Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Path
Introduction
Mysticism is the experience of mystical union or direct communion with ultimate reality,
and attainment of direct knowledge of God, spiritual Truth, or ultimate Reality through
subjective experience. Sufism or Tasawwuf is considered Islamic Mysticism. However, certain
Sufi practices are considered incompatible with Islam.
The term Sufi is variously traced to Arabic word, Suf- wool, referring either to the simple
cloaks the early Muslim ascetics wore, or possibly to Sf- purity. Thus The Sufi is the one
who wears wool on top of purity. Wool cloaks were a designation of their initiation into the
Sufi order, worn perhaps as an imitation of Is bin Maryam (Jesus). Yet others have linked
the term with Greek word Sophia- wisdom.
Under the Umayyad rule, when Muslim communities were rife with schisms, bloodshed
and fanaticism - a group of pious companions, such as Ahle Suff, who used to sit on the
benches (Suff) and were known for their ascetic life, decided to move out of this politicised
atmosphere of the cities and go into rural areas to devote themselves to spirituality. They
learned higher spirituality from and gave their loyalty to a Sufi Shaikh or Peer. They were the
early Sufis. They were also the theoreticians of the Traditional Islm.
Some of the more remarkable qualities of these people included loving and humanitarian
attitudes toward fellow human beings irrespective of race or religion, humility, living an ascetic
life -- and spending most of their time in prayer, Zikr or Dhikr (reciting Qur'n, chanting the
names of Godand Murqab (contemplation).
The great Sufi Master of the Naqshbandi Order, Hazrat Mauln Shh Fazl Ahmad Khn
(19th20th cent.) has said that the occult science of Sufi Saints in fact belonged to the ancient
Hindu saints, which was lost in oblivion by them and is being now reintroduced amongst them.
The Way of the Sufi
SUFI is one, who has Submitted himself to the will of the god, who lives in Union with the
God and who has devoted himself to FInd the Truth. The essence of Sufism is absolute non-
existence that needs no existence besides the Almightys Existence.
Sufis lay stress on the unity of inner teachings of all religions, rather than on their outer
form. They distinguish spirituality from religion. For them the Almighty is not concerned with
ones religion, but with love. The real objective being to grow beyond religion, to understand
the real meaning of the religion and to realize the Truth by ones own experience.
Sufis yearn to be a true human being, free from all bondage and honest with the Almighty.
They believe in evolution of a man into a complete man by enlightenment through ones own
experience and understanding. They make a conscious effort to mind their conduct and
evolve as Insn Kmil- a perfect man.
Sufis want to be nothing. It is their ideal to lose all their identity i.e. the complete sacrifice of
the self, the ego. The Sufis live only in the present. They are different from others in that they
are inwardly absorbed all the time.
The Way of the Sufi: The Religion of the Sufi is the cry of the heart; The Ideal of the
Sufi is spiritual consciousness; The Goal of the Sufi is self-realization; The God of the Sufi is
the Divine Presence within; The Path of the Sufi is brotherhood and sisterhood; The Manner
of the Sufi is inner nobility; The Art of the Sufi is personality; The Charm of the Sufi is humility;
The Moral of the Sufi is beneficence; The Attitude of the Sufi is forgiveness; The Beloved of
the Sufi is love itself.
Divine Love
The Sufi Qalb- heart
This is the first step on the road The essence of God is love and
to the love of God. The Sufi Path is path of love.
This is just a seed of love. Love is to see what is good and
In time, the seed will grow beautiful in everything.
and become a tree and bear fruit. It is to learn from everything, to
Then, whoever tastes of that fruit see the gifts of God and the
will know what real love is. generosity of God in everything.
It will be differently for those It is to be thankful for all God's
who have tasted to tell of it to bounties.
those who have not.
- Muzaffer Ashki al-Halveti al-Jerrahi (1916-1985)
The Qalb, though connected in some mysterious way with the physical heart, is not a
thing of flesh and blood. Whereas the intellect cannot gain real knowledge of God, the
Qalb is capable of knowing the essences of all things, and when illumined by faith and
knowledge reflects the whole content of the divine mind. Normally, the heart is
'veiled,' blackened by sin, tarnished by sensual impressions and images, pulled to and
fro between reason and passion: a battlefield on which the armies of God and the
Devil contend for victory. Through one gate, the heart receives immediate knowledge
of God; through another, it lets in the illusions of sense.
The Basic Principles of Sufism
As given by Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani and Muhammad Bahauddin Shah
Naqshband of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order. These were embraced and hailed
by all the forty tariqats (Sufi Orders) as the way of Truth and loyalty.
(i) Hosh dar Dam (Conscious Breathing)-The true seeker should always be alert that he does
not take any breath devoid of Gods remembrance.
(ii) Nazar bar Kadam (Watch Your Step)- Each step moved forward should be taken
consciously i.e. one should not do anything which may drag him down or which may obstruct
his spiritual progress.
(iii) Safar dar Watan (Journey Homeward)- The seeker must move from the world of creation
to the world of Creator. The first part of the journey is external in which the seeker desires and
searches for the Master. Then the internal journey begins which leads to the purification of his
heart and makes him eligible to receive the Divine grace.
(iv) Khilawat dar Anjuman (Solitude in the Crowd)- Khilawat means seclusion, both external
and internal. External seclusion requires the seeker to be away from people, staying by
himself and spending his time in the remembrance of God.
(v) Yd Kard (Essential Remembrance)- To keep oneself continuously engaged in reciting
the japa (the internal practice as directed by the Master) and in such a manner that the
seeker starts feeling the presence of the Master or the Almighty in his heart is the Essential
Remembrance.
The Basic Principles of Sufism
(vi) Bz Gsht (Returning to the origin) During internal practice the seeker may experience
sighting of light, activation of the mystique centers, acquisition of miraculous powers etc.
which may arouse the ego. The seeker should keep on praying the Almighty at intervals that
He alone is the objective of the seeker. Ones heart should be protected from bad thoughts
and from worldly inclinations.
(vii) Nigh Dsht (Attentiveness)-The seeker should always keep an eye on his internal
condition so that no doubt or ill thought ever arises and he constantly keeps on remembering
the Almighty.
(viii) Yd Dsht (Recollection) It means continuous remembrance. When the seeker
through practice becomes so apt that the remembrance continues in the heart effortlessly on
its own, it is called Yd dsht.
(ix) Wkoof Zamni (Awareness of Time)The seeker must watch that the time at his
command is spent in the remembrance of the Almighty and must make all efforts to make
spiritual progress. He must recount his actions and deeds and seek His forgiveness for the
wrong doings.
(x) Wkoof Addi (Awareness of Numbers) One should, while holding the breath, recite the
name of the God, feeling His Presence in the heart, in odd number i.e. 5,7,9,11,21 etc. The
real meaning appears to be that the Almighty is One and He likes Oneness. It perhaps also
means that one should remember the Almighty alone.
(xi) Wkoof Qalbi (Awareness of the Heart)The seeker should always have an eye on his
heart (Qalb) so that his attention is always towards the Divine Presence and it may not be
diverted elsewhere.
Sufi Beliefs
Sufis believe in practicing perfection of worship (Ihsn). Sufism is primarily concerned
with direct personal experience. It is defined as the science of Reperation of heart, purifying &
beautifying it, and turning it away from all else but God & Travelling into Divine presence.
The central doctrine of Sufism called Unity (Wahdat) is the understanding of all pheno-
mena are manifestations of a single reality (Tawhid), or being (Wujud). The essence of being/
Truth/God is devoid of every form and quality, and hence unmanifested, yet it is inseparable
from every form and phenomenon either material or spiritual. It implies that every pheno-
menon is an aspect of Truth, and attribution of existence to it is false. The chief aim of all Sufis
is to let go of all notions of duality and the individual self also, and realize the Divine unity.
Sufis believe that Sufism cannot be learned through books. Sufism typically requires that
the disciple live with and serve the teacher for many, many years. The Sufi doctrine of the
Perfect Man (al-Insn al-Kmil), states that there always exists upon earth a Pole or Axis,
of the Universe (Qutb)who is the perfect channel of grace from God to man and in a state
of Wilaya (sanctity, being under the protection of God). The vow of obedience to the Qutb or
Shaikh which is taken by Sufis is considered incompatible with devotion to the Imam.
In Sufi metaphor, the seeker is shiq- lover, Allah, the Mshuq- Beloved represented by the
Peer as the Sqi- the (male) Cupbearer or Tippler, seen as a handsome youth, pouring
Divine Wine of nectar unto him. His features (specifically the eyes, forehead, hair and mole on
the cheek) and his demeanor are praised to high heaven. He hides behind a veil, which needs
to be lifted. In contrast, the Shaikh, Mullh & Kzi are treated by Sufis with contempt as being
charlatans (Pkhandis). Folk love tales (such as Laila-Manjun) were used as allegories of
spiritual love. In India, Amir Khusro, Qutuban, Malik Mohd. Jyasi etc. enriched Sufi literature.
Sufi Orders
The widening of Islams conquests, and the resulting absorption of a wide range of mystic
traditions from outside Arabia, fuelled its spread. Sufism became a more formalized movement
by the 12th cent., and during the 13th-16th cents. it produced the flourishing intellectual culture-
throughout the Muslim world, whose physical artifacts can be seen today. Sufi lodges
(Khnqh, Zaoui or Tekke) were established where Sufis and itinerant seekers gathered.
As Sufism became a greater movement in Islam, individual Sufis began to group together.
These groups (also known as orders) were based on a common master, who then began
spiritual lineage, which is a connection between a Sufi order in which there is a common
spiritual heritage based on the masters teachings called Tariq. A Sufi's Silsil is his badge of
identity/source of legitimacy.
Sufism had a long history already before institutionalization of Sufi teachings into Tariq-
devotional orders of cultural wisdom reflecting the perspectives of different masters. In
Sufism, one can only receive instruction in spiritual practices (Tlqn) from an authorized
teacher of the path or method (Tariq), and only after pledging a vow of obedience (Bay h)
to this Shaikh. The Shaikh gives his disciples permission (Ijz) to practise the Tariqa: he may
also authorize one or more of them to teach it to others, i.e. appoint them as his khalfas.
The Silsils- genealogical chains of transmission from master to student concerned
themselves with subtle knowledge (gnosis), education of the heart to purify it of baser
instincts, the love of God, and approaching God through a well-described hierarchy of
Maqmt- spiritual stations and Ahwl- the more transient spiritual states. Several extant Sufi
orders trace their Silsils back to Prophet Muhammad thru his Companions: Ali abu Tlib (the
primary link between Sufi orders and the Prophet), Abu Bakr and Umar (3 of the 4 Righteously
Guided Caliphs). Their lineage is called Silsilt al-Dhahb (Dhahb: gold), the Chain of Gold.
Sufi Orders
Yaswi [founder: Khwja Ahmed Yesevi] in modern Kazhkistan was one of the earliest
orders. Kubrwi [f: Najmedddin Kubr] originated in C. Asia. The best known of silsils in
S. Asia/India are: (1) Chishti (2) Naqshbandi (3) Qdiri and (4) Suhrwardi. One
particular order that is unique in claiming spiritual lineage through the Caliph Abu Bakr, who
was generally seen as more of a political leader than a spiritual leader, is the Naqshbandi.
The North African Abu'l-Hasan al-Shdhili (d 1258) was the founder of the Shadhili.
The Rifa`i was definitely an order by 1320, when Ibn Battut gave us his description of its
rituals. The Khalwati [f. Umar al-Khalwati, an Azerbaijani Sufi]. While its Indian Subcontinent
branches did not survive into modern times, it later spread into the Ottoman Empire and
became influential there during the 16th cent. It crystallized into a Tariq between 1300 and
1450. The founder of the Shattari was `Abdullh al-Shattr (d. 1428). Currently, orders
worldwide are: B Alwiyy, Khalwati, Nimtullahi, Oveyssi, Qdiri Boutshishi, Tijni,
Qalandari, Sarwari Qdri, Shadhli, Ashrafi, Jerrhi, Bektshi, Mevlevi, Alians etc.
Qadiris [f: Abdul-Qdir Gilni (1077-1166)] one of the oldest Sufi Tariqs. And the most
widespread Sufi order. They and their many offshoots, are found in the Arabic-speaking world,
Afghnistn, S. India, Bangldesh, Pkistn, Turkey, the Balkans, China, Indonesia, India,
Israel, and much of the E&W Africa, like Morocco. They strongly adhere to the fundamentals of
Islm. Their leadership is not centralized, and own interpretations and practices are permitted.
A rose of green and white cloth, with a six-pointed star in the middle, is traditionally worn in the
cap of Qdiri darveshes. Teachings emphasize the struggle against the desires of the ego. It is
described as "the greater struggle" (Jihd). Names of God are prescribed as Wazifs (chants)
for repetition by initiates (Zikr) in both loud and low voice. Though the Sunn is the ultimate
source of religious guidance, Walis (saints) are God's chosen spiritual guides for the people.
Sufi Orders
The Chishtis [founded in Chisht, near Herat about 930 by Abu Ishaq Shami] are known
for their emphasis on love, tolerance and openness and for the welcome extended to seekers
who belong to other religions. They flourish in S. Asia and Afghanistan and have attracted
many westerners. Their insistence on otherworldliness has differentiated them from Sufi
orders that maintained close ties to rulers and courts and deferred to aristocratic patrons.
Chishtias follow five basic devotional practices. 1. Reciting the names of Allh loudly,
sitting in the prescribed posture at prescribed times (Zikr-i Djahr) 2. Reciting the names of
Allh silently (Zikr-i Khaf) 3. Regulating the breath (Ps-i Anfs) 4. Absorption in mystic
contemplation (Murqba) 5. 40 days of spiritual confinement in a lonely corner or cell for
prayer and contemplation (Chilla). Chishti practice is also notable for Sam'- evoking the
divine presence through song or listening to music or dancing with jingling anklets. The
Chishti, as well as some other Sufi orders, believe that music can help devotees forget self
in the love of Allh. The music usually heard at Chishti shrines and festivals is Qawwli,
invented by Amir Khusro, which is a representation of the inner sound.
Early Chishti shaikhs adopted concepts and doctrines outlined in two influential Sufi texts:
the Awrif al-Marif of Shaikh Shihb al-Dn Suhraward and the Kashf al-Madjb of
Hujwr. These texts are still read and respected today. Chishti also read collections of the
sayings, speeches, poems, and letters of the shaikhs called Malft.
The most famous of the Chishti saints is Mu'nuddn Chisht of Ajmer, India, others being:
Qutab-ud-Din Bakhtyr Kki, Farduddn Mas'd ("Baba Farid", Nizamuddin Auliya, Alauddin
Sabir Kaliyri, Muhammed Badesh Qdri, Ashraf Jahngir Semnni, Hji Imdadullh Muhjir
Makki and Shh Niyz Ahmad. Chishti master Hazrat Inyat Khn was the first to bring the
Sufi path to the West.
