tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-192117652024-03-13T15:33:29.683+00:00Murid's LogA blog mostly concerned with translations of Sufi texts, biographies of some of the luminaries of the Shadhili Darqawi Alawi Tariqa and others, and recordings of gatherings here in MoroccoKhalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-57213229337755448422014-02-15T13:03:00.003+00:002014-02-15T13:05:08.170+00:00Book Release - The Qur'an and the Prophet in the Writings of Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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New release by the Islamic Texts Society: <i>The Qur'an and the Prophet in the Writings of Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi</i>, a translation of several of the Shaykh's commentaries on passages of the Qur'an and invocations of blessing on the Prophet (God bless him and give him peace). Preface by Seyyed Hossein Nasr.<br />
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ITS link: <a href="http://www.its.org.uk/catalogue/the-quran-and-the-prophet-in-the-writings-of-shaykh-ahmad-al-alawi-hardback/">http://www.its.org.uk/catalogue/the-quran-and-the-prophet-in-the-writings-of-shaykh-ahmad-al-alawi-hardback/</a><br />
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Amazon UK link: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1903682770/ref=rdr_ext_sb_ti_hist_1">http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1903682770/ref=rdr_ext_sb_ti_hist_1</a><br />
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(Out now in UK, US release upcoming.)<br />
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Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-2330138745140327042013-07-09T11:14:00.000+00:002013-07-09T11:14:36.963+00:00Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi on the Spiritual Significance of Fasting, Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Linguistically, to fast means to abstain from something. In the language of the Sufis, it means to abstain from everything but their Beloved. This station has its own obligations, conditions, nullifiers and recommendations, as the author [Ibn Ashir] will detail. He begins:<br />
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Fasting is obligatory in the month of Ramadan,<br />
And recommended in the months of Rajab and Sha'ban,
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The nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, especially the last,
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The month of Muharram, especially the tenth.</blockquote>
We have already seen what the Sufis mean by fasting; the author of the 'Ayniyya [al-Jili], may God be pleased with him, said about it:<br />
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Fasting is to abstain from seeing all that is other;<br />
And my breaking of fast will come when I meet You!</blockquote>
Someone else said:<br />
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In fasting from every other, my soul was truly rarefied;<br />
In what poured over me and flowed on to others, my Zakat was truly purified.
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But the abstinence of the gnostics from all that is besides God takes place in a particular Presence, namely the Presence of the Essence [<i>hadrat al-dhat</i>], or they might call it the Presence of the Domination [<i>hadrat al-jabarut</i>]. As for the Presence of the Names and Qualities, or of the Acts, it is not obligatory to look upon the Essence in such a domain because of how difficult it is to see It when it is portrayed on the canvasses of the Names and Qualities; hence in those two Presences, abstinence is only recommended. It is usually impossible for the one in this station to combine it with the other because of the turbulent waves of the Names and Qualities, all of which disturb abstinence. The same is not true of the Presence of Oneness, for it cannot be disturbed by anything; even if the one in this station tried to see something else, he would be unable to do so, because by definition it does not allow it. Were something other than God to come to his heart, he would immediately come out of the station and his fast would be broken. The Sultan of the Lovers [Ibn al-Farid] said about this:<br />
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If a desire for anyone but You were to come to me, <br />
Even accidentally, I would call myself apostate.</blockquote>
Thus it is for the person in this Presence. As for the other Presences, the person in them is veiled by the appearance of the Names and Qualities, and so looking upon the Essence is only recommended for him, if he is able. Hence the author says, 'And recommended in the months of Rajab and Sha'ban.'<br />
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From <i>Holy Gifts of Grace</i> [<i>al-Minah al-Quddusiyya</i>].<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">الله</span></div>
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Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-15939264857443444772013-06-23T20:51:00.002+00:002013-06-23T20:52:03.625+00:00Fariduddin Attar on the Human Condition<br />
A man is walking through a luscious garden filled with all the bounties of nature, when all of a sudden the ground beneath his feet gives way and he plummets into a hole. Grasping out blindly, he feels his hands close around the roots of a tree. Terrified, he looks below him and sees a monstrous dragon at the bottom of the pit, waiting for him to fall. He begins to pull himself up by the fortunately-placed tree roots, when his eyes happen upon a beehive lodged in the side of the hole. He lets go of the roots with one hand, and plunges his free hand into the beehive, never minding the stings of the protective bees. He draws out his hand, dripping now with honey, and licks his fingers clean of it. "Ah," he says, "what a joyous thing life is!" <br />
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" /></div>
Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-79740786972913441872013-01-24T10:20:00.000+00:002013-01-24T20:51:53.526+00:00Muhammad, the Perfect Man<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mgrhlcr7Y6w/UQEI0i7O36I/AAAAAAAAANU/5rhxupnP3v4/s1600/MuhammadPerfectMan.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-Mgrhlcr7Y6w/UQEI0i7O36I/AAAAAAAAANU/5rhxupnP3v4/s1600/MuhammadPerfectMan.gif" width="241" /></a></div>
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Announcing the release of a translation of the great scholar of Mecca, Sayyid Muhammad ibn 'Alawi al-Maliki al-Hasani's book <i>Muhammad (God bless him and give him peace), the Perfect Man.</i> It is a work in the <i>Shama'il</i> tradition, being a comprehensive
summary of the attributes of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) focused especially on his perfections in all aspects of life: His
gifts and attributes, his divine protection from error, his ethics and
manners, his virtues and merits, his political and military leadership,
his interaction with the Muslim community and education of them, and his
Law.<br />
<br />
It may be considered as a companion to works like the <i>Shifa </i>of Qadi
Iyad, the<i> Shama'il</i> of Imam Tirmidhi, the <i>Shama'il</i> of Imam Abdullah
Sirajuddin, and so on. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Alawi had great insight and
<i>baraka </i>in his approach, and produced a beautiful and moving portrait of
the Chosen One (peace and blessings be upon him) which would have become
a classic of Islamic literature in any age it might have been written.This is the first English translation of the work.<br />
<br />
Available from the publishers at:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.visions-of-reality.com/">www.visions-of-reality.com</a><br />
<br />
Also on Amazon, etc.</div>
Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-48698386130361343502012-10-19T10:52:00.000+00:002012-10-19T11:01:45.812+00:00The Two Illuminations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Ibn Ata' Illah</b>: <i>There are illuminations that are allowed to arrive; and then there are illuminations that are allowed to enter.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Shurnubi</b>: This means that the illuminations that come to the heart from the treasures of the unseen, i.e. divine secrets and lordly mysteries, are divided into two types: (1) illuminations that are allowed to reach the outside of the heart only, so that one sees alongside them one's soul, one's Lord, one's worldly life and one's hereafter; and (2) illuminations that are allowed to enter into the heart's core, so that the servant loves nothing else in that moment but his Master, and does nothing but what his Lord loves and approves.
