Songs to the Beloved 0910735565, 9780910735568

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Beloved Melvina Noel, Ed.®.

VWAPEE CIEE D: M.T.0. SHAHMAGHSOUDI * PUBLICATIONS RIVERSIDE, CA

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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Publications Melvina Noel, Ed.D.

Songs to the Beloved Copyright © 2002 by Maktab Tarighat Oveyssi Shahmaghsoudi (M.T.O)®, School of Islamic Sufism®. All rights reserved - copyright throughout the world. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or stored in a database or retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, whatsoever, by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, without the express written consent of holder of copyright, the President of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi. Library of Congress Control Number: ISBN: 0-910735-56-5

2002101525

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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Publications office 6680 Alhambra Ave. PMB 110 Martinez, CA 94553 - U.S.A. e-mail: [email protected] (925) 933-2262 website: http://mto.shahmaghsoudi.org Printed By:

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First Edition September 2002

T have no one to thank for the blessing ofthis book

except the one and only inspiration in my hfe, my teacher,

Molana-al-Moazam Stazral Salaheddin Ali

NEE RoR Pir OQveyssi

Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2022 with funding from Kahle/Austin Foundation

https://archive.org/details/songstobeloved0000noel

Dedication

Your love has filled my 4Leart and soul

rth tenderness,

As a you are the lover

And TJ am the beloved’

1 From “Revelation” by Molana Salaheddin Ali Nader Shah Angha, 1999, p. 2a,

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Introduction

May each letter of every word Written on the following pages sing out praises and cry out the Beloved’s name; For there is no other but the Beloved. May every syllable and matching sound Create a string of pearls that sing out praises and cry out the Beloved’s name; For there is no other but the Beloved.

May each verse on every page Present the passion of love that sings out praises and cries out the Beloved’s name;

For there is no other but the Beloved.

May every poem’s ending be the beginning Of whispered songs of love that sing out praises and cry out the Beloved’s name; For there is no other Love but the Beloved.

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Songs to the Beloved Sweet gentle melodies of love, hope, and happiness; I sing to You, O Beloved. With love-filled calls of submission and prostration;

I sing to You, O Beloved. Truth carried upon wings of a dove, Life written in colors of the rainbow,

Sun rays adorning Your Glory;

I sing to You, O Beloved. With sweet tears falling upon Your footprints;

I sing to You, O Beloved.

O Beloved,

May the pulse of Your heart Synchronize the beats of the hearts of lovers To the oneness of Your love;

To the tranquility of Your Being; To the harmony of only You.

I am like a child.

I always crave my Beloved’s attention.

I kill myself to be the best that I can be. I anxiously await my moment to be patted on the head. I pray that the Beloved will

smile in my direction. Oh, what can I do to be

the Beloved’s pride and joy?

The hearts of lovers belong to the Beloved; For them there is no other. The lives of lovers belong to the Beloved; For them the Beloved is their every season. The hopes of lovers are vested in the Beloved; For them the Beloved is their reason for being. For lovers in love, the Beloved is the One; For them there is no other.

Loving the Beloved is the true destiny: To call out the Beloved’s name,

To sing the Beloved’s praises, To submit to the Beloved’s teachings,

To prostrate forever to the one and only Beloved,

To always remember that the Beloved is the True Love.

I do love the Beloved And I say it a million times.

I worry that the Beloved will tire Of my proclamations. Night and day, day and night, Moment

to moment,

Always and forever whispering my love For the Beloved. I love the Beloved; there is no other.

I love the Beloved; I want no other. I love the Beloved; I hope for annihilation Of me in the Beloved.

Light as a feather,

Floating in the air, Not a care in the world. Basking in the sun, Gazing at the sky,

Submitting to the Beloved’s love And _ believing in the Beloved’s song. Loving by heart, Seeing through heart,

Knowledge from heart, Truth of heart, Heart to heart.

Getting through the day becomes easy

with prayer at dawn. Wearing a hopeful smile becomes easy with thoughts of the Beloved. Humming a happy tune becomes easy with submission to the Beloved. Dancing in ecstasy becomes easy

with expecting that annihilation in the Beloved is near. Peace and everlasting life become the gifts

of heart to heart connection with the one Beloved.

Worshipping the Beloved, the sun shines brightly. Worshipping the Beloved, the moon Worshipping

glows with glee. the Beloved,

the stars glitter in happiness. Worshipping the Beloved, I prostrate, I pray, I bury myself.

A rose is a rose;

Purity unfolding in fragrant remembrance of the one Beloved. Sincere white, romantic red, and reverent lavender;

Colorful displays of one love to shower

the Beloved’s magnificence. Submitted in stance and beauty, the fragrance of the rose awakens only to the Beloved’s sigh. The rose blossoms only by the Beloved’s call. The rose is a rose is a lover of the Beloved.

10

I just love rainbows: Magnificent arcs of colorful splendor Presenting a breathtaking view that hastens every

heartbeat.

The perfect messenger of the Beloved’s love. Vibrant heart red, exciting orange,

Sunshine-happy yellow, everlasting life in green, Sky blue expansion, understanding indigo, and deep religious lavender

Expressing their oneness in the Beloved. I just love rainbows.

ri

A heart blessed with knowing the Beloved

Is a heart in solitude from life. A heart that beats in rhythm to the Beloved’s Is‘a heart filled with the Beloved’s light. A heart that mirrors the heart of the Beloved Is a heart that recognizes the Beloved’s face.

1

Early in the day, a poem to write: The most wonderful heartfelt poem. I scribbled; I erased; I wrote; I changed. I paused; I sighed; I frowned; I worried.

I shook my head. How dare I expect

to capture beauty in a word! The Beloved is the Wonder of the universe,

The Giver of meaning to life, The sun, the moon, the sky,

and the universe.

Where are the words to capture the Beloved’s alluring magnificence? All words are insensitive to the Essence of Love.

13

Only prayer lifts the spirits, Calms the heart, touches the soul,

And brings one closer to the True Love. Only prayer shines light in the darkness, Keeps one healthy, gives one hope,

And plants the seed of one True Love. Only prayer connects with the Essence, Provides true vision, makes the deaf hear, And submits the heart to the flames of True Love.

14

If for one moment, I deserved

the hope, the love,

the kindness,

the patience, the gentleness, the generosity,

and the light of truth that exists in my heart,

I could almost begin to thank the Beloved properly.