Sufi Orders
Suhrawardis [f: Diy al-din Abu n-Najib as-Suhrawardi (1097-1168)] live in extreme
poverty, spending time in Zikr- remembrance. It is a strictly Sunni order, guided by the Shafi`I
school of Islamic law (Madhab), and, traces its spiritual genealogy to Hazrat Ali ibn Abi
Tlib through Junayd Baghddi and al-Ghazli. It played an important role in the formation of
a conservative new piety and in the regulation of urban vocational and other groups, such as
trades-guilds and youth clubs, particularly in Baghdd. Shaikh Umar of Baghdad directed his
disciple Bah-ud-din Zakari to Multan and Saiyad Jalluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhri to Uch,
Sindh. Bukhri was a puritan who strongly objected to Hindu influence on Muslim social and
religious practices. The order became popular in India owing to his and of his successor,
Bah-ud-din Zakaris work. The poet Fakhr-al-Din Irqi and Pakistani saint Lal Shhbz
Qalandar (1177-1274) were connected to the order. The order declined in Multan but became
popular in other provinces like Uch, Gujarat, Punjab, Kashmir, Delhi, Bihar & Bengal.
Naqshbandis- engravers (of the heart) [f: Hazrat Shh Bah al-Din Naqshband (d.1389)]
use a coloured map of an internal stage for Tasawwar, recite the Kalm in a low voice, follow
Shari and Habs-i-Dam (Prnym). They are most active in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka,
Pakistan and Brunei and is prevalent in almost all of Europe incl. UK, Germany and France,
and in USA, Middle East, Africa, Syria, Palestine, India, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand,
Latin America, Azerbeijan, Daghestan (Russia) etc. Bqi Billh Berang is credited for bringing
the order to India during the end of the 16th cent. Among his disciples were Shaikh Ahmad
Sirhindi (Mujddad-i-Alf-i-Thni) and Shaikh Abdul Haq of Dihli. Some of their other prominent
masters were: Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, Hazrat Byzid al-Bistmi, Byzid al-Bistmi,
Saiyad Abdul Khliq al-Ghujdwani, Saiyad 'Abdul Khliq al-Ghujdawni, Hazrat Shh
Naqshband, Saiyad Ubaidullh al-Ahrr, Saiyad Ahmad Fruqi, Saiyad Ahmad al-Faruqi,
Shaikh Khlid al-Baghddi, Saiyad Khlid al-Baghddi, Saiyad Shaikh Ismil Shirwni.
Sufi Literature
Important early contributions in writing are attributed to Uwais al-Qmi, Hrrm bin Hin,
Hasan Bsri and Saiyad ibn al-Mussib. Ruwaym & Junayd of Baghdad were influential early
figures. Sufi poets and philosophers such as Rmi and Attr of Nishpur greatly enhanced
the spread of Islamic culture in Anatolia, C. Asia & S. Asia. Sufism also played a role in
creating and propagating Ottoman culture , and in resisting European imperialism in N. Africa
and S. Asia.
Towards the end of first mill. a number of manuals began to be written summarizing the
doctrines of Sufism and describing typical Sufi practices, two of these are: Kashf al-Mahjb of
Hujwiri and Risl of Qushyri. Abu Hamid al-Ghazlis greatest treatises, Revival of Religious
Sciences & Alchemy of Happiness, argued that Sufism originated from the Qur'n and was
compatible with Islamic thought, and did not contradict Islamic Lawbeing instead necessary
to its complete fulfillment. This became the mainstream position among Islamic scholars for
centuries, challenged only recently on the basis of selective use of a limited body of texts.
The works of Ibn al-`Arabi (d. 1240) deeply influenced almost all later Sufis. Sufis also
contributed richly to Persian literature e.g. Rubiyt of Omar Khayym, Conference of the
Birds of Attr, Masnavi of Rmi.
The literature of Sufis comprised: 1. descriptive essays and critiques, interpreting Islam in
a new way, subtly incorporating the earlier Zoroastrian (Aryan in origin) devotion into the
Semitic Islm 2. Biographies of prominent Sufis such as Attr, Jmi etc. & 3. Poetry: making
extensive use of parable, metaphor and allegory. Ghazal- a specific form of poetry and Rubi-
a verse used mostly in humour have been used extensively. While the original Sufi tradition
was based on Arabic, it spread to Frsi, Turkish & local Indian dialects: Hindvi & Deccani were
employed by the Sufis to put across their message, both to the Moslem and the Hindu.
Sufi Spirituality
Sufi Spirituality
Sufi darveshes believe that Love is a universal projection of the essence of God to the
universe. God desires to recognize beauty by looking at Himself within the dynamics of nature.
In the first approach in the practice of Sufism, the seeker begins by purifying the lower self
of every corrupting influence that stands in the way of recognizing all of creation as the work
of God. This is the way of Imam al-Ghazli and of majority of Sufi orders. In the second
approach, the seeker experiences divine attraction (Jadhb), and is able to enter the order
with a glimpse of its endpoint, of direct apprehension of the Divine Presence towards which all
spiritual striving is directed. This does not replace the striving to purify the heart, it simply
stems from a different point of entry into the path. This is the way primarily of the masters of
the Naqshbandi and Shdhili orders. A third approach, attributed to the late Ottoman scholar,
Saiyad Nursi entails strict adherence to the way of Muhammad.
The 4 stages of spiritual development are: 1. Shari: rules for external mode of religious
life comprising rites and rituals such as: keeping fasts, going on pilgrimages, giving charity,
reciting scriptures praying in outer temples. 2. Tariq: code for higher spiritual morality and
conduct, for which, a spiritual guide (Khalif or Imm) is essential. Its practices include Zikr
(Sumiran) to achieve concentration of attention using a Varntmak name and provide some
experience such as flashes of lightning, and lead to mystic rapture (Hl). 3. Mrif: nearness
to and communion with the Lord, above Third Eye focus. Seeker is now known as rif- one
who knows the nature and being of God. 4. Haqiq: merging in Truth (al-Haq) and full
realization of God (Fan fi l-Allh). While most remain confined to the first stage, a few
concern themselves with the second. Sufi mystics delve into the last two stages dealing with
Par Vidy- inner realization and spiritual enlightenment, and are then no longer bound to the
rules of Shari.
Esoteric Spiritual Practices (Mamulat)
Prophet Muhammad was a Sufi in the state of Urooj while experiencing the divine and
in the state of Nuzul he was separated and gave out his teachings as enshrined in Hadith.
Tasawwuf comprised this and inputs of Greek/Gnostic Neo-Platonism and Indian Vedantic
thought. Buddhist thought, with its rebuttal of tman/Rooh and Godhead remained aloof.
The leading ideas of Sufism- asceticism, purification, love, gnosis, saintship are developed
from the cardinal principle that spiritual success results when ego is annihilated to the will of
the spiritual mentor (Murshid). Sufi devotional practices vary widely. The Murshid may
prescribe specific practices depending upon his diagnosis of Mureeds spiritual maladies.
Sufis are seekers (Murdn) and wayfarers (Slikn) on the path to God. For proper training
they put themselves under the guidance of a master (Murshid). The search for God (Ird,
Talab) and the wayfaring (Sulk) on the path (Tarq) involve a gradual inner and ethical
transformation through various stages by discipline and effort. It is only through constancy in
action for God (Aml li-Allh), remembrance (Zikr Allh), recitation from the Quran, prayers
that a mystic can hope to obtain his objective, which is perfect obedience to Allah (Ubudi).
In order to combat and train the lower-self, Sufis practise fasting (Sawm), food and drink
deprivation (J'), wakefulness at night for the recitation of Quranic passages (Qiym al-Layl),
seclusion (Khalwat), roaming uninhabited places in states of poverty and deprivation, and
lengthy meditations (Murqab, Jam' al-Hamm). The effortful path of self-denial and trans-
formation thru gradual Maqmt is interwoven with effortless mystical experiences (Awl).
Initially the new seeker (Murdn) is taught Zikr- remembrance (Japa, Sumiran)- first, Zikr-
al-Lisni (with the tongue) usually in congregation (Islamists use: L Ilh Illillh) and then,
Zikr-al-Qalbi (of the heart). In Zikr-i-Khaffi (used by Sufis) only mental repetition is done in
solitude, resulting in Fikr- contemplation (Dhyan) and then, gradually, in Murqab (Samadhi).
Esoteric Spiritual Practices (Mamulat)
Spiritual Poverty or Renunciation is a cornerstone of Sufi practice, which begins when
the seeker joins the order and prepares for initiation. He passes through spiritual stations or
stages (Maqmt). Linked to these are states or emotions (Awl), such as fear & hope,
sorrow & joy, leading to a transient state of mystic rapture, ecstasy and elation. Company of
ones Master (Peer) and receiving his grace (Tawajjoh) are essential.
Repentance (Towbt) is described as the awakening of the soul from the slumber of
heedlessness, so that the sinner becomes aware of his evil ways and feels contrition for past
disobedience. He is not truly penitent, however, unless (1) he at once abandons the sin or
sins of which he is conscious, and (2) firmly resolves that he will never return to these sins
in the future. It he should fail to keep his vow, he must again turn to God, whose mercy is
infinite.
Abstinence is to control ones mind and to restrain it from indulging in sensuous pleasures.
To do so often people adopt practices like observing fast, silence and solitude. Sufis, however,
lay stress on the evolution of the inner-self. The seeker starts feeling that the knots of sensual
pleasure hitherto tying his mind are loosening and their place is being taken over by the love
for the Master or God.
Purity in the body, mind as well as the consciousness is implied in Sufism. Perfect purity is
attained through selective gardening of the mind, ego and intelligence. A Sufi is always on the
inner path (Saluk) to God, always eager to achieve purification of the ego (Tazkiy-i-Nafs). To
achieve this, he undergoes various stages of evolutionary Kriys under the guidance of a
Master (Murshid). In order to keep his mind clean and pure, a Sufi gives up worldly desires,
anger, lust & pride. He creates harmony, lives in harmony and offers harmony.
Esoteric Spiritual Practices (Mamulat)
Mortification of the Nafs is the work of devotion leading to contemplative life. Nafs should
be weaned from things to which it is accustomed, encouraged to resist its passions, and its
pride should be broken. Through suffering and tribulation it should recognize the vileness of
its original nature and impurity of its actions. While fasting, silence, solitude etc. are its outer
modes, it is a moral transmutation of the inner man as well. When the will is surrendered to
God and when the mind is concentrated on Him, the attributes- ignorance, pride, envy etc.-
are extinguished, and replaced by their opposites.
Sufi who has eradicated self-will is said to have reached the stages of Acquiescence or
Satisfaction (Rid) and Trust in God (Tawakkul). After this the wayfarer lives as He desires
(Raz). It does not befit a devotee to look towards anyone else except God. The seeker now
learns to be thankful to Almighty in whatever condition He keeps. Both sorrows and happiness
are considered to be His blessings. Fully content, seeker now sees His grace in everything.
Seclusion (Khalwat) (or Chill-nashini): secluding oneself from all worldly things to practise
stilling the mind and withdrawal of senses, to speak silently to ones inner being, or going into
solitary retreat to speak to God secretly. The Mureed secludes himself in a dark and small
room (Khalwat Khna) to spend his time in worship (Murqab) thru breath regulation
(Habs-i-Dam, Kumbhak Prnym), remembrance (Dhikr) and reflection (Tasawwur). He
emerges only to pray and to discuss dreams, visions and the like with the Murshid. Khalwat,
lasting 40 days is called Arbain, while Nsf lasts 20 days and Urub 10 days. The Chill is
performed for spiritual as well as worldly attainments, psychic abilities (Siddhis), or complete
enlightenment depending on the desire of the practitioner who performs it. Chill-i-Makoos is
an inverted Chill which is undertaken hanging upside down. The body is suspended upside
down by means of a rope, often in a well, the darvesh remaining in this position all night.
Subtle Centres (Lataif)
The doctrine of centers of subtle cognition (Latif-i-Sitt), somewhat akin to Kabbalistic
Sephiroth and Yogic Chakra systems, addresses awakening of spiritual intuition, each with an
associated body region, colour and prophet. These Latif designate various psychospiritual
organs or, sometimes, faculties of sensory and supra-sensory perception. The Lata'if dormant
faculties to be sequentially awakened through purification of the psyche, meditation
(Murqab) and Zikr (remembrance of God). They are reckoned by various schools as being
6, 7 or 10 in number.
The 10-fold Latif: (a) Pertaining to the Divine World (lam-i-Amr): 1. Qalb (heart, below
left breast, lust, yellow, Adam), 2. Rooh (spirit, below right breast, anger, red, Nooh & Ibrahim),
3. Sirr (secret, besides left breast towards centre, greed, white, Mus), 4. Khafi (hidden,
besides right breast towards centre, jealousy, black, Isa) & 5. Akhf (most hidden, between
breasts, pride, green, Muhammed).. (b) Pertaining to the Created World (lam-i-Khalq):
6. Nafs (self, below navel, passion), 7. Bd (air), 8. Nr (fire), 9. M (water) & 10. Khq (soil).
The purification of elementary passionate nature (Tazki-i-Nafs), followed by cleansing of
the spiritual heart so that it may acquire a mirror-like purity of reflection (Tazki-i-Qalb) and
become the receptacle of God's love (Ishq), illumination of the spirit (Tajjali-i-Rooh), fortified by
emptying of egoic drives (Taqli-i-Sirr) and remembrance of God's attributes (Dhikr), and
completion of journey with purification of the last two faculties, Khafi and Akhf.
Qalb & Nafs form Rooh-i-Haiwni (Animal Soul), Sirr & Rooh form Rooh-i-Insni (Human
soul), Akhf & Khaf form Rooh-i-Azam (the great soul). The Lat'if interact in various ways,
producing the spiritual types of the tyrant (dominated by Nafs), the person of faith and
moderation (dominated by Qalb), and the person lost in love for God (dominated by Rooh).
Remembrance (Zikr)
Zikr is a preparatory, but essential exercise going upto Third Eye (Nuqt-i-Swaid, Mehrb
or Qalb-i-Munib) focus. It is invocation and remembrance of Divine names or some religious
formula, which are repeated, accompanying the intonation with intense concentration of every
faculty, to enjoy uninterrupted communion with God. The name gets itself established in their
tongues, heart and soul. This is the key to Mrifat or access to the Divine Mysteries.
Zikr may be either spoken or silent, but tongue and mind should co-operate. Its first stage
is to forget self, and last stage is self-effacement. Recollection eventually becomes part and
parcel of his life. Due to concentration, certain Riddhi-Siddhis- supernatural powers are
invested. Sufis attach greater value to Zikr, than to five Namzes at fixed hours of the day.
Zikr can be: 1. Nasooti (of tongue): initially prescribed, as audible Zikr permeates the entire
body. 2. Malkooti (of heart): thru perfection in Habs-i-Dam (Pranayam). 3. Jabrooti (of spirit):
results in tranquility in the consciousness. It requires mastery in withdrawal of senses.
4. Lahooti (of mind): aspirant projects love (Muhabbat) for the All-Pervading Divine.
Types of Zikrs: Zikr-i-Qalb (Shugal-i-Is-i-Zt): begins with Qalab-i-Sanobari at the
physical heart and rises upto Third Eye. [Qalb-i-Salib is the heart at Trikuti]. ~Fahmid:
done, keeping focus on tip or root of the nose. Zikr-i-Pas-o-Anfs (Shwsa Sohang):
done with rhythm of breath. Allah is mentally repeated while inhaling, Hu while exhaling.
