In Letter And Spirit

By RK Editor, *97 year old sufi-saint leads peaceful demo in B’pora* - Rising Kashmir - India
Saturday, August 7, 2010

Bandipora: Angered by the civilian killings in police and paramilitary CRPF [Central Reserve Police Force] firing in Valley, 97 yr old famous Sufi saint of Bandipora Peer Muhammad Afzal Fazili lead a protest rally in Gamroo village, here on Friday.

After completion of Friday prayers, hundreds of people including women and children took to roads at Gamroo village and staged a protest march. They were led by Peer Muhammad Afzal Fazili. The protestors chanted pro-freedom, pro-Islamic and anti-India slogans.

Addressing the processionists, Fazili stressed on people especially youth to follow Islamic principles in letter and spirit and fight oppression. He condemned the civilian killings by police and CRPF men and impressed on people to maintain discipline and stage peaceful protests.

After he left the place, people began marching towards Bandipora amidst chanting of pro-freedom slogans. The policemen intercepted the procession near Papchan and lobbed tear smoke shells and resorted to heavy baton charge to disperse them. Youngmen in the procession retaliated by hurling stones towards them. The clashes continued for some time.

The locals alleged that police and CRPF men smashed glasspanes of several houses and parked vehicles.

People also took out a procession from Ward 2, 3 and 4 of Bandipora and attempted to assemble in Main Chowk Bandipora. However, they were dispersed by the policemen, who fired tear smoke canisters.

People also defied curfew as Sumbal, Safapora, Naid-khai, Hajin, Saderkoot, Kaloosa, Kunan, Argam and adjoining areas and staged pro-freedom demonstrations. They were demanding action against the police and CRPF men involved in recent killings.

After the clashes and protests, more cops were rushed to Bandipora and they strictly enforced the curfew and prevented people from venturing out of their houses.

Of Life, Love And War

By Sameer Rahim, *Curfewed Night: a Frontline Memoir of Life, Love and War in Kashmir: review* - Telegraph - UK
Friday, August 6, 2010

Sameer Rahim admires a moving memoir about growing up in war-torn Kashmir

In February 1990, Basharat Peer saw a procession moving through his Kashmiri village towards a Sufi shrine. The bookish 13-year-old felt a rush of joy as he heard the men chanting for freedom: Aazadi! Aazadi!

They were protesting against the killing of Kashmiri demonstrators by Indian soldiers; but they were also calling for the disputed region to be allowed a plebiscite on its own sovereignty, as the UN had once promised.

Although Kashmir is Muslim-dominated, this idyllic land with snow-capped mountains and gorgeous lakes was divided between India and Pakistan in 1948. Since then various groups have campaigned – peacefully and violently – for the whole of Kashmir either to join Pakistan or to become an independent state. The Indian army, in response, has fought the rebels and carried out atrocities which, in turn, have further fuelled the rebellion.

Curfewed Night is an exceptional personal account of the conflict. Peer has a superb feel for language and incident. Words such as “frisking, crackdown, bunker, search, identity card, arrest and torture,” he tells us, formed the lexicon of his childhood. His village is shadowed by militants showing off their Kalashnikovs; Peer and his school friends carry their cricket bats like guns, “in imitation and preparation”. But though he was tempted, like one of his cousins, to join the militants, Peer grew increasingly suspicious of their tactics.

Despite his family’s pleas, the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front attack an Indian convoy close by their village. The army’s reprisals will be swift and the family quickly grab their possessions. As they leave, the young Basharat looks longingly at the books in his father’s library – the leather-bound Shakespeare, the hardback Russians, the Urdu writers Manto, Ghalib and Iqbal – thinking he will never see them again. In the end they are lucky: they return home to find only a few bullets stuck in the walls, which Peer’s grandfather pulls out with pliers.

A few years later there is more luck: Peer’s father survives a militant attack on him, justified because he works as a civil servant in a government run by Delhi. He was, according to rumour, betrayed by a jealous rival at work.

After becoming a journalist for an Indian newspaper, Peer reports on other wars far away from home but is inevitably drawn back to Kashmir. The second half of his book records his interviews with victims of the army occupation: former militants, now broken men unable to father children due to the torture they suffered in Indian jails; a husband and wife trying to cope with the trauma of having their wedding party attacked by soldiers and the bride raped.

Peer is particularly good on how the landscape has been desecrated by the presence of 500,000 Indian soldiers. Srinagar, the capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, was once composed of “elegant latticed houses, mosques and temples admiring each other from the banks of the River Jhelum”; now it is covered with concrete bunkers and checkpoints. “Armoured cars and soldiers patrolling roads or manning check points had become part of the Kashmiri landscape, like the willows, poplars and pines.”

Another sinister development is the increasing prominence in the conflict of Pakistani-funded radical groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, which carry out suicide attacks in Kashmir, India and even in Pakistan itself against Sufi and Shia mosques. These groups also often have links with the Taliban.

The book ends in April 2005, with the hopeful resumption of a bus route between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir. But five years on, despite occasional gestures from both governments, freedom is still a distant prospect for the people of Kashmir.

Curfewed Night: a Frontline Memoir of Life, Love and War in Kashmir
by Basharat Peer
223pp, HarperPress, £16.99 T £14.99 (PLUS £1.25 p&p) 0844 871 1515

To Draw A Sound

By Hamzeh Abu-Fakher, *Sufi chants* - Forward Syria - Syria
August 3, 2010/Issue 42

A Sufi, a thinker, and an artist; Asaad Arabi commands all at the tip of his brush, drawing sounds with his lines, reaching ‘high notes’ with his colors, all in his quest to combine the senses.

Forward sat down with Arabi to disperse the clouds of his misunderstood works, in order to gauge a more nuanced understanding of his latest collection, dedicated to Um Kalthoum.

Why Um Kalthoum?
Many people considered Um Kalthoum to be the best Oriental and Arabic artist. She is a cultural figure, she influenced the whole world; she even made western music ‘repent’ to intuitional Sufi; repent to the true path of music.

She combined all the religious and Sufi music inspirations turning them to an existential human experience, and that had all the best musicians and composers give her their tunes; she was the only artist to manage to get all the geniuses of her era behind her.

She is the key reminder of the validity of a chance to live a true existential life. She was dubbed ‘The Princess of the Fine Era’ because her age cannot be brought about again.

What is so special about her music?
The build up. The basic build up of Um Kalthoum’s music is akin to that of the Hindus and Buddhists state of trance; it is a nirvana of music inside a mundane world. Like drowning and sinking in music for hours.

And how do you express that with your brush?
Using colors, they are the ‘highest notes’ in the painting. They way the colors are changing and transitioning, and the way they grab your attention forcing your focus away from a segment of the canvas to another.

How do you express audio with visuals? How to draw a sound?
The two are intricately linked, and any observer of Um Kalthoum will notice that; where visually she used to rely on her hands and body movements swayed by her music, and obstructing those would weaken her vocal performance.

I’ve been studying and conducting my own research on the visual and audio correlation for nine years now, which is mostly reflected and expressed in Sufi Islam, and I’ve reached the conclusion that their relation stems from their unity in the heart [intuition]—the unity of the senses.

You can get the audio from any visual. In drawing you symbolize the difference of intonations using empty and filled spaces, and lines struggling with colors leading the viewer’s focus to different contrasts.

How does intuition come into play when viewing your works?
Intuition reflects our current existential lives, the state of being, knowing, and controlling your life. Living life, and not just passing by, is a high existential intuition, and can only be connected to if experienced.

This applies to music and arts as well. As I wouldn’t want viewers just to regard the visual aspects of my works, I want people to connect and live the colors and margins, to be stirred by their conveyed meanings.

Why solely express sound through your art, why not another medium?
Ibn Khaldoon once said, “When a virtuous city corrupts, the first aspect to plunge is its architecture, followed by its music;” the first to decay after housing is music, which shows its importance in the expressions of a complete collective consciousness of a culture.

So Um Kalthoum’s era signified a rise in society and culture, which was also proven through the economics and politics of that era, while currently longing for that era we compare the past to our current times, to find that all aspects of our civilization have taken a downfall, including our music, which isn’t only commercial, but adheres to certain aspects of our roots in a misguided way. By clinging to our culture we’re simply killing it, by denying it development and evolution we’re singing its obituary.

