40 Sayings Of A Modern Sufi Master

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Persian Poet Top Seller In America

Alexandra Marks, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor NEW YORK -- There is a light seed grain inside.
You fill it with yourself, or it dies!
- Rumi

Almost 15 years ago, poet Robert Bly handed a younger colleague an accurate but stilted 19th-century translation of the mystic Islamic poet Jalaluddin Rumi.``Release these from their scholarly cages,`` the poet recalls telling Coleman Barks.Mr. Barks set to work, recasting the poems in fluid, casual American free verse.The results have astonished many. In a country where Pulitzer Prize-winning poets often struggle to sell 10,000 books, Barks`s translations of Rumi have sold more than a quarter of a million copies. Recordings of Rumi poems have made it to Billboard`s Top 20 list. And a pantheon of Hollywood stars is recording a collection of Rumi`s love poems - these translated by holistic-health guru Deepak Chopra - for release next Valentine`s Day.
NEW TRANSLATION: The latest version of 13th-century poet`s work has caught fire with readers in the United States.

Put it all together and you`ve got a Rumi revival that`s made the 13th-century Persian wordsmith the top-selling poet in the country today.``It`s a matter of our enormous spiritual hunger matched by our natural anticlericism gone ballistic,`` says Phyllis Tickle, contributing editor in religion to Publisher`s Weekly. ``It`s also just beautiful poetry.``For seven centuries, Rumi`s poetry has been sung in the Islamic world from India to Iran, Turkey to Afghanistan. He`s considered an ecstatic, a romantic, obsessed with God, exalting the divine universality of the heart in everything and everyone. ``He celebrates the Presence, he calls it the Friend or the Beloved, that we sense in the beauty outside of us on a rainy day, or in a group of friends fixing food, a horse being saddled, or a child sleeping,`` says translator Barks. ``All of these things that are obviously beautiful outside of us also touch the beauty inside of us - that jewel-like inner presence that he activates in his poetry.``
A celebrated past
In his day, Rumi was celebrated by Christians, Jews, and Buddhists, as well as by Sufi Muslims who claim him as a part of their tradition. That is the ecstatic, feeling strain of Islam - less familiar in the West than the severe fundamentalist image of Islam.``He`s such a spokesman for freedom and transcendence that people have found him to be a great literary voice for centuries,`` says Carl Ernst, head of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Some scholars compare Rumi`s revival to similar fads, such as the burst of interest in Kahlil Gibran`s poetry a generation ago.But Mr. Ernst believes the Rumi phenomenon is bigger.The mystic`s current fans range from Islamic scholars to New Age enthusiasts. Barks says he can`t explain the phenomenon.Bly says Rumi fills a place in the Christian tradition left vacant when the Gnostics - Christian mystics - were discredited as heretics by early Christian religious leaders. That ecstatic impulse has occasionally re-emerged with St. Francis and some of the medieval mystics, such as St. Teresa. The late 20th century is seeing a revival of the Pentacostal, charismatic movement in the US. But the mystical tradition never blossomed in mainstream Christianity to the extent that it has in the Muslims` Sufi tradition. Rumi was also a rebel of sorts in his day. His poetry, which in the original Persian is densely rhymed and rhythmed, breaks many of the rules of classical poetry. It sometimes runs too long, sometimes too short. His images are playful, full of the richness and abandon of childhood. He compares himself to a magician, creates images the way a wizard makes birds appear from the palm of his hand.``He doesn`t try to describe mystical love, he tries to linguistically show it to us,`` says Fatemeh Keshavarz, professor of Persian language and literature at Washington University in St. Louis. ``He mirrors his experience of mystical love.``In the Muslim world, many consider Rumi a saint.``My experience of a poet-saint is that they affect the deepest regions of one`s intelligence and heart,`` says Daniel Ladinsky, a South Carolina poet who works with translations of Shams-ud-Din Muhammad Hafiz, a 14th-century Sufi poet who is also enjoying a revival in America.Mr. Ladinsky learned about the Persian mystical poets while living in a monastic community of sorts in India. He says both Rumi and Hafiz address his ``profound need to make sense out of God.... I simply want to get along with the One I have to live with.``Addie Wolbach, a mother of three who lives in Boston, began reading the Persian mystics 10 years ago. ``People are hungrier and thirstier for things of the heart,`` says Ms. Wolbach. ``I`m not looking for poetry. I`m looking for the `Master`s` words - his `truth.` ``The dual poetic and spiritual nature of Rumi`s works has sparked some controversy. In the 19th century, British scholars translated Rumi`s work literally, replicating the words and metaphors he used to make his spiritual points. They made ``no pretensions to being poetic,`` says Mr. Ernst. These are the translations that Ms. Wolbach prefers. But for others, the literalness is awkward and inaccessible.

