Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Hakuna Matata?

"It means no worries...for the rest of our days! It's our problem free - philosophy - hakuna matata!"

So I was playing this for my kids to break them from a disappointment, when I really started to think what this song is attempting to teach us. Amazing how it's the stuff made for kids that can often provoke adults to sit and think...

I concluded that there is a great harm in this philosophy: hakuna matata. Then again, for one who is highly attuned to their faith and incredibly spiritually endowed, it's the ultimate goal. I don't think Disney quite intended the latter meaning...hence, for the masses, I generally believe the first thought to be true...it's a dangerous philosophy. Here's why:

So many of us wander around this dunya searching for something to preoccupy us, excite us, make our lives "meaningful" for a moment, even when (or most often when) we're dealing with struggles and stress. These distractions lead us to believe that the difficulties we experience are just moments/situations/thoughts to "get over". This, as opposed to the greater, more worthy and rewarding task, of facing our struggles and overcoming them.

It's incredibly easy to throw off the responsibility of growing ourselves and overcoming in the manner that Allah (SWT) asks of us (that's in jihad - or striving - for him, in case you were wondering). Hakuna Matata...we may not say it so often, but it's really what we do...we shrug it off, shake it off, wait for it (whatever "it" is for you) to GO AWAY.

Reality is, "it" never goes away. Allah (SWT) has blessed us with struggles and challenges in life. And these beautiful blessings are a way to strengthen us and prepare us for his akhira (inchallah). The danger of hakuna matata is that it's very much a chant of shaitan, when taken in the context here described.

In the ultimate sense, for those most heightened in their spiritual awareness and practice, I suppose it could be a sign of ultimate faith in Allah (SWT). Having no worries or stress at all, ever, because of the absolute surety that the Creator has it all in control.
 
You may think I'm silly for even considering it, but hey, hakuna matata ;)

Any thoughts?

(Originally written March 28, 2011)

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