Islam and Sufism an introduction

Abbasid rule began in 750 and ended when sacked by Mongols in 1258. Abbasids moved the Capital from Damascus to Baghdad and it grew to a population of about 2 million under their rule. Most of the caliphs were enlightened, valued scholarship and spend heavily on the  institutions of learning and education. It is estimated that their expenditure on education in relation to their revenue was much higher than the governments of the most advanced countries spend on education today. This was a major factor that led to the golden age(8th to 13th century).  Below is a link to a discussion on Abbasid Caliphate on a BBC rodio 4 on program called "In Our Times".   https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=CoAzjRSqBN0&t=589s

A selection from the work of Omar Khayyam a Polymath.  He was a  philosopher, mathematician, a scholar of Islam, a Sufi and a poet. He was born in 1048 and died in 1131 at an age of 83. Here is a sample of his poetry. Of knowledge naught remained I did not know, Of secrets, scarcely any, high or low; All day and night for three score and twelve years, I pondered, just to learn that naught I know.

Tomb (mazar) of Sufi Shaikh Salim Chisht i(1478-1572) in Fatehpur Sikri in Indai. The workmanship on Marble gives the appearance of a delicate lace or a net. The Chishti Sufi order (Tareeqa) was founded  in 930 by Shaikh Abu Ishaq Sham i in Chist, Afghanistan. Several well known Shaikhs of Chishti order are buried in India and Pakistan. To name a few, Ali Hajvery  (990-1077) known as  Daata Ganj Baksh  buried in Lahore Pakistan,  Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (1141-1230) buried in Ajmer in Insia,father of Amir Khusro (1253-1325and many others.

Islam spread very quickly in Arabia and beyond after the  death of the Prophet(pbuh) in 632, The Prophet (SAWS) was born in 570 and the Hijrat (the migration to Madina) took place in 622. Here is a link to a discussion on  Arab conquest on BBC radio 4 in a program called "In our Times|" https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=3457zLYJscg&t=340s

What is to be done , O Muslims? For I do not recognize myself. I am neither Christian, nor a Jew, nor a Gabr*, nor a Muslim I am not the East, nor West, nor land, nor the sea. I am not of Nature’s mint, nor of circling heavens. I am not of India , nor of China , nor of Bulgaria , nor of Spain . I am not of the Kingdom of Iraqain , nor of the country of   Khorasan My place is in the Placeless, my trace is in the Trace-less. ‘Tis neither body nor soul, for I belong to the soul of the Beloved. I have put duality away, I have seen that the two worlds are one. One I ask, One I know, One I see, One I call.

Rumi ' s poetry, a link to a BBC radio 4 program Called In Our Times. Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi was born in Balkh, Afghanistan in 1207 and died in 1273 and is buried in Konya, Turkey.  he is From 1245 to1261 he wrote fifty thousand verses known as Diwan e Shams e Tabrazi. After 1261 in twelve years he wrote Masnavi. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=TQG7QKmKBuU

Islam and business ethics a link to talk by professor Timothy Winters ( Abdullah Hakim Murad) of Cambridge University. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=R7lPYrNyqR4

The Silk Road traveled through a beautiful area of Pakistan before it crossed over to China. Here is a photographe taken in an area between Gilgit and Chitral.

A link to a talk on Islamic spirituality and Sufism by professor Sayyed Hosain Nasr of George Washington University. He is regarded as an authority on Islam and Sufism. His under graduate degree is in physics and mathematics from MIT. Masters from Harvard in earth sciences and  a PhD in history of science and philosophy also from Harvard in 1958. He has published about 50 books and several hundred articles. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=VB5-l299Ikc&t=298s

O Reader, how many an evil that you see in others is but your own nature reflected in them! In them appears all that you are your hypocrisy, iniquity, and insolence, You do not see clearly the evil in yourself,   else you would hate yourself with all your soul. Like the lion who sprang at his image in the water, you are only hurting yourself, O foolish man. When you reach the bottom of the well of your own nature, Then you will know that the wickedness is in you.

