Importance of knowing the true essence religion

The religion lacks its true followers in present times, although there are still millions of so-called claimants of the religion in this world today.

It may possibly happen, that you may come across a person sporting long beard, regularly going to mosque or temple or on Hajj or pilgrimage, giving alms to the needy, but the other side of his life maybe totally different, as he maybe taking small amounts of bribes and causing or aiding in causing huge losses to the society.

The worship becomes ineffective and just a physical procedure, if it is performed without the belief and intention.

The Punjabi mystic Bulleh Shah by his poetry has condemned such nonsensical pretentiousness, and stressed on the importance of knowing the true essence of religion.

ایویں متھا  زمیں گھسائی دا

پا لما محراب دکھائی دا

پڑھ کلمہ لوک ہسائی دا

دل اندر سمجھ نہ لائی دا

کدی سچی بات وی لکدی اے

اک نقطے وچ گل مکدی اے

"They rub their forehead such uselessly on soil

 (In prostration during prayer),

Just for making a large prayer-bump for [the purpose of] showing.

They recite shahada (as proof of their being muslim) [just] to make people laugh,

But they never [tried to] understand [its meaning] sincerely.

Has the truth ever been concealable!

Upon a single point, the [whole] matter is settled. "

Meeting!

yellow light car, originally uploaded by lightmelody.

,اُس کی دہلیز پہ صدیوں سے کھڑا ہوں محسن
مجھ سے ملنے کے جو لمحات گِنا کرتا تھا
محسن نقوی -

at the beloved's doorstep, since centuries i am standing, oh Mohsin!
who used to count moments for meeting me!

- Mohsin Naqvi
Pakistani Urdu Poet

Watching the moon

Moon, originally uploaded by Luo Shaoyang.

Watching the moon
at midnight,
solitary, mid-sky,
I knew myself completely,
no part left out.

-Izumi Shikibu [1]


~+~



credit:
[1] http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/S/ShikibuIzumi/Watchingmoon.htm

hurry...

Where are you hurrying to?
you will see
the same moon tonight
wherever you go!

-Izumi Shikibu [1]

~+~

credit:
[1] http://wahiduddin.net/

Few word for Ahmad Faraz

Photo: Ancient Mosque Friday Prayer uploaded by ungana

نہ جانےہوگیا ہوں اِس قدر حساس میں کب سے فراز
کسی سے بات کرتا ہوں تو آنکھیں بھیگ جاتی ہیں
"Don't know since when have i become sensitive to such extent, Faraz
when i talk to someone, my eyes soak wet! "
- Faraz

بڑا اندھیرا تھا اُن کی راہوں میں اے دل فراز
میں اپنا گھر نہ جلاتا تو کیا کرتا" much darkness was there in the ways which were leadng to their(=beloved's place?)(*1) place ways, Oh heart, Faraz
what else would i do, if i did not put my house on fire? "
- Faraz

اب کہ ہم بچھڑے تو شاید کبھی خوابوں میں ملیں
جس طرح سوکھے ہوئے پھول کتابوں میں ملیں" now that if we may get separate, then perhap would be found in the dreams,
same as dry flowers are found in the books "
- Faraz

رات بڑی مشکل سے سُلایا ہے خود کو میں نے فراز
اپنی آنکھوں کو تیرے خواب کا لالچ دے کر
" last night, with much difficulty, I have made myself asleep, Faraz!
by enticing my eyes with the greed of your (beloved*2) dream "
- Faraz

~+~

*1: In urdu poetry tradition, 'plural' word is also used to show respect to individual. Such as english word, 'thou', 'thee'.

*2: urdu poetry tradition, there are many linguistic allusions which hide many meanings. Many poets point at Beloved God by using veil of words of simple wordly beloved etc. This can be found in Momin's poetry. We should not negate this possibility in Faraz's poetry too. God knows better!

photo: a uploaded by architectsami

Ahamad Faraz, The last greatest poet of Urdu, (2008)

This great lover passed away last night.. his beloved might have come at his grave and she must have cried for some moment!

I went there. After seeing the grave, I returned to my place. My heart kept burning with pain and regret.. and then a dusty windstorm came.. and then light pitter patter.. and then little fast small rain came .. then it stopped within some minutes.. my dry country got soaked in some freshness.. and my heart felt much cooler after this rain!! May Allah mercy on the lovers' souls!

Clear... !!!

Desert, originally uploaded by shenxy.

free..
let the bird be flown
let the wind be stopped
let the sky become clear
let the eyes be filled with tears

stop...
and now
take a deep breath!

silence...
peace of this last moment...
yours,
in sha la*



--------------------------------
in sha la:
inshallah (Arabic) : if the Will of God!

who looks at the trickling tears...

Kashgar, originally uploaded by [Zakkaliciousness].

exhausted and disappointed, while trying to hide emotions,
she uttered a sudden deep sorrowful sigh..
..."Aah!"

and it hit on deep in his chest
and he lost the standing of his self,

he tasted the sweet ionic charged warmth of that sigh,
felt the love,
and lost everything..

and eyes left drenched in tears and
empty chest left with air of sorrowful craving

'will she come back...?' HaHa... human being sometimes becomes very strange and complex!!

have you seen any wandering darvish, singing this in the street...

