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Sufism: Journey Through the Self

The document discusses Sufism and the seven stages of the self that one travels through on the spiritual path in Sufism. Sufism provides a means for man to know himself and God through accessing the silence at the center of one's being. It allows one to listen to the music of silence and find peace, even amid the events of this world. The document states that millions have embraced Sufism as a means to find truth and return to the source of life, following the teachings of Muhammad. Every traveler on the path of Allah passes through seven stages of the self that have been described in the Quran and teachings of the Prophet.

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160 views2 pages

Sufism: Journey Through the Self

The document discusses Sufism and the seven stages of the self that one travels through on the spiritual path in Sufism. Sufism provides a means for man to know himself and God through accessing the silence at the center of one's being. It allows one to listen to the music of silence and find peace, even amid the events of this world. The document states that millions have embraced Sufism as a means to find truth and return to the source of life, following the teachings of Muhammad. Every traveler on the path of Allah passes through seven stages of the self that have been described in the Quran and teachings of the Prophet.

Uploaded by

philip.mabry5316
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The Stages of the Self

Murshid F. A. Ali ElSenossi

"And He giveth you of all that ye ask for. But if ye count


the favours of Allah, never will ye be able to number them.
(Qur'an 14.34)

"I was a Hidden Treasure and I loved to be known,


so I created the creations, and through Me they knew Me."
(Holy Saying of Allah from the Prophet Muhammad )

The great Sufi Masters in Islam and Muslims in general know that
the cause for the creation of the worlds is love and the stamp of
the last message that has been given to humanity, the Holy
Qur'an, is "In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merci-
ful."

What is Sufism? Sufism is a system of development which pro-


vides access to the silence hidden at the centre of man's being.
The silence that is the most beautiful form of music heard only by
the sages and is the source of all meaningful activities and actions.
It is the origin of life and of man's own existence. It is a key given
to man with which he can unlock the secret of his own existence
and come to possess the forgotten and neglected treasure hidden
within his being.

Sufism gives man the means to know himself and thus to know
The Real; to listen to the music of silence. Sufism is able to lead
mankind to that quiet and peace which is hidden at the centre of
his being and whose attainment is possible at all times and places.
It can deliver him from the crushing storm of events in this life
and the uproar of the external world without necessitating aban-
donment of that world.

In Sufism, man is delivered by means of an inner transformation


which takes place here and now, within the framework of his
normal life. As a result he is enabled to hear the inward music of
all beings, and above the noise of everyday life, to listen to the
music of the Silence of Eternity.

Millions across the globe have embraced it and use it as a means


to find belief, knowledge and realisations of the truth which the
Holy Prophet Muhammad mentioned in the tradition which
says that Allah has sent 124,000 prophets and messengers of God
to humanity. These special people were sent to show us the best
and safest way to return back to the Source of life, love and
knowledge. The Holy Prophet has made the statement that
"The best which I have brought and all the prophets before me is
'There is no god but one God' La ilaha il Allah. The Sufis take this
formula of the Unity of Being as their starting point. They see that
within this formula is the key to reach the ultimate aim, with Uni-
ty of the self, Unity of time, Unity of place and Unity of essence.

Every salik (traveller) on the path of Allah, to reach the state of


realisations, travels through the seven stages of the self. All of
these stages (maqamat un nafs) have been mentioned in great
clarity in the Holy Qur'an and in the practice of the Prophet of Al-
lah, peace be upon him.

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