Continue reading »]]> by Sadia Dehlvi
Jul 06, 2011

In recent times, Sufi poetry has gained immense popularity all over the world. Eight hundred years after his death, Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi reigns as the most popular Sufi poet in the West. However, most published translations of Mevlana’s poetry are devoid of his religious discourse — the love that he writes about is often misunderstood as worldly love, and he is presented as a mystic without Mohammad, without Islam.

In expunging the Islamic element from popular Muslim mystic poets, the West loses out on the opportunity to engage in dialogue with Islam.
Rumi’s verses express his deep love for Prophet Mohammad while explaining the mysteries of Divine love. Jami (1414 – 92 AD), the Persian mystic poet, called Mevlana Rumi’s Mathnawi “the Quran in Persian”. Rumi’s monumental works weave numerous prophetic traditions in poetic verse.
The Mevlavi Sufi Order crystallised in Turkey around Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi who died in 1273 AD. Universally recognised as one of the greatest spiritual figures of all times, the Mevlana was born in the Afghan province of Balkh where his father, Bahauddin Walad, was a renowned Islamic scholar.
The Mongol oppression of Central Asia led the family to migrate to Konya, which was then governed by the Seljuks of Rum. The mystic poet learnt Islamic theology from his father, who headed a seminary in Konya. After his father’s death, the Mevlana took over as the head of the religious seminary.
At the age of 37, Rumi met his spiritual master, Shams Tabrez, who transported the scholar from the sober legalistic understanding of religion to discovering the Sufi path. Tabrez did not negate the disciple’s knowledge of Islamic theology but inspired him to travel beyond the laws to discover new spiritual horizons.
Rumi’s Mathnawi, which contains around 26,000 verses, is an acknowledged masterpiece on Sufi philosophy. Rumi dwells on the theme of love, explaining that realisation of the self is a reflection of the Lord. Reputed for their devotion to music and whirling movements during meditation, followers of the order are called “the whirling dervishes”.
Kabir Helminski, a reputed contemporary scholar and shaykh of the Mevlevi Order, describes the state of the one who whirls: “There are many dimensions to this experience. Firstly, one has to be able to turn, and to do that one has to become empty inside. Empty, free from all internal dialogues, but fully aware. A state of balance is required to turn on an axis, so centred in one’s own being”.
Whirling is not a trance, but an exercise in mindful presence where the dervish is conscious of several things at once. The whirling dervish’s thought is uncluttered and he is in harmony with the other participating dervishes. He establishes a connection with the shaykh who leads the ceremony and takes the conscious step of opening his heart to the Divine.
While whirling, the right foot is lifted up to the knee while the left foot becomes the axis on which the whole body revolves, anti-clockwise. With each revolution “Allah” is pronounced inwardly. The arms are extended, the right palm turned upwards to receive Divine Grace and the left palm turned downwards, bestowing on
the earth the Divine energy that passes through the heart. The dance is divided into four sessions of whirling, each around 10 minutes long, called salaams. The last salaam represents union with the Divine, which is when the shaykh steps forward and recites a prayer, silently.
Sufi whirling presents an example of a spiritual tradition where music and movement are the basis of a deeply contemplative practice. It is designed to maximise Divine remembrance which in Islam is the highest of all human activities. The dervishes who meditate in the tradition of their Sufi master Rumi begin their dance with a naat, poetry in honour of Allah’s Messenger:
Ya habib Allah Rasul Allah ki akta tui!
(O God’s beloved, O Messenger of God — unique are you!
You chosen by the Lord of Majesty — so pure are you!)

— The author is a Delhi-based writer and author of Sufism: The Heart of Islam.
She can be contacted at sadiafeedback@gmail.com

source: http://www.asianage.com/mystic-mantra/whirling-god-s-grace-423

Continue reading »]]> Osman Nuri Topbaş
2009 – Jan/Feb, Issue: 015, Page: 004 Wisdom Magazine
Mawlana said: “Uthman was a man with a great love for Allah; he would sit where the sermon was to be recited and he would remain silent until the call for asr prayer. All the time that this great Caliph was sitting there nobody could talk or leave the mosque. Solemnity would surround everyone, from the learned to the Bedouins and the ignorant ones; the interior and the dome of the mosque were filled with the light of Allah. The wise ones could see the Divine light of Allah, but the unaware just felt the heat of the blazing sun.”

