Spiritual Union With God

The quintessence of Muslim rites, which can be called their sacrament element, is the Divine Speech for which they provide a vehicle. The speech is moreover contained in the Qur'an and its recitation itself constitutes a rite. In certain cases this recitation is concentrated on a single phrase repeated a definite number of times with the aim of actualizing its deep truth and its particular grace.

All repetitive recitation of sacred formulas or sacred speech, whether it be aloud or inward is designated by the generic term dhikr. The concept of dhikr and its elements is defined in detail in the next section separately. Yet we should understand the theory or concept underlying the simple enunciation of the Divine Name.

The Divine Name, revealed by God Himself, implies a Divine presence, which becomes operative to the extent that the name takes possession of the mind of him who invokes it. Man cannot concentrate directly on the Infinite, but by concentrating on the symbol of the Infinite, attains to the Infinite itself. The concept has been discussed in much detail under the topic 'Unity of Being'. Yet it is necessary to mention that when the individual is identified with the Name to the point where every mental projection has been absorbed by the form of the Name, the Divine Essence of the Name manifests spontaneously, for this sacred form leads to nothing outside itself; it has no positive relationship except with its Essence and finally its limits are dissolved in that Essence. Thus union with the Divine Name becomes union (al-wasl) with God Himself.

The word recollection indirectly shows up a man's ordinary state of forgetfulness and unconsciousness (ghaflah). Man has forgotten his own pre-temporal state in God and this fundamental forgetfulness carries in its train other forms of forgetfulness and of unconsciousness.

An incident relating to a Muslim saint very aptly illustrates the spirit of the mystic individual. The story goes that once a Muslim Sufi was travelling along with his disciples. During the journey he encamped near a large grove of trees upon which doves used to perch.

During this halt one of the Sufi's disciples aimed at one of the doves, killed it, cooked it, then ate it. Afterwards something strange happened. A flock of doves came to the tree under which the Sufi was resting and began hovering over it and making a noise.

The Muslim Sufi, communicating with the leader of the birds, asked them what was the matter with them and why they were protesting. The leader replied, 'We have a complaint to make against you, that is, one of your disciples has killed one of us.' Then the Muslim Sufi called the disciple in question and asked him about it. He said that he had not done anything wrong, as the birds were their foodstuff. He was hungry, so he killed one for food. He thought that in so doing he had not done anything wrong. The Sufi then conveyed this reply to the leader of the doves.

Go To Page: 1 2