Personal Writing of Amat-un-Nur

"For the Sufi, Unity, Tawheed, is the fundamental mystical experience of reality."

WHO IS A SUFI?

The description of a Sufi by Hazrat Ali Uthman Hujweri r.a , popularly known as Data Gunj Bakhsh, is : One who has strictly disciplined his moral, spiritual and religious character in harmony with the Divine Love and commandments of Allah, and has given himself to selfless service of humanity, without any discrimination. He cleanses his life by renunciation, giving up all that takes him away from Allah, and mujahida, striving that will take him closer to Allah.

According to Hujweri there are 3 broad categories of Sufis:

The real Sufi, who forgets himself and all worldly attractions, seeing himself as a mere tool in the hands of Allah. He is utterly devoted to Allah and has resigned his will to Him in such a way that whatever Allah does with him, he is content with that. Pain and pleasure become one for him because he has come to know that they are only tests and beyond that they have no meaning.
The second category is of those who acquire the rank of a Sufi by great mujahidas or strivings, step by step, in the course of a regular training.
The third category is of those who are only pretenders on the path and have no regard for the true goal.

In short a true Sufi is one who lives in this world but his gaze is fixed on the next.

How do we become a Sufi?

There is no magical formula that can turn you into a Sufi. The first and the last lesson in becoming a Sufi is Tazkiya-e-Nafs, i.e cleansing of the soul, and Tazkiya-e-Qalb, which is freeing the heart of desire for anything other than Allah.

What is Sufi Hikmah or Wisdom of the Path?

The path of Allah has been codified in the last revelation to the final Prophet Muhammad[may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him]. Thus Islamic Sufism gives a central position to the Quran for guiding the conduct of man. But the Quran as the Book is also silent until it is read. This means that the Quran has to be assimilated through bringing its spirit to life and not just literally read and applied. This spirit of the Quran is something that we are acquainted with through the Hikmah of the Knowers or the Arifeen. In the Quran, Allah addresses the Prophet by saying : O’ Muhammad, We have given you the Book and the secrets of Our Hikmah [wisdom] and We shall tell you those things which you never knew.

This Divine Wisdom and Secret Knowledge was passed on to the Prophet’s very close associates and chosen few, by the Rasul s.w himself. The receptacle must have the capacity for receiving what is going to be poured into it, and therefore each received according to what it could encompass. These receivers of the Hikmah became the transmitters of Sufi Wisdom.

Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi r.a said of the Sufi that he is the possessor of these 7 exemplary qualities:

1. The courage and generosity of Prophet Ibrahim a.s.
2. The obedience of Prophet Ismael a.s.
3. The patience of Prophet Ayub a.s.
4. The signs of Prophet Zakariyah a.s.
5. The poverty of Prophet Yahyah a.s.
6. The traveling nature of Hazrat Isa a.s.
7. The contentment in Divine Will of Prophet Muhammad a.s.

Sufi Grace as a Divine Gift.

Hazrat Ali Uthman Hujweri r.a said: Sufism is not the name of any "Uloom" [Knowledge] or "Rusoom" [Practice]. It is the name of a special religious conduct based on Divine Knowledge and Guidance. If it were Uloom then it could be derived from common knowledge. If it were Rusoom then it could be acquired by mere mujahida or practice. It is something divine bestowed upon a select few by the Grace of Allah.

A Sufi’s Greatest Weapon: His Forbearance.

A great strength of a Sufi is his unparalleled forbearance. The control of one’s temper and passionate inclination. Data Hujweri r.a says: Insult or ridicule of the friends of God is their relishing food.
Once Shaykh Abu Taner, a great Sufi of his time, was jeered at in public at which his murid took offense. His words to his murid at this occasion were: Everybody has his own opinions or views about me according to the limitations of his knowledge and status. All opinions are mere expressions of his own wisdom. If someone calls me a Zindiq or disbeliever, why should we quarrel over his mere reflections of his own ignorance. The alqaabs [titles] good or bad are mere attributions of people’s estimation. We should not be moved by them. God alone has the right and the power to punish the offenders. By retaliating we are taking God’s power into our own hands. That would certainly not be advisable.

The Veils or Hijabaat on the Spiritual Journey.