The reason for this vision and its effect was the outstanding behavior and spiritual status of Caliph Uthman; he had a manner that resembled that of Prophet Muhammad. His actions and morality were like those of Prophet Muhammad and this was because Uthman felt so much love and affection towards the Prophet.

PERFORMING TAWAF WITH THE PROPHET

Prophet Muhammad left with the Companions to perform the umrah (lesser pilgrimage) while the Quraysh were still in Mecca. The Quraysh would not let Prophet Muhammad and the Companions complete their pilgrimage, so the Prophet sent Uthman on ahead to Mecca with the hope that he might be able to change their minds. Prophet Muhammad waited in Hudaibia with the Companions.

When Hazrat Uthman reached Mecca he informed the Quraysh of the Muslims’ intention to perform the lesser pilgrimage; however permission was not given to them to enter the city and they kept Uthman waiting there. They told him: “You can perform tawaf around the Kaaba if you wish!”

But due to his loyalty and affection for Prophet Muhammad, Uthman refused this offer; he told them: “I cannot do this before the Messenger of Allah has had the chance to perform tawaf (around the Kaaba).” (Ahmad)

As for his absence from the Ar-Ridwan pledge of allegiance, had there been any person in Mecca more respectable than ‘Uthman (to be sent as a representative). Allah’s Apostle would have sent him instead of him. No doubt, Allah’s Apostle had sent him, and the incident of the Ar-Ridwan pledge of Allegiance happened after ‘Uthman had gone to Mecca. Allah’s Apostle held out his right hand saying, ‘This is ‘Uthman’s hand.’ He stroke his (other) hand with it saying, ‘This (pledge of allegiance) is on the behalf of ‘Uthman. (Bukhari,57/48)

A BLESSING FROM HIS STATE OF GLORY

Like the other Companions, Uthman was a reflection of Prophet Muhammad’s lofty morals; he was a reflection full of light and sincere affection. It was because of this that during his caliphate the energy, prosperity and spirituality gained from the silences in his sermons weremuch more meaningful and powerful than any words could ever be.

The mystery of the great morality of Sayyidina Abu Bakr, Sayyidina Umar and Sayyidina Ali along with the other Companions was due to the essence of love and devotion they felt from submitting themselves to the morality of Prophet Muhammad; this is the greatest character trait a person can ever attain. The attainment of such prosperity is something we can never comprehend; with their devoted actions and spiritual thoughts they became the light of faith.

Thus the main objective in our lives should be to obtain blessings from the way of life and the actions of Prophet Muhammad so that we can be guided in faith; the only way to achieve the sincerity and beauty of faith with morality and guidance is with this great blessing. Those who gain the blessing of Prophet Muhammad’s morality will be a ray of his eternal light and will truly understand the revelations of divinity, while the heedless ones will remain blind and perish in the turbulence of foolishness.

The doors of faith, knowledge, wisdom and true understanding of Allah Almighty will only open when a person gains the blessing of Prophet Muhammad’s morality and life.

The souls and minds of those who are unaware of his divine light will remain deprived and those who reject Prophet Muhammad, who have not obtained the blessing of his morality in their souls, are among the pitiful ones. Even though Abu Jahil said to him “You are Muhammad, the truthful one”, he never accepted the faith, because he had been deprived of the affection, morality and blessings of the Prophet.

As Mawlana beautifully explains:

“The holy wisdom of Ahmad was of no mystery to anyone; everybody knew that this holy person of piety had great wisdom and knowledge, but the spirituality of his divine revelations and advice was not understood by all. His spiritual inspiration and knowledge were so outstanding, so great, that it was not possible for any mind to comprehend completely. This superior essence of truth was beyond the universe of meaning, unreachable by mere intelligence or logic.

