1.The people of this world are like the three butterflies
in front of a candle's flame.
The first one went closer and said:
I know about love.
The second one touched the flame
lightly with his wings and said:
I know how love's fire can burn.
The third one threw himself into the heart of the flame
and was consumed. He alone knows what true love is.
2.
Sweep with your soul,
before your beloved's door.
Only then will you become her lover.
3.
But where is this gathering?
- I don't know, my little angel.
But do the others know?
- No, they don't know either.
How can you go to a gathering without knowing where it is?
- It suffices to walk, just walk. Those who are invited will find the way.
4.
Is it true that they come from everywhere?
Yes, from everywhere.
From farther away than us?
A lot farther. Some go across the mountains,
others go across the sea.
And we go across the desert -
Yes, we go across desert.
5.
Baba Aziz! This is not the way!You know the way, little angel?
But the others all go the other way!
Everyone has his own way, Ishtar.
6.
"There are as many paths to God as there are souls on Earth."
- hadith
7.
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.
8.
Keep your breath for walking,
you'll need it, little angel.
9.
Only those who are not in love see their own reflection.
10.
He who has faith will never get lost, my little angel.
He who is at peace won't lost his way.
11.
"It is less cold when you talk"
- Ishtar to Bab 'Aziz
12.“If the baby in the darkness of its mother’s womb were told: “Outside there is a world of life , with high mountains, great seas, undulating planes, beautiful gardens in blossom, a sky full of stars, and a blazing sun … And you, facing all these marvels, stay enclosed in this darkness …” The unborn child, knowing nothing about these marvels, would not believe any of these. Like us, when we are facing death. That’s why we’re afraid.
- But there can’t be light in death because it‘s the end of everything.
- How can death be end of something that doesn’t have a beginning? Hassan, my son, don’t be sad at my wedding night.
- Your wedding night?
- Yes. My marriage with eternity.”
13.
Where will the gathering take place?
I don't know, even Grandfather doesn't know!
Besides, no one needs to know.
And how will you go there?
It suffices to walk, just walk...
But what if we get lost?
He who has faith will never get lost.
Everyone uses his most precious gift to find his way.
Sing, my son, and the way will be shown to you.
14.
My son, don't be satisfied with a drop of water.
You have to throw yourself into His stream.
15.
You'd think he's contemplating his image at the bottom of the water.
Maybe it's not his image. Only those who are not in love see their own reflection.
So what does he see?
He's contemplating his soul.
16.He's mad, he's just a madman (deewana)!
Who's mad?
The madman is not always the one who we believe is mad.
17.
O, day, arise! The atoms are dancing.
The souls are dancing, overcome with ecstasy.
I’ll whisper in your ear
Where their dance is taking them…
All the atoms in the air and in the desert
Know well, they seem insane.
Every single atom, happy or miserable,
Becomes enamored in the sun,
Of which nothing can be said.
18.
Joyous is the time
when we two are united.
You and I.
Two distinct forms, but one single soul,
You and I.
Forgetful you and me,
Joyous of the same joy.
calm and free of vain words,
You and I.
19.
So, what happened to the prince?
The prince contemplated his soul so much
that he left the visible world
for the invisible one.
Note: the movie uses some of the poetic work of Mevlana Rumi, Quranic wisdom as well that from the sayings attributed to Prophet Muhammad (s).
# Resources:
. Bab 'Aziz
. Watch Online | Bab 'Aziz: The Prince Who Contemplated His Soul
80 comments:
No questions. No arguments. The quotes are inspiring and uplifting.
How do you give life to these quotes? Answer: Commitment.
Commitment is the water for these quotes!
You may have heard the sayings, “Which lawn gets greener and stays greener?”
The one you water. If you want to give life to these quotes in your life, water
these quotes with your commitment. Commitment is water. There is no life
without water. There is no progress on the Sufi Path without commitment.
If you liked the faith quote, make commitment to strengthen your faith.
If you liked the love quote, make commitment to love.
If you liked the peace quote, make commitment to peace.
If you liked the quote “Everyone has his own way”, make commitment to your way. Make commitment to One Way, not all ways!
If you liked…………………………, make commitment …………………….
Baba Aziz took One path, and he kept walking. The settled message is to
make commitment to One path and stay on it.
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
Please note: This is part of the post one above.
Faith in God Is a Gift from God
Where there is Faith there is Love,
Where there is Love there is Peace,
Where there is Peace there is God,
Where there is God there is no need. (1, p. 31)
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
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1. Real Success Ken Shelton and the Editors of Success Magazine. Forword by Denis
Waitley. (www.eep.com).
All the film is weaved of true statements. This is one more:
“The paradise is in the eye of the beholder”
Heaven and hell are not geographical, they are psychological, they are our psycho-logy. Heaven and hell are not at the end of our life, they are here and now.
“Every moment the door opens; every moment you go on wavering between heaven and hell. It is a moment-to-moment question, it is urgent; in a single moment you can move from hell to heaven, from heaven to hell.
Hell and heaven are within you. The doors are very close to each other: with the right hand you can open one, with the left hand you can open another. With just a change of your mind, your being is transformed --from heaven to hell and from hell to heaven. Whenever you act unconsciously, without awareness, you are in hell; when-ever you are conscious, whenever you act with full awareness, you are in heaven.” - Osho
And one more of the truths of the film:
"There are as many paths to God as there are souls on Earth."
Or to say it in other words:
"Avoid those pretenders who decide for you; take the reins in your own hands.
You have to decide. In fact, in that very decisiveness, your soul is born.
When others decide for you, your soul remains asleep and dull.
When you start deciding on your own, a sharpness arises." - Osho
Dear Sadiq,
Thank you for sharing with us these beautiful quotes!!
Does anyone know if a written transcript of this movie is somewhere available?
Kindest wishes,
mo'in
Sadiq,
This is a wonderful post. Sharing the journey of the film has touched me deeply, and it offers the kind of simplicity I seek, and yet the deeper meanings are concealed and veiled from the world in the stories to allow us to open to the beauty when we are ready to see it.
Reading them, looking at the images,listening to the music, and sharing the journey becomes an encircling embrace when we are able to be vigilant, faithful to love, and inclusive of others.
I am grateful for all who share their journey to God with others creatively, through acts of charity, through prayer, and through loving devotion to God.
We arise in our awareness like the moon at night and the sun at dawn emanating the Light that has found clear passage in each of us, which is the presence Shams embodied for Rumi and Rumi embodied for Shams. Shams means the light of the golden sun....the treasure within the heart.
We are able to journey to new places and see new things as God reveals them to us, and I feel the beauty of that companionship with others who have searching minds and spirits guided by the eyes of the heart, and I am blessed by it.
When we travel in the energy of love, we are one with both Ishtar and Bab 'Aziz, with the Prince, the dervishes, the dancers, the minstrels, and with all those who gather in His Love, in the unique expression that is given to each to do that.
God seems to gather us all to Himself, makes room for us all, and divine love gives us the incredible privilege of living that truth and sharing it with Him.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Naomi
'We are contented with dry bread and a patched robe
For it is easier to bear the load of one's own trouble than that of thanks to others'
Exactly AV “Everyone has his own way”, make commitment to your way. Make commitment to One Way, not all ways!
If you can remember this things will be so smooth!
You will not feel Suffocation(/ism) by seeing how somebody is defining Sufism/Islam/humanity/Religion/GOD!
Remember they are committed to it. And you have no right to oppose/impose.
That always creates problem.
I am agreeing with Subhasmita.
Thanks Subhasmita, I was almost thinking to say the same thing. you said in better words.........lol! do we think or it just comes from elsewhere........a very dear friend of mine said this yesterday.
Subhasmita,
“Exactly AV “Everyone has his own way”, make commitment to your way. Make commitment to One Way, not all ways! If you can remember this things will be so smooth!”
I don’t want to make one thing clear though. As long as they don’t call their way Sufism, Sufism without Allah, Quran, and Muhammad is not Sufism. It should be called something else. I call it Suffocationsim. There was a sheikh. I will call him SxI since I am not allowed to use his real name because the owner of this site has requested that I don’t use the sheikh real name. Well, SxI stripped his teachings of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad to gain broader audiences and sell more books. He and his followers continue to call it Sufism; however, I say it has nothing to do with Sufism. Sufism is the fruit of Islam. To me this sheikh, SxI, engaged in spiritual fraud by calling something that is not and his followers continue to engage in spiritual fraud to this day. Allah refers to people like him as those who engaged in a “miserable bargain”. Would you call that coffee is tea; vinegar is honey, or milk is salty lassie. I don’t think so. Why SxI calls it Sufism? He is using the good name of Sufism. He is stealing Sufism brand to use if for his advantage. This sheikh is a rascal. He is giving bad name to many good and honest sheikhs. Last time I checked, there is commandment that “thou shall not steal”!
Some scholars of Islam and Sufism have recommended that his books be avoided by the serious students of Sufism.
This may not win me many friends on this site, but I don’t care. Friendship of Allah is enough form me! I am here to please the Creator, not the created.
