Free Thought is Key to Progress

What does Iqbal`s Sunni-ness has to do with his poetic leanings ?

Why should you point out someone`s sect and start referencing the aa`gaa peechaa` of that
sect whenever you get an opportunity ? Kyoun?

It appears that a little boy aka mr. goody-good is trying very hard to portray a certain impression. It also appears that mr. goody-good likes to portray ``that`` impression at very specific locations. Unfortunately, mr. goody-good ain`t successful in getting his point across. May be, it`s the missing element in the intent :( May be or may be not!

ZahraJ #49

Naqshbandi uses Sunni-ness as a coat-hanger. The coats just keep changing.
Thought you would have noticed this by now.

Plats8:

To respond to your ending remark:

One has to give the other person the benefit of doubt since there may be some eccentricity that is only applicable to that person and cannot be understood by an outside observer. I think we all have our share of eccentricities that make us unique beings. Some call them eccentricities, whereas others name them as attributes :)

#41, ballukhan:
****Positivity would flow from intuition- the correct interpretation of Quaran would be revealed through intuitions- the possibility of a destructive action arising out of intuition is not possible. ****
One man`s intuitions are another`s machinations. Positivity is defined as the doing good to the fellow sentient beings. The environmentalists don`t even limit to sentient beings. Without poitivity is the intuitive interpreations of all extremists of all different religions that have led to the religious intolerance and warfare FOR PRESERVATION OF PRIVILEGE BY DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS SECTS.
Finally, what assures that destructive action would not result from intuition? Second world war was due to the intuitions of Hitler about the superiority of his race. Intuition can be as frequently wrong as right. It can be as destructive as constructive. What is intuition other than a guess without basis?

#38, hh:
I note your response. Since my urdu is weak, please translate the quatrain per your light and let us see what it means.

Please note #21, freethinker`s input:

Uss qaum mein haiy shokhi-e-andeshah khatarnaak
Jiss qaum kay afraad hon har band sey aazad
Go fikr-e-khudadaad sey roshan haiy zamaana
Aazadi-e-afkar haiy Iblees ki eejaad

(Poignant thought is hazardous for that nation
Whose people are free from all restraints
Though the world is illumined by the God-given thought
Freedom of thought is indeed the work of Satan
(Baal-e-Jibril, p. 168 in Kulliyat-e-Iqbal)

Above quote clearly indicates that Iqbal was scared of ``Azaadi-e-afkar.`` His was the way that Pakistan has been following so far and predictably and inexorably led to the mess it is in. Iqbal was probably a sectarian sunni and an impediment to rational development of the Pakistani Nation. The ``freethinker`` has now proclaimed his position about relevance of Iqbal and I agree with him.

[Finally, what assures that destructive action would not result from intuition? Second world war was due to the intuitions of Hitler about the superiority of his race. Intuition can be as frequently wrong as right. It can be as destructive as constructive. What is intuition other than a guess without basis? ]

- Do you believe in intuition ?
- Have you ever experienced one ?
- Was it positive or negative ?

Intuitions have a lot to do with how you are cut out.

#54, ZaharaJ:
-Do you believe in intuition ?
NO
- Have you ever experienced one ?
NO
- Was it positive or negative ?
Not applicable

EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON ``how you are cut out.``

The most celebrated ``intuition`` is that which Gautam Buddha had at Sarnath. I am not sure if that was totally intuitive.

What is the definition of intuition?

Webster:Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, page 635: Meaning 1c:
``the power or faculty of attaining to direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational thought and inference``

My submission is that the ``power`` part is in the mind of the beholder, and the emphasis should be placed on ``evident`` in the definition. The intuiter may not be aware of his/her chain of thought but there is a logic nevertheless. BECAUSE IF THERE WAS NO LOGIC NO ONE CAN UNDERSTAND THE INTUITER WITHOUT EMPLOYING INTUITION.

RELIGION IS MOST CERTAINLY NOT INTUITIVE. QURAN WAS PENNED FIFTY TO HUNDRED YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF HAZRAT. So much for the intuition!

