Book Club: "Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah"

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Fayrouz
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 12:53 pm

Assalam alykum wrwb everyone,

I'm grateful for this forum and I'm grateful to have found this book along this journey, or I should rather say, it has found us.
My heart melts every time I hear about it. I have come to realize that it is not just a book, it is a message that is beyond the ink on its pages, a message that leaps out at you, wanting to reach you.

I can imagine that many people around the world have probably read this book, but knowing what we know from Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan and Aba Al -Sadiq pbut and experiencing what we experienced on this journey and this Dawa, we are perhaps able to relate to it on a much much deeper level.

Notice how at the very beginning in the introduction the author says the following:
"Perhaps it is no coincidence that you're holding this book; perhaps there's something about these adventures that you came here to remember."
Notice how he used the word "remember" instead of "know" or any other word he could have used.

He also says: "what if Siddhartha or Jesus came into our time, with power over the illusions of the world because he knew the reality behind them?" --- Doesn't this fit the description of Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan a.s today?

Note also that the author was contemplating the question of what to write next, he answered that he had said everything he could say and wasn't planning on writing anything else, yet he still felt this "tension", as he calls it, to still convery something, he says: "there was something left to say, and hadn't said it."

Something was urging him to tell this story. Then came this masterpiece...

Having said this, I would like to share with you some thoughts on the first chapter:

In the parable that the Master mentioned at the beginning, he tells of a "a village of creatures" whose way of life was clinging and resisting the current was what they learned from birth. Doesn't this remind you of how we all were and partly still are due to social conditioning, clinging to our old beliefs and ideas and thoughts, brought up in fear to question and go against the current. Until Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan a.s taught us to let go and free our minds, let go like this one creature who was tired of clinging and trusted the current and was lifted, while all the other creatures around him mocked him and called him a fool, but he trusted, and "as he believed, so it was". So much to learn and ponder over in this part alone.
This parable also reminds me also a bit of Socrates's allegory of the cave.

I look forward to reading your thoughts and your experiences with this book while you truly read and live every single word of it.
Mahmoud_AbdElMajeuid
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2020 2:15 am

Asalam Alykoum wr wb
Blessings of God upon you all dear family ,
Have a nice day insha'ALLAH by blessings of Imam AHMAD ALHASAN pbuh and The MAHDIS PBUT

I look forward to learn more and more from Ahlulbayt PBUT insha'ALLAH , How comfort am I when following them holy steps .
Thank your great efforts
O ALLAH Send your prayers upon MOHAMMAD and The family of MOHAMMAD The IMAMS and the MAHDIS and submit a great submission
Aphsana Aal Al-Mahdi
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2020 11:32 am

Salam Aleikum. How can I get this book?
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Sami3u_Allah
Posts: 125
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:28 pm

Aphsana Aal Al-Mahdi wrote:
Fri Jul 24, 2020 8:00 pm
Salam Aleikum. How can I get this book?
Wa alaikum salam wr wb
You can find the pdf version in the following topic:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=149
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Shana
Posts: 193
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 12:50 pm

“The girl’s a wonder with machines, not too bad around animals, but heights, they are a caution to her! And there she is up in the air”. This was the part for me which reminded me of all the things that I spent my energy being afraid of being worried over and consuming all that negativity. It was a reminder of how Aba Al Sadiq (PBUH) shows us that we really have nothing to worry over. The words of Imam Ahmed Al Hassan (PBUH) free yourself from the chains……is not fear yet another chain?

“No difference”, he said mildly. “Anything or nothing”. BINGO that’s the key right? To be in such a state where our hearts are not moved that we do not shake rather we set our eyes on our beloved and let everything just happen!

“Laughing on the way to your execution is not generally understood by less- advanced life forms, and they’ll call you crazy”

This book is a treasure and I find in it reflections and reminders.

Have you ever found a book that you couldn't put down? That you just had to find out what happens? This is one of those reads
Every day is Ashura, and every land is Karbala
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Asma
Posts: 148
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:46 am

Asalamu alaikom wr wb dear family,

This is amazing, a book club to discuss stories we all read together.

I will start reading this book inshallah
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Asma
Posts: 148
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:46 am

Metatron wrote:
Wed Jul 22, 2020 6:17 pm
I have a special story with this book. It is definitely one of the best ...
Asalamu alaikom wr wb inshallah you can tell us one day
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Asma
Posts: 148
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:46 am

I just finished reading the book and it was amazing left me in awe! It really is a book we as ansars can realate to within our own experiences!
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Asma
Posts: 148
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:46 am

“You just open it and whatever you need most is there.” “A magic book!” “No. You can do it with any book. You can do it with an old newspaper, if you read carefully enough. Haven’t you done that, hold some problem in your mind, then open any book handy and see what it tells you?”

This reminds me of the post - the istikara book of Mary which clearly explains a form of way of doing istikhara
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Ananda
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 12:49 pm

I've been taking my time on this book reading a little everyday and I feel like its talking to me in a way, I'm really enjoying it!

There is a part which reminds me about the story of the little soul, where in which he asked God to learn an attribute of God and eventually God agrees, but warns the little soul it's going to be difficult, then the little soul comes to earth to learn that trait/attitude, for example Patience. How many of us have prayed to The Almighty for patience, and then been thrown head first into situations where you really have to have patience?

It says in the book "You're never given a wish without being given the power to make it true, you may have to work for it, however" I feel if we are sincere and we work hard by what we are taught we will be able to do anything inshallah
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