~Ism-i-Rabbni: prescribed Divine names are repeated everyday. ~Zarbi: thrusts are
applied on the heart in order to scan it. ~r: by visualizing Satan being bisected, while
striking the heart. ~ Latif: by concentrating on the Latifs and awakening them thru Zikr.
~ Sultan-ul-Azkr: the king of all Zikr. Latifs are activated by deep concentration, without
Habs-i-Dam, but with repetition of Divine names. Finally, focus is laid on the senses. Other
Zikrs: such as: ~Ait-ul-Karsi, ~Haddvi, ~Kar Haidri, ~Makashfh, ~Fan-o-Baq.
Love (Mahabbat), Ecstasy (Wajd)
Love, like gnosis, is in its essence considered a divine gift, not anything that can be
acquired. A Sufi sees God and recognizes God in beauty, in humanity and in all creation. A
believer in God conceives God as a separate being, while the Sufi does not think himself
apart from God. The God of Sufi is not in heaven above, but He is everywhere. The purpose
of human life is to achieve union with the Creator. It is possible to see God within by loving
Him and His creation.
Most of the great medieval Sufis lived saintly lives, dreaming of God, intoxicated with God.
The devotional and mystical love of God soon developed into ecstasy and enthusiasm, which
finds in the sensuous imagery of human love, the most suggestive medium for its expression.
God is the eternal Beauty, and it lies in the nature of beauty to desire love. Mystic poets have
described self-manifestation of the One with a profusion of splendid imagery.
Ecstatic Trance (Wajd) is involuntary, although certain conditions are recognized as being
especially favourable to its occurrence. It comes to a man through vision of the majesty of
God and through revelation of the divine omnipotence to his heart. Nature of ecstasy is
described as "a divine mystery which God communicates to true believers who behold Him
with the eye of certainty," or as "a flame which moves in the ground of the soul and is
produced by love-desire." Trances could sometimes last many weeks.
Ecstasy affords the only means by which the soul can directly communicate and become
united with God. Sufis of the darvesh orders soon discovered that ecstasy might be induced
artificially, not only by concentration of thought, recollection (Dhikr), and other innocent
methods of autohypnosis, but also by music, singing, and dancing (included in the term
Sam, which properly means nothing more than audition), which became favourite means
of inducing the state of trance called 'passing-away' (Fan).
Music (Sufiana)
Music is a harmonic sound and is liked due to its sweetness. When we hear music, it
creates different patterns on our heart. Godly music creates Godly pattern while ugly music
materializes into fearful demons. None can deny that every uttered sound has vibrations
and these affect mind, heart and soul. Our whole life, nay our cosmos is suffused in sound.
Divine music has been called: Kalm, Kalm-i-Qadim, Kun & Amr in the Qur'n, and
Bng-i-smni, Sultn-ul-Azkr & Saut-i-Sarmadi by the Sufis.
Sound and music occupy an important place in the life of many Sufis. It is a tool for the
believer to get closer to God. Sufi music means music that connects with the heart. It is the
music of submission and surrender that bonds humans to God. Music of the Sufis, known as
the Sufin, is to be sung very softly in a whisper like tone and rhythm; such a kind of music
is soothing and has harmonious effect on temper.
Hundreds of years after being relegated to the background, the mystical Sufi music of the
14th cent. is staging a resounding comeback. A unique style of singing that transports listeners
into spiritual ecstasy, it is acquiring a steady fan following much like the rock genre of the
sixties. Credit for its spread must go to the energy-charged music that sends both the singer
and listeners into a spiritual trance.
Sufi music is not about entertainment, but about spirituality. Amidst tension and turmoil of
today, its powerful lyrics speak about reaching the Divine by spreading love and harmony.
Contemporary singers like the late Ustd Nusrat Fateh Ali Khn & Abid Parveen from
Pakistan, Indian Shubh Mudgal, Muhammed El-Shaikh Jum of Sudan, Rmi of Iran,
Whirling Darveshes of Turkey, Baul singers from Bangladesh or even pop groups like
Junoon have all contributed in re-vitalizing this unique religious singing.
Poetry (Shayari)
Qawwli is the devotional music of the Sufis of the Indian sub-continent. Originally
performed mainly at Sufi shrines, it is a vibrant and popular musical tradition. Its roots can be
traced back to 8th cent. Persia. However, in the form we know it today, it was created by Amir
Khusrau in the late 13th cent. by fusing Persian and S. Asian musical traditions. Qawwlis tend
to begin gently and build steadily to a very high energy level in order to induce hypnotic states.
Very similar to Qawwli, Sam, set to a form of music called yin, featuring classical
instruments such as Ney (a reed flute), is used in C. Asia & Turkey. During 11th cent., tradition
of Sam migrated to Indian sub-continent, Turkey and Uzbekistan. Rmi and his Mevlan
order have been propagators of Sam in C. Asia. The West African Gnaw is another form.
Sufis from Indonesia to Afghanistan to Morocco have made music central to their practices.
Urdu poetry (Shiri), coming from Arabic and Persian cultures, forms an important part of
Indian culture. It has two main types i.e. Ghazal & Nazm. Mushiras are poetic expositions.
The major genres of poetry found in Urdu are: Ghazal, Nazm, Qasid, Marsi, Sehr, Rubi,
Noh, Shehr shob, Qat, Doh, Soaz.
The Ghazal (mortal cry of a Kastoori doe) is a poetic form consisting of couplets which
share a rhyme and a refrain. It consists of a seemingly infinitely adaptable combination of
essentially simple elements. Ghazal is always written from the point of view of the lover who is
unable to attain his beloved, because the beloved is just playing with the poet's feelings. The
lover is aware and resigned to this fate. It is not important to the lover that the beloved does
not echo the same feelings towards him. The beloved is often portrayed in exaggerated terms,
with extended metaphors about arrows of her eyes or referring to the beloved as an assassin.
A Nazm is an Urdu poetic form that is normally written in rhymed verse.
Dance of Darveshes (Sama)
Spiritual concert or listening (Sam'), the liturgy of which may include recitation, chanting,
singing, instrumental music, dance, costumes, incense, meditation, ecstasy and trance, to
arouse Ahwl, is associated with some Sufis, notably the Chishtiy, Naqashbandi & Mevlevi
Darveshes go in a whirling motion- symbolizing rotation of universe in Gods presence.
The whirling dance of Sam' is conducted by Murshid in the prescribed manner. 9 to 13
Murids sit for half an hour on the floor, with eyes closed, heads bowed and arms folded.
Murshid invites all the assembled to raise their hands in prayer and chants. After prayers,
Darveshes approach Murshid, one by one, salute him with gesture of hand and begin dancing.
Darveshes advance slowly, turning on the left heel, till they form one circle. Their arms are
open or raised, but eyes are closed. All visualize beholding beauty of the Beloved God. Sweet
music is played or interrupted by poetic compositions sung by musicians and singers. Every
Darvesh tries to search inward purity and tranquility. Dancing may continue for an hour or two.
In the assembly of the Sam', Darveshes may go into emotional upsurge (Wajd), becoming
agitated and manifesting excessive motion, crying and weeping. The ecstasy is a means to a
swift flight towards the Beloved and attaining an awareness of the Divine presence and is
considered a special gift bestowed by God. Towards the close of the dance, Murshid may join
the dance of Sam' for a little while and then make the closing prayer to conclude the Sam'.
The practice of Sam quickly spread amongst the Sufis and produced an acute cleavage
of opinion- some holding it to be lawful and praiseworthy, others condemning it as an
abominable innovation and incitement to vice. Those whose hearts He has endowed with
spiritual perception hear His voice everywhere- ecstasy overcomes them as they listen to
rhythmic chant of the muezzin, noise of the wind, bleating of a sheep or piping of a bird.
Stages (Maqamat) & States (Ahwal)
The Sufi, set out to seek God, is a 'traveller' (Slik), who advances by slow stages or
stations (Maqmt) along a 'path' (Tariq). A spiritual stage periodically marks the long path
followed by Sufis leading to the goal of union with Reality (Fan fi l-Haq). Maqmt can also
be perceived as the ascending rungs of the spiritual ladder. With continuous spiritual practices,
a seeker ascends on this ladder.
Sufi's path is not finished until he has traversed all the stages, making himself perfect in
every one of them, before advancing to the next, and has also experienced whatever states it
pleases God to bestow upon him. Only then is the seeker permanently raised to the higher
planes of consciousness which Sufis call 'the gnosis' (Mrif) and 'the Truth (Haqiq), where
the seeker (Tlib) becomes the 'knower' or gnostic (Arif), and realizes that knowledge,
knower, and known are One.
A spiritual station is considered enduring, in contrast to a spiritual state (Hl). It means a
spiritual awareness that is lasting and which continues until the Sufi is more fully purified,
more deeply surrendered to God's Will, and is led to another spiritual station. The Sufi
progresses by means of his own effort or self-mortification (Mujhadah) and through the help
and guidance of the master (Murshid) and by Gods grace. In each Maqm the Sufi strives to
purify himself from all worldly inclination and to prepare himself to attain an ever-higher
spiritual level.
The stages (Maqmt) of self-awareness on the Sufi path, constitute Sufis ascetic and
ethical discipline, and are distinct from the 'states' (Ahwl, pl. of Hl). While the 'stages' can
be acquired and mastered by continuous spiritual practices and sincere efforts, the 'states' are
spiritual feelings and dispositions over which a man has no control and depend on the Grace
of God.
Stages (Maqamat) & States (Ahwal)
The majority of Sufis agree on 7 major stages (Maqmt): 1. Repentance (Tawbh): does
not mean remembrance of sins and atonement for them, but rather forgetting them along with
everything that distracts from the love of God. 2. Fear of the Lord (War): is not fear of
hellfire, but rather the dread of being veiled eternally from God. 3. Renunciation or Detach-
ment (Zuhd): means that the person is devoid of possessions and his heart is without acquisi-
tiveness. 4. Poverty (Faqr): in which he asserts his independence of worldly possessions and
his need of God alone. 5. Patience (Sabr): the art of steadfastness, 6. Trust or Surrender
(Tawakkul): in which the Sufi knows that he cannot be discouraged by hardships and pain, for
he is in total submission to Gods will and finds joy even in his sorrows. 7. Satisfaction (Ri):
a state of quiet contentment and joy that comes from the anticipation of the long-sought union.
The mystic states (Ahwl), thru which the soul has to pass are: 1. budiy- doing Ibdat-
devotion (Tapas). 2. Ishq- love. 3. Jihd- overcoming obstacles. 4. Murif- intuition. 5. Wajd-
an ecstatic state of rapture, normally experienced by Sufi mystics during reading poetry or
scripture. 6. Haqiq- truth, and 7. Wasl- union. Ego then becomes Fan- destroyed and
immortality and bliss of Baq- presence of Deity is experienced. Another list: meditation,
nearness to God, love, fear, hope, longing, intimacy, tranquility, contemplation and certainty.
Hl occurs spontaneously as a spiritual gift. A soft cloud appears on the horizon, engulfs
the seeker while quenching his spiritual thirst, then moves on leaving him in a state of awe.
In this state, a seeker neither expects what comes to him from the unseen world, nor has the
slightest idea about the nature of experience. He is simply taken over by an overwhelming
compassionate power. A realm of ecstasy prevails due to unbearable display of beauty.
This state of Hl comes and goes on its own. A seeker can never claim such a state due to
its extraordinariness and his ordinariness. It always happens as an act of Grace.
Mystic Practices (Ashgal)
The Ashgl (pl. of Shugal) are esoteric exercises of the soul, such as: Zikr, Fikr, Murqab,
Habs-i-Dam, Shugal, Sam, Khalwat etc. which prepare it for illumination. These are directed
towards three goals: 1. to activate the heart centre, the store house of love, to clear the path
towards Truth, 2. to subjugate the commanding self (Nafs-al-Ammrh) to the contented self
(Nafs-Almutmainh), 3. to render the heart subtle for awareness and illumination.
Besides heart, which is the store house of Love and hub of life force, a Sufi has to activate
other centres of divine energy in his physical body through breathing and meditation. Each
practice is meant to unfold unconsciousness and remove blockades in the Chakras. At the
Muldhra Chakra, then the seeker is prone to temptations. Evolving to Nafsi (Swdhistana
Chakra), the urge to seek sensual gratification is pre-dominant. Those that evolve to Roohi
(Manipura Chakra), by contemplation on the Divine, master the finer aspects of metabolism.
When the aspirants evolve to Qalbi (Anhata Chakra), they attain mastery over languages of
human species and animal species and develop supernatural powers. The rare few who
activate the Khafi (Ajna Chakra) are blessed by the Unmanifest. The All-Pervading Divine
Light of God is manifest here. Those reaching Akhf (Sahasrara Chakra) are said to attain
Wehdat (merger with the Divine).
Ashgl fall into 4 categories: 1. Dasti: with hands- telling beads, doing good deeds.
2. Lassani: with the tongue- reciting scriptures, repeating holy Names, uttering sweet speech,
preaching etc. 3. Sami: with the ears- listening externally to Satsangs & hymns; also
listening to Anhad Shabd or inner music (Shugal-i-Nasir, Shugal-i-Saut-i-Sarmadi, or Surat-
Shabd Yoga). 4. Bsri (or Nzri): with the eyes- gazing on an external object, leading
to awakening of Nirat (Shugal-i-ftbi- focus on the sun, Shugal-i-ina- focus on ones
reflection in a mirror, Shugal-i-Neem Khwbi- semi-consciousness during sleep).
Mystic Practices (Ashgal)
Tasawwar (Dhyan): concentration on the mental conception of some internal stage.
Shugal-i-Miyt (Shugal-i-Mansoori, Shav-sana): in this, one lies on the ground, face
upwards and repeats a name, while keeping ones attention on the Third Eye.
Shugal-i-Roohi (Khechri Mudr): involves sticking of tongue to close the mouth cavity and
repeating a name.
Shugal-i-Sultn Samadi: Qalbi (Anahata Chakra) is activated thru sense-withdrawal & love.
Shugal-i-in: activates Sirr (Vishuddhi Chakra) through contemplation, aided by Zikr.
Shugal-i-Sultan Mehmood: focuses on Khafi (Ajna Chakra) and is filled with Light.
Shugal-i-Bist: in this, one concentrates on the inner sun, repeating a name and reaches
Akhfa (Sahasrara Chakra).
Shugal-i-Muqaman (Trikuti Dhyan): involves Fikr (concentrating). The gaze is fixed on the
nose-tip with a name being repeated, and then taken inwards.
Shugal-i-Sanobari: focuses on Fikr, as preparatory for Zikr (remembrance).
Shugal-i-Barazkh-i-Kabir (Bhakti Yoga): enjoins concentration on the Perfect Man (Peer-o-
Murshid), both outwardly and inwardly, terminating in Fan fi l-Shaikh- merger in the Master.
Shugal-i-Sultn Nasir (Trtak Karma & Chchri Mudr): involves listening to Ghor Anahad-
undifferentiated sound comprising 10 types of sound.
