SamaInSufism

8/12/2019 SamaInSufism

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SAMA INSUFISM

BY

Dr. JAVAD NURBAKHSH


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Our ecstacy in Sama is no superficial experience, nor is this dance of ours something we do

for amusement.

Tell those who know nothing about it, O you without wisdom, there would not be so much

talk about sama if there were nothing essential in it.

Though usually translated as spiritual music, Sama literally means hearing. In

the terminology of Sufism, it is listening with the ear of the heart to music in theprofound sense-poetry, melodies, tunes & rhythmic harmonies- while being in a specialstate so deeply plunged in love that there is no taint of self left within its awareness. In

this sense, Sama is named the call of od. Its reality is the wa!efulness of the heart" its

orientation is towards the Sufi in the state of Sama is not paying attention either to thisworld or the ne#t. In him the fire of love burns so intensely that everything but od is

consumed. Sama feeds that fire & the listener closer & closer together until they become

one.The angelic or supersensible world $the %ala!ut is the realm of truth beauty. 'hatever is fair,

beautiful or elegant, or more precisely, whatever is harmonious, is a manifestation of the %ala!ut. Sama

puts us in contact with that world. (y listening to mystical poetry & harmonious melodies, the heart of the

Sufi is directed towards it. )or as it is said $by the *rophet, God is beautiful lo!es beauty.So Sama,

with the aid of the worldly e#istence of those who sincerely love the Truth, & ma!es the path easy forthem.+ne of the Sufi Saints of Shira, Shay!h ubahan, once wrote, Sama is God"s hearing# it is hearing from

$im, for $im, in $im with $im. %f it is not all of these at the same time, the person practicing Sama is

not being faithful to God.

In the Sama of the Sufis, anyone who remains aware of himself & is not wholly

ta!en up with od is not worthy of Sama. Therefore it is only suitable for the perfect.ubahan also said

Shorn of the worthily desires passions of the self, disciples of lo!e hear Sama,

&ut off from their own minds, seekers yearning for God hear Sama,

Those who ha!e gone beyond e!en their spirit are also totally lost in nearness toGod, hear Sama.

%f, on the contrary, they hear with their worldly self', mind, heart or spirit,Then they are still !eiled from God.

'hen the Sufi becomes selfless, when the lover becomes sincere, he hears the call of

od in every sound, & in every melody the bec!oning summons of the (eloved. /o

longer does the cell of seclusion or the assembly of the Sufis, being alone or in a crowd,have any meaning for him. In every place & in every state he sees only the manifestation

of divine (eauty & hears only the harmonious sounds of the (eloved. Sometimes the

Sufi rides the surging waves of Sama, drun! but still e#isting, & sometimes he abandonse#istence in the ocean of annihilation. Sometimes li!e 01li2 the first master of the Sufis,

he hears church bells singing od is pure, od is my lord, who is everlasting & in need

of nothing. +r li!e Shibli $a Sufi saint of third century 1.3, on hearing the cu, cu of

the ringdove, he hears the dove saying hu, hu $a name of od. +r again, li!e %agribi$a famous Sufi of the 4th century 1.3, instead of the ordinary sound of the turning of the

*ersian water wheel, he may hear only 1llah-1llah. Thus is the Sama of perfect

nostics & pure-hearted lovers of od.

5'orldly self that which continually & compulsively draws one into consciousness of the self & its

worldly desires.


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1nother Sufi, %ir 3usseini 3irawi, has said

Those masters of mystical states ha!e well proclaimed,

That if you are still you, this wine is forbidden.(here a hundred thousand great lo!ers become cra)ed lost, it is better that the

beginner should be far away.

%f you ha!e not gi!en up pursuing worldly passions desires,$ow could Sama e!er be permitted for you*

This delight is not for e!ery thirsty tippler+

Only a heart full of light is worthy of it.%t is the way of a handful of impudent hypocrites.

'ith the passing of time, some of the *rophet

(hoe!er emits a people is one of them. Some who did not !now the secrets of

Sama emitted this second group, simply for self-gratification & to enliven theirgatherings & retreats. In this way the Sama of self-see!ing & the Sama of reason

emerged & became distinguished from the Sama of 6ove. In theathnawi,umi has

said

-ot e!eryone is a master of the real Sama,-ot e!ery bird is able to eat figs,

&ertainly not a dead bird, rotting,ull of illusions, ignorant, blind.

'hen both those dominated by their reason & those controlled by their worldly

desires turned to Sama, the former, in order to 7ustify their Sama & differentiate it fromthat of those dominated by their worldly selves, enumerated various !inds of Sama which

they considered lawful or unlawful. They also established rules of decorum for listening

to Sama & found, or else manufactured, various traditional sayings to support their views.

)or e#ample1yeshah, the wife of the *rophet, told the following story

0+nce there was a woman in my house who was singing when +mar $the 8 nd 9aliph

as!ed permission to enter. The woman, when she recognied +mar2s voice, hid herself.Then when +mar entered the house, the *rophet, who had been listening to this singing,

was smiling. +mar said, O /rophet of God, why are you smiling* 3e replied, there

was a woman here who was singing but when she heard your !oice she hid herself. Then+mer said, % will not lea!e this house unless % hear what the /rophet has heard. So the

*rophet called the woman & she resumed her singing while the *rophet & +mer

listened2.