`People are hungrier and thirstier for things of the heart`
- Addie Wolbach, avid reader of Rumi



Enter poet Coleman Barks. He does not know Persian and works from other people`s translations. He also makes no attempt to replicate the rhyme and rhythm of the original Persian, preferring instead to render the essence of the poems into free verse. ``Translations should let something of Rumi`s culture spill into the translations,`` says Professor Keshavarz. ``Although I do think [Barks] does a good job of capturing the poetic color and fragrance of Rumi.``In some poetic circles, the fact that Barks works from other people`s translations has raised questions about the authenticity and the relationship of his work to the original. A spiritual quick fix?
``The majority of the people reading Rumi are looking for a spiritual quick fix,`` says Louisa Solano, owner of the Grolier Poetry Book Shop in Cambridge, Mass. ``They have no real interest in poetry at all, other than Rumi.``But for those who go to Barks`s bimonthly readings around the country, the re-worked Rumi poems are exactly what they`re looking for. ``It`s all about honesty and going in deeply within. He`s speaking his `truth` from a place of clarity and openness,`` says Josie Hanlon of Boston, who recently attended one of Barks`s readings, which was accompanied by traditional Sufi dancing.But whatever one thinks about Rumi`s work, his popularity in America is difficult to ignore. ``I think it`s extremely interesting that at the same time, politically speaking, there is this intense, ideological confrontation with Islamic fundamentalism,`` says Ernst. ``This spirituality that Rumi represents has obviously touched a very deep nerve in the American psyche.``

Asif Sahib (reply #45):

You seem to have a fairly strong anti-Ahmadi sentiment, which is probably rooted in the massive anti-Ahmadi propaganda conducted by the mullahs, the “enlightened defenders of the faith” in the land of the pure. A few comments on Ahmadi-muslim faith are as follows:

Ahmadi-muslims subscribe to all the articles of faith (i.e. belief in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Day of Judgment, and The Decree of Allah) and also in Saalat, Zakat, Roza, and Hajj. Ahmadis fully believe in the Kalima: ``There is none worthy of worship except Allah, and Mohammad (pbuh) is the Messenger of Allah``. Ahmadis believe Quran to be the last and final word of Allah, and that Hazrat Mohammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the most noble and holiest of all prophets.

From here onwards, Ahmadiyyat parts ways with the contemporary “orthodox” Islam. For example Ahmadis believe Prophet Issa (a.k.a. Jesus Christ) did not die on the cross; nor did he physically ascend to the skies. Rather, he was crucified but he survived crucifixion. Soon after the crucifixion he escaped and traveled east towards present-day Kashmir. He (pbuh) later died his natural death at the age of 120 years and is buried in Kashmir. Those who believe Prophet Issa (pbuh) to have ascended to the sky in his physical form, to come down at a later date, continue to wait for his return, which was supposed to have taken place before the end of the 14th century (Islamic calendar). Ahmadis believe that return of Prophet Issa (pbuh) is to be interpreted metaphorically, not literally. That is, a prophet appointed by God will come for the reformation of the people, and bring them back to the law of Quran. We Ahmadis believe Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (1835-1908) to be this prophet (i.e. the 2nd coming of prophet Issa) and also the long-awaited Imam Mahdi, as he himself claimed.

