The Fragrance of Faith: The Enlightened Heart of Islam 1904510086, 9781904510086

Citation preview

The Enlightened Heart of Islam

JAMAL RAHMAN

The

Fragrance of Faith The Enlightened Heart ofIslam

The

Fragrance

of Faith The Enlightened Heart ofIslam

Jamal

Rahman

The Book Foundation Bath, England

The Book Foundation www, thebook.org Copyright

©

2004 Jamal Rahman.

All rights reserved.

electronic

No

part

of

this

book may reproduced

including photocopying,

or mechanical,

in

any form or by any means,

recording,

or by .my information

storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Publication Design by Threshold Productions.

Cover Design by K.ibir

Special thanks to Talal First

Book Foundation

British Library

A

I Ielnnnski.

and Nadia Zahid tor

cheir support.

edition published 2004.

Cataloguing

catalogue record of this

in Publication

book

is

Data

available

from The

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The

fragrance of faith / by Jamal

Bath, England:

Rahman.

The Book Foundation, 2004.

ISBN 1-904510-08-6 Includes bibliographical references. 1. I.

Islam. 2. Sufism

Jamal

Rahman

II.

The Book Foundation

British Library

memory of my

Dedicated to the

beloved parents, Ataur and Suraiya

Rahman.

O my Sustainer, Bestow

Your grace upon them,

even as they cherished and nurtured me when I was but a

child.

3

[Surah AJ-Isri 17:22-24]

Acknowledgments All gratitude I

am

is

to Allah, Infinitely

deeply indebted

*l*

All

*

My

my

Compassionate and Merciful.

to:

teachers for the generosity of their

gifts

and

blessings.

beloved family, especially Kamal and Aysu, for their uncondi-

tional love.

!

Barbara Trites for her consummate nursing

!

Karen Lindquist, fast

>

this project

from beginning

Bill

skills

and lavishness of

spirit in

to end.

Bennett, and Katayoon Naficy for their stead-

and loving support.

Rabbi Ted Falcon, Rev. Rodney Romney, and Father William Treacy for the sweetness of friendship and the beauty of shared

commitment.

*

Wayne

Teasdale, Melissa West, and Denise Linn for their precious

encouragement. Kabir and Camille Helminski for their vision and graciousness.

*

Talal

&

lectual

*

Nadia Zahid, Hamida

work of this

Battla for their kind support

for her kind

And

members of our growing

Seattle

to

whose genuine

have made

me

a

intel-

kind.

Subhana Ansari finally,

of

better

and professional

editorial assistance.

Interfaith

love, heartfelt challenges,

Muslim.

Community

and shared

in

ideals

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction

1

Wisdom From Parents

9 9

Gratitude

The Real Work

12

Compassion

15

Inner Majesty

19

THREE PRINCIPLES OF ISLAM First Principle:

Surrender

23

The Journey of Islam

23

Longing of the Soul

25

Two

29

Veils

The Ego

31

The Nature of Ego

34

Patterns

35

Excuses

36

Fear

38

Attachments

40

Two

43

Basic

Laws

The Divine Exchange

46

Second Principle: Faith

49

[man

49

Experiences

51

Inner Teacher

54

Third Principle: Moral Virtue

58

Ihsan

58

Humility

61

Sincerity

64

Patience

66

Truthfulness

68

FIVE PILLARS

OF ISLAM

First Pillar: Profession of Faith

71

Introduction to the Profession of Faith

71

The Shahadah—Part

72

1

Mystery

73

The Face of Allah

78

Larger Story

81

Closeness

84

Pleasure and Bliss

The Shahadah—Van

86 89

II

93

Silence

by

Little

98

Little

Open Mind

100

Open

104

Heart

Love

Two

Ill

Realms

Second

Pillar:

Salat and

Third

1

Prayer

121

Dhikr

121

Pillar: Almsgiving

128

Zakat and Sadaqat

128

Fourth Pillar: Fasting

132

Ramadan

132

Fifth Pillar: Pilgrimage

134

Hajj

134

Wisdom From Parents:

141 141

Flexibility

Journey

17

Home

144

Biographical Notes

149

Bibliography

159

VI

Introduction

PARENTS

JViY

my

have been

most precious

with love and caring the basics of the Islamic

of the tradition through example and by This special teaching tion

on

found

stories

in

and

many

refer to

I

is

faith

a special

They

teachers.

taught

and conveyed the

spirit

teaching.

learning attained by contempla-

a

This simple method of teaching and learning

verses.

traditions.

The profoundest

truth

is

is

sometimes best ex-

pressed by a teaching story or sacred verse that illuminates. Islamic mystics

make

prolific use

of this technique.

Instinctively,

knows which

teacher

a

particular story

needed for the student's inner work. Through

on the acts

this process

or verse

of meditation

verse or story, subtle shifts can occur within one's being.

on

this heart-felt

develops into

a

understanding,

begins to live

i.e.,

it,

is

As one

one inevitably

higher station.

Once

the blush

of the Beloved

descends on you, there

is

no going back

to being a green apple. (Traditional saying)

My

father acquired his fondness for this technique

Maulana Hedayatullah, Bengal. Grandfather sive use

of

stories

a rural spiritual

made an

art

from

his father,

teacher and healer of Northern

form of this technique.

and verses in public sermons, healing

He made sessions,

exten-

and

in

conversations with intimates and students. I

never met

my

grandfather, but he

is

a

formidable presence in

my

JamaJ Rahman

life.

Most of

father's insights

on Islam were

attributed to

my

grandfather.

Every few months grandfather "appeared" to him. Father never ceased to be astonished, refreshed, and deeply touched by

ryone in our family

felt a

special affection

this

and respect

phenomenon. Evefor grandfather.

Grandfather spent close to twenty years in intensive study and meditation in

Northern

and

with free-spirited teachers

later,

India, in the conservative Islamic

Deoband School,

of India. Besides theol-

in other parts

ogy and mysticism, he also received extensive training in healing tech-

Upon

niques.

return to his village

home

in

Bengal

as a

scholar and healer,

he was promptly offered the chair of Arabic and Persian studies in prestig-

them down. He

ious colleges in Calcutta, but he turned

and serve

felt

called to live

in villages.

The community rooms adjacent

grandfather's village

in

house to serve

to his

an

as

of Mahdipur built three

official

school and

a place for

grandfather to offer guidance and healing to individuals. Grandfather con-

ducted

committed

classes for a

of mango

circle

of students, usually under the shade

trees.

Grandmother was known

communities

in the village

for her ability

through her compassionate gaze and tender touch. Even though

to heal

publicly she stayed in the background because of social conservatism, in

worked

she

private

scores of

tirelessly

women who

became an

worked remarkably

well as

integral part

hend the Qur'an,"

How

Quran, guage.

It

could

of

my

team.

as if

and mind

parent's vocabulary

insisted grandfather. it

the Infinite is

a

immense sup-

"spaciousness" was very dear to grandfather and this

"Without spaciousness of mind and heart

grasp.

empowering

counseling, healing, and

flocked to her. She was a source of

port to grandfather; they

The word

in

it

is

set.

difficult to

"The Holy Book

is

compre-

difficult to

be otherwise?" Grandfather pointed out that is

word

in the

seeking expression through the limitations of lan-

the entire musical scale

is

being expressed through one

note.

Commenting on

Muhammad

$£)

is

the

Qur'an,

a

hadlth

(a

that "its roots lie in the heart

saying of the

of

man and

its

Prophet branches

The Fragrance ofFnich

None

or subtle meanings reach high into the sky of mystical knowledge."

understands except "those

who

possess the inner heart" [Surah

c

Al Inmin

3:7].

As

teenager,

a

delighted in the insight of the thirteenth-century

I

lamic saint, Jalalu'ddin

Rumi,

rather than approach her directly,

who

those

fnends,

abound

is

it

advisable to

first

These

are

inner heart.

possess the

Is-

and

like a shy bride

is

bond with her

who

the sages

in Islam.

From an

When

early age,

was fascinated by the universally-loved Rumi.

opened up and

heart

his

I

worlds," words of pearl-like scribes

Qur'an

that the

wrote them

down

being "burst through the seven

his

wisdom and beauty flowed out of him. His

over

a

period of years and compiled his utter-

ances into books.

By

the grace of

countries

where

God, some of

Rumi

is

my

studied with

key. This international traveling

awe and devotion:

was possible because

diplomat. Father was expected to live his tradition of his ancestors, but different capacity.

He

come Ambassador of two nation I

Rumi

formative years were spent in

life as a

was

a

He

opted to serve in

a

joined the diplomatic service and went on to bePakistan and

the country separated into

later, after

my

parents

had penetrated the mysteries of the

these pious "teachers"

who

carried with

of the Qur'an and the Mathnawi,

a

who

Qur

an.

derness of

my

that

was fascinated by

sacred poetry by

and gently placed the Mathnawi under

my

I

me

them wherever they went

book of

the house

teachers' hearts

explained to

J

night they deposited with great care the Qur'an

I

father

teacher and healer in the

he broke the pattern.

was apprenticed to friends of

in

my

and Tur-

Ambassador of Bangladesh.

states,

deep chord

Iran

on the highest their pillow.

a

copy

Rumi. At shelf of

The

ten-

and the sweetness of their devotion struck

a

heart.

was taught verses of the Qur'an and then invited to chant and

The Mathnawi

is

a vast

six-volume work of exquisite

rhyming couplets written were dictated over

a

in Persian.

Rumi

period of twelve years to

spiritual

wrote only the his

knowledge

first

fworite scribe,

eighteen

in the

form of

lines;

the rest

Husamuddin Chelebi.

Jamal Rahman

meditate on selected poetry of Ruini. Like millions of people,

bounded adoration and veneration are

Rumi's

insights

felt

I

which

un-

essentially

commentaries on the inner meanings of the Qur'an.

From my mother The Mullah placeless, telling.

much

acquired

I

Native American

like the

Teachers regularly use Mullah

not unlike

but he

us,

Mother took

is

not

he

is

great joy in planting

Mullah

arose,

mother delighted

what she

and

coyote, in story-

It is

said that

The Mul-

truly a teacher.

like us.

of meaning" in our subconscious minds. in

stories.

timeless

is

impart teachings.

stories to

a teacher,

also

trickster, the

levels

My

who

and sage rolled into one.

a village idiot

is

because he does not aspire to be is

love of "Mullah Nasruddin"

a

mythological and folklore character

a

is

The Mullah

lah

for

stories that

When

called "blossoms

have "many

unexpected

and

insights

fruits."

and mother were remarkable teachers, deeply versed

father

in

Islam and possessed of the precious spaciousness that grandfather referred to repeatedly.

They rooted

encouraged us

to nourish those roots

Growing up

in

their children in the teachings

by learning about other

traditions.

Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian countries,

mosques, temples, synagogues, and churches.

visited

of Islam but

My

parents genu-

and wid-

inely believed that a sincere appreciation of other faiths deepens

ens one's

own

conversion;

heard

inner

it

is

faith.

