786
Revelations of Guidance
It is not a customary practice amongst Sufis to speak of ones personal religious or spiritual experience though it is not so uncommon amongst followers of various forms of spirituality in the modern world. In Sufism one’s own states and stations are something between oneself and the Beloved and in general it is rightly regarded as an unseemly behaviour to share this with others.
However it is a well established principle in Islam that ‘necessity makes an unlawful thing, lawful’. In fact we do have records of some of the experiences of the great saints – Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti for example – it is known that he received certain messages of importance for example when he was in Mecca and Medina in relation to his mission to go to Ajmer. If you do not know the accounts of these you can find them in some of the books of Dr Zahurul Hasan Sharib.
With such consideration and after having hesitated for some time I am offering below two accounts related to the gaining of guidance.
The occasion giving rise to this current article was a telephone conversation with a fellow disciple of Zahurmian. She reported some talk indicating that some of our fellow disciples felt confused because, following the passing of Zahurmian into the Mercy of Allah, I had made contact with a Sheykh in Konya. There seemed to be an implication of disloyalty.
Now as a matter of fact people will think this, or they will think that, it is not a matter of concern. There may however arise some confusion in the minds of people that can be misleading to them – thus I hope the two accounts below will be helpful in clarifying the need for loyalty to the spiritual guide and in diverting people from the illusion that it is fine and acceptable to simply shop around jumping from one guide to another. Or that seeking a guide is in some respect like window shopping, or picking and mixing sweets. Mevlana Rumi puts it thus: ‘Do not seek another guide till you have got the pearl from your present guide’.
Before I relay the actual account of what happened to me I will also put on record how it was I came to ask for Zahurmian’s guidance in the first place. This will complete the picture and I suppose ‘kill two birds with one stone’ as the saying goes. Both accounts whilst accurate are in fact heavily censored and much remains between me and Him.
I met Zahurmian when I was studying in India in 1972. Despite my antipathy to professional ‘gurus’ I was so impressed by the transformation that appeared in a fellow student who had become a disciple, that I asked that friend for Zahurmian’s address, as I felt curious as to who it was who could have had such a beneficial effect on my friend. I subsequently visited Zahurmian for a day or so, and then continued on my journey. I liked him but felt no need for guidance myself (the vanity of youth!).
Three years later, back in the UK, my life was transformed by a series of events which I will not detail here. For many months – or what seemed like a lifetime at the time, I became much contracted (depressed in psychological terms).
Towards the end of that time, without any single specific obvious external cause, over a period of months, this transformed itself into a powerful sense of happiness that continued to escalate to what might be termed by some as bliss. The height of this came one night when staying in the house of same friend referred to above.
I had bedding laid out on the floor of a spare room. The walls were partly covered with silver foil paper and I allowed my imagination to see in the various reflections the suggestions of shapes moving. As this little game continued however I became more attentive as the various shapes formed themselves into figures that seemed to take on a movement of their own, unconnected to the process of imagination. Soon this became as clear as the pictures on a colour television screen and the images of various sorts appeared in whatever direction I turned my gaze. As God says in the Qur’an ‘whichever way you turn there is the Face of Allah’. They moved quite as independently as the moving images in a film. The ‘show’ went on for the entire night but the important bit for this account is one particular episode. In this I saw what I immediately recognised as in some sense my own essence or soul. Wearing a big grey coat it reached the foot of some steps which lead up steeply to a great throne. The image of glory on that throne I will not discuss. The figure at the foot of the steps in the coat threw it off and revealed himself to be wearing a sparkling white uniform almost military in appearance. The figure ascended the steps but as he reached higher and higher – nearer to the throne, he became more and more puffed out in his chest – about half or three quarters of the way up a message descended from the throne – ‘too proud’. The figure descended again.
The elevated mood was too great for distress but I was left with a strong sense of determination that I must seek a way to ascend fully to that throne: in retrospect I would say for spiritual as distinct from outward humility. As I sought for a solution in my mind the memory of Zahurmian entered in and I formed a strong resolution that he was the person who could help me find the spiritual humility required for such a purpose – indeed the whole experience left me with firm conviction that indeed I did need guidance. This was only a small part of the whole event but was quite central. It was several months before I finally descended sufficiently from the natural ‘high’ or ‘hal’ as I now know it to be and managed to travel to India again.
For those concerned with the experience of conversion they might note that I had no knowledge of Islam and had never received or knowingly practised any Sufi techniques in any overt sense, nor did I indulge in any form of drugs..