There is another tale about a 9ompanion of the *rophet, 1nas ibn %ali!, who said% was with the /rophet when the 0rchangel Gabriel descended announced, 1O

/rophet of God, the poor among your people will enter /aradise fi!e hundred

years sooner than the rich". 2pon hearing this, the /rophet became happy asked, 1%sthere anyone among you who can sing*" Then a 3edouin replied, 14es, O /rophet

of God". The /rophet said, 1&ome forward". $e did so began to sing#

15o!e like a !enomous snake has tormented my heart, but for this illness there isneither physician nor sorcerer. Only my 3elo!ed, with whom % am so much in lo!e,

can cure me, for $e possesses the medicines incantations for my malady".


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consciousness is with God rather than with whate!er comes into their hears or

minds from either mo!ement or stillness.

It is said that those who practice Sama can be divided into three groups" those of thedivine truths $i.e., the *rophets" those who supplicate" & the contented poor $i.e., the

Sufis. The Sama of those of the divine truths reaches a state in which they are addressed

by od. Those who supplicate address od in their hearts in the form of meanings, whichthey hear. They are truthful in what they say to od. The contented poor $the truth Sufis

have cut themselves off from attachment to the world & all its adversities & they hear

Sama with a pure heart. They are the ones nearest to od.

Instances Of Lawful & Unlawful Sama

'hen od2s Sama became mi#ed with the Sama of 3is creatures, & instead of being

reserved for the elect of the elect became accessible to the elect, & to the common peopleas well, then true Sama left the hands of 6ove & fell into the grip of reason, which see!s

what is e#pedient for man2s welfare. Then reason, fearing the seductions of the worldly

self, distinguished the lawfulness or unlawfulness of Sama in different circumstances. It

had no alternative but to do so.01bu 1li :a;;a;2 put this well when he e#plained" Sama is unlawful for the

common people because of the persistence of their worldly self. %t is permissible for thosewho are able to abstain from the desires of their worldly self because of their effort in the

way of God, it is recommended for our &ompanions because their hearts are ali!e.

1l-haali has categoried Sama in this way

a9 2nlawful Sama# Sama is unlawful for adolescents those in whom worldlypassion id still uppermost, as it would stimulate the reprehensible :ualities

which could dominate them.

b9 Sama is to be discouraged for those with whom it might become a habit whowould always participate in it as if it were merely an amusement.

c9 Sama is permissible for those who can listen to its pleasing sounds purely for

en6oyment.d9 Sama is recommended for those in whom it increases the lo!e of God, who are

mo!ed by it towards only praiseworthy :ualities.

'hy did 1l-haali not mention obligatory Sama> +ne may suppose that heconsidered obligatory Sama as being beyond the range of reason & mere words, & that he

therefore reserved it for the true lovers, the elect of the elect.

The Rules Of Conduct During Sama

In Sama sessions of the Sufis, the following rules must be observed

5. =ntil the state of Sama spontaneously arises in one, it is not permitted.

8. +ne must not ma!e a habit of Sama, since li!e any other habit, it would beblameworthy.

?. Sama must not be done too often or it will no longer evo!e special veneration.

@. There must be no Sama without a Sufi %aster or Shay!h being present.A. The general public, or those not on the path, should not be present.

B. +ne must act with respect towards the singer & the musicians.


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C. Those participating in Sama must not approach it as if it were an amusing pastime.

4. +ne must not pretend to be in the state of Sama.

D. If the state of Sama does not arise one must not force it to come" but if the statehappens one should not resist it. In other words, if od moves you, allow yourself to

be moved but if od does not, simply be still.

5E. If the power of worldly instinct arises, it should be seen for what it is & not confusedwith the genuine spiritual ecstacy of Sama.

55. In the state of Sama one should not see! help from others, but if they give assistance

it should not be re7ected.58. 'ithout the permission of the Shay!h one must not interfere in the Sama of others.

5?. :uring the Sama session one must not lean on or against anything" this is symbolic of

the fact that one must not imitate anybody.

5@. In the Sama session one must not imitate anybody.5A. 'ithout the permission of the Shay!h a beginner should not attend a Sama session.

5B. +ne who see!s to participate in Sama must have a heart free from worldly passion &

filled with the purity of the light of the worship of od. )urthermore, his heart must

be sincerely & wholly receptive & present in the *resence of od, then while in Samahe will be far away from the tempting of the worldly self.

5C. The Sama of those who are strangers to spiritual states & who in their hearts have norelation with od is tainted with self & is imperfect. +ne, who engages of it, has

deviated from the true path. If he is ignorant of these limitations, & considers Sama as

stemming from himself rather than od, then he has become a dualist. Such a personhas in effect denied od. Such a person considers Satan2s whisperings to be divine

inspiration & the desire of his worldly self to be od2s will. It is with reference to this

that it has been said, Sama can only be ad!ised for him whose worldly self is dead

whose heart is ali!e.54. In the Sama session one must sit properly, without moving, & outwardly sober.

