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{t:"A CHRISTIAN PER",p:1,x:74,y:416,w:291,h:38},
{t:"SPEC TIVE",p:1,x:410,y:416,w:167,h:38},
{t:"ON FO LK ISL AM",p:1,x:180,y:466,w:299,h:38},
{t:"BRIDGES TO",p:1,x:134,y:166,w:394,h:73},
{t:"ISLAM",p:1,x:105,y:235,w:451,h:167},
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{t:"O ISL",p:1,x:-276,y:71,w:104,h:45},
{t:"AM",p:1,x:-254,y:71,w:65,h:45},
{t:"In ",p:1,x:-612,y:163,w:15,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam",p:1,x:-518,y:163,w:101,h:15},
{t:" Phil Parshall explores the links which facilitate ",p:1,x:-215,y:163,w:296,h:15},
{t:"understanding between Islam and Christianity",p:1,x:-344,y:184,w:286,h:15},
{t:". The most promising bridges ",p:1,x:-156,y:184,w:186,h:15},
{t:"can be found in “folk Islam” which is less known in the W",p:1,x:-283,y:206,w:354,h:15},
{t:"est but influences ",p:1,x:-160,y:206,w:114,h:15},
{t:"about 70 percent of the world’",p:1,x:-440,y:228,w:186,h:15},
{t:"s Muslims.",p:1,x:-375,y:228,w:66,h:15},
{t:"This popular form of Islam consists largely of people “who desi",p:1,x:-236,y:266,w:391,h:15},
{t:"re to know ",p:1,x:-167,y:266,w:69,h:15},
{t:"God and to be accepted by him,” writes the author",p:1,x:-314,y:288,w:314,h:15},
{t:". “They have a high view of ",p:1,x:-141,y:288,w:173,h:15},
{t:"one God who is . . . all-powerful and merciful.” Folk Muslims p",p:1,x:-245,y:309,w:386,h:15},
{t:"ress for a more ",p:1,x:-142,y:309,w:99,h:15},
{t:"satisfying personal relationship with Allah. These teachings an",p:1,x:-242,y:331,w:389,h:15},
{t:"d aspirations ",p:1,x:-154,y:331,w:84,h:15},
{t:"have immense potential as commonalities providing greater under",p:1,x:-215,y:353,w:413,h:15},
{t:"standing, ",p:1,x:-153,y:353,w:61,h:15},
{t:"which the author has personally witnessed spending many years ",p:1,x:-219,y:374,w:408,h:15},
{t:"ministering ",p:1,x:-147,y:374,w:72,h:15},
{t:"among Muslims. This thorough and in-depth study of ways to brid",p:1,x:-222,y:396,w:409,h:15},
{t:"ge the ",p:1,x:-175,y:396,w:43,h:15},
{t:"distance between folk Islam and Christianity will be invaluable",p:1,x:-245,y:418,w:386,h:15},
{t:" to ",p:1,x:-222,y:418,w:19,h:15},
{t:"missionaries, students, and those interested in understanding t",p:1,x:-235,y:439,w:392,h:15},
{t:"he moderate ",p:1,x:-151,y:439,w:83,h:15},
{t:"(or peaceful) Muslim.",p:1,x:-496,y:461,w:132,h:15},
{t:"When God is hidd",p:1,x:-504,y:504,w:113,h:15},
{t:"en in a mountain of Muslim laws, the heart breaks ",p:1,x:-181,y:504,w:318,h:15},
{t:"through to look for him in other ways. Can those \"breakouts\" be",p:1,x:-210,y:525,w:406,h:15},
{t:"come ",p:1,x:-167,y:525,w:38,h:15},
{t:"\"breakthroughs\"? Phil Parshall says yes, and, against the reali",p:1,x:-215,y:547,w:397,h:15},
{t:"ty of ",p:1,x:-184,y:547,w:31,h:15},
{t:"actual experiments, seeks to show us how",p:1,x:-350,y:569,w:268,h:15},
{t:". Let us all learn from his ",p:1,x:-183,y:569,w:160,h:15},
{t:"trials and our errors.",p:1,x:-482,y:590,w:130,h:15},
{t:"—DR. HAR VIE CONN,",p:1,x:-533,y:614,w:124,h:13},
{t:" Professor",p:1,x:-423,y:616,w:45,h:11},
{t:", W",p:1,x:-415,y:616,w:15,h:11},
{t:"estminster Theological Seminary",p:1,x:-266,y:616,w:145,h:11},
{t:"This is the first attempt to explicitly explo",p:1,x:-355,y:658,w:262,h:15},
{t:"re ways in which the Sufi ",p:1,x:-188,y:658,w:162,h:15},
{t:"expression of faith can be a bridge for Gosp",p:1,x:-338,y:680,w:279,h:15},
{t:"el-sharing.",p:1,x:-266,y:680,w:67,h:15},
{t:"—DAVID W",p:1,x:-564,y:704,w:63,h:13},
{t:". SHANK, Ph.D,",p:1,x:-445,y:704,w:82,h:13},
{t:" Secretary",p:1,x:-402,y:705,w:45,h:11},
{t:", Eastern Mennonite Board of Mission",p:1,x:-236,y:705,w:166,h:11},
{t:"DR. PHIL",p:1,x:-583,y:748,w:49,h:13},
{t:" P",p:1,x:-574,y:748,w:11,h:13},
{t:"ARSHALL",p:1,x:-520,y:748,w:53,h:13},
{t:" completed graduate studies at T",p:1,x:-352,y:748,w:169,h:13},
{t:"rinity Evangelical Divinity School (M.A.), ",p:1,x:-139,y:748,w:208,h:13},
{t:"Wheaton Graduate School (M.A.), Fuller Theological Seminary (D.",p:1,x:-287,y:768,w:342,h:13},
{t:" Miss.), and Fellowships at ",p:1,x:-146,y:768,w:140,h:13},
{t:"Harvard and Y",p:1,x:-559,y:788,w:75,h:13},
{t:"ale Divinity School. He has been a missionary among Muslim peop",p:1,x:-213,y:788,w:344,h:13},
{t:"le for the ",p:1,x:-161,y:788,w:48,h:13},
{t:"past fourty four years. He also has authored ",p:1,x:-399,y:808,w:230,h:13},
{t:"Muslim Evangelism",p:1,x:-305,y:808,w:100,h:13},
{t:" and ",p:1,x:-273,y:808,w:25,h:13},
{t:"Lifting the V",p:1,x:-216,y:808,w:61,h:13},
{t:"eil",p:1,x:-199,y:808,w:11,h:13},
{t:".",p:1,x:-197,y:808,w:3,h:13},
{t:"www",p:1,x:-611,y:963,w:21,h:11},
{t:".authenticbooks.com",p:1,x:-516,y:963,w:91,h:11},
{t:"Islam",p:1,x:-146,y:850,w:23,h:11},
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{t:"RIDGES T",p:1,x:-36,y:69,w:0,h:45},
{t:"O ISL",p:1,x:-36,y:257,w:0,h:45},
{t:"A",p:1,x:-36,y:362,w:0,h:45},
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{t:"PHIL P",p:1,x:-32,y:473,w:0,h:27},
{t:"AR",p:1,x:-32,y:563,w:0,h:27},
{t:"SHALL",p:1,x:-32,y:598,w:0,h:27},
{t:"",p:1,x:-284,y:956,w:9,h:13},
{t:"",p:1,x:-266,y:956,w:51,h:13},
{t:"",p:1,x:-209,y:956,w:51,h:13},
{t:"ISBN 978-1-932805-82-6",p:1,x:-163,y:878,w:119,h:12},
{t:"C",p:1,x:-743,y:420,w:3,h:6},
{t:"M",p:1,x:-743,y:445,w:3,h:6},
{t:"Y",p:1,x:-743,y:470,w:3,h:6},
{t:"CM",p:1,x:-741,y:495,w:7,h:6},
{t:"MY",p:1,x:-741,y:520,w:7,h:6},
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{t:"BridgesToIslam.pdf   8/3/07   09:21:44",p:1,x:-423,y:-42,w:228,h:10},
{t:"BRIDGES ",p:2,x:148,y:232,w:386,h:50},
{t:"TO ISLAM",p:2,x:131,y:322,w:396,h:50},
{t:"A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ",p:2,x:101,y:436,w:464,h:20},
{t:"ON FOLK ISLAM",p:2,x:195,y:482,w:267,h:20},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   i",p:2,x:16,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:02 AM",p:2,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"Other books by Phil Parshall",p:3,x:89,y:347,w:330,h:13},
{t:"The Fortress and the Fire",p:3,x:89,y:384,w:169,h:15},
{t:"Muslim Evangelism",p:3,x:89,y:411,w:130,h:15},
{t:"Lifting the Veil",p:3,x:89,y:439,w:97,h:15},
{t:"Beyond the Mosque",p:3,x:89,y:466,w:130,h:15},
{t:"The Cross and the Crescent",p:3,x:89,y:494,w:182,h:15},
{t:"Understanding Muslim Teaching and Traditions (formerly titled Inside ",p:3,x:89,y:521,w:471,h:15},
{t:"the Community)",p:3,x:119,y:541,w:105,h:15},
{t:"The Last Great Frontier",p:3,x:89,y:569,w:158,h:15},
{t:"Divine Threads Within a Human Tapestry",p:3,x:89,y:596,w:274,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   ii",p:3,x:16,y:1052,w:106,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:04 AM",p:3,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"Bridges ",p:4,x:212,y:230,w:250,h:35},
{t:"to Islam",p:4,x:202,y:294,w:254,h:35},
{t:"A Christian P erspective ",p:4,x:103,y:393,w:456,h:21},
{t:"on Folk Islam",p:4,x:196,y:433,w:265,h:21},
{t:"Phil Parshall",p:4,x:221,y:564,w:215,h:18},
{t:"Foreword by J. Christy Wilson, Jr.",p:4,x:134,y:611,w:389,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   iii",p:4,x:16,y:1052,w:108,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:04 AM",p:4,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"Authentic Publishing",p:5,x:272,y:226,w:112,h:12},
{t:"We welcome your questions and comments.",p:5,x:212,y:246,w:234,h:11},
{t:"USA ",p:5,x:89,y:286,w:29,h:12},
{t:"PO Box 444, 285 Lynnwood Ave, Tyrone, GA, 30290 ",p:5,x:149,y:286,w:290,h:12},
{t:"www.authenticbooks.com",p:5,x:149,y:306,w:138,h:12},
{t:"UK ",p:5,x:89,y:326,w:22,h:12},
{t:"9 Holdom Avenue, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK1 1QR",p:5,x:149,y:326,w:343,h:12},
{t:"www.authenticmedia.co.uk",p:5,x:149,y:346,w:145,h:12},
{t:"India ",p:5,x:89,y:366,w:30,h:12},
{t:"Logos Bhavan, Medchal Road, Jeedimetla Village, Secunderabad ",p:5,x:149,y:366,w:352,h:12},
{t:"500 055, A.P.",p:5,x:149,y:386,w:71,h:12},
{t:"Bridges to Islam",p:5,x:89,y:466,w:88,h:12},
{t:"ISBN-13: 978-1-932805-82-6",p:5,x:89,y:486,w:159,h:12},
{t:"ISBN-10: 1-932805-82-6",p:5,x:89,y:506,w:135,h:12},
{t:"Copyright © 1983, 2006 by Phil Parshall",p:5,x:89,y:546,w:218,h:12},
{t:"10 09 08 07 / 6 5 4 3 2 1",p:5,x:89,y:586,w:130,h:12},
{t:"Published in 2007 by Authentic",p:5,x:89,y:626,w:168,h:12},
{t:"Originally published in 1983 by Baker Book House Company.",p:5,x:89,y:646,w:332,h:12},
{t:"All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without ",p:5,x:89,y:666,w:431,h:12},
{t:"permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied ",p:5,x:89,y:686,w:477,h:12},
{t:"in critical articles or reviews. ",p:5,x:89,y:706,w:158,h:12},
{t:"All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the NEW ",p:5,x:89,y:746,w:416,h:12},
{t:"AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE ®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, ",p:5,x:89,y:766,w:478,h:12},
{t:"1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.",p:5,x:89,y:786,w:400,h:12},
{t:"Cover design: Paul Lewis",p:5,x:89,y:826,w:137,h:12},
{t:"Interior design: Angela Lewis",p:5,x:89,y:846,w:158,h:12},
{t:"Editorial team: Megan Kassebaum, Dana Carrington",p:5,x:89,y:866,w:280,h:12},
{t:"Printed in the United States of America",p:5,x:89,y:906,w:209,h:12},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   iv",p:5,x:16,y:1052,w:108,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:04 AM",p:5,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"In Appreciation",p:6,x:255,y:347,w:148,h:11},
{t:"Mom and Dad for patience, sacrifice, and love",p:6,x:175,y:409,w:308,h:15},
{t:"Jimmy and Shirley ",p:6,x:266,y:459,w:130,h:15},
{t:"A very special brother and sister-in-law",p:6,x:197,y:483,w:263,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   v",p:6,x:16,y:1052,w:106,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:04 AM",p:6,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"Contents",p:7,x:255,y:255,w:147,h:17},
{t:" Foreword ",p:7,x:119,y:378,w:124,h:15},
{t:"ix ",p:7,x:466,y:378,w:42,h:15},
{t:"Acknowledgments     ",p:7,x:149,y:409,w:145,h:15},
{t:"xiii",p:7,x:457,y:409,w:22,h:15},
{t:"Introduction       ",p:7,x:149,y:440,w:111,h:15},
{t:"1",p:7,x:471,y:440,w:8,h:15},
{t:"1 ",p:7,x:119,y:470,w:12,h:15},
{t:"Mysticism in Historical Perspective         ",p:7,x:149,y:470,w:275,h:15},
{t:"9",p:7,x:471,y:470,w:8,h:15},
{t:"2 Sufi Belief        ",p:7,x:119,y:501,w:135,h:15},
{t:"41",p:7,x:462,y:501,w:16,h:15},
{t:"3 ",p:7,x:119,y:532,w:12,h:15},
{t:"Practices of Folk Muslims         ",p:7,x:149,y:532,w:212,h:15},
{t:"61",p:7,x:462,y:532,w:16,h:15},
{t:"4 ",p:7,x:119,y:563,w:12,h:15},
{t:"A Critique of Folk Islam         ",p:7,x:149,y:563,w:201,h:15},
{t:"93",p:7,x:462,y:563,w:16,h:15},
{t:"5 ",p:7,x:119,y:594,w:12,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Mystical Islam         ",p:7,x:149,y:594,w:210,h:15},
{t:"105",p:7,x:454,y:594,w:25,h:15},
{t:"A Final Word         ",p:7,x:149,y:625,w:127,h:15},
{t:"139",p:7,x:454,y:625,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Glossary         ",p:7,x:149,y:655,w:96,h:15},
{t:"143",p:7,x:454,y:655,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Bibliography         ",p:7,x:149,y:686,w:125,h:15},
{t:"147",p:7,x:454,y:686,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Subject Index         ",p:7,x:149,y:717,w:129,h:15},
{t:"155 ",p:7,x:454,y:717,w:29,h:15},
{t:"Scripture Index         ",p:7,x:149,y:748,w:140,h:15},
{t:"159",p:7,x:454,y:748,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   vii",p:7,x:16,y:1052,w:111,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:04 AM",p:7,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"ix",p:8,x:556,y:946,w:13,h:8},
{t:"Foreword",p:8,x:251,y:255,w:156,h:17},
{t:"The first time I met the author of this book was more than a decade ",p:8,x:119,y:378,w:454,h:15},
{t:"ago, just before the blood bath that resulted in the independence of ",p:8,x:89,y:401,w:487,h:15},
{t:"the country in which Phil Parshall was a resident. Two other speakers ",p:8,x:89,y:425,w:485,h:15},
{t:"and I had been invited to a confer ",p:8,x:89,y:448,w:255,h:15},
{t:"ence there. With the increasingly ",p:8,x:336,y:448,w:240,h:15},
{t:"tense situation, notices were sent canceling the convention. But with a ",p:8,x:89,y:471,w:485,h:15},
{t:"communications blackout, the word never got through. We arrived at ",p:8,x:89,y:495,w:486,h:15},
{t:"the airport, but no one met us. Taking a taxi, we fi nally found the right ",p:8,x:89,y:518,w:485,h:15},
{t:"address. When we walked in, Phil and Julie Parshall looked at us as if ",p:8,x:89,y:541,w:485,h:15},
{t:"we had come from outer space. They soon regained their composure and ",p:8,x:89,y:565,w:483,h:15},
{t:"set about to reconstitute the conference. With offices and schools already ",p:8,x:89,y:588,w:483,h:15},
{t:"closed because of the emergency, more people were free to attend, and ",p:8,x:89,y:611,w:485,h:15},
{t:"God blessed the meetings in a singular way. After the conference, we ",p:8,x:89,y:635,w:485,h:15},
{t:"fl ew out on one of the last planes to leave before hostilities broke out. ",p:8,x:89,y:658,w:485,h:15},
{t:"But the Parshalls and others stayed through it all.",p:8,x:89,y:681,w:327,h:15},
{t:"During this experience, I came to discover that Phil Parshall is not ",p:8,x:119,y:712,w:454,h:15},
{t:"simply a theoretical Islamics scholar. He, like Ezekiel of old, has “sat ",p:8,x:89,y:735,w:485,h:15},
{t:"where they sat.” He therefore writes from firsthand experience and love ",p:8,x:89,y:759,w:484,h:15},
{t:"for the people he has served for so long.",p:8,x:89,y:782,w:267,h:15},
{t:"As Phil Parshall points out in this fascinating study, the major ity of ",p:8,x:119,y:813,w:454,h:15},
{t:"the people in the world of Islam are influenced by mysti cism. If we are to ",p:8,x:89,y:836,w:483,h:15},
{t:"appreciate the practical outworkings of the Muslim religion, which now ",p:8,x:89,y:860,w:484,h:15},
{t:"claims one-sixth of the human race as adherents, we need to understand ",p:8,x:89,y:883,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   ix",p:8,x:16,y:1052,w:108,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:04 AM",p:8,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"x",p:9,x:89,y:946,w:8,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:9,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"folk Islam. This book provides such a bridge. But the author does not ",p:9,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"stop with merely an intellectual portrayal of Islamic mysticism. He ",p:9,x:89,y:129,w:487,h:15},
{t:"also presents practical ways to acquaint folk Muslims with the God and ",p:9,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Father of our Lord Jesus Christ “in whom we live and move and have ",p:9,x:89,y:175,w:485,h:15},
{t:"our being.” As he states, “Few folk Muslims have received a relevant ",p:9,x:89,y:199,w:485,h:15},
{t:"explanation of salvation in Christ.”",p:9,x:89,y:222,w:233,h:15},
{t:"This interesting publication brings out the fact that Islamic mysticism ",p:9,x:119,y:253,w:452,h:15},
{t:"is the reason many Muslims are so open to prayer in the name of Christ. ",p:9,x:89,y:276,w:484,h:15},
{t:"For example, several years ago in Kabul, a friend came to me with a ",p:9,x:89,y:300,w:486,h:15},
{t:"problem. His uncle needed a cataract operation, and my friend had taken ",p:9,x:89,y:323,w:483,h:15},
{t:"him to a government hospi tal. But the staff members said there would not ",p:9,x:89,y:346,w:483,h:15},
{t:"be a bed avail able for three months. My friend’s uncle could not remain ",p:9,x:89,y:370,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in the capital that long, for he had come from the central highlands and ",p:9,x:89,y:393,w:484,h:15},
