www.sufitherapy.ca www.sufiterapi.net www.sufitherapy.

net

ISSUE 1
.

What is Sufism and Sofi?

Sufi Therapy for Everybody
The Sufi Assessment-Session 1
A Heart-Based Mindfulness
The Seven Levels of Self
Seven Main Sufi Concepts

Note of Psychotherapist

Sufi
Therapy for Everybody

Contact
Sufi Therapy
Counselling
Email:
sufitherapy@gmail.com

English Web Sites

www.sufitherapy.ca
www.sufitherapy.net
Turkish Web Site
www.sufiterapi.net
Twtter Account
@sufiterapi

ISSUE 1

Page 2

I am, Faruk Arslan\ who has MSW and RSW as is a psychotherapist

in private practice I believe that personal and spiritual growth are intimately connected. I have experience working with a variety of issues
including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, trauma (including
histories of neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse), relationships, self-esteem, life transition and helping individuals who feel
stuck in reaching their goals. Psychological growth and spiritual
growth go hand in hand. As one grows spiritually more light comes in
and more of the dust and rust on the mirror of the heart become evident. As one does their psychological work they polish more and
more of the dust off their heart and more of the light of the divine can
be reflected through them. I offer Sufi therapy for everybody.
For almost 30 years I have pursued a deeper path in life, learning to
listen to and answer a true inner voice, and seeking a healthy balance of body, mind and spirit. This has led me to develop skills and
experience in several diverse areas that I now have to offer others.
Some skills follow a more traditional path such as Solution Focus
Therapy (SFT), Narrative Therapy (NT), Mind Over Therapy (CBT),
and others are more alternative therapies. I enjoy finding the commonalities in differing methodologies, the places where simple, underlying truths arise, where universal wisdom becomes clear. I find
we are all multi-dimensional beings, and that true healing happens on
physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels in balance. In all, I
work as a guide helping people develop a stronger connection with
their authentic self, release constricting patterns in their mind, body
or spirit, and manifest their true potential. It is my joy to work with all
dimensions.
My qualifications, degrees and work experience include: Master of
Social Work (MSW) degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, 2014 ,
currently registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers &
Social Service Workers (RSW), and OASW have worked in many
social service agencies in various capacities. Mind Over Therapy as
branch of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), trained by 27
years experienced therapist, and trained at the Stratford General
Hospital in Stratford, 2013. Solution Focused Therapy and Signs
of Safety, 2013, trained as Children Protection\ Intake Worker at
Children and Family Services of Brant in Brantford, Ontario.

11 April 2014

Psychotherapy is about comforting the disturbed, and disturbing the comfortable

Friday

Faruk Arslan
MSW, RSW, Psychotherapist

Sufi Therapy/ Book

Page 3

KEY CONCEPTS IN THE PRACTICE

OF SUFISM-1
This book is the second volume of the Emerald Hills of the Heart series, which
brings out a comprehensive and unique examination of concepts and terms
associated with sufism in Islam. In this volume, Gulen looks at fifty different
concepts. With an introduction on the heart and some of its dynamics,
this work is a rich addition with more gates into spirituality. Concepts examined
include freedom, altruism, wisdom, sainthood, intoxication and sobriety, wakefullness and the universal man..This book is a comprehensive study of concepts and terms associated with Sufi traditions of Islam. Gulens informative
analysis of Sufi ideas is a must read for those who seek a understanding of the
dynamics of sufism. For Gulen, sufism is a form of self-purification leading to
inner dimension of Islamic rituals, a deeper understanding of the divine acts,
and a greater knowledge and love of the Divine. The continual process of spiritual development in sufism along a path of the innate human poverty, helplessnes, and powerlessnes before God is undertaken in the knowledge that
everything come from God. The first volume of the Emerald Hills of the Heart
presents such sufi concepts like repnetance, reflection, self-criticism, asceticism, piety, abstinence, self-supervision and sincerity.
Full access: http://en.fgulen.com/gulens-works/sufism-1

SUFISM-2
This book is the second volume of the Emerald Hills of the Heart series, which
brings out a comprehensive and unique examination of concepts and terms
associated with sufism in Islam. In this volume, Gulen looks at fifty different
concepts. With an introduction on the heart and some of its dynamics,
this work is a rich addition with more gates into spirituality. Concepts examined
include freedom, altruism, wisdom, sainthood, intoxication and sobriety, wakefullness and the universal man..
Full Access: http://en.fgulen.com/gulens-works/sufism-2

SUFISM-3
Another important attribute of The Emerald Hills of the Heart, at least as important as the other attributes mentioned above, if not more so, is that it presents the Islamic spiritual life that constitutes the core of Islam not as a theoretical subject but as lived by the Companions of the Prophet. It presents this life
as a profound experience of the heart, mind, and body described and appointed by Islam. It also investigates how it has taken shape throughout history. The
Emerald Hills of the Heart bequeaths to future ages a time in which perhaps
apparently different realms of religion and reason, science, technology, rhetoric
and welfare will, in cooperation, make unprecedented and inconceivable progress the legacy of Sufism, with all its dimensions, or the spiritual life of Islam in its immense entirety as a safe and sound road that has been protected
against all manner of deviations.
Full Access: http://en.fgulen.com/key-concepts-in-the-practice-of-sufism

Sufi Therapy/ Sufi Perspective

Page 4

Behold Sufi!
Wine only becomes clear after it is trapped
in a jar for forty days The Sufi poet, Hafez
I was a treasure, and I was waiting to be found, so I created mankind to discover me The hadith
The heart has an important place is Sufism and is considered to contain the divine spark that leads to spiritual
realization. Sufis cherish the revelation by God that I, who cannot fit into all the heavens and earths, fit in the heart
of the sincere believer. For the heart to reflect the truth as it is, it has to be cleansed of the rust of worldly influences. The Sufi therapy offers the greatest human relatedness with the soul, a greater transparency with the self and a
deeper relationship with Divine truth, the heart. I explain the foundations and components of the proposed new Sufi
therapy model at the beginners level, by simplifying seven main concepts and forty simple teachings in new emergent spiritual practice. The model is actually offering the Sufi Mindfulness Therapy as a way of addressing the broader So what? question. So, after the self-journeying and explorations I accomplished in my research, I come out and
offer my ten-week Sufi therapy as a result.
In Sufi belief, if Allah is your intimate friend, He discloses secrets to you in the heart. His knowledge comes to your
heart because He is the only One who knows all the things hidden in creation. Feeling His names, some things are but
mere illusions. He discloses some of His secrets to His friends who are unburdened,
but the veils between different travelers and the ultimate truth differ. According to
ones relation with the Truth, the Absolute Hidden One, the heart's turning to some
object other than God creates another veil. Being closed to the truth of the Names
and Attributes is a veil.
The traps laid by these veils are arranged by the carnal self, Satan. The world looks
on our desires, our weaknesses and shortcomings, and in our endeavors to rise in
rank, we suffer separation on the way to meet God. As the first step of disclosure for
those who fulfill the requirements to travel, Sufis will feel a manifestation of the
knowledge of God, witnessed in their hearts. If you are steadfast on the way, you
can advance to the final point. When the journey ends in contemplation of the AllHoly One, that is fortune indeed. Seeing the Most Sacred Names with the eye of the heart is insight, with the clearest
disclosure supported by self-possession and wakefulness. The Source of light is felt beyond what is demonstrated by
His proofs and signs.
God manifests his names in the universe through differentiated oneness and He does the same thing in a single human
being through undifferentiated oneness. As a result, two types of oneness display themselves in the being of man: the
oneness that we see in the system of the universe and the oneness that we observe in the system of a single being. In
Sufi terminology, the ego of a human being corresponds to nature in the universe.
Sufis regard the soul as the agency for communication with God. It is the higher soul, as Sufis believe, created before
any human being came into existence, consisting of heart (qalb), spirit (ruh), and conscience (sirr) that has the ability
to know God. A modern day Sufi saint Fethullah Glen provides the self-supervision without a guide model in Sufism which is ideal for the heart-centred Sufi mindfulness therapy. A Sufi must have three implications for the self:
self-supervising, self-criticizing and self-control. The main idea in Sufism is Allah who sees, knows you best, hears
your speech. The Sufi Meditation targets perfect goodness, worshipping as if seeing God: though you dont see him,
He surely sees you.

Sufi Therapy/Dhikr
Dat
e
and
Ti
me

English

Arabic

Page 5
Times

The Sufi Therapy: A heart-based mindfulness therapy incorporating perspectives from Fethullah

There is no god but

God

L ilhe illallah

Glens Emerald Hills of the Heart

200
Table 2 The Daily Dhikr Schedule, Recitation

God

Allah

66

He

Hu

200

The Truth

Hak

108

The All-Overwhelming

Kahhr

306

The All-Powerful

Kdir

314

The All-Strong

Kaviyy

116

of God's Names

Table 4 The Daily Dhikr Schedule,

Sekine (Peacefulness), Recitation of God's

The All-Compelling

Cebbr

206

The Master

Mlik

90

The All-Loving

Vedd

2
0

The Peerlessly AllSingle

Vhid

19

The One

Ehad

13

The Eternally Besought

-of-All

Samed

134

Names
Date and
Time

English
The
Unique

Turkish

Number

or Arabic of Times
Ferd
33

The AllLiving

Hayy

14

The SelfSubsistent

Kayym

156

The Just

Adl

104

The Judge Hakem

68

The Pure
One

170

Kuddus

Sufi Therapy/ Audience

Sayfa 6

Sufi Mindfulness Therapy

Sufi Mindfulness Therapy provides a heart-based technique that has been becoming more and more popular due to
its effectiveness in treating a variety of issues including:
Trauma (accidents, sexual abuse, rape, combat
etc)
Anxiety
Depression
Grief
Phobias
Feeling stuckPolishing your heart
Since each person is unique, my work varies depending on the person I am working with and their individual goals. I
am cooperating and collaborating with client as my client-centred and humanist approach and applying several
therapy methods and techniques based on client needs and directions. I see you as already possessing the resources
you need and my job is to help you to overcome blocks to your true self and to access your inner strengths. I look at
the whole person and consider the interaction between mind, body and spirit. I see the relationship between therapist
and client as being an important part of the healing process. Ill give you experiences from my own life, as I think
they are the ones that you want to extensively on the process of polishing the heart that many Sufis are done in their
lives and reached the ultimate Truth such as:
Love is like Solomon,
Borne aloft on the heart, its throne. -Muhammed Ltfi (d. 1956), Turkish Sufi poet.
The heart is humanitys most essential feature and its greatest
treasure. It is the expression of our spiritual existence, the source of our
feelings and beliefs, and the pathway to our souls ultimate depths.
Those who walk on the path of the heart will not experience any
darkness, and those who soar on the wings of their hearts will
surmount any obstacle. Human virtues are cultivated on the hillsides of
the heart; faith, love, and spiritual pleasures are the fruits of its
garden. If your heart is like a desert, your thoughts and feelings will
inevitably wither and fade. Our senses, inner and outer, are soldiers at
the hearts command; they are moths fluttering around its brilliant
light. The heart speaks with the highest authority, and all our
senses submit to its rule. Like the pole star, it orbits only itself,
chanting the name of God, while all other senses turn around it,
prostrate. All of us are guests in the house of the heart. Let us sacrifice
our hearts to the One whose sovereignty is felt in this house. Fethullah Gulen
Dear friend, your heart is a polished mirror. You must wipe it clean of the veil of dust that has gathered upon it,
because it is destined to reflect the light of divine secrets. -al-Ghazzal
Everyone sees the Unseen in proportion to the clarity of his heart, and that depends upon how much he has polished
it. Whoever has polished it more sees moremore Unseen forms become manifest to him. Rumi
Our job is to polish our hearts so more of the divine attributes can shine through us. There are two ways of polishing
the heart discussed in Sufism: remembrance of God, and recognizing and gaining control over the lower self. There
are two ways of polishing the heart discussed in Sufism: remembrance of God, and recognizing and gaining control
over the lower self.

Sufi Therapy/ What is it?

Page 7

What is Sufism?

Sufism is a lovely, light-giving, and spiritual truth known under various terms: tariqa (spiritual order or
way), sainthood (being Gods friend), initiation, and following a spiritual order or way (Nursi, 2007, p. 426). Sufis
are convinced, through the pleasure and enlightenment received and the ability of spiritual discovery acquired, that
the Sharias commands and principles are of Divine origin and the truth (Nursi, 2007, p.427).
In Islam, Sufism is the path followed by individuals who, having been able to free themselves from human
vices and weaknesses in order to acquire angelic qualities and conduct pleasing to God, live in accordance with the
requirements of God's knowledge and love, and experience the resulting spiritual delight that ensues (Glen,
2006, p. xii). Sufi therapy is a prominent spiritual tradition, enhancing the socio-psychological well-being of a large
number of people not only in Islam, but also Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and many other belief
systems.
However, the divine creating a mind/body/spirit holism is often not mentioned in clinical psychology in
the West (James & Prillentensky 2002, p. 1148). Sufi orientations and practices provide freedom from the self and
the ego. Sufi therapy has been gaining in popularity and acceptance within the mental health services, offering alternative healing methods and extending the range of therapeutic interventions in social work practice.
Sufi therapy is different from westernized therapies because it is being in tune with the clients spiritual
dimension and encouraging healing of the body, mind and spirit concomitantly (Shatii, 1989, p. 157).
Humanitarian Sufism is a manifestation of collective consciousness which acts as the bridge between personal
spirituality and collective personal spirituality. It comes into existence by internalizing within the Sufism culture
of tolerant and humanitarian love (Kim, 2008, p. 364). It is comporable to different heart-based methods and
.
therapeutic
treatments.
The heart occupies an important place is Sufism and is considered to contain the divine spark that leads to
spiritual realization. Fethullah Glens action-oriented Sufi methods described in his book The Emerald Hills of
the Heart provide the basis for a heart-based therapeutic intervention through self-journeying, which is the objective of this thesis. These self-purification and mindfulness-related transpersonal methods generate a form of treatment that is culturally sensitive. Through my auto-ethnographic research, I transformed my personal experiences
into a transpersonal narrative by writing 80 poems in 80 days, and this output functions as the source of my intellectually generated data, and the basis for the new therapy model. It took two forty-day periods in two different
culturesCanada and Turkey to reach the necessary divine knowledge for discovering the innate power of the
spirit. The journey involved seeking freedom from the ego, or the lower self, in order to reach self-awareness and a
conception of how to use the self. I also categorized seven different levels of development of the soul, representing
the levels or stages of the self, ranging from absolutely self-centered and egotistical to pure spiritual human perfection. My examination of the two forty day periods revealed the seven categories of thankfulness, purity of intention, reflection, patience, truthfulness, trustworthiness and presentation. From these I developed a model for ten
weeks of therapy. This thesis presents my journey in Fethullah Glens Sufi path and the emerging model for a
heart-based Sufi therapy.

Sufi Therapy/ How Does Glen define Sufism?

