Tuesday, May 15, 2007


the road to affection

Does admiration = affection?

Dearest habibti Sema, self-elected matchmeddler, likes to think so. Because apparently you can't admire someone without such simple feelings leading to more exhausting ones (sigh).

Woman, if you're self-googling, take note: Give it up already.

To think of it, a lot of people I admire, I have come to love. I admire their principles and the way they carry themselves, but I believe that my ability to care for them was only slightly influenced by their virtues.

Because I happen to love a lot of people that I don't necessarily admire, or agree with.

And then there are some people that you REALLY don't agree with, but you admire their veracity all the same. It takes a lot of guts (and stubbornness) to be so principled, and if you love a person selectively, then you can admire one in the same way.

There are those who you may never be able to understand, but you end up loving wholeheartedly anyway. Take family, for instance. One of the more apparent truths that you don't have to like someone to love them (as my cousins may attest to in reference to me, the overall girjiksen)

My recent foray into the realm of Sisterhood has made me realize that love is a subjective thing; one that you may never totally understand, but you come to accept. The human heart is a wondrous thing to observe, and recent weeks have taught me that God owns our hearts, and shall make them feel however so He wishes.

Upon reflection, though, if admiration had nothing to do with affection, Islam would not stress that our Prophet was the one to 'perfect noble manners'. Looking back, I remember the first time I felt tremendous love for Rasulullah (pbuh) - and it was due to something he did (I can't remember what, he did so many fantastic things), not just the fact that he was the Messenger.

And so I suppose (in my case), admiration does help lead to affection. But not always so.

(Further and better reading must be recommended: Muhtar Holland's translation of Imam al-Ghazali's Ihya, The Duties of Brotherhood in Islam. Haven't gone past the translator's note, but it should explain a lot.)

Labels:

this has been a rant by Syazwina Saw at 4:23 pm

0 comments