Delhi Hyderabad Kolkata Lucknow Mumbai. AZIM JAMAL. One-Minute. Sufi. The
... No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any ...
The
One-Minute
Sufi AZIM JAMAL
JAICO
PUBLISHING HOUSE
Ahmedabad Bangalore Bhopal Bhubaneswar Chennai Delhi Hyderabad Kolkata Lucknow Mumbai
Published by Jaico Publishing House A-2 Jash Chambers, 7-A Sir Phirozshah Mehta Road Fort, Mumbai - 400 001
[email protected] www.jaicobooks.com © Azim Jamal Published in arrangement with Azim Jamal 10151 Gilmore Crescent Richmond, BC, V6X 1X1, Canada THE ONE-MINUTE SUFI ISBN 81-7992-517-X First Jaico Impression: 2006 Seventh Jaico Impression (Revised & Reformatted Edition): 2012 No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Printed by Repro India Limited Plot No. 50/2, T.T.C. MIDC Industrial Area Mahape, Navi Mumbai - 400 710
Praise for Azim Jamal’s Books
SEVEN STEPS TO LASTING HAPPINESS “Azim’s Seven Steps to Lasting Happiness is a practical and inspiring book. Everyone will benefit from reading it.” —Deepak Chopra, # 1 International best-seller
“Seven Steps is an honest, practical, and inspiring book that touches the essence of living. A valuable guide for people seeking balance, harmony, and lasting happiness.” —Robin Sharma, International best-selling author of The Monk who Sold His Ferrari
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“Seven Steps is a beautifully written book that is bound to make a difference and touch many lives.” —John Kehoe, Author of the international best-seller Mind Power
“Seven Steps is a refreshingly clear, compassionate, and user-friendly handbook by a consummate team player who walks his talk. Every page provides a tool, a jewel, and a blessing for the reader.” —Jo Ann Janson, Author of Define Yourself and Discover Your Destiny
BUSINESS, BALANCE & BEYOND “This book shows you how to define your true purpose, increase your effectiveness and live a richer life – in every area.” —Brian Tracy Author of Earn What You’re Really Worth
“An authentic piece of work. Everyone will benefit from reading this book.” —Robin Sharma, #1 International best-selling author of The Leader Who Had No Title
“To become truly successful, one must discover the ideal balance between personal and professional happiness. Azim taps into the core fundamentals that
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will help you to travel the journey from success to significance in this insightful and thought-provoking book.” —Dr. Nido Qubein, President, High Point University, Chairman, Great Harvest Bread Co.
“Balance is possibly the most elusive (and perhaps most necessary) aspect of a busy life; balance between one’s priorities often falls victim to a shortage of time; balance between commerce and the good earth often disappears in the rush for spoils. Azim assures us this need not be so, and he does it convincingly and with a philosophy that merits attention.” —Rick Antonson, President, CEO, Tourism Vancouver
“Congruent, practical and inspiring! Make it a gift for all.” —Salim Khoja, CEO of Power Within and best-selling author of Passion for Life
“Azim Jamal is one of the best people I’ve ever met. This is a heartfelt book about how you can live a bigger life.” —Harvey McKinnon, Co-author of the International best-seller The Power of Giving
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THE POWER OF GIVING (co-authored with Harvey McKinnon) “Extremely impressive...very inspiring” —Dr. Wayne Dyer Best-selling author of The Power of Intention “The Power of Giving is a must-read. Profit from reading it. Give it to everyone you love.” —Jack Canfield, Author of the best-seller The Success Principles(TM) and Co-author of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series
“We’ve needed a book like this for a long time. Now it’s your turn to help. Buy it, share it, download, buy a copy for a friend. This book could change everything.” —Seth Godin, Author of Unleashing the Ideavirus, Purple Cow
“What a wonderful book! Most books I want to gobble up in one or a couple of sittings. But this one is so rich, each page so loaded with treasure, I want to dip into it and drink a sip at a time, over and over. A book to cherish.” —John David Mann, Co-author of The Go-Giver
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“Those who refresh others are themselves refreshed, and with this news we can all join a chorus and sing praises for this inspiring book!” —Stephen Post, Author of Why Good Things Happen to Good People
