“The wound is the place where the Light enters” Awesome!

The name Pilgrims Progress for our group process appealed to me as it speaks of our journey to our Lord-The Absolute.However,historically this is a name associated with Christianity with which,of course we have a lot in common.However for the weekly meetings we needed something more akin to Sufi terminology.

So I began thinking of all the terms used for these meetings-=liqa, dhikr, hadrat, suhba etc.And I thought of what the essence of what we are trying to do.I concluded that the most essential aim of our process was trying to “connect”-primarily to the Presence of Allah and secondarily to His servants. The Arabic root for the word meaning “connect” is  wasala  وسل

Then I checked the derivatives of that root and the one that fit the best was “Wisal”.Hans Wehr gives the following meanings for wisal-reunion(with God);being together(of lovers);and communion(in Love).Perfect! Welcome to our next Wisal!

Here we go again!-those big philosophical words.Epistemology is the philosophy of knowledge.It asks the question of where real knowledge comes from.

In this case it comes up after reading a detailed explanation of the State Departments decision under Hilary Clinton to intervene in Libya- in the NYTimes.Unlike the paranoid theories about America that always speculate that it is about oil or supporting Israel all the time,you can sense the Truth and balance in this report.

So what do we find.We discover not a search for more wealth or for domination politically but rather a very conscientious,studious and thougtful politician caught in the most common modern methodological error-over thinking and over-analyzing.She should have watched “The Fog of War” with Robert McNamara more carefully.She would have them understood the limitations of the human capacity to analyze.

That is why I regularly try to promote the Istighara practice-consulting with the Divine.Our Prophet,Mohammed saws,was an amazing decision-maker regularly right and timely.He did that by constantly consulting with thé Divine and surrendering to its

1. dictates.His success was literally miraculous if you consider all the forces mounted against him.He could never have done that by just using his own mind.Salaams,Ibrahim

Continue reading Epistemology and Decision-making →

My Spiritual Peanut(contribution from Munirah)

The name Paradise Island should be a warning -that it is not. Looking from the ferry there are defensive looking battlements around multi-million dollar properties and posing right behind them a grotesque giant Sauron meets Barbie pink Mega Resort called Atlantis.
More ironic Paradise at the quay, the public toilet has no paper and no running water for the handbasin. Subway and Scotiabank welcome us beyond tarmac and concrete curbs, there are no sidewalks…why walk when you can ride in a cadillac?
The Sivanada Ashram is nestled on a stunning beach mostly possessed by The Reef condo and resort complex. Cute pastel and white cabins and colorful murals of Krishna among the palms. Lots and lots of tents and an eclectic mix of woofer types, anorexic yogis and hefty Boomer devotees. A warm and effortlessly efficient welcome at reception and we are signed up for Hanuman chanting in the Garden Pavilion. There is a labyrinth of buildings but fresh, un-Indian bathrooms.
I am reassured by the ease and calm in what is actually a more crowded campground than any trailer park. In the Garden Pavilion I settle shoeless into a plastic chair with a cushion from the meditation mats alongside, which fill most of the open sided wooden structure. Onstage three women are seated with microphones and a tabla and harmonium. Behind them are huge posters of orange clad gurus and another picture of Krishna. A large and relaxed older man and an older than me matriarch who seemed to know everyone, help me find the right page in the devotional handbook. We will be doing page 37 and there are transliterated chants with English translation underneath.
Center stage a young slender Indian girl with an ivy league style begins with her impressive spiritual resume and assures us that this wonderful chant was introduced to her by Krishna Das, presumably in an intense spiritual setting. She will call a line then we will repeat it, like in Kindergarten and then we will all sing it together. A wave of suppressed excitement seems to be pass through the audience. I study the detailed picture of Hanuman on the page of my handbook. he seems to be wearing Birkenstock sandals and an elaborate skirt, he has the muscular body of a professional athlete but the head of a sloe-eyed chimp as well as a crown with feathers. It is all a bit confusing.
I start to feel a little uncomfortable. I feel a sneeze building and then my nose starts to run like a tap…uh oh.
“Oh Hanuman, born from the amorous passion of Siva, in a forest glade with a deva….”
My eyes are watering tears of irritation….
“we are your slaves as you are the slave of the great god Rama”
I cannot speak and I do not want to say these words-
slayer of the demon Ravenna in the kingdom of Lanka…Oh Monkey God”
i do not like monkeys, I have been attacked by them on several occasions.
At this point my throat closes up and I feel like someone has thrown a drawstring sack over my head and it is choking me.
I try to cough in my sleeve but the cough just keeps going and I look around for help. My eyes lock into the cold stare from across the room of the ashram cat, he probably thinks I am prey and I am.I have to get out of here, now. Closest exit is ahead close to the stage but I cannot go to it, instead, wheezing and blinded I stumble to the back to empty space, to the steps, to quickly getting the heck out of monkey mind control and
sub rational absorption. I collapse on the last step but looking up i see a palm frond and a blue sky. Alhumdullilah.

