Spectrum of Spirit: A Digital Sanctuary for Spiritual Discourse and Community

The NIV translation of the Hebrew Bible that I have does not use the term family tree, however, genealogical records are kept all through the scripture, especially in the historical books. Beginning in Genesis, to 1st Chronicles, to Psalms, etc. almost every book has some mention of an ancestral lineage that adds further context to the story being shared. I believe this is a perspective that could possibly go unnoticed due to the thousands of centuries that separate the original story from our modern day. I believe though these stories referencing family lineage are often used today to highlight the divine’s interaction in the narrative, I believe there could be value in trying to understand the familial bonds mentioned in the story. Along with the familial bonds, I believe adding a further emphasis to the legacy of the characters in the stories could possibly encourage an individual to hope in humanity on an almost equal level to the divine.

Unfortunately, the two major religions I didn’t get the opportunity to study much in the religion department in college include Christianity and Islam. I had some talks with the Muslim Chaplain who gave me some introductory information regarding Islamic traditions, scriptures, and holidays, my first exposure to the Surah. With my current understanding, I believe the Surah is a more revered classification of a chapter in the Quran, the main scripture of Islam. In particular, Surah 3 has intrigued my intention outlining pivotal figures in familial structures that could reshape the way I view Islamic religion and spirituality. I believe texts like the Surah 3, create connections for the reader to ponder, while encouraging them to remember connections that were previously made in the same book. I believe the connections forged and the connections brought to the surface are what can create experiences of faith, a drive to persevere, and a rest in grace for an individual.

The Spiritual Family Tree

The Quran is a text that goes back centuries, having a vital influence on the way Islam is practiced today. Finding its origins in the story of Abraham from the Hebrew Bible, the sacred lineage of Islamic thought and tradition goes through a numerous amount of generations. I believe the generations have instilled years of devotion, a quest for purity, and ultimately the submission to allah.

The Stay Spiritual channel recently released a video about Surah 3, explaining the family of Imran¹. After the first clip from Project Zamzam’s video, James expresses that he feels like he’s getting a better understanding of the story². James explains the video doesn’t necessarily depict what’s in the Quran and the video only uses a few Quran verses in the video, but they are reflections of what happened³. James explains this is historical context to help parse through the verse⁴. James highlights verse 144, allah awards the appreciative, and it makes James reflect on the rewards allah gives, not to get something, but to be appreciative despite one’s circumstances⁵. James goes even further, sharing his belief that if you could be appreciative when something terrible happens to you, that’s almost like a superpower⁶. Justin responds, defining one of the sins the people in the story committed was trying to build treasure up in heaven⁷. Justin wonders if the people were not supposed to want a reward in heaven, but know they will get a reward in heaven⁸. Justin makes the point that a lot of religion is acted out, pleading for forgiveness from god the right amount to go about living one’s day.⁹ Justin brings awareness to the story and its focus on winning, they might have lost this battle, but next time you’ll win the battle¹⁰. Justin hands it back to James who brings up the verse, allah loves those who endure, which makes him wonder if allah doesn’t love those who don’t endure¹¹. Justin responds with an in-depth beautiful monologue on destroying the concept of love¹².

I believe context is a huge part in every story, and James and Justin discuss how much having the visual medium and the story bring new context to them about these verses. It is said that allah gives appreciativeness to those who endure difficult times. This central theme discussed in the narrative that envelopes in Surah 3 gives James and Justin a new perspective on how to think about Islam and allah. Allah is displayed in the story as working behind the scenes, influencing the outcomes of battles and wars based on the motivations and desires of the people who claim to follow him. I believe the spiritual guidance aimed for in these narratives not only hits the individual reader, but allows them to make connections to their past, to their family tree. Not only make the connection, but see this is how allah rewarded and what allah expected from one’s ancestors, possibly influencing how one looks at their role in their modern day spiritual family tree.

Bringing Family Trees Together

Consider familial scripture. Offer new insights into family. Discover the spirit in the tree. Bring your blueprint. Resonate with your origins. Eternalize your faith. Search for the echo across generations. Dig into the mystery of your culture. Challenge the soul of your generation. Illuminate with energy. Make your living sacred. Dance with your story. Shape your quest. Individualize your light. Internalize your soul. Start a renaissance in your collective. Alter spiritual identity. Invite others into your thoughts.

Bibliography

1. Stay Spiritual, “Surah 3 Ali Imran – The Family of Imran I Part 3 I Project Zamzam NON MUSLIM REACTION VIDEO,” YouTube, April 8, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDJQ_ylC_eo&t=14s. ↩︎
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