With Prayers for Peace

By Fatima Raza, "964th Urs of Hazrat Data Ganj (RA) concludes with special Prayers" - Pakistan Times - Islamabad, Pakistan
Friday, February 29, 2008

Lahore: The three-day 'Urs' of the great Sufi saint, religious scholar and spiritualist of the 11th century Hazrat Ali bin Usman Hajveri (RA) – popularly known as Data Ganj Bukhsh (RA) concluded at midnight Thursday with prayers for peace, progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

Hundreds of thousands of the faithful – who had arrived Lahore from all areas of Pakistan as well as from different parts of the world – also offered special prayers for the entire Muslim world.

(...)

Hazrat Ali Hajvery (RA) was a Persian Sufi and a scholar. The greatest saint for all times was born in Hajver, a town of Ghazni in Afghanistan in 1000 AD (400 H) and died in Lahore in 1063 or 1071 AD.

He voyaged physically to many countries, including Turkistan, Transoxania, Iran, Iraq, and Syria where he met innumerable Sufis and Sheikhs, many of those have been mentioned in his book 'Kashf-ul-Mahjoob'.

During the Urs the shrine and its whereabouts were beautifully lit. A large number of devotees from different parts of the country besides tens of thousands from the city visited the Data Darbar [the Mausoleum] – to pay their homage by reciting verses from the Holy Quran. Qawals, and Naat Khawan recited mystic verses – paying tributes to the venerated saint.

Separate arrangements were made for women to visit the shrine.

'Langer Khana' (distributing free food) and milk sabeels were also made available for every-one comprising a large number of people.

According to some historians one of the first persons to become Muslim at the hand of Hazrat Data Gang Bakhsh (RA) was Rai Raju. He was Naib Hakim [Deputy Ruler] of Lahore at that time. On his conversion to Islam Hazrat Data Gang Bakhsh (RA) named him Shaikh Hindi. After this, many other people also converted to Islam.

When Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA) came to Lahore, he built a "Khanqah" and a Mosque, known as "Khishti Masjid", outside the city on a mound to the west of Bhati Gate near the bank of river Ravi.

It is said that when the mosque was originally being built by him some of the locals pointed out that 'the "Qibla" of the mosque is not in the right direction and appears towards south'. On complaint, he asked the people to say prayer and during the prayer he showed them the Holy Kaaba, consequently its direction was right.

It was one of the many miracles of the great saint.
This mosque became a model to look at for the fixing of Qibla of all the mosques in the following centuries.

The historical records tell us that after the death of Hazrat Data Gang Bakhsh (RA) because of the reverence and deep respect of the Muslims for the great Saint, the mosque has been the subject of renovation, addition and beautification for several times by different devotees.

(...)

On the south, in front of the mausoleum, there are two doors. One of these doors has beautiful Iranian inlaid work on gold. All the arches, the window frames and pillars in the mosque and mausoleum are in carved marble. The entire floor is also in marble.
The mosque is spread over a total area of 3,68,150 sq. ft. [34'201 sq. metres] and it is the third largest mosque in Pakistan. It can accommodate up to 52,600 people.

(...)

Hazrat Daata Ganj Bakhsh Ali Hujveri, R.A was well versed in all the Islamic sciences such as Tafsir; (exegesis) of the Holy Quran, Hadice; (Traditions of the Holy Prophet [PBUH], Fiqah; (Muslim Law), Firm Theology; (Elm-e-Kalam) history, jurisprudence and logic.

He was an eminent scholar, poet and author. He wrote seven different books on theology and religion but the most famous of them all is ‘Kashf-ul-Mahjoob’, an awe-inspiring book on Islamic mysticism.

The Eternal Dance of Moths

By Kavita Charanji, "Manjari holds sway with Sufi Kathak" - The Daily Star - Dhaka, Bangladesh
Wednesday, February 27, 2008

“I dance in surrender to Him,
To His Glory, to His Love, to His World
With a lilting melody and a strong rhythm…
A dance of separation and union…of hope…

A pattern of light and shade…
The fire of the eternal dance of moths.”

Delhi, India: It was a magical evening in Delhi the other day as danseuse Manjari Chaturvedi did just that. The aptly titled 'Raqs-e-Ruh' (dance of the soul) showcased her dazzling presentation of 'Sufi Kathak'. In a departure from the run of the mill Kathak concert, Manjari performed to the music of the Qawwals from Awadh, Manganiars from Rajasthan and classical musicians from Lucknow.

Right from the word go, Manjari captured the imagination of the audience. The curtains went up with her dance to the flute and the composition of Halka, halka saroor, rendered by the Qawwals. Later came the piece Rang hai re, a composition of Hazrat Amir Khusro, which represents his love for the beloved (a metaphor for the Almighty).

Other popular dance items were Tere ishq ne nachaya, a verse of Baba Bulle Shah presented by the Rajasthani Manganiars and the magnificent finale Mast Kalander, also with the Rajasthani troupe. Throughout the show she blended her Kathak repertoire with the mystic elements of Sufism such as whirling dervishes and its characteristic intensity.

The concert was truly a sampler of Manjari's beautiful language of the body. All through the spiritual element was in evidence and the danseuse's fluidity and grace held the audience in thrall. Often one got the feeling that one had touched eternity.

“Sufi Kathak brings out the folk and ancient sounds and spirits of Sufi tradition through the energy and spirit of Kathak. Manjari is the first danseuse to use the innocence of folk music as a base for her classical Kathak concerts, creating a new repertoire for Kathak, using poetry,” says a press release.

Manjari is clearly an eclectic artiste. She attempts to build an interface with varied forms such as the Sufi music of Rajasthan, Kashmir, Qawwali of Awadh, poetry of Punjab's Bulleh Shah and Hazrat Amir Khusro along with the folk music of Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan.

She has also danced to the compositions of Rumi, Kabir and Lalon and the Bauls.A danseuse of the Lucknow gharana of Kathak and a post graduate in environmental sciences, Manjari has made waves with her unique style which incorporates subtle innovations while preserving the pristine classical style.

Trained in classical Kathak by Guru Pandit Arjun Mishra, she refined the detailing of 'abhinaya' (expressions) under the aegis of Kalanidhi Narayan and Priyadarshini Govind. She has also worked at Nrityagram in conjunction with the late Guru Protima Bedi and Guru Kumudini Lakhia.

Manjari's latest concert was held to mark a decade of Sufi Kathak and the launch of the first Sufi Kathak Foundation in India.
The Foundation has ambitious aims, including 'holding dance and music workshops and developing artistes into performers and providing impetus to their economic self-reliance'; financially assisting needy students and artistes, especially small town residents and retired artistes, along with providing employment and social support; incorporating genres such as Awadhi Qawwali in the initial stages and at a later stage art forms such as Kashmiri Sufi singing and creating centres for spiritual dance and music along with folk and classical dance.

A forgotten Poet?

By Rabia Noor - Greater Kashmir - Srinagar, J&K, India
Monday, February 25, 2008

The historical graveyard at Narwara, which, among others, hosts the resting place of the Sufi poet, Abdul Ahad Zargar Narwara, has turned into a garbage dump.

The graveyard has become a breeding ground for stray dogs, which the locals said has become a nuisance for the locals.

“Nobody pays attention towards this graveyard. The sweepers collect the garbage from other areas and dump it here,” the residents said. They said the graveyard has shrunk from several kanals to mere four kanals.

“Many people have have occupied the land illegally,” they said. “This land is a government property and many new constructions are coming up here in the precincts of the graveyard,” said Noor Muhammad Lala, a local.

He said that they have time and again asked the government to look into the matter. “But nobody pays any attention to our pleas.”

“We took up the matter with the divisional commissioner who assured us that he would personally visit the area. Neither did he come here nor any one of his officials,” the residents lamented.

Jerusalem Peacemakers to visit UK

ICN International Catholic News - London, U.K.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Two internationally acclaimed peacemakers from Jerusalem are visiting the UK next month. Their extensive 14 day tour includes Oxford, Birmingham, Edinburgh, London, Gloucester, and Brighton.

Eliyahu McLean, a Jewish, ordained Rodef Shalom (Pursuer of Peace) and Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bukhari, a Muslim, Sufi leader and Head of the Uzbek Community in Jerusalem are co-directors of Jerusalem Peacemakers, a not for profit organisation, engaged in peace building work in Israel/Palestine and beyond.

They have many years experience of working with Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Druze Israelis and Palestinians throughout Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.

They have helped to found and contribute to several organisations focused on bringing together people from different and often opposing groups and backgrounds, fostering mutual understanding, trust and respect.

One of these hopeful initiatives for change is the "On the Way to Sulha" movement, which holds regular dialogues and an annual 3 day event involving thousands of Palestinian, Israeli and international partners working for peace in the Holy Land.

These peace workers will inform us of the latest news, bring insights into the tools and dynamics of their peace building work which uses holistic and spiritual principles and share how ordinary people from diverse ethnic, cultural and faith groups are gathering together in the quest to bring harmony and reconciliation to the Holy Land.

For further details of the events and locations please email magdaleder@hotmail.com or phone 07711 960644

Data Sahib’s Urs begins

Staff report - Pakistan Daily Times - Lahore, Pakistan
Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Lahore: Amidst the beats of the dholl (kettledrum) and traditional dhamal, the 964th urs celebrations of Syed Ali bin Usman Hajveri (RA), popularly known as Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh (RA), began on Tuesday.

Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (r) Ejaz Nisar and Governor Lt Gen (r) Khalid Maqbool formally inaugurated the event by laying a chaddar (sheet) at the shrine of the Sufi saint.

The governor and the caretaker chief minister in their addresses said the Sufi saints were a guiding light for Muslims and that they should follow in their footsteps. “The saints have taught humility, tolerance, peace, equality and justice and have promoted a society that is free of all vices,” they said.

Data Darbar Zonal Administrator Rana Mushtaq Ahmad said Auqaf Department had arranged several programmes on the occasion, including eight Tablighi Ijtamas, Qaumi Mehfil-e-Naat, Husn-e-Qirat competition, seminars on Sufism, speeches, and a special prayer at the end of the celebrations.

“The department has made arrangements in collaboration with the city government to keep the shrine clean during the urs days. The shrine committees will supervise the distribution of langar (charity meals), as the department has allocated Rs 3 million to provide food during these three days for the expected 1.2 million devotees coming from across the country,” he said.

Ahmad said the Auqaf Department had asked the city police, civil defence and other law-enforcement agencies to depute their personnel in addition to 900 volunteers. “Metal detectors, explosive detectors, walkthrough gates and surveillance cameras will be used to avoid any untoward incident,” he said, and added that free medical campus and a camp for lost children would also be set up.

The urs celebrations will last for three days and devotees had already begun to pour from across the country before the urs started.

The shrine and all adjacent bazaars have been decorated with lights. Devotees wearing, anklets that produce sound and are used during dance, could be seen everywhere at the shrine performing dhamaal.

People distribute niaz (charity food), recite the Holy Quran, lay chaddars and bouquets at the shrine on this occasion. The stalls of traditional food, that is mostly seen on urs times, like andrassay, gulgulay, jalaybi and kutlama, were also set up in the adjacent bazaars.

Hazrat Data Gunj Buksh (RA) was born in Hujwair, the area falls in what is now Afghanistan, in 373 AH. He was a disciple of Muhammad bin Al-Hassan Al-Khuttali (RA) and followed the Sufi tradition of Junayd Baghdadi (RA).

He came to Lahore to preach and wrote several books on Sufism, including Kashfal Mahjoob. His writings and simple message brought a large number of the people in the fold of Islam.

Act Now for Harmony and Democracy

By Arshad Me'raj- Greater Kashmir - Srinagar, J&K, India
Sunday, February 24, 2008

Audience at a local hotel today relived the magic of legendary Pakistani Qawali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, through his disciple and an up and coming Sufi singer, Dhruv Sangari.

During his maiden performance in Valley, Dhruv sang the Sufi poetry of Hazrat Amir Khusroo (RA) amid applause from the audiences on the concluding function of three-day Youth Festival organised by Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD), an Indian NGO.

The audience was in Sangari’s thrall, as he sung the popular hits of his master. Dhruv began training in music at the age of seven and by the age of 13 he became deeply interested in Sufism and Sufi music.

An activist of ANHAD said Sangari is a talented vocal performer and has been working professionally since 1999. His repertoire includes Persian and Arabic, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu poetry. Dhruv, she said, has also worked with renowned Mexican Saxophone player and artiste Ariel Guzik, Egyptian dancer Ahmed Farees, Birtish electronic musician Vishal Gopal, Russian violinist Gennady Lavrentyev, Panaman percussionist Osvaldo Jorge, Swiss musicians David Scruffari and Lionel Dentan, Pakistani Sitarist Qasim Ahmed and Iranian tar-saz player Reza Zemani.

On the occasion, noted Kashmiri poet Zarief Ahmad Zarief, writer and research scholar Shahid Budgami, stage and television actor Bashir Ahmad Dada, and leading Urdu poet and scientist Gauhar Raza also recited their poetry.

The ANHAD activist said the festival provided a ground to the young and unpolished talents who came up with their ideas at the exhibition -Young Voices of Kashmir- and at an informal debate Youth Activism: Achievements and Challenges.

About the NGO, she said, ANHAD volunteers arrived in Kashmir immediately after the October 8 earthquake to provide relief and expanded its work in Tanghdar and Uri.

“We have started three tailoring and women empowerment centres in three villages in Uri village Bimyar, Nambala and Limbar and four villages in Tanghdar comprising Gabra, Tadd, Nowpora and Chiterkote,” she said.

ANHAD, she said, strongly believed that it is the responsibility of the state to provide livelihood, education, health, vocational training and basic infrastructure to people, and voluntary organisations can play only a small role in this.

“We see our role more as a pressure group to raise awareness about issues and influence the State to provide these basic needs to the people,” she said.

[Visit ANHAD's website: http://www.anhadin.org/]

No Rush for Sweets

By Imtiaz Ali - The News International - Karachi, Pakistan
Monday, February 25, 2008

Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai’s Urs which culminated Sunday in Bhit Shah (district Mithiari), had 50 percent less attendees than previous years.

Bhitai, a Sufi poet, is loved equally by the rich and the poor, and his Urs is considered to be the biggest cultural event of Sindh.

Poverty, inflation and lawlessness however, adversely affected the turnout this year. “Shops and hotels look deserted,” said an employee of the Mithiari district government.

Sunday was the last day of the three-day Urs, and the usually rush of people was conspicuously missing. The Mithiari district government employee that The News spoke to has been arranging for Sabeel (drinking water) at the Urs for the past four years.

He said that all main circuses, including the famous Irani Circus, usually visit the venue of the Urs, along with elephants, lions and horses. Moreover, camels, horses and farm animals are also brought from different parts of the country for traditional display. This time around, however, no circuses visited, and very few animals were brought for the traditional display.

Also, contractors of the local government forced vendors to pay Rs 200 to Rs 600 because very few shopkeepers set up business at the venue, the Mithiari district government employee said.

Ghulam Rasool, a resident of the area near Bhit Shah, said that shopkeepers were upset because of the disappointingly low turnout of visitors at the venue. Similarly, the main event at Malakhro (traditional wrestling) attracted a very limited number of spectators.