5D. 1t the time of Sama one must sit with head lowered, absorbed in the remembrance of

od in one2s heart, not loo!ing at others, 7ust the way one sits for daily prayers, sothat the heart of all participants are one with od.

8E. The singer & musicians of Sama session must be Sufis who feel the pain of

separation from od & must not come to the gathering for the purpose of ma!ingmoney or earning a living.

It has been said that, in the days of Funayd, Sama was very popular. This was the time

when many Shay!hs & groups of Sufis were beginning to appear. +ne day towards theend of a Sama session, it was noticed that Funayd was not singing. 3is disciples as!ed

him, (hy are you not singing* 3e said, (ith whom can % do so* They said, (ith

yourself. Then he as!ed, rom whom shall % listen* They replied, rom yourself.This story indicates that Sama should be practiced with a group of those who have

similar aspirations, so that they can listen together with the same pain of separation &

sing with the same sincerity & devotion, not for money. Gven at that time, however, thosewho both felt the pain & could sing with sincerity & devotion were rarely to be found.


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Why Do ot Sufis Recite The !uran During Sama "ut Instead Use Dhi#rs &

Poetry$

1l-haali said, There ha!e been many times when Sufis listening to the ;uran beingsung experienced great ecstacy. any people in such sessions became unconscious

some e!en died. So instead of singing verses of the Huran, Sufis have usually used

poetry, & :hi!rs to help them remember od constantly in their hearts, for the followingreasons

5. 1ll verses of the Huran are not suitable for each state of the lovers of od.

8. %ost %uslims !now the Huran & read it often, but normally when anything is heard

repeatedly it will no longer be able to move the heart.?. %ost hearts can only be moved when they are stimulated by rhythmic vibrations,

harmonies & melodies. This state of Sama seldom occurs while people are listening

to prose, so the Sufis listen to harmonious songs, since it would be inappropriate to

set the Huran to music.@. to ma!e these songs more effective, they should be accompanied by musical

instruments, but the playing of instruments while reciting the Huran would, in theeyes of ordinary $non-Sufi %uslims, be a sacrilege. 3ere it should be remembered

that the *rophet entered the house of abi2ah while some girls there were playing

hand drums & singing songs. 1s soon as they saw him, they began to praise him withpoems. 3e said, Stop your praise go back to the songs which you were singingearlier.

A. Gveryone li!es to hear words or poetry that accord with his inner state. In ordinary

circumstances a person can decide not to listen to what does not agree with his state,or to tell the singer to recite word of od $The Huran this selective listening is

inappropriate.

Situation In Which Sama Is ot %llowed

In arranging a Sama session, one must consider the time, the place & the people

ta!ing part.Sama is prohibited at times when one2s heart is paying attention to anything other

than od, when it is time for prayer, or when one is hungry or his stomach is full.

1s regards the place, Sama is not permitted wherever the environment is disturbing or

unpleasant, such as in the houses of un7ust people because such upset the mind.1s for the people participating, one should not engage in Sama

5. 'hen there is someone present who is proud & caught up in worldly affairs.

8. 'hen the singer does not believe in what the Sufis believe.?. 'hen one of those present continually pretends to be dancing or moving as if

selflessly, or tries to put himself into a state of ecstacy.

@. 'hen there is a group present who neglect the remembrance of od & ta!e part inSama from erroneous though, instead of from od.


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A. 'hen those present discuss ordinary things, let their attention wander, or lac! respect

for the Sama session.

B. 'hen young people are present who are strongly dominated by their worldly self.C. 'hen those attending are not free of thoughts of one another.

$It is said that %ushta;, a Sufi Shay!h of the 58 thcentury 1.3., in one of his Sama

sessions suddenly raised his head & said to his disciples, There is something presentwhich is interfering with our Sama. %f there is anyone among you who has a dispute

with another, ha must lea!e the gathering.1t this point two brothers who had been

;uarreling about some inherited land came forward & were then reconciled with oneanother.

4. 'hen either ascetics or worldly people are present, since the ascetic is li!ely to have

a critical attitude towards Sama, & the man whose attention remains on worldly

matters may pretend to be in ecstacy when he is not.

The "enefits Of Sama

Sama is li!e the sun" it caresses & inflames, melts & burns.

5. Sometimes the beginners on the path find that their hearts become weary. 1s a resultof this weariness, their state may become languid & they may neglect their spiritual

practices. To correct this, some Sufi masters prescribe listening to spiritual music,pure sounds which lead one bac! towards od, appropriate melodies & must come

within the bounds permitted by religion.

8. 1s a result of the tendencies of the worldly self, beginners may find that there are0veils2 which prevent them from realiing higher states of consciousness. If this leads

to a rather prolonged separation from higher states, as may well occur, the fire of

love2s longing can greatly diminish. If this happens, a love song describing his state

of separation may enable the beginner to recover his motivation & renew his wish forthe Truth, as a result of which the veils will be lifted.

?. It can happen during Sama that the whole spiritual path can be traversed in a few

moments of rapture & being intensely drawn by the (eloved. In this state the see!ercan then even sha!e off the dust of being, the taint of his compulsive conditioning in

time, & realie the timeless +neness of Self, of od.

