I had heard of Doctors without Borders and Reporters without Borders, but when I saw a headline in a Pakistani newspaper about Mystics without Borders, it was a first for me and certainly caught my attention.
It turns out a fascinating festival by the name of the “International Mystic Music Sufi Festival” is currently being celebrated in Karachi at the Bara Dari. The festival is being organized by the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop, which is also the group that has been responsible for the popular World Performing Arts and Theatre Festival held annually in Lahore.
This Sufi festival is the first of its kind in Karachi and certainly an encouraging sign that people are able to express and share their sentiments, devotion, spirituality and passion in diverse ways. This festival is expected to last until May 7, and with an entrance fee of just Rs 300, it promises a lot of entertainment and education to Karachiites. According to the organizers, performers from over 70 countries have been invited to present their specialties in muslim sufi rituals, including music, songs and dances. There are performers from as far away as Syria which can be a delight to watch.
ATP has written before (here, here, here, here, here and here) on some of the great mystic poets and we wish to join the participants in this festival in spirit.
According to the media report:
Usman Peerzada of the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop said that the group’s main aim had been to bring festivals to Pakistan since 1992 and now, as a result of their efforts, the World Performing Arts Festival had become the largest festival of Asia. “Festivals are living festivals and we aim to make the Sufi festival into just that. So please, own the festival,� he said in his address to the audience.
Daily Times spoke to Faizan Peerzada, the master-mind behind the show, to ask him what his audience could expect out of this festival. “A lot of variety. Some of these performers, like the Syrian performers can alone perform for four hours, but we have condensed it into a performance of 32 minutes so that we can manage 17 performances in one day. We have tried to bring together as many performers here as was possible and each one of them is performing a different Islamic tradition, so there’s a collection of so many aspects, which makes this festival unique.�
and the performances so far seem to have kept up to their high expectations:
The curtain raiser began with a performance by Zain-ul-Abideen Shah also known as Jumman Shah and his troupe of five people who sang a qafi by Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Their performance was followed by a mind-blowing performance by Mithoo and Goonga Saeein, who presented an instrumental using dhols while three of their members whirled around, representing the ecstasy so indispensable to the Sufi tradition. The next performance was by an Iranian four-member group called ‘Bidaat’, after which Kathak dancer Sheema Kirmani stole the show with her brilliant performance on Ameer Khusro’s ‘aaj rang hai’. With her group of two male dancers and two female, she brought the words to life and used the vacuum of the stage as a canvas portraying a beautiful painting that she successfully displayed to an audience that erupted in a round of applause for her.
Another one of the most appreciated performances of the curtain raiser was by Saeein Zahoor who performed a kalaam by Baba Bulleh Shah. Zahoor is a recipient of the BBC World Music Award and performed for an approximate 10 minutes, not a single second of which could be termed as a ‘drag’. A Syrian group called “Sham group of Syrian and Andalusian Music� performed next and recited verses from the Holy Quran.
We hope this Sufi Festival will become a local tradition, and sthat uch art, folk, mystic, music, poetic, dance, and religious festivals will be held regularly in a city that still hosts one of the most diverse and culturally steeped citizenry.
Salamalikum,
Mahi, we hold our end of the bargain by sticking to Quran and Sunnah! Your argument might have some weight if not for the fact that philosophy usually introduces bidaat in Islam; haven’t you seen enough examples right here. The “walking stick” to be used is the Quran and the Sunnah and the actions of the first three generations who Rasoolillah (saw) himself praised.
Bilal: First, I want to ignore this shair. Second, how can you put Imam Ghazali and the others (ibn Sina, etc.) together? Please don’t. They were poles apart in their understanding. Imam Ghazali severely criticized ibn Sina and ibn Rushd carried on with some of ibn Sina’s thinking. Imam Ghazali’s use of philosophy was in response to views like that of ibn Sina, and I explained that above. Only a select few think ibn Sina, etc. as scholars of Islam. They are philosopher, tabeeb, etc. Hain, ibn Rushd was a Malaki scholar and wrote a beneficial book called Bidayatul Mujtahid, but shared some of the view of ibn Sina and scholars, such as ibn Taymiyyah and many others, refuted those ideas that he carried on from ibn Sina. Please note that I’m not placing anyone outside the pale of Islam or such. I’m talking about philosophy’s place in Islam. Rasoolillah (saw) never preached the use of philosophical ideas and thus the earlier generations didn’t either. Instead, Abdullah ibn Masood said: Rasoolillah (saw) drew a line for us and then said: “This is Allah’s straight path”. Then he drew lines to its right and left, and then he said, “These are paths, upon every one of them there is a devil calling towards it” [Reported in Musnad of Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal]. It might have been one thing it usage of philosophy wasn’t introducing new ideas in Islam, but that’s not the case.
