THE HISTORIAN , VOL 16, SUMMER 2018
HEARTS TO SEEK GOD:
SAMA AND HAPPINESS AT CHISHTI SUFI’S SHRINES IN COLONIAL PUNJAB AYYAZ GULL
ABSTRACT
The study of religion and emotion has opened new opportunities to analyse ideas about devotional practices and gestures. This approach tries to disclose religious emotions and explore various linkages between devotional rituals and religious institutions. By avoiding the doctrinal disputes, doctrinaire taxonomies, and sectarian exclusion that sometimes characterize the study of South Asian Islam, this research paper proposes that mystical performance like sama (lit. ‘hearing’, or ‘Sufi music’ ) invoked happiness, ecstatic union between human lover and Divine beloved and constructed Muslim identity through Chishti Sufi’s shrines (which are treated as the places of happiness) such as Taunsa Sharif, Sial Sharif and Golra Sharif.
Article at:
https://www.academia.edu/38294301/HEART ... view-paper
SUFISM
Great Builders and Mystics
Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro tells the story of Ghotki’s Jamia Mosque
Ghokti, like other towns and cities of Sindh, is also home to a number of Sufi shrines of the Qadiri, Naqshbandi and Suhrawardi silsilas. In the town of Ghokti, the most prominent Sufi shrine is that of Moosa Shah Jilani, which attracts many people from all castes and creeds.
Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani was an eminent 18th-century Sufi saint of Ghotki.
Many of the Sufi saints in Sindh were famed for their piety and their contributions to religious architecture that they commissioned. Moosa Shah Jilani was one of the eminent Sufi saints who were famous both for religious education and architectural efforts. Apart from Islamic education, Syed Moosa Shah was celebrated for commissioning an impressive mosque.
Ceramic tiles on the entrance gate of the Jamia Mosque, Ghotki
Ghotki became the centre of Qadiri Sufis when Syed Moosa Shah Jilani established his mosque there. This was perhaps first grand mosque of the 18th century built in Ghotki, formerly known as Sahiban ji Loi. The place was a small village when Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani settled there. It grew and became a flourishing town after when he built the mosque and began imparting Islamic education to the people. Many people became his disciples and studied under his guidance at his mosque.
It is believed that the bricks for the mosque were brought from the brick-kilns of Mathelo which was located about 12 km from Ghotki. All along the way, his students made a human chain from Mathelo to the construction site of the mosque at Ghotki – reciting verses from the Holy Quran and passing bricks from one disciple to the next. This is how the bricks reached from Mathelo to the construction site at Ghotki. It took four years to arrive at the completion of the mosque in 1732 – in which the disciples of Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah took part. The masons were also believed to have been his disciples.
Initially, it was a three-domed mosque which was tastefully decorated with mural paintings and ceramics. The ceiling of the spacious verandah of the mosque was supported with 84 wooden carved pillars, which was a rare aspect of architectural finesse to be seen in the mosques of upper Sindh. We can say that it reflected the workmanship and skillset of the Sindhi artists of Ghotki.
Jamia Mosque, Ghotki
After the death of Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani, his elder son Syed Muhammad Saleh Shah Jilani became the first Gadi Nashin of his shrine and khateeb of the Jamia mosque. Like his father he was also known for his piety and piousness. It is believed that Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai (1689-1752) visited Syed Muhammad Saleh Shah and prayed in the Jamia mosque of Ghokti.
Syed Muhammad Saleh Shah made extensions to the mosque and added two domes each on the northern and southern sides – thus increasing the number from three to five. Two minarets were also added. He was also believed to have erected the tomb of his father Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani, who was buried near the main gate of the mosque. Afterwards, no renovations and extensions were made until 1889 when Mukhtiarkar of Ghotki Ali Bakhsh took up the task of renovation of the mosque.
In 1960, Sardar Ali Nawaz spent 200,000 rupees on the renovation of the mosque. By that era the mosque was in very bad state of preservation but with efforts and finances provided by Sardar Ali Nawaz the mosque was renovated and the crumbling wooden pillars were replaced by 15 cemented pillars. Later on Sardar Ghulam Muhammad Khan Mahar and Dr. Ghulam Hussain Qureshi also contributed for further renovation.
The distinctive feature of the Jamia mosque was its ornamental lantern which crowned the central dome of the mosque. This architectural element was rarely seen in the tombs and mosques in Sindh. It first appears to have been used in the Manzilgah mosque at Sukkur which was built by Mir Muhammad Masoom Shah Bakhari (1528-1606 AD) in 1598 and the tomb of Mir Abul Baqi Purani (died in 1610). The ornamental lantern were first used in the Mughal monuments of Bakhar, Rohri and Sukkur and later this architectural device spread to other cities and towns of Sindh but it was in the 18th century when it became a recurrent feature in the Kalhora architecture, especially in tombs and mosques. The best examples would be the tombs of Mangho Faqir Jatoi at Khudabad, Jalal Khan and Qaim Khan Korai at the necropolis of Mian Noor Muhammad Kalhoro (1719-1753), Shah Khairuddin Jilani at Sukkur, Shah Baharo at Larkana, Bando Qubo at Rato Dero, Sakhi Dilwar Rind at Jhangara Bajara, Mir Allahyar Talpur and Sainbdad Talpur both at Drigh Bala, Jaral Shah near Gambat, Khairpur and so on.
Ornamental lanterns first appeared on the domes of Central Asian tombs. However, the most prominent tombs are those of Zubeda and Ubeda near the shrine of Astana Baba. This ornamental device made its way from Central Asia to India where it was first used on the dome of Sayyid Mubarak Shah at Delhi. It was also used in the tombs of Poti (grand-daughter built in 1500) and Ustad at Sirhind in India.
This is a very rare feature in India. But it was widely used in the Kalhora tombs in Sindh. The Kalhoras popularized this ornamental device in their tombs and mosques in Sindh.
Syed Muhammad Abid Shah (1741-1800) was another eminent Sufi saint from the family of Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani who preached Islam and converted many to Islam. He was the youngest son of Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani. He was the second Gadi Nashin of the shrine of his father. Simultaneously, he was also the Khateeb of the Jamia mosque. Many of his students later built their madrassahs and mosques in their respective regions in Sindh and Punjab. Syed Muhammad Abid was believed to have frequently travelled to his students in the districts of Bahawalpur and Multan in Punjab. He died in 1800 and was succeeded by his son Fiazullah as Gadi Nashin and khateeb of the mosque. He also preached Islam in upper Sindh and Punjab and died in 1831. He was succeeded by his son Syed Karamullah Shah who died without any issue. The uncle of Karamullah, Syed Moosa Shah II son of Syed Abid Shah, became the new Sajjada Nashin of the dargah of Syed Moosa Shah and khateeb of the Jamia mosque. He died in 1855 and the dargah and mosque were later taken care of by his family members.
The Jamia mosque of Ghotki built by Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani is probably one of the largest in Upper Sindh. The Jilani mystics of Ghotki spread their Islamic teachings in every nook and corner of Upper Sindh and some districts of Punjab. Like other Sufi saints of Sindh, Jilani mystics spread the message of love, peace, equality and harmony and both Jilani mystics and their murids (disciples) never discriminated against anyone on the basis of religion, ethnicity or caste.
The author is an anthropologist and has authored four books: ‘Symbols in Stone: The Rock Art of Sindh’, ‘Perspectives on the art and architecture of Sindh’, ‘Memorial Stones: Tharparkar’ and ‘Archaeology, Religion and Art in Sindh’. He may be contacted at: zulfi04@hotmail.com
Photos at:
https://www.thefridaytimes.com/great-bu ... d-mystics/
Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro tells the story of Ghotki’s Jamia Mosque
Ghokti, like other towns and cities of Sindh, is also home to a number of Sufi shrines of the Qadiri, Naqshbandi and Suhrawardi silsilas. In the town of Ghokti, the most prominent Sufi shrine is that of Moosa Shah Jilani, which attracts many people from all castes and creeds.
Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani was an eminent 18th-century Sufi saint of Ghotki.
Many of the Sufi saints in Sindh were famed for their piety and their contributions to religious architecture that they commissioned. Moosa Shah Jilani was one of the eminent Sufi saints who were famous both for religious education and architectural efforts. Apart from Islamic education, Syed Moosa Shah was celebrated for commissioning an impressive mosque.
Ceramic tiles on the entrance gate of the Jamia Mosque, Ghotki
Ghotki became the centre of Qadiri Sufis when Syed Moosa Shah Jilani established his mosque there. This was perhaps first grand mosque of the 18th century built in Ghotki, formerly known as Sahiban ji Loi. The place was a small village when Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani settled there. It grew and became a flourishing town after when he built the mosque and began imparting Islamic education to the people. Many people became his disciples and studied under his guidance at his mosque.
It is believed that the bricks for the mosque were brought from the brick-kilns of Mathelo which was located about 12 km from Ghotki. All along the way, his students made a human chain from Mathelo to the construction site of the mosque at Ghotki – reciting verses from the Holy Quran and passing bricks from one disciple to the next. This is how the bricks reached from Mathelo to the construction site at Ghotki. It took four years to arrive at the completion of the mosque in 1732 – in which the disciples of Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah took part. The masons were also believed to have been his disciples.
Initially, it was a three-domed mosque which was tastefully decorated with mural paintings and ceramics. The ceiling of the spacious verandah of the mosque was supported with 84 wooden carved pillars, which was a rare aspect of architectural finesse to be seen in the mosques of upper Sindh. We can say that it reflected the workmanship and skillset of the Sindhi artists of Ghotki.
Jamia Mosque, Ghotki
After the death of Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani, his elder son Syed Muhammad Saleh Shah Jilani became the first Gadi Nashin of his shrine and khateeb of the Jamia mosque. Like his father he was also known for his piety and piousness. It is believed that Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai (1689-1752) visited Syed Muhammad Saleh Shah and prayed in the Jamia mosque of Ghokti.
Syed Muhammad Saleh Shah made extensions to the mosque and added two domes each on the northern and southern sides – thus increasing the number from three to five. Two minarets were also added. He was also believed to have erected the tomb of his father Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani, who was buried near the main gate of the mosque. Afterwards, no renovations and extensions were made until 1889 when Mukhtiarkar of Ghotki Ali Bakhsh took up the task of renovation of the mosque.
In 1960, Sardar Ali Nawaz spent 200,000 rupees on the renovation of the mosque. By that era the mosque was in very bad state of preservation but with efforts and finances provided by Sardar Ali Nawaz the mosque was renovated and the crumbling wooden pillars were replaced by 15 cemented pillars. Later on Sardar Ghulam Muhammad Khan Mahar and Dr. Ghulam Hussain Qureshi also contributed for further renovation.