15

The Beloved is the sunshine in the world,

The ray of hope in despair, The light of truth in darkness, The blanket of security for the insecure, The spark of happiness behind every smile, The Giver of life,

The only Tulip-Grower.*

*From “The Secret Word” by Molana Salaheddin Ali Nader Shah Angha, 1989, p. 21.

16

It is only when I am focused On my love for the Beloved That I am in peace;

A peace so serene and so wonderful That I succumb to a daydream.

A babbling brook, a delightful butterfly,

Valleys in the distance, and me in my solitude Listening to truths that spring from every lover’s heart. Aware that the heart is the place That the lover must forever be to exist in love. Aware that the heart is the place That the lover must forever be to exist at all.

i

The truth is that I can not inhale one full breath Without awareness of my love for the Beloved. Days are hopeful moments of mirroring

the heart of the Beloved

And nights are dreams filled with urgency to see the Face of the Beloved.

18

How can I find Thee When I am like the flame Engulfed by the melting candle? I waver in weakness;

My strength succumbs to boundaries. If only I were like a moth to the flame, I could show my strength: No fear, only love;

No desire, only steadfastness; No care, only flight; No complications, only unconditional love;

No separation, only annihilation in love. Moth to the flame, How I envy you.

1

Eyes of Love watching true lovers, Eyes of Love smiling tenderly, Eyes of Love guiding loversto one heart, Eyes of Love showering hope upon all, Eyes of Love raising hearts to blossom,

Eyes of Love protecting all of Creation, Eyes of Love loving all in existence.

20

Beauty rings true in the face of the Beloved; Music sounds out through His message; Eyes of love shower me with hope; The Beloved is the true Love, The Beloved is the true Love.

Words of truth come from the Beloved;

Angels dance and sing to His harmony; He is the One and only Beloved; The Beloved is the true Love, The Beloved is the true Love.

Zl

I do not know how to be happy

Until I focus on the Beloved. I do not know how to be happy

Until the Beloved dominates my thoughts. I do not know how to be happy

Until I rise to the glorious sun That shines in the Beloved’s honor.

I do not know how to be happy until I fall asleep To the moonlight’s brilliance That is the Beloved’s crowning glory.

I do not know how to be happy Until I smile with the heartfelt Presence of the Beloved’s love.

Az

I try to see myself in the Beloved’s eyes;

This child so much wants to be Like her Father.

I try to catch a glimpse of the Beloved’s smile in mine;

This child so much wants to be Like her Father.

I try to walk the Path of the Beloved’s footsteps; This child so much wants to be Annihilated in the Beloved.

23

If ever the Beloved leaves me

I will dry up like a worm in the midday sun, But not before I drown in my own tears. If ever the Beloved leaves me I will become deaf and blind in this world And the next,

But not before I lose my reason to be. If ever the Beloved leaves me

Sines will clothe my every move, But not before my hope is buried in clay.

24

May my prayers be constant and timely

For this body is filled with creative excuses. May my prayers be sincere and without distraction

For this brain is filled with untimely memories. May my prayers always be in submission

For this body is lazy and untamed. May my prayers touch the Beloved’s heart For this soul cannot survive without the Beloved.

25

Hope. Where do I look? I search for hope among family and friends;

I never find hope in life’s circumstances. Love. Where does it exist?

I search for love in every relationship; I cannot find love in the best of chocolates. Peace. What happened to it? Tears fill my eyes and sadness overwhelms me; I cannot find peace in the world that surrounds me. Hope. I searched in all the wrong places. Love. I never had to leave me. Peace.

Awaiting my return

In the depth of my heart.

26

Sweet Solitude.

I desire it like a baby craves the mother’s milk. Sweet solitude.

I need it to be healthy; I need it to be strong. Sweet solitude. May I rest under the gaze

of the Beloved’s eyes.

May I soak up the wonders of the Beloved’s wisdom. May I bend in submission to all that is the Beloved. Sweet solitude. May I exist in the knowledge of the Beloved. Sweet solitude.

a

We will never know

The truth of our existence Until we know the Beloved. The seed is in the care Of the Beloved’s hands

And we need only to submit And prostrate with love

Until we have the Beloved’s blessing. The seed can only blossom If it accerds with the Beloved’s wish.

28

Illusions:

Life—

Family and Friends. Job—

Happiness and Everlasting. Security—

Money and Things.

Satisfaction— Desires and Desires. Truths— Senses and Beliefs. Reality: One heart. One Beloved.

29

I am happiest to the extreme

when I am thinking about the Beloved; There is only sunshine and laughing rain

when I am thinking about the Beloved; I feel no pain and I am truly alive when I am thinking about the Beloved; Swirling, twirling, gliding, flying high, way above the sky; I know I can when I am thinking about the Beloved. ~

30

Eternity:

If my eyes only see Your Face; If my ears only hear Your Voice; If my nose only inhales Your Fragrance;

If my lips only speak Your Name; If my thoughts only think of You; My heart will beat eternal with Yours.

31

Longing:

I long for the Beloved and my tears flood the deepest ocean. I long for the Beloved and silence becomes unbearable noise. I long for the Beloved and the sun and the moon confuse night and day.

I long for the Beloved and my purpose becomes obscure.

I long for the Beloved and all my tomorrows become yesterdays. I leng for the Beloved and my heart pounds irregular beats.

I long for the Beloved and the word longing does not convey its meaning.

32

Have you ever heard anything so absurd? Angry with the Beloved? Angry with one’s Creator?

Is that not the beginning of a suicide mission? Is that not ignorance clothed in veils of ignorance? Am I not responsible for my mistakes and riding the vicissitudes of life with an unguarded heart? Am I not responsible for neglecting my Reality

in favor of life’s atrocities? How ridiculous to blame the Beloved,

the one and only True Love!

May the Beloved’s oft forgiving nature never cease to be.

33

I love the Beloved More than the grains of sand split in millionths, More than the atoms multiplied by infinity. I love the Beloved More than the warmth and sincerity in the eyes of lovers, More than the wonder of love’s incredible smile.

I love the Beloved More than the hope planted in every heart, More than the guiding light for every seeker. I love the Beloved More than the air I breathe to sustain my physical, More than the quiet I need to connect with my spiritual. I love the Beloved to no end;

I love the Beloved with every beginning; I worship the Beloved as the sun; I cherish the Beloved as the moon.

