SUFISM

Discussion on doctrinal issues
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kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

shivaathervedi wrote:Good to see you admitted Ginans are POETIC EXPRESSIONS.. So Ali is son of Allah, this kind of poetry (ginan) will derail and weaken faith of many..
On the contrary it will make them stronger knowing that the son can mean the substance of Allah and not necessarily physical son.
shivaathervedi wrote: You wrote," Since Abu Talib was alive at the time of marraige of Ali......"
You are making a historical blunder. Hazrat Abu Talib was not alive at time of marriage of Mowla Ali. Abu Talib passed away in Mecca., the same year Bibi Khadija aslo passed away and that year in Islamic history is called 'AAMUL HAZAN. Mowla Ali's marriage took place almost 4 years after the death of Abu Talib in 2 hegira in Medina. So your explanation is completely out of tune.
OK my apologies. I should have said that Hazart Abu Talib would have been alive when the conversation between the Prophet and Allah (Hazarat Abu Talib) took place during Meraj. We can infer that Meraj took place much earlier before the actual marriage when Fatimah was a child as per verse of Momin Chtamni:

109) Eji Jyare ae farzand mota thashe
Tyare karshoon te duniaanoon aachar
Ame tame donoon aek chiae
Tenoon koie na karsho vichar Cheto......

109. When your daughter will grow older I will create the circumstance for
her to marry Ali for indeed you are from My Noor, so don't worry about the future.
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Riches of the Sufi


In times when the plurality of love is under attack, four young artistes celebrated the inclusive musical narrative of Amir Khusrau

Makke me koi dhunde, Kashi ko koi jaaye,

Guiyyan, main apne pi ke paiyyan padhun na kahe?

(The world worships something or the other,

Some seek in Mecca, some go to Kashi.

Why, then, O wise ones, should I not fall at my Beloved’s feet? )

It was a serene evening, when the sun played hide and seek and the rain-bearing clouds brought joys of their own. And a chosen few Delhiites had a moment when they chanced upon some exquisite poetry written by Amir Khusrau, the most iconic mystic Sufi poet to have existed in the Indian subcontinent. This, backed by some feel-good story-telling, made it the perfect Sunday evening one could have hoped for.

Hosted by India Habitat Centre, Khusrau Ke Rang, in collaboration with Aga Khan Trust, was a musical narrative which explored the tones of the relationship between the 13th Century poet Khusrau and his spiritual master Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. The poet’s music played around with Arabic aalap, Persian recitation and Hindustani ragas, a blend that was gentle yet overwhelming to one’s ears.


Speaking about the perception of Khusrau Ke Rang, Ankit Chadha, the narrator, dastango (story- teller) and an ardent Khausrau follower himself, said that the poet was an extremely suitable character to write another story on. “I had been researching for a while and I came across Khusrau. He is a story in himself.” A history graduate who studied less history and more street art in college, Ankit stumbled upon dastangoi, the ancient Urdu storytelling art form in 2010 and has never looked back, since then. “Unfortunately, street theatre is not an organised art form as a career in India. The closest I can come to street theatre is through dastangoi, wherein one only requires a body, a voice, a story and a listener. There are no props, costumes or stage that is involved and it’s that simple,” said Ankit.

Indubitably, music is an inherent part of who Khusrau was and what remains of him. However, Dastangoi as an art form does not work with music. “We are oral narrative performers who tell stories. And there are so many variants like gazal, folk poetry, qawwali, when it comes to the rendition of Khusrau’s poetry. So I decided on coming up with eight different kinds of songs and stories that contextualised what the poems are about; with the scope of the story being of a student and a teacher and the basis of their relationship,’ said Ankit.

While Ankit told the stories, Bindhumalini Narayanaswamy, led the vocals, Vedanth Bhardwaj accompanied the vocals and played the American banjo and on percussion was Ajay Tipanya with the dholak; all of which resulted in a standing ovation from the audience and requests for an en core.

The poetry and the music remained interactive with each other through the performance with the story shedding light on either. Bindhumalini’s voice modulation embraced the air and transformed it into a naturalised, magical qawwali setting one would hope for at a dargah. Her intonation was perfectly placed for a Hindustani singer whose inner calling was Carnatic music, to begin with. Having been under the tutelage of the legendary Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan since 2007, she rendered like a Sufi saint from the 13th Century on stage. “Qawwali is a new discovery for me. I consciously am, trying to improvise my Hindustani because it is an acquired taste, unlike Carnatic, which is rather innate. So each time an element is added, I see myself in a new light,” said Bindhumalini.

Considering the language at play, Vedanth Bhardwaj said that it was rather challenging for both Bindhumalini and him to come around the style of this singing. “We are both trained differently so it took us a while to get the correct pronunciations in Urdu and Persian. The language itself made the journey so fascinating for us,’ said Vedanth, who played the banjo effortlessly. Another interesting element was the keh mukarni, capturing the playful, mischievous Khusrau who played around with riddles. All of the poetry presented was based on love and Khusrau’s experiences since the time he met his pir, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, their longing for each other and the numerous anecdotes which followed.

Speaking about the relevance of Urdu and Persian poetry among today’s youngsters, Ankit stated that more than the language, the content of a particular language has the ability to sustain the language itself. “Why Urdu and Persian poetry is famous today is because of what is written in these languages. Interestingly, Urdu poetry is one the most shared content in online media today; something quite the opposite of what one would assume. This is the content that has survived for over 750 years, I am sure it needs no torchbearer to carry it forward,” Ankit remarked.

Keywords: Anuradha Vellat, Amir Khusrau, Khusrau Ke Rang

http://www.thehindu.com/features/metrop ... 816257.ece
nuseri
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Post by nuseri »

Ya Ali Madad.
Sufism is an external act of inner conviction and love of God within a person expressed in word writing ,song etc.
it is almost like 24x7 period of devotion.
as from Ali of Allah or allah form Ali or Ali from allah.
haqiqati conviction is needed see all as one.
then only one word remains.
to understand the creator one must also try to seek relative implication and analogy with imporant creations.
one of the most important creation with co relates to light is the Sun.
it is said the earth may not srvive beyond x weeks with the Sun.
if one observe that universe is a vast empty space of not any use to humanity as Sun as.
so the combine sun within universe can be termed Allah.(light + nothing)
now Sun is part OF the universe or Sun is from Universe ,both stand true.
so Sun is ALI.
Allah name is cover by thin veil called lah( nothing.
please note that where physical light is concerned.
Sun is bearer of light.
it is not reciever but producer and emitter 24x7.
when bearer is an entitiy so it is true Noor( divine intellect ) also produces and emits Noor.
any fool cannot make statement that sunlight falls on me so I am also an bearer.
same way a normal person is recipient of spark of noor.
the word bearer come with producer and emitter as well to understand it better.
In an farman of imam Baqir.
in an analogy he has compared sharia as candle light and imam as Sun light.
million time more brighter( or intelligent).
most tasty fruits and power ful thing get covers with shell or skin.
like engine is from car.
car body is shell like lah and engine is the power within it.
walnut fruit inside walnut shell.
and there are many examples.
if noor was only light then why sun is not prayed.
prophet was blessed with Noor( divine message/intellect) which turned him from Ummi to prophet over a period of time.