“Some people even saw these actions of divine spirituality as madness and were sometimes astonished or surprised; to be able to understand these great truths a person’s spiritual knowledge and thought have to be of equal status. In short, spirituality of the mind is necessary.

“Even Moses, who received the word of Allah, faced difficulties accepting the manifestations of the truth delivered by Al-Khidr. So those who supposedly have great intelligence and opinions, tell me, what use is this intelligence that is equal to that of a mouse?

“Never forget that if a grain tried to lift a mountain, the mountain would crush it.”

This is reason why the only way to the true path of intelligence and understanding is submission to Allah Almighty and behaving in the manner of his Prophet; the soul of whoever submits with the love of the light of all lights will become the crescent moon of eternity.

SUBMITTING WITH AFFECTION

Submission to Allah with affection for Prophet Muhammad, while embracing his morality and his light of guidance, should be our way of life. Submitting with true affection means including the spirituality of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his way of living into every aspect of our lives.

This is the only way we can resemble him in our ways and actions, so we must follow his guidance and question ourselves with every action and move that is made throughout our lives.

ARE OUR PROMISES LIKE HIS?

Allah the Merciful revealed:“Fulfil (every) engagement, for (every) engagement will be

enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).” (Isra, 17/34)

“Those who faithfully observe their trusts and their covenants.” (Mu’minun, 23/8)

“Whenever ye speak, speak justly, even if a near relative is concerned; and fulfill the Covenant of Allah.” (An’am, 6/152)

Even if a person takes great care to comply with just fulfilling a trust, they will find that their actions, on the whole, will change and develop, as complying with the promise given to Allah Almighty means adhering to the path of the righteous in this life.

This is why the Messenger of Allah said that faith and deceit could not exist side by side, and why he put such great importance on keeping words or promises. There are clear accounts that Prophet Muhammad behaved in such a way even before he was blessed with prophethood. Abdullah bin Ebil Hamsa reported: “Before he was blessed with prophethood I traded with the Messenger. I owed him some money and promised that if he waited I would bring him the money. I forgot my promise; when I remembered three days later I went to where I had spoken to Prophet Muhammad and found him waiting in exactly the same place. Although he had waited for such a long time he did not reproach me, all he said was: ‘You have caused me some trouble, young man. I have been waiting for you for three days.’” (Abu Dawud)

Due to his loyalty and faithfulness in keeping promises Prophet Muhammad was called ‘Muhammad the Trustworthy’; even his worst enemies and those who did not accept his prophethood called him trustworthy and honest.

Abu Jahil said: “You never lie! We know you to be trustworthy and truthful, but we don’t want what you preach.”

This is how the monstrosity of egoism destroys a person’s character. Even the enemy, those who had drowned in the ocean of their egos, agreed that Prophet Muhammad was a person of truth and one they trusted. They had no choice but to acknowledge the great character of the Prophet. This is a character that we are all in need of. We must always ask ourselves if our lives are worthy of Prophet Muhammad’s? Or do we have a soul that is worthy of the praise of the enemies?

There are many ways of achieving such a character, but the first which comes to mind is prayer…I wonder…

DO WE PRAY LIKE HIM?

The prayer of Prophet Muhammad was a prayer devoid of all evil and bad actions. As described in a verse of the Qur’an, this is a prayer that refrains from ‘evil’ and ‘shame’, a prayer that exalts and gains a person eternal unity, a worship that is full of abundance and submission. Prophet Muhammad gave great importance to the performance of prayers. Sayyidina Ali obtained all his knowledge and guidance for prayer from Prophet Muhammad. When he stood before his Creator for prayer he would turn pale and become so involved in his worship that he was unaware of everything that went on around him, even the pain of his own body. An arrow pierced Ali’s foot in battle, but he was in so much pain that the Companions could not remove it. Ali told them: “Take it out while I am praying!” They did as he asked; they waited and while he was praying the Companions removed the arrow with such ease that after finishing the prayer Ali asked them: “What did you do?” They replied: “We removed the arrow!” Ali had been so transported when praying that he had not realized what his friends were doing. This is the true spiritual power of prayer, being so deep in contemplation that one does not feel even the greatest pain. This is the prayer that Prophet Muhammad taught to his followers…

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) would perform the supererogatory prayers whenever he could; these included the prayer in the middle of the night, the prayer in the early morning, the prayer in the middle of the morning, the prayer of repentance and the prayer of praise. Prophet Muhammad prayed some of these on a regular daily basis.

