The Role of an Ego

Maulana Shaykh Nazim Al-Haqqani gave a deep and powerful Suhbah on the 3rd of May 2011, concerning Osama bin Laden's death.

Here is the Synopsis:

Osama bin Laden has been a controversial figure in the Muslim world. Some view him as a true Islamic warrior, others, as a murderer and terrorist. Is his death that of a martyr or otherwise? Maulana skillfully dissects Osama's actions and motives, explaining to his mureeds a very important lesson as to why Tariqah is so vital, for it is the only means of subduing our marauding Egos. Maulana says, we are all servants – either to our Egos, or to our Lord. One who returns to Allah as a slave to his Ego, has lost his honour, forever. 


Osama followed his Ego and damaged the whole notion of a religion. 

This is perhaps one of the most important Suhbahs ever, it is for anyone who seeks to understand what religion is really all about. The aim of religion is so simple, so fundamental, yet shaitan has cleverly distracted us from our true destination – it is like a Grade-A student who enrolls in the best University, who goes to campus everyday, and participates in so many campus activities (like Sports, Social work, running the Campus newsletter, standing for elections on the Student Council etc) – he does everything -except study - and in the end, he fails his examinations.

Today's believers are doing just that - they are aimlessly going through the motion of performing the religious rituals, but they are not tasting or feeling anything real, for they have left out the most important ingredient of the meal. Food without salt is tasteless, just as drinks without sugar is. Each time we whip up a gourmet meal, shaitan ensures that we forget the salt and sugar. Because religion is so tasteless today, people are seeking to taste from the enjoyment of dunia instead.

Read this Suhbah slowly and with a real desire to understand what has gone wrong in our lives. Maulana has clearly laid out our most important struggle in religion in this Suhbah, "Oh our Lord, do not leave us in the hands of our Egos, even for the blink of an eye." (Hadees).

May Allah bestow us all with understanding and wisdom, ameen!

The full Summary is available at:

http://sufihub.com/?p=5047

The Grinding of the Ego

THE GRINDING OF THE EGO  Allah A is Innaka Hamidun Majeed. He does not need to be Glorified by His servants on Earth or by the Angels in the Heavens, the Arsh or the Kursh. He does not need to be Glorified by any of His servants as He has dressed Himself with Absolute Glory from pre-eternity to eternity. We cannot dress Him in Glory as He is Glorious and has kept Absolute Glory and Absolute Greatness to Himself. Our respect and worship do not contribute to His Greatness, as He has already dressed Himself with Absolute Greatness from pre-eternity to eternity. No one can give Him anything as He is Innaka Hameedun Majeed, Subhanallahu wa tha ala. We think that we are doing something for Him but there is no measure between Allah Almighty and us. In fact all of creation cannot even come close to being a very small spot even, through one of His endless Oceans. Yes, His are endless Power Oceans. Who can be a partner to Allah Almighty? If you were the size of all the Universes put together even a small creature the size of an ant may be able to give you something, but if all the Angels and everything in existence were to Glorify Allah Almighty they would still be able to give nothing to Him. We cannot give anything to Allah Almighty and we must know this. Some people pray very long salat, so long that they sometimes forget if they had prayed the Fathiha even. They are very proud of their long Salat and want to know why I pray my salat so quickly. I do not take pride in my prayer and because of this I do not want to imitate the Wahabi?s and perform lengthy prayers. I know that my Salat is not good enough and I ask forgiveness for this. Some of you take pride in your long Salat and my heart sees it. That is why I am talking on this subject. You must be trained. This is why you need a Tariqa. This is because you need to be trained at the hands of a Sheik. Yes, you cannot give anything to Allah Almighty. People may think that their long Salats give something to Allah Almighty and take pride in it. Shaitan was proud of his prayers and said ?I am first, I have done the most so I must be first and not Muhammed (on whom be peace).? When Allah Almighty ordered Shaitan to do Sajda to Adam (alai),Shaitan knew that he could not keep his position. Shaitan was proud of his prayers and his worship. Allah Almighty did not order us to worship and glorify Him so as to make us proud. On the contrary it is to bring our egos down and to make us clean. It is to make the ego valueless. Your Nafs has no price. Worship and glorification is the declaration and reminder to you from you that you are not great, that you do not have greatness and that greatness is for Allah Almighty only. This is because He claims to be the greatest. He ordered the five times a day Prayer so that we will able to escape the evil promptings of our ego. Most people do not pray five times a day because their egos do not want to bow down or prostrate to Allah Almighty. Of those who pray the prescribed five times, many of them submit to their ego?s desire in limiting their prayers to the obligatory prayers only and neglecting the Nafl (optional) prayers like Ishraq, Luha, Awwabin, Tahajjad and Tasbih. Salat ul Tasbih is very heavy on the Nafs as it grinds it. Someone told me that he is unable to pray it at the usual time of Tahajjad and my advice to him was that if he missed it at that time, he should do it during the day. His Nafswould say to him that the time for it has now passed when he misses it. But then the best way to grind the ego would be to do it at least during the day. It would revolt at the thought of praying Tasbih every day and would say that once a week would do. Grind the ego and do it daily at Tahajjad time. All the five hundred kinds of worship to Allah Almighty only helps you to grind your ego and deprive it of pride. This is so whether you are a Sheik or an Alim or a person of better status. I come here to grind your ego and to save you from the ego, and that is Tariqa. Whoever thinks otherwise is wrong. They have misunderstood. I come here to help people conquer their egos and not for the sake of my Nafs. Reciting Bismillah ir Rahman ir Raheem before eating and drinking is good to train the ego. The ego wants you to eat and drink for its glory and not for the sake of Allah Almighty. My main purpose of staying here with you for these few days was to try to grind your ego even if it were only for a little while. We fight it when you come to pray your night prayers with your Sheik and stay on to pray Fajr, then do Zikr, recite Yaseen shareef, listen to Bayanand Nasiha. Your ego then would prompt you to look at yourself as an important person, a great person, and a person demanding respect. We pray to make our egos to be zero and valueless.  All respects are due to Allah Almighty but you cannot give anything to Allah Almighty. May Allah Almighty give you and give us from His endless blessings to be together here and in the Divine Presence and to do Sajda to Him. This is a grant from Allah Almighty to us or else your ego would have prevented you from coming here to worship and to be a servant of Allah Almighty. May Allah Almighty forgive us and save us from our egos. What Allah Almighty says is true, what Rasulullah (on whom be peace), says is true and what your Sheik says is true. Therefore we are asking to follow them. May Allah Almighty keep us on the way of His beloved servant Sayyidina Muhammed (on whom be peace). You and I and everyone are asking to be servants of the Lord Allah Almighty. May Allah Almighty bless us.

