on This Earth

Most of the posts in this blog so far has focused on the practice of connecting to nature through three key principles:

• stillness/silence
• observation
• reflection

This practice is the foundation to train our minds and heart to be present with nature in the moment. Once this foundation is set, it is easy to adapt these principles to the situation. One of the most rewarding way to connect to nature, and ultimately to God, is through action. Yet with the continued destruction of our environment, it is difficult to sustain actions without getting burned out and feeling hopeless.

In this short post, I want to explore the concept of patience while demonstrating another key principle. Like the three key principles mentioned at the start, this principle is grounded in nature and the Divine. This principle is that we practise what we have learned from our observations and reflection of nature. So to repeat the set of principles:

• be still/silent
• observe
• reflect
• practice in our lives

These are the key principles to embodying the words of God, manifested by the natural world and the Qur’an.

Learning from Nature

Years ago, one Ramadhan, I sat amidst the tall grass and found myself being scolded by a mouse for usurping his place. It made me think about how everything has a time and a place. Nothing happens except that it is meant to be at the appointed time and place.

Sitting quietly amidst the tall grass,
I am but one of the creatures seeking shelter.
Around me, the bees and insects buzz
And the birds chirp.
Everything in its time and place.

The lone mouse scolded
Was I not aware that this is not my place,
He seems to say.
Everything in its time and place.

Moving to accommodate him, I fell into silence and listened.
To the rhythm of nature
To the sound of tranquility.
Everything in its time and place.

The warmth of the sun and the life-giving rain.
The turn of seasons
The cycle of life.
Everything in its time and place.

If everything has its time and place, then why are we so impatient? What makes us think that we can hurry the outcome? My friends knows that patience is one of my greatest test. The good thing is that nature is always there to remind me.

One of the personification of patience to me is the spider. I had this lavender bush out front on one side of my walkway and a fir hedge on the other. Every morning when I left the house, I would walk into a spider’s web, spanned between the bush and the hedge. The spider must have spun its web all through the night, every night, never tiring. Looking at a spider’s web, I can’t but admire the delicate intricacy of its work.

Nature has taught me a few things about patience:

• An action par excellence
• Persevering in the action
• The reliance on God
• The outcome has its own time and place

It may be that people will have understood nature’s lessons about patience differently. I would love to hear what other insights on patience from their observation of nature.

Practising Patience

Given what I’ve learned, it then behooves on me to practise it in my life. As mentioned, patience is one of my tests and I can’t say that I have been successful. However, what I learned is everything has its time and place.

Action

How then do we practise patience? For me, I focused on one of my passions – nature restoration. Under this goal, I take two broad categories of actions:

• direct action through my garden and volunteering efforts
• supporting organisations who are fighting the good fight

I learned that in taking these actions, I made mistakes and met with failures. But these failures are building blocks to improve. One such failure was the unsuccessful planting of an apple tree in a friend’s garden. It was my first time and I didn’t know what I was doing. Since then, I learned how to plant different plant types.

Perseverance

Over the years, my efforts feel like fighting an uphill battle but that is where perseverance comes in. The Prophet Muhammad once said, (Musnad of Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal)

If the [Day of] Resurrection were established upon one of you, and in his hand is a sapling, then he should plant it.

That day has not come and so I shall persist in my actions.

What I have learned is to appreciate every small victory along the way. It helps to keep the morale up. For example, finding caterpillars on some of my plants even if they ravaged my plants. The caterpillars then grew to become beautiful butterflies. Or finding inkcap mushrooms growing in my garden, increasing the biodiversity found there. Or the projects by Mossy Earth such as the one in the video below.

I am a member of Mossy Earth and love the fact that I can have an impact on nature through a dedicated community.¹

Reliance on God

In all of these years, I have hope because God says He is with those who are patient. It can be disheartening to read the continued destruction of nature but God is Most Merciful and Just. The One who provides for His creations will not allow their destruction at the hands of the greedy and corrupt without reckoning. When or where that reckoning takes place is not up to us. We are only tasked to uphold justice and the balance as in Surah Ar-Rahman (55:7-9)

وَٱلسَّمَآءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ ٱلۡمِيزَانَ (٧) أَلَّا تَطۡغَوۡاْ فِى ٱلۡمِيزَانِ (٨) وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلۡوَزۡنَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ وَلَا تُخۡسِرُواْ ٱلۡمِيزَانَ (٩)

And the Firmament has He raised high, and He has set up the balance (of Justice), (7) In order that ye may not transgress (due) balance. (8)  So establish weight with justice and fall not short in the balance. (9)

He will take care of the rest as part of His decree for He said in Surah Al-Hadid (57:22-23)

 
مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ إِلَّا فِى ڪِتَـٰبٍ۬ مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن نَّبۡرَأَهَآ‌ۚ إِنَّ ذَٲلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ۬ (٢٢)  لِّكَيۡلَا تَأۡسَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمۡ وَلَا تَفۡرَحُواْ بِمَآ ءَاتَٮٰڪُمۡ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخۡتَالٍ۬ فَخُورٍ (٢٣)

No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence: that is truly easy for Allah: (22)  In order that ye may not despair over matters that pass you by, nor exult over favours bestowed upon you. For Allah loveth not any vainglorious boaster (23)

Everything in its time

And as part of His decree, everything has been given a term, a length of time. As He mentioned in Surah Ar-Rad (13:38)

وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلاً۬ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ وَجَعَلۡنَا لَهُمۡ أَزۡوَٲجً۬ا وَذُرِّيَّةً۬‌ۚ وَمَا كَانَ لِرَسُولٍ أَن يَأۡتِىَ بِـَٔايَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ لِكُلِّ أَجَلٍ۬ ڪِتَابٌ۬ (٣٨)

And verily We sent messengers (to mankind) before thee, and We appointed for them wives and offspring, and it was not (given) to any messenger that he should bring a portent save by Allah’s leave. For everything there is a time prescribed. (38)

There is a start and an end. Even this destructive era that we live in. While I may not live to see its end, I can contribute towards that end by continuing my actions. Hopefully it will also mean the beginning of an era of justice and restored balance in nature.

If you would like to similarly contribute towards a better future, please consider pledging an action here. Thank you for reading.

1. Please think about joining Mossy Earth. A link to it is found in my action pledge page. ↩︎