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Sheikh Din's Discourse on Baba Anandamurti's Six Spokes
of the Social Cycle
- DR Journal 2003 (Year End) |
 This
article
is
the
second of a two-part series. In the previous issue of
"Divine Remembrance," Sheikh Din Muhammad Abdullah al-Dayemi discussed
his model of the "Six Spokes of Progressive Development." Here, he
expounds on P.R. Sarkar's model of the "Six Spokes of the Social
Cycle," that has deeply inspired the Vision of the Dayerni Tariqat.
As we reflect on the first installment of this two-part article, which
described the "Six Spokes of Progressive Development," let us examine a
similar diagram as outlined by our beloved spiritual ancestor, P.R.
Sarkar (Baba Anandamurti). He also taught that for an individual, as
well as for a society to be fully healthy and complete, there needs to
be six criteria present. He deemed his model the "Six Spokes of the
Social Cycle." They are inextricably related to the Six Spokes of
Progressive Development that I outlined for you (see Part 1 in Divine
Remembrance, Volume VIII/Number 1). Baba Anandamurti is emphatic that
the Six Spokes of the Social Cycle must be present for a society and
its individuals to be complete. Without completion, all would suffer
from lack.
The condition of lack always creates a propensity or desire to fill it.
This desire to fill what is lacking can be described as a "longing." A
person's longing intensifies to the degree to which they are aware of
their lack. Most often the longing associated with our lack brings
about a feeling of emotional pain. It is as a result of this pain that
we are motivated to alleviate it. The relationship between longing and
lacking sets up a psycho-emotional spiral. It works like this: the more
we lack, the more we long; the more we long, the more we hurt; the more
we hurt, the more we seek to alleviate the pain. If you feel a longing
with no means to fulfill it, your pain intensifies immensely, doesn't
it?
A society, a collective of people, also has longing just like an
individual. Therefore, Baba Anandamurti teaches that the first thing
required for a whole and healthy society is:
1. Spiritual Practice - I have defined true
spiritual practice as a scientific method that has, proven through its
process, the ability to provide for personal growth, well-being and the
Realization of the Divine Self or God. Spiritual practice is the
approach that is employed in an attempt to alleviate worldly pain and
fulfill spiritual longing. The effort towards fulfillment has us face
the need for a personal method, a personal discipline and a personal
form for contemplation, prayer and meditation.
To perform one's spiritual practice is a large part of answering the
call for humanity to return to God. Hayya ala Salaah cries the adhaan
(call to prayer). Come to the prayer - to sanctification and holiness.
Come and make holy. In other words ... perform your spiritual practice,
that which fulfills you.
Spiritual practice can be performed at both the individual and
interpersonal levels. Yet, the practitioners of any spiritual practice
are the individuals themselves. Cultures, often through their
traditional observances, confuse themselves by thinking that they are a
spiritual practice or religion, when indeed, they are not. The
collective effect of individuals as they perform their practices is a
change in the social mindset. The outlook of any community (social
system) is the collective make-up of the individual's mentalities. When
the practices for God-realization and personal growth are individually
and collectively performed by members of a society, a spiritual outlook
becomes prominent in that particular social system.
In order for the results of spiritual practice to be a reality, the
practice needs to make sense. That is what I meant earlier by stating
that the practice must be scientifically proven. I do not necessarily
mean that the spiritual practice needs to make logical sense or common
sense in materialistic terms, but that the spiritual practice must make
sense in accordance to the rhythm of nature. This natural way has been
called the diin ul-fitrah in Sufism or dharma in the Indian based
languages. If a spiritual practice does not make sense, it is simply a
superstition that is soon on the way to becoming an officially codified
ritual. Dogma. Dogma is at the core of our world's conflicts. Having a
solid foundation with sufficient understanding of our spiritual
practice helps to both insure the potency of our practice, as well as
protect us from becoming dogmatic. Therefore, Baba says that society
needs an adequate spiritual ideology.