{t:"had to get back to his farm. The Muslim friend asked whether I knew the ",p:9,x:89,y:416,w:483,h:15},
{t:"head of the hospital. I told him I did. He then asked me to write a note to ",p:9,x:89,y:440,w:484,h:15},
{t:"him explaining the problem. I said that I did not need to write but would ",p:9,x:89,y:463,w:484,h:15},
{t:"just speak to Him. He asked me what the name of the head of the hospital ",p:9,x:89,y:486,w:483,h:15},
{t:"was. I said, “His name is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Head of every ",p:9,x:89,y:510,w:484,h:15},
{t:"hospital.” I then prayed with the two men in their language and asked ",p:9,x:89,y:533,w:485,h:15},
{t:"them to go back. A few hours later, my friend returned. He said, “You do ",p:9,x:89,y:556,w:483,h:15},
{t:"know the Head of that hospital! As soon as we got back, they were just ",p:9,x:89,y:580,w:484,h:15},
{t:"discharging a patient and they accepted my uncle in his place and put ",p:9,x:89,y:603,w:485,h:15},
{t:"him in his bed, which was still warm.”",p:9,x:89,y:626,w:256,h:15},
{t:"This book also demonstrates that folk Muslim leaders or pirs are ",p:9,x:119,y:657,w:454,h:15},
{t:"viewed as mediators between man and God and thus have healing ",p:9,x:89,y:680,w:488,h:15},
{t:"powers. This sets the stage for a striking redemptive analogy with the ",p:9,x:89,y:704,w:485,h:15},
{t:"great “mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. . . . Who ",p:9,x:89,y:727,w:485,h:15},
{t:"went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil.” ",p:9,x:89,y:750,w:483,h:15},
{t:"One missionary worked among Muslims for fi fteen years and saw few ",p:9,x:89,y:774,w:485,h:15},
{t:"results. On a fur lough he attended meetings where people were healed ",p:9,x:89,y:797,w:485,h:15},
{t:"through prayer as is described in James 5:14–15. When he returned to his ",p:9,x:89,y:820,w:483,h:15},
{t:"fi",p:9,x:89,y:844,w:9,h:15},
{t:" eld, he not only preached the gospel but also prayed for healing in the ",p:9,x:94,y:844,w:480,h:15},
{t:"name of the risen Christ. Through the demonstration of God’s restoring ",p:9,x:89,y:867,w:484,h:15},
{t:"power, more Muslims came to Christ in one service than in all the years ",p:9,x:89,y:890,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   x",p:9,x:16,y:1052,w:106,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:04 AM",p:9,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"xi",p:10,x:556,y:946,w:13,h:8},
{t:"FOREWORD",p:10,x:478,y:66,w:90,h:8},
{t:"of his former ministry among them. This is an area in missions that has ",p:10,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"long been neglected. This book underscores the way healing ministries ",p:10,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"can be a bridge to reach ing Muslims for Christ.",p:10,x:89,y:152,w:315,h:15},
{t:"Frequent references in this significant book are quoted from Bishop ",p:10,x:119,y:183,w:454,h:15},
{t:"John A. Subhan, who wrote his testimony under the title How a Sufi",p:10,x:89,y:206,w:480,h:15},
{t:"  ",p:10,x:565,y:206,w:1,h:15},
{t:"Found His Lord. When I met this man of God I heard him tell his story in ",p:10,x:89,y:230,w:483,h:15},
{t:"more detail. As a Muslim Sufi he was study ing in an Islamic theological ",p:10,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"school. He had been taught that God caused the likeness of Jesus to ",p:10,x:89,y:276,w:486,h:15},
{t:"fall on Judas, and that Jesus was then taken to heaven and Judas was ",p:10,x:89,y:300,w:485,h:15},
{t:"crucified in his place. But as he read the description of the passion in the ",p:10,x:89,y:323,w:483,h:15},
{t:"New Testa ment, he came to the words spoken from the cross, “My God, ",p:10,x:89,y:346,w:484,h:15},
{t:"my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” In meditating on this, he thought ",p:10,x:89,y:370,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to himself, “Only a good man could have asked this question. Judas was ",p:10,x:89,y:393,w:484,h:15},
{t:"a bad man, and therefore he would not have asked the reason for his ",p:10,x:89,y:416,w:486,h:15},
{t:"being forsaken.” From this he con cluded that it really was Jesus who ",p:10,x:89,y:440,w:486,h:15},
{t:"was crucifi ed on the cross for his sins, and he made the great discovery ",p:10,x:89,y:463,w:484,h:15},
{t:"that He was his Lord. May this book result in many other folk Muslims ",p:10,x:89,y:486,w:484,h:15},
{t:"finding their real Lord.",p:10,x:89,y:510,w:151,h:15},
{t:"J. Christy Wilson, Jr.",p:10,x:119,y:555,w:138,h:15},
{t:"Professor of World Evangelization",p:10,x:119,y:579,w:230,h:15},
{t:"Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary",p:10,x:119,y:602,w:264,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   xi",p:10,x:16,y:1052,w:108,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:04 AM",p:10,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"xiii",p:11,x:546,y:946,w:23,h:8},
{t:"Acknowledgments",p:11,x:186,y:255,w:286,h:17},
{t:"The empirical researcher has an advantage over his counterpart ",p:11,x:119,y:378,w:457,h:15},
{t:"who is limited to pursuing his subject in Western libraries. When one’s ",p:11,x:89,y:401,w:484,h:15},
{t:"subject deals with experience and emotion as well as cognitive data, it ",p:11,x:89,y:425,w:485,h:15},
{t:"is necessary to reside where the changes are taking place. It has been a ",p:11,x:89,y:448,w:484,h:15},
{t:"special privilege these past few years to be involved in church planting ",p:11,x:89,y:471,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in Muslim vil lages. My particular focus has been to share the gospel with ",p:11,x:89,y:495,w:483,h:15},
{t:"folk Muslims. In some senses, I have learned more in this short time ",p:11,x:89,y:518,w:486,h:15},
{t:"about grassroots Islam than I did in my fi rst eighteen years of ministry ",p:11,x:89,y:541,w:485,h:15},
{t:"in the same country. Amazingly, one can be surrounded by certain ",p:11,x:89,y:565,w:488,h:15},
{t:"dynamic situations and still be quite unaware of what is happening. ",p:11,x:89,y:588,w:487,h:15},
{t:"This is particularly true if one seeks to understand Islam from a Western ",p:11,x:89,y:611,w:484,h:15},
{t:"perspective—which is what I sought to do during my early years as a ",p:11,x:89,y:635,w:485,h:15},
{t:"missionary.",p:11,x:89,y:658,w:76,h:15},
{t:"A number of Isais (followers of Jesus) have greatly infl uenced me ",p:11,x:119,y:689,w:454,h:15},
{t:"in recent years. First there was a highly educated Muslim Background ",p:11,x:89,y:712,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Believer (MBB) who became an intimate friend. It was his task to con-",p:11,x:89,y:735,w:480,h:15},
{t:"stantly goad me to discard my presuppositions about Muslim evangelism. ",p:11,x:89,y:759,w:483,h:15},
{t:"At times, our arguments drifted into the late-night hours. Out of these ",p:11,x:89,y:782,w:485,h:15},
{t:"lively sessions a realization slowly emerged that my friend had insights ",p:11,x:89,y:805,w:484,h:15},
{t:"that would prove invaluable to the future of the evangelization of ",p:11,x:89,y:829,w:488,h:15},
{t:"Muslims, not only locally, but also, to some extent, worldwide. I will ",p:11,x:89,y:852,w:486,h:15},
{t:"forever be grateful to the Lord for this man’s persistence.",p:11,x:89,y:875,w:380,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   xiii",p:11,x:16,y:1052,w:113,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:04 AM",p:11,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"xiv",p:12,x:89,y:946,w:21,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:12,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Decades ago a young Muslim, out of curiosity, purchased a small ",p:12,x:119,y:105,w:455,h:15},
{t:"packet of Christian books from a tall, white-skinned missionary on the ",p:12,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"crowded streets of a large city. That encoun ter led to the conversion and ",p:12,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"spiritual maturity of a fl aming evangelist to the Muslim people. It has ",p:12,x:89,y:175,w:485,h:15},
{t:"been my privilege to work as a colleague with this man, as well as to sit ",p:12,x:89,y:199,w:484,h:15},
{t:"at his feet as an inquisitive student.",p:12,x:89,y:222,w:233,h:15},
{t:"What a joy to see God work in hearts! The recent MBBs are signifi cant ",p:12,x:119,y:253,w:454,h:15},
{t:"in quality. How amazing to see the intellectual grasp of simple village ",p:12,x:89,y:276,w:485,h:15},
{t:"people who have come to Christ out of a background of folk Islam. The ",p:12,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"hours spent discussing the Word of God by the light of barn lanterns have ",p:12,x:89,y:323,w:483,h:15},
{t:"been precious. Truly these men have been teachers as well as students.",p:12,x:89,y:346,w:469,h:15},
{t:"An extremely well-educated and renowned Muslim has be come an ",p:12,x:119,y:377,w:454,h:15},
{t:"intimate friend of mine during these months of re searching and preaching. ",p:12,x:89,y:400,w:482,h:15},
{t:"Although our religious differences have been clearly enunciated, still he ",p:12,x:89,y:424,w:484,h:15},
{t:"has been graciously willing to guide me through the intricacies of Islamic ",p:12,x:89,y:447,w:483,h:15},
{t:"mysticism as few could do. This respected devout Muslim opened his ",p:12,x:89,y:470,w:485,h:15},
{t:"heart and home and introduced me to his friends in a manner unknown ",p:12,x:89,y:494,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to me in my years of missionary experience. In a special way, this friend ",p:12,x:89,y:517,w:483,h:15},
{t:"is the dynamic behind this book.",p:12,x:89,y:540,w:216,h:15},
{t:"It would be my desire to further identify these men, as well as other ",p:12,x:119,y:571,w:454,h:15},
{t:"people and places mentioned in this book. In the larger interest of Muslim ",p:12,x:89,y:595,w:483,h:15},
{t:"evangelism, I must refrain from doing so. I can, however, give a clear ",p:12,x:89,y:618,w:485,h:15},
{t:"expression of appreciation to my wife, Julie, for her supportive role as ",p:12,x:89,y:641,w:485,h:15},
{t:"a critic, guide, secretary, and dispenser of often-needed encouragement. ",p:12,x:89,y:665,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Our daugh ter, Lindy, bravely (but not without tears) endured the pangs ",p:12,x:89,y:688,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of separation as she attended a boarding school several thousand miles ",p:12,x:89,y:711,w:485,h:15},
{t:"away from us in order that our ministry during those years could be a ",p:12,x:89,y:735,w:485,h:15},
{t:"reality.",p:12,x:89,y:758,w:45,h:15},
{t:"Our mission team, as well as our supporters in the States, continues ",p:12,x:119,y:789,w:454,h:15},
{t:"to be a source of inspiration and motivation to us to continue in the ",p:12,x:89,y:812,w:486,h:15},
{t:"battle. William Wells graciously assisted me in the preparation of the ",p:12,x:89,y:835,w:486,h:15},
{t:"final manuscript of this book. I am in debted to him.",p:12,x:89,y:859,w:343,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   xiv",p:12,x:16,y:1052,w:113,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:04 AM",p:12,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"xv",p:13,x:552,y:946,w:16,h:8},
{t:"ACKNOWLEDGMENT S",p:13,x:401,y:66,w:167,h:8},
{t:"The last word of acknowledgment belongs to my Savior, Jesus ",p:13,x:119,y:105,w:457,h:15},
{t:"Christ. Without His sustaining empowerment, all done would be but ",p:13,x:89,y:129,w:487,h:15},
{t:"wood, hay, and stubble. With Him, I am privileged to minister a message ",p:13,x:89,y:152,w:483,h:15},
{t:"with the permanence of gold, silver, and precious stones.",p:13,x:89,y:175,w:378,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   xv",p:13,x:16,y:1052,w:111,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:04 AM",p:13,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"1",p:14,x:561,y:946,w:7,h:8},
{t:"Introduction",p:14,x:220,y:255,w:218,h:17},
{t:"Why would a genius in the field of physics desire to become a Muslim ",p:14,x:119,y:378,w:452,h:15},
{t:"mystic? Are not the two paths antithetical? Abdus Salam, a Nobel Prize ",p:14,x:89,y:401,w:484,h:15},
{t:"winner, was interviewed for The Illustrated Weekly of India:",p:14,x:89,y:425,w:400,h:15},
{t:"We asked him about Sufism, and Professor Salam said he was ",p:14,x:134,y:461,w:408,h:15},
{t:"deeply interested in Sufi sm, but he could not claim to be a ",p:14,x:134,y:483,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Sufi himself.",p:14,x:134,y:505,w:85,h:15},
{t:"A “Sufi,” he said, “is someone with direct personal experience. ",p:14,x:134,y:541,w:407,h:15},
{t:"If Allah grants me such an experience, I will be grateful. My ",p:14,x:134,y:563,w:409,h:15},
{t:"father was a Sufi",p:14,x:134,y:585,w:111,h:15},
{t:" .”1",p:14,x:241,y:584,w:21,h:15},
{t:"Perhaps Salam would agree with Professor William Nilsson, who ",p:14,x:119,y:615,w:455,h:15},
{t:"has said that “there exists in every man a dormant longing to enter into ",p:14,x:89,y:639,w:484,h:15},
{t:"communion with the divine, to feel himself lifted up from the temporal ",p:14,x:89,y:662,w:484,h:15},
{t:"into the spiritual.”2 Certainly Christianity has had its outstanding mystics. ",p:14,x:89,y:685,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Even today there are whole denomi nations with Christian worship forms ",p:14,x:89,y:709,w:483,h:15},
{t:"that are mystical in origin and expression.",p:14,x:89,y:732,w:279,h:15},
{t:"Islam is in tension. On the one hand we fi nd orthodoxy with its ",p:14,x:119,y:763,w:456,h:15},
{t:"rigid code of ritual and laws. The madrasas (Muslim religious schools) ",p:14,x:89,y:786,w:484,h:15},
{t:"prepare leaders who are totally committed to a meticu lous keeping of the ",p:14,x:89,y:810,w:483,h:15},
{t:"teachings of the Quran and Hadith (tradi ",p:14,x:89,y:833,w:286,h:15},
{t:"tions). These men are deeply ",p:14,x:370,y:833,w:205,h:15},
{t:"offended by the thought that Islam could be anything other than legalistic. ",p:14,x:89,y:856,w:483,h:15},
{t:"The closest biblical coun terparts of these Muslim priests would be the ",p:14,x:89,y:880,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Pharisees with whom Jesus interacted in New Testament times.",p:14,x:89,y:903,w:421,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   1",p:14,x:16,y:1052,w:107,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:14,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"2",p:15,x:89,y:946,w:7,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:15,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"On the other hand, perhaps 70 percent of all Muslims in the world ",p:15,x:119,y:105,w:455,h:15},
{t:"are influenced by a system we could properly term folk Islam. This book ",p:15,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"will focus on this major bloc of Muslims that the orthodox community ",p:15,x:89,y:152,w:485,h:15},
{t:"considers aberrant. Bill Musk has aptly summarized the practices of this ",p:15,x:89,y:175,w:484,h:15},
{t:"folk expression of Islam:",p:15,x:89,y:199,w:166,h:15},
{t:"Popular Islam has added a whole life-way of animistic beliefs ",p:15,x:134,y:235,w:408,h:15},
{t:"and practices. The use of the rosary for divining and healing, ",p:15,x:134,y:257,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the use of amulets and talismans, the use of hair-cuttings ",p:15,x:134,y:279,w:412,h:15},
{t:"and nail-trimmings, the belief and practice of saint-worship, ",p:15,x:134,y:300,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the use of charms, knots, magic, sorcery, the exorcism of ",p:15,x:134,y:322,w:412,h:15},
{t:"demons, the prac tice of tree and stone worship, cursing and ",p:15,x:134,y:344,w:410,h:15},
