Sufiism By Emil Joseph Biography Born in Iran, Emil Joseph received his MA in French Literature from Teheran University where he served as Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Letters and Humane Sciences in1976/1977. He moved to the United States of America in November 1977 with his family, where he has been residing since. He has authored several articles about Sufiism. Some of this series of studies have recently been published in Parsi-Nameh, Khayam-Nameh and Attar-Nameh. A regular contributor to the English section of "Ispand," - a Persian Cultural Publication - Mr. Emil Joseph has been published in the issues 32, 33, 34 and 35 of the magazine. Even though his main interest is translating Persian poetic verse into English, Mr. Joseph has also authored numerous analytic essays on various subjects. These essays which range from the mystical dance of the whirling dervishes (Sama), published in Ispand 34, or traditional poets such as Attar, the famous mystic poet (The Discourse of the Birds), published in Ispand 32, to more contemporary poets such as F. Moshiri (The Street), published in Ispand 37, display Mr. Joseph's superb translating talents and also reflect his understanding of the originality and nuance of Persian mysticism and philosophy as well as Persian Poetry. Many leaders of various Persian literary circles attribute his success partially to his birth and education in Iran as well as to the nurturing influence of his late father, the well-known scholar and orientalist, Edward Joseph. In his own time, Mr. Joseph senior contributed greatly to Persian culture and literary analysis. In much the same way, Mr. Emil Joseph has carved out a niche of respect for himself out of the rock of Persian scholarship. What is Sufiism? The phenomenon called "Sufiism" - the generally accepted name for Islamic mysticism - is so broad that nobody can describe it fully. The present argument is intended to merely give an exposition of the system while reserving the study of the origin and the history of the different branches of the system to the reader's curious mind. In the course of this presentation an attempt has been made to expound the important features of the system since full account can not be given in a few pages. Before attempting to explain these features, we have to ask ourselves what mysticism means? "Mysticism contains something mysterious, not to be reached by ordinary means or by intellectual effort." The word has a common root with words such as: "mystic, mystery the Greek myein, to close the eyes." Mysticism is "the great spiritual current which goes through all religions." In its widest sense it can be defined as the consciousness of One Reality. Only the wisdom of the heart (gnosis), or a spiritual experience, may unveil some of its aspects, something that neither philosophy nor reason can reveal. We will begin with a brief outline of the meanings of Sufiism and Sufi orders. What will follow is the spiritual pilgrimage of the birds through "seven valleys" which leads to the palace of the Simorgh in Sufi poet Farid-oddin Attar Neyshaburi's (d. 1220 AD) work entitled The Discourse of the birds (Mantegh-ot-teyr). Then a few of Mowlana Jalal-eddin Mohammad Balkhi's (Rumi d. 1273 AD) mystical poems will be cited, and we will conclude with a few words on Sama, which consists of listening to music and participating in a mystical dance. Sufiism, in its simplified meaning, is the ascetic and mystical order of Islam called Tassavof. The term "Sufi" is derived from the Arabic word "Suf" (wool) alluding to the frocks adopted by the Dervishes, the first generation of Muslim ascetics. The system consists of an attempt to reconcile philosophy with revealed religion, and of assigning a mystical and allegorical interpretation to all religious doctrines and precepts. These tenets are found principally among the Shi'ites, the followers of the prophet Ali, and appear to have existed in Islam from its very beginning fourteen centuries ago. It should be recognized however that in the tradition of Muslim ascetics, the primary source of Islamic Sufiism is the Holy Koran. Indeed, the expression of the first principle of the Holy Koran, "I am the Truth" is the first principle of the system. Consequently, one can say that Sufiism is a cult between the pantheism of India on the one hand, and the deism of the Koran on the other while insisting upon the universality and unity of God. Sufiism has been said to be the religion of "beauty, where heavenly perfection is considered under the imperfect type of earthly loveliness." The aim of the principal Persian Sufi poets and writers such as Abol-majd Majdud Sanai of Ghazneh (d. 1131 AD) or Farid-oddin Attar Neyshaburi (d.1220 AD), a pharmacist, whose works became standard for mystical instruction is to elevate mankind to contemplate the spirit of things. This habit of contemplation, requiring retirement and seclusion, inclines the followers towards asceticism. The ascetics denounce worldly attractions and thus, lead their way by asking guidance from God in order to have some contact with the divine and finally, experience closeness with Him through His word in the Koranic text. It is from the Islamic piety that Sufiism began to evolve. The description of Sufiism comes close to the classification of the Mysticism of Infinity as taught by some forms of schools. Yet, at the same time that Sufiism can be categorized as the Mysticism of Infinity, its description surpasses that of the latter in the sense that it is actually a combination of philosophy and Islamic creed. Thus, the mystical philosophy in most Sufi orders is based on Islamic religion that the individual mystics accept. If mysticism is understood in its intensive form to be the