Dear all,
There was a small press book published in Edmonds, Washington in 1991, titled “Autobiography of Fatah Engle” – by Qahira
I need the book for a few days to copy a photo in it of Bakti Engle (his wife and Qahira's mother).
Any help is greatly appreciated.
all blessings
hakim saul
D.H.O.’er’s
The original Peoples closest to Mt. Shasta are the Wintu People. In their creation story, their elders came to earth through a spring (in Panther Meadows.)
The Hoopa, Yaruk and Karuk Peoples are original peoples close by Mt. Shasta.
To all these people Mt. Shasta is a sacred place of pilgrimage.
I met a Karuk elder Charles RedHawk Thom and he said it is a tradition among many his people to visit Mt. Shasta once a year, not more.
It has been a priveledge to accompany RedHawk and his extended family to Mt. Shasta several times and do purification ceremony on the exact spot Red Hawks grandfather took him to ceremony as a young boy, beside the same sacred spring the Wintu people were “created” from.
This spring has some of the best tasting water, I’ve ever tasted. (In my past I’ve sold drinking water systems, I know water.) You might want to bring a jar to bring some water home with you.
This site is 35 to 40 minutes from the 2005 DHO Gathering site this year.
The Spring is called the Mother Spring of Mt.Shasta.
These people are all very much alive and have living Elders.
toward Spring 2005, not there yet,
Irish Francis Rainbowheart
p.s. Over the years I have found the Forest Service in Shasta City to be an excellant resource.
_____________________________
Thanks for the info on the "locals" -
I am aware of three main springs on the Mountain:
And, amongst all our usual "frolicking amongst the trees" --- we also plan on:
by the by -
the only time I ever heard SAM make the all inclusive statement that he would taker as mureeds all of someones disciples - was refeering to Mother Mary - a number of us showed up - I was number 2 after Basira.
see yas on the Mountain
halim saul
Beloved one,
I am happy to report that the upcoming meeting of the Federation of the Sufi Message is going to manifest once more, this year, with the participation of all the branches of Hazrat Inayat Khan as they were last year in Holland. Yes there will be representatives of the Sufi Order, Sufi Ruhaniat, International Sufi Movement, Fraternity of Light, Sufi Way and Sufi Contact.
So far 47 people will meet at the Sufi Books meeting room in New York City (in Tribeca) on Saturday and Sunday, April 23 and 24.
The meeting will start with a wonderful event at Saint Peter's Church on Lexington and 54th Street, called "Mysticism of Sound" with the participation of many great musicians including Pir Shabda and Michael Harrison who will play ragas, Talia Toni Marcus and a string quintet who will play "La Monotonia" that will be introduced by POM Hidayat Inayat Khan, with Murshida Khadijah Goforth who will direct turning dervishes during the poetry recital of Murshid SAM's "God Calls" and with Michael Harrison presenting his piano composition "Revelation".
Saturday night Zikar will be held at the Al Jerrahi center one block from Sufi Books with all the Federation attendees, the local family, all the great musicians and more cited above, Sheikha Fariha Al Jerrahi and her mureeds. Towards the One.... Sheikha Fariha has welcomed all of us with her great heart full of love without distinctions and differences.
All praise be to Allah.
May the vision and the work of the Federation of the Sufi Message continue.
Love and blessings,
Jean-Pierre
Beloved one,
Saul asked me to send you the posting below. In addition, I would like to recommend the book "The Two Faces of Islam: Saudi Fundamentalism and Its Role in Terrorism" by Stephen Schwartz.
It describes in its book the two forces at play since the time of Mohammed. This includes description of the pluralism, tolerance, respect for women and all beings does not matter what religion they had, forgiveness as taught by Mohammed. This includes also very early on description of elements of fundamentalism, narrow minded interpretation, exclusion of others not following the true way, intolerance, etc... from that period on to the Wahhabis and their ambition to rewrite history, forget about Mohammed example and become the only source of the True Islam.
Schwartz research of historical facts and understanding of the role of Sufism in Islam makes this book a must read for people interested in understanding world events.
