Stray Reflections

Here’s an interesting interview with one of the western shaykhs of the Halveti-Jerrahi silsila brought the the West by Shaykh Muzaffer Ozak Jerrahi of Istanbul. Sh. Ragip better known as Robert Frager is a distinguished psychologist and the author of a number of books including Essential Sufism and Heart Self and Soul.

Extract

WIE: Does that temptation take on different forms as one progresses on the path?

SR: Yes. For instance, if we stay with the stages of the nafs, what happens next, after the regretful nafs, is that we come to what’s called the “inspired nafs,” the inspired self in which the wisdom of the heart, the wisdom of that inner light, begins to come more and more into the personality, into consciousness, so that we really have an alternative now to the forces of the ego—which is intuition, a sense of guidance, a sense of connection to truth. The problem is that the lower forces are still somewhat in action. The reign of the ego is not by any means over, and the biggest danger, of course, is that the ego can begin to use the wisdom and the light for self-aggrandizement, for inflation, rather than for self-diminishment. Ideally, one says, “This light isn’t mine, this wisdom isn’t mine. It’s something that comes through me. It’s something from another source.” But the ego wants to say, “This is my wisdom. I know.”

There is an interesting book that’s just recently out by Mariana Caplan called Halfway Up the Mountain—which is a bad metaphor because it’s probably an endless mountain—but it talks about many of the dangers of having spiritual teachers who are halfway up the mountain, but have somehow stopped at this stage. It’s the most dangerous stage of all because if the ego gets inflated with real wisdom, real light, it’s very hard to change things. Because the light is real, the wisdom is real. The only problem is that the ego begins to attribute it to itself, not to something greater than itself. And so the self gets firmer, crystallized even; but what we want, of course, is for the self to become more transparent, less of a “thing,” lighter.

Full interview and introduction here.

You may despair of finding a true friend of God;
but since the treasure does exist in this world,
consider no ruin empty of treasure.
Go to every dervish at random,
and when you find the sign of a true saint,
keep his company regularly.
If the inner eye has not been granted to you,
always think that treasure could be in anybody.

Masnavi Bk2 (2153-2155)

Those who have visited this blog must have come to know how indebted this scribe is to Hz Allama Muhammad Iqbal (ra). I have never thought of him as a mere poet, as even before I could read Urdu properly, I had heard from reliable sources that there was a mystic hidden behind the intellectual. Accordingly I have always found him to be an inspiration. Here are a few memorable pictures of Allama along with a recital of his poem Ilm O Ishq (Knowledge and Love) in remembrance of him on the 70th anniversary of his passing from the world.

” I am al-Jili and Muhiyiddin is my name

my banners fly on the mountain tops

I am Hasani and my station is the “secret chamber”

my feet are upon the necks of the men

Abd al Qadir is my well known name

my Grandfather (PBUH) is the source of perfection.”

Today is the 11th of Rabi as-Sani commemorated all over the Muslim world from East to West as the Urs of Sultan al-Awliya, al-Ghouth al-A’zam, Sayyiduna as-Shaykh Abu Muhammad Muhyiddin Abdal Qadir al-Jaylani al-Hasani wa al-Hussaini (may Allah be well pleased with him). The Shaykh passed away on this day in the year 561 A.H/1166 C.E. He is perhaps the most venerated saint in the history of Islam and his tomb in Baghdad continues to be a place of pious visitation to this day. The following is an extract from the Shaykh’s advice to his son which the latter had requested whilst the shaykh was in the throes of his final illness. He, may God be pleased with him said:

“ You must observe your duty to Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), fear no one but Allah, pin your hopes on no one but Allah and entrust all your needs to Allah. Do not rely on anyone but Him, address all your requests to Him, and put your trust in none but Allah. Affirm his Oneness. All is contained within the affirmation of His Oneness.”

