Say I Am With You

PAL plans conference on Sufism

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) has planned to arrange three-day International Conference on Sufism from March 14. The official sources of the academy told this agency that 80 delegates from around 40 countries are expected to participate in the conference.
The notable personalities having diverse knowledge about sufism and mysticism will share their views on the occasion.
The international conference would provide a platform to more than 200 delegates within the country to participate in the conference.
Sources said that PAL would translate books of Sufi poets belonging all the four provinces in eight different languages.
The translated books would be given to all the participants as it will help to project true image of the country on international level.
The sources informed that a international conference was also arranged in 1995. The writings of Pakistani writers from all Pakistani languages were translated in UNESCO languages and sent to different countries.
These books are still the identity of Pakistani literature in libraries there. However, PAL has also decided to set up a National Translation Bureau in the academy through translating Pakistani literature in foreign languages and the foreign literature into Pakistani languages, the sources added.

 

The Nation

Beshara and Ibn 'Arabi : A Movement of Sufi Spirituality in the Modern World

 

Investigating Sufi-inspired spirituality in the modern world, this interdisciplinary text combines cultural study with solid data to provide a comprehensive study on how the teachings of Ibn 'Arabi have been adopted and adapted by Muslims and non-Muslims. This book explores Beshara's emergence and evolution, its approach to spiritual education, the origins of its spiritual teacher, its major teachings and practices, and its projection of Ibn 'Arabi. Both rigorous and very timely, this study looks to the areas of cultural exchange between East and West and highlights commonalities in the various historical changes both societies have undergone.

SOURCE

Sufism Books among other subjects - 18th century library reopens

18th century library reopens in Aurangabad after 70 years By Abdul Hadi Aurangabad, Dec.23 (ANI): An 18th century library, housing manuscripts and a number of precious books including a version of the Quran penned by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, has been reopened after 70 years here at the historical monument Panchakki in Maharashtra. According to library officials, Hazrat Babashah Musafir, who migrated to Aurangabad in 18th century from Bukhara in Russia, founded the library as well as the Panchakki. The library treasured about 100,000 books and writing pieces till Indian independence (1947). However, it was closed down in 1970s due to administrative reasons due to which many of the library books were shifted to Hyderabad.The library presently houses 2,500 books on various subjects related to history, law, medicine, Sufism, religion and philosophy in Arabic, penned by philosophers, saints and scholars in Urdu and Persian languages. The cover of holy Quran here has a coating of gold on both sides, which has been preserved till date. Moreover, a holy book written in 1, 283 in four languages is also available at this library. According to Librarian Hafiz Abdul Jaleel, Baba Shah Musafir founded the library to spread knowledge. “The library was considered to be the largest one in Asia during that time. Now, it has around 2,500 rare books. After reopening the library, many students especially those who are engaged in research are thronging it. There is no entry fee,” Hafiz Abdul Jaleel informed. People have appreciated the efforts of library’s restoration but say that it has a long way to go. M.A. Haq, a historian in Auranagbad, expressed disappointment that such a library fell victim to colossal neglect for so long. “This is a great failure, a disaster, that such a grand and important library has been decimated like this. It was one of the best libraries, once. But it is a matter of pride that with the efforts of the (Waqf) Board, the library would come to life,” said M.A. Haq, Aurangabad based historian. Locals feel that if maintained properly, the library would benefit people of all walks of life. (ANI) Read more: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/feature/18th-century-library-reopens-in-aurangabad-after-70-years_100293869.html#ixzz0aeZkc6Dx

Sufis and Jesus

Christianity is rooted in the belief that Jesus is the Son of God, so is Islam’s version of Christ a source of tension, or a way of building bridges between the world’s two largest faiths?

The Sufi philosopher al-Ghazali described Jesus as "the prophet of the soul" and the Sufi master Ibn Arabi called him "the seal of saints".

