Contents

Introduction on Global Spirituality Today

Global Spirituality Today

Jum’ah Khutba

Spirituality in Europe

Global Spirituality

Spirituality in the United Kingdom

Muslims & Spirituality in Europe

Spirituality Today in the Arab World

Spirituality in China

Spirituality in Iran

Spirituality in Denmark

Spirituality from a Sudanese perspective

Thoughts on global spirituality

Spirituality in the United Kingdom from a women’s

perspective

Spirituality in America

Women and Spirituality

Interviews with European women

Global spirituality- A MUST

Academy of Self Knowledge (ASK)

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Iqbal Jhazbhay

Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri

Imam Luqman Ali

Peter Huseyin Cunz

Ibrahim abdul Malik

Kadija Lafene

Luqman Ali

Adnan Al-Adnani

Abdul Karim Powell

Mostafa Moussavi

Usman Ali & Saadia Bundegaard

Adam Ahmed Yusuf

Dr.Pheko

Almas Bhati

Hajj Mustafa Ali al-Haydari

Muna Bilgrami

Sadiqa Lake

Sidi Hossam Raouf

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Introduction on Global Spirituality Today

For a number of activists from different corners of the globe, attendance of the annual International Conference at the Centurion-based Rasooli Centre, is a must on the calendar of well-ness and collective celebration of One-ness. It is, then, no surprise to find men and women journeying to South Africa’s capital from Canada, Denmark, England, Mozambique, the Sudan, Somaliland, Switzerland and the US, to experience by the timeless method of transmission, the graceful turning and transformation of the heart.

This year’s 7th International Conference on Global Spirituality Today, indeed, like the previous annual initiatives, did not diss-appoint.

Instead, our appoint-ment with celebrating One-ness, that which thrills and delights, and internalizing the truism of one-to-one and ask only the One, permeated the conference proceedings. Keynote speaker, Shaykh Fadhlalla’s exquisite discourse of understanding of what is behind the global unrest was a tour de force, not to be missed. It cogently covered with seasoned symphony matters pertaining to the spirit, the self and society.

In this respect, a useful map unpacking the core issues illuminated our reading of global social events.

The Shaykh outlined the evolution of homo sapiens from an era of One-ness and naturalness, to the era of duality and two-ness, where the human being’s unquenchable appetite for increase of oil, energy, finance and geo-political expansion, leads to the gross challenge of imbalance, injustice and eventually the ‘most unnatural end’ on the world landscape.

Hopeful enthusiasm was on the horizon with the emergence of Global Spirituality, fuelled by what South African President Thabo Mbeki recently defined as the ‘courage to stand up against the seeming blood-dimmed tide, to point humanity to another and more humane direction’.

Key elements of a humane, do-able and sustainable Global Spirituality included:

the death of distance (relative ease of travel options and global interconnectivity)the death of time (ease of locating a person almost anywhere at anytime)abandonment of the illusion of the ‘great’ self and self concern (diluting the ego)

The proceedings of this 7th gathering merits careful attention in our journey towards self-knowledge and mastery, as the pre-requisite towards One-ness and a more humane society and world, where justice prevails.

“Be just, it is the closest to Allah-Centedness, taqwa” (Qur’an 5:8) ihdilu huwa aqrabu li-taqwa

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Iqbal Jhazbhay

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Global Spirituality Today

Our life is based on trying to discover the meaning of the present by looking at the past in order to forecast what the future may be. We need to look to the past because there is no point of having rules and regulations unless you know the principle of it. It is vital to realize that we are the product of past humanity and the future will be as good or as difficult as we move towards it, with unity in body, head and heart with all of humanity. We need to see the entire situation we are in and go into the core of it.

Creation can be represented on a timeline of 1 year to show 5 billion years. We can think of the birth of the earth as being on the 1st of January, life begins in single cell form at the end of February. Dino-saurs come around the 16th of December and die on the 26th of December. Mankind then appears a few minutes before the end of the 31st of December and in the last few seconds has nearly ruined the world. Allah gives us many examples to show us the relativity of time.

Our history goes back to us being nomadic and that was when we were only 1 because we had to depend on something, there was a primitive notion that there is One to whom we return and that is why death was not a big deal. Death is natural, there was One and then came two and then we have to return back to the One and this is what global spirituality is about.

To a simple minded, pure hearted person, life and death can never be separate. A major shift in life came about 800 years ago with the Industrial Revolution, the French Revolution and the European hegemony where they began to believe they can control everything. There has been an era of arrogance that lasted from the 1800’s until a few years ago. Now a situation of unilaterilism exists where one sovereign power represents all of us as individuals who share in the American dream, or nightmare, of continual expan-sion.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed it can only be transformed from one aspect to another. The body is returned to be recycled like energy. Kerosene was discovered in America for light in the evenings and then there was the discovery of the “magical” fuel, petroleum. Up until the 1930’s America was self suf-ficient in terms of its energy requirements but realized that the entire economic system and automobiles are dependent upon a scarce commodity. They thus moved to the Middle East in the 1940’s where they had previously had no interest. This move was a big thing which one does not know if it was a blessing or a curse, but like everything else, it is both at the same time. There can be no goodness without the bad.

America now has adopted the attitude of “If you are not with us, you are against us”. This has come about because love of expansion is the human state. An intelligent person will see that quality and quantity are inseparable, the greater quantity you have, the less quality you will have. That is why rare things exist, quantity is much easier that quality. The rarest is the light in your heart which is not easy to discover.

The Western world’s dependancy on energy from foreign lands by the 1960’s was up to 80% and by

Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri

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2010 the supplies of petroleum will not satisfy half the demand. We have a highly imbalanced unjust global scene. Injustice not due to conspiracy, the capitalist will not let the patient die. It is for us to realize this injustice is in our own psyche.

