My Journey
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As salamu alaykum.
Respectfully.Welcome to the forum, Matt. welcome
You went through a LOT and you have seen so much of the world and experienced many different things in a short period of time. Congratulations on surviving, i mean, i truly don't know if i would make it in the desert, if i went there now.May Allah Most Merciful reward you with Paradise.
As salamu alaykum. jedi -
Salam,
I heard once that Bedouin people who live in remote places in the desert are actually less conservative/extreme and nicer than the people in the big cities. Now I'm convinced that it is true. However, I'm also wondering how is this possible. '(
Anyway, I too am envious toward you Matt. I have always wanted to venture around the world, especially the Middle East. Unfortunately, my current situation prevents me from fulfilling this dream. So, I'm really looking forward to hear about your next adventure.
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Peace Matt,
Many of the Bedouin in Jordan speak some English as it is taught in the schools as a second language, although the elders living outside of the villages don't always know as much.
Gotcha. So, they send their kids to schools in the cities. Is it common for the children to return to the nomadic life afterward, or do they generally assimilate?
Many of the Bedouin in Jordan speak some English as it is taught in the schools as a second language, although the elders living outside of the villages don't always know as much.
You're not the first person I heard this from. Dr. Shabbir Ahmed (co-author of QXP) spent a few years with them in order to learn the Quraishi Arabic. He spoke very highly of his experiences there.
If I would have stayed in the villages more of the time I was there I would have learned more Arabic because half of the time I was just on my own in the desert...
Well, it seems you went there with a purpose that needed fulfilling. There's time to learn the Arabic.
I didn't have my own camera but I have some pics that a tour leader friend took while I was there, who stayed with me in my camp for about 10 days. There are also some general landscape pics in there as well.
Wow! Those pictures are absolutely amazing. Reminds me of the descriptions of Paulo Coelho in "The Pilgrimage" (the follow-up to "The Alchemist"
btw, I noticed a picture of Jessica Alba right after that last landscape pic. Was she hanging out with the Bedouins too? D
Peace,
Tay -
Salaam Brother Tay,
Most of the Bedouin send their children to the school in the village they are closest to, and there was one military school for boys in Rum Village(and every other older Bedouin man I met there had been in the army or police/patrol during some point in his life) and another school for girls. In the village of At Tuwaisi there is a small private school with one or two teachers. Many of the older children spend their time offering camel rides to tourists or helping out their brothers with guiding and so on. In Jordan, the Bedouin are becoming increasingly settled, although some still choose to live out on the land. Many of the younger Bedouin are drawn to the cars, cellphones and western lifestyle, but still remain rooted to the land, and I visited some families who live in tents and travel back and forth to Saudi Arabia seasonally with all of their belongings and was offered by my brother Ali a chance to accompany his Uncle's family on their migration. Some Bedouin are more drawn to the modern ways while some are drawn more to the traditional ways of life, although most who stay out in the desert or desert villages tend to base their livelihood on either herding, guiding, or a combination of the two. A few are shopkeepers and traders who supply herders and guides.
On the site which is hosting the image gallery, they show other people's gallery images that they have recently uploaded right next to the current gallery you are viewing.
-Matt
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Salam upon you brother Matt. Your story is indeed an inspiring story. I was also raised a christian for 35 years, and only converted to Islam over one year ago. I can honestly say that I shared with you the deep connection to God that you say you felt your entire life. MY only problem was that I didnt really know God, I was raised Roman Catholic and was taugh thte trinity and that Jesus is God, so I prayed as taught but never really felt it or accepted in my soul. So my entire life I searched for the truth, without even knowing what the truth was, i just knew I felt it and that I would know it when I found it. I wish I can say that I could have searched the way you did by travelling the world, that would be great if I could have, but I didnt, so I searched using whatever I could. I read a lot, think alot, watch nature and all creatures, I could honestly sense God in all things but I didnt know how I could worship him.. I assumed that if Jesus was God as I taught and that since I followed the church and Jesus and prayed to him then why was I still feeling this doubt deep inside, this longing for something still missing?.
Anyways, I will tell my entire story of my conversion someday, but for now I just wanted to welcome you in the religion of True Islam brother Matt.
I also can not accept the traditions or sayings of hadith. I did read and investigate them but i believe that the same spirit of truth that led me to God in Islam also led me to stay away from hadith. So when I said the Shahada I did not say the Mohammad Is the messenger part. Even though I believe he is, I will not associate anything with God during my prayers. I do believe we should pray by bowing down and prostrating since God says to in Quran. and I do pray 5 times a day, sometimes more, I do not see a reason to try to reduce prayers to only 3 like some say, we should be glad to pray to God and not try to lessen our worship of him.
