Life after death and the Hereafter

Irving said...

Interesting post :) Here is Rumi on same idea:

I spent millons of years in the world
of inorganic things
as a star, as a rock...
Then I died and became a plant--
Forgetting my former existence
because of its otherness
Then I died and became an animal--
Forgetting my life as a plant
except for inclinations in the season
of spring and sweet herbs--
like the inclination of babes
toward their mother's breast
Then I died and became a human
My intelligence ripened, awakening
from greed and self-seeking
to become wise and knowing
I behold a hundred thousand
intelligences most marvelous
and remember my former states
and inclinations
And when I die again
I will soar past the angels
to places I cannot imagine
Now, what have I ever lost by dying?
- Rumi

Ya Haqq!

Sadra's Eschatology

...
In Mulla Sadra’s view, man’s soul is initially solid, and then, after leaving the stage of solidity behind, turns into an embryo and steps into the vegetative stage (vegetative soul). Later it arrives at the animal stage (animal soul), and then, in the process of its real maturity, reaches the stage of human soul and becomes a ‘rational soul’. After this stage, in the light of its efforts, practice, and rational and spiritual training, it can also achieve human maturity (which he calls the holy soul and actual intellect (intellectus in actu)). This is a stage which quite a few are capable of reaching.

All these stages, in fact, represent moving in the same route in order to leave potency and enter actuality. Each succeeding stage is a potential for the preceding one, and going through them means passing through grades of intensity, and moving from weakness to strength. However, the collection of these stages comprises the points of a line called ‘human life’ and ‘line of development’, and which is formed on the basis of the principle of graded existence and the trans-substantial motion.

It is important to know that entering each stage does not mean getting away from the previous stage; rather, each higher stage, at all times, embodies and includes the weaker stages prior to itself, as well. The rule here suggests that every strong existence – according to gradation of existence – embraces all the weaker existential stages before it.
...

The Stages of Purification

...
So, the first stage of purity is the observance of divine laws and the obedience to Allah's commands.

The second stage is to be adorned with virtuous morals and faculties.

The third stage is the purity of the heart, which means submitting the heart to Allah, after which the heart becomes luminous, or rather it becomes of the world of light and a degree of divine light. The luminosity of the heart flows to other organs and inner powers, and the whole kingdom turns into light, and light upon light, till the heart becomes divine and godly and the Divinity [hadrat-i lahut] manifests in all the inner and outer stages. In this case, servitude completely vanishes and is annihilated, and Lordship explicitly appears, in which case, the heart of the salik is overcome by a state of tranquillity and familiarity, and he loves the whole world, and experiences divine trances, and the sins and faults become forgive-able to him, and will be covered by the shelter of "love manifestations" [tajalliyat-i hubbi], and primary holiness [wilayat] begins to appear in him, and he becomes worthy of attending "the Presence of Intimacy" [mahdar-i uns]. Then, there are other stages, mentioning which does not suit these papers.

Taken From Adabus Salat by Imam Khomeini

Turmoil in your hearts

Ibn Arabi

Were it not for
the excess of your talking
and the turmoil in your hearts,
you would see what I see
and hear what I hear!

Intoxicated

Farid ud Din Attar

Intoxicated by the Wine of Love.
From each a mystic silence Love demands.
What do all seek so earnestly? 'Tis Love.
What do they whisper to each other? Love.
Love is the subject of their inmost thoughts.
In Love no longer 'thou' and 'I' exist,
For Self has passed away in the Beloved.
Now will I draw aside the veil from Love,
And in the temple of mine inmost soul,
Behold the Friend; Incomparable Love.
He who would know the secret of both worlds,
Will find the secret of them both, is Love.

Kill Me

Al-Hallaj

Kill me, my faithful friends,
For in my being killed is my life.

Love is that you remain standing
In front of your Beloved
When you are stripped of all your attributes;
Then His attributes become your qualities.

Between me and You, there is only me.
Take away the me, so only You remain

Returning Home

Within the predestined destiny
Laid out fixated options
Channeled spiritual energy
Stratified in between bipolar ends

Selection exercised by freewill
Weighted down by intellect
Chosen by conscious soul
Enable to envision the end effect

Experiencing different leads
Moving toward the enlightened point
Dynamic, yet determinist
Fading away into The One

Returning to the yearned Home

"O (thou) soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back thou to thy Lord,- well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him!"

A Mystical Poem

Of Imam Khomeini ra

Oh my beloved! After witnessing your Infinite Beauty I become entangled.
Seeing, the manifestation of Your Glory, I become saturated with joy and ecstasy.

I forget my own existence and proclaimed the slogan -'I am the truth', and like the Mansoor Hallaj volunteered my self for hanging.

The agony and pain of your love has burnt my entire existence.
That I become fed up with my own self; and my affairs become the talks of the town

"Let the doors of tavern be opened,
and let us go there day and night.

Because, I become disgusted with,
the Mosque as well as from the School.

"I took off the dress of ascesticm and dissimulation.”
And become awakened after wearing the robe of a tavern's haunter."

The town's preacher with his preaching made me uncomfortable
Therefore, I sought refuge in some one who was inwardly upright but outwardly lewd."

Let me allow to remember the temple's sweet memories.
Where I was awakened from the sweet touch of my beloved's hand.

