#RABI’A AL-‘ADAWIYYA

[lenereidi]

"Le fu chiesto:

"Da dove sei venuta?"

"Dall’altro mondo"

"E dove stai andando?"

"All’altro mondo"

"E cosa fai in questo mondo?"

"Me ne prendo gioco"

"E in che modo te ne prendi gioco?"

"Mangio del suo pane e compio l’Opera dell’altro mondo"

- Rabi’a al-Adawiyya, Detti

[dominousworld]

L'OPERA DELL'ALTRO MONDO

L'OPERA DELL'ALTRO MONDO

a cura di Nicolas Flame “Le fu chiesto:“Da dove sei venuta?”“Dall’altro mondo”“E dove stai andando?”“All’altro mondo”“E cosa fai in questo mondo?”“Me ne prendo gioco”“E in che modo te ne prendi gioco?”“Mangio del suo pane e compio l’Opera dell’altro mondo” Rabi’a al-Adawiyya, Detti L’OPERA DELL’ALTRO MONDO

[noosphe-re]

Rabi’a Al-Adawiyya, Doorkeeper of the Heart

I have two ways of loving You: A selfish one And another way that is worthy of You. In my selfish love, I remember You and You alone. In that other love, You lift the veil And let me feast my eyes on Your Living Face. (translation by Charles Upton)

[historyofwomenphilosophers-blog]

Workshop „Philosophie und islamische Mystik: Rābi‘a al-‘Adawiyya“ mit Prof. Tamara Albertini

(English version below)

Das Diversity-Projekt "In der Philosophie zu Hause" veranstaltete in Kooperation mit dem Center History of Women Philosophers and Scientists, unter der Leitung von Prof. Dr. Ruth Hagengruber, am 2. und 3. Mai einen Workshop über die islamische Mystikerin Rābi‘a al-‘Adawiyya. Der Workshop „Philosophie und islamische Mystik: Rābi‘a al-‘Adawiyya“ wurde von einer ausgewiesenen Expertin auf dem Gebiet der islamischen Philosophie, Prof. Dr. Tamara Albertini (University of Hawai’i, Manoa), gehalten. Ihre multimediale Präsentation beinhaltete arabisches Filmmaterial, Musik sowie Gedichtvorträge und brachte den zahlreichen Studierenden nicht nur die Mystikerin Rābi‘a al-‘Adawiyya, sondern auch die Kultur und Geschichte des Sufismus näher. Ein weiteres Highlight stellte Prof. Dr. Albertinis anschließender Vortrag „Ibn Rushd oder Averroes – Wer hat die Aufklärung erfunden?“ am 3. Mai im Kolloquium zur Philosophie dar. Abgerundet wurde der Workshop durch eine lebhafte Abschlussdiskussion, in der sich Prof. Dr. Albertini den Fragen der interessierten Workshopteilnehmerinnen und -teilnehmer stellte.

Workshop "Philosophy and Islamic Mysticism: Rābi‘a al-‘Adawiyya" with Prof. Tamara Albertini

The diversity project "In der Philosophie zu Hause" (At Home in Philosophy) organized a workshop on Islamic mysticism in cooperation with the Center for the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists from May 2-3, 2019 at Paderborn University, under the direction of Prof. Dr. Ruth Hagengruber. The workshop „Philosophy and Islamic Mysticism: Rābi‘a al-‘Adawiyya“ was conducted by Prof. Dr. Tamara Albertini (University of Hawai’i, Manoa), a known expert on Islamic Philosophy. Her multimedia-based presentation included Arabian film material, music and poetry and made not only Rābi‘a al-‘Adawiyya but also the culture and history of Sufism more accessible to the students. Another highlight was Prof. Albertini's colloquium talk on Ibn Rushd, Averros, and the Enlightenment on May 3, 2019, that answered the numerous questions of the participants.

[coffee-butler]

Graveyard, magic, and fangs

graveyard: do you believe any conspiracy theories? if so, which ones?

*claps* Oh boy. Yes, all kinds. I don’t have much trust for anything politicians or mainstream media says unless it is backed up with multiple reputable sources or something that there isn’t any reason to be suspicious about like trade deals. But, to conspiracies. A common and popular one I believe is true is the 9/11 truther movement. I don’t believe 9/11 happened like we’re told it happened. The evidence is so commonly known, it literally became a meme. But, really, there’s virtually no reason to think 9/11 was much more than a wholly or partially inside job to justify the invasion, toppling, and resource stealing of Iraq. 

magic: have you had any near-death experiences?