The distinctive feature of the Jamia mosque was its ornamental lantern which crowned the central dome of the mosque. This architectural element was rarely seen in the tombs and mosques in Sindh. It first appears to have been used in the Manzilgah mosque at Sukkur which was built by Mir Muhammad Masoom Shah Bakhari (1528-1606 AD) in 1598 and the tomb of Mir Abul Baqi Purani (died in 1610). The ornamental lantern were first used in the Mughal monuments of Bakhar, Rohri and Sukkur and later this architectural device spread to other cities and towns of Sindh but it was in the 18th century when it became a recurrent feature in the Kalhora architecture, especially in tombs and mosques. The best examples would be the tombs of Mangho Faqir Jatoi at Khudabad, Jalal Khan and Qaim Khan Korai at the necropolis of Mian Noor Muhammad Kalhoro (1719-1753), Shah Khairuddin Jilani at Sukkur, Shah Baharo at Larkana, Bando Qubo at Rato Dero, Sakhi Dilwar Rind at Jhangara Bajara, Mir Allahyar Talpur and Sainbdad Talpur both at Drigh Bala, Jaral Shah near Gambat, Khairpur and so on.
Ornamental lanterns first appeared on the domes of Central Asian tombs. However, the most prominent tombs are those of Zubeda and Ubeda near the shrine of Astana Baba. This ornamental device made its way from Central Asia to India where it was first used on the dome of Sayyid Mubarak Shah at Delhi. It was also used in the tombs of Poti (grand-daughter built in 1500) and Ustad at Sirhind in India.
This is a very rare feature in India. But it was widely used in the Kalhora tombs in Sindh. The Kalhoras popularized this ornamental device in their tombs and mosques in Sindh.
Syed Muhammad Abid Shah (1741-1800) was another eminent Sufi saint from the family of Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani who preached Islam and converted many to Islam. He was the youngest son of Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani. He was the second Gadi Nashin of the shrine of his father. Simultaneously, he was also the Khateeb of the Jamia mosque. Many of his students later built their madrassahs and mosques in their respective regions in Sindh and Punjab. Syed Muhammad Abid was believed to have frequently travelled to his students in the districts of Bahawalpur and Multan in Punjab. He died in 1800 and was succeeded by his son Fiazullah as Gadi Nashin and khateeb of the mosque. He also preached Islam in upper Sindh and Punjab and died in 1831. He was succeeded by his son Syed Karamullah Shah who died without any issue. The uncle of Karamullah, Syed Moosa Shah II son of Syed Abid Shah, became the new Sajjada Nashin of the dargah of Syed Moosa Shah and khateeb of the Jamia mosque. He died in 1855 and the dargah and mosque were later taken care of by his family members.
The Jamia mosque of Ghotki built by Syed Muhammad Moosa Shah Jilani is probably one of the largest in Upper Sindh. The Jilani mystics of Ghotki spread their Islamic teachings in every nook and corner of Upper Sindh and some districts of Punjab. Like other Sufi saints of Sindh, Jilani mystics spread the message of love, peace, equality and harmony and both Jilani mystics and their murids (disciples) never discriminated against anyone on the basis of religion, ethnicity or caste.
The author is an anthropologist and has authored four books: ‘Symbols in Stone: The Rock Art of Sindh’, ‘Perspectives on the art and architecture of Sindh’, ‘Memorial Stones: Tharparkar’ and ‘Archaeology, Religion and Art in Sindh’. He may be contacted at: zulfi04@hotmail.com
Photos at:
https://www.thefridaytimes.com/great-bu ... d-mystics/
-
swamidada_1
- Posts: 239
- Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2018 9:21 pm
Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition
On 26 March, Professor Omid Safi, Director of Duke University’s Islamic Studies Centre, took audiences through a mystical journey in his talk entitled, Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition at the Aga Khan Centre. He spoke about the goals of the spiritual path and traced the popular poetic tradition that celebrates love for both humanity and the Divine.
Islamic mysticism, often referred to as Sufism or tasawwuf emphasises introspection and the spiritual closeness with God, whilst cherishing the qualities of tolerance and pluralism. Speaking about what the spiritual path ultimately means, Professor Safi said:
“If you want to call yourself a Muslim, you should rise to see the face of God and experience your own ascension. The whole goal of the spiritual path is to learn to breathe with God. The whole of who you are, in one. Be present wholeheartedly.”
Sufism has shaped literature and art for centuries and is associated with the some of the most resonant pieces of Islam’s golden age - lasting from roughly the 8th through to the 13th centuries - including the poetry of the renowned Persian poet and philosopher Jalaluddin Rumi. To date, his poetry continues to inspire hearts and minds across the world. Situating Rumi within the larger narrative of Islam, Professor Safi commented:
“We talk about Rumi as if he is Mount Everest standing alone. If we take a more humble approach, we will see that Everest does not stand alone, it is part of the Himalayas, there is a whole mountain range that is propping up, holding, making space for, supporting, and pushing Everest onto ever higher heights. Mawlana Rumi is grounded and anchored in a tradition of love that goes all the way back to the Prophet, comes through Imam Ali and through an unfolding of 500 years of love mystics.”
Demonstrating how the mystics conveyed their teachings of the Divine, Professor Safi delved deeper into the essence of the spiritual path with a story from Rumi’s Masnavi. The story tells people that the spiritual path has to change you, move you, transform you and transform the way in which we deal with one another. It further adds that one of the goals of the spiritual path is for the enemy to become a friend. Rumi acknowledges that it’s a challenging step, and for that reason the path has no end, because the Divine has no end. In the poem, he writes: “You and I have to live, as if you and I have never heard of a you, or an I”
The full video of the talk can be viewed online.
Video at:
https://iis.ac.uk/news/radical-love-tea ... -tradition
On 26 March, Professor Omid Safi, Director of Duke University’s Islamic Studies Centre, took audiences through a mystical journey in his talk entitled, Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition at the Aga Khan Centre. He spoke about the goals of the spiritual path and traced the popular poetic tradition that celebrates love for both humanity and the Divine.
Islamic mysticism, often referred to as Sufism or tasawwuf emphasises introspection and the spiritual closeness with God, whilst cherishing the qualities of tolerance and pluralism. Speaking about what the spiritual path ultimately means, Professor Safi said:
“If you want to call yourself a Muslim, you should rise to see the face of God and experience your own ascension. The whole goal of the spiritual path is to learn to breathe with God. The whole of who you are, in one. Be present wholeheartedly.”
Sufism has shaped literature and art for centuries and is associated with the some of the most resonant pieces of Islam’s golden age - lasting from roughly the 8th through to the 13th centuries - including the poetry of the renowned Persian poet and philosopher Jalaluddin Rumi. To date, his poetry continues to inspire hearts and minds across the world. Situating Rumi within the larger narrative of Islam, Professor Safi commented:
“We talk about Rumi as if he is Mount Everest standing alone. If we take a more humble approach, we will see that Everest does not stand alone, it is part of the Himalayas, there is a whole mountain range that is propping up, holding, making space for, supporting, and pushing Everest onto ever higher heights. Mawlana Rumi is grounded and anchored in a tradition of love that goes all the way back to the Prophet, comes through Imam Ali and through an unfolding of 500 years of love mystics.”
Demonstrating how the mystics conveyed their teachings of the Divine, Professor Safi delved deeper into the essence of the spiritual path with a story from Rumi’s Masnavi. The story tells people that the spiritual path has to change you, move you, transform you and transform the way in which we deal with one another. It further adds that one of the goals of the spiritual path is for the enemy to become a friend. Rumi acknowledges that it’s a challenging step, and for that reason the path has no end, because the Divine has no end. In the poem, he writes: “You and I have to live, as if you and I have never heard of a you, or an I”
The full video of the talk can be viewed online.
Video at:
https://iis.ac.uk/news/radical-love-tea ... -tradition
-
swamidada_1
- Posts: 239
- Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2018 9:21 pm
-
swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
The Man of God
The Man of God is drunk without wine.
The Man of God is sated without meat.
The Man of God is rapturous, amazed.
The man of God has neither food nor sleep.
The Man of God is a king beneath a humble clock
The Man of God is a treasure in the ruin
The Man of God is not of wind and earth
The Man of God is not of fire and water.
The Man of God is a sea without a shore
The Man of God rains pearls without the clouds
The Man of God has a hundred moons and skies.
The Man of God has a hundred sunshine.
The Man of God is wise through the book.
The Man of God is beyond faith and disbelief alike
The Man of God is beyond merit and sin
The Man of God rode away from the Non-being
The Man of God has come sublimely riding
The Man of God id concealed O’ Shamsuddin
The Man of God and find – the Man of God.
RUMI.
The Man of God is drunk without wine.
The Man of God is sated without meat.
The Man of God is rapturous, amazed.
The man of God has neither food nor sleep.
The Man of God is a king beneath a humble clock
The Man of God is a treasure in the ruin
The Man of God is not of wind and earth
The Man of God is not of fire and water.
The Man of God is a sea without a shore
The Man of God rains pearls without the clouds
The Man of God has a hundred moons and skies.
The Man of God has a hundred sunshine.
The Man of God is wise through the book.
The Man of God is beyond faith and disbelief alike
The Man of God is beyond merit and sin
The Man of God rode away from the Non-being
The Man of God has come sublimely riding
The Man of God id concealed O’ Shamsuddin
The Man of God and find – the Man of God.
RUMI.
-
swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
SUFI POETRY
Sufi poetry has been written in many languages, both for private devotional reading and as lyrics for music played during worship, or dhikr. Themes and styles established in Punjabi poetry, Sindhi poetry, Arabic poetry, Urdu/Hindi/Gujrati poetry, and mostly Persian poetry have had an enormous influence on Sufi poetry, and is often part of Sufi music. In Punjab, Sindh and other provinces of India Sufi poetry played a singular role in maintaining communal harmony in turbulent times. Sufi poetry in most of the regional languages and vernaculars of India, by the nobility of its pious feelings and rhythmic rendition, has inspired the people to seek the Love Divine. The friendly and tolerant utterances of the Sufis retained the favour of the Hindus as well as the Muslims and influenced the people's thought and sent a message of peace, love, fellowship, understanding and amity. Sufi poetry has bestowed a remarkable legacy of communal harmony for posterity.
The Sufi conception of love was introduced first by Rabia of Basra, a female mystic from the 8th century. Throughout Rumi's work the "death" and "love" appear as the dual aspects of Rumi's conception of self-knowledge. Love is understood to be "all-consuming" in the sense that it encompasses the whole personality of the lover. The influence of this tradition in Sufism was likely drawn from Persian or Hindu sources; no comparable idea is known from 9th century Christianity or Judaism. In a literary wordplay Fakhreddin Eraqi changed the words of the shahada (la ilaha illa'llah) to la ilaha illa'l-'ishq ("there is no deity save Love"). For his part, Rumi, in his writings, developed the concept of love as a direct manifestation of the will of God, in part as a calculated response to objections coming from the orthodox wing of Islam: "Not a single lover would seek union if the beloved were not seeking it".
