Islam: sufisme

Water and wine are not only words, when used in poetry they give a supernatural sense. They always contain different meanings and sometimes don't have any meaning but are meant to be felt and observed within through deep awareness. A seeker calls himself water and Beloved wine, Therefore is wistful to dissolve in the wine completely, lose it's color and give taste of love. Before one reads these, it is vital to be aware about it's signs and depth, about the path where it leads to, what it holds next? One needs to be in love, drink the wine of love and get ready to wane itself. Since poetry is a coded language of Lovers, who speak to their Beloved in an indifferent way, in madness, in anguish within grief and many other ways. They describe many more things about, Like Beauty, Qualities, Kindness, Closeness, separation, Union, Nature, Beauty, Enlightenment, hope and so on.

Nastradini përfaqëson, në kuptim shpirtëror, kalimin në një nivel superior të vetëdijes. Nëpërmjet anekdotave të tij ai na mëson që: - Të jemi spontan dhe ta lëmë veten të lirë; - Kur diçka nuk ecën, duhet të fillojmë prapë nga fillimi, dhe ta përballojmë problemin me mendje të hapur; - Të lëmë pas shpine të kaluarën dhe të braktisim logjikën për të ndjekur intuitën; - Nuk duhet ta marrim veten shumë seriozisht, në mënyrë që të veprojmë si të na vijë për mbarë, duke pasur besim tek instinkti; - Nuk duhet të shqetësohemi për atë çfarë mendon bota; - Të gjejmë çiltërsinë brenda nesh dhe të kemi besim në të ardhmen, duke vlerësuar çastin; - Të bëjmë atë çfarë na thotë zemra për të realizuar vetëm atë që na entuziazmon; - Të lëmë mënjanë shqetësimet; - Të jemi krenarë për veçantinë tonë, të jemi origjinal; - Të mendojmë në mënyrë të ndryshme nga të tjerët, duke e pranuar "marrëzinë" tone...

تعریف نو از دین، دینداری و جایگاه آن ها در جهان معاصر بر خلاف فضای حاکم در ایران

Love and Longing: Yearning for the Face of God, Sukina Noor's debut poetry collection encapsulates the voice of a seeker in pursuit of nearness to the Divine. The poems are not set in a faraway land where gnostics and mystics gather under the stars but rather her journey begins in the heart of the city where towers of concrete and steel clutter the skyline. Her poems express that the heart can become enflamed with love of the Divine anywhere and her devotion and intoxication are captured in this collection. Her poetry leans into her femininity giving birth to verse that is both tender and powerful. Her collection articulates that following a pathway to God is not a pursuit from a bygone era, but rather one can set out on the journey right now. This collection is an invitation to join the caravan of Sacred Love and never turn back.

"The author of this book is the great Shadhili Shaykh Sidi 'Ali al Jamal of Fez, Morocco, who died in 1194 Hijrah. The original Arabic title of the book was 'Advice to the Seeker on the Path of Asceticism' or 'Beautiful Rubies in Understanding the Meaning of Man'. My first exposure to this book came through Diwan Press, 1977 complete translation of the text by Aisha 'Abd ar-Rahman at-Tarjumana, which was produced under the direction of Shaykh Abdulqadir al-Murabit. I loved the book, benefited from it, and was inspired to read the original in Arabic. A photocopy of a handwritten version of the book later came into my possession. The original handwritten manuscript uses classical and Qur'anic Arabic and Sufi terminology with a Maghrebi vernacular. The style of the writing is free-flowing and repetitive, with long paragraphs and sentences covering several ideas in a charmingly quaint fashion. A method of exposition which was common practice with the learned men of past centuries, when books and reading were rare. This version was likely to have been handed down through several generations of the family of Ibn Ajiba (another great Moroccan Shaykh, who died in 1224 Hijrah). The manuscript was written in 1265 Hijrah in a partly colloquial Maghrebi script by the grandson of the author, with many variations in the quality of the writing, the size of the words and lengths of the sentences. A few years on having enjoyed the book in the original Arabic, I felt inspired to produce a revised version with the topics rearranged, which would be more reader-friendly. By Allah's generosity, some of my close brothers and students in Islam, especially Shaykh Hosam Raouf, encouraged me to abridge and edit the Teachings from a Classical Sufi Master and translate the book. Throughout this project, I felt the guiding light of the deceased author and his acceptance of this work. Sidi Mustafa al-Basir, a contemporary Darqawi Shaykh, (died 1427 AH/2006 CE), told me that Sidi 'Ali al-Jamal had written a few pages at a time and dropped them from the window into the courtyard of his house. It was his successor, Moulay al-Arabi al-Darqawi, who collected the pages and put them together in the form of a book. When Sidi Mustafa visited us from Morocco in December 2002, he was delighted to hear this selection from Sidi 'Ali al-Jamal's work had just been completed. He, himself, had thought of doing something similar but had never managed it. This rendering from Sidi 'Ali's work has been produced with the express purpose of serving the cause of original Islam and the Prophetic Household, from whom this Shaykh is descended. Our ultimate accountability and gratitude is to Almighty Allah and His generosity. "Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri

"Have you heard the name "Hafiz"?! Here are soaring flights of fancy and solid life lessons, from one of the greatest poets of all time-made new by two award-winning translators. This is the perfect introduction to Hafiz for all lovers of poetry and seekers of love, spirituality, and meaning. "Hafiz's poetry aims to close the gap between mortal humans and the divine, and this book opens a door to the poet's gardens. From the first page, you are invited to settle into a sublime sanctuary and partake in enchantment until you feel the Beloved inside your beating heart and running through your veins." -Ari Honarvar, author of A Girl Called RumiI have this gem And it's looking for a beholderHafiz's Little Book of Life is a lush collection of more than 250 selections from his lifework (his divan). Alongside a Quran, a copy of his divan can be found in average homes in Iran-where stars can be heard singing his poetry on the radio, and lines from his poems are quoted on the street. His poetry is sure to strike a chord in the hearts of readers everywhere. This vital collection of mystical poetry focuses on the issues we encounter in everyday life. Each brief poem may be savored as an oasis of clarity in the hurried literacy of our time, or the entire book enjoyed in one sitting, as a five-course meal-embracing the world, wine, love, wisdom, and ecstasy. Let the unforgettable words of Hafiz shine through you with their love, depth, and celebration of life. This book also includes a vivid portrait of the poet and his times, an extensive glossary, translators' notes, a bibliography, and an appendix on Hafiz as an oracle. "--

A comprehensive introduction to the life and thought of one of the Islamic intellectual tradition's most original and profound authors.

"Our Lord is Light; our holy Prophet is Light; our unswerving Islamic faith is Light; our Holy Qur¿¿n is Light; and our prayer is Light. Why then do you wish to live in darkness? Why do you aloofly imagine, with your delimited and narrow mind, that the Light is merely an abstract concept that cannot be seen?" inquires Shaykh Mohamed Faouzi al-Karkari.Divine Light, luminous vision (mush¿hada), and mystical experience are central to the Qur¿¿nic revelation, the Hadith corpus, and the Sufi tradition. In this major contemporary treatise on Islamic spirituality, Shaykh al-Karkari provides a detailed esoteric commentary on the Light Verse (¿yat al-n¿r) as well as other verses concerning Light in the Qur¿¿n. He then highlights the centrality of luminous vision in the teachings of renowned Sufis of the Sh¿dhiliyya order and beyond, including Ab¿ Madyan and Ab¿ ¿¿mid al-Ghaz¿l¿. The book concludes with a commentary on Ibn ¿A¿¿¿ Ill¿h al-Iskandar¿'s aphorisms on luminous vision. Throughout the treatise, the Shaykh identifies popular questions pertaining to contemporary Sufi practice and invites us to consider the challenges we face along the spiritual path.He proclaims, "You know Islam with your bodily idol, yet your spirit does not recognize it, for you are absent from witnessing the Lights of the Real and the Lights of His holy Messenger. You say, "I bear witness," yet your insight is blotted out, your heart blind, and your inner heart rusted over. Your testimony is mere speech, not witnessing. Come with me, then, upon a voyage into the depths of pure meaning. Let us travel from one verse to another, until you come to know that the road has been one from the Messenger of God until today-the road named the Radiant Path, whose night is as bright as its day, from which none stray but those bound for ruin."

