Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
Master of the Jinn: A Sufi Novel is now on sale as an Ebook in FRANCE and GERMANY, in the English language edition.
To buy Master of the Jinn in France, click HERE.
To buy Master of the Jinn in Germany, click HERE.
You can also read Meister der Jinn, the German language translation, by clicking HERE.
Ya Haqq!
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Posted by darvish
Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
My son! There is nothing in this world that is not God. He is action, purity; everlasting Spirit. Find Him in the cavern; loose the knot of ignorance. Shining, yet hidden, Spirit lives in the cavern. Everything that sways, breathes, opens, closes, lives in Spirit; beyond learning, beyond everything, better than anything; living, unliving. It is the undying, blazing Spirit, that seed of all seeds, wherein lay hidden the world and all its creatures. It is life, speech, mind, reality, immortality.
You cannot have the knowledge of the Supreme Soul by
means of reasoning, erudition, or studying of the Vedas;
Only through causeless mercy does He reveal His own
person unto him whom He does accept as His own
This is Tawhid, or the doctrine of the Oneness of reality (also spelled Tawheed), a cosmological concept as old as humanity that runs through the mystical aspect of all religions. As it similarly says in the Qur’an:
“Say (O Muhammad): “He is God, (the) One, The Self-Sufficient Master, He begets not, nor was He begotten; And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.” (Sura 112:1-4)
“Thy Lord is self-sufficient, full of Mercy: if it were His will, He could destroy you, and in your place appoint whom He will as your successors, even as He raised you up from the posterity of other people.”(Sura 6:133)
Alhamdulillah! That the love and mercy of God is endless, His bounty boundless, and He is ONE!
Ya Haqq!
3 Comments | Books & writing, Commentary, Current Affairs, Islam, Islamic Artists, Religion, Spirituality & Religion, Sufi, Sufism, Uncategorized | Tagged: Mundaka Upanishad, Quran Sura 112:1-4, Quran Sura 6:133, Tawheed, Tawhid | Permalink
Posted by darvish
Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
The Way of Heaven is like the drawing of a bow; it brings down what is high and raises what is low.
It is the Way of Heaven to take from those that have too much and give it to those who have to little. But the way of man is not so. He takes from those who have too little to add to his own superabundance. What man is there that can take of his own superabundance and give it to mankind. Only he who possesses Tao.
Ya Haqq!
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Posted by darvish
Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
“You will not enter Paradise until you have faith, and you will not have faith until you love one another. Do you want me to tell you something you can do to make you love one another? Make it a habit to greet one another with ‘Assalaamu Alaykum’ – peace be unto you”.
– A hadith, or saying of the Prophet (pbuh), recorded by Muslim.
Ya Haqq!
5 Comments | Books & writing, Commentary, Current Affairs, Islam, Islamic Artists, Religion, Spirituality & Religion, Sufi, Sufism, Uncategorized | Tagged: and the Greeting of Peace, Assalaamu Alaykum, faith, Faith and the Greeting of Peace, hadith of the Prophet (pbuh), love, muslim, Peace be unto you, Ya Haqq | Permalink
Posted by darvish
Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
“The Sufi’s heaven is closeness to God… and the Sufi’s hell is distance from Him… Hell is in the world of the ego, the nafs… when you are liberated from it, everywhere is heaven.”
- Nur Ali Shah (Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh)
Ya Haqq!
Note: See also the earlier post, Heaven and Hell.
2 Comments | Books & writing, Commentary, Current Affairs, Islam, Islamic Artists, Religion, Spirituality & Religion, Sufi, Sufism, Uncategorized | Tagged: Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh, ego, heaven, hell, nafs, Nur Ali Shah, Sufi Master Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh | Permalink
Posted by darvish
Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
Hallaj’s son made report of his father and spoke freely of his father’s execution. God had revealed an attribute of himself to Hallaj, but Hallaj made it a boast. The Woolcarder had loosened the bonds of attachment to all things but himself. For this reason, God tested Hallaj with ridicule and torture and certainty of death. Even the friends of Hallaj and his disciples turned their backs on him. Did their betrayal torment him more even than the instruments his enemies used to mutilate him?
In a vision, the Woolcarder shone like the sun before me. He said, “You wonder at me. Why?”
I said, “Did you deserve the punishment you received? Were you angry that the order came from those who were once your friends?”
