Do not praise…

 

 

“Do not praise your own faith exclusively,

so that you disbelieve all the rest.

If you do this, you will miss much good

~ nay, you will miss the whole truth of the matter.

God the omniscient and omnipresent

cannot be confined to any one creed for he says

“Wheresoever ye turn, there is the face of Allah.”

Everybody praises what he knows.

His god is his own creature

and in praising it,

he praises himself,

which he would not do

if he were just.

His dislike is based on ignorance.”

 

 

 

XIII AD Sufi philosopher Ibn Arabi

 

The Sufi Path

From: l.kadvani

 

 

 

Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as “a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God.” Sufism refers to a group of mystical Muslim movements. It uses music, dancing and other means to reach a state of communion with God.

It is analogous in some senses to the Bhakti movement in Hinduism and to the various Christian monastic movements such as that of St Francis of Assisi. The Sufi path consists in cleansing the heart from whatever is other than Allah.

A Persian poem tells us what The Sufi Path (Tasawwuf ) is:

What is Tasawwuf? Good character and awareness of God.
That’s all Tasawwuf is. And nothing more.

What is Tasawwuf? Love and affection.
It is the cure for hatred and vengeance. And nothing more.

What is Tasawwuf? The heart attaining tranquility–
which is the root of religion. And nothing more.

What is Tasawwuf? Concentrating your mind,
which is the religion of Ahmad (pbuh). And nothing more.

What is Tasawwuf? Contemplation that travels to the Divine throne.
It is a far-seeing gaze. And nothing more.

Tasawwuf is keeping one’s distance from imagination and supposition.
Tasawwuf is found in certainty. And nothing more.

Surrendering one’s soul to the care of the inviolability of religion;
this is Tasawwuf. And nothing more.

Tasawwuf is the path of faith and affirmation of unity;
this is the incorruptible religion. And nothing more.

Tasawwuf is the smooth and illuminated path.
It is the way to the most exalted paradise. And nothing more.

I have heard that the ecstasy of the wearers of wool
comes from finding the taste of religion. And nothing more.

 

TO READ MORE, FOLLOW THIS LINK

Sufism, the Heart of Islam

 

On the evening of April 23rd, 2009, author Sadia Dehlvi was beaming like a happy child in her Nizamuddin East drawing room. Finally, she had her first book, Sufism, The Heart of Islam, clasped tightly in her hands. Earlier in the day, Harper Collins India, Ms Dehlvi's publisher, had sent her a copy of the book hot off the press. Notwithstanding her excitement, The Delhi Walla pestered her for an interview over a cup of green tea.

 

READ MORE

 

 

Ibn Arabi - audio

 

 

 

 

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

 

Read by Maryam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To listen the Spanish version, click here

 

Download Mp3

 

Maryam Tasawwuf Podcast xml

 

Echoes of Sufi Dances

 

 

“Tell me of the existence
Of worlds and planets far away
Of past civilizations
Of continents gone adrift.
Talk to me about love
Tell me more about human love,
Of anomalous travelers
In magical, mystic territories.
Ahead we followed by instinct
Only the comets trail
As vanguards of another system
In search of the end.
No Time No Space
Another race of vibrations,
The sea of the simulation.
Keep your feelings in memory
I love you especially tonight.
The air-traffic controllers
Just ready for take-off
Astrological telescopes
To discover new stars.
Walking Sundays
As a spacer
Ahead.
Ahead we followed by instinct
Only the comets trail
As vanguards of another system
In search of the end.
No Time No Space
Another race of vibrations,
The sea of the simulation.
Keep your feelings in memory
I love you especially tonight.”

 

Franco Battiato. No Time, no Space. 1985

Music by G.Pio & F.Battiato - Testo di F.Battiato – From the album "Echoes of Sufi Dances"(EMI) – Arrangements : Battiato-Pio.

