Communication

[Machiavelli]

I was taught long ago when i was a young child, that "God gave us 'language' so that we may 'know'" I've always been heavily influenced by this little quote. It is my opinion, that "language" is the single most important thing we as humans can take it upon ourselves to learn. Now I don't mean language as in the english language, or as in the dutch language, or as in any specific language. I mean language in the sense of communication.

Humans are gifted with a certain kind of communication skill. It's not something that is learned from others. It's one that is learned thru direct experience only. This was recently displayed for the entire world to see. Throughout south and centeral america, were scattered many dozens of deaf children. Where they lived, they had no access to any education whatsoever. They were never introduced to other deaf children or to sign language. Theres was a very silent world.

With certain government reforms, these children, now many in their teens, were brought together to a camp where they could be educated. Educaters tried to teach them sign language to start, but for some reason the kids rejected it and ended up creating their own language, right there on the spot! Language experts were brought in from around the world to learn what these children were saying. It turned out that this language that was created in a matter of weeks from absolutely nothing, was an extremely robust language, able to communicate almost any message. There are languages in the world today that have evolved over hundreds of years that are not capable of that!

[Outcider]

Most interesting! It is quite incredible indeed what can be done without the spoken word. I happen to know a man who is both deaf and blind, but still he goes to places and even dances with women! With his hearing aid he can understand my speech to some extent.

I have noticed that he finds enjoyment in things that other people don't even pay attention to, for instance he likes to smell flowers and other plants.

['Inayah']

SubhanAllah! Allah's creation is amazing.

[Outcider]

Originally posted by 'Inayah'
SubhanAllah! Allah's creation is amazing.

...or whoever deaf and blind people created. Yes, it's quite amazing what man can do in spite of certain deficiencies!

['Inayah']

[Whoever deaf and blind people created? Obviously we're not on the same wavelength!:confused:

[M.H.Mubarak]

Outsider chooses to sit just outside the parameters of Islam, but obviously enjoys our company. Perhaps his factfinding methods are for the formation of his journalistic columns?

[Outcider]

Yes. M.H. Mubarak, I do enjoy your company very much! All the bits and pieces of information I collect are most useful. Have you found good discussion forums for other religions?

[M.H.Mubarak]

Yes
www.interfaith-center.org/discus/

Are you much like a butterfly collector?
Are you an athiest sorting out different species of religion, pricking them with sharp pins and mounting them in a showcase: Or is there some root of inner conviction that there is a God, A Creator, who has Created a Divine Plan, which is working itself out to its' proscribed conclusion?

[Outcider]

Mubarak, I don't know, but isn't it good to be curious, to learn why people behave in a certain way? I've already learned a lot while discussing things on this forum.

One simple thing that I've learnt: I never endeavour to shake hands with a Muslim lady.

[M.H.Mubarak]

Yes it is good to be curious and to investigate the people and the world around you, to learn as much as possible about any given situation before you put your "foot in the water", so to speak.

However, the point to which I am referring is something akin to a situation where you come to a friends house where a social gathering is taking place. Most of the people there are familiar to you with the exception of one individual whom you have never met before. The queries of this individual as he moves from person to person are short but curious, and sometimes even a little offensive, or rude. People ask this person questions also, hoping to "communicate" on a common playing field so that they feeel more comfortable imparting any further information. But, this "outsider" prefers to remain uncommitted and evasive when asked a direct question. His mannerisms evoke a certain uneasiness within the group. The more he remains evasive, the less qenuine his queries seem.

Now, in our situation here, we are accustomed to people gathering information about us, for benign and for nefarious reasons. Thus, we become uneasy when our attempts at "communication" are gently side stepped and redirected in another direction. It is one thing to be "objective" and another thing to remain aloof. Do you catch the meaning of my drift, captain?

[Outcider]

Thanks, sailor Mubarak, for your detailed comment. What pleases me in particular is that it was written in flawless English!

I guess I understand your point, but I cannot quite agree with you. I quote: "But, this "outsider" prefers to remain uncommitted and evasive when asked a direct question. His mannerisms evoke a certain uneasiness within the group. The more he remains evasive, the less qenuine his queries seem. "

I only prefer to remain uncommitted in one sense: I don't side with any religion yet! And I have made that known, haven't I?

Besides, remaining uncommitted is one virtue that I have learned in my work. As you may know, I have worked as a BBC journalist in London. Would the BBC send a committed man to cover a disputed incident? I may be committed to the neutrality principle, but that's all.