An

appreciation of other traditions

about completion.

Mahatma Gandhi's

beautiful

Many

we

is

not about

times, especially in India,

words often

in

our household:

"It

is

I

a

sacred duty of every individual to have an appreciative understanding of

other religions."

When

friends

he replied that appreciation of other traditions

The Qur J an mentions Prophet [Surah

Muhammad

that

$|;

many

Muhammad, for "it

The same

is

Muslim,

is

in the true spirit

of Islam.

a

prophets and religions came before the

"do not make any

An-NM* 4:152]. When

Prophet

mosque

modem

of father applauded him for being

distinctions

delegations of

between them"

non-Muslims

visited the

he invited them to conduct their services

a place

friends

in the

consecrated to God."

were surprised

to

hear from mother that the

The Fragrance ofFaith

Prophet

Muhammad

women's

J

M> was

Mother had much

rights.

century Arabia,

a

women

property,

receive

when

revolutionary

a

on

to say

matter. In seventh-

this

and divorce

inheritance,

to advocating

the Prophet insisted that

patriarchal society,

strictly

came

it

rights

—something

unthinkable for that period. Mother readily brought up the issue of the Prophet's marriages. For twenty-five years the Prophet was married to his

%. Take

beloved wife, Khadijah

fifteen years the Prophet's senior

note, said mother, that Khadijah

and

was

successful business lady, the

as a

Prophet's employer. "Is this not radical for any age?" asked mother. After

Khadijah's death, the Prophet lived ten ried several wives. his wives,

Two

of

save for one,

years

and

in that

down

were

social

time mar-

wives were Jews and one Christian;

his

slaves,

and

all

of

widows, or divorcees, considered

community. The Prophet directed attention

discards in that

need to break

more

to the great

cultural prejudices.

Mother minced no words

in

some

explaining that

so-called "Is-

lamic" practices had their roots not in the Qur'an but in male-dominated cultures.

of

The

veiling of women

man marrying

a

emphasizes that

this

between

is

permissible only

"you

ever

much you want"

verse,

it is

to suit the

a

is

if

if

our

the husband

is

it is

life

[4:129]. If

a

The Holy Book is

just, fair,

,

the

J

Qur an all

clearly states

your wives, how-

to avoid

and

flout this

convenience of the male ego. the ego that needs to be

purpose.

parents frequently

It is

the

worked

untamed ego

on. Transformation

that tries to "possess"

roped or caged; prophets is

humankind's heritage.

employed the metaphor of every

religion be-

flower in God's garden. Mother enchanted her guests by singing

poem by Tagore "

J

some men choose

belong to no one and everyone. Every religion

ing

issue

able to divide his affection

Surah An-Nisii

religion or prophets. Spirituality cannot be

My

Another was the

the multiple marriage

never be able to deal equitably with

Ultimately,

of the ego

all,

his wives." In

that

will

point.

a case in

four wives in special circumstances.

and most important of equally

was

A woman

a

in Bengali:

does have the right to specify

granddaughter of the Prophet, Aminah.

monogamy

in her marriage contract, as did the

Jamal Rahman

I

came

to offer

You

But You must have

all

a flower

my garden

It is Yours.

Three Principles and Five Riiml

of

said

marrow from

Qur

the

study of the

his lifelong J

of Islam

Pillars

Qur

J

have taken the

an, "I

an and thrown the bones to the dogs." This was

not meant to be disrespectful but to underline an essential point:

paramount tracted

by

first,

traditionally

the

Qur

and examples of

J

and

I

his

an; second, the collected sayings

on

finally,

scholars;

and

the

is

dis-

of the Prophet $t

community,

e.g.,

the

wisdom of

and fourth, individual reasoning.

Qur 'an and

five pillars

of Islam.

wisdom of Rumi's

I

hadith to highlight the three

have then elaborated on them, draw-

prose and poetry, teaching stories, and,

teachings of my family exemplified by grandfather.

The

The

it

and not be

hadith and sunnah, respectively, and

(called

life

have chosen verses of the

principles

ing

it

receive guidance and inspiration from four

classed as one); third, resources in the

elders

live

hair-splitting disputes.

Muslims sources:

of a tradition and

to absorb the essence

three principles of Islam are surrender, faith, and moral virtue.

five pillars are the profession

of faith, prayers, almsgiving,

fasting,

and

pilgrimage.

Arrangement of this Book Spiritual teachers

before

my

know

parents passed

tant teachings

the specific needs of their students.

away

I

asked them what were the most impor-

J

from the Qur 5n

Not long

for

me

to focus

on

in

my

journey.

They

offered the following:

Always be t*

'*

Do

grateful.

the real work.

Rabindranath Tagore,

142.

Fireflies

(New York: Macmillan

Publishing

Company,

1955), p

The Fragrance ofFaith

Do

this

work with compassion and mercy

Remember

t*

that at

for yourself.

your core, you are infused with the breath of

God.

>

Be

flexible.

Meditate on your death. I

start

the

book with four

pieces of prescriptive

parents followed by insights about the three principles

end with two more wisdom pieces chosen by

The ally

stories, verses,

is

to share

parents spread

book

as

God, who

He, She, and this

is

book

ets in a

are those that

I

person-

ardent wish in writing this

beyond gender,

Muhammad

my

that

is

beloved

variously invoked in

$S|

The symbol >&\

paragraph, "Peace be

numbers

and verse (ayah) of the Qur is

mentioned

"May

in brackets.

J

an.

The

in a paragraph, his

first

men-

the peace and blessings of Allah

follows the

upon him."

first

mention of other proph-

When Muhammad's compan-

ions are mentioned, they are followed with the

pleased with

I

parents.

there are notations of

followed by the symbol for

be upon him."

five pillars.

It.

refer to chapter (surah)

time the Prophet is

and

wherever they went.

Throughout These

My

my

book

something of the fragrance of Islam

Please note that

tion

in this

have spent time with and cherish.

book

this

and practices

wisdom from my

symbol

him" or "may Allah be pleased with

her."

for

"may

Allah be

J.un.i/

Rahman

Wisdom From Parents i

Gratitude Whatever is in the heavens and on earth

of God

extols the limitless glory c

[Surah Al-Jumu ah 62:

ONE MORNING,

1]

the Mullah discovered, to his dismay, that his don-

key had disappeared. His helper, companion, and source of livelihood had vanished! Frantically, he began to search. His neighbors joined in the hills

missing.

and

valleys, far

and wide, but

At dusk, the neighbors turned back

They found him praising Allah

Town

in the

Square on

so

maybe

much

to

to give

in,

looking

The donkey was

avail.

Mullah the sad news.

his knees,

hands stretched out,

and exclaiming, "Thank you, Allah! Thank you, Allah!"

Puzzled, the townsfolk asked the Mullah lost,

no

to

forever. "I

know,

be thankful

for.

I

he

if

knew

know," beamed

that his

donkey was

the Mullah. "But

Imagine what could have happened to

I

have

me

if

I

was on the donkey!"

The Mullah In giving thanks,

has tapped into a great secret of the

we

are participating in

tionship of creation to Creator.

we

hear

melodies

J

an: gratitude.

greatest mystery, the rela-

J

The Qur an

does not proclaim the Creator's praise.

awakened,

life's

Qur

says there

When

is

our inner

of constant praise

in

the

nothing that faculties

are

swaying of

branches, the rustle of leaves, and in the dignified stillness of earth and stones.

The hadith mentions

heavenward not only

that a bird, after sipping water,

for the water to flow

thanks to flow heavenward!

tilts its

head

through but for praise and

Jamal Rahman

life.

In expressing gratitude,

we humans

Our

and instinctively

souls continuously

tude brings

this

When we we

and

fail

we

are not grateful,

cover or hide God's blessings from

meaning of

one

When

who

take things for granted

is

we

recovering what was

lost

his

at all. is

a

on

heart, grandfather

greatest failings

came from

of human

reward to anyone

who

found

his

not understand that the joy of

greater than the joy of possessing

room

life.

donkey! "Are you crazy?" the townsfolk

You do

Grandfather cultivated gratitude prayers, he retired to his

"infidel" in Islam

us,

pro-

are not able to experience enjoyment.

one of the

donkey. The reward was

asked the Mullah. "Not

moment

"hidden" from God's blessings because of

is

ungrateful,

Mullah Nasruddin announced lost

our Creator. Grati-

to enjoy the link with the Creator that every

the Arabic kufr.

To

praise

expression of the soul into space and time.

vides. (Incidentally, the original

ingratitude.)

take our place in the wheel of

at

every

for a half

melted into

a

step.

hour

On

ritual.

it!"

Fridays, after

noon

Eyes closed, hands

trance. Softly, at times in silence,

he

intoned continuous words of heart-felt thanks to God. Interspersed with these

words were

with

his

down

his

peeked

recitations of

Qur'anic

verses.

outpourings; other times he was

cheeks soaking

his shirt.

At times

still.

his

body swayed

Tears poured profusely

Curious family members

who

secretly

we

strive to

in invariably burst into tears.

Knowing

the

be grateful even

power of gratitude, grandfather asked

in times

hearts in difficult times,

of

we

affliction.

When we

are giving thanks for

that

hold gratitude

unknown

in

our

blessings al-

ready on their way. Grandfather believed that besides compassion and awareness, gratitude

is

the other key available to us for unlocking the

mysteries of the Universe.

10

The Fragrance ofFaith

Reflections It is

Thine

beyond me

to express

own praise of Thyselfalone (Hcidith of the Prophet

For sixty years I have been but not for a second has

this

Thy praise.

can express what

Muhammad

forgetful,

Thou

art.

^if)

every minute,

Ho wing toward me stopped or slowed* (Rumi)

Practices

Make eating,

gratitude an integral part of your

make

and animals arising

it

a habit to

who

and before

your Creator.

You

For example, before

send heartfelt thanks to grains,

sacrifice

sleep,

life.

plants, fruits,

themselves for your nourishment.

make

it

a

Upon

habit to say a prayer of thanks to

can never overdo your expression of thanks to

God.

When

you receive

a gift,

gratitude for the Giver. If sive hat,

thank the giver and remember to hold

someone gave you

a beautiful

and expen-

wouldn't you be grateful to that person? But shouldn't you

be even more grateful to the

One who

gave you the head on which

to put the hat?

Constance E. Padwick, Muslim Devotions (Oxford, England:

One World

Publication,

by John

Moyne and

1996), p. 91. 1

Jalalu'ddin Rumi, Mathnawi 1:2084, in Open Secret, Coleman Barks (Putney, VT: Threshold Books, 1984), p. '

A

similar description

of this insight appears in several

11

translated

74.

traditions.

2

The Real Work On

the earth are signs for those

and also

in

your own

UNDER c

a

A WELL-LIT

was engrossed

in the search, but

there in

my

asked

because

a lost key.