One vendor has been setting up a sweetshop near the venue for the past couple of years. He said that the local administration charges Rs 300 per feet, and he had hired a 90-feet shop, 1.5 kilometres away from the mausoleum. Shops in the vicinity of the mausoleum went for around Rs 500 to Rs 600 per foot.

“This time, I could not sell event 25 percent of my sweets,” the vendor said. He originally belongs to Pad Idan, Nawabshah. In the past, he explained, he’s get so many customers, that a fresh batch of sweets had to be prepared every hour.

Dr Haider Malokhani, an NGO activist who visited Bhit Shah on the second day of the Urs, said that people from India, Punjab and other districts of Sindh usually visited in a large number but this time, their number was almost negligible.

He said Bhit Shah was the source of livelihood for thousands of local people, including farmers, who tended to provide fodder for animals, milk for tea stalls, roses and other things.

Dr. Malokhani was of the opinion that the thin attendance this year was due to a number of factors, ranging from political uncertainty to official apathy.

“Because of election-related violence and subsequent jubilation and lack of advance announcement by the department concerned, people gave scant attention to the Urs,” Amar Leghari, a Sindhi folklore writer said.

He said that this was the first time ever than Sindhi newspapers did not publish special supplements about Shah Latif Bhittai.

(...)

[Picture: Door to the Tomb. Photo from: Sindh in pictures http://yangtze.cs.uiuc.edu/~jamali/new-html-pages/bhit-shah4.html]

800: celebrating Rumi

By Yvonne Milton - World Music Central - New Delhi, India
Sunday, February 24, 2008

This is quintessential Mercan Dede with no deviation from the consistent and mesmerizing quality of his defining sound and musical philosophy, continued proof that as a composer and producer he’s a skillful artist with an acute ear for perceptive and masterly positioning of the individual and collective strengths of his contributors.

Again he unfailingly produces a heady, spiritual feast of musicians, singers and poets always underlined with his own driving input of electronica, percussion and ney.

800 has a atmospheric potency, an elegant and almost filmic quality in the sumptuous textures of its processional ambience. Combined with a welcome return to longer tracks, this is all to scalp tingling effect.

800 does, however, feel lighter and more playful in parts than previous albums with intriguing titles such as "Cotton Princess And Seven Midgets" vs "Ali Baba And The Forty Eskimos" and "Lullaby For A Sweet Chubby Mermaid," but as always withMercan Dede it’s not easy to isolate individual tracks from the whole concept, and as always he gives well deserved prominence to his contributors.

To name a mere four, Ceza (last heard on Su in 2004), makes a reappearance, deliciously rapping on tracks 800, "Captive" and "Istanbul," Shankar Das of Montreal-based Ragleela playing deft and racing tabla solo on "Mercanistan," the glitter of Ben Grosman’s hurdy gurdy saz and Ismail Tunçbilek’s baglama on the "Sun Rises In The East" and the dark echoing voice of the poet Hayrullah Ersoz reading his own words on "Where Are You?."

And that said, if there is a failing, it’s that of not publishing the lyrics and poetry in the sleeve notes.

Indo-Egyptian Sufi Music

NAK News Agency of Kashmir - Srinagar, J&K, India
Sunday, February 2, 2008

Jammu: It was a unique blend of Nile and Tawi that made Governor Lt. General (Retd) S. K. Sinha and Chief Minister Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad to recall the rich bond of Sufism that forged the ancient civilizations of India and Egypt together from times immemorial.

Addressing jam-packed Zorawar Singh auditorium in University of Jammu here this evening on the occasion of Indo-Egyptian Sufi music performance, the Governor said the ethos and culture of Jammu and Kashmir is embodied in Sufi traditions and it also forms common bond between two great civilizations of India and Egypt.

The programme was organized by the State Academy of Art, Culture and Languages in collaboration with Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, University of Jammu and North Zone Cultural Centre.

No compulsion on religion

Asian Tribune - Colombo, Sri Lanka
Saturday, February 23, 2008

The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka issued an order on Thursday, February 7, 2008 for all parties connected with the Fundamental Rights Case relating to the denial of access to their homes filed by members of the Sufi Sect to appear before the Court on February 27, 2008.

This was in sequence to the case filed by All Ceylon Thareekathul Mufliheen, a Sufi Order, to exercise their belief and practices in Kathankudy and other parts of the country for their long struggle spanning for over 12 years.

The Supreme Court has also ordered the Petitioners and Respondents (All Ceylon Jamiathul Ulama, Kathankudy & the Urban Council, Kathankudy) to be present on Thursday, March 27, 2008 to review the situation.

The attempt on February 21 by the Sufi sects to re-enter their homes in Kathankudy, in accordance with the earlier Supreme Court Order failed as they were prevented from doing that by local thugs who assembled there and threatened them.

The Inspector General of Police, Senior Superintendent of Police and the Officer in charge of the relevant division had been notified to facilitate entry to Kathankudy through Arayampathy and Kallady with adequate protection. But that was of no avail. Serious violence posed by extremist thugs put paid to that re-entry bid.

(...)

All Ceylon Thareekathul members strictly follow a non-violent spiritual path to achieve eternal peace and tranquility by self-realization or union with God through contemplation, meditation and purification of mind.

A striking and noteworthy feature is that they have no record of any violent activity or retaliation. They have not taken up arms to retaliate and at all times sought the judiciary for a solution.

(...)

Sufi Sect believes that one is at liberty to choose his path of faith and in the Holy Quran too there is no compulsion on religion as stated in Ayaths 2:256, 109:6, 10:99, 88:22,23,24 and 18:29.

Pakistan's Pir

By Zahid Hussain, Ron Moreau and Michael Hirsh - Newsweek - USA - March 3, 2008 Issue

Elections usher in a new face

Washington can expect to get along reasonably well with Pakistan's next prime minister. The Pakistan People's Party, the dominant partner in the newly elected ruling coalition, has chosen the eminently trusted politician Makhdoom Amin Fahim for the job, according to a PPP official who asked not to be named prior to the official announcement.

Fahim, 68, is notoriously lacking in charisma, but he does have a demonstrated ability to get things done. Better yet, he possesses an attribute that makes him a rarity among the country's senior politicians: an immaculate reputation for honesty. And he's known to favor close military and economic ties with the United States.

Like most other Pakistanis, though, he's convinced his country needs to recalibrate its relationship with Washington—particularly regarding America's aggressive strategy against extremists on the Afghan border. Blaming the former Army chief, President Pervez Musharraf, for taking a disastrous course in the tribal areas, the new civilian leaders think they can do better by negotiating with tribal elders.

Fahim has shown before what he thinks of Musharraf. Back in 2002 the president, urgently seeking partners for his own jerry-built party, tried to recruit the PPP vice chairman as prime minister, asking only that Fahim not take direction from the PPP's exiled leader at the time, Benazir Bhutto. Fahim refused. Late last week he told party associates that the offer was made and rejected a total of four times.

Fahim says he has no regrets. Personal ambition doesn't seem to be what drives him—which is one reason the ambitious party heads are trusting him with the job. Bhutto's widower, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, may be planning his own bid to step in as prime minister after stability returns. In any case, Zardari is counting on Fahim to hasten that return.

Like the late Bhutto, Fahim is the scion of a landed feudal family in southern Sindh. His father was a locally venerated Sufi holy man, the Pir of Hala, and a founder of the populist PPP with Bhutto's father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Fahim in fact retains the Sufi title of pir, which he inherited from his father. Nevertheless he's a thoroughly secular, moderate and pragmatic social democrat. He writes mystic poetry on the side.

(...)

Count on an interesting transition.

[Picture: Coalition of the Willing: Bhutto's widower Zardari (center) is counting on Fahim (left) to restore calm. Photo: Anjum Naveed / AP]

Bullhe Shah and His Veil of “Meem”

By Mohammad Gill - Chowk - Santa Clara, CA, USA
Thursday, February 21, 2008

Meem dey ohlay buss da, mera dohlan mahi. (Bullhe Shah)

The first time I came across a description of meem was in one of Iqbal’s verses which is as follows: “Nigah aashiq kee dekh latee haiy parda-e-meem
ko uthaa kar, Woh bazm-e-Yasrab mein aa kay baithai’n hazaar mun’h ko chhupa chuhpa kar.”

I did not quite understand what it meant. Many years afterwards, I came across a book, “Tasawwuf kee Haqiqat,” by Ghulam Ahmad Pervaiz. He has severely criticized Sufism and Sufis by providing ample quotes and quotations.

In the sixth chapter of this book (Musalmaan Sofia aur uun kay Aqaa’ed), there is a section entitled “Meem ka Pardah (The Veil of Meem).” I read this section and understood the meaning of the afore-quoted verse of Iqbal.

One of the attributes of Allah is “Ahad,” meaning “One.” This is the spirit of monotheism. Ahmad is the name of prophet Muhammad. The only difference between Ahmad and Ahad is that of m or Arabic “meem.”

If m is removed from Ahmad, it becomes Ahad, that is, by doing so prophet Muhammad becomes God. The sufi poets played upon this point in their poetry with repetitive frequency and with beautiful constructions and phraseology.

Pervaiz quoted one of the Punjabi verses of Bullhe Shah discussing the veil of meem. The verse reads as follows: “Ahad, Ahmad wich farq nah BullyaIkk ratti bhar marodee da” (There is no difference between Ahad and Ahmad but of a nominal ‘rounding’ [meem}.)

After reading Pervaiz’s book, a completely new chapter opened up in front of my eyes. I also learnt that Bullhe Shah was nothing exceptional in this respect, several other sufi poets also played upon this theme.

Some time later, I found a qawwali tape which contained some qawwalis based on Bullhe Shah’s kafees (Rang-e-Bullhe Shah) sung by the immortal Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and his group. I bought this tape and played it on the disk player in my car.

First couple of times, I couldn’t make much of it because I couldn’t figure out what Nusrat was singing. However, I kept playing it every time I went out in my car. Gradually, I was able to comprehend the actual words.

The latter half of the first qawwali (Bey hadd ramza’an duss da, mera dohlan mahi) is devoted to the veil of meem. The veil of meem is mentioned in other qawwlis too.

Some lines (verses) from the first qawwali are as follows: “Assa’n (we) dekh kay soorat dilbar (beloved) dee, ajj be-soorat noo’n jaan gayeBina ain (a letter of Arabic alphabet) Arab, bina meem Ahmad, assa’n yaar noo’n khoob pehchaan gaye.” (By seeing the face of the beloved (Ahmad), we came to know of the Faceless One (God).

By removing ain (a) from Arab and meem from Ahmad, we uncovered the reality of God).

Jay Oh (He) nah hun’dan, nah Rabb und’an, Lolak Khuda farmaya ayEh (this) gull (saying) yaar khata bhee naee’n, jay Khuda Oh (Muhammad) naee’n, tay judaa bhee naee’n. (If Muhammad did not exist, God wouldn’t exist……. This saying is nothing wrong because if he (Muhammad) is not God, he is not separate from Him either).

In this qawwali, a repeating burden is “Meem dey ohlay buss da, mera dohlan mahi.” It means that “He (God) resides behind the veil of meem.”

These qawwalis are beautifully worded and adroitly sung by Nusrat. If one pays close attention to the meaning of the verses quoted above and many others, it becomes clear that Bullhe Shah was guilty of an extreme degree of “poetical excess.”

Effectively, he said that Muhammad and God are one and the same. Many religionists would rightly consider it ‘kufr’ and ‘shirk’ and condemn him.

(...)

Another verse of Bullhe Shah is “Sajday kar kar ghiss gaye mathhay. Nah Rabb teerath, nah Rabb makkay.” It translates approximately as “The foreheads have worn out by frequent prostrations. God is neither in the holy places of Hindus nor is He in Mecca. Then where is He?

Bullhe Shah answers as follows: Masjad dha dey, mandar dha dey, dha dey jo kuchh dhai’n daPar kissi da dil na dhai’n, Rabb dilaa’n vich rehnda (Demolish the mosque, demolish the temple and demolish what else you can, But do not break anybody’s heart because God dwells in there).

Glasgow Sufi Festival

The Hindu - Chennai, India
Saturday, February 23, 2008

London (PTI): Sufi exponents from India, Pakistan and other countries came together as the three-day World Sufi Festival kicked off in Glasgow city.

"I'm delighted that the World Sufi Festival has once again chosen our city as its location. It has proved very popular with Glaswegians," city's Lord Provost Bob Winter said, inaugurating the festival yesterday [Friday].

Glasgow earlier hosted the festival in 2006.

The festival offers a diverse programme putting peace and love at the forefront of community activity. It includes talks and workshops exploring Sufism and a wide range of international performers, artists, crafts, fashion, poetry, theatre, film and food.

Performers include Bani and Indrani Bhattacharya, the talented mother and daughter team from Scotland, who have performed all over the UK and India.
They will showcase music and dance in an entertaining repertoire that includes songs by Tagore, the poetry of Rumi and Sufi Bengali pop fusions.

Mustapha Zahid and his band Rox3n from Pakistan will also perform during the extravaganza.

The Kabul Ensemble from Afghanistan, Salim Sabri and Abdul Hamid Qawwal and pupils of the highly celebrated Maqbool Ahmed Sabri (Sabri Brothers) would also perform during the event.

The festival celebrates a mystical way of life which emphasises respect for all religions.

[Visit the Festival websites: http://apmguk.org/sufi.php / http://www.sufifestival.org/]

A Sufi as Prime Minister?

[From the Italian language press]:

Islamabad: L'opposizione pachistana, che ha vinto le elezioni legislative di lunedì scorso, sta lavorando alla formazione di un governo di larghe intese.

ATS/Corriere del Ticino, Lugano, Svizzera - venerdì 22 febbraio 2008

Pakistani Opposition, which won the legislative elections of last Monday, is working on the formation of a government of wide agreement.

The leaders of the two parties, the Pakistan People's Party (Ppp) and the Pakistan Muslim League-N (Pml, Nawaz Sharif), are meeting today in Islamabad to choose who will head the new government.

Sources close to the Pakistani Ppp indicate that the choice will fall on Makhdoom Amin Fahim, a quiet man and an estimated poet from a Sufi family in the province of Sindh.

Those who are invited will find the way

By Sheri Linden - Los Angeles Times - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Friday, February 22, 2008

Like strange desert creatures, a little girl and her blind grandfather emerge from storm-shifted sands, dust themselves off and set out on a journey with no map or timetable in "Bab'Aziz: The Prince Who Contemplated His Soul," a film steeped in Sufi mysticism and as transcendent as that opening sequence.

Unlike the movie's wanderers, Los Angeles filmgoers must move quickly: They have but a week to experience the lyrical imagery on the big screen.

That imagery includes footage of Iran's carved adobe city of Bam, filmed months before its destruction in an earthquake.

Tunisian visual artist/writer/filmmaker Nacer Khemir intends his third feature as a tribute to Islam at a time when extreme fundamentalism provokes denigration.

The film was shot in the deserts of Iran and Tunisia, and cinematographer Mahmoud Kalari infuses the screen with sumptuous yet unemphatic colors, filtered through sun and wind and sand.

There's nothing forced about "Bab'Aziz"; its ideas resonate quietly, building to a breathtaking climax.

