INTEREST AND INDIFFERENCE
Interest results from ignorance and indifference results from wisdom; still it is not wise to avoid interest as long as we are in the world of illusion. It is the interest of God which has been the cause of all creation and which keeps the whole universe in harmony; nevertheless one should not be completely immersed in phenomena, but should realize oneself as being independent of interests.
The dual aspect of the only Being, in the form of love and beauty, has glorified the universe and produced harmony.
He who arrives at the state of indifference without experiencing interest in life is incomplete, and apt to be tempted by interest at any moment; but he who arrives at the state of indifference by going through interest, really attains the blessed state. Perfection is reached not through interest alone, nor through indifference alone, but through the right experience and understanding of both.
SPIRIT AND MATTER
From the scientific standpoint, spirit and matter are quite different from each other, but according to the philosophical point of view they are one.
Spirit and matter are different, bust as water is different from snow;
yet again they are not different, for snow is nothing other than water. When spiritual vibrations become more dense they turn into matter, and when material vibrations become finer they develop into spirit.
For a Sufi at the beginning of his training the spiritual life is desirable, but after mastering it, material and spiritual lives become the same to him, and he is master of both.
THE HEART AND SOUL
Man's
heart is the throne of God. The
heart is not only a physical organ but is
also the function of feeling, placed in the midst of the body and
soul. The
heart of flesh is the instrument which first receives the feeling of the
soul, and transmits its effect through the whole body. There are four aspects of the
heart:
1. '
Arsh — the exaltation of the will
2. Kursi — the seat of justice and distinction
3. Lawh — the fount of inspiration
4.
Kalam — the source of intuition
Breath keeps body,
heart, and
soul connected. It consists of astral vibrations, and has much influence upon the physical and spiritual existence. The first thing a Sufi undertakes in order to harmonize the entire existence, is the purification of the
heart; since there is no
possibility of the
heart's development without
devotion, so the faithful mureed becomes a Sahib-e Dil, as the easiest and most ideal way of development.
INTELLECT AND WISDOM
Intellect is the knowledge obtained by experience of names and forms; wisdom is the knowledge which manifests only from the inner being; to acquire intellect one
must delve into studies, but to obtain wisdom, nothing but the flow of
divine mercy is needed; it is as natural as the instinct of swimming to the fish, or of flying to the bird. Intellect is the
sight which enables one to see through the external world, but the light of wisdom enables one to see through the external into the internal world.
Wisdom is greater and more
difficult to attain than intellect, piety, or spirituality.
DREAMS AND INSPIRATIONS
Dreams and inspirations are open proofs of the higher world. The past, present, and future are frequently seen in a dream, and may also be revealed through inspiration. The righteous person sees more clearly than the unrighteous. There are five kinds of dreams:
1. Khayali — in which the actions and thoughts of the day are reproduced in sleep.
2. Qalbi — in which the dream is opposite to the real happening.
3. Naqshi — in which the real meaning is disguised by as symbolic representation which only the wise can understand.
4. Ruhi — in which the real happening is literally shown.
5. Elhami — in which divine messages are given in letters or by an angelic voice.
Dreams give, sometimes clearly, sometimes in a veiled form, warnings of coming dangers and assurance of success. The ability to be conscious of dreams and their meaning varies with the degree of development attained.
Dreams have their effect sooner or later, according to the stars under which they take place. The dream seen at midnight is realized within one year, and the dream of the latter part of night within six months; the dream of the early morning is realized soon after. At the same time the manifestation of dreams is subject to qualification according to the good or bad actions of the dreamer.
Inspirations are more easily reflected upon spiritual persons than upon material ones. Inspiration is the inner light which reflects itself upon the heart of man; the purer the heart is from rust, like a clean mirror, the more clearly inspiration can be reflected in it. To receive inspirations clearly the heart should be prepared by proper training. A heart soiled with rust is never capable of receiving them. There are five kinds of inspiration:
1. Elham-e-'Ilm — inspiration of an artist and scientist
2. Elham-e-Husn — inspiration of a musician and poet
3. Elham-e-'Ishq — inspiration of a devotee
4. Elbam-e-Ruh — inspiration of a mystic
5. Elham-e-Ghayb — inspiration of a prophet
Inspirations are reflected upon mankind in five ways:
1. Kushad der Khyal — in the wave of thought
2. Kushad der Hal — in emotions and feelings
3. Kushad der Jemal — in the sufferings of the heart
4. Kushad der Jelal — in the flow of wisdom
5. Kushad der Kemal — in the divine voice and vision
Some are born with an inspirational gift, and to some it appears after their development. The higher the development in spirituality, the greater the capacity for inspiration, yet the gift of inspiration is not constant; as the saying of Mohammed declares, 'Inspirations are enclosed as well as disclosed at times; they appear according to the will of Allah, the only Knower of the unknown."