Self Control

During a battle in the way of Allah, sayyedina Ali, found himself face to face with a kafir who attacked him violently. They were both brave and powerful men, but the kafir was no match for sayyedina Ali, who was soon sitting astride his chest, ready to finish him off. "I invite you to bear witness that there is no god except Allah, and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah,"said Ali.

"Accept Islam, and your life will be spared." "Never!"panted the kafir. Sayyedina Ali lifted his sword and was just about to plunge it into his enemy, when the kafir spat defiantly in his face. Much to the kafir's suprise, sayyedina Ali immeditely jumped away from his enemy and lowered his sword.

"Go away!" said sayyedina Ali, "I cannot kill you now." "Why did you do that?" asked the kafir. "You could have killed me easily." "I was fighting you purely in the way of Allah," replied Ali, "But when you spat in my face, your insult made me angry and if I had killed you in anger, it would have taken me to the Fire - so I had no choice to let you go. To kill someone in anger or out of desire for revenge is not bravery, but the act of a coward."

On hearing this, the kafir was so impressed by sayyedina Ali's sincerity and self-control that he embraced Islam on the spot: "I bear witness that there is no god except Allah." he said, "and I bear witness that Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah."

Regarding Inner Spiritual Authority Transmitted from the Prophet (S) By H.E Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Adil al-Haqqani

"Look, I am not speaking from myself. I am always in contact with the Spiritual Power Center. The Prophet's servant Anas Ibn Malik once said the following about his life with the Holy Prophet - and from his description you may know whether our methods resemble his, on whom be Peace, or whether we are following some other way. Anas reported: "I served the Messenger of Allah for ten years, and never once did I hear him object to any of my actions, saying 'Do this' when I hadn't done something I should have done, or 'Don't do this' or 'Why did you do this?' when I had done something wrong."

Now do you understand, or not? This is proof that comes down to us from the Prophet; and just as that tradition is still intact that we may refer to it today, so also the inner spiritual authority passed down from the Prophet to our Grand sheikh and then to us remains intact. That spiritual authority for the guidance of people has come down to me, has been given to me. I am not such a person who appoints himself to be a guide for people – no, rather I have been given authority by those who have authority to give.

Our way is a way of authority and integrity, and a way that is safe for a seeker to follow. Because of the high rank that this Path holds among the various ways, the seeker who wishes to follow this path must abandon himself to the discretion, wisdom and understanding of the Sheikh. Our Grand sheikh often said to me: "O Nazim Effendi, don't put my words and actions in a scale and weigh them. Don't say 'Why is that Sheikh saying such-and such or doing so-and-so'. If you are thinking and evaluating in such a manner you will never be able to derive any benefit at all from your teacher, and we will leave you on your way and go on ours. In order to follow us you must follow without judging or objecting. Only if you can follow in this manner may you come to know anything of our realities.

Why did Allah Almighty tell the story of Moses and Khidr in the Holy Qur'an? What does that story have to tell us about using our minds to judge that is beyond our understanding? What is our position when we think that we know so much whereas we actually know nothing?

Yes, that tale was told so that we might take wisdom from it, not just for amusement, for people to read and enjoy such an entertaining story. It is an indisputable fact that hidden wisdom may be found in the actions of Saints, even if those actions appear to contradict our idea of how things should be done. For your own good you must learn how you can acquire the attributes necessary to go with such people.

As far as the actions of your Sheikh are concerned, don't try to weigh and evaluate them with your mind, even if you be the Prophet Moses! For if you be a Moses, someone else may be a Khidr, and so despite your station, he may be above you and may be able to teach you. Moses kept weighing Khidr's actions (Peace be upon them both!) and Khidr kept saying: "Don't confront me or object to anything I do until I explain its meaning to you." Finally, when Moses found it too difficult to keep these instructions and objected to the actions of Khidr which were beyond his understanding, Khidr told him: "You will never be able to be patient with me - go on your way."

So, all that the follower of a Sufi Path may do is to try and learn from the Sheikh's way of dealing with people and from the Sheikh's attributes in general. A follower can never fully understanding the meanings and implications of an authorized Sheikh's actions. He cannot know what orders may be coming to the Sheikh from the Holy Prophet. He who has the guidance of the Holy Prophet has been given the wisdom and authority to catch people from the road of self-destruction and degradation and bring them to the Path of Eternal Happiness.

Source: Mercy Oceans: Pink Pearls, p. 44-48

http://ahmedamiruddin.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/the-authority-of-awliya-allah-by-h-e-al-ghawth-mawlana-shaykh-nazim-adil-al-haqqani/

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Zamzam Water

What is so special about Zamzam water? In a word: Everything.

There is nothing ordinary about it. The miracle of how it came to being in the middle of the desert, its consistency throughout thousands of years, the beneficial qualities it has, the fact that it never dries up. This water is special.

The fact is, this small 5 ft. deep well is far away from any other source or body of water. It is self-replenishing. It is constantly replenishing itself in order to produce gallons upon gallons of water for consumption of thirsty pilgrims plus the additional amount that is bottled and also the amount that is taken as gifts distributed worldwide to millions. Zamzam water has scientifically been proven to contain healing qualities due to its higher content of Calcium and Magnesium Salts and also the natural fluorides that encompass a germicidal action.