I have never had an allergic reaction like that before. As I write this hours later, my body has stilled and calmed from the aftershocks, and my nose and eyes are dry.
Who would have guessed a little Hanuman chanting was my spiritual peanut?

“It may look like you have a lot of options,but actually there is only one right move!”Bobby Fischer…I was moved to tears when I heard that.What a deep teaching about life and the Will of God!

The Dunniya(material world)is corrupt at its core.Like the proverbial shiny Apple with a worm at its centre ,every promising situation in this world ends up in disappointment.The fancy,new job has a nasty supervisor above you who takes pleasure in making your life miserable,your new relationship which filled you with love and hope now turns out to be with a partner who is obsessional or psychopathic or Aspergers and even your wonderful vacation includes lots of stress ,separation anxiety and some intense bouts of turista.This is not strange or unusual.God created it this way so we do not find paradise here on Earth but instead have to turn to Him.S Continue reading Dunniya Corrupt at the Core →

The American Constitution was set up as a system of “checks and balances”.It has now become a system of “”checkmates and paralysis”.As in the case of most intractable problems,the solution is the same-a ‘paradigm shift’.How can you do that without serious pain and disruption? The best way is not revolution.Look at Russia and China for examples of that.The best way and the way of our Prophet saws is by begininmg the change inwardly.Get your ideas and your feelings straight and then begin sharing them.That is my path.Could it also be yours?

The Sufis have always been aware of the importance of the paradox of Oneness and Separation.Unfortunately many of the “spiritual illuminati” are not.And that is a dangerous position.So I am reassured when I come across sources that re-affirm my position on this,against all the New Agers and Adavaitists and Buddhists who,often with good intentions, are misleading people.So here are a few quotes from a series of tapes entitled”The Poor Man’s Book of Assistance” a commentary by  Sheikh Hamza Yusuf on the work of a great Sufi scholar Ahmad Zarruq.

1)”Cling to the haqiqat(absolute truth) but in accordance with the necessities of Tawhid(Oneness)”Ahmad Zarruq.The oneness here is referring to our Creator who has established the rules of existence for His creatures.So we could paraphrase this statement as “hold on to your enlightenment but fear your Lord at the same time.” Very important advice for New Agers.

2) “Protect me from the dangers of Tawhid” Abdul-Salaam Ibn Mashish,another great Sufi mystic.What he is saying here is that enlightenment can lead you astray ,as anyone with even a cursory knowledge of gurus in America, both from the East and from the West, should be well aware of .Ibn Mashish knew that hal(spiritual states ) can easily mislead people.

3) “We have to believe that Allah is Allah and the servant is the servant”Hamza Yusuf .i.e. Don’t lose sight of your relative,small self by being engrossed in the Absolute.The small self has it’s own rights and obligations which must be respected.

Salaams,ibrahim