The concepts of unity and oneness of mankind also appear in Rumi's works. For example, the poem "Who Am I?" implies that human beings are all creatures of God regardless of what religion or land they belong to. So as to contemplate beyond physical being, God has privileged mankind by blessing him with the soul, which helps him understand the concepts of love, affection, sacrifice, etc. Hence, the human soul is placeless and traceless. It exists somewhere beyond the mundane world, so the body carrying the soul should also nurture it in a way that brings it closer to the ultimate Beloved. This may be achieved if all human beings consider themselves as members of an organic whole.
Current Sufi orders include Alians, Bektashi Order, Mevlevi Order, Ba 'Alawiyya, Chishti Order, Jerrahi, Naqshbandi, Mujaddidi, Ni'matullāhī, Qadiriyya, Qalandariyya, Sarwari, Shadhiliyya, Suhrawardiyya, Saifiah, and Uwaisi.
(adopted)
Sufi poetry has been written in many languages, both for private devotional reading and as lyrics for music played during worship, or dhikr. Themes and styles established in Punjabi poetry, Sindhi poetry, Arabic poetry, Urdu/Hindi/Gujrati poetry, and mostly Persian poetry have had an enormous influence on Sufi poetry, and is often part of Sufi music. In Punjab, Sindh and other provinces of India Sufi poetry played a singular role in maintaining communal harmony in turbulent times. Sufi poetry in most of the regional languages and vernaculars of India, by the nobility of its pious feelings and rhythmic rendition, has inspired the people to seek the Love Divine. The friendly and tolerant utterances of the Sufis retained the favour of the Hindus as well as the Muslims and influenced the people's thought and sent a message of peace, love, fellowship, understanding and amity. Sufi poetry has bestowed a remarkable legacy of communal harmony for posterity.
The Sufi conception of love was introduced first by Rabia of Basra, a female mystic from the 8th century. Throughout Rumi's work the "death" and "love" appear as the dual aspects of Rumi's conception of self-knowledge. Love is understood to be "all-consuming" in the sense that it encompasses the whole personality of the lover. The influence of this tradition in Sufism was likely drawn from Persian or Hindu sources; no comparable idea is known from 9th century Christianity or Judaism. In a literary wordplay Fakhreddin Eraqi changed the words of the shahada (la ilaha illa'llah) to la ilaha illa'l-'ishq ("there is no deity save Love"). For his part, Rumi, in his writings, developed the concept of love as a direct manifestation of the will of God, in part as a calculated response to objections coming from the orthodox wing of Islam: "Not a single lover would seek union if the beloved were not seeking it".
The concepts of unity and oneness of mankind also appear in Rumi's works. For example, the poem "Who Am I?" implies that human beings are all creatures of God regardless of what religion or land they belong to. So as to contemplate beyond physical being, God has privileged mankind by blessing him with the soul, which helps him understand the concepts of love, affection, sacrifice, etc. Hence, the human soul is placeless and traceless. It exists somewhere beyond the mundane world, so the body carrying the soul should also nurture it in a way that brings it closer to the ultimate Beloved. This may be achieved if all human beings consider themselves as members of an organic whole.
Current Sufi orders include Alians, Bektashi Order, Mevlevi Order, Ba 'Alawiyya, Chishti Order, Jerrahi, Naqshbandi, Mujaddidi, Ni'matullāhī, Qadiriyya, Qalandariyya, Sarwari, Shadhiliyya, Suhrawardiyya, Saifiah, and Uwaisi.
(adopted)
SPIRITUAL DESCENDANTS OF THE PROPHET:AL-ḤAKĪM AL-TIRMIDHĪ, IBN AL-ʿARABĪ AND IKHWĀN AL-ṢAFĀʾ ON AHL AL-BAYT
Michael EBSTEIN
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Introduction
The early contacts between Shīʿism and Sunnī mysticism are shrouded in mystery and have yet to be described in a satisfactory manner. While the relationship between these two traditions from the Late Middle Ages onwards is somewhat clearer, our knowledge and understanding of its ‘prehistory’ – that is, its history in the formative and classical periods of Islamic mysticism, from the 2nd/8th to the 7th/13th centuries – are lacking.
Elsewhere I have dealt in detail with the possible reasons for this unfortunate situation. One mis-conception that apparently has hindered scholars from investigating the early interactions between Shīʿism and Sunnī mysticism is the belief that the Shīʿa is essentially a political sect which split off from the main body of Islam, i.e.from the Sunnī majority. However, various studies in recent decades have shown that not only did the Shīʿa and Sunna develop concomitantly, but that in certain matters, the Shīʿa (or proto‑Shīʿa) was setting the agenda in the Islamic community, thereby provoking and inspiring a Sunnī (or proto‑Sunnī)reaction.
This, in my opinion, is also the case in at least some aspects of Islamic esotericism and mysticism. Despite the fact that none of the early Shīʿī compilations which have come down to us predate the second half of the 3rd/9th century – the very period in which Sunnī mysticism began to crystallize, to develop its own identity and systematize its thought – the contents of many traditions contained in these compilations, including esoteric and mystical ones, go back, in all probability, to the first half of the 2nd/8th century if not before.
Whether or not these traditions should indeed be attributed, as the Shīʿīs believe, to early imāms like Muḥammad al‑Bāqir (d. circa 114/732)and Jaʿfar al‑Ṣādiq (died 148/765), is inconsequential; what is important is that much of this material did originate in the Shīʿī milieu of the 2nd/8th century.
The entire article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/29680055/_Spir ... view-paper
Michael EBSTEIN
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Introduction
The early contacts between Shīʿism and Sunnī mysticism are shrouded in mystery and have yet to be described in a satisfactory manner. While the relationship between these two traditions from the Late Middle Ages onwards is somewhat clearer, our knowledge and understanding of its ‘prehistory’ – that is, its history in the formative and classical periods of Islamic mysticism, from the 2nd/8th to the 7th/13th centuries – are lacking.
Elsewhere I have dealt in detail with the possible reasons for this unfortunate situation. One mis-conception that apparently has hindered scholars from investigating the early interactions between Shīʿism and Sunnī mysticism is the belief that the Shīʿa is essentially a political sect which split off from the main body of Islam, i.e.from the Sunnī majority. However, various studies in recent decades have shown that not only did the Shīʿa and Sunna develop concomitantly, but that in certain matters, the Shīʿa (or proto‑Shīʿa) was setting the agenda in the Islamic community, thereby provoking and inspiring a Sunnī (or proto‑Sunnī)reaction.
This, in my opinion, is also the case in at least some aspects of Islamic esotericism and mysticism. Despite the fact that none of the early Shīʿī compilations which have come down to us predate the second half of the 3rd/9th century – the very period in which Sunnī mysticism began to crystallize, to develop its own identity and systematize its thought – the contents of many traditions contained in these compilations, including esoteric and mystical ones, go back, in all probability, to the first half of the 2nd/8th century if not before.
Whether or not these traditions should indeed be attributed, as the Shīʿīs believe, to early imāms like Muḥammad al‑Bāqir (d. circa 114/732)and Jaʿfar al‑Ṣādiq (died 148/765), is inconsequential; what is important is that much of this material did originate in the Shīʿī milieu of the 2nd/8th century.
The entire article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/29680055/_Spir ... view-paper
The Organs of God: Hadith al-Nawafil in Classical Islamic Mysticism
Michael Ebstein
This article focuses on ḥadīth al-nawāfil (" the tradition concerning supererogatory works "), which is one of the most quoted traditions in Islamic mystical literature. The tradition describes how the believer may draw close to God and gain His love by performing supererogatory works, to such an extent that her organs become divine. The article discusses the significance of the nawāfil tradition in various mystical writings composed in the formative and classical periods of Islamic mysti-cism (third–seventh/ninth–thirteenth centuries), with special attention given to the writings of the influential mystic Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿArabī (d. 638/1240). The article likewise attempts to demonstrate the relevance of certain Shii conceptions to the understanding of ḥadīth al-nawāfil and its interpretations in Sunni mysticism. The following divine saying (ḥadīth qudsī), commonly referred to in Islamic sources as ḥadīth al-nawāfil (" the tradition concerning supererogatory works, " henceforth, the nawāfil tradition), is one of the most quoted traditions in Islamic mystical literature: Allah has said: Whoever treats a friend (walī) of mine with enmity, I declare war on him. There is nothing by which my servant draws close to me that is dearer to me than that which I have imposed (iftaraḍtu) upon him; and my servant does not cease to draw close to me by supereroga-tory works (nawāfil) until I love him, and when I love him, I become his hearing (samʿ) by which he hears, his sight (baṣar) by which he sees, his hand by which he forcibly seizes, and his leg by which he walks. If he asks me, I give him, and if he seeks my refuge, I grant it to him. There is no action of mine in which I waver more than [taking] the soul of a believer: he hates dying, and I hate doing him wrong. 1 As reflected in this nawāfil tradition, central to Islamic mystical thought are (1) the pivotal role of obligatory (farāʾiḍ) and supererogatory religious actions in the advancement toward God, and (2) the notion that at the climactic end of this advancement God assumes control of the will and faculties of His beloved servant. In what follows I will discuss the significance of the nawāfil tradition in various mystical writings composed in the formative and classical periods of Islamic mysticism, i.e., from the third/ninth to the seventh/thirteenth centuries. A substantial part of my discussion will be dedicated to the celebrated mystic Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿArabī (d. 638/1240), who quotes or refers to the nawāfil tradition throughout his writings and whose influence on subsequent generations of mystics was such that he was known as al-shaykh al-akbar. I will also allude in passing to certain Shii conceptions that I believe are relevant to the understanding of the nawāfil tradition and its interpretations in Sunni
The entire article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/37212357/The_O ... view-paper
Michael Ebstein
This article focuses on ḥadīth al-nawāfil (" the tradition concerning supererogatory works "), which is one of the most quoted traditions in Islamic mystical literature. The tradition describes how the believer may draw close to God and gain His love by performing supererogatory works, to such an extent that her organs become divine. The article discusses the significance of the nawāfil tradition in various mystical writings composed in the formative and classical periods of Islamic mysti-cism (third–seventh/ninth–thirteenth centuries), with special attention given to the writings of the influential mystic Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿArabī (d. 638/1240). The article likewise attempts to demonstrate the relevance of certain Shii conceptions to the understanding of ḥadīth al-nawāfil and its interpretations in Sunni mysticism. The following divine saying (ḥadīth qudsī), commonly referred to in Islamic sources as ḥadīth al-nawāfil (" the tradition concerning supererogatory works, " henceforth, the nawāfil tradition), is one of the most quoted traditions in Islamic mystical literature: Allah has said: Whoever treats a friend (walī) of mine with enmity, I declare war on him. There is nothing by which my servant draws close to me that is dearer to me than that which I have imposed (iftaraḍtu) upon him; and my servant does not cease to draw close to me by supereroga-tory works (nawāfil) until I love him, and when I love him, I become his hearing (samʿ) by which he hears, his sight (baṣar) by which he sees, his hand by which he forcibly seizes, and his leg by which he walks. If he asks me, I give him, and if he seeks my refuge, I grant it to him. There is no action of mine in which I waver more than [taking] the soul of a believer: he hates dying, and I hate doing him wrong. 1 As reflected in this nawāfil tradition, central to Islamic mystical thought are (1) the pivotal role of obligatory (farāʾiḍ) and supererogatory religious actions in the advancement toward God, and (2) the notion that at the climactic end of this advancement God assumes control of the will and faculties of His beloved servant. In what follows I will discuss the significance of the nawāfil tradition in various mystical writings composed in the formative and classical periods of Islamic mysticism, i.e., from the third/ninth to the seventh/thirteenth centuries. A substantial part of my discussion will be dedicated to the celebrated mystic Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿArabī (d. 638/1240), who quotes or refers to the nawāfil tradition throughout his writings and whose influence on subsequent generations of mystics was such that he was known as al-shaykh al-akbar. I will also allude in passing to certain Shii conceptions that I believe are relevant to the understanding of the nawāfil tradition and its interpretations in Sunni
The entire article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/37212357/The_O ... view-paper
“ʻIn Truth You Are the Polytheist!ʼ: Mythic Elements in Ibn al-ʿArabīʼs Teachings on the Divine Names”
Michael Ebstein
The following article aims at highlighting the mythic elements inherent in Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿArabī's teachings on the Divine names. The article begins with a very general introduction to the subject of Divine names in Islamic mysticism and then proceeds to clarify the meaning of the term " mythic " as it is used in this study. The core of the article is devoted to an examination of four main areas in which the Divine names, according to Ibn al-ʿArabī, play a central role: the creation of the world (cosmogony); its management ; mystical experiences and knowledge; magic and theurgy. The main claim is that in all four areas, Ibn al-ʿArabī's discourse is to a great extent mythic. The implications of this claim for the understanding of Akbarian thought and for the study of Islamic mysticism in general are discussed in the concluding paragraph of the essay.