{t:"blessing—these and many other animistic practices belie the ",p:15,x:134,y:365,w:409,h:15},
{t:"gap between the theo logical religion and the actual religion.3",p:15,x:134,y:386,w:404,h:15},
{t:"Perhaps this revelation about animism within Islam will come ",p:15,x:119,y:418,w:458,h:15},
{t:"as a shock to the reader. We have been taught to think of Mus lims as ",p:15,x:89,y:441,w:485,h:15},
{t:"homogeneous and Islam as monolithic. The image of Muslims lined up ",p:15,x:89,y:465,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in the mosque for prayer five times a day has been etched deeply into our ",p:15,x:89,y:488,w:483,h:15},
{t:"minds by the media. There has been little understanding of what occurs ",p:15,x:89,y:511,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in the privacy of a Muslim home or within the confines of a pir’s annual ",p:15,x:89,y:535,w:484,h:15},
{t:"meeting. (A pir is a mystically oriented Muslim spiritual guide.) This ",p:15,x:89,y:558,w:486,h:15},
{t:"ten sion between orthodox and folk Islam is commented on by Erich W. ",p:15,x:89,y:581,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bethmann.",p:15,x:89,y:605,w:72,h:15},
{t:"Islamic theologians desire to enforce the principles of ",p:15,x:134,y:641,w:415,h:15},
{t:"early Islam without conceding a single point. The slightest ",p:15,x:134,y:663,w:411,h:15},
{t:"aberration means to them a negation of the whole of Islam. ",p:15,x:134,y:685,w:410,h:15},
{t:"They claim, in fact, that the sorry state of the Islamic world is ",p:15,x:134,y:706,w:408,h:15},
{t:"caused by the unfaithfulness of the Muslims to the principles ",p:15,x:134,y:728,w:409,h:15},
{t:"enunciated in the Quran and Hadith.4",p:15,x:134,y:749,w:246,h:15},
{t:"It was my privilege to spend three weeks touring the island of ",p:15,x:119,y:780,w:457,h:15},
{t:"Mindanao in the southern Philippines. This area is a Muslim stronghold. ",p:15,x:89,y:804,w:484,h:15},
{t:"However, I noted innumerable practices that were typical of folk Islam. ",p:15,x:89,y:827,w:484,h:15},
{t:"The people seemed unaware that their religious rites were outside of ",p:15,x:89,y:850,w:486,h:15},
{t:"those permitted by ortho doxy. This observation is confirmed by Peter G. ",p:15,x:89,y:874,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Gowing, one of the world’s leading experts on Filipino Islam.",p:15,x:89,y:897,w:411,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   2",p:15,x:16,y:1052,w:107,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:15,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"3",p:16,x:561,y:946,w:7,h:8},
{t:"INTRODUCTION",p:16,x:440,y:66,w:128,h:8},
{t:"It is important to stress, however, that identifi cation of non-",p:16,x:134,y:105,w:405,h:15},
{t:"Islamic features is usually an exercise in which outsiders ",p:16,x:134,y:127,w:412,h:15},
{t:"engage. For the Filipino Muslims their religion is nothing ",p:16,x:134,y:149,w:411,h:15},
{t:"less than Islam. Most of them have little awareness of the ",p:16,x:134,y:170,w:411,h:15},
{t:"synthesis which their beliefs and customs actually represent. ",p:16,x:134,y:192,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Indeed, there have been instances in which foreign Muslim ",p:16,x:134,y:214,w:410,h:15},
{t:"teachers have tried to say that this or that Muslim custom ",p:16,x:134,y:235,w:411,h:15},
{t:"was un-Islamic, only to be repudiated by the local religious ",p:16,x:134,y:257,w:410,h:15},
{t:"leaders on the grounds that they [the for ",p:16,x:134,y:279,w:291,h:15},
{t:"eigners] were the ",p:16,x:419,y:279,w:127,h:15},
{t:"ones defi cient in Islam. Moreover, virtually everything we ",p:16,x:134,y:300,w:411,h:15},
{t:"have said about the Muslim religious synthesis can be said ",p:16,x:134,y:322,w:410,h:15},
{t:"about the Islamized peoples elsewhere in the Malay world.5",p:16,x:134,y:343,w:396,h:15},
{t:"The Arabs feel that Allah has appointed them guardians of the ",p:16,x:119,y:375,w:457,h:15},
{t:"purity of Islam. Thus we are finding that they are sending missionaries to ",p:16,x:89,y:398,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Muslims in order to bring the wandering back into the fold. Throughout ",p:16,x:89,y:421,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Mindanao, I met with Egyptian mis sionaries who were ministering with ",p:16,x:89,y:445,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the fi nancial backing of Saudi Arabia. Also, a number of mosques and ",p:16,x:89,y:468,w:485,h:15},
{t:"madrasas had been erected recently in remote areas. These had signs ",p:16,x:89,y:491,w:486,h:15},
{t:"in front that acknowledge the building was a gift of Saudi Arabia or ",p:16,x:89,y:515,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Libya.",p:16,x:89,y:538,w:43,h:15},
{t:"A Spiritual Vacuum",p:16,x:225,y:598,w:207,h:12},
{t:"Islam, as a theological system, is rigid and unyielding. It not only ",p:16,x:119,y:630,w:455,h:15},
{t:"offers its positive message for obtaining salvation, but also attacks ",p:16,x:89,y:653,w:488,h:15},
{t:"some of the basic tenets of Christianity (e.g., “Christ is not the Son of ",p:16,x:89,y:676,w:485,h:15},
{t:"God”; “Jesus did not die on the cross”; “The Bible has been changed ",p:16,x:89,y:700,w:486,h:15},
{t:"and corrupted in transmission down through the centuries”). However, ",p:16,x:89,y:723,w:485,h:15},
{t:"as millions of Muslims move beyond cold, dead orthodoxy, we see ",p:16,x:89,y:746,w:487,h:15},
{t:"them desiring that felt needs be met. Their hearts cry out for fulfi llment ",p:16,x:89,y:770,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in a love relationship to a more personal God. This shift away from ",p:16,x:89,y:793,w:486,h:15},
{t:"fi rmly established guidelines for faith and practice has created serious ",p:16,x:89,y:816,w:485,h:15},
{t:"anomalies. Yet, we must understand why Muslims all over the world are ",p:16,x:89,y:840,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in quest of a reality beyond cognitive data.",p:16,x:89,y:863,w:284,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   3",p:16,x:16,y:1052,w:107,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:16,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"4",p:17,x:89,y:946,w:7,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:17,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Has a spiritual vacuum developed that can be fi lled with a warm, ",p:17,x:119,y:105,w:455,h:15},
{t:"vital relationship to God through Jesus Christ? Is the longing for love—",p:17,x:89,y:129,w:480,h:15},
{t:"both to God and to man—not a primary biblical teaching? What about ",p:17,x:89,y:152,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the fear that grips a Muslim household and causes people to engage ",p:17,x:89,y:175,w:486,h:15},
{t:"in animistic practices to ward off evil spirits? Is Christ not the path to ",p:17,x:89,y:199,w:485,h:15},
{t:"release from fear? Did Jesus not say, “Peace I give unto you”? Many ",p:17,x:89,y:222,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Muslims are totally frustrated in their attempt to gain salvation through ",p:17,x:89,y:245,w:484,h:15},
{t:"an interminable system of laws and rituals. Can grace not point to a better ",p:17,x:89,y:269,w:483,h:15},
{t:"way? Islam gives no assurance of eternal life to its follow ers. How much ",p:17,x:89,y:292,w:483,h:15},
{t:"better the comfort of 1 John 5:13, which assures us that we can know we ",p:17,x:89,y:315,w:483,h:15},
{t:"have obtained eternal salvation from sin through Christ.",p:17,x:89,y:339,w:372,h:15},
{t:"This book will seek to interact with the history , belief, and ",p:17,x:119,y:370,w:457,h:15},
{t:"practices of folk Islam. Su fism will be one of the major focuses of this",p:17,x:89,y:393,w:473,h:15},
{t:"study, as it is a fairly well-de fi ned infl uence within folk Islam. Apart ",p:17,x:89,y:416,w:485,h:15},
{t:"from historical notes, I am not emphasizing the philosophical aspects",p:17,x:89,y:440,w:468,h:15},
{t:"of Sufi sm. Rather, I am describing Su fi sm as it is generally practiced ",p:17,x:89,y:463,w:480,h:15},
{t:"among ordinary people. My visits to Su",p:17,x:89,y:486,w:265,h:15},
{t:"fi meetings have destroyed my ",p:17,x:360,y:486,w:208,h:15},
{t:"long-held presuppositions about the theological and ritual homogeneity ",p:17,x:89,y:510,w:471,h:15},
{t:"of Islam. I will seek to prove my contention that such practices are not",p:17,x:89,y:533,w:468,h:15},
{t:"the anomalies of a rebel group in an isolated situation. Rather",p:17,x:89,y:556,w:407,h:15},
{t:", they are ",p:17,x:506,y:556,w:66,h:15},
{t:"widespread and embrasive.",p:17,x:89,y:580,w:180,h:15},
{t:"The Need for Conciliation",p:17,x:180,y:640,w:297,h:12},
{t:"It is not my desire to conclude the book at this point. Others have ",p:17,x:119,y:671,w:455,h:15},
{t:"documented Islamic mysticism. The sensitive Christian is motivated to ",p:17,x:89,y:695,w:485,h:15},
{t:"push on and search for a potential bridge between these hungry hearts and ",p:17,x:89,y:718,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the Christ who has promised fulfi ll ment to those who hunger and thirst ",p:17,x:89,y:741,w:484,h:15},
{t:"after righteousness. It is my thesis that, with an appropriate methodology ",p:17,x:89,y:765,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and a firm dependence on the Holy Spirit, we can experience the joy and ",p:17,x:89,y:788,w:483,h:15},
{t:"delight of seeing many questing Muslims come to a vital rela tionship ",p:17,x:89,y:811,w:486,h:15},
{t:"with the personal God of Scripture who longs to fill empty hearts.",p:17,x:89,y:835,w:437,h:15},
{t:"Yes, folk Islam is an erroneous system. Some readers will question ",p:17,x:119,y:865,w:454,h:15},
{t:"how error can ever be utilized as a bridge. One may make the analogy ",p:17,x:89,y:889,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   4",p:17,x:16,y:1052,w:107,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:17,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"5",p:18,x:561,y:946,w:7,h:8},
{t:"INTRODUCTION",p:18,x:440,y:66,w:128,h:8},
{t:"that it is not necessary to agree with all the words and actions of Abraham ",p:18,x:89,y:105,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Lincoln before freely quoting from his profound speeches. Truth is truth ",p:18,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"wherever it may be found. Folk Islam not only encompasses the spiritually ",p:18,x:89,y:152,w:482,h:15},
{t:"hungry, but also emphasizes doctrinal truths such as monotheism and ",p:18,x:89,y:175,w:486,h:15},
{t:"the unfathomable mercy of God. These teachings have an im ",p:18,x:89,y:199,w:445,h:15},
{t:"mense ",p:18,x:526,y:199,w:50,h:15},
{t:"potential to bridge differences as we go to Muslims who have a mystical ",p:18,x:89,y:222,w:483,h:15},
{t:"orientation to religion.",p:18,x:89,y:245,w:149,h:15},
{t:"We need to be patient with the seeker who is totally indoc trinated ",p:18,x:119,y:276,w:455,h:15},
{t:"in a system that he has known and experienced since birth. I sometimes ",p:18,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"become a bit impatient with Christians who believe it is their obligation to ",p:18,x:89,y:323,w:483,h:15},
{t:"share the complete five-minute “gospel package” with as many Muslims ",p:18,x:89,y:346,w:483,h:15},
{t:"as possible. This is often done under the guise of spreading the seed in ",p:18,x:89,y:370,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the shortest time to the most people. The sad fact is that this shotgun ",p:18,x:89,y:393,w:485,h:15},
{t:"ap proach, either oral or written, can create overwhelming confu sion and ",p:18,x:89,y:416,w:484,h:15},
{t:"resistance in the heart of the Muslim. It accomplishes just the opposite ",p:18,x:89,y:440,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of the desired result.",p:18,x:89,y:463,w:136,h:15},
{t:"Christianity must be incarnated before the eyes of a Muslim. He must ",p:18,x:119,y:494,w:453,h:15},
{t:"encounter a concerned believer with a deep sensitivity toward him as an ",p:18,x:89,y:517,w:484,h:15},
{t:"individual. The Christian must lay aside his remote-control evangelistic ",p:18,x:89,y:540,w:484,h:15},
{t:"methodology (or frankly term it pre-evangelism). The experience of ",p:18,x:89,y:564,w:487,h:15},
{t:"being born again is instanta neous, but the time and effort that culminate ",p:18,x:89,y:587,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in conversion are great and, at times, tediously frustrating.",p:18,x:89,y:610,w:388,h:15},
{t:"These same words are applicable to the newborn Muslim as he takes ",p:18,x:119,y:641,w:453,h:15},
{t:"his fi rst steps as a believer. Unfortunately, extraneous demands have ",p:18,x:89,y:665,w:487,h:15},
{t:"often been laid on the convert in such a way as to create alienation and ",p:18,x:89,y:688,w:484,h:15},
{t:"even reversion to Islam. In this context, I am so glad those who discipled ",p:18,x:89,y:711,w:483,h:15},
{t:"me at the time of my conver sion as a teenager did not give up on me ",p:18,x:89,y:735,w:485,h:15},
{t:"because of my cursing, which continued for six months beyond my new ",p:18,x:89,y:758,w:484,h:15},
{t:"birth experience.",p:18,x:89,y:781,w:112,h:15},
{t:"A relevant story is narrated in 2 Kings 5. Naaman had re ceived both ",p:18,x:119,y:812,w:453,h:15},
{t:"physical and spiritual healing at the hand of Elisha. In verses 17 and ",p:18,x:89,y:835,w:486,h:15},
{t:"18, Naaman made two requests of Elisha. One was to take as much soil ",p:18,x:89,y:859,w:484,h:15},
{t:"from Israel as a pair of mules could carry in order that on this sacred ",p:18,x:89,y:882,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   5",p:18,x:16,y:1052,w:107,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:18,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"6",p:19,x:89,y:946,w:7,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:19,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"ground he could offer burnt offerings and sacrifi ce to the true God. The ",p:19,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"other petition was, “When my master enters the temple of Rimmon [a ",p:19,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Syrian deity] to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I bow there ",p:19,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD forgive ",p:19,x:89,y:175,w:483,h:15},
{t:"your servant for this” (v. 18 NIV).",p:19,x:89,y:199,w:218,h:15},
{t:"In light of these two requests, one would expect Elisha to commence ",p:19,x:119,y:230,w:453,h:15},
{t:"a forceful lecture on the dangers of syncretism. Amazingly, Elisha simply ",p:19,x:89,y:253,w:483,h:15},
{t:"replied, “Go in peace.” It would appear Elisha was counseling patience ",p:19,x:89,y:276,w:484,h:15},
{t:"while his convert made neces sary adjustments to his newfound faith.",p:19,x:89,y:300,w:458,h:15},
{t:"This is not a plea for pragmatic religious syncretism. I have devoted ",p:19,x:119,y:330,w:466,h:15},
{t:"a signifi cant section in another book, Muslim Evangelism, to clarifying ",p:19,x:89,y:354,w:488,h:15},
{t:"this important subject. How ",p:19,x:89,y:377,w:190,h:15},
{t:"ever, I am convinced that bridges can be built",p:19,x:271,y:377,w:305,h:15},
{t:"over the abyss that separates Islam and Christianity",p:19,x:89,y:400,w:347,h:15},
{t:". This can be done by ",p:19,x:426,y:400,w:150,h:15},
{t:"main taining a traditional evangelical theology that embraces the inerrancy ",p:19,x:89,y:424,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of Scripture.",p:19,x:89,y:447,w:83,h:15},
{t:"A great deal more careful experimentation and involvement is ",p:19,x:119,y:478,w:458,h:15},
{t:"called for. There are few models to guide us in this area. Innovators who ",p:19,x:89,y:501,w:484,h:15},