Shugal-i-Saut-i-Sarmadi or Sultn-ul-Azkr: (Surat-Shabd Yoga, Sahaj Yoga): begins by
Zikr at the Third Eye focus and coming into contact with Dhunyatmak Nm, Shabd or holy
Word (Kalm-i-Ilhi- Word of God, Nid-i-smani- heavenly sound, Ism-i-zam- highest name)
thru meditation (Murqab) aided by contemplation & concentration (Fikr), and reaching Fan
fi l-Shaikh and Fan fi l-Allh through focus on the inner Sound & Light.
Fikr (contemplation) is of 2 kinds: one is the result of perfect faith, the other of rapturous love.
Meditation (Muraqabat)
Muraqb (to watch over the spiritual heart or soul, acquiring its knowledge and that of
God) means meditation, a silent communion with the Divine. It means presenting oneself
before the Creator. It is done sitting calmly in seclusion with inner eye, with outer eyes closed.
Prior to engagement in Murqab, a disciple purifies his physical body with ablution and his
mind by casting away all evil thoughts. Before presenting him before the Beloved God, the
Murshid may prescribe the following states (Ahwl) and stages (Maqmt): The disciple may
be: (a) told to sit in a dark cell, open his eyes and concentrate on a single point. (b) required
to observe silence for some days. (c) told to consider himself as a drop of water, from the sea
of God. (d) required to consider himself a ray of light, from the Eternal Light.
After a period, when the Murshid is satisfied, out of grace, he may prescribe a Murqab:
1. Murqab Royat: During the practise of Fikr, to visualize that the Beloved God is looking
at him. 2. Murqab Mmaeyat: to think that his Beloved God is always with him. 3. Murqab
Aqribiyat: to think that his Beloved God is very near to him. 4. Murqab Whadit: to think
that his Beloved God rests in everything of this world. 5. Murqab Fan: to lie down in Shav-
sana and visualize his death. This is to remove the fear of death from heart of the Murid.
Also, he attains the power to contact the departed souls. 6. Murqab Towhid-i-Afali: to
activate his mental activity, with confidence so that ones activity becomes Gods activity.
7. Murqab Towhid-i-Sifti: to consider that oneself and this world, as a shadow or a replica
of the Creator. 8. Murqab Towhid-i-Zti: to consider the vegetable, animal and mineral
kingdom, all elements and the heavens as God. 9. Murqab Noori: to visualize God as the
radiant light, covering the whole existence. This light is the consciousness, which the Sufis
term as Noor-i-Mutlq and the Yogis call Kundalini. It shines like the flash of lightening and
covers the whole body from the spine to the head.
Meditation (Muraqabat)
Various types of Murqab: Lower level: 1. Light of various colours. 2. Ihsan (perfection
of worship). 3. Noor (invisible Light). 4. Htif-i-Ghabi (unhearable Sound of Cosmos).
5. Names & Attributes of God. 6. Allh (proper name of God). Middle level: 1. Maot (death):
life after Death. 2. Qalb (heart): Spiritual Heart. 3. Wahdat (unity): Cosmic Unity. 4. La
(nothingness): material-lessness 5. Fan (annihilation of self): alpha-omega of universe.
Higher level: 1. Tasawwur-i-Shaikh (focus on master). 2. Tasawwur-i-Rasool (focus on
prophet): transfer of Faiz (arcane spiritual knowledge) from prophet. 3. Tasawwur-i-Zt-i-
Ilhi (focus on God): experiencing Tajalli-i-Zt of God. 4. Martab-i-Ihsn (focus on perfection
of Faith): offering Salt as if you are watching Allah. If not, then as if Allah is watching you.
Sufi journey of ascension: (a) Gnosis of self: 1. Somnolence (Ghanood): becomes semi-
consciousness over time. 2. Cognition (Adrk): thru un-conscious mind during wakefulness
without seeing or hearing. 3. Experience (Warood): with awakening of flickering vision due to
increased mental concentration. (b) Gnosis of universe: 4. Unveiling of Arcane knowledge
(Kashaf/Ilhm): initially without control. 5. Evidence (Shahood): with practice, knowledge by
will- thru sight, hearing, smell or touch. 6. Victory (Fatah): Experiencing with open eyes, while
freed from fetters of time & space. (c) Gnosis of Creator: 7. Annihilation (Fan): Gnosis of
God through a series of stages (Maqmt) and subjective experiences (Ahwl), this process
of absorption develops until complete annihilation of the self takes place and one becomes
al-Insnul-Kamil (the perfect man), also called Extinction with unity (Fan fit-Tawheed) and
Extinction in reality (Fan fi l-Haq). 8. Journey towards God (Sair-Il-Allh or Safr-i-Urooji).
9. Extinction of self in God (Fan fi l-Allh): mystical experience, becoming extinct in Gods
Will and being wrapped in contemplation of divine essence. 10. Return journey from God (Sair
min Allh or Safr-i-Nuzooli): being lost to oneself and totally lost in Gods magnificence. 11.
Eternal life in union with God (Baq-bi-Allh): when one lives in the world subsisting in God.
Illumination, Discernment, Well-doing
Illumination (Tajalli) means self-manifestation of God, but is understood in different ways
by the mystics. It is the stage of union with God resulting in total absorption. A seeker reaches
the stage of Yaqin, when he is blessed with the glance in this world. In the Beatific Vision, God
manifests to the elect in various forms corresponding to their mental conception. The Sufis
call it Tajalli-i-Dht, signifying manifestation of the Glory of God during Wajd (ecstasy).
Every Sufi is blessed by God to have a natural ability to illuminate his soul with
Prophetic Blessings (Noor-i-Nubuwt). Whenever the light of faith touches his heart, his
soul is illuminated, as if a lamp is lighted. Such a person becomes source of illumination
for humanity. When such a person reaches the company of an accomplished Sufi master,
then this illumination of soul is increased manifold. This is an essence of Sufism.
Saints and seers obtain Divine Inspiration (Ilhm-i-Rabbni) from God. A mystic sees a
vision in inner space, not before his eyes. A Sufi, after his or her annihilation in the personality
of God, experiences a mystic union with God, which results in Tajalli. The Beatific Vision of
the Divine in glory is achieved when body, mind and soul are intoxicated with love of God.
Discernment (Firsat): The light gleaming in the heart of the illuminated mystic endows
him with this supernatural power. Its origin is in the Koranic verse in which God says that He
breathed His spirit into Adam. Orthodox Sufis, who strenuously combat the doctrine that the
human spirit is uncreated and eternal, affirm that Firsat is the result of knowledge and insight,
metaphorically the 'light' or 'inspiration,' which God creates and bestows upon His favourites.
Well-doing (Ihsn): From illumination of gradually increasing splendour, the mystic rises to
contemplation of the divine attributes, and ultimately, when his consciousness is wholly melted
away, he becomes transubstantiated (Tajwhar) in the radiance of the divine essence. This
is the 'station' of well-doing.
Annihilation (Fana)/Subsistence (Baqa)
Fan and Baq are two major milestones on the path of spiritual progress. Fan or
annihilation is the state that precedes the state of subsistence (or Baq). Sufis believe that
the purpose of human life is to attain the state of merger i.e. unity with the Almighty (Fan-
fi l-Allh) and then to live in that state (Baq). After reaching Wasl, ego becomes Fan-
destroyed and the immortality and bliss of Baq- presence of the Deity is experienced.
Unlike Nirvna, which is merely the cessation of individuality, Fan, the passing-away of
the Sufi from his phenomenal existence, involves Baq, the continuance of his real existence.
He who dies to self lives in God, and Fan, the consummation of this death, marks the
attainment of Baq, or union with the divine life. When one approaches the stage of merger,
it is called Salokyata and Samipyata (the state of Nearness). From here one moves to
Sarupyata (Baq) and complete Unity- Sayujyata (Baq-dar-Baq or Baq-bil-Baq).
When the individual self is lost, the Universal Self is found. Fan is: 1. a moral transfor-
mation of the soul through the extinction of all its passions and desires. 2. a mental abstraction
or passing-away of the mind from all objects of perception, thoughts, actions and feelings thru
its concentration upon the thought of God. Here thought of God signifies contemplation of the
divine attributes. 3. the cessation of all conscious thought.
Among the Darvesh orders, music, singing and dancing are favourite means of inducing
Fan.
Often, though not invariably, Fan is accompanied by loss of sensation. The gnostic
contemplates the attributes of God, not His essence, for even in gnosis a small trace of duality
remains: this disappears only in Fanal-Fan, the total passing-away in the undifferentiated
Godhead. It forms the prelude to Baq, 'continuance' or 'abiding' in God. The mystic is now
rapt in contemplation of the Divine Essence.
Gnosis (Marifat)
Sufism is a spiritual path, on which one travels in order to recognize Allh (Mri'ft) and
attain nearness (Qurb) to Him. This path develops the spiritual faculties of man for realization
of Divine Reality. While the term, Ilm denotes ordinary knowledge, Mrift is the mystic
knowledge peculiar to Sufis. Mri'ft is a special guidance, which Allah inspires in the purified
heart of the Mumin. This is a knowledge that cannot be learned through books. It is a gift of
Allah, who bestows it to His chosen ones among the Friends of Allh (Awliya Allh), who
have reached a certain degree of nearness to Him. This knowledge has been transmitted
from the breast of the Spiritual Guide to his disciples and cannot be disclosed to others.
Mri'ft of the Sufis is the 'gnosis' of Hellenistic theosophy, i.e. direct knowledge of God
based on revelation or apocalyptic vision. It is not the result of any mental process, but
depends entirely on the will and favour of God, who bestows it as a gift from Himself upon
those whom He has created with the capacity for receiving it. It is a Light of Divine grace that
flashes into the heart and overwhelms every human faculty in its dazzling beams. "He who
knows God is dumb." It is said to be a light that illumines and clarifies, but its very brilliance
dazzles, blinds and ultimately extinguishes the one designated as a knower (al-rif) as well.
There are two kinds of Mri'ft: 1. Istidlli: the ability to reach Allah by intellectual deduction
o-n the basis of observation of the wonders created by Allah. Contemplation o3n His creation
leads to mans recognition of Allah. This is also acquired by such pure souls to whom certain
things of the unseen realm have been revealed, i.e. by way of Kashf (divine inspiration which
removes the veils which conceal reality). 2. Shuhood: Those who have been blessed with this
wealth attain Allah without any deductive process. They acquire His Recognition instantane-
ously by way of spiritual perception and recognition. They are not dependent on the external
realm or the physical world to understand the greatness and reality of Allh.
Unity & Truth (Haqiqat)
Wahdat al-Wujud literally means the Unity of Existence, while, Wahdat al-Shuhud (Unity of
Witness or Apparentism) holds that God and His creation are entirely separate. Some Islamic
reformers have claimed that the two philosophies differ only in semantics and that the entire
debate is merely a collection of "verbal controversies" which have come about because of
ambiguous language. However, the concept of the relationship between God and the universe
is still actively debated, both among Sufis and between Sufis and non-Sufi Muslims.
The cardinal attribute of God is unity, and Divine unity is the first and last principle of gnosis.
The gnosis of unity constitutes a higher stage which is called 'the Truth' (Haqiqat). Unification
consists in making the heart single- that is, in purifying and divesting it of attachment to all
except God, both in respect of desire and will, and also as regards knowledge and gnosis.
The eternal and the phenomenal are two complementary aspects of the One. The creatures
are external manifestation of the Creator, and Man is God's consciousness (Sirr) as revealed
in creation. According to Ibn al-Arabi, since Man, owing to the limitations of his mind, cannot
think all objects of thought simultaneously, and therefore expresses only a part of the divine
consciousness, he is not entitled to say Ana l-Haqq, "I am God." He is a reality, but not the
Reality. Other Sufis e.g. Hallj, in their ecstatic moments, have ignored this subtle distinction.
Man is essentially divine. God created Adam in His own image. He projected from Himself
that image of His eternal love, that He might behold Himself as in a mirror. Hence He bade the
angels worship Adam, in whom, He became incarnate. In the pantheistic theory, there is no
real existence apart from God. Man is an emanation or a reflexion or a mode of Absolute
Being. What he thinks of as individuality is in truth not-being; it cannot be separated or united,
for it does not exist. Man is God, yet with a difference. In realizing the non-entity of his
individual self, the Sufi realizes his essential oneness with God.
Perspective of Sant-Mat (Kamil Sufis)
As against Islamic deification or Hindu gods-goddesses and Avatrs, Kmll Sufis and Sants
commended worship of God in the form of the perfect Master (Peer-o-Murshid or Satguru), the
true living Son of God or Word-made-flesh, and taking the gift of spiritual initiation of Nm or
Kalm from Him. Deity of the Kmil Sufis and Sants is Sat (Haq) or Akl- Timeless Being,
Positive Power (deity of the various religions being Kl- being of Time, Negative Power).
The Sufi Murshid-i-Kmils and Sants not only lived harmoniously with Islam and Hinduism
respectively, but also readily employed their own metaphors to put across their teachings.
The Sufi Kmils managed to give their message in the very metaphor of Islam. What better
example of this than the Masnavi of Mauln Rmi being dubbed as the Persian Qurn!
A parallel of the same may be found in Sant Tulsidass Rmacharitmnas.
The Kmil Sufis and Sants taught attainment of Par Vidy- esoteric knowledge- the
individual worship within the human body-temple thru meditation, rather than Apar Vidy-
exoteric knowledge, collective congregative prayer of mosque for salvation of the soul. They
practised true Sultn-ul-Azkr- King of Remembrances, or Surat-Shabd Yoga, not Prnaym.
In Sant-Mat terms, Shari- outer path involves activities such as: attending Satsangs, doing
Nishkam Sewa-selfless service, Tariq- the path of discipline involves living an ethical life &
filling-in of Introspection Diary, and doing Sumiran or Zikr of the holy Names, which leads
ultimately to the microcosmic seat of the soul or Third Eye. Mrif- the path of Grace
through the inner spiritual regions calls for daily meditation for at least 2.1/2 hrs., while
Haqiqa- first-hand experience of Truth or Godhead involves self-realization and merger in the
Master (Fan fi l-Shaikh) at the microcosmic seat of the soul (Sat Lok) at Sach Khand.
Sufi Poetic works of Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj mark the final comingling of the Kamil
Sufi and Sant-Mat traditions, separated only by language and culture.
Stage in Hinduism Jannat- Paradise in Islam Maqam- Plane in Islam
Paatals -- Tahat-ul-Sara-
Nether World
CHISHTIA SUFI DELINEATION OF
THE SPIRITUAL STAGES
Hazrat Saiyad Hfiz Hji Abul Hasan Bin Usmn Bin Ali al-Jalbi al-Hujwiri, Dt Ganj
Bakhsh was a great Persian Sufi scholar, writer and poet. He was born in Ghazni
during the reign of Mahmud of Ghazni. Hujwiri belonged to the Junaidia school of
Sufism, founded by Junaid Baghddi, a major Sufi saint of Baghdad and was associated
with the most well-known Sufi orders in the subcontinent, such as the Qadiria,
Suhrwardi and Naqshbandi. He was both a Hasani and Husseini Saiyad with direct
lineage to the Prophet thru his father, who was a descendant of Hzt. Imm Hasan, son
of Hazrat Ali. He was accepted as a murid by Hazrat Shaikh Abul Fadl Muhammad bin
al-Hasan al-Khuttli. After having completed his studies, he travelled to Syria, Iraq,
Persi, Kohistn, Azerbijn, Tabaristn, Kermn, Khorasn, Transoxin etc. to acquire
knowledge from well-known scholars and to pay homage to saints. He significantly
contributed to the spreading of Islm in S. Asia. After permanently settling in Lhore, he
constructed a monastery and a mosque for himself. He was a prolific writer, perceptive
and discriminating in his choice of topics. Kashf-ul-Mahjoob (Revelation of Mystery) is
the first important treatise on Sufism.
Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti
(1141-1236)
The path of love is such, that he who treads on it,
loses his name and identity. Love is all-embracing
and all-pervading: the lover's heart is a fireplace of
love. Whatever comes in it is burnt and becomes
annihilated. There is no fire greater in intensity than
the fire of love. The sign of true love is manifested in
obedience to and the fear of the Friend.
Shaikh Khwj Saiyad Moinuddin Hasan Chishti, Gharib Nawaz (Benefactor of the
poor) was eighth in the line of succession from its founder, Khwj Abu Ishq Shmi
Chishti. He introduced and established the Chishti order in S. Asia. He was both a
Hasani (maternal) and Husseini (paternal) Saiyad. His great grandfather, Khwj
Saiyad Ahmad Husain, migrated from Samarr in Iraq and eventually settled in Sanjar
in Sistn region of Irn, where he was born (or in Isfahan). Aged 15, he witnessed the
Trtr sack of Khorsn twice. He was initially graced by Shaikh Ibrahim Qndozi, who
transformed his life. He proceeded to Samarkand and then to Bukhra, where he
pursued higher studies. He left Irq for Arabia, and from there proceeded to Haroon in
Iran, where the famous saint Hazrat Khwj Usman Harooni accepted him as his
spiritual disciple and appointed him as a spiritual caliph. He went to India, first
reaching Multn, then Lhore and Delhi, and from there, to settle at Ajmer. He was very
fond of music and fell unconscious in a state of rapture while listening to it. He had a
forgiving nature and showed love, regard, and respect to all, irrespective of caste,
creed, or religion. Khwj Qutbuddin Bakhtir Kki was his spiritual successor.
Baha-ud-din Zakariya (1170-1267)
If a heart has no burning love for If the repetition of the
God, it is merely a dead piece of remembrance of God is lacking,
flesh, but if it possesses the Ishq then an individual cannot even
(love) of God, it is a mirror of Divine smell the love of God.
presence and blessings.
The safety of the body lies in
It is the inward isolation from eating less; the safety of the soul
everything which must be sought by lies in sleeping less; and the
the true seeker of God. safety of religion lies in prayer.
Hzt. Khwj Syed Muhammad Qutbuddin Bakhtir Kki, Qutub ul Aqtb was a
renowned Muslim Sufi mystic, saint and scholar of the Chishti Order from Delhi. He was
born in Aush in Fergn Valley (S. Kyrgyz Republic), the son of Kamlu'ddin Mus. He
was a descendent of the Prophet Muhammad, descending through Hussain ibn Ali. His
mother arranged for his education by Shaikh Abu Hifs. When Moinuddin Chishti passed
through Aush during his travels, Bakhtir took the oath of allegiance at his hands and
received Khilfat and Khirqah from him. His influence on Sufism in India was immense.
He continued and developed the traditional ideas of universal brotherhood and charity
within the Chishti order. Qutub Minr, Delhi is dedicated to him. He came to Delhi
during the reign of Iltutmish. The name Kki was attributed to him by virtue of
a miracle. Kk (a kind of bread) miraculously appeared in that corner whenever his
wife required it. Like other Chishti saints, he did not formulate any formal doctrine.
Directed at the common masses, his discourses contained an emphasis on renunciation,
having complete trust in God, treating all human beings as equal and helping them as
much as possible. He continued and extended the musical tradition of Sam'. His shrine
has been the venue of the annual Phoolwlon-ki-sair (a festival of flower-sellers) in
autumn, now an important inter-faith festival of Delhi.
Shaikh Baba Farid (1173-1265)
Separated from God, my
O Raven, you have searched my body burns like an oven,
skeleton, and eaten all my flesh. My bones burn like firewood.
But please do not touch these eyes To meet the Beloved I would
as I hope to behold my Beloved. walk until my feet were tired,
I would walk on my head.
Saiyad Muhammad Uthmn or Shh Hussain, Hazrat Ll Shahbz Qalandar, Jhule Laal,
a Saiyad Sufi saint, philosopher, poet and Qalandar. He was born in Marwnd, Iran
and belonged to the Suhrawardi order of Sufis. He left for Baghdd where he met
Bb Ibrahim Karbali and became his disciple. He preached religious tolerance among
Muslims and Hindus. His mysticism attracted people from all religions. His dedication to
the knowledge of various religious disciplines enabled him to eventually become a
profound scholar. He was fluent in many languages including Pashto, Persian, Turkish,
Arabic, Sindhi and Sanskrit. Ll Shahbz lived a celibate life. He traveled around
the Muslim world and settled in Sehwn in Sindh, Pkistn. He established
a Khnqh there and taught in the Fuqhai Islm Madars; during this period he wrote
his treatises, Mizn-us-Surf, Kism-e-Doyum, Aqd and Zubdh. In Multn, he met
Suhrwardi Bahuddin Zakariy Multni, Bb Farid Ganjshakar and Makhdoom
Jalluddin Surkh Bukhri. Their friendship became legendary: they were known
as Chahr Yr (the four friends). The saints of Sindh including Shh Abdul Latif
Bhiti, Makhdoom Bilwal and Sachal Sarmast were his followers.
Bu Ali Shah Qalandar
(1209-1324)
I am Haideri (a follower of Haider, aka Ali ibn Abi Talib),
I am a Qalandar and I am intoxicated (with inspiration).
I am a servant of Ali Murtaza (aka Ali ibn Abi Talib)
I am leader of all saints
Because I am a dog of the lane of "Allah's Lion"
(referring to Ali Murtaza).
Shaikh Sharafuddeen Bu Ali Qalandar Pnipati, titled Bu Ali Shh was born in early
1400 in Pnipat, India or at Ganj, Azerbaijan. He was a Sufi saint of the Chisht Order.
His descent is traced from Numan Ibn Thabit Hazrat Abu Hanif. His father, Shaikh
Fakhr Uddin was a great scholar and saint of his time. His mother, Bibi Hafiz Jaml,
was a Syeda; the daughter of Mauln Syed Nemat Ullh Hamdni. He completed his
studies at an early age and subsequently taught near the Qutub Minar in Delhi for 20
years. Sufi saint Qutbuddin Bakhtir Kki is said to have visited his school, looking for
him and left a note. Kki took him to his murshid, Amirul Momineen Ali, through whom,
he received the required spiritual training, and after finishing Bu Ali Shah became a
dervish. He lived in Pnipat till death and served the people from there. Hundreds drew
spiritual or divine benefits from him. Hundreds embraced Islm because of him. The
Rjputs, who lived around, were the great beneficiaries. He left a deep impact on the
royal dynasty of Delhi, and preached them of good conduct. His dargh (mausoleum) in
the town of Pnipat is a place of pilgrimage.
Nizamuddin Aulia (1238-1325)
Devotion to God is of two kinds- lazmi (intransitive)
and muta'addi (transitive). Lazmi devotion includes
prayers, fasting, pilgrimage, recitation of religious
formulae, turning over the beads of the rosary etc.
In lazmi devotion the benefit which accrues is confined
to the devotee alone. The muta'addi devotion, on the
contrary, brings advantage and comfort to others; it is
performed by spending money on others, showing
affection to people and by other means through which
a man strives to help his fellow human beings.
Shaikh-ul Mashaek Mokhdum Shaikh Shh Jall Mozorrodh Bin Muhammed or Shh
Jall, al-Mujarrad (for his lifelong celibacy), Shaikh-ul-Mashykh (Great Scholar) is
one of the most revered Islamic heroes of Bangladesh. He was born in a village,
Kaninah in Hadhramaut, Yemen to a Muslim cleric and was brought up in Mecca by his
saintly maternal uncle, Saiyad Ahmed Kabir. He excelled in studies and became a Hfiz,
with proficiency in Islmic theology (Aqidh) and achieved spiritual perfection
(Kamliyyh) after 30 years of study, practice and meditation. His uncle gave him a
handful of earth and told him to travel to Hindustan, and to settle down and establish
Islam where earth of the same colour could be found. Reaching India, he met Khwj
Moinuddin Chishti and Shaikh Nizm ud-din Auli. His travelling party of 360 odd aulias
reached Sylhet, Bengal, where he found a match for the earth and remained there until
his death, converting thousands of Hindus and Buddhists to Islam. Ibn Battut, the
famous traveller, journeyed from Chittgong thru mountains of Kamru near Sylhet to
meet him, noting that Shh Jall was tall and lean, fair in complexion and lived by the
mosque in a cave, where his only item of value was a goat. Amir Khusro gives an
account of Shh Jall's conquest of Sylhet in his book, Afdlul Hawde.
Ashraf Jahangir Semnani
While the kingly crown is on my head
(1287-1386)
Food is like a seed which takes
root in the land of Salik's stomach
by his kindness, this patched garment
will suit on my body.
and grows tree of actions (Aamal).
If the food is lawful, the tree of good
action grows; and if it is unlawful, the
tree of disobedience and sin grows;
if it is doubtful, the tree of vicious
ideas and negligence in prayer grows.
Hazrat Khawj Syed Makhdoom Ashraf Jahngir Semnni Noor Bakhshi was a
legendary Sufi saint of Persian origin who was affiliated with 14 different Sufi orders.
He made a notable contribution to the advancement of the Chishti silsil in particular.
He was born in Semnn, Iran where his father was the governer- a proficient scholar of
theology and inwardly inclined to Tasuwwuf (mysticism) and a direct descendent of the
Prophet Muhammad. By the age of 14, he had mastered all the subjects including
theology and philosophy, maturing into an extremely accomplished and proficient
scholar. At the age of 15, he was proclaimed the sultn of Semnn. He became a
disciple of the great Kubrawi Sufi Hazrat Al ad-Dawl Semnni and travelled to
Kashn to study under Shaikh Abdur-Razzq Kashni. Hazrat Khizr ordered Hazrat
Ashraf to abandon the throne and make way for India where his Pir (spiritual guide),
Hazrat Shaikh Al ul-Haq Pndwi, a famous Chishti saint was waiting for him. Along
with Hazrat Mir Sayyid Ali Hamdni, he visited many prominent places within the
Islamic world. During his travels he met many illustrious personalities of his time before
settling in Kichhauchh Sharif where his Khnqh became the focal point for those on
the spiritual path. He was an ardent supporter of Hazrat Ibn Arabi's theory of Wahdat
al-Wujud (Unity of Existence) and wrote many books on Sufism.
Saiyad Ali Hamadani (1314-1384)
Mir Saiyad Ali bin Shahb-ud-Din Hamdni, Apostle of Kashmir was a Persian Sf of
the Kubrw order, a poet and a Muslim scholar. He was born in Hamdn, died
in Kunr and was buried in Khatln. He is a highly revered figure in Kshmir, parts of
Pkistn and in Tjikistn. He was very influential in spreading Islam in Kshmir and in
shaping Kshmiri culture. He wrote several short works on spirituality and Sufism in
Arabic and Persian. He was born in a noble family. He traced his patrimony to Hazrat
Ali and his mother reached the Prophet. His uncle entrusted him to Shaikh Abul Bracket
for spiritual training, and then to Shaikh Mahmud Mizdiqni, a renowned saint, who put
him to severe tests and inculcated in him humility. He became the spiritual heir of
Shaikh Abul Mimin Najam-Uddin Muhammad-bin-Mohammad Azni. Saiyad Ali
travelled far and wide throughout the Muslim World. To avoid persecution in his
homeland at the hands of Timur, he moved to Kshmir with seven hundred followers. In
Kshmir, Hamdan started to preach Islam in an organized manner and set up a large
number of mosques, visiting the valley on several occasions. Thanks to him, the
wonderful arts and crafts turned Kshmir into a mini Irn. The skills and know-how he
brought to Kshmir gave rise to the world famous industry of Cashmere shawls. He
introduced the C. Asian architecture in the valley and fused it with the Kshmiri
architecture, giving rise to a new style.
Banda Nawaz (1321-1422)
The spiritual guide and teacher is A sound heart
well-acquainted with the ups and results in a sound
downs of the spiritual path. vision. This
Without his help and guidance the vision becomes
way cannot be traversed. The goal such that it turns
cannot be reached by mere rigours dust into
and ascetic practices without the alchemy.
help of the spiritual guide.
Syed Muhammad Hussaini or Sheikh Abul-Fatah Sadr Uddin Muhammad Dehlavi or
Hazrat Khwja Band Nawz Gaisu Darz was a Sufi saint from India of the Chishti
order, who advocated understanding, tolerance and harmony among various religious
groups. He was the descendant of Hazrat Ali. One of his forefathers came from Hert
and settled down at Delhi, where Gaisu Darz was born. His father was a holy figure
and devoted to Hazrat Nizm Uddin Auli. Gaisu Darz was a Murid of the noted Sufi
saint of Delhi, Hazrat Nasiruddin Chirgh Dehlavi, after whose death of, he took on the
mantle of the successor (Khalif). His parents migrated to to Daulatbad (Devgiri,
Mahrshtra) when he was 4 years. At the age of 15, he returned to Delhi for his
education and training by Chirgh Dehlavi. He was a student of Hazrat Kethli, Hazrat
Tjuddin Bahdur and Qzi Abdul Muqtdir. Moving back to Daulatbad owing to
the attack of Timur on Delhi, he took the Chishti Order to South India. He settled down
in Gulbarg, Karnatak at the invitation of Bahmani Sultan, Tj ud-Din Firuz Shh. He
preached in Afghanistan and Balochistan and taught at various other places. He
authored about 195 books in Arabic, Persian and Urdu, his magnum opus being Tafseer
Multqt. He composed Mirj-al shiqin in Dakhni, a South Indian branch of Urdu. He
wrote many treatises on the works on Ibn Arabi and Suhrwardi.
Lalleshwari (1320-1392)
Lalleshwari, Lal Arif or Lall (translated as either seeker or
darling), also affectionately called Lalli, Ll Ded, Ll Diddi (Granny
Ll), a mystic of the Kshmiri Shaivite sect was born near Srinagar
in Kshmir. She was born in Pndrethan (Purnadhisthna) 4.1/2
miles to the S.E. of Srinagar in a Kshmiri Pandit family. She married
at age twelve, but her marriage was unhappy and she left home at
24 to take Sanys (renunciation) and become a disciple of the
Shaivite guru Siddha Srikantha (Sed Byu). She continued the mystic
tradition of Shaivism in Kshmir, Trik. Lall began wandering
Whatever work about, village to village, going naked or nearly naked, and singing
I did became songs of enlightenment. She was a creator of the mystic poetry
worship of the called Vtsun or Vkhs, literally speech. Known as Ll Vkhs, her
Lord; verses are the earliest compositions in the Kshmiri language and
Whatever word
I uttered became are an important part in history of Kshmiri literature. Ll Ded and
a prayer; her mystic musings continue to have a deep impact on the psyche of
Whatever this Kshmiri common man. There is a saying that in Kshmir only two
body of mine words have any meaning: Allh and Lall. Lalla's songs are short,
experienced
using the simple, direct language of the common people, yet she
became
the sadhana touches on complex yogic techniques and the elevated states of
of Saiva Tantra, awareness. The leading Kshmiri Sufi, Shaikh Noor-ud-din Wali,
illumining my (Nooruddin Rishi, Nunda Rishi), was highly influenced by her. A
path to Kashmiri folk tale recounts that as a baby, Nunda Rishi was breast-
Paramshiva.
fed by Ll Ded as he refused to be breast-fed by his mother.
