[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color_gradient_direction=”75deg” background_image=”https:\/\/dzogchentoday.org\/wp-dzogtodaychen-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/concreteBackground.png” height=”250px” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” locked=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.23″ _dynamic_attributes=”background_image” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_direction=”96deg” background_color_gradient_stops=”rgba(19,32,77,0.68) 0%|rgba(19,32,77,0.36) 100%” background_color_gradient_start=”rgba(19,32,77,0.68)” background_color_gradient_end=”rgba(19,32,77,0.36)” background_image=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9mZWF0dXJlZF9pbWFnZSIsInNldHRpbmdzIjp7fX0=@” width=”80%” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”90%” width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”-100px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”1px||250px||false|false” box_shadow_style=”preset3″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_enable_image=”off” width=”90%” custom_margin=”||-50px||false|false” custom_padding=”2px||2px||true|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” text_text_color=”#121516″ header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#121516″ header_font_size=”70px” background_color=”#ffffff” background_layout=”dark” width=”60%” width_tablet=”80%” width_phone=”100%” width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”-75px||135px||false|false” custom_padding=”20px||20px||true|false” header_font_size_tablet=”60px” header_font_size_phone=”50px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” module_alignment_tablet=”center” module_alignment_phone=”” module_alignment_last_edited=”on|tablet” box_shadow_style=”preset3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90aXRsZSIsInNldHRpbmdzIjp7ImJlZm9yZSI6IjxoMT4iLCJhZnRlciI6IjwvaDE+In19@[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Feature 14″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#ffffff” custom_padding=”2px||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” border_width_bottom=”1px” border_color_bottom=”#d9c6a4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”column1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”||50px|” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}” padding_tablet=”||50px|” padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding__hover=”|||” padding_phone=”||50px|”][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiJXcml0dGVuIEJ5ICIsImFmdGVyIjoiIiwibmFtZV9mb3JtYXQiOiJkaXNwbGF5X25hbWUiLCJsaW5rIjoib24iLCJsaW5rX2Rlc3RpbmF0aW9uIjoiYXV0aG9yX2FyY2hpdmUifX0=@” image=”https:\/\/dzogchentoday.org\/wp-dzogtodaychen-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/DSCF7815.jpg” alt=”dzogchentoday-gregoire” icon_placement=”left” image_icon_width=”33px” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _dynamic_attributes=”title,content” header_font=”|700|||||||” header_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||-2px|||” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”18px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” icon_font_size=”33px” global_colors_info=”{}” icon_color__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” icon_color__hover=”#13204d”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfYmlvIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIifX0=@[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”column2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9jYXRlZ29yaWVzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6ImNhdGVnb3J5In19@” use_icon=”on” font_icon=”||divi||400″ icon_color=”#e2e2e2″ icon_placement=”left” image_icon_width=”33px” _builder_version=”4.23″ _dynamic_attributes=”title” header_font=”|700|||||||” header_font_size=”20px” body_text_color=”#967b5d” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”||26px|||” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”18px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” icon_font_size=”33px” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” icon_color__hover=”#13204d” icon_color__hover_enabled=”on”]<\/p>\n
