From tariqas-digest-approval@europe.std.com Mon Oct 7 22:11:47 1996 Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 15:25:28 -0400 (EDT) From: tariqas-digest-approval@europe.std.com Reply-To: tariqas-digest@world.std.com To: tariqas-digest@world.std.com Subject: tariqas-digest V1 #166 tariqas-digest Saturday, 28 September 1996 Volume 01 : Number 166 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: gmtn@mail.comet.net (Green Mountain School) Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 14:22:25 -0500 Subject: from the field (longish) as-salaamu 'alaykum, In the late 1960's I was travelling in Northern India in the United Provinces and Uttar Pradesh. I was at the time following the teaching of Hazrat Inayat Khan and Pir Vilayat Khan at whose behest I found myself in Bodh Gaya doing Buddhist Meditations. I was staying in a Japanese Hotel called the Diamond Sangha. I was also, of course that being the nature of the heterodoxy I was then involved with, sitting in my room doing various Wadhifa given to me by the Pir. The source of these Wadhifa was a green bound book that Murshid Sam Lewis has presented me with from the Mentorgarden library. This book which sat on my bedstand had piqued the intrest of the man who cleaned my roomand who was also the hotel gardener. He, it turned out was a Muslim, and since the front of the book was emblazoned with the Name Of Allah in Arabic he was naturally interested in this westener who was in one of the greatest Buddhist holyplaces sitting in meditation for all hours but yet reading the Names of Allah . This proved to be a point of connection and we began speaking with one another. He was a Naqshabandi sufi and, aside from some Sufis I had met at the shrine of Nizamudin Awliya, the first Sufi, as I learned to understand what Sufis were and are {see earlier posts} and the first I had ever really conversed with. At the time I was having some doubts about the efficacy of the practices that the Pir had set me. I felt confused (but that could have been India as well) by the switches from the Wadhifa practice and the Buddhist meditation and some Angelic visualisations that I had been given. The gardener and general oddsbody around the hotel, al-Husayn, turned out to be a very deep soul and I spent many nights in deep absorbed conversation and communication with him. He told me about Islam and Sufism and I did my best to expalin, along with some books like Gayan that I was carrying with me, the Sufi Message according to HIK and VIK. One night we were speaking about the Prophets and Messengers, blessings and peace be upon them all, and he began to speak about the pre-eternal exiatence of the Prophet Muhammad, blessings of Allah and peace be upon him. In the light of questions which have arisen following me earlier posting, "Sufi Words Naturally" I was reminded of what al-Husayn said at the time and, since I have recorded many of the conversations I have had with Masters over the years (and I believe that al-Husayn was a Master and very typically quite hidden). I will share some of what he said with other readers in the hope it may help to shed some light on the unicity of the Prophet, blessings of Allah and peace be upon him and the beginnings of Islam in the time before time was. al-Husayn spoke first of what he called the column of light {'amuud an-nur} which was the form of the light took when it had issued forth from the face of Allah when in pre-eternity before Adam was between the clay and the water He had willed to create Muhammad, blessings and peace of Allah be upon them both. This light which is the collective cohesive luminosity of the universe was composed of millions upon millions of tiny seeds that were souls destined to be from the nation of the Prophet, and, he added, we do not discriminate between any of the Prophets and ask the blessings of Allah and peace upon each and every one of them and their number is 124,000 and Allah knows best. These tiny seeds whirled in that column of light in incessant hymning and praise of that which had brought them forth and which they witnessed directly. This hymning and praise is the prefiguration of all of the Prophets. In timeless time there was within the column a fusion of the light and the amalgam of that fusion resulted in what is called the clay of divine might {tinu-l-'izzah} from which Adam was formed. From this clay shaped in to the form of man and into which was blown the breath of the Spirit {ar-ruh} was drawn the seekers of Allah {muridun} and from the residue of the un-coalesced light of Muhammad, the light of divine might {nuru-l-'izzah} was drawn those who are sought by Allah {muradun}. From that was left the fire of divine might {naru-l-'izzah} and from that were made the energy beings {al-jinn} and there yet remained the spirit of the divine might {ruhu-l-'izza} and from that came the angelic beings {al-mala'ikah}. These were brought together to witness in their seed state to the Truth {al-Haqq} of the Creator and the creation and of the four, three were sent into the world to bear witness through and by their own free choice as to the Eternal Truth. They are the Jinn, the Muridun and the Muradun. The angels alone, composed of the residue of the pure spirit of light, remained with Allah and continued in their praise and adoration then, now and always, and in perfect and absolute