Dear Friends,
Below is a transcript of Pir Hidayat Inayat-Khan’s message at the recent Federation gathering. At age 99, he was full of fire, and his message conveyed encouragement as well as several warnings to those of us offering service in the spirit of his father.
“Let those who have ears to hear….”
Love and blessings,
Saadi
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Beloved Sufi Brothers and Sisters,
Most hearty welcome offered for the Federation Retreat offered for the first time in Berlin, following the kind invitation of Petra – Beate Schildbach.
We are looking forward to meeting each other, and each is respectfully expected to patiently face each other’s belief, in an atmosphere of Love, Harmony and Beauty. There are diamonds in one belief, rubies in another, and other precious jewels in all known or unknown beliefs.
Let us first relate to the historical words of our Master, who said:
“One of the words to which the term ‘Sufi’ is related, is the Greek term Sophia, meaning wisdom. Sufism is not a Religion, with a distinct and definite doctrine. There has never been a Founder of Sufism in any period of the world’s history. Wisdom has always be the central theme of Sufism. Several Sufi Schools still exist, and numberless followers of different religions benefit from the wisdom taught in these ancient schools. No doubt every school has its own method, following the personality of the leader.”
And further on, our Master said:
“The Sufi Movement consists of members of different beliefs, united together in the ideal of wisdom. Wisdom does not only belong to a particular religion, nor race. Wisdom is a divine property, which mankind has inherited; and it is this realization that unites all Sufis of different nationalities, races, beliefs, all working for that great Ideal.”
Following these precious words of our Master, the main theme “Wisdom” is brought forward today as being an ongoing process consisting in the purification of the mind from fanatic concepts that do not correspond anymore to our time. When the Truth is formulated at the level of individual understanding, it is then diversified in various interpretations, just as water poured into colored glasses gives the impression of being shaded in the color of the glasses.
Similarly, as far as the concept “Religion” is concerned, some declare having found Truth in Hinduism, others in Buddhism, in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or in various other beliefs known or unknown to the world at large. When Truth, is brought down to the level of Human understanding, it is obviously clad in ancestral garbs, highlighting thereby arbitrary dogmas that have always been the fundamental cause of world- wide religious conflicts.
Spiritual Liberty implies being responsible for the consequences of one’s own short–sighted understanding of Truth; and False Pretense obviously offers a confusing example to those who expect to experience truthfulness at the level of Spirituality.
When practicing the precious teachings of our Master called the “Art of Personality,” one realizes that any role preformed, either spiritual or material, becomes sooner or later intoxicating, and under that spell, one cherishes the illusions of the game. Each moment offers an opportunity to reconsider the lessons of the past. In a fall, there is a hidden stepping-stone upon which one might rise above one’s shortcomings. Every effort made toward the fulfillment of one’s life’s purpose brings one step-by-step closer to the ultimate goal, seen as a humble contribution to the fulfillment of the Divine Purpose.
During that journey, the present is the consequence of a hide-and-seek game, played between past experiences and day-by-day reactions; whereas both past and present are under Destiny’s command. The future shall offer the fruit of the seeds planted in the past, which shall prove sooner or later to be either sour or sweet.
As known from fairy tales, there is a magic formula used to turn base metal into gold. This mystical tale symbolizes the work done in remodeling one’s self consciousness at a humble level. Modesty is not necessarily weakness; it is a feeling arising from the living heart, which is secretly conscious of its inner beauty, while at the same time veiling itself even from its own sight.
Each of us could be seen as an individual lamp shining out in different shades of light. The brightness of that light varies in accordance to the condition of the inner heart, and all are blessed with the same current of Divine Guidance, and in so doing, contributing to the Cause, assigned by providence, all along Life’s Journey.
When the doors of the heart are open, humility awakens, finding oneself face to face with the Divine Guidance, revealed as Wisdom and Purity, the true Essence of all that is understood by the term ‘Sufi.’
May 18, 2016