In this final article in our series on the Master, Gr\u00e9goire talks about Sufi Islam and its similarities with Dzogchen.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Feature 14″ _builder_version=”4.16″ min_height=”630px” custom_margin=”-1px||-121px|||” custom_padding=”0px||49px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ module_class=”column1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”||50px|” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}” padding_tablet=”||50px|” padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding__hover=”|||” padding_phone=”||50px|”][et_pb_text quote_border_weight=”0px” quote_border_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” module_id=”up1″ _builder_version=”4.23″ text_font=”Montserrat||||||||” text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.8em” link_font=”Montserrat|700||||||#BF9E77|” link_text_color=”#BF9E77″ link_font_size=”18px” link_line_height=”1.8em” quote_font=”Cormorant Garamond|700|||||||” quote_text_color=”#13204d” quote_line_height=”1.3em” header_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font=”Quattrocento Sans|700|||||||” header_2_text_color=”#13204d” header_2_line_height=”1.6em” header_3_font=”|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#000000″ header_4_letter_spacing=”12px” header_5_font=”|300|||||||” header_5_text_color=”#bfbfbf” header_5_letter_spacing=”12px” header_6_font=”|700|||||||” header_6_letter_spacing=”12px” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding=”29px||29px||true|” quote_font_size_tablet=”” quote_font_size_phone=”” quote_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s now turn to Islam, to continue our journey into the<\/span> Eastern traditions and their relationship to the Master. Like Judaism, this great and vast tradition has at its core its most spiritual element – in Sunni Islam: Sufism (ta\u1e63awwuf<\/span><\/em>). The figure of the master (sheikh<\/em> – \u0634\u064a\u062e ) is central to it. Called p\u00eer<\/span><\/em> in the Persian world, the role of the master is strangely similar to the one already found in previous articles, whether in Asia<\/a>, in the West<\/a> or the ancient Near East<\/a>…<\/p>\n The aspirant to the Way, like all Muslim believers,<\/span> must first practice the five pillars of Islam (profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving, pilgrimage, Ramadan fasting). It is then a personal spiritual quest that will lead him to the master. Ibn \u02bfArab\u00ee (1165-1240), perhaps the most famous Sufi along with Jal\u00e2l al-Din R\u00fbmi (1207-1273), writes in his Kit\u00e2b al-tadb\u00eer\u00e2t al-il\u00e2hiyya<\/span> (Book of <\/span>the<\/span> Divine Rulers<\/span>)<\/em> that one of the central elements of the spiritual path consists in “seeking a teacher (ust\u00e2dh<\/span><\/em>) who will make you see the defects of your soul (\u02bfuy\u00fbb nafsik<\/span><\/em>)”. But do we really have a choice ? And who’s looking for whom<\/span>?” I’ve been waiting for you for twenty years,” says his future master to Emir Abd-el Kader, Sheikh Muhammad al-Fas\u00ee, at their first meeting in Mecca.<\/p>\n As in the Dzogchen, the master trains<\/span> (tarbiya<\/span>)<\/em> the disciple. He will put him through a series of tests designed to ensure his determination and sincerity. In the Tibetan world, the example of Marpa and Milarepa (11th century) comes to mind… The master must know his disciples well in order to guide them as accurately<\/span> as possible. For effective guidance (\u1e63u\u1e25ba<\/span>), general teachings and instructions are generally not enough. What’s needed is close, personal guidance<\/span>. This is not without its problems when, today, certain school or order – Sufi communities, institutionalized from the 12th century onwards – have thousands of disciples… In such cases, the sheikh is sometimes <\/span>assisted by spiritual guides (murshid<\/span><\/em>).<\/p>\n “But as in Dzogchen, in Sufi Islam the master is not always a human being! Ultimately, everything is the master.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n On the initiatory path<\/span> (tar\u00eeqa<\/span><\/em>), the disciple moves towards divine reality (haq\u00eeqa<\/span><\/em>). He seeks to “experience” it through primordial knowledge (ma’rif<\/span>a<\/span><\/em>) or mystical union (al-fan\u00e2’<\/span><\/em>). This will lead him to annihilate his soul (nafs<\/span><\/em>) in God by reliving<\/span> the Prophet Muhammad’s intimate experience of the night of Mi’r\u00e2j: his n<\/span>ightly ascent (isr\u00e2<\/span><\/em>) from Mecca to Jerusalem.<\/p>\n In order to immerse or annihilate (al-fan\u00e2’<\/span><\/em>) himself in God, the disciple first me<\/span>rge with his master, then with the Prophet Muhammad. An initiatory chain (silsila<\/span><\/em>) thus links God to the disciple via<\/span> Muhammad and his own master.<\/p>\n In order for the disciple to immerse himself in<\/span> his master, he receives from h<\/span>im the initiation of the lineage, often in the form of the “taking of the pact” (‘ahd<\/span>, bay’a<\/span><\/em>), which then re-actualizes the pact made between God and Humans (Koran, 7, 172). Through the sheikh, the baraka<\/span><\/em>, the divine grace of Muhammadan reality (haqiqa muhammadiyya<\/span><\/em>) is poured out. The disciple thus becomes its heir on earth, reminding us of the central message of divine oneness<\/span> (tawh\u00eed<\/span><\/em>): L\u00e2 il\u00e2ha illa Allah<\/span><\/em>, “There is no god but God”.<\/p>\n But as in Dzogchen, in Sufi Islam the master is not always a human being! Ultimately, everything is the master. An animal can be one, as can an inanimate object. Ibn \u02bfArab\u00ee, for example, found the master in a gutter naturally allowing rainwater to pour into it – in complete trust and submission to the divine order.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/dzogchentoday.org\/wp-dzogtodaychen-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/The-friend-of-good-4.-The-master-in-Islam2.jpg” alt=”dzogchentoday-The friend of good 4. The master in Islam” title_text=”The friend of good 4. The master in Islam” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” width=”67%” module_alignment=”center” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text quote_border_weight=”0px” quote_border_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” module_id=”up2″ _builder_version=”4.23″ text_font=”Montserrat||||||||” text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.8em” link_font=”Montserrat|700||||||#000000|” link_text_color=”#BF9E77″ link_font_size=”18px” link_line_height=”1.8em” quote_font=”Cormorant Garamond|700|||||||” quote_text_color=”#13204d” quote_line_height=”1.3em” header_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font=”Quattrocento Sans|700|||||||” header_2_text_color=”#13204d” header_2_line_height=”1.6em” header_3_font=”|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#000000″ header_4_letter_spacing=”12px” header_5_font=”|300|||||||” header_5_text_color=”#bfbfbf” header_5_letter_spacing=”12px” header_6_font=”|700|||||||” header_6_letter_spacing=”12px” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding=”29px|||||” quote_font_size_tablet=”” quote_font_size_phone=”” quote_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The human master, for his part, has special functions: the preservation and transmission of the secret (sirr<\/span><\/em>) of the Divine Presence of which he is the depository. In fact, each master has characteristics associated with a particular prophetic type: Jesus, Moses, Solomon, etc. They tend to be teachers, healers, animal keepers<\/span>, helpers of the poor and so on. For each generation, there is even a Master of Masters: the Pole (qutb<\/span><\/em>). He is the equivalent of the Imam in the Shiite tradition. In Sufi Islam, as is often the case in Dzogchen, we usually receive instructions from a single master. He accompanies and guides us throughout our lives, during our dying… and even beyond death…<\/p>\n Along the way, the disciple will experience spiritual states (ahw\u00e2l<\/span><\/em>) punctuated by stations (maq\u00e2m\u00e2t<\/span><\/em>), all the way to drunkenness and sustenance (baq\u00e2\u2019<\/span><\/em>) in God. On this path, the master is the model to follow, in the image of the Prophet (nab\u00ee<\/span><\/em>) and Messenger (ras\u00fbl<\/span><\/em>) of Islam, Muhammad. It is through the example of his life and his imitation that we progress. This “beautiful behavior” (ihs\u00e2n<\/span><\/em>) will serve as a compass for the disciple’s existence.<\/p>\n To the master, the aspirant (mur\u00eed<\/span><\/em>) owes reverence and devotion. He enters into a very special relationship with him, in full awareness and freedom. He relies on him<\/span> completely for his spiritual development, but the sheikh also assumes other more social functions. He is consulted for marriage, professional advice or health concerns.<\/p>\n The sheikh may be a great scholar versed in the exoteric sciences of law and theology, or a simple craftsman; a charismatic orator of the Koranic schools (madrasa<\/span><\/em>) or a humble baker teaching by his gestures, his gaze, his silence and his presence. In fact, in all circumstances, the master acts on a subtle level, whether or not he is in the physical presence of the disciple<\/span>.<\/p>\n They also practice together: praying, reciting, sometimes even singing and dancing as a community, until they reach the ecstatic moments characteristic of certain Sufi orders. The most common of these practices is dhikr<\/span><\/em> (or z<\/em>ikr<\/em> – \u0630\u0650\u0643\u0652\u0631<\/span>): recalling the presence of God\/Allah. Certain techniques involving the use of breath, body movements and the repeated utterance of syllables, taught and then guided by the master, then allow access to spiritual states. They are reminiscent of certain Himalayan techniques… You’ll find plenty of video examples on the internet!<\/p>\n And while dhikr<\/span><\/em> is not often open to non-Muslims, there are times when profound exchanges take place between traditions… For example, a Kabbalist master once told me that his own master and his disciples, Sephardic Jews from Morocco, had to go on specific retreats. As a small community, they didn’t have a suitable place<\/span>. So who did they turn to? To their Sufi brothers and sisters, who wide opened the doors of their z\u00e2wiya<\/span><\/em> and offered them the best conditions for their spiritual retreats. Jewish Kabbalists among Muslim Sufis: an example that could well inspire us today\u2026<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#FFD62F” divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”3px” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text module_id=”down” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Montserrat||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.4em” link_font=”Montserrat|700|||||||” link_font_size=”16px” link_line_height=”1.4em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”30px|30px|30px|30px|true|true” border_width_left=”1px” border_color_left=”#f7f2e8″ border_width_left_tablet=”0px” border_width_left_phone=”” border_width_left_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_signup mailchimp_list=”Dzogchen Today!|d54422a3b4″ name_field=”on” title=”Sign up for Our Newsletter” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ form_field_focus_background_color=”#f7f2e8″ header_font=”||||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_font_size=”32px” use_background_color=”off” background_image=”https:\/\/dzogchentoday.org\/wp-dzogtodaychen-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/concreteLight.png” background_layout=”light” width=”100%” custom_padding=”||||false|false” border_radii_fields=”on||||” border_width_bottom_fields=”1px” border_color_bottom_fields=”#d9c6a4″ box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_signup][et_pb_divider color=”#BF9E77″ divider_weight=”3px” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”50px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_sidebar area=”sidebar-1″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” body_font=”Quattrocento Sans||||||||” body_text_align=”left” body_text_color=”#13204D” body_font_size=”18px” body_letter_spacing=”1px” body_line_height=”1.8em” background_image=”https:\/\/dzogchentoday.org\/wp-dzogtodaychen-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/concreteBackground.png” text_orientation=”left” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”10px|10px||10px|false|false” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_sidebar][et_pb_sidebar show_border=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ text_orientation=”left” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_sidebar][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_image=”https:\/\/dzogchentoday.org\/wp-dzogtodaychen-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/concreteBackground.png” parallax=”on” min_height=”709px” background_color_tablet=”#f7f2e8″ background_last_edited=”on|tablet” background_enable_color_tablet=”on” background_enable_image_tablet=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_blog fullwidth=”off” posts_number=”3″ include_categories=”2″ excerpt_length=”150″ show_date=”off” offset_number=”1″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ border_width_all=”0px” box_shadow_style=”preset3″ box_shadow_blur=”31px” box_shadow_spread=”0px” box_shadow_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.2)” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In this final article “The Friend of Good 4”, Gr\u00e9goire talks about Sufi Islam and its similarities with Dzogchen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":59866,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,72,78],"tags":[273,79,781,1150,407,1148,99,83,345],"class_list":["post-59860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-dzogchen-history","category-dzogchen-basics","tag-basics","tag-dzogchen","tag-dzogchen-philosophy","tag-history","tag-lineage","tag-master","tag-tradition","tag-transmission","tag-world"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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