{t:"will courageously blaze new paths in outreach are desperately needed. ",p:19,x:89,y:525,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Theory needs to be translated to the city of Islamabad and the village ",p:19,x:89,y:548,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of Mohammadpur. Only as Mus ",p:19,x:89,y:571,w:232,h:15},
{t:"lims are confronted with a Christian ",p:19,x:314,y:571,w:262,h:15},
{t:"message that is relative and sensitive can we begin to formulate an ",p:19,x:89,y:595,w:487,h:15},
{t:"evaluation that will guide us in the future.",p:19,x:89,y:618,w:278,h:15},
{t:"Foundational to mystical Muslims are their poetry and songs, which ",p:19,x:119,y:649,w:453,h:15},
{t:"express their longing for God. Many of these writings are esoteric. ",p:19,x:89,y:672,w:487,h:15},
{t:"Some require interpretation to unlock their meaning. Others are simply ",p:19,x:89,y:695,w:485,h:15},
{t:"beautiful and inspirational. Dhu’l-Nun, an Egyptian, penned these heart-",p:19,x:89,y:719,w:480,h:15},
{t:"searching lyrics in the very early days of Islamic history:",p:19,x:89,y:742,w:379,h:15},
{t:"I die, and yet not dies in me ",p:19,x:149,y:779,w:189,h:15},
{t:"The ardour of my love for Thee, ",p:19,x:149,y:800,w:219,h:15},
{t:"Nor hath Thy Love, my only goal, ",p:19,x:149,y:822,w:232,h:15},
{t:"Assuaged the fever of my soul.",p:19,x:149,y:844,w:207,h:15},
{t:"To Thee alone my spirit cries; ",p:19,x:149,y:880,w:203,h:15},
{t:"In Thee my whole ambition lies. ",p:19,x:149,y:902,w:220,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   6",p:19,x:16,y:1052,w:107,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:19,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"7",p:20,x:561,y:946,w:7,h:8},
{t:"INTRODUCTION",p:20,x:440,y:66,w:128,h:8},
{t:"And still Thy Wealth is far above ",p:20,x:149,y:105,w:225,h:15},
{t:"The poverty of my small love.",p:20,x:149,y:127,w:201,h:15},
{t:"I turn to Thee in my request, ",p:20,x:149,y:164,w:194,h:15},
{t:"And seek in Thee my final rest; ",p:20,x:149,y:185,w:213,h:15},
{t:"To Thee my loud lament is brought, ",p:20,x:149,y:207,w:242,h:15},
{t:"Thou dwellest in my secret thought.6",p:20,x:149,y:228,w:244,h:15},
{t:"Notes",p:20,x:296,y:289,w:64,h:12},
{t:"1. ",p:20,x:89,y:322,w:15,h:13},
{t:"V. S. Venkatavaradan, “A Genius Called Abdus Salam,” The Illustrated",p:20,x:119,y:322,w:427,h:13},
{t:"Weekly of India, February 1–7, 1981, 25.",p:20,x:119,y:345,w:244,h:13},
{t:"2. ",p:20,x:89,y:368,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Quoted in Anwarul Karim, The Bauls of Bangladesh (Kushtia: Lalon",p:20,x:119,y:368,w:413,h:13},
{t:"Academy, 1980), 74.",p:20,x:119,y:392,w:125,h:13},
{t:"3. ",p:20,x:89,y:415,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Bill Musk, “Popular Islam: Hunger of the Heart,” in The Gospel and ",p:20,x:119,y:415,w:414,h:13},
{t:"Islam: A 1978 Compendium, ed. Don M. McCurry (Monrovia, Calif.: ",p:20,x:119,y:438,w:419,h:13},
{t:"MARC, 1979), 211.",p:20,x:119,y:462,w:119,h:13},
{t:"4. ",p:20,x:89,y:485,w:14,h:13},
{t:"Erich W. Bethmann, Steps Toward Understanding Islam, Kohinur series,",p:20,x:119,y:485,w:435,h:13},
{t:"no. 4 (Washington, D.C.: American Friends of the Middle East, 1966), 62.",p:20,x:119,y:508,w:444,h:13},
{t:"5. ",p:20,x:89,y:532,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Peter G. Gowing, Muslim Filipinos—Heritage and Horizon (Quezon City:",p:20,x:119,y:532,w:448,h:13},
{t:"New Day Publishers, 1979), 68–69.",p:20,x:119,y:555,w:214,h:13},
{t:"6. ",p:20,x:89,y:578,w:14,h:13},
{t:"Quoted in A. J. Arberry, Sufi sm: An Account of the Mystics of Islam ",p:20,x:119,y:578,w:407,h:13},
{t:"(London: George Allen and Unwin, 1950), 53.",p:20,x:119,y:602,w:278,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   7",p:20,x:16,y:1052,w:107,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:20,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"9",p:21,x:561,y:946,w:7,h:8},
{t:"1",p:21,x:316,y:113,w:25,h:30},
{t:"Mysticism in Historical ",p:21,x:147,y:255,w:373,h:17},
{t:"Perspective",p:21,x:244,y:287,w:170,h:17},
{t:"Every Tuesday and Friday afternoon, in the place beside the ",p:21,x:134,y:416,w:409,h:15},
{t:"church, members desiring to perform the rites kneel before a ",p:21,x:134,y:437,w:409,h:15},
{t:"gigantic white cross on which is nailed perpendicularly the ",p:21,x:134,y:459,w:410,h:15},
{t:"church banner.",p:21,x:134,y:481,w:98,h:15},
{t:"As the chorus, consisting mostly of women, wails the hymn ",p:21,x:134,y:517,w:409,h:15},
{t:"of penance, the penitents fl og their back with whips spiked ",p:21,x:134,y:539,w:410,h:15},
{t:"with 72 thorns made from twisted “kawad no asero” [steel ",p:21,x:134,y:561,w:411,h:15},
{t:"rope]. Mostly women, the penitents are in blue backless ",p:21,x:134,y:582,w:413,h:15},
{t:"gowns, their long hair stashed beneath scarves. “Patawarin,” ",p:21,x:134,y:604,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the chorus cries as thorns pierce supple backs and blood ",p:21,x:134,y:626,w:412,h:15},
{t:"oozes from the wounds. The smell of burning incense and ",p:21,x:134,y:647,w:411,h:15},
{t:"kamangyang fills the plaza.",p:21,x:134,y:669,w:182,h:15},
{t:"When a penitent is through, a woman, who acts like an atten-",p:21,x:134,y:706,w:405,h:15},
{t:"dant, wipes the wounds with a cloth dipped in vinegar, and ",p:21,x:134,y:727,w:410,h:15},
{t:"salt. These rites can run for three hours.1",p:21,x:134,y:748,w:268,h:15},
{t:"Could this be a valid description of Christian mysticism? Or ",p:21,x:119,y:780,w:459,h:15},
{t:"considered rites when “healing is either done on the spot or through ",p:21,x:89,y:803,w:486,h:15},
{t:"massage or the laying on of hands, or else certain remedies are prescribed: ",p:21,x:89,y:827,w:482,h:15},
{t:"the drinking of water blessed by the mystic, the rubbing of oil or simple ",p:21,x:89,y:850,w:484,h:15},
{t:"herbal remedies.”2",p:21,x:89,y:872,w:122,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   9",p:21,x:16,y:1052,w:107,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:21,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"10",p:22,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:22,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Both of these rituals continue today in the Philippines. They are ",p:22,x:119,y:105,w:456,h:15},
{t:"within the general oversight of the Roman Catholic Church, but are ",p:22,x:89,y:129,w:487,h:15},
{t:"neither condemned nor condoned by the church.",p:22,x:89,y:152,w:321,h:15},
{t:"On the island of Macao, I visited a Buddhist temple. It was badly ",p:22,x:119,y:183,w:455,h:15},
{t:"in need of repair. In an inner room, I was confronted with a fascinating ",p:22,x:89,y:206,w:484,h:15},
{t:"sight. Around a table sat six monks dressed simply in their yellow robes. ",p:22,x:89,y:230,w:483,h:15},
{t:"The chief priest, a very heavy-set young man in his twenties, sat at the ",p:22,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"head of the table. He was deeply immersed in meditation and oblivious ",p:22,x:89,y:276,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to all that was going on around him, including the stream of tourists ",p:22,x:89,y:300,w:486,h:15},
{t:"who were staring at him. The other monks kept up a steady chant while ",p:22,x:89,y:323,w:484,h:15},
{t:"occasion ally ringing the bells that were in front of them on the table. ",p:22,x:89,y:346,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Dense smoke and nauseating smells from incense fi lled the air. In such ",p:22,x:89,y:370,w:484,h:15},
{t:"an atmosphere, men were seeking an experience of the divine.",p:22,x:89,y:393,w:414,h:15},
{t:"A Definition of Mysticism",p:22,x:186,y:453,w:285,h:12},
{t:"It would appear right and proper for the created to long for",p:22,x:119,y:485,w:430,h:15},
{t:"the creator . A. J. Arberry has de",p:22,x:89,y:508,w:226,h:15},
{t:"fi ned mysticism as a “constant and ",p:22,x:320,y:508,w:253,h:15},
{t:"unvarying phenomenon of the universal yearning of the human ",p:22,x:89,y:531,w:469,h:15},
{t:"spirit for personal communion with God.”",p:22,x:89,y:555,w:285,h:15},
{t:"3 Where we fi nd religious ",p:22,x:388,y:554,w:185,h:15},
{t:"expression, there we also ",p:22,x:89,y:578,w:190,h:15},
{t:"fi nd at least a remnant that could be ",p:22,x:288,y:578,w:290,h:15},
{t:"considered mystical. In Christianity",p:22,x:89,y:601,w:238,h:15},
{t:", we have Pentecostalism and the",p:22,x:338,y:601,w:220,h:15},
{t:"charismatic movement. Buddhism has its meditative monks. In India, ",p:22,x:89,y:625,w:461,h:15},
{t:"we observe wandering holy men who by self-denial desire to attain a",p:22,x:89,y:648,w:457,h:15},
{t:"state of absorption into God.",p:22,x:89,y:671,w:190,h:15},
{t:"The Bible is replete with references to mystical experiences. Jacob ",p:22,x:119,y:702,w:454,h:15},
{t:"wrestled with God. David longed for his Lord. Many believe it was ",p:22,x:89,y:725,w:487,h:15},
{t:"Paul who was called up into the third heaven to observe the mysteries ",p:22,x:89,y:749,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of divinity. The apostle John was almost overwhelmed by the visions ",p:22,x:89,y:772,w:486,h:15},
{t:"he received on the isle of Patmos. A study of church history points to ",p:22,x:89,y:795,w:485,h:15},
{t:"mystical saints who have con tributed immeasurably to the spread of ",p:22,x:89,y:819,w:487,h:15},
{t:"Christianity. For exam ple, Thomas Aquinas, who wrote in the thirteenth ",p:22,x:89,y:842,w:484,h:15},
{t:"century, was one of the greatest of these who quested for God.",p:22,x:89,y:865,w:415,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   10",p:22,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:22,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"11",p:23,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:23,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"Mystics strive for high levels of purity. They look upon this world ",p:23,x:119,y:105,w:455,h:15},
{t:"as impure. Therefore, they seek to create a sanitized, internalized world ",p:23,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"that is invulnerable to the crushing realities of life. In this hermetic ",p:23,x:89,y:152,w:487,h:15},
{t:"existence, the mystic is free to contem ",p:23,x:89,y:175,w:279,h:15},
{t:"plate the mysteries of God in ",p:23,x:361,y:175,w:214,h:15},
{t:"peace and serenity. However, it must be pointed out that purity is a ",p:23,x:89,y:199,w:487,h:15},
{t:"concept with varying defini tions among the mystics. Some mystics may ",p:23,x:89,y:222,w:484,h:15},
{t:"be sexually promis cuous and use dangerous hallucinogenic drugs. To ",p:23,x:89,y:245,w:486,h:15},
{t:"understand such violations of the standards defi ning purity, one must ",p:23,x:89,y:269,w:486,h:15},
{t:"under stand the subjective nature of mysticism. The lack of allegiance to ",p:23,x:89,y:292,w:484,h:15},
{t:"an authoritative and objective standard or code of life often allows for ",p:23,x:89,y:315,w:485,h:15},
{t:"such behavioral aberrations. The mystic emphasizes the internal and is ",p:23,x:89,y:339,w:485,h:15},
{t:"generally opposed to rigid systems of regula tion and ritual. Legalism is ",p:23,x:89,y:362,w:484,h:15},
{t:"regarded as antithetical to “life in the spirit.” Kenneth Cragg, the famous ",p:23,x:89,y:385,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Islamist, has stated that mys ",p:23,x:89,y:409,w:213,h:15},
{t:"tics “are well known for their relative ",p:23,x:294,y:409,w:283,h:15},
{t:"detachment from canons of orthodoxy and for the way in which they are ",p:23,x:89,y:432,w:484,h:15},
{t:"apt to become, doctrinally, a law unto themselves.”4",p:23,x:89,y:455,w:345,h:15},
{t:"One can understand the confl ict that can easily arise between two ",p:23,x:119,y:486,w:455,h:15},
{t:"mystically oriented persons or groups. Both are confi dent that they ",p:23,x:89,y:510,w:488,h:15},
{t:"know the mind of God and that their channel of information from the ",p:23,x:89,y:533,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Lord is direct and unencumbered. On one occasion, for example, two ",p:23,x:89,y:556,w:485,h:15},
{t:"missionaries were discussing a pro posed trip to a village. One of the ",p:23,x:89,y:580,w:486,h:15},
{t:"men was the leader of the mission. He felt strongly that his colleague ",p:23,x:89,y:603,w:485,h:15},
{t:"should join him in the trip. The second missionary was even more ",p:23,x:89,y:626,w:487,h:15},
{t:"convinced that this was not the right thing to do. Both godly men ended ",p:23,x:89,y:650,w:484,h:15},
{t:"up in the embarrassing position of defending their conflicting posi tions ",p:23,x:89,y:673,w:479,h:15},
{t:"by appealing to the mystical assurance that God was on their side of the ",p:23,x:89,y:696,w:484,h:15},
{t:"argument. Taken to extremes, mysticism can truly lead to each person ",p:23,x:89,y:720,w:485,h:15},
{t:"becoming a law unto himself.",p:23,x:89,y:743,w:197,h:15},
{t:"It is usually maintained in mystical literature that God, ",p:23,x:134,y:780,w:411,h:15},
{t:"inacces sible as He may be to ordinary believers and to ordi-",p:23,x:134,y:801,w:396,h:15},
{t:"nary human faculties, is nonetheless supremely accessible",p:23,x:134,y:823,w:395,h:15},
{t:"to the mystic. The mystic, if anyone does, achieves cogni-",p:23,x:134,y:845,w:398,h:15},
{t:"tive, affective, unitive, rela tion with God.5",p:23,x:134,y:865,w:288,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   11",p:23,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:23,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"12",p:24,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:24,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"A Description of Sufism",p:24,x:198,y:107,w:261,h:12},
{t:"From this point through chapter 2, I will focus on Sufism, for without ",p:24,x:119,y:138,w:453,h:15},
{t:"understanding Sufism, one cannot understand folk Islam.",p:24,x:89,y:162,w:379,h:15},
{t:"The nickname Sufi",p:24,x:119,y:193,w:130,h:15},
{t:"  is derived from the Arabic word that means ",p:24,x:245,y:193,w:331,h:15},
{t:"“wool.” (Other attempts at linguistic analysis of the word Sufi",p:24,x:89,y:216,w:451,h:15},
{t:"  ",p:24,x:536,y:216,w:8,h:15},
{t:"are ",p:24,x:549,y:216,w:24,h:15},
{t:"inconclusive.) The word appears to have been applied initially to Abu ",p:24,x:89,y:239,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Hashim Uthman ben Sharik of Kufa, who died in 776. By the middle of ",p:24,x:89,y:263,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the ninth century, the term was widely applied to holy men who practiced ",p:24,x:89,y:286,w:483,h:15},
{t:"austerity.6 The generally accepted view, then, is that the nickname refers ",p:24,x:89,y:308,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to the mystics’ teaching about austerity and their simple style of dress.",p:24,x:89,y:333,w:468,h:15},
{t:"Sufi sm is the embrasive infl uence of mysticism within Islam. I ",p:24,x:119,y:363,w:457,h:15},
{t:"particularly like to use the word infl uence in attempting to defi ne and ",p:24,x:89,y:387,w:484,h:15},
{t:"understand Sufism. Mystical Muslims may or may not fit into categories ",p:24,x:89,y:410,w:483,h:15},
{t:"or orders. Their behavior and even doc trine may differ widely among ",p:24,x:89,y:433,w:486,h:15},
{t:"themselves, yet there are definite patterns within their fraternity that have ",p:24,x:89,y:457,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the effect of creating homogeneity within heterogeneity. A Muslim has ",p:24,x:89,y:480,w:485,h:15},
{t:"defi ned Sufi sm as “truth without form.”7 That may be basically correct, ",p:24,x:89,y:503,w:484,h:15},
{t:"but the so-called truth will be identifi able as we study the way it is ",p:24,x:89,y:527,w:487,h:15},
