Overview
To me she seemed like a small trailing plant tossed about in the storm, trying in vain to cling onto the stem of a nearby tree for support and protection. At that time, I was that tree, and moving away from her was like leaving her at the mercy of the storm. This urge to help her despite all odds was not just due to my training as a Chaplain; this was the essence of my being as a Muslim that I could not just walk away, l had to relieve her from her distress…..
Although the words ‘Chaplaincy’, ‘Chaplain’, and ‘Service’ are Christian terms, the concept is deeply ingrained in the essence of Islamic theology of care and service to humanity, as service to the Creator lies in service to the creation. The concept of presence, that is, being there, available, and ready for service for the Creation of our Lord- The Creator, sums up the role of a Chaplain.
Chaplaincy is not a nine to five job; it is a twenty-four seven dedicated service. According to John Milton,
‘They also serve who only stand and wait’.
In the light of the above definitions, a deeper connection between the practices of our faith and the institution of chaplaincy can be seen, this may even suggest that practicing Muslims are Chaplains at heart due to their basic inclinations towards helping, supporting, and uplifting the ones in need, the traits ingrained in the very fibre of our religion – Islam.
In short, when we let go of our ego and blend in the wider scheme of the universe! When we lose ourselves in service to the Lord and just become a silent object, tool, or a means of service just like a blade of grass, or a dew drop, or a worm in the soil, or a tree, cloud, or wind – they all perform their most significant roles in the universe by remaining insignificant.
Thus, it doesn’t matter who or what or where I am, my purpose is to serve selflessly, and when this concept of self-projection, recognition, appreciation, and gratification melts into the heat of the intense love of the Lord, this ‘I’ and ‘Me’ transforms into ‘Thy’ and ‘Thee’ and I would be one with the Lord.’
This to me is the essence of being a Chaplain!
Syyeda Midhat Batool
Loughborough University