NOOR IS SUBTLE LIGHT OF DIVINE INTELLECT.( nearest understanding for Ayat and from MHI speech on that Ayat).
it HAS HAS to emit from bearer with a body and mind and not some star,tree or point on earth or sea.
sunlight is formless but has direction,but the bearer Sun has definite form.

A zahiri trying to tell Haqiqatis is like one barking at the mountain,assuming that mountain will get scared.
kmaherali
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Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

Modern Sufi Music

Uddi Ja (sour away), Mohsin Abbas Haider, Episode 4, Coke Studio Season 9
Music Directed by Jaffer Zaidi
Produced by Strings.

VIDEO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nbm1vFsr7Q

Subtitles in English can be enabled by clicking the CC button.
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Sufi Sect of Islam Draws ‘Spiritual Vagabonds’ in New York

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/25/nyreg ... d=71987722

Extract:

What makes the order most unusual is that its local sheikh is a woman: the former Philippa de Menil, 69, part of Texas oil aristocracy. She became a Sufi in the 1970s, and, now known as Sheikha Fariha al-Jerrahi, has led the Nur Jerrahi order since its founder’s death in 1995.

Wearing a flowing white gown, her hair half-wrapped in a blue turban, Sheikha Fariha completes the call to prayer and summons the group’s members to stand side by side, avoiding the more orthodox Islamic practice of positioning men up front.

Sheikha Fariha gives few interviews, and she declined to speak to a reporter, but her longtime secretary, Abdul Rahim, answered questions about the congregation. A female sheikh shouldn’t be viewed as unusual, said Mr. Rahim, who was born Thomas Rippe and grew up in Brooklyn. “We don’t put an emphasis on women; we emphasize equality,” he said. “We think of it as a certain kind of maturity.”

The order has no dress code and no rules on sexual orientation. Indeed, the order is so liberal that some members don’t even label themselves as Muslims.

This kind of unorthodox approach, said Marcia Hermansen, director of the Islamic world studies program at Loyola University Chicago, is both the root of Sufism’s appeal and its weakness. Charismatic leaders like Sheikha Fariha have spurred Sufism’s growth in America, she said, with New York in particular attracting “loosey-goosey liberal Sufism.”

And yet for all its liberal trappings, Sufism cannot be detached from Islam. “Sufism isn’t just a label you wear; it’s a state of being,” said John Andrew Morrow, an Islam scholar and author. “You can’t pick and choose parts of Islam, and you can’t mislead sincere people, drawing them into Sufism without telling them this is fundamentally linked to Islam.”
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

The Path of Love Not War: Sufi Music and Peace | Dr.Karim Gillani | TEDxCalgary

Published on Oct 6, 2016


Dr. Karim Gallani and his troupe of performers give us insights into the origins of the Sufi musical style, and its broad themes of appreciating cultural diversity, divine love, and humanity.The accompanying ensemble itself represents cultural diversity from Pakistan, Iran, India, East Africa, and Canada.

Sufi Musician and Ethnomusicologist

Blending ancient and modern instruments, cultures and poetry, Dr. Gillani takes audiences that have included heads of state all the way to students on breathtaking journeys to connect with music that moves the soul. Listeners are often moved to tears with his performances, through the sheer breathtaking beauty. With his commanding stage presence and charisma, he leads a Sufi Ensemble that will create revolutions and evolutions in all those who listen. When not performing, Dr. Gillani is an instructor and ethnomusicologist at the University of Alberta. Find out more about him at http://www.karimsangeet.ca/

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5YzQcoY4QE
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Film - Marvi

Marvi (52m, Canada, Pakistan, U S A) dir. by Tanya Panjwani .This film embarks on a journey through Pakistan with renowned singer Sanam Marvi to discover her roots in Sindh and Punjab, through the shrines of Saints that inspired her to deliver the message of Sufism that permeates the land. It follows her creative process to spread this message through live concert performances, and documents her challenges in spreading the Sufi message in Pakistan and all over the world. We discover the Sufi Saints of Pakistan such as Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Laal Shahbaz Qalandar, Sachal Sarmast, Bulleh Shah, and Shah Hussain through the eyes of Marvi, and speak to teachers and experts who were a part of her mystical journey. plays with Hurva The Klaf

Imagine cinema 80 front st east

http://www.commffest.com/content/marvi
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Communing with the Divine: Islamic Mystical Traditions and the Arts

VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq6DKH6KTaI

Published on Nov 1, 2016

In this lecture, Ali Asani, Professor of Indo-Muslim Religion and Cultures and Director of the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Islamic Studies Program at Harvard University, uses his expertise to discuss historic and contemporary Shia and Sufi devotional traditions.
kmaherali
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Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

The mystics who found meaning in solar panels

In the village of Tahala, solar panels not only improved the agricultural economy – they also helped residents connect with God.

Photos and more...

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/2017041 ... lar-panels
shivaathervedi
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Post by shivaathervedi »

I searched for God and found only myself. I searched for myself and found only God.
Rumi

If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror (aaina e dil) be polished.

Rumi

Prophet Moses desired to see God; I do not desire to see God, instead He desires to see me.

Bayazid Bustami

Between I and You, there is only I.Take away that I, so only You remain.

Mansoor Hallaj
karimqazi
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Location: Houston, Texas

Post by karimqazi »

There is two kind of sufis.

One is called humaost, it means Ali and Allah is one. In our old Dua, we say Ali Allah.
The other one is called huma az ost, it means Aliullah. This means Ali is from Allah.

These are two different meanings one is tawheed and the other is duality.
shivaathervedi
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Post by shivaathervedi »

karimqazi wrote:There is two kind of sufis.

One is called humaost, it means Ali and Allah is one. In our old Dua, we say Ali Allah.
The other one is called huma az ost, it means Aliullah. This means Ali is from Allah.