{t:"expressed within the multiple sects found throughout the Is lamic world.",p:24,x:89,y:550,w:478,h:15},
{t:"John A. Subhan, himself an Indian Sufi  convert to Christianity, has ",p:24,x:119,y:581,w:454,h:15},
{t:"declared that Sufi sm, like other forms of mysticism, empha ",p:24,x:89,y:604,w:426,h:15},
{t:"sizes not ",p:24,x:508,y:604,w:68,h:15},
{t:"the performances of external ritual, but rather the activities of the inner ",p:24,x:89,y:628,w:484,h:15},
{t:"self.8",p:24,x:89,y:650,w:33,h:15},
{t:"It will suffi ce here to say that Sufi sm or Muslim mysticism ",p:24,x:134,y:688,w:410,h:15},
{t:"owes its origin, in the main, to a feeling of dissatisfaction ",p:24,x:134,y:709,w:411,h:15},
{t:"with teaching that offers a purely transcendent God, and to a ",p:24,x:134,y:731,w:409,h:15},
{t:"break away from the hard legalism of Islam. The Sufi  seeks ",p:24,x:134,y:753,w:409,h:15},
{t:"a direct approach to the Divine Being and indeed claims to ",p:24,x:134,y:774,w:410,h:15},
{t:"have immediate expe rience of Him. Through the centuries ",p:24,x:134,y:796,w:411,h:15},
{t:"there has thus been devel oped a religion of the heart and men ",p:24,x:134,y:818,w:408,h:15},
{t:"have become “drunk” with the love of God. Poetry has been ",p:24,x:134,y:839,w:409,h:15},
{t:"wedded to passion in worship at this shrine.9",p:24,x:134,y:860,w:296,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   12",p:24,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:24,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"13",p:25,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:25,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"The Muslim mystic hopes, even in this mortal life, to win a glimpse ",p:25,x:119,y:105,w:454,h:15},
{t:"of immortality. This is done by passing away from self into an absorption ",p:25,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"in the consciousness of God. He feels con ",p:25,x:89,y:152,w:305,h:15},
{t:"fi dent this experience will ",p:25,x:388,y:152,w:188,h:15},
{t:"lead him, after death, to enjoy an eternity with his Lord and with the ",p:25,x:89,y:175,w:486,h:15},
{t:"angels and prophets. The Sufi  generally places more emphasis on his ",p:25,x:89,y:199,w:486,h:15},
{t:"relationship to God in this life than on that which is to come.",p:25,x:89,y:222,w:405,h:15},
{t:"Reynold A. Nicholson has succinctly stated the Sufi  view of the ",p:25,x:119,y:253,w:456,h:15},
{t:"law:",p:25,x:89,y:276,w:28,h:15},
{t:"The ecstatic state knows no law, and therefore “the man of ",p:25,x:134,y:313,w:410,h:15},
{t:"God is beyond infidelity and religion.” But except by Sufis of ",p:25,x:134,y:335,w:408,h:15},
{t:"the baser sort, this is not understood as sanctioning irreligious ",p:25,x:134,y:356,w:408,h:15},
{t:"and immoral behavior. The true saint keeps the law, not ",p:25,x:134,y:378,w:413,h:15},
{t:"because he is obliged to do so, but through being himself one ",p:25,x:134,y:400,w:408,h:15},
{t:"with God.10",p:25,x:134,y:420,w:76,h:15},
{t:"Al-Ghazzali, the most famous of all Sufi s, spoke of worship as a ",p:25,x:119,y:452,w:456,h:15},
{t:"“form that the law made[,] and devotion is given reality by acquiring it. ",p:25,x:89,y:475,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Its spirit and inner life are humbleness, intention, presence of the heart, ",p:25,x:89,y:499,w:484,h:15},
{t:"and singleness of devotion.”11 I will be referring to this prolifi c writer ",p:25,x:89,y:521,w:484,h:15},
{t:"throughout this book. Of all writers, Al-Ghazzali has best captured the ",p:25,x:89,y:545,w:485,h:15},
{t:"essence of Sufi sm.",p:25,x:89,y:569,w:123,h:15},
{t:"Another writer has a profound insight when he says that Sufi sm ",p:25,x:119,y:600,w:454,h:15},
{t:"“stresses the individual rather than society, the eternal rather than the ",p:25,x:89,y:623,w:486,h:15},
{t:"historical, God’s love rather than His power, and the state of man’s heart ",p:25,x:89,y:646,w:483,h:15},
{t:"rather than behavior.”12 One Muslim author has taken exception to the ",p:25,x:89,y:669,w:485,h:15},
{t:"idea that the mystic has any real concern for the future life. ",p:25,x:89,y:693,w:397,h:15},
{t:"A true Muslim, in the Sufi  sense of the term, does not care ",p:25,x:134,y:730,w:410,h:15},
{t:"at all for heaven or hell. Neither the temptation of heaven, ",p:25,x:134,y:751,w:411,h:15},
{t:"its cool gardens, its virgins and beautiful lads and divine ",p:25,x:134,y:773,w:412,h:15},
{t:"meat and drink nor the fears of hell-fi re can produce any ",p:25,x:134,y:795,w:412,h:15},
{t:"appreciable effect in his love-intoxicated heart. What he cares ",p:25,x:134,y:816,w:408,h:15},
{t:"for, is love. He carefully watches its gradual development, ",p:25,x:134,y:838,w:411,h:15},
{t:"zealously guards it and sol emnly follows its dictates. Union ",p:25,x:134,y:860,w:410,h:15},
{t:"with his Beloved is the mission of his life, and to fulfi ll that ",p:25,x:134,y:881,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   13",p:25,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:25,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"14",p:26,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:26,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"unique mission, he cares for nothing—neither the pleasures ",p:26,x:134,y:105,w:410,h:15},
{t:"and pains of this world, nor those of the next13",p:26,x:134,y:126,w:307,h:15},
{t:"Asceticism has been dominant among many Muslim mys tics. Their ",p:26,x:119,y:158,w:454,h:15},
{t:"doctrine of leaving the world spiritually has often led to renouncing ",p:26,x:89,y:181,w:487,h:15},
{t:"material possessions. Many of the early Sufi mis sionaries endured great ",p:26,x:89,y:205,w:484,h:15},
{t:"hardships as they crossed formidable geographical boundaries in order to ",p:26,x:89,y:228,w:483,h:15},
{t:"share with others their unique view of “enlightenment.”",p:26,x:89,y:251,w:371,h:15},
{t:"Asceticism for its own sake can cause the adherent to have a rather ",p:26,x:119,y:282,w:454,h:15},
{t:"joyless, negative outlook on the universe. But when self-denial is warmed ",p:26,x:89,y:305,w:482,h:15},
{t:"by spiritual emotion, it creates an attitude of rejoicing in hardship and ",p:26,x:89,y:329,w:485,h:15},
{t:"tribulation.14 In summary, the words of another Muslim author are shared ",p:26,x:89,y:351,w:483,h:15},
{t:"for the reader’s consideration.",p:26,x:89,y:375,w:199,h:15},
{t:"The Sufis are bound by no religious dogma, however tenuous, ",p:26,x:134,y:412,w:408,h:15},
{t:"and use no regular place of worship. They have no sacred ",p:26,x:134,y:434,w:411,h:15},
{t:"city, no monastic organization, no religious instruments. ",p:26,x:134,y:455,w:414,h:15},
{t:"They even dis ",p:26,x:134,y:477,w:107,h:15},
{t:"like being given any inclusive name which ",p:26,x:234,y:477,w:312,h:15},
{t:"might force them into doctrinal conformity. “Sufi” is no more ",p:26,x:134,y:499,w:408,h:15},
{t:"than a nickname, like “Quaker” which they accept good-",p:26,x:134,y:520,w:405,h:15},
{t:"humoredly.15",p:26,x:134,y:541,w:85,h:15},
{t:"A Chronological Overview of ",p:26,x:163,y:602,w:337,h:12},
{t:"Sufi Mysticism",p:26,x:250,y:626,w:157,h:12},
{t:"Anwarul Karim, an outstanding Bangladeshi scholar, has de scribed ",p:26,x:119,y:657,w:454,h:15},
{t:"the early period of Sufi sm:",p:26,x:89,y:680,w:177,h:15},
{t:"The fi rst period extended from 661 A.D. to 850 A.D. The Sufi",p:26,x:134,y:717,w:405,h:15},
{t:"  ",p:26,x:534,y:717,w:9,h:15},
{t:"system was on a personal and individual basis. Fear of God, ",p:26,x:134,y:739,w:409,h:15},
{t:"fear of hell, and fear of death, together with a dissatisfaction ",p:26,x:134,y:760,w:409,h:15},
{t:"of the existing system forced these mystics out of their homes ",p:26,x:134,y:782,w:408,h:15},
{t:"and into seclu sion. The second period was chiefly developed ",p:26,x:134,y:804,w:409,h:15},
{t:"in Persia during the ninth century. Fear was replaced by ",p:26,x:134,y:825,w:412,h:15},
{t:"divine love. These mys tics, who were mostly concerned with ",p:26,x:134,y:847,w:408,h:15},
{t:"metaphysics, had a burn ing love for the Divine Being which ",p:26,x:134,y:869,w:409,h:15},
{t:"was all absorbing and self-effacing. God was no longer the ",p:26,x:134,y:890,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   14",p:26,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:26,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"15",p:27,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:27,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"great task master, but the soul of beauty and tenderness. This ",p:27,x:134,y:105,w:409,h:15},
{t:"period gave rise to a number of philosophers.16",p:27,x:134,y:126,w:311,h:15},
{t:"Subhan has noted that there was a progression from asceti ",p:27,x:119,y:158,w:426,h:15},
{t:"cism ",p:27,x:538,y:158,w:39,h:15},
{t:"and seclusion to contemplation. From there it was a natural movement ",p:27,x:89,y:181,w:485,h:15},
{t:"to dreaming dreams, seeing visions, and experiencing ecstasy in ",p:27,x:89,y:205,w:490,h:15},
{t:"worship.17",p:27,x:89,y:227,w:67,h:15},
{t:"Early Muslim asceticism, with its fearful visions of the wrath ",p:27,x:134,y:265,w:408,h:15},
{t:"to come, its fasters and “weepers,” its austerities, devotions, ",p:27,x:134,y:286,w:409,h:15},
{t:"and end ",p:27,x:134,y:308,w:65,h:15},
{t:"less litanies, was a forcing-house for mysticism. ",p:27,x:191,y:308,w:356,h:15},
{t:"Since “there is no god but Allah,” and to worship Him for ",p:27,x:134,y:330,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the sake of being saved from Hell or rewarded with paradise ",p:27,x:134,y:351,w:409,h:15},
{t:"is to associate with Him a “god,” i.e., another object of ",p:27,x:134,y:373,w:413,h:15},
{t:"hope or fear, the ascetic is impelled to trust in Him alone ",p:27,x:134,y:395,w:411,h:15},
{t:"and acquiesce entirely in His will. But these words cannot ",p:27,x:134,y:416,w:411,h:15},
{t:"be the last. Perfect detachment from “gods” in volves perfect ",p:27,x:134,y:438,w:409,h:15},
{t:"attachment to God: in mystical language, union with God ",p:27,x:134,y:460,w:411,h:15},
{t:"through love. This is the doctrine that inspires all relig ious ",p:27,x:134,y:481,w:411,h:15},
{t:"and ethical Sufi sm.18",p:27,x:134,y:502,w:137,h:15},
{t:"The oldest surviving general account of Sufi sm, dated 988, is ",p:27,x:119,y:534,w:458,h:15},
{t:"the Kitab al-luma of Abu Nasr al-Sarraj. This volume is a series of ",p:27,x:89,y:557,w:487,h:15},
{t:"theological treatises that describe and analyze the doctrines and practices ",p:27,x:89,y:580,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of the Sufi s. The author gives particular attention to the technical ",p:27,x:89,y:604,w:488,h:15},
{t:"vocabulary of the movement. One section is devoted to the “imitation ",p:27,x:89,y:627,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of the Prophet,” while another seeks to document the saintliness of the ",p:27,x:89,y:650,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Prophet’s companions. The writer also discusses miracles and ecstatic ",p:27,x:89,y:674,w:486,h:15},
{t:"utterances. Interest ingly, the book concludes with a long and detailed ",p:27,x:89,y:697,w:486,h:15},
{t:"exposure of errors committed by Sufi s. The Kitab al-luma is very well ",p:27,x:89,y:720,w:485,h:15},
{t:"docu mented. It abounds in quotations from mystical writers and poets.19",p:27,x:89,y:743,w:479,h:15},
{t:"It could be said that Arabian mysticism was the outcome of the true ",p:27,x:119,y:775,w:454,h:15},
{t:"devotional spirit of Islam. The roots were the Quran and the Hadith. If ",p:27,x:89,y:798,w:485,h:15},
{t:"mysticism had remained at this level of orthodoxy, it is doubtful that the ",p:27,x:89,y:821,w:484,h:15},
{t:"schisms within Islam would have occurred.20",p:27,x:89,y:844,w:298,h:15},
{t:"Early orthodox mysticism was based largely on fear. There was an ",p:27,x:119,y:875,w:454,h:15},
{t:"exaggerated consciousness of sin and a great fear of divine retribution. ",p:27,x:89,y:899,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   15",p:27,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:05 AM",p:27,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"16",p:28,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:28,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Out of this fear mystics felt compelled to submit unreservedly to His ",p:28,x:89,y:105,w:486,h:15},
{t:"will. This bondage set the stage for the reform movement that stressed ",p:28,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"freedom and liberty based on love and intimacy with God. So we fi nd, ",p:28,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"around the ninth century, a spontaneous break with established rituals. ",p:28,x:89,y:175,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Muslims began experimenting with meditation, which they felt would be ",p:28,x:89,y:199,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the bridge for them to really come to know the God they so systematically ",p:28,x:89,y:222,w:483,h:15},
{t:"yet so lifelessly professed. “In the eighth century Hazrath Rabiya was ",p:28,x:89,y:245,w:485,h:15},
{t:"one of the first to bring the idea of love into Sufism. It was all-absorbing ",p:28,x:89,y:269,w:484,h:15},
{t:"and self-effacing. For Rabiya it was a burning love which scorned to ",p:28,x:89,y:292,w:486,h:15},
{t:"think of Paradise or Hell.”21",p:28,x:89,y:315,w:185,h:15},
{t:"During the ninth century, Christian mysticism made a strong ",p:28,x:119,y:346,w:460,h:15},
{t:"impression on Sufism. Ascetic and quietistic trends of early Sufism were ",p:28,x:89,y:370,w:483,h:15},
{t:"bound to be influenced by the mystical doctrines found among Christians ",p:28,x:89,y:393,w:483,h:15},
{t:"in North Africa and Syria. Many gospel texts and apocryphal sayings of ",p:28,x:89,y:416,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Jesus came to be cited in Sufi  hagiologies. Wandering Muslim ascetics ",p:28,x:89,y:440,w:485,h:15},
{t:"came into contact with Christian mystics. And the theory of gnosis as it ",p:28,x:89,y:463,w:484,h:15},
{t:"developed in Sufi sm suggests that Muslim ascetics were infl uenced by ",p:28,x:89,y:486,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Gnostics.22",p:28,x:89,y:509,w:72,h:15},
{t:"In this historical summary, it is important to note the conver sion to ",p:28,x:119,y:540,w:454,h:15},
{t:"mysticism of one of the great Sufi s of all times. It was in the eleventh ",p:28,x:89,y:564,w:485,h:15},
{t:"century that Al-Ghazzali lived and distinguished himself as one of the ",p:28,x:89,y:587,w:485,h:15},
{t:"most noted academicians of his day. As a professor at the University ",p:28,x:89,y:610,w:486,h:15},
{t:"of Baghdad, Al-Ghazzali came to feel totally unworthy before God. ",p:28,x:89,y:634,w:487,h:15},
{t:"More than anything else, he de sired to avoid hell and attain assurance ",p:28,x:89,y:657,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of eternal life. At age thirty-seven, after a severe inner struggle, he ",p:28,x:89,y:680,w:487,h:15},
{t:"left Baghdad to take up the life of a wandering ascetic. This crisis ",p:28,x:89,y:704,w:487,h:15},
{t:"experience of conversion was to have a profound effect on the future ",p:28,x:89,y:727,w:486,h:15},
{t:"course of mysticism. Al-Ghazzali became a peerless writer on Sufi sm. ",p:28,x:89,y:750,w:484,h:15},
{t:"His influence continues unabated.",p:28,x:89,y:774,w:224,h:15},
{t:"By the middle of the eleventh century there were no fewer than ",p:28,x:119,y:805,w:456,h:15},
{t:"twelve sects of Sufi sm. Ten were considered “orthodox” and two were ",p:28,x:89,y:828,w:485,h:15},
{t:"“heretical.” These sects were named after their reputed founders. A ",p:28,x:89,y:851,w:487,h:15},