Page 8

Defining Sufism as the science of esoteric truths or mysteries, or the

science of humanity's spiritual states and stations, or the science of initiation, does not mean that it is completely different from other religious sciences. Such definitions have resulted from the Shari'a-rooted experiences of various individuals, all of whom have had different temperaments and dispositions, and who lived at different times. Everybody is different and everybody
can have different experiences. Early Sufis were distinguished, saintly people
who led upright, honest, austere, simple and blemish-free lives and considered
Sufism as the science of humanitys inner world, the reality of things and the
mysteries of existence (Glen, 2009, p. xviii).
Glen is considered one of the most influential Turkish Islamic scholars of his
generation with his Sufi-oriented message of love and compassion. Fethullah
Glen refreshes Islamic spirituality in the lives of the Movements members to
aid their interaction with modernity. It reveals neither exclusive personal mysticism nor the communal experience found in tariqas (sect or order) (Yavuz,
2004, p. 374).
Glens conceptualization of his embedded Sufi life is highlighted by four characteristics: Islamic spirituality, Sufism without Sufi orders, socially engaged Sufism and dialogic Sufism (Kim, 2008, p. 357). Glen reformulates and represents Said Nursis idea of Sufism without Sufi orders whereas, he sees Sufis as are the seekers of spiritual progress in the happiness of others (Kim, 2008, p. 367).
How does his definition of Sufism differ from an Orientalist definition? Sufism refers to an Islamic science
with its own methods, principles, and rules, and as pure esotericism and/or exotericism in that it satisfies those who
are content with merely exoteric practices, but nevertheless also contains the deepest and most profound esoteric
meaning for those who desire a closer, more mystical relationship with God (Koc, 2006). Glen sees Sufism as the
humanitarian love that is the solution for providing inner peace to many individuals. Sufism requires strict spiritual
self-discipline and the obligation that the individual's heart be purified and his or her senses and faculties employed in
the way of God, which means that the traveler can then begin to live on a spiritual level (Glen, 2006, p. xx).
This is an ancient spiritual tradition of learning how to know your heart and to act, a discipline that adjusts to
the needs of the individual, the time and the place. Sufi practices are applicable to daily modern life regardless of
ones spiritual direction and fit in with modernity, according to Glens wisdom.

Sufi Therapy/A Heart-Based Mindfulness

Page 9

A Heart-Based Sufi Mindfulness

My main objective is to clarify and unfold the truths inhering
in the final point of Fethullah Glens Sufi way, that is, expound upon the fruits of self-journeying. My main research
question is: How do I immerse myself in Glens Sufi teachings to experience healing and extract healing principles?
Then my sub-questions are:
What healing principles do I glean from my immersion in
Glens Sufi model?
How does the Sufi path benefit therapeutic practice in social
work?
My methods consist of operationalized readings of Glens
existing Sufi poems and texts, and the creation of Glens
poetic healing methods and finally the creation of a journal
based on a period of intense Sufi inspired reflection, that provided useful, transferable and applicable universal techniques
for a therapeutic model. I use special zikr (reciting several
God names in special numbers of time) and a special midnight prayers during two erbains based on Glens instructions on his texts. Sufis can follow either of two ways: travelling in the inner world or in the outer world. Members of the first group begin from the carnal self and, without
moving toward the outer world, head straight for the heart. I did both at the same time.
Glen claims that the best way of understanding Sufi concepts, states and stations is writing poetry about all your
senses and feelings at your heart while reading his book of Sufism and having transcendence experience. In the beginning, I use autoethnography and its technique of poetry as a Sufi poet. Poems talking about the pleasures of drinking
bitter red wine and intoxication, or spending a long dark night of passion with a beautiful one are quite common in
Sufi literature. Autoethnography is a genre of writing and research that connects the personal to the cultural, placing
the self within a social context.
I contextualized Glens ideas, poems and perspectives and his psycho-educational methods within his poetic Sufi
therapy interventions and socio-psychological treatments. My first 40 days was in Kitchener, Canada started on May
21th, to June 30th 2013 and the second 40 days was held in Gebze, Istanbul and Alanya Turkey, during the month of
Ramadan from July 5 to August 15, 2013. I generate and extract data from its context, analyse Glens Sufi discourse, and incorporate my autoethnographic reflections in the poetic form. My target is to extract a new alternative
intervention and psychotherapy model through thematic thick descriptions and personal reflexive analysis.
In my daily routine, I recited 19 different names and attributes of God which are very popular in the history of Sufism, and which have been practiced in many Sufi lodges through many centuries. I followed special numbers for
each name and attribute of God from Glens recommended prayer book called Al-Qulub al-Daria (Imploring
Hearts). I discovered this knowledge in Glens writing and found several holy prayers belonging to different prophets and saints from the past.
These
two forty days of Erbain provided me with a cure of spiritual dimensions and prepared me for this world and
.
the afterlife. I learned how to stop being selfish, jealous, greedy, arrogant, self-gratifying, angry and envious after the
Sufi meditation. A perfection of Divine Oneness offers a cure, and each cure contains a spiritual pleasure. The ways
leading to God are almost beyond number. Recitation of Gods names is one of them. Reciting God's Names sometimes causes the reciter to enter a trance-like state in which the self is lost. Recitation signifies a journey toward Him.
This holistic model of practice enables the social work practitioner to provide clients a bio-psycho-social-spiritual
framework for personal empowerment, development, and growth.
Faruk Arslan, MSW, RSW

Sufi Therapy/ The Assessment

Page 10

The Sufi Assessment

The assessment of Sufi beliefs and practices has to be tailored to the individual patient.
The assessment may best be deferred in an acutely-ill
patient unless Sufi concerns contribute to the acute
condition. As a routine, a brief assessment may be followed by a more thorough one on an as needed basis.
Several brief assessment methods have been proposed
for the assessment of spirituality in general that may
help screen the patients for further in-depth assessment (Koenig & Pritchett, 1998, p.323).
The four spiritual areas suggested by Koenig and
Pritchett to be screened in any psychiatric evaluation
seem a good starting point, but need to be modified
for assessment of Sufi beliefs and practices. The initial
assessment should include:
1. Faith: What is the importance of faith in day-to-day
life? An increasing number of people from different
religious faiths, besides Islam, are following Sufi beliefs and practices and hence considerable admixtures of beliefs and practices should be expected.
2. Influence: What is the influence of faith on life, past and present? The Sufi practices of self
-mortification may, apart from influencing the belief system, lead to significant changes in
the practical life, which needs to be understood in proper perspective.
3. Community: Are there affiliations with any religious or spiritual community? Almost all Sufi
believers belong to one or other lineage (silsila) which may significantly differ in terms of
beliefs and practices from one another. An exploration of the lineage would provide a
framework to understand a particular individual's view point vis--vis health and illness.
4. Address: Are there spiritual needs to be addressed? The Sufi teacher with whom the given
individual has held the oath of allegiance may need to be incorporated in the treatment
plan to fulfill the spiritual needs.
5. An in-depth interview, from a clinical as well as a spiritual perspective, may follow this depending upon the needs of the patient as uncovered during the screening (Josephson &
Peteet, 2004, pp. 15-17).
After an initial individual orientation session, the Sufi therapy program must be delivered by an instructor, or a guide, in 10 weekly sessions at the beginner level, involving two
hour group-training sessions with up to 10-12 depressed patients. During that period, the
program includes daily homework exercises, prayers, and meditation as dhikr. Homework invariably includes some form of guided (taped) or unguided awareness exercises directed at
increasing moment-by-moment nonjudgmental awareness of bodily sensations, thoughts,
and feelings, together with exercises designed to integrate application of awareness skills into daily life for self-control, self-purification and self-realization (Teasdale & Ma, 2004).
Spiritually augmented cognitive behavior therapy is primarily a cognitive behavior therapy
which incorporates the individual's belief system, specifically the spiritual, to focus on the existential issues. The therapist works with the individual's spiritual beliefs and practices such
as meditation, prayer, etc., but at no point attempts to instill his own beliefs or any beliefs
not held by the patient into the therapeutic process.
The therapy spans 10 sessions, each session lasting 120 minutes, conducted once a
week. The therapy could be demonstrated efficacy in controlled trials with reduction of relapse and re-hospitalization in the treatment group (DSouza, 2009, p. 517).