The Prophet Muhamed (SAW) said: He is not a Muslim who sleeps knowing that there is one hungry man in his village. That village is now a global village. How can we call ourselves Muslim? We are all living in an imbalanced situation but how can there be balance if one-third of the world’s population has a per capita income which is less than 1/100th of the per capita income in the European Union. This is unjust. Agricultural subsidies in America and Europe exceed $300billion. This is enough to educate, feed and clothe every child in the world. From the 1800’s we have gone from a simple primitive being, to where everyone wants to be a neo-technologist in 2000. We all want a future and sustainable devel-opment. Women go out of their way to keep their children fed. They degrade themselves and work as cleaners in hotels.

Ask if there is free will or pre-destiny. This is the most important question, and then ask what you can do to serve others who are less fortunate. See the one behind the two. We can then accept the world for what it is. Be in tawheed and you will have saved yourself.

Our existence is based on space and time - three dimensions of space and one dimension of time, therefore four dimensions. Anyone can connect with anyone anywhere in the world, which means we have overcome three dimensions of space. Therefore, time will have to come to an end. This is where true enlightenment begins. If you end space, you have to end the illusion of time. Death of distance is definitely the light of the presence. This is how global spirituality will rise.

Who are you? We must be, at best, a Ruh which is activating the universe as you experience it. Aban-don the illusion of what you are. You are here Abdullah (slave of Allah) in order to realize the Nur of Allah so celebrate the end of illusion.

The incredible connection between finance, trade, commerce and energy will have to breakdown because energy is limited. If energy is limited and the entire way of living is based on increase and growth and every bit of money there is has been produced due to lending, this system must collapse.

The second law of thermodynamics is entropy which means that every closed system heads towards greater disintegration or chaos. This means that less and less energy is available for work. The outer in each person can be horrendous and that’s why one must look to the inner voice. Everybody is trying to be independent but independent from what? Five minutes without air and we would suffocate!

Fifty years ago Iraq was a totally independent country and twenty years ago it became totally dependent on imported foods. Justice is beyond reason: Global unrest and injustice comes from us all wanting in-stant wealth, instant control and we want to be God, but Allah will humble us. The purpose of existence is to have one side of us intoxicated with the joy of the divine and yet another side of us to be sober in an outer sense.

The positron is the opposite of the electron as everything created has its opposite. After you have mar-ried you may realize your stupidity and realize that it was all about seeking the One in yourself, every-body loves themselves. ASK teaches you that there is only One Light and to reach that source in you

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and then will you find contentment and sustainable joy. Decree and destiny is perfect: if you follow a pattern of self destruction you will end up being destroyed. Thus free will and predestination both ex-ist at the same time. Your free will is to decide what map you follow and to drive along with that map obeying the highway code in order to be safe. Well meaningness is not good enough, you must know what you are doing and why.

People need to develop more inwardly through self knowledge. The deen we know and love will not continue without this. We need to attack ignorance in our hearts and limit our nafs and see the reality behind our actions and then, Allah is All Forgiving. Our entire path is to groom our nafs and to realize it is a slave to our Ruh. The beginning and the end is always the same and ever connected and we are people who have been designed by the perfect Creator. We have been designed to realize, after billions of years, the magnificence of creation and the perfection of Allah wherever we look.

We don’t see perfection in chaos because we have deviated and are not taking reference in the Higher. Our path to accepting reason in the outer world and to go beyond reason in the inner world, put the two together and we have good news and happiness as a by product. By technological advancement the end of space has been brought about, as time and space are inseparable this must be echoed with living in the now resulting in the end of time and presence in the moment.

The Noor of Allah will bring about the rise in spirituality globally, irrespective of the conflict between people. We must earn our deen and live as though the Prophet Muhammed (SAW) was with us and we must re-live Mekkah. We should remedy ourselves with the knowledge that we don’t know and there is that Light that gives you knowledge according to what you need to know and when you need to know it, then you are both in outer jihad and inner jihad.

This is our map and we need to understand it and live it. We must never say that we are now more spiritual or closer to Allah. We should only say we are further away form Shaytan and our nafs, this will protect us from arrogance. Become global in your spirituality, your love for the Ruh and in your fear of the nafs and then you will discover 1-2-1.

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Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri

Jum’ah Khutba

It is at the heart of the deen that you will reconcile two disputing parties, it is about connectivity, it is about tawhid. The Prophet (pbuh) said that which is better in ranking than salat and fasting and sadaqa is reconciling two disputing parties. All of these injunctions to connect, to reconcile, to establish are nothing other than exhortations for us to live tawhid, for you to live the beauty of Allah Subhana Wa Tala. To leave this pseudo mosaic conception of Allah, of a deity that lives in the stratosphere and has no connection with us. Allah Subhana Wa Tala while He may be far and He may be remote, He is also near, He is also imminent . He is also intimate with those who seek intimacy with Him.

This is the completion of the message of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), that Allah Subhana Wa Tala is transcendent, He is majestic, and He is also beautiful. He is also closer to us than closeness and more approximate to us than we can imagine. The entirety of the deen and the Sharia is designed to minimise and bring to an absolute minimum, the inherent conflict in duality. If our Sharia results in the division of people, it is not tawhidi Sharia, it is not a tawhidi deen. It is Sharia being used by people for other ends, for power and other such corruptions.

We ask Allah Subhana Wa Tala to preserve us from them. Allah enjoins upon us that we be people of oneness, that we be people for whom there is no other, only Allah. It is indeed surprising how we have adopted this idea of altruism, where is there altruism in Islam? If you do good for someone else it is not for the other person it is for yourself. Altruism comes as a result of shirk, of seeing other than Allah. The hadith tells us if you look at the face of your brother in iman it is doing ibada. How can it be ibada un-less it is about a vision of tawhid, it is about witnessing the beauty and majesty of Allah in creation? So tawhid is not an abstract conception, it is a real, practical, pragmatic way of life.