Those expecting physical descent of Prophet Issa from the skies rejected Mirza Sahib. This is similar to the case of Jesus Christ, who was rejected by Israelites awaiting the physical descent of Prophet Elijah (Elias) from the sky, before the advent of Jesus Christ. When asked about the descent of Prophet Elijah, Prophet Issa pointed out that his disciple John, The Baptist had come in the spirit of prophet Elijah. This is one of numerous parallels between Prophet Issa and Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Sahib.

Expecting a human to physically ascend to the sky, only to come back after almost 2,000 years flies in the face of common sense. It makes a mockery of religion and turns it into a fairy tale. Other such examples include Adam and Eve being the “first” man and woman living in paradise, Moses parting the Red Sea, Jesus raising the dead etc. These incorrect interpretations give rise to conflicts between religion and science, and drive rational, sane people away from religion. It is important to understand the difference between metaphors and literal meaning in interpreting scriptures.

This process of degradation of religious teachings and interpretations is inevitable and is not limited to Islam. This happened with Christianity (Prophet Issa later given the status of son of God), to Hinduism (Prophets Ram, Krishna later considered deities), to Zorastarism (sp?) (idea of one God later replaced by concept of multiple gods) etc. etc. Over time, these changes distort the original teachings of revealed religions, to the extent where they become at odds with one another. We Ahmadis believe each revealed religion to have the same divine source, the one and only God, who sent various messengers and teachings for reformation of different nations, at different times. Eventually the final word of God was revealed in the form of perfect law of Quran, through the perfect human being, prophet Mohammad (pbuh).

To reverse this trend of degradation of religious teachings, we Ahmadis believe that God will continue to send prophets for the reformation of the followers. To my knowledge, nowhere in Quran is stated that Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) is the last prophet. He (pbuh) is called “Khattim-ul-Ambiyya”, but the Arabic word “khattim” is not the same as the Urdu word “khattam (which means, “the end”)”. Correct interpretation of Khattim-ul-Ambiyya is “Seal of Prophethood” (Seal, as in a stamp or an engraved imprint of authority), implying that following prophets will be the followers of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). These prophets will be recipients of divine revelations, however the law of Quran will remain unchanged, as it is the final law from the Almighty God.

It is up to each individual to accept or reject these prophets. If prophethood of Mirza Ghulam Sahib is rejected, then one of the many questions that remain unanswered is: “where is the long-awaited Imam Mahdi”? 14th century is now over; where is Issa-ibne-Marriam? Does he still exist in the skies, in his physical form?

There’s more to Ahmadiyyat, but I’ll pause here for now. Thoughtful comments from anyone will be very much appreciated.

Temporal (#44):

I think a “good muslim” is one who makes a “reasonable attempt” to live by principles of Islam. This, at best, is a vague answer; but it is a complement to an equally vague question. Don’t you think so?

Living by principles of Islam is not limited to physical actions, but includes recognizing God as the Ultimate Creator; developing love for God and His creations; worshipping God (NOT limited to namaz, roza etc.) and dedicating one’s life to serving others. This would be a life well lived. Although it is easy to see a person’s actions, it is almost impossible to know what is in one’s heart. Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), while pointing to his chest, is reported to have said, “taqwa (righteousness) resides here”.

As far as the “bad” life-long muslim vs. the “good” life-long non-believer debate is concerned, I think all this will depend upon the nature and intensity of goodness (or “badness”), circumstances, and one’s intentions. Attempting to answer this question is beyond my understanding of Islam. The final “decision matrix” used to evaluate one’s life rests with God. It is rather difficult (if not impossible) for an individual to try to guess how various factors will be eventually weighed, and what the final outcome may be.

