Cardiff Sufi Group

Weekly Readings

Single-Minded Remembrance & Adab

This weeks readings conclude our exploration of single-minded remembrance and introduce us to the foundational concept and irtue of adab! "dab #meaning broadly $character and courtesy% is an essential &uality on the spiritual 'ourney! (uring the next few weeks) therefore) we will be exploring this important theme together! To aid in these reflections) a small account of adab is offered below! We suggest this four step approach to working with this selection* Read this selection) out loud if possible) se en times! (well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you! "sk yourself what rele ance or application this has for you +inally) sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whate er new insight or message the (i ine might ha e for you!

Text 1: Single-Minded Remembrance ,isten) open a window to -od and begin to delight yourself by ga.ing upon /im through the opening! The business of lo e is to make that window in the heart) for the breast is illumined by the beauty of the 0elo ed! -a.e incessantly on the face of the 0elo ed1 ,isten) this is in your power) my friend1 #2) 3456-3457% Text 2: Adab 8now) son) that e erything in the uni erse is a pitcher brimming with wisdom and beauty! The uni erse is a drop of the Tigris of /is 0eauty) this 0eauty not contained by any skin! /is 0eauty was a /idden Treasure so full it burst open and made the earth more radiant than the hea ens! #9! :;24-:%

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"dab* <haracter and <ourtesy) from a Sufi perspecti e*

" personal account by Sipko den 0oer

In the name of God, the infinitely compassionate and infinitely merciful Adab in Sufism is a code of conduct and a discipline practiced by der ishes in relationship with their teachers) fellow tra ellers) and the community as a whole! =ur relationships are part of the spiritual 'ourney) and in our search for the li ing waters of spirituality) practicing adab > which could be translated as spiritual courtesy > is a great help as we work to assimilate and integrate lifes teachings! We can learn a lot from each other! ?n our isolated modern society) e eryone hungers for community! Sufism emphasi.es the transformati e effects of spiritual companionship) of community! 0eing together in a group can teach us much if we open oursel es to the intention to learn from each other! Rather than hiding behind our defensi e nature or co ering up ulnerabilities) we can learn to accept our differences and see the underlying unity behind that! @erhaps what is most important in our world today) where people tend towards rugged indi idualism) is to culti ate awareness and skills that contribute to building and restoring community as a place where we can learn and grow in lo e! ?n modern times) some people misunderstand adab) imagining that it represents religious rigidity) or that it is too hierarchically structured! "s we all know) both religion and hierarchy can be used either for change or to keep things the way they are! 0ut in adab) people are looking for a humanness that inspires them in their way of being in this world and through which they can disco er the deeper meaning of their li es! The &uestion that we are faced with now) is how we communicate respect in our times and cultures! =f course there are different le els of adab > respect for elders) the gentleness of brotherAsisterhood) friendship) awe and humility! "wareness) humility and selflessness ha e always been clear signs of inner connectedness and faith in the Bnseen! These &ualities) which also include an attitude of thankfulness for what is gi en to us from the seen and the Bnseen) seem to bring out the deeper aspects of adab! ?t is being accountable for our actions) feelings) speech and thoughts! The words of Rumi only become really meaningful if they find their way into the story of our own li es! ?f we want to integrate spirituality into our

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daily life) we ha e to ask oursel es the &uestion of how we bring up the pearls from the deep to the surface! Rumi says in his didactic poem) the Mathnawi* C0read wrapped in a cloth is but a lump) but it becomes the 'oyful spirit in the human body! There is no transformation in the clothD the soul is transformed by the Waters of ,ife!E #Mathnawi 9!9F7F-76%