The entire article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/36745722/_%CA% ... view-paper
Michael Ebstein
The following article aims at highlighting the mythic elements inherent in Muḥyī l-Dīn Ibn al-ʿArabī's teachings on the Divine names. The article begins with a very general introduction to the subject of Divine names in Islamic mysticism and then proceeds to clarify the meaning of the term " mythic " as it is used in this study. The core of the article is devoted to an examination of four main areas in which the Divine names, according to Ibn al-ʿArabī, play a central role: the creation of the world (cosmogony); its management ; mystical experiences and knowledge; magic and theurgy. The main claim is that in all four areas, Ibn al-ʿArabī's discourse is to a great extent mythic. The implications of this claim for the understanding of Akbarian thought and for the study of Islamic mysticism in general are discussed in the concluding paragraph of the essay.
The entire article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/36745722/_%CA% ... view-paper
Friendship, Illumination and the Water of Life
Todd Lawson
On walaya, according to Ibn Arabi, and why sanctity/sainthood is not a satisfactory translation of the word.
The article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/26186549/Frien ... view-paper
Todd Lawson
On walaya, according to Ibn Arabi, and why sanctity/sainthood is not a satisfactory translation of the word.
The article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/26186549/Frien ... view-paper
The story below conveys the essence of Sufism - detachment from the world.
Story: The Dervish and the Confectioner
Posted by Nimira Dewji
Passing through a bazaar, a wise dervish was offered a cup of honey by a confectioner. Suddenly a swarm of flies, attracted by the honey, began to settle on the edges of the cup while others flew straight in. The confectioner fanned away the flies that were on the edges, but those inside the cup sank deeper, causing the dervish to utter cries of delight.
The confectioner asked, “O knower of spiritual secrets! Please share with me what you have discovered in this incident. The dervish replied, ‘To me, the cup of honey represents the world and the flies are the greedy competitors in it. Those sitting on the edges are satisfied with small morsels whereas those inside are greedy and covet more. However, when death comes upon them, the ones on the edges easily detach themselves and return to their origin, whereas those inside struggle and entangle themselves even deeper.’
Story from the Anwar-i Suhayli (‘The Lights of Canopus’) by Husayn b. ‘Ali Kashifi published in Muslim Devotional Literature, Secondary Curriculum, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, p 77
Anvar-i Suhayli Kalila Dimna Pancatantra
Pages from the Anvar-i-Suhayli, Persia, 1593. Source: Muslim Devotional Literature, The Institute of Ismaili Studies
The Anwar-i Suhayli (‘The Lights of Canopus’) by the poet and writer Husayn b. Ali (ca. 1426–1504), is a Persian translation of the Indian fables of the Panchatantra (‘The Five Principles’) written in Sanskrit around 200 CE. These fables, which taught universal values, were largely advice for princes on qualities a king should possess in order to be regarded as a just ruler. The tales, not intended for children, were translated into several languages and adapted to local cultures.
The animal characters in the Panchatantra, Karataka and Damanaka, became Kalilag and Dimnag in Persian, and Kalila and Dimna in Arabic.
The fables comprise a long tradition of preparing princes to rule through the genre of literature known as ‘mirror for princes,’ in which animals are the leading characters of the stories, portraying “universal human strengths and weaknesses, as well as aspirations for justice and truth” (Spirit & Life Catalogue, p 138).
Sources:
Maria Subtelny, Anvar-i Suhayli (The Lights of Canopus), Aga Khan Museum
Pancatantra, Encyclopedia.com
The Anvar-i Suhayli (‘Lights of Canopus’), British Library
nimirasblog.wordpress.com/2019/11/29/story-the-dervish-and-the-confectioner/?utm_source=Direct
Story: The Dervish and the Confectioner
Posted by Nimira Dewji
Passing through a bazaar, a wise dervish was offered a cup of honey by a confectioner. Suddenly a swarm of flies, attracted by the honey, began to settle on the edges of the cup while others flew straight in. The confectioner fanned away the flies that were on the edges, but those inside the cup sank deeper, causing the dervish to utter cries of delight.
The confectioner asked, “O knower of spiritual secrets! Please share with me what you have discovered in this incident. The dervish replied, ‘To me, the cup of honey represents the world and the flies are the greedy competitors in it. Those sitting on the edges are satisfied with small morsels whereas those inside are greedy and covet more. However, when death comes upon them, the ones on the edges easily detach themselves and return to their origin, whereas those inside struggle and entangle themselves even deeper.’
Story from the Anwar-i Suhayli (‘The Lights of Canopus’) by Husayn b. ‘Ali Kashifi published in Muslim Devotional Literature, Secondary Curriculum, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, p 77
Anvar-i Suhayli Kalila Dimna Pancatantra
Pages from the Anvar-i-Suhayli, Persia, 1593. Source: Muslim Devotional Literature, The Institute of Ismaili Studies
The Anwar-i Suhayli (‘The Lights of Canopus’) by the poet and writer Husayn b. Ali (ca. 1426–1504), is a Persian translation of the Indian fables of the Panchatantra (‘The Five Principles’) written in Sanskrit around 200 CE. These fables, which taught universal values, were largely advice for princes on qualities a king should possess in order to be regarded as a just ruler. The tales, not intended for children, were translated into several languages and adapted to local cultures.
The animal characters in the Panchatantra, Karataka and Damanaka, became Kalilag and Dimnag in Persian, and Kalila and Dimna in Arabic.
The fables comprise a long tradition of preparing princes to rule through the genre of literature known as ‘mirror for princes,’ in which animals are the leading characters of the stories, portraying “universal human strengths and weaknesses, as well as aspirations for justice and truth” (Spirit & Life Catalogue, p 138).
Sources:
Maria Subtelny, Anvar-i Suhayli (The Lights of Canopus), Aga Khan Museum
Pancatantra, Encyclopedia.com
The Anvar-i Suhayli (‘Lights of Canopus’), British Library
nimirasblog.wordpress.com/2019/11/29/story-the-dervish-and-the-confectioner/?utm_source=Direct
-
swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
Why think thus O men of piety
I have returned to sobriety
I am neither a Moslem nor a Hindu
I am not Christian, Zoroastrian, nor Jew
I am neither of the West nor the East
Not of the ocean, nor an earthly beast
I am neither a natural wonder
Nor from the stars yonder
Neither flesh of dust, nor wind inspire
Nor water in veins, nor made of fire
I am neither an earthly carpet, nor gems terrestrial
Nor am I confined to Creation, nor the Throne Celestial
Not of ancient promises, nor of future prophecy
Not of hellish anguish, nor of paradisic ecstasy
Neither the progeny of Adam, nor Eve
Nor of the world of heavenly make-believe
My place is the no-place
My image is without face
Neither of body nor the soul
I am of the Divine Whole.
I eliminated duality with joyous laughter
Saw the unity of here and the hereafter
Unity is what I sing, unity is what I speak
Unity is what I know, unity is what I seek
Intoxicated from the chalice of Love
I have lost both worlds below and above
Sole destiny that comes to me
Licentious mendicity
In my whole life, even if once
Forgot His name even per chance
For that hour spent, for such moment
I’d give my life, and thus repent
Beloved Master, Shams-e Tabrizi
In this world with Love I’m so drunk
The path of Love isn’t easy
I am shipwrecked and must be sunk.
I have returned to sobriety
I am neither a Moslem nor a Hindu
I am not Christian, Zoroastrian, nor Jew
I am neither of the West nor the East
Not of the ocean, nor an earthly beast
I am neither a natural wonder
Nor from the stars yonder
Neither flesh of dust, nor wind inspire
Nor water in veins, nor made of fire
I am neither an earthly carpet, nor gems terrestrial
Nor am I confined to Creation, nor the Throne Celestial
Not of ancient promises, nor of future prophecy
Not of hellish anguish, nor of paradisic ecstasy
Neither the progeny of Adam, nor Eve
Nor of the world of heavenly make-believe
My place is the no-place
My image is without face
Neither of body nor the soul
I am of the Divine Whole.