He said. “My execution was well deserved. I was not angry with my friends; not with Junayd who affirmed the order, nor Shebli who threw mud at me as they led me to the gibbet. They were my friends; they are my friends still. I embrace them. When they cut off my hands, I performed my ablutions with my own blood. When they hacked off my feet, I crawled before his throne. When they put out my eyes, I saw only His Face. When they cut out my tongue, His name was still upon my lips. When they cut off my head and burned me to ashes and scattered me to the winds, I loved God still. For this, He answered all my prayers. He loved me and I loved Him. He removed the veil of the world from my mutilated eyes. He fulfilled the promise I made when I cried out “I am the Truth” by utterly destroying me. I prophesied my union with Him and the people arose to punish my blasphemy; yet through their punishment, my prophecy and His promise came to pass.”
These are the words Hallaj spoke to me. God forgive me for loving him.
- Da’ud Ibn Ibrahim al-Shawni, The End of Reason.
When Mansur al-Hallaj reached his utmost friendship with God, he became his own enemy and gave away his life. He said, “I am God,” meaning, “I have passed away. God alone remains.” This is extreme humility. Your saying “Thou art God, and I am Your servant,” is arrogance, for you have affirmed your own existence, and created dualism, for until “I” exists “He” is impossible. Therefore it was God alone who said, “I am God,” since Mansur had passed away.“
- Rumi, From Discourse 52 of the Fihi Ma Fihi, Translated by A. J. Arberry.
Ya Haqq!
3 Comments | Books & writing, Commentary, Current Affairs, Islam, Islamic Artists, Religion, Spirituality & Religion, Sufi, Sufism, Uncategorized | Tagged: Da’ud Ibn Ibrahim al-Shawni, Fihi ma Fihi, hallaj, Junayd, Rumi, Shebli, The End of Reason, the execution of Hallaj, The Passion of Hallaj, Ya Haqq | Permalink
Posted by darvish
Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
The blessed month of Ramadan is over, and Muslims around the world just celebrated Eid ul-Fitr (August 31st), so it is fitting to post this again:
On the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, Hazrat Ali (A.S.) delivered a sermon in which he said:
“O people! Verily this day of yours is the day when the righteous are awarded and the wretched are losers. It is a day which is similar to the one on which you shall be standing (before your Lord). Therefore, when you come out of your homes to go to places of your prayer, remind yourselves about the day when you (your souls) shall come out of your bodies to go to your Lord. When you stand on places of your prayer, remind yourselves of your standing in the presence of your Lord (on the day of Judgment). And when you return to your homes (after prayer), remind yourselves about your returning to your homes in Paradise. O Servants of Allah! Verily the minimum reward for those men and women who fasted (during Ramadan), is an Angel, who calls out to them on the last day of the month of Ramadan (saying): O SERVANTS OF ALLAH! REJOICE THE GLAD TIDING THAT ALL YOUR PREVIOUS SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN…”
- From the Nahjul-Balaghah.
Eid-ul-Fitr is a unique festival. It has no connection with any historical event nor is it related to the changes of seasons or cycles of agriculture. It is not a festival related in any way to worldly affairs. Its significance is purely spiritual. It is the day when Muslims thank God for having given them the will, the strength and the endurance to observe the fast and obey His commandments during the holy month of Ramadan.
Alhamdulillah! May Allah bless us all, and grant that we use this Eid as a lens to focus the sunlight of good works, which have shone so brightly during Ramadan, to light the way through this coming year until the next Ramadan. Ameen! Ameen!
Eid Mubarak!
Ya Haqq!
2 Comments | Books & writing, Commentary, Current Affairs, Islam, Islamic Artists, Religion, Spirituality & Religion, Sufi, Uncategorized | Tagged: Eid Mubarak, Hazrat Ali's Sermon on Eid ul-Fitr 2011, Ya Haqq | Permalink
Posted by darvish
Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power:
And what will explain to thee what the night of power is?
The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.
Therein come down the angels and the Spirit (Jibril, or Gabriel) by Allah’s permission, on every errand: Peace!…This until the rise of morn. – Qur’an, 97:1-5
Laylat al-Qadr, (also known as Shab-e-Qadr), the Night of Destiny, Night of Power, Night of Value, the Night of Decree or Night of Measures, is the anniversary of the night the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
Muslims believe that revelation of the Qur’an occurred in two phases, with the first phase being the revelation in its entirety on Laylat Al-Qadr by Allah to the Archangel Gabriel in the lowest heaven, and then the subsequent verse-by-verse revelation to Prophet (pbuh) by Gabriel (Jibril in Arabic). The revelation started in 610 CE at the Hira cave on Mount Nur in Mecca.