 

TO LISTEN

 

Mary and Jesus in Islam and Sufism: Through the Writings of Rumi and Ibn ‘Arabi

 

April 26, 2009

10:00 AM
to
5:30 PM

Stephen Hirtenstein, MA

 

We all know that Judaism, Christianity and Islam are all in the same family of Abrahamic faiths and share many sacred figures. Many Christians do not realize that in Islamic mysticism the figures of Mary and Jesus are venerated as archetypes of purity and sainthood. In these two half-day workshops, which will include meditation, the contemplation of particular themes, PowerPoint presentations and group discussions of specially translated texts, we will look at how this link between the two faiths offers common ground for fruitful ecumenical dialogue, and explore the meaning and relevance of saintliness in the present day. These two programs will show us how exploring each others’ mystical traditions can help us see our own faith with new eyes.

The Mystical Islamic View of Mary
Stories about Mary in the Quran and in the Sufi tradition mention her as “chosen above all other women,” and seem to point to her as the embodiment ofa cosmic principle of wisdom and compassion that also exists inside us (the “Mary within”). We will look at the tradition of female saints in Sufism and at the larger archetype of the feminine aspect of Divine Wisdom (Sophia).

The Christ Within in Ibn ’Arabi and Rumi
In this session, we will focus on a few specially translated texts from the writings of the great 13th century Sufi masters Ibn ’Arabi and Rumi that elucidate these extraordinary mystics’ understanding of such esoteric concepts as the virgin birth and the presence of an “inner Christ” who can come alive in all of us.

 

 

VISIT THIS WEBSITE TO REGISTER

 

Free Master of the Jinn Ebook

In honor of his grandson Jack’s one month birthday (Praise God!), Irving Karshmar is giving a FREE Master of the Jinn EBOOK (in pdf format) as a gift to anyone that wants one until April 30th. To receive the Free Ebook, this Sufi novel of God’s infinite love and mercy, email him at:

Irvingk1945 at gmail dot com

Just write Gift Ebook in the subject line.

Special Sufism Lecture

 

April 25th, 2009

Saturday @ 7:00PM

 

Invitation to a Special Sufism Lecture (in English) and Congregational Dhikr (Zikr), remembrance and contemplation

by

Shaykh Hisham Muhammad Kabbani,

the Deputy of Mewlana Shaikh Muhammad Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani, the worldwide leader of the Naqshbandi/Sufi spiritual Order of Tasawwuf.

 

Manhattan Center
379 Park Ave South
3rd Floor
(Between 26th and 27th Streets)
New York, NY 10016

 

For more information, visit THIS site

 

 

The Shambhala Guide to Sufism

 

From Amazon.com:

 

It's difficult to find a more meticulous introduction to Sufism than the Shambhala Guide. Professor of Islamic studies Carl W. Ernst shows us the many facets of Sufism, from the time of Mohammad to contemporary Sufic leaders. He introduces both the political sphere of Sufism--how the orders have played significant social roles and because of this are persecuted by modern fundamentalists--and the personal sphere--the relationship between master and disciple, the sacred texts, the mystical experience. Ernst also provides critical background information for poetry, music, and dance that is difficult to find in the many Sufi literary anthologies. Shambhala Publications may have gotten more scholarship than they expected from Ernst, but the occasional hairsplitting is welcome for its absence elsewhere in English Sufic literature.

Product Description
The soaring voice of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the ecstatic dance of the Whirling Dervishes, the rapturous verse of Jalaluddin Rumi—all are expressions of Sufism, often regarded as the mystical tradition of Islam. Who are the Sufis? They are more than mystics; they are empowered by the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad. They are guided by saints and masters. They belong to orders ranging from North Africa and Turkey to India and Central Asia. In addition to prayer and fasting, they practice techniques of meditation. They recite poetry, delight in music, and perform dance, all towards one goal—union with God, the Divine Beloved. This comprehensive introduction clarifies the concept of Sufism and discusses its origin and development. In addition, the author discusses the important issues of Sufism's relationship with the larger Islamic world and its encounters with fundamentalism and modern secularism, along with the appropriation of Sufism by non-Muslims and the development of Sufi traditions in the West.

