The Collected Ghazals of Hafiz; vol. 1, with the original Farsi poems, English translation & notes by Jamiluddin Morris Zahuri with Maryam Moghadam; ill.; 355 p.; 2017; Beacon Books; www.beaconbooks.net; Manchester. This is the opening verse of the Divan of Hafiz: O server of love-wine, pass round and be offering the cup, In the first place love looked easy, but problems came up. Another verse in the same ghazal is very well known: Colour the prayer mat with wine, if the Magian Pir tells you to, For knowledge he has of the Way and what you need to do. Jamiluddin Morris Zahuri has presented the Divan of Hafiz into these modern English verses. Maryam Moghadam has provided the original Persian…
Khwaja Gharib Nawaz
Khwaja Gharib Nawaz or ‘Patron of the Poor’ as Khwaja Mo’inuddin Chishti is known, was not only a great Sufi and an inspired person, but at the same time he was an erudite scholar and a poet. He would generally not allow more than one dervish to accompany him in travels. He would stay in desolate and deserted places. Sometimes he would stay in a graveyard. The moment he came to be known, he would stay no longer. He hated publicity. Khwaja Moinuddin Chshti says… Khwaja Gharib Nawaz says that the Day of Judgment is a certainty. On that day when the true lovers will be called and if at that time someone amongst the lovers cried out establishing his claim…
The Months of the ‘Arefin (Gnostics)
1. Muharram: sanctification and coming-forward; station of beginning. 2. Safar: renunciation, aspiration and denudation; its earth relinquishes the plants of evil deeds 3. Rabi’ al-Awwal: customary practice; mutual social relations 4. Rabi’ ath-Thani: unveiling; mystical perceptions 5. Jumada al-Awwal: What do you think? 6. Jumada al-akhirah: ? 7. Rajab: the loftiest shrine 8. Sha’ban: the barrier 9. Ramadan: the everlasting 10. Shawwal: the source of quiddity+++- 11. Dhul-Qadah: the earthly expanse 12. Dhul-Hijjah: spiritual joy.
Hazrat Baba Farid
Eat your own bare, dry bread and drink plain, cold water. Don’t tempt you mind, Farid on seeing another’s buttered bread. ∞ Give up, Farid, the deeds which bring no credit, Lest you be put to shame in the court of the Lord. ∞ Don’t slander the dust, O Farid! There is nothing to equal it. While we’re alive, it lies beneath our feet. And when we’re dead, it covers us over. ∞ Serve the Lord, Farid, Casting off the doubts of your mind, For men of God are required to be Forbearing like the trees. ∞ God says: ‘If you ennoble yourself, O man, you’ll meet Me. And on meeting Me, You’ll have eternal bliss. If you ever remain…
Training of the heart
Shaykh Nasiruddin Chiragh of Delhi told his mureeds clearly and firmly that the entire structure of spiritual discipline was based on the proper training of the heart. The qibla (focus-point) of the heart is God. The heart is the amir (ruler) of the body. When it turns away from its focus-point, the body also moves away from its focus-point. The anwar (divine lights) first descend on the soul and then they are transmitted to the body, which is subordinate to the heart. When the heart is moved, the body is also moved. Hal (spiritual state) is the result of the purity of action. Hal is transitory and is not permanent. If it becomes so it becomes a maqam (station).
Discerning your thoughts
Najmuddin Kubra has given a short summary of the subject of discerning one’s thoughts: The first is the thought that is from God, and the sign of that thought is that it enters the heart spontaneously, and one should not deny that thought. In reality one cannot do so, but that is the practice of beginners, that they do deny it, because the beginner has not yet distinguished it from the thoughts that come from the master. The second is the thought from the heart, and the third is the thought from the angel. These two are close to each other, yet between the thought from the heart and the thought from the angel there is a subtle difference. You…
Sufi concept: Wednesday – Prophet Jesus
Shaykh Ibn al-‘Arabi tells us, that for every day there is a prophet from among the prophets, from whom descends a secret upon the heart of the verifying witness, a secret in which you takes delight during your day and by which you know something of that which requires to be known. This only happens to those who possess a heart. Day 4: Wednesday If your day is Wednesday, Jesus is your companion, so hold fast to holy life and persevere in the desert. On Wednesday it is Jesus who addresses you with a secret by which you come to know the completion of the stations, how they are sealed and by whom. WEDNESDAY: Arabic: al-arba’â’ Divine attribute: Willing Prophet:…
The Order of Hearts
Nizamuddin Awrangabadi came to Delhi hoping to find a spiritual guide. Hearing a great deal about shaykh Kalimullah he wanted to meet him. When he went to the shaykh, sama’ (audition of Sufi music) took place and the doors of the khanaqah were closed. It was their custom not to allow strangers to participate in the sama’. Nizamuddin knocked on the door and was permitted to enter. Everyone was greatly surprised, but shaykh Kalimullah said: ‘Know you all that this persoon is not a stranger!”. The reason was that the spiritual guide of shaykh Kalimullah had informed him that a persoon possessing such and such features and named Nizamuddin would come to him. Hazrat Nizamuddin Awrangabadi, who later on became…
The habits of Khawaja Mo’inuddin Chishti while travelling
Usually he took no more than one darwish with him when travelling and stayed in graveyards and uninhabited places. When his presence became known there, he did not remain there.
The Dream of the Caliph
The Caliph Ma’mun had a dream wherein he was inside the Ka’aba. He urinated at two of the corners inside of it and later on he did the same outside of it at the two other corners. He felt ashamed of this dream, but still wanted to know its meaning. He told one of his servants to go to the famous Ibn Sirin and tell him the dream while pretending it was a dream of the servant. Ibn Sirin, however, made it clear that it had to be a dream of a member of the family of the caliph who had to come himself and tell the dream. When Ma’mun came and told his dream, Ibn Sirin told him that…