If Islam is a way of life then tawhid is the formula, if you don’t have the formula you don’t have Islam. We have to authenticate this deen. We Muslims in Europe are told we must integrate into European society and for those of us who are not in tawhid we are shocked by this and we feel great anxiety and agitation, but for those of us in tawhid, it is only a reminder to us that we must reconcile. Tawhid involves reconciling that which is apparently irreconcilable, there are mutualities between us and the people of Isa (as) and between us and the people of Musa (as). Let us accentuate those mutualities in a bid to revive the spirit of tawhid, to revive the dream of virtue and take on the characteristic of Allah Subhana Wa Tala. Why have we shortchanged ourselves and not aspire to that aspiration? This is a question we must ask ourselves. The Prophet (pbuh) says if you find people without aspiration, leave them. The mu’min by definition is a visionary, he is by definition someone who is living beyond the apparent and who’s reference point is in the hereafter. Is that our reference point? Is that our reference in the way in which we interact with ourselves? Our reference point in the way we interact with others? We must have rahma upon ourselves and have mercy upon the creation of Allah and Allah will have mercy upon you.

Imam Luqman Ali

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Spirituality in Europe

Shaykh Fadhlallah kindly asked me to give an overview on the overall spiritual scene in Europe, including Christians, Jews, Muslims and other religious or spiritual groups as well as an idea of how their needs could be met. At first I’d like to bring forth some thesis’s originating from my personal belief, which will clarify parts of my speech:

In Alchemy it is said that a first minimum portion of gold is needed to enable the transformative process from lead into gold. It is the basic yearning for nearness with Allah, the Source of everything. This first godsend of Allah is required to enable the transformation from urge-driven human beings into believers. Every human being is in possession of this “start-capital” that he or she has received as a gift from Allah. Therefore we have to respect each individual person for being a carrier of this gift, this potential for transformation, even though thick layers of personality may cover it.

Religion is meant to support this transformation. Religion reaches far beyond our intellectual capac-ity, and its ultimate value cannot be comprehended by the mind.

Yes, Islam has become the only valid religion for me. But saying so, this applies only for me and doesn’t mean that it should be alike for others.

To say “I’m right and you are wrong” is a declaration of war. True religious dialogue should go beyond such a restricted point of view.

What does the spiritual scene in Europe look like, and what are from my point of view, the necessities of human beings in this context?

As everywhere in the world, the yearning for nearness with Allah is at first projected onto other needs dictated by the personality (Nafs), such as the need for security manifested in the urge for power and money, or the need for social embedment manifested in the urge for recognition and fame, or the need for spiritual fulfilment manifested in the urge for spiritual experiences. Religion or spir-itual paths should help us to discover, to deal, to deepen and to work with this yearning for Allah without being trapped by personality. Spiritual psychology is a well-accepted domain in the western society.

The human being doesn‘t necessarily need a religion, a spiritual group or a spiritual master to become a socially good person. The goodness of an individual can sufficiently be driven by ethical values, philosophy, education and logic. According to westerners, good behaviour does not require religion.

Most westerners believe that the established religions are disentitled to judge what is good and what is wrong. The Age of Enlightenment had brought forth the idea of citizenship and democracy. Within the democratic society of today it is the citizen that decides about ethical values. Religion is clearly considered as a private matter that should not interfere with politics and social codes of conducts. Christian churches and Islam have a rather bad reputation in western minds, simply because of their presumptuous belief “to be right for humanity”. Concepts of clerical laws or Sharia are widely re-jected,

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Peter Huseyin Cunz

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But the basic yearning for closeness with Allah exists, and therefore westerners, aware of this yearn-ing, tend to search for spiritual groups that can respond to their needs. More and more people ex-change views in the light of a collective (global) yearning. Doing so they mostly accept the impor-tance of established religions in the past, but they regret that religions have failed to properly address the facts of our modern society. The least criticism is expressed towards Buddhism; in its various forms it has become quite popular.

Why do established religions have difficulties in reaching the attention and interest of westerners?

A democratic system is seen as a guarantee for individual freedom. A theocratic approach like the Sharia is felt as a threat against democracy, and is therefore not accepted and widely rejected.

The mind with its power of distinction takes an overall leading place. Religion is seen as a personal and intimate concern with no direct link to politics. Those still strongly preoccupied with their own wellbeing tend to look out for individual ways to satisfy their spiritual yearning. Due to this demand there is a multitude of spiritual groups offering “spiritual wellness”, and they appear to be in compe-tition with established religious traditions. Pantheistic systems from the Far East are attractive, and the transcendent force of a monotheist God is less attractive.

However, most spiritual seekers in the West do understand – if explained in a modern way – that the submission to the Higher is the main driver for spiritual growth. They also perceive this as a main value within a traditional religion. But they cannot accept a rigid interpretation of revealed messages that demands the acceptance of traditional religious codes of conduct, and – in the case of Islam – they have a hard time accepting the importation of oriental culture.

What can be done to meet the challenge of our time? Here, in short, is my personal view and what I can do when confronted with the western culture:

Let’s always “first wipe in front of our own door” (Swiss proverb) before believing that we have something to offer that adds value for others.

If I wish to be listened to, I first have to be accepted as someone who has something to say and who is worthwhile to be listened to. This starts with 100% respect for the other, and when I say 100%, I mean 100%! My attitude has to be: “God knows, I don’t”.

I have to be 100% transparent about how I think and feel, including my way to see, understand and live Islam in a western democratic society, taking into consideration my own background and my at-titude towards the western culture and codes of conduct.

I have to have an exemplary code of conduct matching ethical values and virtues of the western cul-ture.

I have to use the thinking pattern and language of the western culture.

“I’m right, you are wrong” does not work, nor does cleverness in finding the right words. My hones-ty, my sincerity and my respect have to be directly felt – this has to do with this subtle atmosphere (“chemistry”) between human beings.

I don’t try to bring forth the Islamic message with a promise for wellness. Islam has its focus on the Hereafter, and it is better to underline this. In my public talks I usually speak about “personality unwinding” (instead of personality development) and “de-being” (instead of being), and I make clear that religion has nothing to do with wellbeing in this world.

