Initiation into Ramadan: a Western Wayfarer’s experience of Fasting for the first-time

1.
In the end a person
tires of everything
except
heart’s desiring
and soul’s journeying.

~ Rumi


la ilaha illa Allah
I am done with everything
except Thee, O Thee!

~ a dervish interpretation of the kalima

Sometimes in my life things happen that have a small and insignificant effect on the way I lead my life, and then suddenly, without any warning, and without any explanation or logical reason, out of the blue, some other things happen to me that seem to have a totally profound effect, and seem to transform me completely: and fasting for the first time this Ramadan has been one of those life changing experiences.

I didn’t have any particularly logical reason or any explanation as to why I should have decided to fast this year, as I didn’t know much about Islam and fasting during Ramadan, in the first place. I had heard though, from friends and colleagues who are Muslim, that Ramadan is a holy time, and a time of prayer, of much more significance than any other time in the Islamic calendar, and some of my friends were describing it with excitement, while others were completely indifferent to it, and looked at it as just one of those things you would normally do and no point in asking any questions about it.

Some friends are practicing Muslims and others are maybe not practicing: I had no way of knowing.

So I didn’t know how to feel about it, nor what to expect from it: and would it be a really blessed experience or would it be just a horrible experience that I wouldn’t want to repeat ever again? The number of questions in my mind were swarming like a nest of bees that’s been disturbed and their work has been suddenly and rudely interrupted. There was no rest, and no peace, and there was no time of day, or night when I didn’t think about it: the day was approaching and as yet I hadn’t decided anything, and I kept hesitating.

But there came a time when I had read these few verses from Rumi’s poem which said:

In the end a person
    tires of everything
           except
                     heart’s desiring
                                 and soul’s journeying.

It was like an epiphany within the heart of my heart.

And I knew there and then that the journey for me, as westerner, has begun. At that moment I realized that my first time of fasting this Ramadan is only the process of being initiated into the practice of prayers and fasting, and that fasting has a very profound, deep philosophical and spiritual meaning, and it was the answer to prayer. Fasting is the answer to prayer to any seeker, of any religion, and any esoteric school of teaching or religion would normally agree with me on this fact.

Little did I realize that beginning to fast would lead to so many changes and so many discoveries: these are and will be discoveries about myself, and getting to know myself that I couldn’t even begin to imagine, let alone experience. At that point in time I already knew about the mystical dimensions of Islam, and I had started reading about the history of the Sufi path, and how and when it appeared. Rumi’s words in his various writings suddenly became so much more clear to me, and so much more meaningful, and I realized that he was not referring to the human lover but more so to the lover as the seeker and the Beloved as God. It couldn’t have been said in any better way, in any more intoxicated words: the seeker and the wayfarer become tired of this world, and of this reality, and seeks further and travel longer distances, both physically and spiritually, to attain knowledge and wisdom that only the enlightened human beings can have a taste of: my journey towards Him, towards the Beloved had begun.

To God belong the East and the West:
Wheresoever you turn, there is the presence of God.
For God is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.
- Q 2:115

2.
A state of Restlessness / Receiving the call (is this the sound of Sweet surrender?)

Know that when you learn to lose yourself, you will reach the Beloved. There is no other secret to be learned, and more than that is not known to me.

~ Ansari, a 11th century Sufi

Do you sometimes have this feeling that you need to take a piece of paper and a pen and write something down, and the desire is so overwhelming that you can’t resist the temptation? If you are travelling, you want the train or the bus to stop, so that your hands wouldn’t shake, and as you pray quietly in your mind, you get all these inspirations and these beautiful pictures begin to unravel in your mind’s eye, and you surrender to them completely.

The Sufi mystics, like Ansari, must have experienced that feeling, and he must have experienced the sense of restlessness (what I would call the sound of sweet surrender) before I started actually fasting. But let me begin with the discovery of the meaning of the word Islam: as we know “Islam” means “surrender”, and also:

Islam literally means "submission (to God)." Muslim, the word for an adherent of Islam, is the active participle of the same verb of which Islām is the infinitive.

So “Surrender”, but surrender to what or surrender to whom??? When the seeker starts to ask himself or herself these questions he/she is on the path of mystic experiences and I think that’s exactly what was happening to me: it was a mystical experience, and one that would be leading to me becoming a practicing Muslim, without even me fully realizing it. My mystical journey home is an inward journey, to the very centre of my being, where the Beloved is eternally present. Or as Sheikh Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee (LVL) would call this moment and this experience this is the moment when “the switch comes on”: and this is what he would say about the switch:

He whom we seek is none other than our own eternal nature. Saint Augustine said: “Return within yourself, for in the inward man dwells Truth”. The mystic experiences that the Beloved dwells within the mystic’s heart, not as a concept but as a living reality. In the depths of the heart there is no separation between the lover and the Beloved. (The Transformation of the Heart, LVL).