It is also an established scientific fact that pools or water wells tend to grow vegetation such as algae—especially in warm climates. Amazingly this is not the case in the well of Zamzam. It has remained free from biological contaminants.

From the time that Hagar wandered aimlessly through the desert in search of sustenance for her son and herself; to the moment that Ismaa'eel kicked his tiny feet on the sand and the well of Zamzam was born out of the great Mercy of Allah, Muslims have been drinking from it. What is more fascinating is that it has never once dried up.

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Prophet PBUH's Last Sermon

This sermon was delivered on the ninth day of Dhul Hijah, 10 A.H. (632 A.D.) in the valley of Mount Arafat.
The contents of the message were collected from different narrations, and there are other parts to it that are not mentioned here. This sermon still needs the authenticity of all of its parts to be checked.

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore, listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present today.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds. Allah has forbidden you to take interest, therefore, all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer inequity. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest and that all interest due to Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib (the prophet's uncle) shall henceforth be waived.

Every right arising out of homicide in pre-Islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right I waive is that arising from the murder of Rabiyah bin Al-Harith (relative of the prophet). O Men, the un believers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible that which Allah forbade, and to forbid that which Allah had made permissible. With Allah the months are twelve; four of them are holy; three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumadah and Shaaban. Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain right with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never commit adultery.
O People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadhan, and give your wealth in zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to. All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black, nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim, and that Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to your selves.

Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand my words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Quran and my example, the Sunnah, and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others, and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better that those who listen to me directly. Be my witness O Allah, that I have conveyed Your message to Your people."

A Beard Made of Love

A Beard Made of Love

It is related that two religious fundamentalists once came to visit our
Master. They had bristly whiskers and Master invited
them to stay for lunch. One of them sought to provoke the Master by asking how
he could become a Sufi?

Master said, "Cut off your beard."

"But," protested the man, "what about him?" pointing to the other one, the Sheikh
of Sheikhs, who had a long white beard.

"Ah!" The Master said, "But his is not a beard of religion. His is a beard of love."

"Grow a beard made of love, O darvish
and claim the name of lover,
or do not pretend to the circle of the Friend."

Visiting Graves and Shrines of Anbia (Alaihimus Salam) and Aulia ALLAH

------Original Message------
From: Ahmed inthikab
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Cc: zaynab nazim
Subject: [sheiknazimforum] Visiting Graves and Shrines of Anbia (Alaihimus Salam) and Aulia ALLAH
Sent: Nov 1, 2009 12:21 PM

  Bismillah hirahmanir rahim Assalat-O-Wassalam- O-Alaik a YARASOOL ALLAH We are living in a world of uncertainty and misconceptions. Man is beginning to question the very roots of his beliefs for Allah Almighty and the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim, to create doubt in the minds of the simple and un suspecting Muslims. Here is proof from QUR'AN, Ahadith-e-Nabawi (Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam), Sayings of Sahab-e-Kiram and from the writings of great and authentic scholars of Islam and writings of those who declare this as SHIRK, BID'AT etc. which show beyond a shadow of a doubt that Visiting Graves and Shrines of Anbia (Alaihimus Salam) and Aulia ALLAH (Rehmatullah Alaihi Ajamaien) is Lawful. What does HOLY QURAN says: 1. Holy Quran says: و لو انهم إذ ظلموا أنفسهم جاءوك فاستغفروا الله واستغفر لهم الرسول لوجدوا الله توابا الرحيما "And when they impose on their lives (sin), they must come to your (the Nabi's) presence, then seek repentance from ALLAH and the Rasool(Peace Be Upon Him) also asks for their forgiveness. Then, they will indeed find ALLAH Most Forgiving and Compassionate. " (An-Nisa:61) 2. Holy Quran says (summary is): "No Doubt ALLAH and his Prophet and those who offer prayers, zakat are helpers". (Al-Maaidah: 55) 3. Holy Quran says (summary is): "Verily, ALLAH helps them and Jibril and Saaleh Mumineen and then angels are helpers". (Al-Tehreem: 4) 4. Holy Quran says: "Lo! Verily, the friends of ALLAH are (those) on whom fear (cometh) not, nor do they grieve." (Surah Younus:61) What does Ahaadeeth-e- Nabawi says: 1. Syyeduna Rasoolullah said: "Wallahu Yu'ti wa anal QASIMU Rizqihi" "ALLAH gives and I (Muhammad) distribute". (Bukhari, Muslim) 2. Hazrat Aaisha narrates: "Rasoolullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam use to visit Baqee Shareef on late nights and Sarkar Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam prayed there three times raising his Blessed Hands" (Muslim) 3. Allama Nabalsi states: "Sarkar use to visit Baqee Shareef and pray standing beside their graves 'I ask comfort for you people and ourselves". (Muslim) 4. Syyeduna Rasulullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam said: "Recite Sura Yaseen for your died ones" (Abu Dawud, Ibn-e-Maaja, Mishkaat - Kitaabul Janaiz) 5. According to Imam Baheeqi: "Rasoolullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam regularly visits the grave of Shuhda-e-Ahud every year. And Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddiq, Hazrat Umer, Hazat Usman and Hazrat Fatima (Ridwanulla Alaihim Ajamain) use to go there and praying there". (Baheeqi) 6. Syyeduna Rasolullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam said: "One who visits my grave, my Shafa'at will be necessary (wajib) upon him". (Daar Qutni, Bazaz, Baheeqi, Ibn-e-Khuzaima) 7. Syyeduna Rasolullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam said: "One who perform HAJJ after me and then visits my grave, that means he visits me in my life". (Daar Qutni, Baheeqi, Mishkaat, Tibrani Fiss Sageeril Ausat, Majma' al zawaid) 8. Syyeduna Rasoolullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wassallam said: "I ordered you to not to visit garves; I now order you to visit graves, because it reminds you of Hereafter and keeps you away from world (Dunya)" (Narrated By Hazrat Ibn-e-Masud Radi ALLAH Anho in Ibn-e-Maaja, Mishkaat - Baab Ziaratul Quboor, Sarhus Sudoor - Page No: 28, Ziaul Hadeeth - Page No: 96) 9. Hazrat Muhammad Bin Noman Radi ALLAH Anho narrates that Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: "ALLAH forgives the sins of those , who on fridays regularly visits the grave of his mother and father or any one of them and his name will be recorded amongst those who exercise kindness with parents". (Baheeqi, Mishkaat, Ziaul Hadeeth - Page No: 108) 10. Hazrat Aaisha Radi ALLAH Anha narrates that Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: "When ever a person visits the grave of his Muslim brother and sits besides him; then his Muslim brother feels comfort, and this condition remain until the visitor left the grave" (Hayatul Amwaat Page No: 47, Ibn-e-Ibid dunya) 11. When Nabi Kareem Sallallahu Alaihi passed near graveyard of Madina Munawwarah then he said: "Assalam O Aalaikum Ya Ahlul Quboor Yagfirullahu Lana Walakum wa antum salfuna wa nahnu bil asari" (Mishkaat - Baab Ziaratul Quboor, Tirmizi) 12. Syyeduna Rasoolullah said: "when ever some on send salam to saahib-e-Qabr then he replies, and if he know him in his life then he do know him after death" (Baheeqi Fee Su'Bil Iman, Ibn-e-Abi Dunya) 13. Imam Bukhari states Hadeeth-e-Qudsi in his Sahi: "One who hates my WALI (freind), I declear Battle with him". (Sahih Bukhari, Mishakaat Bab Ziktullah Wat Taqrib Ilahiyyah) What Does SAHABA-E-KIRAM Believe? 1. "When ever Hazrat Anas Radi ALLAH Anho use to visit the grave of Syyeduna Rasoolullah Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam, He use to stand in a way that he is offering prayer (in real he was not offering the prayer)" (Kitubus Shifa, Vol2) 2. "Hazrat Abu Al-Jawaz Radi ALLAH Anho narrates that once there was no rain for long time in MADINA then the dwellers of MADINA came to Hazrat Aaisha Radi ALLAH Anha and ask her for help, She replied 'Turn to Holy Prophet Peace Be Upon Him and make hol
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Importance