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Sufism – and particularly the Mevlevi Tradition – is today very attractive in the western world, but not so Islam, at least as it is perceived from the mass media or from observation. Within the Mevlevi order I welcome and accept non-Muslims as openly as Muslims. The only prerequisite is respect-ful behaviour in the line of our tradition. Time will offer newcomers the opportunity to discover the beauty of Islam and slowly accept its content. God knows whom He wants to guide onto which path.

Concluding thesis offered by me for this conference:

It is neither the traditional nor a modern concept of Islam that will create a change in the western world. It is much more the humanness permeating through the behaviour of believers that might have an impact.

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Iqbal Jhazbhay Peter Huseyin Cunz

Global Spirituality Today - Panel group I

Global Spirituality

Spirituality is the God given illumination of man’s own soul that illuminates the heart firmly grounded in the faith the wayfarer has chosen. Where spirituality replaces religion the life of the seeker can be lead astray along paths that are self created.

Spirituality provides purpose and meaning to life and provides values, beliefs, standards and ethics that are cherished by all. The wayfarer on life’s path becomes aware of a transcendent dimension to life beyond the self and knows that everything is connected, coming from one source and returning to that source of all life.

The first step to spirituality is to transcend faith and to open the heart to the meanings in the message. Tribal societies must transcend the fierce loyalty to affiliation and become dedicated to service of the whole community. The personal faith must move toward communal service in order to open up the heart to new possibilities.

Global spirituality today will require a paradigm shift of great magnitude in every discipline and most particularly in Education, the Sciences and in the Arts.The spectacular advances in scientific research and applied technology have advanced our abilities at enormous cost to religious and spiritual life that should be the main spring of our life transaction.

We have no need whatever to colonize space while we have yet to learn how to live here harmoniously, to feed the poor and comfort the homeless. Scientific knowledge has been perverted to serve political ends releasing weapons of mass destruction on innocent people in the East and the West.Science is knowledge of Allah; a simple fact that should produce a humble state of mind.Without knowing what the Creator has willed upon us scientific knowledge leads to arrogance and the seeker is lead astray. With a firm faith the door is opened a little to spirituality that enlightens the heart that is humble. The insight that spirituality provides is the surest guide for the seeker of knowledge.

Ibrahim abdul Malik

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Spirituality in the United Kingdom

The UK community is blessed with much wisdom and these findings are a combination of my own and that of members of the community. According to the dictionary, spirit is defined as that which gives life and is the essential source of life and that which sets us apart from material objects. Spirit is the higher self with which we aim to unify ourselves.

In Europe some people talk about God, while others avoid the use of the word God and prefer terms such as “the Universe” and orthodox religion is no longer seen in a good light. People seek paths that allow them to do as they please. These people have potential but may fall into the trap of worshipping their teacher or “guru” or becoming competitive with other so-called spiritual people and paths. In this light Christians have become too tolerant and have lost their Sharia in the name of being accepted by others and, in some cases, no longer adhere to outer boundaries.

The solutions to these problems are to be in constant service to others. We have to acknowledge the fitra nature in our children and develop education systems that allow them to grow in a spiritual nature. Hope is with the young.

Kadija Lafene

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Ibrahim abdul Malik Kadija Lafene

Muslims & Spirituality in Europe

He it is who in the heaven is Ilah and in the earth is Ilah and He is The Wise, The All-Knowing. Q 43:74

The issue of the spirituality of Muslims in Europe is of utmost importance at a time when Muslims find themselves under intense and relentless examination and scrutiny by all sections of European society as a result of the current climate of fear and anxiety that is the intended outcome of the global war on terror. The presence of an estimated 12-15 million Muslims in Europe is a cause of great concern for the architects of the European project and various strategies and agendas are being brought to bear on the situation in order to manage perceived present and future danger and threats. While many of these strategies and agendas are unmistakably hostile and predicated on deep pessimism and historical antipa-thy towards Islam, it is important to recognise that there also exists on the part of many Europeans a deep respect for Islam and a more positive and optimistic outlook on the future.

The existence of two parallel yet discordant discourses and attitudes towards Muslims in Europe de-mands that Muslims be possessed of a high degree of discernment and the ability to seamlessly integrate a dual strategy that is an appropriate response to a heterogeneous environment. As it transpires, such a strategy seems to be largely beyond Muslims for the simple reason that true Islamic spirituality centred on the profound cognisance of the mutual dependency and integration of contraries in heaven as on earth has become long forgotten. This collective amnesia, effectively the result of the intense love of one over another arising from seeing two of which one is more immediate, has lead Muslims into the same, but perhaps more nebulous, secularism that they themselves claim to oppose.

The separation of church and state in the Western context like the separation of men and women, scholars and laymen, literalism and interpretation, dogma and story, religion and politics, shariah and haqiqah in the Muslim context are nothing other than testaments to a failure to internally reconcile through knowledge and practice matters material and spiritual, physical and metaphysical, body and spirit in the both active and receptive process of unification that is tawhid. This failure is the inevitable outcome of resigning to the nightmare of the lower shadow out of perceived material expedience rather than clinging to the dream of higher light, virtue and gatheredness.

The fact that many Muslims, unbeknown to even themselves, have necessarily embraced a form of secu-larism particular to them but no less insidious means that much of the spirituality that exists amongst Muslims is of an invariably abstract, speculative, unrealised and therefore unapplied nature. Superstition, folkloric custom and ritual, inherited tradition and so called otherworldliness all masquerade as spiritual-ity so much so that some Muslims find themselves blaming the impostor for their woes. This is a peril-ous situation as even the compass of spiritual intuition and understanding has been thrown awry by the irresistible magnetism of the dunya such that the impulse-notes of the fitrah can no longer be felt or heard over the deafening interference of information overload.

