Sufis V.V.S Manian (Vol 1) Contents What a Human Is, Now I Know Sufism Sufi Beliefs Music and "Whirling" Islam and Sufism The true spirit of Ramadan Sufis and Ramadan Prayer for Sufis Rabia Basri Saint Nuri Jalalud’din Rumi Hakim Abul Kajdud ibn Adam Sanai Ghaznavi Lex Hixon Zeb-un-Nissa Jahanara Begum Yunus Emre Sultan Bahu Hazrat Malik Ibn Dinar Fariduddin Attar Abdul Karim Jili Al-Fu ḍ ayl ibn Rahman Baba Ibn Salman al-Kharaqani Ahmad Ghazali Al-Jahiz Bibi Jamal Khatun Bishr ibn Hareth Dawud al-Tai Saida Manoubia Al-Qushayri Muhammad Nizamuddin Auliya Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Ibn Arabi Ali Hujwiri Hazrat Shaikh Fakhr al-Din Razi Sheikh Abusaeid Omar Kayam The man who has proved in his life to be the friend of every person he meets, in the end will prove to be the friend of God. Hazart Inavath Khan, Sufi saint Courtesy: Quara What a Human Is, Now I Know Muhittin Abdal, Sufi poet from the Balkans (16th century) They're always talking about human, human -- What a human being is; now I know. They are always discussing heart, the heart -- What the heart is; now I know. Within the heart of the believer it was found -- it wasn't found anywhere outside. We found it in our own vast selves. What faith is, now I know? This is how they pick the wheat from the chaff, and where your words and deeds must speak for you. This is where the wise ones guide the Path -- What the essence of this Sufi way is; now I know. What the pious fearful carry like baggage, why they shoot their arrows at the faithful, what they hide and trumped in nice language -- What doubt is, now I know. Given all these attributes, I became a person. Through God's vastness I was forgiven everything. I found absolute oneness with Reality. What the guest is, now I know. I said to my inner self are humble, and the Glorious one showered me in blessings; there was a sign that seared me in the heart. What the proof is, now I know. Muhittin proclaims the Truth is a spectator. God is everywhere if you are willing to see. What is the hidden, what is the apparent -- What a human being is, now I know. (English version by Jennifer Ferraro & Latif Bolat, Original Language Turkish) Sufism د ر راه طلب عاقل و دیوانه یکی است در شیوه ی عشق خویش و بیگانه یکی است آن را که شراب وصل جانان دادند در مذهب او کعبه و بتخانه یکی است Quatrain 305 On the seeker’s path, wise men and fools are one. In His love, brothers and strangers are one. Go on! Drink the wine of the Beloved! In that faith, Muslims and pagans are one Sufism is less a sect of Islam; it is more a mystical way of approaching Islamic faith. It has been defined as "mystical Islamic belief and practice in which Muslims seek to find the truth of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God." (WP) The Practitioners of Sufism (Tasawwuf), referred to as Sufis, often belong to different rung or "orders". This is different from congregations formed around a grand master who is referred to as a Mawla and who maintains a direct chain of teachers back to Prophet Muhammad. These orders meet for spiritual sessions in places known as zawiyahs or tekke. Sufis strive for ihsan (perfection of worship) as detailed in a hadith: "Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him; if you can't see Him, surely. Sufis regard Prophet Muhammad as Al Insan Kamil, which is a concept that describes Muhammad as the primary perfect man who exemplifies the morality of God. Sufis regard Prophet Muhammad as their leader and prime spiritual guide. (WP) Muslims and mainstream scholars of Islam define Sufism as simply the name for the inner or esoteric dimension of Islam which is supported and complemented by outward or exoteric practices of Islam, such as Islamic Law. In this view, "it is absolutely necessary to be a Muslim" to be a true Sufi, because Sufism's "methods are inoperative without" Muslim "affiliation". Orthodox views also maintain that Sufism is unique to Islam. The term Sufism evolved in Western languages in the early 19th century, It is derived from the Arabic term for a mystic, Sufi, which in turn is derived from suf, “wool.” This likely refers to the woolen garment of early Islamic ascetics. Islamic mysticism in general is called tasawwuf (, “to dress in wool”) in Arabic. Sufis are also referred to as fuqara, “the poor,” the plural form of the Arabic faqir. The Persian equivalent is darvish. These are the roots of the English terms fakir and dervish, used interchangeably for an Islamic mystic. Sufism has been a prominent movement within Islam. It grew out of an early ascetic movement within Islam, which, sought to counteract the worldliness that