[quote post="695"]I don’t understand what is this Nafs that you talk about when you are not even prepared to study how human beings came to recognize something called Nafs and the fact that we can have control over it.[/quote]
Are you saying that Quran and ahadeeth and early sound Islamic literature don’t talk about nafs? I hope not!
[quote post="695"]They tried to understand, for example, what may be meant by the last verses of Surat Takwir (Chapter 81). They did not think outside of religion, or to just try to prove or disprove the existence of Allah and His message, but to understand why we needed that message, and how to implent it in our lives (beyond the following of rituals).[/quote]
Please check out the link I posted above. You can explain and talk about qadr, taqdeer without having to deal with philosophical ideologies. Read what Imam Shafi’ said in the link I provided above:”The people did not become ignorant and begin to differ until they abandoned Arabic terminology and adopted the terminology of Aristotle.” So, are you going to tell me that ibn Sina or today’s ibn Sinas understood this religion better than Imam Shafi? Also, post exactly what ibn Sina, etc. said about the last ayah of surah at-Takwir. Then, I’ll post the tafseer of that ayah from other sources for people to read.
[quote post="695"]Unfortunately in the tumultous centuries of orthodix Islam, their learnings were placed outside of Dar-ul-Islam by us, while other civilizations took note and made advances.[/quote]
The way I read this, you yourself are saying that their learnings weren’t part of orthodox Islam and philosophy will make it “less orthodox” (i.e. progressive, I suppose!). I’m talking about Islam–not today’s or yesterday’s or tomorrow’s or a thousand years. I make no distinction between orthodox and non-orthodox.
“while other civilizations took note and made advances.”: That doesn’t make sense. If philosophy was so good for Islam and Muslims and other civilizations took note of such ideas, I would think they would come to love Islam and become Muslim, no? I mean something that “explains” Islam and if one accepts it, then I would think that would lead that person to become Muslim or at least get close to Islam. Now, don’t tell me that today’s West is closer to Islam than us Muslims!!
jayjay, why resort to questioning people’s intentions when have nothing much to say? These vague and loose verses that you quoted are the exact result of today’s sufism and philosophy. Islam should be talked about in crystal-clear terms!!
Philosophy simply means Love (philo) of Knowledge (sophia).
Well known hadith :
Seek knowledge even if you have to go to China. It is plain to see that in 0 AH (Hegira) the Ming dynasty in China was at its peak - do we have anything to learn from far quarters - of we do, that’s why these days we learn from American universities.
Another well-known hadith:
I am the city of Knowledge and Ali is its gateway. This one is enough to tell you of the importance of Nahj ul Balagha and the schoold of thought that follow Ali in particular, in Islamic thought.
To confine Philosophy to Greek Philosophy, specifically the Aristotelian variety, as absorbed by Muslims after conquering Byzantine lands (Eastern Roman Empire, Syria etc) is a mistake. There was reaction to a kind of Aristoltelianism within Christianity also …) but to confuse this with all Philosophy is a mistake.
As examples of Muslim philosophy and philosophers throughout history who have carried the torch of human dignity and Islamic thought see: Islamic Philosophy Online:
http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/
(scroll down)
What about today?
If anything Muslims have not been able to think deeply about themselves. We need more not less philosophy and philosophers - unless we are happy watching the decline of Islamic thought as lamented by Muhammad Iqbal of Lahore in ‘Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam’ - whose case remains as valid today as it was when it was written 75 years ago.
Don’t look back - but if you need to, do it to learn what you have already lost - your ability to think as a person - dont be a machine - religious or otherwise.
Ibrahim’s definition of philosophy has not changed since the year 800. He himself says that he is referring to the Greek thought that Islam absorbed (when it invaded the eastern roman empire : syria, etc), more specifically Aristotelian thought - that gave rise to kalam literature of the Asharis and Mutazilis - who were eventually persecuted.
To say that philosophy and thought are different is not correct if we take the broader definition of Philosophy which is simply clear thinking about basics of human knowledge and existence. Islamic thought of course has plenty of this.
