what makes a life
In Islamic culture, it is believed that the future is in God's hands and ultimately out of our control. In any reference to the future, Muslim people always use the phrase insha' Allah. (إنشا الله). This is loosely translated as "if God wills." Used in the same context is the Spanish word ojala, residual of the Moorish occupation of southern Spain more than 500 years ago. In English we usually just say "hopefully."It was a year ago at this time that I found a picture of what I would actually like to do with my future.* Now wrapping up my first field project, which has brought me back to Morocco where I have broken ground socially and academically, it seems natural that I would return here for future projects in graduate school. The realization of making a real life, dotted lines and all, not just a vacation, beyond southeastern PA is quite something to get my head around. No more coasting. It's both scary and exciting, but active choices have to be made to make a life that is more than just sustained.
Having talked so any times about when and if I will return to Morocco, the phrase insha' Allah has ingrained itself in my vocabulary. It might be misinterpreted to mean that we cannot influence or predict the future, but it acts more as an acknowledgment that the world is not fully in our control. An extended time at the mercy of IRB protocols, airplane pilots, cold epidemics, weather, new people, language barriers, even the food you eat, is enough to get a sense of this. I would be lying if I said I knew exactly what to expect in graduate school or in Morocco. The only thing I am certain about is my choice. In addition to being a country full of wonderful people, Morocco lends itself as an exciting stage for the cooperation and competition between Old World and New World, a dynamic that is challenging the entire globe. We saw a small piece of that in its souqs, and I am so much looking forward to seeing more.
*Maybe the best teachers don't necessarily tell you anything new, but show you what is already there.
(إنشاء الله).
we don't know what will be happent, but i know that u hope to return here, & waiting for that i want to add that Old World and New World arn't in competition but they live Together here.
We dont know what will be happend, but i know that you hope to return here.
And waiting for that (إنشاء الله), i want to add that Old World and New World are not in competition , but they live together here in Morocco.
I loved reading about your research in Morocco. I am an MBA student at Pennstate and I am originally from Morocco. Your page is just so great, I think you were able to capture so many cultural aspects of the daily life in Morocco.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Wish you the best of luck in your research.
I just want to say that in the holly Quran god said (the meaning of the verse): don’t say that you are going to do something tomorrow but if god wills.
I think that is something good when you said insha’ Allah. This word gives you peace and harmony; because when you believe in god you know that every thing including your live it's because of Allah,for the simple raison that He is our creator.So as you said "we cannot influence or predict the future, but it acts more as an acknowledgment that the world is not fully in our control"
Every one who said insha' Allah is some one who really know his place in this world :)
I wish you the best.
Nice work! I wonder what attracted you to Morocco in the first place?