"who looks at the trickling tears...!?
except the loving 'God' everywhere !!"

May Allah guide and protect us!

Poetry: seperation

Photo credit: flickr (originally uploaded by briantmurphy.)

~+~

Nothing but burning sobs and tears tonight.
No way out and no patience left.
Last night our hearts had a moment together,
I suppose this is how I have to pay for it!

- Abu-Said Abil-Kheir



Text Source:
Nobody, Son of Nobody: Poems of Shaikh Abu-Saeed Abil-Kheir, Translated by Vraje Abramianalso thanks to: http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/A/AbilKheirAbu/

Poetry: Total sum of our life..

Photo Credit: Summer leaves, originally uploaded by helpcraft.

The sum total of our life is a breath
spent in the company of the Beloved.

- Abu-Said Abil-Kheir

Source:
Nobody, Son of Nobody: Poems of Shaikh Abu-Saeed Abil-Kheir, Translated by Vraje Abramian
also thanks to: http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/A/AbilKheirAbu/

sincerity of seekers

Photo credit: Flickr

Bulleh Shah, a punjabi Sufi poet said in his poetry:

jay rabb milda naataiN dhotaiN
tay rabb milda daddouaN maachiaN nou
jay rabb milda jungul phirai
Natay rabb milda gaayaN wachiaN nou
way Bullayaa, rabb unnaaN nou milda
attay dilaiyan sachiyaN aachiyaN nou
credit

Translation:
If God was to be found through washing and bathing, then He would be found to frogs and fishes..
If God was to be found in jungles and wilderness, then He would be found to cows and buffalos..
If God was to be found in caves(?), then He would be found to bats..
Bulleh Shah!, God is found only to person who have sincerity in heart

Read Bulleh Shah's Poetry with translation

God's Mercy

Image source: flickr

Punjabi Sufi Poetry:

Jai main wekhan amlaan walle, kuch naeen mere palle
Jai wekhan teri rehmat walle, balle, balle, balle
Maali da kam paani deina, par par mashkaan paawe
Maalik da kam phal phool laana, lawe ya na laawe

(Mian Muhammad Bukhsh)

text source: external link

Translation:
If i look at my deeds.. i have nothing as good deeds
if i look towards Yours (Allah) mercy.. then everything is OK (no need to worry)
the gardener's job is to water plants with the due diligency
and then it is upon the will of Lord (Allah) whether He may give fruit to the plant or not

Silence

Abu Said Abul-Khair's Poetry

How much longer?
Chiseling and polishing the words
How much longer?
Your scattered arrows missing the target
If you have ever read
A single page from the book of silence
Much you had laughed
At the vanity of what was said and heard

http://www.untiredwithloving.org/abulkair.html



Qoshairi Manifest

(Poetry)

While we are apart I think about what to say
Solidifying the reasoning behind every word
I forgot everything when we are face to face
In our conversation talking nonsense all over
(When the Sufi is afar from his Beloved he thinks about many things to say but once facing slight gesture of the Divine Presence Sufi is lost, wordless & bedazzled)

***

(Poetry)

I see how the words adorn you my young lad
Silence proffers him much once he is quiet
Words & conversations bring so many deaths
So the speakers wish they would have been silent

***

(Some selected text)

Some person said, "Silence is the language of wisdom".

Another person said, "Learn Silence as you learned speech, so that if the words show you the way (towards evil?) the Silence shall stop you".

People said, "Virtuousness, continence and abstinence are the language of the Silence. Indeed the tongue is similar to the wild savage beasts if you do not bind them they will attack you immediately."

http://www.untiredwithloving.org/qoshairi_10_silence.html

A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
Suddenly
(yet somehow unexpected)
he arrived
the guest...
the heart trembling
"Who's there?"
and soul responding
"The Moon..."

came into the house
and we lunatics
ran into the street
stared up
looking
for the moon.


Then-inside the house-
he cried out
"Here I am!"
and we
beyond earshot
running around
calling him...
crying for him
for the drunken nightingale
locked lamenting
in our garden
while we
mourning ring doves
murmured "Where
where?"

As if at midnight
the sleepers bolt upright
in their beds
hearing a thief
break into the house
in the darkness
they stumble about
crying "Help!
A thief! A thief!"
but the burglar himself
mingles in the confusion
echoing their cries:
"...a thief!"
till one cry
melts with the others.

And He is with you27

Qur'an 4:57

with you
in your search
when you seek Him
look for Him
in your looking
closer to you
than yourself
to yourself:
Why run outside?
Melt like snow.
wash yourself
with yourself:
urged by Love
tongues sprout
from the soul
like stamens
from the lily...


But learn
this custom
from the flower:
silence
your tongue.

Diwan-e Shams, v.V.ED. FURUZANFAR, P., 2172
(translated by Peter Lamborn Wilson)
The Rumi Collection, edited by Kabir Helminski


http://www.khamush.com/divan.htm