We are nothing without God, We are nothing with God

Imagine a Sufi Order of great significance. Imagine the wisdom and enlightenment being taught to the mureeds (students) of the Order. Imagine the chain of authority going back more than 1400 years to the time of the Prophet. Imagine the prayers, recitations, dzikrs and whirling mystics of the Sufi Orders, then imagine you, or your good buddy inside one. And imagine the common hilarity and human errors and pratfalls that make this life interesting, and very often, funny.

These old sketches are what I phrase as technical cartoons because they interpolate with some Sufi Islam ideas and dogmas. All of them have spiritual significance of course, but they are only significant if you are immersed in the meaning... Ergo the glossary. I hope you enjoy them, sunshine!

Muraqaba - is a Sufi term meaning Muraqaba meditation. It is also understood to mean "to watch over", "to take care of", or "to keep an eye". It suggests that the mystical aspirant is taking care of his spirituality and his soul, as part of his path towards self-knowledge, knowledge of the world, and ultimately the Creator.

Taweez - is a prayer written on a piece of paper, praising and praying for the Prophet Muhammad and his Family, the Imam Mahdi and his 12 Companions. It is normally worn in a leather or silver amulet.

Awliya - is a Saint.

Fana - is the state or station of annihilation of selfhood in the higher manifestation of sainthood, then prophethood, and ultimately God. But the highest station is the return to mortality and to deal and serve mankind and God, which is the station of perfect servanthood. Well, that is what I have read...

Hehehe. No glossary needed here. I think the mureeds of the Sufi Order sometimes take themselves too seriously. A little levity is needed in life, I think. A little humour and self-deprecation goes a long way to make us companionable. After all, if our friends and family cannot stand us, how will God?

The path, according to my friends, are about self-knowledge and understanding. But it is not a self-centered dogma. It is to come to the realization that we are nothing without God, and we are nothing with God. To finally understand that 'we' do not matter at all, and it is 'the others' to whom we serve that actually matters; Brothers and sisters united serving God and all His Creation - humanity, the animals and the natural environment that is this blessed globe that we call Earth.

Is this not the best aim for all of us, sunshine? God bless you!

wa min Allah at-taufiq