For Water is Sweet When it Flows

Peace, one and all…

‘Travel, for water is sweet when it flows, and when it settles, it stagnates’

Bishr al-Hafi, as quoted in Attar’s Memorials of the Saints

Search The Darkness

Peace, one and all…

Sit with your friends; don’t go back to sleep.
Don’t sink like a fish to the bottom of the sea.

Surge like an ocean,
don’t scatter yourself like a storm.

Life’s waters flow from darkness.
Search the darkness, don’t run from it.

Night travellers are full of light,
and you are too; don’t leave this companionship.

Be a wakeful candle in a golden dish,
don’t slip into the dirt like quicksilver.

The moon appears for night travellers,
be watchful when the moon is full.
Mevlana

If You Walk on the Way

Peace, one and all…

If you walk on the Way, the Way will be opened to you.
And if you become non-existent, you will be led to real existence.
If you become humble, you will not be contained in the universe.
And then you will be shown to yourself – without yourself.
Mevlana, Quatrain 1836

All the Cups are Golden

Peace, one and all…

Why should we keep ourselves from such Grace?
Since we are the ‘handiwork of God’ let us be in the presence of the Maker.
In the Kitchen of Heaven all the cups are golden;
God forbid that we should be satisfied with stale water
Mevlana, Quatrain 1340

Love Sailed into the Heavens

Peace, one and all…

Mercy only resides in a house with a burning lamp.
Love sailed into the heavens, where will this ship drop anchor?
One should sink the boat of intellect and rationality on its first trip.
The Beloved is visible everywhere, Bahu, wherever my gaze turns.
(Sultan Bahu, trans. Jamal Elias)

Claim Nothing, Let the Divine Do…

Peace, one and all…

Each month, the Threshold Society gives a key theme for reflection.  During August (or Ramadan), that theme was: claim nothing, let the Divine do.  Shaykh Kabir offers some thought-provoking reflections on that theme.  May they be beneficial to all who pass by!

Claim Nothing, Let the Divine Do

This theme is an advanced teaching. It presumes that we have to some extent developed a healthy capacity for will. By will we mean the capacity to choose consciously; and will power is the capacity to follow through on what we have consciously chosen. Only then can we glimpse the meaning of “Claim nothing, let the Divine do.”

Someone who rarely makes a conscious decision, but follows this or that impulse, has little will. Such a person is only following the impulses, desires, and tendencies arising in the lower self. You may even justify or glorify those impulses with a spiritual rationale, but the reality is that you are under the command of your ego. That’s why every real spiritual teaching begins with a long apprenticeship going against certain impulses of the self, applying a discipline to the soul, being faithful to a spiritual practice that at first seems to involve some sacrifice. In the end, however, that spiritual practice is what frees us from an inner tyranny we may not have even recognized.

The Dog of Ego

‘O heart, stay with the pain that is a remedy.
No groaning; endure longing without complaint.
Stamp your foot upon your own desires.
Train the dog of ego. Let this be your sacrifice’
Rumi, Quatrain 311

A healthy will is a will that more often than not chooses what is good for the soul and is independent of the whims and desires of the lower self. It is at this stage that this theme becomes applicable. To “claim nothing” is to be scrupulous about not asserting your will, not identifying with your ego, not attributing the power of your own will to your lower self. As the Qur’an says: “There is no power nor strength except with the One” [a translation of the central Islamic phrase - La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah]

If the spiritual path is about remembering Allah in every moment and living your life accordingly, then there are boundless opportunities to “claim nothing.” In fact, as we observe our awakening into remembrance we may see that we are not actually doing it, and yet it does not happen without our strengthening our intention to be in remembrance and being consistent in practices of remembrance. As a result of a faithful practice we may find that we have more and more moments of remembrance, and our spontaneous, natural response could be real gratitude and humility. “Claim nothing, let the Divine do.”

This is very different from following the path of least resistance that is the ego’s way, a way of yielding to any impulse that arises. Following the path of least resistance can actually be the path of dissipation and gradual loss of will. While following the Straight Path is to be aware of choice and naturally choosing what is in alignment with our highest purpose and intention.

