When I was invited to lead a session introducing the Quran at a weekend retreat, in the first week of November 2002, at Lattendales I was honoured and very excited. I began to read widely and found the task exhilarating, but peppered with solemnity because I was going to introduce the word of God.
Initially, when I began to put ink to paper, I felt that I was merely going to present a rehash of other people’s words and convey a ‘second hand experience’. I was desperate that the participants should have an authentic experience of the Quran coloured with their own psyches.
Thankfully, the Divine inspired me with a new strategy that comprised of an ‘INNER & OUTER’ dialogue. I selected my favourite verses that were tinged with mysticism because I knew my audience believed that there was ‘GOD WITHIN ALL OF US’, i.e. a transcendental and immanent reality. My plan was to begin with a short introduction of the Quran covering history and semantics, after which I would ask my friends to engage in a simple colour meditation which would open up their souls while I read the Arabic script i.e. INNER DIALOGUE. Finally we would have an open discussion, i.e. OUTER DIALOGUE.
I spent several sleepless nights before I was going to travel and kept fine-tuning my script. I was taking a mini library with me and hoped to do some further reading on the journey. However, I had forgotten that the long nights of winter had begun and I spent the two-hour journey in darkness! On the other hand my Quaker friends illuminated the journey with their hearts. We discussed everything from opera, Meister Eckhart, Mormonism, to polygamy while chewing on jelly babies.
When we arrived I got out nervously from the car while the others made their way confidently into Lattendales as if coming home. When I entered I was welcomed to a landing that was beautifully furnished and reminiscent of Woodbrooke. It felt as if I was in 1930’s rural England still untouched by the industrial revolution. It was the ideal location for my soul, and I spent the weekend travelling deep into my childhood.
The first morning session introduced the Psalms. It was my first exposure to them, and I was mesmerised especially when Chris, a Friend I met at Woodbrooke over the summer, read Psalm 137. It covered the universal theme of pining for the Divine. Had I not known that it was written by a Psalmist, I could easily have mistaken it for a piece of Sufi poetry written by Rumi.
The second session introduced the Book of Revelation. I found many similarities between the latter and Islamic Eschatology. It is worthwhile noting that Muslims also believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Whether the graphic and disturbing imagery in the Christian and Islamic tradition is to be taken literally or symbolically is debatable, but I feel that the doomsday scenario is within all of us. We spend our lives running away from it rather than trying to transform it into the Garden of Eden now. Why wait for the second coming of Jesus (peace be upon him)?
I think my session went well. My friends were supportive and asked probing questions which gave further avenues for exploration. I am grateful that they gave me the opportunity to express my faith without having to apologise for it.
Personally the highlight for me was the last day of the retreat when Margaret talked about her inspirational grandfather. Not only did she ooze humility but above all I enjoyed her presence. She spoke with great clarity and truth. In my own culture senior citizens are analogous to trees that give shade. Margaret is a great English Oak. In short she is a text book example of an enlightened being shining for all.
I was blessed with another momentous Sufi Moment which, with hindsight, was an extension of what I had experienced at Woodbrooke. During my stay there I was deeply impressed by my course instructor called Marion and gave her my childhood prayer and meditation mat. During morning worship she got up and read from a book containing Quaker Advices & Queries. The quote was from an author who had been in an inter-faith meeting. He had explained how Quakers pray (by sitting in silence), and a Muslim lady interrupted stating that he was insulting God and himself because he was not prostrating. He accepted what the lady had said and decided that he would one day prostrate in a Quaker meeting.
Marion put the book down and spread the mat on the floor. I was watching in complete silence and was getting very emotional. She explained that she would do her Buddhist prostrations. Those latter moments were pure ecstasy for me, especially when I thought that a Quaker was doing Buddhist prostrations on a Muslims prayer mat in the presence of God!
Afterwards she came to me and timidly said that perhaps she should have been facing east towards Mecca and the Kaaba (a black cube building which Muslims face for daily five prayers). I exclaimed, ‘No! Marion, the Kaaba of the heart is the most important thing’. God is within and without everywhere.