I love the Beloved to the depth and core of my Being; I love the Beloved with the magnitude and love of my Reality. I love the Beloved as it accords with the Beloved’s wish; I love the Beloved as a mirrored reflection of the Beloved’s heart.

34

Like a blossoming flower With a fragrance to conquer the world, The Beloved is here.

Like the hopes and dreams Of lovers on their first meeting, The Beloved is here. Like the sweet kiss of a mother To her newborn’s cheek,

The Beloved is here.

Like the reality of truths In the vastness of the universe,

The Beloved is here.

Like the love in all creation

And the words of sincere prayers, The Beloved is here.

35

Heart to heart, Soul to soul, One to one,

Truth to truth,

Seed to hope, Everlasting to life, Reflection to mirror, Mirror to reflection,

Inspiration to soul, One to one,

.One absolving one, One to zero,

Annihilation, Oneness.

36

Less than a grain of sand on the ocean floor, I am

Less than the atom split

in a million parts, I am Less than an ant climbing the highest mountain, I am More invisible than the air I breathe,

I am

Weaker than the printed word, I am Blinder than the bat,

the intelligence of a gnat— These things I am compared to the Beloved.

O7

Please take me away from me

so that all I know is Thee. Please strip the veils from my heart so that it only beats purity.

Please erase my

mental static to provide

a clean slate for Your messages. Please blind me so that the only light reflected is that of Your Face: Please increase my awareness so that I can feel Your omnipresence.

Please help me prostrate myself before You in total submission. Please, my Beloved, if it accords with Your wish

guide me to annihilation in You.

38

What nourishment can come from eating if the lover does not sit at the Beloved’s table? What rest is there in sleeping

if the Beloved does not enter the lover’s dreams? What intoxication can come from drinking

if the lover does not sip from the Beloved’s cup? What value is there in living

if the lover does not live for the Beloved? What knowledge can the lover obtain if the lover does not know the Beloved? How will the lover’s heart ever beat if the lover can not find the Beloved?

ay

Too tired to think. My eyelids get heavier by the stroke, But I must keep my promise.

I must keep to my schedule. The Beloved first, I say— Life, second.

So why does this body fight me so? Has it forgotten who is its Creator?

Does it not know that weakness is shameful before the Beloved’s eyes? Wake up with love to worship the Beloved! There is no other,

The body is dead without the Beloved’s love.

40

My heart aches from the results of my actions and reactions. When will I grow up to reach the sky like the tallest tree? When will I realize that nothing

is more important than loving Thee? How will I ever begin to be when I have not yet learned how to see?

41

What is the truth? Where does it lie? How does it come to be? Unveiled Reality and Sustenance

42

in Thee.

Moments pass without thoughts of the Beloved And I fear the Beloved has forgotten me. The life is too much upon me. I crave the Beloved’s attention. The Beloved inspires and loves From within to create awareness.

I know the Beloved’s love. Moments pass in delightful knowing.

43

How do I begin to be pure? Do I even know the meaning of the word?

What can I do to know purity? How do I begin the path to purity? What questions dare I ask? How do I ask the Beloved to help me manifest the purity within? I am bound by the chains of life. Father, if it accords with Your wish,

please free me.

44

Meditation:

Inhale the knowledge of the Beloved deep into your heart; Hold it there. Exhale that breath throughout your being.

Inhale your love for the Beloved deep into your heart; Hold it there.

Exhale your selfishness, your jealousies, your frustrations; All that is you.

Inhale the Beloved’s heartbeat into your heart, Synchronize to a single beat; Holdit there:

Inhale the Beloved’s Oneness. Exhale your duplicity. Repeat.

45

The “goal should be present

in every minute of Your life.” How many times have I listened to that tape? Only in this moment have I realized the meaning behind the words— Branded on my heart, instilled in my brain; The Beloved is the goal.

All that I do, the center of my thoughts must be about the Beloved. My beginning, the middle, the end, and all that’s in-between;

The

goal is about loving the Beloved.

* From “The Reality of Religion-Sufism Inside Islam” (Tape), Excerpts from Hazrat Pir, Molana Salaheddin Ali Nader Shah Angha’s speech at Georgetown University, Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding: History and International Affairs, 1996.

46

Seed to blossom, Heart to flower,

Purity unfolding, Life’s

presentation,

Truth’s moment, Love’s decision,

One manifestation,

The discovery, Reality is, Pam

Mot.

47

The early morning chatter of the Beloved’s creatures forces my eyelids open. I lie still and wonder what they know that I do not. Their happiness is deafening.

Their sense of security is unnerving. They are too happy too early in the morning to make sense to my limited knowledge. What is lacking in me that keeps me from reflecting their happiness in my world?

48

These days are lonely for me. I do not know who I am or where I am. Stress surrounds me.

People, places, things, and life in its madness.

Thoughts of the Beloved skip across my mind. Concentration,

meditation,

prayer; I know not.

Peace and tranquility are fleeting; I have lost the heart to call the Beloved.

49

The essence of religion: Faith,

no longer blind;

Knowledge, no longer limited; Truth,

no longer veiled; The Beloved,

no longer hidden.

Can one have faith in the Beloved If one does not know the Beloved?

50

Give me a moment when I am not thinking about the

Beloved And I know that I am unhealthy.

Give me a moment when I am not thinking about the Beloved And for sure, I am deaf and blind.

Give me a moment when I am not thinking about the Beloved

And there is no doubt that I am near death’s door. Give me a moment when I am not thinking about the Beloved And I drown in sadness and shame. Give me a moment when I am not thinking about the

Beloved

And I will pray for another moment to remember the Beloved.

pel

Today, I begin to rid myself of all those extraneous activities that pull my attention in other directions. Today, I begin to rid myself

of all those people whose focus is life’s so-called pleasures. Today, I begin to rid myself of my thoughts and allow myself the right not to think. Today, I begin to live

in the solitude of my Being and concentrate on the Beloved through prayer. Today, I begin to start

the Bieeees of loving the Beloved more and submitting to the Beloved’s every command. Today, I begin to get

closer to the flame of the Beloved’s love in hopes of true annihilation.

a2

There is no hope for me To ever find a lover;

My heart is totally dedicated To loving the Beloved. There is no hope for me To ever have a best friend;

My heart is totally dedicated

To befriending the Beloved. There is no hope for me To be happy in life’s parade;

My heart is totally vested In loving the Beloved.

53

In Ghazaliat, Hazrat Shah Maghsoud Voices the words of my heart In such a wonderful loving way That I owe them a place here.

