BeastMode: A Tale of Two Quarans

"**#BeastMode: A Tale of Two Quarans'** is an open letter penned by American rapper Lupe Fiasco. He posted it to his Instagram account on June 27, 2015, in four parts. The accompanying image behind the text features American former football player Marshawn Lynch, who is nicknamed "Beast Mode" and played for Seahawks from 2010-2015.

## Part 1

A letter. Part 1 of 4

#BeastMode: A Tale Of Two Qurans & The Associated Partners Of Allah

Let me be the first to say I am a chronic sinner. I am also a skeptic. If these two titles invalidate my opinion on matters of faith then you should stop reading right about now. Here's the thing though, they don't. Matter of fact sin and skepticism are central tenets of faith. Primary building blocks of spirituality. Sub atomic particles of ecclesiastical affairs etc, etc. My sins range from great to trivial and my skepticism spans the gap from downright blasphemous to uprightly beatific. I pursue faiths of all different shapes and sizes noticing similarities here and there and pointing out compatibilities where applicable. I was born Muslim and raised everything under Apollo. I am in a constant flux in trying to reconcile the Muslim with the Islam, where man ends and where God begins or where God ends and thus where man replaces. So let's begin. My latest copy of the Quran, or Alcoran as it calls itself, is one hundred and ninety four years old and refers to Islam as "Mohammedism". In the introductory "Preliminary Discourse" section of it which comes before the actual start of the Quran, and is almost just as long, the author brings up the opinion of a bygone medieval Islamic scholar by the name of "Al Jahedh" who supposedly said somewhere that the Quran is "a body which might sometimes be turned into a man, and sometimes into a beast." Yes that is a quote from a quote from the Quran about a quote about the Quran! "Sometimes a man and sometimes a beast", I must admit this struck me harder and more poignantly than some of the things that I read in the actual Quran itself! It served the purpose of clarifying something that was ever present on the front line of my skeptical little heart that is that even the Quran is not strong enough to corral and contain the ever wild phenomena of man and his categorical discontents.

## Part 2

Part 2 of 4

The possibility of dual and therefore dueling Quranic, in combination with even more divisive Sunnic, interpretations creates the odd circumstances where an Islamic terrorist will extol at great length about the holy treatment of ones own mother as a sole deciding factor as to whether one enters heaven or hell whilst being simultaneously indifferent about viciously killing the mother of somebody else in a reckless shooting spree. It's Orwellian Doublethink, oppositional narrative, Maxim Clash, ethical cannibalism etc, I have been aggressively exploring these competing mental processes for the past year as I think they are the root of discord in all societies secular and otherwise. I believe that the first steps in quieting this discord from Chi-raq to Iraq is isolating these opposing narratives and putting them in less self-destructive relationships to each other. Islamic extremism is the Quran in beast mode. A heavy, punishing unmerciful thing of a book. Fit for the taming of wild beasts who know only force. The Quran in man mode however, and let's apply some affixes to the word "man" so that it becomes "humane", is a kind although firm, forgiving and patient book. It takes into consideration that man is flawed in every considerable manner and sets about filling those gaps in a persons character graciously and repeatedly. It is a nurturing care giver not a cruel, impatient slave master. The Quran in man mode aims low and is satisfied greatly by baby steps. The Quran in beast mode aims high and expects nothing but back flips till the day you die. The Quran as man wants to cut a deal, the Quran in beast mode wants to cut off your head. This metaphor is as powerful as they come and applies across the spectrum from the supernatural to the natural and thus across the entire spectrum of human action and thought. However, the Quran in beast mode is not only seen in the extremes of a suicide bomber but also in the local dismissive gestures we might casually give to people in constant monetary need or the disapproving glare we might cast on someone whose salat is much too fast or slow for our liking.

## Part 3

Part 3 of 4

We have to keep ourselves in check as well and risk not becoming partners with God in dispensing judgement based on tradition or personal feelings. And this is the meat of this...Fear. Fear is a domain only for God to participate in. A person or group that seeks to find work in the industry of fear is at once saying that they want to transcend their human limitations and become Gods in real time and in legacy. We can argue about how we got here via evolution or aliens or Adam & Eve but the one thing we all agree on is that humankind did not create this planet nor its companion Universe. This level of creation is a evidence of much greater forces at work. Yeah we can create atomic bombs but a working Sun not so much. In this fact alone man is forever separated from the cosmic capital that is retained in the grand workings that qualify one for Godhood. Man is man and that is it, unless God says otherwise. Man should not seek fear but respect. It is harder for a man to carve into respect that is why he retreats to the much softer material of fear to write his name in. Respect requires selfless patience and complete tolerance. Fear is selfishly quick and only needs terrible video quality and an unarmed victim on his knees. This is mans petty fear whereas God's Fear is sheer immensity of dominion. A fear that doesn't need to be constantly imposed because it is ever present. God's fear is not a Halloween parlor trick to scare you into repentance it is the simplicity of awe that consumes you on all levels. If you want to see God's fear just go outside and look at the sky that feeling of how small you are compared to the vastness of creation is God's fear. Man's fear is something more like hiding a machine gun in an umbrella on the beach and shooting at people when they least expect it because they are eating when the Sun is up so that must mean they should die then claiming responsibility for it on Twitter. God is not on Twitter. Also I think to kill innocent people during Ramadan is much more heretical than wearing a thong on the beach while sipping a Heineken at noon listening to 2 Chains. But that's just me.

## Part 4

Part 4 of 4

Any person who trades in fear or terror wants to be worshipped as a God even if just for the slightest moment. They want a little taste of God's country. This is why the Al-Qeada's and ISIS's and Al-Shebobs and Boko Haram's of this world can never (iA) wipe away their sins no matter how many Sharia laws they implement or AllahuAkbars they shout or index fingers they raise to the sky or Shahada's they inspire or enforce. It will never be enough to reconcile that small moment where they tried to become God and enforce one of His most prized possessions, Fear. In closing, my dear young Muslims (Shia & Sunni!) beware of your ambitions. Misfortune and hardship is not necessarily a bad thing it may be a sign that something is being righted in your life and God is choosing to make it hard for you here and save you from the hardships of the hereafter so don't shoot your self in the foot by recklessly lashing out at people whom you judge to be responsible for your bad day. Cultivate respect through good deeds for it is a blessings factory that operates worldwide 24/7 in every language! It will inspire people even when you are sleeping and even when you are not in their presence because the respect they have for you will inspire them in your absence. Do not make the gravest error of getting so caught up in rebuking others for associating partners with God that in doing so you end up installing yourself as a partner to God!

Don't die for bricks or books because they surely can't return the favor.

Sincerely yours,

Wasalu "Lupe" Jaco

P.S. I love Pope Francis!

## References

1. ↑ "Lupe Fiasco (@lupefiasco)". *Instagram*. June 27, 2015.
2. ↑ "Lupe Fiasco (@lupefiasco)". *Instagram*. June 27, 2015.
3. ↑ "Lupe Fiasco (@lupefiasco)". *Instagram*. June 27, 2015.
4. ↑ "Lupe Fiasco (@lupefiasco)". *Instagram*. June 27, 2015.