How does that affect your technique, as being habited and schooled differently?
I’m more guided by intuition now, resigning the old notions of strict guidelines of drawing, especially after an accident befell me and my family a few years ago. Now I’m more spontaneous in drawing—spontaneity guided by intuition—helping me reflect more depths of my character on the canvas.

Masked Bodies
Asaad Arabi’s previous collection, Masked Bodies, depicted nude characters in an architectural arrangement, within margins left on the four sides; a tradition of miniatures in Arab Islamic manuscripts.

His collection received regional religiosly-fuelled disdain, within the current hostile trend against figurative painting, including the few artworks remaining of thousands of Arabic and Islamic miniatures and illuminated manuscripts.

Leaders of these hostilities seem to forget that the art revolution which occurred in the 1960s was a result of the openness and permissiveness of society at the time, which employed six male and female nude models in the painting studios at the Faculty of Fine Art in Damascus University, and that has led to the mastery of anatomy by most artists of that era.

The catalogues of ‘Masked Bodies’ is still available in Ayyam Gallery for those who have fallen victim to the media black-out.

Picture: Asaad Arabi. Photo: Carole al-Farah

Park51

By Bobby Ghosh, *The Moderate Imam Behind the 'Ground Zero Mosque'* - Time - USA

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

The last legal hurdle to the proposed Islamic center near the site of the World Trade Center has been removed, but ignorance, bigotry and politics are more formidable obstacles.

The unanimous vote Tuesday, Aug. 3, by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission means the building that currently occupies 45-47 Park Place can be torn down, clearing the way for Park51, a project known to its critics as the "Ground Zero Mosque."

Criticism spans the gamut, from the ill-informed anguish of those who mistakenly view Islam as the malevolent force that brought down the towers to the ill-considered opportunism of right-wing politicians who see Islam as an easy target.

(Ironically, Islam's roots in New York City are in the area around the site of the World Trade Center, and they predate the Twin Towers: in the late 19th century, a portion of lower Manhattan was known as Little Syria and was inhabited by Arab immigrants — Muslims and Christians — from the Ottoman Empire.)

With city authorities now out of the way, it is the people spearheading the project who must bear the enormous pressure to give up their plans and scrap the building. They are being accused of sympathizing with the men who crashed the planes on 9/11 and of designing the project as, in Newt Gingrich's reckoning, "an act of triumphalism."

And yet Park51's main movers, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and his wife Daisy Khan, are actually the kind of Muslim leaders right-wing commentators fantasize about: modernists and moderates who openly condemn the death cult of al-Qaeda and its adherents — ironically, just the kind of "peaceful Muslims" whom Sarah Palin, in her now infamous tweet, asked to "refudiate" the mosque. Rauf is a Sufi, which is Islam's most mystical and accommodating denomination.

The Kuwaiti-born Rauf, 52, is the imam of a mosque in New York City's Tribeca district, has written extensively on Islam and its place in modern society and often argues that American democracy is the embodiment of Islam's ideal society. (One of his books is titled What's Right with Islam Is What's Right with America.) He is a contributor to the Washington Post's On Faith blog, and the stated aim of his organization, the Cordoba Initiative, is "to achieve a tipping point in Muslim-West relations within the next decade, steering the world back to the course of mutual recognition and respect and away from heightened tensions." His Indian-born wife is an architect and a recipient of the Interfaith Center Award for Promoting Peace and Interfaith Understanding.

Since 9/11, Western "experts" have said repeatedly that Muslim leaders who fit Rauf's description should be sought out and empowered to fight the rising tide of extremism. In truth, such figures abound in Muslim lands, even if their work goes unnoticed by armchair pundits elsewhere. Their cause is not helped when someone like Rauf finds himself being excoriated for some perceived reluctance to condemn Hamas and accused of being an extremist himself. If anything, this browbeating of a moderate Muslim empowers the narrative promoted by al-Qaeda: that the West loathes everything about Islam and will stop at nothing to destroy it.

Rauf and Khan have said Park51 — envisaged as a 15-story structure, including a mosque, cultural center and auditorium — will promote greater interfaith dialogue. The furor over the project only underlines how desperately it is needed.

[Click on the title to the original article with many pics and links]

Picture: Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf stands in the al-Farah mosque, located not far from Ground Zero. Photo: Tom A. Peter / The Christian Science Monitor / Getty Images

Ramadan Kareem! /کریم ‎ رمضان

By Imam Yahya Pallavicini, *Ramadan Karim From Italy* - CO.RE.IS [Islamic Religious Community]- Milan, Italy
Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Last month representatives from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim religions as well as from the Sikh and Hindu communities met in Brussels on the invitation of President José Manuel Barroso.

The meeting was co-chaired by Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament and Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council.

They discussed effective ways of combating poverty and social exclusion as an imperative for European governance.

We pray for the blessings of this holy month of Ramadan in order to help poverty through dignity, knowledge and respect and social inclusion through justice, dialogue and brotherhood.

Ramadan Karim!
Imam Yahya Pallavicini

***
2010 is the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.

To Dance Their Love

By Junaid Khanzada, *‘Prayers offered at urs to protect province’* - The Express Tribune - Pakistan
Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Sehwan Sharif: The colourful musical celebrations of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’s urs drew to a close on Monday as people continued to dance their love and devotion till late Monday night.

Provincial minister Murad Ali Shah brought the urs to a ceremonial end by praying for the Sufi saint.

He said he had come to the shrine to pray to God for the safety of the province as the threat of floods draws closer still.

The Auqaf minister expressed his regret at not being able to provide devotees at the urs with as many arrangements as required due to the emergency created by impending floods. “I am sure that Sindh will be spared destruction by the flood because thousands of people from across the world have prayed for the province’s protection at the shrine,” he added.

Provincial minister for local bodies Agha Siraj Durrani paid his respects at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar and laid a chaddar on his grave on behalf of the president.

Phase three of the renovation work on the shrine will start after the urs ends, the minister told journalists. He said Rs60 million [USD 1,283,420.--] have been allocated for the beautification of Sehwan Sharif. One third of this sum has already been handed over and development projects are under way, meanwhile the remaining Rs40 million will also be released soon.

Provincial Minister for Culture Sassui Palijo also laid a chaddar on the grave of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. She inaugurated a Qalanderi Corner at the Sehwan Museum where artefacts from Lal Shahbaz’s shrine, the fort and old city, books and other collectables are displayed.

“A library, auditorium and rest house shall also be built here,” said the minister, referring to similar projects being carried out in Bhit Shah.

She also visited the media cell set up in the city to cover the urs celebrations.

Earlier, on the second day of the urs, Palijo addressed the literary conference held in tribute to Lal Shahbaz and said, “Terrorism in the country can only be fought with the help of Sufism.” She celebrated the fact that despite the instable security situation across Pakistan, Sindh was standing strong and this could be gauged by the thousands who thronged Lal Shahbaz’s shrine.

“This gathering proves that people in Sindh believe in love and brotherhood,” she added.
The research centre at Bhit Shah, established in an effort to promote the literature and message of Sufi saints, will soon be raised to the status of an institute, promised Palijo at the conference.

Literary figures including poets from across the country took part in the conference and shared their verses with the crowd.

Picture: Ministers lay a chaddar on the last day of the urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. Photo: The Express Tribune.

Most Influential Muslims

By RISSC Editor, *THE ROYAL STRATEGIC STUDIES CENTRE [MABDA] PUBLISHES ‘THE 500 MOST INFLUENTIAL MUSLIMS 2010’.* - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre - Amman, Jordan

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre presents the most comprehensive breakdown of contemporary, global Muslim leaders with a ranking of the top 50 individuals whose power, wealth, and influence shape our world today.

‘The 500 Most Influential Muslims—2010’ is the second of an annual publication that provides a window into the movers and shakers of the Muslim world.

It highlights people who are influential as Muslims. It gives valuable insight into the different ways that Muslims impact the world, and also shows the diversity of how people are living as Muslims today.

Free Download at http://www.rissc.jo/

For more information about the second edition or to order a copy, call 00 962 6 5341168 or email http://us.mc1108.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=500@rissc.jo or visit http://www.rissc.jo/.