You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are! ~Tolle

Do you honor people below you?

I came accross this verse from the Quran and thought I should share:

In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

No! But you do not honor the orphan
[al-Fajr (Daybreak) 89:17]

In this short ayah, Allah is giving us a statement about the disbelievers in Mecca on how they didn't treat the orphans well.

However, the translation of "yateem" (orphan) is misleading. "Yateem" literally means someone who has no support. Therefore, Allah is giving us advice that we should at least honor those people who don't have any support, whether they're an orphan or not.

Notice how Allah didn't say "you don't help the orphan", rather He says "you don't honor them." It's easy to honor someone who is above you in society (your boss, the Imam of your masjid, etc), however it's a challenge to us to honor those who are "lower" than us in society.

Practically speaking, how many of us have seen when a new Muslim literally gets kicked out from their family after converting to Islam? What support do they have? Or how about the one who's responsible for cleaning your local masjid? How about the one that mows the lawn at your house? These are the individuals that we should be honoring and giving our attention to first. They are the ones who demand our respect and support.

Specifically speaking about the orphan, the prophet (saw) said, "Whoever supports the orphan in this life, I will be like this with him (putting his index and middle finger together) in the Hereafter."

Ya Rasoolallah! You are the coolness of my eyes

"Qurratu Aini bika Ya Rasoolallah" (Ya Rasoolallah! You are the coolness of my eyes).


Once, the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) entered the Masjid and sat down near a pillar. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (radi Allahu anhu) was seated beside him. Hazrat Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) then stood up and commenced with the Azaan. When he said: "Ash hadu Ana Muhammadur Rasoolullah", Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (radi Allahu anhu) placed both the thumb nails on to his eyes and said "Qurratu Aini bika Ya Rasoolallah" (Ya Rasoolallah! You are the coolness of my eyes). When Hazrat Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) completed the Azaan, the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said, "O Abu Bakr! Whosoever does like you have done, Almighty Allah will forgive all his sins." (Tafseer Roohul Bayaan)

No Regrets in Life

Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Love the ones who don't just because you can.  Believe everything happens for a reason.  If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.  If it changes your life, let it. Kiss slowly.  Forgive quickly. 

God never said life would be easy.  He just promised it would be worth it.

Dervish and a bag of Gold

A dervish was praying silently. A wealthy merchant, observing the dervish's devotion and sincerity, was deeply touched by him. The merchant offered the drevish a bag of gold. "I know you will use the money for God's sake. Please take it."

"Just a moment," the dervish replied. "I'm not sure if it is lawful for me to take your money. Are you a wealthy man? Do you have more money at home?"

"Oh yes. I have at least one thousand gold pieces at home," claimed the merchant proudly.

"Do you want a thousand gold pieces more?" asked the dervish.

"Why yes, of course. Every day I work hard to earn more money."

"And do you wish for yet a thousand gold pieces more beyond that?"

"Certainly. Every day I pray that I may earn more and more money."

The dervish pushed the bag of gold back to the merchant. "I am sorry, but I cannot take your gold," he said. "A wealthy man cannot take money from a beggar."

"How can you call yourself a wealthy man and me a beggar?" the merchant spluttered.

The dervish replied, "I am a wealthy man because I am content with whatever God sends me. You are a beggar, because no matter how much you possess, you are always dissatisfied, and always begging God for more."