Difference %mong Sufis In the Practice Of Sama & Its 'ffects

5. Some Shay!hs have become so drowned in the +ceans of od that the world around

them, with all its sounds and melodies, has no effect on them. It is said that one day

%amshad :inavari was passing by a group of beginners who were practicing Sama.'hen they saw him, they stopped. 3e said,&ontinue with what you were doing.

would not be able to di!ert me from my aim, nor would they cure my pain.8. 1 few Sufi masters have been continuously in a state of witnessing od, from od in

od. 3ere again Sama has no effect on them. It is said that Sahl 1bdullah, a Sufi


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Shay!h of the ?rdcentury 1.3., declared, y state before praying is the same as my

state in prayer. This indicates that he had reached the state of od witnessing od

all the time. The state of one has attained this spiritual station is the same duringSama as it was before it.

?. Sufi masters have considered Sama to be a generator of difficulty for some, help for

others, & a means of increasing gnosis $or direct !nowledge of od for still others.

ubahan has said

Sama is only possible for those in a state of gnosis, experiencing direct knowledgeof God. Since spiritual :ualities are mixed with the body"s worldly inclinations, until

one has become free of these corrupting influences, one will not be recepti!e while in

intimacy with God.

True Sama ma!es the mind tran;uil & frees it from the heaviness of the ordinary humancondition. It stimulates the spiritual leanings of man & discloses to him the secrets of

od. )or the imperfect, Sama will be a stumbling bloc! or temptation, but for the perfect

it will teach & guide. Sama is not suitable for those who are merely living a life of

worldly desires & are dead in their hearts. )or them it can only be harmful. 3owever,Sama is obligatory for those whose hearts are alive, since in that state it is possible to

travel the e;uivalent of a thousand years of the road of gnosis with one taste of Sama, a7ourney which cannot be accomplished by prayer or though performing any rite.

1s umi said

Sama is the tran:uility of the soul of those who are ali!e. $e knows Sama if his soul

has a Soul 8the 3elo!ed9. $e who wants to awaken by means of Sama is one who hasbeen asleep in the garden+ but for who sleeps in prison it hurts to awaken.

/ractice Sama where there is a wedding or mourning 8i.e., mourning the death of the

di!ine attributes in people9. Sama is not for the man who has not seen the substancesof his own 1self", for from such a man the moon is hidden. $ow can Sama the

tambourine be suitable for such a person, as Sama is intended to make possible union

with the 3elo!ed.:hul-/un, a Sufi master of the ?rdcentury 1.3., once said

Sama is what descends from God arises in the spiritual heart of the seeker,

spiritually empassioning him increasing his yearning for God. (hoe!er listens toit, selflessly, from God, finds the way to God+ whoe!er listens with self=

consciousness, with awareness of self, falls into duality separation.

Sa2di, one of the greatest of *ersian poets & a Sufi Shay!h of the seventh century

1.3., has written% will not say what Sama is unless % know who the listener is. %f it is someone who

can fly in the spiritual world, Sama will cause him to fly higher than the angles. 3ut if

he is inclined towards play amusement, the pull of his worldly self will bestrengthened in his being. The world is full of those intoxicated with Sama, those

totally de!oted to the 3elo!ed. 3ut a man who is spiritual deaf will see in a mirror.

The morning"s bree)e will scatter the flowers, but an axe is needed to cut pieces ofwood.

Shibli has said


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rom the outside, Sama looks like a distraction, but its inner reality is that of

guidance. To him who knows its real meaning, it is both a guide in accordance

with religious law. 3ut for the participant who looks at it only outwardly, it is as if heis asking for trouble attached to difficulty.

In other words, Sama can be a misfortune or a calamity for those whose hearts are not

totally drowned in the Sama of od.@. 3u7wiri, the writer of the Sufi classic 0i!ine 3eauty.

C. Some of the Sufi Shay!hs have said that Sama nourishes those who are on the *ath,

but that those who have arrived at the Truth no longer need such nourishment.

(usical Instruments In The Sama Of The Sufis

=sually in the Sufi Sama, the reed pipe $ney & the tambourine are used. In the last

century a Sufi master, %ushta;, used to play the fourstringed sitar. In Sufi poetry the reedpipe, tambourine, harp, tar, lute & tamboura have all been mentioned. In the :ivan-i-

Tabrii, umi wrote this poem about the rebab $which is the *ersian word for rebec!.

The rebab, fountain of lo!e,&ompanion to the intimates of God,

?esembling a raincloud 8indeed the 0rabs

call clouds 1rebab"9(hich slakes the garden"s thirst,

eeds intoxicates man"s spirit.


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3low on coals, you get fire+

3low at dire, you get dust.

The rebab calls back the falconTo its royal master,

3ut e!en drums will ne!er

etch the crow.The rebab unties lo!er"s knots

%f need be,

3ut those who li!e like beasts&an do with grass straw,

Sleeping the sleep of desire

forgetfulness.

4ou cannot compare a mule(ith the lo!ing breath of @esus+

God has not gi!en mules

The breath that opens doors.

5o!e, God"s gift to the soul,&rown of $is Glory,

Tears aside the !eil brings unionwith the 3elo!ed.