Sufi Therapy/ Session One: Remembrance of God

Page 11

Harmonizing your seven souls and learning seven main categories is

not an easy process; the Sufi therapy begins with developing a deep inner
peace by calming and brightening your mind so that everything is within
you, and all you need to do is to uncover it. The battle with our negative
ego is an inner struggle; we have to fight on the spiritual path. A good human being is one who remembers God no matter what happens. The world
is designed to make us forget, our job is to remember (Frager, 1999, p.131).
Conscience is one of the proofs for Gods existence and oneness.
The therapist must explain that one of the great Sufi practices is that
of remembrance of God. Remembrance is the repetition or invocation of a
mystical formula or divine name which allows the patient to practice, and
which leads to sincerity of intention, awareness, and concentration. Remembrance provides a temporary inner state (hal) and a stable inner station (makam) in which invocation and mindfulness have become constant. A Sufis tongue, heart and soul must attain to the state of constant inner prayer
((Frager, 1999, p.160). Each prayer, I recite 99 times Al-hamdu li-llah (All praise be to God) is a Quranic sentence
meaning, according to Arabic syntax and semantics, that every praise that has been or ever will be uttered by any being to anyone else is, in reality, for and deserved by the Necessarily Existent Being: God. (Nursi, 2007, p. 385). I also
recite 99 times, HasbunAllahi Wani'mal wakeel Allah (alone) is sufficient for us (Qur'an 3:173). By leaving your
affairs to Allah, by depending upon Him, by trusting in His promise, by being pleased with His decree, by thinking
favourably of Him, and by waiting patiently for His help, you reap some of the greater fruits of faith and display the
more prominent characteristics of the believer. When you incorporate these qualities into your character, you will be
at peace concerning the future, because you will depend on your Lord for everything. As a result, you will find care,
help, protection, and victory.
When Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) was placed in the fire, he said, "Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us, and he is the best
disposer of affairs (for us)." Thereupon, Allah made the fire to be cool, safe, and peaceful for Prophet Abraham. No
person by himself is capable of fighting against the current of misfortune, nor can he fend off the blows of disaster
when they strike. This is because man was created weak and fragile. However, when in times of difficulty, the believer places his dependency and trust with his Lord; he knows that all difficulties can be overcome. "And put your trust
in Allah if you are believers indeed" (Qur'an 5:23). The verse: God is the All-Provider, the Possessor of Strength, the
Steadfast (51:58) is so strong and firm a proof that all vegetation, animals, and babies announce it (Nursi, 2007, p.
404). The Quran constantly urges people to reason and investigate, as seen in such verses as: Will you not use your
reason? Will they not ponder? Will they not reflect? It gives people of reasoning and knowledge a very high and important position. Each week, the therapist provides a special homework to patients, follow up them next week in
which are including reading, dhikr, prayers and concepts, Table 7.
In the Twentieth Gleam, Nursi advises the following principle to resolve psychological conflicts within ourselves. I
will explain these sections by paraphrasing Nursi's conflict resolution principles in the context of human nature in
general. I used spiritual analogy through inspiration when I was writing my poems, and that wisdom led me to select
forty Sufi techniques from both Glen and Nursis wisdom:
Sufi Technique One: The human self is prone to make mistakes and deviate from the right path. Therefore, while
dialoging with the self, you should not trust yourself, but God, and always seek his help and forgiveness (Glen,
2006). Quran says: Yet I do not claim my self free of error, for assuredly the human carnal soul always commands
evil, except that my Lord has mercy (which saves us from committing evil acts). (Quran, Yusuf 12:53)
Sufi Technique Two: All your actions should always be based on positive motives: remove all negative thoughts,
moods and aspects. That is to say, what motivates your actions should be the love of your own outlook, not the enmity
of others' outlooks. You represent your outlook not to diminish the outlook of others (Eris, 2009; Nursi, 2012; Glen,
2009).
Sufi Technique Three: You should only aim for our Lord's good pleasure, not the acceptance of other people, because if Almighty God is pleased, it is of no importance even should the whole world be displeased (Eris, 2009;
Nursi, 2012; Glen, 2000).
Sufi Technique Four: God commands in the Qur'an (Quran, Baqara 2:41), do not sell My Revelations for a trifling price (such as worldly gains, status, and renown). Therefore, in your daily activities, you should not water
down your beliefs, rules and dignity (Eris, 2009; Nursi, 2012; Glen, 2009).

Sufi Therapy/The Self

Page 12

The Seven Levels of Self

I explain in detail the stages of this journeying of the soul, which the Sufis experience in my spiritual journeying, under the titles of the Carnal, Evil-Commanding Soul, the Self-Condemning or Self-Accusing Soul, the Soul Receiving Inspiration, the Soul at Rest, the Soul Well-Pleased (with God, with however God treats it), the Soul Pleasing
(to God), and the Perfected Soul, or the Purified or Innocent Soul. Glen states that as the soul passes through these
stages upward, the veils of darkness that veil human nature are torn apart one after the other. According to the degree
of each, the rays of spirituality begin to shine on all sides of a human being, and an initiate or traveler thinks that they
are floating in the elevated horizons of the inner, immaterial dimensions of existence. Figure 1 shows each of the stages mentioned above has a gift, pleasure, horizon, manner of expressiveness, and perception particular to itself. Sometimes my guide, Glens writings tells me at which stage I am in, and sometimes sensitive, self-supervising initiate
such as I was aware of myself and lending an ear to the voice of my spirit is informed of my stage in a special way.
(Glen, 2009, pp. 219-220). The Arabic term nafs is related to words for breath, soul, essence, self, and
nature. It refers to a process that comes about from the interaction of body and soul. When the soul becomes embodied, it forgets its original nature and becomes enmeshed in material creation. This creates the self (Frager, 1999, p.
48). Glen states that the soul is also of great importance for humans to maintain a metaphysical tension. The soul is
The soul has a constant, experienced connection between the body and the spirit. It is through this connection that humans receive, recognize, and distinguish their outer and inner sense-perceptions and go beyond the corporeal realm
into metaphysical worlds. It is again through this connection that any
state, experience or gift that occurs in the spirit leaves its imprint upon
the body and provokes it to move in a certain direction. Just as every
influence on the spirit makes itself felt on the body, so too every state
and effect on the body shows itself on the horizon of the spirit (Glen,
2006, p. 216). Glen categorizes seven different levels of development
of the soul, levels or stages of the self-ranging from absolutely selfcentered and egotistical to purely spiritual and founded on references in
the Quran. A Sufi will go through all these steps to reach a final point:
the purified soul is the double of the spirit, continuously trying to keep
away from evil, and always advancing toward good (Glen, 2006, p.
219).

The Commanding SelfThe Carnal Lower Self

The lowest level of the self, the ego or lower personality, is

made up of impulses or drives to satisfy desires. These drives dominate
reason or judgment and are defined as the forces in one's nature that
must be brought under control. The self is a product of the self-centered
consciousnessthe ego, the I. The self must be transformed this is
the ideal. The self is like a wild horse; it is powerful and virtually uncontrollable. As the self becomes trained, or
transformed, it becomes capable of serving the individual (Frager, 1999, p. 48). The self is not bad in itself. Never
blame your self. Part of the work of Sufism is to change the state of your self, transforming the self and finding God.
The lowest level of the self is dominated by pride, egotism, and totally self-centered greed and lust. This level
is the part within each person that leads away from Truth. The lowest state is that of being completely dominated by
your wants and desires. At this level, I am like addicts in denial. My life is dominated by uncontrollable addictions to
negative traits and habits, yet I refuse to believe I have a problem. I have no hope of change at this level, because I do
not acknowledge any need to change. Each level of self needs a specific one or more of the names or divine attributes
of God. I discovered the divine name connected with the first stage is unity, and needs La ilaha illallah, which
means there is no God but God (Frager, 1999, p. 50). The beginning of real freedom is fleeing from the tyrannical
self. Our tyrannical nafs is addicted to worldly pleasures and suffers lack of faith. One cure for this self is the realization that God exists and life is colorful, and that there is more to life than pleasures. I suggest Hu also refers to God
without attributes, an intimate way of addressing God, which can be translated simply as Thou (Frager, 1999, p. 51)
The self suffers corruption under the influence of carnal thoughts and considerations, becoming so blind as not
to be able to see into the transcendent dimension of existence (Glen, 2009, p.220).

