If you count the bountiful gifts of Allah, you will never be able to [completely] number them: for Allah is Infinitely Forgiving, infinitely Merciful. (Qur’an Surat al-Nahl 16:18) وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ wa-in ta’uddu ni’matallahi, la tuhsuha, innallaha la-ghafurun rahim. Calligraphy by Hamid Aytaç

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

“As for the orphans, do not treat them severely! As for the needy, do not turn them away! As for the bountiful gifts of your Lord-Sustainer, proclaim them!” (Qur’an Surat al-Duha 93: 9-11). فَأَمَّا الْيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقْهَرْ (9) وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلَا تَنْهَرْ (10) وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ (11)

“O self-at-peace, return to your Lord-Sustainer, being content [with your Lord-Sustainer], and [your Lord-Sustainer] being contended with you! Enter among My servants! Enter into My paradise!” (Qur’an Surat al-Fajr 89:27-30)
يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ (27) ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً (28) فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي (29) وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي (30)

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

O You Who are the Opener of Doors, open for us the best of doors!
يا مفتح الأبواب افتح لنا خير الباب
ya mufattih al-abwab, iftah la-na khayr al-bab

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

Abraham’s Attempted Sacrifice of His Son, a perspective from Sufi Qur’an commentary:
Concerning this sacrifice–which is commemorated at the Celebration of the Sacrifice (Eid al-Adh’ha) to be celebrated by many Muslims on Monday–we find the following in Shaykh Ruzbihan al-Baqli’s (d. 606/1209) Qur’an commentary, ‘Ara’is al-bayan: “We ransomed him with an awesome sacrifice” (Qur’an, Surat al-Saffat 37:107). God (al-Haqq) called the sacrifice “awesome.” In this is a subtle allusion, which is that the sincere lover (ʿāshiq ṣādiq) at every moment desires to sacrifice his beloved ego-self (nafsahu al-maʿshūqa). Since [God], the Beloved (al-maʿshūq), is sincere in love of His lover, He prevents His lover from sacrificing his ego-self to Him because of the perfection of God’s affection (maḥabba) for His human lover. Hence, He called that sacrifice “awesome” because it emerged from the Awesome One (al-ʿAẓīm) on account of the awesomeness of His affection (maḥabba) and love (ʿishq) for His [human] lover (ʿāshiq), His intimate friends (akhilla), and His beloveds (aḥibba).

Eid mubarak! Have a blessed celebration! Tomorrow or whenever you celebrate the Eid al-Adh’ha! Celebrate the fact that when you surrender what you thought you were supposed to be doing (which you may or may not continue to do!) or when you surrendered who you thought you were, then something merciful, something overflowing with mercy and love appeared. And even if you do not see such mercy, celebrate anyway, maybe you’ll see something beautifully merciful in this next moment! And even if you don’t celebrate Eid al-Adh’ha, there is no excuse for not celebrating! This may be your last opportunity to celebrate! You do not need a reason! People may call you crazy for celebrating! But go ahead, time to celebrate!

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

قال الله سبحان وتعالى …. “If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more” لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ la-in shakartum la-azidannakum (Qur’an, Surat Ibrahim, 14:7)

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

“He [Moses عليه السلام] said: “My Lord-Sustainer, open my heart and make my affairs easy for me!” قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي Qala rabbi ishrah li sadri wa-yassir li amri, Qur’an Surat Ta Ha 20:25-26

“I only created jinn and humans so they could worship Me” (Qur’an, Surat al-Dariyat 51:56) وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ wa-ma khalaqtu l-jiina wa-l-ins illa li-ya’buduni . One of the foremost authorities on Qur’anic commentary among the companions, Ibn ‘Abbas, was reported by his student Mujahid to have stated that “so they could worship Me” means “so they could know Me (li-ya’rifuni). (There is another isnad that includes Ibn Jurayj and stops at Mujahid and does not include Ibn ‘Abbas.) This report of Ibn ‘Abbas is part of the textual justification commonly given by Sufis to support their contention that the purpose of the creation is to gain direct experience of God (ma’rifa). Often it is cited together with the hadith qudsi, where God said, “I was a hidden treasure and I loved to be known, so I created creation in order to be known (li-yu’rafa).”

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.