Actually the Qur`an paak was written down as it was revealed by Aaqa alayhisalatu wa salam by a number of scribes amongst the Sahaba and the order we have it in now was already completed in the Prophet alayhisalatuwasalam`s lifetime and used to be read and also memorised in his own lifetime. Such a Qur`an was kept in the house of Hadrat Zayd ibn Harith radhi Allahu anhu. At this time it was in loose form. Hazrat Usman collected it in book form and the order he used was the same as Hazrat Zayd`s.

So it was NOT compiled 150 yrs after! Where did you get that from?!

REg Inquirer::
Intuitionism:
The theory that truth or certain truths are known by intuition rather than reason. 2. The theory that external objects of perception are immediately known to be real by intuition. 3. The theory that ethical principles are known to be valid and universal through intuition.

http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ne/brouwer.htm

Something on Intuitionistic Logic: Have you ever thought whether the law of excluded middle could be ``not exactly evident`` to all??The obvious difference is that many tautologies of classical logics can no longer be proven within intuitionistic logic. Examples include not only the Law of Excluded Middle P∨¬P, but also Peirce`s Law ((P→Q)→P)→P.

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intuitionistic_logic

PAper on Chinese intuitionism: http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-PHIL/ew27130.htm
Intuituion... The Empty Cup

``Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about god while one is peeling potatoes. In Zen, spirituality is simply to peel the potatoes...`` -- Alan Watts

I would recommend books and articles by Alan Watts.

I would also recommend Seyyed Hossein Nasr a Perennialist who makes a great deal of the medieval distinction between intellectus and ratio (reason). The former, they say, implies a holistic mode of understanding that embraces intuition and contemplation. The latter is more partial, reductive and narrowly cerebral, yet it has proved culturally victorious.

The list is endless, I can provide you more in case you want to write a thesis.

For some ignorants of sufism
INTUITION


Intuition is a part of knowledge that is beyond man’s personality, and above his knowledge of things and names. It comes at times when man becomes passive and exposes himself to that knowledge, consciously or unconsciously.

There are some who are more intuitive, and there are others who are less so; and if we study the nature of their character, we shall know the nature of their intuition. Those who are confused, who are constantly hurried, who are changeable in their nature, who are afraid of death, of disease, of their own actions, of their enemies, of their surroundings; those who have constant doubt, wondering whether they can trust this person or that, whether a friend may or may not prove worthy, and so on it is all these who have less possibility of intuition. Those who can trust without troubling themselves, those who have few doubts, are usually cleared in their perception. Those who trust in the inner guidance, who understand the secret of the instinct that works through animals and all creatures, those who are pious, those who wish to walk in the light, who always prefer the right way of thinking and speaking and acting it is these who often experience intuition.

Intuition is the first step, inspiration is the second, and revelation is the third. When revelation begins, it has arisen from intuition; for intuition is the fist stage.

What is its way of manifestation? How is intuition expressed? Intuition is of two kinds: it may come without intention, without being invited, or it may come when one asks oneself a question. In the first kind a person may be sitting down, and the thought comes to him that a danger is awaiting him; in what way it may occur he does not know, he just feel it. Next day he finds that something was going to happen to him. Then he sometimes thinks that happiness is coming from a friend, that someone from whom he has been parted for a long time is coming to see him. Sometimes he thinks an enemy is going to turn into a friend; and yet he had not been thinking of the subject. The thought comes to him suddenly. It proves true, it proves right. Without inquiry a thought comes to us which tells us of a coming event. People sometimes take this to be a spirit-communication; sometimes they take it to be thought-transference from someone else. Both ideas are possible, but intuition is a greater and higher thing than spirit-communication or thought-reading, because it is pure; it is our won property; it belongs to us. In this we do not depend upon a spirit, or upon another person sending a thought to us. In this we are perfectly independent; we receive the knowledge from within, which is far superior, greater, and higher.

