Recently I went to the shrine of Hazrat Shaykh Hamza Makhdoom (RA) where yearly celebrations were going on. I saw Muslims and non Muslims - Hindu’s, Sikhs and even Christians - attending the “Dhikr” (remembrance of God) together. I have been to Muslim shrines outside Kashmir and witnessed the same. I went to the shrine of Hazrat Haji Ali, Mumbai. There I was listening to Qawalli. Somebody touched; I saw a Hindu, man namely Ramesh, telling me how to perform ablution. I said why. He replied my grandfather who would often come here, has told me not to listen Qawalli without Wodhu. I was surprised and my mind was full of thoughts related to the communal harmony between Muslims and non-Muslims.
The origin of Sufism can be traced to the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), whose teachings attracted a group of companions called as "Ahle Suffa", from their practice of sitting at the platform of the mosque of the Prophet in Medina. There they engaged themselves in discussions concerning the reality of Being, and in search of the inner path and devoted themselves to spiritual purification and meditation. These were the founders of Sufism. Within a century or two their style of self understanding and discipline were introduced by their students to nations as diverse and widely separated as Persia, India, Indonesia, Syria, Egypt, Mesopotamia and North Africa. Through this process of diffusion, different schools and orders of Sufism gradually emerged. Their practices differ from one another in emphasis and doctrine, but all legitimate Sufi schools trace their ultimate origins back to the group of the Prophet's spiritual disciples.
Sufis represented the inner side of the Islamic creed, which stresses on self- realization, righteousness and universal love for all. Sufis consider that there is a particular divine attribute that dominates the being of every prophet and saint, such that they can be said to be the incarnation of that attribute. All of the Prophets are manifestations of the divine unity and perfection, but Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is its supreme manifestation. The aim of Sufism is the cultivation of perfect beings who are mirrors reflecting the divine names and attributes. In Sufism, a perfect being is also called a Wali (saint), a word that literally means 'sincere friend'. All who have been prophets have also been saints. The superstructure of Sufism is built upon the concept of teacher, pir or murshid. To be initiated into the Sufi cult one is required to have implicit faith in his teacher and consider his commands as divine and the path shown by him as the straightest. Sufism had succeeded in inculcating the sentiments of fraternity, equality and equity, coupled with sense of service to humanity, in the followers, irrespective of race, community, caste, creed and colour.
In the earlier stages, it emphasized only on the Love of God but later it also stressed the need of the development of man with the purification of mind, through prayer and meditation. In India, Sufism helped in maintaining communal harmony and social stability by advocating religious tolerance and by borrowing spiritual techniques and practices from other religions, which were not against the principles of Islam and which were conducive to spiritual attainments.
The musical and ecstatic aspect of Sufism is called Sama. This is a particular kind of devotional dance and was introduced by Rumi. The Sufi, while being spiritually enraptured, gives the attention of his or her heart to the Beloved. With particular movements and often special and rhythmical music, he engages in the selfless remembrance of God. In this state, the Sufi becomes unaware of everything but God. Sufis identify two types of Sama poetry - first praising God (this is called Hamd), Prophet (this is called Naat) and the Sufi saints (this is called Manqabat) and the second focusing on spiritual emotion or mystical love, ecstatic states and on separation and union. The Sama poetry is mostly sung in the form of Qawalli. Music of Sama is set within metric framework, accompanied by Dholak, Tabla, Sarangi, Harmonium and Sitar. Sufism has recently gained in popularity outside Muslim circles, particularly Sufi music. Sufi music is attracting attention internationally. Sufi music congregations are taking place in several western countries, particularly in USA. Maulana Rumi, a great Sufi saint has become tremendously popular in USA in post-9/11 situation when Islam is being targeted as religion of terror.
The Sufi weltanschauung was based on three basic postulates which determined their attitude towards God, man and society.
First, all people are the children of God on earth. Sa’di said that the reason for human brotherhood was that all human beings were made of the self-same clay and were as interdependent on each other as the limbs in the human body.
Second, the aim of human life is to reflect in one’s own thought and action the attributes of God. Perfection in human life could be reached only by expressing in one’s life more and more divine qualities. God’s way is that He extends his bounties to all — the pious and the sinner, the believer and the non-believer, the high and the low. When the sun rises, it gives light and warmth to all living beings; when it rains, all benefit from the showers; the earth keeps its bosom open for all.
Khwaja Mu’in-u’d-din Chishti, the founder of the Chishti silsilah in India, advised his followers to develop river-like generosity, sun-like affection and earth-like hospitality. As these phenomena of nature make no distinction between any creature of God, likewise man should not discriminate between one human being and another.
The Sufis identified service of God with the service of man. Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi was quoted in the mystic circles of Delhi as saying that he found God among the poor people in the streets of Medina.
The third foundational principle of Sufi ideology was their faith in the Unity of Divine revelation, which paved the way for contact with people of diverse faiths and denominations. Commenting on this concept in the light of the Quran, Maulana Azad remarks: The Quran points out that the tragedy of man is laid in his effort to make distinction between prophets or in his accepting some and rejecting others.