I later told her that she had given me a spiritual wound because when I think about those moments I am driven to tears. She educated me that the word ‘blessing’ is derived from the Latin for spiritual wound. I related the whole incident to my mother, who is my spiritual mentor; she explained to me that I had experienced an outward truth called FANNA FILLAH – Annihilation in the Godhead. Before the latter realisation the potential Sufi will initially dissolve in his Master and then into the Light of Muhammed (pbuh). In the former experience the veils are removed from the heart of the Mystic and he or she comprehends the naked Truth, i.e. ALLAH. Subject and object merge all labels such a Muslim, Jew, or Christian dissolve. After this transformation the mystic returns to this reality as a conduit for God and integrates into this cosmos. He or she will help all of humanity regardless of faith or (ir)religiosity and becomes a viceroy for God i.e. the celebrated PERFECT MAN in Sufi literature. Thus the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) is a blessing for the entire universe, not just Muslims.
At Lattendales before I went into morning worship on Sunday a strange thing happened. An old 1980’s song came into my mind by Belinda Carlisle – ‘Oh make heaven a place on Earth’. I sat down and this song became louder and louder in my mind. I had a sudden insight that mystics of all traditions have long argued that we can experience Heaven internally and externally in this life. Again I was transported to my childhood and I had another shocking realisation. When I was a child I can vividly remember being in awe of my teachers, school and the universe. However, I had no conscious concept of God or religion. Then it clicked – this is the essence of mysticism: being in awe and wonder of God, but not necessarily being conscious of it. i.e. PARADOX. My heart was beating fast and I wanted desperately to share this experience. I was already full of emotion and tears were dripping down my cheeks. I got up with my eyes closed and amazingly, spoke very calmly and confidently. I sat down, but something began to happen. I entered into a deep meditation, my inner being began to collapse and my identity was being smashed to pieces. I was in a void, no thoughts, completely blank. My left side began to expand and become part of the cosmos and I felt immensely peaceful. On my right side I could see a small bundle, which were my fears and anxieties. In those moments everything made sense, my bundle of insecurities had no importance in my eyes and I continued to expand. Just writing about this is transporting my soul into that state. Thankfully, other people made valuable contributions and I was able to maintain my composure (with the grace of my Guru) and come back to earth softly and gently.
On the journey home I witnessed something that summed up the whole weekend. It had been raining during most of the retreat and the clouds were heavy. There was, however, a part of the clouds where the sun light had almost forced it self through, and I remarked to my fellow passengers that this was a sign from God.
‘God is the light of the heavens and the earth….’Quran (Sura 24 (The Light), Verse 35).
When I was invited to lead a session introducing the Quran at a weekend retreat, in the first week of November 2002, at Lattendales I was honoured and very excited. I began to read widely and found the task exhilarating, but peppered with solemnity because I was going to introduce the word of God.
Initially, when I began to put ink to paper, I felt that I was merely going to present a rehash of other people’s words and convey a ‘second hand experience’. I was desperate that the participants should have an authentic experience of the Quran coloured with their own psyches.
Thankfully, the Divine inspired me with a new strategy that comprised of an ‘INNER & OUTER’ dialogue. I selected my favourite verses that were tinged with mysticism because I knew my audience believed that there was ‘GOD WITHIN ALL OF US’, i.e. a transcendental and immanent reality. My plan was to begin with a short introduction of the Quran covering history and semantics, after which I would ask my friends to engage in a simple colour meditation which would open up their souls while I read the Arabic script i.e. INNER DIALOGUE. Finally we would have an open discussion, i.e. OUTER DIALOGUE.
I spent several sleepless nights before I was going to travel and kept fine-tuning my script. I was taking a mini library with me and hoped to do some further reading on the journey. However, I had forgotten that the long nights of winter had begun and I spent the two-hour journey in darkness! On the other hand my Quaker friends illuminated the journey with their hearts. We discussed everything from opera, Meister Eckhart, Mormonism, to polygamy while chewing on jelly babies.
When we arrived I got out nervously from the car while the others made their way confidently into Lattendales as if coming home. When I entered I was welcomed to a landing that was beautifully furnished and reminiscent of Woodbrooke. It felt as if I was in 1930’s rural England still untouched by the industrial revolution. It was the ideal location for my soul, and I spent the weekend travelling deep into my childhood.
The first morning session introduced the Psalms. It was my first exposure to them, and I was mesmerised especially when Chris, a Friend I met at Woodbrooke over the summer, read Psalm 137. It covered the universal theme of pining for the Divine. Had I not known that it was written by a Psalmist, I could easily have mistaken it for a piece of Sufi poetry written by Rumi.