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
Sadiq, your blog is an oasis of love, light and peace for the seeker.
Thanks so much for doing this. Blessings!
Dear Sadiq Bhai,
Salaam and adab,
Subject: 6."There are as many paths to God as there are souls on Earth."
- hadith
Can you please elaborate on the above hadith? Why “The Straight Path” if they are as many paths to God as there are souls on Earth? Why Quran be considered the Last Book (or Final Testament as you put it) and Muhammad (pbuh) the Last Messenger if there are as many paths to God as there are souls on Earth?
How strong is this hadith? There is the level of authenticity that is accorded to each hadith. Would this hadith be considered weak or strong?
God says in the Quran that if He were to accept all the prayers that are uttered in the world there would be chaos. All our prayers are not answered according to our wishes. Doesn’t this hadith contradict the whole idea of “The Straight Path”, Quran as the Last Book, and Muhammad as the Last Messenger? It seems to me Muhammad is contradicting himself.
God does not accept all our prayers that we utter because it would create chaos in the world if He were to accept all prayers. Why would He accept many paths as authentic when He does not accept all prayers? Don’t many paths lead to chaos in the world or in the spiritual realm?
This hadith is similar to another which states, “I am as My servant thinks I am”. That hadith could be abused, and I would say this hadith which states, “There are many paths to God…” is also being abused.
Thank you and respectfully yours,
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
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P.S. Is Vimesh doing okay? We have not heard from him the last couple of days.
Dear all,
Thank you for your lovely comments.
Dear AV,
Each person has a personal way of relating to the Divine and it is unique, just as the personality of each being is unique. The hadith refers to that personal journey, personal path. It doesnt contradict with the siratal mustaqim.
Also consider the Quranic verse that all that is in the heaven and earth declares the glory of God and every creature knows its mode of praise. Diversity is part of creation.
“I am as My servant thinks I am” is actually part of a longer hadith and when its read in full it gives more illumination than just stand alone.
Thank you.
Also Vimesh is giving an important exam, hence he is busy and we all are connected nevertheless.
Peace be upon all here.
Dear Ones,
The radiance of the wine of love
reveals the secrets to the mystic.
The precious jewel in every heart
is found inside that ruby mine.
Only the nightingale can sing
of the hidden beauty of the rose.
The meaning of mystery is not
revealed in the pages of a book.
I offered this world and the next
to this weary heart of mine.
Except for love,
all else will disappear.
The time is past when I cared
for public opinion.
Even the magistrate is now aware
of my sipping wine in seclusion
The Beloved always awakens us
when the time is right
else the heart would be more
concerned about us.
The one who values a caress
from the Beloved’s Kingdom
knows how to change stone and dust
into rubies with a glance.
O dear one, you cannot find
the truth about love in a book.
This cannot be found by seeking
only through reading.
Pour the wine and drown learning
that plunders like the autumn wind,
for knowledge will not capture
the kiss of the rose in the garden.
This poem is woven from the pearls
strung from the soul of Hafiz
created under the guiding hand
of the great Master of Generosity.
Hafiz
Dear Sadiq Bhai,
Thank you for the response. I value your comments.
Best wishes to Vimesh.
All the best,
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
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“Dear Ones/Hafiz”
“O dear one, you cannot find
the truth about love in a book.
This cannot be found by seeking
only through reading”.
Why are you quoting from a book if it
can not be found through reading?
All Hafiz left is his books!
Where else can you find Hafiz but in his
books.
Someone has said in books lies soul of the whole past.
Reading is the key to knowledge.
Knowledge is the key to success.
O Hafiz,
You must be anti-reading. The first
word to the Prophet (pbuh) was Read!
Don’t belittle Readings.
Readings made all the difference.
The Prophet’s book has many names and
one of the names is “Readings or Recitations”.
Are you belittling the Quran? O Hafiz!
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
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James,
Please explain to me this. “Allah said: For Allah there are good names, call Him with these; (and the Holy Prophet, may peace be upon him, said: Verily, for Allah there are ninety-nine names, whosoever reciteth them shall enter heaven; and according to another narration he who remembers them”. (1, p.18)
“We are presenting 201 beautiful names of our beloved Prophet (pbuh) as mentioned in Dala’il al-khayrat of Shaykh Imran al-Zannati, may his soul be sanctified. (2, p. 140).
Names matter. I am sure if someone introduces you as Mr. Osma bin Laden; you will protest and say, ‘NO, NO, NO, I am James Souttar”. I am not an Arab, but I am proud Englishman. I may look like an American, but I am not an American either. I just have an argument with this American that names do not matter, but I believe people should not call me Osama because I am James. If your name matters, why shouldn’t Sufism matters?
If names do not matter, I guess we can call that God is a Dog. Muhammad is a Mad Man and a “renegade Bishop”. Islam is offshoot of Christianity. Kabbalah is Sufism.
Many tried to make Islam as an offshoot of Christianity, but Muslims stood firm. Should we call Islam with its new Christoislamus?
What is Islam without Allah, Quran, and Muhammad? Would it be still Islam? I think it becomes something else. One should call it something else instead of calling it Islam. This is exactly what this “rascal sheikh” did. If you strip Sufism of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad, it becomes something else. All I am saying is that call it something else. It is no longer Sufism. This sheikh IxS engaged in spiritual fraud that is worst than Bernard Madoff’s financial fraud. Scholars on Islam and Sufism recommend that serious students of Sufism should avoid his books. This sheikh IxS and his followers are giving a bad name to many good and honest sheikhs.
This sheikh IxS watered down the message of Islam and Sufism for financial gains so he could sell more books and attract wider audiences. Allah calls such people as those who engage in a “miserable bargain”. This sheikh engaged in Faustian bargain and his followers don’t have the courage to tell it like it is. They are perpetuating spiritual fraud to this day.
The sheikh you mentioned did not object to it either. Well, some of these sheikhs never take stand on tough issues. They are more interested in being popular and be called so enlightened being. They profess that Muhammad is their model, but very few of them ever taken stand for the Truth. Muhammad never comprised on issue of Truth. I am not going to compromise on the Truth either. These sheikhs may need to go back and study the Prophet’s life all over again. I think they missed something. They are more interested in gaining followers in the West than committing or defending the Truth. These sheikhs love to say something like this: “My heart has become receptive of every form. It is a meadow for gazelles, a monastery for monks, an abode for idols, the Ka`ba of the pilgrim, the tables of the Torah, the Qur'an. My religion is love - wherever its camels turn, Love is my belief, my faith." This is really promoting “spiritual promiscuity”. I would say they are committing shirk. Tell these sheikhs that shirk is unforgiveable sin. . If these sheikhs had their way, they will strip Islam of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad!
Please see below for continuation.
My response to them is: My heart was the Ka’ba, is the Ka’ba, will always be the Ka’ba! There is no place in my heart for another. Quran is my Pen (my argument, my proof, my sustenance); Quran is my Olive Branch (peace with those who want peace with me); Quran is my Sword (war with those who want war with me until final victory).
Go back O Sheikhs, study the Prophet’s life all over again. You missed something. You have forgotten something very important. If you had your way, you would strip Islam of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. You would say this: “the Way is a reality that doesn't need a name”. What should we call Islam? Islam is religion without a name. Forget Allah. Forget Quran. Forget Muhammad. Forget Islam. Only remember the sheikh. That is all you need.
I am not going to water down the message of Islam and Sufism. I am committed to ONE, ONE, and ONE. Friendship of Allah is more important me than company of sheikhs who are too afraid to speak the Truth.
Since names do not matter, answer this question with ‘Yes’ or ‘No”. Should we start calling Allah by His new name which will be: DOG!
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
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1. AL HIZB AL-AZAM: A Collection of Prayers, translated by M. Abdul Hamid Siddiqi, Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, Kashmiri Bazar, Lahor. Copyright 1975.
2.. The Most Beautiful Names compiled by Sheikh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti.
Copyright 1985. (www.jerrahi.org).
Assalam Alikum to all
Thank you AV for asking for me ..and thank u dear sadiq for mentioning about my exams here and i got all the duas and prayers from all and i cleared that particular part which i was giving....Alhamdulilah
and have downloaded Bab"aziz but still very busy with some other engagement so have not watched it....but would do so today ,Inshallah
and Mo'in had asked for the script of the movie did any one find it ...
Dear James,
I really enjoyed your sharing of three great person who avoided the naming business. Beautiful!
Dear AV,
By naming business people refer to is obsession with name. The points you put forward about the necessity of calling something is common sense and need no argument that name are necessary to begin with or to communicate about something. In that sense names are as useful as language.
But what James points out is something else.
When words and name become a obstacle, then its called naming business because it puts a veil of what is real.
The Prophet (s) didnt call those who followed him by a new name, like Mohammedan or Qureshi.
Quran says, you are called Muslim which is the way of Abraham and beforetime he named those who submit to God as so. While Judaism bring its name from a group of people, Christianity brings its name from the personality of Christ, while Hinduism brings its name from a place name, Buddhist from the personality of Buddha, a true muslim remain without unnecessary labels, their place of worship, the mosque remain formless (devoid of icons / imagery /idols).