The good news is that the challenges and adversities besetting Muslims in Europe are having the desired effect of driving many Muslims to seek a deeper and more profound understanding of their faith that

Luqman Ali

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can only lead the sincere and persevering to the authentication of their Islam through the realisation of tawhid. Such authentication, if achieved by enough people, will lead to the existence of a critical mass of exemplars through whose presence and service true Muhammadi spirituality will nourish souls parched by the desert of secular materialism.

Europe is currently seeking an inclusive and unifying story to tell itself and thereby facilitate the realisa-tion of a dream that is nothing other than a perversion of the dream of living tawhid. Were Muslims to transform their overwhelming marauder mentality into one of Islamic ambassadorship and exemplify tawhidi spirituality in word, deed and state, there is every possibility that this would represent anirresistible and appealing solution to the European problem and the human dilemma.

Salaams & Duas

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Abdul Karim Powell Imam Luqman Ali

Global Spirituality Today - Panel group II

Spirituality Today in the Arab World

Allah says in Surat Al-Ma’aarij (The Ascension)

Lo! man was created anxious (Halu’a), Fretful when evil befalleth him And, when good befalleth him, grudging; Save worshippers. Who are constant at their worship And in whose wealth there is a right acknowledged For the beggar and the destitute; [70:19-25]

These verses describe the human state in general, and are particularly indicative of the state of the Arabs (especially those in the Middle East) today.

We spend much of our lives in a state of Hala’. So what does Hala’ mean? The word Hala’ roughly trans-lates to mean a state of anxiousness, turmoil, extreme fear, and most of us are in a state of Hala’ be-cause we are reflecting the outer status of creation and inwardly we are disconnected from our essence.

The outer, i.e. the world around us, creation, society, in its most apparent form is in constant change, is unreliable. The state of Hala’ arises when we identify with this outer state and thus we are always fretful or grudging without a stable reference, without an anchor that allows us to see things as they are and thus be active in the world rather than reactive.

The current state of the Arabs swings from despotism to consumerism, from terrorism to cartoonism without any objective worldview due to the lack of a stable inner reference. Unfortunately, the majority of Arabs today are permanently in a state of Hala’.

However, these verses go further than simply describing the state of Hala’, they also prescribe a remedy for the disturbed human state. That remedy is through constant inner connectedness (Salat) and outer service (Zakat).

Furthermore, Allah in his infinite perfection and mercy has also made the state of Hala’ a state from which we may be rescued, there is a path of return when all else fails. The state of Hala’, will eventually lead to complete inner destruction and utter desolation, and it is at this moment, when there is nowhere else to turn, that we seek to rely on the One absolute reliable source of existence, and connect with Him, which we achieve by abandoning all selfishness and egotism and by selfless service to His com-mands.

The state of Hala’ and the eventual destruction that it causes is irrespective of creed or sect, we have all at some stage or other been to a greater or lesser extent in a state of Hala’, an affliction with which we suffer regardless of religion, race, or faction. Similarly we also all have the potential to connect with the One source of existence, beneath all of the apparent outer differences, we are all fundamentally one Soul.

I will end with words from Ibn Arabi :

Adnan Al-Adnani

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“You should uphold Allah’s limits with regard to yourself and whatever you possess, for you are respon-sible to Allah for that. So if you are a ruler, you have been designated for upholding Allah’s limits regard-ing all he entrusted to you. Each one of you all is a shepherd and responsible for his flock, and that is nothing other than upholding Allah’s limits regarding them. Therefore the fundamental form of “right rulership” is your governance of your self and your actions. So uphold Allah’s limits respecting them until you reach the greater “Khilafa” for you are Allah’s representative (khalifa) in every situation regarding your own self and what is above it”.

WaSalaam

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Spirituality in China

This is the time of the global village where we are all connected in some manner and distances have shrunk. In terms of China, it is the new “workshop” of the world as the United Kingdom was 150 years ago. China may appear as an industrial anthill, producing product after product, but behind the indus-try there are people who have to deal with the speed of change taking place in their country. The rate of technology is bringing us closer together and especially so in China.

The Cultural Revolution in China was about the destruction of tradition and society and undermining it on a fundamental level. The Communist party shut the people of China off from the rest of the world and everything was secure and everything was provided for. This is no longer the case. The last 30 years has seen China emerge from nothing to embracing the industrial and technological worlds at a rate not known before.

This has produced profound societal problems, as humans are not designed to manage change at such a rate. They have to cope with great insecurities and instability. In the West we think security can be bought and is based on ones financial means alone. This is of course an illusion. The Chinese do not have this illusion and have to deal with the instability.

They have to find ways to create security and this can be done in an outward manner as in the West or in an inward manner or by looking inward for security i.e. towards Allah. There is evidence of this in China as there has been an upsurge in religious activity both outwardly in the form of churches, mosques and temples as well as the revival of inner traditions. These are indications that the people of China are hungry for inner knowledge. We truly live in a time of global spiritualization and we must consider our brothers and sisters no matter where in the world and we must seek peace and security as something all humans strive for.

Abdul Karim Powell

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Global Spirituality Today - Panel group III

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Spirituality in Iran

Saying of Imam Ali: There are two types of people who trouble me, the ignorant who are religious and the knowledgeable who are immoral

Spirituality has always been a part of Iran in terms of the various religions and the Iranian society over centuries in the form of respect to elders, society, nature and other honourable qualities that have existed in Iranian culture. The literature and cultural heritage of Iran has produced great poets and writ-ers and Iran’s spiritual make up has been accentuated by many great religious figures.

Iran’s history is one of great change, such as the revolution, but this has not changed the spiritual aspirations of its people and the yearning has remained much the same. The problem is the conjuring up of religious myth that keeps changing hands and manipulated for the sake of power.