Salim Chishti (1478-1572)
Saleemuddin Chishti or Salim Chishti was one of the most famous
Sufi saints of India. His father was a descendant of Fariduddin Ganj-i-
Shakar and a follower of Khwj Moinuddin Chishti, whose firm
faith in Wahdat al-Wajud (Unity of Being) provided the basis to his
mystic mission to bring about emotional integration of the
people. He was greatly revered by Akbar, the Moghul emperor,
who went to the shrine of Ashraf Jahngir Semnni, but on his way,
felt inspired to go to Chishti's home, deep in the desert, seeking a
male heir to his throne. Khwj Chishtis prayers blessed King Akbar
with a son, who named after him (Salim) and who succeeded the
throne of Delhi and ruled by the name of Jahangir. Akbar had a
great city Fatehpur Sikri built around Chishtis camp. His Mughal
court and courtiers were then relocated there. A shortage of water
was the main reason that the city was abandoned and it now serves
as a tourist attraction. After a mystical experience, Akbar assembled
groups of learned men of all faiths called Deen-i-Ilhi to discuss,
debate and deliberate about scriptures of various religions and
philosophies of various traditions and let men worship as they
willed, lifting restrictions on non-Muslims, issuing (and enforcing)
edicts enjoining tolerance and faith-blind justice. This set of beliefs
was characterized by sulh-i kul or a fellow feeling.
Miyan Mir (c.1550-1635)
The thought of anyone
else besides God reduces
the degree of renunciation
and asceticism.
The self is reformed by
shariat, the heart is
reformed by tariqat and
the soul is reformed
by haqiqat.
Mir Mohammed Muayyinul Islm or Sin Min Mir of Lhore, the founder of the Min
Khail branch of the Qdiri order, was born at Sevstan (Sindh). A direct descendant of
Caliph Umar ibn al-Khttab, his father, Qzi S'in Dt belonged to the Qadiri order. His
mother, Bibi Ftim, was the daughter of Qzi Qadn. He severed his connections from
the world and left his home in search of the truth undergoing many hardships and
ascetic practices. He was accepted as a spiritual disciple by Hazrat Shaikh Khizr. He left
for Lahore for acquiring outward knowledge and learning at the feet of Mawlana
Sa'dullh, one of the leading scholars of Islam of his time and passing some years in the
company of MawlanaNe'matullh. He left Lahore for Sirhind, where he fell seriously
ill. After recovering, he returned to Lhore and began to preach and propagate the
doctrine of truth. Min Mir accepted Emperor Jahngirs request to honour him by his
visit to him. Emperor Shh Jahn, like his father, also showed Hazrat Min Mir great
respect. He was a spiritual instructor of Dr Shikoh, the eldest son of Mughal
emperor Shh Jahn, who was of a mystic turn of mind. Min Mir holds a pivotal
legendary place in Sikhism and in Sikh history. Guru Arjan Dev invited Min Mir to lay
the foundation stone of the Harmandir Shib.
Baqi Billah (1563-1603)
Good may be compared to the sun, and evil to night. When the rays of the
sun are no longer visible, night emerges. The sun, of course, has not
disappeared. So, this is a temporary illusion. So it is with evil. Thats why men
think that their sins are of their own creation and are not caused by Allah.
Khwj Mir Dard is one of the three major poets of the Delhi School the other two
being Mir Taqi Mir and Saud who are considered the pillars of the classical Urdu
ghazal. Mir, the greatest of them all, is remembered as a poet of love and pathos. Dard
is first and foremost a mystic, who regards the phenomenal world as a veil of the
eternal Reality, and this life as a term of exile from our real home. Dard was first and
foremost a mystic, a prominent member of the Naqshbandi Mujddidi order, and the
head of the Tariq Muhammadi in Delhi. He regarded the phenomenal world as a veil
of the eternal Reality, and this life as a term of exile from our real home. He developed
a deep love of music, possibly through his association with singers and qawwls who
frequented his father's house. His poetry includes a collection of Urdu ghazals and a
diwn in Persian. Dard's Persian prose works are extensive, consisting of the Ilm ul
Kitb, a metaphysical work on the philosophy of the Muhammadi path, and the Chahr
Rislat, collections of more than a thousand mystical aphorisms and sayings.
First remember that admirable God,
Who made Love the cause of this world..
Waris Shah (1722-1798)
Firstly it was God who fell in Love,
and the Prophet is the beloved..
Those who fall in love are like Holy Saints,
man is better as a slave of Love..
Gardens blossom in the hearts of those,
who have accepted the Love..
Wris Shh was a Punjbi Sufi poet, renowned for his contribution to Punjbi literature,
best known for his seminal work Heer-Ranjha, considered one of the quintessential
works of classical Punjbi literature. He was born in Jandil Sher Khn, Punjb
(Pkistn) into a reputed Saiyad family. Wris's parents died when he was young, and
he probably received his education at the shrine of his preceptor. After completing his
education in Kasur, he moved to Malk Hans, a village 12 kms from Pk Pattan. Here
he resided in a small room, adjacent to a historic masjid, now called Masjid Wris Shh.
Wris acknowledged himself as a disciple of Hfiz Ghulm Murtaz of Kasur. He holds
the same position in Punjbi which Shakespeare has in English and Klidas in Sanskrit.
He was a consummate artiste, deeply learned in Sufi and domestic cultural lore.
Encyclopaedic in its comprehension, it is yet above every religious, communal and
parochial barrier. His verse is a treasure-trove of Punjbi phrases, idioms and sayings.
It is poetry of the human heart, universal in its outlook and appeal, diffusing the sweet
fragrance of sympathy for human beings everywhere. His minute and realistic
depiction of each detail of Punjbi life and the political situation in the 10th cent.
remains unique. Wris Shh sublimated his own unrequited love for a girl (Bhg Bhari)
in writing romance. Even his own teacher, hearing his enchanting poetry, remarked
that priceless pearls had been strung into a rosary by the miracle of Wris Shh.
Mir Taqi Mir (1723-1810)
Where has selflessness taken me
I've been waiting for myself for long.
Muhammad Taqi was the leading Urdu poet of the 18th cent., and one of the pioneers
who gave shape to the Urdu language itself. He was one of the principal poets of
the Delhi School of the Urdu ghazal and is remembered as Khud-e Sukhan (god of
poetry). He was born in Agra in a family of Arab origins, which he left for Delhi to
finish his education and also to find patrons who offered him financial support. After
Ahmad Shh Abdalis sack of Delhi each year starting 1748, he moved to the court
of Asaf-ud-Daulh in Lucknow, but he eventually severed his connections with the court.
In his last years Mir was very isolated. His complete works, Kulliyt, consist of
six Diwns, comprising all kinds of poetic forms. His literary reputation is anchored on
the Ghazals in his Kulliyt-e-Mir, much of them on themes of love. His masnavi
Mu'mlt-e-Ishq (The Stages of Love) is one of the greatest known love poems in Urdu
literature. Mir speaks of man's interaction with the Divine and what affect it has on man
when God reveals Himself to man.
Abdur Razzaq Kashi (1724-1836)
The Great Name (Ism-i-Azam) is the very essence and life of
all names and forms.
Its manifest form (Shabd) sustains creation;
It is the great ocean of which we are merely the waves,
He alone can comprehend this who has mastered our discipline.
The great Sufi, Syed Kamluddin Abdur-Razzq ibn Abi Ghanaim al-Kshi al-
Samarqandi, lived in a tiny village, Bans in Awadh. He was full of piety and devotion.
He brought back, from his forays into the neighbouring districts, the Little Traditions
into his worldview. Symbolizing the ecumenical traditions in the self-contained world
of the Sufis, he took part in Diwli celebrations and watched Bakhtiys perform the life
of Krishna. He visited the Mgh mela at Allhabd, interacted with the Jogis
and Bairgis, joined the theatrical performances featuring popular stories about
Krishna and the gopis, and often went into a state of ecstasy listening to Kabirs
verses. In this dimension, the Hindu gods were also his friends and thereby the well
wishers of all the disciples and followers among the Muslims as well. Of his well-
known disciples were Champat, the leader of the Bairgis, Chaitrm and Parasrm. He
had visions of Rm and Lakshman; and Krishna would send his salm to him. Walking
through a dense forest in the Deccan, Shah Abdur Razzq met Rm and Lakshman near
a pool (without knowing their identity). They treated him as their guests, offered
sweets to him, and left behind a lion and a bear for his protection. The next morning
the two, leading a herd of cows and buffaloes, showed up and directed the Shah to
the village. Later, when he returned to discover their identity, he found that they had
disappeared. Their disappearance confirmed his belief that they were, in fact, Ram and
Lakshman. A Tafsir, Tavilt-i-Qurn and Astalaht al Soofiyah are some his works.
Sachal Sarmast (1739-1829)
Abdul Whab Frouqi or Sachal Sarmast (Ecstatic Saint of Truth) was a Sufi poet
from Sindh, Pkistn. He was born in Darz near Rnipur, Sindh. His father died when
he was a young child, and Abdul Whab was raised by his uncle, who also became his
spiritual master. He married, but the young woman died two years later. He never
remarried. Sarmast lived a humble, ascetic life, preferring solitude, simple meals of
daal and yogurt. It is said that he never left Darz, the village of his birth. Sarmast
was an ardent follower of Wahdat-al-Wujood (unity of existence) philosophy,
synonymous with Hamah Oost (all from One). He regarded love as the path to
spirituality and advocated self-realization as the path to liberation. He is regarded as
Shir-e-Haft Zabn (Poet of Seven Languages) due to his poetical works
in Arabic, Sindhi, Sariki, Punjbi, Urdu, Persian and Balochi to address the wider
audience in these languages. He spread the message of love for humanity through
poetry. His poetical works are sung by local singers in Sindhi and Sariki.
Shah Niyaz Ahmad (1742-1834)
I have sacrificed the austerities of this
world, my meditation, etc., at the Lotus
Feet of my God. My religion is love for
Him and to be intoxicated in that bliss. I
keep myself dyed in the colors of His
Love. Oh, you ascetic! Please listen to me
in the name of my God! You should
discontinue your austerities and rituals,
and instead should drink the cup of wine
O my Lord! Teach us the of the Love of God. The intoxication from Hear thou one continuous
one word of your love. I do that bliss is much more exhilarating than and unending Music- a music
not wish to waste my life in any other intoxication. You cannot find that is eternal and beyond the
reading stories about you. such bliss anywhere else. confines of death.
Qutb-e-Alam Madr-e-Azam Niyz be Niyz Hazrat Qibl Shh Niyz Ahmed Alvi
Barelvi or Shh Niyz Ahmad was born in Sirhind and came to Delhi with his father,
appointed the Chief Justice in Delhi. His mother was herself a spiritual lady. He got
higher education from Madars Faqriy, Delhi which was equivalent to a college. He
completed his education including Qur'n, Hadis, Fiqh, Tafseer at the age of 15. He later
became the principal of the madars. He was married with the daughter of Abdullh
Baghddi. Saiyad Faqruddin Muhammad Dehalvi Faqr-e-Pk/Fakr-e-Jahn made
Shh Niyz his spiritual disciple. He deputed Niyz to Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh) to carry
out the work of the order. He was initiated in Qdiri order by Saiyad Abdullh
Baghddi and Mohi-ud-din Diysnmi, in Chishti-Nizami order by Fakr-i-Jahn and Said-
ud-din, in Suhrwardi order by Fakr-i-Jahn, and in Chishti-Sabri-Naqshbandi order
from Shh Rahmat-ul-lh. The Sufi order he established is known as the Niyzi Silsil.
Mirza Ghalib (1797-1869)
In paradise it is true that I shall drink at dawn the pure wine mentioned
in the Quran,
but where in paradise are the long walks with intoxicated friends in the
night, or the drunken crowds shouting merrily?
Where shall I find there the intoxication of Monsoon clouds?
Where there is no autumn, how can spring exist?
If the beautiful houris are always there, where will be the sadness of
separation and the joy of union?
Where shall we find there a girl who flees away when we would kiss her?
Ghlib was a very liberal mystic who believed that "the search for God within liberated the seeker
from the narrowly Orthodox Islm, encouraging the devotee to look beyond the letter of the law to
its narrow essence." Like many other Urdu poets, he was capable of writing profoundly religious
poetry, yet was skeptical about the literalist interpretation of the Islamic scriptures. In a verse
directed towards the Muslim maulvis (clerics), he criticized them for their ignorance and arrogant
certitude: "Look deeper, it is you alone who cannot hear the music of his secrets".
The object of my worship lies beyond perception's reach;
For men who see, the Ka'aba is a compass, nothing more."
Mirz Asadullh Baig Khn was a classical Urdu and Persian poet from the Mughal
Empire during British colonial rule. He was born in Agra into a family descended from
Aibak Turks and after his marriage, settled in Delhi. He was a chronicler of a turbulent
period during the Indian rebellion of 1857 and wrote that Delhi had become a desert.
He was the last great poet of the Mughal Era. Not only Urdu poetry, but the prose is
also indebted to him. He is today famous for his Urdu Ghazals. In 1850,
Emperor Bahadur Shh Zafar II bestowed upon him the titles of Dbir-ul-Mulk, Najm-
ud-daul and 'Mirza Nosh and appointed him as the royal historian of Mughal Court.
Mohammad Iqbal (1877-1938)
Since love first made the breast an instrument of
fierce lamenting,
by its flame my heart was molten to a mirror,
like a rose I pluck my breast apart,
that I may hang this mirror in your sight.
Sir Muhammad Iqbl, or Allm Iqbl was a philosopher, poet and politician in British
India, who inspired the Pkistn Movement. He was born in Silkot in the Punjab
Province of British India. His grandparents were Kshmiri Pandits, who converted
to Islam. He qualified for Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Government College
Lhore and was called to the bar as a barrister from Lincoln's Inn. Iqbl earned Ph.D.
degree in Germany. He began intensely concentrating on the study of Islam, while
embracing Rmi as his guide. His poetic works are written primarily in Persian rather
than Urdu. The poems emphasize the spirit and self from a religious, spiritual
perspective. He explains that an individual can never aspire to higher dimensions
unless he learns of the nature of spirituality. His books of Persian poetry include Asrr-i-
Khudi, Rumuz-i-Bekhudi, Paym-i-Mashriq and Zabur-i-zam, and his best known Urdu
works are Bng-i-Dr, Bl-i-Jibril, Zarb-i-Kalim and a part of rmughn-i-Hijz.
Hzt. Inayat Khan (1882-1927)
Inyat Khn was born in Vadodar, Gujart to a
noble Muslim Indian family. Primarily he represented
the Chishti order of Sufism, having received initiation
into the Nizmi sub-branch of that order from
Shaikh Muhammed Abu Hshim Madni, but was also
initiated into Suhrwardi, Qdiri and Naqshbandi.