<br />
<br />
<b>Ibn Ata' Illah</b>: <i>It may be that illuminations come to you and find your heart enveloped in the images of created things, so that they turn back and return whence they came.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Shurnubi</b>: That is: O murid, it may be that divine illuminations come to you, but find your heart enveloped in the images of things of this world like possessions, children and so on. So the illuminations go back to where they came from, because they are too holy to enter a heart that is sullied with other things.
The author then explains that the heart must be emptied, saying:<br />
<br />
<b>Ibn Ata' Illah</b>: <i>Empty your heart of other things, and it will be filled with mystical knowledge and secrets.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Shurnubi</b>:
That is: O murid, if you wish for illuminations to enter your heart, and for mysteries and secrets to be revealed to you from your Lord, then empty your heart of the images of other things, and it will be filled with mystical knowledge and secrets.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">الله</span> </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-30966652657445755942011-12-31T15:33:00.000+00:002011-12-31T15:42:22.786+00:00In Memoriam<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Sidi Shaykh Buzidi </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">1925-2011</span> </span></div>
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<i>Bismi 'Llahi 'r-Rahmani</i> <i>'r-Rahim</i></div>
<br />
I returned in the early hours of this morning from the funeral, in
Nador, of Sid Shaykh Buzidi Bujrafi of the Shadhili-Darqawi-Alawi
tariqa. I will not attempt to give an exhaustive obituary here - that
should be left to one of his murids, I feel - but I would like to try
and describe some reflections on the Shaykh and his passing while they
are still fresh in my mind.<br />
<br />
<br />
Upon entering the zawiya in Nador, the first thing I was aware of was
timelessness, the timelessness of the place. Though I had not been there
in two years or so, it felt as though I had never left. Sidi Nabil,
muqaddam of the Oujda zawiya, said the same to me later on that day. In
the zawiya of Shaykh Buzidi, there was no time. It was not Monday,
Tuesday, Spring, Summer, December, July; it was only <i>dhikr Allah</i>, remembrance of Him who is beyond time.<br />
<br />
Yet of course there was one crucial difference this
time around: the Shaykh himself was not there to greet us; and this
leads me to the second noticeable presence in the zawiya that morning:
grief. We were greeted by Sidi Abd al-Rahim, the Shaykh's son, whose
face was an image of grief and loss such as I have never seen. It was
all we could do to embrace him, and add our tears to his, without any
words being needed. We had arrived just in time to offer the dawn prayer
with the congregation. Sidi Abd al-Rahim beckoned to Shaykh Sa'id of
Salé to lead the prayer, but the Shaykh took off his woollen cloak and
threw it over the shoulders of Sidi Abd al-Rahim, and bade him lead it.
After the prayer, we recited together the surat al-Waqi'a and other
litanies, and then withdrew to recite our daily wird individually. In
gatherings of years past, the fuqara would usually take the two hours or
so after this to snatch some sleep after their journeys, and the zawiya
would echo with the sound of deep breathing and gentle snores. On this
day, though, there was only the sound of muffled sobs and cries.<br />
<br />
<br />
At around half past seven, a breakfast of olives and olive oil was
brought out. Usually at this time, Shaykh Buzidi would come out clapping
his hands and singing the Testimony of Faith to rouse the sleeping
fuqara for a day of worship; today it was his memory that roused them.
After breakfast and ablutions, we began the dhikr, singing the poems of
the great spiritual masters of the Order. Many of the lines sung were,
of course, those composed by the Shaykh himself. People began to trickle
in through the doors of the zawiya, coming from near and far, many of
them sobbing, almost all of them weeping. Shaykh Sa'id gave a short
talk, quoting lines that would be repeated by many throughout the day,
from a poem of the Shaykh al-Alawi:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
My beloved ones, if you truly follow me,<br />
Then here is the path: walk upon it behind me.</blockquote>
The path of the Shaykh remains, he said, and it is for his disciples to
follow it. He also said that the death of a saint is a time of
rejoicing, for it is only then that he is given his true life in the
realm of the spirit, free of the chains of this bodily life. He then
announced that instead of praying the Friday prayer and funeral in the
zawiya, as had first been planned, he had advised the fuqara to bear the
Shaykh to the mosque for the prayer, and then return him to the zawiya
for burial. This, he said, was so that the funeral prayer would be
attended by all, those who knew the Shaykh and those who knew him not,
and also so that the people could observe the funeral procession and pay
their respects.<br />
<br />
<br />
At around eleven o'clock, the Shaykh's bier was carried into the zawiya,
covered in a green cloth on which verses of the Quran were embroidered.
The outpourings of sadness intensified; I do not feel you can know what
grief is until you have seen elderly men, normally so stoic and calm,
weeping and wailing for a man they loved solely for the sake of Allah. A
hadra began, the circle made around the Shaykh once more as it had been
so many times in his life. All the Jalal of Allah seemed to be
manifested in the room, and it was too much for some, who collapsed into
grief-stricken heaps upon the floor, clinging to each other for solace.
<i>La ilaha illa Allah</i>. Such love.<br />
<br />
<br />
And it was love, more than anything else, more even than grief, which
was the dominant presence in the zawiya on this day. The Shaykh's bier
was taken up by his sons and loved ones, and carried through the streets
some distance to the mosque; the procession took perhaps half an hour.