 

Noor Cultural Center: 1)Ibn al-'Arabi's Cosmology and the New Creation; 2)Scientists, the Public, and Natural Selection: From Darwin to Dawkins

 

 

Quotes of Aga Khan IV, Aga Khan III and Nasir Khusraw:

"And the more we discover, the more we know, the more we penetrate just below the surface of our normal lives - the more our imagination staggers.........What we feel, even as we learn, is an ever-renewed sense of wonder, indeed, a powerful sense of awe – and of Divine inspiration.....the Power and the Mystery of Allah as the Lord of Creation"(Aga Khan IV, Ottawa, Canada, December 6th 2008)

 

TO READ MORE

 

 

Explanation of the Work of al-Ghazali and Nuh ibn al-Tahir al-Fulani

 

The World Digital Libray started yesterday its activities, offering digital works from all times to the public with sources from various libraries around the world, including the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

 

The first item I have found today is the Explanation of the Work of al-Ghazali and Nuh ibn al-Tahir al-Fulani. The Digital Library shows 21 pages from this Explanation dating from around 1800.

 

Here is the information of this precious “Explanation”:

 

Description

    * Timbuktu, founded around 1100 as a commercial center for trade across the Sahara Desert, was also an important seat of Islamic learning from the 14th century onward. The libraries of Timbuktu contain many important manuscripts, in different styles of Arabic scripts, which were written and copied by Timbuktu’s scribes and scholars. These works constitute the city’s most famous and long-lasting contribution to Islamic and world civilization. This work by Sulayman ibn Ahmad comments on the work of the famous scholar al-Ghazali and discusses a commentary on Ghazali's work by Nuh ibn al-Tahir al-Fulani, a well-known scholar from Timbuktu.

Author

    * Sulaymān ibn Aḥmad

Date Created

    * Around 1800

Language

    * Arabic

Title in Original Language

    * Sharh 'ala nazm al-muthallath lil-Ghazali wa nazm Nuh b. al-Tahir al-Fulani

Place

    * Africa > Mali > Tombouctou

Time

    * 500 AD - 1499 AD

Topic

    * Science > Astronomy > Astronomy & allied sciences

Additional Subjects

    * Arabic manuscripts ; Astrology ; Astronomy ; Ghazzālī, 1058-1111 ; Islamic manuscripts ; Nūḥ ibn al-Ṭāhir al-Fūlānī ; Sufism

Type of Item

    * Manuscripts

Collection

    * Islamic Manuscripts from Mali

Institution

    * Mamma Haidara Commemorative Library

External Resource

    * http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.wdl/mhcl.467

 

To view all the pages in this collection, visit this site

 

 

Reason and Passion . Khalil Gibran

 

"Your reason and your passion
are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul.

Among the hills, when you sit in the cool shade of white poplars,
sharing the peace and serenity of distant meadows... -then let your heart
say in silence,"God rests in reason!"-

And when the storm comes,and the mighty winds shakes the forest,
and thunder and lightning proclaim the majesty of the sky -then let your heart
say in awe,"God moves in passion!"

And since you are a breath
in God's sphere,
and a leaf in God's forest
you too should
rest in reason
and move in passion.

Khalil Gibran was a Lebanese-American artist, poet and writer. (1883-1931)

 

YouTube

Early Sufi Women

 

From the book “"Women of Sufism, A Hidden Treasure”, by Camille Adams Helminski.

 

Read by Maryam

 

 

Download Mp3

 

Maryam Tasawwuf Podcast xml

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arthur Deikman. Sufism & Psychiatry

 

To read the transcripts, visit: http://www.deikman.com/sufism.html

 

 

 

Important message for the Spanish spoken readers/ Mensaje importante para los lectores en habla hispana

 

Please, non Spanish spoken can kindly disregard this notice. Thank you.

 

A medida que este blog ha ido creciendo, me he visto en la diatriba de crear un blog únicamente para aquellas entradas en español, y así permitir que los suscriptores de lengua inglesa (y en español) tengan una página más acorde con su idioma. Por ello, a partir de hoy, todas aquellas entradas en Español no serán incluídas aquí en este blog, sinó que serán posteadas en el nuevo blog que he creado en wordpress, únicamente para entradas en Español.

