Badai Pasti Berlalu

RUMI: Inspiration and Revelation

2007-07-05T23:39:00.000+09:00

Whatever is steeped in grape juice will acquire the flavor
of the grape.
Whether it be carrots or apples or quinces and walnuts,
you will taste in them the delicious flavor of the grape.
When your knowledge is steeped in the light of faith,
then wayward people will receive light from it.
Whatever you say will be luminous,
for the sky never rains anything but pure water.
Become like the sky. Become like the cloud and shed rain:
the spout rains, too, but it can't produce the rain.
The water in the spout is borrowed;
the water in the cloud and sea is original.
Your thought and reasoning resemble the spout;
inspiration and revelation are like the cloud and the sky.
The rain water engenders all the colors of the garden,
while the spout causes quarrels with your neighbors.

Mathnawi V, Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret

Version by C. & K. Helminski, 'Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance'
Threshold Books

RUMI: Who keeps secret his inmost thought

2007-07-05T23:36:00.000+09:00

When your heart becomes the grave of your secret,
that desire of yours will be gained more quickly.
The Prophet peace be upon him said that anyone
who keeps secret his inmost thought
will soon attain the object of his desire.
When seeds are buried in the earth,
their inward secrets become the flourishing garden.

Mathnawi I, Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret

Version by C. & K. Helminski, 'Rumi: Daylight'
Threshold Books

Imam Al Ghazzali: Known Yourself

2007-05-12T15:10:00.000+09:00

There is nothing closer to you than yourself; if you don't
know yourself, how will you know others?

You might say,
"I know myself," but you are mistaken!… The only thing
you know about yourself is your physical appearance.

The only thing you know about your bātin (unconscious)
is that when you are hungry you eat, when you are angry
you fight, and when you are consumed with passion you
make love. All animals are equal with you in this regard.

You have to seek the truth within yourself…. What are
you? Where have you come from and where are you
going? What is your role in the world? Why have you
been created? Where does your happiness lie?

If you would like to know yourself, you should know that you
are created by two things. One is your body and your
outward appearance (zāhir) which you can see with
your eyes. The other is your unconscious forces (bātin).

This is the part you cannot see but you can know it with
your insight. The truth of your existence is in your bātin.
Everything else is a servant to your bātin.

AL-GHAZZĀLĪ

RUMI: seek God in self-abasement and self-extinction

2007-05-01T17:02:00.000+09:00

Seek God in self-abasement and self-extinction,
for nothing but forms is produced by thinking.
And if you derive no comfort except from form,
then the form that comes to birth within you involuntarily is best.
Suppose it is the form of a city to which you are going:
you are drawn there by a formless feeling of pleasure, O dependent one;
therefore, you are really going to that which has no location,
for pleasure is something different from time and place.
Suppose it is the form of a friend to whom you would go:
you are going for the sake of enjoying his company;
therefore, in reality you go to the formless world,
though you are unaware of that being the object of your journey.
In truth, then, God is worshiped by all,
since all wayfaring
is for the sake of the pleasure of which He is the source.

Mathnawi VI, Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret
Version by C. & K. Helminski, 'Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance'
Threshold Books, 1996

RUMI: he establishes certainty

2007-05-01T16:53:00.000+09:00

How long will you say, "I will conquer the whole world
and fill it with myself"?
Even if snow covered the world completely,
the sun could melt it with a glance.
A single spark of God's mercy
can turn poison into springwater.
Where there is doubt,
He establishes certainty.

Mathnawi I, Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret
Version by C. & K. Helminski, ': Daylight', Threshold Books

RUMI: as soon as you see the dawn

2007-05-01T16:41:00.000+09:00

Think neither of being accepted nor of being turned away,
but always consider the Divine command and prohibition.
Then suddenly the bird of Divine attraction
will fly toward you from its nest:
as soon as you see the dawn, put out the candle.
When the eyes have become piercing,
it's the dawn's light that illuminates them:
in the shell the illumined eye beholds the kernel.
In each speck it beholds the everlasting Sun;
in the drop it beholds the entire Sea.

Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret Mathnawi VI, Version by C. & K. Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance', Threshold Books

RUMI: let the beauty we love

2007-05-01T15:22:00.000+09:00

Let the beauty we love
be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways
to kneel in prayers.

Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah santify his soul & bless his secret

RUMI: conquer your selfish self

2007-05-01T15:16:00.000+09:00

don't be bitter my friend
you'll regret it soon
hold to your togetherness
or surely you'll scatter

don't walk away gloomy
from this garden
you'll end up like an owl
dwelling in old ruins

face the war and
be a warrior like a lion
or you'll end up like a pet
tucked away in a barn

once you conquer
your selfish self
all your darkness
will change to light

Ghazal/Ode 3299, Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"

Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it

2007-03-03T19:59:00.000+09:00

Our Lord, glorified and exalted be He, descends each night to the earth's sky when there remains the final third of the night, and He says: Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it? Who is asking something of Me that I may give it him? Who is asking forgiveness of Me that I may forgive him?

from the 40 Hadith Qudsi/the Sacred Sayings of the Lord Almighty, Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam peace be upon him

Soul receives from soul

2007-03-03T19:55:00.000+09:00

Soul receives from soul that knowledge, therefore not by book nor from tongue.
If knowledge of mysteries come after emptiness of mind, that is illumination of heart.

Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret

Be lost in the call

2007-03-03T19:43:00.000+09:00

Lord, said David, since you do not need us,
why did you create these two worlds?
Reality replied: O prisoner of time,
I was a secret treasure of kindness and generosity,
and I wished this treasure to be known,
so I created a mirror: its shining face, the heart;
its darkened back, the world;
The back would please you if you've never seen the face.
Has anyone ever produced a mirror out of mud and straw?
Yet clean away the mud and straw,
and a mirror might be revealed.
Until the juice ferments a while in the cask,
it isn't wine. If you wish your heart to be bright,
you must do a little work.
My King addressed the soul of my flesh:
You return just as you left.
Where are the traces of my gifts?
We know that alchemy transforms copper into gold.
This Sun doesn't want a crown or robe from God's grace.
He is a hat to a hundred bald men,
a covering for ten who were naked.
Jesus sat humbly on the back of an ass, my child!
How could a zephyr ride an ass?
Spirit, find your way, in seeking lowness like a stream.
Reason, tread the path of selflessness into eternity.
Remember God so much that you are forgotten.
Let the caller and the called disappear;
be lost in the Call.

Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret
'Love is a Stranger', K. Helminski
Threshold Books, 1993

They receive & reflect the images of every moment

2007-03-03T19:39:00.000+09:00

The Prophet said, “There are some who see me
By the same light in which I am seeing them.
Our natures are one.
Without reference to any strands
Of lineage, without reference to texts or traditions,
We drink the life-water together.”

Here’s a story
About that hidden mystery:

The Chinese and the Greeks
Were arguing as to who were the better artists.
The king said,
“We’ll settle this matter with a debate.”
The Chinese began talking,
But the Greeks wouldn’t say anything.
They left.

The Chinese suggested then
That they each be given a room to work on
With their artistry, two rooms facing each other
And divided by a curtain.

The Chinese asked the king
For a few hundred colors, all the variations,
And each morning they came to where
The dyes were kept and took them all.
The Greeks took no colors.
“They’re not part of our work.”

They went to their room
And began cleaning and polishing the walls. All day
Every day they made those walls as pure and clear
As an open sky.

