Sufi and the Body Builder

Body Builder: Hey Sufi how you doing? Why are you so skinny? Come train with me in the gym I’ll make you buff in 6 months.

Sufi: Peace be upon you my friend. I am well, praise be to Allah, you are looking healthy as well masha Allah. Thank you for your kind offer, before I take you up though I need to know how much effort I will need to put in to achieve this maqam of ‘buff’?

BB: Well if you want to be like me you need to train 3 hours everyday, 6 days a week, eat 2 raw eggs every morning, a whole grilled chicken every night, six bananas, and take £200 worth of supplements every month.

BB: … Oh yeah, forgot to add; you have to keep this up everyday otherwise you’ll lose everything you gain youknowwhatI’msaying bruv? Well you’ll lose it anyway as you get older but for now you can look like a human tank like me, yeah baby!! <Offers hand for high-five>

S: <lamely gives high-five back> So you are basically saying I must dedicate myself every day to my body, arduously working for something that will eventually deteriorate?

BB: Erm…. Yeah. But I’m telling you bruv all the girls dig a buff body even the guys stare at me I’m so hot!

S: A ‘buff’oon could not be as misguided as you my foolish companion! You are tricked by the whispers of Shaytan and lowly desires of the nafs. Your ego has inflated more than your muscles! May Allah have mercy on you and guide you!

You work so hard, spend so much time and effort on something you know is finite and will leave you in the grave; you even admit it will deteriorate in your own lifetime!

Follow my advice my dear friend, put your efforts to something that is eternal and will be your companion beyond your grave - your Soul.

Unlike your biceps, triceps and pectorals which no matter how perfectly you form will ultimately sag and rot away. Whereas every aspect of your soul you perfect will manifest into everlasting beauty in this world and the next, a beauty your mind cannot even perceive.

Give your body its rights but dear friend take care of your soul.

Sufi and the Faqih

A story mentioned by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf at a recent talk:

There once was a Sufi shaykh and a Faqih who argued which discipline is better Fiqh or Tassawuf.  They argued and argued until the Sufi shaykh said to the Faqih “Come to my gathering tonight and you will see why Tassawuf is more beneficial.”

Before the Faqih arrived the Sufi shaykh told all his students when the Faqih comes in not to reply to his salam.   So the Faqih arrived at the gathering and said “As salamu ‘alaikum” out loud, no one responded, again he said it and still no one replied.  Getting visibly annoyed he shouted  ”As salamu ‘alaikum!”.  When no reply came he reproached them all saying “What is wrong with you all?!  Why do you not reply to me?!”

The Sufi shaykh finally greeted the Faqih, apologised and asked him to sit down.  He wants to show him something.  He said one of his students is coming to the gathering in a few minutes and when he comes no one should reply to his salams.

The student arrived and said his salams to which no one responded, he again gave his salams, in a gentle tone but still no one responded.  He looked at everyone then said:  “O brothers have I wronged you all in anyway, please tell me?”

The Evil Eye

There once was a strikingly handsome man called Hasan, Allah blessed him with an unblemished face and equally beautiful character. Most people loved Hasan but some were jealous of him and resented the attention he attracted.

One such an evil man was especially envious of our handsome friend, his name was Hasad. Hasad was so envious he wished harm upon Hasan and desired the blessings to be taken away from him. He devised a plot to fulfill his evil goal.

There was an old woman that lived in another village who was known to easily give the evil eye to people, by a mere glance she could effect a persons well being and cause to take away the blessing someone possessed. Hasad planned to show Hasan’s beautiful face to the woman thereby instantly his blessings should be removed.

He waited for Hasan outside his work, he stood with the evil-eyed woman across the road far enough so as they would not be spotted.

Then Hasan came out of the building along with a few of his colleagues. Hasad pointed him out to the woman but the woman said she couldn’t tell which one was Hasan. he said:

“He’s the one wearing white, look again!”

The old woman squinted her eyes to focus but still couldn’t make out which one Hasan was. Getting impatient with the woman he said again:

“Look carefully he is the most handsome man from amongst the group”.

But still the woman could make him out. Hasad now very annoyed shouted:

“Can you not see? He’s standing next to the pillar!”.

The woman had another look then looked at Hasad and replied to him:

“How astonishing! You can see all the way over to that pillar? You have amazing eyes, I wish I had your eye sight.”

In that very moment Hasad lost his eye sight.

People who touch your Soul

My definition of a Soul Mate is somewhat different to the conventional understanding of a soul mate being your spouse or partner or a best friend. I think your ‘mates’ can be extended to include all those people who touch your soul in anyway. You might have met them briefly, you might never have even met them at all, but they stirred something in your soul. Also a person doesn’t necessarily have to stay your soul mate forever. The soul actually changes states so in can be inferred that what a soul is attracted to can also change.

An interesting story I once heard (cannot be sure of authenticity but is good naseeha nevertheless).

There was once a gifted Sufi Pharmacist, he was known to have the ability to spot subtle illnesses and mix up a cure fast. One day a man with many diseases came to see him a he was very ill, the Sufi saw his state and could tell the man suffered many spiritual as well as physical diseases. He told the man not to worry and he began mixing a concoction whilst making talking to the sick man.

Whilst talking the Sufi felt a bond growing between them, the man due to his spiritual sickness made a crude joke, to which the Sufi laughed.

The Sufi after giving the man his medicine realised he must be suffering from a similar spiritual sickness as the man as his ruh and the sick mans ruh connected.

The Sufi Pharmacist quickly knocked up a concoction for himself and was soon cured. He was more careful of his state around people from then on.

Spiritual diseases like physical diseases can be contagious.