Love and blessings
Jean-Pierre
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Salaam, I was sent this email and thought that people might find it interesting, insha'allah. HU! Ibrahim
Subject: [Islam_Muslims] Amra, the female master of hadith
Assalam alaikum,
One of Aisha's pupils was Amra bint Abd al-Rahman, whom Ibn Imad Hanbali remembered in these words, 'The posessor of understanding and a knowledge of jurisprudence and moral excellence, Amra bint Abd al-Rahman, who was nourished in the house of Aisha and who has narrated many hadith from Aisha, was reliable, precise, had a good memory and her reports could be relied upon'
[Ibn al-Imad, Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol 1, p 144]
[N.B. This text, Shadharat al-Dhahab, is a large biographical dictionary of prominent Muslim scholars from the first to tenth century AH.]
Ibn Haban said about her, 'She knew more about the narrations than anyone else'
[Ibn Hajr, Tahdhib al Tahdhib, vol 12, p 129]
The famous Muhadith and j urist of the period of the Tabioon (the generation after the companions of the Prophet Muhammad), Qasim ibn Muhammad, said to Imam Zuhri, 'I feel in you a thirst for knowledge. Shall I point out to you one who is full of knowledge?' Zuhri said, 'Yes certainly!'. He said, 'Go to the assembly of Amra bint Abbd al-Rahman and dont leave it, for she was nourished and educated by Aisha (i.e. and is the greatest inheritor of her knowledge)'. Zuhri says that on his recommendation he went into the assembly of Amra and found that she was a boundless ocean of knowledge.
[Dhahabi, Tadhkirat al Huffaz (Memorial of Hadith Masters), vol 1, p 106]
The account above shows how not only was knowledge sought from the best of sources, irrespective of gender, but that Amra would teach and share her knowledge of hadith to men and women. There is no reference or mention of seperation of genders, such things in my understanding were non-issues in early Islam , and God knows best.
May God Almighty have mercy and guide us all, ameen.
fi amanillah, assalam alaikum, f
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Beloved One,
I like to report that we are making much progress in the preparation for the meeting of the Federation of the Sufi Message from April 22 to April 25 in New York City, with the tremendous help of our local committee.
The local committee includes Khadija Goforth, Jean-Pierre & Monick, Michael Harrison, Uwais, Subhan, Aishah, Maritza, Deirdre & Lisa-Renee.
We are preparing a first night event at Saint Peter’s Church on Lexington & 54th Street. This event will be called “Mysticism of Sound.” The church has great acoustic and Nicholas will record the event. Subhan will take pictures.
We will be blessed and honored to feature Pir Shabda Khan & Michael Harrison for Classical Indian Music Ragas, Pir-O-Murshid Hidayat Inayat Khan for “La Monotonia: by String Quartet (Hidayat will introduce his music), Murshida Khadija Goforth: Mystical Poetry of Sufi Murshid Samuel Lewis “God Calls” & Dervish Dancers and finally Michael Harrison playing “Revelation” (a short version of 45 minutes on piano). This will be a commemorable event.
The Federation meeting will be held at Sufi Books on West Broadway (between White and Franklin) on Saturday and Sunday, April 23 & 24, 2005.
Sheikha Fariha al-Jerrahi, who leads the Jerrahi community, has given her blessing to our gathering of the “Federation of the Sufi Message”. The Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order is a community of dervishes within the Halveti-Jerrahi Tariqat, in the specific lineage and spirit of Sheikh Muzaffer Ashki al-Jerrahi & Sheikh Nur al-Jerrahi.They are based at the Masjid al-Farah in NYC on West Broadway. I was always warmly welcomed at Sheikha Fariha Zikar on Thursday night when I attended by myself or with our Sufi Ruhaniat mureeds.
Sheikha Fariha has offered the use of her Masjid for Zikar one evening and asked if she could join us in prayer with her mureeds. I like to share with you that this beautiful woman touched my heart the day she welcomed one of my mureed to her inner study circle. She told this mureed that since she took hand in the Sufi Ruhaniat and also came to her Zikar, that she welcomed her with her own mureeds in her advance class. She also came once when Murshid Sauluddin lectured at the Sufi Books and sat at his feet with many of her mureeds, in turn, Saul stopped what he was doing and told a story of Sheikh Muzaffer.