The call of the rebab

>raws all hearts to the One,

The call of God frees themrom their myriad idols.

>o not speak of lo!e

To lo!ers of self the world,Those who are pulled tossed

3y fear hope,

/unishment reward.

The Stations Of Sama

In the Sama there are three stations understanding, 'a7d, & movement.

%) Understanding*

Fudged in terms of their understanding of Sama, people fall into three groups

5 Those who practice Sama without !nowing the *ath & without constant remembrance

of od. Their case is not worth discussing.8 Those see!ers whose minds are occupied with religion $surrender to od & whose

hearts are inclined to the love of od. They are traveling the spiritual path.

Those in this category will e#perience different states, such as spiritual e#pansion &contraction, ease & difficulty, & one2s feelings of being accepted & re7ected by od.

Thus when the see!er hears in Sama ideas of acceptance or re7ection, of nearness or

separation, fulfillment or unfulfillment, & so forth, then whatever is in the see!er2s mind& heart will be intensified & he will e#perience difference different states.


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If his faith is not strong, if he is not constantly surrendering in the selfless

remembrance of od, then his attention may be diverted towards his own thoughts &

states so that he may fall from the +neness of od into selfhood, & infidelity-to-the-Truth. 1s an e#ample, ta!e the see!er on the *ath who at the beginning progresses

rapidly but whose progress slows down & who then begins to ;uestion whether od is

any longer giving him grace. (ut letting his attention go in this direction & by dwellingon his state & the supposed diminution of od2s grace, he has become unfaithful &

neglected the moment-by-moment surrender to od. The thought that od changes is

merely an illusion" od is unchanging. It is the see!er who has changed by attending tohimself, & forgetting the +neness & reality of od.

? )inally, there is the Sama of the one who has reached the state of annihilation $)ana.

3e has true understanding. In Sama he can be said to have gone beyond e#istence &

reached +neness. 3e is so totally absent from himself that if his body fell into a firehe would not even be aware of it.

") Wa+d

In Sama when a strong yearning for od arises in the Sufi & he becomes agitated &

e#periences various emotions, he is said to be in a state of 'a7da. )inding what had been lost.

b. (ecoming rich or able.c. (eing saddened by something important.

d. G#periencing grief together with a burning discomfort & pain.

In the terminology of Sufism, 'a7d is that which, when it reaches the heart, causedthe Sufi to become aware of fear or sadness" it is the unveiling of something from 0the

unseen world2 to his innermost being" or it is a state between the Sufi & od. Sometimes

it seems to come from the pain of separation, & at other times from a burning love &

ardor for od, but usually it is e#perienced with the pain of separation. 'hen this is feltin the Sufi2s innermost being & when it ta!es charge of him, he may appear disturbed &

noises & shouts may come from him. This state is called 'a7d.

1s ubahan has saidTrying to experience (a6d is permitted only for lo!ers, not for others. (a6d does

not come to those worldly nature is still ali!e in them. %t is incompatible with

anything other than God. Therefore he who is centered in his worldly self will notexperience (a6d. %t arises directly from the >i!ine 3eauty when God shows man"s

spirit $is face. Such beauty a stranger to God will ne!er see.

Some say that 'a7d descends from the 1bsolute & arises in the spiritual heart of the

true see!er. In its manifestation it is sometimes e#perienced as 7oy, at other times assadness, thus changing the inner being of the Sufi.

*erhaps the most beautiful definition of 'a7d is that given by Simnun %uhibb"

%f Sama is God"s call to the soul, (a6d is the soul"s response. 2nconsciousness is

the result of reaching God, while weeping is one of the effect of the 6oy ofexperiencing union.


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The ,arious -inds Of Wa+d

ubahan has said that 'a7d may be of three !inds

5. %ost Sufis e#perience it as an intense burning feeling.8. The elect !now it as complete surrender.

?. )or the elect of the elect, it is at one & the same time a state of being conscious of

one2s separation from the (eloved on the material plane, yet being totally one withthe (eloved on the spiritual.

In e#planation of this point, %uhammad haali has said There are two kinds of

(a6d# one belongs to the world of spiritual state the other to the realm of theun!eiling of the >i!ine. 1The first occurs when yearning, fear, the fire of lo!e,

seeking, grief, remorse or some other such :uality predominates in a Sufi

intoxicates him. (hen this happens, the heart, mind senses are all under its spell.

%n this state the Sufi is asleep to the world, neither seeing nor hearing anything, notmore attenti!e to the world of the senses than if he is were drunk". 1The second form

of (a6d may either come cloaked in the form of thoughts+ it may come directly in an

intuiti!e or contemplati!e !ision. %n this state of (a6d, Sama cleans polishes the

mirror of the heart until the true nature of ?eality appears. Such (a6d cannot reallybe explained by scientific arguments, by analogies or by gi!ing examples. Only those

ha!e experienced it know its reality".

The Le.el Or Degrees Of Wa+d

5. Tawa7ud this is the level e#perienced by a person who has not become completelyselfless but is trying to put himself in that state.

8. 'a7d this level of e#perience is for one who has gone beyond self but is still aware

that he has gone beyond.