Sufi Therapy/Seven Main Concepts

Page 13

The seven main categories for the traveller

The Sufi training enables the Muslim to confront modernity critically without falling into the snares either of
unreflective acceptance or angry refusal. The question all modern people face is how to develop humane qualities,
good behavior, love for others, enthusiasm for self-improvement, and an active desire to serve others, make a difference in the world, and to persevere in this desire in the face of setbacks and failures. For the Muslim, according to
Glen, it is the Sufi thinkers who, down through the centuries, have thought through these questions and have followed the experimental method of dealing with them (Michel, 2012).
In order to teach Glens wisdom through forty selected concepts, my findings consisted of the seven categories of thankfulness, purity of intention, reflection, patience, truthfulness, trustworthiness and presentation, covering
40 concepts in my 80 poetic writings through which I established ten weeks of therapy as a Sufi therapy model. Sufis
use shukr to mean using one's body, abilities, feelings, and thoughts to fulfill the purpose of their creation: being
thankful to the Creator for what He has bestowed. Such thankfulness is to be reflected in the person's actions or daily
life, in speech and in the heart, by admitting that all things are directly from Him, and by feeling gratitude for them
(Glen, 2006, p. 94). Faithfulness, patience, truthfulness and sincerity are intrinsic and essential to the perfect human
being, since loyalty is regarded as a source, and sincerity as a sweet water originating from this source. These are as
air and water and one who drinks uninterruptedly from this water for forty days will find channels of wisdom opened
from his or her heart to his or her tongue, and such a person will always speak truth and wisdom (Glen, 2006, pp. 6061).
Balance begins with the self, for the self is the root of all spiritual troubles. Purity is the state of a heart thats
at peace. A Sufi must be the most purified, chosen, and godly one and become pure essence, extract or the cream of
whats fine. My goal is becoming a sign of transcendence, because purity of knowledge is the first stage for the traveler. Glen states that there are two ways that you can travel safety in this path.
First, The Book and the ways of Prophethood must be followed strictly when facing all hardship and difficulty
through the journey. A Sufi never neglects them if he/she seeks to continue. The second advice is that the RoseGarden of Divine Oneness needs a wise Guide. Prophethood or sainthood will open your heart, solve your problems,
put your heart, spirit, and reason under the command of the sun as you go in search of such knowledge. In the Sufi
tradition, the second path is love of the truth, and it is also the second stage for the traveller. A Sufi is full of Gods
awe, the heart opens and closes. Sufism offers the collected wisdom transmitted down through the centuries by
which one can move toward a transformed mentality, deeper love, positive character traits, and courage to work for
the improvement of society (Michel, 2012). However, love is a very important concept, but a confusing term in Sufism. I felt that some qualities are more important to learn before getting into deeper concepts. During two erbain periods, I discovered seven main concepts that form the seven categories most suitable to simplify in order to teach Sufism to ordinary people.

Sufi Therapy/Reading Homework

Page14

Dhikr (Recitation of
God's Names)
Allah directs and disposes of all things, from the
heavens to the human heart. The Prophetic saying: The heart is between the two Fingers of the
All-Merciful; He turns it from state to state and
gives it whatever form He wishes reminds us of
this fact. The ways leading to God are almost
beyond number. Recitation of Gods names is
one of them. Reciting God's Names sometimes
causes the reciter to enter a trance-like state in
which one's self is lost. Recitation, irrespective
of its style, is the safest and soundest way leading to God. Without it, it is difficult to reach
God. When the traveler remembers Him in his
or her conscience and puts this remembrance
into words with his or her tongue and other faculties, an inexhaustible source of support and
(spiritual) provision is tapped. Recitation signifies a journey toward Him. There is no restriction of time or manner on reciting God's
Names. The profundity of recitation is proportional to the depth of feeling for God. Muslims calls this the "peace of heart" or" witnessing." Allah (the proper Name
of the Divine Being) is one of the importances Dhikr; others recite: There is no god but God, the declaration of Divine Unity; and others recite one or a few of the other Names according to the choice of the order's master
The first way is based on the main invocations recited by followers of this way are the Seven Names: There is no god
but God, God, He, the Truth, the All-Living, the Self-Subsistent, the All-Overwhelming. By reciting these Names,
one seeks to pass through the carnal soul's seven steps: the Evil-Commanding Soul, the Self-Condemning Soul, the
Soul Having Inspiration, the Soul at Rest, the Soul Well-Pleased (with however God treats it), the Soul Pleasing (to
God), and the Purified or Innocent Soul. To these seven Names, some add such Names of Majesty as the AllPowerful, the All-Strong, the All-Compelling, the Master, and the All-Loving; others add such Names of Grace as the
Unique, the One, the Peerlessly All-Single, and the Eternally Besought-of-All. Reciters can recite as many as names
during the day according to the orders of master.
The second way is based on strict adherence to the Qur'an and the Sunna, and the encouragement of certain recitations. Those who follow this way strive to comply with the Sunna in whatever they do. Rather than reciting certain
Names, they follow the methods used by God's Messenger to worship, invoke, and pray; meditate on His acts and
creatures; and mention Him with all of His Names. Joining these activities with a meticulous following of the commandments of Shari'a, they are firmly attached to their guides or teachers and abandon themselves to the tides of 'ashq
and (spiritual) attraction toward God.

Sufi Terapi/Poetry Writing

Okuma Page 15

I dont know whether I reached the final stage of the pure self during two erbain periods. I wrote a poem to finalize
my thoughts a day before ending the Turkeys period in Alanya, Antalya on August 8, 2013 with the following:
Divine mysteries and lights making you a perfect human being
Felt in hearts with certain signs, numerous unknown states
The Unseen coming to be known through the conscience
Seen with the eye of the heart, spiritual light in four ways
The manifestation of the Divine Being, Essence,
The manifestation of Divine Essential Qualities,
The manifestation of Divine Attributes, Names,
The manifestation of Divine works, and acts
O Sufi! Dawning, enlightening, illuminating
Every object becomes Gods modifier for you
Uncovered, coming forth, appearance, development
Within a certain framework and to a certain extent
When His universal manifestations of Oneness revealed Itself to me,
I began to observe Him in every face, reflecting His own impression.
Whoever goes and enters that glorious Ka'ba,
O Sufi! O Heart! Can turn in all directions to face Him
Every moment of every day, He is in a new manifestation
The Almighty Divine Being has limitless manifestations,
Those are observable, invisible, universal or particular,
Only a few can see this truth, can perceive these manifestations
He supposes the spirit to be the Divine Being Himself all the sudden
Such a confusion saying: "I am the Truth," echoes in my utterances.
Whoever utters, "I am the Truth," without being a saint like Mansur,
Becomes an unbeliever in God in spirit and body, Sufi be careful!
Your heart as a mirror or receptacle to the unhearda great living favor
Beyond the limits of this nature, achieving transcendent accomplishments
Being a lover, I find myself sighing again, the veil from my eyes lifted again,
From my heart the veil of ignorance, the All-Beloved calls me with a transcendental call.
When God manifests Himself with His favor, He makes everything easy;
He creates the means for attainment, and grants it instantly, opening my heart
My tongue is silent; it is something beyond expression. O saintly one!
This is a spiritual state, only those aware of the states of a heart can understand.
I choose modesty and nothingness in the face of the Eternal One
Attribute to Him all my attainments, my words become beautiful:
You do not manifest Yourself while I am appearing on the screen;
My non-existence is the condition for Your manifestation of existence
Perception of the Divine Essence admission of incapacity to perceive Him
Perception of transcendent matters is too high for incapable reason,
For these scales cannot weigh such a load, since His image engraves in my heart,
His Names and Attributes everywhere, I am drowned in the ocean of His Oneness

