The Caravan of Love Must Continue Its Journey

From the German Press
"Karawane der Liebe muss weiterziehen"
Mystische Tradition und Weisheit der Sufis prägen das Bild des friedlichen Islam
Wiesbadener Tagblatt
By Kurt Buchholz
19^th March 2007

The oriental decoration in Villa Schnitzler could hardly be more fascinating. It is reminiscent of tales from a Thousand and One Nights in which the Sufis interpret their message of love, harmony, and beauty in their own way. An unusual evening dedicated to the mystics of Islam.
Many Islamic traditions such as Sufism are little known in the West. The West is unfamiliar with a peaceful Islam and its history and therefore also with the possibility of balance and dialogue between religions and cultures. Sufis, who have been carrying the mystical tradition for centuries, do not see themselves as bound to certain dogmas, rituals, or spiritual techniques. This is what the participants of the cultural event “Caravan of Love” learnt at the invitation of the Wiesbaden school of continuing education and the West-East Divan. Far more central to Sufi teaching is love in the sense of turning to God. Sufis believe that love impresses itself on the universe through the projection of the divine essence and that mysticism stands beyond religion and even demands that it be so. The Sufis purify their hearts and consequently the spirit through lifelong spiritual practice and continuous repetition of the Names of the Creator. Their path demands that the seeker constantly strives to experience the Real in this life rather than waiting until after death or being satisfied with a purely intellectual understanding. In accordance with the principle that faith is reflected in action, the Sufis prefer acting in the world with good example than to debating about the faith. The guests of the ‘caravan’ heard that Jesus is the prophet of love in Islam and therefore seen as the Prophet of the Sufis. The majority of Sufis today work from the central premise that the Creator God “is an inseparable component of all being and the whole world”. It is the privilege of God to lead to the light whomever He will. Music as an expression of joy in the Presence of God is an important aspect of Sufi teaching, often consisting only of songs but also with instrumental accompaniment. Therefore the participants of the ‘Caravan’ felt the concert and story telling evening with Peter Hassan Dyck was a special experience grounded as he is in the musical traditions of India and the East and well known throughout Europe.

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