On our journey to God, we have to tear down many veils or hijabaat before we can truly know Him.
Some of the veils that the great sufi saints have spoken of are:

Ma’rifat: This is the Divine Knowledge of the relationship between man and God. Data Sahib says that ma’rifat is not attained by 'ilm [knowledge] or 'aql [intellect], but because of a special favour or hidayat [guidance] of Allah, because Allah alone opens, closes, widens, or seals the door of a seeker’s heart. 'Ilm and 'Aql are our efforts like ploughing the land and planting the seed, but Grace is from Allah alone -------- like rain which makes the seed grow-------and it is Allah’s Grace towards the seeker that makes him attain. Ma’rifat means not being amazed at or doubting anything in creation. It is knowing that Allah has full power and control over everything in all the worlds. Allah’s work is beyond human conception, wisdom and powers. We cannot struggle to understand Allah’s wonders by the mere support of our intellect.
Tawheed [The Unity of God]: There are three levels of understanding the Unity of God. At the highest level there is God’s own awareness of His Unity. At the second level there is the understanding of Unity at the level of comprehension of what has been revealed by God regarding it. At the third level there is the personal human understanding of the Unity of God. In summation, there is no duality in the existence of God. He cannot be relegated to a building or a specific place-----He is everywhere. He is born of no parents and nothing changes His Oneness. He is the cause of all profit and loss. He alone is the Judge of everything.
Iman or Faith: Iman is the result of ma’rifat and obedience. One who knows of Allah’s existence will love Him and the root of love is obedience. If you love Him then you will obey Him. The more the fondness in your heart the greater the obedience. When your heart becomes constantly devoted to Him, then your eyes will begin to see Him and you will not be able to give up His obedience. If you don’t know Allah, you cannot be obedient to Him. If you are not obedient to Him, how can you have faith?
Taharat or Purity: Purity is of two types; Taharat-e-Zahir i.e outward purity without which devotional rites are not permissible, and Taharat-i-Batin i.e the purity of heart and soul without which ma’rifat cannot be attained. How can the Divine Splendour reflect on a dusty heart? Tauba or repentance is the means for inner cleansing. Repentance is further divided into two types; repenting for opposing Allah’s laws, and further resolving never to revert to the same wrongdoing. This resolve can take place only if the Presence of Allah is alive within one. If one knows that the misdeeds will be punished and one has fear of the punishment then one knows that Allah sees and knows everything.
Namaz or Ritual Prayer: Namaz puts the devotee on the path leading to Allah and also opens up many secrets of the path. The inner dimension of namaz is: Wuzu or Ablutions pertaining to tauba or repentance. Facing the Qibla or direction of prayer is having implicit faith in and devotion to Allah. Ruku or bending in prayer is humility or conquering of the nafs [ego]. Qir’at or recitation is the zikr of Allah. Tashhud or witnessing is assertion of complete faith and love for Allah. Salaam or ending salutation of the prayer is turning away from worldly attractions towards Allah. An example of a high level of concentration during namaz is : A woman saint was once repeatedly stung by a scorpion while offering the ritual prayer. She carried on undisturbed. When she finished she was asked why she didn’t kill the scorpion. She replied: How could I have done my personal work when I was engaged in Allah’s work.
Zakaat or Poor-Due: A sufi cannot make distinction in giving charity. It is given indiscriminately. One is to live by Tawakkal or reliance on God alone. One is exhorted to give even if one is not sure of where the evening meal is coming from. Zakaat is not only payable on wealth but also on other blessings like health and fitness. This zakaat is an offering of gratitude and for showing gratitude one cannot keep count, just as Allah does not keep count while bestowing blessings upon His creatures. One is monetary zakaat, the other is spiritual zakaat. Be thankful to Allah.
Roza or Fasting: This denotes the control of passions and desires of the lower self and not just observance of thirst and hunger.
Hajj or Pilgrimage: this is the offering of Tauba to God. The donning of the Ihram or pilgrim’s garb means giving up of bad habits. The stay in Arafaat means becoming absorbed in Allah’s Love. Going to Mudzalifa is giving up passions of the nafs. Tawaaf or circumambulation means witnessing Allah’s Divinity. Going to Mina is forgetting selfish desires. Running between Safa and Marwah is purifying the heart and soul. Qurbani or sacrifice is the sacrifice of selfishness. Rami or throwing of stones at the devil means shedding bad companions. If we fail to derive the spiritual benefits from this ritual, it is nothing but a vain show.
Mushahida or Witnessing: This is the recognition of the Light of Allah. One begins to see Allah in everything. This is the attainment of the vision that grasps the essence rather than the outer form.

These in brief are the veils that we need to transcend in order to attain to the station of Unity where Love, Lover and Beloved become One.