These are two different meanings one is tawheed and the other is duality.
Your explanation is wrong. Hum e ost and Hum e az ost are two different sufi philosophies and and have nothing to do with Du'a.
Hum e ost means He is all (He is every thing) and hum e az ost means all is from Him (every thing is from God).
Hum e ost is Wahdatul Wujud and Hum e az ost is Wahdat Shuhud.
Now, according to your explanation in time of MSMS Ismailis followed philosophy of Hum e ost and in time of Hazar Imam Shah Karim Ismailis are following Hum e az ost philosophy!!
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Religion and Society

Redefining the Role of Sufi Shrines in Politics: A Study in NA-165, Pakpattan District, Pakistan
Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro Muhammad Saleem


Abstract

Sufi shrines are followed largely by rural population of Pakistani Punjab. Most of the Punjabi population consists of rural settings. Owing to large rural followings, the Sufi descendants possess strong social, cultural, religious and political positions in a Punjabi society. The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of Sufi shrines in politics to see how the current Sufi descendants translate shrine based religious power into political one. The study describes a nexus with in religion, society and politics by critically examining that how structural (socio-political and religious) factors make current Sufi descendants politically dominant. The study also discusses the consequences of multifaceted- socio-political and religious supremacy of current Sufi descendants in contemporary socio- political landscape of Punjab, Pakistan. Qualitative research methods such as semi-structured and unstructured interviews, key informants and participant observation were used for data collection. To analyse data, thematic approach with framework analysis was used.

More...
https://www.academia.edu/35384857/Relig ... kly_digest
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Tracing the roots of Sufi culture

The mysticism and influences of Sufi culture in Pakistan and India hold a fascination for French scholar Michel Boivin

French scholar and anthropologist Michel Boivin has extensively researched and written about the Sufi culture in Sindh, Pakistan and other parts of South Asia. A research fellow at the Centre for South Asian Studies (CEIAS) in Paris, he has written or edited about 15 books.

Pakistan’s south-eastern province of Sindh has a rich history of Sufi culture that goes back centuries. “Sindh was under the Islamic influence since the 8th century during the Umayyad empire,” Boivin tells Weekend Review. “As soon as Muslim and Arabs came to Sindh, there were Sufis. It is said that in the army of Mohammad Bin Qassim, there were Sufi already. Even now in southern Sindh, you can find a small dargah (shrine) where it is said that the saint who is buried came with Mohammad Bin Qassim, and that was in the year 711.”

Boivin prefers to use the term “Sufi culture” rather than Sufism. “The very word Sufism of course was built by Western orientalists,” he says. “It was made like Hinduism — all these words ending with ‘ism’. I published a book, Historical Dictionary of the Sufi Culture of Sindh, and I started by asking a single question: ‘What is Sufism?’ With this word we never really know what we are talking about because there are some Sufi we can call philosophers. Take as an example Ibn Arabi, a very complex thought. Then you have this practice related to magic to some extent, and that is why to some extent I prefer to refer to Sufi culture, because it focuses on culture. It is more relevant for me.”

Boivin’s main working language is Sindhi which he learnt at the University of Sindh. He also works in Arabic, Persian, Urdu and Gujrati.

His interest in Sufi culture began in the late 1970s when Boivin was at university studying contemporary history. He wanted to travel and the first country he visited outside of Europe was Morocco. He visited some places related to Sufism, especially Tamegroute in southern Morocco, which was a very important Sufi centre for centuries. When he returned to France, he started to read books about Sufism. He also specialised in the history of the Muslim world.

More...
http://gulfnews.com/culture/books/traci ... -1.2140151
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

WHITHER ARE YOU GOING?

A holy man saw in a dream that while he was walking in the path of Truth an angel accosted him.

"Whither are you going?" asked the angel.

"I am on my way to the Royal Presence," was the reply.

"You are engaged in so many worldly affairs," said the angel. "You have taken such a lot of baggage with you, so much wealth and property. How can you hope to be admitted to the Royal Presence with all this paraphernalia?"

The saint thereupon threw away all the baggage he had and kept with him only a piece of blanket to protect him from inclement weather and serve as a garment. The next night he saw the angel again in a dream.

"Well, where are you going today?"

"To the seat of the Lord of Creation."

"Oh man of wisdom," said the angel, 'how can you get there with this piece of blanket? It is a terrible obstacle in your way."

Waking from his dream, the holy man put the blanket in the fire.

On the third night the saint saw the angel, "whither are you going?"

"I am going to the Creator of the Universe."

"O illustrious man," observed the angel, "now that you have stripped yourself of all that you had, remain where you are. You have no need to go anywhere in search of the Creator. He will Himself come to you."

Mantiq Ut-tair

(The Conference of the Birds)
shivaathervedi_3
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Post by shivaathervedi_3 »

Sultan Bahu was a sufi poet and scholar. He was born on Jan 17, 1630 in Shorkot Punjab , now in Pakistan. He was author of many books, the famous are Nurul Huda (light of guidance) and Risala e Roohi ( book of soul).

Alif Allah chambey di booti, Murshid mon wich laaee hu
Nafi asbaat da paane milia, Har rugg harjae hu
Andar booti mushk machaya, Jaan phullan te aae hu
Jeeve Murshid Kaamil Bahu, Jain eh booti laee hu

My Master Has Planted in My Heart the Jasmine of Allah’s Name. ( chambey di booti means bud of jasmine or fragrance)
Both My Denial That the Creation is Real and My Embracing of God, the Only Reality, Have Nourished the Seedling Down to its Core.
When the Buds of Mystery Unfolded Into the Blossoms of Revelation, My Entire Being Was Filled with God’s Fragrance.
May the Perfect Master Who Planted this Jasmine in My Heart Be Ever Blessed, O Bahu!

Allaah parhion hafiz hoion, Na giaa hijabon pardaa hu
Parhh parhh aalim faazil hoioun, Taalib hoioun zar daa hu
Lakh hazar kitabaan parhiaan, Zaalim nafs na mardaa hu
Baajh Faqeraan kise na mareya, Eho chor andar daa hu

You Have Read the Name of God Over and Over, You Have Stored the Holy Qur’an in Your Memory, But this Has Still Not Unveiled the Hidden Mystery.
Instead, Your Learning and Scholarship Have Sharpened Your Greed for Worldly Things,
None of the Countless Books You’ve Read in Your Life Has Destroyed Your Brutal Ego.
Indeed, None But the Saints Can Kill this Inner Thief, for it Ravages the Very House in Which it Lives.

