I always keep it balance and open mind to any interpretation of Islam, so I always go to different religious gathering. Last night was Padepokan Thaha time with Sudjiwo Tedjo. And it was a mindblowing meetup. 

Sudjiwo Tedjo is one of Indonesian famous people. He’s a Dalang or puppet master in Javanese Wayang show. He’s also a singer. And he has a wicked mind. His thoughts are provocative. He said himself: he’s crazy. But there are a lot of inspirations I can get from him, too much, that I must digest it one by one. My sis Tari is by my side to explain to me whatever things that I didn’t get from his speech. It was heavily spiritual.

I’m going to share one thing I get from him. It’s about Iqra’ (read). 

It’s the first ayat sent down for prophet Muhammad (pbuh). He can’t read, yet he was told to Iqra’ (read). 

We thought, it’s a matter of reading words, or reading books. But Iqra’ has deeper meaning. It’s about ‘reading signs’. It’s about reading life and our surrounding. It’s about reading the world we live in. It’s to find the sacred ‘verses’ in everyday’s life. 

“We will show them Our signs in the horizons, and within themselves, until it becomes clear to them that this is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is witness over all things?” (QS 41:53)

I am grateful to find my being writer and blogger, allow me to be ‘aware’ of my surrounding, be able to read the ‘signs’, interpret the signs, take lessons in every sharp corner of my life. 

So, read. 

+OL