The Middle Eastern World ca. 622 AD

PersianZoroastrian

Indic

ArabiaEarly Muslim

ByzantineGreek

Christian

GNOSTICISM - GNOSIS

Greek Philosophy

Gnostic Mysticism

Christianity

Tasawwuf

“Sufism”

TariqaShari’a

Haqiqa

Fana aur Baqa

(Nirvana)

‘ilmVs.

ma’arifat

Ruz-i-Alast

Wahdat – ul – Wujud

The One-ness of Being

Sufism is the spiritual philosophy

and

the folk religion of Islam

Silsilah

Pir o MurshidMuridKhalifa

Kabir’s Nirguna PoetryOh Companion That Abode Is Unmatched, Where My Complete Beloved Is.

In that Place There Is No Happiness or Unhappiness, No Truth or Untruth Neither Sin Nor Virtue. There Is No Day or Night, No Moon or Sun, There Is Radiance Without Light.

There Is No Knowledge or Meditation No Repetition of Mantra or Austerities, Neither Speech Coming From Vedas or Books.

Doing, Not-Doing, Holding, Leaving All These Are All Lost Too In This Place.

No Home, No Homeless, Neither Outside or Inside, Micro and Macrocosm Are Non-Existent. Five Elemental Constituents and the Trinity Are Both Not There Witnessing Un-struck Shabad Sound is Also Not There.

No Root or Flower, Neither Branch or Seed, Without a Tree Fruits are Adorning, Primordial Om Sound, Breath-Synchronized Soham, This and That - All Are Absent, The Breath Too Unknown

Where the Beloved Is There is Utterly Nothing Says Kabir I Have Come To Realize. Whoever Sees My Indicative Sign Will Accomplish the Goal of Liberation.

Shaykh – Pir – Murshid – Khwaja

You should be in the hands of your Pir like a corpse in the hands of the washerman…

Caretakers of the Universe

Wali AllahIntercession

Wilayat

Khalifa

Bhakti and Nirguna Mysticism

•Amir Khusrau (1253–1325 CE)•Kabir (1398-1518)•Guru Nanak (1469 –1539)

Islam in India

Mongol Invasions

Silsilah Sufism

India’s Mystic

Traditions

A Story of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz of Ajmer

It is said –During his tour, Khwaja sahib (R.A), Ohududdin Kirmani (R.A) and Shaikh Shahabudin(R.A) were sitting together at a place and discussing some religious point of faith. Suddenly a young boy with a bow and arrow in hand passed by Khwaja Sahib (R.A) saw him and said, " The boy is the future king of Delhi."

And his prediction proved to be true and boy became the king of Delhi with the name of king Shamsuddin Altamash and ruled the country for about 26 years.

The Mongol Invasions – 13th Century

Qutbuddin Haider –

“Nizamuddin Awliya said that when he was in a state of ecstasy he would hold red hot irons in his hands and bend them like soft wax, making necklaces and bangles which he then wore.”

QH told the Muslims of Turbat to flee to India – he said that he had been intimated that the Mongol armies were under the protection of a powerful Mystic Saint whom he would not be able to stop…

Vernacular Mediums

For example – Village Women’s songs

•Chakki nama•Charkha nama•Lori nama•Shaadi nama•And others…

First was God’s nameAnd then His qualitiesIn my mind I keep the NameAnd with each breath

Say: La illah - Dwell in: il-AllahGod Himself from the hidden treasureHas created the whole world artisticallyHe has created it with His own power

Say: La illah - Dwell in: il-AllahGod Himself came out from the hidden treasureAnd showed Himself through the Prophet

Say: La illah - Dwell in: il-Allah

In the presence of God the Prophet is chiefWhose teachings have given us support in both worlds

Say: La illah - Dwell in: il-AllahThe Prophet’s khalifa is Ali, who is dear to himAnd whose disciples are our Pirs

Say: La illah - Dwell in: il-AllahAllah, Muhammad and Ali Are our leaders whom we trust mostAnd obey as slaves

Say: La illah - Dwell in: il-AllahOur pir has taken our hands in hisHe has connected us with all his heartMay he keep this connection forever

Say: La illah - Dwell in: il-Allah

Love – Separation – Longing – Beauty – Beloved

The Indian concept of the “Virahini” (Sassi, Heer, Radha, Gopis)

The seeking soul in a state of “Firaq” as “Virahini” / “Birahini”

The idea of the Beautiful Divine Beloved desired by all – Krishan / Kishan / Kanhayya

Krishan Kanhayya and Gopis

Amir Khusrau & Khwaja Nizamuddin Awliya

PoetryMusic

SamaQawwali