The Sufi Riddle

Robert Graves defines Sufism as the only continuous movement in human history, dating back into the mists of prehistory. From the Eleusinian Mysteries to the rites of initiation into the Sufi orders there are similarities and underlying signs of continuity. The thread could easily be traced farther into recorded human history. The question that arises is simply WHY? What is the reason behind the survival of this continuous movement? There are many concepts about it. Like all historical traditions this movement is analyzed differently by different historians. The most common are but the pragmatic and the sublimation thesis. The pragmatic approach tries to understand the movement within a causal context. It mixes Sufism with mysticism on the one hand and tries to rationalize it at a baser level: rebellion against status quo; escape from restrictions; quest for immortality; and so on. The sublimation thesis on the other hand denies the causal matrix. It takes a psychological standpoint. It takes the persistence of the movement as a quest for truth, knowledge of the real self, the I component in human soul that interacts with the me, us, and other. It sees the movement as a quest for self knowledge, an intellectual movement, Know Thyself of Socrates.
Sufism, seen from this perspective, is the sublimation of common human ideals. A search for humanity within the highest echelons of humanity, namely religion. It has taken many forms and shapes, from whirling dervishes, to the charitable music loving, God intoxicated Chistia in the sub Continent. Despite many forms and shapes the underlying motive remains the same: reforming what mediocrity takes as the ultimate reformation. Hence, the allegation of pantheism by the Muslim theologians and the oriental writers. Though the motives of both the groups remained different, the resultant misunderstanding remains the same.
Idrees Shah defines it succinctly in The Way of the Sufis, saying, “Sufism is to avoid preconceptions.” I sincerely think this is what the world needs badly to survive as a human denomination. And it is this strength of developing proper ideals throughout human history that is behind the continuation of the movement.

Mystics and Sufis

The other day I had a conversation with an Indian professor of English, a gentleman who started his teaching career from Government College Lahore as early as 1942. Well versed in Urdu poetry, close acquaintance of Faiz Ahmed Faiz and having more grasp on Urdu poetry than most of our present day young and not so young friends.
It was a nice evening and the 88 years old professor was citing verses from Ghalib and Faiz. In Ghalib the Sufi tradition is very strong, cloaked in the imagery of wine like that of Khayyam.
The debate entered into the incorrect use of the word mystic for a Sufi. This was when we were at a bookshop looking for books of our interest. Professor Robert Graves Greek Myths reminded me of this introduction to Idrees Shah’s The Sufis. Professor talked about Graves while I told him about the Introduction. “Well, Sufism is quite different from mysticism” he said. “It is more like yoga. It is a way of life, living in harmony with nature”. “At least I see it this way”.
He was right. Most of us mix things and the reason behind are no naivety. It is because our thirst for short cuts to power goads us into misinterpreting things. Yoga is seen as an instrument to develop powers that could impress (control) others, the vey opposite of what it is. Sufism is seen in the same vein. Inner/hypnotic powers that could give one control over others.
I will not spend much time on the right or wrong of this attitude. What is important is to understand how the human mind works at times. Why power? Over whom? What if I get control of another? Wouldn’t it be better to organize my own being than to seek control over others? I think somehow we have reversed the human equation. We have to rethink our human priorities. It is not the question of naming yoga or Sufism right or using them rightly. These are small drops in the life of humanity. Humanity itself is the real essence of life. We have to keep the candle burning or blow it away as Buddha did through nirvana. Nirvana again is misinterpreted. But we will save this debate for a later time.

Why Mystic writing pad

Title is borrowed from Sigmund Freud’s book. The book is a small segment of Freund’s contributions to metapsychology. Genius of Freud explains the retention process of the human mind. It is the simplest of his books, yet deal with a problem of great importance. It also makes a distinction between the brain and mind; mind being the repository of all experiences in daily life. Freud shows how our experiences get ingrained into our mind and how they help us in everyday experiences. How life gets enriched through the mystic writing pad, leaving us mature after every note on the pad. The brain in this context is the receptor, and expressive instrument of human organism. It transmits inwards and outwards.
The blog promises nothing of such enormity, but aspires to use our intellect to think deeply on issues and experiences of human life in a more humane context.