Love's Beauty Through Submissiveness

Some of the hearts are amorous and of the manifestations of Beauty [jamal] and, driven by their nature, they are attracted to the Beauty of the Beloved. When, in the suluk, they comprehend the shadow of the Beautiful, or witness the origin of the Beauty, the Greatness hidden in the secret of the Beauty effaces them, and they go into rapture, for in every beauty there is a hidden glory, and in every glory there is a covered beauty. There is probably an allusion to this point in his saying when the guardian of the gnostics and of the saliks, Amirul Mu'minin (the commander of the faithful), may Allah bless him and all his offspring, says: "Glory to the One whose compassion is vast for His friends despite His severe revenge, and whose revenge is severe for His enemies despite His vast compassion,"

From Adabus Salat By Imam Khomeini ra

De-mystifying Mysticism

Now, just because the understanding is a little more spiritual in nature, it is by no means beyond the grasp of the average person on the street. It is in no way a "science" that must be studied before it can be embarked upon as some would purport. It is not something where one has to be special in nature, nor is it isolated to the learned or the scholar. Not at all. In fact many do it without realising it. Moreover, everyone should embark upon this journey if they wish to completely submit to God and achieve "complete" submission ("Islam" in Arabic).
Let me start by summarising what self-anhilation is. Self-anhilation would be more accurately described as ego-anhilation or complete removal of the ego, as we are obviously not seeking to commit suicide. And how does this happen? Well, in order to align one's will to the Will of God, one has to sacrifice one's egotistical desires in order to do what is right. This sacrifice is known as self-sacrifice.
Self-anhilation is the final result and self-sacrifice is the mechanism by which to achieve this result.
One has to fight the egotistical "'i' want to do this" or "'i' want to do that", and instead choose to do what is right in the "eyes" of God. This struggle/battle with the ego must happen before one can fully submit to God. Because otherwise, one will have submitted to the whims of the egotistical soul (ego). And therefore, one cannot have fully aligned one's will to that of God's. As Jesus said, "man cannot be a slave to 2 masters". So you are either a slave to your own ego OR you are a slave to God.

From Progression of The Soul By Husayn

The Whispered Prayer of the Knowers

My God,
tongues fall short of attaining
praise of Thee proper to Thy majesty,
intellects are incapable of grasping
the core of Thy beauty,
eyes fail before gazing
upon the glories of Thy face,
and Thou hast assigned to Thy creatures
no way to know Thee
save incapacity to know Thee!

My God,
place us among those
within the gardens of whose breasts
the trees of yearning for Thee have taken firm root
and the assemblies of whose hearts
have been seized by the ardour of Thy love!

They seek shelter
in the nests of meditation,
feed upon the gardens
of nearness and disclosure,
drink from the pools of love
with the cup of gentle favour,
and enter into the watering-places
of warm affection.

The covering has been lifted
from their eyes,
the darkness of disquiet has been dispelled
from their beliefs and their innermost minds,
the contention of doubt has been negated
from their hearts and their secret thoughts,
their breasts have expanded
through the verification of true knowledge,
their aspirations have ascended
through precedent good fortune in renunciation,
their drinking is sweet
from the spring of devotion to good works,
their secret thoughts are delicious
in the sitting-place of intimacy,
their minds are secure
in the place of terror,
their souls are serene
through the return to the Lord of lords,
their spirits have reached certitude
through triumph and prosperity,
their eyes have been gladdened
through gazing upon their Beloved,
their settling place has been settled
through reaching the request and attaining the expectation,
and their commerce has profited
through the sale of this world for the next!

My God,
how agreeable for hearts are
the thoughts inspiring Thy remembrance,
how sweet
travelling to Thee through imagination
upon the roads of the unseen worlds,
how pleasant
the taste of Thy love,
how delightful
the drink of Thy nearness!
So give us refuge from Thy casting out and Thy sending far,
and place us among
the most elect of Thy knowers,
the most righteous of Thy servants,
the most truthful of Thy obeyers,
the most sincere of Thy worshipers!
O All-mighty, O Majestic,
O Generous, O Endower!
By Thy mercy and kindness,
O Most Merciful of the merciful!

From "Sahifa Sajjadiya" (Psalm of Islam) by Imam Ali Zayn al-Abedin(A)

Foe of Love

Hey you, hater
Master of iniquity
Darkness eternal dweller
Source of negative energy

Curse be upon you, hater
For instilling disharmony
Spreading desperation and hauteur
Pushing away hope and courtesy

Peace is beyond your comprehension
For light is not your inquiry
Unable to apprehend His love at Adam commencement
Instead overwhelmed by arrogance and envy

Obstinately asking for deferral
Oh man, why not a mercy?
Collecting companion, a further denial
So a perpetual foe of love, you be

The Elixir Of Love

Celestial waters
Buffering irreversible chain reaction
Dampening the heated temper
Softening the enured notion

Spiritual chemistry
Charging the excited ions
Restructuring molecular entity
Shaping external configurations

Absorb positive energies
Turn metals into golds
Discharge impurities
Convert stones into gems

The elixir of love prescription
Brings self to perfection

"the Baptism of Allah: And who can baptize better than Allah?..."

Love's Throne

Emotional heats, intellectual radiances, spiritual resonances
Framed in corporeal dimensions
Travelling on timeless wavelength
Reaching out through amorphous means

Form a grand orchestra of silent tones
A musical of incessant inspirations
Balance and precise, yet intangible scale
Beauty and harmony, yet unseen shape

“His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory)”

"He Who created the seven heavens one above another: No want of proportion wilt thou see in the Creation of (Allah) Most Gracious. So turn thy vision again: seest thou any flaw?"

Portal of Love

She was the ocean of resort
When I was weakened and lost
Provided me with the strength
To get up and move along

Her endless care
Never seems to wither
Source of the energy
Of emotion and of vitality

Now that she is laying in bed helpless
Has left me clueless
Hearing her suffering in pain
Pounding agonies within mine

O Love

Are they not sacred things ?
For all of us human being
Emotion ties through blood lines
So that we can echo Your Greatness

In the name of Your Mercy
And by glorifying Your Sanctity
Please exempt her fault and deficiency
Love her profusely with which she has nurtured me

Is it not through her that I see You?
For a mother's care resembles Grace of You

A Portal of Your Love

Out of Love

Do you think that you are so excellent so you can abuse others and get away with it ?
Do you think that you are so powerful so you can force others into slavery and get away with it ?
Do you think that you can collect fortune for yourself by cheating others and get away with it ?
Do you think that nature and people are to be ripped off so as to serve your egos and get away with it ?