All of these points that the form and naming business is unnecessary. Astaghfirullah!
Walikum salam to you Vimesh.
Dear Mo'in,
I am not certain that its available and also my feeling is its highly unlikely to find a full transcript of the movie, unless someone volunteers to do so.
James,
First, I have tremendous respect for Baba Tahir. May God bless his soul and may God be pleased with him.
Baba Tahir acknowledges Allah, Quran, and Muhammad (pbuh) in the verses below (pp 53 and 54). However, you conveniently ignored it and went to page p. 60. Commitment is water that gives life to the Sufi Path. Make commitment. What is life without commitment? Life without commitment is aimless wandering that leads to neither here nor there.
“Happy are they who live in the sight of Thee,
Who hang upon Thy words, and dwell in Thee,
Too frail to approach, I see Thee from afar,
And seek the sight of those that see Thee ever” (1, p. 53)
“Without Thee in the Garden, Lord, may no rose bloom,
Or, blooming, may none taste its sweet perfume,
So, should my heart expand when Thou art not nigh,
‘Twere vain! My heart’s grief naught could turn to joy” (1, p 53)
“Happy are they indeed whose Friend is God
Who, giving thanks (Sura Fatiha), say ever, “He is God!” (Sura Ikhlas)
Happy are they who always at prayer,
Eternal Heaven is their just reward” (1, p. 54)
O Muhammad, some have turned your Kabba into “My heart has become receptive of every form. It is a meadow for gazelles, a monastery for monks, an abode for idols ….”
O AV, remind them to read Sura Ikhlas. Tell them to make commitment to One.
O Muhammad, they say that they are wanderers.
O AV, tell them to read Surahs Al Duha and Al Inshirah!
Tell them to stop this foolish talk of being wanderers. Desert rats are
wanderers too. They run from one hole to another in the desert. How many trails they
leave? Don’t be afraid of commitment. Commitment to One is freedom from wandering! Make commitment to One, One, One!
O Muhammad, they say paths are many.
O AV, Tell them have they heard of Sura Fatiha?
Baba Tahir wrote, “Who, giving thanks (Surah Fatiha), say ever, “He is God!” (Surah Ikhlas)”. Baba Tahir also said, “Who hang upon Thy words”. It reminds AV of
18:65. AV hung himself upon 18:65! Thank you, Baba Tahir.
Please see below for continuation.
AV says, However, in all my searches, Quran has been my constant companion. It has been my compass. It has saved me. Take everything that I have, but leave the Quran with me. Quran will be sufficient for me. Allah suffices for me. Muhammad is enough for me. If you do take everything from me, God promises me this: And We restored his people to him, and doubled their number as a Grace from Ourselves. Quran 21:84. (1) Quran is my Pen (my argument, my proof, my sustenance); Quran is my Olive Branch (peace with those who want peace with me); Quran is my Sword (war with those who want war with me until final victory).
My heart was the Ka’ba, is the Ka’ba, will always be the Ka’ba! There is no place in my heart for another. I wish my brothers and sisters well who resides in the Monasteries, Temples, Mandirs, Churches, Gudwaras, and Synagogues. I am happy with the Ka’ba and the Quran as my home. What Monasteries, Temples, Mandirs, Churches, Gudwaras, and Snyagogues can offer me that Ka’ba and the Qu’ran have not blessed me with? What is Love? Those who talk about Love are like blind men/women describing the Elephant. It is better that we respect and revere our brothers/sisters’ homes as our own, but stay in our own homes and decorate it with commitment and loyalty. Dig deep. Make commitment. You can still respect and revere others even if you make commitment to the Moon (One)! All this talk of Universal Spirituality certainly will make you feel better, will make you popular, and will win you accolades, but it is your commitment to the Moon (One) that will bring you salvation. Rabia will say Universal Spirituality is all foolish talk. I agree.
Quran is AV’s compass. Muhammad is his model. Allah is his goal. Allah is the Guide.
AV does not wander like the desert rats. AV has found his home.
Why do you want me to start wandering like a desert rat? If wandering works for you, it is fine with me. It does not work for AV.
Praise be to Allah for saving me from sheikh like IxS.
Say: Surah Fatiha and Surah Ikhlas
Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Blessed be the name of thy Lord, Full of Majesty, Bounty, and Honour (2, 55:77:78).
Behold! Verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve. Glory to your Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! (He is free) from what they ascribe (to Him)! And peace on the messengers! And Praise to Allah, the Loard and Cherisher of the Worlds. (3, pp. 98 and 99).
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
1. A Fool of God: The Mystical Verse of Baba Tahir, Persian text with a translation by E. Heron-Allen, Copyright 1979.
2. The Meaning of The Holy Quran, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, New Edition with Revised Translation and Commentary, Published by Amana Corporation.
3. Fatiha and Dua’s, Arabic and English Translation & Transliteration Edited by Duraid and Fatoohi, Copyright 2001.
Dear Sadiq Bhai,
Names matter! I believe names matter. If the naming business did not matter, he (James) nor you would have responded to my post. I think you are trying to make peace which I appreciate very much. You are always the peace maker, my brother. We all appreciate it.
Names allow us to form a relationship with the Named or with another being such as a mother, father, sister, brother, cousin, friend, a colleague, fellow seeker, etc.
Names will matter as long as we are alive. It is certainly pleasing to some people to delude themselves in thinking that they have reached certain level where names don’t matter because they have become nameless or formless. You can not talk about Reality unless you give it a name. I know it is difficult to describe Reality by one Name or Ninety-Nine names. If the names did not matter, why the Sufi chants the Names of God? I understand the goal is not the chanting of names but the Named. As someone said, O Sufi forget the names but become the Named. To put it another way, find the Named and know the Named.
“All of Allah’s Names are great, but since He has hidden this particular Name it is referred to as The Greatest Name. (1, p. 7).
Why Adam was taught names? He taught Adam all the names of everything.” (Quran 2:31) (2).
“The first Man, Adam, peace be on him, was taught all the names of everything. These names of all objects that had come into existence by the time of his creation and all that will come into existence till Doomsday. ‘Teaching the Names’ means making man conscious of the essence of these things. This consciousness implies full knowledge. Full knowledge is impossible without the essence of becoming part and parcel of the being. Teaching the names of things therefore implies the implanting of the essences within the being of Adam and hence the implanting of the Names of All in Adam’s self.
The attributes of Allah that were, are and are going to be manifested in this creation until Doomsday, were planted within the being of Adam. That is why Adam (peace be upon him) could represent Allah as his Khalifa and become worthy of receiving the salutation of the angels. That is why Allah granted him through him to Man the mastery of this entire creation: It is He Who made you (His agents) inheritors of the earth (Quran VI, 65). Allah, therefore, tells us to remember Him and draw near Him by reciting His Name or His Attributes. His Name is His proper name “Allah” and His Attributes are innumerable.” (3, pp. vii-viii).
“Names are important because they are method of self-revelation. When we meet people, our first question usually is, “What’s your name?’ Most of us have several names to which we will respond. In some contexts, I am called Dr. Hemphill. In most instances, I am simply called Ken. My favorite, of course, is Daddy. My girls have a way of saying that name that melts my resolve and opens the floodgates of my wallet”. (4, p. 1).
Please see below for continuation.
“The way various names and titles are used speaks of relationships. Those who know me only in work relationship might refer to me a Dr. Hemphill. People who know me more personally usually call me Ken. Only my children call me Daddy. Even though we assign great significance to names and title today, they were far more important to the men and women of the ancient Near East during biblical times. For them, the very existence of a thing was tied up with the revelation of its name. For example, think of the creation narrative. Adam’s stewardship came first of all in naming the animals. This duty was intricately related to the truth that the animals had been created for his provision. He was steward over them, so he had the authority to give them their name”. (4, p. 2).
“The name Jacob, (the deceiver,” was changed to Israel as he wrestled with the angel. The prophetic pathos in the naming of the children of Hosea cannot be overlooked. The first child was named Jezreel, which meant “God sow”. The second child was Lo-Ruhamah, which meant “no more compassion”. Finally, the third was named Lo-Ammi, which “not my people”. When you read the prophetic Book of Hosea, you will see that the names of the children were pregnant with meaning concerning God’s judgment upon His people”. (4, p. 2).
“The divine name was critically important in the ancient Near East. The one who know the divine name was able to invoke the presence and obtain the help of deity. Jacob understood the significance of the divine name, and therefore as he wrestled with the angel, he pleaded with his nighttime attacker to tell him his name (Gen. 32:24-32). Moses, when he was confronted by God at the burning bush, was given a commission to deliver Israel from bondage. Moses argued with God, saying that no one would believe him. Listen to the text: “Then Moses said to God, ‘Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you, “Now they may say to me, “What is His name?” What shall I say to them? (Exod. 3:13)” (4, p. 3).