?. 'u7ud this is the level of one who has not only gone beyond self but beyond even theawareness of that condition. 3e has surrendered even the awareness of having given

up everything.

The Difference "etween These Three Le.els Of Wa+d

In 1rabic many words are derived from roots called 0infinitives2. (oth 'a7d &

'u7ud are infinitives, the former meaning 0grief2, & the letter 0finding2. The active noun$which is a derivation of the infinitive for both words is 'a7d. In the terminology of

Sama, 'a7d & 'u7ud are the names of two distinct states e#perienced in Sama. 'a7d is

related to the grief brought on by feeling the loss of the (eloved, as well as the feeling of

not having access to 3er" while 'u7ud is related to finding the (eloved.

The subtle difference between ordinary sorrow & 'a7d is that sorrow comes whenone2s attention is on the self, whereas 'a7d is a grief of love, which comes when one

pays attention to od. The mysteries of 'a7d are hidden from awareness & what is so

hidden cannot be written down by the pen. So 'a7d can be regarded as a secret betweenthe see!er & the Sought-a secret that others cannot share. Similarly 'u7ud is grace

conferred on the lover by the (eloved a grace, which cannot be e#plained.


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'a7d is a pain that may be felt in the heart as either 7oy or sadness, but 'u7ud means

that the heart is freed of sadness & has reached its (eloved. The attribution of a 'a7id is

vigorous involuntary movements coming from the intensity of the Sufi2s yearning forod while remaining veiled from his (eloved, & complete stillness in the state of

unveiling & witnessing.

+ne day Funayd was sitting with some other Sufi Shay!hs when a singer happened tosing a few lines of poetry. The bodies of the other Shay!hs began to move in the 'a7d of

Sama. 1fter a while they as!ed Funayd, $a!e you no share in this Sama* In reply

Funayd ;uoted the Huranic verse, you see the hills which you think are so solid. 8Theyare9 flying with the flight of the clouds, $S.8Cth, 44. 'hat he meant was that he was in

'u7ud, a state of od witnessing od, a state which the other Shay!hs could not share.

'a7d, then, is an attribure of the disciple, while 'u7ud is an attribute of the nostic,

one whose conciousness is direct !nowledge of od. 'a7d is the see!er2s burningecstacy, & 'u7ud the divine gift which od bestows on those whom he loves. 3e who is

in a state of 'a7d has still not gone beyond the last veil of the worldly self, by the very

consciousness of his own e#istence he is veiled from od. 'hen a moment comes in

which the see!er2s consciousness surrenders to the ever present +neness of the (eloved,a ray of the 6ight of od will shine upon his being" in 'a7d he wil perceive it. Then once

more the veil 'ill fall in between & that which was found will be lost again. This isthe process of 'a7d. It is a state bridging two state of separation.

The meaning of 'u7ud is that the consciousness of self of the Sufi in this state

becomes totally absent. Thus 'a7d is an attribute of the temporal, & 'u7ud an attributeof the eternal.

1s :hu-l-/un has said

(u6ud resides in the e!er=present being of God, while (a6d resides in him who

experiences it, i.e., he who e#periences 'a7d is still aware of & paying attention tohis own being. 3is consciousness of self has not totally passed away in od, while

the consciousness of self of one in a state of 'u7ud has been completely eliminated

to the point that he e#ist & is eternal by very eality of od alone.Therefore, he who still perceives his own 'a7d is thus veiled from the state of od

witnessing od in od $i.e., od 9onsciousness. 3e e#periences 7oy as the result of his

perceiving his 'a7d. (ut he who at every moment allows od2s witnessing of od inod to appear, & thus becomes absent from awareness of himself & his 'a7d, then his

7oy stops.

'a7d is the beginning of 'u7ud. It is li!e a boulder-throwing catapult, constructed by

the pull of od, by which the Sufi is ravaged by od. 'hen the catapult time & againhurls its boulders at the walls of the fortress of 0self2-consciousness & finally destroys it,

then 'a7d becomes 'u7ud. Thus, the end of 'a7d is the beginning of 'u7ud.

It is said that one day Shibli was at the pea! of a spiritual state when he come toFunayd who at that time was grieving. Shibli as!ed, >ear Shaykh, what has happened*

Funayd replied, $e who seeks 8God9, grie!es.Then Shibli said, -o, it is the other way

around. $e who grie!es seeks.(oth were correct. The former spo!e from 'a7d & thelatter from 'u7ud.


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Fust as 'u7ud is the beginning of 'u7ud, so Tawa7ud is the beginning of 'a7d.

Tawa7ud is an attempt to put one2s self into a state of 'a7d by thin!ing of union, desiring

to be truly od2s, & spea!ing to the heart about witnessing & the riches of od.Some people, who pay attention only to the superficial, imitate the e#ternal

movements of those genuinely in 'a7d" this is absolutely forbidden by the :ivine 6aw.

3owever, for others, who are actually see!ing od & whose goal is the spiritual states &the realiations of the great Sufis, Tawa7ud is permitted.

umi had this to say about Tawa7ud

Sama is for the restless soul,?ise up lightly then, this is no place for 6ust waiting expectantly.