 

La dirección es www.corazonsufi.wordpress.com

 

Por ello, si alguien desea desuscribirse de aquí, puede suscribirse en corazón sufí, ya que allí también he añadido el botón de suscripción.

 

Y por supuesto, para aquellos que disfruten la lectura en ambos idiomas (ya que además las entradas no son las mismas en ambos idiomas y en general), agradezco su lectura y el tiempo que pasan en estas páginas que voy escribiendo con Amor.

 

Gracias de nuevo.

 

Ya Haqq,

 

Maryam 

 

Maktub مكتوب

 

It is written.

 

 

 

Rumi, Sufism and The Spiritual Path

 

 

“Observe the wonders as
they occur around you.
Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving
through and be silent... “

*****

“In your light I learn how to
love.
In your beauty,how to make
poems.
You dance inside my chest,
where no one sees you. “

~Rumi~

 

 

 

 

 

Palabras a un Peregrino

Palabras a un Peregrino

Camina por el sendero,

no huyas del torbellino,

no te alejes hacia el silencio

demasiado tiempo;

mas busca tu silencio

en la vorágine de tu alrededor.

Y si no lo encuentras,

créalo.

Camina, caminante del Amor,

por calles y avenidas

donde la indiferencia te persiga,

donde los corazones no palpiten

como lo hace el tuyo.

Sonríe cuando todo sea gris,

cuando las manos que estrechen las tuyas

estén vacías.

Sonríe al caminar,

pues no necesitas nada más,

no necesitas que otros corazones

te faciliten la tarea;

la tarea de descubrir

lo que existe dentro de tí.

No te alejes demasiado hacia montañas calladas

no huyas hacia el silencio externo.

Siente cómo palpita TU propio silencio,

el dulce sabor del vaso lleno en el vacío

del Universo.

Permite sentir que otros

podrían estar más lejos que tú

en el sendero del Amor;

permite pensar que no has llegado

como llegan ellos,

siente que el camino es arduo,

no es fácil,

nada fácil,

y por ello es maravilloso;

durante el camino, que tu corazón transite

por campos y obstáculos;

aprenderás que aquellos que parecen no sentir

lo que tu sientes,

se sorprenden a sí mismos

en su silencio

(es su secreto)

como tú tienes el tuyo.

Querido Peregrino del Amor,

no necesitas más que a Dios.

Maryam.

Pearls of Wisdom / Perlas de Sabiduría

 

I have added a few more articles at the “Pearls of Wisdom” section.

 

Thanks to: The Sufi

and

Naqshbandi Muhibeen

 

via “Foods for thought”

 

He añadido algunos artículos sobre sufismo en la sección “Pearls of Wisdom”.

 

Ya Haqq,

 

Maryam

 

 

Ibn al-Arif

 

¡Nunca oísteis hablar de un amor tan íntegro y noble,
que aunque enfermo se siente gozoso en su pena
y apenado en el goce!
(Fûtuhât, II, 614)

Pir

 

Pir (Persian: (پیر) literally "old [person]") is a title for a Sufi master. They are also referred to as a Shaikh, which is Arabic for Old Man. The title is often translated into English as "saint". In Sufism Pir's role is to guide and instruct his disciples on the Sufi path. This is often done by general lessons (called Suhbas) and individual guidance. Other words that refer to a Pir include, Murshid (Arabic: مرشد‎, meaning "guide" or "teacher"), Sheikh and Sarkar (Persian/Hindi/Urdu word meaning Master, Lord).

The path of Sufism starts when a student takes an oath of allegiance with a teacher called Bai'ath or Bay'ah (Arabic word meaning Transaction). After that, the student is called a Murid (Arabic word meaning committed one).

A Pir usually has authorizations to be a teacher for one (or more) Tariqahs (paths). A Tariqah may have more than one Pir at a time. A Pir is accorded that status by his Shaikh by way of Khilafat or Khilafah (Arabic word meaning succession). Khilafat is the process in which a Shaikh identifies one of his disciples as his successor (khalifah). A Pir can have more than one khalifah.

 

From WIKIPEDIA

On the image: Pir Zia Inayat-Khan.