Best regards,

Asad Sattar

This is not even close to sufism.And why is that the wahabbi king appears to be more sensible and tolerant then the nakshbandi saint.Would Allah really get upset if you offer your prayers behind somebody who`s opinion is different than yours.Does Allah really spend His time bothering about the arguments between nakshbandies and wahabbies and....?

This is really an age old tradition of all the men who consider themselves righteous that as soon as they start believeing in their righteousness they start pointing fingers at the ``Gentiles``.

This is also true of politicians but not a trait of sufis.

Sattar #43?

Really there is nothing to say except that Hazrat Pir o Murshid quds sirruhu were a stalwart of orthodoxy as well as being the Ghawth of their age, and it is with pleasure that I can say that if it had not been for Hazrat sahib`s tireless actions to expose the mistakes and dangers of Qadianism to the masses, half of the Punjab and Baluchistan would have probably become Qadiani. He [rahmatullah alayhi] was tireless and travelled the length and breadth of India to spread the true teachings of Islam and to open up people`s hearts to Allah as well to expose the lies of the Qadiani imposter. He did not advocate violence of any form against them but simply warned Muslims of the doctrinal errors and kufr/blashpemy in mirza qadiani`s teachings which were against Islam. Along with Hazrat Pir Mihr Ali Shah sahib (alayhirahmat--a Shaykh of the Qadiri order) Grandshaykh openly challenged Mirza qadiani to a debate and mubaalagha to which he refused even though the Shaykhs followed him from city to city as he kept on using delaying tactics.

A few days before Mirza Qadiani died Hazrat Pir Sayyid Jama`at Ali Shah sahib qudsirruhu had foretold his death. Such are the saints of Allah...

I hope that answers your question. Read Arthur Beuhler`s book Sufi Heirs Of The Prophet...

sattar2 #43:

To your query add mine in #1. The silence is deafening indeed!

To get the answer learn to `read` or `hear` the winds, the rustle of leaves, the roar of waves, the glint in the eyes of a pauper child, the despair in the eyes of the widows by the river.

For roaring silence is all that you will get from the `chosen`, from the `righteous`, from the `believers`.

regards

temporal

Asif Naqshbandi Sahib,

I am an Ahmadi-muslim (also known as ``Qadiani`` by some) and got intrigued by your scant mention of Pir Sahib`s defence of faith against rise of Qadianism (end of paragraph #2) and also your reply (#36) about declaring Qadiani`s outside the pail of Islam.

Care to elaborate on this?

Asad Sattar

San Jose, CA

In reply to the author : if Mevlana Rumi was as I think, then his devotion to the Quran, to the Prophet Muhammad, and to the Quranic conception of God was absolute; but Rumi would have never used that to diminish or belittle anyone else of different faith or belief.

Did Rumi say anywhere that one who does not believe as he does is accursed ? I would like to know. I would be deeply disappointed if he did so.

-arun gupta

Dear Asif, not to offend u (or maybe)

but ur sufism is kinda Frankenstien, it`s alive but ugly (scary!), no thanks,

MMz

Asif:

“29.Nothing is had before it has been destined [qismat] and before it’s appointed time [waqt]. “

``As far I can tell (and my knowledge is not very much alas!) the Shaykh is saying here that your provisions in this Life have already been determined and guaranteed by Allah Ta`ala and allotted to you at a certain time in your life therefore it is no good worrying about things and when will I get this? Will I get that? Etc. If it is in your qismat aap ko mil jaaye ga. It is about absolute reliance on Allah. And Allah knows best.”

* * *After reading your explanation, I feel that in the first part you should say “granted” than “had”. That way your explanation will reinforce your point.

* * *Personally, I strongly believe in Qismet. But I also have a very strong faith and belief in Duaa’. In my mind’s computer, I have written a code that hammers the point that Tuqdeer can change by Duaa’ only. Therefore, by only sitting and thinking that I will get what I want/deserve I will be living in Sheikh Chilli’s world.(This is in many cases).