essential divine experience of man, then one can say that many great mystics have been raised in the cradle of great religions and almost "any religious system, which fosters unearthly love, is potentially a nursery for mystics. Christianity, Islam, Brahmanism, and Buddhism each receives its most sublime interpretation at their hands." The Sufis are good Mohammadans. Philo Judaeus, the Alexandrian Jewish theologian and Hellenistic philosopher, was an orthodox Jew. The Kabalists, are pious Jews. Plotinus, the Roman philosopher born in Egypt, "even adapted - though with what difficulty! - the relics of the paganism to his doctrine of the Real." The evolution of Sufiism is rather remarkable, for, a mystical outlook has been integrated in the order since the eleventh century AD. After that, the Sufis main focus is on the mystical aspects of Islam rather than its religious law. It is in this sense that Sufiism is rightly the mystical order of Islam. However, asceticism should not be confused with Sufiism even though the two are related to one another. Yet, when mysticism is defined as the "love of Absolute," the separation is inevitable. The role played by love is prominent in separating true mysticism from mere asceticism, since the development of Sufiism opened new vistas for some Muslims. Those who had the need to enrich their religious lives concentrated on the inner mystical aspect of Islam rather than Divine law. Therefore, the educated and the uneducated followed the path of the Sufis in their pursuit of One Reality to satisfy that need. In this broad sense, mysticism in Islam also "may be defined as the consciousness of that One Reality - be it called Wisdom, Light, Love, or Nothing." Accordingly, the quest of the mystic for reality is a spiritual experience since reality can not be understood, experienced, nor perceived by a sensual or rational method. Only the wisdom of the heart ma'refat or gnosis (mystical knowledge) may light the way of the mystic, and lead him toward the enlightenment of his soul. Thus, worldly attachments are renounced and after a long period of purifying the soul, the mystic might be blessed with the gift of love and gnosis. Union in love with the Beloved might then be possible by lifting the veil of ignorance. When this veil is lifted, the identity of God manifests itself in the heart of His creatures. Love is the most genuine quality of man; therefore love is the means that can carry the mystic's heart to the Divine Presence. The different steps taken by the mystic that lead toward God are described by the image of the Path. The "Path" symbolizes the never-ending mystical quest for God. The forward movement on the different stages and stations of the prescribed mystical "Path" is marked as the starting point of Sufi purification by constantly struggling against nafs (the lower self and base human instincts). The seeker proceeds to traverse the bridge in the Sufi path to approach his Creator seeking union in love. Once the purification of the soul is achieved, the soul may be called to God. This procession is artfully painted in the pilgrimage - or the Heavenly Journey - of the Birds toward Simorgh in Attar's "Mantegh-ot-teyr" (The Discourse of the Birds). The framework of the work is the soul's journey or the journey to God. The difficulties that the soul will encounter in its upward progress when traveling on the mystical path are described through the birds that represent the adepts - called saleks (travelers on the path). The upward progress of man in Sufiism present itself to the Sufi in the form of journey and the doctrines which profess to describe it are called tarighat (Path). The salek in his suluk, (wandering) has to traverse different stations in the Sufi path until he may ultimately arrive at the Knowledge of God. In Mantegh-ot-teyr, "seven valleys" represent the prescribed path - the distance that the birds have to traverse in order to come to the understanding of the terms of the journey before they set out toward Simorgh. The descriptions of the seven valleys are as follows: 1) Talab (Quest) is the stage in which one detaches oneself from all that exists in order to begin searching for God. 2) Ishgh (love) is the stage that Divine Attraction develops so that one is inclined into love of God, an unconditional love where human reason does not imply. For Attar, Divine Love is fire while reason is smoke. 3) Ma'refat (Understanding) is the stage of understanding the truth which results from the contemplation and investigation of the metaphysical theories - theories that lead to the understanding of the nature, works, and attributes of God. 4) Esteghna (Detachment or Independence) is the stage that the salek detaches himself from the outer world. He neither has the desire to possess anything nor has the wish to be engaged in discourses with anyone. He only seeks enlightenment trough love from God. 5) Vahdat (Unity) is the stage that God manifests himself directly to the traveler by illuminating his heart. The expression Vahdat-e vujud, Unity of Being is correlated with the term "tauhid," to declare that God is One. Unity is the goal of the Sufi. 6) Heyrat (Astonishment) is the stage of sadness and dejection in mystical experience. Any worldly desire is expelled from the traveler's heart; he only knows that he is in love. 7) Faghr-o-Fana (Nothingness and Annihilation). The traveler cannot go beyond this stage. But until his extinction he pursues the denial of his Self to the point that he realizes his nothingness, hoping to reach the heights of immortality and utterly merge in Divine Love. At the end of the long road, birds traveling by thousands all perish except thirty. The remaining thirty birds (Si Morgh) find themselves to be part