The film owes its impact in large part to octogenarian Parviz Shahinkhou, who plays Bab'Aziz with gentle authority. Gnarled walking stick in hand, he's headed for a gathering of fellow dervishes, the Sufi ascetics whose ecstatic worship involves whirling dances. Their get-together happens once every 30 years, its location unknown to everyone involved.

"Those who are invited will find the way," Bab'Aziz assures Ishtar (Maryam Hamid), who's about 10 but has an old soul.

To keep his granddaughter entertained as they cross the desert, Bab'Aziz tells her, in daily installments, the story of a young prince who disappears. The journey spirals into stories within stories as Ishtar and Bab'Aziz encounter other travelers, among them a singer (Nessim Kahloul) looking for his lost love and a man, half-mad or visionary (Mohamed Grayaa), who is fished out of a well.

With the collaboration of screenwriter Tonino Guerra, Khemir has created a fresh variation on the somewhat tired subgenre of the crisscross, in which the paths of strangers intersect and converge.

The setting is metaphysical rather than metropolitan, and in place of neurotic urbanites we find a red-haired dervish and a gazelle.

"Bab'Aziz: The Prince Who Contemplated His Soul." MPAA rating: Unrated. Running time: 1 hour, 36 minutes. In Arabic and Farsi with English subtitles. Exclusively at the Nuart, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 281-8223.

L'Oriente in Occidente

AKI ADN Kronos International - Rome, Italy
Thursday, February 21, 2008

Sufi Muslims focus on Islam in Rome

The Sufi Muslim order of Burhaniya has organised a series of meetings in the Italian capital of Rome entitled "L'Oriente in Occidente" (The East in the West).

The meetings will be held twice a month until April and are expected to explore the central theme of "The great figures of Sufi Islam, friends of God, saints for love".

Sufism is Islamic mysticism. Sufis believe in a mystical path to God through prayer, dance and music.The next meeting to take place in Rome on Saturday will be held in the "zawiya", a meeting and prayer area, for the Sufi brotherhood in the Italian capital [see the address and program (in Italian) at the end of the article].

"The idea of meeting in the zawiya was born three years ago with the intention of better using the available space in our Tariqa (brotherhood) in Rome," said Abdul Ghafur Franco Grassi, the "murshid" or spiritual guide for the Burhaniya Sufi order in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI).

"We thought that this could be a useful way to begin conversations that will shed light on how Islam, the true Islam, often unknown, exists in the West; hence the title, The East in the West," Grassi told AKI.

"For the second series of meetings, [which were held last year], we added a subheading: The invisible reality: the roads to Sufism." For the third series this year, Grassi said that the focus would be on the great figure in Sufism."We hope that this year we can let people know the more spiritual aspects, and the more acceptable aspects also in the West, of Islam - the way of the heart or knowledge," he said.

The complete name of the sufi order is Tariqa Burhaniya Disuqiya Shadhuliy and it was founded in the 13th century in Egypt by the Sufi saint Sayydina Ibrahim Dusuqi, nephew of the Imam Abu Hasan Shadhili.

In 1900 the movement was revitalised by the Sudanese Sheikh Muhammad Uthman Al-Burhani, the grandfather of the current leader Sheikh Muhammad. The order is based in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, where it has a grand mosque.

The movement is said to have developed from Sudan to Egypt and claims to have millions of followers in the Middle East, Europe and North America. In Europe it is said to be very popular particularly in Germany, where there are many centres, including its main hub in Hamburg.

The order has existed in Italy since the 1980s. The largest community, made up of about 40 people, most of whom are Italian, is located in Rome.

III° ciclo d’incontri l'Oriente in Occidente 2008

Roma 19 gennaio ~ 26 aprile 2008
Le grandi figure del Sufismo: amici di Dio, santi per amore

Sabato 8 marzo 2008-ore 18 Lo Shaykh Sultan’Ali Shah [IX sec.], eponimo del ramo Sultan’alishahi dell’ordine Ni’matullahi. Relatore: Alessandro Cancian

Sabato 15 marzo 2008-ore 18 Conversazione su Rumi, santo, poeta, maestro. Relatore: Adnane Mokrani

Sabato 19 aprile 2008-ore 18 Attualità della Tradizione: lo Shaykh algerino Ahmad al-‘Alawi. Relatore: Carmela Crescenti

Sabato 26 aprile 2008-ore 18 Al-Hujwiri [m. 1072, Lahore], il primo santo patrono musulmano del subcontinente indiano. Relatore: Fabrizio Speziale

Ingresso libero – Nella zawya, un luogo di preghiera, si osserva l’uso di togliersi le scarpe

Sede degli incontri: Zawya della Tarīqah Burhanīya, Roma, Viale di Valle Aurelia 112 (Metro Valle Aurelia)
Segreteria organizzativaTelefono e fax +39 06.3293318 mobile +39 3476530117

Sito web: www.tariqa-burhaniya.it Email.: burhanyaitaly@tele2.it Zawya della Tarîqa Burhanîya

‘Hairatteym, hairatteym’

By Sandhya Rao - The Hindu Business Line - Chennai, India
Friday, February 22, 2008

This is a tale of three musical nights in February. The first, part of The Banyan’s annual celebratory fundraiser, is Basant Utsav in its tenth edition this year.

The second tale concerns Ruhaniyat, the all-India Sufi and Mystic Music Festival brought to Chennai for the third year by Banyan Tree Events, at the Madras Race Club grounds.

And to the third musical night: Shankar Mahadevan at College of Engineering, Guindy, courtesy CEG-Anna University’s Techofes.
(...)

On the second night [Ruhaniat] the mood was set right away by the Siddhis of Gujarat who trace their origins to Africa, evoking the desert and seeking Allah’s blessing. They were dressed in pristine white robes.

Performers and practitioners from all over India — Dron Bhuyan and group from Assam, Parvathy Baul from Bengal, Kachra Khan, Mahesaram and others from Rajasthan, the Nizami brothers, to name a few — drew wah-wahs and kya baat hais from the wildly elated audience, some who have been coming to Ruhaniyat regularly, and some newly initiated.

The special treat was Latif Bolat, scholar, composer and performer of sufi songs, from Turkey (and now living in the US).

His sonorous rendering somehow connected with resonances of an M.D. Ramanathan! When he recited lines from a poem with the refrain ‘Hairatteym, hairatteym’ (I am amazed, I am amazed), the enchantment was magical.

There was food, there was socialising, but the spirit of ruhaniyat reached out and, through the listeners, went beyond flesh and blood, which had been nicely roused by the Nizami brothers’ qawwali.

Incidentally, the sound arrangements at MRC were superb. And the compere was gracious, clear, unpretentious, well-informed and sharing.

We learned something about sufi and mystic music that night not only from the music itself, but also from her. She deserves special thanks.

[Picture: Sufi musician Latif Bolat]

Tension in Katankudy

The Asian Tribune - Colombo, Sri Lanka
Friday, February 22, 2008

Katankudy Sufi Muslims prevented from entering their homes

Tension mounted yesterday, as a group of minority Muslims tried to return to their homes in Katankudy in Batticaloa as ordered by the Supreme Court.

They were prevented from occupying the homes they had left during times of religious violence in 2004 and 2006. Nearly 500 Sufi Muslims, thus, had to go away to their temporary abodes away from their traditional Katankudy homes.

The matter will now be reviewed by the Supreme Court on February 27th according to those who described their ordeal to the Asian Tribune.

Periodic religious clashes between the Sufis and the majority Wahabists were reported frequently in the past.

(...)

Working together

By Shilendra Boora SJ - Independent Catholic News - London, UK
Thursday, February 21, 2008

The South Asian Jesuit Secretariat for Dialogue, in association with St Francis Xavier Movement convened a two day seminar on inter-religious dialogue from 15-16th of February at Indian Social Institute, New Delhi.

Representatives from all the major religions of India, namely Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and subaltern traditions took part.

The first day addressed the question "How far can a religion be theologically reshaped in the encounter with the other, remaining both meaningful for its adherents and open to other believers?".

Prof. Bettina Baeumer, President of Abhishiktananda Society, in her inaugural address stressed the primacy of spiritual experience one's own religion, in inter religious dialogue, for only when we have experienced that core in one's own religion, one can be open to other traditions and religions.

It is spiritual experiences that converge going beyond Institutional and theological differences.

Elevating the importance on de-identification she said " if the aim of religion is to liberate its followers, this liberation has to go along with a de-identification , breaking down walls and limitations, based not on Divine revelation or enlightenment, but on narrow ego centred human identification. She also cautioned against the fashionable usage of "Dialogue".

Fr. Michael Amaladoss, SJ, Director of the Institute of Dialogue with Cultures and Religions, Loyola College, presented a paper on "Indian Christian Theological Issues in the context of Inter- Religious Dialogue" (...)

Theological issues from a Hindu perspective were presented by Prof Kapil Kapoor, a retired Professor of English and Concurrent Professor of Sanskrit studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (...)

Theory of nama(Name) was central to the presentation of Prof J.P.S. Uberoi, Professor of Sociology at Delhi School of Economics, who presented theological issues from Sikh Perspectives (...)

Dr Asghar Ali Engineer, a liberation theologian and communal harmony activist He was given Right livelihood awardee from Swedish Foundation; had subscribed to the inclusive nature of religion in his presentation on Sufi Theological issues (...)

Theological Issues from European Perspectives were presented by Dr.Ambrogio Bongiovanni. He is Founder and President of the Saint Francis Xavier Movement; Acting Director of the Institute for the Study of Religions and Culture of the Gregorian University in Rome; Professor at the Gregorian University and Pontificia Universita Urbaniana, Rome (...)

Mr. Naresh Mathur is a Supreme Court lawyer from Delhi, has studied Buddhist Madyamika philosophy privately with Geshe Palden Drakpa at Tibet House in Delhi,trustee of Root Institute since 1984 and was Director of Tushita Mahayana Meditation Centre in Delhi (...)

Theological Issues on Subaltern perspectives were presented by Dr. John Mundu S.J., he is the Director of Jesuit Regional Theologate Centre, Ranchi (...)

Second day of the Seminar started with a presentation of the summary by Prof. Leonard Fernando S.J, who threaded through the Issues that were discussed on the first day.

This day the seminar dealt with "What should be the social impact of these new relations, and how working together, the different religious traditions can have real impact in the concrete life of the people?

(...)

A Stamp on the Soul

By Anita Rao - College of New Jersey Signal - Ewing, NJ, USA
Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Guest speaker Souleymane Bachir Diagne, professor of philosophy at Northwestern University, delivered a presentation in the New Library Auditorium on Feb. 13 titled "Islam in Africa," specifically about the state of Islam in the African nation of Senegal.

"Islam in Senegal," Diagne said, "seems to me to be a good vantage point towards a larger and more connected issue," which was whether Islam and modernity could coexist.

Diagne spoke about Christianity and Islam and how they both have similar objectives. They both "realize the will of God" as well as "the fraternity of humans through justice for all," Diagne said.

The speech focused on Senegal's first president, philosopher and poet Leopold Sedar Senghor. Though Senghor was Catholic with Anglo-Saxon ideals, he had much invested in Islamic pluralism.

According to Diagne, Senghor's view was that "Christianity and Islam, hand-in-hand, should be playing the role of lifting the nation towards development and modernity."

Diagne also spoke about Islamic mysticism, called Sufism, which is practiced in Senegal and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

"Sufism is like none of the religious schools of Islam. It is about spirits," Diagne said.

"There is a moment in eternity where all souls exist, see God, recognize him and are sent down to Earth." On Earth, they forget the sight of God, but there is still a stamp on each soul from being in the presence of God, according to Sufism.

"Every single desire is that desire of God knowingly or unknowingly. We are moved by that primordial moment where we say 'yes' to God," Diagne said.

Sufism is commonly associated with pluralism and peacefulness, and Diagne stressed this was due to the followers' tolerance for others. Sufism also supports progressive ideals. It is "sociologically more open to the kind of gender equality that is advocated in the Quran," Diagne said.

"Women can have positions of leadership in Sufi orders." This sect of Islam is also unsusceptible to Islamic radicalism, according to Diagne.

"When it comes to pluralism and tolerance, the fact that sub-Saharan Islam is mainly Sufism makes it particularly immune from the most extremist forms of Islam that we have seen," Diagne said.

In addition to being a professor at Northwestern, Diagne recently joined the faculty at Columbia University. Diagne has published numerous works on the history, literature and philosophy of African societies.

[Photo by: Brian Ng - Guest speaker Souleymane Bachir Diagne, professor of philosophy at Northwestern University, delivers a presentation on Islam in Africa to students and faculty gathered in the New Library Auditorium.]

Positive Politics

By Vandana K. Mittal - Meri News - India
Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Pakistan at crossroads

The results of the Pakistani elections are pouring in and it is no good news for Musharraf. In fact, the writing is on the wall for the ‘General Sahib’. At the time of writing, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the party that has been synonymous with the Bhutto family, is leading, followed by Nawaz Sharif’s party. It is not clear at the moment whether any party will get a clear majority and be able to form a government without having to go in for power-sharing.

Whichever way political moves are made from here on, one thing is clear - the spirit of democracy is certainly alive and kicking. Their leaders, both the uniformed and the elected kind may have repeatedly let their people down but they have not been able to shake the belief in democracy of Pakistan’s man on the street.

The world may love to paint the whole of Pakistan as a land perpetually in a crisis, where gun-toting tribal warlords and hate-spewing mullahs hold sway, but this election has forced the world to reconsider its verdict.

It has to figure in the vast, educated, middle class and upper class while judging Pakistan, from here on. Apart from these two classes of people, the world will have to appreciate the determination of Pakistan’s poor, rural populace. Braving possible suicide attacks, they turned out in large numbers to cast their vote.

The goals and wish lists of the said two classes may differ but they both want the right to choose. The ordinary man on the street wants food, shelter and security in addition to medical and educational facilities; the privileged sections want freedom of speech; they want their arts and music safeguarded and a less-strident version of Islam practised.

Many Pakistanis are left confused by the militant version of Islam that seems to have taken root in many parts of the country.

What they are probably more comfortable with is the all-embracing, forgiving and holistic version that prevailed earlier. After all, this is the land where Sufism flourished and still inspires its music, art and poetry.

This election may turn out to be a milestone in the history of Pakistan. The only fear is that political expediency and the desire to retain personal power and wealth may compel the politicians to go in for power-sharing, which may reduce any future government to the status of a puppet.

Also the shadow of Musharraf looms large over them. He may have hung up his uniform but may find it difficult to give up or share power after having enjoyed absolute power for eight years. What role the army chooses to play in the current scenario is another X factor.

With our neighbour at a crossroads, we in India can only hope that Pakistan is allowed to choose its leaders, heralding a new era where a new generation is allowed to engage in positive politics.

Reel Afghanistan

By Tim Cornwell - The Scotsman - Edinburgh, Scotland
Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Sylvester Stallone’s forgettable take on the Afghan revolt against Soviet occupiers, Rambo III, was made in the safety of Israel and Jordan.