Those who give charity out of true kindness and gain affection in the heart must give with the generosity of their souls; the hearts of the generous ones who give for the sake of Allah become milder and more complaisant, they become more inclined to give charity regularly for the sake of the provider, Allah the Merciful. We can only reach this state of submission if our charity is like the charity of Prophet Muhammad.

IS OUR CHARITY LIKE THAT OF PROPHET

MUHAMMAD?

Sometimes the Prophet would have nothing to give; sometimes he would receive his share from the battle spoils. Keeping the minimum for himself, he would give the rest away to charity even before he reached home. He had compassion that had never been seen in anyone before and an unimaginable kindness; even if he had nothing to give, he gave the charity of a smile.

for the full article: http://www.sufiwisdom.net/index2.php#sayfa=yazarlar&yazar_no=1146&MakaleNo=d015s004m1&AdBasHarf=O&limit=0-15

Continue reading »]]> by Hikmet ISIK
Q: What is Sufism?

A: Sufism is a path followed by Sufis (adherents of Islamic mysticism) to reach the Truth—God. While the term Sufism usually expresses the theoretical or philosophical aspect of this search, its practical aspect is usually referred to as “being a dervish.”

Sufism has been defined in many ways. Some see it as God’s annihilating the individual’s ego, will, and self-centeredness, and then reviving him spiritually with the lights of His Essence so that he may live according to His will. Others view it as a continuous striving to cleanse one’s self of that which is bad or evil in order to acquire virtue.

There are some who describe Sufism as seeing behind the outer or surface appearance of things and events and interpreting whatever happens in the world in relation to God. This means that a person regards every act of God as a window through which to “see” Him, that they live their life as a continuous effort to view or see Him with a profound, spiritual “seeing” indescribable in physical terms and with a profound awareness of being continually overseen by Him.

All of these definitions can be summarized as follows: Sufism is the path followed by an individual who is seeking to free themselves from human vices and weaknesses in order to acquire angelic qualities and conduct that is pleasing to God. Such a goal can be realized by living in accordance with the requirements of God’s knowledge and love, and in the resulting spiritual delights that ensue.

Sufism is based on meticulously observing the rules of the Shari’a down to the smallest detail in order to penetrate their inner meaning. An initiate or traveler on the path never separates the outer observance of the Shari’a from its inner dimension, and therefore observes all of the requirements of both the outer and the inner dimensions of Islam. Through such observance, the traveler heads toward the goal in utmost humility and submission.

Sufism, being a demanding path leading to knowledge of God, has no room for negligence or frivolity. It requires that initiates should strive continuously, like a honeybee flying from the hive to flowers and from flowers to the hive, to acquire this knowledge. They should purify their heart from all other attachments, and resist all carnal inclinations, desires, and appetites. They should lead their lives in a spiritual manner, always being ready to receive divine blessing and inspiration, and in strict observance of the example left behind by Prophet Muhammad. Convinced that attachment to God is the greatest merit and honor, they should renounce their own desires for the demands of God, the Truth.

After these preliminary definitions, we should discuss the aim, benefits, and principles of Sufism.

Sufism requires the strict observance of all religious obligations, an austere lifestyle, and the renunciation of carnal desires. Through this method of spiritual self-discipline, the heart of an individual is purified and their senses and faculties are employed on the way of God, which means that they can now begin to live on a spiritual level. Sufism also enables humans, through the constant worship of God, to deepen their awareness of themselves as a devotee of God. It enables them to renounce this transient world and the desires and emotions that it engenders, and awakens them to the reality of the other world that is turned toward God’s Beautiful Names.