Then think again !
Contemplate all those recent nature's phenomenons

Has it not been told that you have been committing oppressions ?
Has it not been said that you have been crossing the line ?
Has it not been presented before you that how unjust you have been ?
Has it not been clear to you that you have been pushing off the balance ?

The messages, you have been sent
Out of love, they have been written

The Master of Martyrs

by Ehsan

The moon shines with pride
her rays touched the immortal guide
now smiling through timeless nights
illuminating all worldly lights

The earth is eternally blessed
yet longing has her body dressed
she once carried sacred feet
after those feet she now her chest beat

The fire is finally humble
by his face her ego crumble
the heat glowing from his eyes
has burnt the fire wise

Adam separated from his beloved liver
finally with Eve he united by Mecca's river
but al-Husayn's love ended in pain
Zaynab left alone as he was slain

The sun of beauty thrown in a dark well
from his dear father he never took farewell
agony's blindness cured by Yusuf's smell
as Yusuf with his brothers reunion drank
Abbas drowned in blood by the riverbank
this is the secret behind al-Husayn's rank

The friend of the Merciful cried for 90 years
his beard became a rainy cloud filled with tears
at last the Friend granted his wish
from Hajar swam a prophetic fish
yet the final exam was not done
until Ibrahim nearly sacrificed his son
a goat replaced his youthful sun
and Ibrahim a lifetime felicity won
but in the desert al-Husayn was left alone
until he heard a silent little moan
his six month baby from the cradle shone
Ali Asghar before the enemies was shown
piercing arrows was at him thrown
the breast of al-Husayn split apart
the last flames scarred his heart
as he saw his child to heaven depart

They say for the love of mankind
Jesus was in solitude on the cross entwined
called God for a supreme sacrifice
but the Master of Martyrs is beyond lies
al-Husayn gave even his family for the skies

A true lover's only desire
is to melt away in love's fire
to a Supreme Lover ascend higher
through sacrifice to eternity retire

Book of Light

Alláh sent to him the Book as a light whose flames cannot be extinguished, a lamp whose gleam does not die, a sea whose depth cannot be sounded, a way whose direction does not mislead, a ray whose light does not darken, a separator (of good from evil) whose arguments do not weaken, a clarifier whose foundations cannot be dismantled, a cure which leaves no apprehension for disease, an honour whose supporters are not defeated, and a truth whose helpers are not abandoned. Therefore, it is the mine of belief and its centre, the source of knowledge and its oceans, the plantation of justice and its pools, the foundation stone of Islam and its construction, the valleys of truth and its plains, an ocean which those who draw water cannot empty, springs which those who draw water cannot dry up, a watering place which those who come to take water cannot exhaust, a staging place in moving towards which travellers do not get lost, signs which no treader fails to see and a highland which those who approach it cannot surpass it.

Alláh has made it a quencher of the thirst of the learned, a bloom for the hearts of religious jurists, a highway for the ways of the righteous, a cure after which there is no ailment, an effulgence with which there is no darkness, a rope whose grip is strong, a stronghold whose top is invulnerable, an honour for him who loves it, a peace for him who enters it, a guidance for him who follows it, an excuse for him who adopts it, an argument for him who argues with it, a witness for him who quarrels with it, a success for him who argues with it, a carrier of burden for him who seeks the way, a shield for him who arms himself (against misguidance), a knowledge for him who listens carefully, worthy story for him who relates it and a final verdict of him who passes judgements.

Nahj Al Balaghah, Sermon #197, About the Holy Quran

Walking by the light

What is this all rumbling about ?
everyone is arrogating the light
but stepping on each other without a doubt
blaming others leading to naught

is it the light being carried or just a mirror
is it the wisdom or just a knowledge
is it being a candle or just an ego's terror
is it an illumination or just darkness having an edge ?

walking by the light
silence and self reflection are prerequisites
digging deep inside the heart
dissolving ego and finding true love to be embraced

The God of the Heart

by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh

Ever since we have given up our being for the heart,
We've been strangers to the self and acquainted with the heart.

While the Ka'ba is the focus of the eyes of the world,
That Ka'ba of retreat, the heart, is our focus.

We saw the heart was the sanctum of the glory of the Beloved;
So we ejected all that was not the Friend from the space of the heart.

This heart is not that organ which beats in the cage of the breast;
This heart is the Magnificent Throne, the seat of the God of the Heart.

In the way of the heart lovers have foundered in blood;
Full many a wretched soul has been sacrificed for the heart.

In the trap of lust you are not aware of the heart;
In the sky of self you can't see the phoenix of the heart.

As soon as Nurbakhsh left the lane of 'I and you',
He found tranquility in the sanctum of the glorious heart.

Jihad (Struggle)

Glorify Thy Name

Scattered images
amidst the darkness
of supremacy of egos and animal desires

Bring illuminations
to the tarnished crystal within
Awaken the inspired human

"Glorify the name of thy Guardian-Lord Most High;
Who hath created, and further, given order and proportion;
Who hath ordained laws. And granted guidance;"

Strayed

Strayed

Somewhere in between
Here and there
Earth and heaven
Ego and superego
Nonexistence and existence

Doubt and conviction

Seen the signs
Read the words
Your love reflections
Everytime, everywhere
In everything

But stumbled in action

Frightened by misunderstanding
That may drive me away from You

If this is a part of the game
Leading to Your door
Grant me the strength
Of patience and of gratitude
To persist on Your path
The path of love

The Whispered Prayer of the Lovers

My God,
who can have tasted the sweetness of Thy love,
then wanted another in place of Thee?
Who can have become intimate with Thy nearness,
then sought removal from Thee?