The Salik Takes On Musa’s Travails.

Like Musa a.s we embark upon this journey and set foot in the desert of searching. The staff of remembrance, we hold, to guide us along. The whip of mujahida [spiritual exertion] strikes the lazy mule of the nafs. Constant muraqiba [watchfulness] teaches us how to avoid the sting of the snakes, scorpions and the desert cacti. We keep going until we are blessed by the mushahida or vision of the oasis. The well-springs of Allah’s Knowledge come closer. In order to be able to drink of this water we must first tie the rope of contentment to the bucket of gratitude. Then if Allah Wills, we will be able to lower the bucket of gratitude into the well-springs of knowledge and fill it with the water of wisdom. Just as Musa was taken to the watering place of Midian, we will then be led to the Source of wisdom.

The Evolution of the Human Soul.

The process of spiritual maturation of the human soul entails the deconstruction of the false self and the reconstruction of the human personality in the Light of the Divine.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SUFISM.

The psychology of Sufism is a unified body of knowledge whose source is the Quran. The outcome of this knowledge is that you become truly human and your life-experience is enhanced.
The main concern in this field is the work with the "nafs" or the ego. The objective, however, as many imagine is not to destroy the nafs, but to discipline it. The ego is tamed in a way that it comes under the command of the Spirit or "Ruh". Sufi psychology familiarizes us with the guiles of the ego and teaches us ways to outwit its cunning in order for us to employ it positively rather than be destroyed by its negative inclinations.
True emancipation is to be free of slavery to the nafs , and true chivalry is to welcome whatever Allah sends our way. We need the nafs to function in this world and in society, but at the same time we need to be mindful of the areas and modes of its utility. The nafs may be likened to a knife; In the hands of a killer it is a dangerous weapon and in the hands of a butcher a necessary tool.

Our spiritual journey is all about bringing an alignment between self-will and Divine-Will. When this marriage of wills takes place, ordinary acts seem to take on the character of miracles. Whereas, actually, nothing more miraculous than absolute and perfect surrender is what has taken place.

The Sufi way is the method of drawing closer to the Divine through knowledge of the reality of our own existence. It is only through the knowledge of the self that we can know Allah. The Prophet a.s said, "He who knows his own Self has known Allah." This indicates that when we understand our reality and our nothingness, that is when the reality and Being of Allah will become manifest. "Man is created weak", says the Quran, so we know that strength belongs to Allah. In the last verse of Surah Muhammad of the Quran, Allah says, "Wallahul Ghaniyyu wa antum ul Fuqara": And Allah is free of all needs and you [ O mankind ] are the needy. Allah is the Creator and we are His creatures. Allah is Independent and we are dependent on him. Thus, an insight into our own reality gives a parallel insight into the reality of Allah.

The Shariah, Tariqah, Haqiqah and Marifah.

The Shariah is the outer body of spiritual practice. This is the highway of Islam, which is meant to be traveled by all Muslims. The Tariqah is the narrow path which is taken by the Sufis or the lovers of Allah. This narrow path, however, branches off from the highway and therefore is not separate from it. This path is narrower and thus more difficult to follow than the Shariah , and therefore there is no obligation to follow it. To tread this way is a matter of sheer self-will and desire: irada coupled with a Divine calling. The Beloved calls to His street only His lovers. It is, however, only through crossing the street of Love or walking this path that you may hope to arrive at the door of Haqiqah. Haqiqah is Truth or Reality. And once we have reached the door of Haqiqah, the world of Marifah or Gnosis is opened up to us. The Prophet a.s said, "Shariah is my words { Qawl }, Tariqah is my actions { Af’aal } and Haqeeqah is my inner states { Ahwaal }".

A useful analogy would be of an appleâ....when we see an apple and know how it looks and have all the information regarding it, symbolically this reflects the level of Shariah. At the next stage , as we pick up the apple in our hand and feel it by touch and know it by smell, we reflect the level of Tariqah. On a yet higher level, when we bite into the apple and eat it, we reach the stage of Haqiqah, for now we know its reality by actual experience. But at the highest level , we would have finished eating it, yet the taste of the experience would remain and it would become an integral part of our consciousness, and this would be reflective of the station of Marifah.

The Three "Deaths" of the Sufi.