There is a way that leads from all-colors
To colorlessness. Know that the magnificent variety
Of clouds and the weather comes from
The total simplicity of the sun and the moon.
The Chinese finished, and were so happy.
They beat the drums in the joy of completion.
The king entered their room,
Astonished by the gorgeous color and detail.
The Greeks then pulled the curtain dividing the rooms.
The Chinese figures and images shimmeringly reflected
On the clear Greek walls. They lived there,
Even more beautifully, and always
Changing in the light.
The Greek Art is the sufi way.
They don’t study books of philosophical thought.
They make their loving clearer and clearer.
No wantings, no anger. In that purity
They receive and reflect the images of every moment,
From here, from the stars, from the void.
They take them in
As though they were seeing
With the lighted clarity
That sees them.

Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret
'Essential Rumi', translated by Coleman Barks

Oh soul, you worry too much. You say, I make you feel dizzy. Of a little headache then, why do you worry? So that it will be spoken of

2007-03-03T19:37:00.000+09:00

When I want to, I utter good and do good publicly
so that it will be spoken of.
When one day I am charitable to a beggar,
I seek gratitude for it so that it will be spoken of.
When I fast a day in the summer, I complain of hunger
in the evening so that it will be spoken of.
When I pray and people are with me,
I am slow in my prayer so that it will be spoken of.
When I am alone, I do it cursorily
since I do not fear that anything will be spoken of.
My actions are pride, artifice and showing off.
What stumbling blocks which are not mentioned!
Therefore shun me and drive away from you-
my burdens and sins are heavy.
Ask God Almighty for repentance,
with sincere truthfulness,
not so that you will be spoken of.

Shaykh al Akbar/The Greatest Master, Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi, may Allah be well pleased with him

Oh soul, you worry too much

2007-03-03T19:36:00.000+09:00

Oh soul,
you worry too much.
You say,
I make you feel dizzy.
Of a little headache then,
why do you worry?
You say, I am your moon-faced beauty.
Of the cycles of the moon and
passing of the years,
why do you worry?
You say, I am your source of passion,
I excite you.
Of playing into the Devils hand,
why do you worry?
Oh soul,
you worry too much.
Look at yourself,
what you have become.
You are now a field of sugar canes,
why show that sour face to me?
You say that I keep you warm inside.
Then why this cold sigh?
You have gone to the roof of heavens.
Of this world of dust,
why do you worry?
Oh soul,
you worry too much.
Your arms are heavy
with treasures of all kinds.
About poverty,
why do you worry?
You are Joseph,
beautiful, strong,
steadfast in your belief,
all of Egypt has become drunk
because of you.
Of those who are blind to your beauty,
and deaf to your songs,
why do you worry?
Oh soul,
you worry too much.
You have seen your own strength.
You have seen your own beauty.
You have seen your golden wings.
Of anything less,
why do you worry?
You are in truth
the soul, of the soul, of the soul.
You are the security,
the shelter of the spirit of Lovers.
Oh the sultan of sultans,
of any other king,
why do you worry?
Be silent, like a fish,
and go into that pleasant sea.
You are in deep waters now,
of life's blazing fire.
Why do you worry?

Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret

Three traps

2007-03-03T19:34:00.000+09:00

....And the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace used to say in his prayers, 'I seek refuge in Thee from the evil which may be in my ear, my eye, my heart and my semen' (Abu Daud, Tirmidhi)... It is told that Moses, upon whom be peace,, was once sitting in company when satan came up to him wearing a cloak in which he assumed many colors. When he drew near to him he took this off and set it aside. Then he said, ‘Peace be upon you Moses!’ Moses ask him who he was and he replied, ‘I am satan’. ‘God slay you!’ Moses said. ‘What brings you here?’ And he answered, ‘I have come to greet you in view of your great rank in the sight of God’. ‘What was it that I saw you wearing?’ he asked, and he replied, ‘A cloak with which I snatch away the hearts of the descendants of Adam’. ‘What is it then,’ Moses asked, ‘that a man does which enables you to prevail over them?’ And he replied, ‘He becomes pleased with himself, and considers that he has many good deeds to his credit, and forgets his sins. Now, I would warn you against three things! Never be alone with a woman who is not lawful for you, for never does a man do so without having me, not my companions, as his companion, so that I tempt them both with one another. Never make a vow to God without fulfilling it. And never prepare something to give as charity and then fail to give it, for never does a man do so without having me, not my companions, as his companion, so that I prevent him from giving it [at a later time]’. Then he went away, crying, ‘Woe is me! Moses has learnt something against which to warn the descendants of Adam!’