Principles of his Universal Sufism: His spiritual lineage (Silsil) follows a traditional
There is- lineage from Ali ibn Abi Tlib, thru Abu Ishq Shmi,
one God; the Eternal, the Only Being; None exists
save He. the founder of the Chishti order, to Nasiruddin
one master; the guiding spirit of all souls that Chirgh Dehlavi. He came to the West in 1910, first as
constantly leads all followers toward the light.
one holy book; the sacred manuscript of nature, the
a touring musician and then as a teacher of Sufism,
only Scripture that can enlighten the reader. visiting three continents. He was the founder of The
one religion; unswerving progress in the right
direction toward the Ideal, which fulfills every soul's Sufi order in the West in 1914 (London) and teacher of
life purpose.
Universal Sufism. In 1969 the Universal Sufi Temple
one law; the law of reciprocity, which can be obser-
ved by a selfless conscience, together with a sense of was built in the South Dunes in Katwijk, The
awakened justice.
one brotherhood; the human brotherhood which
Netherlands. Khn returned to India at the end of
unites the children of earth indiscriminately in the 1926 and there chose the site of his tomb, the
fatherhood of God.
one moral; the love which springs forth from self-
Nizmuddin Dargh complex, where he is buried. His
denial and blooms in deeds of beneficence. message of divine unity (Tawhid) focused on the
one object of praise; the beauty which uplifts the
heart of its worshipper through all aspects from the themes of love, harmony and beauty. He taught that
seen to the unseen. blind adherence to any book rendered religion void
one truth; true knowledge of our being, within and
without, which is the essence of Wisdom of spirit. He is the author of many books
one path; annihilation of the false ego in the real, including, The Mysticism of Sound and Music and The
which raises the mortal to immortality, in which
resides all perfection. Sufi Message.
Sai Baba of Shirdi (c.1838-1918)
" One God governs all. "
"Trust in me and your prayer
shall be answered."
"Why do you fear when I am here?"
"He has no beginning... He has no
end."
Si Bb of Shirdi was an Indian guru, yogi, and fakir revered by both his Muslims and
Hindus. His parents, Brahmins of Patri near Manwath in Nizm's State, handed him over
to the care of a fakir, who brought him up. At the age of 5, he was put in the care of the
saintly desmukh Venkush. He spent considerable periods with Muslim fakirs. He
arrived at Shirdi, Ahmednagar Dist. when he was aged about 16. He led an ascetic life,
sitting motionless under a neem tree and meditating while sitting in an asana. He then
left the village and met many saints and fakirs, and worked as a weaver and in the
army of Rni Lakshmibi of Jhansi during the Rebellion of 1857. He then returned to
Shirdi, treating the sick by application of ashes. Si Bb stressed the importance of
surrender to the guidance of the true Sadguru or Murshid, who, having gone the path
to divine consciousness himself, will lead the disciple through the jungle of spirituality.
He insisted on the indispensability of remembrance of God's name (Dhikr, Japa), and
often expressed himself in a cryptic manner with parables, symbols and allegories. He
taught a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others, charity, contentment, inner
peace and devotion to God and guru. He did not discriminate based on religion and
respected all forms of worship to God.
Bawa Mohaiyaddeen (d. 1986)
Very few people will accept the medicine of wisdom. The mind refuses
wisdom. But if you do agree to accept it, you will receive the grace, and
when you receive that grace, you will have good qualities. When you acquire
good qualities, you will know true love, and when you accept love, you will
see the light. When you accept the light, you will see the resplendence, and
when you accept that resplendence, the wealth of the three worlds will be
complete within you. With this completeness, you will receive the kingdom
of God, and you will know your Father. When you see your Father, all your
connections to karma, hunger, disease, old age will leave you."
Shh Sufi Hazrat Mawln Khwj Yunus Ali, or Khwj Enyetpuri, was born at
Enyetpur in Sirjganj dist., Bangldesh. His forefathers were originally from Baghdd,
and migrated to Delhi, then to Enyetpur, Bangldesh. At the age of 18, he took
allegiance to the Sufi Tariq of Shh Sufi Syed Wzed Ali in Kolkata, India. He spent
long 12 years in Kolkat to undertake spiritual training from his pir with rigorous work
and became his chosen successor, and at his advice, he returned to Enayetpur and
established Enyetpur Darbar Sharif. Khwj Enyetpuri Tariq is one of the largest
Sufi Orders in Bangldesh, established by Khwja Enyetpuri. This Khnqh located at
Enyetpur represents mostly Mozddedi Tariq though influenced by other
Naqshbandi, Qadiri and Chishti Tariqs. Khwj Enyetpuri is the most successful
and celebrated Shaikh in Bangldesh and Assm in India. Not only did he teach
thousands of followers, but he also guided some successful spiritual leaders who have
set up different Khnqhs in different places of the country. Some large ones are Biswa
Zaker Manzil (World Peace Centre) at Atrasi in Faridpur, Chandra Para Darbr
Sharif, Paradise Pr Darbr Sharif, Shambhuganj Darbr Sharif, Murshidpur Darbr
Sharif etc. All classes of people from the highest rank to the day laborer visit them.
Dayal Purush Sant Darshan Singh Ji
Maharaj (1921-1989)
Sant Darshan Singh Ji was born 14th September, 1921 in Kountrilla, Rawalpindi to
Kirpal Singh Ji and Krishna-wanti Ji. Initiated by Huzur Baba Sawan Singh Ji in 1926.
Graduated from Govt. College, Lahore. Joined Indian Government service in 1942, to
retire 37 yrs. later as Deputy Secretary. Married Mata Harbahajan Kaur; sons Rajinder
Singh and Manmohan Singh born in 1946 and 1960. Helped Sant Kirpal Singh Ji in his
mission as member of the Managing Committee. Served in Executive Committee of the
World Fellowship of Religions and as Secretary, First Unity of Man Conference. He
began his spiritual ministry in 1974 on Sant Kirpal Singh Jis demise and established
Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission in 1976. Kirpal Ashram was founded by him in 1977.
Was elected President, 6th Conference of World Religions and presided over sessions
of 15th Human Unity Conference. Broadcast poetry on radio in 1938, published Sufi
Urdu mystic poetry, Talash-e-Noor, Manzil-e-Noor, Mataa-e-Noor and Jadaa-e-
Noor, for which he was proclaimed the greatest Mystic poet of our times; English
poetry, Cry of the Soul, A Tear and A Star; prose, Secret of Secrets, Spiritual
Awakening, The Challenge of Inner Space, Soulergy, Ambassadors of Peace etc.
Received literary awards of Urdu Academies of Delhi, U.P. and Punjab states. He
undertook World Tours in 1978, 1983, 1986 and 1988 and prayed at the UN for World
Peace. Received Medals of UNO and of Congress of Colombia, Tributes of US House of
Representatives and Michigan Legislature, Honours/Keys to Cities of Detroit, St.
Petersberg and Cali. Served the victims of earthquake, volcanic eruption and famine.
Left for his Eternal Abode on 30th May, 1989.
Dayal Purush Sant Darshan Singh Ji
Maharaj (1921-1989) contd.
Rabe bint Esmail al-Adawiya lived in Basr, Iraq in the 2nd half of the 8th cent., and
was sold into slavery. Her master worked her very hard, but at night after finishing her
chores, Rbi would turn to meditation and prayers and praising the Lord. Poverty and
self-denial were unwavering and her constant companions. As her fame grew she had
many disciples. Her conception of prayer as a free and intimate supplication to God is
her great contribution to Sufism. Rbi said that God should be loved for God's own
sake, not out of fear- as the earlier Sufis had done.
Maruf Karkhi (c.750-c.815)
A true servant of God is a God intoxicated saint who sees
nothing except his Beloved.
To persevere in the wake of affliction is the sign of sincere love
with God.
The saints of God are known by three signs: their thought are of
God, their dwelling is in God and their business is with God.
He who remains indifferent to worldly enticement will relish
Divine love. This love is based on Divine grace.
Love is a Divine favour bestowed by God on His real devotees.
It is not to be learnt from men; it is one of God's gifts and comes
as a grace.
Abu Mahfuz Mruf Ibn Firuz al-Krkhi was a Sufi Saint who is a pivotal figure in Sufism.
He was born in the district of Wsit or Krkh in Baghdad and was of Persian origin. His
was originally a Christian and the story of his conversion to Islm at a young age at the
hands of Ali ibn Mus, after rejecting all forms of polytheism is one of the most famous
in Islamic lore. Tradition recounts that he immediately went and told his father and
mother, who rejoiced at his decision and became Muslims themselves. After accepting
Islam, Mruf became a student of Dwud T'i, and underwent a severe trial of his
discipleship. Mruf, however, remained steadfast and proved himself so devout that his
righteousness became famous. As many as 14 Spiritual Orders branched out which
were known as the Mrufih Orders.
al-Muhasibi (781-857)
Excess in listening leading to heedlessness and forgetfulness .
Excess in sight leading to recklessness and confusion.
Excess in speech leading to unneeded articulacy and
unnecessary addition (bi'da).
Excess in food leading to gluttony and overindulgence.
Excess in clothes leading to pride and pompousness.
Excess in housing leading to wastefulness and conceit.
So remember that preserving your limbs is an obligation and
leaving off excess is a virtue.
Ab abd Allh al-Harith Ibn Asad al-Anaz Al-Musib (meaning: self-inspection/audit) was
the founder of the Baghdd School of Islmic philosophy, and a teacher of the Sufi
masters Junayd al-Baghddi and Sri al-Saqti. He was a founder of Sufi doctrine, and
influenced many subsequent theologians, such as al-Ghazli. He was born in Basra. He was
renowned for his psychological refinement of pietistic devotion and his role as a precursor of
the doctrine of later Muslim orthodoxy. His main work was Ar-Ri yah li-qq Allah, in
which he acknowledges asceticism to be valuable as an act of supererogation, but always to
be tempered by inner and outer duties toward God. al-Musib was inspired to focus on the
purification of the heart and understanding the human psyche. He would question his
students about their thoughts and inclinations, try to understand them and how to cure those
that were mischievous, and then he would write books inspired only by spiritual intuitiveness
as opposed to what came in the form of scripture. He wrote many books about theology
and Tasawwuf (Sufism), among them Kitab al-Khalw and Kitb al-Ri`y li-huqu
Allh (Obeying God's Permits). His influence on posterity was immense although during his
lifetime, he was regarded with suspicion, and his last years were embittered by persecution.
He had joined a group of theologians who, led by Abd Allh ibn Kullb, criticized the
doctrines of the rationalist Mutzil school dominant at that time. It is said that they also took
issue with al-Muhsibs statement that Allah speaks without words or sound.
"In this state of
absolute purity
(unification) he has
Junayd Baghdadi (d.910)
lost his personal attributes; by this
loss he is wholly present (in God).
By being wholly present in God, he is
wholly lost to himself. And thus he is
present before God while absent in
himself; absent and present at the
same time. He is where he is now,
and he is not where he is."
Abu al-Qsim ibn Muhammad Junayd, al-Baghddi was one of the most famous of the
early Persian Sufis. He taught in Baghdad throughout his spiritual lifetime and was an
important figure in the development of central Sufi doctrine. Junayd, like Hasan of
Basr before him, was widely revered by his students and disciples as well as quoted
by other mystics. His basic ideas deal a progression that leads one to annihilate
oneself (Fana) so as to be in a closer union with the Divine. People need to relinquish
natural desires, to wipe out human attributes, to discard selfish motives, to cultivate
spiritual qualities, to devote oneself to true knowledge, to do what is best in the context
of eternity. This starts with the practice of renunciation (Zuhd) and continues with
withdrawal from society, intensive concentration on devotion (Ibdat) & remembrance
(Dhikr) of God, sincerity (Ikhls), and contemplation (Murqaba) respectively;
contemplation produces Fan. This type of semantic struggle recreates the experience
of trial (Bal) that enables people to enter into the state of Fana. It is through the stage
of Baq that one is able to find God or rather, have God find him / her. Reaching Baq
is not an easy thing to do though; getting through the three stages requires strict
discipline and patience. Junayd held the same view of primordial man as Plato- that he
had experienced a unitive being in God prior to his descent into terrestrial existence.
Among al-Junayd's other teachers, one of the most influential was Harith al-Muhsibi.
Dhul-Nun al-Misri (796-859)
He who tasted the everlasting love
"When the love of Allah settles
Shall be the sincere friend to all the slaves
in the heart there is a level of
He who tasted the everlasting love
intimacy between the slave
and Allah; Shall belittle himself to all the slaves
due to the fact that Allah He who tasted the everlasting love
means more to him than Shall be the solace on the paths of the slaves
anything else." He who tasted the everlasting love
Shall be intimate with the Lord of the slaves.
Dhun-Nun (of the whale- an epithet of Jonah) Abu Faid Thawban ibn
Ibrhim al-Misri is one of most revered early formulators of Sufi
tradition. His teachings particularly emphasized that Gnosis is the heart
of the mystical path of Sufis. His father was a Nubian, possibly a slave.
A legendary alchemist and thaumaturge, he is said to have known the
secret of the Egyptian hieroglyphs. His sayings and poems, which are
extremely dense and rich in mystical imagery, emphasize knowledge
or gnosis (Marif) more than fear (Makhaf) or love (Mahabb), the
other two major paths of spiritual realization in Sufism. None of his
written works have survived, but a vast collection of poems, sayings,
and aphorisms attributed to him continues to live on in oral tradition.
He was imprisoned on charges of heresy in Baghdad, but the caliph
ordered him released, and he returned to Egypt. His tomb can be found
today in Cairo's necropolis.
Bayazid Bastami (804-874)
Abu Yazid Bistmi or Tayfur Abu Yzid al-Bustmi is considered to be
"of the six bright stars in the firmament of the Prophet". A
Naqshbandi, he is regarded as the first mystic to openly speak of the
annihilation (Fan') of the base self in the Divine, whereby the mystic
becomes fully absorbed, becoming unaware of himself or the objects
around him. In one of these states, Bastmi cried out: "Praise to Me, for
My greatest Glory!" His belief in the unity of all religions became
apparent when asked the question: "How does Islam view other
religions?" His reply was "All are vehicles and a path to God's Divine
Presence".
Ab Al al-usayn ibn Abd Allh ibn Sn, Pr Sin, Ibn Sn (Latin: Avicenn), the
most famous and influential Persian polymath of the Islmic Golden Age, was born in
Afna, near Bukhr (Uzbekistan). He was either a follower of the Brethren of
Purity or a Sunni Hanfi or a Twelver Shi. He studied Fiqh (jurisprudence) under the
Hanfi scholar Ismil al-Zhid. He could not understand Metaphysics of Aristotle until
he read al-Farbis commentary on the work. He turned to medicine at 16, and not
only learned medical theory, but discovered new methods of treatment, becoming a
qualified physician at age 18. His corpus includes philosophy, astronomy, alchemy,
geology, psychology, Islmic theology, logic, mathematics, physics and poetry and
covers almost 450 works. Philosophy, Fiqh and theology (Kalm) were further
developed by Avicenn and his opponents. In the medieval Islmic world, due to
Avicenn's successful reconciliation between Aristotelianism and Neoplatonism along
with Kalm, Avicennism eventually became the leading school of Islmic philosophy
and was influential in medieval Europe, particularly his doctrines on the nature of
the soul and his existence-essence distinction. Following al-Farbi's lead, Avicenn
initiated a full-fledged inquiry into the question of being, in which he distinguished
between essence (Mahiat) and existence (Wujud).
