Ajmer Dargah custodian opposes visits of film industry people

Submitted by admin7 on 22 July 2012 - 5:40pm, Indian Muslim, By TCN News   Ajmer: The Sajjada Nasheen of Ajmer Sharif Dargah has objected to the visits of film stars, directors and producers to pray at the dargah for success for their films and serials. Sajjada Nasheen Syed Zainul Abedeen Ali Khan said dance, songs, obscenity and nudity are prohibited in Islam, so visits to pray for success in those acts cannot be acceptable. He has termed the visits of film actors, producers, directors for success of films and serials at the darbar of Khwaja against Islamic Shariat and principles of Sufism. He said it cannot be tolerated. He said the silence of Islamic scholars and Shariat experts on this sensitive issue, is highly concerning. "Ulema, Darul ifta and muftis should clearly give their opinion on this issue to stop un-Islamic activities at the great cite of Islam," he said. He further said that Khwaja sahib was a spiritual saint and in his entire life, he did ibadat and taqwa and called people towards Quran and Shariat. He asked people to keep from dance, songs and obscenity, but today keeping his teachings aside, people are coming here to pray success in those very things.

Sufism For Non-Sufis? Lamppost Webinar

Lamppost Productions presents an exclusive, special online session with Dr. Sherman Abdul-Hakim Jackson! In this exclusive three-part online session, Dr. Sherman Jackson will discuss and expound upon key aspects of his new controversial book, Sufism for Non-Sufis? The first two sessions will be pre-recorded and devoted to Dr. Jackson's explanation of key points in the book. The third session will be a question-and-answer session where you can ask Dr. Jackson questions about this important work

Sufi Love, a Journey to the Divine

By Loubna Flah Morocco World News Casablanca, June 25, 2012   It is not easy for the believer to grasp the concept of "wholeness" in Islam. The Islamic creed remains at the centre of every Muslim's heart , regardless of their piety, not because Muslims choose to make of it a priority but mainly because it is designed to permeates all aspects of life. In some instances, Islam stands frank and dauntless. In other occasions it slides towards the heart of the believer like a rampant celestial light yet subtle and ethereal. It is unfortunate that the adherence to the Islamic faith has become for many a mechanistic and soulless process. The slow metamorphosis towards this religious callousness among Muslims did not happen overnight. Besides, it is of no use to blame history, society, the economic order, for religion can be a binding factor for large communities, yet its foundations are purely individual, since religiosity pertains more to the believer's choices.   Yet, we must admit that the mainstream perception about Islam nowadays is either overpowered by negative narratives promoted by westerners or radical secularists or totally distorted by the hard line Islamists who consider Islam as a mere balance sheet with two columns of deeds and misdeeds disregarding the fact that Islam is a journey , that everyone embarks on its own venture , and that the ways to "God" are so numerous. In her book "Love in Muslim Countries" Fatima Mernissi deplores the decline of "love" in modern Muslim societies despite a miscellaneous historic legacy of love sagas rich in manifestations and in words. In her survey of Muslim lovers' itinerary, Fatima Mernissi does not miss the conjecture with the Sufis, "The greatest lovers" of all times. Mernissi wonders why Muslims are not taught the art of love through the spectacles of those Sufis who lived in the margins of society buzz, who even risked their life for God's sake. In the information age and with the overdose of pragmatism and utilitarianism pumped into our veins, these refined feelings and uplifting journeys seem highly utopian and even look irrelevant to us. In addition, the journey back to the essence of divine love is not a sine qua none to the affiliation to Islam. It is only a path among a ramification of lanes that leads the believer to the safe shores of faith. Once upon the time, there was a young man who was totally desperate and immersed in worldly concerns. While he was sitting on a bench engrossed in his thoughts, he was approached by an old man whose jilbab, hat and white beard mirrored piety and wisdom. The old man cast a quick glance at his neighbor and said "Are you fine my son?" The young man replied automatically' it's Ok, just some problems to solve". The old man turned to him with a smirk on his face and said" Then why don't you turn to your beloved, pointing his finger at the blue firmament". Abashed, the young man asked "beloved, Allah? How can Allah be a "beloved? To my knowledge, the beloved is someone you can talk to, someone you look at in the eyes and someone you can tenderly touch". You may wait restlessly for the old man's answer, yet there are many answers to that legitimate question. There are many possibilities, and copious versions to the journey towards the creator. Between the passionate Sufis who sought the unification with the beloved through meditation and Zikr to those who secluded themselves in remote taverns in fear of temptation and distraction and those who relished the feeling of death in their life mumbling " My death is to remain alive. My life is to die", the divine love seekers have many examples, not to follow literally but to guide them in their pursuit of wholeness. If Sufism revolves around the love of "God" then we are all Sufis at some point or another. Women and Men's genius lies within their ability to adjust. In the effort of adjustment comes novelty and with novelty comes innovation. The will and effort to refine one's beliefs is by no mean mandatory, yet the adventure is highly gratifying for those who dare.   © 2012 Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved

Warning regarding Sufism

Published at: ASHRAFIYA  Teachings of Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf 'Ali Thanawi & his spiritual successors                                 Posted on June 27, 2012 by 'abd   Speaking in United Kingdom sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said, I would warn the younger Muslim generation about the wrong interpretation of Sufism. It has been widely propagated in the Western world by non-Muslims. They coined the term Sufism. They praise Sufism. They preach sufism. They propagate Sufism. One may think that they do this in service to Islam. However, the reality is that the Sufism propagated by Western writers is quite contradictory to the Shariah. It is quite contradictory to the real essence of Tasawwuf and tariqat. A high ranking western offical visited the Darul Uloom, Karachi. After having a detailed tour observing the teaching activities he commented that he did not see anything about Sufism being taught. It was inquired that what did he mean by Sufism. He replied that Sufism is something related to one's soul and what pleases one's soul. For example, playing music, dancing, having ectasy (wajd) and qawwali,etc.. The poor individual restricted Sufism to these kinds of activities. The real problem is that when Western world speaks of soul as against the physical life they assume that they are speaking of the spirit or spiritual things. There is a big difference between soul and spirit. In fact soul is what is called the nafs in Tasawwuf. That is the (lower) desires of the heart. Tasawwuf does not have realtion to soul in that meaning. Tasawwuf realtes to the spiritual qualities- the human instincts (reforma tion of the moral characteristics – thus becoming a better human being & Real Muslim). Turath lecture, 23rd June 2012 Dubai, UAE

ORS Festival of a Universal Sufi Saint Observed at Rahe Bhander Kadhurkhil Dorbar Sharif

