09.18.06
Sufi Experience
I attended a Sufi gathering last night. It was not that surprising, since I have done a good amount of reading on modern-day Sufis and “Sufism.” First of all, it was very far- in the middle of no where (up near the mountains). It was in the evening around Mughrib time. They had this one large room with the lights dimmed, with no furniture, but just poetry all over the walls. People were dead silent and just listening to this tape/cd playing. It was sufi classical music and some sufi farsi chants. This person with long hair approached us and he gave us a cup of tea. I dragged along my persian-speaking friend by the way. I was the only non-Iranian in the room, but they were very welcoming, so I did not feel out of place.
After 15 minutes or so, the same guy uttered some words and everyone got into this big circle. They dimmed the lights even more; this is when my friend got a bit “freaked” out. Some people were uttering “Ya Haq” very softly. For a minute or so, there was complete silence and meditation. After that they played a recording of some sufi music and some Rumi poetry in farsi. After the farsi, the person speaking in the recording did translate into english, which was pretty uplifting at times. This continued for about fifteen minutes. Then it became pitch-dark. Some of the attendees got really into it and were moving their heads side to side. Towards the end, is when everyone in the circle started to chant and clap together. They were chanting “Allahu” and “Ya Haq” really loud and vocally, which I thought they would do much more often, like other sufis (vocal dhikr).
Anyways, after that they stopped the recording and there was another minute of complete meditation and silence. After that they opened the lights and they set the food (very simple and basic food) on the floor. I was pretty amazed and happy with their akhlaq or manners. They passed the plate (of different vegetables, bread, cheese, etc) always to the right. We ate and then everyone started to socialize and leave. The host (it was at his house) gave us a Sufi magazine filled with poetry and what not and people were very warm and happy to see us. We were the only young Muslims there, while the rest were elderly or middle-aged.
The sad part is that they did not pray. We asked where the direction of the Qibla was and the person did not know where it was. When we came during prayer time, they were sadly, not praying. Overall, it was a good experience. Will I go again soon? I do not know.
maneeza Said:
September 18, 2006 at 8:39 pm
an interesting experience, subhanAllah. Although i’m a little uncomfortable that the brother didn’t know where the qibla was. khair, 70 excuses and may Allah (swt) accept their intentions and dhikr.
photoflo Said:
September 18, 2006 at 11:12 pm
yea how intersting.. so the whole thing lasted less than an hour? i’m sad they didnt pray too.. if you want to reach god, why not use the path he laid out for you? anyway, go again you might learn more.
altaf Said:
September 18, 2006 at 11:43 pm
salaam -
not to get into the polemics of sufis etc. but —- Traditional Islamic Sufi groups, very much observe salaat, fast, and observe the sharia to the best of their ability.
I sometimes go to one such group ( Sunni, but Shia friendly- the lineage goes through Imam Ali (AS) ) — i’ve gone to the more “modern/liberal” ones … and that has not been a comfortable experience for myself.
Irving Karchmar Said:
September 19, 2006 at 10:25 am
Alhamdulillah, that you went
It is a Nimatullahi Sufi khaniqah, and though I have not been to the one in San Diego, the one in New York also does not pray as a group, though those that wish to pray do so before majlis, the meeting. The recorded speech was by our Master, Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh, and the translation was given usually by his son, Shaikh Alireza. The message is different each week. Of course, the Sufis pray with each inhalation and exhalation of the breath, in repeating their zekr, and many pray at home. But Dr. Nurbakhsh stresses the adab of the path, and the inculcation of etiquette and good manners as one of the primary ways to God. Here is an old post on the Darvish blog of the Adab of the Sufi path.
http://darvish.wordpress.com/2006/06/14/the-adab-of-the-sufi-path/
If you go again, give the darvishes my love.
Ya Haqq!
Munzareen Said:
September 19, 2006 at 3:36 pm
Umm.. not to be mean AT all, but you should really see what you got out of this event. Was your heart in the dhikr or was it a good feeling. And it’s possible that they prayed beforehand, but dhikr without doing your fard isn’t very beneficial.
