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Stations of the Wayfarers has always been one of the pillars of Sufi studies for Arabic-speaking scholars and students. For generations, seekers and novices have depended on it to build up their knowledge. The fact that no English translation of this basic treatise exists is regrettable, although excerpts of it have been provided, notably in Professor Ravan Farhadi's work on Abdullah Al-Ansari published in the Curzon Sufi Series in 1996. The present complete translation is therefore aimed at filling that gap. English-speaking scholars and students will find in it an authoritative, detailed and inspiring description of the spiritual stages leading to annihilation and union with the Supreme Being. The depth of its concepts is astounding, yet Al-Ansari is invariably rational and devoted to Orthodox Islam, as represented by Hanafi School. The book has a structure that is unique, both in form and content. The Shaikh dictated it as a manual under a format designed to facilitate memorizing by students. It follows a mnemonic system, each chapter being divided into three levels, indication the degrees of the spiritual experience, as well as the "hierarch" of the candidates for the experience. A verse of the Qur an introduces each chapter. It is noteworthy that Al-Ansari was already blind when he dictated the treatise in 1082 A.D. (475 H.) The Stations consists of the following Parts or Sections: 1. The Beginnings, comprising chapters on Awakening, Repentance, Reckoning, Turning to God, Reflection, Meditation, Taking Shelter, Escape, Retreat or Inurement and Audition. 2. The Gates, comprising chapters on Grief, Fear, Solicitude, Reverence, Capitulation or Humility, Renunciation, Piety, Consecration or Devotion, Hope and Aspiration. Behavior, comprising chapters on Caring, Observation, Reverence, Honesty, Betterment, Rectitude, Reliance, Delegation, Trust and Submission. Distributed in USA by Rumi Bookstore
Ihsan is to worship Allah (swt) as if you see him, or if you cannot do that, to be aware that He (swt) sees you.
Maghreb Jews celebrate Hanukkah (Magharebia.com)
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Imrane Binoual
I think this is a good article about the celebration of Hanukah in the Maghreb countries. It also is a small snapshot of the conditions the Jewish communities must put up with. One thing that seems to be prevalent is the feeling that the current cool relations between the Jews and their Muslim neighbors is the amount of reporting on the Israel-Palestine conflict in the media. I find this to be a common misconception among many Muslims who equate being Jewish with being Israeli or pro Israeli. I also think the opposite is true, that many people equate being Muslim with being pro-Palestine. Both camps are feeding a stereotype that fosters ill will and mis trust. Personally I am pro-Peace. I recently heard an interview with a Palestinian woman who had lost a son when he blew himself up at a cafe in Israel and an Israeli man who had also lost a son when a terrorist bomber blew himself up. Both felt that to be either pro-Israel or pro-Palestine meant one was not pro-peace. I agree.
Getting off the topic a bit. I also remember when I was in Fez with a group of Sufi “good will ambassadors” that our sponsor took us on a tour of the old city which included a neighborhood which was predominantly Jewish and had been for centuries. All the signs were still in Hebrew and other than that you could hardly tell the difference between that part of the city and any other. He told us that Morocco was the first Muslim country to recognize Israel (and the US for that matter) and that the king had supported and aided Jews in Morocco to emigrate to Israel when it was founded if they wished. It seems from this article that Jews in Morocco still fare better than their brothers and sisters in other parts of the Maghreb.
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