A Muslim Convert Once More

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following are some sayings of Khwaja Mu’in ad-Din Hasan Shishty ( q.s. ), primarily from Dalil al-‘Arifin , by his premier caliph, Khwaja Quthb ad-Din Muhammad Bakhtiyar Kaki al-Awashi ibn Kamal ad-Din ( q.s. ) of Osh.   “The heart of a lover constantly burns with the fire of love, so much so that whatever intrudes upon its sanctity is burnt to ashes.”   “When the river pursues its course, the flow occasions force and noise, but when it ultimately merges into the sea, it rest in supreme peace.  The same is true of the individual self, covering various stages on its onward journey to merge itself in the Universal Self.”   “He indeed is a true servant, Blessed with the Love of God, who is Gifted with the following three attributes: charitable like the sea; affectionate like the Sun; and hospitable like the Earth.”   “The association with the pious and godly is better even than doing a good deed, and the association with ungodly and impio

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   As translated by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hakim Murad Timothy John Winter, Imam ‘Ali ibn Husayn al-Habshi ( q.s. ) wrote:   “Should you not gain your wants, my soul, then be not grieved; But hasten to that banquet which your Lord’s Bequeathed. And when a thing for which you ask is slow to come, Then known that often through delay are gifts received. Find solace in privation and respect its due, For only by contentment is the heart relieved.   And know that when the trials of life have rendered you Despairing of all hope, and of all joy bereaved, Then shake yourself and rouse yourself from heedlessness, And make pure hope a meadow that you never leave. Your Maker’s gifts take subtle and uncounted forms. How fine the fabric of the world His hands have weaved.   The journey done, they came to the water of life, And all the caravan drank deep, their thirst allieved. Far be it from the host to leave them thirsty there, His spri

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The third chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew introduces John the Baptist ( a.s. ) and addresses his baptism of Jesus ( a.s. ) at the Jordan River.   John the Baptist ( a.s. ) is known as Yohanan Hammathbil in Hebrew, Yuhanna al-Ma’amadan in Arabic and Iohanan in Aramaic.   He was a major religious figure mentioned in the canonical Gospels and the Qur’an.   He is described in the Gospel according to Luke as a relative of Jesus and Muslims believe so as well.   He led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River.   From a Jewish point of view, it was likely he belonged to the semi-ascetic Essenes sect.   The Essenes expected an imminent apocalypse and practiced rituals strongly associated with baptism   John ( a.s. ) is regarded as a prophet in Christianity, Islam, the Baha’ism   and Mandaeism.   John the Baptist ( a.s. ) was a contemporary of Jesus ( a.s. ) and first cousin since his mother and Mary ( a.s. ) were said to be sisters.   At th