My heart had started listening to the sweet sound of surrender, the divine music of love and fasting has helped me to understand that simple truth. It was its simplicity that struck me most: we, western wayfarers, tend to intellectualize everything that we do and everything that we get involved in: we have forgotten how to surrender, and we have passed beyond the time when we can meditate and silently pray, without any pomp, without any formal expressions, without the scented candles, and deep inside the chamber of our hearts, where the Beloved dwells and where He is waiting for us. The mystical journey leads us away from the ego towards the self, from separation back to union. LVL says that this is when the following happens:

Turning away from the ego, and turning back to God, we are led deep within ourself, to the innermost centre of our being, what the Sufis term “the heart of hearts”. This is an individual journey of the seeker back to the source, of the alone to the Alone. Yet there are stages on this journey, “valleys of the quest”, through which each traveler passes. (The Transformation of the Heart, LVL).

Fasting during Ramadan has helped me to understand what the Sheikh means by that description: we need to abandon thinking about our ego, about our individual lives and our everyday daily routine and start to experience hunger, and thirst, and discomfort, and only then we can pray and surrender to Him like we properly mean it:

We don’t fast because we have to and because it is the tradition to fast during Ramadan: those would be the wrong reasons to fast, and the wrong motivations: we don’t fast because we would like to lose weight, or because our skin and our complexion would improve as a result of a good or better diet, and these reasons are all the wrong reasons: it’s the intention to fast and to sit in front of your simple meal at the end of a long day of no food and no drink, and silently remember Him, and connect with the Beloved, and thank Him for his provision, and for His grace, and then closing your eyes becoming one with the Beloved. Remember Him.

And that’s the main realization for me during this fasting for the first time at Ramadan. I still don’t know if I am doing fasting correctly or not, and I still struggle with getting up at 3.30 in the morning when my heart is still asleep and wants to take me back to bed and wants me to stay there for a couple of hours till I am fully rested: breaking the sleeping patterns I have always had was really difficult, and left me drained and lacking energy towards the second half of the day. The first few days I was very tired, and irritable, and had migraines that made me lose my temper very quickly, and I had to keep saying to myself to be patient as we know “patience is a virtue” and man doesn’t live by bread alone. Or as the Bible says (King’s James version), Gospel of Matthew 4:4, New Testament:

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”.

And according to a cross-reference from Deuteronomy 8:3, Kings James version of the Bible :

"He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD”.

What Jesus is referring to here is also surrender, sweet and lovely surrender to God, and not to live by bread alone, but to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, and that’s by praying and in our prayers remembering the Beloved with every breath that we take.

3.

A practice of remembrance and prayer: a remembrance of the Heart

So remember the Name of you Lord 
and devote yourself to Hu with a whole-hearted devotion.
Lord of the East and the West; 
God alone is God; so take Hu as your Guardian (Wakil).
- Q: 8-9

Fasting will hopefully become easier when I am fasting again next time, and now that the journey has begun I have so many more and new experiences to look forward to, and so many more and new ways to saying prayer. There are stages on this journey and I don’t expect these stages to be easy or always pleasant and enjoyable. Blessing for those like me who are fasting for the first time, and may their journeys be blessed and fantastic. If the fasting is hard for you, have patience and increase your endurance. Persist in the practice and things will start to get easier for you, and may it be an experience that you will never forget.

The Sufi masters have provided us with a map describing these stages on the path, and also the difficulties and dangers of the path. Sheikh Lee says about this:

Having reached the goal, they are able to help other wayfarers by recording what may be expected along the way. Sufism also provides certain techniques to open us to the inner world and keep our attention focused on our invisible goal. Foremost among these is the practice of Remembrance, for the Sufi aspires to remember God in every moment, with each and every breath. This is not a mental remembrance, but a remembrance of the heart, for it is the heart which holds the higher consciousness of the Self. (Transformation of the Heart, LVL).

Be blessed and stay in remembrance of the Beloved. So be it! Amen.


4.
Baba Aziz, let him come to the gathering with us!

     He's already with us, little angel.

But he's no dervish, Baba Aziz.

     Who knows... Everyone in this great world has a task to fulfill.
     The rest is not so important, as long as you don't forget that.
     But if you remember everything except that,
     it's as if you didn't know anything.

- from the Movie Bab 'Aziz

"There are as many paths to God as there are souls on Earth."
     - Saying of the Prophet

 - Guest Post by Helena Vygotsky

Helena is originally from Bulgaria, and she is part Bulgarian and part Greek. She presently resides in England and has been an avid reader and student of mysticism and esoteric aspects of world religions. She was originally interested in the history and the teachings of the Cathars, a Gnostic group of Christians who traveled through Bulgaria and Italy into France and Spain where the movement  became known as Catharism (13th century) and their  present day followers as well as the Hermetic philosophy which originally came from Greece and Egypt: the earth based traditions in Western Europe and the Hermetic Mysteries are inextricably linked in the evolution of human consciousness. Through the invisible golden thread of her seeking she was led into the beauty and mystery of the Sufi Path, and she has discovered how Sufis are so very similar to the early followers of Christ (these seekers interestingly were not called 'Christians' but were nameless lovers, like the Sufis). She might be reached by  vygotskyhelena@hotmail.com.

This is her first year of fasting and she has been very kind to share her experience with us, may the Beloved be pleased with her and invite her among those who are blissfully guided.