Alif Ahad jad dittee wiskaalee, Az khud hoiaa fana hu
Qurb, Wisaal, Maqaam na Manzil, Na uth jism na jaanee hu
Na uth Ishq Muhabbat kaee, Na uth kaun makanee hu
Aino-ain theeose Bahu, Sirr Wahadat Subhanee hu

When the One Lord Revealed Himself to Me, I Lost Myself in Him.
Now There is Neither Nearness Nor Union. There is No Longer a Journey to Undertake, No Longer a Destination to Reach.
Love Attachment, My Body and Soul and Even the Very Limits of Time and Space Have All Dropped From My Consciousness.
My Separate Self Has Merged in the Whole: in That, O Bahu, Lies the Secret of the Unity That is God!

Allaah sahee keetose jis dam, Chamkiaa Ishq agohaan hu
Raat dihaan de taa tikhere, Kare agohaan soohaan hu
Andae bhaaheen, Andar baalan, Andar de wch dhoohaan hu
‘Shaah Rag’ theen Raab nerhe laddhaa, Ishq keetaa jad soohaan hu

The Moment I Realized the Oneness of God, the Flame of His Love Shone Within, to Lead Me On.
Constantly it Burns in My Heart with Intense Heat, Revealing the Mysteries Along My Path.
This Fire of Love Burns Inside Me with No Smoke, Fuelled by My Intense Longing for the Beloved.
Following the Royal Vein, I Found the Lord Close By. My Love Has Brought Me Face to Face with Him.

Alif alast suniaa dil mere, Jind balaa kookendee hu
Hubb watan dee haalib hoee, Hik pal saun na dendee hu
Qaihar pave is raazan duneeaa, Haq daa raah marendee hu
Aashiq mool qabool na Bahu, Zaaro zaar ruvendee hu

When, At the Time of Creation, God Separated Me From Himself, I Heard Him Say: “am I Not Your God?” , “indeed You Are,” Cried My Soul, Reassured. Since Then Has My Heart Flowered.
With the Inner Urge to Return Home, Giving Me Not A Moment of Calm Here on Earth.
May Doom Strike this World! it Robs Souls on Their Way to God.
The World Has Never Accepted His Lovers; They Are Persecuted and Left to Cry in Pain.
shivaathervedi_3
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Post by shivaathervedi_3 »

Mystical terms and Metaphors of some cultures:
Aashiq: Lover (sufi term)
Ahamkara - the sense of 'I', often translated as 'ego', considered
the main stumbling block to Self Knowledge. [Sanskrit]
Ajna - the third eye chakra, located mid-forehead [Sanskrit]
Anahata - the heart chakra, root of all emotions [Sanskrit]
Anand - bliss [Sanskrit]
Anapanasati - mindfulness while breathing in and out [Pali]
Atman - individual soul [Sanskrit]
Arahat - a free being, a fully awakened one [Sanskrit]
Ashram - a place where spiritual disciplines are taught and practiced
Aura - a non-physical energy field around living things
Bodhi - supreme wisdom [Sanskrit]
Bodhisattva - someone seeking enlightenment [Sanskrit]
Bardo - 'in-between state' refers to the state between death and rebirth [Tibetan]
Bhakti - A spiritual movement from the 7th to 18th century that maintained
devotion to God was the sole means of salvation. It also called for
the end of the caste system, insisting all people were equal. It became
a popular movement with the common people as it removed a great burden placed on them by the religious class. The poets of the bhakti movement wrote in their individual languages, as opposed to Sanskrit, which made their work more accessible. It had a profound effect on the culture of India.
bodhicitta - the awakened heartmind [Sanskrit]
Buddha - the Enlightened one
chakra - circle, energy center [Sanskrit]
Ch'i - central Taoist idea meaning "breathing, energy". The Ch'i is an individual's vital force and, at the same time, a universal energy connecting all in one.
Christ - the Anointed one (Christianity)
Chidakasha - (awareness matrix) that which contains all that is, all that has been and all that ever will be [Sanskrit]
Chit - consciousness [Sanskrit]
Dervish - (poor) someone who lives a life of poverty and tries to minimize their bodily functions in order to release their souls from the physical
compulsions. (Islamic sufism)
Dharma - spiritual teachings, spiritual path, actions in harmony with truth [Sanskrit]
Dhyana - meditation [Sanskrit]
Divine Mother - God as Mother
Entelechy - the vital force that compels one toward self-fulfillment [Aristotle]
Guru - (darkness to light) spiritual master
Story of Heer and Ranjha is a famous Punjabi love story; it has been compared to the immortal tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Their families feuded, keeping them apart. After many years of heartache they were allowed to wed, but on their wedding day, the beautiful Heer is poisoned by a
vengeful Uncle. Ranjha holds her in his arms until he dies of a broken heart.
Japa - repeating the name of God [Sanskrit]
Jnana Yoga - the path of wisdom
Kaaba - (cube) the sanctuary in Mecca containing the Black Stone, where Muslim turn to pray. (Islam)
kabir - Akbar: great one [Arabic]
Khamush - (silent) often used by Rumi in his poems; about five hundred odes end with 'khamush'. It is believed that Rumi is referring to
the silent contemplation that leads to Self Knowledge. (Persian)
Karma - (action) the law of cause and effect, the consequence of ones
thoughts, words, and deeds [Sanskrit]
Llama - spiritual teacher [Tibetan]
Ma'ishuq: Beloved (sufi)
Maitreya - the future Buddha
Mandala - (circle) a geometric design used as an aid to focus the mind
Mantra - a sacred word or phrase repeated to focus the mind [Sanskrit]
Masnavi - a term referring to a rhymed verse couplet. [Persian]
'Rumi's work of this title has been referred to as 'the Persian Koran'.
Mast: Intoxicated (sufi)
Meditation - focusing one-pointedly on an object
Mevlana - "The Master"
Nama Japa - constantly remembering the true Name of God [Sanskrit]
Namaste - 'I bow to the divine in you' [Sanskrit]
Nirvana - the place beyond suffering [Sanskrit]
Om/Aum - considered a sacred sound, symbolic of God's first thought
Pho wa - the practice of consciously leaving the body at time of death [Tibetan]
Prana - the vital energy [Sanskrit]
Pranayama - focusing on the breath [Sanskrit]
Purusha - the indwelling Spirit, the silent witness [Sanskrit]
Quran - (recitation) the "recitation" of God's word to Muhammad
Raja Yoga - the kingly path
Rigpa - the knowing state, pure awareness [Tibetan]
Samadhi - a deep meditative state with one-pointed mind [Sanskrit]
Sadhana - Spiritual practice, discipline [Sanskrit]
Sahasrara - the crown chakra
Samsara - false understanding, believing the unreal to be real and the real
to be unreal [Sanskrit]
Sat - Truth [Sanskrit]
Shinto - 'the Way of the Gods' (Japan)
sikh - 'disciple'
Siddhi - a special power gained in meditation, considered an obstacle
if indulged [Sanskrit]
Sutra - (thread) rule, guideline of life [Sanskrit]
Tantra - transforming human energy [Sanskrit]
T'ai-chi - literally it means "the beam sustaining the roof". The first fundamental principle of reality that produced the two opposing principles and thus all others.
Tao - a basic Taoist concept literally meaning: "the way".
Vedanta - one of six classical systems of Indian philosophy
Vedas - (knowledge) the basic scriptures of the Hindus
Vidya - (view) spiritual vision [Sanskrit]
Wahdat al-Wujud - God is the ground of all being. The only truth within the
universe is God, and that all things exist within God alone. (Sufi)
Zendo - 'ashram' [Japanese]
yang - the masculine aspect of the universe [Chinese]
yin - the feminine aspect of the universe [Chinese]
Yin-yang - opposing principles, a manifestation of tai-chi, that create, sustain, and dissolve through the power of opposition, interaction, and attraction.
shivaathervedi_3
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Post by shivaathervedi_3 »

