First Lesson of Sufism

"The first lesson of Sufism is to love God's creatures and respect their views. Therefore, a Sufi should, in principle, refrain from interfering in others' affairs or condemning their way of thinking. Anyone who condemns other people's religious convictions or manner of worship--which are ways of attracting God's favor and moving closer to Him--not only is not a Sufi, but is, in fact, an enemy of the Sufis, for objecting to others' religious views in any way is a form of arrogance and self-centeredness, constituting the greatest offense in Sufism.

Together, we must free Sufism from dogmatism and pretension and work on protecting the basis of Sufi spirituality from hypocrisy. We should be especially mindful of the fact that Sufism is the school of humanity. Without emphasis on inward spirituality and purity, once cannot, properly speaking, develop into a true human being, truly love all humanity, or serve others with heart and soul without any thought of reward."

~Selection from "Who is a Sufi?" in Discourses by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh

Sufi Christmas : Excerpt

On Christmas Eve, the Nimatullahi Sufis of Boston united to celebrate the life, teaching and spirit of Jesus. Like any family, they gathered around a warm meal, spreading smiles and gratitude, thanks and blessings, sharing silence in the spirit of Jesus. Here is a portion from Jesus in the eyes of the Sufis, read on Christmas Eve at the Boston Nimatullahi Sufi House:

Attar relates:

A dog lay dead by the wayside,
Jaws open, on the earth outstretched.
A foul odor filled the air.
As Jesus passed by, he cried,
"How reverend this creature is!
What beauty in the whiteness of his teeth!"
Blind to odor, to ugliness,
He viewed only beauty.

If you're a seer of reality,
A true bondsman of Divinity,
Profess pureheartedness;
Look on all as one
Hue, color and sum.
Practice goodness and charity,
Kindness and fidelity;
God's gifts with gratitude
Repay like a devotee.
If you've any gnosis of Him,
Be indentured in God's service.
Reveiving His gifts always
With gratitude.

Year in and year out
You thrive on His bounty,
Yet neglect to acknowledge
His graces with your gratitude.

~Jesus in the eyes of the Sufis is available at www.nimatullahi.net

Happy Holidays!

Celebrating a Sufi Christmas

Please join us in celebrating the life of Jesus on Sunday, December 24th (6:30pm) at the Boston Sufi House.

-Readings from the Gospels and Jesus in the Eyes of the Sufis
-Meditation at 8:oopm

"The hermitage of Jesus
Is the Sufi's table spread;
Take heed. O sick one,
Never forsake this doorway."
- Rumi (M III: 298)
qtd. Jesus in the Eyes of the Sufis by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh

On Becoming

The master of the Nimatullahi Order, Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh, constantly reiterates that the experience of Sufism is totally beyond words:

"Sufism is a school of spiritual states, not discourse, and a sufi is something to become, not something to merely read about. Since spiritual states cannot be expressed in words, sufi shaikhs [teachers] have declared, 'Whatever can be expressed in words is not Sufism'" (Nurbakhsh, The Path p. 29).

Often the response to such definitions is: 'If the Truth is beyond words...Then why all the discourses and books? Why are the sufi masters some of the most prolific writers and poets?'

As Rumi explains in his discourses, he himself has a disdain for poetry: "I care nothing for poetry, and there is nothing worse in my eyes than that. It has become incumbent upon me."

He continues: "Where are the people of action and the seekers of action, so that I may show them action? Now you seek after words, and have cocked your ears to hear something. If I do not speak, you become upset. Become a seeker of action, so that I may show you action!" (Arberry, Discourses of Rumi pp. 85-86).

Ya Haqq (Oh Truth!)

Sufism and Laziness

One of the greatest dangers for the wayfarer is laziness or leisure, as long as he has not yet reached his goal, it would be better for him to occupy himself with seemingly useless things, like diggin one pit after the other (N 156, 90), than to spend a moment in leisure, for "leisure (faragh) is an affliction" (N 90).

-Schimmel, Mystical Dimensions of Islam (114)

N = Narahat al-uns. Jami