The Federation board will meet on Monday morning.
I will be in touch regularly with Amrita to find out who is coming for the meeting and we will do our best to help anybody find suitable accommodation in New York. Please let Amrita know as soon as possible if you plan to join us.
Hidayat Inayat Khan, Aziza and Nawab will be staying at my home in Montclair, NJ.
I am grateful for all those who are helping to make this meeting happen and further the vision set in the ideal of the Federation of the Sufi Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan.
All praise be to Allah.
In service to the message.
Jean-Pierre
Beloved of God,
Wishing you a healthy and blessed 2005 from Virginia.
VERY IMPORTANT:
There is a proposed formal change to our relationship within and to the Ruhaniate on the table. We are being invited to alter our format of the past 28 years, and work within and under another model.
We have been given four possibilities to operate from, and are being asked to choose one of them. Since this is a major shift in and to our relationship, I do not wish to make the decision without your active participation.
This will be the sub-theme of our meeting, and I truly wish all members of the D.H.O. to participate in this discussion. Please attend if you are able. Thank you.
I will also be bringing this up at our European gathering ( our 21st year) in Germany this May, so I am hopeful that our decision will represent the heart’s desire of all our family.
Our Summer Gathering will be on Mount Shasta in Northern California.
Plus: Healing Rituals, zikrs, Ram Nam, walks and dance, Shasta Abbey (Murshid Sam's "guru sister," Jiu Kennett Roshi's Abbey), Mountain stories, great food, hot mineral baths, Fabulous Mountain Views & our traditional frolicking amongst the trees. Ya Hu!
And: We hope to have some special guests from Mother Mary's sangha, and news (at least) of her new biography I wish to close with a few thoughts for the coming year:
Most importantly, let us again remember the words of the Master Jesus – "There will be wars and rumors of wars, but keep ye well in mind that which I have taught you."
As both our physical and political world undergo great calamity, we must be aware of Who we are, and what energy in flowing through us when we act.
I recommend the daily offering of the prayer Pir, with our concentration on Murshid SAM — asking him to guide us on the path which most furthers our spiritual growth.
Let us become the peace demonstrator who demonstrates Peace, the warrior who fights the internal war to become more not less Divine, the one who listens to God rather than only speaking to God. The one who is honest, not only to others, but to ourselves.
And, allow us the grace to re-dedicate ourselves so as to manifest our ideals of Selfless Service and a generous and open heart.
And, finally, please note that although Jennifer Avian is still our Camp Co-ordinator, Jude Sargent is now our secretary for all address changes, and Jean Pierre David remains our webmaster. Many thanks to you all for making this so smooth.
I send you all my love and blessings with my prayers for your growth and spiritual fulfillment in this newest year.
See you on the Mountain,
Yours in Service to the Real
Hakim Sauluddin
saulamca@aol.com
401 East Main Street
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
Dear family..
Our summer 2005 gathering is upcoming.
We had spoken about meeting on Mt Shasta, and submersing ourselves in the “fabulous” traditions of the American Spiritual movement: i.e. The Great White Brotherhood, psychicism, and Mother Mary.
We hope to gather at Stewart Hot Springs – it has a long connection to the White Brotherhood, as well as excellent food, hot mineral baths, and good accommodations – as well as fabulous views of the Mountain.
The dates they have available are June 27 to July 1st.
And. they have raised their prices – so, our gathering will now cost $400 per person. That’s all inclusive of food, and rooms and a meeting space.
So, who is willing to commit to coming?
Please let me know soonest, so Jennifer can book the space.
I send all love and blessings, and promise a real DHO report on Russia soon
hakim sauluddin
Beloved ones of God,
Firstly allow me to thank all the folks who made the Pilgrimage happen so well and so smoothly. To Zuleikha who gave us a fabulous evening of dance, and story, of zikr, and love. To Asha who flew across country from one camp right into ours. To Mansur Johnson who brought the manuscript of his time with Murshid with him and read from it. And, to all the dozen plus Murshidas, Shiekas, Khalifas, and the 50 beloveds who participated, and to our hosts, the Lama beans – especially Krishnasdas and Austin. Ya Shakur!