Those several hundred men who walked behind it were connected by nothing
but love: love for Allah, love for His Messenger (upon whom be
blessings and peace), love for those who love Him. If someone were to
ask me what love is, I would attempt no definition, but simply say: Go
to the zawiya of Sidi Shaykh Buzidi. If you cannot find it there, it
cannot be found. The teachings of the Shaykh were simple: dhikr and
mahabba. To describe his state would not take many words. What did he
do? He invoked Allah. What did he embody? He embodied love for Allah and
His Messenger (upon whom be blessings and peace). That is all. His
poems of praise for the Prophet (upon whom be blessings and peace) were
marked by a love that was pure and sincere, with no artifice or
pretension. It was these poems that the fuqara sang as they bore the
Shaykh back to the zawiya after the prayer, as tradesmen and their
customers stood at the doors of their businesses and bowed their heads
in respect. The Shaykh was interred in his zawiya as the mourners
recited the Ya Sin, al-Mulk, al-Ikhlas. A few people spoke as best they
could, choked by their grief; and Sidi Abd al-Rahim, who now finds the
zawiya under his care, was asked to speak, but could not quell his tears
long enough to utter even a word. The Shaykh was in any case not a fan
of words, preferring the <i>dhikr Allah</i> and the poems of the
righteous to fill his zawiya with sound and life; and the fuqara then
set about doing just that. They are doing it still as I write this, and
will continue to do it thereafter. In the zawiya of Sidi Shaykh Buzidi,
after all, there is no time.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Radiya Allah 'anhu.</i></div>
</div>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-53586287719850738192011-08-07T23:14:00.000+00:002011-08-07T23:14:02.225+00:00Mysteries of FastingAl-Shaykh al-Akbar Ibn Arabi:<br />
<br />
Know - may Allah aid you - that fasting (<i>sawm</i>) means both 'abstention' and 'elevation': <i>sam al-nahar</i> means 'the day rose'; Imru' al-Qays used the verb in this way. Because fasting is elevated in rank above all other acts of worship, it is called <i>sawm</i>. God raised it by making it incomparable, out of all the acts of worship, as we shall see; and He took it from His servants even as they worshipped Him by it, and ascribed it to His own Self; and He rewards those who do it by His own hand from His own vessel; and He connected it to Himself by calling it incomparable.<span id="fullpost"> <br />
<br />
Now fasting is not really an abstention, not an action; and the fact that it is called incomparable makes it all the more apt to be connected with Him; for He says about Himself: "There is nothing like unto Him" (42:11). With this He negates that anything could be comparable to Him; and thus He is incomparable according to both reason and revelation. Nisa'i relates that Abu Umama said: 'I went to the Messenger of God (God bless him and give him peace) and said, "Command me with something that I can take from you." He said: "You must fast, for there is nothing like it."' With this, he negated that any other act of worship God established for His servants is like it. Anyone who understands that fasting is a negative attribute - since it means to abstain from all that vitiates it - will understand for certain that there is nothing like it, for it does not have any essence that could be rationally said to exist. This is why God says 'the fast is Mine', since in reality it is neither worship nor act. To call it an action is barely tolerable, just as to say that the Real (as we understand it) 'exists' is barely tolerable - for the existence ascribed to Him whose Existence is identical with His Essence in no way resembles the existence ascribed to us, for "there is nothing like unto Him."<br />
<br />
Consider this Divine Hadith, narrated by Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurayra: The Messenger of Allah (upon whom be blessings and peace) said: 'Allah, Almighty and Glorious, says: "Every act of the Son of Adam is his, save for fasting, which is Mine, and I reward it." Fasting is a shield; and on the day when one of you fasts, let him speak neither obscenely nor loudly; and if anyone curses him or fights him, let him say: "I am fasting." By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the changed smell of the mouth of the one who fasts is more fragrant to God, on the Day of Resurrection, than the scent of musk. The one who fasts rejoices in two joys: when he opens his fast, he rejoices in it; and when he meets his Lord, he rejoices in his fast.'<br />
<br />
Know that since, as the hadith of Nisa'i has established, God declared fasting to be incomparable, and the Real is incomparable, the one who fasts meets his Lord in the attribute of "there is nothing like unto Him"; thus he sees Him by it, and He is both the Seer and the Seen. This is why the Prophet said 'he rejoices in his fast', not 'he rejoices in the meeting with his Lord'; for joy does not cause joy in and of itself, but rather is the conduit of joy felt in something else. If the Real is one's sight when he sees and witnesses, then he sees himself only through His sight. The one who fasts rejoices in attaining unto the rank of incomparability. He rejoices in breaking the fast in this world because of the satiation of the animal self which innately desires nourishment for itself; and when the gnostic sees the need that his animal and vegetative self has for nourishment, and sees His largess in providing the nourishment he gives it, thereby fulfilling its right (<i>haqq</i>), as God obliged him to, he thereby acts with the attribute of truth (<i>haqq</i>). Thus he gives with the hand of God, just as when he meets the Real he sees It with the eye of God. Therefore he rejoices in breaking the fast just as will he rejoice in his fast when he meets his Lord.<br />
<br />
(<i>Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya</i>, Chapter 71)</span>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-78387929690675678782011-08-05T15:00:00.003+00:002011-08-05T15:04:11.909+00:00The Inner Fast<div class="MsoNormal">Concerning God’s words</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of guidance, and the Criterion. And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast the same) number of other days. Allah desireth for you ease; He desireth not hardship for you; and (He desireth) that ye should complete the period, and that ye should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that ye might give thanks.</i> (2:185)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Kashani says:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The month of Ramadan,</i> the burning of the soul in the light of the Real, <i>in which,</i> that is, at which time, <i>was</i> <i>revealed the Qur’an</i>, the universal unitive knowledge which is called the ‘Qur’anic intellect’ and leads to the station of union: <i>a guidance for mankind</i>, guiding them to Unity in the form of union, <i>and clear proofs of guidance</i> <i>and the Criterion (</i>Furqan<i>)</i>; that is, signs which form a connection between union (<i>jam’</i>) and separation (<i>farq</i>) – meaning the detailed knowledge that is called the ‘Furqanic intellect’.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>And whosoever of you is present</i> in this time, having reached the station of direct witnessing of the Essence, <i>let him fast</i>; that is, let him abstain from any word, deed or motion bereft of the presence of the Real.