101 Helpful Illusions highlights natural veils waiting to be transcended by disciplined courage, wisdom and insight. Everything in creation has a purpose relevant to a specific situation that could lead the seeker of higher knowledge towards the ultimate spiritual truth of oneness. Thus our egotistic vices can indeed be stepping stones towards acting selflessly, spontaneously, and cheerfully with heightened awareness and good expectations in all situations. Indeed, all our mistakes can lead us towards the desired spiritual awakening -- the ultimate purpose in life.Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri shares with the reader that whatever we consider confusing illusions or paradoxes are actually conducive to and helpful along the path of awakening and soul discovery. When consciousness transcends duality and recognizes all-encompassing unity, then all paradoxes and illusions are resolved.

This book is a journey into the metaphysics of the creative process through the teachings of the Sufi sage Ibn al-¿Arabi and other mystics. This project unfolds through the life experiences and expertise of the author and two central visions of the creative process: to make connections where none seem possible or exist. This is the first definition while the second is to translate the ineffable into the tangible.This book also proceeds with the deep conviction that the mystical experience is identical to the creative process. It is divided into two sections, each exactly five chapters. The first part focuses on metaphysical foundations that apply to all crafts. Chapter one, "Following the Traces: On Storytelling", discusses the importance of narrative weaving as a sacred craft for humanity, with immense consequences on the wellbeing of the individual and society. Chapter two, "The Hidden Treasure: On the Creative Process", takes a journey through an athar (narration) central in Sufism where God describes the process of creation as a hidden treasure unfolding, from initial love to expansive knowledge. The creative process appears a five-stage journey that parallels the phases of divine creation and also mirrors an outline of the five levels of being.Chapter three, "Al-Haqiqa al-Muhammadiyya: On Artist as Art", posits the primordial light of the prophet Muhammad as the ethereal matter of creative inspiration, the creative process itself, artist and art, all at once. It also discusses the sage-artist as an instance and mirror of al-insan al-kamil al-tamm (the perfect and complete human). Chapter four, "The In-Between: On Imagination and Paradox", ventures into the most significant contributions of Ibn al-¿Arabi, one that is also central to the creative process, on the contours of human and divine imagination, as well as the intimate paradox and perplexity that is inherent in creativity and art. "Shari¿a of the Craft: On the Path to Haqiqa", the last chapter in part one, tries to outline a way for mastering crafts through the lens of Sufism, specifically the three stages of shari¿a (law/rules), tariqa (path), and haqiqa (reality). Part two focuses on different genres of art, beginning with chapter five, "Memories in Ink: On the Written Arts" that looks at translation as an art form. Meanwhile, chapter six, "The Dye of God: On the Visual Arts", looks at the crafts of painting, sculpture, and architecture as windows into the act of reading not only the body, grammar or prose of art, but more importantly its spirit and poetry. Chapter seven, "The Sawt Sarmad: On the Auditory Arts", envisions a musical instrument as a wooden sage that tries to teach the musician the importance of annihilation and being an empty channel. Chapter eight, "The Reel of Reality: On the Moving Arts", looks at theater and film as a sacred synthesis of the written, visual, and auditory arts. Chapter nine, "Märifa and ¿Urf: On Society and Mythology", expands the conversation from the creativity of the individual to that of society and community. The final concluding chapter offers some final remarks on what this book tries to accomplish and setting the frontier for further conversations.

Sufism is more than just a faith or religious belief. Adopting its teachings can change your life and make you reach a higher level of consciousness. When you truly understand Sufism and embrace it, it can transform your life around.The book begins by introducing the concept of Sufism and explaining in detail what it means. We will then take a trip back in time to discover its origin and history. You will also learn about all the thinkers who contributed to spreading the teaching of Sufism all over the world. The book also covers the spiritual beliefs associated with Sufism and the most influential figures in its history.

