Criminal
10-21-2004, 08:26 PM
http://www.muslimhope.com/sufis.htm
Comparing Sufism and Christianity
One could try to compare Sufi Islam with Christianity, because both focus on experience. The references are at the end so that can see if you can guess which is which.
Central Focus
"O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" (Psalm 8:1 David is speaking)
"I am the well-preserved tablet" This is interesting, because Sura 85:20-22 says it is the Qur’an that is preserved on tablets in Heaven.
"I said *** you are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing," (Psalm 16:2 The *** is LORD)
He also said, "I saw the *** walking around me." Of God it is said, "Your obedience to me is greater than my obedience to You." The *** are "Ka’aba"
(Said by Bayazid Bestami (died 874/877 A.D.) and taken from The Essential Rumi p.288.)
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (Jesus in Jn 15:1:4-6)
View of Ourselves
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than ourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of ***" (Paul is speaking in Philippians 2:3-5a. *** is Christ Jesus.)
"Praise be to me… How great is my majesty/glory … I am your Lord … My banner is greater than that of ***." (Bestami d.874/877 *** is Mohammed.)
Seeking
"I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might no sin against you." Psalm 119:10-11
"O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1 David is speaking from the desert of Judah.)
"This drunkenness began in some other tavern. When I get back around to that place, I’ll be completely sober. Meanwhile, I’m like a bird from another continent, sitting in this aviary." (From the Safa Anthology, taken from The Essential Rumi p.2)
"Show me your ways, O ***, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O ***, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old." Psalm 25:4-6 (David is speaking. The *** is LORD)
Prayer and Meditation
"Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. Morning by morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." (Psalm 5:2-3 David is speaking)
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my ***" (Psalm 19:14. *** is Redeemer.)
"*** was told a secret doctrine by *** and told not to tell it, so he whispered it down the mouth of a well. Sometimes there’s no one to talk to. You must just set out on your own." The first *** is ‘Ali, and the second *** is Mohammed. (The Mathnawi 4:275-486, taken from The Essential Rumi p.195)
Metaphors of Wine
"You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their [others’] grain and new wine abound." (Ps 4:7)
"I am the wine drinker and the wine and the cupbearer" (said by Bestami who died 874/877 A.D.) from The Essential Rumi p.288)
"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." Ephesians 5:18
"Happy is my head: and with loud shout, I speak; Saying: ‘Life’s breeze from the cup I seek.’ On the face of wine sickness, sitteth not the sullenness of austerity. The disciple of the khirka, dreg-drinker, pleasant of disposition, I am. … Wine, bring that, by *** decision, down from the pure heart, Hypocrisy’s dust, with the goblet’s grace, I may wash." (Divan of Hafez p.399. The *** is Hafiz, the poet’s nickname.
Comparing Sufism and Christianity
One could try to compare Sufi Islam with Christianity, because both focus on experience. The references are at the end so that can see if you can guess which is which.
Central Focus
"O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" (Psalm 8:1 David is speaking)
"I am the well-preserved tablet" This is interesting, because Sura 85:20-22 says it is the Qur’an that is preserved on tablets in Heaven.
"I said *** you are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing," (Psalm 16:2 The *** is LORD)
He also said, "I saw the *** walking around me." Of God it is said, "Your obedience to me is greater than my obedience to You." The *** are "Ka’aba"
(Said by Bayazid Bestami (died 874/877 A.D.) and taken from The Essential Rumi p.288.)
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (Jesus in Jn 15:1:4-6)
View of Ourselves
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than ourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of ***" (Paul is speaking in Philippians 2:3-5a. *** is Christ Jesus.)
"Praise be to me… How great is my majesty/glory … I am your Lord … My banner is greater than that of ***." (Bestami d.874/877 *** is Mohammed.)
Seeking
"I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might no sin against you." Psalm 119:10-11
"O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1 David is speaking from the desert of Judah.)
"This drunkenness began in some other tavern. When I get back around to that place, I’ll be completely sober. Meanwhile, I’m like a bird from another continent, sitting in this aviary." (From the Safa Anthology, taken from The Essential Rumi p.2)
"Show me your ways, O ***, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O ***, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old." Psalm 25:4-6 (David is speaking. The *** is LORD)
Prayer and Meditation
"Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. Morning by morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." (Psalm 5:2-3 David is speaking)
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my ***" (Psalm 19:14. *** is Redeemer.)
"*** was told a secret doctrine by *** and told not to tell it, so he whispered it down the mouth of a well. Sometimes there’s no one to talk to. You must just set out on your own." The first *** is ‘Ali, and the second *** is Mohammed. (The Mathnawi 4:275-486, taken from The Essential Rumi p.195)
Metaphors of Wine
"You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their [others’] grain and new wine abound." (Ps 4:7)
"I am the wine drinker and the wine and the cupbearer" (said by Bestami who died 874/877 A.D.) from The Essential Rumi p.288)
"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." Ephesians 5:18
"Happy is my head: and with loud shout, I speak; Saying: ‘Life’s breeze from the cup I seek.’ On the face of wine sickness, sitteth not the sullenness of austerity. The disciple of the khirka, dreg-drinker, pleasant of disposition, I am. … Wine, bring that, by *** decision, down from the pure heart, Hypocrisy’s dust, with the goblet’s grace, I may wash." (Divan of Hafez p.399. The *** is Hafiz, the poet’s nickname.