***

The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre is an independent research entity affiliated with the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought.

The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought is an international Islamic non-governmental, independent institute headquartered in Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Shaykh Safi

By TT Culture Desk, *Two more Iranian sites added to UNESCO World Heritage List* - Tehran Times - Tehran, Iran

Monday, August 2, 2010

The mausoleum of Sheikh Safi ad-Din Ardebili and the Tabriz traditional bazaar in Iran are now registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The decision to inscribe the sites on the list was made during the 34th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Brasilia on Saturday.

Sites in Saudi Arabia, Australia, India, the Marshall Islands, and South Korea were also added to the list at the session.

Mausoleum of Sheikh Safi ad-Din Ardebili

The mausoleum of Sheikh Safi ad-Din Ardebili, founder of a Sufism center in Ardebil, is located in the city of Ardebil in northwest Iran.

It is comprised of structures built between 1335 and 1629 CE.

The main part of the mausoleum, the Allah Allah Tomb, was built by Sadr ad-Din Musa, son of Sheikh Safi ad-Din Ardebili, whose descendant Ismail I founded the Safavid dynasty that ruled Iran during the 16th, 17th, and early 18th centuries.

A wood box bearing inlays and intarsia, which is believed have been presented by Timurid king Homayun, has been placed on Sheikh Safi’s grave.

The mausoleum consists of many sections that have served a variety of functions over the past centuries, including a library, a mosque, a school, an icehouse, a hospital, kitchens, a bakery, and some offices.

It incorporates a route to reach the shrine of the sheikh divided into seven segments, which mirror the seven stages of Sufi mysticism.

Various parts of the mausoleum are separated by eight gates, which represent the eight attitudes of Sufism.

The site presents characteristics of medieval Iranian Islamic architecture. A collection of fascinating artifacts is also kept at the mausoleum.

Another dome was constructed beside the main dome of the mausoleum after Shah Ismail I was buried beside the grave of Sheikh Safi.

Several parts were gradually added to the main structure during the Safavid dynasty. A number of Safavid sheikhs and harems and victims of the Safavids’ battles, including the Battle of Chaldiran (also known as Chaldoran), have been buried at the site.

Tabriz Bazaar

One of the main trade centers on the Silk Road, the Tabriz Bazaar is located in the city of Tabriz in East Azerbaijan Province, northwest Iran.

The history of the bazaar embodies a perfect traditional system of medieval Iranian Islamic trade.

The Tabriz Bazaar flourished during the 13th century and retained its commercial and administrative status until 1548 when Safavid king Shah Tahmasp I moved his capital to Qazvin.

The bazaar comprises 23 caravanserais, 22 corridors, 20 malls, 28 mosques, 8 madrasahs, 5 bathhouses, 2 icehouses, and a zurkhaneh – a traditional Iranian sports club.

The bazaar has been covered with vaults built with bricks.

Iranian sites on the World Heritage List:

1. Chogha Zanbil, Khuzestan Province, 1979.

2. Persepolis, Fars Province, 1979.

3. Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Isfahan Province, 1979.

4. Takht-e Soleiman, West Azerbaijan Province, 2003.

5. Pasargadae, Fars Province, 2004.

6. The city of Bam and its Cultural Landscape, Kerman Province, 2004.

7. Soltanieh Dome, Zanjan Province, 2005.

8. Bisotun, Kermanshah Province, 2006.

9. Historical churches of St. Thaddeus and St. Stephanus, West Azerbaijan Province, and Dzordzor (Zorzor), East Azerbaijan Province, 2008.

10. Shushtar’s ancient water system, Khuzestan Province, 2009.

11. Mausoleum of Sheikh Safi ad-Din Ardebili, Ardebil Province, 2010.

12. Tabriz Bazaar, East Azarbaijan Province, 2010.

Photo: The mausoleum of Sheikh Safi ad-Din Ardebili (L) and the Tabriz Bazaar (R) were registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 34th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Brasilia on July 31, 2010.

Unity Of Religions

By Mehr News Agency, *American author to speak on unity of religions in Tehran* - Payvand News - USA
Tuesday, August 3, 2010

The author of "Attar and the Persian Sufi Tradition", American Leonard Lewisohn, has been invited to give a lecture entitled "The Exalted Unity of Religions in Persian Literature" in Tehran on August 10.

A senior lecturer in Persian and Sufi literature at British Exeter University, Dr. Lewisohn will deliver his lecture at 5:00 pm at the Institute of Wisdom and Philosophy of Iran.

Lewisohn was one of the winners of the 15th edition of the Islamic Republic of Iran's International Book of the Year Awards for his book "Attar and the Persian Sufi Tradition".

Leonard Lewisohn is an Iran Heritage Foundation fellow and has been a lecturer in classical Persian and Sufi literature at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies of the University of Exeter in England since 2004.

Born in 1953, Lewisohn traveled to Iran in his 20's as an English teacher, but his interest in Persian literature led him to study at the University of Shiraz. He later traveled to London to continue his studies in Persian literature at the School of Oriental & African Studies. He obtained his Ph.D. in Persian literature in 1988.

"The Angels Knocking on the Tavern Door, Thirty Poems of Hafez (2008, coauthored with Robert Bly), "The Heritage of Sufism" (1999) and "Beyond Faith and Infidelity" are some of his published books.

Leonard Lewisohn
'Attar and the Persian Sufi Tradition: The Art of Spiritual Flight
Institute for Ismaili Studies (January 9, 2007)

Product Description:

Farid al-Din 'Attar (d. 1221) was the principal Muslim religious poet of the second half of the twelfth century. Best known for his masterpiece Mantiq al-tayr, or The Conference of Birds, his verse is still considered to be the finest example of Sufi love poetry in the Persian language after that of Rumi.

This volume is the most comprehensive survey of 'Attar's literary works to date, and situates his poetry and prose within the wider context of the Persian Sufi tradition. Sixteen scholars from North America, Europe and Iran illustrate, from a variety of critical perspectives, the full range of 'Attar's monumental achievement.

They show why and how 'Attar's poetical work, as well as his mystical doctrines, wielded such influence over the whole of Persian Sufism.

They also shed light on why the epics and lyrics which declare his radical theology of love are still known by heart and sung by minstrels throughout Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and wherever Persian is spoken or understood.

The Religion Of Love

By IBNA Editor, *"Hafiz and the Religion of Love" to be assessed* - Iran Book News Agency - Iran
Sunday, August 1, 2010

A session will be held on assessing and criticizing the book of "Hafiz and the Religion of Love", edited by Leonard Lewisohn. The meeting is slated to run on Tuesday August 3 in the Book City.

Tehran: Figures as Leonard Lewisohn, Majduddin Keyvani and a group of Hafez researchers and Persian language and literature professors will participate and assess the book.

"Hafiz and the Religion of Love" edited by Leonard Lewisohn has been recently released in New York in English; it holds an introduction and preface authored by the editor and 4 main chapters. The introduction is penned by Peter Avery and it introduces Hafez, biography, his poetry and art.

Dr. Leonard Lewisohn is a Senior Lecturer in Persian and Sufi Literature at Exeter University.

His previous books include *The Angels Knocking on the Tavern Door*, *Thirty Poems of Hafez* (2008, translated with Robert Bly), *Attar and the Persian Sufi Tradition; The Art of Spiritual Flight* (2006, edited with Christopher Shackle), *The Heritage of Sufism, vols 1-3* (1999) and *Beyond Faith and Infidelity: The Sufi Poetry and Teachings of Mahmud Shabistari* (1995).

Peter Avery (May 15, 1923 – October 6, 2008) was an eminent British scholar of Persian and a Fellow of King's College, Cambridge.

The session of assessing and criticizing "Hafiz and the Religion of Love" will be held on Tuesday, August 3 in the cultural center of Book City.

***
Leonard Lewisohn
Hafiz and the Religion of Love in Classical Persian Poetry (International Library of Iranian Studies)
I. B. Tauris (August 31, 2010)

Product Description:

The romantic lyricism of the great Persian poet Hafiz (1315-1390) continues to be admired around the world. Recent exploration of that lyricism by Iranian scholars has revealed that, in addition to his masterful use of poetic devices, Hafiz's verse is deeply steeped in the philosophy and symbolism of Persian love mysticism.