Soon her neighbors joined

"Oh,

that area.

I

did not lose

my

it?"

they asked,

key here but over

house," replied Rabi'a. Surprised and bemused, they respect-

why

my

the beloved eighth-century saint

streetlight,

looking for

]

without success. "Where did you drop

hoping to focus on

fully

in

ofinner certainty,

Will you not then see?

Adh-DMny.lc 5 1:20-2 1

[Surah

Rabi

selves.

she did not look for the lost key in the house. "That

house

is

dimly

lit,

but out here

it

is

so

much

is

brighter under

the streetlight," she explained.

The neighbors could not disbelief.

This was

RabiVs

dressed them: "Friends, that

when you

lose

failed relationship

it

is

help laughing; they shook their heads in

opportunity to impart

a

teaching. She ad-

Then why

clear that you're intelligent.

is

it

your peace of mind or happiness, perhaps because of a

or job, you look for what was

lost

out there and not in

here?" Rabi'a pointed to her chest. "Did you lose your joy out there or in here?

Do

you avoid looking

inside

you because the

and therefore, more inconvenient?" This

light

insight struck a

is

dimmer,

deep chord

in

her neighbors. This story of Rabi grandparents.

they

c

a

had supreme significance

Spend time with the

story, for

it

for

my

parents and

has exceptional powers,

insisted. J

The Qur an remarks

that "In time

12

We

shall

make them

fully

under-

The Fragrance ofFaith

stand

Our

messages in the utmost horizons and within themselves" [Surah

Repeatedly the Holy Book

Fussilat 41:53].

times the Qur'an states that unless there

eral

is

from

both outer

God

(zahir)

To do our are

work

and inner

work

of our being.

change

in

our "inner

story,

need

is

the direction of the

to confront

refrain

to

is

it

become

c

Ka bah

a

who we

know who we really are.

his students

This

was

the work. is

about the inner

also

means "in the direction

literally

Five times

13:11). Reality

necessary to usher in the

of grandfather to

grandfather explained,

meaning of qiblah. The word relates to Islamic prayers.

c

Ar-Ra d

[Surah Al-Hadid 57:3].

from within, and

work

c

a

a

highly inconvenient, but to

is

A common

reminder: to do the

The Rabi

(batin)

We

task.

leads to unfolding

fullness this

[Surah Al-Anfal 8:53, Surah

inner

our primary

is

is

be no change in outer conditions or in the flow of

selves," there will

blessings

"Will you not see?" Sev-

asks,

of

and

day Muslims prostrate in prayer in

Mecca. In prayer, the qiblah becomes the

in

sacred direction. In dealing with

our

issues

and searching

for solutions for

life,

may we

focus our gaze and attention in the right direction. This sacred turning

happen when we apply ourselves

will

"real

work,"

i.e.,

work on

to

do what

my

parents called the

ourselves.

Reflections You know

the value

of every article ofmerchandise

but ifyou do not know the value ofyour it's all

own

soul,

foolishness!

(Rumi)

This large cubic stone structure draped in black cloth stands in the center of the Grand

Mosque

in

Mecca. In the Eastern corner of the cube

is

a

black stone which legend says

down to earth by the Angel Gabriel. According to tradition, the foundation by Adam &t£B and the building constructed by Abraham &&& and Ishmael >fcB\.

was brought

was

laid

The Ka'bah

establishes the direction

of prayer for

all

Muslims around the world.

Rumi, Mathnawi 111:2652, in Jewels of Remembrance, and Kabir Helminski (Putney, VT: Threshold Books, 1996), p. 26. Jalalu'ddin

13

versions by Camille

Jamal Rahman

The thing we

tell

ofcan never be found by seeking,

yet only seekers find it. (Bayazid Bistami)

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, editor.

Golden

Travelling the Path

Sufi Center, 1995), p. 27.

14

of Love

(Inverness,

CA: The

3

Compassion In the

name ofAllah,

Infinitely Compassionate, Infinitely Merciful [Surah Al-Eltihah

A HADITH Qur

says: "All that

J

an;

that

all

all

that

is

The formula by which God "

Basmala:

name of

in the revealed

Qur'an

in the

is

Fatihah;

ter) called

is

1:1]

is

invoked

to

is

contained in the

contained in the Basmala."

bestow His benediction

is

The words mean "In

Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Raliim."

Allah, Infinitely

is

contained in the opening surah (chap-

in the Fatihah is

books

Compassionate and J

words open every chapter of the Qur an save

Infinitely Merciful."

for one.

the

the

These

God's Compassion

and Mercy are cited one hundred and ninety-two times in the Holy

Book. Compassion and Mercy

There

went

is

a

are the essence

of God.

deeper message in the Basmala, explained grandfather.

to great lengths to explain the inner

meaning of

this verse:

He

Allah

wants us to be compassionate with ourselves. In

doing

grandfather

reminded everyone

repeatedly

to

birth to

our

real Self,

be compassionate with

learn to receive our pain with tenderness

and love?

we are precious in God's eyes. Little do we know who where we come from, and where we are going. Our beings de-

Have mercy, are,

work of transformation, of giving

"Can we

themselves.

we

this

for

serve to be touched by compassion every step of the

was emphatic on

do not do

it

this point,

way." Grandfather

"Whatever work you do on

yourself, if

with compassion for yourself, you will not make

much

you

prog-

ress."

Compassion was explaining

a

a practice for

mantra grandfather invoked unabashedly. While inner development, he stopped in mid-sentence

15

JamaJ Rahman

and asked

"Do

two

his students

questions,

other.

with what?" "With compassion," the students would

this practice

"Compassion

reply in chorus.

one followed quickly by the

for

whom?

"For myself, for myself," the

students joined in smiling and laughing.

To

be compassionate with

what needs

be looked

to

You do whatever

is

at

self

does not

and worked on

mean

that

in aspects

you avoid or deny

of your personality.

necessary, but with the energy of compassion and

mercy. Grandfather explained what compassion meant to him. "Observe

work on what

your personality with the eyes of the

soul;

your personality but with the

of your soul. The primary

qualities

necessary in

is

qualities

of the soul are mercy, gentleness, and graciousness. The soul makes no

judgment and

filled

is

with unconditional love."

Grandfather highlighted ate

with myself,

a

simple point, "If

cannot truly be compassionate with others.

I

learn the mechanics of being kind that

compassion

Keep

is

cannot be compassion-

I

and think

I

am

I

might

merciful and loving, but

incomplete."

Always

in Heart,

True compassion encompasses everyone, including the offender.

Does

this

mean

dealt with?

that the offender

Not

at all.

Grandfather used

soul. plain:

heart."

"Do what Follow

is

and the offense are excused and not

You do what

is

necessary, but with qualities of the

by

favorite insight, taught

a

his teachers, to

ex-

but please do not shut the person out of your

right,

this principle

and you have tapped into the beauty and

power of compassion.

When you

you

are locked in a just

combat with

a

wrongdoer, remember

are fighting the antagonism, not the antagonist.

Do

what

is

necessary,

but do not banish the antagonist from your heart. For example, an honest

judge presides over the sentences the

man

to

trial

life

of an offender.

imprisonment.

with contempt and disdain for

"scum of the earth" offender

this

He

He

does what

can proclaim

man, eager

is

this

right:

he

sentence

in his heart to banish this

into oblivion. This

is

one energy. The judge

can mete out the same sentence but with another energy, by not keeping

16

The Fragrance ofFaith

He

the offender's soul out of his heart.

and

He makes

respect.

he ensures he

sure that the offender

Some

is

from the ego; the other

could die for

God. This

to die for

and

exquisite

God

say that

God

A

is

Infinite

hadith

is

Bayazid,

us,

God

I

shall

expose your

sustains us

Me

this

Me

with

"O

who knows

this will

not cruel of

God

necessary. If

wave them.

after

says that

mountain laughs and bushes.

if

is

covered with

Its

you do

so,

birdsong. If

God

revealed Itself without

and

dust.

So the

veils

17

I

You

"O

shall

are

ex-

when your

ever obey

Your laws

again."

God

not reveal

Itself to

veils

doubt and dismay

between

us

and

God

flare

in

are

out in

no one could endure

veiled Self to a mountain, the

grass,

flowering

trees,

These inebriate the birds and the mountain becomes

solve into ashes

dream:

in a

forgiving

then does

reveals

to

whole

infinitely greater than

lightning without veils,

when God

come

will

I

God's Beauty and unspeakable Majesty were to

wave of blinding

Rumi

is

God's

of our path.

your followers, and they

to hide His Face, causing

world? Wise teachers explain that the

that

have

it."

God's voice

how

your Mercy

we

sins equivalent to the

Beloved,

heart and compassion,

repents, the truth that

know

step

walking,

spiritual infidelity to

God became silent and relented. If God is truly compassionate, why Is it

earth.

impossible, so

on every

forgiveness equal to

you." Bayazid shot back,

and so no one

is

the mystery of our journey. But

Compassion

him with

Your tender

someone

us?

is

and overflowing with grace

would. This

great saint Bayazid Bistami heard

will stone

Justice,

different

Compassion

soul.

heaven and

shift

"Whoever approaches

says:

will greet

I

The

pose

from the

is

so tenderhearted

him running, and he who meets world,

of the convicted

Compassion

as

that if

dignities;

the judge even prays for

his heart to the soul

energy from the soul that has the power to

God

due

his

same sentencing can be carried out with two

person. So the

One

from

accorded

is

Maybe

not maltreated in prison.

is

the offender, sending light

energies.

reads the sentence with solemnity

veils,

between

the mountains us

and

God

a

and rose garden of

would

enable

dis-

God

in

Jama I Rahman

as

we

noble and deeply compassionate.

If

Her tenderness and compassion

Our

know

basic nature

this,

it

is

because

is

we

are

to sustain

unaware.

wakefulness and so

we sometimes

knowing within

Rumi

us.

unaware of the mighty

is

We

from

act

he

says that

and nourish us

we become aware of

compassion and love

of

not

a state

fear rather than

begrudges water to the

of

from

thirsty

river flowing next to him.

As we soften the armor and defenses heart,

we do

have not reached

states

who

are.

a

divinely

that

we

lamp

lit

in the heart that dissolves

have

in us.

built

It

is

around the flame of

this

shadows within and with-

out and illuminates the world.

Reflections

How should Spring bring forth a garden on hard stone? Become

earth, that

you may grow flowers ofmany

colors.

For you have been heart-breaking rock. Once, for the sake of experiment, be earth! (Rumi)

Practices Grandfather rejoiced

add

a

in a practice in

word of endearment

to their

which he asked names and

habit of using that affectionate term with their

ing to themselves.

and

a lot

versation.

of the

Make

The

talk it

a

is

truth

is

that

we

to

his students to

make

talk to ourselves

Become aware of this

negative.

lifelong

a

names whenever

talk-

very often

internal

con-

practice to relate to yourself with affection and

compassion.