We are getting way off course because it all started with Sufism that is devoid of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. Is that still Sufism? If it is not Sufism, why call it Sufism? To me Sufism is grounded in Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. Authentic Sufism is based on Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. Sheikh IxS engaged in spiritual fraud and was deceitful in calling his teaching Sufism when it has nothing to do with Sufism. This started the whole discussion. This is something that needs to be addressed. This sheikh IxS brought deception and Allah says: What you have brought is deception. Surely God makes all your works come to nothing (10:81). (5, p. 95). O Sheikh IxS and his followers Quranic Verse 10:81 has a message for you. Will you hear it and repent or ignore it at your own perils? Sufism without Allah, Quran, and Muhammad is death/dead! It is based on deception. Deception does not lead to salvation or to the Beloved. Purity of the heart does, sound heart does, sincerity does, and sincere longing does.
Names matter. Why don’t this so called sheikh IxS and his followers call it something else? Why Sufism? He is calling it Sufism because names matter. Names matter!
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
1. Ninety-Nine Names of Allah by Shems Friedlander with al-Hajj Shaikh Muzaffereddin, Copyright 1978.
2. The Meaning of The Holy Quran, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, New Edition with Revised Translation and Commentary, Published by Amana Corporation.
3. The Most Beautiful Names compiled by Sheikh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti.
(www.jerrahi.org).
4. The Names of God by Ken Hemphill, Copyright 2001.
5. The Secret of Secrets by Hadrat Abl al-Qadir al-Jilani, Interpreted by Shaykh Tosun
Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti, Copyright 1992. (www.jerrahi.org).
Salaams to all....
Thanks to sadiq's sharing we all are able to watch and share with all the beautiful and insightful movie Bab Aziz from you tube....
here is also another link were the full 90 mins of movie is uploaded in a single file..so we can watch it together in one go and enjoy the baraka of Allah(swt) through this movie..and may the veils over our heart is lifted....
The link is BABA AZIZ
please do share with all....
James,
“Sufism is the science of the experience of the Divine”. You are getting close to my definition of Sufism. I hope you agree that Sufism is the fruit of Islam.
Don’t take me wrong. I am not looking for a sheikh because 18:65 is enough for me.
I will never denigrate spiritual experiences of other traditions. We are clear on that. However, Christians or Buddhists mystics don’t call their path Sufism. People will say Christians Mystics or Jewish mysticism. You will never hear people say Christians Sufis or Jewish Sufis. People do refer to Islamic mystics as Sufis. You do admit that Sufism has Divine components to it which are Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. If someone strips Sufism of these three components then Sufism has no Divine connection. I would not call it then Sufism because you defined Sufism as “the science of the experience to the Divine.”
The sheikh IxS that I am talking about has done exactly that. He striped Sufism of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. According to your definition, IxS’ teachings have no Divine connection. To me, it becomes more like personal improvement system so sheikh IxS and his followers should not be calling their movement Sufism because it does not meet the definition of Sufism. I agree with you that Sufism has Divine components to it. If you strip Sufism of those components then it is no longer Sufism. It should be called something else.
We got way off course because it all started with Sufism that is devoid of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. Is that still Sufism? If it is not Sufism, why call it Sufism? To me Sufism is grounded in Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. Authentic Sufism is based on Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. Sheikh IxS engaged in spiritual fraud and was deceitful in calling his teaching Sufism when it has nothing to do with Sufism. This started the whole discussion. This is something that needs to be addressed. This sheikh IxS brought deception and Allah says: What you have brought is deception. Surely God makes all your works come to nothing (10:81). (1, p. 95). O Sheikh IxS and his followers Quranic Verse 10:81 has a message for you. Will you hear it and repent or ignore it at your own perils? Sufism without Allah, Quran, and Muhammad is death/dead! It is based on deception. Deception does not lead to salvation or to the Beloved. Purity of the heart does, sound heart does, sincerity does, and sincere longing does. I rest my case.
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
1. The Secret of Secrets by Hadrat Abl al-Qadir al-Jilani, Interpreted by Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti, Copyright 1992. (www.jerrahi.org).
James,
Some Sufis never take stand on the issues because they are more interested in being popular than being committed to the Truth. They belong to all sides but in reality they wind up nothing.
This sheikh IxS and many others like him brought deception and Allah says: What you have brought is deception. Surely God makes all your works come to nothing (10:81). (1, p. 95).
IxS Sufism belonged to the realm of "Pseudo-Sufism, centred not on God but on man."
IxS books as "trivial", replete with errors of fact, slovenly and inaccurate translations and even misspellings of Oriental names and words – "a muddle of platitudes, irrelevancies and plain mumbo-jumbo", adding for good measure that IxS had "a remarkable opinion of his own importance".
IxS was more interested promoting himself than authentic Sufism. He watered down Sufism so it will go down well with his Western audiences.
He acknowledged that IxS had made a contribution of sorts in popularising a humanistic Sufism, and had "brought energy and resource to his self-aggrandisement", but ended with the damning conclusion that IxS’ was "a 'Sufism' without self-sacrifice, without self-transcendence, without the aspiration of gnosis, without tradition, without the Prophet, without the Qur'an, without Islam, and without God. Merely that."
I prefer the “Madrasa door” to some of the “Khanaq of the Sufis”. If you want to learn about commitment to the Way of Muhammad, sit with Salafis in the madrassa. You will learn something about commitment. The only thing some sufis understand is to water down the message of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad so they can sell more books and gain broader audiences in the West. Some sufis stand for nothing. Some “Khanaq of Sufis” are full of deception. “What you have brought is deception. Surly God makes all your works come to nothing (10:81). Yes, some are wanderer. They will be wanderers until the last day. On the last day, some sufis will awaken to Reality that their Sheikh was none other than Satan.
Show some respect to Madrasa. Ibn Arabi would not have excluded Madrasa from his reverence and respect.
Madrasas may not be popular today but the foundation of Islam was built in the Madrasas. Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi, and Hannabali were people of Madrasas and so was Ghazzali and many others. Let thousand Madrasa bloom. In Madrasas, the commitment is made to the Kalima with heart, soul, and strength. Some sufis’ Khanaq talk too much about the Beloved, but have no commitment to the Way of Muhammad. Muhammad was the Beloved of Beloved. Beloved does not care for your poetry. Some sufis talk too much about the Beloved but few have commitment to the Beloved. Commitment is
Please see below for continuation.
water. There is no life without water. There is no progress on the Sufi Path without commitment. Khanaq is dead. Madrasa is living. If you want to gain the Beloved, you have to pass through the Door of Madrasa. People of madrasa have commitment, purity of the heart, sincerity, and sound heart. Some Khanaqs are dens of Satan. Satan is their Grand Sheikh! I rest my case. I have to go the Madrasa now. You talk about Adab, but you had no adab in attacking the Madrasa. We were not talking about the Madrasa. We were only talking about IxS. Learn adab. Don’t denigrate people of Madrasa. You have respect for idols, gazelle, monastery, churches, and temples, but you attack Madrasas. Why? People of Madras will take the high road and not condemn all the Khanaqs of
Sufis because people of Madrasa have commitment to the Way of Muhammad with all their heart, all their soul, and all their strength. O Sufi you can learn much from People of Madrasa. If anything, learn some adab and not attack Madrasa. We were not talking about Madrasa. You preach much, but practice very little. Madras is not the issue we were discussing. They say when a man is losing, he usually gets violent. Your attack on Madrasa was hit below the belt. I will not lower myself to your gutter level. Madrasa was not the issue. Why you are bringing Madrasa?. Show the same respect to Madrasa that you show to churches and temples. Ibn Arabi would not have excluded Madrasa from his reverence and respect. I rest my case.
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
1. The Secret of Secrets by Hadrat Abl al-Qadir al-Jilani, Interpreted by Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti, Copyright 1992. (www.jerrahi.org).
James,
“You see, one of the reasons I'm not hung up on the name, is that I don't really know what "Sufism" refers to”.
How can you find something if you don’t know what you are looking for?
First, decide on what you are looking and then start searching. Maybe you need foundation. Foundation is taught in Madrasa. Go to Madrasa if you want to gain the Beloved. Leave your Khanaq to Madrasa.
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
Osho : "A Sufi need not be a Mohammedan. A Sufi can exist anywhere, in any form – because Sufism is the essential core of all religions. It has nothing to do with Islam in particular. Sufism can exist without Islam; Islam cannot exist without Sufism. Without Sufism, Islam is a corpse. Only with Sufism does it become alive.
Whenever a religion is alive it is because of Sufism. Sufism simply means a love affair with God, with the ultimate, a love affair with the whole. It means that one is ready to dissolve into the whole, that one is ready to invite the whole to come into one’s heart."
James,
I will respond to your post either tonight or tomorrow night.
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
Salaams to all
In the poem at the beginning of the chapter on Hūd in the Fusūs al-Hikam Ibn 'Arabī writes:
The Straight Path belongs to God (Allāh).
It is manifest in all, not hidden.
He is present in the small and the great,
In those who are ignorant of how things are and those who know.
Because of this His mercy encompasses everything,
No matter how base or magnificent.”