The second session introduced the Book of Revelation. I found many similarities between the latter and Islamic Eschatology. It is worthwhile noting that Muslims also believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Whether the graphic and disturbing imagery in the Christian and Islamic tradition is to be taken literally or symbolically is debatable, but I feel that the doomsday scenario is within all of us. We spend our lives running away from it rather than trying to transform it into the Garden of Eden now. Why wait for the second coming of Jesus (peace be upon him)?
I think my session went well. My friends were supportive and asked probing questions which gave further avenues for exploration. I am grateful that they gave me the opportunity to express my faith without having to apologise for it.
Personally the highlight for me was the last day of the retreat when Margaret talked about her inspirational grandfather. Not only did she ooze humility but above all I enjoyed her presence. She spoke with great clarity and truth. In my own culture senior citizens are analogous to trees that give shade. Margaret is a great English Oak. In short she is a text book example of an enlightened being shining for all.
I was blessed with another momentous Sufi Moment which, with hindsight, was an extension of what I had experienced at Woodbrooke. During my stay there I was deeply impressed by my course instructor called Marion and gave her my childhood prayer and meditation mat. During morning worship she got up and read from a book containing Quaker Advices & Queries. The quote was from an author who had been in an inter-faith meeting. He had explained how Quakers pray (by sitting in silence), and a Muslim lady interrupted stating that he was insulting God and himself because he was not prostrating. He accepted what the lady had said and decided that he would one day prostrate in a Quaker meeting.
Marion put the book down and spread the mat on the floor. I was watching in complete silence and was getting very emotional. She explained that she would do her Buddhist prostrations. Those latter moments were pure ecstasy for me, especially when I thought that a Quaker was doing Buddhist prostrations on a Muslims prayer mat in the presence of God!
Afterwards she came to me and timidly said that perhaps she should have been facing east towards Mecca and the Kaaba (a black cube building which Muslims face for daily five prayers). I exclaimed, ‘No! Marion, the Kaaba of the heart is the most important thing’. God is within and without everywhere.
I later told her that she had given me a spiritual wound because when I think about those moments I am driven to tears. She educated me that the word ‘blessing’ is derived from the Latin for spiritual wound. I related the whole incident to my mother, who is my spiritual mentor; she explained to me that I had experienced an outward truth called FANNA FILLAH – Annihilation in the Godhead. Before the latter realisation the potential Sufi will initially dissolve in his Master and then into the Light of Muhammed (pbuh). In the former experience the veils are removed from the heart of the Mystic and he or she comprehends the naked Truth, i.e. ALLAH. Subject and object merge all labels such a Muslim, Jew, or Christian dissolve. After this transformation the mystic returns to this reality as a conduit for God and integrates into this cosmos. He or she will help all of humanity regardless of faith or (ir)religiosity and becomes a viceroy for God i.e. the celebrated PERFECT MAN in Sufi literature. Thus the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) is a blessing for the entire universe, not just Muslims.
At Lattendales before I went into morning worship on Sunday a strange thing happened. An old 1980’s song came into my mind by Belinda Carlisle – ‘Oh make heaven a place on Earth’. I sat down and this song became louder and louder in my mind. I had a sudden insight that mystics of all traditions have long argued that we can experience Heaven internally and externally in this life. Again I was transported to my childhood and I had another shocking realisation. When I was a child I can vividly remember being in awe of my teachers, school and the universe. However, I had no conscious concept of God or religion. Then it clicked – this is the essence of mysticism: being in awe and wonder of God, but not necessarily being conscious of it. i.e. PARADOX. My heart was beating fast and I wanted desperately to share this experience. I was already full of emotion and tears were dripping down my cheeks. I got up with my eyes closed and amazingly, spoke very calmly and confidently. I sat down, but something began to happen. I entered into a deep meditation, my inner being began to collapse and my identity was being smashed to pieces. I was in a void, no thoughts, completely blank. My left side began to expand and become part of the cosmos and I felt immensely peaceful. On my right side I could see a small bundle, which were my fears and anxieties. In those moments everything made sense, my bundle of insecurities had no importance in my eyes and I continued to expand. Just writing about this is transporting my soul into that state. Thankfully, other people made valuable contributions and I was able to maintain my composure (with the grace of my Guru) and come back to earth softly and gently.
On the journey home I witnessed something that summed up the whole weekend. It had been raining during most of the retreat and the clouds were heavy. There was, however, a part of the clouds where the sun light had almost forced it self through, and I remarked to my fellow passengers that this was a sign from God.
‘God is the light of the heavens and the earth….’Quran (Sura 24 (The Light), Verse 35).