I could never produce such eloquence For the veils of my heart are many

But the pure heart of Hazrat Shah Maghsoud Knows what my unveiled heart would say And it is as the words in Ghazaliat:

“You, my Beloved, told me: Whoever is quite detached Is liberated; and yet to You I’m so helplessly attached.”4

* From “Ghazaliat” by Molana Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha, 1996, p. 54.

54

The light in my heart, Veiled by my senses, and Hidden in life’s trenches Awaits a spark from the Beloved’s Flame.

DD

Unconditional love Is loving the Beloved Moment

to moment,

Night and day, Through ups and downs, And more in downs. Unconditional love

Is heart reflecting Heart, Recognition of the Beloved, And cognition of True Love.

56

The seed of hope is planted by the Beloved’s hand; The light of wisdom is given

by the Beloved’s generosity; The truth of love is witnessed in the Beloved’s heart;

The spirit of the body is a reflection of the Beloved;

The reality of the heart is the face of the Beloved.

a

May I prostrate my body before the Beloved? May I silence my brain during prayer?

May I shed tears only in celebration of the Beloved? May I sing and dance only in the Beloved’s honor? May I find a way to reach the Beloved’s heart? May I find a way to settle

in the Beloved’s heart? May I find a way to mirror the Beloved’s heart? May I?

58

The reality of my Being beats only for the Beloved.

Has no eyes but recognizes the Beloved’s beauteous face;

Has no ears but hears the sweet melody of the Beloved’s voice;

Has no feet but is always steadfast on the Beloved’s Path;

Has no sense of self except as a reflection of the Beloved;

Has no home except in the safety of the Beloved’s love; Has no need except always in need of the Beloved; Has no desire or ritual except to be submitted to the Beloved;

Has no idea about love except

undying love for the Beloved.

By)

From the lover To the Beloved: Please show me How to love.

Please guide me On the straight path To Your Glory. Please lead me

So that I may follow. Please watch me As I kneel in Your honor.

60

I love You, lraGore You,

I worship You, lL respect, You, I honor You,

I needs you,

I hope You will hear My prayer of love.

61

The sun shines to celebrate the Beloved’s beauty;

The rain falls to cleanse life’s veils;

The wind blows to sing constant praises;

The snow falls to honor

the Beloved’s purity; And I shed tears of happiness

in gratitude of being blessed with awareness.

62

The seed presents the flower by the sound of the Beloved’s voice And love blossoms

only in the Beloved’s presence.

63

Desire for the Beloved Consumes me.

My one desire— To know true love, Safe and secure,

No complications. Only love. The ecstasy of love, The essence of love, The truth of love; s

Just to love.

64

Worshipping the Beloved: How does the lover make every

action and every reaction

one with prayer?

How does the lover wrap hope and desire in the folds of constant praying?

How does the lover pray the timeless prayer so that every wakeful and sleeping moment begins and ends in prayer? How does the lover pray the ultimate prayer, The one that gives the heart solely to the Beloved?

65

My Beloved, If for one moment

You find a space in my heart That is not filled with love for You,

Please exhale Your breath there.

If for one moment

You find a space in my heart That is not filled with love for You, Please turn Your gaze there.

If for one moment

You find a space in my heart

That is not filled with love for You, Please turn Your attention there.

My Beloved, Please fill every cell in my heart With love for You so that I might Know the true meaning of love.

66

Just the thought of the Beloved Sends my heart into a flutter. Can the world begin to see The love that the Beloved showers endlessly? The tiny ant, the lovely butterfly, The trees, the oceans, the world itself,

All blessings from the Beloved’s heart. The earth, a place for the lover;

The lover, a heart for the Beloved; The heart, the secret of the universe;

The secret to be spent in worship

Of the only true Love, the Beloved.

67

Like a butterfly flitting about from one flower to another,

I was hypnotized by the pretty colors and intoxicated from the wonderful fragrances. Lighting here and there for momentary pleasure, I thought that this was all there was Until the Beloved captured me with the heart’s net and settled me on the most brilliant flower Whose fragrance enticed my very Essence

such that I no longer knew whether I was the butterfly or the flower.

68

I am exhausted from

thinking too much, desiring too much, moving too much. Stress is imminent in this undesirable state. Prayer is a must to regain my sanity.

Love for the Beloved is my

only lifeline out of this world of extremes.

69

The sweet melody of the Beloved courses through the lover’s veins

and plays tunes of laughter, tunes of truth, and

tunes of love tripping over love.

70

In the moment I detach myself from life, I love the Beloved more. In the moment I try to be the best that I can be,

I love the Beloved more. In the moment I seek

true happiness, I love the Beloved more.

In the moment I forget me and focus on the Beloved,

I love the Beloved more. In the moment I love the Beloved more,

I no longer exist.

ral

The true goals: To exist in glad submission to the rhythm of the Beloved’s heartbeat. To exist in wonderful harmony _to the melody of the Beloved’s song. To exist in sincerity and hope that the seed in the lover’s heart

Will blossom to meet the Beloved’s every whim.

V2

Thank You dearest Beloved for You.

Thank You for guiding me to Your Path. Thank You for loving me with great care. Thank You for health and for sickness.

Thank You for the night and for the day. Thank You for the rose’s fragrance and for the rose’s thorns. Thank You for the love of You

and for the life of You. Thank You for the wonder of You

and for the spirit of You. Thank You for the manifestation of the Beloved on earth for the lovers of the Beloved to see.

Thank You for the words to say, Thank You.

ae

I worship You, my Beloved. What better way to begin a poem;

What first step to the beginning rhyme. I worship You, my Beloved. The reason for my existence;

The depth of hope in my life. I worship You, my Beloved. No rare gem is more exquisite;

No other words are worth saying.

I worship You, my Beloved. Words clothed in submission;

Words racing for admission. I worship You, my Beloved.

Not enough times can I say it; I worship You times infinity.

74

I cannot imagine my life without You, my Beloved; You are the root of my happiness, The blossom of my destiny. I cannot imagine my life without You, my Beloved;

You are the rain that cleanses my soul, The earth where I plant my hope. I cannot imagine my life without You, my Beloved,

You are the radiant sun when I am in despair, You are the oxygen that sustains me.