Welcome again Matt, I hope we can talk together as we seem to share much in common in our beliefs. I also think that the Quran alone movement that we are part of is the final and true message of God to all humanity. Think of how important our task is, we are the only young and new movement that I believe truely has the true message as God intended, and it is our duty to spread this message, free of traditions and hadith, God willing we will be the vanguard of Gods truth. Lets work together to get our community of believers together, to develop a strategy and to spread the word of God
Salam ,
Kurt
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Peace bro "Matt",
Welcome to the forum. Have you witnessed the mathematical miracle of the Quran based on code-19 at www.submission.org ? GOD Bless! -
Salam.
Welcome to the forum, brother Matt and i hope you'll enjoy talking to us. As you will see, we talk about EVERYTHING and soon you'll have more friends then ever.
In the past two months, i expanded my circle of friends by dozen, thank God Almighty.
As far as number of daily prayers are concerned, you should visit PRAYERS and check why even here some of us pray 3 times a day and some 5 and there are even some who pray only twice a day.
May Allah Most Powerful guide us all to the Paradise.
Salam. -
Bro matt welcome to the forum.Wonderful story,and you are the man i have always wanted to talk to.I have a dream to be a shepherd for a summer holiday at the least.Any link?or loopholes in jordan you know of?I love that kind of lifestyle,though i never tried it.
SalamAlso,will i be allowed to bring a dog along in jordan.
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Salaam Alaykum,
Thanks for all the kind words of welcome brothers and sisters. Ahlan feek.
Brother Matinbhagat,
If you want to live as a shepherd in the desert in Jordan I would suggest you go to Rum Village and meet some of my brothers there. Of course there are many other places in the world where you can live as a herder nowadays, (contrary to the opinions of some people I have talked to) but if you are keen on southern Jordan, I have lots of brothers there that I am very close with, my brother Salem has access to the internet and we send emails back and forth now and then so I could write to him on your behalf.
It's a beautiful life; herding and wandering free in the desert, leading the goats to pasture and water, sleeping out under the stars every night with the open fire, boiling the tea and watching the canopy of shooting stars, milky way, and bright moon lighting up the long warm desert nights. The freedom of the life certainly makes one feel so very alive and from the Bedouin I received such a level of respect and honesty that it made me realize that there is reason to have faith in human beings and that there are others out there who share the same human values I consider important and necessary.
There is not one day that goes by that I am not eager to be back in the desert, remembering the antics of my goats and donkeys, collecting water from the mountain springs, riding the camel in the moonlight, the feasts and laughter and joy shared with my brothers, the lessons learned in subsisting on simple fare and being thankful for the opportunity to be able to live according to one?s inclinations and praise God in a beautiful land. The gratitude felt when you quench your thirst on a hot afternoon when the sand burns the soles of bare feet, after you have climbed a mountain and gaze upon the fresh water spring. The realization that at this moment you could not be more thankful for anything else than the life-giving water from God, and all the gifts of life that God provides for you. In the desert there is such directness with all aspects of life; with what you eat, drink, how you sleep, with who you are and how you interact with the earth and other people and how you should live your life according to what you feel is right and in accordance with God?s commandments.
When one spends enough time in solitude in the desert(or other wildlands), there are no barriers, no distractions that one can use to escape from dealing with their underlying issues and one is forced to confront themselves and their problems and desires, and at this point one either leaves the desert to seek refuge in busyness and social distraction or they persist on, endure and walk forward with patience; learning, listening and being open to what God wants to teach them. The prophets were led out in the desert to spend months in solitude for a reason, I think it was probably because in order to be able to carry out God?s commandments for their lives they had to confront themselves and work through their own worldly desires, receive guidance and come back full circle to their purpose in life and be strong and steadfast therein. In order to achieve this they needed to be away from human habitations which offered relief through social discourse, in order that they find no relief and guidance except through God alone. One need not be a prophet to be able spend a little time in solitude in wildlands and learn what God has to teach them. I do believe God works in mysterious ways, and that there are many mediums and methods through which he spreads his message and guides his people. This is one such way in which to receive that message and guidance which will help keep one steady on the right path that God has chosen for them.
I feel that small-scale nomadic goat/camel herding (and hunting/gathering) is a beneficial way of life in both personal, economic, social and spiritual aspects so I definitely encourage you to follow your path and may God help you in this and provide guidance and support for you on your journey brother.
I am not entirely sure what you mean by "loopholes" could you explain ? I am sure you could bring your dog (but not 100 percent sure as I haven't looked into it before) so long as she/he has shots and papers to go along with them. Most of the Bedouin herders use one or two dogs for herding their goats and sheep.