ORS Festival of a Universal Sufi Saint   Sufism is the terms that usually gives us pietistic feelings of moral and physical sacredness and enlighten heart of an individual as well as the social life. Sufism remain as the indeed universal philosophy at every prophetic era which, relate our beloved prophet (May, peace of Allah be upon him and to his family and followers) with the previous. Sufism is the indeed theology of Islam and thus Sufis lives beyond territory. The last June 5, Tuesday was the annual ORS Festival (The Disappearance Ceremony) of such a Universal Sufi Saint which, observed in highly religious aspect at Rahe Bhander- The kadhurkhil Mono- Theological Resource Center (Rahe Bhander Kadhurkhil Dorbar Sharif) a well established school of Mono- Theology at Chittagong in Bangladesh. It is one of the biggest annual festivals of the Rahe Bhander Sufi Order. The independent re-organizer of Islamic Mono- Theism; The Universal Pole Qutub; Hadrath Moulana SYED MOHAMMED ABDUL MALEK (May, Allah be pleased upon his holiness) (1917- 1980) was one of the eminent Universal Sufi Saint of his era and the well spread Rahe Bhander Sufi Order in the Southern region of Asia. He was the spiritual descendent and apostle (Caliph) of the most eminent Universal Pole Qutub- The founder of the Rahe Bhander Doctrine- Saheb Al Ojud Al Quran- Hadrath Moulana SYED SALEQUR RAHMAN (May, Allah be pleased upon his holiness)(1849- 1969). His spiritual lineage meet with the Last Prophet Hadrath MOHAMMED (May, peace of Allah be upon him and to his family and followers) according to Hadrath Ali Karram Allahhu Wajhahu. He is the 39th Sufi Saint of the Golden Chain. His livelihood was desire free from the materialistic worldly life. He traveled many countries of the world and had professional communication skill in Bengali, Arabic, Persian, English and Urdu. There a number of Sufi Poems in Bengali and Urdu languages were written by him. Meanwhile, spend all of his life for the welfare of Sufi Devotes. His only audio recorded oration is going to be published in Bengali and English very soon in which, he exposed his extra ordinary philosophical thought and logic of Mono- theology and the relation of a worshiper with his own ultimate origin Allah. This Universal Sufi Master of the early modern era left the worldly life at 22 Joisto, according to Bengali calendar (June 5, 1980). Since then, a number of this followers, Sufi Devotes of Rahe Bhander Sufi Order, social figure and mass contribution make a stream of people around his holy tomb on the day. This year under the superintendence of his spiritual apostle- The Surviving Sufi Master of the Rahe Bhander Sufi Order- Hadrath Moulana SYED ZAFOR SADEK (May, Allah accept his endeavourer) there observed the complete recitation of Holy Quran, Slaughter Animals with the name of Allah, Visit the holy Shrine (Jiarah), Convey Dorud and Milad upon the Prophet Mohammed (May, peace of Allah be upon him and to his family and followers), Tabarruk distribution, Stall Opening, Disclosing Ceremony of Annual Megazine 'Noxar Sondhane' (the preface of Rahe Bhander), Sacred Musical Segment (Semmah Mahfil) and concluding prayer (Akheri Munajat) as the part of whole day scheduled programs. Male and female devotes were joining the occasion individually and group by group holding their community banner. The association of his followers as named the Association of Rahe Bhander Affectionate, the Scholars Association of Rahe Bhander, the Youth Association of Rahe Bhander, Rahe Bhander Multimedia and the Sufi Musicians Association of Rahe Bhander were serving their voluntary duties till the festival ends.

Book Review: “Celebrating Divine Presence: Journeys into God” (Laurent Weichberger, ed.)

