Glad Tidings To The Stranger - ORIGINAL

Glad Tidings to the Stranger:

This piece, "Glad Tidings to the Stranger," is a visual manifesto of spiritual discipline. It is a profound meditation on the authentic Hadith: “Islam started as something strange and will return to being strange. Glad tidings to the stranger.”

The traditional oil technique is utilized here to convey the weight and glory of that choice. The dramatic, intense sky and desolate path reflect the isolating difficulty of adhering to true principles in a noisy, distracting world. Look at the figure: he is moving forward, his form defined by the light of the setting sun. This figure is the Muhsin—the "good doer" who has accepted that his path requires a persistent, lone pursuit.  

This is not a painting about being lost; it is a painting about being found. It is a tangible anchor that reminds the Muslim that their job is to strive on (Saa'y) , putting one foot after the other, untethered like a traveler. The loneliness is not abandonment; it is the path to the greatest treasure: the glad tidings from the Creator, reserved for those who refuse to compromise their journey.