My God, place us with him
whom Thou hast
chosen for Thy nearness and Thy friendship,
purified through Thy affection and Thy love,
given yearning for the meeting with Thee,
made pleased with Thy decree,
granted gazing upon Thy face,
shown the favour of Thy good pleasure,
given refuge from separation from Thee and Thy loathing,
settled in a sure sitting place in Thy neighbourhood,
singled out for true knowledge of Thee,
made worthy for worship of Thee,
whose heart Thou hast captivated with Thy will,
whom Thou hast picked for contemplating Thee,
whose look Thou hast made empty for Thee,
whose breast Thou hast freed for Thy love,
whom Thou hast made
desirous of what is with Thee,
inspired with Thy remembrance,
allotted thanksgiving to Thee,
occupied with obeying Thee,
turned into one of Thy righteous creatures,
chosen for whispered prayer to Thee,
and from whom Thou hast cut off all things
which cut him off from Thee!

O God,
place us among those
whose habit is rejoicing in Thee and yearning for Thee,
whose time is spent in sighing and moaning!
Their foreheads are bowed down before Thy mightiness,
their eyes wakeful in Thy service,
their tears flowing in dread of Thee,
their hearts fixed upon Thy love,
their cores shaken with awe of Thee.

O He
the lights of whose holiness
induce wonder in the eyes of His lovers,
the glories of whose face
arouse the longing of the hearts of His knowers!
O Furthest Wish of the hearts of the yearners!
O Utmost Limit of the hopes of the lovers!

I ask from Thee love for Thee,
love for those who love Thee,
love for every work which will join me to Thy nearness,
and that Thou makest Thyself more beloved to me
than anything other than Thee
and makest
my love for Thee
lead to Thy good pleasure,
and my yearning for Thee
protect against disobeying Thee!

Oblige me by allowing me to gaze upon Thee,
gaze upon me with the eye of affection and tenderness,
turn not Thy face away from me,
and make me one of the people of happiness with Thee
and favoured position!
O Responder,
O Most Merciful of the merciful!

by Imam Ali Zayn al-Abedin(A) from "Sahifa Sajjadiya"

A PERFECT WORLD?

O gentle destiny that watches over us,
In the midst of a perfect race does
humble the most imperfect, dwell.
I, a human chaos and a nebula of confused elements
Move amongst finished worlds!

Their virtues, O God, are measured
Their sins weighed and even
The countless things that pass
In the dim twilight of neither sin nor virtues
are recorded and catalogued!
Here days and nights are divided
Into seasons of conduct and governed
By blameless rule of accuracy!

To rob a neighbour with a smile,
To bestow gifts with a graceful wave of the hand,
To praise prudently,
To blame cautiously,
To destroy a soul with a word,
To burn a body with a breath,
And then to wash the hands
When the day's work is done!

To love according to an accomplished order,
To entertain oneself in a preconceived manner,
To worship God becomingly
To intrigue the Devil artfully
And then to forget all as
Though memory was dead!

All these things O God, are conceived
With forethought, born
With determination, nursed
With exactness, governed
By rules, directed
By reason, and then slain and buried
After a prescribed method.
ANd even their silent graves
Are marked and numbered!

Is it a perfect world?
A world of consumate excellence,
A world of spiritual wonders,
The ripest fruit in God's garden,
The master-thought of the universe?
But why should I be here, O God,
I, a green seed of unfulfilled passion,
A mad tempest that seek neither East nor West,
A bewildered fragment from a burnt planet?

A poem stolen from the cyber world written by a poet with screen-name: humble.
May Allah bless his soul.

The Claim of Love

by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh

Who am I to express my being before You,
To talk about my claiming to love You?

I am that dot that is counted as 'naught';
Who am I to lest myself on the Path?

I am too low to claim to be nothing;
Don't say, "Be discreet!" — let me declare:

"There's but one Being manifest for all eternity;
My talk of body and soul would be nothing but a fable'

I have clearly seen that idol and idolater both are He;
Why should I, then, carry on talking about the idol-breaker?

0 preacher! I don't know about religion and unbelief;
So, hush! Or else, I'll expose your secrets to all.

For years and years I have had no news of Nurbakhsh;
There's no trace of him in my memory to express any 'I'.

Neither heaven nor hell

neither heaven nor hell
the destination i desire
at anyplace i dwell
your love's existence i require

what would be the value of a delectation
if it veils the sight to your face
how can a severity be an exclusion
if it opens the vision to your grace

Doomed

I am doomed
got sidetracked again
losing control
by a slip of the mind

ego reigns
desires overmaster
heart is ruined
by hurricane of lusts

prisoner of the darkness
return path is unseen
dont know where i am at
dont know where to go

picking up the pieces
wishing you be extending your hand
although i dont know where to start
but i am hoping your love will lead me back

Liberate Me

O Love

Liberate me
Let me loose from these attachments

The fragrance of these illusions
Tugging me back into delusion

Distracting me from your face
Crippled, unable to grasp your grace

The walls in between are soaring up
Affections are evanescing out

Liberate me
from the slavery
of my self
by my self
my ego

The Polarities of Love

"...
Union and separation, love and longing, sweetness and despair, the polarities of the mystical path leave us bewildered and confused. Why are we left here behind the veils of separation when we know that separation is an illusion? Why are we caught in the prison of duality when our heart knows the deeper truth that 'everything is one'? The more we meditate and pray, the more we remember Him Whom our heart loves, the more alienated we feel in a world that appears to have forgotten Him. Somewhere we know what it is like to be loved beyond measure, and here we are left in a world where love is too often equated with demands and co-dependency. The eternal question of "Why are we here?" has an added poignancy when we have felt the infinite nearness of our real Home.

He Whom we love has abandoned us and only the pain of separation reminds us that somewhere He is 'closer to us than our very neck vein.' We carry the pain of remembrance in honor of our love, yet only too often we feel betrayed. How can such a Beloved desert us? How can such a Beauty veil Her face? Doubts bombard us as the mind tries to convince us of the stupidity of our quest: to look for what you cannot find... to long for an invisible Beloved who has only brought you pain... In many ways consciousness crucifies us on our search. The subtleties of torture with which the mind can torment are known to most travellers on the path of love.
..."