The big-budget Russian film 9th Company, filmed in the Crimea by Fyodor Bondarchuk, tells the story of the same war through the eyes of young Russian recruits. It was embraced by strong-arm Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The two films are on offer at the Cameo this Sunday, in what must be one of the strangest double-bills in art cinema history – what makes it all the stranger is that they are part of a festival earnestly aimed at building awareness of the real Afghanistan.

Reel Afghanistan launches tomorrow [Thursday, Feb 21] in Edinburgh, claiming to be the UK’s first ever festival of Afghan cinema and culture, including music and exhibitions.

On Sunday night, on the heels of Rambo, Afghan musicians will stage a concert at the Queen’s Hall playing traditional music on instruments most of us have never heard of: the dilruba, the rubab, dolak and tanbour.Their appearance comes amid warnings that in the wake of the Taleban’s crackdown, and with continuing fear and hostility, these instruments and their players are in danger of becoming extinct.

The Afghan music ensemble Kharabat play on Sunday alongside the Qawali Sham Sufi group.

For Khabarat’s four Afghan players, simply getting to Britain was a task that made Amy Winehouse’s US travel troubles look trivial. The British Embassy in Kabul doesn’t hand out travel visas, so they had to go to Pakistan to apply.

They waited in a hotel nearly three weeks, running the gauntlet of suspicious local police. One, Mohamed Yassin, was arrested and relieved of his wallet; when he asked for the money back, he was simply slapped.

Yassin plays the dilruba, a sitar-like traditional instrument looking a lot more familiar than its name might imply, but with 15-18 strings and a similar number of frets, played with a bow. He is described as the only young dilruba player in Afghanistan.

The Taleban’s religious zealotry aimed at stamping out music, dance and song saw instruments destroyed or burned if they were not hidden away. Their players fled to Pakistan or further afield.

From a family of musicians centred on the Kharabat music quarter of Kabul, Yassin is following in the footsteps of his father, playing, like him, at wedding parties and celebrations, and on the radio. Even after the Taleban’s fall, he says, speaking through a translator, “it’s very difficult because there are still people left in Afghanistan whose mentality is like before, and they don’t like music. It’s a bit difficult and scary, so we don’t go far from town”.

Musicians such as Yassin, who ply their trade in the cities, seldom go into rural areas, it is said. Stories proliferate of religious bans on wedding celebrations, and extremist bomb attacks aimed at music shops.

Other Kabul guests at Reel Afghanistan include Abdul Latif Ahmadi, now head of the state-run Afghan Film, where his staff hid film and tape from the national archive in ceilings and cellars rather than see it destroyed.

One of the surviving films will be screened. When the Taleban burned two shipping containers of tapes outside the Afghan Film office, only prints of Hindi and Russian films were inside. Footage of the 2,000-year-old Bamiyan Buddhas, destroyed on the orders of the Mullahs, was among those saved.

The Afghan director Siddiq Barmak is also travelling from Kabul to present a screening of Osama, which won the Golden Globe for best foreign film in 2004. It tells the story of a 12-year-old girl dressed by her widowed mother as a boy so she can work. Instead the child is sent to an all-male Taleban training school, renamed Osama.

Also showing is Voice of the Moon, a film shot behind mujahideen lines in 1989, after the Soviet troops had pulled out of Afghanistan and the Communist government was under siege. The film’s cameraman, Immo Horn, was wounded when he and director Richard Stanley came under mortar fire with the mujahideen outside Jallalabad.

The film is narrated with a poem.“It was the story of the people we encountered, the way of life of people in the war zone,” says Horn, who was carried bodily away from the front line by a mujahideen commander. I’m a real fan of any films that have been made ethnically in other countries. They have a different vision from our Western materialist vision.”

The Reel Afghanistan festival is mostly funded by the British Council, Scottish Screen and the Edinburgh University Settlement charity. Organisers Dan Gorman and film-maker Zahra Qadir were inspired to pull it together after they went to Afghanistan to make a documentary of their own in 2006.

“We were originally planning to do a festival in Kabul,” says Gorman, “but we thought it was equally valid to do it here, to spread more awareness of Afghanistan and its cultural history.”

“We met a lot of people who were desperate for alternative cinema in Afghanistan because everything they have there is Hollywood trash, and Bollywood trash,” adds Qadir. “We have set up this scheme for sending alternative films to Afghanistan, and this is part of that project.”

Yusuf Mahmoud is the music co-ordinator for Kharabat. He left Afghanistan in 1989, and lived in India for four years before moving to the UK, where he is now based, along with Kharabat’s vocalist. The four visiting players are living in his London flat and rehearsing nearby.

“We play the traditional music of Afghanistan, which is several different types of music,” he says. “We play Sufi music, popular music and we play classical Afghan music, which is similar to Indian classical.”

Like Yassin, Mohamed Khalid is following his father in playing the rubab. The instrument is like a short-necked lute made of mulberry wood, goatskin and goat-gut strings. Adil Shah plays the dolak and another traditional Afghan drum, the zirbaghali.

Mir Afghan is called one of the “last surviving” Afghan players of the tanbour, a long-necked lute. “With this opportunity for Mir Afghan to play in the West, I hope to encourage him to continue his work,” says Mahmud, “but also bring some attention to his instrument in Afghanistan, to encourage more young people in Afghanistan to take it up, so the art is not lost.”

The Reel Afghanistan festival runs until 8 March, with film screenings at the
Filmhouse and Cameo, and exhibitions and other events at the GRV, Edinburgh College of Art, the Filmhouse, the Bongo Club, The Forest and the University of Edinburgh.

For a full programme, visit http://www.reelafghanistan.org/.

[To know more about the tanbur and listen to a sample of music, visit the Tanbur Society's website http://www.tanbursociety.com/]

Rumi Returning at WNC

By Elizabeth Mullen - RNS Religion News Service - Washington DC, USA
Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Three Great Films of Substance to be Screened at Washington National Cathedral
Washington, D.C.— Rumi Returning, Constantine's Sword and Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North are slated for public viewings at Washington National Cathedral.

Rumi Returning outlines the key events in the life of Sufi mystic and poet, Rumi. The film beautifully illustrates the life of the best-selling poet in the United States and richly communicates Rumi's messages of love, tolerance and passion for God (who he calls "the Beloved.)

Sufism and the Islamic world of the Middle Ages are brought to life through portrayals of Muslim architecture, art, clothing and dance.

A question and answer period follows the screening, presented by the Cathedral's Center for Global Justice and Reconciliation.

Rumi Returning, Friday, March 7; 7 pm, free but reservations required by calling 202-537-2357

For more information on all films, visit http://www.nationalcathedral.org/ or call (202)537-6200.

Washington National Cathedral is located at the intersection of Wisconsin and Massachusetts Avenues, N.W.

Shah Latif Bhitai’s Urs tomorrow

APP - The Post - Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Hyderabad (PK): Three-day 264th annual Urs celebrations of great sufi-saint and poet Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) [1689–1752] will be observed from February 22, at Bhit Shah district Matiari.

Sindh Culture and Tourism Department in collaboration with Sindh Auqaf Department and the district administration Matiari has made all arrangements to celebrate three-day Urs celebrations with traditional zeal, in a befitting and peaceful atmosphere.

It may be mentioned here tens of thousand devotees of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai come every year from different parts of the country and abroad to pay homage to great sufi-saint, whose poetry played a key role in spreading mysticism in the world community.

Besides different programmes, organised every year by Sindh government as well as district administration Matiari, the devotees of the mazar have their own arrangements of organising different events including the raga, based on his poetry.

In his poetry, Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai preached the message of love, peace and affection irrespective of any creed or caste.

Not only the research scholars of the country -particularly Dr Nabi Bux Khan Baloch and Dr GA Allana- but also many world researchers carried out a detailed research on the poetry of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai and spread over his message across the world.

Picture: Bhit Shah, Shah Latif Bhitai's tomb. Photo from: http://yangtze.cs.uiuc.edu/~jamali/new-sindh-pics/bhit-shah.html]

Dancing for Peace

By Alex Taylor - Sun Valley - Hailey, ID, USA
Sunday, February 17, 2008

February 23rd marks the last day of “A Winter Feast for the Soul”, a 40-day winter practice for people of all faiths.

Throughout the weekend, Saturday, February 23 - Sunday, February 24th, there are several events planned and all are welcome to attend any or all of the festivities.

Dances of Universal Peace Saturday, February 23, 7:00 to 9:00 pm

Jim and Kate Gentles of Boise are experienced leaders at regular evenings of the Dances of Universal Peace, often referred to as Sufi Dances.

Explore the fusion of music, movement and prayer and honor the world’s religions in a moving and joy-filled way.

There will be an interlude during the evening where we will honor the 13th Century Sufi mystic and poet, Jelaluddin Rumi. Recitation of a collection of Rumi’s poetry will be set to music and read by members of our community.

This is a family event and admission is by donation. This event will take place at Light on the Mountains Spiritual Center.

[Click here for a Wiki article on the Dances: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dances_of_Universal_Peace]

[Visit the Official Site of the Dances: http://www.dancesofuniversalpeace.org/]

Where Sufism is the Law

[From the French language press]:

Nouakchott: La Mauritanie est un pays musulman à 100%, adoptant le rite malékite.

A l’intérieur de cette communauté de rite cohabitent une multiplicité de confréries soufistes, dont les plus répandues sont la Qadiria, héritée de Cheikh Abdel Ghader El Jeilany, et la Tidjania, qui doi son appellation à Cheikh Ahmed Tijani.

Il y a aussi la Hamaouiya, en référence à Cheikh Hamahoullah, dont les adeptes se trouvent surtout dans l’est du pays. Même au sein d’une seule confrérie, il y a des tendances différentes.

APA/Mauritanie Web - Bagneux, France - dimanche 17 février 2008

Nouakchott (Mauritania): Mauritania is a 100% Muslim country adopting the Maliki school [one of the four schools of religious law within Sunni Islam].

Within this community of school there is a multiplicity of cohabiting Sufi brotherhoods, the most common of which are the Qadiria inherited from Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir Jilani and the Tijaniya, which owes its name to Shaykh Ahmad al-Tijani.

There is also the Hamaouiya, referring to Shaykh Hamahoullah, whose followers are mostly in the east. Even within a single brotherhood, there are different trends.

The article is a brief overview on the Sufi Orders in this Sub-Saharan Country.

[Picture: Map showing some core areas of Maliki, Shafi, Hanbalis and Hanafi Muslims in Africa, Asia and Europe. Click on the map to enlarge it. Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maliki]

Jodhaa Akbar: the soundtrack

By Lighter Vein - Desicritics - Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Sunday, February 17, 2008

Movie befitting a Shahenshah! Ashuthosh Gowarikar has delivered this jewel by simplifying the elaborate complexities in the royal love story.

In his unique way of movie making, he has taken care of all the nuances to give it the most authentic feel without overdoing any bit of the story.
The couple were betrothed only for political reasons but thereafter Cupid sets to work and Ashutosh Gowarikar portrays it and how!

(...)

A.R. Rahman cannot stop making good music relevant to the theme. He seems to have a disease of enchanting the listeners.

Though the music is not catchy as soon as you listen to the songs in the movie, you will have it on your lips sooner than you think.

The Sufi song Khwaja Mere Khwaja, is shown without slightest pretense of being what it is not (a regular movie song).

The Sufi singers wear the authentic clothes complete with upturned flowerpot-like hats and sing as if they were the real Sufi singers of the 15th century(or so it feels to the viewers).

'Kehne ko jahsn-e-bahaara hai..' is another cherry in the cake baked by Rahman. The lyrics also are written with heart and soul poured in every stanza.

The entire kingdom hails Jalal and confers him the title 'Akbar' with the song 'Azeem-o-shaan shhenshah', which is the catchiest song of the movie.

Sufis, Pakistan and the New York Times

By Bill Weinberg - World War 4 Report - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Sunday, February 17, 2008

A guardedly optimistic op-ed, "In Pakistan, Islam Needs Democracy," appears in the Feb. 16 New York Times by one Waleed Ziad of the Truman National Security Project, a think-tank that "unites Americans who believe equally in strong liberal values, and the need for strong national security." It is a source of both interest and frustration that this exponent of pro-military, pro-globalist wonkdom favorably cites the Sufis:

"While it's good news that secular moderates are expected to dominate Pakistan’s parliamentary elections on Monday, nobody here thinks the voting will spell the end of militant extremism. Democratic leaders have a poor track record in battling militants and offer no convincing remedies. Pakistan’s military will continue to manage the war against the Taliban and its Qaeda allies, while President Pervez Musharraf will remain America’s primary partner. The only long-term solution may lie in the hands of an overlooked natural ally in the war on terrorism: the Pakistani people."

"This may come as a surprise to Americans, but the Wahhabist religion professed by the militants is more foreign to most Pakistanis than Karachi's 21 KFCs. This is true even of the tribal North-West Frontier Province — after all, a 23-foot-tall Buddha that was severely damaged last fall by the Taliban there had stood serenely for a thousand years amid an orthodox Muslim population."

"Last month I was in the village of Pakpattan observing the commemoration of the death of a Muslim Sufi saint from the Punjab — a feast of dance, poetry, music and prayer attended by more than a million people. Religious life in Pakistan has traditionally been synonymous with the gentle spirituality of Sufi mysticism, the traditional pluralistic core of Islam. Even in remote rural areas, spiritual life centers not on doctrinaire seminaries but Sufi shrines; recreation revolves around ostentatious wedding parties and Hollywood, Bollywood and the latter's Urdu counterpart, Lollywood."

"So when the Taliban bomb shrines and hair salons, or ban videos and music, it doesn't go down well. A resident of the Swat region, the site of many recent Taliban incursions, proudly told me last month that scores of citizens in his village had banded together to drive out encroaching militants. Similarly, in the tribal areas, many local village councils, called jirgas, have summoned the Pakistani Army or conducted independent operations against extremists. Virtually all effective negotiations between the army and militants have involved local councils; in 2006, a jirga in the town of Bara expelled two rival clerics who used their town as a battleground."

Well, good. But apologias for Musharraf and US imperialism will not serve the cause of decoupling the jirgas from the Taliban/al-Qaeda. And this, alas, is exactly what Ziad engages in:

"Naturally, Washington must continue working with Mr. Musharraf's government against extremism. But we also need a new long-term policy like the one outlined by Senator Joe Biden last fall that would strengthen our natural allies and rebuild faith in the United States at the public level."

"This isn't just wishful thinking. Interestingly, the Musharraf era has heralded a freer press in Pakistan than ever before. Dozens of independent TV channels invariably denounce the Taliban, while educational institutions are challenging the Wahhabist ethos. My conversations with Pakistanis, from people on the street to intellectuals, artists and religious leaders, only confirmed that after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, anti-militant sentiments are at a peak."

"This is where the lasting solution lies. As Donya Aziz, a doctor, former member of Parliament and prominent voice in the new generation of female leaders, told me: 'Even now, as the public begins to voice its anti-militancy concerns, politicians across the board are seizing the opportunity to incorporate these stands into their political platforms.'"

"What can America do? Beyond using our influence to push the government to expand democracy and civil society, we need to develop close ties with the jirgas in the violent areas. The locals can inform us of the best ways to infuse civilian aid... We should also expand the United States Agency for International Development's $750 million aid and development package for the federally administered tribal areas."