I eliminated duality with joyous laughter
Saw the unity of here and the hereafter
Unity is what I sing, unity is what I speak
Unity is what I know, unity is what I seek
Intoxicated from the chalice of Love
I have lost both worlds below and above
Sole destiny that comes to me
Licentious mendicity
In my whole life, even if once
Forgot His name even per chance
For that hour spent, for such moment
I’d give my life, and thus repent
Beloved Master, Shams-e Tabrizi
In this world with Love I’m so drunk
The path of Love isn’t easy
I am shipwrecked and must be sunk.
Sufism: The Message of LOVE and COMPASSION, Leading to TRUTH
Mohit Bhardwaj Rishav Chandra
An overview of the mystical dimension of Islam, acting as its missionary.
Project Synopsis
Sufism is a movement whose followers seek to find divine truth and love through direct encounters with God. Sufism arose within Islam in the 8th-9th centuries C.E. as an ascetic movement. The movement may have been given (or taken on) the name Sufism because of the course wool garments they wore as a mark of their rejection of worldly things; Sufis have traditionally taken vows of poverty and celibacy. Sufism developed religious practices focusing on strict self-control that enable both psychological and mystical insights as well as a loss of self, with the ultimate goal of mystical union with God. The Sufi movement consists of fraternal orders in which leaders train and assist disciples in the mastery of Sufism's philosophical principles and ritual practices. Such rituals and practices include writing and reciting poetry and hymns; some of the most famous and beautiful literature of the Islamic world has been written by Sufis. Sufis engage in a variety of ritual practices intended to help them realize unite with God, such as distinct forms of ritual prayer ( Zikr literally means "remembrance"), including therecitation of God's names, as well as bodily rituals such as those practiced by the so-called"Whirling Dervishes," a Turkish Sufi order that practices meditation and contemplation of God through spinning.
Project description at:
https://www.academia.edu/11459107/Sufis ... view-paper
Mohit Bhardwaj Rishav Chandra
An overview of the mystical dimension of Islam, acting as its missionary.
Project Synopsis
Sufism is a movement whose followers seek to find divine truth and love through direct encounters with God. Sufism arose within Islam in the 8th-9th centuries C.E. as an ascetic movement. The movement may have been given (or taken on) the name Sufism because of the course wool garments they wore as a mark of their rejection of worldly things; Sufis have traditionally taken vows of poverty and celibacy. Sufism developed religious practices focusing on strict self-control that enable both psychological and mystical insights as well as a loss of self, with the ultimate goal of mystical union with God. The Sufi movement consists of fraternal orders in which leaders train and assist disciples in the mastery of Sufism's philosophical principles and ritual practices. Such rituals and practices include writing and reciting poetry and hymns; some of the most famous and beautiful literature of the Islamic world has been written by Sufis. Sufis engage in a variety of ritual practices intended to help them realize unite with God, such as distinct forms of ritual prayer ( Zikr literally means "remembrance"), including therecitation of God's names, as well as bodily rituals such as those practiced by the so-called"Whirling Dervishes," a Turkish Sufi order that practices meditation and contemplation of God through spinning.
Project description at:
https://www.academia.edu/11459107/Sufis ... view-paper
Jesus and Christic Sanctity in Ibn 'Arabi and Early Islamic Spirituality
Journal of the Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi Society, 2015
The article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/15319360/Jesus ... o=download
The article contains interesting information on Imam Husayn, Hazarat Bibi Fatimah and Mansur Al- Hallaj.
Journal of the Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi Society, 2015
The article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/15319360/Jesus ... o=download
The article contains interesting information on Imam Husayn, Hazarat Bibi Fatimah and Mansur Al- Hallaj.
Devotion to the Prophet and His Family in Egyptian Sufism
Article which highlights parallels with Shia Islam can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/4096280/Devoti ... view-paper
Article which highlights parallels with Shia Islam can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/4096280/Devoti ... view-paper
Book
A GUIDE TO MYSTICISM
Introduction
This book is a historical study of Sufism (Tasawwuf ) with specific reference to its spread throughout the Indian subcontinent. It deals with the major Sufi
orders, their distinguishing features and the ideology and method of Sufism. The aim of Tasawwuf, to put it briefly, is to attain the realization of God. The realization of God produces all kinds of spiritual qualities. Although the term
Tasawwuf came into vogue as late as the 2nd century A.H.,Tasawwuf
was actually integral to the believer’s life from the very beginning.
Tasawwuf is, in fact, another name for the Islamic realization of God.In later periods of Islamic history, the propagation of Islam all over the world was due less to the spread of the Muslim empire than to the efforts made by the Sufis.. The greatest feat of the Sufis has been the development, by dint of great striving, of a version of Islam which has been found acceptable to all. This version of Islam is free of all negative features such as hatred,the desire for revenge, and the urge to perpetrate violence. It is characterized rather by love, compassion and charitableness. This is why Sufism became so popular in the medieval world. If the ruling class can take credit for the political expansion of Islam, the Sufis can take credit for the spiritual spread of Islam.
The entire book can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/23808075/A_GUI ... view-paper
A GUIDE TO MYSTICISM
Introduction
This book is a historical study of Sufism (Tasawwuf ) with specific reference to its spread throughout the Indian subcontinent. It deals with the major Sufi
orders, their distinguishing features and the ideology and method of Sufism. The aim of Tasawwuf, to put it briefly, is to attain the realization of God. The realization of God produces all kinds of spiritual qualities. Although the term
Tasawwuf came into vogue as late as the 2nd century A.H.,Tasawwuf
was actually integral to the believer’s life from the very beginning.
Tasawwuf is, in fact, another name for the Islamic realization of God.In later periods of Islamic history, the propagation of Islam all over the world was due less to the spread of the Muslim empire than to the efforts made by the Sufis.. The greatest feat of the Sufis has been the development, by dint of great striving, of a version of Islam which has been found acceptable to all. This version of Islam is free of all negative features such as hatred,the desire for revenge, and the urge to perpetrate violence. It is characterized rather by love, compassion and charitableness. This is why Sufism became so popular in the medieval world. If the ruling class can take credit for the political expansion of Islam, the Sufis can take credit for the spiritual spread of Islam.
The entire book can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/23808075/A_GUI ... view-paper
Book
The Naqshbandiyya: Orthodoxy and Activism in a Worldwide Sufi Tradition
The Naqshbandiyya is one of the most widespread Sufi brotherhoods in the world. Its strength lay in its characteristic combination of strict adherence to the divine law and active involvement in social and political affairs.The book begins with an examination of the place and unique features of this brotherhood within the larger Sufi movement, and Islam in general. It then traces its historical evolution through three main phases, each dominated by one off
shoot: the original Naqshbandiyya of Central Asia, the Mujaddidiyya which sprang from India, and the Khalidiyya, which was formed in the Ottoman lands and reached the remotest corners of the Muslim world – the North Caucuses, Siberia, and Indonesia, as well as Western Europe and North America. The
final chapters examine modern Islamic thinkers and movements that had roots in the Naqshbandiyya and of the Naqshbandi masters and branches that have adopted new strategies to cope with the challenges of modernity and postmodernity. This fully illustrated study presents a broad synthesis of the history of the Naqshbandiyya throughout the eight centuries of its existence, and analyses its basic principles and the teachings of its outstanding masters. As such,it will be an indispensable tool for students of Sufi studies, scholars of medieval and modern Islam, and the informed public that is interested in the manifestations of Islam beyond its current militant version.
Itzchak Weismann
is senior lecturer at the Department of Middle Easternhistory, University of Haifa, Israel. His research interests focus on modernIslam, particularly interrelations between Sufism and fundamentalist and radical movements.
The entire book can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/1305683/The_Na ... view-paper
The Naqshbandiyya: Orthodoxy and Activism in a Worldwide Sufi Tradition
The Naqshbandiyya is one of the most widespread Sufi brotherhoods in the world. Its strength lay in its characteristic combination of strict adherence to the divine law and active involvement in social and political affairs.The book begins with an examination of the place and unique features of this brotherhood within the larger Sufi movement, and Islam in general. It then traces its historical evolution through three main phases, each dominated by one off
shoot: the original Naqshbandiyya of Central Asia, the Mujaddidiyya which sprang from India, and the Khalidiyya, which was formed in the Ottoman lands and reached the remotest corners of the Muslim world – the North Caucuses, Siberia, and Indonesia, as well as Western Europe and North America. The
final chapters examine modern Islamic thinkers and movements that had roots in the Naqshbandiyya and of the Naqshbandi masters and branches that have adopted new strategies to cope with the challenges of modernity and postmodernity. This fully illustrated study presents a broad synthesis of the history of the Naqshbandiyya throughout the eight centuries of its existence, and analyses its basic principles and the teachings of its outstanding masters. As such,it will be an indispensable tool for students of Sufi studies, scholars of medieval and modern Islam, and the informed public that is interested in the manifestations of Islam beyond its current militant version.
Itzchak Weismann
is senior lecturer at the Department of Middle Easternhistory, University of Haifa, Israel. His research interests focus on modernIslam, particularly interrelations between Sufism and fundamentalist and radical movements.
The entire book can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/1305683/The_Na ... view-paper
-
swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
DAWN.COM
JANUARY 13, 2020
MYTHOLOGY: KHAWAJA KHIZR OF THE INDUS
Suneela Ahmed Updated January 12, 2020
Recently when I was in Sukkur, the arcane name of Khawaja Khizr popped up frequently in conversations with the locals. As familiar as the name Khawaja Khizr may be, the man behind it is shrouded in mystery. I myself had never paid much attention to the legends associated with him. Believed to be a saint to some, an angel or a prophet to others, locals narrated multiple stories associated with Khizr in an impassioned manner.
Revered by Hindus and Muslims alike, Khawaja Khizr is known by various names: Zinda Pir, Jinda Pir, Jhoolay Laal, Darya Laal, Udero Laal. Irrespective of the name, the iconography of this figure remains the same: a turbaned saint wearing a green robe, white-bearded and riding a fish. A myth related to Khizr narrates that he rode on the back of a fish to save a damsel in distress. The fish is identified as the palla locally. It is a sweet water fish found in River Indus, and it swims against the water current.
Another story known to many Muslims is that Khawaja Khizr is the saint who guided Prophet Moses. He is believed to be the righteous man possessing great wisdom, as mentioned in Surah Kahf in the Quran, who taught Moses to be patient and not ask questions. The Quran does not mention him by name, though.
Saint, angel or prophet? The iconography of the green-clad guide associated with water survives on an island off Sukkur
As his name often came up during my visit to Sukkur, I made a mental note to research this figure. So I set out to research and dig up some answers about the man behind the myths. Serendipitously, I found that an island on the outskirts of Sukkur and Rohri is believed to house the grave of Khawaja Khizr. This shrine was built in 925 AD on the island known as Haji ka Tau. It is located north of Bukkur Island fort, and can be reached via a short boat ride from Sukkur. The island comes under the ownership of the Evacuee Trust of Pakistan. The Qureshi Family of Rohri, the gaddi nasheen or caretakers of the shrine, are responsible for its upkeep and maintenance.