AA(N) RA KE ZA KHUD KHABAR NABASHED
AZ HEECH KASI NABASHIDESH BAAK

That one who is unconscious of self
Can never fear another


AZ KHUESH FANA SHUDEEM DAR SEETEM
AZ SUUD O ZIAN AALAM KHAAK

Annihilated from ourselves, we have been freed
From the losses and gains of this world of dust


KHUD GATQAEI BAHAR E ISHQ HER GIZ
NAMUNAD JUZZ AAB E WAHDET ADRAAK

That one who is drowned in love's ocean
Sees only the water of unity

VEERANA E DIL BRAYEI AASHIQ
ARZAD BI HIZAAR BAAGH WA AMLAAK

In the eyes of the lover, a wrecked heart
Is worth more than a thousand gardens and orchards

DAAREM DARU(N) DIL KHUDA RA
SHAADEM KE DIL KHUSH AST MA RA

We have God in our heart
And delight at the joy there

DR JAWED NURBAKHSH
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Spiritual Surrender

n the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, spiritual surrender means self-offering of one’s will to God.

It is not passive. It is an active surrender to the will of God.

How does one do it?

Swami Kriyananda said that only by mental attunement with the consciousness of an already liberated guru can we make the leap across the yawning abyss that separates the ego from infinity.

Most important of all is an attitude of deep loving receptivity toward one’s God-ordained guru.

The magnetism emanated by a true master lifts his disciples above their egos.

What the guru does for us is primarily on a level of consciousness.

He works from within us, on our thoughts and feelings.

Our job, above all, is to offer our hearts and minds up to him, that he may transform us.

Gradually, his ego-less consciousness seeps into our ego-centered consciousness, and transforms us with new understanding of our own reality.

Once ego-limitation has been demolished by selfless love, nothing remains to prevent self-awareness from expanding to infinity.

The storm of duality is finally stilled, and the self, no longer in rebellion against God, merges completely into the Infinite Self, becoming the Infinite.

This, and this only, is the state of salvation, of final liberation from all bondage of delusion.

Divine Surrender

http://lailaahmed.in/
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Post by shivaathervedi_3 »

Islam means to surrender to will of Allah and to obey Him through intercessor.
Infact Shree Yogananda, Bhagwan Shree Rajnesh, Baba Guru Nanak, Bhagat Kabir and so many were impressed by Islamic sufisim. In their writings and poetry they have embedded Islamic values and pluralism.
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Selected Quotes from Rumi (HD Quality)

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjlMOuT ... rce=Direct

Inspiring collection of quotes from Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet, jurist and Sufi mystic. Quotes compiled from http://www.QuotesMessages.com
swamidada_1
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Post by swamidada_1 »

Terey ishq ki intahaa chaahataa huu(n)
Meri saadagi dekh kyaa chaahataa huu(n)


Sitam ho ke ho waidaa e bey hijaabi
Koi baat sabr aazmaa chaahataa huu(n)


Ye jannat mubaarak rahe zaahido(n) ko
Ke mai(n) aap kaa saamanaa chaahataa huu(n)


Koi dam kaa mehmaan huu(n) ai ahl e mahfil
Chiraag e sahar huu(n) bujhaa chaahataa huu(n)


Bharey bazm mei(n) raaz ki baat kah di
Badaa bey adab huu(n) sazaa chaahataa huu(n)


Translation:

I want to have the extremes of your Love,
See, how silly am I, wishing for unachievable.

I don't care if you maltreat me or promise to unveil your beauty,
I just want something unbearable to test my fortitude

Let the God fearing people be dwelling in the paradise,
For, instead I want to be face to face with you.
(I don't want to go to paradise but want to observe the Divine Beauty)

O fellows, I am here for a few moments, as a gust,
Like morning star I will fade and vanish in a few moments.

I disclosed the secret in public,
I need to be punished for being so rude.

Allamah Muhammad Iqbal
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Sufis of 16th-century Sindh

Lower Sindh was home to eminent Suhrawardi, Qadiri and other Sufi saints in the 16th century. Three of the most eminent contemporary Sufi saints from this period were Makhdoom Nuh of Hala, Makhdoom Ismail Soomro of Aghamkot and Shaikh Bhirkio.

Makhdoom Nuh was believed to have been the founder of the Sarwari Jamat, a sub-order of the Suhrawardi Silsila of Sufism and Makhdoom Ismail Soomro was an eminent Sufi saint in Aghamkot and its purlieus (died in 1589 AD). The shrine of Makhdoom Ismail Soomro is located in Aghamkot and is visited and venerated by thousands of people in lower Sindh.These saints preached a message of love and tolerance amongst the populace. Many people were converted to Islam through their message of tolerance and love.

Photos and more:

https://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/sufi ... ury-sindh/
swamidada_1
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Post by swamidada_1 »

Some information about town of Mulla Katiyar with reference to 'the friday times'.