>

Grandfather

called

himself

Heda bhai

brother) and conversed with brother sion,

Heda

(bhai

in

Bengali

quite often, with

means

compas-

of course. This practice Grandfather claimed encourages one's

divine identity to step forward.

10

Jalalu'ddin

Rumi, Mathnawi 1:1911-1912,

Kabir Helminski (Boston,

MA:

in

Rumi Daylight,

Shambhala Publications, 1999),

18

versions by Camille and

p. 51.

4

Inner Majesty He who has made you His representatives on

It is

t\

SCHOLAR

am 6: 165]

approached the Mullah and

niques that can give

me

revelations

earth

c

[Surah Al-An

said, "I

hear you

beyond what books and

know

tech-

scriptures can

impart."

"Indeed

you follow

it

is

so," replied the Mullah, "but only

to the letter

what

on condition

that

instruct."

I

"Agreed!"

The

week's assignment was to kneel in the marketplace three

first

times daily, kiss the ground, grab his ears, and sing a particular song.

Mullah reassured the skeptical scholar lations.

A week

furious!

Everyone

later the scholar

in the

"I felt like a fool!

The Mullah week's work,

Indeed

this

we

A

a

would bring amazing reve-

returned to report his progress.

He was

market had roared with laughter and derision. complete

total,

exclaimed, is

that this

The

"Wow!

fool!

An

absolute fool!"

Marvelous! For just one

Fantastic!

profound revelation, wouldn't you say?"

are fools!

We

resides resplendent Majesty,

are far

more than our

personality; inside us

sun more radiant than any sun

a

we have little idea of this. The Qur an points out that God molded Adam

we

can

imagine. But

J

8^9 and Eve from

water and clay and out of Infinite Graciousness infused them with His

Divine breath. All the angels save for one prostrated to the Divine

Mentioned twenty-five times .is

a

collective

in the

noun, the "human"

—

a

Qur

J

an,

symbol

Adam >&M

for

19

is

humanity.

referred to

Spirit

twenty-one times

Jamal Rahman

in

Adam

good and

nally its

and Eve. The

roots in uns,

Qur

J

an says that the

Adam $SS

for forgiveness.

God

in the

best of forms," explains the

humans

Adam

Allah has appointed

Qur

J

The Holy Book

tells

and Eve were banished

to earth

Adam

and Eve

"We

have fashioned you in the

an [Surah At-Tin 95:4] and even though

and Eve and

on

position of being viceroys of Allah

humankind

and

folly" [Surah

"We

offered the Trust to the heav-

man

it"

[Surah Al-Ahzab 33:72].

Spirit,

is

a

95:5],

earth.

and the mountains. They refused

on

At-Tin

their descendants to the exalted

ens, the earth

with Divine

which has

out of Infinite Compassion readily forgave

are capable of "the lowest sin

accepted

fitrah (origi-

called insmi,

garden of paradise.

and, furthermore, honored them.

them

is

is

meaning intimacy.

committing transgressions

begged

human being

noble). Also, the

In the Islamic tradition, after

human being

it

and were

The human being

afraid, yet is

blessed

bearer of the Trust, and a representative of

God

earth.

You

What am

surpass this

I to

world mid the next in

do ifyou do not

Do not sell yourselfshort,

value.

know your own

worth?

for you are extremely precious. (Rumi)

know our worth? How is it that we are so unaware of the incredible potential within us? Rumi gives us some insights. He states that, first of all, we tend to define ourselves outside of our-

Why

selves.

fession,

We

do

we

name

not easily

ourselves by our outward appearances, such as our pro-

bank account,

etc.

We

miss the inward reality.

we received our soul without much work or toil. How a man or woman who inherits know the value of wealth? O so-and-so, you don t know the value ofyour own soul

Secondly,

should

because from His abundance,

12

Jalalu'ddin

Rumi, Signs of the Unseen,

God gave it to you

translated

Threshold Books, 1994). pp. 16-17.

20

freely.

by William Thackston (Putney, VT:

The Fragrance ofFaith (Rumi)

Thirdly, awakening to

who we

really are

might awaken; foredoomed to forget so

Sooner or

later

wise? Inside, explains

the purpose of to

life

slumber so

and

we

we might remember.

know our we breathe Rumi,

we

is

foredoomed

the bewildering mystery of our journey:

real self.

shall

How

could

it

be other-

the fragrance of the Friend.

Reflections You

ruby in the midst ofgranite

are a

—

how long will you try to deceive us? We can see the truth in your eyes so come, return

of the root ofyour own

to the root

self!

(Rumi)

Practices

!

When

you encounter

do what is

is

more than

when you sence?

Jalalu'ddin

You

a difficult

person, deal with the personality and

right. Protect yourself.

Can you

personality.

react in

But please be aware restrain

judgment, you

in

he or she

judgments, knowing that

risk criticizing the person's es-

begin to judge the Grand Artist

Rumi, Mathnawi VI:4209,

that

who made

the person.

Jewels of Remembrance, versions by C. and

K. Helminski, p. 187. Jalalu'ddin

Rumi, Love

Threshold Books, 1993), 3

is

a Stranger,

Diwan-i Shams-i Tabriz! 120,

(Albany,

NY:

versions by Kabir Helminski

(Putney,

VT:

p. 80.

State University

of

in

The

NY

Sufi Path

ofLove,

Press, 1983), p. 339.

21

translated

by William Chittick

famal Rahman

22

Three Principles ofIslam First Principle:

Surrender

5

The Journey of Islam The only religion is

in the sight

self-surrender to

of God

Him

c

[SuzaAAl ImrSn 3:19]

1

HE JOURNEY

means

to "surrender in peace."

religion in the sight to

be

of surrender

a slave

of God

of Allah

Surrender

is

is

to

is

is

at the

heart of Islam; the

The Qur'an

self-surrender to

word

Islam

declares that the only true

Him. Muslims

believe that

be freed from slavery to the ego.

the lifelong practice of listening to and acting

on the

needs of the soul, allowing the Divine and not the ego to be the center of Reality. Surrender

becomes the

soul's

giving up limited will to participate in resignation, but a

a

dynamic

Cosmic

deep honoring of one's

When you have set in

God,

role in the Will of

Will. This giving

up

is

not

real self.

the west,

then your light will rise from the

east.

(Rumi)

Grandfather was particularly eager to emphasize one central point:

We

cannot accomplish surrender by just saying,

You."

We

u '

Chittick,

"O

God,

I

surrender to

must have something to surrender. Surrender requires

The Sufi Path ofLove,

p. 193.

23

a

pre-

Jamal Rahman

requisite.

Rumi cence."

"Free will

says,

We

God."

work of

the

is

"O

sifter

is

says

Rumi, "your

many

intellect

You must

matters.

in

is

scrape

together, so the royal stamp can be pressed into you." "It

work it

for His benefi-

awareness, integration, and "seeking

of the dust,"

fragments, like bits of gold scattered over

them

God

have work to do on ourselves, without which surrender

meaningless. This refuge in

the attempt to thank

is

is

important to understand," grandfather explained, "that the

is

not about destroying the ego.

The ego cannot be

can be transmuted by expanding into

eliminated, but

a greater Light, a

higher Will,

a

higher Intelligence."

^ encapsulated the work involved

The Prophet Muhammad journey of surrender himself will

know

ego before dying

and

self-vigilance

his

a

in

two of

Lord" and "Die before you die,"

physical death. Clearly, the

work

in the

"He who knows

his celebrated sayings:

die to

i.e.,

your

requires a lifetime of

spiritual practices.

Step

First

The boils

first

step in the

journey of surrender

up from within, an inner

qudsl,

'

you and

Allah says:

Me

"Between

calling to

Me

with

starts

go beyond the ego. In

and you there are no

veils,

there are seventy thousand veils." In each of us

longing to travel beyond the ego and remove the the Creator.

It

is

veils

this

a

mysterious and abiding ache,

hadlth

but between lies

an innate

between

the Allah within us yeanling for Allah.

knowledge and embrace

longing that

a

self

and

When we

ac-

we become

a

seeker.

Jalalu'ddin

Rumi, Mathiiawi IV:3287,

Barks with John

The

Moyne (New

hadfthsLte divided into

God Himself is

speaking.

The

York.

in

NY:

The

Essential

Rumi,

HarperCollins, 1995),

translated

p.

two groups: qudsl (sacred) and sharif(no\Ae). latter are the

Prophet's utterances and

24

by Coleman

241.

acts.

In the former,

6

Longing of the Soul / was a secret treasure

LlKE MILLIONS site

and I longed to be known

of Muslims, grandparents rhapsodized over an exqui-

hadith qudsi in which Allah

says:

/ was a secret Treasure

and I longed to be known

and so 1 created the

The

truth about this longing

Essentially,

it

is

a

longing of the soul

of the Beloved.

to the heart

a

It is

that

is

—

worlds.

is

it

a sigh

cosmically encoded in

us.

from the heart of the seeker

longing that drives the wanderer ever

onward. It is

wise not to avoid, suppress, or

credness to this ache.

encompass of

it

musk.

its

Honor

It

has the

power

and make seekers out of

Way

appears.

would be diagnosed

to lead us out of

As

us.

things they did

our

we become

it.

is

sa-

Gently

lives

of quiet despera-

travelers, magically, the

worked with hundreds of people who

as suffering

from

clinical depression.

ents respected their sadness as having roots in

their pain

There

the feeling and be present with

In their lifetime, grandparents

Two

this longing.

with your compassion and understanding. Follow the scent

tion

today

bemoan

worked remarkably

Grandpar-

something deeper. well. Grandparents received

with mercy, gentleness, and love. In

silent

empathy, they spent

time with them, often holding hands and stroking their hair. Second, they

.

25

Jama I Rahman

helped create for them authentic community

and friends

who

a circle

of family members

volunteered to be in regular touch with the depressed

Members of

person.

—

the circle

were responsible

for nudging, persuading,

and accompanying the depressed member into going

for walks,

doing

breathing and physical exercises, and participating in spiritual practices.

Many became

of these depressed friends

spiritual adepts

and

moved through

a significant

their sadness.

number volunteered

Some

to help oth-

ers.

Majesty of Longing Grandfather told stories of Ibrahim ben

Adham

to

the

illustrate

beauty and power of this longing.

The mighty

prince of eighth-century Balkh, Ibrahim ben

possessed everything side,

his

person might want, but

a

an aching for something he

desires:

chasing

knew

not what. Relentlessly, he pursued

gambling, womanizing, and hunting.

feasting,

Adham,

an emptiness in-

felt

still

Once while

he was separated from his retinue. In the heat of the hunt,

a stag,

the stag, a magical being, suddenly turned his head towards the prince

spoke,

"O

The words

and

Ibrahim ben Adham, were you born for this?" and vanished! seared into the prince's soul and stirred up deep questions in

him.