The second kind of intuition is that of which it is said in the Bible, ‘Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’ Knocking at the door is asking within one’s own self, ‘What will become of this particular business, or aim, or object that I am thinking of?’ As soon as one knocks at the gate of God, which is one’s heart, from there the answer comes, and

it is a truer answer than any other person can give. There is no one who can know as much about our life, affairs, objects, motives as we do ourselves. And therefore nobody can advise us better than ourselves.

Mankind cannot understand this secret, and consequently begins by depending on the advice of others. This would be advantageous if one had the good fortune to find a better adviser. But sometimes the person from whom advice is asked is foolish, sometimes he is an enemy, sometimes he himself is in confusion and cannot advise. Therefore people keep themselves from their real and true adviser: the guiding faculty within.

Intuition begins in the form of impressions. As soon as we see a person we have an impression of him. His face, his features, his expression, his atmosphere have in a way made an impression on us of his goodness, his righteousness, his wisdom or foolishness, his being useful or not, his being displeased with us or not, his being our friend or enemy. Whatever his condition may be, we receive it without knowing from any other source that these are his feelings. According to our own openness of spirit we get our impressions. We may receive a kind of impression as to whether we will be successful in our business or not. All these impressions convey to a man that his intuition is beginning. That is the first step.

After having intuition about individuals in their relation to ourselves, the next step is the intuition which occurs when another person is telling us of his projects. We have an impression as to whether they will be successful or not. We cannot give a reason for it; or even if we do we become aware that as we utter the reason it is not the real reason. For as soon as we begin to think it out, we at once descend from the higher, the spiritual source of information. To try and prove the basic truth of its spiritual source by means of reason, is to use earthly means to establish that which belongs to heaven. A proper reason for an intuition cannot be given.

The source from which this knowledge comes is not reason. People who are very good at reasoning can go on fighting all their lives, and yet nothing may come of it. Ultimately their reasoning turns into a play on words and terms; and as a word can be made to mean anything, they have always an easy way of escape from being caught by the person with whom they argue. It is just like wrestling; or just as in a court of law two barristers will each present their case as being the truth even though they may in fact know that it is not true. They fight with their reason and logic.

First of all, it is necessary to realize that when we see that our impressions are right and our doubts cannot destroy them, and we have been right in ten impressions and wrong in only one, then we know that the wrong one was not what we thought it was. When this realization has evolved, then we are able to know things intuitively. The difference between imagination and intuition is sometimes puzzling to define. Both come in the same way. When a certain imagination began to construct itself, we cannot say. The imagination came suddenly; but so also does intuition. That is why it is so difficult to discriminate between them. The truth is that if imagination comes with light, then it is certainly intuition. Every imagination is intuition until it has been corrupted by reason; and when the intuition is corrupted by reason it becomes imagination. But every imagination and every thought which is illumined by the intelligence is always an intuition; and therefore to an illuminated person any thought or imagination is intuition.

To him there is never a thought or imagination which is not an intuition.

But it is difficult to keep these from being corrupted by reason, because as soon as they are produced we doubt whether they are right or not right. We doubt it until we have killed all the truth of our intuition. Our doubts are always the enemies of our intuition; and therefore practice is required in everyday life to keep intuition from being corrupted and finally destroyed by our doubts. We ought to build a fence round intuitions as if they were delicate plants, and protect them from being destroyed by reason and doubts. By doing so, in time we grow to be sure of our intuitions, and then we never fail to get things right. And when the intuitions become right then the dreams become right. We see what is really going to happen in every thought which comes to us; the truth of life. Then our life becomes a miracle; there is no need to look for wonders in the outside world. Our own has become full of wonders. To the illuminated one every night’s dream becomes a book that tells the past, the present, and the future, both of himself and of all those whom he cares for or wishes to know about.

The next step is inspiration. Inspiration is not only the coming of a single thought, a single idea, but of a flow of ideas. One may express them in poetry, in music, in philosophy, in speech, in writing, in thinking. The inspirations come as many ideas. Inspiration is developed intuition. The expression of inspiration is according to one’s particular ability. If a person speaks a beautiful language, he can express his ideas in that language. All prophets and messengers have received the same message, but they have uttered it in different language. Why? Because surely it is one idea, one knowledge from heaven , but it is expressed according to the language the receiver is accustomed to, seeing that he has no other with which to express it.