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>And whosoever of you is sick</i>, his heart afflicted with the malady of psychological veils which prevent this witnessing, <i>or on a journey</i>, still travelling towards the vision of the Essence but not yet having reached it: <i>(let him fast the same) number of other days</i>; he has other stages to traverse before he arrives at that station.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Allah desireth for you ease</i> in arriving to the station of Divine Oneness (<i>tawhid</i>) and drawing strength from the Divine Strength; <i>He desireth not hardship for you</i>, meaning the overburdening of the weak and feeble soul with deeds; <i>and (He desireth) that ye should complete the period</i> to complete those stages and stations which lead to this one, <i>and that ye should magnify Allah</i> and know His magnificence and His might <i>for having guided you</i> to the station of union, and that <i>ye might give thanks</i> to Him for making you firm therein.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">(Tafsir Ibn ‘Arabi)</div>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-19907075235614523372011-07-29T19:52:00.000+00:002011-07-29T19:52:03.520+00:00The Tariqa in a Few Words<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Sidi Ali al-Jamal:<br />
<br />
All existence is like a single man, and you are like a single finger of this man. If you gain power over this finger (which is your soul), you will gain mastery over all of existence, conquering and overpowering it whether it likes it or not. You will then be able to act in existence however you please, and nothing will happen therein unless you please. <br />
<br />
If you are overpowered by this finger (which is your soul), however, then all of existence will overpower you, dominating and conquering you whether you like it or not. All of existence will do with you whatever it pleases, however it pleases. <br />
<br />
If you gain mastery over your soul, all of existence becomes your slave; if your soul gains mastery over you, you become the slave of existence. Now mastery over the soul can only be achieved by gaining knowledge of ‘those who know through God’ (<i>al-‘arifin bi-Llah</i>), and by keeping their company constantly.</div>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-19150108487781544662011-07-22T15:40:00.000+00:002011-07-22T15:40:17.387+00:00The Veil of Light<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Imam al-Shādhilī (Allah have mercy on him) said: ‘I heard related to me the words of the Messenger of Allah (upon whom be blessings and peace), “Indeed my heart becomes veiled, and I ask forgiveness of my Lord seventy times a day”, and could not understand what it meant. Then I had a vision of the Messenger of Allah (upon whom be blessings and peace), and he said to me: “O blessed one! That is the veil of light, not the veil of contingent things!”’<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">يا مبارك ذاك غين الانوار لا غين الاغيار</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">*</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">والحمد لله وحده</span></div></div>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-57014242657347720402011-07-16T14:52:00.004+00:002011-07-16T14:58:36.340+00:00Ibn Ajiba on the Spiritual Virtues (6)Love, Witnessing & Intellective Vision, and Gnosis<br />
<br />
13 – Love is the permanent inclination of the fervent heart. This inclination is first manifested in the body in the form of servitude – this is the station of the pious; then secondly in the yearning heart in the form of purification and adornment – this is the station of the initiatic spiritual wayfarers; then thirdly in the spirit and the pure secret (<i>sirr</i>) in the form of spiritual firmness – this is the station of the gnostics. <span id="fullpost"> Thus the beginning of love is its manifestation in servitude; the middle of it is its manifestation in gratitude and fervour; and the end of it is its manifestation in tranquillity and sobriety, in the station of gnosis. Thus people are divided into three groups: the folk of servitude, the folk of spiritual states (<i>ahwal</i>), and the folk of spiritual stations (<i>maqamat</i>). Its beginning is wayfaring and servitude, its middle is attraction and extinction, and its end is sobriety and subsistence.<br />
<br />
14 – Witnessing (<i>mushahada</i>) means to see the Subtle Essence in its manifested and coagulated forms; it is a question of the coagulation of subtle substance. And when love ascends higher, and the coagulated lights become subtle once more, this is intellective vision (<i>mu’ayana</i>)*; it is a question of the return of the coagulation to its subtle state. Thus intellective vision is more penetrating and complete than witnessing. The upshot of this is that the Essence cannot be seen unless Its subtle mysteries are coagulated into manifestations, for the subtle cannot be perceived as long as it is subtle. To see these manifestations in their coagulated form is called ‘witnessing’; and to return them back to their subtle origin by immersing them in the Ocean of Oneness is called ‘intellective vision’. Others say that <i>mushahada</i> and <i>mu’ayana</i> are simply synonyms.<br />
<br />
15 – Gnosis (<i>ma’rifa</i>) means that witnessing becomes firm and perpetual; it is the permanent witnessing of the fervent heart. One sees nothing but one's Lord, and turns to none but Him, all the while maintaining justice and keeping to the formalities of the Sacred Law.<br />
<br />
<br />
*Translator’s note: Sidi Ibn Ajiba is making the distinction here between the gnostic’s recognition of visible things as manifestation of the Real, which he calls <i>mushahada</i>, and the gnostic’s direct vision of subtle realities, which he calls <i>mu’ayana</i>. The term ‘intellective vision’ seems appropriate for describing this latter vision, which takes place via the vehicle of the ‘eye of the heart’ directly, without outward supports.<br />
</span>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-38567643184812943532011-07-10T16:34:00.000+00:002011-07-16T14:56:33.419+00:00Ibn Ajiba on the Spiritual Virtues (5)Contentment & Resignation, Vigilance, Self-Reckoning<br />
<br />
10 – Contentment (<i>rida</i>) means to meet misfortunes with a smiling face; or it means the happiness the heart feels as fate unfolds; or it means to forgo one’s own free choice and leave things to God’s plan and decree; or it means the expansion of the breast and the absence of any resentment for what comes to one from the One Invincible God.<br />
<br />
Resignation (<i>taslim</i>) means to leave all planning and free choice by being still and tranquil as fate unfolds. Thus it is like contentment in essence, except that contentment is greater than it. It is said that the time for contentment is when things actually happen, whilst the time for resignation is before they happen. In this sense, resignation is the same as spiritual abandonment (<i>tafwid</i>). Its beginning is patience and effort; its middle is outward tranquillity despite feelings of resentment and unhappiness; its end is joy and peace without any resentment. The first is for ordinary people, the second for the elite, and the third for the elite of the elite. Even the first stage is not always possible for everyone, because of the human weakness that they, being human, cannot be free of; and thus they are forgiven if they fall short of it.<br />
<br />