No thanks, Mr. Ziad. Nothing will discredit the jirgas and Sufis faster than making them collaborators with the US and Musharraf's brutal military—legitimizing the Wahhabi types as the "resistance."

We noted this same phenomenon two years ago when the Times reported that Russian authorities were encouraging Sufism in Chechnya as an alternative to radical Wahhabism.

Read the full article by Waleed Ziad in the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/16/opinion/16ziad.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin

Read a comment to it by Khalid Hasan in the Daily Times of Pakistan: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C02%5C17%5Cstory_17-2-2008_pg7_35

A friend of God

By Büsra İpekçi - Today's Zaman - Istanbul, Turkey
Saturday, February 16, 2007

Aziz Mahmut Hüdayi: Advisor to sultans, a friend to the people

Going up the hill above Üsküdar, you may come across the Aziz Mahmut Hüdayi Asitanesi -- as the main lodge and gathering place of a Sufi order used to be called. It is one of the most frequently visited and prominent religious monuments of İstanbul's Asian side.

This lodge is actually a part of a complex that exemplifies the Tanzimat architectural style, which flourished in the second half of the 19th century. It is located within the courtyard of the mosque that bears the name of Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi, which spreads over a large space with no unity in its design, since different parts of the complex were built in different times.

The exact date of the tomb's construction remains unknown, but according to historical accounts it was Aziz Mahmut Hüdayi himself who bought the land and had the complex built in 1598, upon his arrival from the town of Bursa, where for years he had served his sheikh, Muhammad Uftade.

Located beyond the main street and surrounded by modern apartments, the modesty of Aziz Mahmut's tomb is in harmony with the humble personality of this friend of God.

Aziz Mahmut's wooden sarcophagus lies at the center of the tomb, surrounded by gilt iron railings. The sarcophagi of his five sons, four daughters and granddaughter are also located around him.

The small, rectangular tomb's single dome, standing on four marble columns, is adorned with classical Ottoman-style ornaments. It is made up of piled stones. The upper parts of the walls of the tomb, which is lighted by seven large windows as well as a Venetian-style chandelier hanging at the center of the dome, are decorated with several inscriptions.

The dome consists of 13 equal segments, which also appear on the dark green top part of Aziz Mahmud's green turban, symbolic of the Sufi order he founded.

The complex, excluding the tomb, underwent major restoration after a fire in 1850. The tomb itself was renovated based on its original architectural plan in 1855 by Sultan Abdülmecid Khan.

There were also restorations in 1950, 1954 and 1990. The leaden coverings of the dome were stolen in 1962 and later replaced by türbedar (tomb keeper) Mustafa Düzgünman, who served this saint of God for over two decades and who was one of the greatest masters of paper marbling.

The glass-covered entrance to the tomb is through a small room that was built in 1918. There is also a marble well on the right side of the tomb's entrance According to many people -- and many books that give accounts of real Sufi stories -- the wells in every asitane are miraculously connected with the well of Zamzam in Mecca.

Aziz Mahmut's spiritual presence draws tens of thousands of people from across Turkey every year.

People flock to Üsküdar's Doğancılar quarter, eagerly climbing the stairs or the cobble-stone hills to visit this saint of God, paying their homage to him by reciting the Holy Quran and hoping that the supplications they make in his presence will be accepted by God for his sake.

Ahmet Yıldırım, 71, one of these visitors, says: "I came to İstanbul from Rize solely with the purpose of visiting [Aziz Mahmut]. A total uninterrupted divine peace and tranquility encompasses me in his presence here."

It has also become a tradition for people to leave sugar and bread to be distributed to visitors as if they are gifts from the saint himself. The lady at the entrance smiles, saying: "People used to leave Turkish delight before, but now they only bring lumps of sugar. Nevertheless, people eat it as if it is the best sweet."

Still showing the way for sailors
Aziz Mahmut Hüdayi was and is still known to work many wonders. He once set out to sea from Üsküdar on a small boat to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Blue Mosque on a very stormy day and made it to Sarayburnu (Seraglio Point) in safety, with all the waves becoming placid along the route he took.

The route he followed is still known as the "Hüdayi route" and some old boatmen still follow it in harsh weather conditions.

Meanwhile, Aziz Mahmut is also known for his Sufi poems. He has 23 known works written both in verse and prose. His divan has also been published. His manuscripts are preserved at the Üsküdar Hacı Selim Ağa Library. His tomb welcomes visitors throughout the week.

Who is Aziz Mahmut Hüdayi?
Born in 1541 in Çorum's Koçhisar village, Aziz Mahmut, a Turkish patron saint from Anatolia, spent his childhood in the Sivrihisar village of Aksaray. He is a descendant of Junayd-i Baghdadi -- dubbed "The Master of all Sufis" -- and thus a sayyid -- a title given to male descendants of the Prophet Mohammed through his grandson Husayn, the son of Ali.

His real name is Mahmut. Aziz Mahmut was the founder of the Jelveti Sufi order, which bears some resemblances with the Khalwati order since the orders are so close to each other through the lineage of the Sufi masters.

Aziz Mahmut was the spiritual mentor of Sultan Ahmet I.
According to some accounts, the people of İstanbul flocked to the streets on the day he died in 1628.

He has been a renowned Sufi amongst the spiritual guides with his divan -- his collection of poems -- as well as his talks. As he was endowed with the sciences of both the inward and outward worlds, he was a guide to sultans during his lifetime and a shelter for all those in need of guidance in both worldly and spiritual matters.

Before becoming a beloved spiritual guide, Aziz Mahmut was the supreme religious judge (qadi) of Bursa and was called Qadi Mahmut Efendi. He then became a disciple of Sheikh Muhammad Üftade after settling a matter in his court that utterly puzzled him spiritually, forcing him to question his outward knowledge.

Due to a series of events that followed this questioning process, he renounced his rank and started selling livers hanging from a stick while wearing his qadi robe and turban to tame his ego.

His sheikh then gave him the titles aziz (dear, beloved) and hüdayi (one who guides people into the straight path).

He educated many disciples at his lodge in Üsküdar until his passing in 1628.

Love is the real conqueror

Staff Report - Daily Times - Lahore, Pakistan
Friday, February 15, 2008

101st Urs of Mian Muhammad Bukhsh

Lahore: Governor Lt Gen (r) Khalid Maqbool has said the trend of cruelty and violence in the effort for domination over each other has become the cause of destruction and anxiety in the world.

He was addressing a seminar on ‘Divine Philosophy of Love’ on the occasion of the 101st annual urs (death anniversary) of prominent Sufi poet of Punjab, Mian Muhammad Bukhsh, at the Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture (PILAC) on Thursday.

The seminar was arranged with the cooperation of Punjab Information and Culture Department, Provincial Education Department and the South Asia Media School.

Addressing the gathering, the governor said Sufi saints had given us a lesson that world could be changed with peace and love. He said violence was not a solution to any problem. “If we want to lead a respectable life, everyone has to love each other for the elimination of hatred and enmity from the society, as this is the way to success,” he added.

He said Islam was not promoted in Punjab by Muslim conquerors, rather Sufi saints introduced peace, tranquillity, human respect, harmony between the religions and human rights among the people.

He said under Sufism, Punjabi people still believed in love with each other. He said Sufi saints had spread the Islamic idea that love was the real conqueror.

He said the aim of religions was to promote peace in the world and the real religion was “service to the humanity”. He said that Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), 1,400 years ago, had given the same pathway of love in this world.

He said Islamic values negated sectarianism. “All human beings are equal and the better among them is the one who is morally good,” he recalled.

Earlier, Information and Culture Secretary Ashfaq Ahmad Gondal, addressing the seminar, said people spreading hatred should be discouraged.

He said, “We should create easiness for each other and should help one another in the hour of distress.”

He also presented two books to the governor, published by the PILAC, which include “Punjab Diyan Waran” and “Geetan Dee Goonj”.

Prominent singer Shaukat Ali and dermatologist from Gujrat Dr Azhar Mahboob recited verses from the poetry of Mian Muhammad Bukhsh.

The anxiety of tomorrow

By Shah Faisal - Greater Kashmir - Srinagar, J&K, India
Wednesday, February 13, 2008

The famous Kashmiri aphorism, “Kääwà dòònì” has a philosophical message behind it. It refers to a common crow who spends his day collecting walnuts for winter, but soon forgets the location of his nest and his walnuts.

The despondent crow still survives the travails of a harsh weather, but nonetheless, every autumn he again wastes his halcyon days in the same old unyielding exercise.

When we look around, the crow seems to have become not just a part of our common parlance, but a part of our most fundamental thought processes as well. The worry of an unforeseen tomorrow has frustrated us like never before despite greater luxuries available, now greater than ever.

(...)

Contentment simply does not seem to be in his nature, though the pursuit of contentment is.

(...)

Maulana Rumi narrates in his Mathnawi in very demonstrative terms this futility of human desire and the infallibility of divine will.

In a green island, there was a mysterious meadow, ruled by a lonely robust bull who fed on its abundant foliage without having to share even a single blade of grass with someone else. But the voracious bull would consume all its green slopes till sunset, growing big as a monster, but leaving the island completely barren.

This would at the same time give rise to an immense fear of starvation in him, as he had nothing left to survive the next day. So by sunrise, this worry would torment and make him emaciated and thin as a thread.

But all of a sudden in the magical island, the grass would grow again high above his horns, and the bull set on a grazing-spree to lose even his leisure to ruminate.

It had been happening for centuries, but every night the anxiety of tomorrow would reduce him to bones and the bull could never convince himself against it.

According to Rumi, the world is that inexhaustible grassland, and the bull is the insatiable human desire.

It is very hard to stop thinking for the tomorrow, but as long as we believe in an omniscient being of Allah, everything is bound to come towards us one day, though after a commensurate effort. Tomorrow is like an oyster, and we must not dive to drown today in greed for the pearl that may or may not have formed there.

Living in future is like living in the castles built in thin air. One day when like that crow or that bull, the realization of our ludicrous fears dawns upon us, all the people of this world will surely split in a loud laughter.

That day this world of ours will be a true utopian dreamland, inhabited by a wise and content humanity.

[Picture: Swallows from the Miniatures of Babur Nama, f. 393a]

Law of our land

By Irfan Yusuf - The Sydney Morning Herald - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Law of our land can never be sharia

I have a confession to make. I have not read the recent speech given by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams in which he mentions the nasty "s" word. You know - the word that reminds us all of mass stonings and beheadings and amputations. And because I haven't read the speech, I will not be commenting on the points he makes. But not everyone taking part in this latest flare-up of cultural warfare is behaving as cautiously.

Instead, even respected newspapers are behaving like tabloids, publishing articles that suggest honour killings and other despicable cultural practices not exclusive to Muslims are somehow sanctioned by Islamic sacred law.

Sharia is not the name of a draconian system of legal punishments. Rather, sharia is a legal tradition, a set of legal principles based on certain values that are identical to those contained in the old and new testaments.

Further, legal scholars in the East and West agree the legal traditions of sharia, English common law (from which our legal systems are derived) and European civil law have borrowed from and influenced each other. It is only by ignoring history and present realities that one concludes sharia and Western legal traditions are mutually exclusive.

Many readers will wonder what 360,000-odd Australians who tick the "Muslim" box on their census forms think of sharia. Do we want to establish the Islamic Republic of Australia? Will men be forced to grow beards as majestic as that of Dr Williams? Will the Parliament be moved from Canberra to Lakemba?

Muslims are not the only religious group with an ancient sacred law which they occasionally would like secular law to take account of. On a number of occasions, joint submissions have been made by Jews and Muslims in areas such as ritual animal slaughter, burial and the treatment of bodies in autopsies.

In August 1989, the Australian Law Reform Commission began an inquiry on the topic of multiculturalism and the law. Numerous submissions were received from various ethnic and ethno-religious communities. A submission from the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, a peak Muslim body representing the congregations of about half of Australia's mosques, concerned a number of issues relating to family law.

In particular, there was some concern that under the Family Law Act 1975, Muslim women were being forced to wait at least 12 months from the date of separation to file for divorce. Under most interpretations of sharia, the waiting period was much shorter.

But how many Australian Muslims follow sharia when family disputes arise? My experience in legal practice has been that the parties will go for whichever system gives them the most favourable outcome. This usually means following a system which has the force of secular law.

Australian Muslim attitudes to sharia are further complicated by the fact Muslim migrants come from more than 60 countries. Different Muslim cultures understand sharia in different ways.

For instance, Indonesians tend to associate sharia with non-interest banking and ethical investments. In South Asia, where the common law has incorporated sharia codes in family law and inheritance, Muslims view sharia in these terms. Hence, it will be almost impossible to find any consensus among Australian Muslims as to exactly what sharia is. Implementation is virtually out of the question.

Muslim migrants have included refugees from Islamic theocratic regimes. They include the Hazara tribe of Afghanistan, most of whom fled the theocratic regime of the Taliban which claimed to be implementing sharia. I doubt many of these Muslim Australians would want their adopted nation to become a sharia state if it means anything like the laws of Afghanistan or Iran.

The term sharia is also used to refer to the outer manifestation of Islamic worship, as opposed to tariqa (which Westerners would refer to as Sufism) which represents the inner spiritual aspect of worship. In this sense, sharia is liturgy. And liturgy does not need secular law to protect its integrity.

Even in simple liturgical matters, there is little agreement. For instance, imams have yet to agree on a method for determining the beginning of sacred lunar months such as Ramadan. Given the lack of consensus on such basic issues, don't expect to see much sharia anytime before the next ice age.

Irfan Yusuf is a Sydney lawyer and associate editor of AltMuslim.com.
http://www.altmuslim.com/a

Sufi Artist Moore Sets Poetry Reading

Ursinus College News - Collegeville, PA, USA
Monday, February 11, 2008

Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore, an internationally-famous former Beat Poet and Sufi artist, will read from his work on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 8 p.m. in Ursinus College, Olin Hall, Room 107.

The reading is free, open to the public and no tickets or reservations are need.

Moore published “Dawn Visions,” his first book of poems, in 1964, and wrote and directed ritual theater for his Floating Lotus Magic Opera Company in Berkeley, California.

He became a Sufi Muslim in 1970, performed the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in 1972, and lived and traveled throughout Morocco, Spain, Algeria and Nigeria.

His second book, “Burnt Heart, Ode to the War Dead,” was published in 1972.

When Moore returned to his native California in the early 80s, he also returned, after a 10-year hiatus, to “written poetry,” and “The Desert is the Only Way Out” and “Chronicles of Akhira” were published.

A resident of Philadelphia since 1990, he has continued to write and has edited a number of works, including the poetry of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish.

His work has received both the Ina Coolbrith Award and the James D. Phelan Award for poetry.

Moore’s appearance is sponsored by the Muslin Student Association, the Chaplain’s Office, and the Wright Lectureship in Middle Eastern Studies.

More information on Moore and his work can be found at http://www.danielmoorepoetry.com

Sufi Art in Dubai

By Ola Galal with Paul Casciato - Reuters Life - Dubai, UAE
Monday, February 11, 2008

Senegalese artist Amadou Kan-Si's paintings might not be in the typically distinctive geometric and calligraphic style of most Islamic art but they are meant to capture moments of spirituality in Muslim prayer.

