Sufism-the mystical sect of Islam

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

The basic tenet of Sufism comes from a hadith (saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him): "I was a hidden treasure who longed to be known." The focus of Sufi initiates is to know God-to get closer to God with every breath.

Sufism is made up of many different schools, or orders. Each focuses on different types of practices-there are orders that focus on visions and dreams, ones that focus on healing, ones that focus on the universality of faith-that all paths lead to God.

Sufism is initiatic. You must request permission and then be initiated by a Pir, Shaykh, Murshid, or guide. When you are initiated, it is more than a blessing; you are connected to all the teachers of that lineage, and they can guide and help you along your path.

One can belong to more than one Sufi order, and many initiates are members of several. The main connection you have, however, is to your guide. That guide is your personal spiritual consellor. He/she is not a 'guru', but rather someone who is a few steps further down the path. Guides give the initiate practices to do-these can involve sacred phrases, breath practices, and walking practices.

One practice that is done by all Sufi Orders I know is a ceremony called 'zkr'. The word means both 'remembrance' and 'repetition'. It is reciting sacred phrases, the most common used being "La illaha il Allah", or "there is no reality save the One". This can be chanted, sung, whispered, even shouted, depending on the way a particular order does the ceremony. It can be done seated or standing, moving or still. The 'whirling dervish' ceremony is a type of zkr done by the Mevlevi Order (a special type;Mevlevis do other types as well). All zkrs I've been to have been open-one does not have to be an initiate to participate.

My main order is the Sufi Order International, specifically Murshida Tasnim. Besides doing the practices described above, Murshida does the Dances of Unversal Peace, moving meditations that honor all the world's spiritual traditions.

Our prayers, done three times a day, are in English, believe it or not, and they honor all faiths.

To find out more, check out these websites:

Murshida Tasnim's is at http://www.churchofall.us

Sufi Order International is at http://www.sufiorder.org

Dances of Universal Peace is at http://www.dancesofuniversalpeace.org

[wildflower]

1. Thanks, Ayesha. I've always wanted to know more about Sufism. Question:

How do you feel it's different from traditional Islam?

-wildflower

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. the emphasis is one's personal relationship with God,

not the rules and law. Mansur, who broke down all the veils between himself and the Beloved, was crucified because he said, "I am Truth!" (at that time, he was, for Mansur was gone, and only the Beloved left).

Sufis revere their saints, and visit their tombs, which are often preserved as shrines. In other sects of Islam, such veneration is considered heresy.

In traditional Islam, one must pray three (Shia)or five (Sunni) times a day in Arabic. Some Sufi orders follow this, while others don't-if you check out http://www.churchofall.us/prayers.html, you'll see my daily prayers are in English.

In traditional Islam, one is a Muslim of a certain sect and nothing else. Sufis may be Muslim or be a Sufi and a Christian-I know of Christian ministers (one an Episcopalean priest) who are Sufi initiates.

Finally, in universal Sufism, ALL paths leading to God are honored. I preside over a Universal Worship service, where the holy books of many faiths are honored with readings, songs, chants, etc. A very fundamentalist Muslim would consider this heresy as well, though Islamic Sufi orders don't have problems with it. All I can say is that when my husband and I were married in one of these services, an Egyptian gentleman who happened by was blown away by the peace and harmony, and told us "If this catches on, there could be no war." I consider that the best wedding gift I got.

[Maat]

3. Thanks for the post!

I always wanted to know about this.

[elshiva]

4. Thank You, for this post.

Christianity has a tradition of repition of the Divine Name, too. There is the Jesus Prayer, "Lord Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me," in the Eastern Orthodox tradition as recorded in THE WAY OF THE PILGRIM. I read a popular Roman Catholic booklet on the power of Holy Name of Jesus. I often call upon the name of Jesus, a name of truth.
(Allah is also a name of truth and so is Krishna...etc., etc.)