obedience carried out all that they were, are and will be ordered. He said, "This then is where we come from and this then is the true nature of our task upon earth which is nothing less that the remembrance of our pre-eternal state and the restoration upon earth of our pre-eternal adoration of and worship of Allah. If you understand this my friend you will have understood the kernel of the meaning and purpose of life, why we are here, who we are and what precisely is our task. "I tell you this so that you will know from the beginning where we stand lest you be one of the unfortunate ones who say on the Day of Resurrection. "We were heedless." {7:172} "Having clarified where we stand and from whence we come, now let me say this. "As regards your teacher and his father and what they seem to have wrought between them, for this is of them and not of the Way of the Chishtiyyah, which I know. You should know that if it serves to bring people to the Reality of which we have spoken then this is a good thing. If however in any way it deflects them from that Reality it is a thing cursed to inevitable failure and cursed are those who follow it. Why cursed? "They are not cursed by an external curse but they are cursed by their own manner of choice. They know, as all souls do, the Truth. The only question is how to come to the remembrance of what you knew before you were who you are or seem to be. "It is only in order that people might have the Way to remember the Truth of their being that the Message has been transmitted from the Reality via the obedient being of the spirit of divine light, Jibra'il, peace be upon him. From the beginning of time to the very present the Message has been sent forth into the world to the Muradun who are those raised up by Allah in order to call the people to Allah and deliver them from the darkness of heedlessness and forgetfulness of their true nature. This call takes two forms. In one form it is the initiation into knowledge of the Divine Essence and its Attributes and this is called the Prophecy of Instruction {nubuwwatu-l-ta'rif}. "The second form is the Prophecy of the Law {nubuwwat at-tashri} which includes the first and in addition is given a mission of regeneration, renewal, and revivification which is brought about by the restoration of the Divine Command whereby people are given the means of living in accord with a system or a form or a law, or a pathway {shari'ah} designed by the Creator to facilitate their remembrance of their task and thus be able to return to worship in its pure and original form. "Thus of the 124,000 prophets {anbiya} there are those who roused and awakened, cautioned and warned, counselled and advised but were not charged with issuing the Command and were not sent to a particular people for a particular purpose. Such we call a Nabi. Then there were those who were under the Command {amr} and whose task was to rouse and awaken, caution and warn, advise and counsel certain people or tribes or towns of cities or nations and these we call Nabi-mursal or Messenger Prophets and of them we know the specific names of twenty five. Then there are those charged with issuing the Command and in addition to rousing and awakening, cautioning and warning, advising and counselling they lay down the Law {shari'ah} by which whole generations and ultimately the world itself is given to know the perfect means and way to live in order that they might facilitate the remembrance of their original task and thus be able to return to worship in its pure and original form. These are called the Nabi-rasul or Prophets bearing a Message and of these we know of five specifically by name, though again we make no distinction between them. Of the five there is one charged with sealing and thus completing all that came before and he is called Khatimi-i-nabbiyin or the Seal of the Prophets and he is Muhammad, blessings of Allah and peace be upon, and still we make no distinction between them knowing that all of them are formed of the same light brought forth in pre-eternity. After the Seal there is no prophet for the Message and the Means is perfected and completed and is for all the people of all the worlds for he was and is and will be the Mercy to the Worlds. This message is found in the Qur'an when Allah says, "This day I have pefected your religion for you and completed My favor to you and chosen Islam (voluntary self-surrender) for you."(5:3) "After him there come his beloved followers who are the chosen friends of Allah {awliya' allah} and each of these pure and uncorrupted {salih} ones follows completely and obediently in the Way and each true wali is the equivalent and the like of a nabi of old and each in their way attests and carries out the Prophecy of Instruction {nubuwwatu-l-ta'rif} and the proof of their truth is that each attests to the Prophecy of the Law {nubuwwatu-t-tashri} which is finally sealed and com-plete though ever unfinished and constantly being revealed. "Thus my friend it is by this you may know if your teacher and his father are true teachers or false. If they are true they are of the blessed but if they are false they are cursed and they have cursed themselves and all who follow them by following their own desires imagining them to be the order of Allah. "As for the Chishtiyyah their ranks are filled with the friends of Allah and they were