This basic approach opened the doors of deeper ideological contact and communication with people of different faiths, and put an end to ‘all notions of exclusiveness which had hitherto prevailed among mankind assigning divine blessings and favours to one’s own community’
The Sufis have played the same role. They lived in the midst of the lower strata of society and identified themselves with the problems of the people. The Sufi saints were anxious to create in the society harmony of a perfect orchestra. Their principle was to return hatred with love, violence with affection. Shaikh Nizam-u’d-din Auliya used to recite the following verse of Shaikh Abu Sa’id Abul Khair as his motto in life:
Whoever causes grief to us,
May his life get more and more happiness
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Feb/15/sufism-connecting-mankind-21.asp
The origin of Sufism can be traced to the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), whose teachings attracted a group of companions called as "Ahle Suffa", from their practice of sitting at the platform of the mosque of the Prophet in Medina. There they engaged themselves in discussions concerning the reality of Being, and in search of the inner path and devoted themselves to spiritual purification and meditation. These were the founders of Sufism. Within a century or two their style of self understanding and discipline were introduced by their students to nations as diverse and widely separated as Persia, India, Indonesia, Syria, Egypt, Mesopotamia and North Africa. Through this process of diffusion, different schools and orders of Sufism gradually emerged. Their practices differ from one another in emphasis and doctrine, but all legitimate Sufi schools trace their ultimate origins back to the group of the Prophet's spiritual disciples.
Sufis represented the inner side of the Islamic creed, which stresses on self- realization, righteousness and universal love for all. Sufis consider that there is a particular divine attribute that dominates the being of every prophet and saint, such that they can be said to be the incarnation of that attribute. All of the Prophets are manifestations of the divine unity and perfection, but Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is its supreme manifestation. The aim of Sufism is the cultivation of perfect beings who are mirrors reflecting the divine names and attributes. In Sufism, a perfect being is also called a Wali (saint), a word that literally means 'sincere friend'. All who have been prophets have also been saints. The superstructure of Sufism is built upon the concept of teacher, pir or murshid. To be initiated into the Sufi cult one is required to have implicit faith in his teacher and consider his commands as divine and the path shown by him as the straightest. Sufism had succeeded in inculcating the sentiments of fraternity, equality and equity, coupled with sense of service to humanity, in the followers, irrespective of race, community, caste, creed and colour.
In the earlier stages, it emphasized only on the Love of God but later it also stressed the need of the development of man with the purification of mind, through prayer and meditation. In India, Sufism helped in maintaining communal harmony and social stability by advocating religious tolerance and by borrowing spiritual techniques and practices from other religions, which were not against the principles of Islam and which were conducive to spiritual attainments.
The musical and ecstatic aspect of Sufism is called Sama. This is a particular kind of devotional dance and was introduced by Rumi. The Sufi, while being spiritually enraptured, gives the attention of his or her heart to the Beloved. With particular movements and often special and rhythmical music, he engages in the selfless remembrance of God. In this state, the Sufi becomes unaware of everything but God. Sufis identify two types of Sama poetry - first praising God (this is called Hamd), Prophet (this is called Naat) and the Sufi saints (this is called Manqabat) and the second focusing on spiritual emotion or mystical love, ecstatic states and on separation and union. The Sama poetry is mostly sung in the form of Qawalli. Music of Sama is set within metric framework, accompanied by Dholak, Tabla, Sarangi, Harmonium and Sitar. Sufism has recently gained in popularity outside Muslim circles, particularly Sufi music. Sufi music is attracting attention internationally. Sufi music congregations are taking place in several western countries, particularly in USA. Maulana Rumi, a great Sufi saint has become tremendously popular in USA in post-9/11 situation when Islam is being targeted as religion of terror.
The Sufi weltanschauung was based on three basic postulates which determined their attitude towards God, man and society.
First, all people are the children of God on earth. Sa’di said that the reason for human brotherhood was that all human beings were made of the self-same clay and were as interdependent on each other as the limbs in the human body.
Second, the aim of human life is to reflect in one’s own thought and action the attributes of God. Perfection in human life could be reached only by expressing in one’s life more and more divine qualities. God’s way is that He extends his bounties to all — the pious and the sinner, the believer and the non-believer, the high and the low. When the sun rises, it gives light and warmth to all living beings; when it rains, all benefit from the showers; the earth keeps its bosom open for all.
Khwaja Mu’in-u’d-din Chishti, the founder of the Chishti silsilah in India, advised his followers to develop river-like generosity, sun-like affection and earth-like hospitality. As these phenomena of nature make no distinction between any creature of God, likewise man should not discriminate between one human being and another.
The Sufis identified service of God with the service of man. Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi was quoted in the mystic circles of Delhi as saying that he found God among the poor people in the streets of Medina.
The third foundational principle of Sufi ideology was their faith in the Unity of Divine revelation, which paved the way for contact with people of diverse faiths and denominations. Commenting on this concept in the light of the Quran, Maulana Azad remarks: The Quran points out that the tragedy of man is laid in his effort to make distinction between prophets or in his accepting some and rejecting others.
This basic approach opened the doors of deeper ideological contact and communication with people of different faiths, and put an end to ‘all notions of exclusiveness which had hitherto prevailed among mankind assigning divine blessings and favours to one’s own community’
The Sufis have played the same role. They lived in the midst of the lower strata of society and identified themselves with the problems of the people. The Sufi saints were anxious to create in the society harmony of a perfect orchestra. Their principle was to return hatred with love, violence with affection. Shaikh Nizam-u’d-din Auliya used to recite the following verse of Shaikh Abu Sa’id Abul Khair as his motto in life:
Whoever causes grief to us,
May his life get more and more happiness
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Feb/15/sufism-connecting-mankind-21.asp