I duly took initiation with Zahurmian and that was followed by an entirely spontaneous review and overhaul of what seemed to me then a pointless life. For the sake of those who think that Sufism or Islamic conversion involves some form of brainwashing I would add that this process came about after only a day or so in Zahurmian’s company and when I had returned to where I was living hundreds of miles away. I later came to recognise this as the Sufi station of Repentance.
So much for the initial acceptance of guidance and ‘conversion’ – I began to follow Islamic practises because it was the religion of the Guide rather than for any merits I found in what I saw of the overt practise of Islam. The awareness of the inner beauty of Islam crept over me slowly bit at a time from within.
I will now turn to the main point of this article.
I passed as much time in Zahurmian’s company as I could for many years – we almost never spoke of spiritual experiences or of religion but bit by bit through the benign influence of his company my life slowly became more ordered and various other states and stations emerged. There is no need to go into these here.
One night at an Urs (death anniversary celebrations held for saints) in Ajmer, a certain awareness reached me that made me quite desolate with anxiety – the nature of that awareness need not concern you but it caused me to flee inwardly in desperation to Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti. Then there descended on me a clear picture in what you might call a dream or a waking dream. It required me to seek out a certain man – a Sufi Sheykh. His picture was clearly shown like a kind of short movie clip. I was led to understand this person was from Turkey.
I shortly thereafter wrote a short poem. It is on the website but I will quote it again here.
The Saving Light
When doubts beset me and life seemed grey,
When confusion appeared to reign and chaos seemed near,
When fear confounded me and it seemed vain to pray,
When inspiration failed me and oblivion's threat did appear,
Then this thought of thine, O Sharib, on the tablet of life I read;
‘Seek, seek, and ye shall find’; it ran!
Then, O Khawaja, to thy grace my thought fled,
And from thence descended an answering gift to this son of man,
‘You will find in the Sun of Tabriz the help you need’
This was its upshot and gist,
And in the call of the broken reed,
I found what I had missed.
Jamiluddin Morris Zahuri
For those unfamiliar with some of the allusions ‘the broken reed’ is an image derived from Mevlana Rumi’s famous verses at the beginning of the Masnevi. ‘The Sun of Tabriz’ refers to Shemsuddin of Tabriz. See the website or other literature for a fuller explanation.’Khawaja is of course Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti. ‘Sharib’ refers to Dr Zahural Hasan Sharib – Zahurmian.
It did not seriously occur to me to seek outwardly the fulfilment of this revelation until a few years later when Zahurmian had laid down the burden of his increasingly fragile body. Though in the intervening years I became more and more aware inwardly of another guide assisting and supporting in the way Sufi guides do.
I went for the first time to Konya some months after Zahurmian had passed on. I found no conflict inwardly between the desire to follow this quest and the continued or even increasing presence of Zahurmian within. Indeed it was clear he was guiding me to this. Amongst the parts of revelation I have left veiled there was ample internal evidence of Zahurmian’s enthusiastic endorsement. I do not explain this further because it could cause confusion to some unfamiliar with the interior nature of Sufi ‘tasting’.
On the first occasion of visiting Konya I felt the resplendent generosity of Mevlana Rumi in every way, but my search for this guide bore no fruit – I returned again and for a second time Mevlana showered so many inward and outward blessings that can hardly be counted but he did not show me the guide I was seeking. I began to wonder – had I in someway misunderstood? I made up my mind I would try just once more.
Towards the end of the third visit, which lasted for about two weeks, a friend I had made said casually one day – there is Sufi Dergah nearby why do you not visit. I had nothing planned and with no expectation I went with a companion I had met to visit this Dergah, which I was told had a nice atmosphere. We entered a room full of people practising Zikr and playing some Turkish music. The room was hot and coming from the cold outside my glasses immediately misted up. When the mist finally cleared I saw that round the edge of the room sat some obviously Turkish men. My attention was drawn to one who was not visibly distinguishable from the others in terms of dress or position but who I somehow knew was the Sheykh of the order. I approached and made my salaams and he invited me and my companion to sit on either side of him. Beyond the Salaam we barely conversed as I recall – he spoke only Turkish and I had hardly two words in that language. The conviction grew and grew in me that this was the man I had seen that time in Ajmer. The Zikr and celebrations finished and my conviction had grown to virtual certainty. As we took our leave the thought came to mind, addressed to towards him, that ‘when I saw you in that vision you wore a topi’ (muslim head dress). At the time he was bareheaded. Almost instantly a follower came up from behind him and placed a topi on his head. He looked at me and smiled. It was enough.
There will always be those who doubt things like this – some are so enshrouded in doubt it is a waste of time to think of convincing them and no need to do so either, it would not benefit them. However there are others who being academically minded always seek for proof or evidence before accepting what their hearts know to be true. For their sake I will add one or two additional pieces of evidence that might help them overcome their inevitable doubts.
I subsequently came to find out that the Sheykh concerned was named Nuri Baba – Nuri as you know means light. When I reflected on the verse I had written in Ajmer following the revelation I was surprised to find out that I had named it ‘The Saving Light’. At the time I had wondered at this since the poem does not in any way deal with ‘light’ in its content. I also note that I had written ‘Seek, Seek, (twice) followed by ‘and you will find’. Of course it was the third occasion of seeking that met with success.
I subsequently met a person in Konya who, though we had no common language, often sought me out and introduced me to friends etc. I wondered a little at this but made nothing of it. Then one day with the help of someone interpreting, it was made clear that Nuri Baba had said openly to them, before I had ever arrived in Konya, that a person would come named Cemil’ (the Turkish spelling of my name). It appeared that in all that time no one else of that name had appeared in the Dergah.
I will add further that in the telephone call that prompted this article, the fellow disciple said she herself had dreamt of Zahurmian supporting me in relation to this. I do not need these supporting evidences but maybe these will help those who struggle to believe such things.
The summary and essential point to make here is that loyalty to the spiritual guide is an important principle of the Sufi way. To those fellow disciples to whom my own apparent ‘defection’ was disconcerting in some way I have made an answer – no further discussion is needed on that. I also need to add, with some emphasis, that visionary experience in itself is of little significance. I have known people with autistic conditions have genuine visionary experiences – it is the content that gives it its significance.
I think it also demonstrates the depth of unity and inward brotherhood amongst the real Sufis, at a level far beyond the superficial bickering and competitiveness of followers. May God bless Zahurmian and Nuri Baba and forgive and rectify any inadvertent errors in the account above – which, allowing for what must remain unspoken, is as true and straightforward account as I can give. Amin.
Jamiluddin Morris Zahuri
Southampton
January 08
Revelations of Guidance
It is not a customary practice amongst Sufis to speak of ones personal religious or spiritual experience though it is not so uncommon amongst followers of various forms of spirituality in the modern world. In Sufism one’s own states and stations are something between oneself and the Beloved and in general it is rightly regarded as an unseemly behaviour to share this with others.
However it is a well established principle in Islam that ‘necessity makes an unlawful thing, lawful’. In fact we do have records of some of the experiences of the great saints – Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti for example – it is known that he received certain messages of importance for example when he was in Mecca and Medina in relation to his mission to go to Ajmer. If you do not know the accounts of these you can find them in some of the books of Dr Zahurul Hasan Sharib.
With such consideration and after having hesitated for some time I am offering below two accounts related to the gaining of guidance.
The occasion giving rise to this current article was a telephone conversation with a fellow disciple of Zahurmian. She reported some talk indicating that some of our fellow disciples felt confused because, following the passing of Zahurmian into the Mercy of Allah, I had made contact with a Sheykh in Konya. There seemed to be an implication of disloyalty.
Now as a matter of fact people will think this, or they will think that, it is not a matter of concern. There may however arise some confusion in the minds of people that can be misleading to them – thus I hope the two accounts below will be helpful in clarifying the need for loyalty to the spiritual guide and in diverting people from the illusion that it is fine and acceptable to simply shop around jumping from one guide to another. Or that seeking a guide is in some respect like window shopping, or picking and mixing sweets. Mevlana Rumi puts it thus: ‘Do not seek another guide till you have got the pearl from your present guide’.
Before I relay the actual account of what happened to me I will also put on record how it was I came to ask for Zahurmian’s guidance in the first place. This will complete the picture and I suppose ‘kill two birds with one stone’ as the saying goes. Both accounts whilst accurate are in fact heavily censored and much remains between me and Him.
I met Zahurmian when I was studying in India in 1972. Despite my antipathy to professional ‘gurus’ I was so impressed by the transformation that appeared in a fellow student who had become a disciple, that I asked that friend for Zahurmian’s address, as I felt curious as to who it was who could have had such a beneficial effect on my friend. I subsequently visited Zahurmian for a day or so, and then continued on my journey. I liked him but felt no need for guidance myself (the vanity of youth!).
Three years later, back in the UK, my life was transformed by a series of events which I will not detail here. For many months – or what seemed like a lifetime at the time, I became much contracted (depressed in psychological terms).
Towards the end of that time, without any single specific obvious external cause, over a period of months, this transformed itself into a powerful sense of happiness that continued to escalate to what might be termed by some as bliss. The height of this came one night when staying in the house of same friend referred to above.
I had bedding laid out on the floor of a spare room. The walls were partly covered with silver foil paper and I allowed my imagination to see in the various reflections the suggestions of shapes moving. As this little game continued however I became more attentive as the various shapes formed themselves into figures that seemed to take on a movement of their own, unconnected to the process of imagination. Soon this became as clear as the pictures on a colour television screen and the images of various sorts appeared in whatever direction I turned my gaze. As God says in the Qur’an ‘whichever way you turn there is the Face of Allah’. They moved quite as independently as the moving images in a film. The ‘show’ went on for the entire night but the important bit for this account is one particular episode. In this I saw what I immediately recognised as in some sense my own essence or soul. Wearing a big grey coat it reached the foot of some steps which lead up steeply to a great throne. The image of glory on that throne I will not discuss. The figure at the foot of the steps in the coat threw it off and revealed himself to be wearing a sparkling white uniform almost military in appearance. The figure ascended the steps but as he reached higher and higher – nearer to the throne, he became more and more puffed out in his chest – about half or three quarters of the way up a message descended from the throne – ‘too proud’. The figure descended again.
The elevated mood was too great for distress but I was left with a strong sense of determination that I must seek a way to ascend fully to that throne: in retrospect I would say for spiritual as distinct from outward humility. As I sought for a solution in my mind the memory of Zahurmian entered in and I formed a strong resolution that he was the person who could help me find the spiritual humility required for such a purpose – indeed the whole experience left me with firm conviction that indeed I did need guidance. This was only a small part of the whole event but was quite central. It was several months before I finally descended sufficiently from the natural ‘high’ or ‘hal’ as I now know it to be and managed to travel to India again.
For those concerned with the experience of conversion they might note that I had no knowledge of Islam and had never received or knowingly practised any Sufi techniques in any overt sense, nor did I indulge in any form of drugs..
I duly took initiation with Zahurmian and that was followed by an entirely spontaneous review and overhaul of what seemed to me then a pointless life. For the sake of those who think that Sufism or Islamic conversion involves some form of brainwashing I would add that this process came about after only a day or so in Zahurmian’s company and when I had returned to where I was living hundreds of miles away. I later came to recognise this as the Sufi station of Repentance.
So much for the initial acceptance of guidance and ‘conversion’ – I began to follow Islamic practises because it was the religion of the Guide rather than for any merits I found in what I saw of the overt practise of Islam. The awareness of the inner beauty of Islam crept over me slowly bit at a time from within.
I will now turn to the main point of this article.
I passed as much time in Zahurmian’s company as I could for many years – we almost never spoke of spiritual experiences or of religion but bit by bit through the benign influence of his company my life slowly became more ordered and various other states and stations emerged. There is no need to go into these here.
One night at an Urs (death anniversary celebrations held for saints) in Ajmer, a certain awareness reached me that made me quite desolate with anxiety – the nature of that awareness need not concern you but it caused me to flee inwardly in desperation to Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti. Then there descended on me a clear picture in what you might call a dream or a waking dream. It required me to seek out a certain man – a Sufi Sheykh. His picture was clearly shown like a kind of short movie clip. I was led to understand this person was from Turkey.
I shortly thereafter wrote a short poem. It is on the website but I will quote it again here.
The Saving Light
When doubts beset me and life seemed grey,
When confusion appeared to reign and chaos seemed near,
When fear confounded me and it seemed vain to pray,
When inspiration failed me and oblivion's threat did appear,
Then this thought of thine, O Sharib, on the tablet of life I read;
‘Seek, seek, and ye shall find’; it ran!
Then, O Khawaja, to thy grace my thought fled,
And from thence descended an answering gift to this son of man,
‘You will find in the Sun of Tabriz the help you need’
This was its upshot and gist,
And in the call of the broken reed,
I found what I had missed.
Jamiluddin Morris Zahuri
For those unfamiliar with some of the allusions ‘the broken reed’ is an image derived from Mevlana Rumi’s famous verses at the beginning of the Masnevi. ‘The Sun of Tabriz’ refers to Shemsuddin of Tabriz. See the website or other literature for a fuller explanation.’Khawaja is of course Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti. ‘Sharib’ refers to Dr Zahural Hasan Sharib – Zahurmian.
It did not seriously occur to me to seek outwardly the fulfilment of this revelation until a few years later when Zahurmian had laid down the burden of his increasingly fragile body. Though in the intervening years I became more and more aware inwardly of another guide assisting and supporting in the way Sufi guides do.
I went for the first time to Konya some months after Zahurmian had passed on. I found no conflict inwardly between the desire to follow this quest and the continued or even increasing presence of Zahurmian within. Indeed it was clear he was guiding me to this. Amongst the parts of revelation I have left veiled there was ample internal evidence of Zahurmian’s enthusiastic endorsement. I do not explain this further because it could cause confusion to some unfamiliar with the interior nature of Sufi ‘tasting’.
On the first occasion of visiting Konya I felt the resplendent generosity of Mevlana Rumi in every way, but my search for this guide bore no fruit – I returned again and for a second time Mevlana showered so many inward and outward blessings that can hardly be counted but he did not show me the guide I was seeking. I began to wonder – had I in someway misunderstood? I made up my mind I would try just once more.
Towards the end of the third visit, which lasted for about two weeks, a friend I had made said casually one day – there is Sufi Dergah nearby why do you not visit. I had nothing planned and with no expectation I went with a companion I had met to visit this Dergah, which I was told had a nice atmosphere. We entered a room full of people practising Zikr and playing some Turkish music. The room was hot and coming from the cold outside my glasses immediately misted up. When the mist finally cleared I saw that round the edge of the room sat some obviously Turkish men. My attention was drawn to one who was not visibly distinguishable from the others in terms of dress or position but who I somehow knew was the Sheykh of the order. I approached and made my salaams and he invited me and my companion to sit on either side of him. Beyond the Salaam we barely conversed as I recall – he spoke only Turkish and I had hardly two words in that language. The conviction grew and grew in me that this was the man I had seen that time in Ajmer. The Zikr and celebrations finished and my conviction had grown to virtual certainty. As we took our leave the thought came to mind, addressed to towards him, that ‘when I saw you in that vision you wore a topi’ (muslim head dress). At the time he was bareheaded. Almost instantly a follower came up from behind him and placed a topi on his head. He looked at me and smiled. It was enough.
There will always be those who doubt things like this – some are so enshrouded in doubt it is a waste of time to think of convincing them and no need to do so either, it would not benefit them. However there are others who being academically minded always seek for proof or evidence before accepting what their hearts know to be true. For their sake I will add one or two additional pieces of evidence that might help them overcome their inevitable doubts.
I subsequently came to find out that the Sheykh concerned was named Nuri Baba – Nuri as you know means light. When I reflected on the verse I had written in Ajmer following the revelation I was surprised to find out that I had named it ‘The Saving Light’. At the time I had wondered at this since the poem does not in any way deal with ‘light’ in its content. I also note that I had written ‘Seek, Seek, (twice) followed by ‘and you will find’. Of course it was the third occasion of seeking that met with success.
I subsequently met a person in Konya who, though we had no common language, often sought me out and introduced me to friends etc. I wondered a little at this but made nothing of it. Then one day with the help of someone interpreting, it was made clear that Nuri Baba had said openly to them, before I had ever arrived in Konya, that a person would come named Cemil’ (the Turkish spelling of my name). It appeared that in all that time no one else of that name had appeared in the Dergah.
I will add further that in the telephone call that prompted this article, the fellow disciple said she herself had dreamt of Zahurmian supporting me in relation to this. I do not need these supporting evidences but maybe these will help those who struggle to believe such things.
The summary and essential point to make here is that loyalty to the spiritual guide is an important principle of the Sufi way. To those fellow disciples to whom my own apparent ‘defection’ was disconcerting in some way I have made an answer – no further discussion is needed on that. I also need to add, with some emphasis, that visionary experience in itself is of little significance. I have known people with autistic conditions have genuine visionary experiences – it is the content that gives it its significance.
I think it also demonstrates the depth of unity and inward brotherhood amongst the real Sufis, at a level far beyond the superficial bickering and competitiveness of followers. May God bless Zahurmian and Nuri Baba and forgive and rectify any inadvertent errors in the account above – which, allowing for what must remain unspoken, is as true and straightforward account as I can give. Amin.
Jamiluddin Morris Zahuri
Southampton
January 08
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