Sufism

[Zeeshan]

Offshoot of two recent sigs by Parmanand which I really really loved.

Please feel free anyone to post some nuggets of wisdom, poetry, video or vlogs or blogs of this great saintly figure.

My favorite and an old one:

Not Christian or Jew or
Muslim, not Hindu,
Buddhist, Sufi, or Zen.
Not any religion

or cultural system. I am
not from the east
or the west, not
out of the ocean or up

from the ground, not
natural or ethereal, not
composed of elements at all.
I do not exist,

am not an entity in this
world or the next,
did not descend from
Adam and Eve or any

origin story. My place is
the placeless, a trace
of the traceless.
Neither body or soul.

I belong to the beloved,
have seen the two
worlds as one and
that one
call to and know,

first, last, outer, inner,
only that breath breathing

human being.

sufi mystic - jelaluddin rumi - 13th century

[Zeeshan]

[aklemalp]

I'm gonna paraphrase,

"Wounds are pathways for light to reach the heart."

By the way, I absolutely adore this individual. His poetry is soothing and very simplistic. It touches you, it provides inspiration to live and enjoy life!

@Gopal, thanks for opening this beautiful thread. I will share some more.

Love and peace be with you my friend

[Zeeshan]

Originally Posted by aklemalp
I'm gonna paraphrase,

"Wounds are pathways for light to reach the heart."

By the way, I absolutely adore this individual. His poetry is soothing and very simplistic. It touches you, it provides inspiration to live and enjoy life!

@Gopal, thanks for opening this beautiful thread. I will share some more.

Love and peace be with you my friend

idumb once said that I have been the best thing that happened to this forum. lol!

To pass on the baton (or torch? what is more politically correct? don't wanna offend anyone here...) YOU have been the best thing that happened to this forum so far. I say this because although tryna shun weed some day I wish to toke with you and discuss Rumi.

But I am thoroughly incognizant about him. Also loved that quote. As if everything this man says is nurdles of gold. (Whatever that means. Don't wanna offend anyone.)

Finally to be on topic here is an animation about his life:



Again apologies in advance if I offended anyone with the embedding code.

[DinRaat.]

Originally Posted by Zeeshan
idumb once said that I have been the best thing that happened to this forum. lol!

To pass on the baton (or torch? what is more politically correct? don't wanna offend anyone here...) YOU have been the best thing that happened to this forum so far. I say this because although tryna shun weed some day I wish to toke with you and discuss Rumi.

But I am thoroughly incognizant about him. Also loved that quote. As if everything this man says is nurdles of gold. (Whatever that means. Don't wanna offend anyone.)

Finally to be on topic here is an animation about his life:



Again apologies in advance if I offended anyone with the embedding code.

Idumb is right.

[Zeeshan]

Although I care nothing about others' approval, but coming from someone highly intelligent as you, Dinraat, really means a lot to me.

[aklemalp]

Originally Posted by Zeeshan
idumb once said that I have been the best thing that happened to this forum. lol!

To pass on the baton (or torch? what is more politically correct? don't wanna offend anyone here...) YOU have been the best thing that happened to this forum so far. I say this because although tryna shun weed some day I wish to toke with you and discuss Rumi.

But I am thoroughly incognizant about him. Also loved that quote. As if everything this man says is nurdles of gold. (Whatever that means. Don't wanna offend anyone.)

First of all, iDumb was correct. You are like the Erwin Schrodinger of this forum...your wit and writing is mirrored to his crazy equation on quantum physics.

Now, if you are passing the baton onto me, I gotta be Usain Bolt to take it to the next level. I am not to versed with one of the primary languages of this forum(Bangla), and that bars me from reading Zaved Bhai's superb stories. I don't burn th3 grass, but I am up for impromptu discussions about anything.


Again, I think I am taking this off-topic. I am here for Rumi. You are here for Rumi. A genuine lover of life. He was a keen observer of the way humans communicate with one another, the minute inklings of awe; and what contributed to that awe.

Girls post his quotes on Instagram without ever digging deeper into the man's life and who he was...As I said some time ago, we have to do it for the love and not for the likes; substance over quantity.


Once more,

"You have to keep breaking your heart for it to open."

