To Pray Inside the Ka'ba

[dlamberth]

A Muslim whom I have great respect for is Omid Safi. Omid is the Director of Duke Islamic Studies Center at Duke University. And Omid is a Sufi. I’m not a Muslim, but I do pull in teachings from all religions. And I’m especially fond of the Sufies in that way.

It’s Ramadan now. Omid wrote the piece below as a reflection of Ramadan. I’m sharing it because it gives a pretty good picture into the mind of a Sufi Mystic and a picture of what the Ka’ba is to a Sufi.

To pray inside the Ka'ba.
We line up in prayer, from all over the world, facing Mecca. This one faces East, that one faces North, that one South, this one West.

As we come towards Mecca, we move to the center, towards the Heart, towards the Temple.
Upon arriving in Mecca, we arrive in the Sacred Mosque where we surround the Ka'ba: This one to the right, that one to the left, that one above, this one below.
We still line up in prayer, all towards the Ka'ba, this House of God.
Now... imagine the blessed soul who's allowed to go inside the Ka'ba. The door opens, we walk inside.
Once inside, which way do we face?
Which way do we pray?

This is the what the heart of the mystic is like.
To be inside the Divine, whichsoever way you look, there is the Face of God.
God here, God there.
God to the left, God to the right.
God above, God below.
God then, God Now.

 

[Tony Bristow-Stagg]

A Muslim whom I have great respect for is Omid Safi. Omid is the Director of Duke Islamic Studies Center at Duke University. And Omid is a Sufi. I’m not a Muslim, but I do pull in teachings from all religions. And I’m especially fond of the Sufies in that way.

It’s Ramadan now. Omid wrote the piece below as a reflection of Ramadan. I’m sharing it because it gives a pretty good picture into the mind of a Sufi Mystic and a picture of what the Ka’ba is to a Sufi.

To pray inside the Ka'ba.
We line up in prayer, from all over the world, facing Mecca. This one faces East, that one faces North, that one South, this one West.

As we come towards Mecca, we move to the center, towards the Heart, towards the Temple.
Upon arriving in Mecca, we arrive in the Sacred Mosque where we surround the Ka'ba: This one to the right, that one to the left, that one above, this one below.
We still line up in prayer, all towards the Ka'ba, this House of God.
Now... imagine the blessed soul who's allowed to go inside the Ka'ba. The door opens, we walk inside.
Once inside, which way do we face?
Which way do we pray?

This is the what the heart of the mystic is like.
To be inside the Divine, whichsoever way you look, there is the Face of God.
God here, God there.
God to the left, God to the right.
God above, God below.
God then, God Now.

This reminded me of the ending of a Prayer for Protection by the Bab;

"....Say: God sufficeth unto me; He is the One Who holdeth in His grasp the kingdom of all things. Through the power of His hosts of heaven and earth and whatever lieth between them, He protecteth whomsoever among His servants He willeth. God, in truth, keepeth watch over all things.
Immeasurably exalted art Thou, O Lord! Protect us from what lieth in front of us and behind us, above our heads, on our right, on our left, below our feet and every other side to which we are exposed. Verily, Thy protection over all things is unfailing."

Bahá'í Reference Library - Bahá’í Prayers: A Selection of Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Pages 133-135

Regards Tony

 

[Chesterton]

nm