Jumat, 10 Oktober 2008

BELIAU SELALU MELAKSANAKAN SHALAT SUBUH DENGAN WUDHU SHALAT ISYA’

BELIAU SELALU MELAKSANAKAN SHALAT SUBUH DENGAN WUDHU SHALAT ISYA’

Di dalam riwayat lain dikatakan, Suatu hari sang Syaikh berkata berbicara tentang qudrat الله .perkataan tersebut menyebabkan yang hadir takut dan khusyu’. Kemudian melintaslah seekor burung yang sangat indah yang membuat beberapa orang mengalihkan perhatian dari mendengarkan ceramah sang Syaikh kepada burung tersebut. Syaikh Abdul Qadir kemudian berkata, “Demi kemaha agungan الله yang disembah, jika aku mengatakanmatilah terpotong-potongkepada burung tersebut maka hal itu pasti terjadi”. Setelah beliau selesai mengucapkannya, burung tersebut jatuh ke bumi dalam keadaan tewas terpotong-potong”.

Syaikh Baqa bin Bathu An-Nahri Al-Makki berkata,“Ketika sang Syaikh berbicara di tangga pertama kursinya tiba-tiba perkataan beliau terputus dan beliau tidak sadarkan diri beberapa saat. Setelah sadar beliau langsung turun dari kursi dan kemudian kembali menaiki kursi tersebut dan duduk di tangga kedua. Dan aku menyaksikan tangga pertama tersebut memanjang sepanjang penglihatan dan dilapisi sutera hijau. Duduk di sana رسول الله SAW, Abu Bakar, Umar, Utsman, Ali RA. Saat itu الله SWT ber-tajaly sehingga membuat beliau miring dan hampir jatuh jika tidak dipegang oleh رسول الله SAW. Kemudian beliau tampak semakin mengecil hingga sebesar burung, kemudian menjadi sangat besar dan kemudian semakin menjauh dariku”.

Ketika syaikh Baqaditanya tentang penglihatannya kepada رسول الله SAW dan para sahabatnya, beliau berkata, “Semua itu adalah arwah mereka yang membentuk. Hanya mereka yang dianugerahi kekuatan saja yang dapat melihat mereka dalam bentuk jasad dan segala sifat fisik. Hal ini didasarkan kepada hadits yang berkenaan dengan mi’raj Nabi SAW”.

Sedangkan saat beliau ditanya tentang sang Syaikh yang mengecil dan membesar, Syaikh Baqaberkata, “Tajalli pertama tidak bisa ditahan oleh orang biasa kecuali dengan pertolongan Nabi. oleh karena itu Syaikh Abdul Qadir nyaris terjatuh jika tidak ditolong oleh رسول الله SAW. Sedangkan Tajalli kedua didasarkan pada sifat ke-Agungan yang berasal dari Yang Disifati, oleh karena itu beliau mengecil. Sedangkan tajalli ketiga didasari pada sifat ke-Maha Indahan, oleh karena itu beliau membesar. Semua itu adalah anugerah الله kepada siapa yang dikehendaki-Nya dan sesungguhnya الله memiliki anugerah yang agung”.

Syaikh Mas’ud bin Al-Haritsi berkata, “Aku pernah menghadiri majlis yang dihadiri Syaikh jakir dan Syaikh Ali bin Idris RA. Keduanya memulai majlis tersebut dengan menyebutkan beberapa orang syaikh tempat mereka belajar. Ketika sampai pada Syaikh Abdul Qadir, Syaikh Jakir berkata, “Belum pernah di dunia ini muncul seorang syaikh yang lebih sempurna (kondisi spiritualnya), yang labih dipatuhi, lebih cakap, yang lebih sempurna sifatnya dan lebih tinggi maqamnya dibandingkan dengan Syaikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jilli. Beliau mengalihkan ke-qutub-an nya kepada syaikh Ali bin Al-Hitti.”

Syaikh Abdul Qadir berkata, “Siapapun yang mencapai kondisi ke-qutub-an, maqamnya tenggelam dalam jalurnya, menguasai semua sisi dan menyatukan semua sebabnya, makasejauh pengetahuan kami- akan mendapatkan sesuatu yang tidak didapatkan oleh syaikh lainnya.”

Setelah itu aku menemui syaikh Idris dan menanyakan kepadanya tentang perkataan syaikh Jakir, dan beliau berkata, “Pernyataan beliau sesuai dengan apa yang beliau saksikan dan sesuai dengan pengetahuan yang diberikan الله kepadanya. Beliau adalah orang yang sangat obyektif dalam setiap perkataan dan perbuatannya”.

Syaikh Abu Amru Utsman Ash-Shairafani dan Syaikh Abdul Haq Al-Harimi meriwayatkan bahwa Syaikh Abdul Qadir pernah menangis dan berkata, “Wahai Tuhanku, bagaimana aku dapat menghadiahkan rohku kepada-Mu sedangkan dalil-dalil telah menyatakan bahwa segalanya adalah milikmu”.

Syaikh Abdul Qadir pernah menyitir sebuah syair :

Ke’arab-an tak berguna tanpa ketaqwaan

Ke’ajaamn tidak mempengaruhi ketaqwaan

Abu Amru utsman bin ‘Asyur As- Sanjari menyatakan bahwa dirinya pernah beberapa kali mendengar syaikh Suwaid As-Sanjari berkata, “Syaikh Abdul Qadir adalah tuan (sayyid), syaikh, imam dan panutan kami dalam menmuju الله dan Rasul-Nya. Beliau nomor satu pada masanya dalam masalah pengetahuan tentang kondisi spiritual para sufi (Al-Haal),perbuatan, perkataan (al-qaal), dan berbagai maqam yang ada di hadapan الله SWT.”

Syaikh Abu AbduLlah bin Ahmad bin Ismail bin Syaikh Suwaidi As-Sanjari menyatakan bahwa ia sering mendengar ayahnya berkata, “Ayahku sering menyebut-nyebut Syaikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jilli bahkan di majlisnya, sampai banyak orang yang merasakan rindu ingin berjumpa dengannya. Suatu ketika beliau berkata, “Syaikh Abdul Qadir berasal dari Hadrat Al-Quds”.

Syaikh Harawi berkata, “aku melayani Syaikh Abdul Qadir selama 40 tahun, selama itu beliau selalu melaksanakan shalat subuh dengan wudhu shalat isya’. Jika beliau berhadats, beliau segrera memperbaharui wudhunya. Dan setelah shalat isya’ beliau masuk seorang diri ke dalam ruang khalwatnya dan tidak keluar hingga fajar. Berkali-kali khalifah datang menemuinya pada malam hari dan harus menunggu hingga subuh tiba. Pada suatu ketika seseorang berkata kepada beliau, “Betapa enaknya orang-orang gila”. Beliau berkata, “Orang waras yang memikirkan الله itu lebih baik karena orang gila telah dicerabut akalnya. Orang-orang waras akan dibangkitkan sifat-sifat Ilahiyah dalam dirinya hingga tidak ada sehelai jenggotnya pun yang memiliki tenaga yang mampu menanggung beban kenabian.”

