, chaos, disorder, mischief and corruption will hold sway in the land.Allah created the mizaan between people as well, so that they may express with each other, correctly. So, be just in all affairs, observing the rights of people and the rights of Allah. This requires fairness and abandoning injustice and transgression in all things. With one’s actions, it requires sincerity. With one’s states, truthfulness. With one’s life, it requires observing realities, consistency in one’s public and private character, and the abandonment of flattery, treachery, plotting, subtle polytheism, hidden hypocrisy and ambiguous acts. Weigh goods for others in a manner that you would like them to be weighed for you, in full measure without decrease.Ponder on the following apologue,On the tangues of men, in a certain zone, there was a wildlife society, let's call it, the Land of Haywana, wished to be known yet not well known, as the world’s youngest and most populous democracies. For to many and variuos kind of inhabitant over the land, it would be understandable, to implement democracy, was hindered to progress, as a result of Malpolitics in various form, including bribery, lobbying, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, parochialism, patronage, influence peddling, graft, and embezzlement. However, the land faced a greater problem in maintaining the public trust, made it all more intimidating. Obviously, it was came from within, widespread corruption, spread and outrageously rampant. Every inhabitant met the experience, grew into a culture, committed out of all levels in the society, in distinction to the lowest of law enforcement officials, to the highest hierarchy of governmental system.Money and power talked in this terribly culture—labelled "the Judicial Mobsters," an organized, disgusting crime—as briberies prevailed, the accused was able to bribe prosecutors to decline a case against them, or otherwise, those who reported a crime, put up a bribe to the cop, to investigate more intensively, or seduced the judge or court officials, to twist a certain dispute. Even without money encouraging, those who gained power, capable to abuse the prosecutors, even witnesses, acted as they wish. Those who lacked, heavily deprived in the trial, even before it launched.
One who had once blemished his credit by dishonesty, would not be believed for the future, even though he should speak the truth. One would think the consideration of this, should be some obstruction to lying and cheating. Whoever was detected of voluntary, deliberate falsehood, although no cognizanced, was had of it by the public, would yet be for ever detested by the honest, discreeted part of his acquaintance. And though, he might escape all manner of penalty, from the law of the land in which he lived, yet all that knew him, would lay him under a tacit, private condemnation, and treat him for ever after as an outlaw, and an excommunicated person. Cheating and knavery, might now and then, succeeded and passed muster with the most silly undiscerning part of mankind; but the contrivers of such villanous plots, whatever their advantage might be, were sure of getting little or no honour by their exploits; and were liable to be detected and exposed, even by the simple crew which they practised upon.The honest, just man, who was fair and upright in all his dealings, was unexcepcionable to every body, and no less sured of turning every negociation to his profit, than to his honour and credit. A knave had a chance, and perhaps but an indifferent one, of succeeding once or twice, and that with the most foolish part of mankind; whereas an honest man was sure of being constantly trusted and well esteemed, and that by all wise and good people.
Citations & References :Mr Wolf, a public prosecutor, on behalf of his client, indicted Mr Fox of felony. But somehow, the claim that should have been 12 years, Mr Wolf only sued for half, 6 years. In the first instance court, the sentence was handed down, Mr Fox was found guilty and sentenced to six years in prison.Mr Fox requested a formal change to an official decision, Appellate-courts. Your majesty, Mr Ape, was appointed as special judge of the cause. Mr Fox gave in his answer to Mr Wolf’s accusation, and denied the fact. So, after a fair hearing on both sides, Your majesty, Mr Ape, gave judgment to this purpose.Your majesty said, "I am of opinion that you," he said to Mr Wolf, "Never lost the goods you sue for." "And as for you," turning to Mr Fox, "In my opinion," said he, "Have stolen what is laid to your charge, at least." Your majesty went on, "But don't worry, I know what you are looking for, as I am told. So, in my decision, Mr Fox, not proven guilty and acquitted of all charges." And thus, the court was dismissed.Waww! What an astonishing decision, not for the Haywana inhabitant, but for the "Judicial Mobsters." Well, may an honest and a just Judge, clearly see, what kind of men they have been occupying their attention with, and shew a proper disgust at the wicked impudence of both plaintiff and defendant, to decide between and do justice to men whose quarrels, are made up of baseness and villainy, and carried on with mutual treachery, fraud, and violence, and whose witnesses are perhaps of the same character with themselves.The professor drew up with, "Loving is disbursing. Being in love, is knowing love who loves. O truthfulness, we don't love you, but searching for you. O truthfulness, pursuing you is a delightful adventure. Seeking you, solving problem before it happening. Bliss is a completion, our heart is longing for it. But with the selfishness of men, some people, don't want others laughter. Assumptions alters ours. With these nuisances, we then have lack of neutrality. And Allah know best."And Goldfinch's voice, drifting,So many questions, still left unansweredSo much, I've never broken throughAnd when I feel you near me, sometimes, I see so clearlyThat only truth I'll never know, is me and youLook at this man, so blessed with inspirationLook at this soul, still searching for salvationI don't know much, but I know I love youThat may be, all I need to knowThat may be, all there is to know *)
- Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi', Ma'ariful-Qur'an, Volume 8, Darul Uloom
- De J. La Fountaine, Fables, A Paris
- Thomas Bewick, Bewick's Select Fables, Bickers & Sons
- Samuel Croxall, D.D., Fables of Aesop and Others, Simon Probasco
*) "Don't Know Much" written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Tom Snow