Another time, self

as

walking towards

the presence of

the prince gazed into

a

a stately

mirror, he saw

him-

long, dark tomb, further and deeper, until finally in

what he perceived was

was asked, "Were you born

for this?"

a just

judge, again, the question

Something

shifted

deep inside of

him. In a third incident, the prince half-asleep, reclining

tertained the idea that matters.

The

prince

palace rooftop

maybe

fell

woke him

was time

it

asleep.

Suddenly

on

in his life to a

series

his

couch, en-

explore spiritual

of loud thuds on the

up. Startled and confused he shouted,

"Who's

up there? What's going on?"

"Oh, sleep.

it's

nothing," replied

I'm just looking for

my

lost

a

voice from the rooftop.

camel."

26

"Go back

to

The Fragrance ofFaith

"How

"That's absurd," replied the prince,

can you be searching for

your camel on top of the roof?"

"O

heedless one,"

came

the reply,

on

dressed in silken pajamas, lying

a

no more absurd than you,

"it's

gold-sewn couch, searching for

Truth."

Ibrahim ben

Adham was

gave up his kingdom and became for alms

kingdom

prince

musk

and, in

The journey of surrender

culties. It's

the

visionary

a

who

moment,

follows the fragives

up

his

ex-

for inner majesty.

the soul that puts us

its

The

beggar, a servant of service begging

a

story of the prince epitomizes a person

grance of his longing

of

transformed.

of mercy from God.

The

ternal

He was

awakened.

same longing

strength to

with

starts

on the path and

in the

longing, an abiding sigh from

prompts the salmon to use every ounce

that

swim upstream

spawning pools high

a

gives us the strength to endure diffi-

against a

mountains;

a

mighty

river,

intent

on the

longing that leads birds to

em-

bark on the hazardous journey of their migration, thousands of miles

away

to their

puts us

unknown

on the

destination.

Path. In the end,

Sooner or

we

tire

later, this pull

of everything except the

journey back to God.

sultan, saint,

pickpocket;

love has everyone by the ear dragging us to

God by secret

1 never knew that,

God,

too,\ desires d us.

(Rumi)

Vaughan-Lee, Travelling the Path of'Love,

p. 145.

27

from within

ways

soul's

J.mul Rahman

Reflections Listen to the reed

and the

tale it

tells,

how it sings ofseparation: me from the reed bed,

Ever since they cut

my wail has caused men and women

to weep.'

(RCimi)

The source ofmy griefand loneliness This

is

a disease

Only union with

Jalalu'ddin

MA:

Rumi, The

Rumi Collection,

Shambhala Publications, 1999),

deep

m my breast.

cure.

the Friend can cure (Rabi

ton,

is

no doctor can

it.'

c

a)

selected and edited by Kabir

p. 145.

Vaughan-Lee, Travelling the Path ofLove,

p. 48.

28

I

Ielminski (Bos-

7

Two

Veils

Health and Wealth

1

HE MULLAH,

as ferry captain,

learned and wealthy dignitaries

To

pass the

his favorite topics.

Mullah become animated

people of science with

Some

was

is

in the

in a "fitting state to

group chuckled

come

softly.

lost,

It

grew worse. The boat began

it

appeared. Amazingly,

save their lives. Promise after promise

make when

desperate.

was offered

to toss

and

many among

the

To life

to the lawyers, he said,

the business people,

scholars, all

so

God

to

the kind of promises poised,

Now, now!

walked be-

Steady! Don't be

with your goods."

Turning to

—

The Mullah, calm and

tween them and advised, "Friends! Friends! reckless

into the

These were

people of reason got on their knees imploring and pleading with

people

the

use for speculations and superstitions.

Presently, a storm arose.

turn helplessly. All

him

he talked of God, invisible realms, and the

as

little

and business people.

in conversation and egged

They amused themselves watching

need to polish the heart so that one presence of the Beloved."

have on board some

to

scholars, lawyers,

time they engaged the Mullah

about

to talk

—

was privileged

"Now,

far."

declared,

I

see land!"

line?";

to

the

do more research before making promises."

"Avoid entanglements

Suddenly, the Mullah,

"Ahoy! Ahoy!

on, drive a harder bargain";

"Hey! What about the bottom

really, first

of them he

"Come

The

as

you have

in

your

peering in the distance shouted,

story goes that the passengers got off their

knees, celebrated, and indeed avoided further entanglements. Alas, says

Rumi,

there are

two

veils that

29

may

muffle our longing and

Jamal Rahman

obscure our sight of the path to self-realization: health and wealth." All other veils are offshoots of these two. Unless veils get in the

When

way of our becoming

our health

we

are truly awake, these

seekers.

we feel unshakable; when sewe feel indestructible. This may and stagnation. Any talk of invisible realms

robust and rosy,

is

cure in wealth, power, or circumstances, lull

us into superficialities

appears distant, irrelevant, even irritating

at this

time.

But should the

veil

be torn apart because suddenly health surfers calamities or one's security dissolves,

something awakens

begin to seek help from can't

do

this

a

in us

and

we

We

yearn for deeper meaning.

Higher Source. "Please help me,"

we

plead, "I

by myself."

May we awaken

to

deeper realizations in our

life!

May we become

aware of our longing, greet the ache with understanding and compassion,

and allow

it

to

make

true

human

beings out of us! Praise! Praise to l

early-waking grievers, exclaims the Andalusian poet, Adi

/ was sleeping,

by a cool from

breeze,

a thicket

b.

ar-Riqa

all

1 :

and being comforted

when suddenly a gray dove

sang and sobbed with longing,

and reminded me ofmy own passion.

I

had been away from

my own soul for so long,

so late-sleeping, but that dove's crying

woke me and made me

cry. Praise

to all early-waking grievers!

22

Fihinu

A

Fihi 233/240, Chittick,

'

The Sufi Path ofLove. pp. 238-239. Book IV of the Mathnawi, Barks and Moyne, The

blessing in the In Introduction to

Essential Rilml, p. xvii.

30

8

The Ego He who knows himself will know his Lord (Hndich of the Prophet

HE

1

Nafs us.

is

QUR 'AN

•••*L&\

us that there are three stages of nafs in the

loosely translated as the

the nafs

The

a self that

able to discern

is

and make choices; and

a self that

peace. Self-vigilance enables

the trance states

such

spiritual prac-

transformed and surrenders to God.

three stages of nafs are as follows: a self that inclines towards

wrongdoing; at

is

human.

ego, the "water and clay" part of

little self,

Mainly through the work of self-vigilance supported by

tices,

is

tells

Muhammad

as

it

one

holds us

in.

to understand the nature

of the ego and

This vigilance combined with practices

prayers and fasting dissolves the trance and allows one to submit to

God and grasp "the most trustworthy handhold" [Surah Luqman 31:22]. One is then at peace, knowing that "truly God's guidance is the only guidance" [Surah Al-An

The

c

am 6:71].

practice of self-vigilance

is

called

wuraqabah,

a

word derived

from the Divine name Ar-Raqfb, the Aware, the Watchful. This practice involves three elements: being present to one's

self,

continuously, and exercising compassion for one's

witnessing one's self

self.

Grandfather underlined the three elements of muraqabah in

To

unique way.

reminded

the present

borrowing

underscore the

his students

first

Vedic metaphor from

own

element of being present, grandfather

of the saying: "A Muslim

moment." He explained a

his

a

son or daughter of

the second element, witnessing, by

his

31

is

Hindu

friends:

"We

are like

two

Jamal Rahman

birds sitting life.

The

on the branch of

a tree.

could be sweet or

fruit

Remember

without judgment.

One

The

bitter.

away

bird pecks

at

the fruit of

other bird simply witnesses

both birds are

and the

us, the participant

witness." Grandfather emphasized the third element, compassion, by say-

ing that the

first

two elements

are like pillars

ground of compassion. "If the ground

the

grandfather remarked. This was his times for compassion towards

Work ertion

is

shaky, the pillars will

is

way of

stand

pillars

underlining the need

called jihiici'

humans

Surely this jihad

fall,"

at all

this

To make

ex-

holy, seekers claim, because if

is

He

could have put perfect beings on earth. Instead like us.

on

self.

with the ego involves considerable exertion. In Islam,

God wanted He ordinary

and the two

exertions to

know

ourselves

is

a

sent

holy,

mysterious task ordained by God.

The

human

true

over his or her

One must task.

up

being, spiritual teachers like to say,

the superficial

self;

human being over

By contemplating on its

The ego does

an easy

not give

simple stories, one begins to understand the na-

trance states, and the importance of self-vigilance.

Self-awareness unclasps the ego's hold on In the tradition of their forebears, special stories

Islamic scholars

my

make

a distinction

between the

"The

parents delighted in telling us

greater jihad

between your two

against oppressors

and

merely because they

is

the struggle with

emphasizes: "but do not

and greater jihad on the

To

'Our Lord

who

commit

is

basis

of

of Badr: "You have re-

the exhausted warriors, the Prophet

what

is

in

your

sides." In the lesser jihad, sanction

to protect "those said,

lesser

after the critical battle

turned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad." explained,

us.

about the ego, for us to contemplate on.

an often-repeated saying of the Prophet

is

is

center stage position easily.

ture of one's ego,

emy

other people's egos.

not be fooled into thinking that transmuting the ego

Constantly, one has to be watchful and firm.

its

makes exertion

is

breast.

Your worst en-

given to defend oneself

have been unjustly driven from their abodes

Allah'" [Surah Al-H.ijj 22:39-40].

aggression for, truly,

[Surah Al-Baqarah 2:190].

32

God

The Qur'an

does not love aggressors"

The Fragrance ofFaith

Reflections

May a wind from It is

But you,

His Garden breathe you

am

not only I who too,

your own

Only for you

your own heart -

soul,

are

we

this secret:

speaking here

ever apart."

(Rumi)

Practices Observe yourself with kindness. With ness yourself at

all

times.

Keep

a

a vigilant

journal.

but gentle eye, wit-

Note down what you

cover about yourself. Shine the light of awareness on

to

21

parts

of your

This practice of compassionate awareness and gentle

personality.

witnessing

all

dis-

is

like a

what needs

to

sun whose light dissolves shadows and gives

blossom and flower

Andrew Harvey, Light Upon Light

(Berkeley,

183.

33

in

life

your being.

CA: North

Atlantic Books,

1996), p.

9

The Nature of Ego Thank God I came along

ONE

MOONLIT NIGHT

and was horrified to find

into a well

bottom of

the well!

"Worry

cor

is

at

not, sister

hand."

hook

his back.

main. self.

He

The hook

He was now

felt elated.

.

on one of

that the

moon

got hold of something. the

as

"Thank God

I

if

moon

a

all

restored to

came along," I

With

said the

home

into the

his

might, the

its

fell

proper do-

Mullah to him-

did not happen to pass by this par-

Reflections has

fallen into the

hook loosened something, he

able to see the

"Imagine the consequences

The ego

had

the Mullah encouragingly, "Suc-

ticular well."