Syaikh Abu Sulaiman Daud Al-Munbaji berkata, “Ketika aku sedang berada di hadapan Syaikh Aqil tiba-tiba seseorang berkata kepadanya, “Seorang pemuda ajam (non arab) bernama Abdul Qadir telah menjadi seorang yang masyhur di Baghdad”. Syaikh Al-Munbaji berkata, “Perihalnya di langit lebih masyhur dari pada di bumi. Dia lah pemuda yang dipanggil dengan Baaz al-asyhab di langit, akan menjadi al-Fard di masanya, dan semua perkataan akan dikembalikan kepadanya.”

Syaikh Aqil-lah yang pertama menggelari Syaikh Abdul Qadir dengan Baaz al-asyhab.’”

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Sufism.

Sufism (Arabic: تصوّف‎ - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری, sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف) is a mystical tradition of Islam.[1][2][3] A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a Sūfī (Arabic: صُوفِيّ‎), though some adherents of the tradition reserve this term only for those practitioners who have attained the goals of the Sufi tradition. Another name sometimes used for the Sufi seeker is dervish.

Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as:[4]

"a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God."

Or, in the words of the renowned Darqawi Sufi teacher Ahmad ibn Ajiba:[5]

"a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine, purify one’s inner self from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits."

The Sufi movement has spanned several continents and cultures over a millennium, at first expressed through Arabic, then through Persian, Turkish, and a dozen other languages.[6] Sufi orders, most of which are Sunni in doctrine, trace their origins from the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, through his cousin Ali or his father-in-law Abu Bakr.

According to some modern proponents such as Idries Shah and Moustafa Gadalla, the Sufi philosophy is universal in nature, and its roots predate the arising of the modern-day religions.[7][8] However, mainstream Sufis vehemently reject the notion of Sufism without Islam

Etymology

The lexical root of Sufi is variously traced to Arabic: صوف‎ (sūf), the Arabic word for wool, referring either to the simple cloaks the early Muslim ascetics wore, or possibly to the Arabic word صفا (safā), meaning purity. The two were combined by al-Rudhabari who said, "The Sufi is the one who wears wool on top of purity."[9]

Others suggest the origin of the word Sufi is from Ashab as-Suffa ("Companions of the Porch"), who were a group of impoverished Muslims during the time of the Prophet Mohammad who spent much of their time on the veranda of the Prophet's mosque, devoted to prayer and eager to memorize each new increment of the Qur'ân as it was revealed. Yet another etymology, advanced by the 10th century Persian historian Biruni is that the word is linked with the word sophia.

Basic views

While all Muslims believe that they are on the pathway to God and will become close to God in Paradise — after death and after the "Final Judgment" — Sufis also believe that it is possible to draw closer to God and to more fully embrace the Divine Presence in this life. [10] The chief aim of all Sufis is to seek the pleasure of God by working to restore within themselves the primordial state of fitra [11], described in the Qur'an and similar to the concept of Buddha nature. In this state nothing one does defies God, and all is undertaken by the single motivation of love of God. A secondary consequence of this is that the seeker may be led to abandon all notions of dualism or multiplicity, including a conception of an individual self, and to realize the Divine Unity.

Thus Sufism has been characterized as the science of the states of the lower self (the ego), and the way of purifying this lower self of its reprehensible traits, while adorning it instead with what is praiseworthy, whether or not this process of cleansing and purifying the heart is in time rewarded by esoteric knowledge of God. This can be conceived in terms of two basic types of law (fiqh), an outer law concerned with actions, and an inner law concerned with the human heart. The outer law consists of rules pertaining to worship, transactions, marriage, judicial rulings, and criminal law — what is often referred to, a bit too broadly, as shariah. The inner law of Sufism consists of rules about repentance from sin, the purging of contemptible qualities and evil traits of character, and adornment with virtues and good character. [12]

To enter the way of Sufism, the seeker begins by finding a teacher, as the connection to the teacher is considered necessary for the growth of the pupil. The teacher, to be genuine, must have received the authorization to teach (ijazah) of another Master of the Way, in an unbroken succession (silsilah) leading back to Sufism's origin with the Prophet Muhammad. It is the transmission of the divine light from the teacher's heart to the heart of the student, rather than of worldly knowledge transmitted from mouth to ear, that allows the adept to progress. In addition, the genuine teacher will be utterly strict in his adherence to the Divine Law [13].

Scholars and adherents of Sufism are unanimous in agreeing that Sufism cannot be learned through books. To reach the highest levels of success in Sufism typically requires that the disciple live with and serve the teacher for many, many years. For instance, Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari, considered founder of the Naqshbandi Order, served his first teacher, Sayyid Muhammad Baba As-Samasi, for 20 years, until as-Samasi died. He subsequently served several other teachers for lengthy periods of time. The extreme arduousness of his spiritual preparation is illustrated by his service, as directed by his teacher, to the weak and needy members of his community in a state of complete humility and tolerance for many years. When he believed this mission to be concluded, his teacher next directed him to take care for animals, curing their sicknesses, cleaning their wounds, and assisting them in finding provision. After many years of this he was next instructed to spend many years in the care of dogs in a state of humility, and to ask them for support. [14]

As a further example, the prospective adherent of the Mevlevi Order would have been ordered to serve in the kitchens of a hospice for the poor for 1,001 days prior to being accepted for spiritual instruction, and a further 1,001 days in solitary retreat as a precondition of completing that instruction. [15]

Some teachers, especially when addressing more general audiences, or mixed groups of Muslims and non-Muslims, make extensive use of parable, allegory, and metaphor. [16] Although approaches to teaching vary among different Sufi orders, Sufism as a whole is primarily concerned with direct personal experience, and as such has sometimes been compared to other, non-Islamic forms of mysticism (e.g., as in the books of Seyyed Hossein Nasr).

History of Sufism

Origins

In its early stages of development Sufism effectively referred to nothing more than the internalization of Islam [17]. According to one perspective, it is directly from the Qur’an, constantly recited, meditated, and experienced, that Sufism proceeded, in its origin and its development.[18] Others have held that Sufism is the strict emulation of the way of Muhammad, through which the heart's connection to the Divine is strengthened[19].