An article by Mehdi Hasan about a new book by the former Cambridge professor of Arabic and Islamic studies Tarif Khalidi on Newstatesman.com

Sufism Books

More E-Books you can find at the "PEARLS OF WISDOM" Section (left bottom side of this blog)
TITLES:


Sufis of Sindh
Dr. Motilal Jotwani (1986)

Early Turkish Mystics in Turkish Literature (2006)
Memed Faud Koprula

Discourses of Rumi (It is What It is - Fihi Ma Fihi) (1999-2000)
A. J. Arberry

The Persian Mystics: Jalalud Din Rumi (1912)
F. Hadland Davis

The Sufism of Rubaiyat (1908)
Norton F. W. Mazeldin

Life of Omar Al-Khayyami(1905)
J. K. M. Shirazi

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (1900)
Edward FitzGerald

Sufism Omar Khayyam and E. Fitzgerlad (1915)
A. Bjerregaard

Thanks to Academy of Punjab in North America


sufism

tasawwuf

sufi poems

sufi masters

Ode Ibn Arabi

O Marvel! a garden amidst the flames.
My heart has become capable of every form:
it is a pasture for gazelles and a convent for Christian monks,
and a temple for idols and the pilgrim's Kaa'ba,
and the tables of the Torah and the book of the Quran.
I follow the religion of Love: whatever way Love's camels take,
that is my religion and my faith.

Amina Alaoui - Ode Ibn Arabi Found at abmp3 search engine

sufism

tasawwuf

sufi poems

Lawa'ih, a Treatise on Sufism

Lawa'ih, a Treatise on Sufism- Jami, Nur-ud-din 'abd-Ur-rahman

Hackenberg Booksellers especialises in scholarly, out of print, rare and unusual books.


Place Published: London
Publisher: Royal Asiatic Society
Date Published: 1928

Description: Facsimile of an old ms. With a translation by E. H. Whinfield & Mirza Muhammad Kazvini, and preface on the influence of Greek philosophy upon sufism. Reprinted with additions and corrections. xvii, 61p., plus the 56-page facsimile of the 10th-century Persian manuscript. Original blue cloth. (Oriental Translation Fund. New series, 16).



Price: $85.00


sufism

tasawwuf

sufi poems

sufi masters

Evidence

 

Caressing me in a whisper,

sounds that I could never hear

or feel.

Nights of thousands stars, brilliant as the Jewel I see from space,

all of them reunited,

in the glimpse of a second,

an image I could never forget….

 

The calmness came to life,

after the shadows dancing,

YOU embraced my destiny.

 

Over mountains of silver and sand,

of gold and fresh honey,

I hear the whisper again.

 

And you Are, the above and beyond,

the last ladder of myriads of ladders,

this child who became a man child

without sorrow, again happy,

again filled with the Truth

and without solitude anymore.

 

And YOU, whom I thank endlessly

for you took this child and drove him to the Love

Forever

In Eternity.

 

Maryam

 

IMAGE

Teachings of Sufism

The prose and verse readings in this book were chosen to interest the many people who have become attracted to Sufi teachings through their exposure to popular Sufi poetry, music, and dance. The selections—mostly from the Middle East and India, ranging from the tenth to the twentieth century—provide a sampling of Sufi thought on some of the basic aspects of this spiritual path. Most of the readings are published here in English for the first time. Brief introductory remarks place each selection into its historical and religious context, and an index of Qur'anic passages helps the reader to trace the extensive allusions to the Islamic holy scriptures. The topics covered include: The nature of mystical love Meditation Listening to music as a spiritual practice Ethical teachings of Sufism Pitfalls on the spiritual path Spiritual companionship and the master-disciple relationship The importance of the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad Biographical accounts of great mystics, including the poet Rumi as well as several female saints

 

 

The Sufi Bookstore

Daughter of Fire

Little did Irina Tweedie know that her trip to India in 1959, at the age of fifty-two, would mysteriously lead her to a Sufi Master and set her upon a journey to the "heart of hearts," the Sufi path of realisation. Her teacher's first request of her was to keep a complete diary of her spiritual training - everything, all the difficult parts, even all the doubts. He predicted that one day it would become a book and would benefit people around the world. This diary spans five years, making up an amazing record of spiritual transformation: the agonies, the resistance, the long and frightening bouts with the purifying forces of Kundalini, the perseverance, the movements towards surrender, the longing and, finally, the all-consuming love. From a psychological viewpoint, the diary maps the process of ego dissolution, gradually unveiling the openness and love that reside beneath the surface of the personality. Mrs. Tweedie is the first Western woman to be trained in this ancient yogic lineage. Her story and experience testify that this teaching system can still be powerfully transformative today in our modern world.