O Thou Who art my souls comfort in the season of sorrow, O Thou Who art my spirit’s treasurer in the bitterness of death! That which the imagination hath not conceived, that which the understanding hath not seen Visiteth my soul from Thee; hence in worship I turn toward thee. By Thy Grace I keep fixed on eternity my amorous gaze, Except, O King, the pomp that parish leads me astray. The favor of him who brings glad tidings of Thee. Even without Thy summons, is sweeter in mine ear than songs. If the never-ceasing Bounty should offer kingdoms, If the Hidden Treasurer should set before me all that is, I would bow down with my soul, I would lay my face in the dust, I would cry, “Of all these the of such an One for me.”

A link to a lecture on Muslim influence on philosophy by professor Timothy Winters ( Abdulah Hakim Murad) of Cambridge University give over 20 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9gQi6KKw28

O God grant me/us good conduct, good character and good judgement. O God  Grant us the best of outcomes in all our endeavors. O God grant me/us ability to learn from our mistakes  and mistakes of others. O Allah prevent me from committing a sin that You will not forgive. O Allah protect me from disgrace in this world and from punishment in the Hereafter. Eid Mubarak. I am grateful to all for taking time to visit my blog. I started in December, 2017. My goal is to post things that have an educational value and assist readers in understanding the basics of Islam and Sufism. The  posts may include material such as Islamic art , architecture, cultural and physical landscape etc. I have included photographs of the Silk Road region of Pakistan that I took decades ago during our travels of  the most beautiful part of Pakistan. (I try to post material at least 4 days a week and so far there are 150 posts).

O God protect me/us from difficulties,  calamities, acts of war, lawlessness and acts of violence .  O God protect me/us from arson, fire, robbery,  abduction, accidents and personal injuries. O Allah protect me/us from mental anguish, anxiety, depression and from pain and suffering.

The Silk Road traveled through a beautiful area of Pakistan before it crossed over to China. Here is a photograph taken in August in Hunza.  Mt. Rakaposhi (7788 m) is in the background..

A link to a lecture on Muslim influence on sciences by professor Timothy Winters (Abdullah Hakim Murad) of Cambridge given over 20 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=6UYIuSD1CVU&t=355s

O God grant me/us good health, good hearing, a good sight. O Allah protect us from  physical and mental disabilities and from painful and incurable diseases. O Allah protect us from  debts, liabilities and economic loss.  O God  prevent us/me from bad deeds, bad actions, bad habits, bad manners and  from bad company.     O Allah bless  us with humility, prosperity, happiness and family harmony.

The Silk Road route traversed the mountainous and scenic area of Pakistan..

 O God! remove my/our worries and sorrows. O God Bless me with contentment and patience. O God bless me/us with foresight, good judgement and good mental and physical strength. O God protect me from mental and physical disabilities . O God protect me from ever becoming dependent or a burden on others.

A link to a lecture(part 2 of 2) on Muslim influence on Europe by professor Timothy Winters ( Abdullah Hakim Murad) of Cambridge University given over 20 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=zAON3F3B0wc&t=120s

A link to a lecture(part 1 of 2) on Muslim influence on Europe by professor Timothy Winters (Abdullah Hakim Murad) of Cambridge University given over 20 years ago.   https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=Hc-oWwGUM6I&t=1118s

O God prevent me from ever becoming an aggressor or an oppressor or from causing injury or harm to anyone and protect me from all act of violence and aggression and oppression. O god guide me to earn my livelihood by ethical and legal means. O Allah bless my livelihood and protect my poses sons and assets.

The man of God has no food or sleep. The man of God is a king "neath dervish-cloak, The man of God is a treasure in a ruin. The man of God is not of air and earth, The man of God is not of fire and water. The man of God is a boundless sea, The man of God rains pearls without a cloud. The man of God has hundred moons and skies, The man of God has hundred suns. The man of God is made wise by the Truth, The man of God is not learned from book. The man of God is beyond infidelity and religion, To the man of God right and wrong are alike. The man of God has ridden away from Not-being, The man of God is gloriously attended. The man of God is concealed, Shamsi Din; The man of God do you seek and find!