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“Islam from a Quaker Perspective”

Workshop at Friends General Conference, July 2004

Led by Anthony Manousos

Session 1 (Sunday):

Introduction: “Why learn about Islam?”

Opening Discussion

1) Introduce yourself by giving your name and Meeting and briefly share (in one minute or less) one reason or one question that motivated you to participate in this workshop.

2) Overview of the workshop. Although the workshop leader has a plan, this workshop is intended as a “meeting for learning” and therefore is open to modification and “continuing revelation” as we are led by the Spirit. Please feel free to share your suggestions for making this workshop better. The workshop facilitator is here to learn as well as teach!

Topics to be considered:

· Session 2 (Monday): Introduction to Islam. Video: Inside Islam and discuss the history and beliefs of Islam..

· Session 3 (Tuesday): Muslims in America. Review pamphlet “Islam from a Quaker Perspective.” How do we dialogue with Muslims? What are American Muslims really like? What are their issues, concerns, and hopes? A Muslim guest speaker has been invited to help answer our questions.

· Session 4 (Wednesday): The Spiritual Journeys of Muslims and Friends. Video: Inside Mecca. The FGC Gathering and Haj compared and contrasted.

· Session 5 (Thursday): A brief overview of Sufism. Muslim poetry, music, mysticism.

· Session 6 (Friday): Responding to interfaith religious conflict, both in the predominantly Muslim world and here in the United States. Video: Inside Islam.

3) A group survey of the experiences we have had with the Muslim community in our own area or internationally. Please raise your hand in answer to the following (without discussing responses):

· Who knows of Muslims living in your immediate geographic area?

· Who works with Muslims?

· Attends classes with Muslims?

· Who serves on a committee or board with Muslims?

· Who knows the location of the closest Islamic Center/mosque?

· Who has ever observed Muslim prayer?

· Who has ever prayed with Muslims?

· Who has ever fasted during Ramadan?

· Who has Muslims in your family?

· Muslims as personal friends?

· Who would feel comfortable hosting a Muslim individual/family in your home?

· Do you know what foods could or could not be served?

· Who knows of a church/meeting in your area that has been involved in Christian-Muslim dialogue?

· Who has traveled abroad in a Muslim country?

· Who had lived in a Muslim country?

· Who had read the Qur’an?

· How would the group characterize its collective experience of Islam?

· If you will need more information, talk about how it might be obtained?

For Reflection: Statements by Friends About Interfaith Work

In this time when we constantly interact with people of other cultures and nationalities, the Christian and Interfaith Relations Committee (CIRC) of FGC invites Friends to consider the challenges and opportunities inherent in a world in which the many religions confront each other daily. Religious differences play a role in many contemporary wars. Religion is too often used as a weapon to frighten or a tool to incite violence and hatred. Friends must demonstrate a different way. –Sallie B. King, for the Christian and Interfaith Relations Committee of FGC.

This is the word of the Lord God to you all, and a charge to you all in the presence of the living God; be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations wherever you come; that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone.—George Fox.

The humble, meek, merciful, just, pious and devout souls everywhere are of one religion and when death has taken off the mask, they will know one another, though the diverse liveries they wore here make them strangers.—William Penn.

The Inward Light is a universal light given to all men [and women], religious consciousness being basically the same wherever it is found. Our difficulties come when we try to express it. We cannot express; we can only experience God. Therefore we must always remember tolerance, humility, and tenderness with others whose ways and views may differ from ours.—Pacific Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice.

“Mutual irradiation” is defined by Douglas Steere as a interfaith encounter in which “each is willing to expose [him or herself] with great openness to the inward message of the other, as well as to share its own experience, and to trust that whatever is the truth in each experience will irradiate and deepen the experience of the other.”

“This is not to say that all religions are one. The religions are indeed different. While Friends avoid creeds, our Testimonies—Truth, Nonviolence, Equality, Simplicity—are clear and not to be compromised, as is our practice of submitting to the guidance of the Spirit. These give us the guidance we need in our relating to other religions.” – Sallie B. King, for the Christian and Interfaith Relations Committee (http://www.fgcquaker.org/library/welcome/fa-otherreligions.html).

Queries

How are we reaching out to the Muslim community and answering “that of God” in our Muslim neighbors?

As we reach out to those of other faiths, do we honestly acknowledge our differences and affirm both our unity and diversity as gifts from God?

Session 2 (Monday):

Introduction to Islam

Listen to the “Call to Prayer” in Arabic (see “Islam from a Quaker Perspective,” pp. 3-4). Begin with silent worship.