Mostafa Moussavi

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Mostafa Moussavi Saadia Bundegaard

Spirituality in Denmark

As far as the much debated cartoon issue is concerned, it can seen as a metaphor of the internal debate in Denmark concerning freedom of speech on one hand and radical Islam on the other. From having grown up amongst the so-called “ka’fir” the worst part is the covering up of truth and mercy, the denying of unity. Young Muslims in Denmark have internalized this and have grown up in anger but their reactions to the situations presented to them are haram. The destruction of property and showing of anger cannot be accepted as Islamic.

The youth in Denmark have abandoned the Sunna and don’t understand who they are. They see them-selves as immigrants and separate from Danish society instead of making a positive contribution to their environment. They do not know the purpose of their life and fall into kufar becoming dogmatic and look outside the Qur’an instead of living the guidance of revelation.

The Muslim youth in Denmark are sick and take the poison of anger hoping the “others” will die and instead harm themselves.

Usman Adam

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Meaning can be pure or corrupted and all humans seek knowledge out of their own effort or by default, it is biological. In Denmark there is very little Tawhidi Islam and no connection between Sharia and Haqiqa. Many of the Muslims are attracted to extremist groups so they can live out their inner conflict in the outer world.

Islam is Tawhidi and humane.

Saadia Bundegaard

Spirituality from a Sudanese perspective

Lessons from a conference such as this are of paramount importance. Mankind has many religions but Islam purifies all of them through its propagation of peace and harmonious living between people of all faiths. Islam also promotes respect for nature through responsible use and explorations of its bounties. Islam aims to produce healthy societies where all human spiritual and material needs are met through submission to the One, Allah.

Adam Ahmed Yusuf

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Adam Ahmed Yusuf Ali Schuitema

Thoughts on global spirituality

The emphasis on spirituality at the Rasooli Center is striking, it is a movement for the future and of the type that can change and save the world. The participation of women in such movements is very important as they make up the “majority party”.

Man has divine dignity and globalization will fail if a spiritual element is not brought into the equation. Spirituality has the ability to dissolve the selfishness of people. Through spirituality the rich find their inner truth and will be willing to discard their materialistic outlook. A movement such as this requires leadership without expectation.

Dr. Pheko

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Dr. Pheko

Usman Adam

Spirituality in the United Kingdom from a women’s perspective

Imagine a fish bowl with many fish in it, one of them yourself. A hand enters it and stirs, creating disturbance and in the center a vortex. This is what it feels like to be a first generation British Muslim from Asian decent. There have to be phases of development and this disturbance is one such phase facing certain sectors of British Muslims.

The disturbance causes debris to rise up and in this case it is the debris of corrupted Asian practices adhered to in the name of Islam. Asian culture is patriarchal and creates numerous problems for a modern Muslim woman when she is only viewed within the context of her domestic duties. Younger Asian women in the UK are beginning to stand up for themselves but sometimes at great costs.

The vortex created in the above analogy creates a new space of opportunity. Young Muslim women are discovering that outer rules are not enough and there is no sense in them without inner wealth. There is an opportunity to fill the vortex with inner knowledge.

Along with disturbances comes the mercy of opportunity, the opportunity to engage and create dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims. We need to use this opportunity.

Outer restrictions may lead to inner openings.

Almas Bhati

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Haider Naqvi Almas Bhati

Spirituality in America

In a recent Gallup, 51% of Americans say that modern life leaves them too busy to enjoy God or pray, as they would like. 78% of Americans feel the need to experience spiritual growth, up from 20% in 1994. 60% of Americans say they have absolute trust in God, and 79% say they believe God exists and have no doubts about it.

We are in the midst of a revolutionary change worldwide, a change so immense and far reaching, it qualifies as a major milestone in the history of mankind. This revolution is being staged within ourselves—in the hearts and souls of people globally.

So how do we truly know what spirituality means for us, individually and collectively?

We are honored as a community to have access to a teaching, which is in constant renewal; fresh in its application, and its wisdom, beyond the confines of time. We must be committed and articulate in the vision shared with us through the inspiration and leadership of Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri, who follows the example of the Prophet Muhammad (S) when he counselled us to speak to people in a manner, which they can understand. Each one of us must take firm hold of the standard and not waiver in the winds of diversity whether from within or without.

The ASK course provides us with a map and living practice where we can truly live a spirituality with substance. And in the process of delving deeper into self-knowledge, we find ourselves transformed. Each one of us must consider ourselves an ambassador, representing Truth.

In this new Century, we are invited by that Love to join a revolution full of the spirit and through the zeal of our spiritual seeking, the Unknown will become known, not out of fear, but with welcoming and being welcomed.

Hajj Mustafa Ali al-Haydari

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Women and Spirituality

Over the last twenty years Shaykh Fadhlalla has often commented that we live in the age of women. By that I know he has meant that it is women nowadays who seem more predisposed towards spiritual growth and development, and more able to commit and dedicate themselves to this path. The apparently greater number of women to men on spiritual paths is itself a manifestation of the global phenomenon of the gradual empowerment of women as a social force. For there has indeed been a growing conver-gence of women from all faiths and backgrounds vocalizing their concerns and perspectives on the way we live our lives, how our societies function, and the balance in gender relationships.

Historians like Francis Fukuyama have ventured to offer as an explanation and a hope that women’s involvement in the world stage is a good and necessary thing – that as the characteristically feminine qualities of patience, tolerance, nurturing and negotiation, are brought to play on a greater scale, they will balance out the prevailing characteristically male qualities of aggression, confrontation and destruc-tion. It is debatable of course that the involvement of certain women in politics has done anything to rectify the transgressions of leadership shaped by negative male qualities (I’m referring here to the hand-ful of women leaders nation states have had this past century, think Maggie Thatcher and the handful of dynastic female leaders in the Indian subcontinent).