The path upon which all things walk is called “straight” even if it deviates for, as Ibn 'Arabī says in the Futūhāt al-Makkiyya,
… curvature is straight in reality, like the curvature of a bow since the straightness which is desired from it is curvature … and all movement and rest in existence is divine because it is in the hand of the Real
Take care not to be tied by any particular belief ('aqd) while denying all others, for much good would escape you – in fact, knowledge of how things are would evade you. So be in yourself the “substance” of all forms of belief, for God the High is too vast and great to be confined to one belief rather than another. He [God] has said, “Wherever you turn, there is the face of God”,[23] without mentioning any particular orientation.
Circle of Inclusion
May Allah Shows us his mercy and we are able to be stronger onthe path
Looking forward to watch the movie...
Nasif
"There are as many paths to God as there are souls on Earth." From the opening.
Lily,
Why do we have "Strait is the Gate", "Narrow is the Way", and "The Straight Path"?
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
James,
O wanderer, How long will you wander?
Wandering does not get you anywhere.
Make commitment. Commitment is like water.
It gives life to your search.
What have you learned from a moth?
Moth made a commitment.
What did you learn from the movie?
Baba Aziz made commitment and kept walking.
Commitment is form of love.
What is love without commitment?
Love without commitment makes you wanderer.
Love without commitment on the Sufi Path leads to“spiritual promiscuity”.
Make commitment to One, One, and One!
Love with commitment will open the Beloved’s Door.
The Prophet (pbuh) made commitment to One.
What were the rewards?
Don’t delude yourself with many paths.
Deserts rats have many paths too.
Stop wandering and bargaining!
Make commitment!
When you can say the below prayers with all your heart and all your soul, you are rare soul indeed. You don’t need me. You don’t need a sheikh. Meditate on the below as often as you can. Visualize yourself as surrendering to Allah.
“I have turned my face earnestly toward Him who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am not of the polytheists”. “My Salaat, and my offering and my living and my dying are all for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. No partner has He, concerning this I have been enjoined; and I am the first to surrender to Him”. (Quran, 6:162:163) (1).
Hang yourself on 6:162:163 just like AV
AV hung himself on 18:65
Baba Tahir said, “Hang…”
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
P.S. AV owes you to two more posts. AV keeps his promises.
The Prophet kept his promises too.
1. The Prescribed Prayer Made Simple by Tajuddin B. Shu’aib, Copyright@1983 by Tajuddin B. Shu’aib., Published by Da’awah Enterprises International, Inc., P.75.
""There are as many paths to God as there are souls on Earth." From the opening."
As far as i know it is supposed to be a hadeeth. We know that even the so called sahih hadeeths are not 100% reliable. Do you know of any quranic verse that supports this hadeeth?
Quran is direct word of Allah and only pure source of guidance.
"59:21 (Y. Ali) Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, verily, thou wouldst have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder for fear of Allah. Such are the similitudes which We propound to men, that they may reflect. "
Thanks
Ahmed
Isn't it interesting that we wish to claim what is ours (or we imagine so) as the only valid. Also there is a serious mis-understanding about "path", did it ever say religious path? why ppl are so shaky about a religion which they obtained from their parents and it is God Who decide who will be our parents and its God Who wills that we may remember Him in many names ...
understand deeply what islam (surrender to divine will) is and then come to argue.
the station of muslim (one who has surrendered) is a state of the heart which is known only to God. yes there are outward practices, but its at the taqwa that God looks upon.
yes there are certain rituals, but its also the sincerity that reaches God.
Didnt Quran say, "its not the flesh or blood of your sacrificed animal that reach God, but its your sincerity and piety that reaches God."
same applies to any outward and inwardness of any path.
a person cant claim to be true muslim or divinely submitted, its a secret between his or her heart and Lord alone. may we ponder on that and be ashamed how much surrendered we are with sincerity.
let argument stop because every argument presuppose that we are right but none should claim righteousness, its a gift God bestows.
Osho : "A Sufi need not be a Mohammedan. A Sufi can exist anywhere, in any form – because Sufism is the essential core of all religions. It has nothing to do with Islam in particular....
And given the details of life of a man like Osho, his indulgence etc etc we have nothing to do with what he said.
ADDING FUEL TO FIRE :-
Sufism is generally believed to have originated among Muslims near Basra in modern Iraq, though there is a history of Sufism in Transoxania dating from shortly after the time of Muhammad. Some scholars believe that early Sufism was essentially the evolution of Islam in a mystic direction, although some of these beliefs lack historic evidence.
Annemarie Schimmel proposes that Sufism in its early stages of development meant nothing but the interiorization of Islam. Louis Massignon states: "It is from the Qur’an, constantly recited, meditated, and experienced, that Sufism proceeded, in its origin and its development."
One theory is that Sufism started as pre-Islamic mystical traditions adapted to the new religion. This suggests that in its early days Sufism wasn't a single united sect of Islam but a blanket term to describe many varied systems.
-Cheers to the ongoing debate, waiting to see your interpretations of the verses.
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
“Not everything that goes under the name of Sufism is considered Islamic, just as not everything that goes under the name of Fiqh (jurisprudence) can be considered as authentic or proper Fiqh.
In order to judge something as Islamic, it must be judged and weighed by the well-established criteria and standards of Shari`ah as enshrined in the Book and the Sunnah.
Thus if a certain Sufi practice or custom is opposed to the prescribed criteria of the Shari`ah as enshrined in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, it shall be judged as un-Islamic; if, however, it agrees with these criteria it shall be judged as perfectly Islamic.
Outstanding Muslim scholars have divided Sufism into two broad categories in order to determine its compatibility or non-compatibility with the Shari`ah.
Firstly, genuine and authentic Sufism, which is undoubtedly in perfect agreement with the Book, the Sunnah, and the practices of Salaf As-Salih (early righteous Muslims). Tasawwuf of Sufi masters such as Junyad Al-Baghdadi, Abu Sulayman Al-Darani, etc. belong to this category of authentic and genuine Tasawwuf.
....
Secondly, pseudo-Sufism which includes those who uphold and advocate cultic practices or customs that are contrary to the Sunnah, as well as those who have mixed Sufism with speculative Mysticism/Neo-Platonism, and thus dabble in metaphysical theories about cosmos, emanations, etc. Both these groups are charlatans and impostors. While the former invent new forms of `Ibadah (acts of worship) that are not sanctioned by the Law-giver, the latter mix philosophy with religion and blur the essential distinction between the Creator and creation, which is the basis of Prophetic religion. There is no doubt that indulgence in such forms of Sufism takes humans away from their true purpose and mission in life which is to do God’s will on earth. These pseudo-Sufis turn the goal of human life into contemplation of mysteries of the universe; it is contrary to the Qur’anic definition of the purpose of human existence.
It is because of the real dangers inherent in such aberrations, and deviations that the early Sufi masters tirelessly preached the importance of weighing everything by the firm yardstick of the Shari`ah: Abu Al-Qasim Al-Junayd, one of the genuine masters of authentic Tasawwuf, said, “The essence of Tawhid (monotheism) is to distinguish the eternal from the temporal”; he also said, “Whoever does not retain the Qur’an, nor studies the Hadith cannot be trusted in this matter (Tasawwuf) since our knowledge is bound solely by the teachings of the Book and the Sunnah.”
Abu Sulayman Ad-Darani said, “Often one of the insights of the Sufi folk occurs to me and yet I do not accept it until I examine it by the testimony of the two of the most reliable witnesses: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.”
According to an eminent scholar, “Authentic Tasawwuf is at once a cognitive and practical discipline of souls, curing of diseases of hearts, implanting of virtues, and purging souls off their vices and carnal desires, and training in patience, contentment and obedience to Allah; it is struggle against the carnal soul, and combating its base inclinations and meticulous scrutiny of actions and non-actions, and guarding souls against the invasions and influx of heedlessness and vain thoughts, and severing off all hindrances and obstacles that hinder and hamper one’s journey to Allah; it is asceticism in everything that distracts a person from celebrating remembrance of Allah and make one’s hearts focused on it. It is knowledge of Allah and conviction in Him, affirming His Oneness and glorifying Him, and turning wholly unto Him, and turning away from everything else; it is to be solely focused entirely on worshipping and obeying Allah, and compliance with His limits, and acting according to His Shari`ah, and exposing oneself to the graces and gifts that Allah vouchsafes to His chosen servants as a sheer sign of His grace and mercy.”
Another scholar said, “Tasawwuf is to adorn oneself with every noble traits of character and to shun every base one.” Or, stated differently, “It is to examine one’s states and cling to noble manners.”
When defined in this way Tasawwuf is not only an authentic Islamic discipline but the quintessence of Islam as an experiential reality.
(credits:islamonline)
There is one way to reach God, and that is understanding of religion, which are many yet the same soul, the light, get it... enlighten dear friends.
Cheers
My full support for James, he is a man of the Truth! It needs much courage to see the reality as it is and to say it openly.