View selected parts of video Inside Islam and discuss the history and beliefs of Islam. What are the core beliefs of Islam? What is the role of the prophet Muhammad and of the Qur’an? What has shaped the relations between Muslims and Jews and Christians? (Consider also the following questions from Karen Armstrong’s book.)

Discussion Questions

1. What is the historical mission of Islam? What is the chief duty of Muslims according to the Quran? What is the Islamic notion of salvation?

2. What are the five pillars of Islam? Does Islam place more emphasis on right living or right belief? The community or the individual? In these ways, is it more similar to Christianity or Judaism?

3. At the time of Muhammad, what was the attitude of Islam toward other prophets and religious traditions? How were non-Muslim subjects, or dhimmi, treated in the Islamic empire? How does that treatment compare to what went on in the pre-modern West?

4. Is Islam a militaristic faith? What does the Quran have to say about just and unjust wars? Given the context of his times, did Muhammad set a particularly violent or nonviolent example?

5. What does the Quran teach about the importance of converting people of other faiths? Does Islam condone coerced conversion? How does its theological stance on conversion compare to the teachings and practices of the other major world religions?

6. What does the Quran have to say about the place of women? How forward- or backward-thinking was Muhammad’s treatment of women for his time? What accounts for the persistence of a practice such as female veiling in the modern-day Muslim world?

7. What are the differences between Sunni and Shii Muslims? What were the origins of this split within Islam? Did it have theological underpinnings or was it merely politically motivated?

8. What is the primary meaning of the word jihad? Explain its significance in Islam. How did Muhammad understand it? How do some modern-day fundamentalists understand it?

9. What are the roots of Islamic fundamentalism? How does Islamic fundamentalism compare to fundamentalist movements in other faiths? Are there certain of its precepts that make Islam more prone to religious fanaticism? What historical factors have contributed to anti-Western fundamentalism in Islam?

10. What have been some of the successes and failures of modern-day Islamic nation-building? What particular challenges do postcolonial Islamic states face? What has been a common problem with the way secularism has been imposed in the Muslim world?

11. What are some of the greatest challenges facing the Islamic faith today?

12. What are the most common misperceptions about Islam and the Muslim world in the West?

The Life of the Prophet: c. 570 to 632

c. 570: Birth of Muhammad

622: The Hegira: Muhammad flees to Medina

630: Muhammad captures Mecca

632: Muhammad dies.

Orthodox Caliphate (Mecca and Medina): 632-661

Omayyad Caliphate (Damascus): 661-750

680: Death of Mu'awiya, who is succeeded by his son, Yazid.

685-687: Shi'ite revolt in Iraq.

711: Conquest of Spain.

717-718: Attempt to conquer Constantinople.

732: Battle of Tours.

Abbasid Caliphate (Baghdad): 750-1258

751: Battle of Talas: Arabs learn papermaking from Chinese prisoners of war

765: A school of medicine is established in Baghdad.

750-850: The Four orthodox schools of law are established.

850-875: The Tradition is formalized.

1010: Firdawsi completes his Epic of Kings, the great epic poem of Persia.

1055-1250: Expansion of Islam under the Seljuks and Christian responses.

1258: Mongols sack Baghdad. Abbasid Caliphate ends.

756-1031: Omayyad emirate in Spain (Cordova)

910-1171: Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt (Cairo)

1379-1401: Tamerlane establishes an empire in Persia, Iraq and Syria

1501-1723: Safavid Empire in Persia

The Ottoman Empire: 1350-1918.

ca. 1243: Turkish nomads settle in Asia Minor

1299-1326: Osman I

1402: Tamerlane defeats Ottomans at Ankara

1453: Constantinople is conquered.

1520-1566: Suleiman II the Magnificent

1571: The Battle of Lepanto

1703-1730: Cultural revival under Ahmed III

1774: Treaty of Kucuk Kaynarca

1822-1830: Greek War of Independences

1853-1856: The Crimean War

1876: The Ottoman Constitution is promulgated

1914: The Ottoman Empire enters World War I

1901: Oil discovered in Persia

1906: Muslim League in India is founded.

1908: "Young Turk" revolution.

Austria-Hungary annexes Bosnia-Herzegovina

1912-1913: First Balkan War

1913: "Young Turk" coup.

1914: Ottoman Empire enters WWI.

1917: Balfour Declaration on Palestine

1921: Reza Khan stages coup in Persia.

1923: Republic of Turkey is established

1925: Reza Khan proclaims himself Shah. Founds Pahlavi dynasty in Iran.

1932: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is established

1947: Partition of India into Pakistan and India

1948: Proclamation of the state of Israel.

First Arab-Israeli War.

1953: Proclamation of the Egyptian Republic.

1956: Nassar Nationalizes the Suez Canal.