>on"t say, 1let us wait until he calls us", for how can a thirsty man think like this*

The moth does not think of the fire as he flies into the flame+

or a soul that lo!es, thought is nothing shot of disgraceful.

The (eaning Of The Cries & %//earances Of those in Wa+d

Sufi masters have said that 'a7d is the heart2s seeing & hearing. In other words,

whenever the Sufi becomes tired from the trials & tribulations of love, when he sees orhears something in 'a7d, his pain is renewed. Then cries, groans & other sounds are torn

from him.+ne can assess the state of a Sufi in terms of the sounds and cries which come from

him in 'a7d. They may come from 7oy or from sadness, from fear or devotion, from

yearning or from other state. +ne whose inner state is fearful will e#ternally manifestdread, dumbness & breathlessness. +ne who is in a state of love will show the signs of

unfulfilled desires, while one whose inner state is characteried by intense yearning will

manifest bewilderment. In these cases, one2s outer condition is called 'a7d but his

inward condition is a particular spiritual state $3al.

The Wa+d Of "eginner & That Of The %d.anced

'a7d is a perfection of the spiritual state of the beginner & an imperfection of thespiritual state of the advanced, since it implies the temporary regaining of a state of od

witnessing od. +ne cannot spea! of regaining without first having lost that state.

To the one whose comfort is found in (a6d, it brings 6oy.3ut for him who is in a state of God witnessing God, (a6d does not exist.

The 'a7d of the see!er ta!es place only up to the state of annihilation $when

consciousness of self has fallen away with the coming of the light of od witnessing

od, but when the Sufi2s consciousness is that of +neness, there is no 'a7d. Therefore,whoever e#periences 'a7d, has lost the state of realiing 1bsolute eality.

The reason for the loss of the selfless state of od witnessing od in od, or od-consciousness, is that the ;ualities of e#istence have manifested themselves. These

;ualities are of two !inds, of the light & of the dar!. To the dar!ness belong the attributes

of the self. Such ;ualities are the veils of beginners. To the light, on the other hand,belong the ;ualities of the heart, which are the veils of the more advanced those who


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have surrended themselves to od to the e#tent that the veils of their worldly desires &

fear have fallen away & only the veils of their spiritual attachments remain.

Some Shay!hs have allowed beginners to engage in Tawa7ud not for the purpose ofreaching a true spiritual state in 'a7d, but simply for comforting the troubled heart &

ridding the mind of fatigue. Thus one can give oneself to rhythmic movements to the

accompaniment of pleasing songs so that for a short time one2s self will be relieved ofthe pain & burden of responsibility.

In some cases, those who engage in Tawa7ud try to storm the gates of 'a7d by

imitating those who really e#perience it, hoping in this way to draw down uponthemselves, its spiritual grace. 1lthough this form of Tawa7ud is permitted for the

beginner, it is of course unsuitable for Sufi %asters whose inner & outer states are the

pure Truth-eality.

Gspecially when in the presence of Sufi Shay!h, a Sufi should not cry out unless hecannot control himself.

1s the master of Funayd, Sari Sa;ati, said, %t is permissible for one in (a6d to cry

out make sounds on the condition that at the instant of the cry, if he were struck on the

face by a sword, he would not feel the pain.Sama for the spiritually advanced these noises happen as a result of od manifesting

in such a way that the Sufi2s consciousness does not fully surrender. Then, the fallingaway of his self consciousness is abruptly halted & an involuntary cry comes from his

body, as he is being shoc!ed bac! into his ordinary state.

+n this point one of the companions of Sahl ibn 1bdullah Tastari, a Sufi %aster, hassaid

or year % did not notice any changes in Sahl during Sama until, towards the end of

his life, this !erse of the ;uran was recited in his presence#

1So this day no ransom can be taken from you, nor from those who disbelie!ed. 4ourhome is the fire that is your patron a hapless 6ourney"s end" 8S.ABth, 'C9.

(ith this, his state suddenly changed he shook so hard that he almost fell down.

(hen % asked him why, he said 1from weakness".

'rrors In Wa+d

5. Sometimes the deliberate manifestation of the signs of 'a7d is a form of layingbefore od. Since the involuntary manifestation of true 'a7d in Sama is an indication

that od has given the Sufi a spiritual gift, he is lying before od if he acts as if he

were in 'a7d when really he is not.

8. It is a mista!e for a person to endanger those present in the Sama gathering bywillfully manifesting signs of a state he does not really have at that moment. This

amount to betrayal.

?. It is also a mista!e to destroy the trust of those who believe in Sufism, therebypreventing them from receiving spiritual help from Sufis. 'hen some of those

present in the Sama session believe that someone is a true Sufi because of the way

he acts when imitating 'a7d, then afterwards, when he does something to upsettheir belief, they may lose their trust in the truth of Sufism & decide that all Sufis


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behave the same way. 1s a result, their opportunity of receiving help from the

Sufis may be lost.

Thus he is truly in 'a7d who does not move until his being is completelyoverwhelmed in Sama, & movements spontaneously & involuntarily come upon him.