Besides the Quran itself and Hazrat Ali’s Nahj ul Balagha, here is a list:
http://www.muslimphilosophy.com
(scroll down)
Rational thinking has always been the islamic way. Associating it with song and dance - is not the way to argue against it.
so yes Rasool Allah was a philosopher-practitioner par excellence.
What poets have to say:
Je Rab Milda Nahateyaan Dhoteyan
Te Milda Dadduan Macchhian
Je Rab Milda Madhi Masani
Te Milda Chham Chidikhiyaan
Je Rab Milda Jungal Wele
Te Milda Gauaan Vacchhian
Bulleh Shah Rab Usnu Milda
Te Niyataan Jinhaan Diyaan Acchhian
—————-
Mulla tay mashaalchi dohaan ikko chit
Loukan karday chananan, aap anhairae vich
Mullah and the torch-bearer, both from the same flock
Guiding others; themselves in the dark
—————
Masjid dha de, mandir dha de, dha de jo kucch dainda
Par kisi da dil na dhain, Rab dilan vich rehnda..
Tear down the mosque and the temple; break everything in sight
But do not break a person’s heart, it is there that God resides
———————
Parh parh masley roz sunaavey
Khaanaa shak shubey da khaweyn
Daseyn hor te hor kamaaweyn
Ander khot baahir suchyaar
You deliever sermons everyday
You eat the food of suspicion and doubt
You preach something and act inversly
Inwardly you are corrupt but outwardly you are pious
I read the discussion above and am reminded of Hafiz:
O Wine giver, pour me a cup and pass it around
for love seemed easy at first, but later the difficulties arose.
Ibrahim: I don’t find a logical argument with you given that you place philosophy outside of Islam. I don’t understand what is this Nafs that you talk about when you are not even prepared to study how human beings came to recognize something called Nafs and the fact that we can have control over it. Ghazali was not the only person who did work in developing a role for philosophy within Islam. They included scholars like Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Ibn Roshd (Averroes), Gazali, and Kindi, who grappled with philosphical issues such as free-will, causality and the nature of reality. They tried to understand, for example, what may be meant by the last verses of Surat Takwir (Chapter 81). They did not think outside of religion, or to just try to prove or disprove the existence of Allah and His message, but to understand why we needed that message, and how to implent it in our lives (beyond the following of rituals). Unfortunately in the tumultous centuries of orthodix Islam, their learnings were placed outside of Dar-ul-Islam by us, while other civilizations took note and made advances.
[quote comment="46598"]Salamalikum,
For us, the religion has been perfected and completed, as Allah says in Quran: This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. [al-Maaida, last part of ayah 3].
[/quote]
That only means Allah held up his end of the bargain… how are you going to hold up your end?
Its for your end that philosophy or any other walking stick *may* be of use. Just as the Prophet did not need Islam to find Allah, there will be varying needs based on individual capacity. So metaphysical thought may not be needed by all Muslims, but some may. Some respond well to a path of devotion, some to a strict regimentation, so to nuanced philosophy and so on. When you reach enlightenment, do you care if you used a walking stick along the way?
But if you focus on not using any, you may just never reach there or take a very long while.
As to why the Prophet didn’t need philosophy to convince his followers: two reasons:
1. Enlightened beings exude divinity, they have a certain power not accessible to every lay person.
2. it depends on the humans of those times, and how they were constituted, which may well be different than you and me today.
dear Ibrahim,
Thanks for explaining the issue clearly and in layman’s language. Jazakallah!
Salamalikum,
Nasir, this is your conclusion which is absolutely incorrect. Yes, Allah is most forgiving but that doesn’t absolve us from our duties or gives us the right to make changes in our deen. The type of philosophy we are talking about, its place (i.e. invalid) is an established fact. I think while writing my reply you wrote your second comment. But, read my reply. There is a huge difference in our situation and situation of sayiddina Ibrahim alyhissalam. For us, the religion has been perfected and completed, as Allah says in Quran: This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. [al-Maaida, last part of ayah 3]. Hence, no wiggle room to change and analyze Islam to reach conclusions against shari’ rules. I can’t do a better job of explaining what I want to say about merits of philosophy than what has been said in the link below. This a great website on Islam and although Islamic learning can’t be done over the net (you need books, discussion and teachings of scholars, etc.) it can be useful. I trust this site but of course I’m no authority whose recommendation should be of any weight. But, for those who want to see deeper explanation of what I’m saying, go here:
http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=88184&ln=eng