1958: Monarchy in Iraq is overthrown.

1967: Six-Day War.

1968: Ba'ath Party coup in Iraq.

1971: War between India and Pakistan.

Bangladesh receives independence.

1973: The Yom Kippur War

1979: Islamic Revolution in Iran.

1980-1988: Iran-Iraq War.

1988: First intifada begins.

1990-1991: The Gulf War.

2001: Attack on the World Trade Center in New York.

The United States attacks Talliban in Afghanistan.

Session 3 (Tuesday): Muslims in America

(see chronology at the end of the Readings)

Review pamphlet “Islam from a Quaker Perspective” and the questions asked on p. 1. How do we reach out to Muslims in our local community? How do we explain/embody our beliefs/Testimonies as Friends and how do our theological assumptions/attitudes affect how we perceive and relate to those of other faith traditions? How do we dialogue effectively with Muslims? What is “mutual irradiation” and how do we practice it? What are American Muslims really like? What are their issues, concerns, and hopes? A Muslim guest speaker has been invited to help answer our questions.

Guest speaker: Mohammad Saleem Bajwa, from the Islamic Center of Western Massachusetts.

Session 6 (Friday):

Responding to interfaith religious conflict,

both in the predominantly Muslim world and here in the United States

We will view selections from Frontline: Muslims and discuss the contemporary social and political concerns of Muslims in today’s world. How is the US viewed in the Muslim world and how are current US policies affecting the Muslim community here in the US? What is causing hatred and violence, and what can we as Friends do to promote peace and cultural understanding during this “clash of civilizations”? We will also discuss the work of AFSC, Ramallah Friends School, and other Quaker and Quaker-inspired groups working for interfaith understanding

Recommended readings:

·When the Rain Returns: Towards Justice and Reconciliation in Palestine and Israel, prepared by an International Working Party on Israel and Palestine by the AFSC. Due to be published in the fall of 2004.

·Among The Believers: An Islamic Journal by V.S. Naipaul. Knopft: NY, 1981.

·The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror and What Went Wrong? by Bernard Lewis. These two books by an eminent scholar of Islam explore some of cultural and historical reasons for the problems that Islam is experiencing today.

·*The Clash of Fundamentalism by Tariq Ali..Verso: NY, 2002. Fascinating book by a secular left-wing former Muslim from Pakistan who knows the politics of the Muslim world intimately and writes with sophistication and insight.

·Windows of Faith: Muslim Women Scholar-Activists in North America. Edited by Giselda Webb. Syracuse Univ. Press: 2000.

·Healing Israel/Palestine: A Path to Peace and Reconciliation by Rabbi Michael Lerner. Tikkun Books: San Francisco, CA, 2003. One of the best and most hopeful books about the situation in Israel/Palestine and how peace may be possible.

·Nonviolence and Peace Building in Islam: Theory and Practice by Mohammed Abu-Nimer. Univ. of Florida Press: 2003.

·*Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women by Geraldine Brooks. Anchor: NY, 1995. Controversial book by an Australian journalist who recorded her conversations and experiences with Muslim women throughout the Middle East.

·The Two Faces of Islam: The House of Sa’ud from Tradition to Terror by Stephen Schwartz. Doubleday: NY, 2002. The writer who is sympathetic to Islam (particularly in its moderate and Sufi form) explores and exposes the problems of Wahabism as a source of conflict and terrorism.

Additional Readings on Sufism, etc.

Some Hadith

(Sayings and Doings) of Mohammad:

God’s Accounting System: On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas: “The Messenger of Allah [pbuh]…said: ‘Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad ones. Then He explained it by saying he who has intended a good deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if heas intended it and done it, Allahs writes it down with Himself as ten good deeds to seven hundred good, or many more. But if he has intended a bad deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and done it, Allah writes it down as one bad deed.” –Buhari and Muslim.

Good news for fundraisers: On the authority of Abu Mas’ud Uqbah bin Amr Al’Ansari Al Badri: “The Messenger of Allah [pbuh] said: ‘The reward of one who directs someone to do a good deed will be equal to the reward of the latter.” [Muslim]

Golden rule: On the authority of Abu Hamza Anan Ibn Malik: “The Prophet [pbuh] said: “None of you truly believes in Islam until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

Treatment of spouse: On the authority of A’isha (Mohammad’s wife): “The Messenger of Allah [pbuh] said: “The best amongst you is he who is best in manner and kindest to his wife….” [Tirmizi]

Mohammad Judges a Poor Criminal. “One tradition recalls an occasion when Muhammad had passed sentence on a poor man who had committed a minor crime: for his penance he was told to give alms. The man replied that he had neither food nor goods to give away. Just at that moment a large basket of dates was carried into the mosque as a gift to the Prophet. ‘Here you are,’ the Prophet said, and told the man to distribute it among the poor. The criminal replied that he honestly did not know of anyone in the settlement who was worse off than himself. Muhammad laughed and told him that to eat the dates would be his penance” (Muhammad by Karen Armstrong, p. 231).

Some Hadith of Jesus

(from the Muslim Jesus: Sayings and Stories in Islamic Literature,

edited and translated by Tarif Khalidi).

34. Satan said to Jesus when he placed him in Jerusalem, “You claim to raise th dead. If you can truly do so, ask God to turn this mountain into bread.” Jesus said, “Do all people live from bread?” Satan said, “If you are what you claim to be, jump from this place, for the angels will receive you.” Jesus said, “God ordered me not to put myself to the test, for I do not know whether he will save me or not.”

39. Jesus met John and said to him, “Admonish me.” He said, “Avoid feeling anger.” He said, “This I cannot do.” He said, “Do not own any wealth.” He said, As for this—it is possible.”

49. Jesus used to prepare food for his followers, then call them to eat and wait upon them, saying: “This is what you must do for the poor.”

100. Christ passed by a group of people who hurled insights at him, and he responded with blessings. He passed by another gorup who insulted him, and he responded likewise. One of his disciples asked, “Why is it that the more they insult you, the more you bless them, as if inviting this upon yourself.” Christ said, “A person can bring forth only what is within him.”

10 Sufi Thoughts

from The Way of Illumination
by Hazrat Inayat Khan

1) There is one God, the Eternal, the Only Being; none else exists save God.
2) There is one Master, the Guiding Spirit of all souls, who constantly leads all followers towards the light.
3) There is one Holy Book, the sacred manuscript of nature, which truly enlightens all readers.
4) There is one Religion, the unswerving progress in the right direction towards the ideal, which fulfils the life’s purpose of every soul.
5) There is one Law, the law of Reciprocity, which can be observed by a selfless conscience together with a sense of awakened justice.
6) There is one human Brotherhood, the Brotherhood and Sisterhood which unites the children of earth indiscriminately in the Fatherhood of God.
7) There is one Moral Principle, the love which springs forth from self-denial, and blooms in deeds of beneficence.
8) There is one Object of Praise, the beauty which uplifts the heart of its worshipper through all aspects from the seen to the unseen.
9) There is one Truth, the true knowledge of our being within and without which is the essence of all wisdom.
10) There is one Path, the annihilation of the false ego in the real, which raises the mortal to immortality and in which resides all perfection.

Some Sufi Tales

found online at http://www.zensufi.com

What Do the Greeks and the Quakers Have in Common?

A group of Chinese and Greek artists disputed before a certain Sultan Shoeb which of them were the better artists.

The Chinese said, “Our skills are great,” and the Greeks said, “Our artistic abilities are superior.”

In order to settle the dispute, Sultan Shoeb decided to put them both to the test. He allotted each a house to paint. The Chinese asked the Sultan for a hundred colors and he willingly opened his paint treasury and told them to take all they needed. The Greeks, on the other hand, informed the Sultan that they did not need any colors for their house.

When the Chinese finished their work they beat drums and danced in jubilation. They invited the Sultan to judge their house. He was extremely impressed since, they had colored their house in the most elaborate way with all different shades of each color of the rainbow.

The Greeks used no colors at all. They cleaned the walls of their house making them clear and bright. The Sultan was amazed to see all the colors of the Chinese house reflected on the walls of the Greek house covering a wide variety of shades and hues.

Note: The Greek artists in this story represent those who have polished their hearts and made them pure of greed and hatred. The walls the Greeks polished represent a pure heart which is like a mirror that receives innumerable images, and the Perfect Person is a microcosm in which all the divine attributes are reflected as in a mirror. According to the Sufis, the Prophet Muhammad is that Perfect Person. This story is originally by Rumi, a Persian poet.

Do you see parallels between the “Greek” Sufi way and the way of Quakers\

******

The Importance of “Seasoning” and “Waiting Upon the Lord”

At the time of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna there lived a young man by the name of Haidar Ali Jan. His father, Iskandar Khan, decided to obtain the patronage of the Sultan for his son, so he sent Haidar Ali away to study spiritual matters under a very famous sage.

When Haidar Ali had mastered the repetitions, exercises, recitals, and the bodily postures of the Sufi schools, his father took him into the presence of Sultan Mahmud.

“Mighty Sultan Mahmud,” said Iskandar Khan, “I have had this youth, my eldest and most intelligent son, specially trained in the ways of the Sufis, so that he might obtain a worthy position at your Majesty’s court, knowing that you are a patron of learning!”

Sultan Mahmud did not look up, but just said, “Bring him back in a year!”

Slightly disappointed, but nursing high hopes, Iskandar Khan sent Haidar Ali to study the works of the great Sufis of the past, and to visit the shrines of the ancient masters in Baghdad, so that the intervening time would not be wasted.

The next year, when he took Haidar Ali back to Sultan Mahmud’s court, he said, “Peacock of the Age! My son has carried out long and difficult journeys, and at the same time to his knowledge of exercises he has added a complete familiarity with the classics of the People of the Path. Please have him tested, so it can be proved that he will be an adornment of your Majesty’s court.”

“Let him,” said Sultan Mahmud immediately, “return after another year!”

During the next twelve months, Haidar Ali crossed the Amu Darya river and visited Bukhara and Samarqand, Qasr-i-Arifin and Tashkent, Dushambe and the turbats of the Sufi saints of Turkestan.

When he returned to the court, Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna took one look at him and said, “He may care to come back after a further year!”

Haidar Ali made the pilgrimage to Mecca that year. He travelled to India, and in Persia he consulted rare books and never missed an opportunity to seek out and pay his respects to the great dervishes of the time.

When he returned to Ghazna, Sultan Mahmud said to him, “Now select a sheikh (teacher) if he will have you, and come back in a year!”

Another year was over and Iskandar Khan prepared to take his son to the court, however, this time Haidar Ali showed no interest in going there. He sat at the feet of his teacher in Herat, and nothing that his father could say would move him.

“I have wasted my time and my money, and this young man has failed the tests imposed by Sultan Mahmud,” Iskandar Khan lamented. He decided to abandoned his plan and left Haidar Ali with his teacher.

Meanwhile, the day when Haidar Ali was due to present himself came and went. Sultan Mahmud said to his courtiers, “Prepare yourselves for a visit to Herat, there is someone there whom I have to see.”

As Sultan Mahmud’s horse-drawn carriages entered Herat to the sound of trumpets, Haidar Ali’s teacher took him to the near by sanctuary, and they waited. Shortly afterwards, Sultan Mahmud and his courtier Ayaz, taking off their shoes, presented themselves at the sanctuary.

“Here, Sultan Mahmud,” said the Sufi sheikh, “Is the man who was nothing while he was a visitor of kings, but who is now one who is visited by kings, Take him as your Sufi counselor, for he is ready!”

Note: This is a true story from the life and studies of Hiravi also called, Haidar Ali Jan, the Sage of Herat!

*****

Terror Alert Level Red!

Once upon a time there was a town composed of two parallel streets. A dervish passed through one street and into the other, and as he reached the second one, the people there noticed that his eyes were streaming with tears.

“Someone has died in the other street!” someone cried, and soon all the children in the neighborhood had taken up the cry.

What had really happened was that the dervish had been peeling onions.

Within a short space of time the cry had reached the first street. The adults of both streets were so distressed and fearful, since each community was related to the other, that they dared not make complete inquiries as to the cause of the furor.

A wise man tried to reason with the people of both streets, asking why they did not question each other. Too confused to know what they meant, some said, “For all we know there is a deadly plague in the other street.”

This rumor, also spread like wildfire, until each street’s residents thought that the other was doomed.

When some measure of order was restored, it was only enough for the two communities to decide to emigrate to save themselves. So, from different sides of the town, both streets entirely evacuated their people.

Today, centuries later, the town is still deserted and not so far away are two villages. Each village has it’s own tradition of how it began as a settlement from a doomed town, through a fortunate flight, in remote times, from a nameless evil.

Note: Note: I read a similar story years ago, about a mad dog with rabies who bit a child, who bit someone else, who bit another, and so it went until everyone in the town died of rabies. Apparently, what really transpired was that a stray dog barked at a cow! :-) I cannot recall the author. The story above was narrated by Sheikh Qalandar Shah, in his book, “Asrar-i-Khilwatia” (Secrets of the Recluses). He belonged to the Suhrawardi Order and died in 1832. His shrine is in Lahore, Pakistan. The tale can be found in, “Tales of the Dervishes” by Idries Shah. I titled and rewrote it in parts.

The Pearl

A single drop of rain fell from a cloud in the sky
But was filled with shame when it saw the sea so wide.

‘Next to the sea then, who am I?
If the sea exists, then how can I?’

While looking down on itself
With the eyes of contempt,
An oyster in its shell,
Took it in for nourishment.

And so it was, that its fate was sealed by this event,
And it became a famous pearl to adore a king’s head.
Having descended to the depths,
It was now exalted to the heights.
On the portal of non existence it went knocking,
Until it finally was transformed into being.