Separation and Union by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

The Tao Of Islam

"...
Islamic theological thinking revolves around the divine names revealed in the Koran, the so-called 'ninety-nine names or attributes of God'. Each of the two basic theological perspectives, transcendence and immanence, emphasizes certain names or attributes of God. When God is conceived of as transcendent, He is called by such names as Mighty, Inaccessible, Great, Majestic, Compeller, Creator, Proud, All-High, King, Wrathful, Avenger, Slayer, Depriver and Harmer. The tradition calls these the Names of Majesty or the Names of Severity. In the present context, I would call them 'yang names', since they place stress upon greatness, power, control and masculinity. When God is understood in terms of similarity and immanence. He is called by names such as Beautiful, Near, Merciful, Compassionate, Loving, Gentle, Forgiving, Pardoner, Life-giver, Enricher and Bestower. These are known as the 'Names of Beauty' or 'Gentleness'. They are 'yin names', since they place stress on submission to the wishes of others, softness, acceptance and receptivity.

All these names and many more like them are mentioned in the Koran. In the view of the Muslim cosmolo-gists, these two categories of names work in harmony to bring the cosmos into existence. As Rumi puts it, referring to the two kinds of names by their dominant attribute, "Severity and gentleness were married, and a world of good and evil was born from the two" (Rumi 1925-40, II 2680, quoted in Chittick, 1983, p. 101).
..."

The Tao Of Islam by Sachiko Murata

The Purity of the Heart

"...

And similarly for ourselves, we who are God's devotees, how should we deal with the responses we receive, whether they happen to be praise or blame? No matter if people elevate or slight us, we must treat them equally in our hearts. We should not find happiness in praise or sorrow from something which is not praise, because if we do we have to accept whatever is being given out: if it is praise and we accept it, we must also accept blame. We have to be equally happy with both because God does the same thing, He treats both sides equally. He does not have the qualities of anger, hate, bitterness or enmity. He does not feel hostility nor does He hold one person in higher esteem than any other. He behaves the same way with everyone, He treats everyone with equality. The One who creates, the One who provides nourishment, the One who protects us without divisiveness does not treat anyone differently from anyone else. He makes every life, exalted or debased, as precious as His own, He trusts every life as He trusts His own and He offers love equally to all living things.

This is the kind of compassionate heart we must have, and for that reason we must rid ourselves of the dirt lying within ourselves. My precious children, jeweled lights of my eyes, suppose you wear a very clean, very white piece of cloth and one tiny particle of dirt or a tiny drop of ink falls on it. This stands out quite clearly, the dirt or the black dot of ink is very visible, very evident. Now suppose there is a black cow, any mark which is darker black, or even a tiny dot of white is not very noticeable, you don't talk or wonder about it much, but you can't make the cow white. And so in our hearts, in hearts that are perfectly pure, if there is even an atomic particle of envy or doubt, an atomic particle of divisiveness or a sense of differences, an atomic particle of anger, even if it is so tiny, just as small as an atom, it is readily seen, as a tiny black dot is clearly evident on a white cow. In the same way, this tiny stain on the heart is very evident to God and His justice, it is readily seen there, even though you have to look intently at other people to detect what is there. This is the reason why God immediately notices the slightest thing that happens to any of His devotees and says, "That is not good for you, get rid of it at once, there is a tiny thing in you, throw it away." This is the way God cautions them. He warns them, telling them to wash it away and rid themselves of even such a tiny stain, bringing them to a good, clear point. We have to think about this and make every point in our heart perfectly pure, we must always keep it clean.

..."

M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen: The Purity of the Heart

This is love

This is love: to fly toward a secret sky,
to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment.
First, to let go of live.
In the end, to take a step without feet;
to regard this world as invisible,
and to disregard what appears to be the self.

Heart, I said, what a gift it has been
to enter this circle of lovers,
to see beyond seeing itself,
to reach and feel within the breast.

Rumi: The Divani Shamsi Tabriz, XIII

Shahid

How can a person know that the president of his country exists and holds some power in the country eventhough he never met the president face-to-face? Yes, he knows it from the news (tv, radio, newspapers etc) and daily instances (elections, government offices etc).

The same logic applies to Allah's existence. Our heart, intellect and conciousness tell us that Allah rules. Except that Allah's power is limitless and Allah knows every tiny detail of all the creations. Allah knows ourself better than we do and Allah's knowledge is far beyond our comprehension.

When a person realizes that Allah rules and follows Allah's guideline, then he is being an attestant to Allah's authority (shahid). An attestant (shahid) lives a blissful eternal life (in here/dunyaa and hereafter/aakhirah).

Laa haula wa laa quwwata illa bi-Allah.

Sufi

"Allah says in Hadith-e-Qudsi, "I created some of My servants for my Zat (Essence)." In order to reach Allah's Essence the first requirement is the intention to surrender to Allah. This means that your first priority should be Allah, your second priority, Allah, your third priority, Allah, and on ad infinitum. Your relationship with others has to depend on this relationship. For the sake of Allah, you love me. For the sake of Allah, I love you.

Another element is humility. How can you reach Allah if you are not humble? When you are arrogant or full of pride, you are making your nafs (self, ego) God. With this attitude you will get nothing and in the end you are back where you started and not closer to Allah. Humility is not looking down on the ants and thinking how big you are, but looking up at the mountains and seeing how small you are.

The backbone of reaching Allah is Truth. We must lay the foundations of our actions on the Truth, not on illusions. The Prophet Muhammad (saws) was asked a question once, and he said "I'll tell you tomorrow." He was expecting to speak to the angel Gabriel, who was going to give him the answer. For ten days Gabriel didn't show up. And finally Allah said, "Say 'Inshallah' (If Allah wills)." When the Prophet (saws) said, "If Allah wills, I shall answer you," he received his answer. There is no guarantee that one's expectation will be fulfilled. One must surrender, submit to the will of Allah."