To Be Erased

‘Unless the seeker is absolutely erased,
In truth, he will not come into union.
Union is not penetrable. It is your destruction.
Otherwise any worthless person would become the Truth’
Rumi, Quatrain 800

Our sense and understanding of our highest purpose is informed by the exemplars of the Path—the prophets, masters, and saints whose lives and words inspire us.

This Path of Love is a direct path, merciful toward our human nature, yet calling us to a discipline that spiritualizes the body, the emotions, and even our thoughts. Claim nothing, let the Divine do becomes even more important as we begin to sense the inflow of a spiritual energy that lifts us up and radiates into the world. The danger at this stage is that we (no matter how subtly) appropriate that power to ourselves. While being in the flow of grace is more likely to be given to someone who has overcome the dissipating impulses of the nafs, that flow is not an act of our own will. While the stages of the spiritual path require an inner mastery over ourselves, there is no way to attain that mastery except through humbleness, gratitude, and love.

Yourself without Yourself

‘If you go on the Way, they will open the Way to you.
And if you become nothing, you’ll be led to real being.
And if you will be humble, the universe will not contain you,
And you will be shown yourself, without yourself’
Rumi, Quatrain 742

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An Unexpected Sohbet

Peace, one and all…

Al hamdu lillahi ala kulli hal.  Praise be to God in every condition and state.

I have been in London for the past three weeks, taking an intensive Arabic course with the Ibn Jabal Institute.  Ma sha Allah!  It has been as interesting and as challenging as I hoped it would be.  I am looking forward to grounding what I have learnt in further study, insha Allah.  As this is my last weekend in London before I return home, I took this opportunity to visit the Study Society in West London.  It has a regular Mevlevi turning group and my intention was to attend one of their beginner’s classes.  As God willed, on this occasion the class wasn’t meeting.  Instead I was invited to a small Rumi study group.  Praise be to God for His every blessing.  It was a beautiful evening.  We sang a number of my favourite Turkish ilahis and shared a number of profound poems of Hazret-i Mevlana (God sanctify his noble soul).  Discussing these poems and the issues they raise in a supportive, sharing environment (in sohbet in other words) was wonderful, and doubly so for being unexpected.

During our sohbet we touched on the themes of love and death.  Our older sister spoke of the death of her brother and then made a revealing and for me, important comment: ‘Now that he has passed on, he is always in my heart, where he is never in pain’.  This struck me as significant.  Our sister had clearly gone beyond my own recent realisations about love and death.  I felt an instant connection with her words, and a brief expansion of perspective.  Perhaps love is the only thing that survives us in this world.  Perhaps the love we strive to manifest is the real reason for our actual embodiment.

May our love be ever sanctified.  May all those we love live on in our hearts.  And may we, in our turn, live on in the hearts of those we love.

Wa akhiru da’wana an il hamdu lillahi rabbil alamin.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Rays of Light

Peace, one and all…

Al hamdu lillah.  Here in Wales, the weather has been beautiful of late.  Cool, gently warming mornings and warm, sunny afternoons.  Allah!  So it was that as I travelled to work recently I found myself listening to Roy Ayers’ beautiful ode to summer Everybody Loves the Sunshine.  As I listened, I found myself thinking about all the divisions that humanity foolishly imposes upon itself.  What an utter waste of time they all are!  Racism, sexism, nationalism, religious bigotry, class snobbery – what a complete waste of our precious, and all too short, time on earth they are.

As I thought about these things, a sudden idea came to me, all unbidden:

‘What if I understand each person I meet as a unique manifestation of divine love and beauty?  What if I understand each person as another ray of light from the same divine source?  What if I strive to actually see them this way?’

That is, a fundamental unity exists beyond all of the divisions we impose upon ourselves, a human unity beyond words and concepts, a human unity that reflects the unity of our common origin.  Thinking in this way brings other questions out into the light, and I have been mulling them over ever since: How might such an understanding transform my own relationships, my own interactions with the wider world?  How might this sudden and unexpected revelation help me see truth more fully?  What should I do with this realisation?