----Sa’di----

What are the dances of Universal Peace and what are their relation to Sufism?

The Dances of Universal Peace began (as “Sufi Dancing”) in San Francisco under the guidance and inspiration of Murshid (“Teacher”) Samuel Lewis in the late 60’s. Sam Lewis inspired legions of young people in those days with these Dances and with his Peace Plan: “Eat, Dance, and Pray Together”.

Since that time the Dances of Universal Peace have gone throughout the world, with Dance circles in many cities in the US and Canada, South America, Europe, Russia, Australia, New Zealand. There are many hundreds of Dances now in the archives with Dances representing many of the world’s religions.

The Dances themselves are simple, often based on basic folkdance steps, and based on sacred phrase. Examples of sacred phrases include: “As Salaam Aleikhum” [“Peace be with you”]; “Heenay MahTov” [“Oh How Good it is for Brothers and Sisters”], “Thou, Holy Asha”, “Me Ke Aloha”, “The Earth is our Mother”, “Rock a’ My Soul”, “Kyrie Eleison”, “Gopala” and beautiful songs of mystical poets from various traditions.

A special focus of the Dances of Universal Peace has been on the words and sacred phrases of Jesus as they would have been in Aramaic, the language he spoke. In particular the “Lord’s Prayer” and the Beatitudes, in Aramaic, have been set to music and movement, offering an extraordinary pathway to deepening in a heart-filled and joyous way to the historical and cosmic Jesus. Most participants experience these prayers as “Body prayers”, more deeply experiencing these words through music and movement than simply through the spoken word. The entire Lord’s Prayer Cycle is done every Easter time.

What Sufi saint has a shrine outside Philadelphia?

Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, a sheikh from Sri Lanka….According to Sufi teacher Lex Hixon, “Bawa Muhaiyaddeen was and is very, very unique. He passed away from visible eyes, from our ordinary visible vision, in 1986, shortly after Muzaffer effendi_passed away. His holy tomb is outside Philadelphia in the countryside. It’s the first major tomb of a Sufi saint to be here, with the exception of Sufi Sam Lewis, whose holy tomb is in the Lama Foundation in New Mexico. So we have one native-born Sufi master whose holy tomb is here and one great Sufi master from the East whose holy tomb is here. The tombs of Islam of saints are very, very significant because they’re like crystal sets. Their physical remains many times remain uncorrupt, that is, not decaying in an ordinary sense. They operate as crystal transmissions. Of course, their souls have melted into the divine attributes. So they’re not there in their tombs, so to speak, but these crystal sets are there, and they’re very important places for making spiritual progress. –An interview with Lex Hixon (Sh. Muhammad Nur) conducted by David Barsamian ,KGNU Boulder, Colorado, September 21, 1989

For more information, see:

The Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship
5820 Overbrook Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19131-1221, USA
Phone: 215-879-6300 (24 hour answering machine)
Fax: 215-879-6307
E-mail: info@bmf.org

“Unless Ye Become As Little Children….”

Crisi Beutler: For one who wishes to know God, where does the path to God begin? And what is that path like?

M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen: The path to God is very easy. Think of a little baby—he has no world in him, no differences, no anger, no selfishness, no envy. He has nothing of that state. He shows equality toward all; he will go to everyone. He will smile at everyone. Anyone can kiss a baby. Isn’t a baby like that?

A baby begins as a cell. After it takes a form and comes out, the baby acts out everything. By the time the child is three years old, he will imitate whatever both of you did earlier in your sexual play. If you were on all fours, he will imitate that. If you were on two legs, he will imitate that. Whatever state you were in-if you behaved like a cow, he will act like a cow. If you acted like a donkey, he will show you what a donkey does.

If you look with wisdom, you will be able to see the baby imitating every act you performed. Even though he did not actually see you doing these things, he has an awareness of them all. He will show the way you kissed. He will bite the nose in the same way you nibbled at the nose. He will scratch the way you scratched. The way you tickled, the way you walked, the way you lay face down or face up or on your back-he will disclose every act of yours as if in a photograph. The baby is saying, “Look at this foolishness, O world! Look at this ignorance!”Then he will look up at the sky and smile, saying, “I used to be up there. Now I have come here.” The baby will smile and talk to God and His angels and the heavenly beings. But here (in the world), he will be acting out your antics, telling God, “They did this; this is how they did it, etc.” Like that, he will tell in detail the entire history of the parents, while speaking to God in his own language, “Ooom, aang, oong.”

