“Thoughts & Readings” on Beauty

Assalamu ‘alaikum,
While on a search for beauty, I came across this lovely post (about halfway down, Tuesday, September 13, 2005: “In response to Brother’s post”) at “Thoughts & Readings” that captures much of what I would like to capture in my book insha’Allah. It’s a beautiful post.

I had to read it a few times, and some of the imagery is going to take a long time to fully understand but I know that al-Shaykh al-Akbar ibn Al-Arabi meant no disrespect for Allah in some of his poetry/symbolisms. I might also have to get used to the idea that “Allah as the Beloved in Sufi literature, the ma’shuq, is always depicted with female iconography.”

“There will be many more evidences in Islam on the exquisiteness of expression and appreciation of the beauty of women. This is due to the fact that it inspires remembrance of Allah as the Creator, He who is Beautiful and Creates beauty.”

How very insightful and true! It makes me think of a beautiful sunset or of seeing an awesome feature in nature, such as a vast, wide, green valley, that the camera never quite captures. Rayyan goes on to say that “in these modern times…the beauty of women is represented immorally.” How sad that this is the unfortunate case and what a blessing in Islam and our hijab.

The following hadith is quoted, and contains the inspiration for the quote on this blog:

From ‘Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood (r.a.) who said that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “No one will enter Paradise who has an atom’s weight of pride in his heart.” A man said, “What if a man likes his clothes to look good and his shoes to look good?” He said, “Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Pride means denying the truth and looking down on people.”

After more ahadith and beautiful, eloquent commentary, Rayyan sums up with:

“Because He loves beauty, He sends down on His slaves clothes and adornments with which they may make their outward appearance beautiful and He gives them taqwa which makes their inner characters beautiful.”

This will insha’Allah be the basis for my chapters on beautiful character and dress. Rayyan ends by extolling the virtues of femininity as evidenced by male appreciation for female form and beauty, and this reminds us of the important contributions we, as females, have to make. We bring beauty to a sometimes hard world; we are the soothing presence that comforts and delights. As she says: “Rumi often speaks beautifully of the feminine, presenting woman as the most perfect example of [Allah]’s creative power on earth.”

I have not done this post justice, so you must simply read it for yourselves in order to fully appreciate it. I love her poetic and eloquent style.

Wassalam,
Callista