This is deep as %&@#

[Zeeshan]

Parmanand do you have any recommendations that are highly useful for someone to get their feet wet in Rumi's nectar? LOL

[aklemalp]

Originally Posted by Zeeshan
Parmanand do you have any recommendations that are highly useful for someone to get their feet wet in Rumi's nectar? LOL

Have an open mind and lots of optimism as this combo: (Match Adda + Firebreaker)

[Zeeshan]

Originally Posted by aklemalp
Have an open mind and lots of optimism as this combo: (Match Adda + Firebreaker)

LOL No I meant books or resources of blogs.

[aklemalp]

Originally Posted by Zeeshan
LOL No I meant books or resources of blogs.

Oh, all of Bob Marley's music and his life

[Zeeshan]

Absolutely loved it!!!! These are the stories I live for. Just found it two hours ago:

The Story of the Locksmith

Once there lived a metalworker, a locksmith, who was unjustly accused of crimes and was sentenced to a deep, dark prison. After he had been there awhile, his wife who loved him very much went to the King and beseeched him that she might at least give him a prayer rug so he could observe his five prostrations every day.

The King considered that a lawful request, so he let the woman bring her husband a prayer rug. The prisoner was thankful to get the rug from his wife, and every day he faithfully did his prostrations on the rug. Much later, the man escaped from prison, and when people asked him how he got out, he explained that after years of doing his prostrations and praying for deliverance from the prison, he began to see what was right in front of his nose.

One day he suddenly saw that his wife had woven into the prayer rug the pattern of the lock that imprisoned him. Once he realized this and understood that all the information he needed to escape was already in his possession, he began to make friends with his guards. He also persuaded the guards that they all would have a better life if they cooperated and escaped the prison together. They agreed since, although they were guards, they realized that they were in prison, too. They also wished to escape, but they had no means to do so. So the locksmith and his guards decided on the following plan: they would bring him pieces of metal, and he would fashion useful items from them to sell in the marketplace. Together they would amass resources for their escape, and from the strongest piece of metal they could acquire, the locksmith would fashion a key.

One night, when everything had been prepared, the locksmith and his guards unlocked the prison and walked out into the cool night where his beloved wife was waiting for him. He left the prayer rug behind so that any other prisoner who was clever enough to read the pattern of the rug could also make his escape. Thus, the locksmith was reunited with his loving wife, his former guards became his friends, and everyone lived in harmony. Love and skillfulness prevailed.

https://spiritandshadow.wordpress.co...m-idries-shah/

[Zeeshan]

Hate to be negative in my tone, but holier-than-thou manush ra j koto tuku paji hoy..lol...etai hollow taaar promaaan... heh amra bhabi amra naamaj roja porlei amra somehow superior to others and Allah will automatically side with "us against kufrs". Arey beta...Allahr money ki ase sheta tumi ki jano.








https://books.google.ca/books?id=L9h...page&q&f=false

Let me help you lest you drown said the monkey putting the fish safely on the tree.

How do you know what's good for others? How do you know what's good for you? If YOU are flawed, by that same token whatever you study be it Koran Bible Principia Mathematica then your FLAWNESS will manifest and filter stuffs out through the prism.. No?

Tagging @Yankee Doodle Doo

[Zeeshan]

^^^Take home message: Embrace your inner a----oleness. I mean look at Trump. He is kinda like Scarface. He knows he is a scumbag...lol. But at least he doesnt try to hide it. (I actually got a funny story to share, will post it in the relevant thread.)

On the other hand, we ALL wear a thin veneer of mask - EGOIC mask to hide our flaws, pretend everything is okay and upload only the good stuffs on Facebook. I don't. I throw a hissy fit.

[aklemalp]

Whoa! Who changed the title of the thread?

[ToBeFair]

Originally Posted by Zeeshan
Hate to be negative in my tone, but holier-than-thou manush ra j koto tuku paji hoy..lol...etai hollow taaar promaaan... heh amra bhabi amra naamaj roja porlei amra somehow superior to others and Allah will automatically side with "us against kufrs". Arey beta...Allahr money ki ase sheta tumi ki jano. Sorry. Got triggered.

About 'holier than thou':

First, it is only natural that a Muslim feels a natural pride (the key word here is natural) for being Muslim. The follower of any ideology or way of life demonstrates this natural pride. If not for this pride, why do many Americans believe in American exceptionalism? If not for this pride, why do we follow the Bangladesh team? Therefore, before accusing a Muslim of holier than thou attitude, examine if you are mistakenly perceiving his natural pride (or lack of insecurity) for being a Muslim as holier than thou behavior. We must examine our own biases first before passing a judgement about others, especially about others who we vehemently disagree with.