To learn more about Sayyidna Ghouth al-Azam visit the Shaikh Abd al Qadir Jilani homepage. It is a blessed practice of Muslims and especially sufis to offer a Fatiha for departed shaykhs as a gift for them. One does this by reciting the Surat al-Fatiha once (and adding Surat Ikhlas three times if one likes) with the intention of offering the reward to the soul of the departed. Let us join the countless others that are offering this gift (for the pleasure of Allah) to Sayyindna Shaykh Abd al-Qadir (ra) today.

Tora qaim rehe Baghdad aur abad sultani!

” O God, leave not the earth bereft of those who will stand as evidence of Your truth, those who, though small in number, enjoy the highest standing with God, whose hearts cling to the loftiest abode, and who are God’s vicegerents among His servants and in His land. Ah, how I long to see them!”

Sayyidna Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (RA).

Interesting discussion of these issues by Sh. Hamza Yusuf. Excerpt:

HY: Yes. Modern technology dehumanizes by its nature, because it is based on massification (a computer in every home). Everyone is reduced to sitting around looking at blinking cathode rays on a screen. There is no human exchange anymore; people just send e-mail. People get nervous if you start talking like this because most Muslims are really embarrassed by the simplicity of the Prophet’s (pbuh) life. Many don’t want to admit that he lived in a house devoid of furniture; that he sewed his own shoes and collected firewood. The Prophet (pbuh) wasn’t interested in improving that aspect of his life.

Improving ones standard of living has become an idol whereas I think Islam lowers your standard of living. You become content with less. When the Prophet’s (pbuh) wife put a cushion in his bed he got upset. He consciously lowered his standard of living.

The truth is the whole world can’t support a bunch of consumers. Western technology is based on the exploitation of the other 90 percent of the world. All our wonderful technological achievements are based on the rest of the world living in abject poverty. Through enjoying the fruits of Western technology, we are in fact participating in the destruction of indigenous cultures all over the world and the impoverishment of those people.

Read the full interview here.

A recent post on Green Sufi’s blog drew my attention to the need to say a few words about television. In fact it reminded me of a book by Gerry Mander which everyone should read about the harmful effects of TV. This book which I read due to a recommendation by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf was a real eye-opener for me and many friends. Mander and Neil Postman are well worth reading on the harmful effects of TV and technology in general. Unfortunately in the Muslin world there is as yet little awareness and interest in these issues. For a review of Mander’s book go here or to take a look at it go here. For a list of books by Postman take a look at this.

Came across this excellent article by Javed Chaudry who used to write the Zeropoint column in the Daily Jang. It sums up my fears based on the events of the last few days. Apologies to those friends who only read English as the article is in Urdu. Well worth reading so do take a look here.

” Only the Prophet (upon him be peace and blessings) is the perfected man (mard -e-kamil) but in his ummah there are men of iman (mard-e-momin) some of whom are examplary, others are semi-examplary and yet others that are non-examplary. Their ranks differ in accordance with their knowledge, understanding, actions and character.

Islam is an open book. Apart from the huruf-e muqatt’aat (disjointed letters) which are known only by God there is no secret in the Qur’an or in the forms of worship. In Iqbal’s work where expressions such as “Knower of secrets” etc are used it is mostly for purposes of beautification. It does not mean that there is some secret beyond the Qur’an or in the various forms of worship which has to be discovered before one’s faith is perfected or before one can stake a claim for being a knower of secrets.

There are two reasons why the great shaykhs have often kept their awrad secret. Firstly because after having made their obligatory worship public they do not wish to attract attention with extra devotions. Secondly things related to spiritual phenomena and disclosures which they experience are strictly personal and if made public would not be understood by others not be of any benefit to them. Having said that they do often take their close and trusted companions into confidence regarding these matters.

This habit of great and sincere masters has provided a ready made excuse for false sufis who have turned sufism into a cult of secret knowledge. This is simply a means of abusing and defrauding simpletons. Neither the deen nor sufism is some secret or occult affair. Those that present it as such have some worldly motive for doing so.”