From the traditional Sufi point of view, the esoteric teachings of Sufism were transmitted from the Prophet Muhammad to those who had the capacity to acquire the direct experiential gnosis of God, which was passed on from teacher to student through the centuries. Some of this transmission is summarized in texts, but most is not. Important contributions in writing are attributed to Uwais al-Qarni, Harrm bin Hian, Hasan Basri and Sayid ibn al-Mussib are regarded as the first Sufis in the earliest generations of Islam. Harith al-Muhasibi was the first one to write about moral psychology. Rabia Basri was a Sufi known for her love and passion for God, expressed through her poetry. Bayazid Bastami was among the first theorists of Sufism; he concerned himself with fanā and baqā, the state of annihilating the self in the presence of the divine, accompanied by clarity concerning worldly phenomena derived from that perspective.[20]

Sufism had a long history already before the subsequent institutionalization of Sufi teachings into devotional orders (tarîqât) in the early Middle Ages. [21] Almost all extant Sufi orders trace their chains of transmission (silsila) back to Prophet Muhammad via his cousin and son-in-law Ali. The Naqshbandi order is a notable exception to this rule, as it traces the origin of its teachings from the Prophet Muhammad to the first Islamic Caliph Abu Bakr.

Different devotional styles and traditions developed over time, reflecting the perspectives of different masters and the accumulated cultural wisdom of the orders. Typically all of these concerned themselves with the understanding of subtle knowledge (gnosis), education of the heart to purify it of baser instincts, the love of God, and approaching God through a well-described hierarchy of enduring spiritual stations (maqâmât) and more transient spiritual states (ahwâl).

Formalization of doctrine

Towards the end of the first millennium CE, a number of manuals began to be written summarizing the doctrines of Sufism and describing some typical Sufi practices. Two of the most famous of these are now available in English translation: the Kashf al-Mahjûb of Hujwiri, and the Risâla of Qushayri [22].

Two of Imam Al Ghazali's greatest treatises, the "Revival of Religious Sciences" and the "Alchemy of Happiness," argued that Sufism originated from the Qur'an and was thus compatible with mainstream Islamic thought, and did not in any way contradict Islamic Law — being instead necessary to its complete fulfillment. This became the mainstream position among Islamic scholars for centuries, challenged only recently on the basis of selective use of a limited body of texts. Ongoing efforts by both traditionally-trained Muslim scholars and Western academics are making Imam Al-Ghazali's works available in English translation for the first time[23], allowing readers to judge for themselves the compatibility between Islamic Law and Sufi doctrine.

These remarks concern written sources. It is to be remembered that Sufism is transmitted from the heart of the teacher to the heart of the student, not through texts; and also, that texts may not convey everything, or may be read by different seekers on different levels. Therefore the notion of a "formalization of doctrine" in Sufism is not strictly correct.

Growth of Sufi influence in Islamic cultures

The spread of Sufism has been considered a definitive factor in the spread of Islam, and in the creation of integrally Islamic cultures, especially in Africa [24] and Asia. Recent academic work on these topics has focused on the role of Sufism in creating and propagating the culture of the Ottoman world [25], and in resisting European imperialism in Africa and South Asia [26].

Between the 13th and 16th centuries CE, Sufism produced a flourishing intellectual culture throughout the Islamic world, a sort of "Golden Age" whose physical artifacts are still present. In many places, a lodge (known variously as a zaouia, khanqah, or tekke) would be endowed through a pious foundation in perpetuity (waqf) to provide a gathering place for Sufi adepts, as well as lodging for itinerant seekers of knowledge. The same system of endowments could also be used to pay for a complex of buildings, such as that surrounding the Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, including a lodge for Sufi seekers, a hospice with kitchens where these seekers could serve the poor and/or complete a period of initiation, a library, and other structures. No important domain in the civilization of Islam remained unaffected by Sufism in this period. [27]

Contemporary Sufism

Sufism suffered many setbacks in the modern era, particularly (though not exclusively) at the hands of European imperialists in the colonized nations of Asia and Africa. The life of the Algerian Sufi master Emir Abd al-Qadir is instructive in this regard [28]. Notable as well are the lives of Amadou Bamba and Hajj Umar Tall in sub-Saharan Africa, and Sheikh Mansur Ushurma and Imam Shamil in the Caucasus region.

Sufism being the central organizing principle of many traditional Islam cultures, It is not surprising that colonial powers attacked Sufi masters as one means of undermining the forces of indigenous self-determination.

In some countries today, the institutional expression of Sufism is simply illegal. Most famous as an example is the case of Turkey, where in 1925 Mustafa Kemal Atatürk imposed a law outlawing and disbanding the Sufi orders. This law remains in effect, and the famous "whirling dervishes" are tolerated only as a form of folk entertainment, a politically acceptable remnant of the once-prominent Mevlevi Order.

In spite of this recent history of official repression, there remain many places in the world with vital Sufi traditions. Sufism is popular in such African countries as Senegal, where it is seen as a mystical expression of Islam.[29] Mbacke suggests that one reason Sufism has taken hold in Senegal is because it can accommodate local beliefs and customs, which tend toward the mystical.[30]

In South Asia, four major Sufi orders persist, namely the Chishti Order, the Qadiriyyah, the Naqshbandiyya, and the Suhrawardiyya. The Deobandis (i.e., adherents of the Darul Uloom Deoband) and Barelwi are two significant Islamic movements in this region whose followers often belong to one of these orders. [31]

For a more complete summary of currently active groups and teachers, readers are referred to links in the site of Dr. Alan Godlas of the University of Georgia [32].[33].

A number of Westerners have embarked with varying degrees of success on the path of Sufism. One of the first to return to Europe as an official representative of a Sufi path, and with the specific purpose to spread Sufism in Western Europe, was the Swedish-born wandering Sufi Abd al-Hadi Aqhili. The ideas propagated by such spiritualists may or may not conform to the tenets of Sufism as understood by orthodox Muslims, as for instance with G. I. Gurdjieff. On the other hand, American- and British-born teachers such as Nuh Ha Mim Keller, Hamza Yusuf, and Abdal Hakim Murad have been instrumental in spreading messages that conform fully with the normative tenets of Islam.

Other noteworthy Sufi teachers who have been active in the West in recent years include Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi, Muhammad Emin Er, Nazim al-Qubrusi, Javad Nurbakhsh, and Muzaffer Ozak.

The Darbar-e-Gohar Shahi (Tomb) in Kotri Sharif

Theoretical perspectives in Sufism

Traditional Islamic scholars have recognized two major branches within the practice of Sufism, and use this as one key to differentiating among the approaches of different masters and devotional lineages. [34]

On the one hand there is the path from the signs to the Signifier (or from the arts to the Artisan). In this branch, the seeker begins by purifying the lower self of every corrupting influence that stands in the way of recognizing all of creation as the work of God, as God's active Self-disclosure or theophany. [35] This is the way of Imam Al-Ghazali and of the majority of the Sufi orders.