Sort of! There was this one time, though, in a school trip. We went to a ranch kind of place and one of the days we got to ride horses. I definitely got the stupid horse. He would gallop across fields, outside of the giant line of other horses and almost make me fall off. And then when we were going to get off the horses for a break, they decided to make us all stop literally in front of a cliff with a waterfall. Then they took each child off the horse one at a time. I was almost the last one taken off. Then to finish up my horror, we had to cross a highway street on our horses to get out of the forest and back on the ranch. I prayed while on that horse in hopes he didn’t run into the street and kill both of us. He took a step forward and I heard our instructor gasp. But, luckily, nothing came of it. I hate horses.

fangs: favorite poem?

Truthfully, I’m disappointed by it, but I’m, so far, not very into poetry. It isn’t that I don’t like it when I read it but I’ve just never taken the time to look into it very much. Though, yesterday, when I was reading a book of the most important Islamic figures in history called Islamic Civilization in Thirty Lives. In the part about a woman named Rabi’a al-’Adawiyya, I found a poem I found simple and powerfully moving. Rabi’a was what we call a Sufi, meaning an Islamic mystic. She is often noted as having dedicated her life to literally nothing other than devotion and piety, having almost no possessions and barely eating enough to survive. A more famous poem of hers, I believe called ‘O my Lord’, goes like this.

“O Lord, if I worship You because of Fear of Hell,then burn me in Hell;

If I worship You because I desire Paradise,then exclude me from Paradise;

But if I worship You for Yourself alone,then deny me not your Eternal Beauty.“

The point of the poem is to worship God for the sake of worshiping God and not for a reward. For someone like me who finds it hard to find the time for poetry, such a brief, simple, and powerful poem is one I can enjoy.

[anoceanofbeauty]

Dumnezeul meu, toate bunurile ce mi le-ai pregătit pentru viaţa pe pământ dă-le duşmanilor Tăi; iar tot ce mi-ai pregătit pentru lumea viitoare, dă prietenilor Tăi; căci Tu îmi eşti de ajuns. Dumnezeul meu, dacă Te ador de teama infernului, arde-mă în iad; iar dacă Te ador sperând să dobândesc Paradisul, exclude-mă din Rai. Dar, dacă te ador doar pentru Tine însuţi, nu mă priva de frumuseţea Ta veşnică. Dumnezeul meu, singura mea ocupaţie şi tot ce doresc pe acest pământ, e să-mi amintesc de Tine; iar în lumea ce va veni, dintre toate lucrurile ce vor exista acolo, tânjesc doar să Te întâlnesc pe Tine. Aşa gândesc eu; dar Tu, fă după cum e voia Ta. Amin.

(Rabi’a al- Adawiyya, mistic musulman)

[mereallah]

"Puisses-Tu m’être doux, alors que la vie m’est amère! Puisses-Tu être satisfait de moi, Alors que les hommes sont furieux (contre moi). Le précipice qui me sépare de Toi, puisse-t-il être comblé! Tout me serait supportable, si Tu daignais m’aimer Tout ce qui existe ici-bas n’est que poussière sur poussière."

— Rabi’a al-Adawiyya

[commiedervish]

This reminds me of a beautiful prayer our saint Rabi’a al-‘Adawiyya used to pray:

اللهم إن كنت أعبدك خوفا من نارك فاحرقني بنار جهنم وإذا كنت أعبدك طمعا في جنته فاصرمنيها ....أما إذا كنت أعبدك من أجل محبتك فلا تحرمني من رؤية وجهك الكريم

“O God, if I am worshiping You for fear of hell then burn me in it, and if I am worshiping You out of cupidity for paradise, then lock me out. But if I am worshiping you out of love for You, then do not deny me the joy of seeing Your kind face.”

I do enjoy reading your religious asks because it’s really interesting to read about a religion whose goal is to achieve a closeness and understanding of god and not to live in fear of him or simply carry out his will for fear of retribution. I was raised Catholic and the general narrative “you do it this way because otherwise you will suffer and burn in hell” with no other explanation and claiming the harsh eternal damnation and consequence for questioning, thinking or doubting (which should be the foundation for building stronger faith) is out of “love” was uh. Horrible?

There was no room to develop a personal belief in god because rather than exploring your understanding with the belief and its traditions it was very. “Because we said so” and “or else” with little room for thought. It may be a more community based experience- but it seems a flaw of Christianity as a whole is condemning questioning or doubt.

I’m gonna let you in on something that Imam Ali (a), who was addressing three forms of worshippers:

Verily, some people worship God because they expect rewards from Him, this is the worship of a businessman. Some people worshipped God out of fear for His punishment, that is the worship of a slave. Some people worship God because they found Him worthy of worship, this is the worship of a free man.