# References:
. King’s James version of the Bible
. Wikipedia. On definition and translation of Islam
. Sufism, the Transformation of the Heart, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, (2002) Golden Sufi Centre

# Elsewhere:
. Observing Ramadan as a Month of Universal Spirituality
. Ramadan and Fasting in America
. My 30 Fasts: A Non-Muslim's Ramadan Experience
. Experience of Aaron's Fasting from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
  Ramadan Week One | Week Two | Week Three
. Fast Friends

Abdul Hamid Khan | Tribute to a Silent Sufi Dervish

1.
... in the company of those on whom is the Grace of God, of the prophets, the saints, the martyrs, and the righteous: Ah! what a beautiful fellowship! Such is grace from God: and Sufficient is God as the Knower. - Q 4:69-70

The earth will never lack forty men similar to the Friend of the Merciful (Abraham), and through them people receive rain (mercy) and are given help (as wasila and shafayat by God's permission). None of them dies except God substitutes (abdal) another in his place.  
- Saying of the chosen Seal, Muhammad Mustafa

There will be five hundred Akhyar (virtuous) among my followers in every age and forty ‘Abdal. This number will not decrease. When one dies from among the latter, the vacancy will be filled, by a Divine ar­rangement, from the former. - Abu Na‘eem in Hilya al-Aulia quoting the Prophet

Forty men from amongst my Ummah are such whose hearts are like that of Sayyidina Ibrahim's heart. By virtue of them, Allah Almighty protects His creation from calamities; it is they who are known as Abdaal.  - on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Masud

2.

On a blessed night of 21st Ramadan like one we are passing through, almost about twenty years ago my maternal grandfather, Abdul Hamid Khan passed away, may Allah sanctify his soul and perfume his final resting place. He was a silent sufi, a dervish living in the world, but always sincerely belonging to his Lord - may Allah admit his name among the purified ones - and in every sense of the words was "a hidden one" who concealed his true station from common people (even from his own family members). Indeed the secret of such rare souls - none knows their exalted rank in the eye of their Lord except the Lord Himself, the Ever Glorious. 

A rare and old photo of my late grandfather, Abdul Hamid Khan, may Allah be pleased with him. Rare because he didn't prefer taking photographs of himself. This is the only one survived.

3.

I was born at my maternal grandparents house (at Pirojpur, a southern town in Bangladesh) and my mother being the eldest daughter of his ten children, I received abundant affection, blessings and love in my very early childhood from everyone at grandparents home, specially from my grandfather. My mom was her favorite daughter, so I naturally became center of his love and affection as his beloved daughter's first born. It was him who gave my mother's name Sufia and also when I was born he chose for me the name Sadiq.

My grandfather was a Sufi Dervish without the term ever used or talked about. That simply was the reality model of his surrenderedness (Islam) for him. I didn't know or remotely had any comprehension that he was, until much later I came to know about Sufism, about dervishes - probably ten or more years after his passing. My mom one day told casually that indeed his father had a Murshid, a Sufi Master. In personal and family life he was a very humble, simple and ordinary man. Lived a life in the pattern of the Rasul. He worked in the local court office in a very unassuming position. I never saw him dressed in anything other than the kind of simple clothe in which the photograph above was taken, and it was always white in color. He was moderately educated but his mind was as innocent as a child. He was not a man of dunya, not of the world -  but a diligent servant for whom the reality of eternal afterlife was ever present and ever real. Such personalities are called Dervish precisely because they live their life at the threshold of this world and the next. The persian word Dervish means one who sits at the threshold of a door: referring to the Door (dar) to Eternity.

He was an embodiment of what it means to be in the world but not of it. He had a large family, more than fifteen to twenty members always (excluding constant guests coming and going, fed and given hospitality), inhabited in a modestly large, two storey house where he lived. He maintained his worldly responsibility as a provider to the family, taking care of his many animals (from pigeon to cows to hens, ducks, cats and dogs) which were also part of the extended family of my grandparents house. Yet not for a single day and night he was without the deep connection with his Lord. At day he would be busy with responsibilities, slipping in and out to salaat  (islamic heart prayer) at home or at the mosque to connect and specially the night would be reserved for his special immersion.

In his night vigil he would be often found in prayer, contemplation and meditation even at his mature age, regardless of summer or winter season. He never compromised his religious and spiritual practices as he practiced them with the understanding of its outer and inner realities (haqiqat) thanks to his spiritual guide and instructor in the Sufi Path. 

In my thinly sparse childhood memory what I can recollect very strongly was his unusual way of after prayer remembrance (zikr). Infact at that time it felt neither unusual nor strange, even though I never saw during that time anyone doing loud zikr except him. Now time traveling in memory of his silhouette in a dimly lit mystical atmosphere, sitting on the prayer mat facing the Mecca on the attic and his sound of zikr "La ilaha illa Allah" - I remember that it was my first exposure to sufi remembrance practice. His way of zikr was like this: he would say, "la ilaha" almost in a whispering voice and then his voice will rise to say "illallah" - with his head moving from center of his chest to right first (while saying 'la ilaha'), then to left turning towards the heart (saying illallah) and it continued like that. Only later did I know that such rhythmic movement and directing attention to inner heart was originally taught by Prophet Muhammad to his gnostic companion Imam Ali and since practiced by the Sufis. 

This memory of mine is the most vivid memory of him, and it comes probably when I was about 7 to 9 years old. At that time I didn't have any idea whatsoever of zikr, even though now I can reconstruct from my childhood memory of my grandfather's zikr at night. His method of zikr, with first part of "the witnessing statement" (shahada, la ilaha illallah) spoken in whispering voice and then raising it with the second part is still my most favorite method of zikr and credit goes to my grandfather for imprinting (naqsh) this to my heart - even while I was completely unaware of its role and effect at that time. Transmission work in wondrous ways.