I think I have linked fate with destiny. I consider fate to be Qismet, whereas destiny is Tuqdeer. Correct me if I am wrong ? In fact, what is the difference between both ? If there is ? I think one leads to another. But which one is the leader and which one is the follower ? Mujhae` Yaa`d Naheen :-( Cannot seem to recollect as well :-(

i.e If I want to be promoted in my current position as a Senior Project Manager than I have to work hard to prove my worth. I will pray to Allah Ta`ala for that(Must!). But then, if I just pray or leave it to my Qismet without putting my heart and soul (hardwork, focus, commitment, dedication, proactive attitude) then I will be doomed. After all God helps those who help themselves :-)

Theek ?

* * *# 40: From your description, I understood that you agree with the Khatums/Urs in the Sufi belief system.

Since my childhood, I have seen Abu (my sweet father) very diligent attending the Urs Sharif of his Murshid-ae-Pak. We (my siblings and I) used to accompany Abu every year. I feel that enriches the concept of Aqeedat between a teacher and a student.

I must also mention that I am in the middle of a very critical E-Commerce Infrastructure Project. It is at an over-whelming stage but after I read your article, it was a very nice break from the worldly activities.

I was clearer on quite a few other points that I did not bring up for further clarification. That happened when I was on the road :-)

On a personal note, if you ever receive negative criticism on your thoughts then do not be disheartened. I feel that in this day and age there is far more emphasis on ``logos`` than on ``pathos and ethos``. This may be due to the concept that worldly success is believed to happen based on ``logos``than ``logos+pathos+ethos``.

Though trends are changing!

These “wise sayings, stories with morals, myths, discourses” certainly add to the picture of real life besides the spirit only.

Some will ask Oh, Spiritual Enlightenment is only going to give benefit to the spirit of that human being. What about Haqooq-ul-Ibaa`d ? I think someone had already questioned this as well.

I feel like questioning what will be the % of a good/enriched spirit indulging in:

- Open Killings

- Mass Murders

- Honor Killings

- Bomb Explosions

or any other bad things ?

a) 0-20%

b) 20-40%

c) 40-60%

d) 60-80%

e) 80-100%

Why is it said that people who are involved in creating chaos and anarchy in Pakistan have ``Dead Hearts`` ?

Is it because they have rich souls or they have too much of ``pathos`` in them that is why they enter the mosques and kill people ?

Are these individuals in anyway fulfilling Haqooq-ul-Ibaad ?

Something to think about!

Anyway, thanks for sharing your very informative and enlightening thoughts. I forgot to address that formally.

Regards

Zahra Jamshed

Asif,

Thanks for your answer. Hope you don`t mind a few more questions.

Continuing on the coexistence motif(I always considered sufism was strong on this), are you in favor of equality of all(adherents to all faiths, all races, genders, classes) under the law of the land?

Do you think the current Islamic penal code in Pakistan is fair in this respect? Also what is your opinion on the blasphemy issue currently being discussed in Pakistan?

About what is Islamic/unIslamic for purposes of government, society and law enforcement, should religious elders decide, or laws passed by consensus among all citizens of a state decide?

Do you think that its appropriate for (mortal) religious elders(say the Islamic Ideology Council) representing the state or `mortal and imperfect` judges who interpret Islamic law to take on themselves the moral weight of God/religion while judging what God alone has the right to judge and punish, such as the appropriateness of a person`s religious faith and his adherence to it?

For example, in Iran, religious elders are decreeing what is Islamic/unIslamic to publish in newpapers. Do you think this appropriate? Does the Naqshbandi Sufi tradition have any caveats about this? (I am emboldened by what you relate about the involvement in political affairs of the time of your respected Shaykh to expect informed answers from you).