*l*

peered

his walks,

one end, he flung the rope

at

Moon," cooed

Mullah heaved and puffed, and

on

.

Eager to be of service to the world, he rushed

to get a rope. After tying a

well.

the Mullah,

.

highly exaggerated opinion of

34

itself.

10

Patterns The cheese sandwich

If

THERE

is

one story

my

that

and hearing again and again, •

,

wicn.

has to be the story of the cheese sand-

26

During lunch break Every time he opened day,

it

grandparents and parents relished telling

week

after

am

"I

week,

his it

at

work, the Mullah was getting exasperated.

lunchbox,

was the same

it

—

was a

a

cheese sandwich.

getting sick and tired of this lousy cheese sandwich,"

"Mullah, you don't have to suffer through over again. Tell your wife to if

you have

after

cheese sandwich.

plained the Mullah repeatedly. His co-workers gave

her

Day

a

him some

com-

advice;

cheese sandwich over and

make you something

different.

Be

firm with

to."

"But I'm not married," replied the Mullah. By now, puzzled and confused, his colleagues asked,

"Well,

I

"Then who makes your sandwiches?"

do!" replied the Mullah.

Practices *t*

With compassionate mindfulness become aware of wich patterns

''

The Mullah's lunch

in

your

has varied

life

in

which you might be

stuck.

depending on country and century.

35

the cheese sand-

11

Excuses Who are you going to

A NEIGHBOR knocked on

believe,

me or the donkey?

the Mullah's door, asking to

borrow

donkey. The Mullah was reluctant and so made up an excuse. "I'd but someone it,

like to,

borrowed the animal." As luck would have

else has already

just at that time the

his

donkey began

to bray.

"But

hear the donkey!"

I

exclaimed the neighbor. The Mullah, seeming indignant and offended, raised his voice, I

am

to

glad this

"Now, who

came

to pass.

are

I

breadth to which ity

and

creativity,

me

or the donkey?

my donkey

disposition!"

we might

our excuses,

at

to believe,

could not, in any case, ever lend

someone with your mental Looking

you going

be surprised

at

the length and

we go to cover half-truths. With painstaking complexwe construct an intricate scaffolding of excuses to sup-

port our misalignments. This tendency to blame circumstances and other

people creates lopsidedness

Some of our

are

our personalities.

excuses are exotic. Mullah sneaked over

rich neighbor's garden bles.

in

and began to

The owner chanced

to see the

fill

his sack

with

a

a wall into a

variety of vegeta-

Mullah and ran over shouting, "What

you doing here?" "I

was blown over here by

"And how come

a

high wind."

the vegetables are uprooted?"

"Well, Allah be praised,

I

was able

to grab hold

of them to prevent

myself from being swept away."

"Then why "Indeed,

are the vegetables in

life

is

a

your sack?"

mystery. That's exactly what

36

I

was contemplating

The Fragrance ofFaith

on before you

me."

so rudely interrupted

Some of our

excuses are falsely pious.

The Mullah was

feasting himself

gar peering through the

on

a

window implored

came

hands are

tied.

I

am

eating only because

In the next story, the

it

on the

it's

the reply, "for

I

be-

my wife. My me to."

chicken unfortunately belongs to

Mullah

is

dropped by to borrow the Mullah's "Sorry,

beg-

some of

the Mullah to share

the chicken with him. "Gladly and willingly," lieve in sharing, but this

A

huge roasted chicken.

in use at this time.

my wife

has asked

candid about

A

his excuse.

neighbor

clothesline.

We

are drying

wheat flour by putting

clothesline."

"Drying flour on the "Far

less

difficult

clothesline!

That must be

than you think

if

a difficult task."

you don't want

to lend the

clothesline!"

Practices List

your excuses and look

are filled with energy a

person with

and potential

this

to

and

much

at

them

gently.

creativity.

Notice

how some

They're impressive!

excuses

Know

that

energy and creativity also has the capacity

become

enlightened.

changing.

37

Only

the

direction

needs

12

Fear What

A.

COW lives on

WHITE

During the

night, the

What

I

shall

has grown.

eat

we do

a

happen tomorrow:

green island and

cow becomes

all

day long

The cow chomps and munches

cow

story of the

power and

Rumi

"Oh my!

shakes with

cow,

"What

fear.

Rumi,"

says

is

grace of the Invisible,

will

happen tomorrow?"

the story of our lives. Because

we

little

live in a trance

continues: "You came from nowhere, from

womb. Did you have any

idea

grass

the grass in the day. Night

not go beyond the frontiers of the ego and have

ing of the

eats the grass.

thin as a blade with anxiety,

tomorrow? I'm doomed." Tomorrow comes; the

comes, and again the

The

will

a

understand-

of fear.

sperm

in the

what roads you would take before you

took them? Yet you have definitely arrived. In exactly the same way and with exactly the same mercy and mystery and strange providence, you will

be brought to thousands of other worlds.""

When

sensations of fear vibrate in us and

we

avoid and deny them,

they grow. Darkness feeds them and in the shadows they assume frightening shapes that can

overwhelm

us.

Only

in the light

of awareness

will the

fear-distortions melt.

Perhaps everything that frightens us

is,

in

its

thing that needs our attention and love. Looking

and with compassion 27

Jalalu'ddin

deepest essence, some-

at

our

fears little

by

little

dissolves the trance.

Rumi, Mathnawi V:2855-2869, Say

and Coleman Barks (Athens, GA: Maypop, 1994), (Paraphrased) Thackston, Signs

ofthe Unseen,

38

I

Am

p. 78.

p. 124.

You, translated by John

Moyne

The Fragrance ofFaith

Reflections

Don

't

burden your heart with thoughts

oflivelihood; livelihood

Be

will

not fail.

constant in attendance at the Divine Court.' (Rumi)

2$M, on his

a

man who implored him

to ask

day and night, he received so

delivered the message from

God,

"It's

God why,

little results.

hours on,

I

spend trimming and making beautiful

I

I

keep looking

am

resolved to

or stubble appeared tion,

he plucked

it

at

my

remove on

out.

beard in

No

my

little

this obstacle."

his face,

On

God,

to talk to

in spite

of

of devoted

his return,

Moses

your beard!"

"But of course," exclaimed the holy man, time

way

sides

"How true! For half my my beard and every two

pocket mirror. From

Henceforth, every time

now

a hair

with fervor, immediacy, and determina-

longer would the beard be a barrier between

41

Jama/ Rahman

him and

the Light. Years passed.

vant of

God

answer:

"It's

it

No

enlightenment. Anxiously, the ser-

awaited the reply from his Creator. Moses

^M

your beard!" The practitioner of Truth got

was his obsessive love of his beard, and

ness with his beard.

go and became

Both

filled

with

now

it

it

delivered the

this time! First

was the obsessive harsh-

are obstacles. In that instant, the holy person let light.

Reflections

The Prophet

M

was asked, "What

is

worldliness?"

He

answered,

"Everything that makes you heedless and causes you to forget your Sustainer."

42

14

Two Is it

Basic

Laws

not enough that your Susteiner is

a witness?

[Silmh Fussilac 4 1 :53]

FATHER

JVLy

plained, that test

I

shared with

me two

basic laws;

comes

First

no longer

is

The

By embracing

litmus

a

is

two

the to

laws,

God

be-

Law

first

law

states that

imprisoned to them. This

My

father impressed

this insight.

commentary

When that

he

is

a

whoever's approval you seek, you become law of the created world.

on me

felt

that

I

that

it

was

truly important to

had embraced

this insight,

this

ponder on

he provided

had been repeated for centuries: "Simply choose your

with care and deliberation." The Qur'an

rewards of this world,

both

two laws

"commanding master" and surrender

a

he ex-

essential,

easier.

Basic

jailers

was

take both laws to heart. Accepting the

of progress made in knowing one's ego.

the ego

it

let

world and the

him remember

life

to

that

says, "If

with

God

come" [Surah An-Nisa

one

desires the

are the rewards

of

3

4:134].

Father delighted in telling the story of Tansen. In South Asia, the

name of Tansen evokes awe. This master musician,

mighty Mughal emperor Akbar of the sixteenth century, possessed of unimaginable beauty. trees

to

the

and flowers bowed

meet the master

who

When in

he sang, legend

of the

in the court

says, angels

a

voice

danced and

sweet respect. Emperor Akbar was determined

taught Tansen to sing like

mountain cave where the teacher

43

lived, the

this.

On

the

way

to

emperor heard the master

Jan ml Rahman

The emperor swooned

sing.

Your voice

exclaimed, "Tansen! Tansen!

today

What

the music of the spheres!

is

When

into unconsciousness. is

divine!

It is

he came

"Your

majesty,

it's

simple.

what

Can you not

sing like that?

supreme Majesty, the Emperor of

My

sing for you.

I

all

he

magical. But

heard

I

Tansen

gives your master's voice that unspeakable uniqueness?"

replied,

to,

master sings for that

Emperors. That

what

is

gives his

voice that enchanting quality."

The beauty of what we and deepest

say

and do comes from singing

to the highest

in us.

Second Basic Law The second law and some

Can you come

encouraged

me

enough

your Sustainer

that

is

a

is

on

a

will praise

My

father

"Is

it

Qur'anic verse:

not

witness?" [Surah Fussilat 41:53].

well-known Mullah

reflected in a

story.

Mullah,

grandson, and his donkey ambled through the marketplace on their

way home. The Mullah overheard and

to terms with this law?

to contemplate deeply

The second law his

whatever you say or do, some

states that

will blame.

a

conversation: "Look,

a

beast of burden, yet they insist

on

tiring themselves out."

Down

Mullah perched himself on the donkey.

ately, the

two

travelers

Immedi-

the road, there

were more murmurs. "Look! Any wonder why the younger generation turns out disgruntled and disrespectful? That

old

enough

fragile in

to

be wise

in years

but he

man on

lets that

the

donkey looks

boy, tender in age, and

body, suffer so." Instantly, the Mullah got off and put

his

grand-

son on the beast of burden. Further in the marketplace, more muted conversations: his

"Look!

A

perfectly robust

boy enthroned on the donkey while

grandfather shuffles painfully under the searing sun!

young ones and

later ask,

"What

did

we do wrong?"

How we

spoil

This time, both the

Mullah and the grandson embarked on the donkey. More whispers:

wonder

dumb

life is

harsh.

The heavens punish

creatures. Silently that

young and

poor donkey

us for the suffers

our

way we abuse

"No

Allah's

under the burden of the

old." Quickly, grandfather and grandson disembarked, lifted

the donkey, balanced

him on

their shoulders

44

and

started walking.

Down

The Fragrance ofFaith

the road

came

scornful laughter.

The more you become immersed enslaved to what others

may

think.

in the higher Self, the less

You

you

are

relate directly to the world's

Beloved and not to the world's opinion.