I would like to think that more women participating and contributing to institutions of authority will make a difference. This equally applies to the microcosmic world of the family. Patriarchy has been severely discredited by would-be reformers. No doubt patriarchal constructs can be identified as contrib-uting to so much oppression and injustice in our world, but as long as humans organise themselves into social groupings they will need some form of ‘archy’ or other. If not patriarchy, then how about matriar-chy? Or puerarchy, to coin a new term (puer meaning boychild in Latin)? In today’s world many families I am sure, feel disadvantageously dominated by the demands and needs of their children! The point is that any ‘archy’ lends itself to abuse if it is unchecked and unbalanced – hence the democratic ideals of sepa-rating the legal from the political. The point is balance – mizan. In each arena, allowing the female voice to be heard, allowing the feminine energy to contribute and shape family, social, political and cultural life, will bring about balance. From such balance and equilibrium we will also see growth and develop-ment in the qualities inherent in Homo Sapiens – mankind as defined by wisdom and sagaciousness. Allah says He made Muslims to be the ummatan wasata – the middle nation. Surely the ‘middle’ here does not mean ‘middling or ‘mediocre’ but ‘balanced’ and ‘in equilibrium’? As far as Muslim women’s involvement is concerned in the growing consciousness of spirituality, there is much good news. Everywhere Muslim women are gaining increasing access to the teachings of Islam. Certainly it is unevenly spread and subject to agendas. Huge numbers of Muslim women remain unem-powered – by which I mean without access to the transformative teachings of the Deen, as not only do they have little or no access to education, but many also suffer from insufficient nutrition and enough stability in their lives to be able to avail themselves.

The influence of feminism as an emancipatory Western movement has been a powerful enough to force

Muna Bilgrami

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Muslims, men and women, to respond, if not in unison, then at least at all. The Muslim world is by no means homogenous. The concerns of a Muslim woman in Sudan is not the same as that of a Muslim woman in Pakistan – though similar. The concerns of a bourgeois Muslim woman in Turkey is not the same as her counterpart in Malaysia. Each area and country finds itself in its own unique position within the greater context of the world and their own evolution. And each geographical area is subject to dif-fering degrees of the influences of globalization, - the shrinking of the planet, technological innovations, the information revolution, shifts in attitudes, the shift from traditional alignments of loyalties from families/communities to ideological communities, the new economic realities of a global economy.

My own Qur’an study group here in Karachi is a healthy manifestation of the rising consciousness among women. It is my observation that Muslim women in the East have only recently come to feel they have permission to read the Qur’an for themselves, on their own terms, firsthand. Having completed Shaykh Fadhlalla’s transformative collection of key verses from the Qur’an – the Qur’anic Prescription for Life – we are now tackling all the verses that affect women. As we study translations of relevant verses we see how the subtle biases emerge that have lain for so long behind the interpretations that society and tradition has ascribed to this Divine revelation. In spite of the numerous verses indicating clearly the equality between men and women before God – that any human being’s worth is gauged by their words and deeds, regardless of gender – there are several key verses that have lent themselves through timeworn interpretation to justify an outlook that sees women as of inferior value sui generis. Their very casting in the female form renders them incomplete. For centuries Muslims have been guilty of intel-lectual sloppiness in their readings on gender, confusing functional differences for those of merit. This is born from an externalising outlook that only takes into account the outer manifestations of gender-based role-play. Things like the ability to earn and provide, defend and protect may historically have imbued men with the greater authority, but what about the ability to tolerate, persevere, nurture and sustain families and communities? As the world has come to place increasing value on outer symbols and measure of worth and value, the qualities that constitute the subtler inner arena of human experi-ence have become devalued. This is a key focus of growing spiritual awareness throughout the world, among Muslims or otherwise.

The signs of a new feminine consciousness among Muslim women throughout the world are undeniable, and no where more so than in the West - I use the term West loosely to mean non-Islamic. Our Muslim sisters who live there generally have the mental space & permission to think and question our inher-ited cultural shibboleths. They have begun to sift the chaff from the grain of what is acculturated Islam and ‘essential’ Islam. More than that: in the ‘West’ they also have a voice that can be heard. While not all the voices may agree - and some have personal agendas behind the wish to rethink Islam, or more specifically, its fiqh - at least they are focusing light onto some of the rot and distortions of acculturated and historicized Islam that have contributed to the dire situation Muslims find themselves in today. I do believe, however, that beyond a certain point one can never totally strip Islam from its cultural origins. Islam as a civilizational phenomenon manifested in time and space and as such is subject to the factors that pertain to time and space. The object is not necessarily to de-Arabise Islam or de-orientalise it, but to bring forth the universal applicability and ennobling quality of its teachings.

It is harder to think and question in tradition-bound societies where pious but thinking Muslim women might be accused of disrespect, rebellion, innovation, or, God forbid, heresy even, when trying to think out of the box and challenge what they know deep down to be erroneous interpretations and misappre-hensions of key teachings of the Qur’an and the Prophetic way. No Muslim woman of the East wants to abandon the tenets and practice of her faith, but a growing number of us do feel emboldened to ask

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questions about long-held views on, for example, gender relationships that essentially allow ‘masculine’ qualities of aggression, oppression and intolerance to saturate our societies and ultimately plague inter-national relations. We are certain that answers and guidance lie within the rich heritage of our Deen, but in those teachings that have been eclipsed by other agendas that have prevailed for the last two centu-ries or so - the minefields of nationalism, sovereignty, progress, post-colonialism, globalization and the profound shift from God-centred living to self-centred existence.

The challenge is to dredge out and bring to the fore those teachings that made Islam the true civilisa-tional force it once was: the sciences of the self, those that show us how to tame the human self and nurture our higher self to its perfection in thought, word and deed - self transformation that indubitably leads to social reformation. So far the dialectic of change remains firmly embedded within the academic paradigms of development and gender, but the boundaries are gradually being pushed back and eventu-ally the discussions will reach the core of what it means to be human. Veils will fall – are falling as we speak. Thinking individuals, men and women, know that the Emperor has no clothes and there is no place to which run. We have to face and speak the truth and look within. Allah says, ‘The Heavens and earth do not contain me but the heart of the mu’min contains me’.