This innovative volume discusses the aesthetic theories and mystical philosophy of the classical Persian love-lyric (ghazal) as particularly exemplified by Hafiz (who, along with Rumi and Sa'di, is Persia's most celebrated poet). For the first time in western literature, Hafiz's rhetoric of romance is situated within the broader context of what scholars refer to as "Love Theory" in Arabic and Persian poetry in particular and Islamic literature more generally.

Contributors from both the West and Iran conduct a major investigation of the love lyrics of Hafiz and of what they signified to that high culture and civilization which was devoted to the School of Love in medieval Persia.

The volume will have strong appeal to scholars of the Middle East, medieval Islamic literature, and the history and culture of Iran.

A Token Of Love

By OI Editor, *Govt releases postage stamp on Shihab Thangal* - One India -India
Monday, August 2, 2010

Government released a commemorative postage stamp on the late Syed Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal, a Kerala Muslim leader and former president of Kerala state committee of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).

The postage stamp was released by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Monday, Aug 2 in New Delhi.

Manmohan Singh described the postage stamp as a small token of love and respect for Shihab Thangal who personified India’s pluralism and commitment to multi-culturalism."As a political leader he contributed to the first successful experiment of coalition politics in India in the form of the Congress-IUML combine," said PM.

PM described the late leader as 'a great son of Kerala'.

Shihab Thangal was a member of the Thangal family who are believed to be descendents of the Prophet Mohammed. He died on 1 Aug 2009.

The stamp was released on his first death anniversary.

Religious Tolerance

By Staff reporter, *Shahbaz Qalandar’s Urs opens* - Samaa News - Pakistan
Sunday, August 1, 2010

Hyderabad: The 758th Urs celebrations of Sufi saint Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar are underway in Sehwan Sharif.

Sindh Aukaf Minister Abdul Haseeb has opened the Urs being attended by thousands of devotees, who gathered here from every nook and corner of the country to attend the annual celebrations.

The Lahore High Court has ordered the Railways authorities to run a special train to take the devotees to the Urs. Special arrangements have been put in place by the provincial government to facilitate the pilgrims. Lungar and Sabeels [free food and milk distribution] are easily accessible all around the shrine.

Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (1177 - 1274), an Afghan Sufi saint, philosopher, poet, and qalandar, was born as Syed Usman Shah Marwandi.

He belonged to the Suhrawardiyya order of Sufis, and was close contemporary to Baha-ud-din Zakariya, Fariduddin Ganjshakar, Syed Jalaluddin Bukhari Surkh-posh of Uchch, and Shams Tabrizi.

He travelled around the Muslim world and had settled in Sehwan (Sindh, Pakistan) and was buried there.

He preached religious tolerance among Muslims and Hindus. Thousands of pilgrims visit his shrine every year, especially at the occasion of his Urs.

Accumulation And Redistribution

By Andreas Eckert, *More than Just Slavery* - Qantara.de - Bonn, Germany
Friday, July 30, 2010

The role of Muslims in the slave trade, both in the middle ages and in modern times, is well known in academic circles. But the variety of Muslim ways of life in Africa goes well beyond that.

In his provocative book "Weltgeschichte der Sklaverei" ("World History of Slavery"), published last year, Egon Flaig describes Islam as "the greatest and most long-lived system of slavery" in history. But in so doing, Flaig, who teaches classical history at Rostock University, tends to ignore the complexity of Muslim slavery, so that he can uphold his basic thesis of a conquering Islam. With regard to Islam in Africa, at least, Flaig could have called upon a long tradition of research on the topic to put the subject better into perspective.

Among the most prominent internationally recognised German academics in the field are Roman Loimeier (University of Göttingen) and Stefan Reichmuth (University of Bochum). Their work and that of many others shows that local versions of community and society were developed on the African continent all of which may have oriented themselves on Islam, but which interpreted it in very different ways.

Variety and complexity are not just characteristic of the development of Muslim societies in the past, but are also typical of the way they present themselves today. The globalisation of Islam by no means only leads to the promotion in Africa of a radical, Islamist interpretation of the religion, but it also opens up a wide range of discussions and traditions to Muslims in this part of the world.

Slaves and unbelievers

Muslims certainly played a central role in the slave trade in Africa. But it would be false to reduce them only to this function. In any case it is problematic to draw a general picture of the attitude of Muslims to the issue of denial of freedom and to the trade in human beings. All interpretations of the Sharia quite clearly forbid the enslavement of fellow-Muslims. At the same time, it was permitted to imprison and to own "unbelievers." As the slave trade increased, it made conversion to Islam increasingly attractive as a defence against enslavement, especially in areas where Muslim traders were selling slaves to Europeans or to middlemen. Occasionally, Muslim slave traders themselves were victims of the violence which was escalating in many parts of the continent, and found themselves sold to Europeans and shipped across the Atlantic.

By far the best overview, offering an introduction to Islam in Africa which is both brief and differentiated, is that by the US historian David Robinson ("Muslim Societies in African History", Cambridge University Press, New York 2004). As the Journal of African History commented, this is the book which brought historical research on Islam in Africa to maturity.

Robinson sees two overlapping processes at work: the Islamisation of Africa, and the Africanisation of Islam. But at the same time, he rejects the view of some scholars that there was a kind of essential "African Islam," which was less orthodox than the Islam of the Arab world, and which included religious practices which stemmed from African communal religious concepts. Robinson argues that most African Muslims have always seen themselves as god-fearing and correct in their practice. They've developed their own "orthodoxies." Robinson suggests that a study of the history of these orthodoxies is important for an understanding of both the variety in the Muslim world, and its urge to unity. In addition, such orthodoxies stand for cultural traditions which, however great the difference, still have much in common with those of European societies.

The role of Sufisim

Robinson's book deals with a period of no less than 1,400 years. A particularly important moment in this long history is the eighteenth century. This is when, according to Robinson, Sufism becomes a dynamic force in sub-Saharan Africa. The Sufi movement, which has followers in most parts of Africa, was introduced by sheikhs who wanted to link their organisational structures with social and spiritual issues. The practice of students giving presents to their teachers was transformed into a system of accumulation and redistribution of wealth by the movement's leader.

For example, Sidi al-Mukhtar al-Kunti, who reinvigorated the Sufi Qadiriyya brotherhood in the Sahara in the eighteenth century, was as much a manager of a trading company as he was a spiritual leader. Following his example, during the following decades, his brotherhood and others like it expanded throughout West Africa. Under the leadership of many Arab and Swahili sheikhs, Sufism also expanded along the East African coast.

Sufi sheikhs repeatedly mobilised their followers for the purposes of political movements and, in the late nineteenth century, many of them were among the bitterest opponents of European colonial expansion. Even earlier than that, sheikhs in the savannas of West Africa declared military jihad against African rulers and started a century of religious wars.

Many of these jihads took the form of internal revolts, in which local Muslims called into question the authority of traditional rulers. This was the case in one of the most well-known holy wars of African history: at the beginning of the nineteenth century, in which Usman dan Fodio called for resistance against the tyranny and exploitation in the Hausa states of northern Nigeria.

He won many followers, who joined him out of social discontent and fear of enslavement. At the end of the jihad, after just a few years, the Sokoto Caliphate emerged, which was to become one of the most important regimes in nineteenth-century West Africa and one of the greatest slave societies in history.

European colonialism and Islamic expansion

Many studies note the ironic fact that Islam actually expanded during the colonial period. During colonial rule, Sufi brotherhoods were significant vehicles for spreading the faith, and they show that Islamisation did not have to be dependent on jihad or on an Islamic state.

In a fascinating study of a Sufi community in French West Africa, Sean Hanretta emphasises the importance for the development of Islamic practices of the local economic context, as well as of the lively and controversial discussion as to the right way for pious people to counter social injustice ("Islam and Social Change in French West Africa. History of an Emancipatory Community", Cambridge University Press, New York 2009).

In the early twentieth century there were occasional coalitions between Muslims and the colonial state, for example, in the recruitment of soldiers for the French army in the First World War. Later Mussolini, who made himself out to be a "friend of Islam," used the disappointment of Muslims in the Horn of Africa to win support for his short-lived regime in Ethiopia.