On the other hand there is the path from the Signifier to His signs, from the Artisan to His works. In this branch, the seeker experiences divine attraction (jadhba), and is able to enter the path with a glimpse of its endpoint, of direct apprehension of the Divine Presence towards which all spiritual striving is directed. This does not replace the striving to purify the heart, as in the other branch; it simply stems from a different point of entry into the path. This is the way primarily of the masters of the Naqshbandi and Shadhili orders. [36]

Contemporary scholars may also recognize a third branch, attributed to the late Ottoman scholar Said Nursi and explicated in his vast Qur'ân commentary called the Risale-i Nur. This approach entails strict adherence to the way of the Prophet Muhammad, in the understanding that this wont, or sunnah, proposes a complete devotional spirituality adequate to those without access to a master of the Sufi way. [37]

Contributions to other domains of scholarship

Sufism has contributed significantly to the elaboration of theoretical perspectives in many domains of intellectual endeavor. For instance, the doctrine of "subtle centers" or centers of subtle cognition (known as Lataif-e-sitta) addresses the matter of the awakening of spiritual intuition [38] in ways that some consider similar to certain models of chakra in Hinduism. In general, these subtle centers or latâ'if are thought of as faculties that are to be purified sequentially in order to bring the seeker's wayfaring to completion. A concise and useful summary of this system from a living exponent of this tradition has been published by Muhammad Emin Er. [39]

Sufi psychology has influenced many areas of thinking both within and outside of Islam, drawing primarily upon three concepts. Ja'far al-Sadiq (both an imam in the Shia tradition and a respected scholar and link in chains of Sufi transmission in all Islamic sects) held that human beings are dominated by a lower self called the nafs, a faculty of spiritual intuition called the qalb or spiritual heart, and a spirit or soul called ruh. These interact in various ways, producing the spiritual types of the tyrant (dominated by nafs), the person of faith and moderation (dominated by the spiritual heart), and the person lost in love for God (dominated by the ruh). [40]

Of note with regard to the spread of Sufi psychology in the West is Robert Frager, a Sufi teacher authorized in the Halveti Jerrahi order. Frager was a trained psychologist, born in the United States, who converted to Islam in the course of his practice of Sufism and wrote extensively on Sufism and psychology. [41]

Sufi cosmology and Sufi metaphysics are also noteworthy areas of intellectual accomplishment.

Sufi practices

The devotional practices of Sufis vary widely. This is because an acknowledged and authorized master of the Sufi path is in effect a physician of the heart, able to diagnose the seeker's impediments to knowledge and pure intention in serving God, and to prescribe to the seeker a course of treatment appropriate to his or her maladies. The consensus among Sufi scholars is that the seeker cannot self-diagnose, and that it can be extremely harmful to undertake any of these practices alone and without formal authorization. [42]

Prerequisites to practice include rigorous adherence to Islamic norms (ritual prayer in its five prescribed times each day, the fast of Ramadan, and so forth). Additionally, the seeker ought to be firmly grounded in supererogatory practices known from the life of the Prophet Muhammad (such as the so-called "sunna prayers"). This is in accordance with the words, attributed to God, of the following, a famous Hadith Qudsi:

My servant draws near to Me through nothing I love more than that which I have made obligatory for him. My servant never ceases drawing near to Me through supererogatory works until I love him. Then, when I love him, I am his hearing through which he hears, his sight through which he sees, his hand through which he grasps, and his foot through which he walks.

It is also necessary for the seeker to have a correct creed (Aqidah) [43], and to embrace with certainty its tenets [44]. The seeker must also, of necessity, turn away from sins, love of this world, the love of company and renown, obedience to satanic impulse, and the promptings of the lower self. (The way in which this purification of the heart is achieved is outlined in certain books, but must be prescribed in detail by a Sufi master.) The seeker must also be trained to prevent the corruption of those good deeds which have accrued to his or her credit by overcoming the traps of ostentation, pride, arrogance, envy, and long hopes (meaning the hope for a long life allowing us to mend our ways later, rather than immediately, here and now).

Sufi practices, while attractive to some, are not a means for gaining knowledge. The traditional scholars of Sufism hold it as absolutely axiomatic that knowledge of God is not a psychological state generated through breath control. Thus, practice of "techniques" is not the cause, but instead the occasion for such knowledge to be obtained (if at all), given proper prerequisites and proper guidance by a master of the way. Furthermore, the emphasis on practices may obscure a far more important fact: The seeker is, in a sense, to become a broken person, stripped of all habits through the practice of (in the words of Imam Al-Ghazali words) solitude, silence, sleeplessness, and hunger. [45]

Dhikr

Main article: Dhikr
Allah as having been written on the disciple's heart according to Qadiri Al-Muntahi order
Allah as having been written on the disciple's heart according to Qadiri Al-Muntahi order

Dhikr is the remembrance of God commanded in the Qur'an for all Muslims. To engage in dhikr is to practice consciousness of the Divine Presence (some would say "to seek a state of godwariness") according to a variety of means. Some types of dhikr are prescribed for all Muslims, and do not require Sufi initiation or the prescription of a Sufi master because they are deemed to be good for every seeker under every circumstance [46]. Other types of dhikr require specific instruction and permission.

Dhikr as a devotional act includes the repetition of divine names, supplications and aphorisms from hadith literature, and sections of the Qur'an. More generally, any activity in which the Muslim maintains awareness of God is considered dhikr.

Some Sufi orders stress and extensive reliance upon Dhikr and termed it the source to attain Divine Love likewise in Qadri Al-Muntahi Sufi tariqa, which was originated by Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi. This practice of Dhikr called Dhikr-e-Qulb(remembrance of Allah by Heartbeats). The basic idea of this practice is to visualize the Arabic name of God, Allah as having been written on the disciple's heart.[47]

Some Sufi orders engage in ritualized dhikr ceremonies, the liturgy of which may include recitation, singing, instrumental music, dance, costumes, incense, meditation, ecstasy, and trance. [48]

Muraqaba

Main article: Muraqaba

The practice of muraqaba can be likened to the practices of meditation attested in many faith communities. The word muraqaba is derived from the same root (r-q-b) occurring as one of the 99 Names of God in the Qur'an, al-Raqîb, meaning "the Vigilant" and attested in verse 4: 1 of the Qur'an. Through muraqaba, a person watches over or takes care of the spiritual heart, acquires knowledge about it, and becomes attuned to the Divine Presence, which is ever vigilant.

While variation exists, one description of the practice within a Naqshbandi lineage reads as follows:

He is to collect all of his bodily senses in concentration, and to cut himself off from all preoccupation and notions that inflict themselves upon the heart. And thus he is to turn his full consciousness towards God Most High while saying three times: “Ilahî anta maqsûdî wa-ridâka matlûbî — my God, you are my Goal and Your good pleasure is what I seek.” Then he brings to his heart the Name of the Essence — Allâh — and as it courses through his heart he remains attentive to its meaning, which is “Essence without likeness.” The seeker remains aware that He is Present, Watchful, Encompassing of all, thereby exemplifying the meaning of his saying (may God bless him and grant him peace): “Worship God as though you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He sees you.” And likewise the prophetic tradition: “The most favored level of faith is to know that God is witness over you, wherever you may be.” [49]

Sufi pilgrimages

The Darbar-e-Gohar Shahi (Tomb) in Kotri Sharif
The Darbar-e-Gohar Shahi (Tomb) in Kotri Sharif

In popular Sufism (i.e., devotional practices that have achieved currency in world cultures through Sufi influence), one common practice is to visit the tombs of saints, great scholars, and righteous people. This is a particularly common practice in South Asia, where famous tombs include those of Khoja Afāq, near Kashgar, in China; Sachal Sarmast, in Sindh, Pakistan; and the Darbar-e-Gohar Shahi in Kotri Sharif. Likewise, in Fez, Morocco, a popular destination for such pious visitation is the Zaouia Moulay Idriss II.