2. Spiritual Ideology - I define spiritual
ideology as a cosmology or philosophic framework that can explain both
the intrinsic, as well as the practical reasons, direction and methods
for spiritual practice in both individual and collective life. The
spiritual ideology outlines and instructs why and how the practice is
performed. The ideology provides a context that helps us to personally
experience the results of the practices as they align our movements
with the rhythm of nature. If your personal spiritual practice is out
of alignment with nature, it will not work. As mystical as spiritual
life may appear to the innocence of one's inner child, the reality is
that spiritual practice and spiritual ideology ain't magic. Spiritual
life may feel "magical" as we romanticize the path, but the practice
itself is not magic. It works because it is rooted in reason and
spiritual science. The field of spiritual science is ideology.
How does the practice work? Why does it work? How was the method
derived, and how does it make you feel? So the next time someone tells
you that you must bow, you are keyed in to why you bow. Or for example,
when someone tells you how to bake bread, you understand bread baking.
The purpose of our recitations and litanies, why they work and what
they mean are our "recipes," our ideology.
3. Spiritual-Social Outlook - The third spoke that Baba
Anandamurti says is required for a healthy society is the proper
"spiritual-social outlook." This outlook is an approach that ascribes
common and divine fraternity for all beings, whether animate or
inanimate. In this idea you will find the essential echoing of the
Qur`anic phrase, inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiiun, from Allah do all
things come and unto Allah do all things return. The Sufis recite this
phrase as a tool for remembering where we came from, how we're
sustained and where we are going. It helps us realize that we are all
here together ultimately with a common intention, and that every person
and all phenomenon will be reconciled over time through death -
eventually ending in a common destination.
To have the proper spiritual outlook, Baba said, would be to see all
things as the progeny of One Universal Spiritual Consciousness. In
every thought, word and action, witness the expression of God as the
inherent creative source of all things and all beings. As this approach
is a recipe for human beings, Baba coined this type of outlook,
"neo-humanism."
Neo-humanism is not a new idea. It's just Baba's term to elucidate the
idea that all things, not just human beings, have the inherent
spiritual right to exist, flourish and be happy. For example, water.
Water has a right to be water. What does it mean to be water? It means
that it has a right to be clean and to flow. If, as a result of human
behavior, water can no longer be clean or flow back to the ocean, then
its "rights" have been abused and exploited.
Remember back in the 1960s when Lake Erie started on fire? Remember
that? The Great Lake Erie started on fire because of industrial
pollution. Water is not supposed to catch on fire! This is a
demonstration of how that water's right to be water was violated.
Trees have the right to be trees and birds have the right to be birds.
All the species have their rights. Among human beings, we also have our
rights, but not to the exclusion of the rights of the creation as a
whole. Ultimately, a person's birthright is to complete themself in
love and happiness. We have a birthright to realize our highest
purpose. Therefore, we also have rights to food, clothing, healthcare,
shelter, education and security. These are our fundamental birthrights.
Most of all, we have the right to security - to live in peace. Why?
Because, we all are part of One Common Spiritual Expression.
Realize that your blood bleeds the same color as all human blood.
Realize that the link between mother and child is the exact same link,
wherever you go on this planet. Realize that the fundamental desire of
all human beings is to be loved - both to give love and to receive
love. It is the same. These realizations will open your outlook.
Through these realizations you will develop a spiritual social-outlook.
This is why the Holy Qur`an instructs us to greet each person with
Peace -Salaam. It teaches you to ideate on the realization that every
person is deserving of Allah's Peace, as each person is an expression
of the most sacred of God's creation. Humanity! May Peace be upon you.
In essence, you and I are the same. Our cultural expressions often have
us appear diverse from one another, but in our essence we're the same.
We want the same things. We need the same things.
This common link is the "something" that has been forgotten by the
multinational corporations and the nation-state politics at this time.
The nation-states and their leaders have forgotten about inna lillahi
wa inna ilaihi rajiiun, from Allah we come and to Allah we return.
These forces actually think that they own everything and everybody and
that through their ownership of things, material things, everything is
at their disposal for economic exploitation. Profit.
They think they own the land, the water, the air and the ozone. They
think they have the right to shoot weapons into space, and they think
they own the right to commoditize everything in order to make a buck.
The promise of power and financial profit to the nation states and
multinational corporations has blinded them to the rights of all
others. As a result of a defective spiritual-social-outlook, the
inhabitants of this world suffer whether they are animate or inanimate.