You must be Happy you are in the age of Sayyidina Mohammad PBUH

You Must Be Happy You are in the Age of Sayyidina Muhammad
Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani Sultanul Awliya
Thursday, Oct 01, 2009 | Lefke CY

(Mawlana Shaykh stands)

Your most beloved one! Give to your most beloved one endless honor and leave him to enter Thy endlessly Lighten Ocean, Noor Oceans! Please accept, Allah, our so useless obedience! O our Lord, forgive us, forgive us for the honor of that Holiest one, for the honor for that most beloved one! O You are our Lord, O Rabbuna! All praisings, all lights, all glory is for You, O our Lord! We are surrendering to You! We are carrying our disobedient egos to be on Your heavenly service! O our Lord, forgive us and grant us much more power!

Alfu 's-salaat wa alfu 's-salaam `alayka wa ashaabika ... mina 'n-Nabiyeen! ... Give your intercession for us! We are knowing nothing! Make through a weak servant to make this world to be trembling, trembling! We are asking to destroy everything under the name of baatil (falsehood); that is our only target, never-changing target, to make batil and Shaytanic sultanate down under our feet!

O our Lord! Please accept our so weakly declaration, weakly liyaramak! We are humbly asking; we are nothing; support us! I am ashaming to address to You, O our Lord, and to ask You to support us! O our lord! there is only one biggest creature that may destroy Shaytan and its followers. I am ashaming, but You are the Lord of Heavens! Therefore, I am feeling honor when I am addressing to You, O my Lord!
(Mawlana Shaykh sits)

O People! I am a weak servant. (Mawlana Shaykh puts on glasses). Some people saying to me put eyeglasses to see that a smallest one who can take away batil (falsehood) and changing everything look for it. I am looking where it is, and one of masters addressing to me, "You may see through this eyeglasses!" And I am saying doesn't matter because if Allah Almighty asking to show something to His servant, it is so easy with eyeglasses or without, He may show it.

Thanks, endless thanks to my Lord that He is never leaving me to be in need (of) such an instrument, al-Hamdu Lillah. Countless, endless glory with my weakly desire; also not to take from me what He granted to me, Astagfirullah! I am asking forgiveness to say this also, that is a very bad claiming to say that your Lord not to take from you what He granted to you, Astaghfirullah. Forgive us, O our Lord! When You are giving something to Your servant, You are not taking it back, but closing it down (leaving it permanently with them).

O People through east and west, listen! And first, I am shouting to my dirty ego. You must accept that our egos, dirty ones, perhaps dirtiest one! Its Creator saying about our egos, "dirtiest one." Ego has no discipline; it is accepting and it is most dirty one, asking to come against its Creator, Allah Almighty. Dirtiness from where coming?

O People! If you are washing yourself, not once daily, even 70 times daily, you may take a bath or a shower, but you can't be clean until you are teaching, making your ego to come down. The Lord of Heavens Subhanahu wa Ta`ala whole glory and whole praisings to Him! He is mentioning everything through Holy books, Heavenly messages. O People! I am nothing, but I am so speedy, quick to enter some Knowledge Springs. I am not saying that I can enter through Heavenly Oceans of Reality, but I am trying to reach very, very small spring to put my feet in it, to take a new power; that means new life, and for it new Heavenly support.

I am so (Turkish) rushing, yes, asking to reach. I have been, through my spiritual being, asking to enter in it; through today, also, I am asking from my Lord. My Lord, my Lord (Mawlana Shaykh smiling) forgiveness and because I was so hurry to begin to step, or to jump, into Heavenly Springs of wisdoms, and I am making to say A`udhu billahi min ash-Shaytani' r-rajeem....late, late! But they are making me to speak, and I can't be able to stop it, but I must keep adab.

Adab, Divinely Heavenly protocol, must be first to run away
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

How to control your Ego?

Someone asked how to know what parts of the ego to fix.  Sheykh Abdul Kerim Efendi says to start with the obvious - whatever you notice at the moment.  Once you get the obvious, then the hidden tricks of the ego will show themselves.

First, work to finish anger. It is the ego declaring its lordship. Anger is a veil that prevents other things from opening to you. Anger finishes your good deeds. Swallow it.  Any word you say when angry adds fuel to the fire.

http://www.naksibendi.org/Audio_Files/20090904_1430-Ramazan-14_SeyhAbdulKerim_Finish_Anger.mp3

The theme of Roses

A certain man planted a rose and watered it faithfully and before it blossomed, he examined it.

He saw the bud that would soon blossom, but noticed thorns upon the stem and he thought, "How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns? Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and just before it was ready to bloom... it died.

So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The God-like qualities planted in us at birth, grow amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects.

We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies. We never realize our potential.

Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone else must show it to them. One of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able to reach past the thorns of another, and find the rose within them.

This is one of the characteristic of love... to look at a person, know their true faults and accepting that person into your life... all the while recognising the nobility in their soul. Help others to realize they can overcome their faults. If we show them the "rose" within themselves, they will conquer their thorns. Only then will they blossom many times over.

Blog's new URL - http://sufispot.blogspot.com

Salam All,

Eid Mubarak! Hope everyone had a great and blessed Eid!

Please kindly update your URLs. Blog's URL (for now) is http://sufispot.blogspot.com.  Due to an unknown individual moving the domain, sufispot.com, off our records, we hadn't been able to update the blog in a long time.  Fortunately, we have been able to restore the blog to the original address.

We are still working on resolving the issue. To the gentlemen, if you are interested in helping us out, please leave a comment here.  To date, I've not received any communication from the individual responsible for moving the domain.

Edit: It appears that the gentlmen responsible has SOLD the domain to another entity.  As this a non-profit blog, we have decided to keep it hosted within blogspot until we figure out a much catchier domain name. Any suggestions?

THE 3 TYPES OF BEING

It's human nature to wonder about our own inner selves.