Thanks again,

Sadhana

With all due respect, I must say that this article is a difficult read. I am a great admirer of Sufi tradition in Islam. People like Jalaluddin Rumi, and Shah Abdul Latif Bhatai, are a great source of inspiration for me.

Sufis have greatly influenced the people of subcontinent. Their success is primarily attributed to the fact that they adapted themselves and their message to the prevalent culture of the region, and always used the local languages to spread their message. Sufis vehemently opposed the heard-line Mullahs for their bigotry and intolerance (read Shah Abdul Latif Bhatai’s poetry) and lovingly embraced people of all races, casts, creeds, nationalities, and religions (including Hindus). Even today, a lot of Hindus visit Sufi shrines in India to pay their respects. I am amazed at the tone of the author of this article, and confused by some of the sayings of Pir Sahib. I can’t quite reconcile them to the great Sufi traditions of love, peace, tolerance, and respect for human dignity. But then again, perhaps, I am getting old.

Here is a modern sufi master of the Mevlevis (of Mawlana Rumi):

come, whoever you are.

Unbeliever, fire worshiper, come.

Our way is not one of desperation.

Even if you break your vows a hundred times,

Come. Come again.``

(Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi)

You can come and be our friend as long as you wish. But if you wish to be one of us,

then you have to be able to say:

``I am the servant of the Qur’an

While I am still alive.

I am the dust on the path of Muhammad,

the Chosen One.``

(Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi)

Those who swear allegiance to thee, do but swear allegiance to Allah. The

hand of Allah is above their hands, so whoever violates his oath, he

violates it only to his own injury. And whoever fulfills his covenant with

Allah, Allah will grant him a great reward.

(Qur’an 48:10)

Sufism is the heart of Islam and that heart is full of love. A sufi is called a fakir--someone

who owns nothing, not even himself. But in reality, he owns everything, and nothing and

no one in this world owns him.

The way starts with knowledge. Under the protection of knowledge you grow to be a

gentle, kind and beautiful being, as all were created to be. Then your Lord loves you, and

you love Him. ``And whoever loves his Lord, all and everything loves him.``

``Come, sweep out the chamber of your heart,

make it ready to be the home of the Beloved.

Only when your self-love leaves it,

will the Beloved enter it.

In you, without you,

He will display His beauties for all to see.``

(Mahmud Shabistari)

Allah says,

Follow those who ask you for no payment or reward, they are

the ones on the right course.

(Qur’an 36:21)

Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti

(from http://www.jerrahi.org/writings_english/invitation.htm)

REPLY TO UMAIRR (31) :

Umairr, first of all let me say that none of the real ulama of ahle sunnaH wa`l jama`at and certainly none of the scholars whom I follow have ever advocated or ever supported VIOLENCE against another sect. Yes, they have requested that certain groups (notably Qadianis) be declared outside the pale of Islam but have never supported violence against individuals simply for not being Sunnis. The fatwa against the Qadianis has been in circulation ever since their religion was started by Mirza Qadiani as long ago as 1900 (+/- a few years) by scholars all over the world and notably in the Subcontinent by Ala Hazrat in his famous fatwa ``Husaam al Haramayn`` written in MakkaH. This was all far before Pakistan`s creation and before Z A Bhutto declared them a non-muslim minority.

