Plenary talk by Shaikh Kabir at the Sufi World Forum in New Delhi, India, where he spoke about the weapons of beauty, friendship, music, poetry, and continual remembrance of Allah, and the urgent need to honor and empower women.
ONE DAY as I was having a cup of tea outside a small hotel in Istanbul, I noticed that the street was named Dervishlersokak, which means “alley of the dervishes.” At that very moment, a man pulling a cart stacked high with sacks of chickpeas passed by, a single man carrying the kind of burden [...]
March newsletter: The Joyous Disciplines of Dervishood, visiting Chishti saints in India, and upcoming events in London...
HAPPY NEW YEAR and welcome to the new monthly newsletter where we will share the latest news, articles and messages from our teachers and international community. How do we follow the path of the saints in these times? And exploring the joyous disciplines of dervishood. . .
Reflection on October’s theme: Begin with contentment (Rida); then follow the Heart. As-Sadiq relates that the Messenger said, 'The world is a series of changes in fortune: such benefit you may draw from it comes to you despite your frailty, and what is to your disadvantage will afflict you without you being able to ward [...]
Reflection on September’s theme: The false self (nafs) will never be satisfied; so strive with God to be near to Him. For most of our lives we live with our self (nafs) in charge, calling out to God whenever the nafs gets a bit shaken. It is when we fall and get broken that we [...]
Reflection on August’s theme: The more the mind and heart become still, the more we can trust in God. The state of my mind has always been quite frenetic. Over the years I have struggled with presence and meditation. It always seems that the quieter I try to become, the more active my mind becomes. [...]
Reflection on April’s theme: The natural state of the human being is worship. The human needs God as the garden needs spring. Whilst growing up I was told: ‘Worship Allah, for if you worship you will be rewarded entry into the gardens of heaven.’ So I worshipped for an end result and for a better [...]
Reflection on December’s theme: Freewill is the effort to thank God for His gifts. ~ Mevlana I imagined an ant… She lives amongst a colony of a million ants. One day she drifts away from the colony and becomes lost in the forest. Alone, she wanders. The wind pushes and pulls her; every path she [...]
"Sufism: A Hidden Treasure" -- a talk by Shaikh Kabir Helminski at City Circle, London on Friday 14th March, 2014. Many British Muslims today suffer a double alienation: on one side from a dogmatic expression of Islam lacking in love, and on the other side from a materialistic culture that leaves little room for the [...]