from The Revival of the Religious Sciences/Ihya Ulum al-Din, Hujjatul Islam/Proof of Islam, Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, may Allah be well pleased with him

I am Beauty and Grace

2007-03-03T19:30:00.000+09:00

Oh, my beloved! How many times I have called you without your hearing Me!
How many times I have shown Myself without you looking at Me!
How many times I have become perfume without your inhaling Me!
How many times I have become food without your tasting Me!
How is it that you do not smell Me in what you breathe?
How do you not see Me, not hear Me?
I am more delicious than anything delicious,
More desirable than anything desirable,
More perfect than anything perfect.
I am Beauty and Grace!
Love Me and love nothing else
Desire Me
Let Me be your sole concern to the exclusion of all concerns!

From : An Ocean Without Shore, Sheikh al Akbar/The Greatest Master, Muhyidden Ibn Arabi, may Allah be well pleased with him

Come in, now that you are all I

2007-03-03T19:29:00.000+09:00

A man knocked at the door of his beloved.
"Who are you, trusted one?" thus asked the friend.
He answered: "I!" The friend said: "Go away,
Here is no place for people raw and crude!"
What, then, could cook the raw and rescue him
But separation's fire and exile's flame?
The poor man went to travel a whole year,
And burnt from separation from his friend,
And he matured, was cooked and burnt, returned
And carefully approached the friend's abode.
He walked around it now in cautious fear
Lest from his lips unfitting words appear.
His friend called out: "Who is there at my door?"
The answer: "You, dear, you are at the door?"
He said: "Come in, now that you are all I-
There is no room in this house for two 'I's!"

Mathnawi I, Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret

He is hidden in His manifestation

2007-03-03T19:26:00.000+09:00

Al-Hallaj says about God:

"Before" does not outstrip Him,
"after" does not interrupt Him
"of" does not vie with Him for precedence
"from" does not accord with Him
"to" does not join with Him
"in" does not inhabit Him
"when" does not stop Him
"if" does not consult with Him
"over" does not overshadow Him
"under" does not support Him
"opposite" does not face Him
"with" does not press Him
"behind" does not limit Him
"previous" does not display Him
"after" does not cause Him to pass away
"all" does not unite Him
"is" does not bring Him into being
"is not" does not deprive Him from Being.
Concealment does not veil Him
His pre-existence preceded time,
His being preceded non-being,
His eternity preceded limit.
If thou sayest 'when',
His existing has outstripped time;
If thou sayest 'before', before is after Him;
If thou sayest 'he', 'h' and 'e' are His creation;
If thou sayest 'how', His essence is veiled from description;
If thou sayest 'where', His being preceded space;
If thou sayest 'ipseity' (ma huwa),
His ipseity is apart from things.
Other than He cannot
be qualified by two (opposite) qualities at
one time; yet With Him they do not create opposition.
He is hidden in His manifestation,
manifest in His concealing.
He is outward and inward,
near and far; and in this respect He is
removed beyond the resemblance of creation.
He acts without contact,
instructs without meeting,
guides without pointing.
Desires do not conflict with Him,
thoughts do not mingle with Him:
His essence is without qualification,
His action without effort.

Satan's mastery of the heart through insinuations

2007-03-03T19:20:00.000+09:00

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

An exposition of satan's mastery of the heart through insinuations/waswasa; the meaning of insinuation, and the cause of its subdual

It has been seen that the heart is affected by information brought by the five senses, and by internal faculties such as imagination, appetite, anger, and character traits. The most important influence, however, comes from those random thoughts, promptings and ideas which are projected by the devil into the mind, and distract or confuse it: these are termed khawatir. To ward these off, man should engage in remembrance/dhikr of God, and continue with the process of self-discipline and inner purification.

