Fellowship & Fairydust

So here’s the deal with my sharing posts referring to God as Allah on social media. I’m not gonna repeat the stats in detail about it being the Arabic word, known to be used in Arabic regions regardless of religious backgrounds. We’ve been there, done that. It just goes around and around the Kabbah, so to speak.

But I don’t think that’s the reason the query in my case is coming up lately; it’s more like “You’re not an Arab, nor part of a religion strongly connected to Arabic language and cultural traditions; you’re not therefore connected to this term. Do you hate your own Western culture and Western Christendom? Are you in a habit of misappropriating?”

Okay, so point one, I actually don’t use “Allah” in regular conversation, except on occasion with Muslim friends. I also don’t use it in my writing unless its pertaining to Arab culture or Muslim theology. It’s not my culture, and I don’t try to flaunt it like it is. Now, singing is another thing, just like reciting poems, or indeed writing dialogue for other characters, as this just lends your voice to someone else’s words.

Point two, I’m quite happy being a Western Christian, and have always felt quite comfortable with and indeed proud of my Western European heritage and its religious ethos (which is probably fairly evident from a ton of other posts I share). That having been said, I also am quite comfortable with appreciating and being moved by the cultures and traditions beyond Western Civilization.

Basically, anything involving the good, the true, and the beautiful I can fall in love with. This is distinct from trying to become it or claim it on an individual level. I can smell the flowers without trying to pluck them. However, I suppose all human beings share all that is of greatest worth in the human experience to some extent. I can love my neighbor as myself, not just on a personal level, but also in appreciation of what they have sub-created.

So back to the Allah thing. When you’re seeing it, it’s usually in posts shared from Muslim friends, their timelines and pages. This is their voice speaking and usually sharing some beautiful insight about their relationship with God, and indeed God speaking to them in return, that has deeply touched me.

I’ve sometimes had Muslims self-consciously offer to say “God” instead of “Allah” when we talk in case it makes me uncomfortable. I find it pretty sad they’ve felt the need to make that point, as if I might not be able to make the translation out in my head without imagining suicide bombers or something, or indeed hold this intimate part of their religious culture in some form of disdain.

I’m sorry to say the news has got us sort of zonked when it comes to Arabic, because it focuses solely on the worst possible cases of its use instead of the multitudinous positive and peaceful instances of its use. But my response to those who ask me this is for them to please not sweat it, as my connotation of the word derives mainly from two sources:

Firstly, Islamic music: I listen to it a lot, and I’ve become a bit of a connoisseur on it. The passion and poise of it, in adoration of and supplication to the Source from which we all have our existence, is truly powerful and moving.

Then the second camp is from friends…sometimes in pious devotional use, i.e. insh’allah, mash’allah, alhamdullilah, etc., which I find quite endearing. And the other times…when they’re randomly frustrated with their computers. Or with whatever their mom put on their sandwiches.

“Ya Allah! I just lost the file! O my God! Ahhh!”

“Ya Allah, what did my mum put on this? Is this mayonnaise?? I hate mayonnaise!!”

Oh. And kitten pics.

“Ya Allah, look at how stripey it is!!”

So yeah…You can say “Allah” in front of me as much as you please and I won’t freak out. I want everyone to be at peace, and address the Almighty in whatever language best reveals their hearts in that intimate call that all mortals make to the Source of Immortality. 

I relate to this “heart-call” because it rings true often enough to something I have experienced as well. It’s the beauty of knowing that God is not in a box, and that the Lovers of God are all around us. What a very comforting thought! It is a marvel to me how some people find this notion more disturbing than encouraging.

We Christians and Muslims will surely continue to quarrel over aspects of theology, some large, some small, and cultural or liturgical quirks, as we have done for centuries. There will continue to be “mini crusades” on social media over the aspects and incarnations of God. But the point is our love for God, and consecration to Him, are shared.

My firmest belief is that God does “feel the love” and measures the sincerity of hearts. I am not saying that our debates upon theological matters are inconsequential, but I do believe He relishes in the rainbow of expressions of love that daily rise to Him from all of us. They are like millions of little imprints upon the template of eternity, like engravings etched in the Scroll of Life.

In this, I concur with the Sufi poet:

“Some are praying in the churches, others prostrate in the mosques. The only prayer that I offer is at the threshold of my love.”