Published at theamericanmuslim.org Posted May 6, 2012         Book Review:  "Celebrating Divine Presence: Journeys into God" (Laurent Weichberger, ed.)  by H. Talat Halman     A Happy Blending of the Head and the Heart "Celebrating Divine Presence" is a book that aims to—and in so many ways succeeds at—revitalizing our experience of all religions by bringing them together as "beads on one string," to quote the words of the twentieth-century spiritual master Meher Baba. In these chapters, the authors, all practitioners, and many scholarly, invite you into their personal faith journeys. The tone of this book is personal and conversational, while also featuring in-depth studies of ten religious traditions. This book represents a happy balance of the heart (personal experience and autobiographical narrative) and the mind (rigor in fidelity and creativity in insight). "Celebrating Divine Presence" begins with an excellent chapter on listening, a fulfillment of Martin Buber's ideal of the "Life of Dialogue." This is a book born of the "Beads on One String" project to create an Interfaith context for dialogue. Brilliantly, Laurent Weichberger shows us how the great religious founders are "exemplars of listening." (And of course. The Jewish creed is called, and begins with, the word "Listen!" [*Shema*] And listening involves learning to appreciate others' differences.) Rumi began his great *Mathnawi* with the word "Listen," and similarly, this is a book to be listened to for the music beneath the words. Foundational exemplars of listening appear throughout this book's pages in different contexts—a dynamic which enlivens the book. This is a book with insights into (the elsewhere grossly understudied) Zoroaster, as well as Abraham, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, St. Catherine, Muhammad, and Meher Baba. Each of these figures are treated in detail and with feeling. (Along the way we are even granted the rare experience of reading a Zoroastrian prayer. [p. 41]) In a number of chapters, we glean perspectives also on contemporary seminal spiritual teachers, especially: Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Hazrat Inayat Khan, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and Meher Baba. One of the great strengths of this book is that it exquisitely and precisely articulates an understanding of the much over-used and little-understood—though perhaps James Cameron's film has helped—archetype of the Avatar. Levels of sainthood and God-Realization are clearly explained. A very beautiful interlude section describes what I take to be a one-page answer to the question, "What would Saint Francis do—in this day and age?" This book teaches us how we can stop derogating religions and stop exercising prejudice toward people of other faiths, by showing the commonalities of the "one string" among all people and all faiths. In Laurent Weichberger's chapter on "Ancient Mysticism," he creates a new paradigm for thinking about the differences and interrelationships between various religious traditions and he diagrams his creative insights brilliantly in three dynamic charts. This chapter is a wonderful orientation to the World's Religions and their interrelationships. The chapter on Sufism is a masterpiece. Written by a practicing Sufi with deep and extensive personal, community, and global experience, Karl Moeller, surveys the vast range of types of Sufism as well as the vast ranges of phenomena and traditions—both in Islamic Sufism and in Universalist Sufism. Moeller clearly explains Sufism's roots in the Prophet Muhammad's mission and his teachings and practices. It includes sufficient information on the foundations of the Prophet's example and the Qur'an for the novice to proceed into this survey of Sufism. Passages from Qur'an and hadith have been deftly selected. Moeller discusses the relationship of Sufism to Islam. He explains the model of spiritual psychological transformation, the seven levels of the soul. Moeller explains the role of saints (*Wali*) and of Axial Saints (*Qutb*. The chapter also explains the attributed spiritual blessing-power (*baraka*) that saints are sought out for. Moeller explains the practice of seeking intercession through saints. The very popular, wide-spread practice of visiting (*ziyara*) saints' tombs is discussed and described. A beautiful feature of this chapter is the explanation of the dynamics of lineage and the samples of actual lineage-succession lists (*silsila*). The teacher-student or master disciple relationship, so central to Sufism, receives extensive analysis. Sufi meditational practices (*zikr*) and the spirituality of listening (*sema*) to sacred music are discussed. A great number of Sufi-lineage traditions (*tariqa*) are discussed in depth and others are listed. Moeller also comprehensively surveys contemporary expressions of Sufism, both globally and in Europe and America. Delightfully, Moeller includes the Sufi wisdom-humor stories of Mulla Nasruddin Hoja. There is even a sort of "FAQ" included. Copious quotes from Sufis, including Rumi, appear. The Judaism chapter rang true for me when I saw that its author Yaakov Weintraub immediately highlights the Friday-dusk-to-Saturday-nightfall Shabbat that for many Jews defines or sets a standard for being Jewish. Its topics include God, Torah, the Holocaust, Halakha ("the Law"), and the Chaggaim, the holidays. This chapter's exposition is enriched by personal narrative and poetry.Two chapters on Hinduism treat all the basics of the family of Hindu traditions: Veda, Vedanta (in its varieties), meditation (and brain research on its effects), and all the yogas of devotion (*bhakti*), knowledge (*jnana*), action (*karma*), and topics such as liberation (*moksha*), or God-Realization (*jivanmukta*). Spiritual paragons, their lives and teachings are also discussed: Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekanada, Swami Shantananda. Worship of the Mother Goddesses, idols (*vigraha*), and Avatars are also explained. Detailed instructions are provided for practice of each of the four major forms of yoga. A beautiful "Images" section extends the beauty of this book. Other chapters survey Jainism in detail, Tibetan Buddhism in a way that brings to life the Budddha's teaching, Christianity in full scope. Through a combination of personal witness and diligent scholarship, Mary Esther Stewart makes Jesus Christ very real and relevant. She provides creative analogies for the Trinity. She explains liturgy, sacraments, saints, monastic orders and Church hierarchies. In the course of a personal narrative, she gives a beautiful summary of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's vision of "world justice, dialogue, and peace" (p. 293) and explains Vatican II. She then creates a moving portrait of Saint Francis. Then follows "If Saint Francis Were Here," a wonderful one-page summary of what Saint Francis would say and do today, with a beautiful illustration of Saint Francis. The Punjabi-based Sikh religion (*Khalsa*) is also beautifully explained with wonderful quotes from its founder Guru Nanak's prayers, its rich tradition of Hindu and Muslim devotional poetry. Guru Nanak comes to life in these pages. Then editor and coordinator of the "Beads on One String" project, Laurent Weichberger then proceeds to survey "Modern Mysticism." Here he discusses Sri Ramakrishna, Hazrat Inayat Khan, Rabia Martin, and Avatar Meher Baba. Meher Baba's life and teachings—at least in terms of a 32-page summary—are given extremely insightful, detailed, extensive, and expert treatment. Weichberger even succeeds in explaining in accessible terms one of Meher Baba's most elusive of paradigms, the "Ten States of God," from Meher Baba's magnum opus, "God Speaks." Weichberger describes these in a down-to-earth way that complement the more formal explanations of Meher Baba and many of his interpreters. In these pages Weichberger shares many important Meher Baba quotes and presents Meher Baba's Universal Prayer, the O Parvardigar prayer, laid out in a poetic verse form that is the easiest to read of any printed version I have seen. Weichberger follows with a section on "Sacred Places," detailing all the various holy sites of all the world's religions featured in the book that Meher Baba himself visited, made pigrimage to, or at which he meditated. "Celebrating Divine Presence: Journeys into God" is an invigorating, inspiring, instructive read and also a great research resource. I salute Laurent Weichberger and the "Beads on One String" project for this ripe fruit of their seminars, dialogues, and communion. This book is a model for Interfaith dialogue, global citizenship, and the study of World Religions. This comprehensive and insightful book on 10 spiritual traditions helps to address Islamophobia—and other less pronounced phobias—by contributing to an experience and understanding of spiritual sharing, commonality, and kinship among the *people* who practice the religions, and even, ultimately extending to a kinship among all the faiths themselves brought "together as beads on one string." ~~~ H. Talat Halman, Assistant Professor, Religion, Central Michigan University