Sufi Therapy/ A Universal Value

Page 16

Salam: A universal human value

As it was reflected in books, magazines, and different television
programs, those friends of ours went everywhere with salam, and
they wrote a salam in others hearts as they wrote it on chalkboards. They taught that salam means goodwill and peace. Even
to those who discredited them, they gave asalam, wished goodness, and moved on. So if you go to new lands with peaceful intentions, you may have a lasting presence. Then your message
ofsalam will find a place in consciences and will echo in hearts.
God Almighty does not let those steps go wasted. As it is stated
in a hadith qudsi, if you move toward Him a hand span, He
comes to you one step, if you go toward Him one step, He comes
to you walking, if you approach Him walking, He comes to you
running, and becomes your eye that sees, your ear that hears, and
your mouth that speaks.[1] With this immense blessing of God
with you, why would you not succeed? As it is known, human
nature has an inclination to react against strangers. Particularly, it
is much more difficult for people who had been assimilated, oppressed, and suffered exile in the hands of foreign powers to welcome foreigners. In spite of such negative factors, it calls for appreciation that the volunteers of education conquered the hearts of those people and established bridges of love, dialogue, and
peace among different societies and cultures.
People of Anatolia, who take the diamond principles of the Quran and Sunnah as their guide and who possess an immensity of
heart so as to let everyone find a place to sit, became a message for the sake of a brand new world and love, which echoed everywhere. As those who watch the movie will remember, there is the true story of a teacher who sacrifices himself while trying to
save two boys who fell into a river while fighting on a historical bridge. After seeing this attitude of the teacher who drowned in
the river after saving them, the two boys who had been fighting hugged one another and started crying. While watching that scene, I could not hold my tears like most of you. The scenes from Africa and Afghanistan are not much different. Surely, the most
important thing was that all of these scenes depict true stories. For this reason, the players who took part in the movie expressed
their fascination when they witnessed the self-sacrifice of the teachers in those various places they went for the shooting of the
film. Sometimes, those selfless teachers remained in the middle of a war in the countries where they taught. They did not leave
their post even when their city was under siege, and they stood by their students with an immense feeling of faithfulness. The
teachers continued to educate, even by risking death which opened up the doors of others hearts to them.
Those chivalrous souls who migrated for their ideals, courageously journeyed to different corners of the world. Sometimes
young men set forth leaving behind a newly wed bride, or with an engagement ring on their bride-to-bes finger. Some of them
made a sad farewell to their elderly parents and went away by entrusting them to God. In the face of such sacrifices, let alone
their foreheads, I am ready to kiss the feet of those blessed souls.
Those people, who did not even know in depth the philosophy of the path they were walking, started walking without stepping
back and followed the voice of their heart in submission to the Divine. It was God who guided them towards these places and
they were going with a blessed motive. I did not witness any of them complain and return. Even if it happened, I do not know
such a thing. In spite of different expectations of their parents and environment, thousands of brilliant young people who graduated from the most prestigious universities of the country gladly set forth with selfless concern for others and devotion to their
cause of Divine love, as expressed beautifully in a poem (by the famous love poet Seyyid Nigari):
Can one seeking the Beloved fret over his own life?
And can another who seeks his own life be in quest of the Beloved?
We have entered the path of love; we are lovesick,
We are in no need of personal dignity.
O my heart, are you ready for this?
In conclusion, salam is the real capital we have in todays world where the sword has been sheathed. The philosophy
of salam requires being handless to those who beat, tongueless to those who curse, and feeling no bitterness toward heartbreakers. In this respect, we should not be influenced by discouragements, but stand our grounds uprightly all of the time, and follow
the principle of constructive action by saying, This world is the realm of perseverance, not of taking offense, and thus we must
only concentrate on the tasks we need to carry out.

Sufi Therapy/Weekly Homework Page 17

Table 7- Homework for Session One
Reading

Sufi

Dhikr

Reflection

Self-Criticism

Meditation

13 Names Dhikr

6 Names Dhikr

Special Dua

Memorize Dua

Sufi Technique
Namaz

Sufi Technique
One
Morning

Sufi Technique
Two
Afternoon X 2

Sufi Technique
Three
Evening

Sufi Technique
Four
Night

Concepts

Remembrance

Self-Journeying

Sincerity

Purity

Reading can be accessed fully for free

at following inks:
Who is Sofi?
http://fgulen.com/en/fethullah-gulens-works/sufism/key-concepts-in-thepractice-of-sufism-1/24721-sofi

How to describe Muhasaba (Self-Criticism or Self-Interrogation)

http://fgulen.com/en/fethullah-gulens-works/sufism/key-concepts-in-the-practice-of-sufism-1/24723-muhasaba-self-criticism-or-self-interrogation

What is Tafakkur (Reflection)?

http://fgulen.com/en/fethullah-gulens-works/sufism/key-concepts-in-the-practice-of-sufism-1/24724-tafakkurreflection
Ibada, Ubudiya, and Ubuda (Worship, Servanthood, and Deep Devotion)
http://fgulen.com/en/fethullah-gulens-works/sufism/key-concepts-in-the-practice-of-sufism-1/24736-ibada-ubudiyaand-ubuda-worship-servanthood-and-deep-devotion
Ikhlas (Sincerity or Purity of Intention)
http://fgulen.com/en/fethullah-gulens-works/sufism/key-concepts-in-the-practice-of-sufism-1/24738-ikhlas-sincerityor-purity-of-intention
Haya (Modesty)
http://fgulen.com/en/fethullah-gulens-works/sufism/key-concepts-in-the-practice-of-sufism-1/24744-haya-modesty
Sayr u Suluk (Journeying and Initiation)
http://fgulen.com/en/fethullah-gulens-works/sufism/key-concepts-in-the-practice-of-sufism-2/25742-sayr-u-sulukjourneying-and-initiation

Sufi Therapy/ Secret of Suretul Fatiha

Page 18

Muhyiddin Ibn al-`Arabi, said: "If anyone is in need of something, let him/her read surah al-Fatiha" forty times after
evening prayer and two raka`ats of optional prayer..Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him),
said: "Surah al-Fatiha is open for appealing to believers in Allah, with their wishes. Who reads surah al-Fatiha
over clean water 70 times for 7 days, and then, after blowing on it, drinks it, God, by His mercy, bestows knowledge
and wisdom, cleans his heart from pervasive thoughts, and grants him such an exceptional memory and ability to
grasp everything on the fly, that he never forgets anything even if he heard it once (Hadith). This is shown in one of
Glens books. Sirr (secret) or Discussion of al-Fatiha (Fatiha Uzerine Mulahazalar) is Glens only work solely
dedicated to surah interpretation, and in it Glen focuses on the miracle aspects of Quran and examines this from different points of view. He says poetry was central to the way of life at the place and time the Quran was revealed. The
mystical and magical expressions of Quran sounded like neither the poems nor hadith of the time; however it astounded everyone with its poetic originality. Sufism has a certain place in his interpretation method. It is also seen that Glen makes some references to canon law of verses (Tuncer, 2006). Glen speaks of the secret of Fatiha and the special
properties inherent in this surah, as a prophetic healing tradition.
Prayer is surah al-Fatiha" forty times in a day recommended for everyone.
In the name of God, the infinitely Compassionate and Merciful.
Praise be to God, Lord of all the worlds.
The Compassionate, the Merciful. Ruler on the Day of Reckoning.
You alone do we worship, and You alone do we ask for help.
Guide us on the straight path,
the path of those who have received your grace;
not the path of those who have brought down wrath, nor of those who wander astray.
Amen (Qur'an 1:1-7)
In Arabic: Bismillaah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem. Al hamdu lillaahi rabbil alameen
Ar-Rahman ar-Raheem Maaliki yaumid Deen. Iyyaaka naabudu wa iyyaaka nastaeen
Ihdinas siraatal mustaqee. Siraatal ladheena an amta alaihim. Ghairil maghduubi alaihim waladaaleen. Aameen

