Hning thinks that you're a fool not to believe in reincarnation.
A lot of people believe in reincarnation, but not monotheists. Monotheists refute reincarnation. Monotheists believe that you only get one shot at being whoever you mortally are, and that's it. You can't bargain a re-do, you can't repeat the process and it's a one-way journey. From cradle to grave.
Is it? is the journey really that short?
[this is why Hning thinks that Atheism and disbelieving in an afterlife are just plain boring. There's just so little to look forward to in a day, in a life. But then, since they have nothing to look forward to, Atheists and Pantheist are also the ones who nail "Carpe Diem" to the fullest, aren't they?]
Danarto, an esteemed Indonesian magical-surrealism writer, wrote that "Man passes through 5 realms: Spiritual, Pre-Worldly (in a mother's womb), Worldly, Death and resurrection".
Now, Muslims are obliged to pray five-times a day. Aligning these two concepts, and adding the Prophet's hadith that "Sleep is a the brother of death", Hning came up with this:
Dawn prayer manifests the Primal Spiritual realm.
This is when the Lord said, "Let there be Light". Creation took its time taking shape, either a few a hundred billion years – or maybe just six spiffy days. Who knows? Our souls might have existed since then, hanging around waiting to be conceived. Who knows?
This is where we might have gathered before we're conceived. Hning wonders if she has met her soulmates here, in the primal spiritual realm. Can't help but want to believe every time a "stranger" seems that undeniably familiar. You know that pickup line, "Have we met?" You know what, maybe we have.
Midday Prayer manifests the womb.
Oh the rush and heat and pressure of a Midday! Loved ones separated to make a living, work around the house, pick up the kids, wonder what's for lunch and dinner. You might skip breakfast and decide on a light dinner, but would you ever dismiss lunch? Eat, drink and be merry!
Should we squeeze all of this productive energy through that birth canal? Might as well try! Should we separate now to do all of the stuff you mentioned? You, I, she, he might not make it. That's alright, we'll see each other again later. Much later in the evening.
Late Afternoon Prayer manifests the mortal world.
This is where we are right today, where we live and blog and watch the sun on its dangerous slope nearing the end. The more time we spend here is the more we pay attention to clocks. Biological clocks, birthdays, disease, mortality. Some of us might be on the way home, some might be trying to close the day's pending tasks…some very peculiar ones actually preparing themselves for work.
Evening Prayer manifests death.
How could it not? At dusk, the world seems to turn itself in, enshrouding every living and thought and longing under a dark blanket of secretive slumber.
Isha manifests Resurrection and Judgment Day.
So your day is done, whether or not you're ready to turn give it a rest. As you lay your prayer rug and make your bed, you assess how your day went. Some of you might be planning how you are going to spend the following day.
Normally, this is where the Hindu idea of reincarnation sets forth, prepping itself for a dreadfully repetitive cycle, or the hopeful glint of a second chance.
[If you live somewhere between the Cancer and Capricorn Tropics (23°27’ to the north and south of the equator), you would notice the brevity for midday, Ashr and evening prayers. The Lord has repeatedly mentioned this, in the Holy Quran and through His prophets و الآخرة خير و أبقى.]
The thing is, we live and die and live again every day.
Every day, we are offered a second chance to make nice and do better.
Every day, we are offered the choice to either spend it miserably, or not. As good as folks can be, or not.
How are you going to spend yours?
Footnote:
1. I used the Islamic Prayers allegory in explaining the idea of reincarnation ONLY because I am most familiar with its concepts. In no way do I dismiss Jesus' return to reign mankind prior to Judgment Day, nor do I think that Judaism lacks from such concepts. These are merely my shortcomings, not the religions'.
2. Images powered by Getty.