In late 19th century Village of Mullah Katiyar near Tando Muhammad Khan was an Ismaili hub beside Talhar and Tandobago. Scores of Ismaili families were doing business and farming there. Many Katiyari tribe Hindu families migrated and live in Maharashtar and as far as south of India.
In early 20th century there was drought in district Tando Muhammad Khan, therefore many Ismaili families migrated to Hyderabad Sindh, and around 1920 there were 100/150 Ismailis living in Hyderabad. One famous personality of that time was Aitamadi Hashim Lalwani who was Mukhi as well as a famous missionary of that time. He was author of many books and translated many. One of his famous book was HUQQ MOUJUD on Ismaili faith and sufism. He was contemporary and friend of Mirza Qaleech baig author of hundreds of books and was dubbed as "Shakespeare of Sindh", Aitamadi Hashim Lalwani convinced him to write a book on history of Ismailism, and he authored a book named "TUHFA E ISMAILIYA" in Sindhi language.
I am quoting one interesting anecdote related to Aitamadi Hashim Saheb which I heard from his relative. In Mullah Katiyar there was a black cat living in his house which was treated as family member and usually she sit by the side of Aitamadi saheb. When Aitamadi saheb's family moved to Hyderabad Sindh, they left the cat behind thinking she should be better off in that vicinity. After few months that cat found the residence of Aitamadi saheb in Hyderabad after travelling from Mullah Katiyar to Hyderabad (how the cat manage to travel that long distance and reached the destination is fascinating). After few days of staying with that family the cat passed away. Animals are faithful to humans but humans are rarely faithful to their counterparts.
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

The spread of Sufism led to the development of mystical-love poetry

Posted by Nimira Dewji

In the early years of Islam, poetry was largely non-religious, such as praise poems (madih), hunting poems (tardiyyat), and satire (hija‘) largely in the qasida (or qasideh) form (a long mono-rhyme (aa, ba, ca) similar to an ode).

The earliest examples of religious poetry in Islam are to be found in the verses of a small group of poets who were companions of Prophet Muhammad. The most famous poet was Hassan ibn Thabit (d. 669), who wrote poems in praise of the Prophet as well as to spread the messages from the Prophet. In the years following the Prophet’s death in 632, a number of the poets composed eulogies in his memory as well as poems inspired by verses of Revelation.

Islamic religious poetry seems to have emerged in the late eighth century in association with the widespread movement for religious and social reform. Initially, this poetry focused on the fear and wrath of God. The spread of Sufism, which focused on the spiritual and mystical life of Islam, led to the cultivation of the introspective style of religious poetry.

From the Arabic suf meaning ‘wool,’ likely referring to the woollen garments worn by the ascetics, the Sufis are also known as “the poor,” fuqara, plural of the Arabic word faqir, darvish in Persian, whence the English words fakir and dervish. Sufism developed in opposition to the increasing worldliness of the expanding Muslim community, and to deepen spirituality.

Rabia al-Basri (ca. 717–801), considered to be the earliest Sufi saint, is widely credited with pioneering the concept of adoring the divine rather than fearing the wrath of God. Although she did not leave any written works, she was referenced by the notable Persian poet Farid al-Din Attar (d. 1225) and is believed to have possessed a lost monogram about her life.

In the next century, the wrath of God was replaced by love for Him and a quest for divine union in this world. Some of the finest mystical-love poems were composed by Dhu’l-Nun (d. 861) and Mansur al-Hallaj (d. 922). Other notable poets composing mystical works in Persian and Arabic include Ibn Hani (d. 973), al-Sharif al-Radi (d. 1015), Nasir-i Khusraw (d. after 1072), Al-Shirazi (d. 1078), Ibn al-Farid (d. 1235), Ibn Arabi (d. 1240), Jalal al-Din Rumi (d. 1273), Nizari Quhistani (d. 1320), and Shams ud-Din Muhammad Hafiz (d. 1390), among others.

The close relationship at the time between Sufism and Shi’ism, facilitated by their similar esoteric doctrines, influenced Shi’i literature. The establishment of the Shi’i state by the Fatimids in North Africa, Egypt, and Syria, as well as by Buwayhid dynasty in Iran and Iraq led to a renaissance of Shi’i literature and learning. However, Jamal notes that “it would be incorrect to state that the Ismailis appropriated these terms from the Sufis, since their spiritual significance was first articulated by the Shi’i Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq in the 2nd/8th century and they occur frequently in Ismaili literature of the Fatimid period” (Surviving the Mongols, p 91).

Over the centuries, other forms of poetry became widely used such as ruba’i or quatrains composed in a particular rhythm, the mathnawi (rhyming couplets), and the ghazal (a lyric poem with a fixed number of verses and a repeated rhyme) which was in use in the eighth century, but is said to have been revitalised and perfected by Hafiz.

The Nizari Ismaili community has had a long history in Persia. Since the establishment of the Nizari state of Alamut in 1090 until the migration of Imam Hasan Ali Shah Aga Khan I, Ismaili Imams resided in Persia for almost eight centuries. After the fall of Alamut to the Mongols in 1256, the community and the Imams lived under the guise of Sufi tariqas for many centuries in order to avoid persecution. As a result, there has been a mutual interchange of ideas and terminologies between the Sufis and the Ismailis resulting in many similarities between their poetry and literature.

Devotional literature of the Persian speaking Nizari Ismailis includes qasida tradition as well as ghazals. The spread of Ismailism into the Indian subcontinent by dai’is, or pirs, whose teachings were conducted primarily through oral instruction, led to the composition of devotional hymns, or ginans in a variety of local languages and poetic styles to teach the Ismaili interpretation of Islam to non-Arabic speaking people.

Poets have poured out their hearts in praise of God, the Prophet, and the Imams in Arabic, Farsi, Sindhi, Urdu, Hausa, Swahili, as well as Burushaski, a language spoken in the high valleys of Hunza in northern Pakistan.

Sources:
Foreword by Annemarie Schimmel of Shimmering Light: An Anthology of Ismaili Poetry. London: I. B. Tauris in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, 1996

Nadia Eboo Jamal, Surviving the Mongols, I. B. Tauris in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2002

Sufism, Encyclopaedia Britannica

https://nimirasblog.wordpress.com/2018/ ... ve-poetry/
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Hafiz, one of the most celebrated Persian poets, inspired Goethe
Posted by Nimira Dewji

One of the most celebrated of the Persian poets, Shams-ud-din Muhammad, known by his pen-name Hafiz, or Hafez, was born around 1310 in Shiraz in Persia (modern-day Iran). It is believed that he memorised the Qur’an after hearing his father recite the verses, hence the name hafiz, Arabic for ‘one who has memorised the Qur’an.’ Other theories suggest that it also means ‘one who protects or upholds’ as well as referring to ‘being mindful or watchful.’ When his father died, Hafiz left school and worked at a bakery; he may have also worked as a scribe and a teacher.