Muslims one and all and of that there can be and is no doubt. I myself am an aspirant to sufism from the Naqshbandi school. We disagree on some issues with the Chishtiyyah insofar as they incline more to the teachings of the great wali of Andalus, Ibn Arabi whose theory of Wahdat al-Wujud or the Oneness of Being and Unity of Existence we see more in terms of what was transmitted by Simnani and Sirhindi as Wahdat ash-Shuhud or the Oneness of Witnessing. That indeed is the teaching followed in the Mujaddidi branch of the Naqshbandiyyah to which I am linked. However, we are all Muslims and since there is, we are told by Allah, "No compulsion in religion." {2:256} we each see what see from our different perspectives but when the call to prayer is sounded we stand shoulder to shoulder and when the holy month of fasting commences we happily and joyously break our fast together and when we meet in Makkah at the time of the pilgrimage we greet each other with love and though we are poor ourselves it is always a pleasure and our duty to be able to give to those who have less and if we hear that somewhere there is oppression we struggle side-by-side with them against that evil. al-Husayn's explanationin BodhGaya was a great opening for meand began to open my perspective to how the timeless {conditionally speaking of course} existence of the Prophet, blessings of Allah and peace be upon him. I am sorry if this is a bit long but it sometimes takes a little space to unfold understanding. Hope it may prove useful to some other soul{s}. wa salaam A. N. Durkee Green Mountain ------------------------------ From: gmtn@mail.comet.net (Green Mountain School) Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 14:25:36 -0500 Subject: Re: sufi words naturally >>>Rumi was a Muslim and was a >>>Muslim everyday of his life. >> >>Yes, he was a true and open Muslim and he was run out of Afghanistan by >>intolerant would-be Muslims like you. >> > >as-salaamu 'alaykum, > >Seeing as I'm in a hurry, I will only take the time to point out that, to my >understanding, Rumi left Afghanistan (of course, it wasn't Afghanistan then) >as a child or young man (around age 12), with his family, fearing the Mongol >invasion (not muslims). > >Na'imah as-salaamu 'alaykum, aint it the truth wa salaam A. N. Durkee Green Mountain ------------------------------ From: Well333@turbonet.com (Jacquie Weller) Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 11:26:06 +0100 Subject: Re: sufi words naturally snip snip - -Michael- - ----Yes Michael this is a good thought. I say we all just let go of this and have lunch under the open sky and say to each other peace, love, and joy. You can call me anything you want, I still will love you as I know you love me. A friend of the sufi's...Kaffea Lalla ------------------------------ From: James McCaig Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 14:26:38 -0400 Subject: Re: I'm naturally curious, naturally... At 08:20 AM 9/27/96 -0800, you wrote: >It's interesting for me to see this renewed discussion (once again) about >"Islamic Sufism" vs. "non-Islamic Sufism." It's interesting to me because >this is the first time that I'm observing the discussion from my new (for >me) "Islamic point of view," having finally taken Shahada from Shaykh >Hisham and accepted Islam about a year ago. Dear Sisters and Brothers, Congratulations are in order for this brother. First, if he is the same Gary, he writes a most interesting and informative column on PC matters and is a weekly source of delight for me. Second, he has found the one true path, an even bigger accomplishment and after a year or so he now feels ready to criticize those who don't know as much as he does on religious matters, especially the parroting by rote of prayers. Knowing of his bent for careful research and his self- professed natural curiosity, one presumes that he would never reject a religion without studying it carefully and I am moved to ask: 1. What is it about the Baghavad Gita that you found so far from the truth? 2. After your careful study of Buddhism and its prayers and esoteric practices, why did you decide to reject it? 3. Which teachings of Christ do you reject? Does one Christian sect strike you as closer to the truth than another? Would you, as brother Simon does, assign a religion to another on the basis of criticism of your writings? 4. Why do the teachings and practices of Zoroaster leave you feeling unfulfilled? 5. Does your careful study of the Jewish tradition leave you feeling that it is hollow at its core? 6. Thank you for acknowledging, at least, the existence of non-Islamic Sufis. That no doubt eases the burden for many, but how can you be so sure if one is not Islamic. Is it your opinion that to be Islamic one musty reject and put down anyone who does not believe the only way to salvation is through Islam? 