Coming to the ``Sunni``-Shia violence in Pakistan today, I am totally against it and none of the righteous ulama support it. These ``Sunnis`` who are the cause of the violence in Pakistan today are the extremists and it is a fact that ALL of them are affiliated either to the Wahaabi sect in Saudi Arabia directly (and hence the saudi funding) or are Deobandis which is also a sect which is strongly influenced by the puritanical and rigid teachings of Wahaabism. The sipaah-e-sahaba are a deobandi group and most of the `jihaadi` groups are also wahaabi. This is not just a case of blaming the wahaabis but facts which you can verify for yourself. The fact remains that before the introduction of this sect into India (in the late 19th century or thereabouts by Shah Isma`eel in his book ``Taqwiyyatul imaan``) the only division between the Muslims was the larger Sunni-Shia one and yet the two communities lived peacefully side by side though without much interaction. The introduction of wahabi ideas with its strong rejection of Sufi practices of orthodox islam caused a rip in the body of orthodox Sunni Islam which is there to this day except it has widened. In its inception in India it was only supported by a minority which consisted of some of the scholars of deoband, and a few reformist minded fellows. The vast majority of the Muslims of what was then India remained loyal to their traditional Islamic beliefs. These beliefs were best exemplified and defended by the scholar par excellence of Bareilly, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan with his vigorous and scholarly refutation of this new sect and his spirited defence of Sufi practices. Other scholars and shaykhs in india soon joined in and the story was similar throughout the Muslim world. Wahabism was rejected by the vast majority. Things remained like this until the explosion of Saudi oil wealth in the 60s. Suddenly, with their wealth the saudis were able to flood the muslim world with their rigid interpretation of Islam which had no room for Sufism, the orthodox schools of thought etc. The result is that wahaabism has spread throughout the Muslim world with a vengeance and although now the traditional ulama are waking up to this resurgent threat and writing scholarly refutations of it, the wahabi political clout is causing a big fight I the muslim world between the moderate, Traditionalists and the Wahabis.

So, as you say, logically only one group can be right, and I believe --and we have the textual evidence for it too--that that group is the Ahle SunnaH which is formed by the 4 schools of Law and the Ashari/Maturidi aqeedaH and includes also the Sufis (who are not a separate group but come from WITHIN this Traditional framework.) Unfortunately, due to Zia mainly, the Pakistani State seems to be supporting the wahaabi groups (perhaps due to Saudi economic aid) and also as zia was more influenced by the deobandi/wahabi form of islam. However the Ahle SunnaH find violence and terrorism (not defensive jihaad) against civilians abhorrent and we condemn it totally. Our voices though are being drowned out by petro-dollars and political goals. (The irony is that most of the men actually giving their lives in the real jihad in kashmir-which is a defensive jihad-tend to be from Barelvi (who are the Traditionalists of the subcontinent) families but who are brain-washed by the deobandi/``jihaadi`` training-camps…

SADNA: the basic teachings and beliefs of all the Sufi orders are the same throughout the Islamic world but their methods differ as to how to reach the goal for it is said (a hadith?) that there are as many paths to Allah as the breaths of all creatures. But all real Sufism,, as any study of it by any modern intellectual will show, is firmly rooted within the orthodox islamic traditional. Differences are in techniques really. E.g. When doing zikr [dhikr] the Naqshbandi shaykhs emphasise silent zikr whereas in the Qadiri tariqa loud zikr is preferred. (Zikr : chanting the names of Allah). All groups emphasise the SunnaH of The Prophet of Islam. The best English introduction is by Dr. Martin Lings, ``What Is Sufism?`` (Islamic Texts Society). www.naqshbandi.org is an excellent site for non-Muslims especially who are interested in it (also for Muslims!). It is maintained by a Turkish-Cypriot Naqshbandi Sufi branch headed by Mawlana Shaikh Nazim al Haqqani and his deputy Shaikh Hisham Kabbani. All the sufi orders love and resepct each other for the Goal is the same. J

ASFAND: Hazrat Allamah Iqbal was a great admirer of Hazrat Amir-e-Millat Pir Sayyid Jama`at Ali Shah and the two met on many occassions. Iqbal was initially a big admirer of Shaykh In Arabi and Mawlana Rumi and then later on he switched to the Naqshbandi Sufism of Hazrat Imam Mujaddid Alf al Thani Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (quds sirruhu).



McGUPTA: See http://www.murabitun.org/new/rumi.html for information about Rumi (may Allah be pleased with him).