{t:"distinctive body of doctrine formed within each group.",p:28,x:89,y:875,w:364,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   16",p:28,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:28,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"17",p:29,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:29,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"In the thirteenth century the classic period of Sufism com menced. ",p:29,x:119,y:105,w:450,h:15},
{t:"This new epoch was marked by the advent of three famous mystical ",p:29,x:89,y:129,w:486,h:15},
{t:"poets of Persia: Faridud-Din Attar, Jalalud-Din Rumi, and Shaykh Sadi. ",p:29,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"The writings of these poets have greatly influenced the religious thought ",p:29,x:89,y:175,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of Muslims in the East. They continue to be widely disseminated and ",p:29,x:89,y:199,w:485,h:15},
{t:"studied by Muslims throughout the world.",p:29,x:89,y:222,w:280,h:15},
{t:"By the thirteenth century, Sufi sm was ready to be launched as ",p:29,x:119,y:253,w:458,h:15},
{t:"a missionary movement. It had an ethos, however nebulous. It had a ",p:29,x:89,y:276,w:486,h:15},
{t:"focus on felt needs. Muslims were prepared for a revivalist message that ",p:29,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"would allow them to remain Muslims and yet experience a new, fresh, ",p:29,x:89,y:323,w:485,h:15},
{t:"and meaningful personal encounter with God. Muslim armies were ",p:29,x:89,y:346,w:488,h:15},
{t:"marching eastward. Accompany ",p:29,x:89,y:370,w:230,h:15},
{t:"ing them were Sufi  soldiers, priests, ",p:29,x:311,y:370,w:265,h:15},
{t:"and businessmen. They would make an irreversible impact on the non-",p:29,x:89,y:393,w:480,h:15},
{t:"Muslim world.",p:29,x:89,y:416,w:99,h:15},
{t:"One of the most positive features of Sufism in this time of expansion ",p:29,x:119,y:447,w:453,h:15},
{t:"was its ability to merge into the cultural and religious stream of the ",p:29,x:89,y:470,w:487,h:15},
{t:"people. Southeast Asia was ripe for Sufi-type mis sionary activity. Peter G. ",p:29,x:89,y:494,w:482,h:15},
{t:"Gowing and William Henry Scott have pointed out that “the end products ",p:29,x:89,y:517,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of the particular acculturative situation of two contacting groups are: the ",p:29,x:89,y:540,w:484,h:15},
{t:"time factor; the demographic situation; ecology; and the characteristics ",p:29,x:89,y:564,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of the people involved.”23 History indicates that these factors converged ",p:29,x:89,y:586,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to the benefit of Sufi expansionist goals.",p:29,x:89,y:610,w:267,h:15},
{t:"Syncretism was not offensive to Sufi  missionaries. Gowing and ",p:29,x:119,y:641,w:457,h:15},
{t:"Scott explain the methodology:",p:29,x:89,y:665,w:208,h:15},
{t:"Are the “foreign” agents of religious acculturation insistent",p:29,x:134,y:701,w:395,h:15},
{t:"about the features of their own religion? Do they permit",p:29,x:134,y:723,w:395,h:15},
{t:"the indigenous population to combine some of their native",p:29,x:134,y:745,w:395,h:15},
{t:"religious beliefs with the new religious beliefs being ",p:29,x:134,y:766,w:406,h:15},
{t:"introduced? This is a very crucial factor af fecting what ",p:29,x:134,y:788,w:413,h:15},
{t:"happens to the product: if suf",p:29,x:134,y:810,w:203,h:15},
{t:"fi cient force is used to keep ",p:29,x:343,y:810,w:197,h:15},
{t:"the new religion “pure,” the indigenous population may not",p:29,x:134,y:831,w:395,h:15},
{t:"accept any of it, because it is not of fered in a permissive ",p:29,x:134,y:853,w:411,h:15},
{t:"atmosphere.24",p:29,x:134,y:874,w:92,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   17",p:29,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:29,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"18",p:30,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:30,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"There is no better case study of Sufi  expansion than events in the ",p:30,x:119,y:105,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Indian subcontinent, for Hinduism is exceptionally syncretistic. Hindus ",p:30,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"always stand ready to accept a “new path” as long as it doesn’t make ",p:30,x:89,y:152,w:485,h:15},
{t:"exclusive claims. Sufi sm was able to assimi late many Indian cultural ",p:30,x:89,y:175,w:486,h:15},
{t:"and religious rituals. A significant number of Hindus felt comfortable as ",p:30,x:89,y:199,w:484,h:15},
{t:"they shifted allegiance to a religion that looked and felt familiar. True, ",p:30,x:89,y:222,w:485,h:15},
{t:"many Hindus con verted under duress. But very soon they came to regard ",p:30,x:89,y:245,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Islam as their own. It is also true that not all Islamic teaching was infl u-",p:30,x:89,y:269,w:480,h:15},
{t:"enced by Sufi s. Some propagation was more orthodox in doc trine and ",p:30,x:89,y:292,w:485,h:15},
{t:"ritual. But overall one fi nds extensive marks of Sufi sm throughout the ",p:30,x:89,y:315,w:485,h:15},
{t:"subcontinent.",p:30,x:89,y:339,w:89,h:15},
{t:"India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh together have a Muslim population ",p:30,x:119,y:370,w:454,h:15},
{t:"of around 375 million. This is about one-third of the world’s Islamic ",p:30,x:89,y:393,w:486,h:15},
{t:"population. These three countries, it must be understood, geographically ",p:30,x:89,y:416,w:484,h:15},
{t:"and demographically constituted one entity prior to 1947. This must ",p:30,x:89,y:440,w:487,h:15},
{t:"be kept in mind when the words India or subcontinent are used in a ",p:30,x:89,y:463,w:486,h:15},
{t:"historical sense.",p:30,x:89,y:486,w:106,h:15},
{t:"Sufi sm, with its warm, mystical yearning after union and ",p:30,x:134,y:523,w:412,h:15},
{t:"fellow ship with God, nowhere found a more suitable soil in ",p:30,x:134,y:545,w:410,h:15},
{t:"which to thrive than India, where the very atmosphere was ",p:30,x:134,y:566,w:410,h:15},
{t:"charged with a deep religious longing to fi nd God with the ",p:30,x:134,y:588,w:410,h:15},
{t:"result that today it is estimated that fully two-thirds of India’s ",p:30,x:134,y:610,w:408,h:15},
{t:"Muslim population are under the infl uence of some one or ",p:30,x:134,y:631,w:411,h:15},
{t:"other of the darwish orders.25",p:30,x:134,y:652,w:194,h:15},
{t:"After the military conquest of northern India, Sufis began to pour into ",p:30,x:119,y:684,w:452,h:15},
{t:"the country. This peaceful and tolerant element of Islam impressed the ",p:30,x:89,y:707,w:485,h:15},
{t:"conquered Hindus, whereas the more fanatical and militaristic orthodox ",p:30,x:89,y:730,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Muslim priests were feared and hated. Almost all willing conversions ",p:30,x:89,y:754,w:486,h:15},
{t:"were the result of the preaching of Sufi missionaries.",p:30,x:89,y:777,w:351,h:15},
{t:"Islam did not conquer nor convert all of India’s Hindus. Many resisted ",p:30,x:119,y:808,w:452,h:15},
{t:"the imposition of a foreign religion that they considered antithetical ",p:30,x:89,y:831,w:487,h:15},
{t:"to that which had been followed for hundreds of years. However, the ",p:30,x:89,y:855,w:486,h:15},
{t:"syncretistic tendencies of Hinduism helped smooth the path toward ",p:30,x:89,y:878,w:488,h:15},
{t:"coexistence. This communal harmony disintegrated at the time of the ",p:30,x:89,y:901,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   18",p:30,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:30,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"19",p:31,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:31,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"forced creation of Pakistan in 1947. The unwise geographical division of ",p:31,x:89,y:105,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the land that became East and West Pakistan led to another convulsive ",p:31,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"civil war in 1971 that resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.",p:31,x:89,y:152,w:403,h:15},
{t:"Islam seemed unable to infuse the same strength into Indian ",p:31,x:119,y:183,w:459,h:15},
{t:"Muslims as it did into the Arabs. Climatic conditions and the vastness ",p:31,x:89,y:206,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of the country, as well as the natural philosophic bent of the Indian ",p:31,x:89,y:230,w:487,h:15},
{t:"mind, were the chief factors that stood in the way of true, all-embrasive ",p:31,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Islamic influence on India. Yet Sufism made very significant gains on the ",p:31,x:89,y:276,w:483,h:15},
{t:"subcontinent in the twelfth, thir teenth, and fourteenth centuries. In the ",p:31,x:89,y:300,w:485,h:15},
{t:"history of Indian thought, the fi fteenth and sixteenth centuries may be ",p:31,x:89,y:323,w:485,h:15},
{t:"characterized as the time when two different sets of ideas and separate ",p:31,x:89,y:346,w:485,h:15},
{t:"systems of thought—Indian as well as Islamic—were fused into one.26",p:31,x:89,y:369,w:468,h:15},
{t:"A Muslim author writing of early Sufi  missionary efforts in India ",p:31,x:119,y:400,w:455,h:15},
{t:"explains the approach:",p:31,x:89,y:424,w:149,h:15},
{t:"Among the preachers of Islam in India the Sufi",p:31,x:134,y:460,w:349,h:15},
{t:" , whose ",p:31,x:479,y:460,w:64,h:15},
{t:"training was more ascetic, was closer to the masses of the ",p:31,x:134,y:482,w:411,h:15},
{t:"people than the theologian who was generally a fanatic and ",p:31,x:134,y:504,w:410,h:15},
{t:"lacked character and spiritual sensitiveness. In city, town, ",p:31,x:134,y:525,w:412,h:15},
{t:"and village the Sufi  formed himself into a pivot of an inner ",p:31,x:134,y:547,w:410,h:15},
{t:"circle of non-Muslims, mainly low-caste Hindus, whom he ",p:31,x:134,y:569,w:410,h:15},
{t:"attracted by his spirituality and humanity. The outer circle ",p:31,x:134,y:590,w:411,h:15},
{t:"was gradually sucked into Islam by an indirect rather than a ",p:31,x:134,y:612,w:409,h:15},
{t:"direct appeal which began with the non-Muslim’s admiration ",p:31,x:134,y:634,w:408,h:15},
{t:"for the individual Sufi, and continued through his observation ",p:31,x:134,y:655,w:408,h:15},
{t:"of Muslim egalitarianism in the inner circle.27",p:31,x:134,y:676,w:303,h:15},
{t:"Another writer highlights “indomitable zeal, uncommon piety, and ",p:31,x:119,y:708,w:455,h:15},
{t:"widely believed miracles” as the authentication of early Sufi  ministry.28",p:31,x:89,y:730,w:480,h:15},
{t:"These mystics led very simple and pious lives. They shunned worldly ",p:31,x:89,y:755,w:485,h:15},
{t:"comforts and pleasures. They served God with single-minded devotion. ",p:31,x:89,y:778,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Their spiritual policy was peace with all. Military methods of inducing ",p:31,x:89,y:801,w:485,h:15},
{t:"conversion to Islam were abhor rent to the Sufi  messengers of love and ",p:31,x:89,y:825,w:485,h:15},
{t:"peace. They preached toleration and conciliation toward all men of ",p:31,x:89,y:848,w:488,h:15},
{t:"all races and relig ions. Karim comments on the syncretistic tendency ",p:31,x:89,y:871,w:486,h:15},
{t:"of early Sufi  missionaries when he states that “Sufi s looked upon all ",p:31,x:89,y:895,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   19",p:31,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:31,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"20",p:32,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:32,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"religions as different roads leading to the same destination. . . . These ",p:32,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"mystics believed that the Hindus could attain spiritual greatness to the ",p:32,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"same degree as Muslims.”29",p:32,x:89,y:151,w:184,h:15},
{t:"Lajwanti Rama Krishna has well described the movement of Sufi sm ",p:32,x:119,y:183,w:454,h:15},
{t:"away from its Islamic roots into a state where many Sufi s (though not ",p:32,x:89,y:206,w:485,h:15},
{t:"all, by any means) would not be considered Muslims in the strict sense ",p:32,x:89,y:230,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of the word.",p:32,x:89,y:253,w:81,h:15},
{t:"The Sufi s who came to India with the object of leading the ",p:32,x:134,y:290,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Indians to the Beloved by Muhammad’s path, did credible ",p:32,x:134,y:311,w:411,h:15},
{t:"work for some years. Then the old Indian vigor asserted ",p:32,x:134,y:333,w:412,h:15},
{t:"itself and in its turn infl uenced the Sufi  beliefs. The mystics ",p:32,x:134,y:355,w:410,h:15},
{t:"therefore ab ",p:32,x:134,y:376,w:94,h:15},
{t:"sorbed the best of Islam and Hinduism and ",p:32,x:219,y:376,w:329,h:15},
{t:"developed a new sort of Sufi thought, more Indian than foreign ",p:32,x:134,y:398,w:407,h:15},
{t:"in character. Anxious to carry this new thought to the masses, ",p:32,x:134,y:420,w:408,h:15},
{t:"they versified it in their language. In [troublesome] times, the ",p:32,x:134,y:441,w:408,h:15},
{t:"Sufis maintained with their preachings the mental balance of ",p:32,x:134,y:463,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the different communities and, through their poems, sent the ",p:32,x:134,y:485,w:409,h:15},
{t:"message of peace, unity, and love to almost every home and ",p:32,x:134,y:506,w:409,h:15},
{t:"hamlet.30",p:32,x:134,y:527,w:59,h:15},
{t:"I once visited in a home in the Indian subcontinent where I was ",p:32,x:119,y:559,w:456,h:15},
{t:"introduced to a young man with long, flowing hair. Within a few minutes, ",p:32,x:89,y:582,w:483,h:15},
{t:"it was obvious I was interacting with an extremely intelligent person. He ",p:32,x:89,y:605,w:483,h:15},
{t:"was from a Muslim home, but identifi ed himself as a Sufi  as well as a ",p:32,x:89,y:629,w:485,h:15},
{t:"follower of Krishna. At one point, he stated that I could choose a tree ",p:32,x:89,y:652,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of any size and after he applied a certain mixture to it, the tree would ",p:32,x:89,y:675,w:485,h:15},
{t:"definitely die within three days. If it didn’t, I could feel free to shoot him! ",p:32,x:89,y:699,w:483,h:15},
{t:"This Sufi  seemed to be possessed of very defi nite mystical power—at ",p:32,x:89,y:722,w:485,h:15},
{t:"least in speech, if not in deed. I came away from our encounter feeling ",p:32,x:89,y:745,w:484,h:15},
{t:"that Sufism is indeed alive and well in the subcontinent.",p:32,x:89,y:769,w:372,h:15},
{t:"But Islamic mysticism is by no means geographically bound. During ",p:32,x:119,y:800,w:453,h:15},
{t:"a trip to North Africa early in 1982, I was able to visit the mazar (the ",p:32,x:89,y:823,w:484,h:15},
{t:"shrine of a famous Muslim mystic) of Sidi Abder rahmane. It is located in ",p:32,x:89,y:846,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the famous Casbah area of the city of Algiers. This mazar is the second ",p:32,x:89,y:870,w:484,h:15},
{t:"oldest monument in Algeria. Abderrahmane died in 1471 and is known ",p:32,x:89,y:893,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   20",p:32,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:32,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"21",p:33,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:33,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"today as the “protec tor of Algiers.” People come from great distances to ",p:33,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"visit this shrine. Most of the devotees are women.",p:33,x:89,y:129,w:331,h:15},