The islet situated in River Indus lies almost equidistant from Rohri and Sukkur. About half an acre in diameter, the tiny island is quite run down and unkempt. Yet as it all came into view, I was simply mesmerised. Both the island and the grave itself are not majestic in any aspect but the overall rustic ambience and unassuming presence of this spatial marker left a lasting impression on me. The space itself seemed to speak about life and death, about the passage of time, ageing, selflessness, devotion, faith and belief. And all of these intangible qualities are associated with Khawaja Khizr.
The sanctum of Khawaja Khizr is enclosed in a perforated jaali and is placed on a raised platform. This is believed to be the seat of Khawaja Khizr, but there is no historical reference that he visited this place in person. The jaali has many coloured pieces of cloth tied to it, representing various supplications (mannats) that people make here. The sanctum also has many large alams (flags or signs) posted, indicating the caretakers of the shrine are Shias.
The story behind the construction of this grave traces back to the early ninth century. The daughter of a Delhi merchant, on his way to perform pilgrimage in Makkah, was asked for in marriage by a Hindu king named Daluraj. The merchant’s daughter was known for her beauty. Her father refused her hand in marriage because a Muslim is not allowed to marry a Hindu. Legend has it that the girl prayed to Khawaja Khizr for help.
Soon Daluraj showed that he intended to abduct her and carry her away by force. So the merchant was ordered by Khawaja Khizr to cut loose his boat which was en route to Makkah. No sooner than this was done, the River Indus changed its course, and started flowing towards Rohri, carrying the boat and its passengers to safety. The merchant then constructed the shrine and a mosque in gratitude, dedicating it to Khawaja Khizr.
Over the years, many structures were added to the island, including lavish entrance portals, a mosque and retaining walls (since the island is prone to erosion, a structure designed and constructed to resist the lateral pressure of water was constructed to prevent this natural phenomenon). But these structures have vanished over time. Today, the island wears a minimalistic look. But even though there is an absence of any expensive structures, the mere presence of this islet at the mouth of the Indus is intriguing for travellers.
Even in the bustling metropolis of Karachi, a temple dedicated to Darya Laal is located near Custom House near Native Jetty Bridge. It houses a statue of Udero Laal, which has the same iconography as Khizr, Darya Laal or Jhoolay Laal, essentially as the river deity.
Khawaja Khizr was also accredited as a saviour around these parts even during modern-day history. During the 1965 war between India and Pakistan, residents of the twin cities of Sukkur and Rohri claimed to have seen a green turbaned saint on the Sukkur Barrage, signalling towards the skies. They believe the cities of Sukkur, Rohri and the Sukkur Barrage were kept safe because of him.
According to older images of the island, and as mentioned previously, there used to be an upsized entrance portal marking the entrance to the island, along with a mosque, and fully grown date palms and other trees, and the total original size of the island was threefold. Over time, corrosion has given way and a major chunk of the island has sunk under water.
The remaining walls and rubble masonry are in a precarious condition and although the Endowment Fund Trust (EFT) sanctioned an amount of five million rupees in 2014 — according to the Annual Report 2010-2015 of EFT — for the reconstruction of the island, work does not seem to be on the cards in the near future.
One of the reasons for the island to have fallen prey to neglect is the fact that, historically, the place was revered by both Hindus and Muslims, but there came a time when a rift occurred between them, which resulted in communal disturbance. Khwaja Khizr was compartmentalised into Hindu and Muslim sections, and the need to separate Jhoolay Laal or Darya Laal was felt by the Hindus. This resulted in a temple that was constructed on the mainland of Sukkur, facing the river.
Upon further research I also discovered that there is a Tomb of Khawaja Khizr in Sonipat in India and a Dome of Khizr on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Khizr is described not only in Islamic texts and theology, but is also known in Zoroastrianism (Michael Strausberg, Zoroastrian Rituals in Context, 2004). On a pilgrimage route to Yazd in Iran, six shrines are to be visited, and one of the shrine is of the ‘Pir-i-Sabz’, the green saint. It is regarded as the holiest place for the Zoroastrians living in Iran. The iconography of Pir-e-Sabz is similar to the imagery of Khawaja Khizr. Pir-i-Sabz is also associated to the goddess Anahita, to whom worshippers pray for rain and to celebrate the start of spring.
Shia Muslims believe that Hazrat Khizr, accompanied by Muhammad Al Mahdi, ordered the construction of a mosque near Qom, in Iran, a holy site and a destination of pilgrimage for the Shia community (“History of Jamkaran Mosque”, Jafariya News). Even for Sunni Sufis, Al-Khizr holds a sacred place, and many Sufi sects consider him to be alive and tell stories of having personal encounters with him. What is common, however, in many stories about Khizr is his connection with water, or rituals related to water.
In City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi, William Dalrymple writes about the Sufis he encountered in Delhi and their association with Khizr. Khizr is revered as a supernatural being, with extreme might and considered omnipotent. He is also a revered figure in the Chishti tradition, as he is believed to have built the stepped well at the Tomb of Bahauddin with his might. The place where the tomb now stands was originally chosen to be his khanqah [gathering place] by Baba Bahauddin and there was no source of water nearby. On praying and asking for help from Khawaja Khizr, the well was built in no time.
Dalrymple also mentions a ‘Makan i-Khizer’ (House of Khizr) where it is believed that Khizr could be summoned any time by saints and religious scholars. According to Dalrymple, “The Green One, it turned out, was once celebrated throughout Islam. He was said to be the unseen guide and protector of all Sufis, a mysterious figure who would rescue dervishes lost in the billowing sands of the Sinai or drowning in the Nile or the Oxus. He appeared in the wilderness and, to those who deserved it, he imparted his God-given knowledge.” Dalrymple also mentions to have met some dervish who still visited ‘Makan-i-Khizer’ in Delhi and meditated for 40 days in the hope of meeting Khizr.
Some of these fables over time become so ingrained in the lives of people that it is difficult to disassociate myths from reality. As far as Muslims are concerned, many of them believe that Khizr still lives and guides people who are lost, or those who call him for help, and the temples and shrines dedicated to him are proof that he is still revered as a living legend.
Even in the bustling metropolis of Karachi, a temple dedicated to Darya Laal is located near Custom House near Native Jetty Bridge. It houses a statue of Udero Laal, which has the same iconography as Khizr, Darya Laal or Jhoolay Laal, essentially as the river deity. The exact dates of construction for this temple are unknown. An urs was also annually celebrated previously and a large festival was organised around this period, with offerings being made to the sea to please the saint. Another temple in Jodia Bazaar also houses a statue of Udero Laal. His association with water is the reason that temples dedicated to Udero Laal always have a well, and the water in these wells is believed to be sacred.
Although there is nothing concrete to validate the existence of the elusive Khizr, his devotees believe in him with much conviction. The fables about him are supported by the physical markers whether in India, Pakistan or Iran and his iconography and legend lives on.
The writer is an architect, urban researcher and assistant professor at NED University of Engineering & Technology
Published in Dawn, EOS, January 12th, 2020
https://www.dawn.com/news/1527475/mytho ... -the-indus
JANUARY 13, 2020
MYTHOLOGY: KHAWAJA KHIZR OF THE INDUS
Suneela Ahmed Updated January 12, 2020
Recently when I was in Sukkur, the arcane name of Khawaja Khizr popped up frequently in conversations with the locals. As familiar as the name Khawaja Khizr may be, the man behind it is shrouded in mystery. I myself had never paid much attention to the legends associated with him. Believed to be a saint to some, an angel or a prophet to others, locals narrated multiple stories associated with Khizr in an impassioned manner.
Revered by Hindus and Muslims alike, Khawaja Khizr is known by various names: Zinda Pir, Jinda Pir, Jhoolay Laal, Darya Laal, Udero Laal. Irrespective of the name, the iconography of this figure remains the same: a turbaned saint wearing a green robe, white-bearded and riding a fish. A myth related to Khizr narrates that he rode on the back of a fish to save a damsel in distress. The fish is identified as the palla locally. It is a sweet water fish found in River Indus, and it swims against the water current.
Another story known to many Muslims is that Khawaja Khizr is the saint who guided Prophet Moses. He is believed to be the righteous man possessing great wisdom, as mentioned in Surah Kahf in the Quran, who taught Moses to be patient and not ask questions. The Quran does not mention him by name, though.
Saint, angel or prophet? The iconography of the green-clad guide associated with water survives on an island off Sukkur
As his name often came up during my visit to Sukkur, I made a mental note to research this figure. So I set out to research and dig up some answers about the man behind the myths. Serendipitously, I found that an island on the outskirts of Sukkur and Rohri is believed to house the grave of Khawaja Khizr. This shrine was built in 925 AD on the island known as Haji ka Tau. It is located north of Bukkur Island fort, and can be reached via a short boat ride from Sukkur. The island comes under the ownership of the Evacuee Trust of Pakistan. The Qureshi Family of Rohri, the gaddi nasheen or caretakers of the shrine, are responsible for its upkeep and maintenance.
The islet situated in River Indus lies almost equidistant from Rohri and Sukkur. About half an acre in diameter, the tiny island is quite run down and unkempt. Yet as it all came into view, I was simply mesmerised. Both the island and the grave itself are not majestic in any aspect but the overall rustic ambience and unassuming presence of this spatial marker left a lasting impression on me. The space itself seemed to speak about life and death, about the passage of time, ageing, selflessness, devotion, faith and belief. And all of these intangible qualities are associated with Khawaja Khizr.
The sanctum of Khawaja Khizr is enclosed in a perforated jaali and is placed on a raised platform. This is believed to be the seat of Khawaja Khizr, but there is no historical reference that he visited this place in person. The jaali has many coloured pieces of cloth tied to it, representing various supplications (mannats) that people make here. The sanctum also has many large alams (flags or signs) posted, indicating the caretakers of the shrine are Shias.
The story behind the construction of this grave traces back to the early ninth century. The daughter of a Delhi merchant, on his way to perform pilgrimage in Makkah, was asked for in marriage by a Hindu king named Daluraj. The merchant’s daughter was known for her beauty. Her father refused her hand in marriage because a Muslim is not allowed to marry a Hindu. Legend has it that the girl prayed to Khawaja Khizr for help.
Soon Daluraj showed that he intended to abduct her and carry her away by force. So the merchant was ordered by Khawaja Khizr to cut loose his boat which was en route to Makkah. No sooner than this was done, the River Indus changed its course, and started flowing towards Rohri, carrying the boat and its passengers to safety. The merchant then constructed the shrine and a mosque in gratitude, dedicating it to Khawaja Khizr.