At the same time, in many places, radical Muslim thinkers and activists were strongly opposed to colonial regimes and sharply criticised their more moderate fellow-believers. They called for the (re-)introduction of sharia law and firmly rejected what they saw as "Western values." This continued after independence, as one can see in Nigeria.

As Johannes Harnischfeger has shown ("Demokratisierung und islamisches Recht. Der Scharia-Konflikt in Nigeria" ["Democratisation and Islamic law: the sharia conflict in Nigeria"], Campus, Frankfurt am Main 2006), many Nigerian states reintroduced Islamic law. Sharia politicians have taken hold of the levers of power in the state and, in the name of divine commandments, set themselves above secular law. They have forced believers to adopt an orthodox lifestyle, and don't take seriously their public commitment to cultural variety.

The case of East Africa

Finally, the countries of East Africa, among them Tanzania, have come under the suspicion of producing an increasing number of radical Muslims. But why and how do people in this area convert to Islam? Felicitas Becker tries to find answers to this question in her historically wide-ranging study ("Becoming Muslim in Mainland Tanzania 1890-2000", Oxford University Press 2008).

Becker believes that people from rural areas became Muslim voluntarily during the colonial period. In many regions of Tanzania, she says, becoming Muslim had a similar significance to becoming Christian in other areas: it was an act of emancipation and brought with it a claim to join in the negotiation of local power relationships. Many Muslims saw themselves later as part of the nationalist movements of their country, although they complained bitterly at their systematic exclusion from power after independence by the first (Christian) president of Tanzania, Julius Nyerere.

The current situation in the country is marked by conflicts between various Muslim tendencies, which are also conflicts over resources, between generations and between the sexes. Becker's book makes it clear that generalised descriptions of "Islam" don't explain anything. One has to make a careful effort to differentiate and to put things into context. As far as Africa is concerned, the books which would help us to do just that are already available.

Pictures:

Quantum leap for historical research into Islam in Africa: David Robinson's "Muslim Societies in African History" published in 2004. Photo: Google Books.

"Islamisation of Africa, Africanisation of Islam": This Persian miniature shows Bilal, an Ethiopian slave and early follower of Mohammed. His image is used in veneration of the African influence on Islam. Photo: Wiki.

To Change And Transform

By Aslihan Kössekoglu *Robert Frager: an old American and a new Sufi* - Today's Zaman - Istanbul, Turkey
Sunday, August 1, 2010

He is an American professor of psychology, a former Jew, a new Muslim and a Jerrahi sheik. Can all these seemingly contradictory words come together to tell the story of a man?

Robert Frager studied psychology and founded his own school in California. After a zikir ceremony, he met with the Turkish dervishes and was very impressed. he has been a member of the Jerrahi community ever since.

Yes, if this is the life of Robert Frager. Frager, who is the founder of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and the author of “Heart, Self and Soul: The Sufi Psychology of Growth, Balance, and Harmony,” is known in Turkey as “Sheik Ragıp.” Frager spoke to psychology experts at Kim Psikoloji last Saturday and gave us an interesting interview on his life.

You established the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in 1975. What was the starting point for the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology?
It is an academic institute that provides graduate and postgraduate training to students. Before I established the institute, I was interested in a number of areas such as meditation and yoga. I lived in Japan and learned aikido. I and a friend of mine were discussing what we can do for new students and what training we can provide to them. We concluded that we should provide a two-faceted training to students by teaching them yoga, aikido and other physical disciplines and religious doctrines as spiritual doctrines. In 1975, we founded the institute with almost no funds and with only 17 students. Currently, the school has grown considerably and has students from all over the world. Its basic philosophy: Education must target all aspects of human beings. It should not focus only on mental faculties. It must also concentrate on the human soul. At the same time, education should be able to effect changes on people. Otherwise, we face what the Quran refers to as a scholar loaded with information, who is likened to a donkey loaded with books. The purpose of my school is to change and transform human beings.

You established the institute five years after you were introduced to Sufism. What was the impact of Sufism on the institute? Can we say, for instance, that it has made contributions to it?
I hope that it has made contributions to me, first. If it has any effect on me, I would be a good teacher and a good executive at the institute.

You are a Jerrahi sheik and known in Turkey as Sheik Ragıp. What changed in your life after you met with Muzaffer Özak Hocaefendi, the head of the Jerrahi order?
It is hard to describe how I changed, but I can say it was an interesting moment. We had wanted to see Muzaffer Efendi and his dervishes as our guests in the US. We were willing to see the zikir (remembrance of God) ceremonies at Stanford University. (The institute is located opposite the university.) There were numerous women with headscarves and men with skullcaps. When I saw them, I thought, “These should be the Turkish dervishes.” At that moment, I was the president of the institute and I was very busy. As I was talking on the phone, the door of my room was ajar and a man passed by the door. He did not stop, but we caught each other’s eyes for an instant from that the small gap. Suddenly, time stopped for me. It was a very strange experience. It was as if that man knew everything I had done in the past and even the phone call I was making at that moment. I wished he were Muzaffer Efendi. Because if he were a dervish and Muzaffer Efendi were his sheik, I would not be able bear with it. Because it would have been something very powerful.

What impressed you so much at that moment?
What I saw in him at first glance was wisdom and power. I had met a host of spiritual guides because of my position at the school. I had known numerous Jewish, Christian and Buddhist mystics. Many of them had taught me many things and some of them I had liked very much. But Muzaffer Efendi was totally different from them. What I felt was that that teaching affected all my life. I could feel it even in the first year. When I heard that he would pay a visit to our institute, I would cancel my entire program so that I could spend some time with him.

When did you see him again?
He came to the institute again one year later. We greeted them at the airport, giving them gifts. What I knew by heart was that I loved the dervishes and Muzaffer Efendi. I had no information about Sufism until I heard an interesting conversation between a young woman and Muzaffer Efendi. “Can an American be a dervish?” she asked Muzaffer Efendi. He listened to her attentively and replied, as if to reflect like a mirror what she asked, “Yes, an American can be a dervish.” Obviously, this was what she had intended. Then, the woman asked, “Can a person living in the US be your dervish?” Listening carefully once again, he replied, repeating the question, “Yes, a person living in the US can be my dervish.” Finally, the woman asked, “Can I be your dervish?” and started to cry. Muzaffer Efendi said, “You have already become my spiritual daughter.” When I heard this, I thought to myself, what if I could become his spiritual son? I was confused, and the woman’s crying had affected me deeply, and I went to my room and cried secretly. During that day, I would go to my room to cry whenever I remember that moment. These cries were different. They were not coming due to sadness. Rather, they came from a deep enthusiasm.

***

‘Crying is good. We all cry’

How long did it last?
In the evening, I asked one of the dervishes to come to my room. And I asked him, “Can I be a dervish of the sheik?” and started to cry again. “Crying is good. We all cry,” the dervish said. The next day, no one said anything to me and I had no idea as to what happened. There was a zikir ceremony on the next night. Then, I thought about whether I could attend the ceremony. But I realized that I did not know anything about zikir. After the zikir, Muzaffer Efendi said some supplications. Like everyone, I closed my eyes and raised my hands during the supplication. I did not understand anything he said, but it was a strange experience. It was as if light was pouring from somewhere down on me. Then, Muzaffer Efendi said, “This supplication is for you, and you are being accepted to the order.”

What were your ideas about Islam at that time?
I had strange ideas in my mind on the night I was accepted to the order. I still did not think I should stop being a Jew. And I still practiced yoga and meditation. These were my parts of me and I continued to preserve them. If they had told me to quit them, I perhaps would not have been able to comply. But after the supplication, no one said a single thing to me implying that I should do anything. Still I was aware that this would eventually happen, as it was a natural process. It felt that I was traveling on a dangerous road with ups and downs.

When did you become a Muslim, then?
I had professed faith on that night, but it took several months for me to comprehend what it really meant. What did being a dervish or a Muslim mean? Should I pray? How should I do it? I did not know anything. In March, I professed faith, and a dervish came from New York in April. And I started learn how to pray.