4.

Bi'iznillah, my grandfather was a powerful (spiritual) healer and I received his healing many times while I would go and visit his house on vacations and school holidays. I had suffered from a very bad pneumonia at an age of two, so I would have asthma attack quite often from that age onwards. Having quite a challenging health condition as a young child and I remember, often while I was sick, I was lying down on the bed or floor and he would perform healing on me with gently blowing his breath over my body as he would recite talismanic words, his hands hovering on my forehead, arms, body and upto the feet. I remember that he regularly used a very simple yet powerful invocation while he would give healing to me or others. He would say with his breath the wazifas: "Allahu Shaafi, Allahu Kaafi, Allahu Maafi" (which closely translate as God is the Healer, God is Sufficient, God is Absolver). His primary tool of healing was his hand, his breath and use of pak kalam (holy words).

Many people would come from far and near to receive prayer and direct healing from him at my grandparents house.  And unusual it may feel now, but it didn't feel anything strange or unusual at the time that he was a healer and many people would come every month to return with blessed water over which he would read invocation of healing. People who heal from health problem by drinking those water in the name of God.

I received healing from him many times and I can bear witness that my health problems healed completely by God's permission and protection without any serious modern medical treatment. Never had an asthma attack more than fifteen to twelve years I guess. By God's gift, his healing cured me from serious asthma and tonsil problem, both were of severe nature and about the later the doctors even suggested surgery, which became unnecessary because of the healing.

One of the most fascinating memory from my childhood was witnessing my grandfather doing exorcism or driving out demon / evil spirits from possessed person who would be brought to him. I have memory of being present specially in one or two occasions when he neutralized the possessed person in front of our eyes. I was told later from my mom, aunt and even by my grandmother that my grandfather had access and control over invisible beings (known as Jinns, who are mentioned in the Quran as being created from smokeless fire and are commonly invisible but inhibit the earth in parallel dimension). While driving out wandering spirits /demons he would often rebuke them in loud voice to leave the possessed patient. My grandmother once told me how she witnessed many times patches of fire (or concentrated light) on the open yard of the house moving from one place to another. But my grandfather would not discuss about this matter, specially his control or access to the Jinns.  Many believed that he had a number of Jinns under his command. God knows the best. But his ability to drive out demons and to heal possessed patients as well as to successfully heal medical conditions was something for which he was well known far and wide.

5.

Verily My saints
are under My domes,
and only I know them. 
- Hadith Qudsi

Out of jealousy of love,
God puts a veil upon the saints
and keeps them concealed
from the public.
- Simnani

The saints are God's brides whom only the close relatives (related through spiritual relation, nisbat) can behold. - Bayezid

People of Secret are bestowed the honor of Kashf or unveiling of the knowledge of the unseen. Through this divine gift they apprehend beyond the veil of ordinary phenomena, whether by vision or experience, the meanings and realities that pertain to the unseen. It is a special category of sacred knowledge or discovery that typifies Allah's Friends, whose rank Allah extols.

One of my saintly grandfather's remarkable and well witnessed karamat (miracle) was his foreknowledge about the exact day and time of his departure from his body. My younger aunt was present beside him while he passed away to his Lord. She later described, how calmly he prepared himself for the final moments, the anticipated moment for sufis to unite with promise of their Beloved. 

It was the month of Ramadan, the day of 20th Ramadan has just finished and with sunset the night of 21st Ramadan had begun. I have this intuition that in that particular year, that night (21st Ramadan) was the Hidden Night of Power, Lailatul Qadr (as many gnostics are of the opinion that this Hidden and Blessed Night moves among the odd numbered nights of Ramadan) which was elected for the departure of this gifted servant of God. 

From few days before the appointed death came, my grandfather completed few important tasks, yet remained very calm and didn't let other understand that he knew his time to depart is unveiled to him. On that very night while the ultimate moment came close, as my aunt later described from her observation, my grandfather positioned himself in the proper position as would one be placed after death, even loosened his outer garment as a sign of preparation and asked for water to drink and peacefully his soul left his body. Inna ni'Llahi wa inna ilaihir rajiun. Surely we are for Allah and to Allah is the return. 

I was tremendously blessed to receive his love, blessings and spiritual healing. May God bless his soul and elevate his station among the elects. Assalamualikum wa rahmatullah wa baraktuh, Nana. May God send His sakina upon your soul as you bestowed your grace upon me and to so many others so generously during your time on earth. May God forgive any mistakes of yours, both known and unknown. as well as that of ours. May you rest peace! By the baraka of this holy month in which you were invited to return and meet your Lord, by its sanctity - may your station be sanctified. And as the beloved Rasul promised us the true promise, when he was asked, "O Messenger of Allah! What would you say about a person who loves (certain) people but does not share their period?" the Seal replied, "A person will be with those he loves." Inshallah may we be united with you - your loved ones by the bond of our love in the hereafter.  Ameen.

By the Secret concealed in al-Fatiha!

6.