THE CORPORATE SUFI “The Corporate Sufi is an enlightening, down-toearth and valuable work. Azim reflects the beauty and power of Sufi principles in a corporate setting.” — Robin Sharma, Author of the # 1 international best-seller of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
“The principles of leadership remain constant, no matter what our culture. In The Corporate Sufi I love the clear concept of The Sufi as the constant Seeker, always part of his culture, but never bound by rigid structures or rules that can stifle initiative. Like any true leader he looks first within himself for those qualities before trying to lead others.” —Peter Urs Bender, Author of national best-seller Leadership from Within
“Truly amazing. I am most impressed by the simple and practical manner in which you have expressed some of the most profound philosophical issues. I
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am now moving into the reflective phase before I read this great and life changing book for the second time. Terrific stuff. Once again thank you for opening my eyes to more possibilities.” —Francis O’Kello Chairman, Barclay’s Bank and Serena Hotels, Kenya
LIFE BALANCE THE SUFI WAY (co-authored with Nido Qubein) “We can choose to balance our lives; and the practical information in this book will help enormously.” —Ken Blanchard, Co-author The One-Minute Manager and The Secret
“Your ability to achieve balance among the competing aspects of your life is the key to health, happiness and long life. This book shows you how.” —Brian Tracy, International best-seller
“Kudos to Nido and Azim. In a world where people often feel out of balance, Nido and Azim bring a refreshing and powerful shot of ‘CAN DO!’ from their own remarkable experience and from the timeless wisdom of both the East and the West. This book is both insightful and practical – a great read for anyone who wants to live a balanced life of
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contribution and meaning.” —Roger and Rebecca Merrill, Co-authors of Life Matters: Creating a Dynamic Balance of Work, Family, Time, and Money and (with Stephen R. Covey) First Things First
“This is not a “need to read” book – this, for all professionals around the world, is a MUST read book!” —Scott McKain, Vice Chairman of Obsidian Enterprises and Author of What Customers REALLY Want
“Balance & the power of Choice – two of the keys for the life we all want. Nido and Azim are here to coach you. All you have to do is begin this book – NOW.” —W. Mitchell, Author of It’s Not What Happens to You, It’s What You Do about It
“If you want pure water be careful to determine its source. If you want pure wisdom do the same. I have known Nido Qubein and Azim Jamal for many years and their lives are examples of wise living. They are generous, successful, compassionate, and learned. They have attained the success-dreams we all admire and yet have sustained the rewarding and peaceful life others sacrifice. Take their guidance to heart. Both you and your heart will be happier.” —Jim Cathcart, Author of The Acorn Principle and Relationship Selling
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“Life balance is the perpetual challenge of our time. If you need a little more balance and enjoyment in your life, Nido and Azim have written a book that will help you achieve both. Read their book and enrich your journey.” —Mark Sanborn, Speaker and author of The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Make the Ordinary Extraordinary
“Our lives are running faster and fuller than any time in human history. Can you really combine work, family, community, friends, health, career, investments and play – without being completely overwhelmed? The answer is a resounding “YES!” and the keys to make it happen are right now in your hands. Life Balance the Sufi Way is the master guide to enjoying it all.” —Ron Kaufman, Best-selling author of UP Your Service!®
I dedicate this book to my children, Sahar and Tawfiq, who are the Sufis in my life.
Acknowledgments
I gratefully acknowledge, and express deep appreciation to, the many wonderful people who assisted me as I wrote this book. Without your help, I could never have completed it. Thank you!
A Sufi is an instrument or vessel – he takes from God with one hand and gives with another.
Contents
Introduction One Knowing God
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Two Understanding Death
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Three Igniting Our Spirituality
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Four Finding Our Purpose
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Five Embracing an Inside-Out Approach
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Six Making a Difference
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Seven Having Faith in the Unknown
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Eight Persevering
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Nine Keeping Perspective
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Ten Balancing Our Lives
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Eleven Embracing Life-Long Learning
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Twelve Making the Journey Our Destiny
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Thirteen Transforming Our Lives
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Revisiting the Sufi Principles
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Bibliography
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There are many paths to the peak of a mountain, but the view from the top is always the same.
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The Historical and Traditional Connections of Sufism
THE WORD SUFI IS DERIVED FROM THE ARABIC word soof, which literally means wool, referring to the material from which the simple robes of the early Muslim mystics were made. Sufism refers to the mystical traditions of Islam. It is the living spirit of the Islamic tradition. Sufism is built on islam (submission) and iman (faith). A Sufi is one who sets himself or herself on the path of selfpurification leading to enlightenment and union with God. He is a seeker in search of his true identity.1 A Sufi lives in the moment and adapts to the changing world around him without compromising the essence of his beliefs. He is a child of the moment. There are different forms of expressions in Sufism, but the essence remains intact. The engaging verses of Sufi giants Ibn Arabi and Rumi, the love 1
To facilitate ease of reading, I have used the pronoun he to include both genders.
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ecstasies of the early Sufi mystic Rabiah, the towering voice of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and the prayer dances of the whirling dervishes are all expressions of Sufism. Many people contend that to follow the Sufi path one must endorse Islam. Yet clearly, once you reach your destination, the path is no longer an issue. In other words, there are many ways to get to the truth. It is like many people climbing the same mountain along different roads, but the view from the peak is the same. Rumi gives an example of a few blind people trying to examine an elephant by sense of touch alone. Each thinks one part of the elephant is the whole and experiences it in a manner slightly different from reality. For one person, the elephant is a pillar (leg), for another it is a fan (ear), and for another it is a rope (tail). Yet they are all touching the same elephant. Similarly, there are many ways to seek the same truth. Martin Lings, in his book What is Sufism?, explains that all mysticism is equally universal in the greater sense that they lead to the One Truth, just like the radii of a circle all reach the center no matter where they begin from the circle. However, he says that if you do not follow one radius to its completion, then you may not reach the center. As the Sufi Shaykh ad-Darqawi says, “A man who tries to find water by digging a little here and a little
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there will die of thirst.” So, although there are many ways to the truth, it is important to follow a path to its completion. We can pluck flowers from other traditions as long as we are not jumping back and forth from one path to another.
Considering a Broader Aspect of Sufism Although Sufism traditionally has its origin in Islam, it has influenced many thinkers and philosophers. Idries Shah, in his book The Sufis, has outlined past Sufi influence on St. Francis of Assisi, the Troubadours, St. Augustine, the Rosicrucians, Maimonides, the Jewish Kabbalah, and a host of other medieval and modern religious movements. Sufism is thus a bridge between east and west. Jalaludin Rumi, the 12th-century Sufi master, describes a Sufi in his poem: What is the solution, O Moslems: for I do not know myself. Neither Christian, Jew, Zoroastrian or Moslem am I; I am not an easterner or a westerner, or of land or sea; Not of nature or of heaven; not of India, China, Bulgaria, Saqsin. Not of the Iraqs, nor of the land of Khorasan. My place is placelessness; my sign is of no sign.
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I have no body or life; for I am of the life of life. I have put away duality; I have seen the two worlds as one. I desire one, I know one, I see one, I call one. Rumi is describing a stage where he has transcended all forms of spiritual realization — which is very different from a merely theoretical understanding of spirituality. The final stage a Sufi reaches is oneness with God, which comes when the ego has disappeared. Rumi says, “The mother of all idols is your own ego.” We have all heard sayings such as, “Seek and you will find” and “Knock and you will enter.” Nevertheless, the question remains: How does one knock? Sufism shows us the art of knocking that leads to the door of ultimate realization.
Who Is a Sufi? A Sufi is interested in the essence, not the form. He looks at what is inside, not outside. A human being has an outward appearance — how we look, the clothes we wear, the car we drive, the house we live in, and the money we have. To the Sufi they matter little. It is what is inside a person, his character and spirit that interest the Sufi. To the Sufi, the exoteric outward forms of an individual are an illusion; the reality lies in that which is esoteric, the inner part. The Sufi can be a man or a woman, young or old, black or white, a professional or a homemaker.
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Labels do not matter to a Sufi. The Sufi is grounded in ethical principles. He knows that these principles connect him to his core. He knows that, no matter how much change there is around him, the ethical principles are changeless. Principles provide an anchor for the Sufi. The quest of the Sufi is to listen to his conscience and to follow it in both good and trying times. The Sufi knows that he can never get lost if he follows the true or straight path. The Sufi is a person of timelessness and placelessness, living in the world but not of the world. While he is a mystic, he is not a hermit living on a mountain somewhere. Rather, he lives a balanced life, avoiding excessive materialism and striving for spirituality at his core. A Sufi views his role in this life as that of an instrument or vessel through which he takes with one hand and gives with another. He goes with the flow, living in the moment but without losing sight of his vision.
My Interpretation of and Approach to Sufism Sufism is a varied tradition with a long and inspiring history. Its practices and doctrines are richly layered, and understanding them in their depths is a lifetime’s work. I cannot explore this tradition in its fullness here, nor is it my purpose. I am neither a scholar nor a historian. For me, the Sufi is a symbol for a stance
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toward life, and a perspective about values that we can all learn from and use in our daily lives. Sufism represents an ideal of how we can all maintain a spiritual and ethical center while still pursuing our worldly goals. It is this ideal that I want to explore in this book. By citing Sufi poems and anecdotes, I elaborate on all these qualities of the Sufi in this book. The focus is on the message, rather than its origin. So if a message conveyed reflects Sufi thinking, I have included it as a Sufi message, irrespective of its origin. I have plucked the flowers of truth from wherever they come. The Sufi quotes in this book are mostly translated from different languages. These quotes have been taken from the works mentioned in the Bibliography at the end of the book. As our lives become busier and faster, we often don’t have time to nourish our souls. The OneMinute Sufi provides small doses of inspirational Sufi principles, allowing us to reflect on them as we go about our daily business. These principles can change the course of an entire day — and, gradually, our destiny. A key message of the book is that it is not how much we read that matters, but what we do with what we read that does. It is through reflection that change takes place. Consequently, the book is designed in such a way that you read a chapter a day,
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reflect deeply on the message as you go about your day, and write about your reflection for about a minute at the end of the day. Writing helps crystallize your thoughts. Knowing that you are to spend a minute writing about your reflections and how they played a part in your day helps keeps you alert. Try to get into the discipline of writing for a minute at the end of the day. It may be difficult in the beginning if you are not used to it. Sometimes nothing will come to your mind. If that happens, just write down your understanding of the one-minute message. It will register in your subconscious and play out in the days that follow. Implement what you learn from the reading and reflection right away and, preferably, over the course of the entire day and weeks to come. Practice creates habit and momentum. If you do this regularly, you will notice a marked improvement in your life, and, gradually, it will improve your connection to your spirit. This book will show you how to: Love one and all, irrespective of religion, culture, color, and creed Stay on your path and yet respect all other paths to the same truth Integrate the spiritual and the material, so that 24 hours of your day are grounded in principles Go with the flow and yet pursue your purpose
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Be in the moment and learn from every experience and every encounter Make a difference each day to others and to yourself Go to sleep at night eager to wake up, looking forward to another great day and having no regrets if you never wake up Enjoy! Azim Jamal Vancouver, British Columbia
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ONE Knowing God The Mystery of God
Everything Is a Signpost Leading to God
God is all and all is God. Everything is a signpost to the Oneness of God.
GOD IS THE GREATEST MYSTERY OF ALL THE mysteries. Philosophers, scientists, and artists have pondered His mystery and existence since the beginning of time, trying to find and understand God. God is beyond knowing and not knowing. He is beyond form and essence. He is beyond matter and spirit. He is beyond being and not being. No words are adequate to describe Him. Where do we begin to describe something that is beyond description? When we have exhausted all descriptions, we have not even started to describe God. The reason for this is that we can only describe that which we know. God, however, is beyond our limited understanding and no words are adequate to describe Him. Thus, the Sufis say it is the experience
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of God that brings wisdom — an experience that we can be blessed with, but that we are unable to share in words because there is seemingly no form in which the experience can be expressed. We can create poetry or music to express our love for God, but we find ourselves attempting to fathom the sun with the understanding of the lamp. In this chapter we look at the following oneminute Sufi concepts: The Mystery of God Everything Is a Signpost Leading to God
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The Mystery of God
God is the mystery of all the mysteries. — Sufi Saying
GOD IS INCOMPARABLE AND UNEQUALLED. He is complete, pure, and self-existent. He transcends human comprehension. He is beyond this universe. Nevertheless, God is imminent, so close by, as close as our human heart. Thus, God is at once so far away and so close. If we seek within, we will find the Master of all masters; if we seek far away, the Master will be far away. God is independent of us, whereas we are dependent on Him. God is infinite, boundless, and endless. He has always existed and will always exist. He is faultless. To define God as superhuman or supernatural is inadequate, because His description is beyond words or imagination. God is known by some through His attributes — merciful, generous, maintainer, and sustainer. To
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really know God, however, we have to know Him in His essence. He is the Soul of all souls. He is beyond all attributes and qualities. This kind of knowing only comes through direct spiritual experience. Philosophers, atheists, and others may affirm or refute the existence of God, but as long as they do not deny the very existence of their own being, they continue to testify to their belief in God. All creations of God have their own spiritual relationship with Him. The all-powerful God is not confined by any one religion or belief. Sufis say, The ways to God are as many as the breaths of human beings. God speaks through all genuine religions, manifesting Himself in different ways appropriate to each seeker. God was the first, and He will be the last. He is apparent, and He is hidden. He is the ultimate Creator of all things — past, present, and future. God is the mystery of all the mysteries.
KNOWING GOD
ONE-MINUTE EXERCISE Write down your reflections on this Sufi concept
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Everything Is a Signpost Leading to God
Everything is a signpost to the Oneness of God. — Ahmed Lmn Ata’allah
THE SUN NEVER FAILS TO PERFORM ITS function; the moon is never late. The seasons come and go, never failing to arrive. A child grows physically, mentally, and spiritually. The whole of creation evolves. No two moments are entirely alike. All that exists is a sign of God. For Sufis, this sign is the innate ability of the soul to perceive the presence of God in all things. As Muhamed Ibn Wasi says, “I’ve never seen a single thing without seeing God in it.” People often ask: Where is God? The response is that God is all and all is God. God is in the bark of a dog; the buzz of a bee; the silence of a tree; in the stillness of the log; the hug of a mother; the smile of a child; the color of a flower; the singing of the birds. Everything is a signpost to the Oneness of God.
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Imagine if God had never created anything? We would never have seen life — love, sunrises, sunsets, struggles, pain, gain, sorrow, joy. His creation blesses us to see His beauty in nature — the ocean, sun, moon, stars, birds, and mankind. What absolute magic! Ibn Arabi says, “Divine mercy that gives rise to the universe is existence itself. The very act of bringing things into existence is an act of gentleness and kindness.” Creation provides for everything humans want. It provides for all human needs. God is most beneficent and most merciful. His arms are always open to us all. Rumi beautifully says: Come, come whoever you are, Wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving, Ours is not a caravan of despair, Come even if you have broken your Vow a thousand times, Come, come again, come. This poem symbolizes God’s mercy. Contemplate creation and marvel at its beauty, majesty, and complexity. When we ponder the natural world, we get a glimpse of the true wonder of creation. We begin to understand the beauty and wisdom of the universe and it’s Creator.
KNOWING GOD
ONE-MINUTE EXERCISE Write down your reflections on this Sufi concept
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