Questions.  There are always questions.  But that seems to be the human condition itself.  So, for now, I am happy enough walking with them, and seeing where they might lead. 

In closing, I hope you enjoy this song as much as I do.  May all that you do this day be blessed…

Wa akhiru da’wana an il hamdu lillahi rabbil alameen.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Home, Praise Be to God

Peace, one and all…

Al hamdu lillah.  My wife and I have returned to the UK after our recent trip.  I will post pictures of our visit in a few days insha Allah.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

The Night is Not Evil

Peace, one and all…

The human being is always travelling.  We travel through the earth, as we travel in thought; we travel through the world, as we travel through time.  As travellers, we are always engaged in finding provisions for our journey.  Sometimes, we choose inappropriate provisions and so, for a time, we journey into awkward places.  And then, when we call on God with sincerity, the door is opened, the way made clear and we walk once more beneath the sunlight.  Yet, this does not make the night itself evil, nor our journeys in darkness useless.  Moreover, our provisions are not solely physical, they are mental and spiritual too.  I pray to God for the provision of taqwa, for the blessing of the most helpful orientation.  For, as I sit at my desk typing these words, I begin to realise (albeit dimly) that I will always be moving and that all things are an aid to me on my long journey home.

Wa akhiru da’wana an il hamdu lillahi rabbil alameen.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Some Photos of Mevlana’s Turbe

Peace, one and all…

Here are some photographs from my recent trip to Konya.  Specifically, these photos all come from the shrine complex of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi (God sanctify his blessed soul).  These photos are not presented in any particular order.

  

  

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Hazret Shams al-Dın Tabriz

Peace one and all…

With the permıssion of God we fly home to the UK tonight.  We have had a wonderful time.  We have seen some wonderful things and have spent met up with some old friends.  Praise be to God in every condition and state.  Here is an interesting saying from the Maqalat Hazret Shams al-Din of Tabriz (God sanctify hıs noble soul):

The microcosm is hidden in the creation of man and the macrocosm is the outer unıverse.  But for prophets the outer universe is the microcosm while the inner universe ıs the macrocosm

Ma as salama
Abdur Rahman

Wıth Frıends ın Isparta

Peace one and all…

We are currently ın Isparta (ın western Turkey) stayıng wıth some frıends.  Insha Allah we wıll be returnıng to Marmarıs tonıght or tomorrow.  Insha Allah ınternet access wıll be more accessıble then (even though I fınd Turkısh keyboards quıte trıcky)!

Wıth the permıssıon of God we wıll return to the UK on Frıday.  Please remember us ın your prayers.

Ma as salama
Abdur Rahman

Mıdnıght ın Marmarıs

Peace, one and all…

I’m currently sıttıng ın an ınternet cafe ın Marmarıs, Turkey.  Ma sha Allah!  We arrıved safely, to a beautıful moonlıt nıght.  Internet accessmay well be patchy ın the comıng 2 weeks.  At any rate, please remember my famıly and me ın your prayers.

Ma,as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Visiting Mevlana, insha Allah

Peace, one and all…

Insha Allah, in little over a month my family and I will travel to Turkey on our first overseas trip together.  God willing, we will rest in the sunshine and take in some of the sights and sounds of southern Turkey.  We hope to visit some good friends of ours and then, during the middle of our time there, we hope to journey on to Konya, the adopted home and final resting place of Hazrat-i-Pir Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi (may God sanctify his noble soul).  May God grant us the grace to visit Mevlana’s house.

Personally, I am really looking forward to this trip, and to visiting Rumi in particular.  In some ways, it feels similar to shortly before our trip to Mecca on umrah (which was almost 10 years ago)!  There is a similar mixture of hope, anticipation and nervousness that I felt before we landed in Saudi Arabia.

May God bless our trip and may Hu keep my family and I safe on His path.

Ya Allah!

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman