My Teacher.
This is an interaction with Bro. M_ about the importance to have a “Teacher”.
-----
Original Message -----
From: Jusuf
Achmad Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2004 5:19 PM Subject: Re: [sufism_sufis] Exclusive vs
Inclusive Groups Bro M_, may
peace be always with us as well....Jusuf Achmad (Oops the
important word was left behind, don't leave home without it :) -----
Original Message -----
From: Jusuf
Achmad Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2004 5:13 PM Subject: Re: [sufism_sufis] Exclusive vs
Inclusive Groups Bro M_, may
be always with us as well....Jusuf Achmad ----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 5:26 PM Subject: Re: [sufism_sufis] Exclusive vs Inclusive Groups Bro. Jusuf, All I can say is "peace". M_ ----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 18:05 Subject: Re: [sufism_sufis] Exclusive vs Inclusive Groups Bro S. M_ and friends, may peace be always upon us, Bro S. M_ wrote <<<< Ask yourself, how did the sahaba recognize the Prophet (sal
ALLAH alai wa salam), an why did they accept to follow him and go through all
the trials that they did? And if you say, "But that was
the Prophet." Then why does ALLAH say that HE will never leave a people
without a guide? >>>> This need a long answer, but you can
see what happened to most of them after the Holy Prophet (saw) die.
As a clue actually only Hazrat Abu Bakar (ra) could "see" him as a
"True Teacher" in the early days of his prophethood. I do agree "HE will never leave
a people without a guide", but the "Real True Teacher" is
God himself, that is why the Holy Prophet warned us to read the last (and the
first) ten verses of Surah Al-Kahfi: "Do not take my servants
as your protector" (that include a prophet) paraphrasing verse 102 and
"Meet ME in this world" paraphrasing verse 105 as many says that
we have to "die" before we die and meet Him in this world.
Guided by "mortals" is only a stepping stone. Do not to treat
the mortal guide as the only special person from God, paraphrasing verse
4. Instead "withersoever we turn, there is the face of
God" paraphrasing Al-Quran 2:115, meaning that we should see
that we are all special, entering the Oneness of All state again. Here
I'm referring to those entering the advance spiritual state in the path of
man. "I am according to my abd's
opinion of ME" (hadith Qudsy), when we think it is possible to meet Him in
this world then it is possible, when we think it is not possible then it will
never be possible. Only those in the advance spiritual
state will move on to next reality for new lessons, however sooner or later we
all be back to our natural habitat, the infinite worlds. May we always be in peace, Jusuf Achmad. ----- Original Message ----- And ALLAH sees what
is in the heart of HIS slaves. If we trust
in that ALLAH will guide us to the Arif Murchied, HE will guide us to HIM. And HE says
(hadith Qudsy), "I am according to my abd's opinion of ME." And
ALLAH sees what is in the heart of HIS slaves. If we trust
in that ALLAH will guide us to the Arif Murchied, HE will guide us to HIM. And HE says
(hadith Qudsy), "I am according to my abd's opinion of ME."
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 5:46 PM Subject: Re: [sufism_sufis] Exclusive vs Inclusive Groups Jusuf,
Ask yourself, how did the sahaba recognize the Prophet (sal ALLAH alai wa
salam), an why did they accept to follow him and go through all the trials that
they did? And if you
say, "But that was the Prophet." Then why does ALLAH say that HE will
never leave a people without a guide?
You are right in saying: > How would
one find the "right" teacher if not through prayer "Thee (alone)
we ask for help". >And how
would one know if one is truly guided ? >There is
no assurance, just keep trying (istiqamah), just keep the strong desire to meet
him.
And ALLAH sees what is in the heart of HIS slaves. If we trust
in that ALLAH will guide us to the Arif Murchied, HE will guide us to HIM. And HE says
(hadith Qudsy), "I am according to my abd's opinion of ME." M_ ----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 6:55 Subject: Re: [sufism_sufis] Exclusive vs Inclusive Groups Bro S. M_ and friends, may peace be always be upon us, How would someone know that a person is an "Arif
Shaykh"? There is a saying if one can recognize a "True
Teacher", he/she actually does not need a teacher other than HIM.
The logic is like this: if one firmly sure that a person is really a
qualified say a physicist holding a PhD, one already can read/verify the
physicist's papers. Furthermore only the physicist peers (usually
also holding PhD) can verify his findings. Those who can say
his/her papers/findings valid or not are on the same
educational (consciousness) level. How can a high school
graduate verify the physicist expertise? Only through others
expertise, not the self. In spirituality only those who
already reached "Marifa" can see others whether they have
reached "Marifa" or far below. Those who have reached
"Marifa" usually will not judge others (but they might do
judge others for teaching purposes, but not openly). Why should
they, when they are trying to convey "All are the face of God, nothing
exist but God". How would one find the "right" teacher if not
through prayer "Thee (alone) we ask for help".
