Sufism…

Sufism, as a concept, interests me tremendously. Whatever little I’ve read and known about the so-called ‘mystics of Islam’ has made me more curious, more fascinated. The Sufi philosophy reminds me of the Advaita philosophy in Hinduism, or whatever I understand of Advaita. As my copy of Bhagvad Gita (my Dad’s, actually) puts it, Advaita literally means non-dualism. Reality is one without a second. It is Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Infinite. It has intrinsic power to manifest Itself as Jagat and the Jiva. As the wave dissolves into the ocean the individual soul dissolves into the Absolute. This is emancipation according to the Advaita system of philosophy.

A somewhat limited definition of Sufism reads ‘…the essence of Sufi practice is quite simple. It is that the Sufi surrenders to God, in love, over and over; which involves embracing with love at each moment the content of one’s consciousness (one’s perceptions, thoughts, and feelings, as well as one’s sense of self) as gifts of God or, more precisely, as manifestations of God… ‘

This post is about Sufi music. Sufis are said to recite poetry, delight in music, and perform dance, all towards one goal – union with God, the Divine Beloved. How else can you explain the lyrics ‘Mera piya ghar aaya’ and ‘Yeh jo halka halka suroor hain, yeh teri nazar ka kasoor hain..’?

Sufi music is so totally liberating. It is the ultimate expression of freedom. When you’ve surrendered all you have, then what do you fear losing? Like the line from one of Shakti’s albums ‘What need have I of this, what need have I of that, I dance at the feet of my Lord, all is bliss, all is bliss, all is bliss…’

In Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s singing, I find this sense of wild abandon… A sense of drunkenness, celebration, bliss. One of the places I dream of visiting is Ajmer, Rajasthan. The Urs festival is held very year at the dargah of the Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti (Ajmer), commemorating his symbolic union with God. Pilgrims from all over the world gather here to pay their homage. Qawaalis (poems) are sung in the Saini’s honour. Can you even imagine the music? I bet it’s one of the most heavenly experiences…

One of my favourite couplets from Yeh Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hain, one of the well-known qawaalis by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan…

teri yaad hai meri bandagi
jo teri khushi wo meri khushi
ye mere junoon ka hai moajzaa
jahan apne sar ko jhuka dia
wahan maine Kaaba bana dia

( your rememberance is my prayer
your wish is my wish
this is the miracle of my frenzy
that where ever I prostrated
I made a mosque there )