The angels are not as great as man, because though they are gifted with the higher knowledge and are in the higher spheres, they have no power of expression. Man gets his knowledge from the higher source, but expresses it through the means provided by the lower spheres.

The Qur`an tells that God said to the angels, ‘I am going to create man, who will be the chief of creation.’ They asked, ‘Are we not a satisfactory army of servants who are always busy in Thy praise and admire Thy beauty and glorify Thy name? Why intendest Thou to create one who will do evil and shed blood, as he will do?’ The answer was, ‘Are you capable of appreciating all that I have made? Can you tell me what are the names of these things that I have made?’ God asks man; man tells Him all the names of things, the things that are sweet or bitter, then names of all manner of things; he knows and enjoys all these things in nature. That is why God says, ‘We have created him that he may be the chief of all creation, and enjoy all that We have created.’ Therefore those who think that the heavenly knowledge is sufficient are mystical; but the joy of the heavenly knowledge and the full understanding of it come from being able to express it in this world’s medium of expression. Therefore man can have knowledge both from within and from the external world. When the two come together, there is a perfect expression.

The last and most delicate degree of intuition is revelation. This comes to prophets and perfected beings. This is a full light thrown upon the human personality, full light from within. To their eyes, ears, sense of taste or touch, all things disclose their secret. Those who have received this knowledge even partly, have by receiving it come to understand the properties of this plant or that, to know that this bitter medicine is good for this purpose,, this sweet one for that, this drug or that vegetable for another. The knowledge of the property of the names and forms of the world is understood by them to the extent that revelation has helped them. When they look into the mind, they know all about the mind. When they study the earth, they come to know it. Whatever they try to know, they succeed in knowing; such is revelation. Those who look in the higher spheres are prophets, those who look on the earth are scientists, musicians, soldiers, and so on. It is from the direction in which he has studied that a man receives the revelation. In the higher spheres all things become clear to those who direct their attention to these spheres.

A man even sees his future in the teacup, with limited light; similarly he sees it in cards, in the crystal, in the coals of the fire, in smoke. All these things have the future written in them; it is the same light that shines upon them and begins to reveal itself in them. It is not only books, but all things in nature which begin to reveal the secrets of nature to him.

Sa’di says, ‘When the eyes open and begin to see with the divine light and divine sight, even the leaves of the trees become as the pages of the sacred Book.’
http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/VII/VII_10.htm

PART II: CONFESSIONS

CHAPTER 5

MY INITIATION IN SUFISM


``He breathes not the fragrance of divine mysteries whose head is warmed by his heart.`` -Wali.

My interest in Sufism made me very friendly with the dervishes. I learned to love the sweetness of their nature and the innate perfume of their manner of using music as the food of the soul.

I began at first to imitate their habits and methods, and spent a few hours in silence every day. Once in a dream I saw a great gathering of prophets, saints, and sages, all clad in their Sufi garments, rejoicing in the Suma or music of the dervishes. I was absorbed into their blissful state of ecstasy, and when I was aroused I still felt the exultation my vision had brought to me. After this I heard continually, waking or sleeping, an unknown voice which cried to me, ``Allah ho-Akbar!`` -God is great!

I also had visions of a most haunting and spiritual face, radiant with light, during my concentration in the silence, which heightened my interest in mysticism still more, especially as I could not divine its meaning. I feared to ask for its significance lest others might laugh at my fancy and ridicule it. At last, when I could no longer control my impatience, I described my golden vision to a friend who was also a lover of the mystical, and begged him for an interpretation.

He answered that the dream was a symbol of my initiation into the Sufi Order of Chishtia Khandan, and the words I heard were the crying of Haq or truth, while the vision was the image of my spiritual guide and protector. He also advised me to undergo the initiation of Sufism, although I had always considered myself undeserving of initiation in that Brotherhood of Purity. But I had a little courage, hoping I might at least be used as a waste-paper basket is employed for torn scraps of wisdom, which would quite suffice me. I visited several Murshids with this purpose, but they made no response, although I had the privilege of studying their various views and methods of teaching.