Pir Zia is the son and successor to his father Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan. He is the present head of The Sufi Order of the West and the founder of Suluk Academy. He has studied comparative religion and oriental languages (Arabic Urdu and Persian) at London University and received his PhD from Duke University. Like his father he is a master of meditation and profound Sufi mysticism.

 

GLOSSARY OF SUFISM 11. RIDAA WA’ L-TASLIM

 

الرضى و التسليم

Contentment in submission

(ridaa wa’ l-tasliim)

 

 

“Contentment” (al-ridaa) is to face the vicissitudes with a smiling face; or a joy that fills the heart when the divine rules happen; or to let the decision (tark al-ikhtiyaar) to God in all that God organizes and does; or to feel at ease (sarh al-sadr) and free from criticism (inkaar) in relation with what comes from The One Almighty.

 

“Submission” (al-tasliim), is to let with serenity that God organizes and decides the course of destiny. It is a synonym of “contentment” if we consider the last definition of “al-tasliim”. But the contentment  is higher in the other senses. It is said that contentment appears the moment when the divine rule is realized, while submission comes before: it is then called tafwiid, -total acceptation- in a proper sense.

 

Both of them start by the constancy – steadfastness - (sabr) and the internal fight (mujahaada); their middle stage is the suspension of agitated and bitter thoughts; their completion is in the joy, the tranquility, the absence of agitation.

 

The first degree is the vulgar one; the second, the one belonging to the elite; the third degree belongs to the chosen elite.

 

The first thought which happens [when the test takes place] is forgiven, according to the general opinion, because of the weakness of human nature, as no human being is exempt of having it.

Translated from Glossaire du Soufisme, by Iban Agibah, edited by A. Saleh Hamdan.

The Captain of The Ship- Motherhood in Sufism

  “Motherhood in Sufism has a distinct set-up that varies greatly from what I like to call “TV-branded popular Islam.” In the Naqshbandi path, thriving in Damascus and the path I personally follow, motherhood overrides fatherhood; it has greater jurisdiction over siblings, futures and marriage. A mother’s role in Arab societies is usually boiled down to being the secretary of the general manager (i.e. the husband), but in Sufi tradition, she is “the” captain of the ship.”

 

This article was written in “Forward Magazine”, March 2009.

 

To continue reading this article, please follow this link

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lights of the Sufis: The Mystical Arts of Islam

  Mirror Case

‘Ali Ashraf

 

Brooklyn Museum celebrates Sufism with an Islamic Art Installation featuring objects ranging from the Medieval period to the Present Day.

On view at the Brooklyn Museum from June 5 through September 6, 2009.

From Brooklyn Museum:

 

Light of the Sufis: The Mystical Arts of Islam features twenty-four objects from the Brooklyn Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and private collections that are related to a mystical form of Islam known as Sufism. This special installation will be on view in the Brooklyn Museum’s Islamic galleries from June 5 through September 6, 2009.

While diverse Muslim sects and Islamic cultures do not necessarily share a singular view or practice of Islam, the mystical and romantic nature of Sufism tends to have a more universal appeal to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. This exhibition focuses on some of the most important Sufi ideas and practices that found expression through the arts of the Islamic world, beginning with light, which symbolizes both God and enlightenment. The works displayed represent both literal and figural reflections of important mystical themes, including furnishings used for lighting; representations and attributes of Sufi mystics; illustrated, illuminated, and laser-etched manuscripts of Sufi poetry; and traditional and contemporary works inspired by Sufi principles. The range of chronology, cultures, and media of the works exhibited reflects the wide appeal and impact of Sufism on the arts from the early period to the present day.