Jasmeet’s soul searching takes her to Sufi melodies

The Times of India Shariq MajeedShariq Majeed, TNN | May 28, 2012, 04.39AM IST   SARABHA NAGAR: From running a successful linen manufacturing business to being a Sufi singer and writer, Jasmeet Kaur Kukreja has traversed many a spiritual journey in her life of 50 years. With an audio CD and a short story book to her credit already, Jasmeet will soon release her second audio CD and book. Industrialist Baldev Singh Kukreja's wife, Jasmeet says, ''I had a successful linen manufacturing unit for 11-12 years which was set up in 1991. When I quit that business due to some reasons, I got a lot of beneficial time for my personal and spiritual progress.'' She adds, ''Until 2004, I didn't know much of Sufism, or of 'Ishq-e-Majazi' (Worldly love) and 'Ishq-e-Haqiqi' (Love for God). The urge to pen down my spiritual thoughts came from within and I wrote around 150 'nazms' (poetic works). Since I used to sing with a symphony group, I began to sing my own poems.'' Besides Sufi poems, she also writes on various other issues in Hindi and Punjabi. In 2007, her first short story book on women 'Ik Chitti Apneyaan De Naan' (A Letter For My Own) was published and her first music CD 'Harjiyo Kripa Karo' a shabad, was released the same year. ''My second book 'Chamkan Taarey' (Twinkling Stars) will be released in a few months while the second music CD of Sufi songs would also be released in another 2-3 months, says Jasmeet, who has learned singing from Guru Chaman Lal Bhalla. The Sufi singer has also treated audiences at live concerts such as 'Surmai Shaam' organized by Jagmohan Singh of Oscar Hosiery, Sufi show for military personnel in Dehradun and at DPS Ludhiana, at GGN Khalsa College, at Ramgharia Girls College and in various programmes on Jalandhar Doordarshan. Jasmeet has also received the Woman Achiever Award from a Mumbai-based firm and the Desh Sewa Rattan Award from a literary organization in Ludhiana. Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Hansraj Hans are her favourite Sufi singers while among the Sufi writers, she likes Bulle Shah, Shah Hussain and Sultan Bahu.