Us

I long to be near the Beloved: To admire beauty in its rarest form; To match the Beloved’s every movement with the beat of my heart. I long to hear the message of the Beloved: To enjoy the enchanting sound of the Beloved’s voice;

To prostrate in submission to the Beloved’s Greatness. I long to be aware of the Beloved: To inhale the energy of the Beloved; To be annihilated in Oneness.

76

My joys in this life are all centered around loving the Beloved. My moments of inner peace evolved from the moment

inspiration from the Beloved subdued me. Loving the Beloved is the only thing

that makes sense in my life; Loving the Beloved is all the sense I need.

i

Daydreaming

And of course I am dreaming about the Beloved. My love for the Beloved is beyond measure.

Tears always flow freely to confirm. Daydreaming And I bask in the radiance of the Beloved. The lavender roses and I come to full blossom The moment the Beloved looks in our direction. Daydreaming And I wish for the Beloved’s presence. I pray for spiritual awareness.

I roe for purity of heart. Daydreaming And I realize this life is not real. The true life exists only when One is totally devoted to loving the Beloved.

78

Like a distant star in an ever-expanding darkness, The light in my heart

was but a speck of brightness. The Beloved smiled in my direction and the speck ignited into a roaring fire. Distance dissolved into nearness,

darkness became light And I evolved into light consuming the corners

Of my darkness until I knew only One.

1?

I never knew longing could be so painful until I missed the Beloved. Tears swell up inside me and burst

into torrential rains that drown everything in sight until silence and depression

create a dry spell. My heart beats erratically

knowing only the rhythm of time as I crave for awareness.

My life becomes a never-ending struggle x

7

as days pass into nights of hopelessness.

I never knew that longing could be so painful until I missed the Beloved.

80

All of our truths lie within our love for the Beloved. Our only reality lies within our love for the Beloved.

Our beginnings and our endings lie within our love for the Beloved.

Our true goal and the way to reach it lie within our love for the Beloved.

81

If ever the Beloved turns me away I have no recourse except to die instantly Because life without the Beloved is death for me.

82

Thunder? No.

It is my heart splitting from missing the Beloved. Please come.

Flood? No.

It is me drowning in my own tears

from missing the Beloved. Please come.

The end of the world? No.

It is my world falling apart from missing the Beloved. Please come.

83

True Beauty:

The Beloved.

All that is the Beloved is beautiful. Look in the mirror and you will see

A hint of the Beloved’s magnificence. Inhale from the most fragrant flower and Gather a hint of the Beloved’s fragrance. Function from your heart and your movements Will be wrapped in beauty; The beauty of the Beloved. The kindness that You show, The love that You send,

The generosity that You bestow,

Will be wrapped in beauty; The beauty of the Beloved.

84

Please grant me a moment To inhale the sweet fragrance of Your love, To be in the presence of Your magnificence, To hear the truths that only You can tell,

To find rebirth in the reality of Your Grace.

85

Eyes too blind to see the Beloved, Ears too deaf to hear the Beloved, Brain too cluttered to understand the truth of Existence, And life too cluttered to settle

in peace and tranquility.

Hope breaks through the fog and prayers become constant and sincere:

Please help my eyes to see, my ears to hear, and my brain to clear so that life will not matter at all.

What truly is of worth is about You, my Beloved.

86

Your love hypnotizes me into submission. Light as a feather, I float upon the waves of the Beloved’s love. The melody of the Beloved’s song creates blankets of security around me.

I am so happy to be aware of the Beloved. The Essence of the Beloved sinks deep into my heart and nothing but love surrounds me.

37

Waves of love wash over me.

My heart beats to a different rhythm. I know the Beloved is here. Tears flow unconditionally. Every cell in my body is attracted. I know the Beloved is here. I have no other place to be. Peace and harmony sustain me. I know the Beloved is here.

88

Ribbons of love surround the Beloved

creating bows of truth and light. Ribbons of love envelop my heart, drawing me closer, securing my love.

Ribbons of love present beauty unveiled and life everlasting. Ribbons of love know the essence of love is the Beloved.

89

Pearl in a shell, translucent magnificence,

Love enraptured, beauty layered in beauty; The rose submits to Love’s fragrance. Pearl in a shell, rare, and untouched,

Too much for the brain’s comprehension, Yet, easy for the pure heart to behold. Pearl in a shell, Master of the universe, The truth, the light, and the only hope; I submit now

and forever to Your Grace.

oN

Pearl in a shell, Light in the heart,

The final word of the Beloved;

I simply and easily prostrate before You.

90

I exist in a state of missing the Beloved. I do not know what else to do. I exist in a state of needing the Beloved. Food and drink do not sustain me. I exist in a state of loving the Beloved.

My heart knows no other. I exist in a state that requires only the Beloved. With the Beloved I am who I am.

Ol

The Beloved is my world: My sunrise and every sunset;

The water that sustains me

_and the very oxygen that I breathe. The Beloved is my world: The very existenee of me isithe essence

of all that is the Beloved. My eyes see no other, my ears hear no other,

And my heart beats to match the heartbeat of the Beloved.

92

My tears celebrate the love that the Beloved so generously showers upon the universe. My tears celebrate the connection

between lovers and one heart. One magnificent love.

My tears create an ocean in honor of the Beloved’s spiritual gift. The waves touch the shores to cleanse all that separates the heart

from the true vision. My tears are always in honor of everlasting submission to the Beloved. The Beloved deserves no less.

93

I have given up all others except the Beloved. Nothing has any value for me except loving the Beloved. My state of being—my hopes, my desires; All my thoughts are about the Beloved. Everyone and everything is but a distraction; The Beloved is my only attraction. My steps are always toward the Beloved;

My being.knows no other direction. My heart steadily beats hoping for awareness

of the Beloved.

94

What wouldn't I do To follow in the Beloved’s footsteps? To glimpse the secrets of the universe? To be the fruit of the Beloved’s labor? To forever exist in the Beloved’s heart?

To present the pure heart that only the Beloved deserves?

95

To wash the Beloved’s feet with tear drops of longing; To hold the Beloved’s hand

as a lifelong friend; To call out the Beloved’s name

in every waking minute; To call out the Beloved’s name

in all of my dreams; These things, my Beloved, are the seeds

of my desires.

96

Mantras:

My heart loves the Beloved.

The Beloved is my heart. My heart knows no other. The Beloved owns my heart.

My heart beats to the Beloved’s rhythm. The Beloved is my Love.

My heart beats in solitude. There is no greater Love than the Beloved.

W7

My eyes blink open from a night of tossing and turning.