Over the years, many structures were added to the island, including lavish entrance portals, a mosque and retaining walls (since the island is prone to erosion, a structure designed and constructed to resist the lateral pressure of water was constructed to prevent this natural phenomenon). But these structures have vanished over time. Today, the island wears a minimalistic look. But even though there is an absence of any expensive structures, the mere presence of this islet at the mouth of the Indus is intriguing for travellers.
Even in the bustling metropolis of Karachi, a temple dedicated to Darya Laal is located near Custom House near Native Jetty Bridge. It houses a statue of Udero Laal, which has the same iconography as Khizr, Darya Laal or Jhoolay Laal, essentially as the river deity.
Khawaja Khizr was also accredited as a saviour around these parts even during modern-day history. During the 1965 war between India and Pakistan, residents of the twin cities of Sukkur and Rohri claimed to have seen a green turbaned saint on the Sukkur Barrage, signalling towards the skies. They believe the cities of Sukkur, Rohri and the Sukkur Barrage were kept safe because of him.
According to older images of the island, and as mentioned previously, there used to be an upsized entrance portal marking the entrance to the island, along with a mosque, and fully grown date palms and other trees, and the total original size of the island was threefold. Over time, corrosion has given way and a major chunk of the island has sunk under water.
The remaining walls and rubble masonry are in a precarious condition and although the Endowment Fund Trust (EFT) sanctioned an amount of five million rupees in 2014 — according to the Annual Report 2010-2015 of EFT — for the reconstruction of the island, work does not seem to be on the cards in the near future.
One of the reasons for the island to have fallen prey to neglect is the fact that, historically, the place was revered by both Hindus and Muslims, but there came a time when a rift occurred between them, which resulted in communal disturbance. Khwaja Khizr was compartmentalised into Hindu and Muslim sections, and the need to separate Jhoolay Laal or Darya Laal was felt by the Hindus. This resulted in a temple that was constructed on the mainland of Sukkur, facing the river.
Upon further research I also discovered that there is a Tomb of Khawaja Khizr in Sonipat in India and a Dome of Khizr on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Khizr is described not only in Islamic texts and theology, but is also known in Zoroastrianism (Michael Strausberg, Zoroastrian Rituals in Context, 2004). On a pilgrimage route to Yazd in Iran, six shrines are to be visited, and one of the shrine is of the ‘Pir-i-Sabz’, the green saint. It is regarded as the holiest place for the Zoroastrians living in Iran. The iconography of Pir-e-Sabz is similar to the imagery of Khawaja Khizr. Pir-i-Sabz is also associated to the goddess Anahita, to whom worshippers pray for rain and to celebrate the start of spring.
Shia Muslims believe that Hazrat Khizr, accompanied by Muhammad Al Mahdi, ordered the construction of a mosque near Qom, in Iran, a holy site and a destination of pilgrimage for the Shia community (“History of Jamkaran Mosque”, Jafariya News). Even for Sunni Sufis, Al-Khizr holds a sacred place, and many Sufi sects consider him to be alive and tell stories of having personal encounters with him. What is common, however, in many stories about Khizr is his connection with water, or rituals related to water.
In City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi, William Dalrymple writes about the Sufis he encountered in Delhi and their association with Khizr. Khizr is revered as a supernatural being, with extreme might and considered omnipotent. He is also a revered figure in the Chishti tradition, as he is believed to have built the stepped well at the Tomb of Bahauddin with his might. The place where the tomb now stands was originally chosen to be his khanqah [gathering place] by Baba Bahauddin and there was no source of water nearby. On praying and asking for help from Khawaja Khizr, the well was built in no time.
Dalrymple also mentions a ‘Makan i-Khizer’ (House of Khizr) where it is believed that Khizr could be summoned any time by saints and religious scholars. According to Dalrymple, “The Green One, it turned out, was once celebrated throughout Islam. He was said to be the unseen guide and protector of all Sufis, a mysterious figure who would rescue dervishes lost in the billowing sands of the Sinai or drowning in the Nile or the Oxus. He appeared in the wilderness and, to those who deserved it, he imparted his God-given knowledge.” Dalrymple also mentions to have met some dervish who still visited ‘Makan-i-Khizer’ in Delhi and meditated for 40 days in the hope of meeting Khizr.
Some of these fables over time become so ingrained in the lives of people that it is difficult to disassociate myths from reality. As far as Muslims are concerned, many of them believe that Khizr still lives and guides people who are lost, or those who call him for help, and the temples and shrines dedicated to him are proof that he is still revered as a living legend.
Even in the bustling metropolis of Karachi, a temple dedicated to Darya Laal is located near Custom House near Native Jetty Bridge. It houses a statue of Udero Laal, which has the same iconography as Khizr, Darya Laal or Jhoolay Laal, essentially as the river deity. The exact dates of construction for this temple are unknown. An urs was also annually celebrated previously and a large festival was organised around this period, with offerings being made to the sea to please the saint. Another temple in Jodia Bazaar also houses a statue of Udero Laal. His association with water is the reason that temples dedicated to Udero Laal always have a well, and the water in these wells is believed to be sacred.
Although there is nothing concrete to validate the existence of the elusive Khizr, his devotees believe in him with much conviction. The fables about him are supported by the physical markers whether in India, Pakistan or Iran and his iconography and legend lives on.
The writer is an architect, urban researcher and assistant professor at NED University of Engineering & Technology
Published in Dawn, EOS, January 12th, 2020
https://www.dawn.com/news/1527475/mytho ... -the-indus
OVERLAPPING CURRENTS IN EARLY ISLAM: THE SUFI SHAYKH AND SHΑΠIMAM
Arthur Buehler
Soon after the Imâmî leader disappears in 260/874 the Sufi master becomes imbued with many of the Imams' traits. In addition, the Ismâ‘îlî imam reappears in the flesh during the same period. Reports suggest that up to two-thirds of the Imâmî community converted during this time. There are many cogent reasons why many of these converts would have felt at ease in Sufi circles. The article explores the shared authority models underpinning both an Imam and a Sufi shaykh.
The article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/15154406/OVERL ... view-paper
Arthur Buehler
Soon after the Imâmî leader disappears in 260/874 the Sufi master becomes imbued with many of the Imams' traits. In addition, the Ismâ‘îlî imam reappears in the flesh during the same period. Reports suggest that up to two-thirds of the Imâmî community converted during this time. There are many cogent reasons why many of these converts would have felt at ease in Sufi circles. The article explores the shared authority models underpinning both an Imam and a Sufi shaykh.
The article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/15154406/OVERL ... view-paper
Book
Sufism in the west
Free down load at:
https://epdf.pub/sufism-in-the-west.html
This book is the product of conference on Islamic mysticism partly sponsored by the institute of Ismaili Studies. It has interesting essays on Sufism in the West.
Sufism in the west
Free down load at:
https://epdf.pub/sufism-in-the-west.html
This book is the product of conference on Islamic mysticism partly sponsored by the institute of Ismaili Studies. It has interesting essays on Sufism in the West.
More about the book above...
Sufism in the West
With the increasing Muslim diaspora in post-modern Western societies, Sufism – intellectually as well as sociologically – may eventually become mainstream Islam itself due to its versatile potential, especially in the wake of what has been called the failure of political Islam world-wide. Sufism in the West provides a timely account of this subject and is primarily concerned with the latest developments in the history of Sufism and elaborates the ideas and institutions which organise Sufism and folkreligious practices. The topics discussed include: • • • • • • •
The orders and movements Their social base Organisation and institutionalisation Recruitment-patterns in new environments Channels of disseminating ideas, such as ritual, charisma, and organisation Reasons for their popularity among certain social groups The nature of their affiliation with the countries of their origin
Sufism in the West is essential reading for students and academics with research interests in Islam, Islamic History and Social Anthropology. John Hinnells is former Professor and founding chair of the Department for the Study of Religion at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University. His main research interest is in Zoroastrianism and has also edited the New Penguin Dictionary of Religions and the New Penguin Handbook of Living Religions. Jamal Malik is Chair of Religious Studies and Islamic Studies at the University of Erfurt, Germany. His areas of interest and research are Islamic Religion, Social History of Muslim South Asia, Colonialism and Political Islam, Islamic Mysticism and Muslims in the West.
https://epdf.pub/sufism-in-the-west.html
Sufism in the West
With the increasing Muslim diaspora in post-modern Western societies, Sufism – intellectually as well as sociologically – may eventually become mainstream Islam itself due to its versatile potential, especially in the wake of what has been called the failure of political Islam world-wide. Sufism in the West provides a timely account of this subject and is primarily concerned with the latest developments in the history of Sufism and elaborates the ideas and institutions which organise Sufism and folkreligious practices. The topics discussed include: • • • • • • •
The orders and movements Their social base Organisation and institutionalisation Recruitment-patterns in new environments Channels of disseminating ideas, such as ritual, charisma, and organisation Reasons for their popularity among certain social groups The nature of their affiliation with the countries of their origin
Sufism in the West is essential reading for students and academics with research interests in Islam, Islamic History and Social Anthropology. John Hinnells is former Professor and founding chair of the Department for the Study of Religion at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University. His main research interest is in Zoroastrianism and has also edited the New Penguin Dictionary of Religions and the New Penguin Handbook of Living Religions. Jamal Malik is Chair of Religious Studies and Islamic Studies at the University of Erfurt, Germany. His areas of interest and research are Islamic Religion, Social History of Muslim South Asia, Colonialism and Political Islam, Islamic Mysticism and Muslims in the West.
https://epdf.pub/sufism-in-the-west.html
Tasawwuf ‘Usturaliya: Prolegomena to a History of Sufism in Australia
Australian Journal of Islamic Studies, 2018Abu Bakr Sirajuddin Cook
A. Cook
Tracing the history of Sufism in Australia is a challenging task. The reasons for this are varied and include, but not limited to, the wide dispersal of source materials, the primarily oral transmission of Sufism, and diversity of the manifestation of Sufism. Detailing a history of Sufism in Australia is not possible in a short article. Rather than attempting to do so, this paper will emphasise that it is a neglected area that deserves significant scholarly attention. This paper will show that Australia has a rich and diverse heritage of Sufism. This is not without some challenges and raising these will support any study that attempts to engage Australia’s Sufi heritage, especially those that attempt to detail the earlier emergences of Sufism within Australia. Some solutions to the challenges of studying the history of Sufism in Australia will be proposed. In this light, Sufism in Australia can be seen to make an important contribution to the development of Australia generally and Australian Islam specifically.