of the Simorgh (One Reality). When only the elect few reach the mountain on which the mythical bird Simorgh lives, they "understand that they have reached only what was already in themselves." In other instances, the longing for union is expressed by symbols borrowed from human love in the verses of the mystical Masters. The friendship and acquaintance of Mowlana Jalal-oddin Mohammad Balkhi (Rumi) with Shams-oddin Tabrizi is an example of human love which finally kindles the fire of mystical love in Rumi's heart. Their spiritual affiliation leads to an all-consuming love. Rumi's great mystical poetry is born out of this experience. Tabrizi importunes Rumi to compose the Mathnavi-ye Ma'navi, (The Spiritual Couplets). The following famous passage from the Book I of Rumi's Mathnavi-ye Ma'navi, is an example of this ennobling experience: A certain man knocked at his friend's door: his friend asked: "Who is there?" He answered "I." "Begone," said his friend, "tis too soon! At my table there is no place for the raw." How shall the raw be cooked but in the fire of absence? What else will deliver him from hypocrisy? He turned sadly away, and for a whole year the flames of separation consumed him; Then he came back and again paced to and fro beside the house of his friend. He knocked at the door with a hundred fears and reverence lest any disrespectful word might escape from his lips. "Who is there?" cried the friend. He answered: "Thou, O charmer of all hearts." "Now," said the friend, "since thou art I, come in, there is no room for two I's in this house." This charming story is a story of a person who knocks on a friend's door. When asked who he is, he responds by saying "it's I." The friend answers, "Since you are you, I will not open the door: I do not know any friend who is an 'I.'" As is told by Rumi, the story deals with "vahdat" one of the last stations of "Suluk." "Vahdat" means unity; yet, as the goal of the Muslim in general, and for the Sufi in particular, "Tauhid" is the declaration that God is One. The adept, salek in his suluk - wandering in the mystical Path - walks through different stations until he reaches his goal. At the conclusion of the story the two "Is" become one. When friendship leads to the stage of union there is no more room for thine, and mine. Thus, Rumi concludes that when there is "I' and 'You," love does not exist since love is the exclusion of mine and thine. After Tabrizi's death Rumi's mystical love continues. It has been said that following Tabrizi's death on December 3, 1247 AD, Rumi instituted the order of Mevlevis, known in European circles as the Whirling Dervishes. With this overview of the origins of mystical Persian poetry, let us take a close look at the application of Suffiism in the ceremony of Sama. The word Sama` in its literary application means: listening, hearing, reaching the state of ecstasy, and the overwhelming happiness the Sufis achieve dancing singly, or with other Sufis in accordance with the prescribed rites and particular ceremonies of the Sufi order. As already noted, the word sama` in Arabic means "hearing." However the word sama` applied to Islamic mystical life denotes a ceremony which consists of listening to music and participating in dance movements, and "uttering" words to attain a mystical state. Depending on the mystical order, to take part in sama` might be permissible or strictly forbidden. Yet, the handbooks of different orders of Sufiism which permit sama` are filled with rules for their disciples concerning one's participation and expression of emotions in such a ceremony. Whatever might be the conclusions of the authorities in different mystical orders of such a ceremony, the fact remains that sama` is more than a dance which includes whirling movements of the body in rhythm to music. Sama` is a mystical dance - a spontaneous manifestation of emotion. This emotional state of the Sufi is called "vajd" which is generally translated as ecstasy: a state of overwhelming happiness caused by having sensed God. If captivated in such state, the mystic might be taken out of himself; an experience which in Sufiistic term is called "vajd." Therefore, sama' is "to attempt to reach an ecstatic state by outward means." One of these means is indulging one's self in dancing. In these sessions, mystical poems and litanies are chanted and ecstatic dancing takes place. There is however, a question that needs to be answered: is the state of "vajd" in mystical experience an attempt or rather, the means by which one attempts to penetrate into the depths of himself? The views of the authorities remain divided in this respect. Some mystical theologians seem to be inclined to regard the state of "vajd" as an act of God by which He might take the mystic out of himself. Yet, one cannot rule out nor accept the views of the different mystical schools by clearly stating that sama' is not an attempt by the mystic to gain the state of "vajd" and can only be granted by God. Sama` arises out of longing and it can stir the mystic either towards joy or grief. Dancing and whirling are in fact, old religious acts. Dancing had a magical character among primitive societies. American Indian dances for instance, still have a magical character today; their rituals to produce rain or to ensure victory in war are connected with dance. The encircling of an object - such as fire - means to participate in its magical power or to bestow it with power. Some consider the ritual of sama` as a ritual of prayer to thank The Almighty God. As the pious see in sama`'s rhythm and music an emotional kind of worship, the mystic finds in the rhythmical and musical movements of the ceremony the means of spiritual uplifting. Whatever might be the case, sama` has been