His "Ritual" exhibition brought from Dakar to Dubai shows Muslims in postures of prayer and casts a light on the Islamic tradition of transcendence or Sufism.

"In Sufism, when we're standing in prayer, we're like trees, when we're bending, we're like other kinds of animals; it's like saying everybody in humanity is praying," Kan-Si told Reuters at the opening of the exhibition late on Saturday.

"The exhibition is about ...(the idea that) when we are praying, it's like we are writing on space, because we have different postures. It's about a visual formulation of transcendence by human beings."

A painting titled Nocturne 1 shows beige gown-clad human figures in a row, one standing straight, one half-bent and another bowing --all resembling alphabetical shapes, all praying against a backdrop of black arches and a marine-blue sky.

Born in Kaolack, Senegal, the 46-year-old artist graduated from Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Dakar. He has exhibited his works in cities as diverse as Marseille, Rio de Janeiro and New York.

"Exhibiting in Dubai is an interesting opportunity for me to see how, when I relocate my work to a Muslim country in the Middle East, people interact with this concept that people from my surrounding already know," Kan-Si says.

Religious traditions in countries with Muslim populations -- from Senegal in the west to India in the east -- can vary according to different interpretations of Islam.

In Senegal, for instance, Sufism -- an Islamic esoteric tradition -- is widespread, in contrast with the Gulf Arab region, where a more doctrine-based interpretation of Islam prevails.

But despite presenting a Muslim theme in Ritual, Kan-Si believes, his art is not strictly meant to be appreciated solely by his co-religionists.

"The person who collects this work is not a Muslim and he appreciates it; one of the functions of art is that it talks about humanity from the different points of view," he says.

"After sharing it in France, in Brussels and in America and my country, I want to take it to Egypt, Morocco and other North African and Middle East countries."

Dubai, known more for its mega construction projects than its art scene, is increasingly attracting contemporary artists, especially from neighbouring Iran and South Asia, as exhibition venues multiply.

Kan-Si's works are on display at Total Arts Gallery in Dubai's industrial Al-Quoz area until Feb. 19.

Mufti Mushtaq Tijarvi awarded Ph.D. on Tasawwuf

Radiance Views Weekly - New Delhi - India
Vol. XLV No. 29; Sunday, February 10, 2008

Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, awarded Mufti Mohd. Mushtaq Tijarvi Ph.D. degree on his research work “Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi aur Unka Tasawwuf”.

Mufti Mushtaq, who has been rendering his services as Senior Lecturer at Islamic Academy, New Delhi, completed his work on this great Sufi scholar and his contribution to the development of Sufism, under the supervision of Professor Akhtarul Wasey of Department of Islamic Studies of the Jamia.

In his 5-chapter research work, Mufti Mushtaq has presented Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi as an outstanding Sufi and Islamic scholar of Shafii school, who gave a particular dimension to Sufism and laid such strong foundations as could keep Sufism subservient to the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah.

Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi categorically rejected the un-Islamic elements that had then permeated into the realm of Sufism, and said that Sufism must be practised in strict accordance with the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah.

This dimension of Sufism was accepted by all other Sufis and that is why he is known as Sayyid-ut-Taaifah (Leader of Sufis).

[On Junayd: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junayd_Baghdadi]

Some Good News

Unique Pakistan - Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Friday, February 8, 2008

What did Muslims do in 2007

Here is an excerpt from the "general good news" category: click on the title to read the full list/article

10. GENERAL GOOD NEWS

The "A Muslim a Day" site continues to post a great photo each day, breaking down stereotypes visually.

Film: The film 'Days of Glory' added a Muslim page to the film history of WW II. Prince Among Slaves premieres and wins award for Best Documentary of 2007 at the American Black Film Festival. The U.S. premier of "Rumi Returning" was very well received. "American Ramadan" documentary was released.

Television: Two new sitcoms showing Muslims as just as goofy as everyone else aired on television. Aliens in America began on the CW network, and Little Mosque on the Prairie on Canadian television. Link TV introduced a special section of programs under the heading of "One Nation, Many Voices: Muslims in America, Stories Not Stereotypes".

Humor: We are beginning to see lots more humor and satire coming from the Muslim community. We have groups like Allah Made Me Funny, The Holy Land Comedy Tour, Stand Up for Peace, The Watch List.

Khalil Bendib is considering throwing his fez into the ring to become America's First Muslim President. Shelina Zahra Janmohamed of Spirit 21 has come up with great Eid and moonsighting carols. Ray Hanania's Israeli-Palestinian Comedy Tour is doing well as are many other Muslim and Arab comedians, for example: Azhar Usman - Maz Jobrani - Shazia Mirza - Dean Obaidallah - Preacher Moss - Ahmed Ahmed - Amro Ali -

We are seeing humorous posts like - Rules for reporting Islam and regular video blogs like Salam Cafe out of Australia.

Even in Iraq Muslims are finding ways to laugh. (see also our collection of articles on satire and humor). There really is such a thing as Muslim humor

Islam-themed comic book "The 99" hits U.S. stands. Each superhero embodies one of the 99 attributes that Muslims ascribe to Allah.

Music: Muslim Country-Western singer Kareem Salama released a new album.

Art: The political cartoonist, Bendib has released a new book of his work.

Books: Some great books came out this year:

The new edition of Muhammad Asad's monumental translation and commentary is now available in England and in the USA. This beautiful new edition, published by the Book Foundation and designed by Ahmed Moustafa, includes completely new typography, art and a complete transliteration of the Arabic text.

Feminism beyond East and West: New Gender Talk and Practice in Global Islam, Margot Badran.
The Holy Cities, The Pilgrimage and The World of Islam: A History: From the earliest traditions till 1925 (1344H), Sultan Ghalib al-Qu'aiti.
Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization, Akbar Ahmed.
The Book of Language: A Deep Glossary of Islamic and English Spiritual Terms (The Education Project series), Kabir Helminski, now available in paperback.
American Crescent, Imam Hassan Qazwini.
Jasmine and Stars: Reading More Than Lolita in Tehran, Fatemeh Kashevarz.
Microcredit And Poverty Alleviation, Tazul Islam. Asian Islam in the 21st Century, Esposito, Voll, Bakar.
Christianity and Islam in Spain: Christianity and Islam in Spain, Charles Reginald Haines.

The Garden of Truth: The Vision and Promise of Sufism, Islam's Mystical Tradition, Seyyed Hossein Nasr.

Sufism: Veil and Quintessence A New Translation with Selected Letters (The Writings of Frithjof Schuon).

God's Continent: Christianity, Islam, and Europe's Religious Crisis, Philip Jenkins.
Islam after Communism: Religion and Politics in Central Asia, Adeeb Khalid.
The Inner Journey: Views from the Islamic Tradition (PARABOLA Anthology Series), Wm. C. Chittick (Editor).
Liberation Theology: Islam and the Feminist Agenda in the Qur'an, Omar Naseef.
Scripture, Reason, and the Contemporary Islam-West Encounter: Studying the "Other," Understanding the "Self", Steven Kepnes (Editor), Basit Bilal Koshul (Editor).
The Sum of All Heresies: The Image of Islam in Western Thought, Frederick Quinn.

(...)

With Faith and a Pure Heart

By Bruce Bennet - The New York Sun - New York, NY, USA
Friday, February 8, 2008

"He who has faith will never get lost," offers the titular Sufi mystic at the center of Nacer Khemir's "Bab'Aziz," a new film opening today at Cinema Village.

Blind and crossing the desert in the company of his game but very young granddaughter Ishtar (Maryam Hamid), and in search of the undisclosed location of a mass spiritual gathering of other dervishes, it would appear that Bab'Aziz (Parviz Shahinkhou) will need all the faith he can muster.

But the venerable holy man has a pure heart big enough to accommodate the varied star-crossed travelers he and Ishtar encounter on their pilgrimage. What's more, he has a memory. When Ishtar asks her grandfather to tell her a story about a gazelle, he begins spinning an allegorical whopper about a prince who becomes obsessed by his reflection on the surface of a well.

The episodic pace of the prince's story matches the two pilgrims' progress, and as they meet and befriend others along the way, echoes of the prince's search for his own soul in a deep pool of water reverberate in the real tales of those they encounter.

Mr. Khemir and cinematographer Mahmoud Kalari spare no effort to turn the natural glory of their location to the film's advantage. Much of the imagery in "Bab'Aziz" — a lamp-lit search for a lost child silhouetted at dusk, the cloth minaret of a royal tent topping a sand dune like a crown — is quite beguiling.

Chock full of lofty god's-eye-views of characters making tracks in the sand and painstakingly composed horizons that seem to recede into the narratively commingled past, "Bab'Aziz" is not a film for home video.

When it does arrive at Blockbuster, employees familiar with the film may be tempted to file it as a musical. With arrangements by Israeli-born composer Armand Amar, "Bab'Aziz" is a treasure trove of non-European traditional Middle Eastern music. Characters sing, Sufi musicians play both on-screen and off, and the ecstatic, spinning dances of the dervishes, whirling around with one hand extended upward to heaven and the other pointing down to the earth, are indeed spectacular.

Written "with the participation of" frequent Antonioni collaborator Tonino Guerra, "Bab'Aziz" seeks to introduce Western audiences to Islamic traditions and folklore having little to do with what's shown on CNN.

Individually, the film's multiple stories are all diverting and attractively peopled. Ms. Hamid adds much as Ishtar, whose curiosity and naïveté help to emphasize that the film's journey is really one long destination.

Messrs. Khemir and Guerra are nevertheless somewhat stingy with all the latent story energy they have at their command. Long and sedate enough to become familiar and elliptical by the end, "Bab'Aziz" is a lovely spiritual meander that keeps a smile on its face and never fails to put its best foot forward.

Sang Raja Jin – Master of the Jinn

MM - Sufi News - USA/CH
Monday, February 11, 2008

The Book Launch Party and Reading for the Sufi novel by Irving Karchmar Sang Raja Jin – Master of the Jinn in Indonesian Bahasa, will be held in the offices of Nun Publisher in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Saturday, February 16th.

Four prominent Indonesian literary figures will read selections from Sang Raja Jin: Nuruddin Asyhadie, a renowned poet and author, Anton Kurnia, a well known literary critic, Siska Widyawati, a Sufi dervish and journalist, and Meithya Rose Prasetya, a writer and lover of mystical works.

The event is free and open to the public

Nun Publisher, Jln. Ampera Raya Gg. Kancil No. 15, Jakarta Selatan, 12550
Telephone: +62 21 78847301 - at Hour: 15.00 WIB – (3:00 pm).

Bicentenary of the birth of Emir Abdelkader

[From the French language press]:

Algérie : Bicentenaire de la naissance de L’Emir Abdelkader, une commémoration qui s’étalera sur une année

El-Annabi, Algérie - jeudi 7 février 2008 - par Rabéa F.

Algeria: Bicentenary of the birth of Emir Abdelkader, a commemoration which will run for one year

Algeria is preparing to commemorate the bicentennial of the Emir Abdelkader (6 September 1808 - 26 May 1883), the Sufi writer, poet, scholar, philosopher, politician and military leader.

Mr. Mohamed Boutaleb, president of the Foundation Emir Abdelkader, described the Emir as "a humanist in love with Sufism".

Several events will be organized in Algeria as well as in France, Mexico and the United States.

On February the 20th France will issue a postage stamp bearing the effigy of Emir Abdelkader.

A film about the Emir is in preparation. The script is already written by Boualem Bessayeh. The film will be produced by the Algerian Ministry of Culture.

For children, a cartoon on his life is also under preparation.

Two symposiums will be held in Algiers in mid-February.

[Picture: Ange Tissier, "Portrait of Ben ed-Din Abd el-Kader, Algerian Amir", 1852 Oil on canvas, 72 x 59 cm / 28' x 23'; Musée national du château de Versailles, France
Photo from his inspiring biography at Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_al-Qadir ]

"The Sufi Enneagram & The Art of Negotiation"

Somerville Journal, MA, USA
Thursday, Febrauary 7, 2008

Jerome D. Maryon, Esq. will lead an innovative workshop on negotiation using the ancient Sufi Enneagram system.

Jerome D. Maryon, attorney, adjunct professor, is St. Paul’s parish council member, and CSPC (Contemporary Spiritual & Public Concerns) Committee president.

Assisting him will be a fellow lawyer, a current candidate for dual doctorates, and also a St. Paul’s parishioner, Olivier Beydon, who has begun to link the challenge of negotiation with the Sufi Enneagram study of human defense mechanisms.

This unique CSPC offering, quite possibly the first of its kind in the world, will include Harvard Law School students.

The event will be held at St. Paul’s Church at 29 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge, MA, USA, on Saturday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Reservations are required. Contact Dierdre O’Donnell-Griswold, Secretary:
secretary@saint-paul-cspc.org
http://www.saint-paul-cspc.org/

[Picture: The Enneagram. Image from ACSIS, The Australian Centre for Sufism and Irfanic Studies. ACSIS is a non profit organisation established in Australia in 1999 for the purpose of raising the awareness of people to the presence of God in day to day life using the teachings of Sufism/Irfan. Read more about Enneagram at their website: http://www.australiansuficentre.org/enneagram.htm]

A genuinely Australian religion

By Irfan Yusuf - The Age - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Thursday, February 7, 2008

This week the ABC screened Jihad Sheilas, the story of two Australian women who became caught up in a whirlpool of religious extremism. They were among a tiny proportion of a generation of Muslim youths and converts radicalised by people linked to past conflicts in Afghanistan.

(...)

Certainly the Afghan jihad was presented by Western media in the 1980s as a just war. I still recall an episode of Channel Nine's 60 Minutes profiling the courageous freedom fighters facing a superpower with First World War weapons. A coalition of right-wing think tanks and Western and Arab governments promoted the jihad.

By the early 1980s, when I entered my teens, the Afghan jihad and the plight of Afghan refugees were causes heavily promoted by religious foundations, imams and spokesmen for various Afghan mujahideen factions. In Sydney and Melbourne, representatives of the competing factions were a regular feature at mosques.

My "home" mosque, the King Faisal Mosque at Surry Hills in Sydney, regularly hosted "Afghan nights" where mujahideen representatives provided updates on the conflict and sought donations for refugees.

Indeed, at a 1987 Muslim youth camp organised by the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, a representative of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's faction gave a speech and delivered the Friday sermon. In my mind, this effectively meant the jihad had religious sanction.

(...)

However, it would be wrong to generalise about all converts. Islam attracts people from all walks of life. Prominent Australian converts include former diplomats, prominent sportspeople and a former ABC foreign correspondent.

People turn to Islam and other non-Christian faiths for any number of reasons. They might feel outcasts in conventional society or disillusioned with aspects of mainstream culture. They might be searching for an alternative lifestyle.

Most Muslim Australians treat their faith as intensely personal. The core of Islam is the deeply spiritual tradition, which Sunni Muslims describe as tasawwuf and Shia Muslims describe as irfan, and which is known as "Sufism" in the West.

To this day, translations of Jalaluddin Rumi remain the biggest selling poetry books in the US. Many converts enter Islam after exposure to Sufi teaching for reasons similar to the attraction of Tibetan Buddhism.