Have the powerbrokers of this world forgotten the Qur`anic injunction
that all things shall taste death? How can one claim ultimate ownership
to anything when death is inevitable? Ultimately, no one owns anything
other than God. Human beings are only temporary custodians. And lately,
poor stewards at that!
4. Socio-Economic Theory - The fourth spoke of Baba
Anandamurti's six-spoke model is the maintenance of a spiritualized
social-economic theory - a spiritual economic system. This idea
reintroduces the question, "How do we deal with each other both
economically and politically?" You've already heard me comment quite a
bit on this subject in the previous article.
5. Scripture - The fifth spoke is
scripture. Scriptures are the archives, the records of our spiritual
lessons. Scripture chronicles the human learning process. The
scriptures document humanity's lineages, practices, traditions, legends
and stories. They allow us to go back in time, as well as deeply within
ourselves to inquire, learn the history of human spiritual effort and
find out what has worked for people and what has not. The Qur`an is a
prime example because it is constantly asking us to reflect on its
Message in light of the civilizations gone before.
The great mystical traditions acknowledge that the making of scripture
takes place via two mediums: first, that which is recorded through
writing, and secondly, that which is heard or listened to when you are
in the presence of an enlightened teaching. When you're in the presence
of an enlightened teaching, you are also "reading" scripture because
you are gleaning from the "archival truth records" through a personal
transmission. Truth is One. When enlightened teachings are preserved,
through whatever media, they become the historical record or the
written word.
These records (scriptures) could be compared either to a course
curriculum in the school of life or to an operating manual for life.
Scriptures are our life's university text. Just as textbooks are needed
in school, scripture is needed in life.
6. Spiritual Preceptor - The relationship with a
Spiritual Guide or Master is the final spoke of Baba Anandamurti's
model. Baba taught that without a Master, neither you nor a society
have the required exemplary action or influence present that will cause
you to move in a progressive direction. I'm not talking about how fast
or slowly you'll move. I'm talking about whether or not you will even
move at all!
Of course, all people move forward in their development at different
rates. However, the question I am posing is, "What are the impetuses or
the catalyzing agents that actually cause humanity to move forward?"
Every effect in life is precipitated by a preceding cause or influence.
Progressive movement along a path also needs a cause or an influence
present. A living Master's presence causes movement. A Teacher provides
the required influence for growth without being encumbered by either
the dogma of the society or the sentiments of the people.
Review the "Six Spokes of Progressive Development" that I have
expressed and the "Six Spokes of the Social Cycle" that Baba
Anandamurti has expressed, and you will find that they correlate
perfectly. If you combine the two models, there are twelve spokes - two
wheels. If any one of the individual spokes is missing in either wheel,
you end up with less than a complete circle. As in the case of
religions, philosophies and social systems, some have more of the
spokes present and some have less. The less of these spokes that are
present, the more imbalanced the person or society becomes, and of
course, the more of these spokes that are present, the more complete
the individual and the collective live in harmony.
You will find these same elements exemplified in the teachings of the
Noble Prophet Muhammad (saws), as has been imparted to us through
Qur`an, Sunnah and Ahaadith. The Sufi Path contains Mastery, personal
spiritual practice and provision for personal growth, community,
adherence to friendship/interpersonal relationship as I've expressed
it, Ummah (Community) and its requirement for social structure, as well
as aadaab with its protocol for manners and etiquette, which is likened
to neo-humanism, etc.
Truly at the core of "Islamic spiritual culture," not its social or
political culture, is aadaab - courtesy. Aadaab provides for our
celebration and our sense of hospitality. This is our culture. It has
nothing to do with where you live or what language you speak. Aadaab is
the culture. True aadaab is exactly the same thing that Baba
Anandamurti called "spiritual-social-outlook."
Within the context of an Ummah, the Prophet Muhammad (saws) gave us a
spiritually inspired system for the sharing and exchange of wealth. You
will also find among the great Prophet's teachings outlines for both
individual and social governance. You can see the presence of all of
the spokes in the original Islam.
Among the Sufis, the Qur`an Kariim is our scripture. The word "Qur`an"
comes from the Arabic, iqraa' (to recite, to read). If you examine the
history of the Qur`an, you will discover that it fulfills both aspects
of our definition previously given for scripture. The Qur`an was
originally the spoken word as transmitted to the Prophet. It was passed
down to the Companions of the Prophet in spoken word, and was later
written down. This is a perfect example of the enlightened teaching
becoming the written archive. As the Qur`an instructs, the Sufis draw
from the "whole of the book" - in its present form as Qur`an, but also
from the Torah, Psalms and the Gospels.