Reflections / want to sing like birds sing,

Not worrying who

hears or what they think. (Rumi)

Practices Ask

yourself:

your jailors

Remind

approval do

I

seek in

my

life?"

yourself that no matter what you say or do,

and some

M

"Whose

Then choose

with care and deliberation.

will blame.

some

will praise

Accept the law.

Andrew Harvey, The Way ofPassion

(Berkeley,

45

CA: Frog

Ltd, 1994), p. 178.

15

The Divine Exchange Die before you die {Hadith of the Prophet

Muhammad

In A TIME-HONORED STORY, God guise of a beggar

gives a measly coin; the other, several coins.

them

coins into gold and returns

you what you

give back to primarily the

To to

our

little

self in

ego

is

about

exchange

is

not just

The beggar men.

reluctantly

transmutes the

God

Him. What we

Higher

Self.

we

God

is

We

give up attachment

make

a

commitment

To

of the Beloved and not the ego.

on one

a struggle

can only

offer

ourselves.

divine exchange:

for the

to be attentive to the desire

one's ego

a

to earth in the

One

for coins.

to the astonished

are willing to give

work we have done on

die to the

down

conies

men

and pleads with two

$g|)

level but

an opening to

a

die to

higher

level.

This

commitment

those eternal realms.

nant between

Beloved was already made by our souls

to the

The QurTm

talks

God and humankind

scended to earth

in the

as yet

form of humans.

Lord?"

Our

7:172].

Thus we had surrendered our

Our work on

into consciousness

and to

We J

reach

a

stage

live in

earth

in

AJast, the primordial cove-

unborn,

God

We

souls responded, "Yes! Yes!

earthly existence.

Qur

about

before souls de-

i.e.,

asked,

witness

"Am

it."

I

[Silnih

not your

AI-A'rJf

soul to the Beloved before our is

to bring this state

of surrender

it.

our

an resonate deep inside of

life

where the following words of the

us:

46

The Fragrance ofFaith

Say: 'Behold,

my prayer,

and my acts of worship, and my living and my dying are for

the Sustainer

God alone, ofall the

[Surah AJ-Aii

What an amazing exchange tunate?" exclaims

God's name,

sell

surrender

worlds.

c

am 6:162]

"Who

is!

Rumi, "An Ocean wooing and buy

at

"

once! Give

a

indeed should be so fordrop! In God's name, in

drop, and take this Sea

a

full

of

pearls.

Can you find another market like

this?

Where, with your one rose,

you can buy hundreds ofrose gardens? For one weak

.

.

.

breath,

the divine wind? (Rumi)

In the process of this divine

God

is

exchange comes

a

deep knowing

lovingly mindful of our minutest needs and that

cles in the

into the

way. Less and

less

embrace of God and

do we feel a

feel the

peace that

we

"I

become

the hearing by

which he

grasps,

as

hears, the sight

by which he

and the foot with which he walks."

the generous

man

to give

but truly the generosity

money,

of the lover

Mathnawi IV:2621-2622, K. & C. Helminski, The Rumi Collection, p. 179. Mathnawi IV:2611, 2613, Barks and Moyne, The Essential Rumi, p. 153.

47

relax

of submission:

Reflections It suits

we

indescribable.

In a hadith qudsi, Allah says of His adorer in this state

hand with which he

are the obsta-

need for control is

that

sees, the

Jamal Rahman

is

to surrender his soul.

Ifyou give bread for God's sake,

you

will

be given bread in return;

ifyou give your life for God's sake,

you

will

be given Life in return: (Rumi)

This

is

how I would die

into the love I have for you:

of cloud

as pieces

dissolve in sunlight:

(Rumi)

Practices In clear, practical terms grandfather elaborated

on

an essential part of surrender to be done for

a lifetime.

habit in everything

you

or action derive from

a

say or

me:

fear, pettiness,

make conscious

to ask yourself,

Or do

they spring from

from your

inconvenient, choose to honor your "soul

Have

a

speech

a

place of the

little

soul.

No

need." The

matter

how

Light takes

faith.

Grandfather was quick to point out that a

my

it

jealousy?" Be mindful of the question and

efforts to originate

care of the obstacles.

"Does

Make

place of divine attributes within me: truth,

love, compassion, beauty? self in

do

was

a practice that

petty or selfish impulse in you,

if

you

remember

lapse

and succumb to

to be merciful with

yourself and be utterly hopeful. The Universe lovingly provides

a

stream of opportunities to help you connect with your soul.

Mathnawi 1:2235-2236, K. & C. Helminski, The Rumi Collection, p. 140. Rumi, Birdsong, versions by Coleman Barks based on translations by Arberry (Athens, GA: Maypop, 1993), p. 30. "

33

Jalalu'ddin

48

A.J.

Second Principle: Faith 16

Iman .

.

.

by which you

a light

shall

walk

[Surah Al-Hadid 57:28]

1 to

QUR AN says that

HE

J

be worthy of

need to grow

this

"he

has faith in humanity.

enormous

trust that

will spill

God

The way of man

is

We

reposed in humanity.

Holy Book).

in faith (called Jinan in the

When Adam $Sl tant for

God

was being created by God, the angels were

blood and make mischief

in the land."

God

hesi-

replied,

know what you do not know" [Surah Al-Baqarah 2:30]. Out of Infinite Graciousness, God breathed His spirit into Adam and Eve. As part of c a Divine plan, God appointed the human being as abd (servant) and "I

khalitah (vice-regent) of God. In earth,

the astonishing mystery of our existence and our journey

our

with paradoxes, bewilderment, and doubt.

lives are filled

Qur 'an

says,

AJ-Asr

103:1-2].

"By

the token of time, verily

humankind

A Muslim

faith in

revelations, His apostles,

needs to build

and the

"Trust Allah," counsels the tor,

Qur

none can overcome you, but

you?" [Surah Al vides

a light

'hnraii 3:160].

by which you

shall

Day

Last

if

—

the

He

Know

It

says, "If

tainty

of

faith

is

a

is

a

God, His

angels, His

Allah

is

your protec-

forsakes you, then

who

that the cultivation

of

can help

faith

pro-

walk.

Grandfather stressed the importance of being obedient to God's laws

in loss" [Surah

is

Day of Judgment.

J

an.

on

The

Muslim, but one

muinin. This inner 49

who

a

mu 'win. One who

is

has the deep inner cer-

certainty of faith, or /man, has to

Jamal Rahman

build up from within.

tongue,

a verification

Muslims the

The Prophet

more

faith.

facets

Qur

are advised to pray, recite the

is

confession with the

J

an regularly, and be in

awe of God." These

practices help

one

In addition to these practices, grandfather emphasized

two

are in

of faith-building to

Truth and develop

his students:

a relationship

In his youth, grandfather at

"hum

said,

with the heart, and action of the body."

company of those "who

develop

M

have your

own

experience of

with your inner teacher.

had

left his village

for several years to study

an Islamic divinity school in northern India and later to continue his

learning with

some well-known

learning but realized that his inner certainty

school or teachers but really

He was

spiritual teachers.

more from

came not

his personal

so

grateful for the

much from

the

experiences along the

way. Grandfather was convinced that the greatest

spiritual teacher resided

to seek out teachers

who

one connect with one's inner teacher and grow an inner

faith.

within one's

self.

It

was necessary

Reflections Faith

is

the bird

th.it feels

While the diwn dawn (I

'

Tagore,

Fireflies, p.

50

mid sings '

ago re)

203.

the light

is still

dark:

could help

17

Experiences He who

A FRIEND hunted

called

in the wild.

soup and enjoyed

fed

on the Mullah, bringing with him Together, they prepared a

The

hearty meal.

"a friend of the friend

visitor,

knows

testes,

who

a large

The Mullah

pot of delicious duck

next day the Mullah received

of the friend of the friend

graciously gave

few ducks he had

who

visitor arrived,

them duck soup. The subsequent day another

Mullah seated him and brought him

a

dropped

bowl of hot water.

guest tasted the soup, then exclaimed in disappointment, is

calling

gave you the ducks."

caller, "a friend of the friend of the friend of the friend"

This

a

brought you the duck." The Mullah

him duck soup. The following day another

himself, "a friend

a

no duck soup." "Yes,

it

is," insisted

by.

Eagerly, the

"What

the host. "This

The

is

is

this?

the soup of

the soup of the soup of the duck!"

Most of our

rigidly held beliefs are a

soup" version of Reality. They do not

row from someone ther called

else's beliefs

"borrowed

However

tion

to

heart. Faith

knows"

invest is

a

up from within

and hearsay.

We

us.

of the

We

them

that

is

of our being;

abide in what grandfa-

the ultimate truth. it

requires the

it

is

Deepening of

engagement of our

cannot abide in borrowed certainty.

truly experience

in

bor-

certainty."

faith requires participation

Once you

down "soup

sacred or authoritative the writings of holy books,

one's deepest experience of

mind and

rise

watered

theories

with your mind and heart, your inclina-

and concepts diminishes. "He

popular saying.

51

who

tastes,

Jamal Rahman

A

was passing by

theoretician

and spotted

a river

a dervish sitting

curve of his neck bared to the sun. Eager to

a riverbank, the

the scholar slapped loudly the exposed neck with his palm.

screaming with pain, turned around to "Wait! Before you

hit

the neck hitting the

me, please

tell

palm or the palm

scholar," replied the dervish, "the pain

You would

theorize and speculate.

hit

theory,

The

dervish,

him, but the scholar

me, the sound

we

by

test a

heard, was

it

said,

from

"O misguided leave me room to

hitting the neck?" I

feel

does not

not understand because you

no

feel

pain!

Through

heartfelt experiences

one matures; through the richness of

experiences faith blossoms and one's being transforms until, say,

one becomes "rosy red with illumination." What

at this stage

one

one begins

to radiate beauty

is

as the sages

fascinating

and authenticity

is

that

in everything

says or does.

Students of grandfather often remarked that they learned not only by listening to his

words but

talked of Allah; the beautiful point;

and the glistening

compassion for

experience.

moments of

movement of

in his eyes as

his

in his face as

hands

he touched on

as

he

he stressed

his favorite

a

themes:

awareness, and gratitude to God.

self,

All masters lovingly life

by watching the glow

also

push us to dance through

life

They preach through example. Rumi,

experience after in

his

deepest

anguish, danced and whirled; in times of ecstatic joy, he

danced and whirled.

Dunce, when you're broken open. Dunce, ifyou've torn the bandage

Dunce

in the

middle of the

Dunce

in

off.

fighting.

your blood.

Dunce, when you're completely

s

free.

(Rumi)

'7

Mathnawi III: 1380- 1385, translated by R. Bly, The Rumi Collection, p. 91. Mathnawi 111:95-97, This Longing, translated by Coleman Barks and John Moyne (Putney, VT: Threshold Books, 1988), p. 55.