The baby will speak the language of those who come to visit you-the monkey-man, the dog-man, the cat-man-all your friends, your relatives, your neighbors, and your loved ones. He will speak all languages-the language of the birds, snakes, reptiles, jinns, fairies, and angels-trying to explain all these things to you in his own language. But all the while the baby will also be conversing with God. He speaks God’s language.

That same state must exist within us again, toward the end of our life. That baby’s state, God’s state, must come at the end. The original baby is God’s baby, the baby that reveals and explains wisdom. Those baby qualities and actions must be there in the end. But the time in between babyhood and the end-that is hell. It is the story of the world that is in you now, and that is what the baby is trying to show you. So if, at the end, you can regain that same state of babyhood that was in you at birth, if you can regain those same qualities, then you will commune once again with God. You will embrace everyone, as a baby does, showing the same love for all without any differences. Only that infant state will earn you the right to speak with God. That is the quality we start off with, and we must end up with the same quality.

Some Sufi songs/poems

is from the CD “Show Me the Path” by Wim and Arienne van der Zwal, a song which they adapted from Zuleikha’s “White Pavilion” tape. It is based on a poem by Rabi’a.

Where are you going? And she said “To that world”
Where do you come from? And she answered “From that world”
So what are you doing in this world? And she said “I am sorrowing”
In what way? they asked of her. And Rabia replied
”I am eating the bread of this world and doing the work of that world .” (repeat line)
Alla-a-a-ah Alla-a-ah A-a-llah Alla-a-ah Alla-a-ah A-a-a A-a-a Allah

With two loves I have loved thee
With two loves I have loved thee
Love that is selfish and love that is glorious
Love being selfish and love being glorious
In what way? they asked of her, and Rabia replied
“Of the selfish love I exclude all but you, of the other you enfold me in glory.” (repeat line)
Alla-a-a-ah Alla-a-ah A-a-llah Alla-a-ah Alla-a-ah A-a-a A-a-a Allah

Rabi’a al’Adawiyya of Basra was a Muslim mystic. She was born around 717 and died around 802 A.D. Rabia is quoted as having said the following:

“I love You with two loves- a selfish love
And a Love that You are worthy of.
As for the selfish love, it is that I think of You,
To the exclusion of everything else.
And as for the Love that You are worthy of,
Ah! That I no longer see any creature, but I see only You!”

To learn more about the great mystic Rabia, visit the following web pages:
http://home.infionline.net/~ddisse/rabia.html
http://sufimaster.org/adawiyya.htm

Some Poems by Rumi

Rumi: http://www.khamush.com/poems.html#BeLostintheCall

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 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.

Mevlana Jelauddin RUMI

Taken From: The Essential Rumi
Translated by: Coleman Barks
HarperCollins Publishers, 1995

****
Drink all your passion,
and be a disgrace.

Close both eyes
to see with the other eye.

Open your hands,
if you want to be held.

Sit down in this circle.

***

Be empty of worrying.
Think of who created thought!

Why do you stay in prison
when the door is so wide open?

Move outside the tangle of fear-thinking.
Live in silence

***
The children follow,
not knowing the taste of wine, or how
his drunkness feels. All people on this planet
are children, except for a very few.
No one is grown up except those free of desire.

***
If you haven’t left child’s play,
how can you be an adult?
Without purity of spirit,
if you are still in the middle of lust and greed
and other wantings, you’re like children
playing at sexual intercourse.
They wrestle
and rub together, but it’s not sex!

The same with the fightings of mankind.
It’s a squabble with play-swords.
No purpose, totally futile.

***
Your actions mean nothing, the sex and war that you do.

***
Experience that breathing.
From books and words come fantasy,
and sometimes, from fantasy comes union.

***
Gone, inner and outer,
no moon, no ground or sky.

***
The wine we really drink is our own blood.
Our bodies ferment in these barrels.
We give everything for a glass of this.
We give our minds for a sip.

***
There are thousands of wines
that can take over our minds.

Don’t think all ecstasies
are the same!

Poems by the Persian Poet Hafiz

0 beautiful wine-bearer, bring forth the cup and put it to my lips
Path of love seemed easy at first, what came was many hardships.
With its perfume, the morning breeze unlocks those beautiful locks
The curl of those dark ringlets, many hearts to shreds strips.
In the house of my Beloved, how can I enjoy the feast
Since the church bells call the call that for pilgrimage equips.
With wine color your robe, one of the old Magi’s best tips
Trust in this traveler’s tips, who knows of many paths and trips.
The dark midnight, fearful waves, and the tempestuous whirlpool
How can he know of our state, while ports house his unladen ships.
I followed my own path of love, and now I am in bad repute
How can a secret remain veiled, if from every tongue it drips?
If His presence you seek, Hafiz, then why yourself eclipse?
Stick to the One you know, let go of imaginary trips.