***

‘Sufism taught me that everything is in one’s heart in a short time’

There are cases in which psychology, which is a social science, can benefit from positive sciences. You argue that 21st century psychology should focus more on the spiritual beliefs of man. Have you received reactions from positive scientists?
Sure. When I started to show interest in transpersonal psychology, I was working at the University of California, and I had a rising career for 10 years. In retrospect, it sounds crazy, but after 10 years I decided to establish my own school. Because I believed that psychology should accommodate spiritual traditions as well and we could not do this at that university.

As a Western scholar and a professor of psychology, which aspects of Sufism’s impact on human psychology impressed you most?
Sufism is not being dramatic. It means being a real man. Some people may have great spiritual experiences, but this is like watching a movie. After the movie, nothing changes and everything stays the same in life. Few films can make one a good father or mother. The progress one can make in real life is much more important than such special spiritual experiences. Such as treating the people at work positively and doing one’s responsibilities at work better.

You are an American and your wife is a Turk. How did you meet?
I met my wife at the Jerrahi lodge in New York. At that time, she was visiting the same lodge.

You are also interested in sports. You have the rank of seventh dan in aikido, and you even taught aikido for some time. Does your interest in aikido continue?
I learned aikido from its founder in Japan in 1964. I still teach aikido. All my psychology students are supposed to learn aikido from me. I also teach aikido to businessmen. What I learned from the Japanese is that they carry everything in their belts, but from Sufism I learned that everything is in one’s heart.

What Is Real

By Ayse Bektasoglu and Vahide Ulusoy, *Robert Frager on psychology from viewpoint of Sufism* - World Bulletin - Istanbul, Turkey
Friday, July 30, 2010

Founder of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Professor Robert Frager evaluates human growth comparatively.

Psychology and Sufism, both investigates for the inner mysteries of humans and suggest some ways to help them improve their lives. Robert Frager, who has both, Sufi and psychologist hats, evaluated human growth comparatively.

Founder of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in California, Professor Frager, paid a visit to his wife’s country, Turkey. So we could find an opportunity to meet him. We have too many question in our minds to a man who is a Sheikh, a spiritual guide and also psychologist; but we had to be quick because of a time lag.

He has spent his years in mystic path of various traditions from East to West until he met a Turkish Sufi Sheikh, Muzaffer Ozak. Than he choose to become a Sufi Dervish. During years in searching he perceived the spiritual need of an individual is as important as his other aspects, that modern psychology focus on, for personal development and change.

Change, what the Freudian approach nearly avoids, is the basic concept of the young Transpersonal Psychology (formally founded in 1975), according to Frager who exemplified the caterpillar’s adventure. A caterpillar, which has no idea about being a butterfly, spins its cocoon, Frager told the audience, the young and enthusiastic Turkish psychologists in a speech just several minutes after our interview. It loses everything (its form!) that it had before in this cocoon where it has still no idea of what is happening. It achieves a new form and becomes a butterfly after all this process. Being in a cocoon can be very very hard, Frager told us after our interview; however, it can be even more difficult without knowing what happens.

Wearing a white shirt and cute eyeglasses, he told us in a very smooth appearance that: “Today’s psychologists are interested in the caterpillar!” “They don’t see the other side of the process, becoming the butterfly,” he said, “so they can think that the client is in depression.” However, the self also changes like a caterpillar. People experience death and birth many times whereas the caterpillar has only one chance for rebirth! Transpersonal psychology that has still developed, try to look at whole process, Frager emphasizes.

“Ego loves dramas”

WB [World Bulletin]: What do Sufi experiences add to a person's worldview, and to a person's coping abilities with daily problems?

R.F. [Robert Frager]: Well, as I said earlier, I think Sufism works, it has an effect when people are better fathers and mothers, husbands and wives. People's hearts open. And they are kind to each other. These are our foundation for everything. And I see people really grow, they become more mature. They have more faith, you know, more sensitive “tevekkul”, “tavbah” (pledge from Allah) they really repair their mistakes... To me there is a very real that they are not dramatic. But, I think “not dramatic” is better than dramatic. Because the ego, “nefs”, loves dramatic, loves drama. Typically terrible facts: dramas. Is that making sense?

WB: Yes.

R.F.: Good! (He laughes)

WB: It is interesting to hear the relation between nefs and dramas.

R.F.: Also, I often ask my Dervishes: “What happens during Ramadan? Why is Ramadan such a gift?” What happens during Ramadan is “Nefs” as we struggle every day. It says “Feed me! Give something to eat! I'm hungry! I'm thirsty!” You know than they get very clever. You have to do it because you are working. You know, they come up with all very clever arguments. And so highly would you know what than happenings? We handle it saying “No, it's Ramadan. I'm not forget it!” Nefs tries but than gets figures out. No chance! It's Ramadan. There are not gonna eat, there are not gonna drink until Iftar.

So, than the nefs says “You are fasting but she is not fasting! You are better than her. Well you are fasting, maybe you should tell people it works that you are fasting.” You know all? percent? to feed our pride. And it's hard. Because you fall for that one. “Oh, look at that! How can they do that? They are drinking. I'm fasting.” So, even if we fight the nefs saying drink and eat, we fall enter this other trap: Pride. So that's why, same thing, some people compound the Dervishes. (So, same thing, it happens among Dervishes.) “Oh I do remember Allah. They don't remember.”

WB: What common fault!

R.F.: Yes, yes... It’s one of the great weapons of the ego...

“The psychotherapy has always no word on your relationship with Allah. It is all what is your relationship with your mother, your father, your husband, your child. But how about your relationship with Allah?”

WB: What are the essential differences between guidance manner of a Sufi path / Sheikh and psychotherapy?

R.F.: Oh boy! Between spiritual guidance, being Sheikh in Sufi path, and psychotherapy? (He laughes) I can try to answer. In many ways, psychotherapy and spiritual guidance -if you just took a minute of psychotherapy session or spiritual guidance- will look as the same thing. Someone is deeply listening to someone else. Someone encourages the other persons to think about their life. That senses the same. However, there are differences. For example, the psychotherapy has always no word on your relationship with Allah. It is all what is your relationship with your mother, your father, your husband, your child. But how about your relationship with Allah? You know, that's the relationship is some ways in the foundation. It says everything in this world reflects them. Well if we can't heal, make more mature, the relation with Allah so, how can we have mature relationship with anything, with anyone? So, that would not come up with therapy but it has come up in a spiritual guidance.

The one big difference between the guidance that I do as a Sheikh and as a spiritual guide outside. As a Sheikh, I represent the tarikat and I represent the Sharia, also. And so I have to answer people. I can't say “Tell me what you believe! Oh people .. oh that's nice...” You know, I have to say “No I'm sorry that's haram.” Sometimes I have to say to my Dervishes I have to tell you “According to the Sharia, that's not allowed. You have to make your own decision.” I won't tell someone “You can't.” Because the people have to make their own decisions. But I would tell them “According to Sharia, that's false.” Whereas, usually, as a therapist you don't do that.

WB: So, these are the main differences between them.

R.F.: Yes. Sometimes you say “Enough!” “Yeter!” (enough in Turkish) (He laughes) It is much more directive. That's haram. Sometimes there is a shake I will say enough. Almost never do that as a therapist.

“In many ways, how can they (the therapists) help someone with faith when they don't have faith.”

WB: I want to ask something from the side of the clients. In Turkey, devoted people don't want to go to a therapist. Because they think that a therapist from another worldview can not help their selves.

R.F..: Right... exactly... They are half right. Something with therapist can help even they are more secular. There are something. But in many ways, how can they help someone with faith when they don't have faith.

WB: On the other side, some clients say they know they have problems. But they think that they have problems because of their Iman (faith). “I have less Iman, so I have many problems. This is not a business of a therapist,” they complain.

R.F.: Yeah. That's why spiritual guidance would be good. In the Unites States many people think they should go to someone who cares about the spirituality. But therapists have no training. In regular therapy there is no training of spirituality.

“Everybody is searching for Allah whether they call themselves as Muslims, Christians, Jewish or secular. Everybody has that same Ruh (Soul). Never said Allah choose the Ruh the one person up to another. I think we are all searching for Truth for Ya Hakk. Whether we know or not…”

WB: And another question from the side of other clients, for instance, more secular clients... Can they get some help from the transpersonal psychology, if they choose?