LAW OF ACTION
The law of cause and effect is as definite in its results in the
realm of
speech and thought as in the physical world.
Evil done, when it is considered evil, is a sin; and good done, when it is considered good, is a virtue, but one who does good or bad without
understanding, has no responsibility for his sins nor credit for his virtues; but he is liable to punishment or reward just the same.
Man forms his future by his actions. His every good or bad action spreads its vibrations and becomes known throughout the universe. The more spiritual a man is, the stronger and clearer are the vibrations of his actions, which spread over the world and weave his future.
The universe is
like a dome: it vibrates to that which you say in it, and echoes the same back to you. So
also is the law of action: we reap what we sow.
It is impossible to differentiate between good and bad, because the thing seen is colored by the personality of the seer; to the bad view, all good is bad, and to the good view, even the bad seems good in a certain sense; so the
wise keep silence in distinguishing good from bad. The most essential rule is not to do to others that which you would not have done to you. That action is desirable which results from kindness, and that action is undesirable which is unkind. Doubtless
also, might is often right, but in the end, right is the only might.
There are different principles for life in different religions, but a Sufi's will is the principle for himself. He is the servant, who surrenders himself to principles; and he is the master, who prescribes principles for himself. One who has never been commanded in life, never knows how to
command; in the same way, to be the master, one
must first be the servant.
The murshid as a physician of the
soul prescribes necessary principles to the mureed, who after accomplishing the training, arrives at that blessed
state where he overcomes virtues and sins, and stands beyond good and bad. To him happiness no longer differs from sorrow, for his thought,
speech, and action become the thought,
speech, and action of God.
MUSIC AMONG SUFIS
Music is called Ghiza-i-ruh, the food of the
soul, by Sufis. Music being the most
divine art elevates the
soul to the higher spirit; music itself being unseen soon reaches the unseen; just as only the diamond can break the diamond, so musical vibrations are used to
make the physical and mental vibrations inactive, in order that the Sufi
may be elevated to the spiritual spheres.
Music consists of vibrations which have involved from the top to the bottom, and if they would only be systematically used, they could be evolved from the bottom to the top. Real music is known only to the most gifted ones. Music has five aspects:
1. Tarab — music which induces motion of the body (artistic)
2. Raga — music which appeals to the intellect (scientific)
3. Qul — music which creates feelings (emotional)
4.
Nida — music heard in vision (inspirational)
5. Saut — music in the abstract (
celestial)
Music has always been the favorite Sufi means of spiritual development. Rumi, the author of the Masnavi, introduced music into his Maulvi Order, and enjoyed the memory of his blessed murshid's
association while listening to it. Since that time music has become the second subject of Sufi practices. They declare that it creates harmony in both worlds and brings
eternal peace.
The great mystic of India, Khwaja Moin-ud-Din Chishti, introduced music into his Chishtia Order. Even today musical entertainments for the
elevation of the
soul, called Suma, are held among Sufis.
ECSTASY
Ecstasy is called Wajad by Sufis: it is especially cultivated among the Chishtis. This bliss is the sign of spiritual development and also the opening for all inspirations and powers. This is the state of eternal peace, which purifies from all sins. Only the most advanced Sufis can experience Wajad. Although it is the most blissful and fascinating state, those who give themselves entirely to it become unbalanced, for too much of anything is undesirable; as the day's labor is a necessary precursor of the night's rest, so it is better to enjoy this spiritual bliss only after the due performance of worldly duties.
Sufis generally enjoy Wajad while listening to music called Qawwali, special music producing emotions of love, fear, desire, repentance, etc.
There are five aspects of Wajad: Wajad of dervishes, which produces a rhythmic motion of the body; Wajad of idealists, expressed by a thrilling sensation of the body, tears and sighs; Wajad of devotees, which creates an exalted state in the physical and mental body; Wajad of saints, which creates perfect calm and peace; and Wajad of prophets, the realization of the highest consciousness called Sadrat al Manteha. One who by the favor of the murshid arrives at the state of Wajad is undoubtedly the most blessed soul and deserves all adoration.
CONCENTRATION
The entire universe in all its activity has been created through the concentration of God. Every being in the world is occupied consciously or unconsciously in some act of concentration. Good and evil are alike the result of concentration. The stronger the concentration, the greater the result; lack of concentration is the cause of failure in all things. For this world and the other, for material as well as spiritual progress, concentration is most essential.
The power of will is much greater than the power of action, but action is the final necessity for the fulfillment of the will. Perfection is reached by the regular practice of concentration, passing through three grades of development