What kind of inner presence do we have?
How are we different from the rest of creation?
How can this knowledge help us to understand what we must do and the potential pitfalls we may have to face?
These are important questions that lay the groundwork for our own conception of what our life journey will entail.

Three basic states of existence in the ralm of living creatures.

• The transcendence of the angels.
• The animal or instinctual state.
• The dichotomy of humanity.

*Starting with the angels, they are completly ratıonal.They have no material concerns and know of other reality than to be in complete awe and worshıp of the divine beauty of God.They are in perfect state of unity.

*The animal state, howewer,covers those creatures that are goverend by instinct more than anything else.Such beings are slaves to the ultimate end of theie lives.They act without forethought, are driven by primitive emotions and prompts, and have no sense of their own transcendence or potential.

*The human being, on the other hand, has a little of the angel within him, and alittle of the animal, aswell.These two forces do battle on a daily basis.Those who lean more toward their angelic side become progressivly more noble,self aware and moral, while those who incline toward theanimal within themselves became more deluded by materialism, more a slave to their desires,and more likely to commit injustice and immorality with declining leves of remorse.

"The body,like a mother, is pregnant wiyh the spiritual child; death is the pain and stress of birth.All the souls that have passed over to the next life already are anxiously waiting to see in what state that proud spirit will be born."

J.RUMI (k.s.)

Invitation to Spirituality from Shaikh Nazim

Parable of the Pencil

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil.

Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you will make.

Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside.

And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.

Now replacing the place of the pencil with you; always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.

Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you might make or grow through them.

Four: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.

And Five: On every surface you walk, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to serve God in everything.

By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our life on this earth having a meaningful purpose in our heart and a relationship with God daily.

How To See The Holy Prophet

A man desired to see the Holy Prophet (salla' llaahu'alaihi wa sallam) in a dream but he was not able to achieve this desire. He approached a noble Saint, imploring his advice. The Saint an intimate friend of Allah, said: "My son, on Friday evening you must eat a lot of salted fish, then perform your prayer and go to bed without drinking any water. Then you will see."

The man followed this advice. He spent the whole night dreaming that he was drinking from streams, fountains and springs. When morning came, he ran crying to the saint: " O Friend of Allah, did not see the Messenger. I was so thirsty that all I dreamed about was drinking from fountains and springs. I am still thirsty." The saint then told him: "So, eating salted fish gave you such a thirst that you dreamed all night long of nothing but water. Now you must feel such a thirst for Allah's Messenger and you will surely see him!"

Those who lovingly repeat Durood and Salaam will most certainly see the Beloved of Allah. That fortunate person is assured of his intercession.

GOD THE MOST SUPREME ENTERTAINER

GOD THE MOST SUPREME ENTERTAINER

Islam came to the world to entertain human beings. Here is the beauty of Islam, as Islam is entertaining. The Greatest entertainer of all is God, the Most Supreme. When one recognises God and understands His actions, then God is very delightful and entertaining. God the Supreme Entertainer.

As an example, with all the common things we face, unrealising, the air we breathe comes from God. Without air, we die and we do not realise, this is entertainment. When God restricts the air, there is no entertainment.

The earth we step on is God`s creation. If we were to look up at the blue sky, God`s sky, it`s a pleasant sight. Looking at the beautiful green scenery. We visit the market looking for fresh fish, meat and vegetables, all these are entertaining.

But we do not realise it`s entertaining and it has never been mentioned. We simply look at things around us without putting any value to what we see.

As we toil our energy during our daily routine, exhaustion seeps into our body which then requires rest. God makes us sleepy. If we are not sleepy, even though we try, we won`t be able to sleep. Being sleepy is entertaining. After a good sleep, our body feel refreshed and energised. This is entertainment from God.

When we meet other fellow humans, we could express our emotions, sharing our feelings. He then, reciprocate, sharing his feelings and emotions. Feeling relieved, that`s entertainment from God. God is most entertaining.

When we wish to do any good deeds we are asked to recite His name. The reason why God chose one from 99 names of Allah. God ordered us to recite Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

God introduces Himself, I am the Entertainer.

God did not ask us to recite Bismillahijabbarul qahhar. We do not realise, we are not aware. We only know if we recite His name, would get a fadhilat (something in return). We are never taught God is the Supreme Entertainer. We are only taught about fadhilat.

God created day and night. The occurrence of night and day is entertainment from God. With the existence of night without daylight, it`s troublesome. When daylight goes on without night time, when do we have the time to rest as daylight is meant for work! Shouldn`t we feel entertained?

We have never been taught Tauhid in this manner. God is the Supreme Entertainer and no other entertainer would match Him.

The reason for God providing us with His syariah. As if He`s saying, "If I create you, I`m your supreme entertainer and I provide you with syariah as rules and a living system to entertain you."

God is the Supreme Entertainer. He provides syariah as a second form of entertainment. Syariah is teaching us, anyone who does anything wrong, we forgive. Isn`t this entertaining?

If we don`t forgive, the person will feel hurt. Neighbours have to be taken care of like our own families even though they are non believers. Isn`t this entertaining?

Among friends, there should be loyalty. Isn`t this entertaining?

When anyone go against you during your missionary/dakwah work, we pray for them. Isn`t this entertaining?

If we read past history, those fighting for Islam especially the Prophets, no one else could match them. Read the history of Prophets Adam, Idris, Musa, Nuh, Daud etc. They have never killed anyone, except prophet Musa before he was elected as prophet, even then it was accidental.

Rasulullah SAW was involved in 27 wars but he did not kill a single soul, even when there was an opportunity. When given the chance he would forgive. Wouldn`t anyone be entertained by this sort of actions?

Allah sent Rasulullah SAW to entertain human beings. With enemies, if they are not converterd to Islam, the prophet would leave them alone, hoping that one day their future generations would be Muslims. Isn`t this entertaining?

Why do the present day Islamic scholars, when mentioning the word Jihad, they have to associate it with killing others? Where does this mindset come from?

