Comments on Technology of the Heart: how the human capacity for connection with superio...

James, To speak ill of others, to backbite or even...

2010-08-15T04:13:03.530+06:00

James,
To speak ill of others, to backbite or even to have bad opinions of others (and spread such) is not the pattern (sunnah) or way of the people of the Path.

Its a very basic adab not to spread that which one believe to be "negative". Because in doing so, one also become a messenger (a comrade) of that negativity which one passes on. Thus the best adab is to say good, give space to heart and mind that which is wholesome and when one fail to rise to that degree, one better be silent, because much wisdom is gained in silence.

Eloquence and book knowledge means nothing when one lack such basic adab (etiquette) of the Path.

I have already wished well and a blessed journey to my brother in the Path, Steward Bitkoff, then why do you have to go on length to quote another source only to spread negativity?

Do you think we deal with such discourse in this site? Or are you thinking this is the site where we define kafir as you prefer to understand it (or want us to understand it) as some extremists do?

What is the benefit that you intend to gather by quoting portions after portions from different posts (as you have been consistently doing, like a self-appointed critic and judge of every dots of every post) and come forward only in argumental manner.

While I appreciate and have expressed thanks in the past for your complementary sources, quotes and insights - I am truly disappointed with what you bring in here and the way you projected upon a word of blessing.

One of the character trait of hypocrites is quarrelsome attitude.

If you want to discuss such discourse about "kafir", who goes to Hell and who not, you will find hundreds of other website / forums / chat rooms filled with quarrelsome shouts, abuse, backbiting, slanders.

Please excuse me and I am sorry I am not going to response to what you seek herein, about which I am the least interested to reply to.

I think the world will benefit much (and the environment around us, including the comment sections here) if we become less and less judgmental on others and this is more true specially when 'people of book knowledge', like us, practice that more and sincerely.

May Allah give you what you need James, and free you from what you do not need; and may Allah forgive us all.

Thanks to fellow seeker of the Sufi Path and a ...

2010-08-14T22:22:03.846+06:00
Thanks to fellow seeker of the Sufi Path and a guest contributor to this site, Stewart Bitkoff, may his journey be blessed...

However, according to the so-called "Nuh Ha Mim" Keller (writing on the Shadhili Tariqa website):

"one may note that English literature on Sufism is plagued with efforts by the unqualified to write about the field, among them a group of authors dedicated to spreading the anti-Islamic concept of the universal validity of all religions. Besides being a lie against the high, pure way of Sufism, this idea is kufr that places those who hold it outside of Islam —in hell eternally, if they die on it— by negating the basic tenet of faith that Islam is the final religion that abrogates all previous religions. Their books are often as eloquent as dangerous, and one must know them for what they are, though we may at least infer how rare and precious the way of tariqa is from the number of highwaymen upon it to rob the unwary. The matter also points up the need for genuine Islamic knowledge, and the relevance of the traditional maxim “If the wali [friend of Allah] does not know the entrances the Devil uses, the Devil will enter."

So, according to Keller's definitions above, Dr Bitkoff's journey is far from blessed. Instead, he is a kafir and a 'highwayman' who is headed straight to Jahannam (and I can at least console myself that I shall have someone interesting to talk to there - if it turns out that the Universe really is run by some mad, wrathful bigot, which I very much doubt).

So, Sadiq, I'm still waiting to hear where you sit on this issue. Do you really believe Dr Bitkoff's journey is blessed, as you wrote here? In which case, we can take it that you must repudiate what Keller has said. Or do you really agree with Keller, in which case why exactly have asked for Dr Bitkoff's journey to be blessed? (Unless, perhaps, you're asking God to direct him towards the kind of exclusive, pedantic and narrow-minded religion Keller peddles - but why would any kind of Compassionate Deity want to do that?)

2. Helena Edwards writes: "A visitor ...

2010-08-13T19:10:34.366+06:00
2. Helena Edwards writes:

"A visitor appeared at Coombe Springs in 1964.

I was sitting in my uncomfortable office, situated in a cold stone building near the main house. I was typing a book by Idries Shah, entitled Special Problems in the Study of Sufi Ideas. I was using what is now regarded as an antiquated method of printing, an electric typewriter. Computers were not yet in general use in offices, The right-hand margin had to be 'justified', giving the effect of a book.

I happened to glance out of the window, and noticed a man walking round the corner of the main house toward me. He was pushing a wheelbarrow, and wearing an all-in-one wartime camouflage suit. A cigarette dangled from the corner of his mouth. He wore a camouflage cap, pulled over his eyes. His apparent attitude and clothing shocked me. We had always been instructed by the Leader [J.G. Bennett] that, whilst performing our daily tasks, we should practise inner exercises, for example: 'remembering ourselves', sensing a limb, or other form of inner discipline.

It was quite apparent that this stranger was ignorant of these practices.

It was only much later that I realized the significance of his appearance, and understood what he was endeavouring to accomplish: it was the destruction of an image, which we had clung to for many years. Now there was a possibility of gaining greater understanding of ourselves and our purpose.

I was typing the very book in which many of our present problems were explained. As I afterwards discovered, this book was written by the very man whom I have described."

A couple of stories of the problems of "undue...

2010-08-13T19:02:59.051+06:00
A couple of stories of the problems of "undue deference", and the need for "breaking the idols" to create a more conducive atmosphere for real learning, five hundred years apart.

1. Ibn al-'Arabi writes:

"One night in the year 592 I stayed in the house of Abu al-Husain b. Abu Amr b. al-Tufail in Seville. For the most part he was very respectful and correct in my presence. With us were Abu al-Qasim the preacher, Abu Bakr Ibn Sam and Abu al-Hakam b. al-Sarraj. Their respect for me prevented all of them from being relaxed and they were all very correct and silent; so I sought a means of making them more relaxed. I therefore said to my host, 'May I bring to your attention a composition of mine entitled Guidance in Flouting the Usual Courtesies and expound a chapter from it for you?" He said he would very much like to hear it. I then pushed my foot into his lap and told him to massage it. At this he understood my meaning and so did all the others. From then on they behaved in a more relaxed manner."

2010-08-12T18:16:07.278+06:00
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There is no doubt that whoever you associate wi...

2010-08-12T18:16:00.333+06:00
There is no doubt that whoever you associate with or get attached to, you will acquire his characteristics.

But what are the 'characteristics' of someone who has no characteristics? What does one acquire from staring into the heart of someone who is a pure mirror? Only the realisation of what one already is.

Sadiq, for someone interested in the mystic Way, you still seem to place an undue emphasis on the external aspects of a person. For instance, I was just re-reading your account of travelling with Pir Jaunpuri. You emphasise his "angelic figure dressed in all white", the "sense of serenity in the air", the way he sat in prayer on the bus - even the way he peeled the banana. He looked and behaved the way you expected a saint to look, and thus you had no difficulty accepting him as such.

But what if he hadn't? When his illustrious predecessor Ubeydullah Ahrah met Yusuf Charkhi (from whom he received the Naqshbandi succession), he was assailed by doubts. The rumours about Charkhi almost caused him to abandon his desire to meet him. And when Charkhi held out his hand to him, Ahrar describes a look that came into Charkhi's eyes that reminded him of leprosy and gave him the horrors.

Charkhi tested Ahrar to see if he could recognise the reality, and not just the appearance, of sanctity. Such stories occur time and time again amongst the Sufis, and I have witnessed such things myself. Many is the time my own teacher has greeted someone who has expectations about how a master should be by telling an outrageous dirty joke, or by talking about things that have no evident relation to 'spirituality', or doing something that contradicts the seeker's prejudices.

The Way to 'superior cognition' begins with the act of inner recognition. Everything the master does builds on this; builds on the capacity to perceive. One of the most powerful ways of doing this is to set perception against preconception and doubt, so that the seeker is forced to try to distinguish between higher and ordinary cognitions.

To recognise a 'refined person', one has to be able to recognise something essential about the person. To identify his or her way of dressing, speaking and acting with what one believes a 'refined person' to be like is not recognition. If he or she looked, spoke or behaved differently, would you pay any attention to them?

