progeny letter
My beloved descendants,
I want to first begin with the name of God, Mighty and Exalted, Who doesn’t have a single partner, and directly after send abundant prayers and salutations upon His Messenger, Muhammad son of Abdullah, peace and blessings upon him. I believe it’s best to begin this way so that you know that I, your ancestor, your foremother, was a devout Muslim. It’s important to know who your ancestors were and what they believed in, what they stood upon, what they stood for. I didn’t know very much about the beliefs of those who came before me, at least not beyond my maternal grandmother, but I’m determined that you never have to be in the dark about these things. You should know your roots, even if the path I walk isn’t the path you choose for yourself.
So, wow, where to begin?
I guess I can start by saying I wish I could live to see you, to know you. I’m 42 years old at the time of this letter writing (living through a global pandemic in a completely racist society), and I feel like I’ve learned so much, yet still have so much more still to learn. What I do know and would like to share with you is that knowing yourself is the first step to knowing the Reality. You were put on this earth for a pure and holy purpose, and you were chosen to do something special and unique to you. One thing you should know about me is I’ve always been an alternative thinker and an alternative doer. It’s completely okay to go against the norm. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are being told who to be and how to live gracefully and purposefully, then leave that situation and that person utterly alone. You are a light, and should never be dimmed. This kind of agency and boundary and responsibility over yourself will take time. No one is born with complete discernment about these things. But if you are watchful and intentional and patient, your body, your heart, your inner voice, your higher self, and your Lord will give you clues. They will speak to you- in their own language- the words to inform you of what is best and most nourishing for you. They will tell you when it’s time to go and when it’s time to say. They will tell you when it is time to stop eating crappy food and choose the salad instead. They will tell you when the circumstances you are in are no longer safe. They will tell you when you need to rest. They will tell you when it’s time to pray, and when it’s time to cry or rage. Trust the messages. Trust yourself. What you think, what you feel, and what you need is valid. You won’t need to wear a “mask”.
I have so many hopes for you. I hope you’ll read nice books God willing, the kind that can assist you in knowing something about the world and about yourself. I hope you’ll see your parents as human beings, even when they are flawed and failing to be who you need or wish them to be. I hope you’ll learn that everything you need is within. I hope you’ll assess your confidence and capability, and soar. I hope you’ll choose discipline over motivation, because, you know, motivation can wax and wane like the moon. I hope you’ll leave yourself some room to really mess up, but also to hold yourself accountable and grow. I hope you’ll forgive and show mercy, yet also know when to be angry and enact justice. I hope you’ll choose the Prophet’s standard of character, peace be upon him. I hope you’ll pay attention to the world within and the world without; they are both very good teachers. I pray you’ll choose partners who are healthy with you and with themselves. Your children will thank you for that. I hope you find yourself feeling at home in the natural world. I would not choose city life for my progeny (at the time of this writing, I am living happily off-grid in the American South). This is largely because it isn’t typically conducive to living prophetically and simply in my opinion. I wouldn’t choose debt for you. I would encourage you to honor the work that your hands can do. They have the power to help or to hurt. I would also push you to journey into the world to find your people, the ones who see you as your true self and still choose you. Please make time for laughter and for rest and for small things that seem insignificant to everyone else but are important to you. I hope one of you, my progeny, will continue the legacy of making things that my family has passed down. One of the most sacred prayers that I have for you is that you’ll find the quilts and prayer mats I made, and USE THEM. I’m praying that your sense of style, your orgasms, and your boundaries are STRONG and incapable of compromise. And I’m wishing that by the time you are ready to be laid to rest, you will have also written a letter to your progeny, outlining all the hopes, dreams, and prayers you have for them. Essentially, I’m praying for your complete self-actualization. God willing, we’ll be reunited in Heaven one day, where we can share our thoughts on the letters we’ve written.
With abundant and transcendent love,
Your ancestor,
Tenille
Tenille Fatimah