A Letter from the Desk of the Editor Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar, Ph.D

Every human being, at one time or another, asks the perennial questions: Where did I come from? Where am I going? What is the purpose of life? Some people dismiss these questions, since the answers seem impossible to find. Others continue to strive for understanding, and this quest leads them to knowledge.

One thing is certain...no knowledge is more important than the knowledge of the Self. No wealth is richer than the discovery of the essence of existence which lies within. Yet this wondrous creation is so tightly wrapped that it is rare indeed that someone is able to uncover its richness. The diversions of the outside world can amuse us for a lifetime and bury our jewel of existence farther within us; the jewel which we usually let remain untouched. Living the life of “the marketplace,” we keep ourselves busy and rarely do we remember our real Self.

It starts when we are children. We make castles out of sand, we play with our dolls as if they were real. We become the speaker, the listener and the player. And so it continues as we make our way through our society, building bigger houses, “playing the game.” We may have fun, but we are never deeply satisfied.

Before we know it we are old. Every cell seems to

slow down, becoming sedentary until the very elements which made up our body are scattered and return once again to earth. This is how nature works. The rule of nature is the rule of change–continuous gathering and continuous scattering. Through the principle of homogeneity, elements live together in cooperation. Societies operate according to this principle too. It is the basic rule of any association or group but many things take place in this “spirit of cooperation” because whenever there is an association of diverse elements, some members will be “eaters and some will be eaten.” The weak nourish the strong. In the final analysis, however, all will be eaten. It happens in the ocean which is a place of diverse creation. The whale feeds on fish. When the whale dies, other creatures of the deep feed on it. The ocean creates a myriad of motivations, actions and reactions. The nature of the ocean can be found in all its beings. The fish and the whale carry with them a shared heritage of the conditions and qualities of the water.

Human beings are creations of water as well. And this principle of the eater and the eaten is also illustrated in our own lives. Living within this system focuses our attention outside, keeping peace and tranquility out of our reach.

“You are a universe, yet not aware. A treasure without hardship is Man.” – Hazrat Moulana Shah Maghsoud

The Most Delicate Stages of Existence

Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar, Ph.D.

It seems that the essence of the human being has lost the straight direction of life after entering the world of nature and wearing the clothing of man. This is why everyone is searching for that lost tranquility, yet the majority are looking in the wrong direction so will not find it. For example, an individual who spends the wealth of life to gain and add to his bank account, or the one who strives hard in hope of fame, are both looking for tranquility of some kind. But the peace they are looking for is temporary relief and will not end in tranquility.

Human beings lose energy as they walk toward the gate of death, the unavoidable destiny. Such a destiny destroys peace of mind. If other animals are bound to lose what they have gained on the gateway of death, the human being is not. Man, the chosen creation, with the power of intellect, can avoid this complete destruction. But what is the price of that lost youth and energy? Is there anything of equal value in exchange? What can we do in order not to face poverty and shame when old and to keep our life from ending in complete destruction?

Prophets have brought the solution and have announced it to those who hear. But their messages have

been sold in the marketplace of society for the sake of some greedy ones and egotistical individuals. Thus, truths announced by them have been transformed into ceremonies.

The message of any prophet is to inform mankind of the human essence and potentiality, and to lead him toward knowledge and cognition where prejudice and ignorance have no ground for manifestation. Research and perfection in the School of Moses must end by entering the celestial realm introduced by Jesus, and through his teachings one must find the way toward cognizing the abstract essence announced by the Prophet Mohammad as La illaha illa Allah; the last rule and message.

The way and the path of the Prophets is the path of cognition and discovery. Through their teachings one can ascend to the level of a true human being, away from the animal level which is bound to the limitations of sensual information only. Such a human is as one who has been baptized by the hand of John. Through faith the gates of heaven will be open and the ray of knowledge will shine.

This human will pass through the gate of the world of change and find his way to salvation and eternal life.

He knows the difference between divine guidance and the influence of the devil, who is responsible for human illusion and deviation. He is victorious. Jesus says:

Enter ye in at the straight gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be which go in threat: Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way, which leads into life and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:13–14).