Also, within the Path of Sufism is the prominent role of the Sheikh
(Master), sometimes called the Murshid, Pir or Waliy (Friend of God).
For the members of a Sufi Community, the Sheikh is the force whose hand
keeps the movement of the members of the tariqah moving, both
individually and collectively towards their completion.
As we synthesize the meaning contained in the twelve spokes, we awaken
to the simultaneous opportunity and responsibility they hold for our
lives. If you are a human being at this time in history, it is
incumbent upon you as part of your enlightenment process to express
yourself to some degree in each of these areas. You must express
yourself not only in one area, and certainly not just the one interest
area of your preference or comfort. Just as all parts of your Self must
come forward and return to completion, all parts of the human society
must collectively band together towards one goal.
By willingly accepting our spiritual and social responsibility, we
honor the Amaana (trust) with which humanity has been entrusted. We
recognize that to grow and take action in each area of life as a whole
is contained within the process of our return. This complete all
encompassing engagement, spiritually, mentally/ emotionally, physically
as well as socially (as contained in all twelve spokes), is what makes
a person complete. Our beloved Prophet (saws) taught that a person
isn't truly a Muslim until they want for another what they would have
for their own self. The great Master and Prophet Jesus instructed, "Do
unto others as you would have them do unto you." Perhaps his most
profound teaching was "Love as I have loved."
Humanity can no longer minimize the impact that our personal
expressions have upon the world at large, nor can we ignore the
relationship that the whole of society has upon its individuals. Either
attempting to avoid the consequences of our actions or denying the
importance of the personal/social connection weakens the strength of
our individual spiritual practice. An incomplete or weak individual
weakens the fabric of society. A truly enlightened, illumined,
completed, fully returned person is one who enjoins themself in the
whole of life, just as the Qur`an teaches to enjoin the whole of the
book.
This is why it is necessary to live in some form of Community. Alone,
no one is capable of completing or fulfilling themself to perfection in
all of these areas. However, we are capable of combining our strengths
together into a matrix wherein your strength helps me to complete my
weakness, and my strength helps you to complete your weakness. In this
way, we can insure the rising evolution of the Community, which in turn
creates a more optimum environment for its individuals. This is a very
important point. The evolutionary ascension of the Community pulls
along with it the individuals. This is one of the symbols of the Imaam
(prayer leader) standing in front of the congregation and praying on
its behalf. The Imaam is not literally praying for you. Your prayers
are between you and Allah directly, however the symbol of the Imaam is
that of the Community knit together as a matrix, shoulder to shoulder,
heart to heart, standing in a common direction, foot to foot, and
finally prostrating itself back to the Divine Source all together. By
the performance of individual as well as collective spiritual practice,
a renewed trust of life is translated into our daily interactions.
The practice of realizing Allah, for those who accept it, is the
practice of wholeness. Every single engagement is a spiritual practice
transforming every aspect of life into worship - avocation, vocation,
personal, interpersonal, cultural, ecological, political and economic.
None of these things is an exception to spiritual reality. All are
included, and in all of these areas are the means by which we complete
ourselves. Our return.
Hopefully the discussion in the last two articles helps us to open up
our view of personal spiritual practice, community and our
responsibility and obligation to support and nourish them. How we
fulfill our responsibilities and obligations is part of the way that we
make prayer. All actions, if performed with the awakened consciousness
of remembrance, inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiiun, become worship.
Allah calls us to completion. The call to prayer invites us to fulfill
our sacred purpose by calling out, "Come. Express your divinity, make
holy, be sanctified in sacredness. Come and be successful. Be
successful by your completion, and that completion is the return, the
tawbah, towards Allah on High." One who has completed their tawbah is
made successful, and as part of the return serves all and everyone.
Rabbana atina fiddunya hasanah wa fil akhirati hasanah wa qina adhab
an-nar. Alhamdullilahi Rabbil `Alamin. Our Lord, grant us good in this
world and in the hereafter, and protect us from the torment of hell.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord and Cherisher of the World.
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