All other interpretations of Turner fall short,
including those by today's black theologians. They undervalue Turner's
religious perspective and his humanity. Some consider him an
abolitionist, which he was not; others desire to make him a
Baptist preacher, which he was not; still others, like Black
church theologians, want to make him a churchmen, which he was
not; others deflate him to being a mad man, which he was not. Nor
was he simply a mystic. For me he was a true prophet, a martyr,
and Christ figure. A man who sacrifice all in the name of that
which is just and holy.
The 174th anniversary of Turner's Holy War in
Southampton, VA will occur 21 August 2005.
But to return to the Quran. Luqman it is said
was a kinsman of long-suffering Job. They say too he had been a
slave. But what is distinct about him is his faith and his
endurance. This particular English translation works best for me.
It is extremely poetic. At one point I could recite it from
memory. One might also say that this sura translation helped me to
create my own voice.
My paperback copy of the Quran, which is falling apart,
was given to me by Edward James, who I believe was in the
Education Department at University of Maryland, College Park. I
did not read it until a decade later. But I kept it with me. And
when Louisiana wore me out and I returned to rural Virginia in
1987, I read it and it gave me solace and it reaffirmed my faith
in things greater than my own ego.
Maybe, it will serve some of you who read
it now or a decade later. In any event—Enjoy! Take heed!—Rudy
Alif
lam min. These are
the revelations of the Wise Book, a guide and a blessing to the
righteous, who attend to their prayers, pay the alms-tax, and
firmly believe in the life to come. These are rightly guided by
their Lord and will surely prosper.
Some there are who would gladly pay for a frivolous tale, so that in
their ignorance they may mislead others from the path of Allah and
make fun of it. For these We have prepared a shameful punishment.
When Our revelations are recited to them, they turn their backs in
scorn, as though they never heard them: as though their ears were
sealed. To these proclaim a woeful scourge.
But those that have faith and do good works shall enter the gardens of
delight, where they shall dwell for ever. Allah’s promise shall
be fulfilled: He is the Mighty, the Wise One.
He raised the heavens without visible pillars and set immovable
mountains on the earth lest it should shake with you. He dispersed
upon it all manner of beasts, and sent down rain from heaven with
which He caused all kinds of goodly plants to grow.
Such is Allah’s creation: now show me what your other gods created.
Truly, the unbelievers are in the grossest error.
We bestowed wisdom on Luqman, saying: ‘Give thanks to Allah. He that
gives thanks to Him has much to gain, but if any one denies His
favours, Allah is self-sufficient and glorious.’
Luqman admonished his son. ‘My son,’ he said, ‘serve no other god
instead of Allah, for idolatry is an abominable sin.’
(We enjoined man to show kindness to his parents, for with much pain his
mother bears him and he is not weaned before he is two years of
age. We said: ‘Give thanks to Me and to your parents. To Me
shall all things return. But if they press you to serve, besides
Me, what you know nothing of do not obey them. Be kind to them in
this world, and turn to Me with all devotion. To Me you shall all
return, and I will declare to you all that you have done.)
‘My son, Allah will bring all things to light, be they as small as a
grain of mustard seed, be they hidden inside a rock or in heaven
or earth. Allah is wise and all-knowing.
‘My son, be steadfast in prayer, enjoin justice, and forbid evil.
Endure with fortitude whatever befalls you. That is a duty
incumbent on all.
‘Do not treat men with scorn, nor walk proudly on the earth: Allah
does not love the arrogant and the vain-glorious. Rather let your
gait be modest and your voice low: the harshest of voices is the
braying of the ass.’
Do you not see how Allah has subjected to you all that the heavens and
the earth contain and lavished on you both His visible and unseen
favours? Yet some would argue about Allah without knowledge or
guidance or illuminating scriptures.
When it is said to them: ‘Follow what Allah has revealed,’ they
reply: ‘We will follow nothing but the faith of our fathers.’
Ye, even though Satan is inviting them to the scourge of Hell.
He that surrenders himself to Allah and leads a righteous life stands on
the firmest ground. To Allah shall all things return. As for those
that disbelieve, let their unbelief not vex you. To Allah they
shall return and He will declare to them all that they have done.
Allah has knowledge of their inmost thoughts.
We suffer them to take their ease awhile, and then will sternly punish
them.
If you ask them: ‘Who has created the heavens and the earth?’ they
will reply: ‘Allah.’ Say: ‘Praise, then, be to Allah!’ But
most of them are ignorant men.
His is what the heavens and the earth contain. He is self-sufficient and
worthy of praise.
If all the trees in the earth were pens, and the sea, with seven more
seas to replenish it, were ink, the writing of Allah’s words
could never be finished. Mighty is Allah and wise.
He created you as one soul, and as one soul He will bring you back to
life. Allah hears all and observes all.
Do you not see how Allah causes the night to pass into the day and the
day into the night? He has forced the sun and the moon into His
service, each running for an appointed term. Allah is cognizant of
all your actions, for you must know that He is the truth, while
that which they invoke besides Him is false. Allah is the Most
High, the Supreme One.
Do you not see how the ships speed upon the ocean by Allah’s grace, so
that He may reveal to you His wonders? Surely there are signs in
this for every steadfast, thankful man.
When the waves, like giant shadows, envelop them, they pray to Allah
with all devotion. But no sooner does He bring them safe to land
than some of them falter between faith and unbelief. Truly, only
the treacherous and the ungrateful deny Our revelations.
Men, fear your Lord, and fear the day when no parent shall avail his
child nor any child his parent. Allah’s promise is surely true.
Let this life of this world not deceive you, nor let the
Dissembler trick you concerning Allah.
Allah alone has knowledge of the Hour of Doom. He sends down the rain
and knows what every womb conceals.
No mortal knows what he will earn tomorrow; no mortal knows where he
will breathe his last. Allah alone is wise and all-knowing.
Source: Dawood, N. J., translator •
The Koran • Penguin Books • Baltimore, MD. • 1966
* * * *
*
Koran Exordium:
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Praise be to
Allah, the Lord of Creation. The Compassionate, the Merciful, King of
the Last Judgment. You alone we worship. To You alone we pray. Guide us
to the straight path, the path of those whom You have favored, not those
who have incurred Your wrath, nor those who have gone astray.
Amen
* * * *
*
posted 7 November 2007