Sufi Therapy/ Said Nursi

Page 19

Spirit, Heart
and Ego
Said Nursi discusses three generally accepted faculties of consciousness in his
book, named Risale-i Nur: ruh (spirit),
kalp (heart), and ene (ego).
The Quran says that They will ask you
about the spirit. Say: The spirit is from
the command of my Lord: of knowledge
it is only a little that is communicated to you, [O men], (Quran, 17:85). Therefore, for Nursi, the spirit is the law that
came from the realm of command. The spirit is similar to the laws that we see in the nature because the realm of command is the source of both the spirit and the laws of nature. On the other hand, the spirit is also different in certain
ways from the laws of nature. For instance, the spirit is alive and enlightened. Moreover, it possesses consciousness
and external body. The external body of the spirit is not the mixture of flesh and bones. It is a soft and transparent
cover.
According to Nursi, there are two types of evidence for the existence and the eternity of the spirit. The first evidence is that a human being can see and experience in his inner being. For Nursi, everyone can understand that he has
a spirit if he examines his life and himself. Moreover, his spirit is immortal because although the body changes every
year, the spirit stays as it is. Therefore, the body is subject to change and death while the spirit does not. In other
words, the body may be changed or completely disappear, but it does not effect the spirit. The spirit may live with or
without the new body. In this respect, the body is like the house of the spirit rather than its skin that cannot detach itself from it.
The second evidence for the existence and eternity of the spirit is one that a human being can observe outside of himself. He says that if it is evident that a single spirit is eternal then all the spirits are eternal. Furthermore, when an essential attribute is found in a single spirit, it must be found in the other spirits as well. When we examine past human
experience, we see that humans sent blessings to the dead and received blessings from them. There are countless
signs, experiences, and occurrences proving that spirits are immortal and eternal.
A human being possesses a mind, eyes, hands, tongue, and ears. He thinks through his mind, sees through his eyes,
touches with his hands, and hears with his ears, but all of these organs are just tools for the spirit of the human being.
Therefore, the spirit is the one who thinks and sees rather than merely the mind and the eyes. For this reason, a human
being should follow the verse God has purchased of the Believers their person and their goods; for theirs [in return] is
the Garden [of Paradise] (Quran, 9:111) and should "sell" (so to speak) their organs to God so that their spirit may be
elevated from the level of pursuing its earthly pleasures to the level of becoming Gods servant.
In this respect, Nursi says Give up the physical life of the soul. Rise to the level of life of the heart, spirit, and inner
faculties; see what a broad sphere of life they possess. For them, the past and the futurewhich for you are deadare Living; they are existing and full of life. O my soul! Like my heart, you too should weep and cry out and say:
I am ephemeral; I do not want another who is thus.
I am helpless; I do not want another who is thus.
I have surrendered my spirit to the Most Merciful; I do not want another.
I want another, but let him be an eternal friend.
I am a mere atom, but I desire an Everlasting Sun.
I am nothing, yet I wish for these beings, all of them.

Sufi Therapy/ Sufi Thoughts

Page 20

Ego Ego Ego and Heroes of Self-Suppression

If, by accident, a stone stubs a golden bowl,
the stone does not gain value,
nor does the bowl become less valuable.
What is important is for us, with regard to our inward relationship
with God, is to be like the gold in a bowl.
The Quranic Commentary class this morning was about the beloved Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Thousands of
peace and blessings be upon him, millions of peace and blessings,
billions of peace and blessings be upon him.
The Pride of Humankind, despite being stoned so much, was never away from his duty of Messengership. He arrived at the lofty
horizon of his spirit when he passed away, since there was
no more room for improvement in this world; he was promoted to
the Highest Rank of Humanity, he was promoted to the company

of God, glorified and exalted be He.

We live in particularly troublesome times.
On the one hand, egotism is too powerful; every individual has an ego the size of an iceberg. They would not even
allow others to say You have an eyebrow above your eye as a Turkish proverb says.
Each sound they utter has the word I all over it: I, I, I. When they recite the Quran, they spell I, when talking about their service, they spell I, when they give a talk, they spell I, and when they perform the Prayers, they
spell I.
The Great Prophets, the reputable saints, the respected scholars of purity, and the ones nearest to Him should be taken
as guideposts to evaluate our own Muslimness, and the validity of our own objectives.
Selfishness, selfishness, selfishness.
Conceit, conceit, conceit.
Egotism, egotism, egotism.
Trust me when I say, people who have followers like these, can never raise the statue of their souls. They first need to
purify their carnal souls; which means, they need a purification of their elementary, passionate nature.
Bedizzaman prescribes the rationale of self-purification as Do not be proud of your services to Gods religion. Our
noble Prophet says: Innallaha layuayyidu hadhad-din bi yadir-rajulil-fajir, meaning God may as well sustain
Islam through a shameless dissolute man. Since you are not refined, that is, since you have not refined and developed
your soul in purity, you should consider the possibility that you are that shameless dissolute person.
When you examine the present state of the world you will see that every corner suffer from this grunting sound.
The Muslims of the present time have suppressed these virtues, in favor of their egos.
Why do we not take an oath? Let us all take an oath for Gods sake, that we will express sincere gratitude to anyone
who points out our mistakes and viciousness, in accordance with the Quran and the Prophetic tradition and the main
highway of the Righteous Predecessors; that we will say That is very kind of you to alert us to the scorpion or snake
that was about to hurt me.
Bediuzzaman always dreamed of a new generation, one that is incorrupt, one that is not defective, one that is intact,
one that has not indulged in sins, and one who is self-critical.
This guidance comes from the owner of a heart and conscience. The architects of the future will be the heroes of this
understanding, this philosophy, and this way of thinking; not grandstanders, or ill characters revealing conceit. They
have integrity, they are courageous, they are vigorous and in a strong relationship with God.
God willing, your generation and the next one, the new generation will become a means for goodness, and will realize
Bedizzamans cause; hence, you will please him, please the Pride of Humankind, and of course, first and foremost
and above all, you will win the pleasure of God.
When you go to the other world, I hope He says I am pleased with you, personally, and to your face. This is something for which we shall sacrifice our souls, our worldly and bodily pleasures, our freedom in this world. We shall
sacrifice all
Fethullah Glen.

Sufi Therapy/ Sufi Dua

Page 21

How to perform Salat (Namaz)