Thus I learned to know four true kinds of masters and four false ones. Among the true I saw first the one who would never answer the appeal of a seeker until he was fully prepared. The second kind would not initiate anyone until a long and trying period of probation had been undergone by the disciple. The third, in order to keep away undesirable adherents, would make himself appear so utterly disagreeable that everyone would run away at the sight of him. And the fourth would so disguise himself to escape the praise and publicity of the world that none would believe for a moment that he was truly a Murshid.

Among the false teachers I first met the hypocrite, who increases the number of his adherents by telling most wonderful stories and showing them tricks of phenomena. The second apostate was pious, disguising his infirmities and failings under the cloak of morality and always busy with worship and prayer. The third was the money-taking master, who eagerly seized upon every opportunity of emptying the pockets of his pupils. The fourth was he who was greedy for the adoration, worship and servility of his followers.

This experience of different Murshids prepared me for the ideal master, and after six months of continual searching I chanced to visit an old and revered acquaintance, Maulana Khairulmubin, to whom I confided my desire to embrace Sufism.

While reflecting on the matter he suddenly received a telepathic message that his friend, a great Murshid, was about to come to him. He at once arranged a seat of honor, placing cushions upon it, and walked towards the gate in order to bid him welcome.

After a period of suspense the Pir-o-Murshid entered, bringing with him a very great sense of light. As all those present greeted him, bowing down in their humility, it seemed to me all at once that I had seen him before, but where I could not recall. At last, after gazing at him earnestly, I remembered that his was the face, which so persistently haunted me during my silence. The proof of this was manifested as soon as his eyes fell on me. He turned to his host, saying, ``O Maulana, tell me who this young man may be? He appeals intensely to my spirit.``

Maulana Khairulmubin answered, ``Your holiness, this young man is a genius in music, and he desires greatly to submit himself to your inspiring guidance.``

Then the Master smiled and granted the request, initiating me into Sufism there and then.

``The day is short, the work abundant, the laborers inactive, the reward great, and the master of the house urges on.`` -Hebrew saying.

Muhammad Abu Hassim Madani belonged to a distinguished family of Medina, and was a direct descendant of the Holy Prophet. My joy in him was so great that it found its expression in poetry and music. I had at last found my pearl among men, my guide, my treasure, and beacon of hope. I composed a song and sang it to him, and this I feel certain has brought me all my success and will aid me in my future life.

And this was my song:

Thou art my salvation and freedom is mine,
I am not; I melt as a pearl in sweet wine!
My heart, soul, and self, yea, all these are thine;
O Lord I have no more to offer!

I drink of the nectar of truth the divine,
As Moses thy word, as Yusuf they shine
who walk in thy ways; and Christ is thy sign:
Thou raisest to life everlasting!

Thou art as Muhammad to them that repine,
My spirit is purged as the gold from a mine!
I only know that my heart beats with thine,
And joys in boundless freedom!

My Murshid greatly appreciated this outburst of love on my part and exclaimed in deep emotion, ``Be thou blessed with divine light and illuminate the beloved ones of Allah!``

From this time a spiritual attachment between myself and my Murshid was firmly established. As it grew more and more it opened up in me the ways of light through my attachment to that inner radiance, which can never be gained through discussion or argument, reading, writing, nor mystical exercises.

I visited him at the expense of all my affairs whenever I felt his call, receiving rays of his ecstasy with bent head, and listening to all he said without doubt or fear. Thus the firm faith and confidence I brought to bear upon my meditations prepared me to absorb the Light of the World Unseen.