{t:"Inside the small room I noted ostrich eggshells; banners and ",p:33,x:119,y:160,w:459,h:15},
{t:"chandeliers hanging from the ceiling; lanterns and mirrors placed around ",p:33,x:89,y:183,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the large tomb, which was covered with embroi dered cloth; and a picture ",p:33,x:89,y:206,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of the hand of Fatima with an eye in the middle of the palm. Offerings ",p:33,x:89,y:230,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of bread, cloth, candles, and money were presented in memory of ",p:33,x:89,y:253,w:488,h:15},
{t:"Abderrahmane. There was a place to pray toward Mecca in one corner ",p:33,x:89,y:276,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of the room.",p:33,x:89,y:300,w:81,h:15},
{t:"There are many other illustrations of animism on the folk level ",p:33,x:119,y:330,w:457,h:15},
{t:"among Muslims in North Africa.",p:33,x:89,y:354,w:218,h:15},
{t:"Certain superstitious practices in North African Islam have ",p:33,x:134,y:390,w:411,h:15},
{t:"been traced by sociologists to Berber origins; curiously ",p:33,x:134,y:412,w:414,h:15},
{t:"enough identi cal forms of animism and superstition made ",p:33,x:134,y:434,w:412,h:15},
{t:"their appearance in India and have been attributed to Hindu ",p:33,x:134,y:455,w:410,h:15},
{t:"infl uences. The two streams are largely unconnected, and ",p:33,x:134,y:477,w:412,h:15},
{t:"have their common origin, perhaps, in the very nature of ",p:33,x:134,y:499,w:412,h:15},
{t:"mass belief.31",p:33,x:134,y:520,w:89,h:15},
{t:"S. Q. Fatemi explains the Sufi influence in Malaysia: “The reason why ",p:33,x:119,y:551,w:452,h:15},
{t:"these Sufis were so successful in spreading Islam among the Malays was ",p:33,x:89,y:575,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the eclecticism and the elasticity of Sufism, which had made it adaptable ",p:33,x:89,y:598,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and therefore acceptable to the Malay masses.”32 Another author has ",p:33,x:89,y:620,w:486,h:15},
{t:"pointed out that in Malaysia “Islam was spread by Sufi missionaries and ",p:33,x:89,y:645,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to such men were attributed supernatural or ‘magical’ powers.”33",p:33,x:89,y:667,w:430,h:15},
{t:"Sufi syncretism evidently was instrumental in the southern island of ",p:33,x:119,y:699,w:453,h:15},
{t:"Mindanao in the Philippines becoming Islamized.",p:33,x:89,y:722,w:331,h:15},
{t:"The rapid Islamization of the Filipino Maranao was due to ",p:33,x:134,y:759,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Sufi missionaries who identifi ed themselves closely with the ",p:33,x:134,y:780,w:409,h:15},
{t:"people they converted, and the fact that the faith was easy to ",p:33,x:134,y:802,w:409,h:15},
{t:"learn, and focused on the belief in one supreme God—Allah. ",p:33,x:134,y:824,w:409,h:15},
{t:"As former President Antonio Isidro of the Mindanao State ",p:33,x:134,y:845,w:411,h:15},
{t:"University pointed out: “The rituals are easy to perform, ",p:33,x:134,y:867,w:412,h:15},
{t:"and the people are not forced to give up many of their pre-",p:33,x:134,y:889,w:405,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   21",p:33,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:33,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"22",p:34,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:34,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Islamic customs and prac ",p:34,x:134,y:105,w:184,h:15},
{t:"tices—retaining much of the old ",p:34,x:312,y:105,w:234,h:15},
{t:"traditions.”34",p:34,x:134,y:126,w:84,h:15},
{t:"During my tour of the southern Philippines, I noted a number of ",p:34,x:119,y:158,w:456,h:15},
{t:"evidences of folk Islam. In Zamboanga, I visited in the home of a “jinn ",p:34,x:89,y:181,w:484,h:15},
{t:"man.” His eight-foot-by-eight-foot slatted bamboo house was built on ",p:34,x:89,y:205,w:486,h:15},
{t:"stilts twelve feet above the ocean. (Some thirty thousand Muslims are ",p:34,x:89,y:228,w:485,h:15},
{t:"packed into a few acres of such homes.) His house was identifi able by ",p:34,x:89,y:251,w:484,h:15},
{t:"a white cloth tied on a bamboo pole high above his dwelling. This aged ",p:34,x:89,y:275,w:484,h:15},
{t:"and feeble Muslim priest graciously talked to our small party for thirty ",p:34,x:89,y:298,w:485,h:15},
{t:"minutes. He showed us the special clothes he wears when he ministers. ",p:34,x:89,y:321,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Healing is an important part of his activities. He lays his hands on the ",p:34,x:89,y:345,w:485,h:15},
{t:"area of complaint in a sick person’s body and prays in the name of Allah ",p:34,x:89,y:368,w:483,h:15},
{t:"for healing and restoration. Sacrifi ce of animals, in God’s name, is also ",p:34,x:89,y:391,w:484,h:15},
{t:"a part of his ministry.",p:34,x:89,y:415,w:141,h:15},
{t:"David W. Shenk, an expert on African Islam, comments on Sufi sm ",p:34,x:119,y:445,w:454,h:15},
{t:"as he observed it in his travels.",p:34,x:89,y:469,w:205,h:15},
{t:"In Muslim communities across the African Continent saint ",p:34,x:134,y:505,w:411,h:15},
{t:"ven eration and mysticism abound. Recently I visited central ",p:34,x:134,y:527,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Java, Bangladesh, and southern Yugoslavia, and found ",p:34,x:134,y:549,w:416,h:15},
{t:"that in these widely diverse Muslim communities, saint ",p:34,x:134,y:570,w:414,h:15},
{t:"veneration and mysti cism are persistent. And the experience ",p:34,x:134,y:592,w:409,h:15},
{t:"and practice of saint veneration were amazingly consistent. ",p:34,x:134,y:614,w:410,h:15},
{t:"This is especially remark able, because in each community ",p:34,x:134,y:635,w:411,h:15},
{t:"the orthodox institutions are always in tension with these ",p:34,x:134,y:657,w:412,h:15},
{t:"widespread popular expressions of Islam.35",p:34,x:134,y:678,w:286,h:15},
{t:"Sufism, then, is a historical phenomenon as well as a contem porary ",p:34,x:119,y:710,w:454,h:15},
{t:"happening. There is probably no country in the world where its direct ",p:34,x:89,y:733,w:485,h:15},
{t:"influence is not felt.",p:34,x:89,y:756,w:132,h:15},
{t:"Sufi Orders",p:34,x:265,y:816,w:127,h:12},
{t:"It has been calculated that 70 percent of all Muslims are acquainted ",p:34,x:119,y:848,w:454,h:15},
{t:"with the Sufi orders within Islam. Millions have chosen to follow one or ",p:34,x:89,y:871,w:484,h:15},
{t:"another path. The pir of their order has become a very special guide to ",p:34,x:89,y:895,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   22",p:34,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:34,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"23",p:35,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:35,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"them, not only in matters of the spirit, but also in all worldly matters. The ",p:35,x:89,y:105,w:483,h:15},
{t:"origin of Sufi orders has been described in these words:",p:35,x:89,y:129,w:369,h:15},
{t:"Sufi ",p:35,x:134,y:165,w:33,h:15},
{t:" theosophy had in its origin a great tendency to ",p:35,x:161,y:165,w:389,h:15},
{t:"individualism. In its inception it was neither meant for the ",p:35,x:134,y:187,w:411,h:15},
{t:"ordinary common folk, nor for any coterie of intellectuals. ",p:35,x:134,y:209,w:411,h:15},
{t:"Illumination of the indi ",p:35,x:134,y:230,w:169,h:15},
{t:"vidual soul by the culture of one’s ",p:35,x:297,y:230,w:248,h:15},
{t:"own self was the aim and object of the early Sufi s. Great ",p:35,x:134,y:252,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Sufi s of the eighth and ninth centuries A.D. achieved this ",p:35,x:134,y:274,w:412,h:15},
{t:"illumination by individual exertion, mortifi cation, ",p:35,x:134,y:295,w:372,h:15},
{t:"and ",p:35,x:515,y:295,w:28,h:15},
{t:"austerity. This individualistic tendency among Sufis led each ",p:35,x:134,y:317,w:409,h:15},
{t:"individual to the way of thinking out a theosophic system ",p:35,x:134,y:339,w:411,h:15},
{t:"according to his own mentality and intellectual attain ments. ",p:35,x:134,y:360,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Hence, each system of Sufi  theosophy bears a clear stamp ",p:35,x:134,y:382,w:411,h:15},
{t:"of an individual who shaped it and worked it out in the line ",p:35,x:134,y:404,w:410,h:15},
{t:"invented or discovered by him. In this way, when one system ",p:35,x:134,y:425,w:408,h:15},
{t:"took final shape and when following that definite system, any ",p:35,x:134,y:447,w:408,h:15},
{t:"individ ual attained the ideal as desired by him, others with ",p:35,x:134,y:469,w:410,h:15},
{t:"similar ten dencies accepted the path laid down by him. This ",p:35,x:134,y:490,w:409,h:15},
{t:"was a kind of servile imitation; yet it was helpful to many. In ",p:35,x:134,y:512,w:409,h:15},
{t:"any case, the disci ples clung round the master and formed a ",p:35,x:134,y:534,w:410,h:15},
{t:"group to be named after the master or founder. As it is a case ",p:35,x:134,y:555,w:409,h:15},
{t:"with all groups or sects, after the formation of a well-defi ned ",p:35,x:134,y:577,w:409,h:15},
{t:"order, many new formalities and rituals were, in course of ",p:35,x:134,y:599,w:411,h:15},
{t:"time, introduced. The beginning of Sufi  orders is thus as old ",p:35,x:134,y:620,w:409,h:15},
{t:"as the origin of Sufism itself.36",p:35,x:134,y:641,w:202,h:15},
{t:"Sufi s may differ in name, customs, dress, meditations, recita tions, ",p:35,x:119,y:673,w:455,h:15},
{t:"and even doctrines, yet they have in common their quest for God. It is ",p:35,x:89,y:696,w:485,h:15},
{t:"not possible here to describe all of their various orders. In fact, it is not ",p:35,x:89,y:720,w:484,h:15},
{t:"possible even to document how many sects there are within Islam. Also, ",p:35,x:89,y:743,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to add to the confusion is the reality of hundreds, if not thousands, of ",p:35,x:89,y:766,w:485,h:15},
{t:"subsects within each major order. These smaller groups gather around ",p:35,x:89,y:790,w:485,h:15},
{t:"a pir who may be expounding teaching quite divergent from that of the ",p:35,x:89,y:813,w:484,h:15},
{t:"order he professes to follow. Yet it is essential to attain some measure ",p:35,x:89,y:836,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of understanding about these orders. I shall touch briefl y on the four ",p:35,x:89,y:860,w:486,h:15},
{t:"major sects of Sufi sm found in the Indian subcontinent today. Literally ",p:35,x:89,y:883,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   23",p:35,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:35,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"24",p:36,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:36,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"millions of Muslims are attached to these orders. Much can be learned ",p:36,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"about folk Islam from a careful study of these groups. It will be noted that ",p:36,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"distinctions among the orders are not doctrinal; rather the uniqueness of ",p:36,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"each group often centers around personalities.",p:36,x:89,y:175,w:306,h:15},
{t:"Chishti Order",p:36,x:89,y:225,w:124,h:9},
{t:"The Chishti order was the first important Sufi sect to be established in ",p:36,x:119,y:253,w:452,h:15},
{t:"India. It was founded by Khwaja Abu Ishaq Shami Chishti. He migrated ",p:36,x:89,y:277,w:484,h:15},
{t:"from Asia Minor and settled at Chisht in Khurasan and consequently was ",p:36,x:89,y:300,w:483,h:15},
{t:"called Chishti.",p:36,x:89,y:323,w:96,h:15},
{t:"The most famous saint of this order was Khwaja Muinud-Din, the ",p:36,x:119,y:354,w:455,h:15},
{t:"sponsor of the Chishti movement in India. He was born in the town of ",p:36,x:89,y:378,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Sanjar in Sistan in 1142. His ancestors for several generations were ",p:36,x:89,y:401,w:487,h:15},
{t:"reputed to be mystics. On one occasion a holy man met Muinud-Din and ",p:36,x:89,y:424,w:483,h:15},
{t:"was said to have transmitted spiritual power to him by taking a piece of ",p:36,x:89,y:448,w:484,h:15},
{t:"bread, chewing it, and then giving it to Muinud-Din to eat. This bread, ",p:36,x:89,y:471,w:485,h:15},
{t:"having been in close contact with the holy man, was believed to have ",p:36,x:89,y:494,w:485,h:15},
{t:"possessed supernatural power that was imparted to Muinud-Din. This ",p:36,x:89,y:518,w:486,h:15},
{t:"in cident illustrates common Sufi  teaching that spiritual vitality can be ",p:36,x:89,y:541,w:486,h:15},
{t:"transmitted through a material substance that has been in intimate contact ",p:36,x:89,y:564,w:483,h:15},
{t:"with the person of a holy man.",p:36,x:89,y:588,w:203,h:15},
{t:"Muinud-Din traveled extensively to visit the shrines of de ",p:36,x:119,y:618,w:415,h:15},
{t:"parted ",p:36,x:527,y:618,w:48,h:15},
{t:"saints. There he would meditate and seek to attain some of their spiritual ",p:36,x:89,y:642,w:483,h:15},
{t:"power. He eventually settled in Ajmir, India, where he died at the age of ",p:36,x:89,y:665,w:484,h:15},
{t:"eighty-nine. His resting place has become the Mecca of the adherents of ",p:36,x:89,y:688,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the Chishti order. On the anniversary of his death, Muslims from all over ",p:36,x:89,y:712,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the world make a pilgrimage to his tomb.",p:36,x:89,y:735,w:274,h:15},
{t:"Toward the close of the twelfth century, there arose a great ",p:36,x:119,y:766,w:460,h:15},
{t:"controversy among Muslims regarding the use of music among Chishtis. ",p:36,x:89,y:789,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Orthodox Muslim leaders were extremely displeased with the Sufi",p:36,x:89,y:813,w:479,h:15},
{t:"  ",p:36,x:564,y:813,w:0,h:15},
{t:"practice of singing the praises of Allah. Such music was considered to be ",p:36,x:89,y:836,w:483,h:15},
{t:"forbidden by the Quran and Hadith. One of the Chishti saints described ",p:36,x:89,y:859,w:484,h:15},
{t:"music as “the hearing of harmo nious sounds which move the heart, and ",p:36,x:89,y:883,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   24",p:36,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:36,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"25",p:37,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:37,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"kindle the fi re of love for God.”37 Chishtis always have had a heart for ",p:37,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"music. Singing and playing instruments are central in their expression of ",p:37,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"hunger for God.",p:37,x:89,y:152,w:106,h:15},
{t:"Babu Farid was a popular Indian Chishti who died in 1265. There ",p:37,x:119,y:183,w:455,h:15},
{t:"are many stories regarding his austerity and self-mortifi cation. At ",p:37,x:89,y:206,w:449,h:15},
{t:"one ",p:37,x:545,y:206,w:24,h:15},
{t:"period in his life he prayed all night while sus pended by his feet in a well. ",p:37,x:89,y:230,w:483,h:15},
{t:"He persisted in this practice for forty nights. The ritual was a closely ",p:37,x:89,y:253,w:486,h:15},
{t:"guarded secret while it was being performed. Because of his ability to ",p:37,x:89,y:276,w:485,h:15},