An exposition detailing satan's entrances into the heart

The heart is like a castle, and man must guard its entrances against the enemy, who is the devil. The main entrances are: (1) irascibility and desire; (2) envy and greed; (3) Eating one's fill, for this increases the other desires, causes illness, and reduces one's receptivity to wisdom and desire for worship; (4) Love of self-adornment, whether on clothes, furnishings or residence; (5) Coveting what others own and control, and hence flattering and deceived them; (6) Haste, which, according to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam peace be upon him 'comes from satan'; (7) Money, property, and all other kinds of wealth in excess of one's needs, for wealth creates its own concerns which will distract the heart; (8) Avarice and fear of poverty, which will destroy the heart's serene conviction that God will provide; (9) Fanatical attachment to schools of thoughts and sects, hatred of rival doctrines, and delight in criticising them; (10) studying advanced theological doctrines for which one is not prepared, and hence falling into false beliefs about God; (11) Harboring a low opinion of other Muslims, which leads to self-satisfaction and backbiting.

The heart must be purified of all these evil traits before dhikr can be effective; otherwise the dhikr will itself be a form of khawatir/thoughts with no real influence. Even when these traits are removed, it is necessary to cure oneself of heedlessness and distraction. If one does not, one will be like patient who derives little benefit from a medicine because he takes it when his stomach is full of food.

There are many devils, each with his own name, who cast thoughts into the heart on specific occasions: ritual ablution, the canonical prayer, visiting the marketplace, dealing with one's family, and so on. When they appear, they take the form of base animals such as dogs, frogs and pigs.

The Revival of\n the Religious Sciences/Ihya Ulum al-Din, Hujjatul Islam/Proof of Islam, Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, may Allah be well pleased with him

The heart must be purified of all these evil traits before dhikr can be effective; otherwise the dhikr will itself be a form of khawatir/thoughts with no real influence. Even when these traits are removed, it is necessary to cure oneself of heedlessness and distraction. If one does not, one will be like patient who derives little benefit from a medicine because he takes it when his stomach is full of food.

There are many devils, each with his own name, who cast thoughts into the heart on specific occasions: ritual ablution, the canonical prayer, visiting the marketplace, dealing with one's family, and so on. When they appear, they take the form of base animals such as dogs, frogs and pigs.

The Revival of the Religious Sciences/Ihya Ulum al-Din, Hujjatul Islam/Proof of Islam, Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, may Allah be well pleased with him

Don't wander on the road without a guide

2007-03-03T19:10:00.000+09:00

If you do not possess the staff of caution and
discrimination, use the eyes of him who sees.
If there is no staff of caution and discrimination,
do not wander on the road without a guide

Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret

The Mysteries of Bearing Witness

2007-03-03T03:48:00.000+09:00

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

"Moses, You will not draw near to Me with anything which I love more than contentment with My decree. You will not perform any action more likely to preserve your good deeds than examination of your affairs. Moses, do not beg from the people of this world so that I become angry with you, and do not use the religion to refurbish this world so that the doors of My mercy are shut against you. Moses, tell the repentant believers, 'Good news! Tell the humble believers, 'Avoid and do good!' I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen nor ear has heard nor has occurred to the heart of man.

"Anyone who hopes for other than Me does not know Me. Anyone who does not know Me does not worship Me. Anyone who does not worship Me deserves My wrath. If anyone fears other than Me, My revenge will descend on Him. Moses, fear three. Fear Me, fear your lower self and fear the one who does not fear Me.