 

Found at Amazon.co.uk

 

Sufi Soul Documentary

 

Book Review: Of Ecstasy and Devotion

 

Amir Khusro
By Sheikh Saleem Ahmad

Follow this link to know about it

Ute Lemper. Nomad

 

Nomad is the centerpiece of the new released Ute Lemper’s album “Between Yesterday and Tomorrow”. With this song Ute takes us to the Middle East with reminiscences of the XII Century Sufi poet Ibn Arabi. To listen to this song preview, visit The Press Page and scroll down the music player’s song titles. “Nomad” appears after “Wings of Desire”

 

“Wonder
Wonder,
A garden among the flames!
My heart can take on any form:
A meadow for gazelles,
A cloister for monks,
For the idols, sacred ground,
Ka'ba for the circling pilgrim,
The tables of the Torah,
The scrolls of the Quran.
My creed is Love;
Wherever its caravan turns along the way,
That is my belief,
My faith. “
- Ibn Arabi

 

The Teophany of Perfection. Ibn Arabi

“The Theophany of Perfection”

(Translated by Abraham Abadi and Aaron Cass)

Kindly sent by Vastearthorchestra

 

“Hear, O my beloved!
you are the reason for the being of the world
You are the centre-point of the sphere and its encompassing
You are its complexity and simplicity
You are the order brought [sent] down between heaven and earth
I did not create for you realizations
Except that you realize Me in them
And when you realize Me you realize your self
Do not strive to realize Me in the realization of your self
By my eye you will see Me and your self
You will not see Me, however, by[with] the eye of your self
Beloved
How often have I called you and you do not hear
How often have I [stood before you]presented myself to you and you do not witness [recognize]
How often have I embodied myself in scents and you do not inhale
And in the flavours and you do not savour the taste for My sake
What is the matter with you, that you do not feel me when you touch?
Why do you not recognize Me in the fragrances of musk?
Why do you not see Me? Why do you not hear Me?
What is the matter with you?
I am your most heady rapture beyond any delight
My craving for you is more intense than any born for an object of desire
I am better for you than any good thing
I am the Beautiful
I am the Elegant [witty, comely]
Love Me. Love Me. Love Me alone.
Desire Me, Ardently.
Be consumed in me[distressed, troubled, obsessed]not engrossed in other than Me.
Take Me in , receive Me, you will not find an intimate like me
Everything wants you for itself, but I want you for your sake,
But you, you avoid me.
Beloved!
You cannot meet me half-way in your drawing close to me
My drawing close to you outweighs a hundredfold the means by which you approach me.
I am closer to you than your self.
And your self, which performs these acts, is other than Me , created.
Beloved!
I am jealous of you from you.
I cannot bare to see you with otherness or with yourself.
Be with Me in Me,
with yourself just as you are with Me.
Then, my Beloved, you will not even feel the Union,
The Union.
Had we found a path toward separation,
we would let the separation savour separation.
Beloved!
Come, hand in hand, enter Reality that It may decide between us with the judgment of eternity
Beloved antagonist
Pleasure cannot be found in dispute between lovers,. Pleasure is in the converse.
As the poet said;
I wished her dead because of loving her
So that shed be my adversary on the Last Day
(Say; Do you have an understanding of the High Assembly when they are disputing?
Had the outcome of this severance been only appearance before the Judge, then what about the joy of and gazing upon the face of a beloved?)
O heart! O heart!

 

Ibn Arabi . XII Century

 

Thanks to Vastearthorchestra for the transcription of the text.

 

 

Visit his video on youtube

 

 

 

Rumi- The Image of the Beloved

 

 

“Here is a presence

holding me tight

It is at my pursuit,

yet blocking my path…

 

 

 

 

 

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 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.

 

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~

 

 

 

 

 

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