Am I really that evasive? I try to answer every question. Have I forgotten to answer something?

Short? Yes, I try to be as concise as possible. Many of the posts here are hopelessly long and not very much fun to read.

[M.H.Mubarak]

I am indeed quite guilty when it comes to verbosity. However, poetry has always been a favorite pastime, (just reading and comprehension). I have not the mettle to distill my language to the pecision and the exactiveness ( if I may coin a word) in word smithing.

I offer a motif of larger ideas below, with the hopes that their juxtaposition may stir something of recognition within your consciousness.

As far as the need to be committed to a right course of action in the way of life, I will begin with a composite quote from T.S. Eliot's "Murder in The Cathedral."

"You know and you do not know
What it is to act or suffer.
You know and you do not know
That action is suffering,
and suffering action.
Neither does the actor suffer,
Nor the patient act,
But both are fixed in an
Eternal Action, an Eternal Patience,
That All may subsist,
That the Wheel may turn,and still
Be forever still."

I next pull a quote from one of my own recent replies on this forum.

"The religion is only one. Mankind has always invented and added things on to the message, or deleted what they found too hard or inconvienient...but the Message, The Din, has been and always will be: ONE.

You might be walking along an ocean beach, watching some spectacular, knock your socks off sunrise, and BAM! a viel is lifted from your eyes and all of Creation is seen as One. Or, you may be stuck in a solitary little cell and BAM! There are no more walls, a viel is lifted, and you can see beyond the horizion and know and feel the Unity of all Creation. There are a million and one ways that Allahu ta'ala lifts the veils of opacity from our hearts.

One day you will realise that the Din is not something outside of YOU. You will realise that you are the Din and that the Din IS You! That is when you will really know what Islam IS. When your heart is flooded with the Nur (Light) of Allahu ta'ala, your whole being will be filled with Love for Him and all that He loves. Like an iron filing on a piece of paper, your whole being will turn to face the positive spiritual pole, which like a magnet draws us ever closer to itself.

Right now, you are still in the mode of denial and spearation. This may pass, then again it may not. Only Allahu ta'ala makes Muslims. Among muslims there are those known as Mukmin. They are a person from whom all the Muslim Brotherhood are safe from the harm of their mouth and their hand, and from among the Mukmin there are those from whom all creatures of creation are safe from their mouths and their hands.

But as I said, right now you can't see it."


I close with what may be an ongoing topic: Good vs. Evil. (See my
post : "On Sin" in this forum.)

The first phrase of a well known protestant hymn:
"Once to every man and Nation comes the moment to decide...to choose the good or evil side."

The REAL problem is: Mankind has great difficulty distinguishing between good and evil. A problem that goes back to Adam and Eve (Peace be upon them)

May we always choose the side of our Eternal Creator and be saved from the snares of Shayitan and his minions. Who, if he could, would delight in leading all of Mankind astray. Ya Allah, Who art the Knower of all things, and the Sustainer of all things, guide us to the straight path, and steer us from the paths that lead us astray. Ameen.

[Peter J. Malloy]

After my car accident that left me with a shattered spinal column, my other senses kicked in.

I can walk but have slowed down enough to really appreciate the small things--birds that wake me up every morning with their beautiful songs, the love of my kids, love of my goofy cats.

Communication is the downfall, or I should say lack of, many a relationship.

I joined the forum to communicate with other cultures and to see what makes them "tick"

I have found that after being here I understand world happenings better.

P

[M.H.Mubarak]

Dear Mr Malloy

I take it that by your signature you are or have been a U.S Marine. Communications in the military is the backbone of its society. However, in the private sector, we tend to leave communication to chance and circumstance. Unforunate as your accident may have been,(I hope you are doing well in your recovery) it sounds as if it has opened up an important window for you and your family.

In our fast paced society, we often count on the lack of communication to achieve our own personal goals. It is a cruel and selfish way of doing things. You touched the pulse of it when you said: "Communication is the downfall, or I should say lack of, many a relationship."

Communications is a two edged sword, and it can cut both ways. If all Mankind would slow down a little bit and learn to communicate with each other in constructive and meaningful ways, we would all benifit from it.

Our Creator has told us more than once to "Love thy nieghbor as thyself", but we just don't get the message. "Love" is the key word here.

The art of "Listening" is a prerequisit. Being objective, not "clouded" with pre-conceptions, is a start. Being objective should not be confused with being non committal, which is a form of non communication.

I'm glad to hear that your visits to this forum has expanded your awareness of world events. I wish you good health and an ever expanding awareness of your inner self.