During the fourteenth century, although it was a turbulent century as rulers fought for power, Shiraz was an intellectual and literary centre: Sufi orders (tariqa) were being established, the city was a centre of book illustration and renowned for its gardens as well as for the House of Knowledge (dar al-ilm). Furthermore, literary luminaries of Persia had lived there earlier including Khayyam (d. 1131), Nizami (d. 1202), Attar (1221), Rumi (d.1273), Quhistani (d. 1321), and the thoughts of the prominent philosopher Ibn Arabi (d.1240) were debated.

Very little is known about Hafiz’s early life including when he began to compose poetry. He seems to have followed the common practice of writing praises of rulers and nobles, becoming the court poet for a short time.

Hafiz is revered for his over 400 ghazals, a form of love poetry in rhyming couplets comparable to the sonnet, although he has written in the other poetic forms of qasida (long rhyming poem), mathnawi (couplets), and rubaiyyat (quatrains), collected in his Divan that has prompted numerous commentaries. In his poetry, Hafiz advocates abandoning restraints in order to come into direct contact with the spiritual realm.

Hafiz Hafez Divan Diwan
Collected poems of Ḥafiz copied at Herat or Mashhad by the famous calligrapher Sultan Ali Mashhadi, dated ca. 1605. The British Library.
Hafiz’s works were first translated into English in 1771 by William Jones, and into German by Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall in 1812, although many agree that owing to the ambiguity of his literal and metaphorical words, translations are challenging. His mystical poetry has been inspirational for poets of all cultures influencing early European Romantics including Friedrich Schiller (d. 1805) and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (d. 1832).

Hafiz hafez Divan Diwan Iran
Folios from the Divan of Hafiz, c. 1530, Iran. Harvard Art Museum
Peter Avery, in the Foreword to Hafiz and the Religion of Love in Classical Persian Poetry explains that Hafiz’s poetry is challenging to translate into other languages due to “the subtle ambiguities, the marvellous wordplay, the several levels on which he can be interpreted” (p xi).

In his address to the Iran Society, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah said, “Any attempt at translation of Hafiz has always led to immense disappointment. The explanation is simple; he was not merely the Hafiz of the Qur’an, but well acquainted with the whole field of philosophy, history, poetry and literature, with the highest thought then known to his countrymen. In each verse, with the intense concentration of thought and wisdom so singularly his own, he has produced in amazing variety facets of truth and beauty, of meaning and wisdom.”

LAdinsky noted that Hafiz “is considered by many – from different cultures – to be one of the seven literary wonders of the world. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe both agreed. As Emerson said of Hafiz: “He fears nothing. He sees too far, he sees throughout; such is the only man I wish to see or be.” And Emerson gave Hafiz that grand and famous compliment, “Hafiz is a poet for poets.”

Hafiz’s works were also “a source of profound inspiration for Goethe. The Hafiz Goethe Memorial at Beethovenplatz in Weimar, Germany, commemorates Goethe’s encounter with the works of Hafiz with two opposing granite chairs, aligned east to west” (Hafiz Goethe Memorial), a metaphor of the meeting of the eastern and western cultures.

Hafiz Hafez Goethe Aga Khan
Hafiz Goethe Memorial at Beethovenplatz in Weimar Germany. Image: Genius Loci Weimar
Hafiz Hafez Shiraz poetry
Hafiz’s mausoleum in Shiraz. Image: Archnet
Sources:
Daniel Ladinsky, The mystical poet who can help you lead a better life, BBC Culture
Leonard Lewisohn, “Prolegomenon to the Study of Hafiz,” in Hafiz and the Religion of Love in Classical Persian Poetry Edited by Leonard Lewisohn
Parvin Loloi, Hafiz and the Language of Love in Nineteenth-Century English and American Poetry, Hafiz and the Religion of Love in Classical Persian Poetry Edited by Leonard Lewisohn (p 308)
Iraj Bashiri, The Life of Shams al-Din Hafiz
Hafez, New World Encyclopedia

nimirasblog.wordpress.com/2018/12/20/hafiz-one-of-the-most-celebrated-persian-poets-inspired-goethe/?utm_source=Direct
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

A Qadiri Saint of Sukkur

There are many Sufi shrines in every major city, town and historic village of Sindh. These Sufi saints played important roles in spreading the message of peace, love and tolerance among different communities. These values won the hearts of many non-Muslims who were impressed by the teachings of these Sufis and accepted Islam. One such Sufi saint who converted many to Islam was Shah Khairurddin Jilani, popularly known as Jeay Shah Badshah. The shrine of Shah Khairuddin Jilani is located in old Sukkur and is one of the most popular and early Qadiri shrines in the city of Sukkur.

Photos and more...

https://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/a-qa ... of-sukkur/
swamidada_1
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Post by swamidada_1 »

O heart let go of your soul
Until you see the soul maker
Leave behind this deceptive faker
So you reach your real goal.

Unless you pass through here
You will never reach the beyond
Free yourself from worldly bond
Doubtless clear, to you appear.

If it is a sign that you seek
In this path, my dear friend
Yourself you must transcend
And signs to you will speak.

Go past the four and five
From six and seven look away
Rise above this earth and clay
Seven skies become alive.

When you’ve seen the seventh sky
Go to the eighth sphere
Step upon the things that appear
You’ll find the void nearby.

Within the void you shall see
The souls of dear friends
Disembodied floating heads
In the space less roaming free.

Close the critical eye
Appeal to the inner sight
From yourself briefly take flight
The beloved will appear nigh.

You who have never taken a pace
On the path of misfortune
To soul’s treasure won’t attune
Unless this costly pain embrace.

O hear ye, Shams-e Tabriz
Silently speak the word
With your soul be in accord
Which you’ll see joyously frees.

Diwan Shams Tabriz
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

The Dervish Dance: A Path of Love By Dr. Hannah McClure

The original article can be found at
https://criticalmuslim.com/issues/25-values
.
The rustle and swish of my skirt rises and falls in rhythmic rotation. I listen to its murmur. My feet glide and scrape over the surface of the floor, step, push, turn, lift, step, push, turn, lift. They speak to me of ancient time, of many feet and many many marbled, wooden and earthen floors. Notes of the sacred flute flow over me, enter my ears, pulse into the very core of my being. The sounds di-rect my focus toward the silences between them. I rest deeply as I whirl. I find the stillness at the centre. I let go.