1) Stand up facing Kabah. It is called Qayam. The space between feet should be about four to five fingers apart, do not stand wide spread like
most people do these days.. They should be pointing towards Kabah.
2) Say, "I pray two rakah (or as many required for that time) Fard (if its Fard or say Sunnat if its Sunnat or say Wajib if its Wajib or Say Nafil if
its Nafil) for Allah Tala Face towards Kabah". If praying behind Imam add "Behind this Imam". It is called Niyat (Intention).
Note: It is Mustahab (a preferable deed) to say the Niyat. It is also permissible to make Niyat in your heart without saying it, that is good
enough.
2) Raise both of your hands next to each ears. Touch the lobes of your each ear with thumbs.Then say "Allah Hoo Akbar"
3) Place the hands on navel right hand on top of left hand. Thumb and Pinky (smallest finger) should be wraped around the wrist of left hand's
wrist. It should be like you are locking or grabbing the left hand wrist. Rest of the three fingers of right hand should be strait in line to each
other.
4) Now Read, "Subhana Kalla Humma Wa Bee Hamdika Wata Baara Kasmooka Wa Ta'ala Jaddoo Ka Wa La ilaha Ghairuka" Wait a little.
5) Then read, "Aaoo Zoo Billahee Minash Shaitaunir Rajeem" Wait a little.
6) Then read, "Bismillah Hir Rahmaanir Raheem" Wait a little.
7) Then read Soorah Fatiha, "Alhamdo Lillahi Rabbil Aalameen Ar Rahmaanir Raheem Maaliki Yaomid Deen iyya Kana Budoo Wa iyya
kanastaeen ihdinas Siratual Mustaqeem Siratual Lazeena An Amtaa Alaihim Ghairil Maghdoobe Alaihim Walad Dualleen" Wait a little.
8) Then say, " Ameen". Wait a little.
9) Then read, "Bismillahir Rahamaanir Raheem". Wait a little.
10) Then read any surrah from Quran or atleast three Ayats. We are writing you a small one. Read this Surrah, " Wal A'sre Innal Insaana Lafi
Khusr illal Lazeena Aamanoo Wa A'milos Sualihaati Wa Tawa Sao Bil Haqqi Wa Tawa Sao Bis Sabr " Wait a little.
11) Then Say "Allah Hoo Akbar" and bow (its called Ruku), hold your knees with your hands. The fingers should be separated with gaps in
them. The back should be horizontally strait in line like a board. (Salat images will be available on Oct 1st 2006, Insha Allah)
12) Recite, "Subhaana Rabbiyal Azeem" At least three times. Three, five and seven times are Sunnat (Sunnat means what Prophet Mohammad
peace be upon him liked to do). Wait a little.
13) Then start to stand up saying, "Samee Allahoo Layman Hamidah - Rabbana Lakal Hamd" Start to say Samee when leaving Rookh (bowing
poster) and end with Hameedah when you are fully errect. Wait a little.
14) Now say, "Allah Hoo Akbar"
15) Now go to Sajdah (placing face on ground). In sajdah all the fingers of feet should be twisted so that the round soft part of the fingers is
touching the ground. Hand fingers should be close to face and facing Kabah in strait line. Put enough pressure on nose so tha t the bone of
nose should feel the hardness of earth (do not hurt your self but should be firm) Arms should be away from body like a bird opens the wings.
16) Now read, "Subhaana Rabbiyal Aala" at least three times. Three, five and seven times are Sunnat. Wait a little.
17) Now sit down on your left foot (It's called Jalsa) the right foot should be sticking out and all of the foot fingers should be twisted. The soft
part of the foot fingers should touch the ground. Sit for the amount of time you could say Subhan Allah at least three times.
18) Now go back to sajadah and perform as you did before Jalsa.
19) After completing second sajdah get up and go back to Qayam (standing up) Saying "Allah Hoo Akbar" Then read , "Bismillahir
Rahamaanir Raheem" Wait a little
20) Now again read Soorah Fatiha, "Alhamdo Lillahi Rabbil Aalameen Ar Rahmaanir Raheem Maaliki Yaomid Deen iyya Kana Budo Wa iyyaka
Nastaeen ihdinas Sirataul Mustaqeem Siratual Lazeena An Amtaa Alaihim Ghairil Maghdoobe Alaihim Walad Dualeen" Wait a little.
21) Then say, "Ameen" Wait a little.
22) Then read, "Bismillahir Rahamaanir Raheem" Wait a little.
23) Then read any surrah from Quran or at least three Ayahs. We are writing you another small one. Soorah Al kausar, "Innaa Aataina Kal
Kauser Fasalli Li Rabbi Ka Vanhar Inna Shaaniaka Hooal Abtar". Wait a little and repeat the steps from 11 to 18.
24) This time after second Sajdah do not go back to Qayam (standing up) but go back to Jalsa (sitting) but now it's called Qa idah.
Now read, "Atthayyato Lillahe Wassalawato Wat Tayyebato Assalamu Alaika Ayyohan Nabiyo Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatoh Assalamu
Alaina Wa Ala ibadillahis Sualaiheen Ashadu An La ilaah illal Laho Wa Ashadu Anna Mohammadan Abdohoo Wa Rasooluhoo"
Note: When you reach at Ashadu An La raise your index finger of your right hand upward facing about 45 degrees by closing the fist, and
drop it back and spread the hand to its original position at illal Laho.
Wait a little.
25) Now read this Durood Sharif, "Allah Humma Salle Ala Mohammadiyon Wa Ala Ale Mohammadin Kama Sallaita Aala ibraheema Wa Ala
Aalay ibraheema inna Ka Hameedum Majeed. Allah Humma Baarik Aala Mohammadiyon Wa Ala Ale Mohammadin Kama Barakta Ala
ibraheema Wa Ala Ale ibraheema inna Ka Hameedum Majeed." Wait a little.
26) Now read this dua, "Allah Humma Rabbana Aatina Fid Dunya Hasanah Wa Fil Akhirate Hasanah Wa Qina Azaban Naar." Wait a little.
27) Now turn your head towards right and say, "Assalamo Alaikum Wa
Rehmatullah"
Now turn your head towards left and read the same as above,
"Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rehmatullah"
Salah is complete now.

Amounts of rakats for each time are:

Fajr = First two rakat Sunnat Mokadda then two rakat Fard;
Zuhr =First four rakat Sunnat Mokadda then four rakat Fard
then two rakat sunnat Mokadda; (two rakat nafils at the end)
Asr =First four rakat sunnat ghair mokadda then Four rakat
Fard;
Maghrib = First three rakat Fard then two rakat Sunnat
Mokadda; (Two nafils after sunnat are optional)
Isha = First Four rakat Fard then two rakat sunnat mokkada
then three rakats Wajib;
Must be with Wudu for all Salahs.

Sufi Therapy/ Kunut Prayers

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Sufi Therapy/ The Universal Tree Page 23

The Tree of Being

The fact that sidq (truthfulness), amanah (trustworthiness) and teblig or
irshad (presentation) are among the properties of Gods Messengers is important in indicating the significance of this issue. Glens philosophy is of
a holistic educational system which promotes spiritual enrichment and critical thinking for men and women, proper training of all mind, heart and soul
aspects of the human condition in concert. This philosophy promotes the
holistic development of the individualspiritually, morally, rationally, and
psychologicallyby blending faith and science. This learning for the higher purpose of serving the Almighty (hizmet) and not for material gain or
worldly glory is presentation. Hizmet, service to God through ones work,
particularly ones teaching, is a central crucial tenet of Glens educational
philosophy and has been taken to be indicative of worldly asceticism on
his part (Afsaruddin, 2005).
Allah provides happiness to a Sufi when He gives an obligatory order of
irshad and fills the heart of the soul with goodness completely, and dismisses all of the darkness from the souls heart. Allah becomes a shelter for
spirit, gives a golden throne for the spirit at His stage and cleans all of the
calamities from the souls heart. This is the most superior level of sainthood.
Glen shares a similar idea with Ibni Arabi, who proposed the genius idea of the Universal Tree in which is
observed a diverse unity based on the multiplicity of beings rooted together in one Divine Being as presentation. A
Sufi must provide service or hizmet for humanity regardless of their origin and without gaining any benefits. The tree
and four feathered creatures that sit upon its branches bring forth a type of mystical grounding, fostered in unity for
dialogue among religious traditions. The types of dialogue revealed within the tree are the dialogues of life, of study,
of prayer, and of spirituality, all of which, if followed in an atmosphere of mutuality, have the potential to facilitate
people toward the dialogue of actionan action bringing forth a vision of justice for all. From this vision Ibn Arabi
came to develop his philosophy of Diversity within Unity (Jaffray 2011, 1). Author Angela Jaffray (2011) says, Ibn
`Arabi clearly acknowledges the monotheistic sense of God, but acknowledges Diversity among the different religions, but in Diversity, God wills unity, and Glen also follows this path (Jaffray 2011, p. 2).
A Sufi must provide presentation (irshad) to others concerning the fact that in Diversity, God wills unity. Glen advises that, We should clear the way to unite people; this is one of the greatest ways in which God grants people
success in the world, and how He transforms this world into a Paradise. It is in this way that the door of Heaven will
be opened wide in order to give us a warm welcome. Hence, we should remove all ideas and feelings that pull us
apart, and run to embrace one another (Glen 2010, p.7).
Upon meeting the Universal Tree, Ibn `Arabi greeted it and the tree responded by saying: Listen, O wayfarer,
O king. I am the Universal Tree of synthesis and likeness. I have deep roots and my branches are lofty. I am the synthesis of the divine words (Jaffray 2006, pp 35-37).
The Tree consists of unity and multiplicity. The well-rooted trunk represents unity, and multiplicity is reflected in the leaves. The leaves represent human beings, and the branches a synthesis of all the Divine Names and Attributes manifested to the leaves [humankind] (Jaffray 2006, pp 82, 83). The Tree demonstrates the universality of God's
all-inclusive infinite ways in which He manifests Himself to creation. Ibn `Arabi writes, "People of God say there are
as many ways to God as the breaths of the creatures..." (Twinch 2011, p.3). In other words, there is one Divine Being,
but God manifests Himself in infinite ways to each person.