7. How does one become Islamic? Is it through the point of view you adopt or can it only be done through approval by a registered leader? For my part, i see myself as Islamic since I accept that there is only one God and that Mohammed (PBUH) was his prophet. If one must be touched or blessed by a leader, how can you be sure you got the right one? Did your research lead you to reject the teachings of some Islamic factions while finally settling on the one you chose? Could you take a minute to explain the process of culling through all the various branches of Islam before you decided on the one true way? 7. Looking at your picture you seem to be quite young, about or under 30 I would guess, unless you owe a great debt to the photographer for your column. How have you found the time to lead an active life in the world of commerce while conducting all the research that brings you to the certainty that you now profess? Just curious and naturally a little nonplussed because I could never find the time to be so sure. As Oscar Wilde has said, "I'm not young enough to know everything". Warm regards and thanks again for a great weekly column. > >Others have written tons of words here on either side, and it does look >like a bit of an impasse. But I'm curious as to whether or not those >"non-Islamic Sufi's" who seem to so clearly believe that there can be >Sufism without Islam have ever *really* looked into Islam, i.e., really >read about it, looked for a tariqat, looked for an Islamic Shaykh, spent >time with Muslims, etc. > >I guess I was lucky. It only took me a couple of years of being of the >non-Islamic variety, before I was led onto the path. But I've known some >others who've been non-Islamic for a verrrrry long time. I asked one of >them, a very close friend, if he had learned the Fatihah yet. And he said >"no, but I can sort of recite it along with others if they are doing it." >And I said, "my friend, you've been on the fringes of Sufism for twenty >years, and you consider yourself to be a Sufi. You know the Star Spangled >Banner, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the names of hundreds of TV and Movie >stars. Why haven't you made the effort to learn the Fatihah?" Do you know, dear brother, the Sufi story of Moses and the Shepherd who was praying to God in his own way, inviting God to share his meager wealth? Are you willing to incur God's wrath for your putdown of your friend? >He had no >answer, and to this day hasn't made the investment to learn the Fatihah. >I've seen stuck automobiles that had less inertia than my friend. > >So I ask, out of curiosity, and out of hope, if some of our "non-Islamic" >Sufi friends can answer these two basic questions: > >1) How much investigation of Islam have you actually attempted? > >2) If there *has* been some investigation on your parts, then could you >share with us the reasons why you have chosen to not accept Islam? > >I think if some of you good souls out there could respond directly to these >two questions, then maybe we could get to where the rubber hits the road on >this issue. Like I said, I'm hopeful, in spite of what seems to be a >zillion-year impasse. It is a zillion year impasse, dear Gary, even though Islam has only been around since after the Prophet (PBUH) died. The impasse is between mystics who marvel at the mystery and imensity of God's creation and see God in every blade of grass and those who profess to know the rules and regulations and reject all others. > >With respect to all, > >Abdul Matin Berlind > > > Maharaj James McCaig | Sufi Center of Washington Brotherhood/Sisterhood Representative | Keepers of Sufi Center Bookstore United States | http://guess.worldweb.net/sufi jmccaig@worldweb.net ------------------------------ From: James McCaig Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 14:26:43 -0400 Subject: Re: Natural Sufi Dear Asim, There are Sufi groups on the net where just about everybody agrees most of the time. They aren't much fun and it is hard to imagine happiness without a little disagreement from time to time to remind us of our joy when it stops. Your play with words, though, has made me happy and brought a chuckle. Warm regards, At 12:33 PM 9/28/96 CDT, you wrote: >The word "sufi" as it is pronounced on this list is without the strong >Arabic "saad", rather more with a "seen", and so it becomes a completely >different-and-new word, without any history. And so we can make it mean >anything we want. > >If this doesn't work for you, then how about this: "natural sufi" is a new >word, just because it has "sufi" in it doesn't mean it has to refer to the >same thing. Maybe people who find "natural sufi" offensive can pronounce >this as "not-a-real sufi". This way everyone can be happy :-) > >Asim > Maharaj James McCaig | Sufi Center of Washington Brotherhood/Sisterhood Representative | Keepers of Sufi Center Bookstore United States | http://guess.worldweb.net/sufi jmccaig@worldweb.net ------------------------------ From: James McCaig Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 14:26:44 -0400 Subject: Re: sufi words naturally At 10:52 AM 9/28/96 -0700, you wrote: >James McCaig wrote: >-snip- >> >> If I profess to be a Sufi, who has the right to challenge me and my >> conception of Sufism? Some Sheikh? From some otherr Sufi group? No way. >> Sufism=Tolerance, IMHO, and Spritual Liberty. Don't tread on me, as the man >> said. >> >-snip- >Can we tolerate Sufis from other groups saying we are not sufis? >Can we tolerate being treaded upon? >Can we tolerate being called 'would-be Muslims'? >Can we tolerate being called soupis? > >Somebody said a while back on this list that 'There seems to be none so >intolerant as the tolerant.' > >I am thinking that maybe there can be no such thing as tolerance because >tolerance must always deny intolerance; which makes tolerance only into >a more insidious