11 – Vigilance (<i>muraqaba</i>) means constant awareness that God is watching one; or it means to fulfil the rights of God both secretly and openly, without indulging any doubts or delusions, and with complete sincerity. This is the root of all that is good. Vigilance leads to beatitude and determines its power: the more powerful one’s vigilance is, the more powerful the beatific vision he experiences later on will be. Exoterists are vigilant by protecting their bodies from sin; esoterists are vigilant by protecting their hearts from indulging in vain thoughts; the elite of the esoterists are vigilant by protecting their innermost secret from inclining to anything but God. <br />
<br />
12 – Self-Reckoning (<i>muhasaba</i>) means to censure oneself from wasting one’s breath and time on anything but obedience to God. It takes place at the end of the day, just as forming one’s spiritual intention (<i>musharata</i>) takes place at the start of the day. One says to oneself at the start of the day: ‘This is a new day, and it will bear witness against you; strive to fill it with that which draws you nearer to God. Had you died yesterday, you would have missed out on the goodness you have a chance to win today.’ One says the same thing as the night approaches, and reckons it when it passes. One continues to do this until he becomes firm in the Presence, whereupon his time becomes unified; this is to drown in the witnessing of the Divine, so that there is no longer anyone to reckon or to chastise. Thus forming one’s spiritual intention comes first, and reckoning oneself comes last; and vigilance must be constant, as long as one walks the path – and when one arrives, there is no longer any reckoning, nor any intention. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">* </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">الصوفي لم يُخْلَق </span></div>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-13507143281938769152011-06-01T14:14:00.003+00:002011-07-16T14:56:33.420+00:00Life and Death, Tears and LaughterRemember that when you were born, you were crying while all around you were laughing.<br />Die in such a way that, though all around you cry, you shall laugh.<br /><br />-Mawlana Rumi.Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-13645692595539769972011-04-29T08:42:00.003+00:002011-04-29T08:57:27.716+00:00Moulay Arabi and the Kittens<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VNMGtBEZuQ8/Tbp718xQWQI/AAAAAAAAAMg/SOYtk5chCiw/s1600/two_kittens_from_behind.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 264px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VNMGtBEZuQ8/Tbp718xQWQI/AAAAAAAAAMg/SOYtk5chCiw/s320/two_kittens_from_behind.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600925253364635906" /></a><br />Moulay 'Arabi al-Darqawi was walking along one day through the streets of Fes with a disciple of his, when they came across a pair of kittens playing in a doorway.<br /><br />'Look at these kittens, master', said the disciple, 'and how they love each other unconditionally and purely. If only the <span style="font-style:italic;">fuqara </span>could be that way!'<br /><br />'Indeed,' said Moulay 'Arabi. 'Let us see.' He went over to a nearby butcher and asked for a sliver of meat, which the butcher gave him. He returned with it to the kittens and threw the scrap of meat down to them. Immediately they began to fight and scratch and yowl, each one trying to claim the meat for itself.<br /><br />'Thus it is with the <span style="font-style:italic;">fuqara</span>', said Moulay 'Arabi.Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-90929397376203584332011-04-01T11:50:00.003+00:002011-04-29T08:58:29.323+00:00Ibn Ajiba on the Salat ‘ala an-NabiThe blessing (<span style="font-style:italic;">salat</span>) which God sends upon His Beloved is His love and affection for him, and His drawing him nigh and electing him; and the peace (<span style="font-style:italic;">salam</span>) He sends him is a salutation and generous ennoblement, and an expression of utmost kindness and favour.<br /><br />In the invocation of blessings upon the Messenger of God (upon whom be blessings and peace), people are divided into three groups: <br /><span id="fullpost"><br /><br />First there are those who send blessings upon his human form; these are the people of rational arguments and proofs. They envisage him in their hearts as they invoke blessings upon him, and as they invoke more and more (with presence of mind), the noble image becomes firmer and firmer in their hearts. Thus they see him often in their dreams; and perhaps his noble spirit might take the form of his blessed body so that they see him in a waking state.<br /><br />Then there are those who invoke blessings upon his illuminating spirit; these are the people of witnessing who travel the spiritual path. They invoke blessings upon his light which flows down from the Realm of Domination (<span style="font-style:italic;">al-Jabarut</span>), and they witness him most of the time, as long as they have presence of mind and vision.<br /><br />Then there are those who invoke blessings upon his primordial light, which is the light of all lights; these are the people of spiritual firmness and mastery, they of direct witnessing and vision. The Prophet (upon whom be blessings and peace) never leaves them for a moment, which is why Sheikh Abu Abbas [al-Mursi], God be pleased with him, said: ‘Were the Messenger of God (upon whom be blessings and peace) to leave me for the blinking of an eye, I would no longer count myself a Muslim.’ In saying this he was alluding to his own firmness and mastery in the Presence, and his having come back to the station of subsistence (<span style="font-style:italic;">al-baqa</span>) wherein one witnesses the Intermediary. Such people’s thoughts roam through the World of Dominion (<span style="font-style:italic;">al-Malakut</span>), and their spirits are connected to the World of Domination (<span style="font-style:italic;">al-Jabarut</span>), and in them is synthesised all that is lacking in others, as the Prophet (upon whom be blessings and peace) said: ‘All prey is in the belly of the wild donkey’; for the wild donkey is the fattest of all hunted animals, so that whoever catches one is as fortunate as he would be to catch them all. And the poet said:<br /><br />It is not beyond God in the least<br />To combine all worlds in one man.<br /><br />(From <span style="font-style:italic;">al-Futuhat al-Ilahiyyah</span>.)<br /></span>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-460982957287250592011-03-22T17:04:00.004+00:002011-07-16T14:56:20.053+00:00Ibn Ajiba on the Spiritual Virtues (4)7 – Scrupulousness.<br /><br />Scrupulousness means to hold back the soul from indulging in anything with blameworthy consequences. Ordinary people are scrupulous by avoiding all that is plainly unlawful; the elite are scrupulous by avoiding all that disturbs the heart with ugliness and darkness, as summed up by the words of the Prophet (upon whom be blessings and peace): ‘Leave that which makes you doubt for that which makes you doubt not’. <span id="fullpost">The elite of the elite are scrupulous by refusing to be attached to ought but God, and closing the door to desire for ought but God, and channelling the aspiration towards God, and being content with nothing but Him. This is the scrupulousness of which Hasan al-Basri was speaking when he said: ‘The essence of religion is scrupulousness, and the bane of religion is greed.’ Now the scrupulousness which is diametrically opposed to greed in every way is the scrupulousness of the elite of the elite; a single bit of is worth thousands of prayers and fasts. Thus (Ibn ‘Ata ‘Illah) says in the Tanwir: ‘The servant’s understanding is not proved by his having much knowledge or by his adherence to his litanies; his illumination and understanding are rather proved by his being satisfied with his Lord, and his heart’s being attached to Him, and by his breaking free of the thrall of greed and adorning himself with the robe of scrupulousness.’ (He is speaking of the scrupulousness of the elite of the elite.) God knows best.<br /><br />8 – Asceticism.<br /><br />Asceticism means for the heart to have no attachments save to the Lord; or for the life of this world to be alien to the heart and worthless to the soul. Ordinary people are ascetic by leaving all that is above their needs; the elite are ascetic by leaving all that distracts from the act of drawing nigh unto God in all situations; the elite of the elite are ascetic by refraining from looking towards anything but God at all times. In all cases, the essence of the matter is that the heart is alienated from all but God, and from any desire save for the Beloved. Thus, asceticism engenders love, as the Prophet (upon whom be blessings and peace) said: ‘Be ascetic in the world, and God will love you…’ It also engenders spiritual wayfaring, and is the means of arriving at its end; for the heart cannot undergo this journey whilst it is attached to ought but the Beloved.<br /><br />9 – Reliance.<br /><br />Reliance means for the heart to trust in God so that it depends on nought besides Him, and to be attached to God and consign all things to Him, secure in the knowledge that He knows all things. Or, it means to trust what is in God’s hand more than what is in one’s own. Its lowest level is to be with God as the deputy is with the kind and compassionate commissioner; its middle level is to be like the child with his mother: he turns to no one but her for anything; its highest level is to be like the dead body in the hands of the washer. The first is for ordinary people, the second is for the elite, and the third is for the elite of the elite. Doubt may enter the head of the first; the second is without any doubt, but he only attaches to his mother when he needs her; as for the third, there is no question of either doubt or attachment, for he is annihilated from his own self, and at all times he sees nothing but what God does with him.<br /></span>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-4516487227688684942011-01-25T16:20:00.003+00:002011-01-25T17:25:20.502+00:00Renewing One's InitiationI recently came across this passage in the book <span style="font-style:italic;">al-Ira’ah</span> by the Tijani scholar Hajj Lahsan Ba‘qili, and it moved me deeply; I feel that had I read this some years ago, it would have given me immense benefit and saved me a lot of anguish; but that was not Allah’s will. Nevertheless, I reproduce it here in case it may benefit others and save them from falling into a demonic snare which has claimed many a Sufi aspirant over the centuries. The Sheikh says:<span id="fullpost"><br /><br />(The passage uses certain expressions of more use to Tijani disciples; I have taken the liberty of modifying them, so that it is of more use to those who are not members of that particular blessed order, as I am not)<br /><br />…Many times people are initiated by a sheikh or <span style="font-style:italic;">muqaddam</span> who has spiritual blessing, but then meet someone else who is more qualified, and renew their initiation with him, and then they neglect their relationship with the first one even though he was the one who first brought them into the order and began their blessed path. And they might even slight him by saying, “I was initiated by so-and-so,” naming the second, and when you press them they say, “I entered the order at the hands of so-and-so,” speaking of him as though he is unimportant and distant. By neglecting the first wellspring of their success in the order, they end up suspended halfway: neither disciples, nor otherwise. They are like someone who makes ablutions for the midday prayer and then retains his state of purity until the afternoon prayer: it is recommended for him to renew it anyway, for the sake of performing a recommended act, so he renews his ablutions. But if after he prays he remembers that the first ablution was actually nullified before he made the second, his prayer is invalid. It does not matter that he made ablutions the second time, since when he did so he only intended the blessing of it, and not to cleanse himself of his impure state, and nothing more. Likewise, when someone renews his initiation with another sheikh but still remains tied to the first initiation without honoring it properly, his initiation is invalid and no one else will benefit him, even if he were to meet with every sheikh in the world. The only way to avoid this is to repent and explain the reasons for the separation, and be given permission by the new spiritual guide; and then his intention should be to enter the order from the beginning again. And you find that those who go through this endure many difficulties and suffer from worry, sorrow and paranoia. <br /></span>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-82563853440455011992010-09-30T14:19:00.001+00:002010-09-30T14:30:07.043+00:00Sheikh al-Alawi's Lote Tree<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Mf4OxuJ6Ods/TKSeeNZTzzI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/b8pJepd9u_I/s1600/Lote+Tree.bmp"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 302px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Mf4OxuJ6Ods/TKSeeNZTzzI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/b8pJepd9u_I/s400/Lote+Tree.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522713284892151602" border="0" /></a><br />The lote-tree in Mostaghanem beneath which the Sheikh al-Alawi loved to sit and invoke.Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-19686653484822671302010-08-01T19:16:00.001+00:002011-07-16T14:56:20.054+00:00Ibn Ajiba on the Spiritual Virtues (3)5 – Patience<br /><br />Patience means that the heart accept the Lord’s decree gladly. Ordinary people have patience when their hearts gladly accept the difficulties of performing righteous deeds and abstaining from sins; the elite have patience when their souls gladly accept to endure the exercises, efforts and terrors of the spiritual path, keeping their hearts always attentive, and seeking to behold what lies beyond mystical veils; and the elite of the elite have patience when their spirits – or their secrets – gladly accept the presence of wonders and graces, or the constant and unending vision of God.<br /><span id="fullpost"><br /><br />6 – Gratitude<br /><br />Gratitude is the heart’s joy at receiving blessings whilst the body is devoted to obedience of the Blesser. Or, it is to acknowledge the blessings of the Blesser with devotion. It has three forms: The gratitude of the tongue, which is to vocally acknowledge the blessing with resignation, which is itself a blessing; and the gratitude of the body, which is to devote it to God’s service; and the gratitude of the heart, which is to see the Blesser in every blessing. The foundation of all of these is contained in Junayd’s words: ‘One must not disobey God by means of His blessings.’ <br /><br />Ordinary people are grateful when they praise God with their tongues; the elite are grateful when they serve God with their bodies; and the elite of the elite are grateful when they immerse themselves completely in the vision of the Giver.<br /></span>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-64755981565944209482010-06-20T11:27:00.001+00:002011-07-16T14:56:20.054+00:00Ibn Ajiba on the Spiritual Virtues (2)Penitence, Fear and Hope<br /><br />2 – Penitence<br /><br />Penitence goes deeper than repentance, because it means renouncement accompanied by a feeling of humble regret and a firm resolve to return to the straight path. It has three levels: To turn from sin to repentance, and from heedlessness to attentiveness, and from being divided from God to being united with Him.<br /><span id="fullpost"><br />3 – Fear<br /><br />Fear is the heart’s worry of encountering something it dislikes or losing out on something it desires. Its fruit is that it makes one resolve to be righteous and flee from sin. And to act as though one is fearful whilst being remiss in piety is a false claim. Ordinary people fear punishment and the loss of reward; the elite fear rebuke and the loss of nearness; and the elite of the elite fear to be veiled from God because of poor etiquette on their part.<br /><br />4 – Hope<br /><br />Hope is the heart’s gladness in anticipation of something it loves, on condition that one does what one can to attain it – otherwise it is but a wish and a fancy. Ordinary people hope to attain unto reward in the hereafter; the elite hope to attain unto God’s goodly pleasure and His nearness; and the elite of the elite hope to be firmly rooted in the Beatific vision, and to continue to learn more and more of the mysteries of the Loving Sovereign.<br /><br />Fear and hope are like the wings of the heart, without which it cannot fly; and perhaps the gnostics have more hope, whilst the righteous have more fear.<br /></span>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-85558615045813815022010-06-13T17:31:00.000+00:002011-07-16T14:56:20.055+00:00Ibn Ajiba on the Spiritual Virtues (1)1 – Repentance<br /><br />Repentance means to renounce every vile action and adopt every pleasant one; or to renounce every base attribute and adopt every high one; or to renounce the vision of created things and immerse oneself in the vision of the Real.<span id="fullpost"><br /><br />Its conditions are regret, renunciation and a firm resolve not to repeat the sin; as for returning the rights of others, it is a separate obligation and repentance may be valid without it, just as it may be valid to repent from one sin while persisting in another. Ordinary people repent from sins; the elite repent from faults; the elite of the elite repent from everything which distracts the spirit from the Presence of God. Every spiritual station requires repentance: when one repentance has been sincerely made, another is then required. The station of Fear requires repentance at times of security and pride; the station of Hope requires repentance at times of hopelessness and despair; the station of Patience requires repentance at times of anxiety; the station of Asceticism requires repentance at times of desire; the station of Piety requires repentance at times when dispensations are needless sought out, and at times of avarice; the station of Confidence requires repentance at times when one engages in planning and decision-making and when one is concerned about one’s provision; the station of Contentment and Resignation requires repentance at times when one dislikes and objects to what fate brings one; the station of Vigilance requires repentance at times of poor outward comportment or evil thoughts; the station of Self-Awareness requires repentance when time is wasted on things which do not bring one closer to the Real; the station of Love requires repentance when the heart inclines to anything but the Beloved; the station of Vision requires repentance when the spirit’s attention is directed to anything but the Beheld, or when it is absorbed with a sensory matter instead of ascending further the ladder of divine mysteries. This is why the Prophet (upon him be peace and blessings) would seek forgiveness seventy or one hundred times in a single gathering.<br /><br />Sincere repentance entails four things: to seek forgiveness with the tongue, to abstain with the body, to refrain from persisting with the heart, and to shun bad company. Sufyan al-Thawri summarised this by saying: ‘The signs of sincere repentance are four: Speech, intention, humility and solitude.’<br /><br />(<span style="font-style: italic;">Mi‘raj al-Tashawwuf</span>)<br /></span>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-76008066607062141422010-01-25T15:14:00.002+00:002011-04-29T08:58:49.733+00:00Tathir, Tanwir, Ta‘mir.The daily <em>wird</em> of the various branches of the Shadhili tariqa is generally composed of a certain number of repetitions of three formulas: the petition for forgiveness, the sending of prayers upon the Prophet, and the testimony of the Oneness of God; that is, to say <em>Astaghfiru’llah, Allahumma salli ‘ala sayyidina Muhammad, </em>and <em>La ilaha illa ‘Llah</em> or some variant thereof. Some years ago Sheikh Haddad in Fes explained to me that these three formulas perform respectively the functions of <em>ta<u>t</u>hir, tanwir</em> and <em>ta‘mir</em>; that is, ‘purification, illumination, and saturation.’<br /><span id="fullpost"><br />To understand this, we must first ask what it is that is being purified, illuminated and saturated or filled. The answer is the heart, which the <em>faqir</em> seeks to turn into a ‘house for God’.<br /><br />In order for the house to be fit for God to live in, it must first be emptied of all other occupants, since ‘He hath no partner’ and ‘God hath not given a man two hearts in his breast.’ The house must be emptied of ‘all that is other than God’ (<em>ma siwa Allah</em>) and cleansed of all its idols as the Kaaba was cleansed after the conquest of Mecca. To ask forgiveness of God means to ask God to perform this cleansing for us or aid us to perform it, since we are too weak to do it on our own.<br /><br />Once the house is clean it must be lit, since no one likes to live in a dark house. We illuminate our hearts by invoking prayers and blessings upon the Prophet; after having emptied the house of all that is ‘other than God’, we fill it with a light which, although not God, is not ‘other than God’ either: ‘He took a piece of His Light and said unto it, <em>Be Muhammad</em>!’ And again: ‘There hath come unto you from God a light.’ When someone asked the sheikh to elaborate on this, I remember, he simply asked one of us to turn on the light in the room in which we were sitting, and once it was done he said no more. <br /><br />Once the house is clean and lit, it is ready to be occupied: the <em>faqir</em> invites God into his heart by invoking His Oneness. In principal it would be enough to do this only once; but since we are prone to bad housekeeping and allow our hearts to be cluttered up again and again with foreign objects and impure artificial lights, we repeat over and again the process of purifying, lighting and filling.<br /><br />The <em>hadith</em> says: ‘The believer’s heart is the Throne of the Most Merciful.’ Or again: ‘My heaven containeth Me not, nor My earth; yet the heart of my faithful servant doth contain Me.’