Shaikh Abdullah Ansari
(1006-1088)
Pir-i-Heart, Abu Isml Abdullh al-Herwi al-Ansri was a famous Persian Sufi poet and
was born and died in Hert. He was known as Shaikul Mashayekh (Pious of Heart) and
Shaikhul Islm (Master of Masters). He was a direct descendant of Abu Ayyub al-Ansri
and the disciple of Shaikh Abul Hassan Kharqni. His yearly Majlis-e-Wa'az was attended
by people from far and wide. He wrote several books on Islamic mysticism and philosophy
in Persian and Arabic. His most work Munjat Nmh ('Litanies or dialogues with God') is
considered a masterpiece of Persian literature.
Ghiyth ad-Dn Abu'l-Fat Umar ibn Ibrhm al-Khayym Nshpr (Philosopher of the
World) was a Persian polymath, philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, and poet. He
wrote treatises on mechanics, geography, music, mineralogy and Islamic theology. Born
and buried in Nishpur in N.E. Iran, at a young age he moved to Samarkand and later,
moved to Bukhr. He taught for decades the philosophy of Avicenna. Khayym has
had an impact on literature and societies through the translation of his works and
popularization by other scholars. FitzGerald made Khayym the most famous poet of
East in West through his celebrated translation and adaptations of Khayym's
quatrains in his Rubiyat.
al-Ghazali (1058-1111)
The happiness of the drop is to die in the ocean.
What good is an increase in wealth when life grows ever shorter?
Therefore be joyous only for an increase in knowledge or in good works,
for they are your two companions who will accompany you in your
grave when your family, wealth, children and friends stay behind.
Ab mid Mud. ibn Muammad al-Ghazl, a Persian jurist, mystic and
philosopher was born in Tabrn in Tus district of Khorsn Province
of Irn. Perhaps the single most influential Muslim after the prophet
Muhammad, he brought orthodox Islam in close contact with Sufism. He
studied in Nishpur under al-Juwyni, the outstanding Muslim scholar of
his time and joined the court of the vizier of Seljuq sultans, centered
in Isfahn. He was bestowed several titles such as "Brilliance of the
Religion" and "Eminence among the Religious Leaders. He underwent a
spiritual crisis and abandoned his career, leaving Baghdd on the pretext
of going on pilgrimage to Mecc. Making arrangements for his family, he
disposed of his wealth and adopted an ascetic lifestyle. After some time in
Damascus and Jerusalem, and a visit to Medin and Mecc, he returned to
Tus to spend several years in 'uzl (seclusion) by abstaining from teaching
at state institutions, but continued to teach in his Zawiy (private madras)
and Khnqh (Sufi monastery). He came back to the Nizmi in Nishpur
and later returned to Tus. He took aim at Falasif, a group of Islmic
philosophers (such as Avicenn and al-Farbi) who drew intellectually
upon the Ancient Greeks such as Aristotle and Plato, as non-believers,
which marked a turning point in Islmic philosophy.
Abdal-Qadir Gilani
(1077-1166)
Give priority to the hereafter over the To remember death is the best
world and you will benefit in both, but treatment for all ailments.
if priority is given to the world over the
hereafter then you would suffer losses Make silence your habit, anonymity
in both. your clothing, escape from the creation
your aim.
Empty desires are the jungle of
stupidity and folly, and only the foolish Adopt patience, for this world is an
hustle and bustle aimlessly within it. assembly of troubles and calamities.
al-Sayyid Muhiyudin Abu Muhammad Abdal Qdir al-Gilni al-Hasani wal-Hussaini, al-
Baghddi was born in Na'if, district of Giln, Ilm Province, He was a Hanbali jurist and
Sufi based in Baghdd. Qdiri was his patronym.. Both his mother and father were of
apostolic lineage. At the age of 18 years, he went to Baghdd to pursue the study
of Hanbali law, Hadith, Tafsir & Tasawwuf, After completing his education, Gilni left
Baghdd. He spent 25 years as a reclusive wanderer in the desert regions of Iraq,
returning to Baghdd and preaching to the public. He joined the teaching staff of the
school belonging to his own teacher, al-Mukhrrimii. He was said to have been a
convincing preacher and converted numerous Jews and Christians. His strength came in
the reconciling of the mystical nature of the Sufi and strict nature of the Qur'n. He felt it
important to control egotism and worldliness in submission to God.
Farid ud-Din Attar
(1119-1220)
Now will I draw aside the veil from Love,
And in the temple of mine inmost soul
Behold the Friend, Incomparable Love.
He who would know the secret of both worlds
Will find that the secret of them both is Love.
Ab amd bin Ab Bakr Ibrhm or Fard ud-Dn Ar (the perfumer),
was a Persian poet, theoretician of Sufism and hagiographer from
Nishpur of Khorsn, Irn. He was probably the son of a prosperous
chemist and received an excellent education. He abandoned his
pharmacy and traveled widely including to India, meeting with Sufis.
Majd ud-Din Baghddia disciple of Najmuddin Kubr, was likely his
teacher. Attr's works reflect the whole evolution of the Sufi movement.
The body-bound soul's awaited release and return to its source in the
other world can be experienced during the present life in mystic union
attainable through inward purification. His talent for perception of
deeper meanings behind outward appearances enables him to turn
details of everyday life into illustrations of his thoughts. He died a
violent death in the Mongol massacre.
About 30 works by Attar survive, but his masterpiece is the Mantic at-Tayr (Conference of the Birds).
A group of birds (individual human souls) under the leadership of a hoopoe (spiritual master) who
determine to search for the legendary Simurgh bird (God). The birds must confront their own
individual limitations and fears while journeying through seven valleys, before they ultimately find
the Simurgh and complete their quest
Ibn al-Arabi (1165-1240)
When my Beloved appears,
With what eye do I see Him?
With His eye, not with mine,
For none sees Him except Himself.
My heart is capable now of all forms.
It is a pasture for the gazelles.
A convent for the Christian monks.
A temple for idols.
The Kaaba of pilgrims.
The table of Mosaic Law.
The book of Quran.
I am for myself the religion of love.
'Ab 'Abdillh Muammad ibn 'Al ibn Muammad ibn `Arab was born in Murcia, in
Moorish Spain. His family moved to Seville when he was 8 years old. During a
childhood illness, he had a vision that transformed his life. At age 27 he began to write
and continued for the rest of his life. It is estimated that he wrote some 300 works, of
which 75 to 100 exist today. At the age of 35, he left Spain. He lived near Mecca for
three years, where he began writing his Al-Futuht al-Makkiyy (The Meccan
Illuminations). He left Mecca, traveled, then settled in Damascus for the remaining years
of his life. Ibn Arabi believed in the unity of all religions and taught that the different
prophets all came with the same essential truth.
Shams Tabrezi
(1185-1248)
When everyone is trying to be something,
be nothing.
Range with emptiness.
Humans should be like a pot.
As the pot is held by its emptiness inside,
human is held by the awareness of
his nothingness.
Shams al-Din Muhammad was a Persian mystic who received his education
in Tabriz and was a disciple of Bb Kaml al-Din Jumdi. He used to travel from place to
place weaving baskets and selling girdles for a living. He was the spiritual master of
Rmi and is referenced with great reverence in Rmis poetic collection, in particular
Diwn-i-Shams-i-Tabrz. Shams taught Rmi in seclusion in Konya for a period of forty
days, before fleeing for Damascus. After several years with Rmi in Kony, Shams
mysteriously disappeared; some say he was killed by close disciples of Rmi who were
jealous of the his close relationship with Rmi. As the years passed, Rmi attributed
more and more of his own poetry to Shams as a sign of love for his departed friend
and master. Shams becomes a guide of Allh's (Creator) love for mankind; Shams was a
sun (Shams) shining the Light as guide for evading darkness for Rmis heart, mind
and body. Maqlt-i-Shams-i-Tabrizi contains discourses of Shams Tabrezi.
Maulana Rumi (1207-1273)
I died as a mineral and became a plant,
I died as plant and rose to animal,
I died as animal and I was Man.
Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?
Yet once more I shall die as Man, to soar
With angels bless'd; but even from angelhood
I must pass on: all except God doth perish.
When I have sacrificed my angel-soul,
I shall become what no mind e'er conceived.
Oh, let me not exist! for Non-existence
Proclaims in organ tones,
To Him we shall return.
"The song of the spheres in their revolutions
Is what men sing with lute and voice.
As we all are members of Adam,
We have heard these melodies in Paradise.
Though earth and water have cast their veil upon us,
We retain faint reminiscences of these heavenly songs;
But while we are thus shrouded by gross earthly veils,
How can the tones of the dancing spheres reach us?
Mauln Jall ad-Dn Muhammad Balkh was born in Balkh and died
in Kony. His doctrine advocates unlimited tolerance, positive
reasoning, goodness, charity and awareness through love. Rmi's life
and transformation provide true testimony and proof that people of
all religions and backgrounds can live together in peace and
harmony. Rmis visions, words, and life teach us how to reach inner
peace and happiness so we can finally stop the continual stream of
hostility and hatred and achieve true global peace and harmony.
Shaikh Sadi
(1210-1291-2)
Fakhr al-dn Ibrahm Irq was a Persian Sufi commentator, poet, writer and artist,
born in Hamdn. He spent many years in Multn (Pkistn) as well as in Kony and
Toqt (Turkey). He also reached an exalted station of spiritual realization. Irqi was
highly educated in both theology and literary disciplines. Meeting a group
of Qalandars, he traveled to Multn where he came to serve Shaikh Bah-ud-din
Zakariya, head of Suhrawardia order for 17 years. He was betrothed to Shaikh's
daughter. After Shaikh's death, he left Multn and traveled to Mecc, Medin and then
to Turkey. While in Kony, he met Sadr al-Din al-Qunwi, son-in-law of Sufi
philosopher Ibn 'Arabi and Jalaluddin Rmi. Although 'Iraqi was the head (in exile) of a
large and respected Sufi order, he humbly became the disciple of Qunwi, who inspired
'Iraqi to compose his own masterpiece of commentary and poetry, Lama'at (Divine
Flashes). Irqi moved to Toqt, Turkey and then fled to Cairo, and settled down
in Damscus. Iraqi was a Gnostic who often spoke in the language of love. For him, as
well as many other Sufis, love was realized knowledge. His writing, Lamaat fits into a
genre, which expresses certain doctrines in the language of love.
Khwaja Hafiz
(1325-1389)
If that Shirazi Turk would take my heart in hand, I would
remit Samarkand and Bukhr for his black mole.
Shh Ni'mtullh Wali was a Sufi Master and poet born in Aleppo, Syri and traced his
own descent from the 7th Ismili Imam, Muhammad ibn Ismil. His mother was Iranian
from Frs and his father an Arab from Syri. From Syri, his family moved to Shirz,
Iran. He traveled widely through the Muslim world, learning the philosophies of many
masters including ibn 'Arabi. He met Shaikh Abdollh Yafe'i in Mecc and became his
disciple. Spiritually transformed, he was sent out for travels as a realized teacher. He
resided near Samarkand, along the great C. Asian Silk Road, where he met the
conqueror Tamerlane, but to avoid him, left and settled in the Persian/Indian region of
Kermn. He lit the lamp of gnosis in a large part of Muslim world, especially
in Turkistan, Hindustn and Irn. His shrine is in Mahn, Irn. Ni'mtullh left a Persian
language Diwn (poetry) written in a symbolic form containing predictions about
future world events. On invitation of Sultn Ahmed Shh Al Wali Bhamani of Bidr to
him, instead he sent his son, Shah Khalilullh, the next Qutb (master) to Deccan in India.
The Sufi order coming from Shaikh Mrouf Krkhi was called Maroufieh before
Ni'mtullh, and after him, is named Nemtollahi and is one of the most important in
Iran. The Masters of this order come from Asia, Africa and Europe.
Hakim Jami (1414-1492)
All through eternity If love manifests itself
God unveils within you, it has its origins
His exquisite form. in beauty.
In the solitude of nothingness You are nothing but a
He holds a mirror to mirror in which beauty is
His own Face and beholds reflected.
His own beauty. Because beauty and its
He is the knower and the reflection are both from
known, the seer and the seen; that one source,
No eye but His own has ever it is both treasure and
looked upon this Universe. treasure-house.
Nur ad-Dn Abd ar-Rahmn Jm, Mawlan Nr al-Dn 'Abd al-Rahmn or Abd-al-
Rahmn Nur-al-Din Muhammad Dshti was a scholar, mystic, writer, composer of
numerous lyrics and idylls, historian, and the greatest Persian and Tjik Sufi poets of
the 15th cent. He was born in Jm in Ghor Province, Afghnistan, but his family migrated
to the cultural city of Herat. Afterward he went to Samarkand and completed his
studies there. He was a famous Sufi, and a follower of the Naqshbandi Sufi order. Jami
was primarily an outstanding poet-theologian of the school of Ibn Arabi and a
prominent Khwjagn Sf. Among his famous poetical works are: Haft Awrn, Tuhft
al-Ahrr, Layl w-Majnun, Fatiht al-Shabb, Lawa'ih, al-Durrh al-Fakhirh. He
created a distinction between two types of Sufi's- the prophetic and the mystic spirit.
He is known for both his extreme piety and mysticism. He developed images of
earthly love and its employment to depict spiritual passion of the seeker of God. Jmi
created an all-embracing unity emphasized in a unity with the lover, beloved, and the
love one, removing the belief that they are separated.
Khalil Gibran (1883-1931)
Wisdom ceases to
be wisdom when it
becomes too proud
to weep, too grave
to laugh, and too
selfish to seek other
than itself.
"You are my brother and I love you.
I love you when you prostrate yourself in your mosque, Love possesses not,
and kneel in your church and pray in your synagogue. nor will it be possessed,
You and I are sons of one faiththe Spirit." for love is sufficient unto love.
Khalil Gibrn or Gibrn Khalil Gibrn was a Lebanese artist, poet, and writer. Born into
a Maronite Christian family in Bshrri N. Lebanon, as a young man he immigrated with
his family to the US, where he studied art and began his literary career, writing in both
English and Arabic. In the Arab world, Gibrn is regarded as a literary and political
rebel. His romantic style was at the heart of a renaissance in modern Arabic literature,
especially prose poetry, breaking away from the classical school. He is chiefly known in
the English-speaking world for his book, The Prophet, an early example of inspirational
fiction including a series of philosophical essays written in poetic English prose. He was
an accomplished artist, especially in drawing and watercolor, pursuing a symbolist and
romantic style over the then up-and-coming realism. Many of Gibrn's writings deal
with Christianity, especially on the topic of spiritual love. But his mysticism is a
convergence of several different influences: Christianity, Islm, Sufism, Judaism and
theosophy. Gibrn had a number of strong connections to the Bah' Faith.