As a whirling dervish, more properly known as a semazen, I follow a path of discipline and joy. It is not a fluffy path, but one of steep tradition which calls forth the depths of quietude and ecstasy in equal measure. Like all steep traditions, there are levels of engagement from witness and observer to deep lifelong commitment as well as the pillars who uphold the fullness of the tradition. All of these are good and helpful, contributing both to the individual and the wider community.

The essence of the dervish path, the Sufi path, the path of one who would dance the ritual sema , is Love. Love calls to me. It beckons me home. It shatters my conceptions. It ravages my sense of ÔselfÕ.

First Encounters and Tradition

In 2007 I went to the Raleigh Theatre in North Carolina. There was a group of dervishes from Tur-key who would perform and share their music. The auditorium was large and the dervishes were small against the backdrop of the stage. Chairs were at the back of the stage where the musicians sat. I remember feeling that the ceremony of the whirling was difficult to encounter in this format, no mode of direct perception was really possible with the distance of the proscenium between us. The music however was very special. I sat back and closed my eyes. What stayed with me was a feeling of peace. In time I would forget this experience, and it is only years later, after my own ini-tiatory journey was well underway that I would recall and understand with hindsight what I had seen.

The alluring power and presence of the whirling ceremony is well known. European explorers to North Africa and the Middle East have regularly described in written and visual forms the colourful tennure form of whirling as well as the Mevlevi ceremony in its white robes, tall wool hats and pre-cise choreography. Different dervish orders are rooted in different regions and perhaps the most well known to the West are the Mevlevis of Anatolia, Turkey. It has been well loved and document-ed since Ottoman times, with increasing tourism centred around it in the latter half of the twentieth century. When I chose to write my graduate dissertation, and later my doctoral thesis on the Mevlevi ceremony I, like many others, felt inexplicably drawn to its beauty.

The first participatory encounter I had with whirling practice came through my graduate studies. In the third lecture of my first semester on a module titled ÔThe Socio-Politics of DanceÕ I learned about the Mevlevi whirling ceremony in Turkey and how its practice had been banned in the 1920s with the rise of Kemalism. We discussed the issues of dilution, appropriation and globalisation that confront contemporary practitioners. As a dancer, I knew that a movement practice never disap-pears, and after the lecture I inquired as to the paths of migration, especially if it had found its way to London. Within a month I was witnessing the Mevlevi ceremony as it is enacted in as part of The Study Society, located on the West side of the city, and my journey began. In that first ceremony I witnessed a weaving together of movement, spiritual work and prayer, the power of a long tradition and the contemporaneity of my own time and place. I became interested in how the tradition used movement to integrate the benefits of practice into each students spiritual development. I was also interested in the cultural aspect of the form, how it has been used by different government and po-litical agendas across time and the intricate balance of its relationship to Islam. I felt open - and this openness and trust have been crucial as they allowed me in each phase to surrender to my journey. My approach is therefore an intercultural nexus of perspectives, founded on great sincerity and respect.

More....

https://www.academia.edu/38112246/Dervi ... view-paper
swamidada_1
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Post by swamidada_1 »

On the Water of Life

Wim van den Dungen
Antwerp, 2018.

Like fish we say to the Ocean of Life :
"Why didst Thou send up waves
and throw us unto the driness of water and clay ?"
Rûmî : Mathnawî.

The Sûfî philosophers adhering to "wahdat al wujûd" (unity of being) distinguish between being-as-being (One & Necessary) and being-as-existence (multiple & possible), between being indeterminated and determinated. Not unlike Spinoza they witness multiplicity as an expression, a modality of being-as-being (cf. "substance" in the Ethics). Not unlike ps.-Dionysius they declare being-as-being irreversibly ineffable, incomprehensible & uncomparable (i.e. the One Alone without a second).

The unfathomable depth of the tranquility of the limitless ocean of light (being-as-being) has no waves (being-as-existence). All of existence (both unmanifest and manifest) is ever-changing in ever-new creations depending on the properties of the ocean qua ocean, i.e. the Divine Names existing in the Oneness of Divine Existence. They urge towards the creations and are not the original indiscriminate essence of this ocean of the most dazzling (but to us blinding) light without shores, an essence which remains hidden & alone (with no second). These properties prepare the coming of the waves whereas the supreme property of the ocean of light is called love, the unfolding movement of life.

The elements of the metaphor of the "ocean of light & life" unfolds simultaneously on various ontological strands or levels :

essence of being = the ocean without shores

Divine Existence = the ocean qua ocean

creation, the factual things = the waves of the ocean

the perishment of all factual things = the water itself

the survival of the face of everything = drinking the water of life

The essence of being is hidden but the existence of this same being is known.
The human mind goes through stages (levels or strands of cognition characterized by different textures and mental operators, the rational mind functions within the boundaries established by the domain of reason, whereas intellectual reason transcends them altogether.

(I) (domain of reason) Existentialism (the forms of denial of Plato's "essentiality" of being rooted in the Ideas) conjectures that only the phenomenal accidents ("ens" or "mawjûd") exist for nowhere is "being-as-being" (as pure "actus essendi") observable as such. Hence, "existence" is always some "x" that exists phenomenally, and this existence is an accident. The weakness of this position is its inability to grasp the radical & absolute impossibility to objectify being-as-such (reality-as-it-is). According to Ibn Sînâ existence is a peculiar kind of accident.

(II) (domain beyond reason) Essentialism concludes that the former peculiarity is due to to the fact that no thing is self-subsistent. Being-as-being is the sole necessary, eternal, unchanging Essence which can not be objectified. All other modes of being are only the so many, divergent waves of existence, necessarily interacting with each other on the surface of the ocean. Each wave differing from the others (and so no real comparison is possible). Being-as-existence is an intricate network studied by reason. But unveiling shows how the existence of the waves is only borrowed from Sheer Being, undifferentiated & unconditioned.

The sea can not be separated from the waves, nor can the waves exist without the sea. All these waves of light have names and create worlds, but there is nothing but the sea and its water. The water of the sea is always the selfsame water. Only the color of the cup determines its color.

The mystic who plunges into this ocean of light annihilates everything he or she is (cf. "fanâ" or "annihilation"). What is left is utter darkness because of the nearness to the Absolute light. In that darkness the "Water of Life" is hidden (cf. Lâhîjî : Gulsan-e Ráz, v.122 in Izutsu, 1994). To drink this water (a metaphor of "baqâ" or "survival") is to recover from total oblivion and survive as the perpetual witness of the Absolute. It means that one is reborn as a totally renewed & perfected human being in the unperishable light which is the Face of the Absolute.
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