Highlights include a gilded and enameled glass lamp inscribed with the famous “Light Verse” (Ayat al-Nur) from the Qur’an, a gilded and jewel-encrusted silver beggar’s bowl meant for collecting alms, and two inlaid brass candlestick bases from the eastern Islamic world made in the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries, respectively. Two contemporary artworks will be featured in this installation: one is a modern interpretation of the mystical verses of the renowned poet Jalal al-Din Rumi (d. 1273), translated by Zahra Partovi and inscribed in a glass book by Brooklyn artist Kelly Driscoll, and the other is a composition of charcoal prayer-stone rubbings by Iranian-American artist Pouran Jinchi. The exhibition will also present several portraits of Sufi dervishes, some identified through inscriptions and others through costumes representing a particular Sufi order. A vintage photograph depicts a dervish family from the early twentieth century in modest attire, while an album page shows a mystic resembling a Chinese luohan in meditation accompanied by his flute and alms bowl. Some works, such as large Qajar painting and illustrated manuscript pages, illustrate narratives recounted in well-known Sufi literature. Poetry also appears on a beautiful medieval Iranian ceramic dish
painted in light-reflecting luster, including verses by Rumi’s master, Shams al-Tabrizi (d. 1248), whom Rumi compared to a sun shining the light of God upon him.
The exhibition has been organized by Ladan Akbarnia, Hagop Kevorkian Associate Curator of Islamic Art, Brooklyn Museum.
Light of the Sufis: The Mystical Arts of Islam will be presented in conjunction with Muslim Voices: Arts and Ideas, an unprecedented ten-day festival and conference in New York City celebrating Islamic culture of which the Brooklyn Museum is a supporting partner.

 

La Historia del Cerrajero

Cuento tradicional sufí.

Leído por Maryam

Descargar Mp3

Maryam Tasawwuf Podcast xml

Cuentos de Sufismo

Glossary of Sufism 10. Tawakkul

 

التوكل

Abandonment to God 

(tawakkul)

The “abandonment to God” happens when the heart confides in God to a point that the heart only leans on God;  or to be tied to God and address only to God in everything, knowing that God knows everything, and to count on what is in His hands than what is in ours. The lowest degree of “abandonment to God” is to be in the same position as when the asker is in front of the giver, alert and anxious about his interests. De medium degree is like when it happens with a child and his mother: in all circumstance, it is only towards him that she focuses her attention. And the highest degree of “abandonment to God” is to be like a corpse – dead body -  in the hands of the washer of the dead.

These three degrees are, respectively, the ones of the vulgar, the ones of the elite and the ones of the chosen elite.  As for the first ones, a suspicion (tuhma) comes at times to the mind. Regarding the second ones, there is no wariness (ittihaam) but they get attached to their mothers because they are in need for it. And as for the ones belonging to the third degree, there is no suspicion at all, nor “interested” attachment, because they fade to their own soul (faani ‘annafsihi) and expect at all times what God will make from them.

Translated from Glossaire du Soufisme, by Iban Agibah, edited by A. Saleh Hamdan.
For further reading:

Tawakkul. From Mission Islam

Tawakkul. From Hizmetbooks

Beauty of the Heart

 

There is a place where words are born of silence,
A place where the whispers of the heart arise.
There is a place where voices sing your beauty,
A place where every breeath
carves your image
in my soul.

Beauty of the Heart

 

Paolo Coelho tells Syria’s Forward Magazine he is influenced by mystical Islam brewing in Syria

“No doubt about it. During my journey and my encounter with Sufism, the books I had read by Paulo’s came to my mind a few times, not the stories themselves but the way he writes them. When I came back and started to use the internet to find articles about Sufism, the more I read the more I felt he has a Sufi heart and soul. And… I love that…”

Here is an article where he tells Forward Magazine how this mysticism has influenced his works.

FORWARD MAGAZINE

 

Love’s Calligraphy

'Enlightened by sight'

Ahmed Darwish reviews the life of one of Egypt's most distinguished calligraphers

From Al-Ahram Weekly

Khan Al-Maghrabi in Zamalek has put together an exhibition of the work of calligrapher Hamed El-Uweidi to mark the anniversary of his death last year at the age of 53. The exhibition, entitled "Love and Salute", drew crowds of art enthusiasts and calligraphy buffs.

Calligraphy may seem to be a luxury, as it requires a skill and takes too much time, especially at a time when most of us spend our days hunched over a keyboard, the nostalgia for beautiful writing is hard to resist.

To read more click here

 

Glossary of Sufism 9. Zuhd

 

لزهد

Detachment

(zuhd)

The detachment –ascetism-  is the emptiness of the heart which doesn’t know any other commitment  than what is in relation to God, or the coldness of the heart and the dislike of the soul in relation to the world.