O people! Listen to this, understand it, and know it. Allah has servants who are neither Prophets nor martyrs and yet whom the Prophets and martyrs yearn to be like, due to their seat and proximity in relation to Allah. - Hadith

O Allah send your peace and blessings upon our Master Ahmad Mustafa and upon all righteous servants of Yours who walk upon the perfumed path of Your chosen beloveds.


# Related:
. Death | Counsels of a Sufi Master
. What is Fana? What is Baqa?
. Meditative Quranic verse | the Greater Death, MahaSamadhi
. On Death | Kahlil Gibran
. a Zen Story of Dying before Death
. Bhalaa Hua Meri Mataki Phooti Rey | a sufi song celebrating the Return
. Love those who are loved by Allah

Parable of the Pearl of Great Price

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is

like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

who, on finding one Pearl of Great Price,

went and sold all that he had 

and bought it.

~ Teaching Parable of Christ, Gospel of Matthew 13:45-46 ~

1.

Pearl of Great Price is a parable found in the teachings of Jesus, Son of Mary, upon them both be divine peace. In the 13th chapter of Matthew, Christ goes on in great length, bringing in many parables to illustrated the concept of the Basileia tou Theou (Kingom of God) or Basileia tōn Ouranōn (Kingdom of Heaven) to his intimate companions.

As part of our series: Sufi Readings of Jesus' Teaching Parables, we turn to the parable of Pearl of Great Price. The Parable illustrates the great value of the Kingdom of Heaven, and immediately follows the Parable of the Hidden Treasure, which has a similar theme. As I asked about your sharing on the Parable, I have received a number of entries with multi-dimensional insights which I wish to share with you here, with acknowledgment and thanksgiving to all of you who shared.

2.
Placing in the Context

In reading any of the ancient scriptures, the modern reader must take into account the social context in which Jesus’ message/parable is delivered. In this society, many of the listeners were fishermen and derived their family’s sustenance from the sea; everyone knew the value of pearls and how difficult they were to obtain. Not every oyster had a pearl and the pearl itself starts from a piece of ordinary sand/dirt (unrefined soul), taking years to develop; also, in this community the position of pearl merchant had considerable social status and wealth attached to it.

Here was a merchant, trained over many years to know the beautiful, fine qualities and variety of pearls who one day found a pearl of such extraordinary rarity that he fell in love and sold everything he had to own it. Any listener would understand this must have been an exquisite, extremely rare pearl for the merchant to instantly fall in love and essentially give-up everything he worked years to obtain.

This is the great prize, or spiritual journey, that Jesus calls the Kingdom of Heaven. Remember all of his audience were part of the Roman Empire, and well acquainted with living in a Kingdom, and understood this contrast and comparison; one Kingdom being harsh, restrictive and the other sublime bliss.

In more modern terms, for the spiritual traveler, the Kingdom of Heaven is God Consciousness/Higher Knowledge and in order to reach this goal, out of love the traveler must give-up all their attachments, thoughts and desires. Surrendering their ego and lives to the Divine Impulse they become God’s Servant.

Another way to discuss this is that the traveler’s ego/consciousness becomes annihilated and their heart becomes unified with God. In this state, the traveler and the Beloved, blissfully become One; that is the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus describes and is the spiritual traveler’s goal.

This Caress is bestowed, not earned and involves giving-up everything because one loves for the Beloved (Pearl of Great Price/Beauty). This spiritual state is comprised of extreme joy, unity, great happiness, profound peace and love.

3.
Multiplicity of the Symbol

The Pearl is the symbol reserved by Christ for the Kingdom. Pearl was the most precious object for a fisherman who might accidentally discover the pearl or seek and find it. As the Lotus remains the archetypal symbol for Buddha, Pearl is for Jesus - a symbol of purity, preciousness, a goal to be sought.

In some texts it is the Pearl of Immortality, Pearl of Infinite Oneness, Pearl in the Ocean of Divine Love, God Realization, God Consciousness. And the ‘great price’ is also about our own enormous struggle to reach it, similar to actual ‘pearl divers’ or ‘pearl hunters’. Even though there is tremendous progress that we can make on our own, after a certain point we can go no further without a Perfect Master. They are the only ones who can unlock the final stage and bestow God Realization on another. In every age there are always Perfect Masters to guide human souls, to guide humanity, including Khidr - the green man (every living) who guide the elect and ardent seekers..

Diving to the bottom of the ocean of divine life to obtain the pearl of Realization and to resurface to show the pearl to others comprises the lives of the Perfect Masters. The great mystic sage Ibn Arabi talks about the false self getting crushed, which is also a possibility in pearl diving – the body gets crushed by the pressure of the water the deeper one goes.

Hafiz says that at first, when he placed his feet on the "beach," he thought he had already got the "Pearl." But little did he know that he had to face the waves, the storms and the whirlpools, and dive deep into the Ocean before getting the Pearl.

He says that in the beginning he was like a man who goes down to the seashore and paddles in shallow water, and in his enjoyment, thinks he has gained the Pearl. Then after a long time, Hafiz realized that he had yet to learn to swim; and when he learned how to swim, there were the many waves he had to encounter and overcome. Then he realized he had yet to learn to dive. The next step he had to master was holding his breath under water before, at long last, he could reach the bottom of the ocean for the Pearl – the Goal.

