Sufism: Ramadan: The Alchemy of Fasting

Marian Brehmer (en.Qantara.de, 4/28/21); Pat Macpherson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Sublime Sufi mystical states of meditation are practiced in Rumi's war-torn Afghanistan.

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Sufis celebrate Ramadan? Oh, yes! (BBC)

Islam is scary to Westerners, but Sufism (the mystic variety) is wonderful and inviting. There's the poetry, entheogenic visions, Persian splendor, Arabian riches, exotic stories, communion with the divine, awe-inspiring art, and... Did we mention the poetry? Rumi alone has done much to garner our interest. Wouldn't it be fine to be a professor of comparative religion on sabbatical like Makransky, traveling East, striving for enlightenment, then rushing back to teach class on Monday? Having learned the Buddha Dharma, it would be nice to look into other mystical practices like yoga, Jainism, Vedic religion, and Rumi's Sufism -- not for enlightenment but rather the fascinating wonderment of what other humans do on the planet.

Ramadan – a feast for spirit and soul

Let us contemplate the meaning of "fasting."

In Islamic mysticism, Ramadan is more than just a period of prescribed abstinence that signifies an opportunity for inner contemplation.

Marian Brehmer explores the spiritual dimensions of the month of fasting against the background of Sufism.

"Ramadan is the month in which, with the communication between God and the Prophet [Muhammad], a new light and lifeline between Allah [God] and [hu]mankind emerges. Anyone who is willing to receive a piece of it may benefit."

In a calm voice, retired American Professor of Psychology Muhyiddin Shakoor, who lives between Turkey and the U.S., talks about the blessings of the fasting month.

What do the Bhagavad Gita and Koran/Quran have in common? (en.qantara.de)

Religion is terrible, but mysticism (direct experience of the truth or the divine) is awesome.

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He pauses frequently while the consecutive translator beside him searches for the best Turkish equivalents for his words.

The audience consists of several hundred viewers who, at half past nine, have just begun digesting their iftar (meal). The desire for spiritual uplifting is strong during the second Ramadan of the pandemic, which the Turkish government heralded with curfews and bans on public gatherings.

Using the live TV feature on the social platform Instagram, thousands of Turkish spiritual seekers have been appeasing their hunger for soul-food every evening since the beginning of the fasting month -- a function that would otherwise be fulfilled by communal fast-breaking or gatherings at dergahs (shrines) and Sufi centers.

A little more meditation then it's back to class.

On Instagram, spiritual masters, academics, and explorers of mysticism speak on topics such as spiritual fasting, self-improvement, and contemporary Koranic [Quranic] interpretation.

The format is based on a particular culture of conversation that springs from Sufism called sohbet. The word sohbet is derived from the Arabic suhba (companionship) and describes the practice of inspired discourse within the circle of a spiritual community.

Sohbet combines group communication and knowledge-sharing with an atmosphere of unconditional love, which the Sufis seek to cultivate in their hearts. More

• Persian-Afghan poet Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī
• BBC - Black Country - Faith - A Sufi Ramadan
• Ramadan | The Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi Order of America
• Invisible Rain of Ramadan – The Threshold Society (sufism.org)
• Why is Rumi the best-selling poet in the USA? - BBC Culture
• About Jalal al-Din Rumi | Academy of American Poets