[Tux]

5. After checking the Sufi Order International's FAQ

I can say it's a nice religion. Isn't it part of Islam though? At any rate it is quite a beautiful view of spirituality. I feel relaxed now.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. In that our practices

are usually done in Arabic, such as zkr, and our personal practices, I'd say it is a part of Islam. But being mystical, it definately sees God in all paths, even the more Islamic orders that do the traditional Muslim prayers. I've always been made welcome at any Sufi gathering, whether traditional or universal, with mostly Americans or mostly people who have come here from another country.

[Maat]

7. I'm convinced that our church borrowed heavily from this faith.

Earnest Holmes founded Church of Religious Science in the 1920's. Ernest was called "the Great Synthesizer." He had studied many of the world's religions and philosophers, and incorporated the ideas in the CRS belief system. Holmes was heavily influenced by a philosopher named Troward, who apparently studied Eastern Religions.

I've still got to verify this, but I'll bet it was Eastern MYSTICAL beliefs.

The very first thing our pastor articulates each service is that "We believe in all paths to God."

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. I bet your hunch is correct

Sufis tend to hang out with other seekers of a mystical path, and don't care what the name of the seeker's path is. All are welcome. There is a traditional story that St. Francis of Assissi met with Sufis, but I don't know any of the details. I know that Murshid S.A.M.first American Sufi, was also a Zen master, had a Hindu guru (Swami Papa Ram Das), and was a student of Kabbalah. We are encouraged to study and celebrate all spirtual paths.

[Maat]

9. We are too!

And I wouldn't participate in any church/congregation/group that didn't encourage that!

I want my kid educated - not stupid.

[silverlib]

10. Thank you - I found this litany

recently from a Sufi site and my P&J used it. I had googled "peace litany" and was introduced to Sufism. There is a brief history of the litany at the end.

Spiritual Literacy in Wartime
A Litany of Unity and Hope
Based on the Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad
by Karen Senecal
The words read by the liturgist are taken from
A Collection of Sound Hadith (sayings of the Prophet) on Nonviolence, Peace, Justice, and Other Subjects complied from reliable sources by Dr. Hafiz Syed and edited by Kabir Helminski.________________________________________

One: "What actions are most excellent? To gladden the heart of a human being, to feed the hungry, to help the afflicted, to lighten the sorrow of the sorrowful, and to remove the wrongs of the injured."

All: We acknowledge that we have been tempted to seek only our own good, hear only our own truth, and acknowledge only our own suffering. Let us start along the road to justice and peace by holding the pain of our sisters and brothers as if it were our own. We pray that no more children are lost to indifference and violence.

One: "Kindness is a mark of faith, and whoever has not kindness has not faith."

All: We pray for the courage to transform this beautiful planet into a place where people are not tormented by wars and not torn apart in senseless divisions. Together we will find the strength to resist hatred by our caring. Help us remember that it is our hands that shape the earth.

One: "The exercise of religious duties will not atone for the fault of an abusive tongue."

All: We pray, without ceasing, that our words become actions that give life the shape of justice.

One: "God is a unity and likes unity."

All: Help all persons to be able to not merely see the similarities between all people, but to feel less fear in the differences. If this can be our focus, perhaps our goal may be not for homogeny, but for a true and joyful diversity.

One: "Anyone of you who sees wrong, let him undo it with his hand; and if he cannot, then let him speak against it with his tongue; and if he cannot do this either, then let him abhor it with his heart, and this is the least of faith."

All: Every human life is precious to God and the human community. Each human path of faith is a sacred journey within life.

One: "He is true who protects his brother or sister both present and absent."

All: We pray for our sisters and brothers who have no sense of safety in their daily lives. We consider the hatred we witness and participate unwittingly in, and we pray for more than fear and tolerance to dominate people's thoughts and motivation in these trying days.

About This Litany. This litany was written in the week after September 11, 2001, by the Rev. Karen Senecal for use by the congregation of Judson Memorial Church, New York City, which is located in Greenwich Village not far from the site of the World Trade Center. It was used again in a Service of Lamentation held on March 20, 2003, the day after the start of the Iraq war. The collection of hadith was contributed by Sufi Shaikh Kabir Helminski, cofounder of the Threshold Society, via SpiritualityHealth.com and Sufism.org.