R.F.: The deeper question is “Are they ready to work with a spiritual guide?” You know I think everybody is searching for Allah whether they call themselves as Muslims, Christians, Jewish or secular. Everybody has that same Ruh (Soul). Never said Allah choose the Ruh the one person up to another. I think we are all searching for Truth for Ya Hakk. Whether we know or not…

I think ideally spiritual guidance would be good for everyone. But some people are not ready to hear that. So you have to ask: “Do I really want it?” I mean, it's hard enough to work on Iman even if you want it. If you are not ready to hear it, you know, than to have a spiritual guidance does not work.

“Wait wait! What do you mean by ego.”

WB: In modern life, there are some favorite concepts or notions such as strong ego, self-confidence and the other things that people want to own them. For a client who thinks with these concepts so far, is difficult to discover and disclose his spiritual aspects?

R.F.: It is very big paradox: What is ego? Every psychologist defines it differently. You know, so, when you say “ego strength”, “self confident” that one thing, you know, when it seems the opposite when you say “humility”. The gap is there.

But, they are two different concepts. So, that’s why in English, I, instead of saying ‘ego’, I usually say “narcissistic ego, self-centered ego”, you know that that is a particular kind of ego, leveller ego. It is not the same as ego strength, it is very different.

I did an interview in a magazine about spirituality. It was on ego. They ask spiritual teachers, they ask regular psychologists, they ask transpersonal psychologists, and they ask me. It was a very funny interview, because, called the man had two hats, am I psychology hat, am I sheikh hat? (he laughes).

What was fascinating was everybody interviewed, they are all know, you have to kill the ego, you have to build up the ego, ego was bad, ego is important, but nobody ever say; “Wait wait! What do you mean by ego.” So, of course they were talking about something different.

WB: And, after all, does a therapist who uses transpersonal approach, have to follow a Sufi path or another spiritual guidance?

R.F.: No, no, of course not! To me, spiritual guidance almost as a specialty within transpersonal therapy, just like some transpersonal therapists, may be Jungian who worked with dreams or you know, so, some transpersonal psychotherapists may have spiritual guidance training and learn more about how do you talk about faith, talk about spirituality. So, I see as a specialty they certainly go ahead to be simply this. I think they have to be genuinely interested in spirituality, and they have to work on their own spirituality in whatever system they choose.

“It (“Ruh” in everyone’s hearth) is that everyone has what Jung called ‘the Self’. The same thing… Everyone has wisdom within them, everybody has knowledge within them. But the neurosis is like a veil over those things, but it’s not real, it is never over.”

WB: What are the prominent features of transpersonal psychotherapy in comparison to other approaches in psychotherapy?

R.F.: Well, I think, transpersonal psychotherapy begins with the understanding that we just talked about the “Ruh” in everyone’s heart. It is that everyone has what Jung called ‘the Self’. The same thing… Everyone has wisdom within them, everybody has knowledge within them. But the neurosis is like a veil over those things, but it’s not real. So, the job of the therapist is to uncover what is real in a person, which is their spirituality.

The psychotherapists, I think, often get stuck with the neurosis. I mentioned last week, you know, Freud’s very famous example, someone asked when is psychotherapy over? And he said, well, either when the patient dies or the therapist dies. Because, if all you think about is neurosis, it is never over. There is always gonna be something more cleaned up, but, I think it is an endless cycle, I think transpersonal psychology has the notion that there is health in the person. You know, there is wisdom, there is a soul. You look carefully Freudian, there is no place for that in Freudian psychology.

I mean there is the id which is all place of the body and drives, there is the ego which moderates the drives and serves the id, there is the superego which is neurotic. But where is the self? Where is anything healthy? None of those three is healthy. Look carefully! And so there is an endless struggle. You know, it is like inner ‘jihad’.

But, you know it is Freudian ‘cihad’, it is not the ‘jihad’ of Resullallah (s.a.v.). Different things! So, you know, I think, unconsciously that is their traditional therapy, there is a kind of pessimist to put it technically, if you look at ‘object relations’ for example, they say in a sense there is a hole that never can be filled up. You try to fill it up, taking this, taking that... It is fundamentally endless vacuum, endless hole. That's the negative side of the Freudian psychology. Another modern interpretation of it. We think there is not a hole, there is light, there is ‘nur’. Big difference!

WB: Thank you for the interview.

Wine

By Syed Md. Azmal Hussain, *Two Arab poets: Umar Ibn al Farid and Ibn al Rumi* - The New Nation - Dacca, Bangladesh
Friday, July 30, 2010

The usual form of Arabic poetry that we see in the modern era was not the same at the beginning when some of Arabic poets started producing poems as a new form or literature. It was like 'prose of flowing events' or 'Saj'.

Arabic literature thrived during the Abbasid era (750-1258 A.D.).

The Arab poets introduced the Arabic literature to the world in a new dimension. Many new themes were being upheld in the Arabic poetry the then. It is said that Muhallil Bin Rabyi (related to Taghlib caste) was the first to compose Arabic poem. The poem that Muhallil composed on his brother's death is known to be the first Arabic poem (510-550) that caused the other literary figures to think of such a new outlet to explore.

As time passed by, mystic and philosophical terms gained popularity among the lovers of poetry that gave them both aesthetic and moral pleasures.

One of the most prominent poets during this era are Junayed Al Baghdadi (death- 910 A.D.), Abu Bakar Shibli (861 - 948 A.D.), Umar Ibn-al Farid (1181- 1233 A.D.), Ibn-al Rumi [not to be confused with Jalal ad Din Rumi] 835-897 A.D.) etc. All of them didn't deal with the same topics in their poetry.

Mysticism, Sufism, Philosophy, Love, Wine, Beauty were the major themes covered in Arabic poetry at that time.

Arab poets, by their knack of kneading words into fine lyrical frame of poetry, gained the Arabic literature popularity in the Arab as well as the outer world.

Ibn-al Farid and Ibn-al Rumi's contributions at that time played a very important role in the Arabic literature.

Umar Ibn-al Farid's poetry mainly centered on mysticism. The characteristics that are found in his poetry as a mystic poet are as follows:

He had his own doctrine about God's existence and His oneness.
He said, "The spiritual life is authentic and real, whereas this life (earth) is nothing but just an illusion."
He believed that the soul is eternal and the body is transitory.
He always sought the existence of God.
He believed that God exists within every creature's soul.
He left all earthly pleasures in search of God.
He considered God as his lover and expressed his devotion to him.
He believed in pantheism (belief that God is all).

He always talked about these themes in his poetry one way or another. His language delivery in poetry is so finely toned and tuned that it gives the readers an impression as if they were listening to some kind of harmonious song. This is the reason that made him the best Mystic poets of Abbasid period. His poems are composed in such beautiful rhythmic patterns that can only be compared with the ones of Jalaluddin Rumi (672H-1272 A.D.). No poet wrote mystic poems in such a great number that he did.

His poetry has very deep connotations that can only touch a reader's heart when he is totally engrossed in the poem and its meaning. Each time one reads his poem, one unveils a new world of mystery. He wrote hundreds of 'Khamriya' that have been compiled in Diwan (a collection of poems in a book is called Diwan).

Ibn-al Farid seemed to be heavily influenced by the fabled mathematician and Rubayat writer Umar Khayam (517H-1123AD). Some of his Rubayat in his Diwan are similar to Umar Khayam's in terms of their rhythmic pattern. Among his poems, three are considered as his best works of the Arabic literature, i.e.

a) Al Faia, which is the 14th poem of Diwan.
b) Al Lamia, which is the 10th poem of his Diwan.
c) Al Kafi, which is the 15th poem of his Diwan.

Ibn-al Rumi is a poet who is often confused by another famous Persian poet of the 12th century, Jalaluddin Rumi. He, however, was quite distinct in writing poetry and prose. He had his own style of poetry that can't be found similar to the ones written by Jalaluddin Rumi.

Ibn al Rumi mostly contributed in writing poetry. There is a collection of his poems in Diwan as well. This book's first part was published in 1917 A.D. in Cairo. Later some of his selected poems were published in a volume which contained 500 pages.