C) (o.ement 0Dancing1umi has written

>ancing is not getting up anytime painlessly like a speck of dust blown around in

the wind. >ancing is when you rise abo!e both worlds, tearing your heart to pieces gi!ing up your soul.

Ira;i, a Sufi master of the C thcentury $1.3., has written

The 3elo!ed, by saying the world 1Dun" 813e7"9, awakened the lo!er from the sleep

of non=existence. $earing 8Sama9 this melody, he was o!ercome by (a6d from itrecei!ed his life. The immediate taste of this melody penetrated his whole mind, 5o!e

took o!er, at that point, man"s complete stillness was transformed into sacred

dance mo!ement. 2ntil eternity without end, neither the melody nor the dance will

be completed, for the 3elo!ed is infinite endless. Thus the lo!er is continuously inspiritual mo!ement dance, e!en if he seems still.

Sometimes the movements Sufis in 'a7d are li!e dance movements. This indicates avery advanced degree of 'a7d, when this state comes" passion & yearning for the

(eloved ta!e control of his limbs & body. Into#icated by :ivine 6ove, without

awareness of self & without his volition, may clap. This is called the :ance of+neness.

/either in the Shariat $which lays down the religious duties of %oslems nor in the

Tari;at $the spiritual path is there any basis for dancing. (ut since the movements of

those in 'a7d & the actions of those ta!ing part in Tawa7ud resemble dancing, peoplewho have seen only their outer behavior have imitated these movements & even gone

further & set up spiritual paths & groups based on them. +ften it is these groups, which

people have come to thin! of as Sufism.In true Sufism, the tearing of cloths, & all movements & dancing are involuntary.

1 *ersian poet,


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Get up come now, for the field is empty.

'hen he heard this, an ecstatic state overcame ubahan & flung him from the roof,

whirling & turning in the air, to the ground below. +n witnessing this, the group of youngpeople cast away their instruments, left their former ways, entered the


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In this conte#t, umi has said

>ancing where you can break yourself to pieces totally abandon your worldly

passions.?eal men dance whirl on the battlefield+

They dance in their own blood.

(hen they gi!e themsel!es up, thy clap their hands+(hen they lea!e behind the imperfections of the self, they dance.

Their minstrels play music from within+

(hole oceans of passion, foam on the crest of their wa!es.In some cases the movements of the Sufis have a special meaning. +n the spiritual

path there are various movements to accompany certain :hi!rs aimed at establishing the

selfless remembrance of od in the heart. The aim of the movements is to harmonie

the body while the attention in & of od, with the corresponding :hi!r. 1mong thesemovements are the whirling of the body, & the moving of the nec! from side to side.

These are well !nown & understood actions for the Sufis, which must be done in private.

3owever, sometimes a Sufi may become so absent from himself that the movement

corresponding to his :hi!r will show itself in public. Those who see it may notunderstand what it really is, & may thin! it is a form of dancing. Thus, as an e#ample, we

may recall the whirling movements of umi while he was in 'a7d & his heart wasinvolved in his :hi!r.

1s 1fla!i in the %ana;ib-al-arifin has written

(hile in a state of being wholly under the influence of Sama his passion for God,

?umi was walking by the shops of some goldsmiths. @ust from the rhythm of thepounding of their hammers, such an intense spiritual passion ecstacy came upon

him that his whole body began to whirl.

Sama In The Time Of Shah imatullah Wali 0Sufi master of the 2thcentury1

In Shah /i2matullah2s time, there were Sama sessions which were conducted in

accordance with the in7unctions of religious law & proper behaviour.Some of the characteristics of these sessions were as follows

5. In the Sama sessions of Shah /i2matullah $unlide the ordinary Sama gatherings at

that time, dancing, whirling & tuning were not common.8. In his session there was hand clapping & sometimes the playing of the reed pipe

& the tambourine, but the other musical instruments of that period sere not used.

?. 1t the beginning of the gatherings, Shah /i2matullah would sit down facing theHiblah.51t his word those Sufis who were present would then turn the attention of

their hearts towards the (eloved & would begin their :hi!rs, usually in the form of

6a Illaha Ill 1llah, which is usually translated as $there is /o 0god2 but 0od2, or$There is /o reality but the eality. :uring the repetition of the first part of this

:hi!r 6 Illaha /o odJ the Sufis moved their heads to the right, signifying 0no2,

or as it is sometimes called, the action $arc of negation of possibility. Then, with the

5Hiblah the direction of %ecca, which %oslems face when they pray, symboliing the orientation of the

body, the mind, &the heart towards od.


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saying of Ill 1llah but odJ, they moved their heads to the left, towards the heart,

signifying 0yes2, or the action $arc of affirmation of /ecessity.

In whichever direction Shah /i2matullah moved his head" a feeling of e#pansion &7oy would arise in the hearts & souls of those present. 1t the end of the session the Sufis

would prostrate themselves before od, & Shah /i2matullah would lead them in prayer.

1bd-al-1i 'a2ii, one of the biographers of shah /i2matullah, has writtenShah"s state during the Sama session combined that of the intoxicated lo!er that

of the skilled warrior who has turned away from the world all that is in it has

become one with the 3elo!ed witnessing the 3elo!ed in the 3elo!ed.

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