Sufism allows the individual to make this transition, for it develops the angelic dimension of one’s existence and enables the acquisition of a strong, heart-felt, and personally experienced conviction of the articles of faith that have formerly only been accepted superficially.

The principles of Sufism may be listed as follows:

1- Reaching true belief in God’s Divine Oneness
and living in accordance with its demands.

2- Heeding the Divine Speech (the Qur’an), discerning, and then obeying the commands of the Divine Power and Will as they relate to the universe (the laws of creation and life).

3- Overflowing with Divine Love and getting along with all other beings in the realization (originating from Divine Love) that the universe is a cradle of brotherhood.

4- Giving preference or precedence to the well-being and happiness of others.
5- Acting in accord with the demands of the Divine Will—not with the demands of our own will and living in a manner that reflects our self-annihilation in God and subsistence with Him.

6- Being open to love, spiritual yearning, delight, and ecstasy.

7- Being able to discern divine mysteries by studying things and events.

8- Visiting spiritual places and associating with people who encourage the avoidance of sin and striving in the way of God.

9- Being content with permitted pleasures, and not taking even a single step toward that which is not permitted.

10- Continuously struggling against worldly ambitions and illusions that lead us to believe in the eternal nature of this world.

11- Never forgetting that salvation is possible only through certainty or conviction in the truth of religious beliefs and conduct, sincerity or purity of intention, and the sole desire to please God.

Sufism has some basic concepts, which often form the core of books written on good morals, manners, and asceticism, and which are regarded as the sites of the “Muhammadi Truth” in one’s heart. They can also be considered lights by which to know and follow the spiritual path leading to God.

The foremost of these concepts is wakefulness, which is alluded to in several hadiths (Prophetic sayings): “My eyes sleep but my heart does not,” and “Men are asleep, they wake up when they die.”

The Origin of Sufism

As the history of Islamic religious sciences tells us, religious commandments were not written down during the early days of Islam; rather, the practice and oral circulation of commandments related to belief, worship, and daily life allowed people to memorize them. Thus, it was not difficult to compile them into books later on, for what had been memorized and practiced was simply written down. In addition, since religious commandments were the vital issues in a Muslim’s individual and collective life, scholars gave priority to them and compiled books on them. Legal scholars collected and codified books on Islamic law, and its rules and principles that pertained to all fields of life. The
Traditionists established the hadiths and sunna (the Prophet’s way of life), and preserved them in books. Theologians dealt with the issues concerning Muslim belief. Interpreters of the Qur’an dedicated themselves to studying its meaning, including issues that would later be called “Qur’anic sciences,” such as naskh (abrogation of a law), inzal (God’s sending down the entire Qur’an at one time), tanzil (God’s sending down the Qur’an in parts on different occasions). Thanks to these universally appreciated efforts, the truths and principles of Islam were established in such a way that their authenticity cannot be doubted.

While some scholars were engaged on these practical activities, Sufi masters were mostly concentrating on the pure spiritual dimension of the Muhammadi Truth. They sought to reveal the essence of humans, the real nature of existence, and the inner dynamics of man and the cosmos by calling attention to the reality of things lying beneath and beyond their outer dimension. Adding to Quranic commentaries, the narrations of the Traditionists, and the deductions of the ways through asceticism, spirituality, and self-purification, developed their practice and experience of religion. Thus the Islamic spiritual life based on asceticism, regular worship, abstention from all major and minor sins, sincerity and purity of intention, love and yearning, and the admission of one’s essential impotence and destitution became the subject-matter of Sufism, a new science possessing its own method, principles, rules, and terms. Even if various differences gradually emerged among the orders that were later established, it can be said that the basic core of this science has always been the essence of the Muhammadi Truth.

An individual practitioner of Sufism can use it to deepen their spirituality. Through the struggle with one’s self, solitude or retreat, invocation, self-control, and self-criticism, the veils covering the inner dimension of existence are torn apart, enabling the individual to acquire a strong conviction of the truth of all the major and minor principles of faith.
source: http://www.fountainmagazine.com/article.php?ARTICLEID=389