Strange dreams, the makings of nightmares; I wake up.

I submit to the Beloved. Everything is okay. I get out of bed with prayer on my lips;

I know the way to survive the day in peace and harmony. Daydreaming about the Beloved

in both my heart and my soul.

98

My sanity was lost in life’s atrocities;

My heart was involved in human madness;

My brain was Overcome with truths or dares;

My life was sinking in a world of despair;

My hope was hidden beneath indifference. When

did the Beloved save me?

Just yesterday I kneeled in prayer.

9

Heart to heart,

Reflected love,

Mirrored Image, Unveiled Truth, Purity emanates,

One steady beat, Love pulsates, Life awakens,

Reality blossoms, Body dissipates;

The flight of the soul is imminent.

100

Thank You, my Beloved, For pulling me out of the depths Of my self-imposed depression. Thank You, my Beloved,

For Your generosity and oft forgiving treatment

Of my boundless errors and atrocities. Thank You, my Beloved,

For being my best friend And showering me with the unconditional love That only You know how to give.

Thank You, my Beloved, For always being there when I need You And for being there when I think I don’t.

Thank You, my Beloved, For turning my heart in Your direction

And for being my only True Love.

101

Lullaby: Please hold me close to Your bosom And rock me like a baby in a cradle; Comfort me with Your enticing melodies And whisper the song of Reality in my ear.

Please hold me close to Your bosom So that I may enjoy the rhythm of Your breathing; I will submit to the rhapsody of Your song And hum a matching tune of love.

Please hold me close to Your bosom

And I will fall asleep to Your heartbeat. Wake me at sunrise—the moment

Your eyes gaze upon my face.

102

Prayers: Dawn.

Prayer. A glorious sunrise.

Good Morning, my Beloved.

A fast walk around the block. Shower. Dress. Breakfast. Noon. Prayer. Meditation. My heart is Yours, my Beloved.

Lunch. Housework. Lifework. Performing my jobs the best I can. Evening. Prayer. Errands.

I do love You, my Beloved.

Winding down from life. Reading my favorite books. Sunset. Prayer. Dinner.

I am submitted to You, my Beloved. Night. Prayer. Meditation. Sleep. I am dreaming about You, my Beloved.

Dawn. Prayer. A new day. Many thanks to the Beloved. 103

Before the Beloved, I did not know

what it meant to be loved.

Before the Beloved, love was just another word without true meaning. Before the Beloved, love came and went

with the weather and the seasons.

Before the Beloved, love was an empty shell

without its delicious filling. Before the Beloved, love was clothed

_in fear, anger, and frustration. Before the Beloved, love was not love;

with the Beloved, love is only love.

104

I want to share with You, my Beloved, That from the depths of my soul And with the sincerity of my heart, Iam without a doubt Doing my very best To please, to worship, to love You

As only You deserve.

105

Listen to my chest. Can you hear it?

Press your ear closer; hold your breath. Can you hear it? It is the sound of silence. My heart is no longer with me. The Beloved owns my heart And it will be with the Beloved forever.

106

Carnations crown the Beloved’s glory,

Tulips bow in the Beloved’s presence, Rose petals drop in the Beloved’s path, Sunflowers radiate in the Beloved’s honor,

Daffodils play to the Beloved’s harmony, Babies’-breath keep the Beloved’s sighs, Ivies attach to the Beloved’s radiance,

Lilies protect the Beloved’s song, And I, who cannot begin to compete

with these real displays of love and submission,

weep incessantly for the Beloved’s attention.

107

Lovers give up meas take hold of their days. Each day is under the Beloved’s command. Submission to the Beloved is the lover’s

way Of life. Dependence on the Beloved is the lover’s only sustenance.

Being one with the Beloved is the lover’s Jjforever goal)

Keeping to the goal is present in sleep and in wakefulness.

108

Tears drown me,

suffocate my desires, and open freedom’s gate. Tears eradicate me, vision becomes real. Truth unveils lies, the heart sees, the heart knows.

Tears cleanse me, submission prevails. Prostration is inevitable

and love blossoms from its only source. Tears consume me, streams become puddles;

Puddles expand into oceans.

The drop once again becomes

one with the ocean.’

‘From “Ghazaliat” by Molana Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha, 1996, p. 35, 47, 83.

109

Light of truth, Reality of being, Sincerity of heart,

Hope in a seed, The lovertin love.

The Beloved insheart The All,

TherOne

The Truth and the Light, The Beloved.

110

Lovers fall asleep in prayer and praise

To induce peace and harmony And hope that the Beloved will visit

Behind happily closed eyelids. Lovers fall asleep in prayer and praise

To avert all awaiting nightmares And create the beginning of dreams That will lead to the Beloved’s presence.

Lovers fall asleep in prayer and praise After dutiful prostration and submission To the Beloved’s goodness and generosity With hopes that the Beloved will appear. Lovers fall asleep in prayer and praise To find their way to the Beloved’s heart

With hopefulness that they can begin The journey on the path to purity.

i

A seed begins its journey by gazing at the Beloved’s beauty. The sprout shows itself in wonderment of the Beloved’s message. The heart blossoms from annihilation in the Beloved’s love. The fragrance arises

to present true love for the Beloved.

I

Not until the lover’s brain is silenced will the lover hear the Beloved.

Not until the lover’s heart is burning with desire will the lover find the Beloved.

Not until the lover’s soul fights to escape

will the lover join the Beloved. Not until the lover knows no other will the lover know the Beloved. Not until the veil is removed

will the lover see the Beloved. Not until the lover loves the Beloved

more than self Will the lover truly exist.

ihe

Lovers focus all their energies on loving the Beloved

Until life’s only meaning is the Beloved. Lovers focus all their energies

on loving the Beloved Until every thought and movement is directed toward the Beloved. Lovers focus all their energies

on loving the Beloved Until the heart’s veil is lifted and they see

Beauty unfolding and unfolding.

114

What is the lover’s destiny? To accord with the Beloved’s wish.

What is the first step? Submission.

How does the lover submit?

By letting go of everyone and everything. When does the lover start?

Today. Now.

This moment. This breath. Forever

1%

My heart beats, not to sustain my body but to call out the Beloved’s name

and to sing the Beloved’s praises; to visualize the Beloved’s face and to worship the Beloved’s beauty;

to love the Beloved in every dimension and to submit only to the Beloved;

to love the Beloved with love by love

~~” for love of love in love’s purest form.