Qadiri-Rifai Tariqa on The Path of Sufism

Business

"Do not think about giving up your study of business. These studies will be beneficial to you and your life. The person who can live in the world without letting the world live in him is the clever one. It is quite easy to make an enormous profit by cheating the customer, or by cutting workers' wages in half and by working them twice as long, essentially making slaves of them. This is very easy. A person with wisdom, however, will find a way to provide the owners with what they want, the employees with what they want, the customers with fair values, and even himself with what he needs for his body and mind.

If no one conducted businesses, no one would have food, shelter, or a means of livelihood. If business can be conducted with love, justice, wisdom, and cleverness, having faith in God alone and not trusting in the world, then that business will lead to success both in this world and in the hereafter. This is the way you should conduct a business; then it will be of great benefit to all humanity.

You must learn to do business properly. Become first and foremost in your line of business, and then conduct it with love and justice. If you do this it would be of benefit to you and to everyone. Do not be lazy. Study well. In order to conduct a business with justice you must know much more than those who study simply to satisfy their greed and their lust for power, sex, property, and titles. You must make your intellect twice as sharp as theirs, so that you can control them and prevent them from harming themselves and others.

You must surrender all responsibility to God and then do your duty. With wisdom, love, justice, and a finely honed intellect, conduct a just business. Do not be lazy. A person who conducts a business in this way will truly be known as an exceptional businessperson. He will be a saint or sage for this world."

M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen: "A Sufi Perspective on Business"

Quraan

"Painters can make the eyes of a portrait appear to be following you from one place to another, but which author can write a scripture that anticipates your daily vicissitudes?...

Each night I would formulate questions and objections and somehow discover the answer the next day. It seemed that the author was reading my ideas and writing in the appropriate lines in time for my next reading. I have met myself in its pages..."

Dr. Jeffrey Lang on reading Quraan

Silence

"My beloved children, who are the pupils of my eye—Truth is silent. If Truth has dawned within you, then there will be no further speech. It is silence, and silence is the greatest Truth, the best question. If there is no Truth, then there will be a lot of talk and questions. One is good and the other is bad. If there is good within you, there will be no further noise within. But if you are full of bad, there will be so much of talk, speeches and questions. Therefore, seek the good. God does not make a noise. If you need anything, then you will have only to knock, and if you are tuned to that point, with the sound of that knock you will get an answer immediately. No noise, you don't have to make a sound. This is the Truth."

a quote from M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen

Agent of The Love

Someone is functioning as an agent of The Love after absorbing The Light within and performing accordingly. An agent of The Love serves (within capacity) Allah's will and treats all Allah's creatures with passion, humbly and justly. The action of an agent of The Love is focused on enjoining the good and forbiding the evil.

Absorbing The Light without being an agent of The Love will let the self to be trapped either in this world (dunyaa) or in the "perceived" other world (akhiraah) and not living properly in both worlds.

Unity

Unity with the ONENESS is accomplished when the mind, conciousness and desires are in compliance with Allah, The Light.

Unity is reached after endless submission effort to The Light. The effort is started with the understanding of the self. The following steps are comprehending and absorbing The Light within. The final stage is a ceaseless deeds of an enlightened self to increase The Light's absorption. Afterward, The Light drives all the thinkings, emotions, desires and acts of the self.

Unity is the destination where the ego in the self is dissolved into ONENESS, The Light, The Love, The Truth, The One and Only.

Patience

Patience is a requirement to a successful struggle on the path of love.

Desire continuously keeps attempting to overtake the self. It tries to dominate the self during the bad times as well as during the good times. In a hardship, desire tends to grow a retaliation feeling (hatred) and in an easiness, it attracts to nurture the delusive ego (arrogance and selfishness).

Patience neutralizes the desire. Through patience, a hardship is taken as a way to build up the emotional strength by seeking help to Allah. Patience accepts an easiness as a way to be grateful to Allah.

Perpetual remembrance to Allah (shalat & dzikr) increases the patience capability. Remembrance to Allah and patience develop each other adjacency.

Patience gets the self closer to Allah, The Love, at anytime.

Human

Human is the best among Allah's creations. When it was first created (Adam), the angels and jinns were asked to pay respect to it (by prostrating).

Human is equipped with desire and intellect. The desire drives the human's motivation to pursue a better life. The intellect (mind and conciousness) enables human to distinguish between the good and the evil (or to absorb The Light within self).

If the desire dominates the intellect, destructions will be happening on earth. If the intellect masters the desire, a productive life will be experienced by earth dwellers. A productive life in which justice, peace and prosperity endure (or love rules).

At the end of the day, human will be proven to be respectable through pursuit of a productive life.

Hypocrite

Someone is being a hypocrite when the action does not represent The Light that has been perceived by the intellect. The self knows The Light through the intellect but does not walk by The Light.

The desire in the self overwhelms the intellect. The desire to gain wealth, popularity, power and all the ego stuffs that distracts the self from Allah (or covers the self from The Light).

The deed of a hypocrite is intended to merely fulfill the desire, not directed to please Allah. The deed may seem righteous, yet the intention is tainted. When a good deed is aimed to please Allah, the self is being continuously purified.

The purified self is then more enabled to absorb The Light and to taste The Love.

Dream

Dream could be a place where the greater reality is construed.

A true dream serves a dual purpose. It could be used either to increase the faith or to be further led astray. Both, people of sanctity (such as the prophets) and people of tyranny (such as pharaoh), experienced the vision through dreams.

Virtuousness is determined by the action, not by a dream.

Makrifah

True knowledge (makrifah) comes after belief, belief comes after submission. True knowledge is gained when the intellect (mind) and spirituality (heart) are in harmony. In other words, The Light is being absorbed by the self.

True knowledge, belief and submission evolve together through life experience of the self. A continuous effort along with patience, forebearance and perseverance is the critical factor in the self's evolution to increase the consciousness.

Intellect

Intellect (mind) is a crucial tool to grasp The Light.