"Son of Adam, as long as you call upon Me and are hopeful of Me, I forgive you for what happened in the past and I do not care. Son of Adam, if the extent of your wrong actions were to reach the heavens and then you were to ask for My forgiveness, I would forgive that and would not care. Son of Adam, if you were to come to Me with enough wrong actions to fill the earth and meet Me without associating with Me, I would meet you with the same account of forgiveness."

The Mysteries of Bearing Witness, Muhyidin Ibn al Arabi, may Allah be well pleased with him

This is the essence of all sciences

2007-03-03T03:45:00.000+09:00

You know the value of every article of merchandise,
but if you don't know the value of your own soul,
it's all foolishness.
You've come to know the fortunate and the inauspicious stars,
but you don't know whether you yourself
are fortunate or unlucky.
This, this is the essence of all sciences-
that you should know who you will be
when the Day of Reckoning arrives.

Mathnawi III, Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret

A hundred 'Here's My Face'

2007-03-03T03:41:00.000+09:00

Your call 'O God!' is My call 'I am here.'
Your supplication is My message, dear,
And your striving to come close to Me
Is but a sign that I draw you to Me.
Your loving quest and pain:signs of My grace!
In each 'O God!' a hundred 'Here's My Face!'

Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret

Divine benevolence & conscience

2007-03-03T03:34:00.000+09:00

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Open your heart in order to receive divine benevolence. A benevolent heart becomes a mirror in which Allah's favors are manifest. When the divine favors manifest and come through you, when you feel His presence, you will feel shame at your improper actions. This will cause both you and others to have conscience. Thus your benevolence will protect you and others from sin.

When the archangel Gabriel alaihi salaam asked our master the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam peace and blessings be upon them, "What is divine benevolence?" The Last of the Prophets answered, "To pray and glorify Allah as if you are in His presence, as if you see him." Reverence reflects in the heart of a believer who has reached the level of praying as if he sees Allah.

Then our master the Prophet continued, "For if you are unable to see Him, He certainly sees you." The one who has reached that level of realization of divine benevolence will have conscience. He will feel that gaze of Allah upon him and will be ashamed to sin. The Prophet peace and blessings be upon him said, "Conscience is total good." If a believer has conscience, he is aware of what he is doing and he cannot do wrong; when a heart is filled with conscience, the possessor of the heart encounters no harm either in this world or in the Hereafter.

The sign of a man with conscience is his lack of arrogance and self-importance. He never oppresses or tries to dominate others. May you also reach the level of benevolence and have conscience, and may you have the strength and foresight to try and attain it.

What a Seeker Needs, Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi al-Hatimi at-Tai, may Allah be well pleased with him

On Invocation

2007-03-03T03:31:00.000+09:00

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Invoking strengthens the heart ad the body, puts inner and outer affairs in order, gladdens the heart and face, making the latter radiant. Moreover, it procures sustenance and facilitates obtaining it. It clothes the invoker in dignity; it inspires correct behavior in every affair. Its permanence is one of the means of obtaining the love of God; it is one of the greatest of the gateways leading to that love.

Invoking causes the vigilance that leads to the station of spiritual virtue, wherein the servant adores God as if he saw Him with his very own eyes. It causes one to turn to God often; for whoever turns to God by remembering Him frequently will eventually turn to Him in all his affairs. Invoking brings closeness to the Lord and opens the door of gnosis within the heart. It bestows on the servant the veneration and reverential fear of his Lord, while for the forgetful man the veil of reverential fear over his heart is very thin.

Invoking causes God’s remembrance of the servant, which is the greatest honor and loftiest distinction. Through the invocation, the heart of man lives just as the seed lives through the downpour of rain. The invocation is the nourishment of the soul just as food is the nourishment of the body. Invoking polishes the heart of its rust, which is forgetfulness (ghaflah) and the pursuit of its passions. It is to meditation like a lamp that guides one in the dark towards an open road. It thwarts sinful actions: ‘… Verily, good deeds annul bad deeds …’. (Holy Quran, 11:114) Invoking puts an end to the estrangement that occurs between the Lord and the forgetful servant.

