Zim's Story

[lederhosen]

An off-the-cuff story I wrote last night. I was trying to develop a character for a larger story I'm working on, and thought roleplaying her in the Wolves Glen Pub might help me get a handle on her. She was asked for a story, and I realised she'd be likely to tell one with a religious moral - which is a challenge for an atheist/agnostic coming from a Christian background. I was very tempted to go trawling the Net for something suitable and file off the serial numbers, but fool pride demanded I write something original instead.

All things considered, I'm very pleased with how it turned out; I think the best stories tell you something about the speaker, and this one certainly does. ('Zim' has nothing to do with Invader Zim, BTW - it's short for 'Zumurrud', an Arabic name that literally means 'emerald'.)



"Why not?" Zim perches on the edge of a table, straightens her hijab, and begins. From her manner, she's had more than a little practice at this.

"Long, long ago, it is said - but only Allah knows all - there was a Sunni merchant named Binam who had grown wealthy by trading cloth. He had converted to the Faith, and - as is often the case with converts - he was more zealous than many who have lived with it all their life. Binam's boast was 'Whatever Allah asks of me, I will double it.'

"One day a holy man from far away came to visit, drawn by the tales of Binam's piety. He asked from house to
house, 'Where is the Twice-Faithful?' For such was Binam called. The people of the town showed him the way, and when Binam heard of the holy man's coming he stepped out to greet him. 'Come inside, sir! You have travelled far - let me offer you food and drink!'

"But the old man shook his head. 'I have what I need. I come only to see whether it is true, as I have heard, that you give God twice his due.'

"Binam welcomed the man into his house. 'You are my guest, good sir, and you may stay as long as you please.
You may stay with me and see the truth of my words.' So the holy man stayed at Binam's house for a week, and observed how Binam conducted himself. Our faith requires prayer, five times daily; Binam prayed ten times. We are required, should we be able, to make the pilgrimage to Mecca once in our lives; Binam had gone twice.

"In the month of Ramadan, those of us who can must fast from first light to sundown. Binam, so his servants assured the old man, made it his habit to fast not only during Ramadan but through the preceding month as well.

"For zakat, charity, two and a half percent of one's income to those in need. Binam showed the wise man his records - he made it his practice to give five percent.

"At the end of the week, Binam walked out into his courtyard with the old man and questioned him. 'Tell me, sir, is it not true that I give to God twice as much as he asks of me?'

"The old man thought in silence for a little while, and shook his head sadly. 'No, Binam, it is not true.' And he spoke the Shahada, the confession of faith: la ilaha illa'Llah, Muhammadun rasulu'Llah. 'Binam, there is no God but God. There are some who think money is God, and they are mistaken. There are some who think power is God, and they also are mistaken. And you, you have mistaken the ceremonies of faith in God for God himself, and your mistake is greater by far. These things are good, because they bring one closer to God, and because He has asked them, but they are not all He has asked. Your words, your money, your time - all these things are right and fitting to give as God directs. But the greatest thing that he asks of you, beyond all these things, is *yourself*. And that is an offering no man can double.'

"Then the holy man left the house of Binam, and behind him he left a very thoughtful man."

Comments

[turnberryknkn.livejournal.com]

Well said. :-)

[silmaril.livejournal.com]

As someone trained in the Moslem faith.. This is great. Simply great. And rings so, so incredibly true...

(The style of writing is very good as well, by the way).

[lederhosen.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much! I've been talking to a friend of Reynardo's for a bit of grounding in Islam, which has been some help.

Unfortunately, he's rather conservative (that convert thing) and somewhat rigid in his interpretations - doesn't even consider Shi'a to be Islam, and disapproves of the Sufis for being innovators. This doesn't help when trying to get inside the head of a fairly progressive Sufi...

[deor.livejournal.com]

*blink* You made that up? Wow.

[panacea1.livejournal.com]

What she said. I thought it was a folk tale you'd found some place.

Nice job :)

[malada.livejournal.com]

Ditto. Cooooool.

-m

[fluffy-cloud.livejournal.com]

Wonderful story and very well written. I think it's a story that every one can get something out of.

Zim's Story

[(Anonymous)]

It even rings true for the Baha'i faith as well. Interesting correlation.
-amber

Re: Zim's Story

[lederhosen.livejournal.com]

I always envisioned the Celestial Chorus as being similar to the Baha'i - they're a group who combine Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (and some others), so they're dealing with the same problem of reconciling them.