Shakib Gunn / 12th June 1934 – 17th February 2009

Shakib Gunn passed away in Singapore during my recent sojourn in India. He was a noble friend. The objective of a Muslim's time on earth is to prepare for success in the Aakhirah, and Shikib understood his personal advent as merely, if essentially a means to this end — "the life hereafter." He scoffed at the popular notion of Enlightenment. Of course he had wished to gain in the virtues of wisdom, knowledge and compassion — no question. But the grandiose dimensions privileged and conferred on that modern day unicorn — particularly as pandered by the international publishing houses — was clearly, for Shakib, excessive and pointless. It simply wasn't necessary to be "enlightened." Life on earth was limited in scope as well as objective; neither thorns nor flowers should distract us from this goal. To Shakib's mind, the notion of Enlightenment amounted to an ill-starred if not completely devastating ideological dajjaal, or 'lying creature' lodged within the belly of contemporary spirituality.

I wish my good buddy a truly fulfilling journey.

See http://torrid-zone-shade.blogspot.com/2009/03/shakib-gunn-12th-june-1934-17th.html