came with the rapid expansion of the Muslim community. The earliest form of Sufism arose under the Umayyad Dynasty (661–749) less than a century after the founding of Islam. Mystics of this period meditated on the Doomsday passages in the Quran, thereby earning such nicknames as "those who always weep." These early Sufis led a life of strict obedience to Islamic scripture and tradition and were known for their night prayers. Many of them concentrated their efforts upon tawakkul, absolute trust in God, which became a central concept of Sufism. A century, a new emphasis on love changed asceticism into mysticism. This development is attributed to Rabi'ah al-'Adawiyah (d. 801), a woman from Basra who formulated the Sufi ideal of a pure love of God that was disinterested, without hope for Paradise or fear of Hell. Other important developments followed, including strict self-control, psychological insight, "interior knowledge," annihilation of the self, mystical insights about the nature of man and the Prophet, hymns and poetry. This period, from about 800-1100 AD is referred to as classical Sufism/ classical mysticism. The next important development in Sufi history was the development of fraternal orders, in which disciples followed the teachings of a leader-founder. The 13th century is considered the golden age of Sufism, in which some of the greatest mystical poems were composed. Important figures from this period include Ibn al'Arabi of Spain, Ibn al-Farid of Egypt, Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi of Persia, and Najmuddin Kubra of Central Asia. By this time, Sufism had permeated the whole of the Islamic world and played a large role in the shaping of Islamic society. Sufi Beliefs Sufi beliefs are based on orthodox Islam and the text of the Quran. The core principles of Sufism are tawakkul (absolute trust in God) and tawhid (the truth that there is no deity but God). Tawhid is rich in meaning for mystics: it has been interpreted by some as meaning that nothing truly exists but God or that nature and God are but two aspects of the same reality. The love of God for man and the love of man for God are also very central to Sufism, and are the subjects of most Islamic mystical poetry and hymns. Sufi practices have their foundation in purity of life, strict obedience to Islamic law and imitation of the Prophet. Through self-denial, careful introspection and mental struggle, Sufis hope to purify the self from all selfishness, thus attaining ikhlas, absolute purity of intention and act. "Little sleep, little talk, little food" are fundamental and fasting is considered one of the most important preparations for the spiritual life. Sufis are distinguished from other Muslims by their fervent seeking of dhawq, a "tasting" that leads to an illumination beyond standard forms of learning. The Path, the Sufi way of life is called a tariqah, "path." The path begins with repentance and submission to a guide (sheikh or pir). If accepted by the guide, the seeker becomes a disciple (murid) and is given instructions for asceticism and meditation. This usually includes sexual abstinence, fasting and poverty. The ultimate goal of the Sufi path is to fight the true Holy War against the lower self, which is often represented as a black dog. On his way to illumination the mystic will undergo such changing spiritual states (hal) as qabd and bast, constraint and happy spiritual expansion, fear and hope, and longing and intimacy, which are granted by God and change in intensity according to the spiritual "station" in which the mystic is abiding at the moment. The culmination of the path is ma'rifah (interior knowledge, gnosis) or mahabbah (love), which implies a union of lover and beloved (man and God). The final goal is annihilation (fana'), primarily of one's own qualities but sometimes of one's entire personality. This is often accompanied by spiritual ecstasy or "intoxication." After the annihilation of the self and accompanying ecstatic experience, the mystic enters a "second sobriety" in which he re-enters the world and continues the "journey of God." Music and "Whirling" A central method on the Sufi path is a ritual prayer or dhikr (“remembrance”, derived from the Qur'anic injunction to remember God often in Surah 62:10). It consists in a repetition of either one or all of the most beautiful names of God, of the name “Allah,” or of a certain religious formula, such as the profession of faith: “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.” A rosary of 99 or 33 beads has been in use since as early as the 8th century for counting the thousands of repetitions.