On the path, cowards have no place. Hafiz said that when he became a lover of God, he thought he had got a grip over the "Pearl." But he never dreamt of the depth of the Ocean and the dangers to be faced from storms and waves! Then the Perfect Master comes to Hafiz's rescue. He teaches him that the "Pearl" (of Realization) is on the Ocean-bed. You have to learn to swim, then learn to dive, then find the Pearl and bring it back. After forty long years, Hafiz got the Pearl in his hands. It took forty years for him who was absolutely determined!

Hafiz says:

How foolish people are who compare pearls with seashells.
The real pearl is here. Do not run after shells.

For one who is an aspirant on the Path, it is not seeing, but becoming that is the objective.


4.
Diving for the Pearl

[...] To compare the above with spirituality, take the water of the ocean as Maya, the pearl as God, the diver as the seeker, the diving suit as love, or the willingness to renounce the world, and the man on the beach or boat in charge of the air compressor as the Sadguru. Without the help of the Sadguru (Kamil Murshid) to manipulate the air compressor, it is thus impossible for one to dive down and take the pearl, which means to free oneself from the clutches of Maya while remaining in Maya.

A man may discharge his worldly duties and maintain a household with a wife and child. But at the same time, he should remain detached from all this, come what may. This does not mean that he should be neglectful of his duties toward his near and dear ones, but that he should have no attachments to it at all. You know that a pen is yours and you use it. But if you lose it, you should not care about it; you should remain detached.

The meaning of God-Realization is emancipation – freedom from the bondage of Maya. But one has to be in Maya to come out of it. So remain in Maya but do not get enmeshed in it. Keep away from its tricks and snares.

Diving for the Pearl can also be considered from a psychological level. Finding the jewels: emerald/ amethyst/ ruby/ diamond/ pearls. The perilous adventure, going through Jung's archetypes, especially dealing with the ones out of balance.

- from Freedom from Maya


5.
Jesus himself as the Pearl

The Pearl of Great Price casts a light on the gift of Jesus as the messenger of God's Love who paid the price of surrendering his life to convey God's great love for us.

On a different esoteric level the making of both masculine and feminine energy as one, the being of androgyny, and that Christ is its chief symbol. In Mysterium Coniunctionis C. G. Jung writes, .. "the lapis (Self) is itself androgynous, a synthesis of male and female. It is the pearl of great price." (For every female who makes herself male will enter the kingdom of Heaven.' - Christ, Gospel of Thomas). The mystics understand the soul as feminine who longs for the Beloved, is receptive (essentially a feminine quality) - is receptive to the Divine and thus the soul can be made pregnant with God - and God is the Pearl of Great Price.

6.
Think What will happen

If we surrender to God to guide us.... truly surrender to a God with no limits.. think what that opens up?  What if we absolutely trust God where He takes us... guides us and says look at this?   and this? and this?  and this? How does God see it? How He truly loves everything He creates? What have we done to his divine intention?

How do we open the doors?

What if two or more truly learn to love it all? Do they open a pathway of energy that creates the possibility in human beings?

A pearl is created by agitation and irritation and a polishing process that is very similar to our own pruning and refining to become a drop of  the oceanic source of all life, a translucent light, a seed of light, a holy touch, a divine sperm, super strings, physicists called it, a moving particle - yet they change it - because they don't really know, they speculate - the pearl becomes a treasure that cannot be bought or sold, or contained.

It is a pearl of great price, because it cannot be bought, we discover it when we surrender all that we are, all that we ever have been and all that we ever will be into an unlimited, omniscient, consciousness who dares to truly care about what it creates .. to welcome it.

The pearl of great price is the secret of God's Love for us and ours for God - the ultimate in relationship and variation in a growing, expanding, awakening to what is ever new, ever changing, ever life-giving, ever marvelous, and forever loving and tender and compassionate and sometimes intense, passionate, powerful, and majestic - with a force that could wipe out all of civilization in one blast but doesn't, instead He is a God who saves us, because God holds us in that great Heart that consists of countless universes beyond our imagining, each particle of God is a universe, one particle, one drop, one seed, one tiny drop of light, one speck, one glimmer, one glance, one anything of God is a pearl of great price that holds the whole world in the curve of His Love and we surrender into the majesty and beauty of that embrace - anxious for the night and the morning and the sweet wonder of the first day of forever with such a Love.

In Love alone
    can such wonders be.

- a composite contributions from Stewart Bitkoff, M. E. B. and Naomi

I would love to kiss you.
The price of kissing is your life.

Now my loving is running toward my life shouting,
What a bargain, let's buy it: the Pearl of Great Price!

 ~ Rumi ~

In the follow-up post, God willing, we would like to share a Sufic Perspective on the reality of Kingdom of Heaven / Kingdom of God - how it is described, understood, realized and sought - and the Quranic perspective of the state of the merchant in the Parable of Jesus of "selling everything that one has for the purchase of the Pearl of Great Price."

Rabbi zidni ilma.

O Lord increase us in knowledge.

Rabbi zidni ilma.

O Lord increase us in awareness.

Allahumma Rabbi zidni ilman bil Haqq.

O Allah, O Lord enlighten us with Truth.
Ya Muniru! Ya Munir!
O the Illuminator! O the Enlightener!