Visitors may invoke blessings upon those interred, and seek divine favor and proximity. This practice is said to conform to the advice of some of the masters of the Sufi path: “Be with God in your heart, and if you are not able to do that, then be in your heart with the one who is with God."

Tomb of Shaikh Salim Chisti, Uttar Pradesh, India

Islam and Sufism

Many Sufi masters in the past as well as the present day have also been acknowledged masters of Islamic Law. The claim that Sufism is a heretical innovation within Islam has always been a fringe position, gaining traction mainly among partisans of Islamic Modernism who have not had access to rigorous training in the traditional sources of Islamic learning. Even today, most Islamic madrassa continue teaching from books authored by renowned Sufis.

Sufism and Islamic law

Scholars and adherents of Sufism sometimes describe Sufism in terms of a threefold approach to God as explained by a tradition (hadîth) attributed to the Prophet Muhammad,"The Shariah is my words, the tariqa is my actions, and the haqiqa is my interior states". Shariah, tariqa and haqiqa are mutually interdependent.[50] The tariqa, the ‘path’ on which the mystics walk, has been defined as ‘the path which comes out of the Shariah, for the main road is called shar, the path, tariq.’ No mystical experience can be realized if the binding injunctions of the Shariah are not followed faithfully first. The path, tariqa, however, is narrower and more difficult to walk. It leads the adept, called sâlik (wayfarer), in his sulûk (wayfaring), through different stations (maqâmât) until he reaches his goal, the perfect tawhîd, the existential confession that God is One. [51] This perspective is also emphasized by Imam Malik, founder of the Maliki School in Islamic Law [52], who stated that the one who attempts to practice Sufism without learning Sacred Law corrupts his faith, while he who learns Sacred Law without practicing Sufism corrupts himself.

While virtually all classical Islamic scholars agreed with the understanding of Imam Al-Ghazali that the practice of Sufism is personally obligatory for Muslims as a way to purify the intention (niyya) behind one's actions[53], a growing number of Muslims in the present day reject this view. A concise summary of both sides of this recent controversy is available on line.[54]

Traditional Islamic thought and Sufism

The literature of Sufism emphasizes highly subjective matters that resist outside observation, such as the subtle states of the heart. Often these resist direct reference or description, with the consequence that the authors of various Sufi treatises took recourse to allegorical language. For instance, much Sufi poetry refers to intoxication, which Islam expressly forbids. This usage of indirect language and the existence of interpretations by people who had no training in Islam or Sufism led to doubts being cast over the validity of Sufism as a part of Islam. Also, some groups emerged that considered themselves above the Sharia and discussed Sufism as a method of bypassing the rules of Islam in order to attain salvation directly. This was disapproved of by traditional scholars.

For these and other reasons, the relationship between traditional Islamic scholars and Sufism is complex and a range of scholarly opinion on Sufism in Islam has been the norm. Some scholars, such as Al-Ghazali, helped its propagation while other scholars, such as Ibn Taymiyyah, opposed it. W. Chittick explains the position of Sufism and Sufis this way:

In short, Muslim scholars who focused their energies on understanding the normative guidelines for the body came to be known as jurists, and those who held that the most important task was to train the mind in achieving correct understanding came to be divided into three main schools of thought: theology, philosophy, and Sufism. This leaves us with the third domain of human existence, the spirit. Most Muslims who devoted their major efforts to developing the spiritual dimensions of the human person came to be known as Sufis.

Traditional and non-traditional Sufi groups

The traditional Sufi orders, which are in majority, emphasize the role of Sufism as a spiritual discipline within Islam. Therefore, the Sharia (traditional Islamic law) and the Sunnah (customs of the Prophet) are seen as crucial for any Sufi aspirant. One proof traditional orders assert is that almost all the famous Sufi masters of the past Caliphates were experts in Sharia and were renowned as people with great Iman (faith) and excellent practice. Many were also Qadis (Sharia law judges) in courts. They held that Sufism was never distinct from Islam and to fully comprehend and practice Sufism one must be an observant Muslim.

In recent decades there has been a growth of non-traditional Sufi movements in the West. Examples include the Universal Sufism movement, the Golden Sufi Center, the Sufi Foundation of America, the neo-sufism of Idries Shah, and Sufism Reoriented. Rumi has become one of the most widely read poets in the United States, thanks largely to the translations published by Coleman Barks.

Islamic positions on non-Islamic Sufi groups

The use of the title Sufi by non-traditional groups to refer to themselves, and their appropriation of traditional Sufi masters (most notably Jalaluddin Rumi) as sources of authority or inspiration, is not accepted by Muslims who are Sufi adherents.

Some traditional Sufis also object to interpretations of classical Sufis texts by writers who have no grounding in the traditional Islamic sciences and therefore no prerequisites for understanding such texts. These are considered by certain conventional Islamic scholars as beyond the pale of the religion[55]. This being said, there are Islamic Sufi groups that are open to non-Muslim participation, and even membership.

Reception

Criticism within Islam

Critics of Sufism from within Islam tend to be adherents of Islamic Modernism, above all those committed to Salafism or Wahhabism. Traditional Sunni Muslims may also condemn certain Sufi practices, though never condemning Sufism as a whole.

The Modernist criticisms of Sufism emphasize the claim that Sufi masters have introduced special prayers and devotional acts into their schools that are not part of early Islam, or even that Sufi Muslims have contrived entirely new beliefs. Such criticisms may also be accompanied by the unsubstantiated claim that Sufism has never played a part in normative Islam.

The allegorical and often abstruse language used by Sufis in their texts, when interpreted by persons without proper qualification and guidance, may at times create potential for misunderstanding of the orthodoxy of traditional Sufism. For instance, some critics consider the concept of "unity of being" (Wahdat-ul-wujood) to be a form of pantheism and therefore incompatible with Islam. Sufi masters in many of their introductory texts caution aspirants from reading and interpreting texts by themselves, and explicitly correct mistaken impressions of pantheistic tendency. They hold that the subject can only be taught by a master to a student under strict guidance and supervision owing to its delicate nature. This discussion only scratches the surface of a delicate and subtle issue that remains a matter of contention among Muslim polemicists.

Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi was heavily criticized by orthodox theological scholars in Pakistan and abroad. Shahi's books were banned by the Government of Pakistan,.[56] public meetings are not allowed to his followers[57] and no press coverage is allowed to either Gohar Shahi or to his followers due to charges of blasphemy law violations. Many attempts were made on Shahi's life including a petrol bomb attack, thrown into his Manchester residence,[58] and an attack with a hand grenade during the discourse at his home in Kotri, Pakistan.[58] Gohar Shahi was booked in 1997 on alleged charges of murdering a woman who had come to him for spiritual treatment;[59] Gohar Shahi, and many of his followers,[60] were later convicted under Islamic blasphemy laws[61][62] by an antiterrorist court in Sindh.[63] Gohar Shahi was convicted in absentia[61]—as then he was in England[60]—resulting in sentences that totaled approximately 59 years.[62] Gohar Shahi died abroad, prior to any decision on appeals filed with the High Court of Sindh.[62]

Perception outside Islam

Sufi mysticism has long exercised a fascination upon the Western world, and especially its orientalist scholars.[64] Figures like Rumi have become household names in the United States, where sufism is perceived as quietist and non-political.[64]

The Islamic Institute in Mannheim, Germany, which works towards the integration of European muslims, sees sufism as particularly suited for interreligious dialogue and intercultural haromonisation in democratic and pluralist societies; it has described sufism as a symbol of tolerance and humanism in Islam – undogmatic, flexible and non-violent.[65] The Indian government has likewise praised sufism as the tolerant form of Islam, in contrast to its more militant manifestations.[64]




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Sabtu, 04 Oktober 2008

Berbakti kepada kedua orang tua (برالوالدين)

Berbakti kepada kedua orang tua (برالوالدين)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم


Dan wajib bagi kamu berbakti kepada kedua orang tuamu karena berbakti kepada orang tua itu termasuk perkara yang paling wajib diantara beberapa perkara yang wajib. Dan takutlah engkau mendurhakai keduanya karena itu termasuk dosa besar diantara dosa-dosa besar lainnya. الله SWT telah berfirman :

وقض ربك ان لاتعبدوا الا اياه وبا الوالدين احسان

Dan الله telah memerintahkanmu agar tidak menyembah selain Dia, dan (memerintahkanmu untuk) berbuat baik kepada kedua orang tuamu.


Dan الله تعالى juga berfirman, :

أن اشكرلى ولوالديك..

Hendaklah bersyukur kepada-Ku dan kepada kedua orang tuamu.

Maka lihatlah bagaimana الله تعالى menghubungkan perintah untuk berbuat baik kepada keduanya dengan bertauhid kepada-Nya, dan bersyukur kepada keduanya dengan bersyukur kepada-Nya. Maka wajib bagimu untuk mendapatkan ridha kedua orang tuamu dan melaksanakan perintah mereka selama perintah itu bukan untuk bermaksiyat. Dan hendaklah engkau meninggalkan apa yang dilarang oleh keduanya selama larangan itu bukan untuk meninggalkan keta’atan yang wajib. Dan hendaklah engkau memilih mengutamakan kepentingan mereka berdua daripada kepentingan dirimu sendiri. Dan termasuk durhaka adalah apaibla engkau menghalangi (tidak memberi) apa yang sebenarnya mampu untuk diberikan kepada mereka berdua dari sesuatu yang baik untuk mereka, maka bagaimana pula dengan bermasam muka dan menghardik mereka.

Telah bersabda رسول الله SAW, “Bau surga dapat dirasakan dari jarak perjalanan 1000 tahun dan tidak akan dapat merasakannya orang yang durhaka kepada kedua orang tua, orang yang memutuskan tali silaturahmi, orang tua yang berzina, orang yang memanjangkan sarung/pakaiannya karena sombong. Sesungguhnya kesombongan itu milik الله Rabbil alamin.

Dan telah bersabda رسول الله SAW, dari الله SWT, “Barang siapa di waktu pagi hari dalam keadaan mendapat ridha dari kedua orang tuanya sedangkan ia gusar terhadap-Ku, maka Aku ridha kepadanya. Dan barang siapa pada pagi hari tidak ridho orang tuanya dan ia dalam keadaan ridha kepada-Ku, maka Aku tidak ridha kepadanya.

Dan seharusnya bagi orang tua dapat membantu anak mereka agar dapat dengan mudah mereka berbakti kepada orang tua dengan tidak terlalu banyak menuntut hak. Terlebih pada zaman sekarang ini yang sukar untuk dapat di temui kebaktian kepada orang tua. رسول الله Saw telah bersabda, “ الله akan mengasihi orang tua yang menolong anaknya untuk berbakti kepada mereka”.

Dan wajib bagi kamu untuk menyambung tali silaturahmi kepada kerabat dan tetangga dekat. الله تعالى berfirman :

واعبدواالله ولاتشركوابه شيئا وبالوالدين احسانا وبدى القربى واليتامى والمساكين والجارذى القربى والجار الجنب الاية......

Dan sembahlah الله dan janganlah kamu sekalian menyekutukan-Nya dengan sesuatu, dan berbuatlah baiklah kepada kedua orang tua, dan kepada kerabat, anak-anak yatim dan orang-orang miskin...


Telah bersabda رسول الله SAW yang artinya bahwa sedekah kepada kerabat adalah sedekah penyambung tali silaturahmi.

وقال صل الله عليه وسلم, من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الاخرفليصل رحمه

Telah bersabda رسول الله SAW, barang siapa yang beriman kepada الله dan hari akhir, maka hendaklah menyambung tali silaturahmi.

Dan di dalam hadits yang lain :

من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الاخر فليكرم جاره

Barang siapa yang beriman kepada الله dan hari akhir hendaklah memulyakan tetangganya.

Bahkan dalam sebuah riwayat dinyatakan, tidak henti-hentinya malaikat Jibril AS memberikan wasiyat kepada رسول الله SAW berkenaan dengan tetangga hingga khawatir bahwa tetangga tersebut akan sampai mendapatkan hak waris. Dan tidaklah sempurna silaturahmi dan berbuat baik kepada tetangga kecuali hingga ia dapat ikut merasakan dan menahan penderitaan yang menimpa mereka, atau mampu menahan beban penderitaan disebabkan mereka. Demikian pula membalas kebaikan tetangga menurut kemampuan. Telah bersabda رسول الله SAW yang artinya, “Bukanlah termasuk orang yang menyambung tali silaturahmi, mereka yang membalas kebaikan yang sepadan, akan tetapi orang yang menyambung silaturahmi adalah mereka yang apabila diputus, lalu ia menyambungnya”.


.Sumber : Kitab Risalah Al-Muawwanah

.Kembali ke www.manakib.wordpress.com

Yusuf Estes


Sheikh Yusuf Estes, PhD. (born in 1944 in Ohio), is an American convert to Islam and Director of the "Islamic Mission Foundation International", an islamic research group dedicated to presenting the message of Islam in English according to the Quran and Sunnah.[1]

Background


Yusuf Estes was brought up in Texas in a Protestant Christian family; as members of a Church denomination called the Disciples of Christ. He answered to his nickname "Skip Estes".