The Light's reflection is absorbed by intellect's meditating the scriptures (were passed on through the messengers) and the nature's phenomenon.

The Light's absorption by intellect without scriptures leads to a speculative comprehension of the unseen (God, angels, jinns, hereafter etc). Understanding the scriptures without intellect permits the self to adopt a superstitious and/or an emotional belief.

Due to various degree of intellect among people, helping each other is a must. Having greater intellect is not a privilege. It comes with the responsibility. To guide people to absorp The Light by walking with The Light. Any abuse has harsher consequences.

The greater the intellect, the more lenient the self to the darkness of arrogance and pride.

Enlightened Self

One of the self-purification-endeavor requirements is controlling desires.

An enlightment in self will be advanced through the intellect if the desires are tamed along with submission effort to The Light. The enlightment in which the self is experiencing a 'higher consciousness'.

True love, tranquility, unity, true peace are words used to express the affectionateness of the enlightened self. It may only be due to the words limitation.

The enlightened self is further able to gain virtuousness in life.

Salawat

The light of Al-Mustafa is the perfect form of human being which was physically materialized into the personality of Muhammad Rasulullah.

God and the angels send blessings (salawat) to it. People of faith must perform too. By sending blessings, it allows the self to be cleansed as well as an admonisher to his example (sunnah).

The blessings must be sent conjointly to his purified family (ahl-albayt) as they are also beacons of light of Al-Mustafa.

Peace and blessings be upon Al-Mustafa and his purified ahl-albayt.

Eden

What eden does look like is beyond human comprehension as it is a different type of world from this world (dunyaa) in which we are living now. Nevertheless, the edenic state of an individual is something we can get a grasp of from quraan.

It is mentioned in quraan that the eden dwellers have a positive mental state (happiness, love, tranquility etc). Hence, an individual should develop his/her mentality to reach this state by purifying the heart during this lifetime.

Spirituality (imaan), good deeds (amal saalih) and knowledge (ilm) are crucial for purifying the heart as have been demonstrated by the prophets, ahl-albayt and the people of truth. With a purified heart, an individual is able to have a 'higher consciousness'. A consciousness in which Allah's greatness and love are embraced.

All in all, an edenic state is a state where ego is being dissolved into ONENESS.

The Song Of Love

Hear, O darvish, the song of Love
the unending tale of the heart.
God whispers "Be!" and infinity takes eternal flight.
Love commands the darkness to depart,
and the world to arise in light.

Mountains, seas and stars bear witness,
The east wind cries out on the wing.

La Illaha illa Allah,
La Illaha illa Allah,

O Sufi, the universe sings.

From Master of the Jinn: A Sufi Novel

Politics

Growing empathy for other people as well as enjoining the good and forbiding the evil contribute to nafs purification/self refinement. A hadith says if a change for betterment cant be achieved through action, then we should let people know what is the right thing. If this is not possible, we at least know what is right and this is the lowest form of imaan (thus least purified self).

Getting involved into politics is neither a sentimental let-off nor a career path, it should be a part of self purification effort.

Hate

hate and anger are inherent in humans' heart. they are emotions required for survival. hate and anger toward negativity such as helplessness, impoverishment, injustice and tyranny would provide a huge energy to make things better.

find the root of the discomfort and direct the emotions into a positive action. In the next stage, after these emotions are properly managed, love will overwhelm.

Seeing God

I see Allah through intellect and spirituality which are given by Him, guidance by His words in the Holy Book, the prophets, ahl-albayt and people of truth. If we knew Allah and follow the true guidance, nothing we can embrace but love and happiness.

Human is not god, be it clerics, leaders or kings. By playing god, someone will create sufferings and disharmony to the people and the world. If someone is acting like a god, a fight should be carried out to him by any means suitable.

Existence, if love rules

existence through arrogance
shrouding others existence
anxiety in abundance
starve to seize opponent
competition as if beasts in torment

love allows each to exist
embrace others blemish
working for peace
felicity to be feasted
serenity at ease

A Sayed and His Name

someone whose name after the waliyullah and a sayed
should follow his example, as well as others should
dont hide behind the cognate
make your great-grandfather proud

Finding True Self

finding true self is quite an effort but it is the starting point that one can comprehend God. knowing what i am and who made me will lead to know God, the Creator.
he says "come walking closer to me and i'll come running at you". thusly he be ceaselessly guiding to understand why i am here and what i am supposed to do in this lifetime and by then i'll be able to live my life properly.

contemplations, good deeds as well as ibada and stuffs are the means to get closer to Him. though these will not be useful if the heart and mind are dominated by arrogance, envy, hatred, lust etc.

nobody can comprehend His essence, because a creation will not be able to understand the creator, but understand only His existence through His manifestation.

My Tamil Dude

A poem to compliment a respected man of true knowledge calling for a unity in Islam amid annoyance from some people:

that Tamil dude is my kind of guy
dark skinned body and pure inside
rappin fo only real people who can get his vibe
knockin down words spit by arrogant's pride
freakin babies wearin gangstas attire

i feel him i feel his will
nothin he wishes but a peace deal
marchin together as a flock of real
to enjoin the good n forbid the evil
chill real gangstas dont be feared
the crowd you're all in he wont steal

Path of Love

the first step on it
abundant hope and delighted
highly spirited, running high speed
then it is getting steep
hard to breathe

friends become hostility
marginal benignity
old days are brought up to me
tryin to push me back into slavery
everything seems to be in uncertainty
sidetrack looks easy

a scream in despair
"is it really worthy?"

suddenly
a breeze come about in obscurity
sweetness engulfs acrimony

affirmation to the guideline
my muscle grows sronger
my soul is getting firmer

if my whole existence is to be vanished
so be it
it is yours anyway
the owner with love
the lover who owns
im just one of your servant
worthless in your face
no existence without your love

Love's Remedy

may Love and his forgiveness
remedy our imperfectness
discharge the errors and mistakes
increase the faith and boldness
to enjoin the goods and to forbid the evils