While some of those female Muslim voices being heard are from the community of converts (e.g. Amina Wadud & Ruqayya Waris Maqsood), the majority are intellectual refugees from the East (e.g. Riffat Has-san & Asma Barlas). From my own research I am continually amazed at how many female Muslim scholars are beavering away in universities all over Europe and the United States, trying to make sense of their own heritage, trying to retrieve a sense of historicity for women, trying to explain it to others,trying to save what is good and discard what is bad without abandoning Islam, and hoping to breathe fresh life into often moribund mores and outlooks that inhibit the fulfiment of our potential as ‘ibad Allah.

There is a little quoted hadith from the Prophet (pbuh) which Shaykh Fadhlalla also often quotes, in which Rasool Allah (pbuh) said that Islam came as a strange thing and will return as a strange thing. The operative word in the Arabic is ‘ghariban’, adverbial of gharib, which in Arabic of course means ‘strange’. Note that the root of gharib in turn is gharb: West.

The strangeness of the new consciousness of Islam will only be strange to those who are steeped in the currently prevalent paradigm of Islam. For those who have been able to look beyond East and West, North and South, beyond ethnicities, cultures and civilisations, the Islam they will discover will delight the mind, illuminate the heart, and cause the soul to soar with joy at the perfection of a Creator whose love knows no gender and no barrier.

Wa kullu man ‘alayha fan, wa yabqa wajhu Rabbika dhu’l jalali wa’l-ikram!Everyone on it must pass away, And there will endure forever the face of your Lord, the Lord of glory and

honour. (55:26-27)

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Interviews with European women

As a Muslim woman at a European university with all its red tape and aspects tha don’t agree with the heart one tries to find a needy heart and one tries to form the ability to help and then step aside to avoid becoming overwhelmed by success. People need to look at each other as full glasses and not people who need to be filled in a mosque or church.

Numerous Muslim and non-Muslim women were interviewed and the response of the Muslims was wonderful. They responded with open hearts and with a yearning to see the true image of Islam shine.

One non-Muslim lady spoke about “God knowledge” and inner beauty as being important and saw religion as being greedy. The potential exists for such a person but the lack of boundaries is a threat. Another non-Muslim lady was searching for God in church and at every turn and believed in peace and the heart.

As far as the Muslims that were interviewed, those living in main land Europe felt they had to keep their practices hidden from the public eye, more so than their British counterparts. All the ladies felt that they had Allah given qualities from their various European countries such as British humour or French flair. Many found non-Muslim children were open and responsive to Islam highlighting the fitra nature of children.

We need to understand our environment to perceive openings and opportunities.

Sadiqa Lake

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Sadiqa Lake Sidi Hossam Raouf

Global spirituality- A MUST

The process of globalization is not new, but the technical revolution of the past 50 years has greatly accelerated its impact on the lives of people the world over. International imperialism with all its means has taken full advantage of this process resulting in a widening gap between the poor and the rich together with ecological disasters in waiting.

The present situation is morally obscene, economically unjust, socially intolerable and politically perilous. It is time to reflect inwardly towards our innermost conscience, our soul, our spirituality to realise who we are, what the purpose of us being here is and how to act to save ourselves and our communities.

We need a global spirituality that can take us beyond all man made barriers of religion and culture.

Sidi Hossam Raouf

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Academy of Self Knowledge (ASK)

ASK has been founded by Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri, to present maps of truth for the sincere seeker in the journey of this life and the hereafter. Timeless truth is presented in a timely context.

The programme is here to help you discover who you truly are. It will take us a step at a time, to the re-alization that we are not who we thought we were, not by denying the lower, but by having our priority for the higher. Grooming the self is the nourishment that every serious traveler on this path will attain.

Happiness is a by-product of seeing things as they truly are, relating to them appropriately, and relying on inner sight. The outer world will always distract and confuse you, unless you realize the everlasting soul within, and refer to it.

The course is delivered via the internet, and is presented in 3 modules: Module 1 – “Cosmology of the Self”; Module 2 – “The Revealed Prophetic Path”; Module 3 – “The World As Is”. Each module contains 12-14 lessons. Each lesson contains exercises and an assignment to be submitted to a personal facilita-tor, who will provide feedback and support along the student’s journey through the course.

For more information on the course outline, a free copy of lesson 1 of Module 1, how to register and embark upon this journey, please visit our website: askonline.co.za

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Agenda

Thu, 16 March Evening Dhikr, after Maghreb prayer (Talk by Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri) Presentation of Certificates to ASK Facilitators

Fri, 17 March Jum’ua Talk: “Qur’an, Tawhid & Transformation,” by Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri Jum’ua Khutbah by Imam Luqman Ali Evening Dhikr, after Maghreb prayer (Talk by Sidi Hosam Raouf)

Sat, 18 March Welcome & Announcements – Chair Iqbal Jhazbhay (Unisa) Opening Talk, by Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri

Forum on Global Spirituality Today, Panel I Chair Iqbal Jhazbhay (Unisa) & Aliya B Haeri Contributors: Peter Cunz (Switzerland), David Ebrahim Stokes (Canada), Khadija LaFene (UK), Panel II Imam Luqman Ali (UK), Saadia Bundegaard (Denmark), Abdal Karim Powell (UK), Mostafa Moussavi (UK) & Others

Sun, 19 March Opening Talk - Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri

Forum on Global Spirituality Today,

Panel III Chair Iqbal Jhazbhay (Unisa) & Aliya B Haeri Sidi Hosam Raouf (UK), Sadiqa Lake Lukhele (UK), Almas Bhatti (UK) & Others

Academy of Self Knowledge Open Forum (Free Event Open to Everyone) PowerPoint Presentation of the ASK Online Course, Anjum Jaleel How Can I Become Part of the ASK Programme? Q & A, Haider Naqvi & Others

Tue, 21 Mar Picnic at Umdeni Community Farm, Mpumalanga

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