However, how do one knows ones is truly guided by Him or not? There is no
assurance, just keep trying (istiqamah), just keep the strong desire (nafs?) to
meet Him. After we have learned all the necessary lessons in this
finite world, only then we can further know Him better. Although
there are many ways In returning to Him there are only two major
paths, the path of Unity or path of Man and the path of Separation or the path
of Jinn (although will end up in different world the path of Iblis/Satan
is included in this path). All paths will eventually merge in the
sixth density/heaven in total surrender to the will of God. Those
who are misguided, can not find a path yet, are still in confusion,
are they the imperfect creations of God? How could we say
"Alhamdulillahirrabilalamin", when He created imperfect
creations. In the imperfections actually lies the perfection as stated
indirectly in the beginning of Surah Al-Mulk. If we can see that the
lessons in this finite world is to understand the opposite meaning of
infinity, to understand what in confusion, to understand what is duality, to
understand what is superiority (being His Khalifa) and what is inferiority
(being His Servant/Slave), then there is no problem with imperfection. In
the imperfection lies the perfection. Try to accept all then try to love
all, because All is One, nothing exist but the One. Unlike in
the infinite worlds, in this imperfect world we could see all His names and
attributes, so we can appreciate / understand more Him. We can
understand more of Him by understanding of what He is not. We can
appreciate more in living in a castle after from a camping trip in the woods.
The castle is our home not the woods. Many still enjoying living in
the woods and forget about their true home, but that's ok, sooner or later eventually
they will remember their true home. The infinite worlds is our natural
habitat, He is much greater than infinity, He created the infinite
worlds, He is beyond our wildest imaginations. This journey in this
finite world is our temporary camping trip in the woods, eventually we all will
find His Kingdom back, the infinte worlds (Billions of years is a blink of an
eye compare to infinity). May we
always be in peace, Jusuf
Achmad. ----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 8:05 PM Subject: Re: [sufism_sufis] Exclusive vs Inclusive Groups Jusuf, I'm saying that before reaching the
Marifa, you are either following an Arif Shaykh or your nafs. You choose. M_ ----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 3:43 Subject: Re: [sufism_sufis] Exclusive vs Inclusive Groups Bro S. M_, may peace be always with us, Are you inferring that before we become "Arif" we
should ask help to those beside God? Jusuf Achmad. ----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, December 11, 2004 8:34 PM Subject: Re: [sufism_sufis] Exclusive vs Inclusive Groups Jusuf, If we honestly grasp the notion that - If
HE wishes something for us, there is no one that can turn it away from us.
And if HE does not wish something for us, there is no one that can
give it to us - then who else would we ask for help? With this vision,
whatever we do, we do knowing that HE is the DOER. However, this is the state of the Arif
who is annihilated before HIS Lord. Before one can arrive at this state, one
must first do for ALLAH (Eyaka nabudu - We worship
YOU alone), humbly
asking HIS Forgiveness and sincerely seeking HIS Mercy. M_ ----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, December 11, 2004 5:43 Subject: Re: [sufism_sufis] Exclusive vs Inclusive Groups Bro M_,
may we always be in peace, You have
read my views in my writings, let me know your own views on "nafs",
your own understanding considering: "Thee
(alone) we ask for help" 001.005 Wa salaam, Jusuf Achmad ----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2004 7:50 PM Subject: Re: [sufism_sufis] Exclusive vs Inclusive Groups Jusuf, Read again what Shaykh Al-Alawi
writes about the nafs: The Prophet (sal ALLAH alai wa
salam) said: “O Lord do not abandon me to my nafs
for even a blink of an eye.” Can you not see that before entering
Islam the nafs totally denies
the existence of Divinity until it is guided and can support the weight of the
recognition of Divinity? Yet, it still denies the Divine Reign over it and will
only yield to it by perseverance and training. And even if it yields to it, and
becomes firm in it, and evolves in the acts, it does not abandon its demand for
recompense. And it will say, “I did this and must be recompensed.” Then if
you are strict with it and educate it to abandon its demand for recompense by
telling it, “Where is the sincerity (Ikhlas)?”
It will forgo the recompense, but it will not leave the vision of seeing itself
as being the one who acts until you tell it, “Where is the Unicity (Tawheed)”, and where is your understanding
of the Divine word? “And ALLAH has created you and your
actions.” (As-Saffat 37:96) So where are you before HIS
immensity? M_ ----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 4:11 Subject: Re: [sufism_sufis] Exclusive vs Inclusive Groups Brother M_ wrote: <<<< Brother Yusuf, If I understand you correctly, we can ultimately throw all
discernment out the window and be content that ALLAH is taking care of
everything and that everything is all right - which of course HE is, and
it is. But then what's Heaven and Hell all about, or are you under
the impression that there is no Hell, and that it's just a story created by
ALLAH to scare us. But then why would HE do that? All I can say is, lakum dinakum wal-ya din. M_ >>>> I think, I've answered that in my writing: "Spiritual
Stages and Paths". <<<<< PS: You write: >Greetings with Love and Light from the Infinite Creator Are you HIS spokesman? >>>> In a way we are all are, even my cats are in a way "His
messengers". We are His khalifas as well as His servants. So
if He is the President of "The Company", we are all His VPs (almost
knows everything and delegated His authority) as well as His office boys
(knows only simple things and just serving). Insisting on only one side,
especially only being His VPs (and the only VP) wil lead to be coming
the "ONE EYE......". May we always be in peace, Jusuf Achmad.
YUSUFALI: Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.
PICKTHAL: Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for
help.
SHAKIR: Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.