# Related:
. Invisible Hierarchy of the Journey Back to God 
. Sufi Reading of Jesus' Teaching Parables
. Parable of the Budding Fig Tree and the Fig
. Ask, Seek, Knock | A Sufi Exegesis of Jesus Parable
. Jesus, the Symbol and Sign | from Ibn Arabi

The Maqam of Ya Ummati, Ya Ummati

1.
From Ya Nafsi, Ya Nafsi to Ya Ummati, Ya Ummati

The famous Persian Sufi, Bayazid of Bistam (Bistami), saw in a moment of unveiling that the Pole (spiritual king) of the age was none other than the town's humble ironsmith.

Bayazid was amazed, for the ironsmith happened to be a man with few distinctive qualities. Finally, unable to supress his curiosity any longer, he went over to the smith's shop in order to take a closer look. When he arrived, the smith was nonplussed, threw away his hammer and tried to kiss his hand as a gesture of respect - for Bayazid was of great renown - and asked for his prayers.

Bayazid was surprised. He said, "It is I who should be kissing your hand and asking for your prayers, please, pray for me."

"Sure I will," said the smith, "But I wish for your prayers in a matter that has been disturbing me for a long time. My own prayers won't work."

"What's your problem? Asked Bayazid.

"I'm worried about the state of the people," said the smith. "Everytime my hammer descends on the anvil and the sparks fly, I wonder how these human beings are going to withstand the fire, and try to find a way to improve their codition."

Bayazid thought to himself: "So this person is not of those who say, 'My self, My self' (ya Nafsi, ya Nafsi). Rather, He says: 'My people, My community (ya Ummati, ya Ummati) [just as the Prophet did]. Now it's clear why the station of polehood was given to him, for he deserves it.

"Moreover, the Pole of the Age is so unaware of his station that he kisses my hand and ask for my prayers. So he hasn't received unveiling yet, and doesn't know where he is - thus doubling his sincerity."

The station of Godly person is always full of love and compassion towards other beings and acts accordingly, because God's light and compassion flow out of such person and into the world.

~ as quoted from book by Henry Bayman, may Allah bless him - titled "The Station of No Station: Open Secrets of the Sufis".

* In Sufism 'Maqam' refers to Spiritual Station


2.
Way of the Beauteous Beings

Its known that the Seal of the Prophet, Muhammad, may Allah complete every divine blessings upon him, used to be absorbed in his prayer and contemplation to such degree that he would forget his existence, he would not recognize even his most closely associate ones when he would enter into what in the East is called Samadhi (unity experience). Sometime during his night time prayer, he would pray with his forehead on the ground in prostration, crying all night long out of deep compassion and concern: "Ya Ummati, Ya Ummati." 'My Community', 'My people'.

Its transmitted that on the Yaumul Qiyamah or Day of Final Resurrection, when every human soul out of the tremendous bewilderment and terrible fear will cry ‘nafsi, nafsi’ (‘myself, myself’), only Muhammad al-Mustafa will say ‘ummati, ummati’ (‘my people, my people’). Such was, is and will be the degree of his compassion, for which he is testified as 'Wa ma arsalnaka illa rahmatallil 'alamin.': “And the Divine Authority have not sent you except as a Mercy to the worlds.” (The Quran, 21:107)

Thus the cry of the beloved, ummati, ummati is cry for not only one community, but in extension to whole of humanity. The real sunnah, the deep sunnah (holy pattern) of the Most Beauteous being is 'Harisun alaikum bi mukmina raufur rahim.', ‘to be deeply concerned, and tenderly compassionate for fellow human beings’. That has always been the station of the heart of compassion of every beauteous being who is not confined to own enlightenment and salvation but that of the others. To follow the way of the Rasul means to become 'Harisun alaikum bi mukmina raufur rahim' - concern for the suffering of others with a heart of tender loving compassion. The raising of the degree of saintly station ihas a direct co-relation with the capacity to embody this state.

This how the perfect sage, a complete man and model of the Rasul is also described from Chung-Yung in Doctrine of the Balanced in Chinese classic:

"It is only he, possessed of all SAGELY qualities that can exist under heaven, who can show himself quick in apprehension, clear in discerning , of far reaching intelligence, and all embracing KNOWLEDGE, fitted to exercise RULE, magnanimous, generous, benign and mild (harisun /raufur rahim), fitted to EXERCISE forbearance ( hilm /sabr), impulsive, energetic, firm, and enduring, fitted to maintain a FIRM HOLD (urwatul wusqa), self adjusted, grave, never serving from the MEAN / MIDDLE (Istiqama) and correct, fitted to COMMAND (Amar) reverence; accomplished, distinctive, and searching, fitted to exercise DISCRIMINATION (furqan).

All embracing is he and vast (innaka ala Khuluqi azim), deep and active as a fountain (rahmata lil-alamin), sending forth in their due season his virtues (rahma /syafaa).

He is seen, and people revere him; He speaks, and all people believe him (amin); He acts and the people are pleased with him (atiu ‘Llah wa atiur Rasul); ..therefore his fame overspreads the middle kingdom (ummatan wasatan) and extended to all foreign races. Where ships and carriages reach; Wherever the strength of man penetrates; Wherever the heaven overshadow and the earth sustains ; Wherever the sun and moon shine (was syamsi wa qamar); where the frost and dews falls – all who have blood and breath unfeigned honor and love him. Hence it is said -  'He is equal of Heaven' (Nur Allah). Who can know him, but he who is indeed quick in apprehension, clear in discernment, of far reaching intellect and all embracing knowledge, possessing heavenly virtue (iman/ihsan). The superior man accords / follow with the course of the Mean (Middle Path) . Though he may be all unknown, unregarded by the world, he feels no regret;  It is only the SAGE who is able for this!