Await True Help

Helping each other would be a nicety
Prepare ourselves until true help comes into reality
True help awaits readiness to march in his army
Turn this world of tyranny around into justice and serenity

One

Heart, a void that can only be fulfilled by the truthfulness
Mind, the content of the the heart determines its cleanness
Freewill, a greatest gift only human can exercise at the largest
Love, without challenges how can it be grown to the fullest
One, a hidden treasure loves to be known through the manifest

One Sweet Soul

one sweet soul blows a cozy passion
yet guideline warns destruction
switch the flow to a productive bond
respect and care remain on

her soul is deeply in passion
felicitations, for it gives strength to the emotion
supplications, for the way ahead contains examination

The Pure Hearts

all the pure hearts set precedence
in circumstances amid the disorderliness
dictate the guideline for compliance
with the teaching of the messenger of oneness

the waliyullah never took a stance
to throw the ruler lacking perfectness
eventhough some chipped in annoyance
proposing coup d'etat in falseness

One pure soul poured the holy blood
with army not balancing the enemy bold
against a tyrant trying to alter the truth
in hunger for power to slave the mass in whole

unity is called at times of allowance
soul is sacrificed at times of requirement

Simplicity

unfortunately life is complicated
but why not make it simple
for simplicity leads to happiness
embrace life beautiness
feel the love from oneness

Trapped

Being trapped in the hatred's dominance
of the tragedies in the antecedence
Unabe to grasp the core
of the blood was poured for

Bloodline is a sentiment
can be abused to justify the violence
Instead of being grateful
for reminder to be truthful

Love's Antidote

for self-glorifications are antidote
to the love runs in the blood
giving air to breathe for minor Gods
covering the sight from the true God
and joining the path of hypocrites.

Truth and Love

truth and love are partner
can't have one without the other
it's sufi stuff, my dear brother
i leave it to us to ponder.

Intoxicated

when you are intoxicated
your vein is flooded with love
injected into from the True Love

dream nothing but love
think nothing but love
desire nothing but love
addicted to nothing but love
share nothing but love
speak nothing but love
hear nothing but love
act nothing but out of love

cry and fall to the ground
when love is spoken
as if getting more wine
for the soul to the dependency
being grateful to the source of Love

Blood for Life

Drinking each others blood
Enriching each others soul
Inspiring each others life
The vein will be blood-refilled naturally
Is that not all about life socially ?

Inevitable Battle

The battle between the good and the evil is inevitable
Inside and outside
So real peace dominates
Fasten your seatbelt!

the battle field inside between lust and religion
the faith wins when the intellect comes along
enable to justify what is right and what is wrong

sword and pen have no power
without the hand setting example
perseverance and patience are in the path of struggle
to spread the truth and to raise the inner power

fear the tyrants with their own soldier
breaking apart due to deluding hunger
lets go hand in hand fighting the darkness
with true love joining for oneness

Gangstas Poem

A poem to compliment a series of poems written by street-style poets:

Diggin through the thread
as if seeing a sheakerspeare drama
played by gangsta masta

With one common theme
Enjoin the good and forbid the evil
As it is Allah's will so truth can prevail
Prayers for all of you mastas so yall can keep spittin all
Inspirations from the Master of All
The One and Only

O Light, O Love

It is so sweet and warm,
When passion is around.

It feels like,
No mountain is too high,
No distance can't be passed.

But why ?
It hurts again.
Anguish is coming back.
Rage explodes.
In the dark,
Pain.

Was it love,
or was it an illusion.
A soul searching for something,
to fill the hole in my heart.

Then You spoke to me,
through Your loved ones,
messengers and saints.
to walk the path of love.

Care for the elder,
Passion for the younger,
Feed the hunger,
Help the needy,
Free the slaves,
Fight the injustice,
Throw the tyrant,
Preserve the humanity,
Save the nature.

You said,
It won't be a journey,
with flowers and leisures.
But with patience and perseverance,
Controlling lusts and desires,
Through honesty and sincerity,
That I will find true love,
somewhere along the path.

An eternal one.

With ups and downs,
doubts and reaffirmations,
Covers are fallen,
One after the other.
Light shines through,
Sight is illuminated,
A true love is tasted.
A state of peacefulness,

Tranquility.

All praise to You,
the light the love,
the one and only.

O Light, O Love,
Please keep guiding me,
and helping me,
with my imperfection,
to stay on the path of love.

Do I?

What am I trying to prove ?
Stabbing people with words
Throwing pranks
Cutting hearts

Yes
I feel good
I am being smart
Superiority over those fools

Do I lose something ?
No! Well... on a second thought
My innocence
Empathy
Trust
and...Peace of mind

Do I need those ?
Hmmm... I do not know

Do I?

Let's Dance

Let's dance
through words, with words
Drawing, painting, reaching, connecting

Let's dance
Hold hands together, circling around.

Let's dance
Sight the reflections of the light through the crystal of selfs

Let's dance
Enjoy the wonders
Of mind boggling
Of heart sparkling
Of soul searching

Let's dance
Jive the words
Articulate the contemplation.

Let's dance
and enrich the soul.

Try Love

Try being in love
To love and accept love from The Lover
Won't be a smooth journey for sure, but worthy

What is not mortal
other than The Love
It illuminates the sight.

Masks

Masks to cover
Longing for recognition
Questing empathy
Looking inside at the bottom
Anger, envy, misery, stain
Helplessness, despair, vain
Pain

Throwing all the masks
Seek aid from within
A spot of light growing brighter
Submission and sincerity
All it takes to connect
To the Source of Light

No compulsion
Taking or ignoring the light
Or in between
Each has consequences

Isnt freewill a greatest gift ?

Words

Words draw
Words paint
Words reach
Words connect

Spit them out

Seeking Death

Either in love or in pain
At the deepest
Seek savior in death
One desires eternity
Other wishes expiry

Love meets death with preparation
Pain seeks death in desperation