Sufis in general are okay
I mean obviously I’m coming from knowing about the Sunni Shias who are mainstream and don’t do anything too funky unless you consider group dhikr bidah (which interestingly enough there is a difference of opinion on and what’s very interesting is that Malikis don’t do dhikr aloud.. they don’t even say Ameen outloud after Fatiha in prayer).
But if this is a beneficial gathering then it’s not detrimental to go. But if they really don’t pray, then nothing against them but what is the purpose? Dhikr is supplemental to prayer..
Hmm.. i don’t know.
Munzareen Said:
September 19, 2006 at 3:38 pm
Oh and so as not to offend anyone, I really am not picking on them because he didn’t see them pray. I just honestly would be wary. It’s quite possible they prayed beforehand just as soon as time came in or something.. I’m just kind of cautious.
naqvia Said:
September 19, 2006 at 4:07 pm
I do not think they prayed, because they were meditating during prayer time.
Irving Karchmar Said:
September 19, 2006 at 6:23 pm
I actually enjoyed the prayers when they were practiced, even led the prayer for two years as the peesh namaz. But I trust my Master’s intention, and have come closer to loving God and real worship because of the Sufi path. So I will not gainsay anyone’s opinion. Anyone can pray in the khaniqah before majlis, it is just not a part of the formality. If prayer is all that stops anyone from the path of love, consider the object of worship, for that is Hu the object of all our endeavors flow toward. It may seem simple. Meditation, adab, words of advice and Sufi poetry, but over the years, it accumulates in the heart.
May Allah bless you all and forgive me.
Ya Haqq!
altaf Said:
September 19, 2006 at 7:22 pm
I appreciate that people have different paths, Irving - but we are not talking just about “prayer” - this is salaat/namaaz…
dhikr is to remember -
salaat is the form of worship given to us by Allah … now, “worship” is also not an adequate enough word of description … in Arabic the word is ibadat. The root is abd, or, to serve - i.e. This salaat is the way we may, through the grace of Allah, become instruments and slaves of Allah.
Again, I appreciate and respect that your Sufi group has a different path/form - but please avoid minimizing the importance, and please do return the respect, and acknowledge the centrality of salaat for most Muslims as way of love and servitude of Hu. You may have found a way that is for you “real worship” - for most Muslims, and many Sufi traditions - salaat is *real* worship (ibadat).
Ali Said:
September 19, 2006 at 9:03 pm
Qur’an does not say to “read” or to “perform” Salaat. It says to establish (qaim) Salaat. So the question is, how do you establish salaat?
Wa Salaam,
Ali
Safiyyah Said:
September 20, 2006 at 5:30 pm
Salaam,
I’ve always been curious about the goings-on in such gatherings. Thanks for sharing. Perhaps now I’ll get up the courage to attend too.
Munzareen Said:
September 21, 2006 at 5:24 am
I must say I agree with Brother Altaf. We cannot belittle the importance of prayer. Let’s take the Hadith about the Prophet*** going to Allah and being commanded how many times to pray. Everytime the Prophet*** came back, Musa** would tell him to ask for a lesser amount of prayer. Finally, it came down to 5 prayers and Musa** said that our ummah would not even be able to do this.
Prayer, ritual prayer, salat, is fard. No debating it, no nothing. There is no legitimate school of thought that disagrees. And Sufism focuses on ihsan or doing things with beauty. Regardless, it is not in the nature of authentic Sufis to disregard prayer ( you must understand, there are groups of Sufis out there, that are not really Muslim. they are focusing on a spiritual path without a religion, per se, as has become the “trend” for many people). Granted, one can pray before the majlis, but when I was at a majlis, we prayed in congregation. Isn’t there more thawab in this as well? I’m not trying to debate how this gathering was conducted, but prayer is the FIRST thing we are asked about on the Day of Judgement. Yes, our prayer or lack of it can be a hindrance in the end. :-/
rhymes with banana Said:
September 24, 2006 at 6:39 pm
Safiyyah, if you go to one of these bid’ah-fests, I’ll be truly disappointed in you. That story was really freaky and oh how glad I am to not be a sufi, alhamdulillah.
naqvia Said:
September 25, 2006 at 1:45 pm
Rymes,
What do you mean “bid’ah-fests?”