For the vulgar it is renunciation, in everything, to what surpasses the strict necessity. For the elite, it is the reinforcement to what diverts the connection towards God at any circumstance. For the elite chosen ones, detachment means renunciation to see other than God, in all times. In short words, it is the coldness of the heart regarding what is not Him, in relation to any other desire than the Beloved’s. It is the cause of love (mahabba), as it has been said by the prophet: “Pull away from the world. God will love you.”, etc; it is the cause of slow progression [towards God] and the arrival to the highest purpose (wusuul), as the heart would not be able to walk when it is attached to everything but the Beloved.

Translated from Glossaire du Soufisme, by Iban Agibah, edited by A. Saleh Hamdan.
For further reading:
zuhd. Encyclopedia Britannica

Practizing Az- zuhd

 

Where Everything Is Music (Rumi)

 

“Don’t worry about saving these songs!

And if one of our instruments breaks,

it does not matter.

We have fallen into the place

where everything is music.

And even if the whole world’s harp

should burn up,

there will still be hidden instruments

playing.

The strumming and the flute notes

rise into the atmosphere.

So the candle flickers

and goes out.

We have a piece of flint,

and a spark.

This singing art is sea foam.

The graceful movements

come from a pearl

somewhere on the ocean floor.

Poems reach out like kindred spindrift

and the edge of driftwood

along the beach, wanting!

They derive  from a slow

and powerful root

that we can’t see.

Stop the words now!

Open the window

in the center of your chest

and let the spirits fly in and out.”

The Other Islam: Sufism and the Road to Global Harmony (Kindle Edition)

From Publishers Weekly
Schwartz, a journalist and convert to Islam, offers Sufism, the mystical branch of Islam, as an aid to the United States' efforts to fight extremism. He provides an incomparable history of Sufism, covering in one short book all the major Sufi saints, schools, and the persecution of Sufis by Wahhabis. Deeply anti-Wahhabi, Schwartz encourages U.S. policymakers to ally with Sufis to undermine the Wahhabi influence. Schwartz believes the Wahhabi philosophy, which is literal and extreme in its interpretation of the Islamic faith, to be the motivation behind Muslim terrorism, with Wahhabi Saudis providing the financing. Wahhabis abhor Sufis for centuries-old traditions they label as idolatrous. Schwartz critiques the Western media for inaccurately dismissing Wahhabi attacks on Sufis, including the insurgency in Iraq, as Sunni-Shia disputes. In reality, Schwartz argues, they are part of the centuries-long Wahhabi campaign to destroy Sufism and moderate Islam. Schwartz's opinion—that Sufis are the natural allies of the U.S. in the ongoing war on terror—is well presented and worth considering. (Sept. 16) ""
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved."
Review

Advance Praise for The Other Islam
Stephen Schwartz is internationally known as a serious student of Islam and its mysticism and as a special friend of the Bektashi Sufi order. The Other Islam is an important work that will, I sincerely hope, open the minds of non-Muslims as well as Muslims to the heritage and present reality of spiritual Islam. Let this book help spread the message and enlightenment of Hajji Bektash Veli throughout the world. —H.E. Hajji Dedebaba Reshat Bardhi, World Supreme Head of the Bektashi community
The Other Islam is more than an engaging introduction to Sufism in full. Stephen Schwartz has also sketched a suggestive roadmap for the kind of inter-religious dialogue that can move the world beyond the clash of civilizations to a mutually enriching encounter of noble religious traditions. Schwartz’s Sufi-inspired conviction that it is, finally, God’s world, not one in which nihilism married to distorted monotheism will have the final word, can and should be embraced by serious Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. —George S. Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center, and biographer of Pope John Paul II
The Other Islam presents a different side of the Muslim world and Islam, at a time when Islam is identified in the West with militancy, violence, radicalism, and terrorism. Stephen Schwartz gives readers a good picture of how we should look at Islam’s full spectrum of doctrines and interpretations, and understand that Jihad can be interpreted and implemented by peaceful and spiritual ways. His contribution to the understanding of the other dimensions of this worldwide religion and culture, especially now, is very significant. We should all wish for a greater role for the various Sufi orders in the socio-political culture of the Muslim world. —Reuven Paz, Director, Project for the Research of Islamist Movements (PRISM) of The Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel

This book can be found at www.amazon.com

Caminar

 

Sufi singers want Sufism to live forever in the hearts of people

By Karan Kapoor(ANI)

Ludhiana, April 2 (ANI): For centuries, Sufism has spread a unique meaning of love to the mankind through soulful renditions in the praise of God. But today several Sufi singers believe that there is need to keep it alive.

