by Mujeeb Jaihoon.
In the age of mega indulgence, adoption of Prophetic etiquette is both the shortest and sweetest way to attain higher spiritual progress.
Fad has it become to recreate
The saintly styles of Sufis past
Last night asked I this question
To Ba Yazid, the Sultan of Bistam
“How can we be like the departed Dervish—
To worship Him living on bak-sheesh?
At home nor office nor our campus—
Are we blessed to ascend the spiritual bus
O Sheikh, reveal to us a cut short—
For our souls with saints to escort”
Said he in reply-
“You crawl among the demonic mammons
Swelling your wants up to the Heaven Sevens
Destined are you never to taste saints’ sweets
For, against the indulgent-wall is your backs
You may no longer aspire for the idyllic Past
For, Robe and Rosary are now to Time unchaste
Invoke the ways of the Beloved instead,
Awake not ever from the dream of his rose-bed
Let Medina be your journey and station—
Your ecstasy, fantasy and intoxication
Junaid and Hallaj are gone
Basri and Baghdadi no more
Misri and Ajmeri have faded
Rumi and Rifai lay buried
The Master of Umar and Uwais—
His ways alone can Love incise
Be if you among the ‘Sahib us-Sunna’
Enrolled will you be amid Ashab us-Suffa
Lover— if be Sunna-some
Lo! Conquered has he Sufism
Notes
Ba Yazid — Bayazid Bustami, one of the earliest saints from north-central Iran, popularly known as Sultān-ul-Ārifīn (Chief of Gnostics)
Bak-sheesh — A Tip (Of Persian origin)
Sunna— Here the reference is to the personal mannerisms of the Holy Prophet, which forms the lifeline of a believer’s lifestyle.
Published Feb 06 2019