Sufis are God lovers and that is the only thing which matters. So is Osho, so are all authentic people who devoted themselves to the Ultimate and who never hide or even worse, attack behind empty labels named by their own blindness and failure to understand the Beloved.
Osho is not among the authentic people, please mark that one.
Dear James, this is d anonymous friend of yours writing to let you know that a madarsa person is not all that dry you suppose him/her to be, there is love ofcourse with all that factual knowledge part.. that is for any teacher, any subject, any student, evry human. Right? There is no degrading. Plus about the All Loving All Embracing sufis... i call your attention dear to the fact that love alone does not and cannot work.. Suppose in the name of love for God you offer instead of two three or say five rakahs in Fajr (farz) prayers.. do you think love is an excuse there? do you think you did according to rules and were you disciplined in the presence of Almighty when you actually disobeyed? broke the rules?
See sweetie, there has to be a balance, moderation as i have said before also. A madarsa person can also be a sufi coz a perfect salah does have an essential ingredient in love, ikhlaas for the Lord.
What say?
u can call me cheers by the way.
Who are you, Anonymous, to judge who is authentic and who is not? There is only one Judge. You better take care of your own authenticity and Truth devotion. That is the only way to the spiritual growth of the whole humanity - that each one of us takes the responsibility for his/her own being.
And please note that only LOVE and COMPASSION work for your spiritual growth, no thing else, no body else.
was reading a book and came across these two parallel sayings of Buddha and Christ and thought of the discussion / debate / argument / an effort to prove oneself right - is going on here...
Buddha said, "When these Brahmins teach a path that they do not know or see, saying, "This is the only straight path", this can not possibly be right. Just as a file of blind men go on, clinging to each other, and the first one sees nothing, the middle one sees nothing, and the last one sees nothing - so it is with the talk of these Brahmins."
Christ told them a parable, "can a blind person guide a blind person? will not both fall into a pit?"
James,
Which came first the madrassa or the khanaqa? The madrassa came first. The Prophet (pbuh) taught his companions about Islam in the madrassa. Angel Jibril visited the madrassa. Can you tell me any khanaqa that was visited by Angel Jibril? Most Sufi Sheikhs go to visit the madrassas that you are denigrating. Mosques in Mecca and Medina were the first madrassas of Islam. The very foundation of Islam took root in those two madrassas. Many great Islamic scholars, Imams (Sunni, Shias, Salafis), Sufi Sheikhs are the product of madrassas that you so shamelessly denigrate. They passed through the doors of madrassas. These madrassas are the institutions of Islam which preserved, strengthened, and reinforced the foundation of Islam. The denigration of these holiest of holy places of Islam is coming from someone who is preaching so called “Love”. You go on to belittle the Salaat of Islam. Salaat is commandment of the Lord. Obedience to the Lord is form of Love. How do you come close the Lord? You come close the Lord by obeying His commandments. Salaat is showing your love for the Lord. The mere saying, “Love” is not enough. You must practice it. Talk is cheap.
"O Allah! Make Your Love more beloved to me than my own self, my family and cold water".
You quoted the above hadith to refute the three verses from Quran, “I have turned my face earnestly toward Him who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am not of the polytheists”. (Quran 6:79) (1, p. 75). “My Salaat, and my offering and my living and my dying are all for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. No partner has He, concerning this I have been enjoined; and I am the first to surrender to Him”. (Quran, 6:162:163) (1, p.75). First, there is no contradiction between the hadith and verses number 6:79, 6:162, and 6:163. The very foundation of Islam is based on surrendering to God. What is surrendering to God? What is surrendering? Surrendering is the ultimate of act of love. When you are surrendering to God, you are loving God, you are trusting God, you are placing faith in God, you are placing hope in God. When you are surrendering to God, you are patient with God. When you are surrendering to God, you are showing gratitude to God. When you are surrendering to God, you are subordinating your will to the Divine Will. When you are surrendering to God, you are placing God before everything, everything, and everything: yourself, your family, and your love of cold water. In your case, maybe it is the love of cold beer! Surrendering encompassing all of love and more! Listen to Baba Tahir, “Happy are they who live in the sight of Thee, Who hang upon Thy words, and dwell in Thee. Happy are they indeed whose Friend is God Who, giving thanks (Sura Fatiha), say ever, “He is God!” (Sura Ikhlas) Happy are they who always at prayer, Eternal Heaven is their just reward.” (2, pp 53-54). What Baba Tahir is saying to you, James, don’t hang on the hadith, but hang on the Words of the Lord. That is the Quran. Hadiths came later. The Prophet will say to you, O you foolish James, “Do you think I will contradict my Lord.” The foolishness is yours James. If you know anything about Islam, one thing you should know is that Quran takes precedence over hadith. I recommend you should spend some time in madrassa. Sometime when you talk too much you show your ignorance. You should have learned this in Islam 101 course.
Please see below for continuation.
This discussion is not about the madrassa and the khanaqa. This discussion came about because of the sheikh IxS. We got way off course because it all started with Sufism that is devoid of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. Is that still Sufism? If it is not Sufism, why call it Sufism? To me Sufism is grounded in Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. Authentic Sufism is based on Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. Sheikh IxS engaged in spiritual fraud and was deceitful in calling his teaching Sufism when it has nothing to do with Sufism. This started the whole discussion. This is something that needs to be addressed. This sheikh IxS brought deception and Allah says: What you have brought is deception. Surely God makes all your works come to nothing (10:81). (3, p. 95). O Sheikh IxS and his followers Quranic Verse 10:81 has a message for you. Will you hear it and repent or ignore it at your own perils? Sufism without Allah, Quran, and Muhammad is death/dead! It is based on deception. Deception does not lead to salvation or to the Beloved. Purity of the heart does, sound heart does, sincerity does, and sincere longing does. The mere talk of love does not and will not lead to the Beloved’s door.
“Sufism is the science of the experience of the Divine”. You are getting close
to my definition of Sufism. I hope you agree that Sufism is the fruit of Islam.
Don’t take me wrong. I am not looking for a sheikh because 18:65 is enough for me.
I will never denigrate spiritual experiences of other traditions. We are clear on that. However, Christians or Buddhists mystics don’t call their path Sufism. People will say Christians Mystics or Jewish mysticism. You will never hear people say Christians Sufis or Jewish Sufis. People do refer to Islamic mystics as Sufis. You do admit that Sufism has Divine components which are Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. If someone strips Sufism of these three components then Sufism has no Divine connection. I would not call it then Sufism because you defined Sufism as “the science of the experience to the Divine.”
The sheikh IxS that I am talking about has done exactly that. He striped Sufism of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. According to your definition, IxS’ teachings have no Divine connection. To me, it becomes more like personal improvement system so sheikh IxS and his followers should not be calling their movement Sufism because it does not meet the definition of Sufism. I agree with you that Sufism has Divine components to it. If you strip Sufism of those components then it is no longer Sufism. It should be called something else.
What is Islam without Allah, Quran, and Muhammad? Would it be still Islam? I think it becomes something else. One should call it something else instead of calling it Islam. This is exactly what this “rascal sheikh” did. If you strip Sufism of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad, it becomes something else. All I am saying is that call it something else. It is no longer Sufism. This sheikh IxS engaged in spiritual fraud that is worst than Bernard Madoff’s financial fraud. Scholars on Islam and Sufism recommend that serious students of Sufism should avoid his books. This sheikh IxS and his followers are giving a bad name to many good and honest sheikhs.
Please see below for continuation.
This sheikh IxS watered down the message of Islam and Sufism for financial gains so he could sell more books and attract wider audiences. Allah calls such people as those who engage in a “miserable bargain”. This sheikh engaged in Faustian bargain and his followers don’t have the courage to tell it like it is. They are perpetuating spiritual fraud to this day.
Listen to sheikh IxS’s critics:
“IxS’s Sufism belonged to the realm of "Pseudo-Sufism, centred not on God but on man”.
“IxS's incipient efforts to market Sufism to a Western audience. He acknowledged that IxS had made a contribution of sorts in popularising a humanistic Sufism, and had "brought energy and resource to his self-aggrandisement", but ended with the damning conclusion that IxS's was "a 'Sufism' without self-sacrifice, without self-transcendence, without the aspiration of gnosis, without tradition, without the Prophet, without the Qur'an, without Islam, and without God. Merely that."
“His works have played a significant part in presenting Sufism as a secular, individualistic form of spiritual wisdom. He framed his teaching in Western psychological terms”.
“He portrayed Sufism as a psychological technology, a method or science that could be used to achieve self-realization.”
I know Sufism and sheikh IxS’s Sufism is not Sufism. It is a spiritual fraud.
James, Listen to Rumi. This is one mystic that people like you quote ad nauseam.
“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): (www.jerrahi.org).
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
1. The Prescribed Prayer Made Simple by Tajuddin B. Shu’aib, Copyright@1983 by Tajuddin B. Shu’aib., Published by Da’awah Enterprises International, Inc.
2. A Fool of God: The Mystical Verse of Baba Tahir, Persian text with a translation by E. Heron-Allen, Copyright 1979.
3. The Secret of Secrets by Hadrat Abl al-Qadir al-Jilani, Interpreted by Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti, Copyright 1992. (www.jerrahi.org).