Fringe politicised Islam has few followers among migrant Muslims, whose exposure to mainstream Islam means they know a fringe sect when they see one. Australia's radical "thick-sheikhs" tend to attract Muslim youth and converts.

New converts with no family support and on the fringes of Muslim communities can fall into a dangerous twilight zone. Muslim communities need to be more welcoming to converts. Support services should be set up and mosques should break down their cultural and linguistic barriers.

When Islam becomes a genuinely Australian religion and not just a set of foreign cultural artefacts, fringe extremists will look elsewhere for recruits. Perhaps then people can make personal decisions about religion without being sucked into a whirlpool of political hysteria or media frenzy.

Irfan Yusuf is a Sydney lawyer whose book proposal on young Muslims navigating into and out of political Islam won Allen & Unwin's 2007 Iremonger Award.

2nd Fez Festival of Sufi Culture

By Khadija Filali - Agence Par-Chemins - Fez, Morocco
Tuesday, February 5, 2008

The second edition of the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture will take place in Fez from the 17th to the 24th of April 2008, under the title “Orient Occident”.

Topics such as “Women and spirituality” ; “Sufism and dialogue Orient Occident” ; “Sufism and human development” will be discussed.

At the same time Sufi brotherhoods from different countries and cultures will have Dhikr (invocations) evenings open to the public, as well as art exhibitions and spiritual music.

[Visit the Fez Festival's website here: http://www.par-chemins.org/ or click on the title for the projected program in English, Arabic or French and for the Training courses of Moroccan Sacred Music]

A reality in one’s life

By Vern Barnet-The Kansas City Star-Kansas City/MO, USA
Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Perhaps no American spiritual movement is more identified with the experience of mystical love than Sufism.

Sufi orders developed in Islam shortly after the death of the prophet Muhammad in the seventh century.

Early in the 20th century the Indian musician and Sufi master Hazrat Inayat Khan came to the West and developed what is called “Universal Sufism.”

His American student Sam Lewis founded the “Dances of Universal Peace,” which use materials from many faiths with chanting and movement as meditation.

I asked Wali Ali, the personal assistant to Lewis, about love.

“Sufism has been called the school of love, but it is not a school where it is particularly important to conceptualize what love is,” he said. “What is essential is to make it more and more a reality in one’s life, to realize it in all one’s relationships.

“Ultimately one may come to feel, as (the Sufi poet) Rumi has said, that the Beloved (God) is all in all, and the lover but a veil over the Beloved. It is a universal phenomenon that pulses through every particle of the universe and connects everything.”

Wali Ali is the head of the esoteric school for the Sufi Ruhaniat order, based in San Francisco.

Sufi orders are important because the teachings are transmitted from master to student through a lineage more than by reading books. Mystical love is an experience more than an intellectual attainment.

Mystical love involves abandoning attachments to ways we identify ourselves that separate us and isolate us from others.

Wali Ali is working with several others on the Wazifa Project, an exploration of the psychological and mystical meanings of the 99 names or characteristics of God traced to the Qur’an, used in meditation practices to experience the dissolution of the false self into the divine embrace.

Of his visit to Kansas City, Wali Ali said: “The workshop will combine dances, walking attunement practices, and sitting contemplation practices on Sufi themes based on classical and contemporary approaches.

We will work a great deal with the 99 names of God as means for uncovering the potentialities in our soul and healing the places of disconnection.

“There will be opportunities for questions and discussion. There is no prerequisite for attending. All are welcome.”

Wali Ali Meyer, the personal assistant and “esoteric secretary” to Lewis, will lead a workshop Feb. 22-24 in Kansas City for the Shining Heart Sufi Community, founded here 25 years ago. Daytime events will be at 3HO Ashram, 3525 Walnut St.; evening events at Body and Soul yoga studio, 649 E. 59th St.

[Visit the Sufi Ruhaniat website: http://www.ruhaniat.org/]

We belong to the whole India

PTI - The Hindu - Chennai, India
Monday, February 4, 2008

New Delhi: "We will move forward only if we will remain united. We belong to the whole India," said noted Bollywood director Muzaffar Ali on Monday while releasing a book on 13th century Persian scholar and great Sufi poet Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi in Hindi here.

Condemning the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's stand against North Indians and actor Amitabh Bachchan, Ali said India can only progress if the people of the country remain united.

"What happened in Mumbai is regrettable," he said.

Reminding of the teachings of Persian poet, Ali said Rumi was a poet who taught humans to love each other and live in a manner which brings them closer to God.

The book, written by Trinath Mishra, contains information about Rumi's lifestyle and teachings.

[Picture from Muzaffar Ali website: http://www.muzaffarali.com/html/index.htm]

Between “dissimilar” People

By A. Rangarajan - The Hindu - Chennai, India
Sunday, February 3, 2008

Elif Shafak is a luminous personality on the contemporary Turkish literary scene. Widely translated, her works have won critical acclaim and wide readership inside and outside Turkey.

One of her novels, The Flea Palace, sold 15,000 copies in three months. She writes mostly in Turkish though two of her novels have been in English. Elif contends that too much should not be made out of the language dichotomy.

Shafak holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and has taught both in Turkish and American Universities. She has lectured in History, Politics and Culture and her courses have included such diverse topics as “Ottoman History from the Margins”, “Literature and Exile”, “Politics of memory”. Besides literature and academia, Elif has been a courageous journalist as well, writing newspaper columns and TV documentary scripts.

(...)

Some of the characters like the protagonists in The Saint of Incipient Insanities seem almost like existentialists and on the other hand your love for Sufi thought and passion for folklore is well explored in your first novel Pinhan. So what is the world view that comes across through the lives of your characters?

There are multiple characters in my novels, from all sorts of walks of life and all types of backgrounds. But none of them are heroes.

I have never believed in creating “heroes” on paper or in life. Brecht used to say “what we need is not heroes but a society that is not in need heroes.” They are full of conflicts, just like us. This is important to me.

I do not see myself as The Creator of those characters. I think as I keep writing, they create themselves. And they have all sorts of flaws, conflicts. I can also say that I am usually more interested in people who are pushed to the margins than those at the centre.

Just as the characters resemble us, the readers, in some sense, become co-creators along with the author. They create the view, making reading such an individual and subjective experience. I would go on to say that the hierarchy implied between the writer and the reader is completely imagined. It never really exists.

As a writer do you try to widen the spectrum of human experience as much as possible, journeying across great many circumstances and realities, and then try to sensitise the reader to the human condition leaving it to her/him to choose the manner in which the creative work affects her/him. Or is there an inescapable activism or politics mingled in there?

One important legacy of feminism has been to demonstrate that “the personal is political”. Politics is everywhere, including our homes and kitchens.

I am interested in politics and activism in this sense of the word. But as a writer I do not want politics to conduct art and literature. Art needs autonomy. So does literature.

Just like Sufism, literature strives to transcend the boundaries of the Self. I do not want to anchor my writing into an identity and situate myself there. Rather I want to keep exploring.

I think writers need to be forever curious and ready to discover. The trouble is today’s identity politics goes on to place expectations on what a writer could produce depending on his or her circumstances. This expectation at first could sound naïve but then you realise it is not such an innocent expectation.

If I am a Muslim woman writer why should I be writing only about Muslim women or why African writers should confine themselves to writing about black people? This pigeonholing of us writers, particularly writers from non-western world is to be resisted. The western literary establishment wants us to tell ‘characteristically eastern stories’ and leave wild imaginations or avant-garde art forms to white, Western writers. Altogether we need to challenge this division of labour.

You have been critical of state-machinated secularism in Turkey that excludes lot of the pluralism. Elsewhere in the Islamic world, you see again excluding viewpoints emerging from religion-based politics. Wearing your academic hat, what is your reading of fundamentalism and the best ways to address the same in the context of engagement with modernity?

I think Islamophobia and anti-Westernism are two opposites that keep breeding one another. Hardliners create more hardliners elsewhere.

One thing that worries me deeply is “mental ghettoes”. It doesn’t matter if you are a progressive liberal or a let’s say a religious person as long as you live in an enclosed space of your own. It’s the same thing.

Many people withdraw into a mental ghetto and do not even realise it. If everyone around us thinks alike, acts alike, is alike… there is a problem there. I believe in this life whatever we will learn we will learn from people who aren’t like us. So I find it very important to increase the channels of dialogue and interaction between “dissimilar” people.

(...)

[Photo: A. Rangarajan]

Compassion: the voice we need today

By Shahina Maqbool - The News International - Lahore, Pakistan
Sunday, February 3, 2008

Islamabad: Politics, coupled with egotism and sectarian attitude, is the evil genius that creates divisions among religions of the world.

It is the task of any ideology — be it religious, liberal or secular — to create global understanding and respect. Islam has a very strong pluralistic element in its scriptures.

Most of the world religions stress the importance of compassion, not just for your own people, but for everybody. And that is the voice we need today, because any idealism that breeds discord, disdain, or contempt is failing the test of our times.

These views came from Karen Armstrong, world-renowned scholar and author of several best-selling works on religions. Born in 1944, Karen is based in London and is currently visiting Pakistan on an invitation from The Aga Khan Foundation.

She is here to deliver a series of lectures as part of the numerous events being organised to commemorate the golden jubilee of the ‘imamat’ of His Highness The Aga Khan — the spiritual leader of Shia Ismaili Muslims.

In an exclusive interview with ‘The News’ here on Saturday, Karen, who professes to be a freelance monotheist, shared her views on world politics, democracy, sectarianism, Sufism, the commonalities among religions, and the concept of pluralism in Islam.

Although shaken by the news of one of her best friends’ diagnosis with cancer, she was gregarious during the tete-a-tete at the Serena lobby. This is what she had to say:

Question: How would you describe your transition from a Roman Catholic nun to a student of modern literature at Oxford, a broadcaster, and eventually a renowned scholar on world religions?
Answer: Basically, I always wanted to be an academic. I wanted to teach English literature in a university, but that didn’t work out for a variety of reasons so I found myself in television. It was when I went to Jerusalem to make a documentary series on early Christianity that I encountered Judaism and Islam for the first time.

While studying the two religions, I started discovering other resonances that I had not found in my Christian background. There were lot of things about other religions, and from that point onwards, I started developing, what I call ‘triple vision,’ which is looking at those three monotheisms as one religion that went in three different ways.

(...)

Q: Islam has, among others, two widely practiced sects Sunnis and Shiites, each strictly adhering to its own interpretation. Interestingly, while all of them unite shoulder-to-shoulder during Hajj, they restrain themselves to their own mosques. Why is it so?
A: Egotism. Everyone thinks theirs is the right way. It is natural for there to be different sects; we have them in Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism, because a tradition must — if it is a lively one — be flexible and be able to appeal to people in all kinds of loops and abilities.

Until the 16th century, Shiites and Sunnis got along very well. Shiaism was a mystical movement, a private movement, and one that was very close to Sufism in spirit. Politics is the evil genius here. When you have the Safavid Empire and the Ottoman Empire — one Shiite, one Sunni — and they are in competition for territory, that’s where sectarianism comes in.

Politics also plays a similar role. For instance, in Iraq, Saddam Hussain furthered the divide between Sunnis and Shiites by privileging the Sunni minority. That created antagonism. Politics is usually the course of it, plus the egotism and sectarian attitude which you find in all religions; the concept of ‘we are right, you are wrong’ is responsible.

(...)

Q: How do you see Sufism promoting pluralism and tolerance in a society which is diverse in terms of its religious, sectarian and ethnic composition?
A: Sufism, in the past, has been a very outstanding example of appreciation of other world traditions.

It started getting a bad name in the 19th, 20th centuries because people got involved in showing that we are as rational as the West. Everybody started downplaying their mystical traditions to show that they were just as philosophical minded and rational as the West; that Islam is a rational religion, etc.

But I think not everybody can be a mystic. Mysticism is a talent that some people have; I don’t have it. I have never been able to meditate very well. I am not a mystic.

In fact, I am someone who has been trained for ballet dancing, for example, and failed to get into a ballet company. But when I watch a ballet performance, I can understand what they are doing and appreciate it perhaps.

We need to look at the ideals of the Sufis — they weren’t just people locked in prayer or whirling around in an ecstasy — most of them were working in the society for justice. There was always a social concern too, and that is very important.

Q: Some schools of thought see Sufis and shrine organisations as civil society organisations providing relief to those oppressed by the state or the society while others consider them as manifesting a spiritual phenomenon only? Do you think shrine organisations have a role that transcends spiritual purification?
A: Sufi outreach usually included a very strong social outreach, always in the past. A sufi became a sufi because he was appalled by the injustice in society. So, it is not just a question of making a few social reforms; it has to come from deep within, and mysticism goes right down into the unconscious, if you can really do it.

(...)

“The Sufi Way in Malerkotla”

By Mita Ghose - The Hindu - Chennai, India
Sunday, February 3, 2008

First Proof: The Penguin Book of New Writing from India 3, Penguin India, p.224
First Proof 3 offers us some rare, exhilarating experiences.

Caught between open scepticism and impossibly high expectations, debutant writers sharing space in an anthology often find themselves in a heads-I-win-tails-you-lose kind of situation.

That it fails to stifle their creative urge is surely something o f a miracle. It’s a greater wonder still that despite its uncertain commercial prospects, certain publishers remain resolute in their quest to discover and nurture new writing, driven, possibly, by the conviction that in the sea of unheard voices, there are several worth listening to and taking a chance on.

The appearance of First Proof: The Penguin Book of New Writing from India 3 clearly indicates that the faith of its publishers in the idea of giving expression to such voices has remained steadfast since they first took the plunge in 2005.

In the latest version, the format remains largely unchanged, with separate sections devoted, as usual, to fiction (including poetry) and non-fiction pieces. Apart from Kriti Sharma, however, all the contributors have either appeared in print before or have works in progress with major publishing houses. Several of them have even won awards.

Strictly speaking, therefore, First Proof 3 does not venture into virgin territory. But it does offer us, insofar as the non-fiction pieces are concerned, some rare, exhilarating experiences: like trailing, in the unforgettable “Chasing Nyima”, its author Sankar Sridhar and his newfound nomad friends into the “vast nothingness” of Ladakh which transforms the city-dweller’s perspective and leads to an understanding of how the most rigorous of living conditions can reinforce man’s resilience and dignity;

Peeking into the “dodgy Indian restaurant” in Scotland, where the irrepressible Shankar Sharma once served as a waiter and picked up some priceless lessons of life (“My Lovely Restaurant”);

Visiting Malerkotla in the Malwa region with Nirupama Dutt, whose self-deprecatory wit in “The Sufi Way in Malerkotla” contributes as much to our perception of the place as its Sufi traditions that have honed its unique reputation as “an oasis of calm in conflict-torn Punjab”;

Or examining — tongue firmly in cheek — with Aman Sethi, author of “Khullam Khulla”, the quirky intricacies of municipal law in India.

(...)

Breaking stereotypes

By Kurt Müller - Washington University in St. Louis - St. Louis, MO, USA
Friday, February 1, 2008

Fatemeh Keshavarz, Ph.D., professor of Persian language and literature and chair of the department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages & Literatures in Arts & Sciences, will give the Assembly Series lecture at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 13, in Graham Chapel.