I studied the Qur`an, Hadith, and the literature of the Persian mystics. I cultivated my inner senses, and underwent periods of clairvoyance, clairaudience, intuition, inspiration, impressions, dream, and visions. I also made experiments in communicating with the living and the dead. I delved into the occult and psychic sides of mysticism, as well as realizing the benefits of piety, morality, and Bhakti or devotion. The more I progressed in their pursuit, the more unlearned I seemed, as there was always more and more to understand and acquire. Of all that I comprehended and experienced I valued most that divine wisdom which alone is the essence of all that is best and attainable, and which leads us on from the finite world unto infinitudes of bliss.

After receiving instruction in the five different grades of Sufism, the physical, intellectual, mental, moral, and spiritual, I went through a course of training in the four schools: the Chishtia, Naqshibandi, Qadiri, and Sohrawardi. I still recall this period, under the guidance of so great and merciful a Murshid, as the most beautiful time of my life. In him I saw every rare quality, while his unassuming nature and his fine modesty could hardly be equaled even among the highest mystics of the world. He combined within himself the intense spell of ecstasy and constant flow of inspiration with the very soul of spiritual independence. Although I had found most wonderful attributes among the mystics I had met, some in greater and some in lesser degrees, I had never until then beheld the balance of all that was good and desirable in one man.

His death was as saintly as his mortal life had been. Six months before his end he predicted its coming and wound up all his worldly affairs in order to be freed for his future journey. ``Death is a link which unites friend with Friend unto the Beyond``, is a saying of Muhammad.

He apologized not only to his relatives, friends, and mureeds, but even to his servants, lest there might be anything that he had done to their displeasure and hurt. Before the soul departed from his body he bade farewell to all his people with loving words. And then, sitting upright and unwavering, he continued Zikr; and lost in his contemplation of Allah, he, by his own accord, freed his soul from the imprisonment of this mortal frame forever.

I can never forget the words he spoke while he placed his hands upon my head in blessing, ``Fare forth into the world, my child, and harmonize the East and the West with the harmony of thy music. Spread the wisdom of Sufism abroad, for to this end art thou gifted by Allah, the most merciful and compassionate.``

I was very pleased to read this piece because it focuses on a wider question of critical thinking, which is essential to the practice of science including the science of society.

By holding unexamined ideas, conceptions and perspectives we lack the critical ability to compare and contrast them. In all our exchanges with others, whether personal and intimate or political or economic we are relying on our view of the world. A world view. If that world view is limited we will have limited and dangerously uninformed views. If that world view is open, critical and constructive, we will be able to make a contribution to our own lives and to the lives of others.
Thanks for the article.
ussa

I was very pleased to read this piece because it focuses on a wider question of critical thinking, which is essential to the practice of science including the science of society.

By holding unexamined ideas, conceptions and perspectives we lack the critical ability to compare and contrast them. In all our exchanges with others, whether personal and intimate or political or economic we are relying on our view of the world. A world view. If that world view is limited we will have limited and dangerously uniformed views. If that world view is open, critical and constructive, we will be able to make a contribution to our own lives and the lives of others.
Thanks for the article.
ussa

#58, Ballukhan:
Thanks for the response. I found out from your other postings that you are Sufi. So you do not follow the traditional Islamic thoughts of Shia and Sunni. I have regard for Sufi saints but I find it hard to follow religious logic. This remark is not restricted to Sufiism. The religious proponents of all persuasion have this problem. They all need to take a leaf from scientific logic and utilize its power if they are going to establish an interface with modern world.

I wish you had responded straightforwardly to my statements in #52.

``I have regard for Sufi saints but I find it hard to follow religious logic.``

Sorry, I believe that religious experiences do not show any logical relationship with the ordinary experiences- that is what transcendence is about.
I do not think with words when I experinece these emotions- in fact the words cannot capture them and that is why they are so dificult to communicate- the person has to experinece these emotions in person in order to appreciate the religion I am talking about. With the sufi way you do not need to memorize ayats or ponder over any words because the experience itself is sufficient to make you ``understand``(intuit) the true import of religion.
With the experience you become in true ``peace`` with everyone on this universe. It is thousand times better than the peace that you experience after an orgasm.

#63, ballukhan:
Thanks.