It is really amazing the way AV flooded this blog with endless and meaningless words, with long empty messages. I am really puzzled of the way piles of words can be used and still nothing essential is said. When mind is not guided by the heart the result appeared to be pathetic and bore-some.
I agree with Aliya.
AV your length and breadth of the discussion is going round and round. Can you pls not repeat the same thing again and again.
As my last words on Idries Shah and his methods (as well as what some people criticize on Hazrat Inayat Khan) is that their bringing the message of Sufism was far off from what would be orthodox / traditional brand of Islamic to the point .. the brief answer is this.
Both Inayat Khan and Idries Shah worked as someone who prepared the way.
There is an interface to everything. From one thing to another there are transition.
Some does the preparation work. John the Baptist (Prophet Yahya) 's work was preparation for Christ. Even for Prophet Muhammad (s) before he was told to openly give teachings he had preparation phase also when he taught only to hidden companions, didnt pray with group publicly and only prayed for 2 times. Long after a threshold of muslims reached, he was given inspiration to preach in public.
Same can be said for Idries Shah or Inayat Khan. Their initial work is a preparation for making a western mind prepared and it was ground work for Sufi message. Without their tremendous contribution, dedication so many who are drinking now from the fountain wouldn't be able to do so.
Even the seemingly secular american english translation of Rumis are doing wonder in attracting ppl to sufi message and none can deny the value of all such contributions.
Every nation in every age have its method of Truth unfolding and it happens in such a fashion that common wisdom cant grasp it.
So pls find your own peace with your own self and what it is preparing for the meeting of Lord rather than worrying too much of what and how things should be or how things have gone bad. And this advice equally applies to me or anyone here.
Sadiq Bhai,
The problem with James, Aliya and some others is that they never seem to say yes or no. When they are at loss of words, either they will take a vow of silence or will say, “well this such and such verse has layers of meaning”.
If you strip Islam of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad, is it still Islam? The answer is either yes or no. AV says no. What is your answer? It takes tremendous intellectual courage and honesty to say yes or no instead of quoting selected passage from the Quran and hadiths to prove your point as James did.
If you strip Sufism of Allah, Quran, and Muhammad, is it still Sufism. AV answers with negative. Would you say yes or no? If it is not Sufism, why call it Sufism? It is spiritual fraud when you call it Sufism.
If strip Christianity of Christ, is it still Christianity? No.
If you strip Buddhism of Buddha, is it still Buddhism? No.
I am aware of Shah and Khan, “Shah, like Inayat Khan, presented Sufism as a path that transcended individual religions, and adapted it to a Western audience. Unlike Khan, however, he deemphasised religious or spiritual trappings and portrayed Sufism as a psychological technology, a method or science that could be used to achieve self-realisation”.
Shah and Khan watered down the message of Islam to attract “Western audience”. Sadiq, did Prophet Muhammad watered down the message of Islam to attract more Meccans?
The answer is no. Shah and Khan were more interested in pleasing their “Western audience” than they were interested in pleasing Allah. It would have been better if these men had gotten dogs instead of watering down the message of Islam. In America, people love dogs. I don’t believe Shah and Khan did much service for the religion of the Prophet. They were more interested in their self-aggrandisement.
You were also for quiet some time follower of Inayat Khan until you took the hand of your new Sheikh. You may have realized there was something missing from Khan’s message that is the reason you abandoned him. If that is the case, why don’t you write a post as how your journey took you from Khan to Jamal?
I believe men and women who misrepresent and water down the message of Islam do not serve the cause of Truth, but they are more interested in self, self-aggrandisment, selling books and attracting wider audiences.
“So pls find your own peace with your own self and what it is preparing for the meeting of Lord rather than worrying too much of what and how things should be or how things have gone bad. And this advice equally applies to me or anyone here”.
Please see below for continuation.
I am at peace with my self and my Lord. That is not the issue. The issue is your suggestion to roll over play dead when Islam is under attack. I appreciate your suggestions; however, I don’t look to you for that answer. I look to Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. I had written to you from the very beginning that I don’t agree with you on everything your write but I respect you. It seems you are more interested in keeping the peace and attracting wider audiences to your blog than being committed to the truth.
When James, Aliya, or anyone else write something, others have every right to respond to them. I know I am probably the only person who is committed to 18:65 instead of a sheikh. That did not go well with you and many others. If you want like minded people to visit your blog, I don’t have a problem with it. I suggest you block my IP address from gaining access to your block. As long as you don’t, I will keep coming and speak for the pristine Islam and Sufism. I am not interested in being popular.
Someone had said that Nazis came after one group, but he did not speak up. They came after another group, but he did not speak up. They came after third, fourth, and fifth group, but he still did not speak up. They came after him, then there was no body left to speak-up for him. The moral is speak-up.
The Prophet also advised us to speak-up. You can do it three ways: stop it by force, speak-up, or say it within your heart.
I have spoken without watering down the message of Islam and Sufism, and I will continue to do so. Truth may hurts, but truth shall make you free. Opinion of others is not important to me whether it is yours, James, Aliya, or others. Opinion is the cheapest commodity in the world. The only three things that matters to me is Allah, Quran and Muhammad. I will be awaiting your reply unless you block my IP from gaining access to your blog. Please don’t be wish washy in your response.
“I agree with Aliya. AV your length and breadth of the discussion is going round and round. Can you pls not repeat the same thing again and again”. Why James and Aliya continue to respond to my post if it is “the same thing again and again”? A lot of things are repeated on this blog. If I had agreed with them, they be saying, “we love to hear from you, AV”. I tell like it is which makes them squirm in their seat in front of their monitors.
Please Sadiq, don’t tell me what to think. I do value your opinion and input but I will not seek your approval/permission. I seek the approval of ONE. That is all what matters to me.
Finally, (oops I am repeating myself) Sufism without Allah, Quran, and Muhammad is Suffocationism. I make no apologies about Allah, Quran, Muhammad, and Islam. It is their problems not mine. Make commitment. Love without commitment is “spiritual promiscuity”. I made commitment to “The Straight Path”. I will not compromise. I will not watered down the message of Muhammad like Shah. Idries Shah’s message is “spiritual fraud”. Idries Shah is to the spiritual world as Bernard Maddoff is to the financial world. I rest my case.
Read Surah 109 (1)
AV
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
1. The Meaning of The Holy Quran, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, New Edition with Revised Translation and Commentary, Published by Amana Corporation.
AV, once again you projected yourself on others. Be so kind to not talk on behalf neither of me, nor of James, not of anybody else except yourself. If you see problems in your own self and these problems keep you restless, note that they are your own problems, not others' problems.
Aliya,
What is that you don't understand? I have absolutely nothing to discuss with you. The post was addressed to Sadiq. Why are you the first to respond? I am right. I do make you squirm in your seat in front of your computer/laptop. He did mention your name. Get a life! I am glad you did not furiously copied and paste.
AV
Quran 18:65
For AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
AV, you seem to be obsessed with others' opinions and reactions. And as there is no way that you put yourself "in the shoes" of the other, you start imagining and projecting over others without rest.
Why do not you first settle it with your own self? Stay centered within yourself and try to find your own being. Leave others at peace. They can take care of themselves because they are God children the same way you are. Stop neglecting your own being by playing the role of the ever knowing. Your main question should be your own understanding, your own spiritual growth. Nobody else can do this job for you.
Dear brother James,
Jesus said unto him,"...On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
prophet Muhammad (pbuh) mentioned by name in the old testament:
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is mentioned by name in the Song of Solomon chapter 5 verse 16:
"Hikko Mamittakim we kullo Muhammadim Zehdoodeh wa Zehraee Bayna Jerusalem."
"His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters
of Jerusalem."
In the Hebrew language im is added for respect. Similarely im is added after the name of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) to make it Muhammadim. In English translation they have even translated the name of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as "altogether lovely", but in the Old Testament in Hebrew, the name of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is yet present.
And the book revealed to Muhammad says : Enter into Islam fully.
look dear brother you can put love first, but not without knowlegde and rules (call them madarsa dryness if you like). A madarsa person can be a sufi but in the name of sufism you cannot leave out the shariah.
Embrace all,
Cheers
James,
I am not that man. Why don't you re-read all my posts? Idries Shah's Sufism is for the dogs. Why he or you calling it Sufism?
I think you are that man. You don't refute Quran with hadith. Go to madrassa and learn some basic of the Islamic faith. Your ignorance been exposed to the whole world. Don't beg Sadiq to delete that post. I have made copy of it.
Don't preach to me about tolerance. Practice it yourself. Re-read my posts. Telling me about tolerance is like telling Muhammad (pbuh) how to be a good Muslim or telling the Pope how to be a good Catholic. Please.
AV
AV is hanging on Quran 18:65
AV for AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
The man filled with the knowledge of names and forms has no capacity for the knowledge of Truth.
