A Glimpse of the Divine

By Karen Armstrong, "The Hope of Sufism" - The Washington Post On Faith - Washington, DC, USA
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Pakistan's chief problems are political and need a political solution. But political malaise and conflict affects people emotionally, imaginatively, in their relationships, desires and aspirations, and often religion gets sucked into a bad situation and becomes part of the problem.
It is not surprising therefore that some Pakistanis have turned to a somewhat rigid form of Islam. Yet on my visits to the country I have found that people are so open, friendly, eager to hear a friendly voice from the West, and to explore new ways of living an Islamic life.
Sufism is a marvelous form of Islam and would do anybody good anywhere. I came across it very early in my career as a religious historian and was especially drawn to its pluralism.

CONTINUE READING

Labels: books, divine love, Happiness, introduction to sufism, literature, Love, mysticism, sufi, sufi masters, sufi people, sufi teachers, sufi women, sufis, sufism, sufism books, tasawwuf, women

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

Labels: books, cosmology, divine love, elements of sufism, English, Happiness, history, introduction to sufism, islam, literature, Love, mysticism, soul, spirit, sufi, sufi literature, sufi masters, sufi people, sufi teachers, sufi women, sufis, sufism, tasawwuf, women

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

Labels: beauty, divine love, English, Happiness, Love, music, mysticism

Maktub مكتوب

It is written.

Labels: beauty, divine, divine love, English, Happiness, Love, maktub, Paulo Coelho, soul, spirit, videos

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.

Labels: divine love, elements of sufism, English, glossary of sufism, Happiness, introduction to sufism, Love, mysticism, ridaa wa'l tasliim, sufi masters, sufi teachers, sufis, sufism, sufism books, tasawwuf

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

Labels: beauty, divine love, English, Happiness, Love, mysticism, poetry, soul, sufi people, sufi poem, sufi poems, sufi poetry, sufi teachers, sufis, sufism, tasawwuf

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.”

Labels: beauty, divine love, English, Happiness, Love, music, mysticism, persian sufis, rumi, soul, sufi literature, sufi masters, sufi people, sufi poem, sufi poems, sufi poetry, sufi teachers, sufism, tasawwuf, tears

Dream~ By Coeur Sufi

CoeurSufi

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

Labels: English, Happiness, intellect and soul, Love, music, sufi music, sufi people, sufi poem, sufi poems, sufi poetry, sufi women, sufis, sufism, tasawwuf, tears, videos

Ocean of My Dreams

A fusion of poems by renowned poets expressing their love and desire for God:

Rumi, Ibn Arabi and Amjid Yaseen.

Labels: divine love, elements of sufism, English, garden of truth, Happiness, ibn arabi, Love, mysticism, rumi, soul, sufi masters, sufi music, sufi people, sufi poem, sufi poems, sufi poetry, sufi teachers, sufis, sufism, tasawwuf, videos

Unforgettable

Open these gates,
with sweet tears.
Don't forget to sing
to the Adored
while they flow;
as the sweetest honey,
your tears become
the nectar of the ocean

It is is a simple song of Love
it touches your heart
and the hidden words
become a river
in your soul.

Let it flow,
sweetly,
let the memories
of past mistakes
be caressed by your own river,
a river of Love
that only asks for forgiveness.

When the Beloved is attained,
we see what is past
as a new beginning.
We see what will come
as what we have lived.

I had a guide.
He still is.
He does not know
how much inspiration
he brings
to this soul
that never forgot to flow
like a river
until an ocean
where the meaning of Love
cannot be comprehended by any word
or any thought.

It is the soul,
the biggest soul,
so distant from our conceptions,
so high and so true,
that takes our hand
to reach the stars.

In those stars
I still see this guide's eyes,
full of joy,
tears of joy,
songs of joy,
all in my hand.


Maryam.-

sufism

tasawwuf

sufi poems

sufi masters


tasawwuf

Labels: English, Happiness, Love, maryam poems, spiritual guide, sufi poem, sufi poems, sufi poetry, tasawwuf

Pursuit of True Happiness

Labels: English, Happiness, tasawwuf