Publication Date: 2018
Publication Name: Australian Journal of Islamic Studies
The entire article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/38358323/Tasaw ... view-paper
Australian Journal of Islamic Studies, 2018Abu Bakr Sirajuddin Cook
A. Cook
Tracing the history of Sufism in Australia is a challenging task. The reasons for this are varied and include, but not limited to, the wide dispersal of source materials, the primarily oral transmission of Sufism, and diversity of the manifestation of Sufism. Detailing a history of Sufism in Australia is not possible in a short article. Rather than attempting to do so, this paper will emphasise that it is a neglected area that deserves significant scholarly attention. This paper will show that Australia has a rich and diverse heritage of Sufism. This is not without some challenges and raising these will support any study that attempts to engage Australia’s Sufi heritage, especially those that attempt to detail the earlier emergences of Sufism within Australia. Some solutions to the challenges of studying the history of Sufism in Australia will be proposed. In this light, Sufism in Australia can be seen to make an important contribution to the development of Australia generally and Australian Islam specifically.
Publication Date: 2018
Publication Name: Australian Journal of Islamic Studies
The entire article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/38358323/Tasaw ... view-paper
-
swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
If you desire grace
Loose your selfish self
Till you can taste
The sweet essence
Rumi
The beauty you see in me is a reflection of you.
Rumi
Let the waters settle
And you will see
The moon and stars
Mirrored in your own being
Rumi
Death has nothing to do
With going away
The sun sets
The moon sets
But they are not gone
Rumi
All religions singing this one song
The differences are just illusions and vanity
The sun's light looks a little different
On this wall than it does on that wall
And a lot different on this other one
But it is still one light for all
Rumi
Than it does on that wall
Loose your selfish self
Till you can taste
The sweet essence
Rumi
The beauty you see in me is a reflection of you.
Rumi
Let the waters settle
And you will see
The moon and stars
Mirrored in your own being
Rumi
Death has nothing to do
With going away
The sun sets
The moon sets
But they are not gone
Rumi
All religions singing this one song
The differences are just illusions and vanity
The sun's light looks a little different
On this wall than it does on that wall
And a lot different on this other one
But it is still one light for all
Rumi
Than it does on that wall
Ḏu l-Nun al-Miṣri and Early Islamic Mysticism
Michael Ebstein
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Abstract
The article analyzes some of the main teachings that are attributed to Ḏu l-Nun al-Miṣri(died ca 245/859-860), a prominent figure in the formative period of the Sufi tradition.These teachings are reflected in the many sayings that are ascribed to Ḏu l-Nun in Sufi literature, in non-Sufi biographical dictionaries, and in several other medieval Islamic sources, all dating from the 4th/10th century onwards. The article demonstrates the historical problems related to the figure of Ḏu l-Nun al-Miṣri, and, in this context, particular attention is given to the occult tendencies that are attributed to him in various writings.
Keywords
sufism, Ḏu l-Nun al-Miṣri, Egypt, North Africa, historiography, hagiography, biography,biographical dictionaries, Occult, magic, alchemy, Hermetic tradition, hermeticism,neoplatonism, shiism, ismailism
Interesting perspective on Sufism. The entire article can be downloaded at;
https://www.academia.edu/5256946/_Dhu_l ... view-paper
Michael Ebstein
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Abstract
The article analyzes some of the main teachings that are attributed to Ḏu l-Nun al-Miṣri(died ca 245/859-860), a prominent figure in the formative period of the Sufi tradition.These teachings are reflected in the many sayings that are ascribed to Ḏu l-Nun in Sufi literature, in non-Sufi biographical dictionaries, and in several other medieval Islamic sources, all dating from the 4th/10th century onwards. The article demonstrates the historical problems related to the figure of Ḏu l-Nun al-Miṣri, and, in this context, particular attention is given to the occult tendencies that are attributed to him in various writings.
Keywords
sufism, Ḏu l-Nun al-Miṣri, Egypt, North Africa, historiography, hagiography, biography,biographical dictionaries, Occult, magic, alchemy, Hermetic tradition, hermeticism,neoplatonism, shiism, ismailism
Interesting perspective on Sufism. The entire article can be downloaded at;
https://www.academia.edu/5256946/_Dhu_l ... view-paper
Dhu l-Nun al-Misri and Early Islamic Mysticism
Michael Ebstein
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Abstract
The article analyzes some of the main teachings that are attributed to Dhu l-Nun al-Misri(died ca 245/859-860), a prominent figure in the formative period of the Sufi tradition.These teachings are reflected in the many sayings that are ascribed to Dhu l-Nun in Sufi literature, in non-Sufi biographical dictionaries, and in several other medieval Islamic sources, all dating from the 4th/10th century onwards. The article demonstrates the historical problems related to the figure o Dhu l-Nun al-Misri, and, in this context, particular attention is given to the occult tendencies that are attributed to him in various writings.
Keywords
sufism, Dhu l-Nun al-Misri, Egypt, North Africa, historiography, hagiography, biography,biographical dictionaries, Occult, magic, alchemy, Hermetic tradition, hermeticism,neoplatonism, shiism, ismailism
Interesting perspective on Sufism. The entire article can be downloaded at;
https://www.academia.edu/5256946/_Dhu_l ... view-paper
Michael Ebstein
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Abstract
The article analyzes some of the main teachings that are attributed to Dhu l-Nun al-Misri(died ca 245/859-860), a prominent figure in the formative period of the Sufi tradition.These teachings are reflected in the many sayings that are ascribed to Dhu l-Nun in Sufi literature, in non-Sufi biographical dictionaries, and in several other medieval Islamic sources, all dating from the 4th/10th century onwards. The article demonstrates the historical problems related to the figure o Dhu l-Nun al-Misri, and, in this context, particular attention is given to the occult tendencies that are attributed to him in various writings.
Keywords
sufism, Dhu l-Nun al-Misri, Egypt, North Africa, historiography, hagiography, biography,biographical dictionaries, Occult, magic, alchemy, Hermetic tradition, hermeticism,neoplatonism, shiism, ismailism
Interesting perspective on Sufism. The entire article can be downloaded at;
https://www.academia.edu/5256946/_Dhu_l ... view-paper
-
swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
Pass around the cup fair maiden,
Because Love seemed easy at first,
But now I see how difficult it is.
The hearts of Lovers bleed,
and will be doomed to break,
when the scent of the Beloved blows away in the wind.
How can the traveler stay safe
when the clarion calls its sound of parting?
The Master tells us:
"soak your prayer rug red with wine, my friend".
Those who are still on the shore
feel they have peace of mind,
they don't know our storms and dark nights.
But at last, I find the Secret,
hidden in street corners,
revealed before me.
Hafiz, enjoy her Love
And instruct her,
"suffer the darkness for the sake of the light".
Hafiz Shirazi
Because Love seemed easy at first,
But now I see how difficult it is.
The hearts of Lovers bleed,
and will be doomed to break,
when the scent of the Beloved blows away in the wind.
How can the traveler stay safe
when the clarion calls its sound of parting?
The Master tells us:
"soak your prayer rug red with wine, my friend".
Those who are still on the shore
feel they have peace of mind,
they don't know our storms and dark nights.
But at last, I find the Secret,
hidden in street corners,
revealed before me.
Hafiz, enjoy her Love
And instruct her,
"suffer the darkness for the sake of the light".
Hafiz Shirazi
A Sufi’s Paradise and Hell: ʿAzīz-i Nasafī’s (fl. mid-7th/13th c.) Epistle on the Otherworld
Excerpt:
For theorists of the “voluntary return” to the otherworld, it is the human heart and soul that serve as the mirror of God’s gentleness and severity. Paradise and hell can thus be experienced in the forum internum of the Sufi’s psyche. This “myth of the microcosmicreturn,” as Hodgson called it, postulates that “the cosmos is fulfilled through an individual’s self-fulfillment.” Spiritual perfection of the Sufi is construed in terms analogous to the ascent of the soul to paradise after death. Hence Rumi 's and other Sufis’ repeated invocation of the hadith that one must “die before you die.” The Sufis who achieve the highest rank of spiritual realization, in the words of Najm al-Din al Razi (d. 654/1256), [p.196] “have died a true death before the occurrence of material death . . . [t]hey reside inthis world in outward appearance, but in reality they have transcended the eight paradises.”
The entire article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/8731498/A_Sufi ... view-paper
Excerpt:
For theorists of the “voluntary return” to the otherworld, it is the human heart and soul that serve as the mirror of God’s gentleness and severity. Paradise and hell can thus be experienced in the forum internum of the Sufi’s psyche. This “myth of the microcosmicreturn,” as Hodgson called it, postulates that “the cosmos is fulfilled through an individual’s self-fulfillment.” Spiritual perfection of the Sufi is construed in terms analogous to the ascent of the soul to paradise after death. Hence Rumi 's and other Sufis’ repeated invocation of the hadith that one must “die before you die.” The Sufis who achieve the highest rank of spiritual realization, in the words of Najm al-Din al Razi (d. 654/1256), [p.196] “have died a true death before the occurrence of material death . . . [t]hey reside inthis world in outward appearance, but in reality they have transcended the eight paradises.”
The entire article can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/8731498/A_Sufi ... view-paper
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swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
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swamidada_2
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:18 pm
I need a lover and a friend
All friendships you transcend
And impotent I remain
You are Noah and the Ark
You are the light and the dark
Behind the veil I remain
You are passion and are rage
You are the bird and the cage
Lost in flight I remain
You are the wine and the cup
You are the ocean and the drop
While afloat I remain
I said, "O Soul of the world
My desperation has taken hold!"
"I am thy essence," without scold,
"Value me much more than gold."
You are the bait and the trap
You are the path and the map
While in search I remain
You are poison and the sweet
You are defeated and defeat
Sword in hand I remain
You are the wood and the saw
You are cooked, and are raw
While in a pot I remain
You are sunshine and the fog
You are water and the jug
While thirsty I remain
Sweet fragrance of Shams is
The joy and pride of Tabriz
Perfume trader I remain.
Romi
All friendships you transcend
And impotent I remain
You are Noah and the Ark
You are the light and the dark
Behind the veil I remain
You are passion and are rage
You are the bird and the cage
Lost in flight I remain
You are the wine and the cup
You are the ocean and the drop
While afloat I remain
I said, "O Soul of the world
My desperation has taken hold!"
"I am thy essence," without scold,
"Value me much more than gold."
You are the bait and the trap
You are the path and the map
While in search I remain
You are poison and the sweet
You are defeated and defeat
Sword in hand I remain
You are the wood and the saw
You are cooked, and are raw
While in a pot I remain
You are sunshine and the fog
You are water and the jug
While thirsty I remain
Sweet fragrance of Shams is
The joy and pride of Tabriz
Perfume trader I remain.
Romi