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Quote by Idries Shah

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The Sufis

This book delves into the rich history, practices, and teachings of Sufism, offering insights into its philosophical and spiritual dimensions. It examines the lives of Sufi mystics and poets, and explores the various Sufi orders and their contributions to Islamic thought and culture. more

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Idries Shah
Idries Shah

Idries Shah was a renowned author known for his dissemination of Eastern philosophy and wisdom. His works blend Sufism, Eastern mysticism, and Western philosophy, aiming to promote human wisdom and inner growth. Shah's books include 'The Sufi Path of Love' and 'The Power of Silence'. more

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“La raison qui m’a conduit à proférer de la poésie (shi‘r) est que j’ai vu en songe un ange qui m’apportait un morceau de lumière blanche ; on eût dit qu’il provenait du soleil. « Qu’est-ce que cela ? », Demandai-je. « C’est la sourate al-shu‘arâ (Les Poètes) » me fut-il répondu. Je l’avalai et je sentis un cheveu (sha‘ra) qui remontait de ma poitrine à ma gorge, puis à ma bouche. C’était un animal avec une tête, une langue, des yeux et des lèvres. Il s’étendit jusqu’à ce que sa tête atteigne les deux horizons, celui d’Orient et celui d’Occident. Puis il se contracta et revint dans ma poitrine ; je sus alors que ma parole atteindrait l’Orient et l’Occident. Quand je revins à moi, je déclamai des vers qui ne procédaient d’aucune réflexion ni d’aucune intellection. Depuis lors cette inspiration n’a jamais cessé.”

PoemIslamSufismIbn ArabiDivan Al Marif
Author:Ibn Arabi
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“« De son regard dolent, mon mal d’amour procède. À mon cœur, l’évoquant, portez un doux remède ! Ce ramier ânonnant sa plaintive élégie Depuis l’ouche, ravive en moi la nostalgie ! Je donnerais mon sang pour cette jouvencelle, Qui fuyant des douars la jalouse tutelle, Et qui se soustrayant aux courtisanes prudes, Paradait, adoptant une snobe attitude ! De son astre, le fard comblait l’azur une heure, Embrasant, au déclin, l’horizon de mon cœur. »”

Ibn ArabiPoèmeMuhyiddin Ibn Arabi
Author:Muhyiddîn Ibn 'Arabî ''Tarjumân al-Ashwâq''
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“Ibn Arabi is suggesting that the contemplation of God is possible, indeed enhanced, through the human form: when man contemplates the Reality in woman he beholds God. The Epiphany that Ibn Arabi found in the contemplation of the feminine need not be exclusive to the feminine. Indeed, as the Qur‘an says in Surah Tin, the human being is created in the most beautiful proportions, created on an archetype of beauty. What Ibn Arabi found in his contemplation of Woman is a profound recognition of the Divine in the „other“. Since God has breathed His Spirit into human beings, the outward form is creaturely, while the inner nature is Divine. Therefore, God is loving Himself in us, and we are loving God in each other. In the same way, man is loving himself in woman, and she is loving herself in him. But the finding of wholeness within oneself doesn‘t necessarily cancel out the beautiful polarity between lovers. Ibn Arabi is describing sexual union as a mirroring of God within God, as a Divine Union of deep awareness, and this is the appropriate human state for sexual relations. Sexuality is sacred because it is a form of relationship within this great electromagnetic field of Love. To disparage this polarity is a denial of the Divine origins of our very humanity. To ignore its spiritual potential is to deny the Spirit that has been breathed into us. (p. 107)”

IslamSexualitySufismMan And WomanIbn ArabiSacred Sexuality
Book:Holistic Islam: Sufism, Transformation, & the Challenge of Our Time
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