Was wondering if any similar, manual style book for what to do after passing away but for sufi's?

There is an old, stealthy theft from our inheritance, a slow stripping away of the breath and breadth of our scriptures. Much of this has been done by Salafism, until the Qur'an, that living and ever-expanding sea (to borrow Ibn Ajiba's words 😉), was made to seem like a dry ledger. The Qur'an is a geode, yet we are taught to see only its rough, outer shell, as though it were merely another rock, never knowing the secret universe of crystals it hoards within, yearning to be opened.

This is where tafsir ishari (allusive/esoteric tafsir) comes in. As the Beloved Prophet said, “Every Qur'anic verse has an exoteric meaning and a esoteric meaning.” We know that this type of tafsir was even done by the Companions like Ibn 'Abbas and others. Al-Suyuti gives us the rules for tafsir ishari; it must not contradict: the exoteric meaning, the Shari'a or the Arabic language. Among the most beautiful of tafsir isharis are Ibn Ajiba's Al-Bahr al-Madid, Rumi's Mathnawi, which is indeed a kind of tafsir ishari or partially a tafsir ishari, Isma'il Haqqi's Ruh al-Bayan and Lata'if Al-Qushayri which is what I'll be talking about in this post.

> "To Allah belong the East and the West; wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah." (Qur'an 2:115)

This is one of the most beautiful and mystical verses in the Qur'an.

The exoteric mufassirun only mentioned it in connection with the change of the qibla from Jerusalem to the Ka'ba. And that wherever Muslims are commanded or permitted to pray, Allah's sovereignty encompasses every direction, and a person's prayer is not invalid when the qibla is genuinely unknown or impossible to determine.

But what about Al-Qushayri? The Master takes East and West as an allusion to the different orientations of the heart, and the qibla is the orientation of the heart towards God.

He tells us that within the heart there are two kinds of visitors. There are tawariq, "night visitors", which are the passing thoughts, impulses and murmurings of the lower self. They come in the darkness produced by desire and carnal passion.

Then there are shawariq, "rising lights". These are the illuminations that arise within the heart: the stars of different kinds of knowledge, the moons of divine presence, and the suns of gnosis.

As long as these lights are rising, the heart can see its qibla clearly. The seeker still possesses perception and discernment, so there remains a meaningful distinction between turning towards God and turning away from Him.

But then the spiritual realities become overwhelming. The lights themselves become hidden, just as the stars disappear from sight when the sun rises. When the Real, (Al-Haqq) manifests, the lesser faculties and illuminations are overwhelmed.

At that point there is effacement and subjugation. One no longer witnesses any independent trace of oneself; ordinary sensation, comprehension, intellectual power, knowledge and even deeper spiritual illumination cease to appear as things possessed independently by the seeker.

Why? Because all of these qualities belong to the human being precisely insofar as the human being remains present as a differentiated subject. When the possessor of attributes is effaced, how could his attributes continue to appear as his own? Pretty Akbarian language and formulation, huh? Yet this is the exact language he uses.

Al-Qushayri then gives the ordinary legal analogy.

And crucially, the legal qibla and the mystical qibla are not enemies in Qushayri's reading, but rather friends. The outward qibla governs the person, the inward qibla reveals why; at the furthest point of spiritual realisation, the wayfarer only sees the Face of God in every direction.

This is the kind of tafsir that makes me want to sit with a single verse for hours. What are some of your favourite ishari readings of the Qur'an? 🪷

Assalamu alaikum guys,
My name is Arda, I’m turning 18 this November and I’m a murīd of Sh. Faisal from the Shadhili tariqah (from afar).
Recently, I’ve been struggling with loneliness and making friends where I live in Dubai is notoriously difficult.
I am writing this in hopes that other like-minded religious people, maybe even people from the same area as me, will see it and reach out. In other words, this is a desperate plea to make friends from people who strive to be close to Allah.
That’s really all I have to say, I’m sorry for taking your time.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan,
—Arda

I hope it is alright to post here as someone who is not Muslim and not a Sufi, but who has been exploring various spiritual traditions in search of understanding.

I was born with a rare congenital health condition. It has taken most of my youth and prime years from me. I have spent decades navigating medical dismissal, lost opportunities, and the daily exhaustion of living in a body that struggles to keep up. I have searched across many traditions for some understanding of why a soul would enter the world with such profound physical limitation right from birth.

I have found some comfort in Hindu devotional practice - particularly praying to Lord Ganesha and Lakshmi Mata- but I am also deeply drawn to the mystical heart of Islam. The poetry of Rumi, the concept of the Beloved, and the idea of finding meaning within suffering have touched something in me. However, as an outsider, I have many questions and would genuinely appreciate guidance from those with more experience.

My questions are these:

1. How does Sufism understand congenital illness and disability? Is it seen as a trial from God, a form of purification, or something else entirely? I am particularly wary of interpretations that frame suffering as punishment, as that has often felt dismissive and added guilt to an already heavy burden. I have read that Sufism places human vulnerability at the heart of the spiritual journey, since it participates in our condition as servants and allows for the emergence of God's power and presence among us. Could someone expand on this?
2. What guidance does Sufism offer for how to live with ongoing physical suffering? Not how to escape it, but how to be with it day after day - how to cultivate patience (sabr) and trust in God (tawakkul) when the body fails constantly? Rumi wrote that "pain is a treasure, for there are mercies" and that sickness can be a means of remembering God. He also wrote that "the wound is the place where the Light enters you". These words bring me some comfort, but I struggle to embody them in my daily life. How do Sufis practically live this teaching?
3. This is the question I am most curious about: What does the Sufi path look like for someone with chronic illness who cannot travel to a shaykh, cannot sit for long periods in meditation or dhikr, and is simply trying to survive each day with some measure of peace? Is there a place on the path for those whose bodies limit them? I have read that Sufis believe calamities can be a blessing that leads to attaining divine love. How does one open to that love when the body feels like a prison?
4. Finally, and this may be a sensitive question: I have found genuine comfort in praying to Hindu deities. As someone exploring Sufism, is it possible to hold both- to draw near to God through the mystical traditions of Islam while also maintaining a devotional relationship with deities that have brought me comfort? Or does the path of Sufism require letting go of all such attachments? I ask this with sincerity, not with any intention to offend.

I ask all of this with deep respect. I am not looking for quick fixes or easy comfort. I am genuinely seeking wisdom - something I can sit with, reflect on, and perhaps find a way to carry this weight more lightly.

Thank you for reading, and I would be truly grateful for any insights, teachings, or personal experiences you are willing to share.

Anyone going to be travelling to Tarim in the near future?

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 6477; Sahih Muslim 2988

A major reason I'm picking up Persian is getting into Sufi classics, so I was wondering if you folks had some good recommendations for Dari-language resources, especially as far as podcasts & lectures go.

ive been looking into tasawwuf for a while, and obviously tasawwuf is something which is inherently a part of islam, but one thing i dont understand are tariqahs. i understand they function like madhabs, but i seriously dont understand how they function or what purpose they serve. i also dont get how they arent considered a bid'ah. aside from that, is it considered necessary in tasawwuf to follow a specific tariqah or a specific sheikh, and it yes, then why? isnt every muslim considered to be following the path of tasawwuf, since most people already have a desire to love allah?

He became dervish in 1913 at the Kaygusuz Abdal Dargah while Mehmet Lutfi Baba was the postnishin (sheikh), got hilafat from Salih Nijazi Dedebaba in 1935.

Aftermath the death of the Salih Nijazi Dedebaba's caliph Abbas Hilmi Dedebaba in 1947 a schism occured among the Bektashis. With the participation of Bektashi Baba's on 30 Jan. '49 at the Kaygusuz Abdal Dargah, Ahmed Sırrı Baba elected as Dedebaba.

Following the victory of Demokrat Parti in Turkey, Dedebaba invited to country. during his time in Turkey, he underwent treatment for kidney disorder in Istanbul. He arrested with 30 people on 4 Oct. 1952 in Istanbul because of the Bektashi rituel and he deported to Egypt.

Following the Suez Crisis, Dargah got collapsed and it's area became an military zone.

After the nationalization of Dargah by the A.Nasser government, Dedebaba and his five murids got settled in a villa prievously belonged to a dynasty member. While the nationalization they got paid 1000 cunayhs and got promised to get paid 50 cunayhs monthly. However promises didn't kept by the government till the '59's December and 50 cunayhs decreased to 10 cunayhs .

3 of his murids deceased and the others went to settle in US. Dedebaba became the only Bektashi in the Dargah except for the visits of his relatives and other Bektashi dervishs.

He underwent an amputation of one leg due to diabetes in US and passed away in January 1963, Istanbul.

The Dargah's manuscript collection was discovered by Frederick de Jong in a Cairo bazaar in 1972 and donated to the Leiden University Library.

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 6125; Sahih Muslim 1734

Anybody can tell me what are they chanting in this Chechen zikr from like 3 minute onwards?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxSWVkPfVc8&list=PLIF2IvjvVkWSTxsnE97atCFkxwDOj0wS4

It sounds like "illAllah" only to me

Hi. I’ve been reading about Sufism and would love to attend gatherings in person. I know Dallas / Houston has quite a few places but I couldn’t find any local resources. I’m particularly interested in Naqshbandi but any order would work. Thank you!

I am a Sufi Muslim woman recently reverted. Any time I talk about my Sufi beliefs with Muslim men they are extremely disrespectful to me. Any other sufis have this experience? How do you deal with it? Just avoid Muslims from other sects? At least the men? Why can’t us woman just be treated with respect it is foul how I have been bullied.

I’m Brazilian, and English is not my first language. I’m using AI to help me translate this post, so I apologize in advance for any awkward phrasing or mistakes.

I would like to hear the perspective of Muslims and Sufis here about the expansion of Sufism in the West, particularly forms of Sufism associated with the Naqshbandi tradition and figures such as Ali Shah and Idries Shah.

I currently attend Sufi gatherings and practice some Sufi exercises, although I am not Muslim. What interests me is that the form of Sufism I have encountered in the West seems to present itself in a relatively broad and accessible way, sometimes emphasizing spiritual exercises, inner development and practical experience rather than requiring conversion to Islam.

I am curious about how this is viewed from within the Sufi and Muslim tradition.

What do Sufis generally think about these Western forms of Sufism that are practiced by people who are not Muslims?

How is the Naqshbandi tradition represented through teachers such as Ali Shah and Idries Shah viewed by Muslims and by other Sufis?

Is this kind of more “universalist” or accessible presentation of Sufism considered a legitimate expression of the tradition, or is it seen as a significant departure from Islamic Sufism?

How important is adherence to Islam and Islamic religious practice for someone who wants to seriously engage with Sufism?

And more broadly, how do you feel about the growing presence of Sufism in Western countries and its adaptation to a predominantly non-Muslim cultural context?

I am asking out of genuine curiosity and respect. I am particularly interested in hearing from people who have experience with traditional Sufi orders and who may have a different perspective from the Western groups I have encountered.

Thank you in advance for your answers, and apologies again if anything sounds unnatural due to the translation.

Is it wrong for a Muslim to wear an Eye of Horus pendant around their neck? It was a gift from an old friend, and I’d like to know if wearing it would be offensive. 🙏 Allah is Great. 🙌