the subject of many discussions among mystical and orthodox theologians as well as among the spiritual directors of different orders of Sufiism. At that time, Sufi theologians were much troubled about the effect of sama` on beginners to the order. They were also concerned about common people who adopted Sufiism with the belief that it was nothing but dancing. The concern of these theologians was that by listening to music or whirling around their own axis, the beginners might only experience a sensual pleasure, and not a spiritual uplift. Yet, classical Sufi theologians believed that the effect of music on the spiritually perfect, the ones who are inwardly attached to the love of God, is a moving experience that involves acting according to God's will. To the perfect, listening to the music, and to the singer reciting spiritual verses is an act of contemplation which brings the listener Divine gifts and graces. Thus, the true Sufi, the one who is inwardly attached to the love of God considers every sound and every song a heavenly music, and experiences every word and every verse as a glad tiding from the Beloved. Despite the strict opposition and the objection of the orthodoxy, the Sufis continued with their practices. They listened to music and let themselves be drawn into an ecstatic state for simple enjoyment, or as the means by which they could experience union with God. The sama` thus serves as nourishment for the soul and as a medium by which God reveals or unveils Himself in the heart of the believer through music and the rhythm of the dance movement. The ecstatic state of the adept is an expression of love for the Beloved. The lover, by touching the ground with his feet, dancing or whirling around his own axis to the sound of music, hearing the verses recited and the songs played experiences union with the Beloved. By spreading the arms to the sides, the palm of the left hand directed toward the sky and the palm of right hand directed toward the earth, and the head slightly tilted toward the right shoulder, the dancing lover attempts to lift his soul to join the Beloved. The direction of hands as an esoteric sign means: "whatever is up there is like whatever is down here." This position alludes to the principle of universal analogy, which is the basis for the interpretation of all symbolism. The symbolism of dance and music is reflected in the practice of sama`. Movement is a sign of life just as idleness is an indication of death. Movement in the Mevlivi Sama`, is "a (philosophical) representation of the planets which love-desire impels to circle round the First Mover." The connection of music with moving celestial spheres is a concept developed by Pythagoras with the assumption that the distances between the heavenly bodies and their courses are determined in accordance with the laws and relations of musical harmony. Starting from the Pythagorean conception of "the music of the spheres," Muslim philosophers developed an application for the theory of musical harmonies produced by these moving celestial spheres. They concluded that sounds are derived from the revolution and harmonious movements of planets and stars. Thus, it follows that the movement of celestial spheres must have "musical notes and expressions with which God is glorified and magnified delighting the souls of the angels, just as in corporeal world our souls listen with delight to melodies and obtain relief from care and sorrow." In the following lines, Rumi alludes to this hypothesis: (For) the shrill noise of the clarion and the menace of the drum somewhat resemble that universal trumpet. Hence philosophers have said that we received these harmonies from the revolution of the (celestial) sphere, (And that) this (melody) which people sing with pandore and throat is the sound of the revolutions of the sphere; (But) the true believers say that the influences of Paradise made every unpleasant sound to be beautiful. We all have been parts of Adam, we have heard those melodies in Paradise. Here, by applying music and dance, Rumi creates a direct connection between divine sounds and movements. Sounds heard in the mystic's heart resemble that of the trumpet of spiritual resurrection. The lover, through the medium of music hears divine melodies, which enraptures him into dance. Inasmuch as these melodies are the echoes of heavenly music they revive in the mystic's heart the melodies once heard in Paradise. Thus to the one who seeks eternal life in God, even an unpleasant sound is heavenly music. Sama` is an eternal dance. Indeed, the free, by imitating the everlasting movements and harmonies of the celestial spheres in sama`, circles around a Sun that never sets. Considering the entire universe as a manifestation of God, the intelligence which proceeds directly from Him, is the only means by which He can be known. Man being the most perfect entity in the universe is the instrument by which the object of creation is to be accomplished. But the object of creation is that God should be known and intelligence is the only means by which He can be known. Therefore, the aim of man must be the attainment of this intelligence. Since man's origin is the Intelligence of God, which in turn originated the universe, the Sufis consider existence as a circle. Consequently, Sufis divide this circle into two arcs. The first arc is called nuzul (descent) which is the first sign of the intelligence of Origin to the full development of man's intuition for understanding the Divine. The second arc is called uruj (ascent) includes man's first use of his intelligence that might lead him to the wisdom of the heart and consequently serve him his final purpose: absorption into Divine intelligence or in other words a return to his origin.