The means to achieve an obligation are necessarily obligations.
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Recently, a long-time reader emailed me asking where he could find my book, The Seeker’s Regalia: A Primer on the Etiquette of Seeking Sacred Knowledge.
“If I may ask, did you remove the seeker’s regalia from your site? And if so why? I think that book could benefit a lot of people because the original translation isn’t that good.”
He’s right. The original translation is written in awkward “Islamospeak.” Islamospeak is the kind of hyper-literal, looks-like-English-but-really-isn’t translation of Arabic we all know and hate. It’s the type of translation you get when translators aren’t proficient in English idiom and turns of phrase.
Let me give you an example: Qurrat Ayni translates literally to “the coolness of my eyes.” It makes sense in Arabic because of Arab culture. The equivalent concept in English is “the apple of my eye.” So instead of saying, “she was the coolness of my eyes,” you should say, “she was the apple of my eye.”
Now, I can understand the need for accuracy when translating religious texts. Because people make important decisions on how to practice their faith based on translations.
However, we need to strike a balance between literal translation and conveying the meaning of what’s being said.
I started working on the Seeker’s Regalia several years ago. My teacher asked me to help him summarize the original translation for a class he was teaching on the etiquette of seeking knowledge.
Let me tell you, this was no easy task. I must have spent weeks trying to capture the essence of translation in simple English. In some cases, the translator’s English was so weird, I had to go back to the original Arabic and re-translate.
By the time I finished…
Over 90% of the translation was written in my own words
It wasn’t a summary of a translation. It was an original work in-and-of-itself. An abridged translation of original work.
Even the name, “The Seeker’s Regalia” is a reflection of the care I’ve taken with the words chosen to represent the author’s intent.
The first “edition” has been reviewed and edited twice. Once by my teacher who commissioned it. And a second time by another teacher, before I made it available on Becoming The Alpha Muslim. It’s been polished to a high sheen.
I’m very proud of The Seeker’s Regalia. After my wife and children, this book is my best contribution to the Muslim Ummah to date.
Now, I want to share (or reshare) it with you. I’m making the Seeker’s Regalia available for purchase to readers of Becoming the Alpha Muslim.
At this point, your brain may be about to burst with curiosity. Since I’ve hyped the book so much, it’s only fair I tell you what’s in it.
The Seeker’s Regalia has 6 chapters. Each chapter takes you on a journey through the stages of seeking knowledge. It starts with correcting your inner state and ends with a warning on nullifying what you’ve learned and applied.
Regalia are the distinctive clothing and ornaments worn during special occasions and formal events. They are usually by the aristocracy, military leaders, and government officials.
Like a nobleman wears special items of clothing to signify his rank and status…
The seeker of Sacred Knowledge adorns himself
…by applying the wisdom of this book to his mind, body, relationships, and environment.
Together, the lessons in this book make up the “Regalia.” And it encompasses far more than appearance. It covers every aspect of the Seeker’s life and conduct.