Between 1962 to 1990, he had a career in the music industry, entertainment, marketing, as a music instructor and music minister and owned several musical instrument companies including the Estes Piano and Organ Company. He produced and directed live entertainment programs throughout the United States from the mid 1960's until his last endeavor for cable TV in Florida, entitled 'Estes Music Jamboree'.[2]


Conversion to Islam


In 1991, Estes had business dealings with a Muslim named Mohamed from Egypt. In trying to preach Christianity to Mohamed, Skip Estes learned about the religion of Islam firsthand and thereafter converted to Islam[3]. He has since pursued Arabic language and Qur'anic studies in Egypt, Morocco and Turkey.[4]

Since 2005, Yusuf Estes has been regularly appearing on IslamChannel in the UK, as well as Peace TV and on Huda TV which are 24/7 Islamic channels broadcasting in many countries around the globe, via satellite and the website WatchIslam.com TV Channels.

His latest efforts are directed toward English speaking Muslim youth and include Muslims sharing videos, and Muslim Chatroom and for young children Preschool Learning

His latest Television series is aimed toward English speaking Muslim children and is entitled, "Qasas Ul Anbiya" - Stories of the Prophets

St. John Philby


Harry St. John Bridger

Philby CIE (April 3, 1885 – September 30, 1960), also known as Jack Philby or Sheikh Abdullah (الشيخ عبدالله), his Arabic name, was an Arabist, explorer, writer, and British colonial office intelligence operative. He was born at St. John's, Badulla, Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka), and educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied oriental languages under E.G. Browne, and was a friend and classmate of Jawaharlal Nehru, later prime Minister of India. Philby's son Kim Philby became famous for being a British intelligence agent who was a double agent for the Soviet Union. In his travels he also took great interest in birdlife and he gave a scientific name to the Arabian Woodpecker (Desertipicus (now Dendrocopos) dorae), as well as a subspecies (no longer valid) of an owl (Otus scops pamelae). Most of his birds were named after women whom he admired. He contributed numerous specimens to the British Museum. He also contributed to the draft of a book on the birds of Arabia by George Latimer Bates. However, it was never published, but was made use of in a work on the same subject by Richard Meinertzhagen. Philby is remembered in ornithology by the name of Philby's Partridge (Alectoris philbyi). [1][2]

As he states in his autobiography, he "became something of a fanatic" and "the first Socialist to join the Indian Civil Service", and was posted to Lahore in the Punjab in 1908. He acquired fluency in Urdu, Punjabi, Baluchi, Persian, and eventually Arabic languages. Philby married his first wife in September 1910, with his distant cousin Bernard Law Montgomery, later commander-in-chief of Allied armies during World War II, as best man. He also later married an Arab woman from Saudi Arabia.


Philby is one of the lesser known but most influential persons in the modern history of the Middle East. In late 1915 Percy Cox, chief political officer of the small British Mesopotamian expeditionary force, recruited Philby as head of the finance branch of the British administration in Baghdad, a job which included fixing compensation for property and business owners. Their mission was twofold: (1) organize the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Turks; (2) protect the oilfields near Basra and the Shatt al Arab, which was the only source of oil for the Royal Navy. The revolt was organized with the promise of creating a unified Arab state, or Arab Federation, from Aleppo in Syria to Aden in Yemen. Gertrude Bell of the British Military Intelligence Department was his first controller and taught him the finer arts of espionage. In 1916 he became officiating Revenue Commissioner for Occupied Territories.

In November 1917, Philby was sent to the interior of the Arabian peninsula as head of a mission to Ibn Saud. The Wahabbi chieftain and bitter enemy of Sherif Hussein was sending raids against the Hashemite ruler of the Hejaz, leader of the revolt. For more than 700 years the non-Turkic Hashemite dynasty held title as Sharif of Mecca.

Philby secretly began to favour Ibn Saud over Sherif Hussein as "King of the Arabs", a difference with British policy, which was promising support for the Hashemite dynasty in the post-Ottoman world. On return Philby completed the crossing from Riyadh to Jeddah by the "backdoor" route, thus demonstrating Ibn Saud was in control of the Arabian highlands, whereas Sherif Hussein could not guarantee safe passage. Later he was awarded the Royal Geographical Society Founders Gold Medal for the desert journey. Back in Jeddah he met with an embarrassed Sheriff Hussein.

On 7 November 1918, four days before the Armistice, Britain and France issued the Anglo-French Declaration to the Arabs assuring self-determination. Philby felt the betrayal of this assurance, along with the Balfour Declaration, Sykes-Picot Agreement, and other diplomatic maneuverers broke faith with the promise of a single unified Arab nation in exchange for aligning themselves with the Allies in the war against the Ottoman Turks and Central Powers.

Philby argued that Ibn Saud was a "democrat" guiding his affairs "by mutual counsel" as laid out in the Quran (Surah 62:37), in contrast to Lord Curzon's "Hussein policy". British policy on Arab affairs was wracked by rivalries between the Foreign Office and the India Office.

After the Great Iraqi Revolution of 1920 Philby was appointed Minister of Internal Security in the British Mandate of Iraq. He roughed out a democratic constitution complete with elected assembly and republican president.

In November 1921, Philby was named chief head of the Secret Service for the British Mandate of Palestine, or what is now all of Jordan, Israel, and Palestine. He worked with T. E. Lawrence for a while, but did not share Lawrence's views on the Hashemites. Here he met his American counterpart, Allen Dulles, who was stationed in Istanbul. At the end of 1922, Philby traveled to London for extensive meetings with all involved in the Palestinian question. They were Winston Churchill, King George, the Prince of Wales, Baron Rothschild, Wickham Steed, and Chaim Weizmann, the head of the Zionist movement.

Ibn Saud adviser


Philby was of the view that both British and the Saudi family's interests would be best served by uniting the Arabian peninsula under one government from the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf, with the Saudis supplanting the Hashemites as Islamic "Keepers of the Holy Places" while protecting shipping lanes on the Suez–Aden–Bombay route of the British Empire. Philby was forced to resign his post in 1924 on differences of allowing Jewish immigration to Palestine. He was found to be in unauthorized correspondence with Ibn Saud, which carried with it the connotation of espionage, sending information he gained in his post to Ibn Saud. He had "gone native". The Secret Service, however, continued to pay Philby for another five years.

Shortly after his resignation, Ibn Saud began to call for the overthrow of the Hashemite dynasty. Philby was able to advise Ibn Saud how far he could go in occupying all Arabia without incurring the wrath of the British government, then the principal power in the Middle East. By 1925, in the words of Philby, Ibn Saud brought unprecedented order into Arabia. Philby was put in charge of arranging Ibn Saud's coronation as king of the newly created state of Saudi Arabia.

Philby settled in Jeddah and became partners in a trading company. Over the next few years he became famous as an international writer and explorer. Philby personally mapped on camelback what is now the Saudi–Yemeni border on the Rub' al Khali where 126 degree Fahrenheit / 52 degree Celsius daytime temperatures are not uncommon.

