In the early days I had a very black-and-white view of

Hear, O children of reflection, the testimony of Cat Stevens, once a minstrel to the multitudes, later known as Yusuf Islam: “In the early days I had a very black-and-white view of everything. I think that's kind of natural for anyone who's just embraced Islam — or any religion — as a convert. It was important for me to duck out of the fast and furious life I'd been living as a pop star. I was in a different mood.” These words are not the idle musings of a singer, but the confession of a soul that turned from the dazzling noise of the world toward the silence of the sacred.

Behold the truth contained within: when one first embraces a new faith, or a new way of life, it is natural to see the world in sharp contrasts — light and dark, good and evil, sacred and profane. For the heart, newly awakened, seeks clarity, and clings to simplicity. It is like a child learning to walk, needing the strong rail of absolutes before it can stride freely. Such was the experience of Cat Stevens, who fled the storm of fame, the glitter of stages, the endless hunger of crowds, to seek peace in the stillness of prayer.

Mark this well: his story echoes the journeys of countless converts through time. Recall Augustine of Hippo, who in his youth burned with lusts and ambitions, who drank deeply from the chalice of worldly pleasures, yet found his soul thirsty still. When he turned to God, he too cast aside his past life with severity, embracing his new path with a zeal that painted the world in sharp lines. This is the way of the seeker at the threshold — to reject fully what was before, so that the new may be firmly rooted.

Yet as the seasons turn, the soul grows deeper in wisdom. The convert learns that life is not always black and white, but is woven of many hues, all under the watchful eye of the Creator. In the beginning, strictness guards the soul; but with time, compassion softens judgment, and balance steadies the hand. So too did Cat Stevens, who first stepped away from the fast and furious life of the pop star, finding refuge in discipline, but later learned to walk with gentleness, blending his art with his faith, singing again not for vanity but for peace.

Here lies the lesson: transformation often begins with sharp boundaries, for the spirit needs shelter when it first awakens. But do not remain forever in rigid judgment, for the Eternal is greater than human divisions. Let your faith, your wisdom, or your chosen path begin with clarity, but grow toward balance. First reject the noise; later, learn to hear music even within the noise, seeing the holy in places once thought unworthy.

Practical counsel follows. If you are beginning a new path — be it in faith, discipline, or a new season of life — allow yourself the strength of boundaries. Step away, as Cat Stevens did, from the chaos that once enslaved you. But as years pass, let your heart expand. Do not remain harsh where gentleness is needed. Do not cling to extremes when wisdom calls for balance. Grow as a tree grows: rooted firmly, but with branches that stretch wide to shelter others.

Therefore, O seeker, honor the wisdom of Yusuf Islam’s journey. In the early days of any great change, the soul demands clarity; but as you mature, learn to walk with mercy, patience, and subtlety. Step away when you must, but return to the world with deeper vision. For true transformation is not only escape, but return — bringing peace, love, and wisdom back into the very places from which you once fled.