116

Thanking the Beloved for the glorious sunrises and the elegant sunsets Is what lovers do with each gaze.

Thanking the Beloved for the distinct

fragrance of each rose Is what lovers do with each inhalation.

Thanking the Beloved for the knowledge and awareness of the reality of heart Is what lovers do with each heartbeat.

iy

Loving the Beloved wraps cloudy days in brilliant sunshine, Loving the Beloved turns rain drops into pearls divine.

Loving the Beloved is true guidance for all time,

Loving the Beloved is the rhythm and the rhyme. Loving the Beloved is what lovers do best,

Loving the Beloved

is what lovers crave above the rest.

Loving the Beloved fills loyers’ hearts with kindness,

Loving the Beloved removes the layers of blindness. Loving the Beloved makes lovers dare to dream,

Loving the Beloved

keeps lovers focused on the one Supreme.

113

Settled in the lover’s heart

is the serene beauty

Of the Beloved’s face. Settled in the lover’s heart is the Book of Answers,

The true connection to the Beloved. Settled in the lover’s heart is love’s true blessing;

The shortest distance

and the only way To the one Beloved.®

° From “Conversation with Hazrat Pir” [Tape] with Grace Cavalieri, 1996.

119

When lovers seek the Beloved Their lives will never be the same. Thanks to the Beloved.

When lovers pray from the heart _ Their hearts will never be the same. Thanks to the Beloved.

When lovers receive the Beloved’s blessing Their goal will always be in the Beloved’s direction. Thanks to the Beloved.

120

The Beloved’s every movement is love. Have you not noticed the earth’s attraction to the sun? Have you not noticed the moth’s attraction to the flame?

Have you not noticed the lover’s attraction to the One?

Zz

Under every leaf, I searched;

In every dusty corner, I searched;

Behind every cloud, I searched;

In every ray of sunshine, I searched. Where is it that I did not search “until You found me?

There is only one Beloved.

az

To be in the Beloved’s Presence is all lovers ever want to do; The Beloved is the Savior, the heart knows.

To bow at the Beloved’s feet

is where lovers choose to stay; The Beloved is the Savior, the heart knows.

To obey the Beloved’s every command is the lover’s only goal; The Beloved is the Savior, the heart knows.

To love and worship only the Beloved is the lover’s true destiny; The Beloved is the Savior, the heart knows.

To tread steadfastly on the Beloved’s path is the hope of every lover; The Beloved is the heart, the heart knows.

123

My heart awakened first and called out Your name. The tears slid down each heartbeat and cried out Your name. My heart pumped faster in need of Your Presence.

The tears swelled up inside and my heart nearly burst.

My heart skipped a beat in anticipation of Your face. It sang its.only zekr:

There is no god but God.

"Zekr is the remembrance of God. “The most frequent zekr is ‘There is no God but Allah’ which is ‘la-Elaha-El Allah’.” From “Maktab Tarighat Oveyssi Shahmaghsoudi (School of Islamic Sufism)” by Elham Atashi, 1997, p. 30.

124

Balance.

Only when the lover is focused on the Beloved. Hope.

Only when the Beloved exists in the land of the lover’s heart.” Peace:

Only when the lover is consumed

with the Beloved. Love.

Every moment the lover’s heart beats in celebration of the Beloved.

"From “The Secret Word” by Molana Salaheddin Ali Nader Shah ibn Molana-alMoazam Hazrat Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha “Pir Oveyssi,” 1989, p. 20.

125

The Beloved touched my heart and I was freed. I flew as a dove above the clouds and slid down the nearest rainbow.

' I set on the edge of the North Star and dangled my feet in the vastness of the universe.

I leaned against the moon and bent over to kiss the sun.

I was absorbed in the magnificence a the Beloved’s Grace.

Nothing remained but the rare beauty of the Beloved’s face.

126

Your love

clothes one better than silks or furs. Youtlove inspires one better than poetry or song.

Your love sustains one better than food or water. Your love

serves one better than fame or fortune. Your love is the essence of all that one is. Your love is the essence

of all I want to be.

127

Like clay I will be, Waiting for the Beloved’s hand to mold me. Like clay I will be, Succumbing to my destiny by Love’s wondrous command.

Like clay I will be, With no reaction to life, With no action but stillness,

With no desire except in accord with the Beloved’s wish.

128

My Beloved, Is there any Wonder in the universe

That can compare to knowing You? My Beloved, Is oxygen of any value to the lungs When it is You who are the breath of life? My Beloved, Is there any reason or rhyme to life When You are the truth of existence? My Beloved,

Is there any value in movement That is not steadfast on Your Path?

129

Let it be known that lovers cannot live

without the Beloved. Let it be known

that the Beloved has a permanent lock on the hearts of lovers.

130

May there be at least one cell in my body That can properly thank the Beloved For all that the Beloved has done for me. May there be at least one cell in my body

That knows the way to prostrate Before the Beloved as only the Beloved deserves.

May there be at least one cell in my body That finds the direct route to the Beloved’s heart;

That makes sure, from the Beloved, I will never part.

131

Like the spring rain The Beloved refreshes the lives of lovers. Like the morning sun

The Beloved warms the souls of lovers. Like a breath of fresh air

The Beloved inspires the beat in the hearts of lovers.

132

For lovers,

Their world is filled

with loving the Beloved. For lovers,

Their purpose in life is to love the Beloved. For lovers,

The Beloved is their

only true love.

13

The Beloved:

The question and the answer. The word and the conveyance of meaning.

Birth in fruition and death in infinity. The here and the now. Purity in its absoluteness. The Essence of love.

The flame of reality. The Secret Word.” The heart’s heart.

*From “The Secret Word” by Molana Salaheddin Ali Nader Shah ibn Molana-alMoazam Hazrat Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha “Pir Oveyssi,” 1989.

134

The lover doesn’t want to climb the highest mountain Or swim the deepest sea; The lover just wants to love the Beloved more. The lover doesn’t want to see the pyramids

Or gaze upon the Mona Lisa; The lover just wants to love the Beloved more. The lover doesn’t want to collect the rarest gems

Or inherit the greatest fortune; The lover just wants to love the Beloved more. The lover doesn’t want to become world renowned Or become ruler of a country;

The lover just wants to love the Beloved more.