form of intolerance. At least with intolerance, it is >out in the open. I confess that I haven't really thought this through >so thanks for being tolerant while I think out loud. > >-Michael- > Sure, I can tolerate that ;) Maharaj James McCaig | Sufi Center of Washington Brotherhood/Sisterhood Representative | Keepers of Sufi Center Bookstore United States | http://guess.worldweb.net/sufi jmccaig@worldweb.net ------------------------------ From: "Earl Yunus Torrey" Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 11:44:44 +0000 Subject: Peace -was natural sufi I have watched for sometime the war on words over who is and who is not a sufi and what the definition is. And I have watched what is happeneng in the news in the mideast, and watched my own tendiacy to want to wade into malestorm. None of really knows what our the great Sufi's of light would really say now but my feeling is that many of us would have a hard time looking into their eyes at this point. While non of us seem to great masters let us acknowledge that we reflect some power and remember the first lesson all us of what ever silsia were taught was to b humble and courtsy something we seem to lack. Many of you have taught me great lessons and have much insight and wisdom to share an I feel embarrassed to even write this or think I can change what is going on but look at the world if we can not be at peace among our selves what will be reflected elswhere Your servent, Yunus Earl Torrey. ------------------------------ From: Well333@turbonet.com (Jacquie Weller) Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 12:16:58 +0100 Subject: Re: Dear Amy Since I have been called a liar (indirectly of course), I have to confess that my Dog does not say huuuu. She looks at me with beautiful brown eyes, and I imagine she says this. I imagine she loves me and God loves us all and that she is my Sheikh because she shows such unconditional love. To the person that wrote about the cat and dog, I apologize. I did not think anyone would take me seriously. I am wondering if we are striving to understand, to be peaceful or what. I have dear friends here and would not want to be able to communicate, but is remaining on tariqas as important to me anymore. I know this is probably a temporary feeling on my mind. But I don't know either. Love a friend of the sufi. Kaffea Lalla ------------------------------ From: Ayesha Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 13:10:14 -0600 Subject: A dream Salam brothers and sisters, I know this is not a mailing list for the interpretation of dreams, but I had a very close heart connection with my Sheikh last week and afterwards, on three successive nights, had three very strong dreams. I just wondered if there was anyone out there who might have an understanding of any of the symbols which appeared in the dreams, as I am not sure what is meant, although I feel much strengthened in my faith after having them. Maybe I don't need to fully understand, but here goes: 24th September 1996 I dreamt I was in a big house or even a palace, full of many rooms with many many people, who I either knew or who were amiable towards me. They were assisting me in moving my belongings, I think out of the house into a new place. People were carrying things and directing operations. My father-in-law, recently passed over, spoke to me, and told me that I should tell his son he was now dead (although his son does know this). And that I should tell him and everyone else that he was now well and happy and looking forward to the rest of his existence, and to eventually meeting with his family again. That he hoped they would be there soon as it was so wonderful. And that there was peace all around him. 25th September 1996 I dreamt I was shot three times in the back, three times in the heart and three times in the head. There was no pain, and no fear, and I found myself lying in a peaceful condition, floating, drifting and feeling happy although I knew I had been pierced by these shots - which were not bullets but little pellets, which I could feel through the skin over my heart. I felt I ought to be dead but at the same time I didn't think I was. People around me were behaving as usual, I found myself in different places and times. I was trying to figure out the meaning of the dream either before I woke up or very soon after. At that time I still believed it to be true - it took some while for me to realise that I had not "really" been shot and that I wasn't actually dead. 26th September 1996 I dreamt I was floating in space surrounded by a huge, amber coloured sphere which I was embedded in. It felt totally natural and normal, as if it was my natural state of being. The amber felt as if it even permeated my body as well as enclosing it and surrounding it and containing it, and it was a good feeling of growth and safety and security. Again, the dream persisted until after I awoke and it took a while to come to. This dream was on the night of the lunar eclipse. Any thoughts, anyone? Peace, happiness and wellness Ayesha_abdelghani ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The birds have vanished into the sky and now the last cloud drains away. We sit together, the mountain and me Until only the mountain remains. Li Po. ------------------------------ From: Rashid Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 