In his unique position he became Ibn Saud's chief adviser in dealing with the British Empire and Western powers. He converted to Islam in 1930. In 1931 Philby invited Charles R. Crane to Jeddah to facilitate exploration of the kingdom's subsoil assets. Crane was accompanied by noted historian George Antonius, who acted as translator. In May 1933 Standard Oil of California (SOCAL) concluded negotiations with Philby for a 60-year contract to obtain the exclusive concession for exploration and extraction of oil in the Hasa region along the Persian Gulf. This marked the beginning of the decline of British influence in the region and the start of American influence. The personal contacts between the United States and Saudi Arabia were largely channeled through the person of Philby.

Meanwhile, at Cambridge, Philby's son, Kim, was being recruited by the OGPU of the Soviet Union. In recent years the theory has been propounded that Kim was recruited in particular to spy on his father, who had such powerful influence over the founder of the Saudi state and its connections with Britain and with American oil interests.

By 1934, in an effort to safeguard the port of Aden, Britain had no fewer than 1,400 "peace treaties" with the various tribal rulers of the hinterlands of what became Yemen. Philby undermined British influence in the region, however, by facilitating the entry of United States commercial interests, followed by a political alliance between the United States and the Saud dynasty.

In 1936 SOCAL and Texaco pooled their assets together "East of Suez" into what later became ARAMCO (Arabian–American Oil Company). The United States State Department describes ARAMCO as the richest commercial prize in the history of the planet. Philby represented Saudi interests.

In 1937 when the Spanish Civil War broke out, Philby arranged for his son, Kim Philby, to become a war correspondent for The Times. The same year Philby began quiet negotiations with Ben-Gurion to allow unlimited Jewish immigration to Palestine under Ibn Saud's protection.

Later Philby began secret negotiations with Germany and Spain, concerning Saudi Arabia's role in the event of a general European war. These discussions would allow neutral Saudi Arabia to sell oil to neutral Spain, which then would be transported to Germany. John Loftus, who worked in the United States Department of Justice Office of Special Investigations Nazi-hunting unit, claims Adolf Eichmann, while on a mission to the Middle East, met with Philby "during the mid-1930s".

It is very likely that Philby's relationship to Ibn Saud was an important inspiration for the Arabic novelist Abdulrahman Munif in the writing of the novel Variations on Night and Day (Arabic: Taqāsīm al-layl wan-nahār تقاسيم الليل والنهار). The description of the relationship between Hamilton (Philby), sultan Khureybit (Ibn Saud) and amir Fanar (Faisal of Saudi Arabia) forms the backbone of the novel.


Philby Plan


At a February 1939 meeting in London with Ben-Gurion and Weizman, Philby offered substantial Jewish immigration to Palestine if they would support Ibn Saud's son and eventual successor, Faisal, as King of Palestine. Months later, accompanied by Saudi foreign affairs official Fuad Bey Hamza, Philby proposed to Weizmann and Moshe Shertok (later Sharett) that they pay Ibn Saud £20 million to be used to resettle Palestinian Arabs. Weizman said he would discuss the plan with President Roosevelt. Kim Philby also was present at this meeting.

According to Philby the Zionist leadership accepted the "Philby Plan" in early October. However because of the kingdom's special status as home of the Islamic holy places, the plan was denied when Philby leaked it. The matter was not taken up again for another three years.

Meanwhile Philby ran for election to the House of Commons for the British People's Party declaring, "no cause whatever is worth the spilling of human blood" and "protection of the small man against big business". He lost and soon thereafter the war began. Because of his activities, when he travelled to Bombay he was arrested on 3 August 1940 under Defence Regulation 18B and taken to England.

Friends such as John Maynard Keynes intervened, and after seven months he was released; it is not known precisely who arranged this. Shortly thereafter Jack Philby recommended his son Kim to Valentine "Vee Vee" Vivian, MI6 deputy chief, who recruited him into the British secret service.

When Harold Hoskins of the U.S State Department visited Ibn Saud in August 1943, he asked if the king would be willing to have an intermediary meet with Chaim Weizmann. In anger Ibn Saud responded he was insulted by the suggestion that he could be bribed for £20 million to accept resettlement of Arabs from Palestine. Hoskins reports the king said Weizmann told him the promise of payment would be "guaranteed by President Roosevelt." A month later Weizmann, in a letter to Sumner Welles wrote: "It is conceived on big lines, large enough to satisfy the legitimate aspirations of both Arabs and Jews, and the strategic and economic interests of the United States; . . . properly managed, Mr. Philby's scheme offers an approach which should not be abandoned."

When the war ended he returned to Arabia. In 1945 at the age of sixty he purchased his second wife, a 16-year-old girl, from the slave market at Taif, about forty miles south of Mecca. He continued work with ARAMCO. Talk in the king's circle was that Philby was an agent of British Secret service, a Zionist spy, and a communist. Philby began to provoke a series of spectacular arguments with the king. He claimed the disagreements were caused by the corruption and decadence that oil money brought the kingdom.

ARAMCO learned from Philby a great deal about Arabia framed in a manner to strike a sympathetic response in the American people. ARAMCO and the CIA at the time were a revolving door for the same personnel. There were no other sources of information about Saudi Arabia available to the American public. It was portrayed as "a mirror image of the Old West, a wide, unfenced land where nature was unsubdued, religion was simple and fundamental, and the law of the gun prevailed—the desert of Arabia, as America's last frontier

After Ibn Saud's death in 1953 Philby openly criticized the successor King Saud, saying the royal family's morals were being picked up "in the gutters of the West". He was exiled to Lebanon in 1955. In exile he wrote:

". . . the true basis of Arab hostility to Jewish immigration into Palestine is xenophobia, and instinctive perception that the vast majority of central and eastern European Jews, seeking admission . . . are not Semites at all. . . . Whatever political repercussions of their settlement may be, their advent is regarded as a menace to the Semitic culture of Arabia . . . the European Jew of today, with his secular outlook . . . is regarded as an unwelcome intruder within the gates of Arabia".

While in Beirut he reconciled with Kim, and the two lived together. The son was reemployed by MI6 as an outside informer on retainer, with the assignment to spy on his father.

Jack Philby helped further his son's career by introducing him to his extensive network of contacts in the Middle East. Jack introduced him to President Camille Chamoun of Lebanon. Both were sympathetic to Nasser during the Suez Crisis of August 1956. Between Jack's access to ARAMCO and Kim's access to British intelligence there was little they did not know about Operation Musketeer, the French and British plan to capture the Suez Canal. The Soviet Union exposed the entire plan in the United Nations and threatened Britain and France with "long-range guided missiles equipped with atomic warheads."

In 1955 Jack reconciled with the royal family and returned to live in Riyadh. In 1960, on a visit to Kim in Beirut, while in bed with Kim at his side, he said "God, I'm bored" and died. He is buried in the Muslim cemetery in Beirut.



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