$11,000.00 was raised for Lama. Alhamdullilah!
_________________________________
It is also time to share with the larger group the story of the two coverings, which were placed on Murshid's Maqbara,
1.
When Murshid S.A.M. fell and went into a coma (late December of 1970), I called “auntie” Helen in Oregon, and gave her the news and asked for her prayers. She said she would be coming down to hold my hand through all of this. And, when S.A.M. died, she came down.
She brought with her a green velvet cover, fully inscribed in Arabic calligraphy. She said that when she was in town (Klamath Falls) making a few purchases for the trip south, she heard Mother Mary’s voice clearly in her head. (Mother Mary had died the year earlier) “Turn right here.” Mother said. She turned as directed, and found herself in front of a gift shop. “Enter.” said mother, and she did. “Get that one for Saul.” she was told. “Tell Saul that the calligraphy means something. It is not just decorative.” She went to pay for the velvet coverlet, and found that she had just enough money to pay for it. This was especially important, as she and her family were as poor as ‘church mice.’
She arrived the next day, and when we went to see S.A.M. in the Mortuary, she placed the cover over his body, and it remained there until he was autopsied and buried.
2.
About 2 months ago, a dear friend (Jerry Toporovsky) returned from a trip to India. When he was in Ajmir, he felt moved to purchase (for Saul) a cloth cover from the tomb of Moineddin Chisti. When he presented it to me, I heard the words Maqbarra and Murshid. So, I brought it with us to Lama to be placed on Murshid’s grave.
Both covers were placed on Murshid’s gravesite – I asked Mansur Johnson (as Murshid’s ‘senior’ mureed present) to assist me.
The cloth from Moinuddin Chisti remains at Lama. It will have a small box made for it, and it will “live” in the retreat cabin by the Maqbara.
The cover from Mother Mary (through Auntie Helen) returned with me.
Finally, the last morning, we did the healing ritual under the dome. Hadi David Hunter performed it. The energy was so deep and powerful it carried us all safely back home.
Alhamdullilah!
All love and blessings
Hakim sauluddin
* The Lama air, the Lama earth, the Lama sky, the Lama sunsets!
* The magnificent dome, looking out through the 8-foot octagonal window transports one through time and space *The Prayer room, not the KIVA, is steeped with so much PRESENCE. We were graced with morning sits, afternoon healing ritual prayers with Asha, and evening transformational wazifa with Firdousi.
* The incredibly delicious food, presented with such beauty and passion.
* The Joy of REUNION with so many new and old BELOVEDS
* The Processional up to Murshid's Maqbara was powerful. The mass energy helped to propel even the non-hikers.
* The laying of white, green and gold darga cloth of Moineddin Chisti on Mursid's grave...it was given to Lama and will be kept in the Maqbara Hut.
* The laying of the calligraphy rug that Saul was given by Auntie Helen which covered Murshid's body until burial. (What a story of how mother Mary instructed Auntie Helen to go buy the rug...and the money appeared)
* The openness and candor of Mansur Johnson relating stories of Murshid and our family. Thank you for your priceless work, and we will all buy cases of the book, MURSHID! Please come again.
* Meeting Sara Morgan, hearing her Murshid stories. "God is your LOVER not your jailer!" Hearing her talk about Murshid's woman's class and how special that transmission was. I wish we could do a Mushid's Woman's Weekend and invite many of the original woman's class so we could feel the energy.
* Having the "subtle TEA" ceremony with Asha.. .perhaps the crown of ALL the Dervish Tea Ceremonies!
* Zikr with Ananda is like tuning the radio to the ECASTY station. Many beautiful tunes... same incredible frequency.
* The pre-Tibetean "BON meditation on transmission" was given to us by Ananda at the Maqbara one early morning. She took us to levels on other planes impossible to describe. I felt a sensation of opening going across my shoulder blades, energy going back and forth, I soon realized it was a chipmunk that was trailing across my back and soon ran down my arm.