ZAHRA JI :

`` I read # 29 a few times, but Sumujh Naheen Ayee`. Please explain

that.``

As far I can tell (and my knowledge is not very much alas!) the Shaykh is saying here that your provisions in this Life have already been determined and guaranteed by Allah Ta`ala and alloted to you at a certain time in your life therefore it is no good worrying about things and when will I get this? Will I get that? Etc. If it is in your qismat aap ko mil jaaye ga. It is about absolute reliance on Allah. And Allah knows best.

Thanks for some nice words of encouragement (makes a change for me on Chowk!!)

``19.A loose, unbridled, camel never reaches it`s destination and

wherever it goes it is beaten and hit. A camel in a line (of camels)

however, no matter how thin and weak it is, definitely will reach it`s

destination.``

The above has some subtle points and should be clarified. The first

sentence is clear whereas the second one is not. I understand

what you are trying to say but the latter part can confuse the

readers.

As Allah says ``hold fast onto the rope of Allah and do not separate`` in the Qur`an Sharif and the mufassireen have said this means hold onto the big Jama`at which is the Saved Sect in the hadiths, this saying is referring to the importance of following one of the Imams of fiqh (i.e. Imams Abu Hanifa, Malik, Amad ibn Hanbal, Shafi) OR to the importance of having a Sufi Shaykh who can guide you as he himself has been guided by his Shaykh and he by HIS Shaykh in a chain all the way back to the Holy Prophet and hence to Allah. The Sufi path is fraught with difficulties and the lone seeker is in danger all the time. With the spiritual strength and support the silsila`s Shaykhs though one can safely reach the goal. And Allah knows best.

#40: Please explain why? Is it because the Aa`maa`l Naa`ma is

closed ?

This is a rebuttal of the wahaabi doctrine that doing khatms of the Qur`an etc. or other acts of worship on behalf of a deceased relative/person are pointless as the dead person, according to wahaabi beliefs, gets no sawaab. The Shaykh shows the fallacy of the wahaabi belief. Wallahu aalam.

I think we certainly need more interpreters and translators.

I Agree!

May Allah forgive me any mistakes which I may have made for the sake of His Beloved and for the sakes of all of the awliya of Allah especially Hazrat Ameer-e-Millat quds sirruhu.

Interested readers can read

``Seerat-e-Ameer-e-Millat`` by Hazrat Shaykh Akhtar Hussain Shah sahib. (I am in the process of translating this insha Allah--but don`t hold your breaths just yet!)

``Malfuzaat-e-Ameer-e-Millat``

and ``Sufis Heirs of The Prophet``-by Arthur Beuhler which is an academic study of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order and uses Hazrat Pir Sayyid Jama;at Ali Shah sahib quds sirruhu as an (extensive) case study of modern Sufism in the subcontinent.

Dua go aur dua jo,

Faqeer,

Khaak-e-paaye awliya e karaam

Abd e Mustafa

Asif

FROM NOT A DEAD SUFI

Pakistanis talking about Sufis, great, what next?, Hitler at the wailing wall, Dracula in the blood donation queue, Lieutenant Calley in the Red Cross at Mae Lai,: vegetarian Hyenas

Curious to see the concern of pakistanis, can a ‘good’ human being, but not following islam, can he be in heaven.

Recently a Sufi has returned from heaven, where he met his old palls, with the hindus he conducted a fiery debate, drank wine with the christians and had a ball, tried a few new meditation techniques with the budhists. Then he came across this huge wall, the sufi asked his friends, ‘what is in there?., “OH one muslim, he thinks he is the only one in heaven”, the budhist continued, “we throw a few left over food over the wall and he thinks they are from Allah”.

May be asif is quoting some crap sufis.

To ZZ

All that I meant was that Nayyar cannot be, at least by his name, of the arab heritage which every pakistani should be trying to prove, per the pak.org history. X bin Y al Z is alleged to be the real royal arab stuff. Nayyars and Hoodhboys are of ‘suspect’ heritage.

Ethnic pride is very laughable.

Princes

Cite the source of your statistics please.