The traveller of the Sufi Path has to pass through three extinctions before attaining everlasting life.
The first of these is "Fana fi Shaykh" or extinction in the Guide. This first of the three deaths is entered into by the traveller when he/she fulfills the duties and responsibilities of a sincere disciple. It is said that one’s initiation into the Sufi Path is synonymous to the funeral rites of an individual. The disciple should entrust him/herself to the guide as a dead body is given in the hands of the washer of corpses. This simply means that from the time of oath-taking, one is no longer master of one’s own desires, but now the goal of one’s existence becomes the diligent obedience to the commands of the master-guide. Because the master-guide is supposed to be the spiritual heir of the Prophet, obedience to his command and being honed by his spiritual force is in reality a preparation for entering into a more intense purification process.
The second stage is that of "Fana fi Rasul" or extinction in the Prophet. At this level the seeker has passed the honing process of the master-guide and is now in a subtler and more refined state which is able to enter into the finer dimension of the Prophetic Light. One loses one’s being in the being of the Prophet a.s.
When this extinction becomes complete, then one is ready to finally enter into the realm of Divine Light. Just as gold needs to be purified by being heated, the human nafs needs to be treated by the light of the guide, and the light of the Rasul before it can merge into the Light of Allah. The last stage is that of "Fana fi Allah" or annihilation in God. Here the seeker has found true existence by self-extinction. Self-Will and God-Will have become one.

The Way of the Divine Lover.

The creed of Love says that the street of the Beloved is forever marked by the blood of His lovers who continue to visit it, even though the price they must pay is the cutting of their heads.
Once a lover of Allah went to His door and knocked. A voice came from within asking: Who is it?
The seeker said: Its me my Lord. The reply came: Go away! There is no place for you. After years of suffering in separation he returned. This time when it was asked that who is it that knocks, the seeker answered , "You" , and the door was opened up.
The fire of Love blazing in the heart of the lover is what attracts the attention of the Beloved.

Sufi Physiology. [Ref: "Heart, Self, and Soul" by Robert Frager]

Physiology is the science of the body and "Sufi Physiology" would be the knowledge of the spiritual body.
In Sufism we are taught that there are seven forms of the soul which combine to give the complete soul. Each shows a different level of evolution.

It would be pertinent here to refer to Maulana Rumi’s verses regarding this:

I died from mineral, and plant became.
From plant I took to animal form.
From the beast I was raised to human state.
When by my dying did I ever grow less.
Another time I must die to become one with angels.
And from amongst angels also I must lose my place.
Since everything must perish save His Face.
Thus let me be nothing, for we are from Him and unto Him do we return again.

The forms of the soul are divided into seven main categories that are:
1. The mineral soul.
2. The vegetable soul.
3. The animal soul.
4. The personal soul.
5. The human soul.
6. The secret soul.
7. The secret of secrets soul.

The Sufi model is to create a balance amongst all the parts of the soul. The Quran speaks of the highest level of the soul, "I fashioned Adam of clay and breathed into him of My Spirit".
Each facet of the soul has its own needs and strengths. If we ignore the animal and vegetable souls, we put our health at risk. If we neglect our human soul, we disregard our spiritual needs and suffer spiritually. We must attain a balance between all the seven levels in order to achieve completion.