* The woman's zikr of the prophets in the female form was the most powerful expression of this song I have witnessed. We are so blessed to be in the PRESENCE of so many who can tune into the transmission and make it a REALITY.
* The work of Murad in helping us integrate our body & spirit. So simple, yet so powerful when done.
* The saying of the Heart Sutra by Jean-Pierre at the Maqbara by heart...
* The morning meditations at the maqbara, doing Mursid's zikr followed by the BEAUTIFUL HU dance around Murshid's grave.
* The hike to the high ridge, the flutter of the pinion leaves, the radiance of the flowers, the REMBRANCE of true beauty beyond the fire, beyond the form.
* The group concentration on " Transitions and Transformations" was an incredible process. So much hima, longing for manifestation for a higher ideal, whether it be aging to saging, wholistic hospice care, Sufi centers engaging both both pre-school and elder care... with the guidance of Murshida Mariam and Farishta MAY OUR WORK BE MADE MANIFEST.
* The making of the 33 BEAD flower essences from the flowers on Murshid's grave.
* The HOMEWORK Saul would give us at night. The first one was as we go to sleep to ask Murshid Sam what our next 33-year assignment was! One other piece of homework I remembered was to reach our hand up to Murshid as we were going to sleep. Dreams the next morning are always interesting.
* The finding the GREAT INVOCATION in the outhouse. (Saul had left it there...and I picked it up)
* The walk of Hanuman the Servant as given by Noel is a gift to be remembered as well as the walks of Mary in her many forms given to us by Khadija.
* I love Saul's presentations of the many walks, an accelerated class that is a great model for teaching us concentration in a multitasking world.
* The energy of the the Healing Ritual in the Dome knocked me off my feet.
* So many blessings, it goes on and on. 33 beads...so many beautiful expressions of Murshid. We are so very lucky to have the freedom, power, and joy of this transmission.
* Thank you for your service Lama... Thank you Murshid.
Sarfaraz Cathy Knight
Beloved One of God,
Through the rays of the sun in the New Mexico Mountains at Lama Foundation, through the waves of the air at 8,600 feet of altitude, through the all pervading life in space the DHO family came together again. Lama and its surrounding have come back from the devastation of the fire. Burn trees stand everywhere as witnesses overseeing the new growth under the supervision of a competent perm culture expert. Lama has rebuilt its facilities and provided adequate accommodation through yurts, camping sites with view on the valley below, great vegetarian food and even hot showers. The main dome with its prayer room and washroom and the kitchen were not touched by the fire, so it was received as an omen that the places for purification and nourishment of body and heart left untouched would facilitate the continuity of the endeavor on that site. Of course, Murshid presence reminded us “The soul does not seek, the soul does not shun, the soul is not concerned with thought. The soul is concerned with the experience of God and can find it without regard to pleasure. Any experience can lead to God, any experience can increase the clouds over the mind and can harden the heart. It is only when all attachment to experience is abandoned — including all thought connected with the idea of attachment — that the soul can find its peace and rest in God, be concerned with God no matter what the material or mental circumstances.”
What most beautiful place to experience peace and rest in God but at Lama, near Taos, New Mexico.
Above and beyond all the highlight of the retreat, the shared love and joy of meeting old friends and welcoming new members of our family was overwhelming. Juanita originally from Columbia, Umbreen originally from Pakistan, Deirdre from New York were with us for the first time. A total of 50 people came to this pilgrimage to the Maqbara of Murshid Samuel Lewis.
Tears were shed when Sheik Mansur Johnson read passages of his manuscript (hopefully soon to be published) about Murshid Samuel Lewis. Mansur touched all hearts when he told us at the Maqbara how he lost his still beloved wife Taj so many years ago, who became Pir Vilayat Khan girlfriend and gave him a son who today is Pir Zia. He read a children book that he created to explain to his child the new parameters from three to four people in their family. Mansur could not even start reading from his manuscript of Murshid, the memory of his beloved teacher Murshid Sam was enough to bring a flood of tears that inspired more tears in all those present. Welcome back around the family Mansur, we love you.