155

Another lesson,

more responsibilities; Destination of human,

the realm of the Beloved;

Laws of knowlege and purity, the realm of the heart;

Prayer and meditation, harmony and balance; The lover in submission,

access to the Beloved; The Beloved as sustenance,

thoughts in disintegration; a

The Beloved always present, the constant in Existence.

136

)

Love.

It is the word and the song. It is the psalm. Love is the key to Your heart. My connection. Love:

It is hope and security. It is unconditional.

Love is the everlasting truth of my Beloved. My only Father. Love.

It is why I gaze upon Your beautiful face. It is why I know no other. lovers Yous You are love:

My only True Love. Love.

Knows no boundaries. Balances body, mind, and soul. Love is the Essence of my Beloved. The only Path of light.

ees

What is that sweet music that I hear? Is it my Beloved speaking? What is that wonderful fragrance in the air? Is that my Beloved passing by? What is that laughter from the sky? Is that all of nature glad to behold the Beloved? What is that sound so steady, so pure? Is it the beat of every heart that knows one heart can have only one Love?

138

In heaven.

It is the state of seeing only You. In heaven.

It is the light in the depth of Your eyes. In heaven. It is the space occupied by You. In heaven.

It is Your incredible smile. In heaven.

It is the color of Your love. In heaven.

It is the reality of You.

139

My Dearest Beloved: May all Your blessings, May all Your generosity, May all Your love, May all that You represent, May all that You are reflect as a mirror back to You;

The only One who deserves all that You offer.

140

I was an orphan until I saw Your face.

I was deaf until I heard Your words. I was blind until I saw Your smile.

I could not walk until

You guided me to the Path. I did not know love until

You took hold of my heart.

141

Separate lovers from their religion.

What kind of talk is that? Religion is the Beloved.

Where is it that the Beloved is not? When can the lover be separate from the Beloved?

Separate lovers from their religion. What kind of talk is that? Five prayers a day and zekr’’ in between Keep lovers bowed in submission To the only Love that is real.

Separate lovers from their religion. What kind of talk is that? The heart, the soul, the very cells of the lover’s being Cry out the Beloved’s name.

Separate lovers from their religion. What kind of talk is that? Without the Beloved, the lover is not. With the Beloved, the lover is not; No separation, just One.

See footnote 7, p. 124.

142

Some think the Beloved is missing. How foolish they are. The Beloved is here. The Beloved is now.

Some think they have no Beloved. Have they forgotten how to kneel and pray? The Beloved is here. The Beloved is now.

Some think they know everything. Funny, they know nothing about the Beloved. The Beloved is here. The Beloved is now. Some think the truth is the life.

They do not know that the life has no truth. The Beloved is here: The Beloved is now.

Some think the heart beats for two. They do not know the heart beats for One. The Beloved is here. The Beloved is now.

143

When I am not pulled in every direction, When I am not involved in the life;

The Beloved rules my heart. When I am not full of desires,

When I am not set in my ways;

The Beloved rules my heart. When I am not involved in idle talk, When I am not involved in the mundane;

The Beloved rules my heart.

When I am not fighting for attention, When I am not struggling to survive;

The Beloved rules my heart. When I am not acting or reacting,

When I am not creating havoc; The Beloved rules my heart. When I am not,

Then the Beloved is;

The Beloved rules my heart.

144

My Beloved: If ever I could do anything for You, I am always and forever here for You. Just whisper my name, I will come running. In a wink of Your eye, I will be with You,

Ready to obey Your every command, Ready to make You happy as best I can, Ready to worship You as only You deserve, Ready to shower You with praises and love; Forever and always, know that if ever I could do

anything for You, I am here for You. Every cell in my body is dedicated to You alone; My very breath is sustained by my love for You. ;

;

“All my deeds and intentions are for You.

ale!

"From “Message From the Soul” by Molana-Al-Moazam Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha, 1986, p. 2.

145

1 am drunk with love,

totally intoxicated with my Beloved. My head spins with knowing that I can not live without my Beloved. I am dizzy with insanity for want of a mere glance of my Beloved’s beauteous face. I scream out in agony for desire

of hearing the sweet sound of my Beloved’s voice. I am madness personified: Never can see the Beloved enough,

Never can hear the Beloved enough, Never in the Beloved’s presence enough. Forever is never enough time to be with my Beloved.

146

One more song to praise the Beloved. One more song of submission to the One who deserves everlasting prostration.

One more verse to call the Beloved. One more verse of hope that begins and ends with loving the Beloved. One more word to call the Beloved.

One more way of expressing love for the Beloved by the lover.

147

Poetic remembrance:

The hearts of lovers cry out Your name. O my Beloved; O my Beloved. You are here and now. How many know?

The hearts of lovers know. A flower so rare, the seed of hope,

The reason for no despair. The hearts of lovers cry out Your name.

O my Beloved; O my Beloved. The lover’s heartbeat is true love’s melody. The truthof Existence resides within.

The Beloved awaits the lover’s return.

Lovers seek the pearl of the heart. The hearts of lovers cry out Your name. O my Beloved; O my Beloved.

148

Wonderful, fabulous madness;

Exquisite peace and tranquility wrapped in blankets of loving the Beloved.

How is it that I have for the umpteenth time Become so absolutely mad about my Beloved? My heart will never belong to another. The Beloved has captured my heart with truth, generosity, and unconditional love. Loving the Beloved is my only hope.

Loving the Beloved is the breath of life! Loving the Beloved is an all consuming submission of body, mind, and spirit.

I love the Beloved madly.

149

The beat ofmy 4eart

TDs a magnetic une

oy love and attraction

For the one Beloved

T love You madly,

Melina Noel

150

;

:

|

\ a

About the book: This inspired book of poetry is an outpouring

of worship and love for the one and only Beloved. As a result the guidance and instruction gi the contemporary Sufi Master and teacher, aig S Ali Nader Shah Angha (Hazrat Pir), the author led to experience the real love the love of the love? tor. Lovers in love will recognize the yearning of the heart ierse after verse of love calls to the One who resides within us

About the author: Dr. Melvina? {oel fsan Associate Editor of

Sufism: The Science of th Association) and the 4 She is listed in Who's W

and 2000. Dr. Noel has

(a journal of the Sufi Psychology al articles on education. \njerica's Teachers for 1998

ddent of the M.T.O. School

of Sufism for eleven year: Jaiic is is currently a professor at Montgomery Collége in ryland and Strayer University in

Northern Virginia.

*

Eo M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Publications :} i

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