<br /><br /><br /></span>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-84168948311463046462010-01-03T14:00:00.002+00:002011-04-29T08:58:49.733+00:00Ibn Ajiba on the Spiritual GuideIbn Ajiba:<br /><br />What Sheikh Sharishi says about the necessity for spiritual guide (<em>sheikh at-tarbiya</em>) to be learned in both exoteric and esoteric sciences is correct. But as for the exoteric sciences, what is required is that he obtains the knowledge he requires for himself personally, and also that which his disciple will need as he travels the spiritual path – namely, the essential rulings concerning purification and prayer (<em>at-tahara wa ‘s-salat</em>), and the like; for many exoteric sciences have nothing to do with traversing the spiritual path to the King of Kings, such as the rulings of homicide cases, prescribed punishments, divorce, and manumission. Were things otherwise, many of the greatest and most renowned figures of the Way, paragons of virtue and true knowledge, would be thus demoted from their high ranks; for although many of them were well-versed in the Sacred Law, many others knew nothing of it save that which must necessarily be known by any Muslim.<span id="fullpost"> <br /><br />I say that if you recognise this, you will recognise the falseness of the claim some people make that the spiritual guide must be proficient in all the Islamic sciences, such that if all these sciences were to disappear he alone would be able to revive them. How could this be, when many of those who were undisputed spiritual guides were unschooled?<br /><br />In ‘<em>Awarif al-Ma‘arif</em> Suhrawardi quotes Bayazid al-Bistami as saying: ‘I kept the company of Abu Ali al-Masnadi, and I would teach him what he needed to fulfil his religious obligations, whilst he taught me pure tawhid and metaphysics.’<br /><br />And it is well-known that Sheikh Ibn ‘Abbad (ar-Rundi) received his spiritual awakening at the hands of an unschooled man, as did Ghazzali. It is also known that Ghazwani was not well-versed in the exoteric sciences, and if anyone asked him a question concerning them, he would sent the questioner to his disciple al-Hibti.<br /><br />Likewise, the guide of our guides, our master Abd ar-Rahman Majdhub, did not have knowledge of the exoteric sciences; and many of the greatest saints were unschooled – yet they were deeply steeped in the secrets of sainthood.<br /><br />As for esoteric knowledge, the spiritual guide must be completely immersed in them, since the whole purpose of the spiritual guide (the ‘sheikh’ as the Folk call him) is to impart this knowledge, and the disciple only seeks the guide so that he might lead him along the spiritual path and teach him knowledge of the Way (<em>tariqa</em>) and the Supreme Truth (<em>haqiqa</em>). Therefore he must have perfect knowledge of God, His Attributes and Names and how they are manifested, and their meanings and details, and their benefits, wisdoms and secrets; and he must have perfect knowledge of the obstacles which lie on the spiritual path, and the ruses which the soul and Satan employ, and the different forms which spiritual experiences take, and the way in which spiritual stations are truly ascertained. And he must know all of this by direct taste and experience, so that if he is asked about the obstacles on the path and the way to avoid them, he is able to answer properly. And in addition to this, he must have the power and resolve to overcome all obstacles and go beyond all ties, both open and secret; and he must have a piercing insight by which he can ascertain the suitability and readiness of those who seek his guidance, so that he may deal with each one according to his particular status, and guide him to the shortest path to reach his Lord. This was said by al-Fassi.<br /><br />As-Sahili said: ‘One of the necessary conditions of the spiritual guide is that he have enough knowledge of the Quran and Sunnah to fulfil his obligations as prescribed by the Sacred Law, and to guide him in his everyday affairs; and if this is complemented by the esoteric wisdom which God has bestowed upon him, he will thereby possess a light which will guide him amongst men, and lead him to a deep understanding of what the Quran and Sunnah say.’<br /><br />And Abu ‘l-Hasan ash-Shadhili said: ‘Every spiritual guide from whom you do not receive graces from behind the veil, is not a true guide.’ Perhaps he means that the true spiritual guide gives aid to his disciple even when he is physically far from him. He also said: ‘By God, I can bring a man to God in a single breath.’ And Sheikh Abu Abbas (al-Mursi) said: ‘By God, nothing may occur between me and a man save that I look upon him, and thereby give him all the benefit he needs.’<br />And I say that we have personally met – praise be to God! – even in our time, men who give abundant benefit with a single glance; and we have kept their company and recognised that they are truly inheritors of Shadhili and Mursi – God be pleased with them all, and grant us to follow in their footsteps – Amen!<br /><br /><em>From al-Futuhat al-Ilahiyya fi sharh al-Mabahith al-Asliyya</em>.<br /><br />Translator’s addendum:<br /><br /><br /><blockquote>Mere days he needs, not years and years<br />To keep our company;<br />And if he gains the goal he seeks,<br />God’s servant shall he be!<br /></blockquote><br />-Sheikh Ahmad al-Alawi.</span>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-41124467874496890382009-12-26T14:26:00.004+00:002011-04-29T08:58:29.327+00:00The Prayer of Ibn Mashish<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx2k5bngeewxuGgOLgZjyuLquzEIGoohPGZjWsft6nuQp29EF0xxcENz2u0CyNWG09FmbBGTntIzZ4' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />A nice rendition of Ibn Mashish's Salat, with a couple of nice images (sorry, I'm not really a film-maker...)Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19211765.post-73371374078290986502009-12-19T15:13:00.003+00:002009-12-20T14:08:12.450+00:00Sheikh ‘Adda on the Divine NameThe ‘A’ of Allah is my sword, the ‘H’ my mount,<br />The doubled ‘L’ the bridle I hold in my grasp:<br />My winged steed upon which I may rise<br />And reach the heights of the Lote-tree when I wish.<br /><span id="fullpost"><br />The Name of God is my essence and my spirit,<br />My sight, my ear, my speech, my inner eye’s light:<br />About it spin the realms of man and angel,<br />And from it all God’s servants did spring forth.<br /><br />It is the Tablet reflecting Its light onto man,<br />It is the Pen which, in His wisdom, has dried;<br />His Qualities make the One Name into Names,<br />His Act is His alone when it is quickened.<br /><br />The keys to every door lie hidden within It,<br />And it opens every sūra of His Book;<br />By It the breath is cleansed from foolish utterance,<br />And the heart delights in the intimacy of the Essence.<br /><br />Invoke it, then, my friend, and find a marvel<br />Which spares thee any need to follow factions:<br />It is enough that It is Light, and Light shines forth<br />In hidden seclusion just as it does in the open.<br />Ponder this: wherever thou might think to turn,<br />His Face is there – in truth, and not mere words!<br /><br />-'Adda Bentunis<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Mf4OxuJ6Ods/SyztxAXJ70I/AAAAAAAAALE/uCO3QTUiyZI/s1600-h/The+Name.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 322px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Mf4OxuJ6Ods/SyztxAXJ70I/AAAAAAAAALE/uCO3QTUiyZI/s400/The+Name.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416965877986357058" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span>Khalid Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08872685031631006055noreply@blogger.com1