Yet the way, the knowledge and the books of such teachers have been replaced by meaningless ceremonies and customs. A wise person can only be pained by this sad state of affairs. Those who pass from the gate of the city of change leave the other world behind, continuing their spiritual traveling into celestial realms, and passing through the stages of devotion until their journey is complete. These people, aided by the depth of their knowledge, are victorious in the struggle between knowing and not knowing. So, it is those devotees who are settling down in the highest level of creation, making their home in the realm of infinity.

The source of essential nature, as well as the capability to develop it, lie within us. Existence, by its own will, has handed the jewel of knowledge and cognition to us. We are capable of developing to the highest, most delicate stages of existence. Yet, at the same time, our physical bodies, which have been supplied by the world of matter, are also bound by its rules. The rule of nature is the rule of change which means that whatever is born is also bound to die.

Life deserves more thoughtful attention than most people are inclined to give it. We have this mysterious thing called life, yet we are careless and lose ourselves in pursuing material objects. The alternative is waiting to be grasped: to respect knowledge and to inquire about who we are. This is how we can discover and understand our true nature. Imam Ali says:

You, human being, think you are just this small body, but I tell you that the whole universe is wrapped in you. The human intellect, which is the key to discovering reality, and the human material nature, which is facing constant change and death, have built the palace we call Man. Man is in constant struggle to survive. He is fortunate if, and only if, his intellect rules his life and not his changeable temporary physical desires.

We can liken the relationship of the essential nature of the human being and his physical body to a horseback rider and his horse. If the rider doesn’t understand the horse, it will not obey him. As a matter of fact, the horse could become so distressed by the rider’s lack of ability as to throw him out of the saddle and even harm him. On the other hand, the experienced rider has the horse’s respect and can ride wherever he wants in peace and security. The rules are clear: “one must have knowledge of horseback riding and one must know how to train a horse.” If either is unknown, horseback riding becomes difficult. An experienced rider who has not trained his horse will find it hard to reach his destination. In the same way, a trained horse cannot compensate for a careless rider.

It is possible for a human being to climb through the stages of spiritual perfection under the guidance of a divine teacher. Following a self-serving teacher, or carrying out empty rituals, will likewise hamper real spiritual progress. There are many imposters who are only too happy to abuse the words of true teachers and sell their fake goods in society. It is a pity that self-indulgence and marketplace amusements divert so many people from genuine instruction and self-cognition. According to the Prophet of Islam, “The human being chooses his death as he chooses the style of his life, and he rides into the next stage with the same qualities with which he has died.” In other words, we are responsible for the way we live our lives, for our awareness, thoughts, and behavior. We must know where we’re going...open our eyes to the celestial realms...open our ears to hear the spiritual melodies. When we dwell on our desires and mundane musings, we are living a life of illusion.

When a person deprives himself of the highest stages of existence, how can he expect to be saved? Do we expect Jesus to come to us at the moment of death and forgive us for our shortcomings? How can we correct our shortcomings after we are dead? When people are careless about their own being, how do they expect others to care for them?

A person who is trapped in his own senses cannot discover the knowledge of heaven. Imam Ali said that when people lose something, they look for it until they find it. Yet, look at all the people who are not aware that they have lost the precious gift of their own Self, and do not look for it.

In the introduction to his book, This is My Religion, Gandhi wrote that there is one reality in the world, and that is the knowledge of Self; thus one who knows and has discovered his Self has discovered his God. And one who dies not knowing his Self does not know anything. The only energy, freedom and justice in this world is the power to control one’s own Self.

Throughout the ages, great thinkers have been studying the human mystery. Researchers have spent lifetimes in their laboratories, applying their intellect to discover the truth of human existence. And, different kinds of researchers have been using their power and energy to discover the secrets of heaven using the laboratory of their own being to find the answers. We can only discover our own reality. To know one’s Self is to rise to the highest stage of humanity.

Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar, Ph.D., the Editor in Chief of the journal, is the CoDirector of the International Association of Sufism. He is an acclaimed Sufi Master with students around the world, an international lecturer and the author of numerous books including An Introduction to Religion.