20:56:19 +0400 Subject: Re: Sorry, another Post Imaan Joshi wrote: > > At 18:43 27/09/96 +0100, you wrote: > as salaamu 'alaikum > > I have to admit that I am discouraged, and feel very lonly here. Kaffea lalla > I still have sisters/brs in faith who tell me I cannot read the > Qur'an by myself. I still have pple telling me I should have a teacher, > can't do anything without him... . . I am still sitting here...waiting, wondering... WA When Britishers came to India, they employed servants who could not speak their language. But after sometime they were able to understand their language better than any graduate from University. There is a lesson to be learnt from this. Proximity to the Master will teach you the language of your Master better than any teacher. Islam is the final message for all humanity transcending all boundries. It is a gross misconception to think that a person who knows arabic can only understand Quran. Yes they may understand the meaning, but the closeness to Allah will make you understand the essence of this message. Having said that, I am not denying that Arabic should not be learnt, but do not get despair if you do not know the language. > to the rest my apologies for this:-) > Wassalam Rashid - -- **************************************************************************** "YOU CAN'T BE FAITHFUL UNLESS YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN YOUR FATHER, YOUR SON & ALL MANKIND."(Sahih Bukhari) *************************************************************************** ------------------------------ From: Rashid Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 21:34:17 +0400 Subject: Re: Sorry, another Post Wa Alaikum Assalam Dear Imaan/Kaffea We, the ordinary muslims, are Muslims by birth. But you are special who have chosen Islam as your faith and as such it makes you much much superior than us. History has repeated itself and you are reliving the experiences endured by those fortuante Muslims who embraced Islam at the hands of Holy Prophet SAAW. I am sure that the station of those who chose Islam to be their faith under such difficult times is much higher. There is a rule mentioned in Holy Quran, for those who are special or claim to be more sincere Muslim. Allah says 2:155-157: [Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere, Who say, when afflicted with calamity: "To God We belong, and to Him is our return": They are those on whom (Descend) blessings from God, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.] These are the stages through which every saalik has to go through; Behold! Allah, out of His infinite Mercy, has already said: [I do not make any nafs endure more than what it can bear.] So Dear ones. Just be patient, InshaAllah it will all be well. Wassalam Rashid Imaan Joshi wrote: > > At 18:43 27/09/96 +0100, you wrote: > as salaamu 'alaikum > > I have to admit that I am discouraged, and feel very lonly here. Kaffea lalla > > don't lose hope sister; there will always be pple who will disgree > with us:-) we all make fools of ourselves; I am the queen at that, in some > ways:-) I get up, then fall, then get up, only to fall again; > I became muslim abt 1.5 years ago, and life during the first year > was hell. it is not exactly a bed of roses right now but certainly much > better...it may seem finally that things might be getting better, but I am > too scared to hope. It always seems that in order for me to gain one thing, > I have to lose another... .... > realise how hard life is, how difficult,and I fall into the first trap that > comes along,and I am still sitting here...waiting, wondering... > >Life is difficult. But alHamdulillah, I have finally been blessed > with this, my faith; in Him. noone else is as important. Trust in Him. I can > understand your pain; because I have felt it, all too too often; sometimes I > wondered if I had done the right thing, becoming a muslim, fighting pple > left and right the whole way. Facing my family every single day; putting up > with cold shoulders, prying questions, a relationship that went > sour...parents who worried I would never marry now that I am muslim; > worrying I would never find someone to love me, worrying I would never find > a niche for myself in islam...worrying I would never have money...worrying > worrying worrying...and then I learnt abt tasawwuf...and began to trust in > Him...and still worried, but a little less now...and met someone who was > wonderful, who helped me grow, in a way I never imagined I would; he has my > deepest respect, as does his wife, who was source of support as well...and > now it would seem they too, are leaving my life...;-) what can I say? > Sister, life is just that; much worrying much crying and many tears. and > thru these there may be some good, Insh'Allah, that we may remember that we > are from Him, and to Him is our return. > I wish you all the best, and offer you my shoulder should you ever > need it;-) > to the rest my apologies for this:-) > - -- **************************************************************************** "YOU CAN'T BE FAITHFUL UNLESS YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN YOUR FATHER, YOUR SON & ALL MANKIND."(Sahih Bukhari) *************************************************************************** ------------------------------ End of tariqas-digest V1 #166 *****************************