Bowl of Saki, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
A man filled with earthly knowledge and what he calls learning, is often only the knowledge of names and forms and has no capacity for the knowledge of truth or God. It is the innocent and pure soul who has a capacity for learning. When a person comes to take a lesson on any subject, and he brings his own knowledge with him, the teacher has little to teach him, for the doors of his heart are not open. His heart that should be empty in order to receive knowledge is occupied by the knowledge that he already had acquired.
Intellect is the knowledge of names and forms, their character and nature, gathered from the external world. It shows in an infant from birth, when he begins to be curious about all he sees; then, by storing in his mind the various forms and figures he sees he recognizes them as an addition to his knowledge of variety. Man thus gathers the knowledge of numberless forms of the whole world in his mind and holds them... and calls that 'learning'. This becomes his world, although it neither gives him a sense of unchanging comfort, nor does he thereby gain an everlasting peace.
Wisdom is contrary to the above-named knowledge. It is the knowledge which is illumined by the light within; it comes with the maturity of the soul, and opens up the sight to the similarity of all things and beings, as well as the unity in names and forms. The wise man penetrates the spirit of all things; he sees the human in the male and female, and the racial origin which unites nations. He sees the human in all people and the divine immanence in all things in the universe, until the vision of the whole being becomes to him the vision of the One Alone, the most beautiful and beloved God.
from http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/VIII/VIII_2_7.htm
from http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/I/I_I_2.htm
Salaams to all...i found this very interesting so i am sharing with all
Salaams..
Ibn Arabi ( May he be in peace at his station) was firmly rooted in Quran and i was reading some of his works and it seems is universal, accepting that each person has a unique path to the truth, which unites all paths in itself.
and we all have read this poem countless time and in few lines of the poem, i feel Ibn Arabi has explained his lives worth of work ....
His wisdom has much to offer us in the modern world in terms of understanding what it means to be human.
Wonder,
A garden among the flames!
My heart can take on any form:
A meadow for gazelles,
A cloister for monks,
For the idols, sacred ground,
Ka'ba for the circling pilgrim,
The tables of the Torah,
The scrolls of the Quran.
My creed is Love;
Wherever its caravan turns along the way,
That is my belief,
My faith.
***********************
and here is a beautiful story of Farid a contemporary of Kabir, Nanak....
The great king Akbar used to come to Farid to listen to his songs. Akbar once received a gift, a very precious gift, a pair of golden scissors studded with diamonds. Gudia would have loved them - any woman would. Akbar also loved them, so much so that he thought they would be a good present for Farid. He came and gave the precious scissors to Farid. Farid looked at them, turning them this way and that, then returned the gift to Akbar saying, "This is of no use to me. If you want to give something to me as a gift, bring a needle."
Akbar was puzzled. He said, "Why a needle?"
Farid said, "Because the function of scissors is to cut things into pieces, and the function of a needle is to join pieces together. My function is not that of the scissors, it is that of the needle. I join things together, I synthesize
*************************
May Allah (swt) gives us this gift of needle so that we are able to sew the torn pieces of our heart and are able to join hands in his worship...
and we all have found ways and methods of how to create ishq. That is the whole Sufi alchemy: how to create ishq in us, how to create such a passion that we can ride on the wave of it and reach to the ultimate
this is the need of the hour for us all....May Allah guide us to use our time correctly and beneficially!!!...Ameen
James,
You are like the drowning man that you mentioned in your post few weeks ago. You are desperate. You are throwing at me whatever you can grab. If you throw all the mud that you can find in England, it will not stick to me. Now you have resorted to personal attacks. First, you tried to raise descendants of the Prophet attack. It did not work. I don’t believe in “spiritual royalty”. The descendants of Prophet have to earn my respect and other Muslims’ respect. Respect is earned. It is not inherited. One can criticize Ibn Arabi but still respect him. Many claim they are descendants of the Prophet but very few uphold the standards of the Prophet. Do you expect me to get down on my knees to the King of Jordan and King of Morocco just because they claim to be the descendants of the Prophet? I don’t think so. Many devote Muslims are rotting in their jails because these Muslims rightly oppose their policies. Many descendants of the Prophet abuse the lineage of the Prophet. I don’t believe in “spiritual royalty, but one standard for all. I don’t believe in double standards.
You talk too much about love, but you don’t know what real love is. The people who talk the most about love are the least committed to love. Your talk of love is like the blind men describing the elephant. God only knows what Love Is. Those on the path are like blind men describing the elephant when they talk about love. Your love talk did not work.
You shifted your attack to the madrassa. You attacked the most revered institution of Islam. Many of the Prophet’s companions sat with the Prophet in the madrassa to learn about Islam. The first two madrassas of Islam were in Mecca and Medina. However, it has become fashionable in the last few years to attack madrassas. You are following the trend. Here let me quote Thomas Jefferson for you and so may reflect on it. Jefferson said, “In matters of principle, stand like a rock. In matters of taste, swim with the current. Give up money, give up fame, give up science, give up the earth itself and all that it contains rather than do an immoral act”.
The most laughable and idiotic post came from you when you tried to refute Quranic verses with the hadiths. It does not work that way.
"O Allah! Make Your Love more beloved to me than my own self, my family and cold water". The only thing you about this hadith was probably because the word “Love” was mentioned in it. Love has other requirements too.
You quoted the above hadith to refute the three verses from Quran, “I have turned my face earnestly toward Him who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am not of the polytheists”. (Quran 6:79) (1, p. 75). “My Salaat, and my offering and my living and my dying are all for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. No partner has He, concerning this I have been enjoined; and I am the first to surrender to Him”. (Quran, 6:162:163) (1, p.75). First, there is no contradiction between the hadith and verses number 6:79, 6:162, and 6:163. The very foundation of Islam is based on surrendering to God.
Please see below for continuation.
If you know anything about Islam, one thing you should know is that Quran takes precedence over hadith. I recommend you should spend some time in madrassa. Sometime when you talk too much you show your ignorance. You should have learned this in Islam 101 course.
The above was done to defend your sheikh Idries Shah. He was no real sheikh because he did not practice Authentic Sufism. It showed in your posts. There are so called sufis sheikhs and then there are real Sufis Sheikhs. I suggest you take the hand of a Sufi Sheikh who believes in Allah, Quran, and Muhammad. If you continue with the Shah, you will be wanderer all you life. When you make commitment, "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) (www.jerrahi.org).
You asked about commentary on 18:65. We had discussion on this blog about the need for a guide. I did write long post on the topic. You will find it under post: Teacher in the Path of Love, Friday, October 2, 2009. My post begins with “The discussion below should be sufficient to those who prefer to chart their spiritual journey on their own (without a sheikh). Do not take me wrong. I respect all the sheikhs. I owe a lot to them….” Let me know if you can not find it. I will post it here for you again.
When you make real commitment, we will talk then. For now, I got you in my hook. I am not going to let you go. You will remember me for a long time. Don’t try to respond with the clever post because you are bound to put your foot in your mouth. You just got initiated on the Authentic Sufi Path. If you learned one thing: Never refute Quran with Hadith. It is absolutely moronic to do it. Ask your director or write to Sadiq Bhai.
AV
AV is hanging on Quran 18:65
AV for AQM-Sufism/Against Sufism w/o AQM
Sufism w/o AQM = Suffocationism (Death/
Spiritual Death)
1. The Prescribed Prayer Made Simple by Tajuddin B. Shu’aib, Copyright@1983 by Tajuddin B. Shu’aib., Published by Da’awah Enterprises International, Inc.
Bonus.
1.“Read history. No matter what your occupation or profession, history and biography especially will help you. Anything that will make you a broader, deeper, more intelligent man will further your success”.
“It is no real economy to refuse to buy books and take publications that will help you to success, and that show how others in your line have succeeded. A single new idea that you can put into practice will sometimes pay for a new book or for a subscription to a magazine for paper. Ideas are powerful things in the world”.
“The great trouble with many of us is that we do not believe enough in ourselves. We do not realize our power. Man was made to hold up his head and carry himself like a conqueror, not like a slave-as a success, not as a failure-to assert his God-given birthright. Self-depreciation is a crime”.
“Nothing else so destroys the power to stand alone as the habit of leaning upon others. If you lean, you will never be strong or original. Stand alone or bury your ambition to be somebody in the world”.
“Men who have blazed new paths of civilizations have always been precedent-breakers. It is ever the man who believes in his own ideas; who can think and act without a crowd to back him; who is not afraid to stand alone; who is bold, original, resourceful; who has the courage to go where others have never been, to do what others have never done, that accomplishes things, that leaves his mark on his time. Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common ones and make them great”.
Above five quotes are from: Real Success Ken Shelton and the Editors of Success Magazine. Forword by Denis Waitley, pp. 13 and 14. (www.eep.com)
Dude!! Hats off to you.. Awesome ..!
These words give the same soothing and peace what the works of Rumi and Khalil Gibran creates..
!!
Congrats..! Great Work..
Please Continue it..
what is this song? please tell me...it is beautiful.
Asslamo alaikum wr wb ,
wonderful movie . jzakallah khaira for this effort.
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