The Key to Salvation/Miftah al-Falah, Imam Ibn AtaAllah al-Iskandari, may Allah be well pleased with him

Demolish this house

2007-03-03T03:26:00.000+09:00

Demolish this house, for a thousand houses
may be made from this carnelian.
A treasure lies beneath the house,
So don’t stand still, for there is no other way.
Don’t be afraid of destroying the house,
because with its treasure in your hand you can build
a thousand houses without toil and pain.
In the end this house will fall into ruin,
and the treasure beneath it will be revealed;
But it won’t be yours,
since your soul receives that divine gift
as wages for destroying the house.
If it hasn’t done the hard work, it earns nothing:
There is nothing for the human being hereafter
but recompense for that which she has wrought here.

Mathnawi IV, Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret

If you are in any doubt

2007-03-03T03:24:00.000+09:00

'And if you are in any doubt concerning what We have sent down to you, then question those who have read the Book before you; Truth has come to you from your Lord, so do not be a waverer; do not be someone who rejects God's signs, so you be a loser.'

(Holy Quran, 10: 94-95)

Invocation

2007-03-03T03:19:00.000+09:00

in the name of Allah, the All-Compassionate, the All Merciful

Ya Allah, I ask You the good of what You know and I seek refuge in You from the evil of what You know and I seek Your forgiveness for everything You know, for You indeed know and we do not know and indeed You are The Knower of the Unseen!

Ya Allah, have mercy on me in this time from the encirclement of discord, from the oppression of the insolent and their deficiencies and all such ill!

Ya Allah, give me an unassailable refuge in You, an impenetrable protection with You from all of Your creation until I come to a virtuous end!

Ya Allah, bless our master Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam peace be upon him.

from Dalailul Khayrat/Proofs of Good Deeds, Sheikh Al-Jazuli, may Allah be well pleased with him

Shall I tell you our secret?

2007-03-01T02:40:00.002+09:00

Shall I tell you our secret?
We are charming thieves who steal hearts
and never fail because we are
the friends of the One.
The time for old preaching is over
we aim straight at the heart.
If the mind tries to sneak in and take over
we will string it up without delay.
We turn poison into medicine
and our sorrows into blessings.
All that was familiar,
our loved ones and ourselves
we had to leave behind.

Blessed is the poem that comes through me
but not of me because the sound of my own music
will drown the song of Love.

Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his secret & bless his soul

be hopeful of His Endless Mercy!

2007-03-01T02:40:00.001+09:00

the hadith/authentic tradition says that: 'Somebody from the Children of Israel made people hopeless of God's mercy. He used to tell them heavy/hard to follow stuff. On the Judgment Day, Allah says to him: just as you made My servants be hopeless of My Mercy, caused them to give up hope of My Mercy, today I make you hopeless of My Mercy.'

Imam Al Ghazzali, may Allah be well pleased with him

Graciously give me clarity

2007-03-01T02:36:00.000+09:00

O my Sustainer.
deliver me from this imprisonment of free will.
The one-way pull on the straight Path*
is better than the two-way pull of perplexity.
Though You are the only goal of these two ways,
still this duality is agonizing to the spirit.

Though the destination of these two ways is You alone,
still the battle is never like the banquet.
Listen to the explanation God gave in the Quran:
they shrank from bearing it.**
This perplexity in the heart is like war:
when a man is perplexed he says,
"I wonder whether this is better for my situation or that."

In perplexity the fear of failure and the hope of success
are always in conflict with each other, advancing, retreating.
From You came this ebb and flow within me;
otherwise this sea of mine would be still.
From that source from which You gave me this perplexity,
likewise now, graciously give me clarity.

Mathnawi VI, Maulana Jallaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his soul & bless his secret

*The Holy Quran, 1:6 The Opening

**The Holy Quran, 33:72 The Confederates