The theme of his poetry was quite different. He, unlike Ibn-al Farid, wrote poems that were subjects of earthly incidents. Nature's beauty, slander, mourning, praise were the main themes of his poetry. His poem's language was readerly or close, i.e. one wouldn't find it much hard to interpret his poems as they were written in simple form of language.

He indicated many advices, criticisms by using indirect but easy examples in his poetry. To advise the Qadria community he said: "Good things are done by good people. Therefore, if you help someone, you would be helped in return. Similarly, if you swindle someone, you would be treated the same. So your grudge against someone is actually your own destruction."

He talked about youth this way: "I have observed joy and black hair in my youth. It causes you daydream that helps you pass the night. Therefore, when the night ends, your happiness ends too. It leaves you noting but ashes of dream."

The main characteristics of Ibn-al Rumi's poetry are as follows:

He has examined many forms of arts in his poetry.
His love poems contain hundreds of stanzas.
His praising words are preceded by an introductory stanza.
His poems were written in ancient form.
He wrote poetry on earthly subjects.

Although we can not match the two poets' works considering their style of language and pattern of rhyme, they truly are the pioneer poets of Abbasid period.

The practice of poetry in Arabic literature culminated through the path they had shown.

His Time Has Come

By Amanda Quraishi, *"Flowers of the Heart" Celebrates Spirit and Skill* - Illume - USA
Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Deeply rooted in his Sufi beliefs the songs on this album offer a small peek into the infinite depth and breadth of faith, love, and humanity inherent to the subcontinent.

A few years ago Ustad Ghulam Farid Nizami was honored to be able to perform traditional Pakistani classical music during one of President George W. Bush's visits to Pakistan.The former president was so inspired by the performance that he immediately extended an invitation for Nizami to come to America to share his gift.

This opportunity may have come as a surprise to some, but years earlier Nizami's shaykh and spiritual teacher predicted that he would leave Pakistan and take the message of his music to the west. His time has come.

Despite being unable to speak English, Nizami left his home and arrived in the U.S. on a Fullbright Scholarship to teach music at the University of Texas.

He quickly acquired a working knowledge of the language and became a favorite among his UT students. With a soft-spoken demeanor, a humble genius and an unearthly talent he shares his brilliant mastery of Classical Indian, Ghazal, Geet, Qawwali, Bhajan, Pakistani Folk and Sufi music with us as casually as if he were having a conversation with our hearts.

In fact, his latest album entitled "Flowers of the Heart" is the culmination of his spiritual teacher's admonition to become a "sweeper of hearts" in the west and to forward the message of world peace and harmony amongst humanity.

Deeply rooted in his Sufi beliefs the songs on this album offer a small peek into the infinite depth and breadth of faith, love, and humanity inherent to the subcontinent. Those interested in truly understanding the Pakistani soul can’t overlook the passion and meaning behind these centuries-old songs.

On "Flowers of the Heart" Nizami plays sitar, tabla, and harmonium and provides all vocal talent. The album contains seven highly diverse songs which show off his range of musical skill and knowledge. Traditional rags, Rajasthani folk songs, and even a track containing instructional tabla variations keep the disc constantly fresh and demanding attention from the listener.

The dual threat of Taliban rule and an influx of Bollywood-infused pop music has caused Pakistan’s rich classical music tradition to have to fight valiantly for its survival. Thanks to masters like Ustad Ghulam Farid Nizami and those who wish to see the music live on, future generations in Pakistan and around the world will be able to appreciate this great art.

Nizami is currently working to establish his own school of musical instruction. The Nizami School of Sufi Music in Austin, Texas offers private and group lessons for students of all ages.

Learn more about Ustad Ghulam Farid Nizami, find out where you can see him perform live, or book him for your event on his official website. Buy Flowers of the Heart at cdbaby or digstation.

With A Lot Of Love

By Afzal Bhat/ANI, *Locals in Kashmir valley celebrate Sufi saint's Urs* - Sify News - India
Thursday, July 29, 2010

Hundreds of people thronged the shrine of Sufi saint Fareed-Ud-Din Ganjshakar to celebrate the last day of the 'Urs Mubarak' fair on Thursday in Uri town, of Baramullah district, Jammu and Kashmir.

The Urs, or death anniversary fair, began on Monday and concluded on Thursday.

People from different parts of the country as well as from Pakistan-Administered Kashmir came to the fair pray.

"Every year many people come and pray at the shrine of Baba Fareed-ud-din. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, every one comes here. People come from Delhi as well as Azad Kashmir (Pakistan Administered Kashmir)," said Rafiq Ahmad, the organizer.

The shrine of Baba Fareed-Ud-Din Ganjshakar is also a fine example of communal harmony.
"We all prayed for peace as we all want peace. People come here with a lot of love. People belonging to different faiths come," said Suraj Prakash, a devotee.

It is believed by locals that Baba Fareed-Ud-Din Ganjshakar came to the area in 664 A.D. spending about 40 years.

[Picture: Shrine of Hazrat Baba Fareed Shakar Ganj. Photo: Wiki]

A Source Of Strength

By Shujaat Bukhari, *Thousands mourn Sopore saint* - The Hindu - India
Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Srinagar: Thousands of people on Tuesday joined the funeral prayers of the famous Sopore saint, Peer Abdul Ahad, popularly known as Ahad Bab. He passed away on Monday after a brief illness. He was 80.

Ahad Bab was a source of strength to his followers in Kashmir. A naked fakir, he was known to remain without clothes even in sub zero temperatures. He blessed hundreds at his Sopore residence almost daily. The visitors included people from all faiths.

Ahad Bab, though not liked by some radical Islamists, kept the rich Sufi tradition alive. Stories have been told about him passing safely through volleys of bullets during firefights. He symbolised the tolerant Sufi order and his residence was attacked unsuccessfully at least twice by unknown militants.

His residence was filled with his followers and disciples, including women and children, wailing over his passing.

“We lost the real strength of our spiritual power,” said Hanifa who had been visiting him for the last 25 years.

“In these years of conflict he was the source of encouragement for us, and he would submit to Allah through his power” said another follower.

His body was kept in a room at his residence and the sea of people who had come from all across the valley and even other parts of India were allowed a last glimpse.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in a condolence message offered his sympathies to the saint's bereaved family and devotees. Governer N.N. Vohra expressed grief over his death.

Their Love For God

By James Poulter, *WOMAD Review: Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali * - The Epoch Times - USA
Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali is a performance quite unlike any other. Two devotional singers, two harmonium players, and a simply exceptional tabla player accompanied by five handclapping backing singers, create a wall of sound that mesmerises and enraptures.

The rhythms are magnificent, multi-layered, rich and varied. The harmony is flawless, with the two principal singers leading the call and response.

The lead vocalists come from a direct family line of Qawwali musicians which spans over five centuries, and the tradition of Qawwali music itself dates back 1000 years.

Qawwali is the devotional music of the Sufi mystics of Islam, which initially spread from the Gulf States to the Indian sub-continent, and is now enjoyed all over the world.

Brothers Rizwan and Muazzam, the devotional singers, are the nephews of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, generally considered to be the greatest Qawwali singer of them all. The brothers consider themselves torchbearers of this heritage, and take their responsibilities very seriously.

Despite performing sitting on the ground, the traditional Qawwali style, the energy created by the music is immense, and many of the crowd at the BBC Radio 3 stage were clapping their hands and swaying, with some dancing.

The singers at times entered an almost trance like state, and their hand movements and gestures were expressive and fluid. At times tears were shed as they attempted to convey their love for God.

Each song was epic, changing rhythms and styles many times, threatening to end and then continuing, ebbing and flowing from periods of quiet devotion to intense vibrancy, and by the end even the audience members that remained seated were exhausted.

Transcending narrow cultural, linguistic and religious barriers, a crowd of various ages, backgrounds and races enjoyed the traditional renditions, performed in Urdu, Punjab, and the Persian language Parsi.

Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali are firm favourites at WOMAD [World of Music, Art and Dance], and it was their performance here as teenagers in the late 1990s that brought them to international prominence.

Picture: Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali at WOMAD. Photo: Pete Hodge/TET