Second, a Muslim follows Islam because he believes that this religion is the true religion of God. Otherwise, why is he a Muslim in the first place? In fact, to accept and enter into this religion, it is mandatory to believe that this religion is the supreme way of life. Therefore, if you find the message of Islam coming across as holier than thou because God does not allow you to delve into finding God per your own desire based self-discovery, then know that God is the holiest of all beings that exist. God decrees and no one decrees against Him. The Creator is free of all needs but the creation is always in need of His mercy and blessing, and thus, the creation cannot accuse the Creator or His message of holier than thou attitude.

Third, the message of Islam is very overwhelming and assertive in nature, because it is the truth. When such an empowering message is delivered by a person who is imperfect in terms of character (because no one can attain the perfection of character like the prophets), it is easy to mistakenly perceive individual character flaws as holier than thou attitude. It is also entirely possible that some Muslims indeed show holier than thou behavior. In both cases, if you are a wise person, focus on the message and not the messenger.

Having said this, let us examine what Islam says about the character trait of holier than thou.

First, a Muslim is required to believe that his Islam is not his individual achievement, but rather, a blessing from God that God has bestowed per His own will. So, how can a true Muslim come across as holier than thou when his Islam is not his own achievement to begin with, but a blessing that can be taken away at any time?

Allah has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided. [It is] as bounty from Allah and favor. And Allah is Knowing and Wise. [The Noble Quran 49:7-8]

God has reminded His own Prophet that it is God who guides and not even his Prophet:

Verily! You (O Muhammad SAW) guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided. [The Noble Quran 28:56]

God also reminded us that through Islam, it is God who has showered favor upon His servants, and not the other way around, and thus a servant has no right to show holier than thou attitude:

They consider it a favor to you that they have accepted Islam. Say, "Do not consider your Islam a favor to me. Rather, Allah has conferred favor upon you that He has guided you to the faith, if you should be truthful." [The Noble Quran 49:17]

Second, God explicitly forbid ridiculing others, name calling; ie holier than thou attitude:

O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one's] faith. And whoever does not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers. [The Noble Quran 49:11]

Third, those who show holier than thou attitude, often shows this trait because they forget about the existing mismatch between their public persona and private persona. This mismatch is the essence of hypocrisy. A Muslim is supposed to remember the discrepancy between his public and private life, and strive continuously to close this gap. God reminded us of this fact of life, and forbade us from attesting to our own self-purity and show holier than thou mindset:

Those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, only [committing] slight ones. Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He was most knowing of you when He produced you from the earth and when you were fetuses in the wombs of your mothers. So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of who fears Him. [The Noble Quran 53:32]

Fourth, it is not possible for a true Muslim to show mannerism of holier than thou, for a key character trait of the servants of the Most Merciful is to show humility:

The servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say words of peace. [The Noble Quran 25:63]

Fifth, when preaching the message of God, a Muslim cannot symbolize holier than thou, because remembering God or calling him has been associated with humility:

Call upon your Lord with humility and in private. Verily, He does not love transgressors. [The Noble Quran 7:55]

Remember your Lord in yourselves with humility and in private without announcing it in the mornings and evenings, and do not be among the heedless. [The Noble Quran 7:205]

Sixth, even the Prophet of God was warned by Him about expressing holier than thou attitude, because had the prophet showed any harshness in delivering the message of Islam, people would have rejected it:

So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him]. [The Noble Quran 3:159]

Seventh, when the Prophet was asked to define arrogance, he defined it as rejection of truth and belittling others (i.e. holier than thou). Thus, though defining arrogance as belittling others, the Prophet has nipped the bud of a character trait like holier than thou.
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: No one who has the weight of a seed of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise. Someone said, “Indeed, a man loves to have beautiful clothes and shoes.” So the Prophet said: Verily, Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty. Arrogance means rejecting the truth and looking down on people.
Source: Sahih Muslim 91

Eighth, since a Muslim does not know his end, it is not possible for him to show holier than thou attitude even against a disbeliever, for the disbeliever might end his life with a good ending while the believer may not. Read the following hadith:

Narrated Abi Abdurrahman Abdullah bin Mas'ud, May Allah is pleased with him:
Allah's Apostle said, "… By Allah besides whom there is no true God, the one amongst you will do the deeds of the people of Paradise till there is only the distance of a cubit between him and Paradise but then the writings precedes and so he will do the deeds of the people of the fire, and thus enters it; and one of you will do the deeds of the people of the fire until there remains a cubit between him and Hell that the writings precedes and he will do the deeds of the people of Paradise, and thus enters it " (Bukhari)

Ninth, as has been said before, holier than thou attitude arises only when a Muslim forgets the discrepancy between his public life and private life. Aside from Quran, the Prophet also admonished about this hypocrisy, and any Muslim who remembers and ponders over this admonishment, cannot show holier than thou attitude:

Thawbaan narrated that the Prophet (S) said:
“I indeed know that some people from my Ummah will come on the Day of Judgment with good deeds like the white mountains of Tihama, but Allah will make them scattered dust.” Thawban said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us, so that we may not be one of them without knowing it!’ He (S) said, “They will be your brothers, and from your people, and they will take from the night as you do (meaning prayers, etc.), but they are a people who, when they were alone with the prohibitions of Allah, violated them.”
(Ibn Maajah)

Tenth, the attitude of holier than thou often emanates from having bad assumption about others, and in Islam, we are commanded to have good thoughts about others:

O you who believe! Avoid much suspicions, indeed some suspicions are sins. [The Noble Quran 49:12]

The pious predecessors of Islam also highly emphasized about thinking well of others and making excuse from them:

Hamdun al-Qassar, one of the great early Muslims, said, “If a friend among your friends errs, make seventy excuses for them. If your hearts are unable to do this, then know that the shortcoming is in your own selves.” [Imam Bayhaqi, Shu`ab al-Iman, 7.522]

Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Munazil (Allah have mercy upon him), of the early Muslims, said, “The believer seeks excuses for their brethren, while the hypocrite seeks out the faults of their brethren.” [Sulami, Adab al-Suhba]

Eleventh, belittling others (i.e. holier than thou) has been described by the Prophet (S) as enough as a sin.
Abu Hurayrah (radi Allahu anhu) said: The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Do not have envy of one another. Do not inflate prices on one another. Do not hate one another. Do not turn your backs on one another. Do not undersell one another; but rather, be worshipers of Allah and brothers. The Muslim is the brother of his fellow Muslim. He does not oppress him, nor does he abandon him, nor does he lie to him, nor does he belittle him. Taqwa is here” and he pointed to his chest three times. “It is a sufficient act of evil that a person belittles his Muslim brother. Every Muslim to another Muslim is sacred, his blood, his wealth, and his honor.”
[Sahih Muslim]

Anyone who honestly reviews the injunctions about the sin of belittling others, cannot claim that Islam as a religion promotes holier than thou behavior. Whether an individual Muslim can live up to the commands of Allah and His Prophet is a different issue altogether.

At the same time, no maverick should think that he can come up with a good behavior or a good deed, except that Allah’s Prophet has told humanity about it. Similarly, no one can come up with a bad deed or a bad character trait either, except that Allah’s Prophet has warned the humanity about it. The Prophet (S) said in a hadith (I am paraphrasing the hadith here, because I have failed to retrieve the exact hadith):

There is no good that takes you closer to Paradise except that I have commanded (or clarified) it, and there is no evil that takes you closer to Hell except that that I have warned about (or clarified) it.

Let me conclude with the prayer of Abu Bakr (R), the first caliph of Islam, whom the sunni Islam regards as the best human after all prophets. Being aware of the hypocrisy that arises from having different persona in public and private sphere, he used to pray:


O Allah! Forgive me of what people do not know about me (of my private life), and make my private life better that what people think of it!

What a beautiful dua! Definitely, Abu Bakr’s private life was as good (or even better) as his public life in terms of righteousness, and yet he showed such humility before God. If Abu Bakr (R) showed such humility, definitely we (who have worse private lives) need to show much more humility, let alone showing holier than thou attitude.

[aklemalp]

I hate the fact that this thread's title was changed from 'Rumi' to 'Sufism'.

Whoever is responsible for changing it, please explain yourself/selves

[aklemalp]

"Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion." - Rumi