The Night
Snakes
Have you heard the of this brand new, state of the art, constantly being evolved, latest phenomenon of human history? It's called work. Then there is this person called a boss. Sometimes, there are multiple bosses, managers, owners or supervisors. Also, there are other employees.
Sometimes bosses give you a task and breath down your neck until it's done. Other times they leave you to it and have no idea what you're doing. And if you're like me you collect every task in a book just in case, to report the daily work, like some sort of self-monitoring robot.
Anyways, there's a notion that nobody likes their boss, or rather the everlasting culture of boss bashing. Backbiting in general. I've been told it's unfightable- just let them be. But my heart hurts, doesn't yours?
Anytime a person leaves the room, they may be subject to unbelievably harsh and, at times, unwarranted disdainful remarks.
I had never worked with snakes before. I didn't know. They worked together, and called me in to share, to laugh, to get caught up in their mischief.
But you may have heard:
"And when it is said to them: "Make not mischief on the earth," they say: "We are only peacemakers." Quranic Verse (2:11).
And as you can imagine, and may have experienced already, snakes like to draw you in, hold you tight and make you feel warm and secure in their winded and twisted ways, but in the end you're choking. Suffocating.
There's no peace in a snake's grip. If you join them, your own integrity sheds away for a new season of backbiting and ignorance without any drop of mercy. You become cruel.
Did you want to become cruel? No.
Did you want to become detached and feel unbelievable shame when looking at your bosses, and other employees who had been snaking and speaking about? No.
So beating them becomes an option. You try to put them off. I tried, in my own ways too. I stopped reacting to cruel words, I didn't give in to that desired giggle they pushed for. The backbiting became hollow that way for them, without an audience.
But it was too difficult, they spoke among themselves. Loudly, arrogantly and dramatically. I heard everything.
So join them? The call is strong; to be accepted by one's peers.
But it hurts, and my heart dies a little every time. I can't engage with their victim-topics the same again.
So fear loneliness then. That's all you're left with when facing the luring traps of snakes.
But why fear them, when I can fear God? Leave them to Him, and avoid them all together?
"O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful (49:12)."
Sometimes bosses give you a task and breath down your neck until it's done. Other times they leave you to it and have no idea what you're doing. And if you're like me you collect every task in a book just in case, to report the daily work, like some sort of self-monitoring robot.
Anyways, there's a notion that nobody likes their boss, or rather the everlasting culture of boss bashing. Backbiting in general. I've been told it's unfightable- just let them be. But my heart hurts, doesn't yours?
Anytime a person leaves the room, they may be subject to unbelievably harsh and, at times, unwarranted disdainful remarks.
I had never worked with snakes before. I didn't know. They worked together, and called me in to share, to laugh, to get caught up in their mischief.
But you may have heard:
"And when it is said to them: "Make not mischief on the earth," they say: "We are only peacemakers." Quranic Verse (2:11).
And as you can imagine, and may have experienced already, snakes like to draw you in, hold you tight and make you feel warm and secure in their winded and twisted ways, but in the end you're choking. Suffocating.
There's no peace in a snake's grip. If you join them, your own integrity sheds away for a new season of backbiting and ignorance without any drop of mercy. You become cruel.
Did you want to become cruel? No.
Did you want to become detached and feel unbelievable shame when looking at your bosses, and other employees who had been snaking and speaking about? No.
So beating them becomes an option. You try to put them off. I tried, in my own ways too. I stopped reacting to cruel words, I didn't give in to that desired giggle they pushed for. The backbiting became hollow that way for them, without an audience.
But it was too difficult, they spoke among themselves. Loudly, arrogantly and dramatically. I heard everything.
So join them? The call is strong; to be accepted by one's peers.
But it hurts, and my heart dies a little every time. I can't engage with their victim-topics the same again.
So fear loneliness then. That's all you're left with when facing the luring traps of snakes.
But why fear them, when I can fear God? Leave them to Him, and avoid them all together?
"O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful (49:12)."