There is no set of externals - no manner of dressing, no 'adab', no giveaway subjects of discussion - that can identify the master. Because a person that could do no other than to dress in a certain way, give out an atmosphere of sanctity or serenity, only ever speaks about certain things, would not be a master but instead the slave of those things.

"The man of God is hidden; O Shamsuddin!
Seek ye - and find! - the man of God!"

(continuation Sidi..) If we go by the "outwar...

2010-08-12T11:13:28.303+06:00
(continuation Sidi..)
If we go by the "outward" alone we are stuck, but if we go by the next layer of the Injunction, we should be able to be " freed" by the outer rigidities :
"..And remember: The Inner attire of Truth & Righteousness is the better garment for you.."
which is the profound & lying hidden beneath the " outer symbolism ",which is the real. So the outer is symbolic of the hidden truth, so that, if one does not lift the veil, one would be clinging to superficial truths...Hence my earlier exhortations: from the thesis,to the anti-thesis in order to arrive at the synthesis - the essence of Spirituality..... ABNIZAR

Dear Sadiq, Thank you very much for this post. I...

2010-08-12T05:05:45.176+06:00
Dear Sadiq,

Thank you very much for this post. It speaks to this imperfect person who thirsts.

Kindest wishes,

mo'in

Yes Sidi, with your doa' I shall try.I was imp...

2010-08-11T15:24:37.617+06:00
Yes Sidi, with your doa' I shall try.I was imploring to the general ummah.Permit me to go straight to the point.
The rigid syariah due to strict faith (iman), sometimes has a tendency to "schackle" the mind - it is an "arresting" state of mind. I would implore to apply the
anti-thesis,The Tsa'uf, which I describe as The Liberating Philosophical Islam - I dont mean free adherents completely out of syariah, but to allow for an "escape route" in some ridiculous situations by applying philosophy eg: the strict dress-code. When was a child born that he was not in the nude ? The point is AlMighty did not put connotations of "sin"into His injunctions "..cover thy bosom,be decently dressed.." The covering is only to be decent in this world, in order to differntiate man from animal - it is not about "sinning" to The Lord. Yes we have to be decently dress, but not overly distort all His injunctions! So, sometimes Tsa'uf goes in " opposite " ways..
The path of Sufism is another thing. It is a journey par excellence. It has do with syncretic knowledge beause it has the "elasticity" to combine all the variables of all positive values & knowledge from all sources
All I am saying is, we need Tsauf to enable us on a correct path into Spirituality - otherwise there is bound to be "blockages" and deviations or distortions...AllaHuAlam,,,Abnizar

Alhamdulillah Sidi for this immensely wise comment...

2010-08-11T12:49:14.914+06:00
Alhamdulillah Sidi for this immensely wise comment. May we be given the right wisdom to understand what is conveyed through you in it, indeed you have spoken to the heart of the matter.

It would really nice, at some later point, to elaborate on the part where you mentioned, "I would wish muslims generally to try & follow in some ways,the western philosophical mode too - which is : to the thesis (syariah), apply the anti-thesis, which really is Ts'auf (Tasawuuf),the liberating Philosophical Islam to enable one to enter into the true essence of Spirituality (the synthesis)"

And from Allah is truth.

In gratitude.

With humility,I surrender to The Lord, by my own e...

2010-08-11T10:16:15.049+06:00
With humility,I surrender to The Lord, by my own experience of trying to emulate the true seeker.
It was the journey from
The syariah, the outer perimeter consisting of Usulluddin ( the prelimineries) & Fiqh (the law), on to the Tariqah (the way) in order to reach the Haqiqah & Ma'arifat (that which is sought).
They are not only important but necessary.
However, I crave to say this : I would wish muslims generally to try & follow in some ways,the western philosophical mode too - which is : to the thesis (syariah), apply the anti-thesis, which really is Ts'auf (Tasawuuf),the liberating Philosophical Islam to enable one to enter into the true essence of Spirituality (the synthesis)..AllahHuAlam..ABNIZAR