The illustrious Imam and erudite scholar of al-Azhar, Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari, authored an extraordinary amount of poetry on many subjects. The Shaykh's poems comprise twelve volumes, which grouped according to their subject matter, ranging from the remembrance and glorification of Allah, advice for the one traversing the spiritual path to Allah, exalting the excellence of the Beloved ¿ and the Ahl al-Bayt, and the virtues of the Path's litanies and salawat.This book contains selected poems from the first of those twelve volumes. These selections focus on the relationship between the shaykh and murid, as well as the virtues of the spiritual path. These poems were specifically selected by Shaykh Muhammad Salih al-Ja'fari, the grandson of Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari. The core of these selected poems, just as in the shaykh's poetry overall, are from the genre of what is known as madih (praise poetry), in praise of the Messenger of Allah ¿ and the Ahl al-Bayt.Regarding the methodology of his father, Shaykh 'Abd-al-Ghani al-Ja'fari said the following:"This door of spiritual openings, which our Shaykh traveled, is a clear opening, and whoever traverses it will arrive, and whoever arrives will be connected, and whoever is connected will see and witness, and whoever has witnessed, has intimate discourse, and becomes acquainted, and whoever becomes acquainted, is guided to the Müammadan Reality, thus he multiplies love by love. As he ¿ has said: 'A man is with the one he loves.'"These poems are truly transformative, both for the one who recites them and the one who listens, and represent acceptance and invitation to the presence of the Prophet and his household.This bilingual edition contains the original fully-vowelized Arabic text with an easy-to-read English translation directly following each line, and has been designed for use in regular gatherings of remembrance.Author: Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fariTranslators: Ahmad Ali al-Adani230 pagesISBN: 978-1-8384776-5-3Publisher: Imam Ghazali Publishing

Wrap yourself in the boundless love of the Divine with  the mystical poetry of renowned Sufi saint Kabir, here brought to life for modern readers by acclaimed poet Thomas Rain Crowe​.“When you’ve come all this way to the ocean of happiness, Do not return home thirsty with an empty cup. Wake up! Here is some pure water, Drink as much as you can!”The enigmatic Indian mystical poet Kabir stands among the greatest spiritual thinkers of human history. At once a Sufi, Hindu, and unbounded disciple of the universal Divine, Kabir and his songs of union and ecstasy lead us beyond our preconceived biases about truth and reality—and invite us to see our life, through his eyes, as an ego-shattering and incomparably joyful dance with the Beloved.  This 65-poem collection of Kabir’s most rapturous spiritual songs, rendered into modern language by acclaimed poet and Sufi performing artist Thomas Rain Crowe, is brought to life in fresh, evocative language bursting with mystical power. Striking and profound, Crowe’s inspired and poetic adaptations offer a sumptuous taste of true reality—beyond boundaries and in joyful embrace of life and our world.

Focused on Shi'ism and Sufism in the formative period of Islam, this book examines the development of the concept of wal¿ya, a complex term that has, over time, acquired a wide range of relationships with other theological ideas, chiefly in relation to the notion of authority.

A rich introduction to the work of Rumi by the foremost scholar on the great mystical poet, featuring leading literary translations of his verse by Coleman Barks, Robert Bly, Andrew Harvey, Kabir Helminski, Camille Helminski, Daniel Liebert, and Peter Lamborn Wilson.Rumi's poems are beloved for their touching perceptions of humanity and the Divine. To display the major themes of Rumi's work, each of the eighteen chapters in this anthology are arranged topically, such as "The Inner Work," "The Ego Animal," "Passion for God," "Praise," and "Purity," uncovering a deep and timeless understanding of Sufism and mysticism.  Also included is a biography of Rumi by Andrew Harvey and an  introductory essay by Kabir Helminski on the art of translating Rumi's work into English."The Spiritual Surgeon"Can the water of a polluted stream Wash away the dirt? Can human knowledge sweep away The ignorance of the sensual self? How does a sword fashion its own hilt? Go, entrust your wound to a surgeon, For flies will gather around the wound Until it can’t be seen. These are your selfish thoughts And all you dream of owning. The wound is your own dark hole. Mathnawi I, 3221–3224 (translated by Kabir Helminski and Camille Helminski)