To preserve the tradition of Sufi singing- various artists, intellectuals and poets recently converged here.

A discussion was held on ‘Sufism’ and what should be done to prevent it from fading into history.

Punjab Sahitya Akademi invited noted Sufi artists and scholars who touched upon various aspects of traditional Indian Sufism.

Leading the group was renowned musicologist and performer Dr. Madan Gopal Singh who enthralled the gathering with his exposition.

The dominant concern of all participants on this occasion was the waning popularity of Sufi music.

"The reason behind youngsters taking less interest in Sufi singing is because culture in musical Gharanas (traditional families) has changed. Modernisation has changed the scenario and a number of old and priceless traditions are losing their charm. So, in this era, it is important to keep alive such traditions otherwise they will disappear and people will forget them," said Dr. Namwar Singh, music critic.

"The serenity and the feeling of making others feel great that we see in our Indian culture come to us from the Sufi singers. They came to India with the Mughal rulers. But they didn’t sing about and for the government. They sang for people and that’s the reason why the Sufi singers like Baba Bulle Shah and Baba Fareedji received great respect in the country," said Dr. Sukhdev Singh of the Punjab Sahitya Akadmi.

Besides, on this occasion, traditional Sufi singers from Rajasthan, Manganiars, delighted the audience with their music and made it a lively event.

"There are two letters in the word ’su’ and ‘fi’, which means that we should not harm the feelings of any religion. Sufi’s chant both Ram and Allah. They say neither they are Muslims nor Hindus but they are human beings," said Idrim Khan, a Sufi Singer.

Punjabi Singer Barkat Sidhu also brought alive the classical traditions of the great Gharanas of Punjab with his rich repertoire.

"In monetary terms, Sufism has nothing. But it is very rich in spiritual terms. People, who sing in other languages run after money. But Sufi singing is devoted to God and its singers receive appreciation and respect from people. Sufi singing is priceless," said Barkat Sidhu, Punjabi Sufi singer.

Sufism is generally described as an eternal quest of the soul for the supreme power. And, music is the medium through which the Sufis travel to a state of mystical bliss.

Sufism celebrates life and the divine through music, the medium that each and every one of us understand beyond linguistic barriers. By Karan Kapoor(ANI)

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Dream~ By Coeur Sufi

CoeurSufi

Music by
Mohammed Jam'a,
Ya Rabbat El-Hu
Saleh Abdul Baqi

sufism
tasawwuf
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Carrying God (Hafez)

A poem by the 14 century Persian sufi, Hafez..
Music: The Desert Lounge

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tasawwuf

PEACOCK FEATHER ..PFAUENFEDER

Everywhere.....

You Are.

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tasawwuf

Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan

A beautiful sufi poem by a Sufi Teacher from India:

(To read about his life, just follow this Link)

 

SNOW

Let Thy knowledge cover my heart

as the snow covers the ground.

Let my heart melt in Thy light

as snow before the sun.

Let my heart show the purity of snow

in the path of righteousness.

Pour on me Thy eternal life

as snow on earth.

Make my heart delighted

by the snowfall of Thy knowledge of truth.

by Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan (undated)

 

To read about his life, just follow this Link

 

El Cuento de las Arenas

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Maryam Tasawwuf Podcast xml

An Old Sufi Master

There is a new article dedicated to the Old Masters of Sufism. The article speaks about Baba Tahir Hamadani, a mystic poet. He became Master of important sufi teachers.

Some words by him:

“ Sufism is a life without any death and is a death without any life.”

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