Zuleikha was another highlight of our retreat. She shared how she fulfills her dharma for service by teaching dances to young girls in India and Sri Lanka. Zuleikha established a non-profit program, The Story dancer Project, of exercise, rhythm and melody to bring enrichment and awareness of health and body to orphanages, street children, teenage girls and women in impoverished areas of the world. She told stories, read poetry and led a square formation Zikar with men and women facing each other, the musicians in the center and Zuleikha manifesting Qadir, holding the center point while everything else whirled around her.
So many great teachers were present with Murshida and Shifayat Asha Greer who presented an imaginary tea ceremony, Murshida Khadijah Goforth who lead many beautiful dances, walks and Zikars with grace and presence, Sheik and Shifayat Siddiq von Brissen who offered a daily tea ceremony, Sheik and Shifayat Murad Finkelstein who taught us a Chakra practice inspired from Gong Li tradition and his studies. Sheikha Ananda Cronin who lead heart warming daily Zikar with her soft and centered tone inviting us home again as Rumi told us to come back 10000 times. Sheik Mansour Kreps led a most powerful Zikar in a practice for men only at the old circle arena. Sheikh Firdousi Wirick lead us in one night of dances of universal peace while many caught sight of Murshid dancing among us with his imaginary flute in his hands. Sheika and Shifayat Sarfraz Knight lead us in most inspiring healing ritual and dances with a gracious and gentle presence. Sheik Jean Pierre David shared a Zikar of the 99 beautiful names of Allah inspired by the work of Murshid Saadi.
Of course Murshid & Kifayat Sauluddin was extraordinary once again. He presented the walks of the planets, prophets and elements. He conducted his powerful Allah Zikar. He told us stories and bedtime stories as well. He reminded us of the role of the Dervish Healing Order, not an organization but a family holding a concentration, without even a bank account, that raised $11,000 for Lama and contributed $2,000 for collecting rainwater from the main kitchen roof gutter system. As you know all the teachers paid their own way and did not receive any emolument for their services. All the money went to Lama.
We were blessed with many Murshid stories shared by Sheika Sarah Morgan and also Mansur Johnson, Siddiq von Brissen and Sauluddin. Sarah told us how she met Murshid for the first time after having crossed the US with Pir Shabda Khan and having serious doubt on Sam’s credentials as a mystic because he certainly did not fit what her expectation of a holy man should be like. However, he touched her heart so quickly, telling her that “there is no taboo in Sufism” that she could not recall which one of the two (sex or ice cream) she reached out for first after this liberating new freedom. Sauluddin and Mansur spoke of their famous trip to Canada with Murshid visiting his relatives with Sauluddin’s dog on his laps. Siddiq spoke of the first visit of Murshid at Lama.
The last night men and women split off for separate practices and joined back one hour later. It is the second time that such experience is shared at Lama and that was very welcomed by both men and women. Each group performed practices and Zikar and enjoyed the special energy and bonding while appreciating even more coming back together towards the one.
Beyond all practices and prayers, the sharing of hearts among all was the greatest time to be had at Lama. Such meeting creates a high (Ya Ali) independently of the mountain altitude that takes weeks to assimilate as we travel down to our daily life. The light that filled the new adopted members of our family witnessed to that happening of Love, Harmony and Beauty.
“The Dervish Healing Order serves as that aspect of the Sufi Ruhaniat International which maintains and promotes the vision of health and Divine Healing as presented by Pir-O-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan. The work of the D.H.O. is to hold the concentration for the health of the Ruhaniat on all levels. One of the tools given to us by Pir-O-Murshid is the Healing Ritual. In addition we are guided by breathing practices, healing meditations, visualizations and by a body of esoteric papers on healing from Pir-O-Murshid with commentaries by Murshid S.A.M.. Individuals of the Ruhaniat and others who desire focused healing energy are encouraged to contact the D.H.O. for inclusion in the concentration of the healing ritual and in our prayers.” The D.H.O. function on the Moineddin model being semi-autonomous from the Ruhaniat.
Alhamdullillah.
Come, come, wherever you may be… until next time.
Jean-Pierre David