The Way which the superior man pursues, reaches wide and far, and yet is secret / concealed."

Allahumma Salli ‘ala Badrit-Tamaam
Allahumma Salli ‘ala Nuriz-Zalaam
Allahumma Salli ‘ala Miftaahi Daaris-Salaam
Allahumma Salli ‘ala Shafee’i fee Jamee-il Anaam

Allah! Send Blessings upon the Full Moon in brilliance.
Allah! Send Blessings upon the Light overwhelming darkness.
Allah! Send Blessings upon the Key to the Abode of Peace.
Allah! Send Blessings upon the Intercessor of all humanity.

3.

Sufis Ethics

To be concerned with the troubles of others, to try to ease their pain and heal their wounds, in an act of love and compassion. It is only those who have this in abundance who can rise to the higher stages of Sufi sainthood.

The following Sufic statement, ascribed to Loqman (a mystic sage), neatly summarizes sufis ethics:

In loving kindness, be like the sun;
In generosity, be like water;
In humility, be like the earth;
In hiding the fault of others, be like the night.

Sufis Ethics | Collage by Sadiq

To elaborate, the sun rises and sheds its light on all things, without making any distinction between good and bad, worthy or unworthy, etc. Water gives life to both the rose and the thistle without favoritism. The earth continues to lend its bounties to all, taking no heed of who steps on its face. And the night draws a veil of darkness over even the greatest iniquity. The Master used to say that each of these represented a pole, and anyone who was able to emulate even one of them would achieve salvation.

~ "The Station of No Station: Open Secrets of the Sufis" (pg 100, 101), Henry Bayman

4.
Signs of Generosity

A certain servant of God, Abu MahfuzMaruf was held by his teacher in Islam, Ali b. Musa al-Rida in the highest esteem. It is related that Abu Maruf said: 'There are three signs of generosity - to keep faith without resistance, to praise without being incited thereto by liberality, and to give without being asked.' 

In men all these qualities are merely borrowed, and in reality they belong to God, who acts thus towards His servants. God keeps unresisting faith with those who love Him, and although they show resistance in keeping faith with Him, He only increases His kindness towards them. 

The sign of God's keeping faith is this, that in eternity past He called His servant to His presence without any good action on the part of His servant, and that today He does not banish His servant on account of an evil action. He alone praises without the incitement of liberality, for He has no need of His servant's actions, and nevertheless extols him for a little thing that he has done. He alone gives without being asked, for He is generous and knows the state of everyone and fulfills his desire unasked. 

Accordingly, when God gives a man grace and makes him noble, and distinguishes him by favor, and acts toward him in the three ways mentioned above, and when that man, as far as lies in his power, acts in the same way towards his fellow-creatures, then he is called generous and gets a reputation for generosity.

~ "Kashf al-Mahjub" (chapter XI) by Data Ganj Bakhsh

5.

In the play of many, its only Thee, O Thee!

The Divine Voice shall call on the Day of Resurrection: O son of Adam, I was ill and you visited Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so had fallen ill and you visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him? 

O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with Me? 

O son of Adam, I asked you to give Me to drink and you gave Me not to drink. He will say: O Lord, how should I give You to drink whin You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: My servant So-and-so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found that with Me. - Hadith Qudsi

On the Day of Judgment the Son of Man shall reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' - Matthew 25:40

6.
Your Generosity

As you perhaps have learned that under the umbrella of Porshee Foundation (Read a report about its activities and Scope of Work), which is inspired by two universal value of 'small kindness' and 'loving for others what one love for one's self' we are raising funds to reach out to those who face severe economic hardship that compromise human dignity. Our beneficiaries include children, orphans, widows, single mother, poors in severe debt and handicap. We have helped enabling setup businesses to earn a respectable living by those who would otherwise would simply beg on daily basis to live. We have convinced poor parents to continue their girls education by providing scholarship and supports such as school dress whom otherwise couldn't continue education. We have two schools setup one in a community of marginalized people (Harijons) and another in a community of blinds whose children we teach.

As of 24th August we have raised about 38% of our target 33,00 USD. With your generosity we hope to achieve our target and Inshallah will exceed it as well. Kindly donate and spread the words among those whom you know, specially those who have a generous heart. Indeed there are no other direct means to serve the Divine except by serving the creation. 

Click on [ChipIn] button below to donate.

Allah Almighty says, ‘My love is mandatory for those who love each other for My sake and those who sit with each other for My sake, and those who visit each other for My sake and those who give to each other for My sake - Hadith of the Messenger, recorded in Imam Malik’s al-Muwatta

May Allah keep your heart inspired, fill it with pure peace and happiness and reward you for your every giving for His sake.

# Related:
. Ramadan Fund Raising for Gladdening the Sacred Hearts Project
. Heart of Compassion | Way of the Bodhisattvas
. Hadith Qudsi
. Sufi Framework of Service