Because of the revealed importance of this night, Muslims strive harder in the last ten days of Ramadan since the Laylat al-Qadr could be one of the odd-numbered days in the last ten (the first, third, fifth, seventh or ninth)
The Night of Destiny will be, inshallah, on August 25, 2011 for those countries that started fasting on July 31st, and August 26, 2011 for those countries that started Ramadan on August 1st.
The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whoever prays on Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and sincerity, shall have all their past sins forgiven.” - Bukhari and Muslim, from Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with them).
Ya Haqq!
3 Comments | Books & writing, Commentary, Current Affairs, Islam, Islamic Artists, Religion, Spirituality & Religion, Sufi, Sufism, Uncategorized | Tagged: 2011, August 26, Friday, Gabriel, Jibril, Laylat al-Qadr, Night of Power, Qur'an 97:1-5 | Permalink
Posted by darvish
Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
“The likeness of those who spend for Allah’s sake is as the likeness of a grain of corn; it grows seven ears, every single ear has a hundred grains, and Allah multiplies (increases the reward) for whom He wills, and Allah is sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower.” – (Qur’an, 2:261)
“Those who (in charity) spend of their goods by night and by day, in secret and in public. have their reward with their Rabb (God, the Sustainer). On them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.” – (Qur‘an, 2:274)
Ya Haqq!
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Posted by darvish
The Ten Commandments in the Bible and the Qur’an
October 23, 2011Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
It has been said that everything in the Old Testament can be found in the New Testament, and that everything in the Old and New Testament can be found in the Qur’an. And the Qur’an defines and sets the standards of social and moral values for Muslims.
In the 17th chapter, “Al-Israa” (“The Night Journey”), verses 17:22, the Qur’an provides a set of moral stipulations which are “among the (precepts of) wisdom, which thy Lord has revealed to thee” that can be reasonably categorized as ten in number. These resemble the Ten Commandments handed down by God to Moses, and represents the fullest statement of the code of behavior every Muslim must follow. However, these verses are not regarded by Islamic scholars as set apart from any other moral stipulations in the Qur’an, nor are they regarded as a substitute, replacement, or abrogation of some other set of commandments as found in the previous revelations.
Both sets of commandments are below, their similarities expressing the common origin of the three religions, all descendant from the Prophet Abraham, the “People of the Book.” And because they have become standards of social and moral conduct for almost half the population of the earth, are worth remembering.
The Ten Commandments (Qur’an 17:22-37)
1. Worship only God: Take not with Allah another object of worship; or thou (O man!) wilt sit in disgrace and destitution. (Qur’an 17:22)
2. Be kind, honorable and humble to one’s parents: Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. (Qur’an 17:23) And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: “My Lord! bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.” (Qur’an 17:24)
3. Be neither miserly nor wasteful in one’s expenditure: And render to the kindred their due rights, as (also) to those in want, and to the wayfarer: But squander not (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift. (Qur’an 17:26) Verily spendthrifts are brothers of the Evil Ones; and the Evil One is to his Lord (himself) ungrateful. (Qur’an 17:27) And even if thou hast to turn away from them in pursuit of the Mercy from thy Lord which thou dost expect, yet speak to them a word of easy kindness. (Qur’an 17:28) Make not thy hand tied (like a niggard’s) to thy neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that thou become blameworthy and destitute. (Qur;an 17:29
4. Do not engage in ‘mercy killings’ for fear of starvation: Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you. Verily the killing of them is a great sin. (Qur’an 17:31)
5. Do not commit adultery: Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils). (Qur’an 17:32)
6. Do not kill unjustly: Nor take life – which Allah has made sacred – except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, we have given his heir authority (to demand qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the Law). (Qur’an 17:33)
7. Care for orphaned children: Come not nigh to the orphan’s property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength… (Qur’an 17:34)
8. Keep one’s promises: …fulfill (every) engagement [i.e. promise/covenant], for (every) engagement will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning). (Qur’an 17:34)
9. Be honest and fair in one’s interactions: Give full measure when ye measure, and weigh with a balance that is straight: that is the most fitting and the most advantageous in the final determination. (Qur’an 17:35)
10. Do not be arrogant in one’s claims or beliefs: And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge; for every act of hearing, or of seeing or of (feeling in) the heart will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning). (Qur’an 17:36) Nor walk on the earth with insolence: for thou canst not rend the earth asunder, nor reach the mountains in height. (Qu’ran 17:37)
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17)
1 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My Commandments.
3 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
4 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.
5 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
6 “You shall not murder.
7 “You shall not commit adultery.
8 “You shall not steal.
9 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
Ya Haqq!