The prophets never did this. No wonder the non Muslims and even the Muslims have fear of Islam.

God wishes all human beings to entertain other fellow beings. God sends those fighting for Islam to entertain others, even though they themselves go through hardships, the most important is others are entertained.

Power of Perception

Who you intend to be is only changed once you tell yourself the truth about who you are - not who you think you are because of what others have done or said - but who you truly are.

If you have vision boards or do daily affirmations, the majority of it works around changing something about yourself; be it material or physical. Have you ever asked yourself why the change is so important to you? Do you know why you wish for the things you do?

If you don't know yourself beyond others' perceptions, you wouldn't possibly know your heart's desires beyond it either.

Everything in this world is neutral and only manifests into something once thought has tarnished its place in the world. The same goes for you.

No matter what you look like, what car you drive, whether you give change to a beggar or love the partner who is right for you, none of this is your truth unless you do not allow yourself to be swayed by the perception of others.

Before you fight me on this, stop - go get a piece of paper and write a list about all those things that define you. The things that no-one else has had the power to destroy about you, the things that you know without anyone else's approval - like how beautiful you are, how unique your features are, how brilliant you are at sharing your feelings, what a great son or daughter you are, how talented you are, the unique gift you give to the world every day. If only your perception has defined you, you should be writing lists of talents, gifts, offerings to the world, unique characteristics and pure magnificence.

Until then, step out of your own shoes and look at yourself - really look. It's not often we truly witness a miracle.

Try this exercise for a few weeks

Watch the thoughts that run through your mind about yourself and see how much of that is really your truth or something you have blindly believed due to someone else's perception of you.

THEN, tell yourself the truth about who you really are - chances are, you'll meet someone really special and unique along the way - YOU!!!!!

Humans are social beings

"We humans are social beings. We come into the world as the result of others' actions. We survive here in dependence on others. Whether we like it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives when we do not benefit from others' activities. For this reason it is hardly surprising that most of our happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others." -- Dalai Lama

The bumble bee and the Flower

A great example of Allah's protection and will.

Scientists were asked to study why a certain white-petaled flower, similar to a tulip, in the jungles of South America was mysteriously becoming extinct. Mysterious because there were no obvious man-made forces affecting it’s extinction such as pollution or pesticide.

They studied the plant for several seasons and determined that the flower was pollinated by the bumblebee and that only one bumblebee could pollinate the flower. The cause of the plant’s demise was that if a 2nd bumblebee came along and tried to pollinate it the plant would die. They also noted that only one bumblebee would occupy the flower at a time. If a bee was in search of a flower it could not land on a flower if another bee was already there.

The scientists were satisfied with their findings and reported that there was no remedy to save the popular flower but that they would continue to study it for one more season. The following year a funny thing started happening to all of the flowers--a black smudge began to develop on one of the flower’s petals. Puzzled, the scientists tested the black area for mold growth or some sort of blight but the flower was healthy. The black spot grew to about the size of a nickel then stopped. When it came time for the plant to be pollinated they observed the bumblebee pollinate the flower as usual--but there were no other 2nd or 3rd bees coming behind to land on the flower. To their amazement they discovered that after the first bee pollinated the flower the black spot on that one petal grew into the shape of a perfect silhouette of a bumblebee, warning all other bees to stay away thereby saving the plant from dying.

Moderation/Wise Spending and Avoidance of Extravagance and Extremes

"O you who believe! Make not unlawful the good things which God has made lawful for you, but commit no excess: for God loves not those given to excess.” (Qur’an 5:87)

“O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters.” (Qur’an 7:31)

"Verily spendthrifts are brothers of the Evil Ones; and the Evil One is to his Rabb (Sustainer) (Himself) ungrateful.” (Qur’an 17:27)

(For other relevant Qur’anic verses, see: 17:26; 17:29 and 25:63-67)

Discouragement of Miserliness

So he who gives (in charity) and fears (Allah), and (in all sincerity) testifies to the Best, We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Ease. But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient, and gives the lie to the Best, ¾ We will indeed make smooth for him the Path of Misery; nor will his wealth profit him when he falls headlong (into the Pit). Verily We take upon Us to guide, and verily unto Us (belong) the End and the Beginning. Therefore do I warn you of a Fire blazing fiercely; none shall burn therein but those most unfortunate ones who give the lie to Truth and turn their backs. But those most devoted to Allah shall be removed far from it. Those who spend their wealth for increase in self-purification, and have in their minds no favour from anyone for which a reward is expected in return, but only the desire to seek for the Countenance of their Creator Most High; and soon will they attain (complete) satisfaction. (Qur’an 92:4-21)

Abu Hurairah radiallahu tala anhu narrated that the Prophet salla lahu alaihi wa sallam said: "Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your cause,' and the other (angel) says, 'O Allah! Destroy every miser.’” (Al-Bukhari,Vol. 2 Hadith 522)

(For other relevant Ahadith, see: Al-Bukhari Vol. 4 Hadith 166; Vol. 2 Hadith 523 and Tirmidhi,1873.)

Encouragement of Self-Sufficiency and Discouragement of Begging

Abu Said Al-Khudri radiallahu tala anhu narrated that some Ansari persons asked for (something) from Allah’s Messenger salla lahu alaihi wa sallam and he gave them. They again asked him for (something) and he again gave them. And then again they asked him and he gave them till all that was with him finished. And then he salla lahu alaihi wa sallam said: “If I had anything, I would not keep it away from you. (Remember) Whoever abstains from asking others, Allah will make him contented, and whoever tries to make himself self-sufficient, Allah will make him self-sufficient. And whoever remains patient, Allah will make him patient. Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience.” (Al-Bukhari Vol. 2 Hadith 548)

Abu Hurairah radiallahu tala anhu narrated that Allah’s Messenger salla lahu alaihi wa sallam said: “By Him in Whose Hand my life is, it is better for anyone of you to take a rope and cut the wood (from the forest) and carry it over his back and sell it (as a means of earning his living); rather than to ask a person for something and that person may give him or not.” (Al-Bukhari Vol. 2 Hadith 549)

Hakim bin Hizam radiallahu tala anhu narrated that the Prophet salla lahu alaihi wa sallam said: “The upper hand is better than the lower hand, (I.e., he who gives charity is better than him who takes it). One should start giving first to his dependents. And the best object of charity is that which is given by a wealthy person (from the money which is left after his expenses.) And whoever abstains from asking others for some financial help, Allah will give him and save him from asking others, Allah will make him self-sufficient.” (Al-Bukhari Vol. 2 Hadith 508)

(For other relevant Hadith, see: Al-Bukhari Vol. 2 Hadith 509.)

Emphasis and Reward for Hard Work

“That man can have nothing but what he strives for.” (Qur’an 53:39)

“And if any strive (with might and main), they do so for their own souls: for Allah is free of all needs from all creation. Those who believe and work righteous deed, from them shall We blot out all misdeed that they have committed, and We shall reward them according to the best of their deeds.” (Qur’an 29:6-7)

Al-Miqdam radiallahu tala anhu narrated that the Prophet salla lahu alaihi wa sallam said: “Nobody has ever eaten a better meal than that which one has earned by working with one’s own hands. The Prophet of Allah, Daud (David), used to eat from the earnings of his manual labor.” (Al-Bukhari Vol. 3 Hadith 286)

Surah Isra 17 verse 80 Say: "O my Lord! let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honor and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honor; and grant me from Thy Presence an authority to aid (me)."

Ameen,Thumameen.

Transliteration :Wa qur rabbi adkhilni mudkhala sidqiw wa akhrijni mukhraja sidqiw wa-j'al li mil ladunka sulta_nan nasira_(n).

Al-Tirmidhi HadithHadith 2482 Narrated by AbuHurayrah (May Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) used to say, " O Allah, grant me benefit in what Thou hast taught me, teach me what will benefit me, and increase my knowledge. Praise be to Allah in all circumstances. I seek refuge in Allah from the state of those who go to Hell."
Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a tradition whose isnad is gharib.

Transliteration:an Abi Hurairah (radiya Allahu anhu) qaal:
qaala Rasul Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam): "Allahumma infa'ni bima 'allamtani, wa allimni maa yanfa'oni wa zidni 'ilman, alhamdulillahi alaa kolli haal, wa a'odtho billahi min haali ahlil naar."

Placeless

I hasten from place to place

corner to corner,
Searching for the house that shelters me
but wherever i go i find i am still displaced...
They say 'home is where the heart is'
But if i am not at my abode, then where is this heart?
Is it also lost?
What then is this endless ache i feel inside?
Where is my place, if the One i seek is placeless?
Where is the Convoy of Lights,
Show me......
And instead of trailing my shadow, let me follow Them.
Let Their will be done.
For i know, each fallen drop is cleansing my entire being.
Let the Lights refine my every tear into cultured pearls,
Let them polish me like a lustrous diamond,
and all shimmering gems that be,
So that i may shine in utter brilliance
as i stand both heart and soul in His dominion.....
The dominion of the One......whose place......is placeless.


- Roohi

Taste of Love

The one who has not had a taste of love
Is but a piece of wood or stone to God.
Love extracts water from stones;
Love removes rust from mirrors.
infidelity seeks war, faith peace;
Love sets fire to war and peace alike.
Love opens its mouth in the sea of the heart;
It devours the two worlds like a whale.
Like a lion, love knows no ruse;
It does not change from a lion to a fox.

Rumi...

"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."

Nowadays we are becoming more aware of the power of our own thoughts and the role they play in forming our physical reality, and this quote is very revealing in that context! Every time I read it I’m reminded that lack does not exist except in my own mind. Whatever I think I don’t have enough of, I simply need to awaken to the ways I am blocking it from my perception. When I do that, suddenly it’s all there right before my eyes, as it always was - if only I had been willing to see it. This can apply not only to love but money, good health, joy, inner peace, and so much more.

What I love so much about quotes like Rumi’s; they offer a moment of reprieve, a glimpse of grace, and a gentle reminder that the difficult moments will pass and the sun will shine once again. What more could we ask for?

Secret of Longevity

One day Molla was asked the secret to longevity.

"Keep your feet warm, your head cool, be careful what you eat and don't think too much."

My Dear Friend

“In Persian, there are four levels of friendship each relating to a degree in closeness and intimacy: Aashenaa (to know someone casually), Doost (a close friend), Rafeegh (your best friend) and Yaar (your inseparable lover). However, these levels are independent of the type of physical connection you have with someone. These degrees of closeness explain your deep soul connection with another being; your spouse, therefore, may only be your Aashenaa, or you may have a perfect platonic relationship with a Yaar. Some mystics measure their intimacy with God and the Beloved by using these levels.

My dear friend
never lose hope
when the Beloved
sends you away.

If you're abandoned
if you're left hopeless
tomorrow for sure
you'll be called again.

If the door is shut
right in your face
keep waiting with patience
don't leave right away.

Seeing your patience
your love will soon
summon you with grace
raise you like a champion.

And if all the roads
end up in dead ends
you'll be shown the secret paths
no one will comprehend.

The beloved I know
will give with no qualms
to a puny ant
the kingdom of Solomon.

My heart has journeyed
many times around the world
but has never found
and will never find
such a Beloved again.

ah I better keep silence
I know this endless love
will surely arrive
for you and you and you

---

What draws friends together
does not conform to Laws of Nature.
Form doesn't know about spiritual closeness.
If a grain of barley approaches a grain of wheat,
an ant must be carrying it. A black ant on black felt.
You can't see it, but if grains go toward each other,
it's there.

A hand shifts our birdcages around.
Some are brought closer. Some move apart.
Do not try to reason it out. Be conscious
of who draws you and who not.