The mineral soul: This is called the "ruh-e-madani". It is located in the skeletal system. It is closest in nature to the secret of secrets soul. This is the bone at the base of the spine which is said to be immune to destruction and dissolution even after death. A hadith informs that it is from this bone that one will be raised again on the day of resurrection. The mineral world is in alignment with the Divine because it never revolts against Divine Will. A rock will remain wherever it is placed. Just as our physical skeleton is hidden within our body, so is the mineral world hidden beneath the earth’s surface. When we disregard our deep spiritual structures, we cause unnecessary tensions. Our deep mineral structure lends us our sense of existence. Our physical structure is connected at some atomic or sub-atomic level with all other matter in the universe. Imbalance at this level gives extreme flexibility or extreme rigidity. A perfect human being would need enough flexibility to adapt to changes and take in new knowledge, and enough rigidity to be able to maintain oneself at a given station.
The vegetable soul: This is called the "ruh-i-nabati". Its location in the human body is the liver. It regulates growth and performs functions we share with the plant kingdom, e.g nourishment etc. There is a soul in us that Allah also gave to the vegetables. When we are in the womb we are mainly the vegetable soul. The umbilical cord is nourishing us. The mineral soul transmits the energy and the vegetable soul transforms it to create life. The intelligence of this soul is to regulate the basic operations of the body. The first brain functions like expansion-contraction and response to danger come from it. Its response to environment is however limited due to lack of its mobility.
The animal soul: This is the "ruh-i-haywani." This is located in the heart and connected to the circulatory system. The animal soul includes fear, passion and anger. It is the seat of satan for the Prophet a.s said, "Satan runs in each body along with the blood in its veins." This is also a station of survival and self-preservation. It is a natural instinct to move towards what is rewarding and to move away from destructive force. Scientific research has proven that even a single-celled organism like amoeba moves away from a drop of acid dropped on a microscope and moves closer to a nutrient solution. Because this soul is given to self-preservation, the reproductive instincts are strong in it. The animal soul needs to be in balance and disciplined so that the other souls do not risk sabotage at its hands. Just as Satan when given to an extreme sense of self-assertion became a universal sabotage machine, an uncontrolled animal soul destroys the life of the other souls surrounding it. Thus our passions, fears and appetites should not dominate our lives but serve their required functions.
The personal soul: This is called the "ruh-i-nafsani." It is located in the brain and linked to the nervous system. This is what actually distinguishes humans from animals. This highly developed nervous system gives the capacity for memory and complex thinking and planning functions. The personal soul is also the location of the ego, positive and negative. The positive ego is a great friend on the spiritual path. It gives a sense of integrity, self-respect and responsibility. The negative aspect of it as in the case of satan, leads to arrogance and separation from God. It is located in the largest of our three brain systems and can be developed by practicing awareness in our daily lives. At this level the heart quality is yet under-developed and therefore we encounter little compassion.
The human soul: This is the "ruh-i-insani." It is located in the Qalb or spiritual heart. It is more refined than the personal soul. It has entered the level of true compassion and faith. We begin to experience spiritual values. Compassion and faith help develop our judgment. The head knows what is most effective and the heart knows what is right.
The secret soul: This is the "ruh-i-sirr." This is the part of us that remembers God. It is the inner consciousness located in the inner heart. This soul knows where it came from and where it is going. Before our souls incarnated, they gave avowal to Divine Lordship. The soul that responded to the divine declaration of sole ownership was the secret soul. The secret soul lived close to God for millions of years. We forgot this proximity only after taking on the many other layers of the soul.
The secret of secrets soul: this is called the "ruh-i-sirr-ul-asrar." This pertains to that which is beyond time and space. It lives at the core of our being. This is the pure Divine Spark. We are not mere thinking animals or our personas, but we are a part of the Divine encased in material form. Our capacity for spiritual growth and understanding is thus limitless. We all need to remember who we truly are.

The seven souls also have corresponding seven levels of the ego and the subtle centres or lataif within the human physiology. These seven levels reflect the seven prophets of our being as well. The following chart would help define this further:

Levels of the Ego:
1. Nafs-i-Ammara 2. Nafs-i-Lawwama 3. Nafs-i-Mulhima 4. Nafs-i-Mutmainna 5. Nafs-i-Raziya 6. Nafs-i-Marziya 7. Nafs-i-Zakiyyah.

The seven subtle centres or Lataif:
1. Qalab or Mould 2. Nafs or ego 3. Qalb or Heart 4. Ruh or Spirit. 5. Sirr or Secret 6. Khafi or Hidden 7. Akhfa or Most Hidden.

Here I would like to add a mysterious incantation which is visibly associated with these levels that we have been discussing, recorded in the awraad or recitals of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani r.a in his "Al-Fuyudat-ar-Rabbaniyya" .
The Shaykh said that anyone who made a practice of reciting this six or seven times daily would behold countless marvels. It is as follows:

Bismillah-hir-Rahman-nir-Rahim.

Qalbi-Qutbi-wa-Qalabi-Lubnani
My heart is my cardinal pole and my physical form is my Lebanon.

Sirri-Khadiri
My innermost being is my Khadir.

Wa-aynuhu-Irfani
And its eye is my source of direct knowledge.

Harunu-Aqli-wa-Kalimi-Ruhi
Harun is my intellect and the interlocutor is my spirit.

Firawni-Nafsi-wal-hawa-hamani
Pharoah is my lower self and passion is my Haman.

The Seven Prophets of our Being presiding over the seven subtle centres:

1. Adam - Qalab
2. Nuh - Nafs
3. Abraham - Heart
4. David - Ruh
5. Moses - Sirr
6. Jesus - Khafi
7. Muhammad - Akhfa.

The corresponding inner lights according to one system are given as:

1. Gray.
2. Blue.
3. Red.
4. Yellow.
5. White.
6. Indigo.
7. Green.

The function of the coloured lights is to indicate the level of development or the station of access.