52

The Fragrance ofFaith

Reflections Ibrahim ben Adham, the eighth-century king

dom

to

become

a

seeker of truth,

"Turn me over and

inscription:

read."

discovered another inscription:

know.

A

Why

disciple

came upon

On

who

gave up

a large

his

king-

stone with the

the back of the stone, he

"You do not

practice

what you

do you seek what you do not know?"

thanked

his

Shaykh

for

teaching

him

caution.

"These

days," said the student, "I think not once or twice but three times

before recklessly

jumping

in."

"Once

53

is

enough," replied the master.

18

Inner Teacher Every Muslim

HE MULLAH

1

was deathly

Muhammad

surrounded by family,

lying

ill,

and

friends,

own priest

his

is

{Hadich of the Prophet

on

^gf.)

his bed, his life

his wailing wife.

ebbing away,

The doctor examined

the Mullah at length, turned to the Mullah's wife and spoke with elo-

quence, "The Qur'an is

more.

He

to say,

wife,

O

immortal.'

Earth,

is

says,

'Only Allah, the Light of the Heavens and

honorable wife of the Mullah, the Mullah

"No,

wait!

I

is

am

alive!

am

I

alive!" "Quiet, quiet!" retorted his

speaking. Don't argue with the doctor!"

At every opportunity grandfather pointed

on pundits and a

Degrees and

authorities.

bird in song,

us,

A

to

our

popular village idiom

do you

need

feel the

blind us. Sadly,

titles

teacher within

we

fail

says:

to ask

to cultivate

is

for

he

is

a

good helper.

(Rumi)

An-Nur

it

24:35 and Sur.ih Al-Baqarah 2:255.

11:450, C.

and K. Helminski,

Rumi Daylight, 54

p. 103.

dependence

"When you

are

for credentials?"

and bring out the

within you:

dsk his aid,

Surah

slavish

our inner guide.

The Jesus ofyour spirit

Mathnawl

no

dead." As the doctor continued, the Mullah was feebly heard

"The doctor

moved by

is

The Fragrance ofFaith

Outer Teachers

Do we

inner teacher

it is

wise to consult

boil.

teacher

is

is

difficult to stare into the

to gaze

upon. The

To

do.

who knows

the inner landscape.

a kettle,

between the

the radiance of the sun to

moon

naked sun, but the

moon

connect with our

are like water that needs to

an intermediary,

we need

another metaphor,

guide

a

we

Spiritual teachers say that

The

Of course we

need outer teachers?

fire

grow and

is

cook and and

us. In

evolve.

It

easy and delightful

none other than the Sun's overwhelming

is

radiance taking beautiful form.

We

need moon-like teachers

to guide us.

Students living in far-flung villages in northern Bengal sought advice

from grandfather about studying with teachers has

no organized priesthood. The Prophet

Muslim

God

is

his

there are

own no

in their local area.

Muhammad

J

The Qur an

priest."

says that

$|

Islam

"Every

said,

between humanity and

intermediaries.

However, one needs teachers who help the inner teacher emerge. Choosing

a

teacher wisely

Grandfather advised

important.

is

in us to

discernment.

Be wary of gressive,

fire-breathing preachers and teachers

and competitive; those

As

it

he

is,

all

who 's

raise a lot

nil fire

and no

who

are noisy, ag-

of dust and din.

light,

husk and no kernel.^ (Rumi)

The Mullah

started preaching in the

Town

Square. At

first,

a large

crowd gathered. The Mullah was loud, emphatic, and dramatic. Slowly, as

the days rolled by, the

up.

But

daily the

crowd thinned out

Mullah continued

Asked why he continued plained, "In the beginning,

shout,

it is

I

not one person showed

empty town

had hoped

to

square, the

Mullah ex-

change these people.

If

I

still

only to prevent them from changing me!"

Sheer numbers of

Mathnawi

in the

until

to preach in his aggressive fashion.

listeners

VI: 3926, Barks and

or followers does not authenticate

Moyne, The

55

Essential

Rumi,

p. 183.

a

Jamal Rahman

To

teacher.

Do

Mullah one day went out,

"O

people!

without falsehood, attainment without

truth

The Mullah

crowd

multiplied, swelling in numbers.

know. You may

to

difficulties,

rely

on me

They began

to clamor, "Yes!

said, "Excellent... thank

to

you about

tell

to aggressively advertise one's existence.

The

to the iron filings,

true teacher

without

progress

effort,

it

in

you!

is

'O

Mawlana Rumi

come

please,

deeply compassionate.

to

He

I

only

good time!"

Authentic wisdom does not clamor for attention. There

magnet cry out

Listen to

repeated his message several times, and each time

Yes!" Finally his point proven, Mullah

wanted

to the speaker's

O people!

your want riches without work, knowledge without

sacrifice?"

the

his point, the

town square and bellowed

dais in the

me.

prove

no need

is

"Does

asks,

a

me'?"

or she sees

all

beings

coining from the same sacred Source, healing, integrating, and transform-

some exertion and

ing their personalities usually with

turning to the Source.

more our

He

real selves. This,

helps us to

become not

grandfather emphasized,

is

and

re-

like the teacher,

but

a

suffering,

key

insight.

Hidden Teachers Grandfather marveled

awakens

at

the

phenomena

we become aware of hidden

in us,

that

once the inner teacher

teachers everywhere and in

everything.

The renowned ing

"Little one,

candle.

a

Hasan of

master,

tell

Basra, teased

me where

a

child

who was

where did the flame go?" This awakened something deep child,

One

he

said,

a

serving

a thirsty its

art

of concentration by watching

dog

at

whose

verse faith

The

a cat

ab-

the edge of a pond. Eager to drink, but frozen and

reflection, eventually the

dog plunged

disappeared and he was able to quench his

A

him.

me,

prey before pouncing. Another learned fearlessness by ob-

in

its

in

tell

big teacher.

teacher mastered the

sorbed

scared by

was

come

did this magical tlame

from?" The child instantly blew out the candle and asked, "You

little

light-

J

from the Qur an is

says,

"And

in.

The

fearful

image

thirst.

in the earth are signs for those

certain" [Surah Adh-Dluriyiit 51:20]. All around us are

56

The Fragrance ofFaith

signs

and messages pointing the way. The mystics with their heightened

consciousness are eloquent in their expressions: the song of birds and the

voice of insects are

and

grasses are

instructions; at

woven dawn

our minutest needs,

We in

all

means of conveying

truth to the mind. In flowers

messages; in the rustling of leaves there are specific

the breeze has secrets to

is

eager to serve us

honor our

are asked to

at

tell.

The Universe, aware of

every step.

teachers, but especially the wise teacher

know

each of us. Adore outer teachers, but

that this

comes from adora-

tion of one's inner teacher.

Reflections The teacher kindles the The

light

oil is already in the lamp.

Muhammad

{Hndith of the Prophet

When

shaking hands: "Through these hands,

I

transmit God's love

and blessing."

When

driving

a car:

"May God's

will steer

me

in the right direction

in life." *>

When

falling asleep:

transport

me

"I

surrender into the embrace of angels

into celestial dimensions that nourish and nurture

83

who

me."

28

Closeness We are closer to you

than yourjugular vein

[Surah QafbO'.Vb]

A WELL-KNOWN TEACHER was ways

to get close to

"You must keep knocking on open

explaining to his students different

God. He impressed on them the need the door with the faith that

you." Rabi'a was passing by and heard

to

the door ever closed?" she gently remarked.

"He

is

He

is

words.

teacher

it

will

"When

was

bowed

to her.

are never three intimate conversation partners except

the fourth" {Surah Al-Mujadalah 58:7].

The paradox

we

one day

with you wherever you are" [Surah Al-Hadid 57:4] says the

Qur'an and "There that

The

his

for persistence:

feel so distant

is

that

side the breath,"" but

neither manifest

unconscious.

God

God

is

closer to us than

from Him. Kabir points out

we

our jugular vein and yet

that

"He

is

the breath in-

search the. world over to find

Him. God

is

nor hidden, revealed nor unrevealed, conscious nor is

the ultimate mystery.

If I say

He is

within me,

the entire Universe hangs

its

head in shame;

He is outside me, " I know I am a liar.

yet if I say

(Kabir)

° Story by Attar, James Fadiman and Robert Frager, editors, Essential Suhsm, edited by

Fadiman and R. Frager (San Francisco, CA: Harper, 1997), p. 109. The Kabir Book, versions by Robert Bly (Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 1977),

Andrew Harvey and Fryk Hanut,

Peiiinne

sophical Publishing House, 1992), p. 41.

84

of the Desert (Wheaton,

IL:

p.

J.

33.

The Theo-

The Fragrance ofFaith

Words cannot

describe and the

cannot be perceived

lute Reality. Allah

rectly

Qur

He

J

an,

can be indi-

apprehended.

Even

O

God,

Muhammad

You ought

as

The Prophet be close to Him.

make an

the infinite space of

for beings as vast as prophets,

overwhelming. Prophet

You,

Abso-

this

but through His attrib-

directly,

ninety-nine of which are mentioned in the

utes,

The

to be

feM

are the

will

find,

merchants

continues

who buy

Rumi,

that the

yards of measured

109.

ot'Rilnii (Boston,

MA:

Shambhala Publications, 1999),

36. is

the

donkey was drunk on barley/

Heighten awareness and you

world

Rumi. Don't be deceived by

Mathnawi IV:2691, C. and K. Helminski, Jewels ofRemembrance,

86

p. 78.

p.

The Fragrance ofFaith

moonbeams.

You

You

trary.

into are

are not being asked to forego or

Bliss

bliss.

you

are being asked to

so

of galaxies;

is

your

why

are

a

You

you

Quite the con-

pleasure.

move deeper beyond

birthright!

hung up on

deny

can have the entire Ocean;

You

drop of water?

I

really

desire as

so possessive of a dust particle?

The

want?" Be continuously mindful of what

you go through the

truth

is

desires

of

that within every desire

why

can experience the mystery

Seek

Spirit!

deeper into your experience of pleasure and always ask yourself,

what

come

pleasure and

it is

sex, food, wealth,

yearning for something deeper that will not be

and

satisfied until

"Is this

you

that

of the created world

Move

is

truly

prestige. a

secret

united with

the formless.

Earthly flowers fade,

— what

but the flowers that bloom from the heart

a joy!

(Rumi)

Grasp

this truth in

your heart and you

aware person can happily share

may have

others,

whereas

plot to

overcome the world.

king

a

his loaf a

will appreciate

why

a

humble,

of bread and blanket with two

realm and riches and yet scheme and

Reflections The prophets were not concerned with fame or Their only concern was to seek

bread.

Gods satisfaction,

and they acquired both fame and bread.

Whoever seeks God s in this

satisfaction will

be with the prophets

world and the next. (Rumi)

74

Mathnawi V:37-39, Moyne and Barks, Open Secret, p. 79. ^ Mathnawi VI:4650, C. and K. Helminski,y