Keshavarz, a published poet and writer in both Persian and English, is the author of several books and articles. Her most recent book, "Jasmine and Stars: Reading More Than Lolita in Tehran," blends personal memoir with literary analysis and social commentary to break pervasive Western stereotypes of Iranians.

Keshavarz contends that Iranians live in hope rather than fear and that Iranian women are vibrant and teeming with intellectual curiosity and expression.

The American Library Association booklist describes this work as an excellent counterpoint to Azar Nafisi's "Reading Lolita in Tehran." (Nafisi spoke on campus for the Assembly Series in spring 2004.)

In another work, "Reading Mystical Lyric: The Case of Jalal al-Din Rumi," Keshavarz analyzes the poetic contribution of the medieval Persian poet and mystic Rumi. Her other literary study, "Recite in the Name of the Red Rose: Poetic Sacred Making in Twentieth Century Iran," addresses expressions of spirituality in present day Iran.

Raised in Shiraz, Iran, Keshavarz earned a bachelor's in Persian language and literature and a master's in library, archive and information studies from Shiraz University and a master of arts and a doctorate in Near Eastern studies from the University of London.

She also takes interest in the broader implications of cultural education for world peace and in May, 2007, spoke on this topic to the United Nations General Assembly.

The talk, in Graham Chapel on Washington University Danforth Campus, is free and open to the public. For more information visit assemblyseries.wustl.edu or call 314-935-5285.

The Green Fire

MNA - Mehr News - Tehran, Iran
Saturday, January 2, 2008

A discussion session on the movie “The Green Fire” directed by Mohammadreza Aslani was held on Friday at the Sahra Cinema Hall.

The director and several of the cast and film crew attended the session which was held to review the movie screened earlier that day for reporters at the Sahra Hall. The film is an entry in the national competition section of the 26th Fajr Film Festival.

Aslani made an opening speech, remarking, “I was always interested in the history of my country Iran and I am pleased that I was able to depict part of it in ‘The Green Fire’. There has been a good atmosphere in Iran’s cinema over recent decades and I observed how the viewers were engrossed in the movie.”

On his long absence from the cinematic scene, he explained, “I have made more movies than documentaries but most of them have not yet been screened. I hope this won’t happen to ‘The Green Fire’. I must admit that I still don’t comprehend why my films didn’t obtain screening licenses, but I know that it has not been due to political reasons.”

Aslani went on to say that we are never far from history, and that the story of Iranian cinema is also reviewed in this movie. He also remarked that it is this history which gives us life and that we should learn lessons from it.

On Iran’s national cinema, he remarked, “Our cinema is not limited to national stories. We must seek to create our own style in the narration of stories. Just as we have evolved a special style in our poetry, so must our cinema develop its own form.”

“Narration is important for me and I have tried to invent a new type of recounting in my recent production. A nation without narration is not a live nation,” he added.

Referring to his recent film as a valuable experience, he continued, “This movie is the product of long thought. Thinking about the world and understanding who we are were my major concerns.”

He emphasized that he has been influenced totally by Molana Jalal ad-Din Rumi, and referred to Rumi as Iran’s great narrator.

Ezzatollah Entezami, Farrokh Nemati, Ahu Kheradmand, Mahtab Keramati, Mehdi Ahmadi and Pegah Ahangarani are amongst the cast.

Aslani’s other credits include “Hassanlu Cup”, “Chess With The Wind”, “Abu Rayhan Biruni”, “Child & Exploitation”, “Our Cultural Heritage”, “Mash Esmaeil”, “Conference of the Birds” and “Memoirs of a 25-Year-Old Person”.

Sufi Film, Bab 'Aziz (Baba 'Aziz) in N.Y. and other U.S. cities

Baba 'Aziz, a Sufi feature done by a highly acclaimed Tunisian director/screenwriter Nacer Khemir (along with an acclaimed co-screenwriter, composer, and photographic director) will soon be hitting a number of theaters. Baba 'Aziz won first place for feature films ("The Golden Dagger award") at the Muscat Film festival in 2006. Also in September 2007 at the 3rd International Muslim Movie Festival in Kazan (in the Russian republic of Tatarstan), it won the best picture, `Golden Minbar' award.

I have not yet seen it but am scheduled to see it at a film festival at the High Museum in Atlanta on Saturday, February 16 at 8pm. After the film, I have been asked to say a few words and answer questions from the audience about Sufism.

I have seen 9 minute UTube clip and a short trailer, have read the publicity packet and a few viewer reviews at IMDB, and as a result I suspect the film will be excellent and strongly recommend it. The dialog in the UTube clip I have seen is in Persian (Baba 'Aziz also does cite a little Persian accented Arabic) with subtitles possibly in Hungarian. But the film will be shown in the US with English subtitles. As you will see from the publicity packet, it has been subtitled in a variety of languages. The dialogue in the film is apparently both in Persian and Arabic.

The publicity packet contains among other things a high quality interview with the director/screenwriter in which two of the topics he discusses are Islam and Sufism. He makes it very clear that he made the film because of his love of Islam and Sufism in order to try to counteract the horrible image that Islam has in the world today.

You can read the publicity packet and interview here: http://www.typecastfilms.com/babaziz/BAB'AZIZ%20Typecast%20pressbook.pdf

If the above url breaks, try http://tinyurl.com/26tshh .

The 9 minute utube clip ends with qur'anic verses about Sayyidatina Maryam. They are sung extraordinarily well by a professional singer whose voice is familiar to me but whom I cannot identify.

Here is the 9 minute utube url: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrcSK0tEP28&feature=related

The first screen has in nicely calligraphed Arabic the early Sufi saying: At-Turuq ila Allah, bi-iq (The paths to God are as numerous as the souls of created beings).

Here is the publicity trailer (with English substitles): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPYjenA3VFg&feature=related

Mark your calendars, email this note to your friends in the cities where it will be shown, and tell people about it. It will be showing in theaters in the following cities on the following dates:

Cinema Village New York, NY February 8, 2008
High Museum, Atlanta, GA February 16, 2008
Nuart Theatre Los Angeles, CA February 22, 2008
Landmark's Varsity Theatre Seattle, WA March 14, 2008
Landmark Theatres San Francisco, CA April 4, 2008
Landmark Theatres Berkeley, CA April 4, 2008
Starz FilmCenter Denver, CO May 2, 2008

Just in case you cannot access the pdf file of the publicity packet, here is what the director said about Islam and Sufism (the first half of the interview with the director/screenwriter in the publicity packet):

By Nawara Omarbacha

Why this film today?

I would explain it with this allegory: if you are walking alongside your father and he suddenly falls down, his face in the mud, what would you do? You would help him stand up, and wipe his face with your shirt. My father's face stands for Islam, and I tried to wipe Islam's face clean with my movie, by showing an open, tolerant and friendly Islamic culture, full of love and wisdom, an Islam that is different from the one depicted by the media in the aftermath of 9/11. Fundamentalism, as well as radicalism, is a distorting mirror of Islam. This movie is a modest effort to give Islam its real image back. No other mission seemed as urgent to me as this one: to give a "face" to hundreds of millions of Muslims who are often, if not always, the first victims of terrorism caused by some fundamentalist. And although this movie is based on the joyful and love giving Sufi tradition, it is also a highly political film, and deliberately so.

It is a duty nowadays to show to the world another aspect of Islam, otherwise, each one of us will be stifled by his own ignorance of "The other". It is fear that stifles people, not reality. There are nearly 1 billion Muslims in the world, 1/6th of earth inhabitants. To try your best to know your neighbour better is a form of hospitality. Hospitality is not just about housing people and feeding them; hospitality is about listening and understanding. You cannot receive someone in your house, just feed him and ignore him! In my opinion, this is a movie that encourages people to listen to each other and, perhaps further down the line, to really come together. Watching this movie is a way of offering hospitality to "The other one".

Why did you choose the complementary title, "The Prince Who
Contemplated His Soul"? Is it an image of Narcissus?

It is true that the Prince leans over the water, but he does not see
his own face, like Narcissus did, because whoever sees only his
reflection in the water is incapable of love. The prince contemplates
what is invisible, that is his own soul. We are all similar to
icebergs; only one tenth of us is visible, while the rest lies under
the sea. The idea of the "Prince" came to me from a beautiful plate
that was painted in Iran in the 12th century. It shows a prince
leaning over water, and it carries the following inscription "The
prince who contemplated his own soul". This image struck me as
something I had to build upon, which is why it seemed obvious to me
that the movie should be shot in Iran. Making a film as continuity to
a 12th century artist! I don't know if it was a sheer coincidence (or
is it something else?), but we shot parts of the movie in the city of
Kashan, which is the city where this plate was made! Now, concerning
the structure of this movie, I think it helps the spectator to forget
about his own ego and to put it aside in order to open up to the
reality of the world. It borrows the structure of the "visions"
usually narrated by dervishes, and the structure of their spiraling
and whirling dances. The characters change, but the theme remains the
same: Love, under many forms. As the famous Sufi Ibn Arabi said: "My
heart can be pasture for deers and a convent for monks, a temple for
idols and a Kaaba for the pilgrims. It is both the tables of the
Torah and the Koran. It professes the religion of Love wherever its
caravans are heading. Love is my law. Love is my faith".

What is Sufism?

Fundamentalism and fanaticism do not represent Islam, just as the
inquisition did not represent the faith of Jesus. Nowadays one can
feel quite lost and confused in front of this growing wave of
defiance and hatred towards Islam. Sufism stands against all forms of
fanaticism. Sufism is the Islam of the mystics; it is the tenderness
of Islam. But in order to give a better definition, let me use this
Sufi saying: "There are as many ways to God as the number of human
beings on earth." This quote alone is a representation of the vision
of Sufism. One could also say that Sufism is the pulsating heart of
Islam. Far from being a marginal phenomenon, it is the esoteric
dimension of the Islamic message.
Abou Hassan Al Nouri, a great Sufi, once said: "Sufism is the
renouncement of all selfish pleasures", because true Love cannot be
selfish. He also said "A true Sufi has no possessions, and he himself
is possessed by nothing". Love has many shapes in the movie. The
example of Ishtar, the little girl who was born from the sand, like
the Arabic language, is reminiscent of the letter "Waw", "�" which
means in Arabic "and". The Sufis call it the letter of Love, because
without it, nothing can come together. We say "the sea and the
sky", "Man and Woman". The "Waw" is the meeting place, thus it is the
place of Love. It is also the letter of the traveler, because it
gathers together things and beings.

What is a Dervish?

The word "dervish" means "Sufi" in Persian. But with time, it was
used to refer to those who chose poverty and wandering. They put the
world aside and enter into a quest of poverty and Love. There are
many types of dervishes. I did not want to address the different
brotherhoods, but I wanted to give an idea of what seems alive in the
Islamic-Arab culture: this endless quest for the Absolute and the
Infinite. Throughout history, there have been kings who have become
dervishes, like this Prince, who is famous in Afghanistan. As Gibran,
the author of "The Prophet" said: "The Prince of all Princes is he
who finds his throne in the heart of a dervish". The dervishes go
even farther than that. One of them once said: "I no longer visit the
mosque or the temple, I am a servant of Love, I am in Love with Your
beauty". One cannot understand the aesthetics of Islamic Culture
without studying Sufi texts. Dervishes repeat the following quote of
the Prophet Mohammad like a motto: "God is beautiful and He loves
beauty". And here is what dervishes sing to express their state of
Love:

"The butterfly throws itself in the burning fire
If you must love, then you will need that much courage
At each step, the heart is pushed to its limits,
At each breath, it is tested,
If you must love, then you will need that much courage."

By their actions, dervishes free Islam of certain dogmatic
interpretations, just like this auburn dervish in the movie, who is
attracted by the minaret, and tries to clear the "dust" off it with a
broom. In another scene, he is in a mosque half-buried in the sand
and he tries to get it out of its tomb by removing the sand with his
mere basket.

----

You might notice that the film is titled in various places on the web
as "Bab 'Aziz." The American distributors informed me that that is a
mistake that started when the film went into European distribution.
The old blind dervish's name is actually Baba 'Aziz. The word "Baba"
which literally means "father" is also used in various Muslim (and
even non-Muslim South Asian) cultures to refer to a respected elder,
shaykh, saint, or spiritual teacher. Hence we have Sufi names
like "Gul Baba," "Tosun Baba," and "Somuncu Baba," "Baba Afzal-e
Kashani," as well as Baba Ram Das and Meher Baba.

Internalizing the Religion

[From the French language press]:

Cet exemple d’Islam propre à l’Afrique Subsaharienne, cette Islam « soufi » favorise l’intériorisation des préceptes de la religion et des enseignements du Coran des écoles coraniques.

Sud Quotidien - Dakar, Sénégal - vendredi 1er février 2008 - par Ibrahima Diallo

This example of Islam unique to the sub-Saharan Africa, "Sufi Islam" promotes the internalization of the precepts of the religion and the teachings of the Qur'an of the Qur'anic schools.

A symposium on "Islam in society in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and responses", and an international conference on "Islam, peace and human rights in Africa": through this series of events begins the 2008 program of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Senegal.

The international symposium, organized in collaboration with the University Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar is scheduled for February 4 and 5, and the international conference on Wednesday, the 6th.

A televised debate on Islam in sub-Saharan Africa will also be part of the symposium.

The results of those events, that fall in the wake of preparations for the summit of the Organization for Islamic Conference (OIC), will be a contribution to this meeting.

A unique style

Payvand - Iran News
Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The music of Kurdistan, little known in the US, will be performed by Ali Akbar Moradi, the greatest living master of the tanbur.

Known for his work as a soloist and with Shahram Nazeri and Kayhan Kalhor, he has created new interest for the tanbur — an ancient lute traditionally used in religious ceremonies.

His program features meditative improvisations based on the repertoire of the Yarsan people, the followers of a mystical faith associated with Sufism, who live in western Iran.

Accompaniment will be provided by Ulas Ozdemir (baglama - lute), and Moradi's sons, Arash (tanbur and setar - lutes) and Kourosh (percussion).

Ali Akbar Moradi
Saturday, February 02, 2008 8:00 pm
Peter Norton Symphony SpaceBroadway at 95th St New York, NYC

Born in Kermanshah in 1957, Ali Akbar Moradi is the leading tanbur player from Kurdistan, Iran. He began playing tanbur at the age of six. His grandfather loved the tanbur and encouraged the young Moradi to play.

Teachers would come to their house to give lessons on the tanbur, and by the time Moradi was 10, he was considered an accomplished tanbur player. Throughout his youth he studied with various masters of the instrument until he was accepted as a virtuoso.

From 12 years on Moradi sought and took lessons from the grand masters of Kurdish tanbur: Sayyed Veli Husseini, Sayyed Mirza Khafashyan, Sayyed Mahmoud Alevi, Allahmouradi Hamedi, who were also all vocalists.

By the age of 30 he completed learning the entire 72 maghams [modes] played on tanbur.

Mr. Moradi's professional career began in 1971 as a member of the first tanbur ensemble in Kermanshah. He has won many awards including two honorary diplomas at major music festivals in Iran.

Moradi has performed as a soloist and with ensembles in festivals throughout the world. He has a unique style that sets him apart from other players of this instrument.

[Magham (Mode) is the same as Octave: http://www.payvand.com/news/00/nov/1000.html]