Please reflect on this statement, Imam Ali (a) is saying that the worship of God should never come out of fear of Hell or the expectations of reaching Heaven, but rather, to worship Him out of love and gratitude. He does not want you to fear Him, nor does He want you to seek material pleasurement. 

To worship Him solely out of fear or expectations, you use God as means of an end, rather than for what God really wants from you. 

[beladjalrami]

Rabi’a al-‘Adawiyya is a female Muslim saint and Sufi mystic. She is sometimes known as Rabia Basri, for the town she lived in. Rabia didn’t write about her life, so what is known about her can only be gleaned from biographies written after her death. Although her family was poor, they were well respected in Basra. https://www.instagram.com/p/B6dT6SFHnxP/?igshid=hk86yguebrry

[tri111light]

Answers 10/01/19 A. RABI’A - THE QUEEN OF SAINTLY WOMEN Rabi’a al-Adawiyya was one of the most influential Sufi women in Islamic history. She is a Muslim saint & a Sufi mystic who lived in the 8th century in present day Iraq. She set forth the doctrine of divine love known as Ishq-e-Haqeeqi. So, that love seeks no gain except to be in service of love itself. She explains, “I do not want to worship from fear of punishment or for the promise of reward, but simply for the love of Allah.” HER MSG: Although it can be very difficult, loving without expectations is a profound spiritual practice. But Divine love is unconditional. It’s a love that seeks only to love. No hidden agendas, or strings. INTENTION: I am in service of divine love. B. MARY OF NAZARETH - THE MOTHER OF GOD. - Mary, was a Jewish woman from Nazareth who is one of the most crucial figures in the Christian tradition for giving birth to Jesus. Mary is present throughout her son’s ministry. At the temple at age 12, At the wedding in Cana, and when he’s crucified, she remained at his side along. She personifies the archetypal mother. HER MSG: Her acceptance of her role has been uncelebrated due to her divine “nature” But she was human too. She could have said no, or faltered. But she aligned with the light, and allowed the divine to work through her. In the midst of our ordinary, everyday lives, we can say yes to the angel who greets us and let the energy of joy give birth to the divine through us. INTENTION: I am blessed. C. QUEEN ESTHER - THE MORNING STAR Esther was a Hebrew orphan, she lived in Jewish community, in exile in Persia. Using her brilliance and her intuition, Esther came up with a plan to save her people. Her beauty caught the attention of the king. Once he was in love & married, she revealed she was a Jew and there was a plot to kill her people. The Hebrew festival of Purim to celebrate Esther’s brave actions. HER MSG: When we are in service of love, we are following the dictates of our soul. And when the ego in is service of the soul, divine timing ensues. Trust that everything is aligning in divine timing; trust your soul. INTENTION: I trust divine timing. 💕Tri-Light (at Cumberland Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsd1rs3nPph/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=lmg4e5pdbhm8

[interfaithconnect]

For Mod Neha: Assalamu alaikum. :) Would you possibly be able to share some information on Sufi Islam or point me in the direction of a good resource to start learning please?

Walaikum asalaam!

With the disclaimer, as always, that I may make mistakes, and don’t know much about the topic, here’s some starting points - 

Sufism, [arabic equivalent = tasawwuf], is a way of approaching Islam that places importance on wanting to lose oneself/wanting to “annihilate” the self within Allah. Sufis (and non-Sufi Muslims, as well) place great importance on tawakkul, which is absolute trust and love of Allah. Sufis reach this state of annihilation of self, or fanaa, by dedicating oneself to dhikr, or remembrance of the Diety, usually through chanting the 99 names of Allah, salaat (prayer), music, the whirling that everyone loves, as formal goals, including: 

- Salvation from ignorance and attainment of gnosis (Ma`arifah);- Refinement and purification of the self (Tazkiyah Al-Nafs);- Cleansing of the spiritual heart (Tasfiyah Al-Qalb) and the enlightenment of the soul (Tajliyah Al-Ruh);- Sincerity and devotion to the Creator (Ikhlas) and detachment from material and worldly concerns (Zuhd); and- Commitment to the service of all the creatures of God

[from here, a good resource in general]

There’s also, ihsan, meaning perfection, which is a goal for all Muslims, but exemplified in Sufis. Ihsan is faith brought to flesh, it’s the desire to become the personification of the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad. ﷺ . The Prophet ﷺ says ihsan is: 

“To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is looking at you.” [x]

Articles [Mostly academic articles, please forgive me if they are difficult to read. My experience has been that Sufism is easily appropriated, and there’s a wealth of misinformation regarding it.]:

An Essential Principle in Sufi Teaching

How to Do Things With Examples: Sufis, Dreams, and Anthropology

Unseen Power: Aesthetic Dimensions of Symbolic Healing in Qawwālī

A Brief Analysis of the Meditation on Death in Rumi’s Poetry

An Inquiry into Sufi Metaphysics

Sufi Writings:

Conference of the Birds

The Rubayyat of Omar Khayyam

The Secret Rose Garden

Secrets of the Self

Writers [These are in addition to the above]:

Ibn-Arabi is my favorite Muslim writer, and many of his works are a good starting point - You can see all his love and devotion within his texts, and it’s stunning, even in English. [link to site with texts and other resources]

I don’t think i can talk about Sufism without mentioning Rumi, so I want to direct you to masnavi.net for his major work. It has the whole of Rumi’s Masnavi online, along with Persian audio, and English/Turkish translation. (From my use, the English is a bit wonky at times, but it’s understandable). If you want to grab a physical copy, I highly recommend Jawid Mojaddedi’s translations, but I understand if that’s not possible because he is translating the books separately. Rumi talked a lot about fanaa, in terms of spiritual and physical death, so if that is something that would bother you, please take care of yourself first.

Hafez [link to poems]. Hafez’s love poetry is really well known, but he’s also an amazing critical writer, he often talked about religious hypocrisy, which is an important consideration, especially with Sufism, which many people are attracted to in name, but not so much in the discipline and work that goes into it.

And one final recommendation, but highly done so: 

Women of Sufism: A Hidden Treasure by Camille Helminski. This one is not available online that I can find, but it’s an incredibly important recommendation, as it seems that women are often left behind in regards to religion. If you can’t pick up a copy, here is a list of the major women covered in the book, I can’t promise they all have a wealth of information online, but I think it’s important to recognize them: 

Rabi’a al-’Adawiyya

Halima of Damascus

Rabi’a bint Ismail

Lubaba al-Muta ‘Abbida

Fatima of Damascus

Sha’wana Ghufayra

Dhakkara

Fatima al-Barda’iyya

A’isha

Fatima

Futayma

Al-Wahatiyya

Zubda and Mudgha

‘Abda and Amina

Unayza of Baghdad

Lady Nafisa

Umm ‘Abdullah

[historyofwomenphilosophers-blog]

Philosophie und Islamische Mystik: RABI’A AL-‘ADAWIYYA Workshop | May 2 - May 3, 2019 | 10am - 4pm | In der Philosophie Zuhause (IPH) https://historyofwomenphilosophers.org/event/philosophie-und-islamische-mystik-rabia-al-adawiyya/

[rest-in-being]

One day, the Sufi saint Rabi’a Al-Adawiyya was seen running, carrying fire in one hand and water in the other. They asked her the meaning of her action and where she was going. She replied, “I am going to light a fire in Paradise and pour water on Hell, so that voyagers of Allah can rip both veils and see the real goal ." If I worship You from fear of Hell, burn me in Hell; and if I worship You from hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise. But if I worship You for Your own sake, do not withhold from me Your Eternal Beauty. ✨

[historyofwomenphilosophers-blog]

Philosophie und Islamische Mystik: RABI’A AL-‘ADAWIYYA Workshop | May 2 - May 3, 2019 | 10am - 4pm | In der Philosophie Zuhause (IPH) https://historyofwomenphilosophers.org/event/philosophie-und-islamische-mystik-rabia-al-adawiyya/

[historyofwomenphilosophers-blog]

Philosophie und Islamische Mystik: RABI’A AL-‘ADAWIYYA Workshop | May 2 - May 3, 2019 | 10am - 4pm | In der Philosophie Zuhause (IPH) https://historyofwomenphilosophers.org/event/philosophie-und-islamische-mystik-rabia-al-adawiyya/

[historyofwomenphilosophers-blog]

Starting this week: classes on women philosophers at Paderborn University Just in time for spring! Philosophinnen im Schulunterricht/ Women Philosophers in School Teaching (Ruth Hagengruber) Philosophie und islamische Mystik: Philosophie und islamische Mystik: Rabi’a al-’Adawiyya/ Philosophy and Islamic Mysticism: Rabi’a al-’Adawiyya (Janica Albers) Ethics of Migration (Maria Anna Robaszkiewicz) Gerda Walthers Sozialontologie/ Gerda Walther's Social Ontology (Julia Mühl) Intensivkurs Philosophinnen: Jeanne Hersch/ Intensive Course on Women Philosophers (Janica Albers) https://bit.ly/2uXXa4l