You Don’t Have to Act Crazy Anymore

You Don’t Have to Act Crazy Anymore -
We all know you were good at that.

Now retire, my dear,
From all that hard work you do

Of bringing pain to your sweet eyes and heart.

Look in a clear mountain mirror -
See the Beautiful Ancient Warrior
And the Divine elements
You always carry inside

That infused this Universe with sacred Life
So long ago

And join you Eternally
With all Existence - with God!

From: ‘I heard God Laughing - Renderings of Hafiz’ by Daniel Ladinsky

History of Muslims in Western Massachusetts

(To find Muslims in your area go to http://www.islamicfinder.org)

The Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts was established in 1982 as a non-profit organization. In 1983, the first Masjid (mosque) was established in western Massachusetts by the Society on property purchased at 377 Amostown Road, West Springfield, MA. Initially, the small brick house in the front of the property was remodeled and served as our Masjid. With the steady growth of the community, a larger facility became necessary. Therefore, construction of the new facility was begun in 1991 and completed by the summer of 1992, at a cost of $ 750,000, raised primarily by local contribution from generous members of the Society. The need for further extension particularly for school facilities was soon realized and so the School extension project was started and completed in 1997 at a cost of an additional $250,000.

The completion of the building is particularly significant, as this is the first Masjid in western New England to be built from the ground up. Theretofore Muslims have established Masjids that were built as renovations of existing structures. We are thankful to Allah (Subhanahu wa taala) for this blessing, and understandably proud and thankful for the unity and determination shown by the members of our community in support of this project. Although we are relatively small in numbers and rather limited in resources, we have been able to finance the construction of this building solely through contributions from members of the society and by donations from supportive Muslims of the surrounding area. We have neither sought nor received any funds from governmental or non-governmental agencies.

The Masjid itself is of a simple and modest design. Perhaps its most striking feature is its structural simplicity. The building’s functional practicality serves our purpose of worship, education and social interaction. The building is positioned so that when we stand for prayer we are facing the direction of the sacred city of Mecca and more particularly the house of Allah (Subhanahu wa taala) which is known as the Ka’ba, first built by Abraham and his son Ismael, peace be upon them. Muslims the world over are required to face the Ka’ba when they perform their ritual prayers

The Masjid is used for prayers, religious education and social events. Since it is kept open for all the five prescribed prayers, it is virtually always available for the use of worshippers. Moreover, it is open to individuals wishing to perform supererogatory prayers, to do research or individual study. Although we follow the Sunni Islam as taught by the prophet Mohammad, peace and blessings be upon him, ( Ahlu as-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah ), the Masjid is always open to all Muslims and is not restricted to any denomination, sect or membership. Those who are not Muslim are also welcome here to observe, learn about Islam and Muslims, and to engage in dialogue around issues of common interest and concern.

The Administration of the Society is conducted by an elected body, the board members, called the Shura comprising of nine members, three of which are elected each year for a term of three years. The Amir or president, a vice-president, treasurer, and a secretary are elected by the Shura members annually for a term of one year.

The first record of Muslims in Western Massachusetts is from 1895-1900 as Lebanese immigrants moved into the area. The next major influx was in the 1970’s, of professionals (mainly doctors) from the Indian subcontinent. Like Muslims around the globe, the Muslim community in western Massachusetts is richly diverse in terms of ethnicity and cultural expression. Our members come from several countries worldwide including many in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the Americas. We have different languages, different colors, different ethnic origins, different nationalities, different professions, different cultures, but we are united as one faith, Islam; one heart, one brotherhood serving one Almighty God, Allah (Subhanahu-wa-taala). We regularly share and enjoy a vast variety of international foods, dress and language all of which fit comfortably within the pale of Islam.

Recommended for children wanting to learn more about Islam

Muslim Child Understanding Islam Through Stories And Poems BY RUKHSANA KHAN, ILLUSTRATED BY PATTY GALLINGER “With eight stories about Muslim life from such places as the United States, Pakistan, Canada and Nigeria, Muslim Child: Understanding Islam Through Stories and Poems by Rukhsana Khan offers insight into the five pillars of Islam (belief, prayer, fasting, charity and pilgrimage to Mecca) and demonstrates Muslim presence around the globe. Throughout, sidebars by Irfan Alli explain Muslim terms and traditions; sayings from the prophet Muhammad punctuate the text. A pronunciation guide, a samosa recipe and instructions for making `Eid Mubarak’ cards to mark the end of Ramadan round out the volume.” -Publishers Weekly. Albert Whitman 2002 104 PP. Cloth $14.95,