{t:"perform miracles, Babu Farid had 101 titles bestowed upon him. A few ",p:37,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of these titles are the Present, the Praised, the Perfect, the Truthful, the ",p:37,x:89,y:323,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Patient, the Majestic, the Inward, the Outward, the Light of God, the ",p:37,x:89,y:346,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Grace of God, the Liberality of God, and the Spirit of God. These titles ",p:37,x:89,y:370,w:484,h:15},
{t:"are often repeated as a charm to heal the sick.",p:37,x:89,y:393,w:303,h:15},
{t:"Babu Farid is buried in a tomb in the Punjab of Pakistan. His ",p:37,x:119,y:424,w:457,h:15},
{t:"mausoleum contains a door called the Door of Paradise, which is opened ",p:37,x:89,y:447,w:483,h:15},
{t:"only on the anniversary of his death. All devotees make a point of passing ",p:37,x:89,y:470,w:483,h:15},
{t:"through the door on this auspicious occasion. It is said that Nizamud-Din ",p:37,x:89,y:494,w:483,h:15},
{t:"was present at the shrine when he had a vision of Muhammad standing ",p:37,x:89,y:517,w:484,h:15},
{t:"at the door and saying, “Whosoever shall enter this door shall be saved.” ",p:37,x:89,y:540,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Since that time, this entrance has been known as the Door of Paradise.",p:37,x:89,y:564,w:468,h:15},
{t:"The Chishti order is the most colorful of the Sufi sects. Its practices ",p:37,x:119,y:595,w:454,h:15},
{t:"are among those most vehemently denounced by the orthodox Muslim. ",p:37,x:89,y:618,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Yet they continue in fervor throughout the subcontinent.",p:37,x:89,y:641,w:374,h:15},
{t:"Suhrawardi Order",p:37,x:89,y:690,w:162,h:9},
{t:"Shihabud-Din Suhrawardi of Baghdad was the founder of this order ",p:37,x:119,y:719,w:453,h:15},
{t:"of Muslim mystics. The man who did most to spread the infl uence of ",p:37,x:89,y:743,w:484,h:15},
{t:"this sect in India was Bahaud-Din Zakariya, who was born in Multan, ",p:37,x:89,y:766,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Pakistan, in 1182. Early in his life he made a pilgrimage to Mecca ",p:37,x:89,y:789,w:487,h:15},
{t:"and from there proceeded to Baghdad where he became a student of ",p:37,x:89,y:813,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Shihabud-Din Suhra wardi. Soon he attained “perfection,” was appointed ",p:37,x:89,y:836,w:483,h:15},
{t:"head of state by his master, and was sent back to India.",p:37,x:89,y:859,w:365,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   25",p:37,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:37,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"26",p:38,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:38,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Stories abound about Bahaud-Din and his unusual experi ences. He ",p:38,x:119,y:105,w:454,h:15},
{t:"is said to have been the recipient of three mantles, symbols that served to ",p:38,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"indicate that he held the highest author ity in the order. He dreamed that ",p:38,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"he received one of these man tles from God. Upon awakening, he found ",p:38,x:89,y:175,w:484,h:15},
{t:"that the mantle was on his body.",p:38,x:89,y:199,w:214,h:15},
{t:"At one point, Bahaud-Din had an ecstatic experience in which he ",p:38,x:119,y:230,w:455,h:15},
{t:"heard a voice from heaven conferring on him two names: the Great and ",p:38,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the Enlightener. Soon thereafter he declared,",p:38,x:89,y:276,w:296,h:15},
{t:"Any needy person who recites the following invocation, ",p:38,x:134,y:313,w:413,h:15},
{t:"which contains all the titles which I have received from God; ",p:38,x:134,y:335,w:408,h:15},
{t:"will have all his needs supplied, and God will forgive his sins ",p:38,x:134,y:356,w:408,h:15},
{t:"and increase the light of his faith; and if a person recites this ",p:38,x:134,y:378,w:409,h:15},
{t:"prayer every day of his life, I promise to stand as surety for ",p:38,x:134,y:400,w:410,h:15},
{t:"him in order to obtain for him the rewards of paradise in the ",p:38,x:134,y:421,w:409,h:15},
{t:"day of judgment.38",p:38,x:134,y:442,w:123,h:15},
{t:"The invocation was an exaltation of Bahaud-Din that con cluded ",p:38,x:119,y:474,w:457,h:15},
{t:"with a petition for him to fulfill the desires of the suppli cant. This mystic ",p:38,x:89,y:497,w:483,h:15},
{t:"died in 1267 in Multan, where thousands of Muslim devotees now visit ",p:38,x:89,y:520,w:484,h:15},
{t:"his tomb.",p:38,x:89,y:544,w:62,h:15},
{t:"Shaykh Ahmad Mashuq was another prominent saint of this order. ",p:38,x:119,y:575,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Prior to conversion he was a merchant with a reputation as a drunkard. ",p:38,x:89,y:598,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Once, while bathing in a river, he prayed, “O God, I will not go up out ",p:38,x:89,y:621,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of the water, till Thou hast revealed to me the dignity that I have in Thy ",p:38,x:89,y:645,w:484,h:15},
{t:"sight.” In reply, he heard a voice saying to him, “So great is thy dignity ",p:38,x:89,y:668,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in my sight that on the day of judgment a large number of sinners will ",p:38,x:89,y:691,w:485,h:15},
{t:"receive pardon through thy intercession.” He prayed again, “O Lord, this ",p:38,x:89,y:715,w:483,h:15},
{t:"is not enough—further increase my dignity out of Thy bounteous mercy.” ",p:38,x:89,y:738,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Then the voice replied, “I am thy lover and thou art my Beloved: go now ",p:38,x:89,y:761,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and make others my seekers.” From that time he came to be known by the ",p:38,x:89,y:785,w:483,h:15},
{t:"title the Beloved.39 Such is the type of mystical experience that launched ",p:38,x:89,y:807,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Muslim saints into their exalted posi tions of spiritual leadership.",p:38,x:89,y:831,w:429,h:15},
{t:"Yet another saint, Hafiz Muhammad Ismail, was born in 1586. When ",p:38,x:119,y:862,w:453,h:15},
{t:"he was twelve years old he was given the task of grinding corn. The story ",p:38,x:89,y:885,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   26",p:38,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:38,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"27",p:39,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:39,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"is told of how his master paid him a sur prise visit and was astonished ",p:39,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"to see the young boy deeply engaged in meditation. Meanwhile the ",p:39,x:89,y:129,w:487,h:15},
{t:"handmill was grinding the corn automatically.",p:39,x:89,y:152,w:306,h:15},
{t:"Ismail was told later to milk a large number of cows. It was noted ",p:39,x:119,y:183,w:455,h:15},
{t:"that the cows he milked yielded unusually large quantities of milk. Soon ",p:39,x:89,y:206,w:484,h:15},
{t:"all the neighbors brought their cows to Ismail to be milked. Within a ",p:39,x:89,y:230,w:486,h:15},
{t:"short time he was recognized as a saint. He traveled to Lahore, where he ",p:39,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"started a school for the purpose of instructing pupils in the art of reading ",p:39,x:89,y:276,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the Quran. It is believed that he possessed such power as a teacher that ",p:39,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"each of his students memorized the Quran in a miraculously short time. ",p:39,x:89,y:323,w:484,h:15},
{t:"He is reported to have declared that this virtue would continue to be ",p:39,x:89,y:346,w:486,h:15},
{t:"potent at his grave after his death. Many young people went to his mazar ",p:39,x:89,y:370,w:484,h:15},
{t:"for the purpose of memorizing the Quran. It was also believed that, by ",p:39,x:89,y:393,w:485,h:15},
{t:"eating the herbs and leaves of plants that grew close to the tomb, the ",p:39,x:89,y:416,w:486,h:15},
{t:"intellect was quickened so that the Quran was more easily committed to ",p:39,x:89,y:440,w:484,h:15},
{t:"memory.",p:39,x:89,y:463,w:58,h:15},
{t:"Shah Dawla was sold into slavery to a Hindu family at a young ",p:39,x:119,y:494,w:456,h:15},
{t:"age following the death of his widowed mother. At his master’s house ",p:39,x:89,y:517,w:485,h:15},
{t:"he exhibited great piety and was faithful in dis ",p:39,x:89,y:540,w:354,h:15},
{t:"charging all of his ",p:39,x:435,y:540,w:142,h:15},
{t:"responsibilities. Soon he was set free in recognition of his holiness. Shah ",p:39,x:89,y:564,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Dawla was initiated into saint hood by the great pir, Sayyid Nasir Mast.",p:39,x:89,y:587,w:472,h:15},
{t:"There are many tales of miracles associated with Shah Dawla’s life ",p:39,x:119,y:618,w:454,h:15},
{t:"and ministry. Chief among these are the births of “rat chil dren.” These ",p:39,x:89,y:641,w:484,h:15},
{t:"children, born through his intercessory power, had minute heads, large ",p:39,x:89,y:665,w:485,h:15},
{t:"ears, and rat-like faces, and were without understanding or power of ",p:39,x:89,y:688,w:486,h:15},
{t:"speech. Although they were repulsive, no contempt of them was to be ",p:39,x:89,y:711,w:485,h:15},
{t:"shown. If anyone violated this prohibition, his next child would be born ",p:39,x:89,y:735,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in a similar state.",p:39,x:89,y:758,w:113,h:15},
{t:"Musa Shahi Suhag founded a new sect of the Suhrawardi order that ",p:39,x:119,y:789,w:454,h:15},
{t:"is named after him. He dressed like a woman and lived among eunuchs ",p:39,x:89,y:812,w:484,h:15},
{t:"who were dancers by profession. In his native city of Ahmedabad there ",p:39,x:89,y:835,w:484,h:15},
{t:"was once a great scarcity of rain. The people prevailed upon Shah Musa ",p:39,x:89,y:859,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to pray to Allah for relief. His prayer was, “O my husband, if you are not ",p:39,x:89,y:882,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   27",p:39,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:39,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"28",p:40,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:40,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"going to send rain at once, I am going to deprive myself of these bridal ",p:40,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"ornaments.” He was about to break his bangles when clouds appeared ",p:40,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"on the horizon. Soon it began to rain heavily and continued to do so for ",p:40,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"several days. Upon his death in 1449, his disciples appointed a successor ",p:40,x:89,y:175,w:483,h:15},
{t:"whom they adorned like his master in the dress and ornaments of a ",p:40,x:89,y:199,w:487,h:15},
{t:"bride.",p:40,x:89,y:222,w:38,h:15},
{t:"Such are some of the practices of leading saints within the Suhrawardi ",p:40,x:119,y:253,w:452,h:15},
{t:"order of Sufi s.",p:40,x:89,y:276,w:94,h:15},
{t:"Qadiri Order",p:40,x:89,y:325,w:115,h:9},
{t:"This order was established in India three hundred years after the ",p:40,x:119,y:354,w:456,h:15},
{t:"death of its founder, Shaykh Abdul-Qadir Julani (also spelled Gilani). ",p:40,x:89,y:378,w:485,h:15},
{t:"The key propagator was Muhammad Ghawth, tenth in line of succession ",p:40,x:89,y:401,w:483,h:15},
{t:"to Julani. The son of Ghawth, Abdul Qadir II, was an ascetic saint who ",p:40,x:89,y:424,w:484,h:15},
{t:"shunned all worldly honors. Once, when a prince invited Abdul Qadir II ",p:40,x:89,y:448,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to the palace, he declined to go and instead sent this stanza.",p:40,x:89,y:471,w:395,h:15},
{t:"I have no door to which to go",p:40,x:149,y:508,w:196,h:15},
{t:"From this one door of Allah.",p:40,x:149,y:529,w:189,h:15},
{t:"While seated here, come weal or woe,",p:40,x:149,y:551,w:253,h:15},
{t:"I am content with either.",p:40,x:149,y:573,w:162,h:15},
{t:"Whoso, in this world, wears the cloak",p:40,x:149,y:594,w:251,h:15},
{t:"Provided by the King of Love,",p:40,x:149,y:616,w:203,h:15},
{t:"Feels a delight he could not have",p:40,x:149,y:638,w:219,h:15},
{t:"Though robed in light in heaven above.40",p:40,x:149,y:659,w:272,h:15},
{t:"Sayyid Bahawal Shah was a saint of this order who used to sit by ",p:40,x:119,y:690,w:455,h:15},
{t:"a riverbank and pass his days in meditation. However, the women of ",p:40,x:89,y:713,w:486,h:15},
{t:"the neighborhood complained to their husbands that when they came to ",p:40,x:89,y:737,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the river they were exposed to the gaze of the faqir (a religious person ",p:40,x:89,y:760,w:485,h:15},
{t:"who solicits alms in the name of Islam). Driven away from this place, ",p:40,x:89,y:783,w:485,h:15},
{t:"he settled somewhat further down the bank, where he met with the same ",p:40,x:89,y:807,w:484,h:15},
{t:"complaint. Becom ing angry, he smote the river and ordered it to change ",p:40,x:89,y:830,w:484,h:15},
{t:"its course. Immediately the river began to fl ow at a distance four miles ",p:40,x:89,y:853,w:485,h:15},
{t:"from its original course. Eventually, three wooden pegs were driven in ",p:40,x:89,y:877,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the ground near the saint. Each of these immediately sprouted into a tree. ",p:40,x:89,y:900,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   28",p:40,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:40,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"29",p:41,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:41,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"Two of them are said to still be green. The attendant at his shrine, for a ",p:41,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"small offering, will give the visitor a bit of the wood from one of these ",p:41,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"trees. Generally this is made into beads for a rosary.",p:41,x:89,y:152,w:345,h:15},
{t:"During his latter days, Bahawal Shah is said to have ridden on a lion ",p:41,x:119,y:183,w:453,h:15},
{t:"and carried a snake in his hand in place of a whip. A shrine was placed ",p:41,x:89,y:206,w:484,h:15},
{t:"over his grave in Lahore.",p:41,x:89,y:230,w:167,h:15},
{t:"Haji Muhammad was reported to have received sainthood at the time ",p:41,x:119,y:260,w:453,h:15},
{t:"of his birth. As he grew older, he always had a reputa tion for hospitality. ",p:41,x:89,y:284,w:484,h:15},
{t:"If his own resources failed, he would beg from door to door until he had ",p:41,x:89,y:307,w:484,h:15},
{t:"collected suffi cient food to feed his guests. One day he went to beg for ",p:41,x:89,y:330,w:484,h:15},
{t:"some fl our at a neighbor’s house. The woman of the house was in the ",p:41,x:89,y:354,w:485,h:15},
{t:"act of kneading dough, but upon seeing the saint at a distance, she hid ",p:41,x:89,y:377,w:485,h:15},
{t:"it quickly under her thigh. She apologized to him for her inability to ",p:41,x:89,y:400,w:486,h:15},
{t:"give him the requested fl our. When the saint had departed, the woman ",p:41,x:89,y:424,w:485,h:15},
{t:"realized, to her horror, that the dough had stuck to her body and no ",p:41,x:89,y:447,w:486,h:15},
{t:"amount of effort could release it until her husband went to the saint and, ",p:41,x:89,y:470,w:484,h:15},
{t:"confessing her fault, requested him to pray on her behalf.",p:41,x:89,y:494,w:380,h:15},
{t:"Another story illustrates the confl ict between mystical saints and ",p:41,x:119,y:525,w:456,h:15},
{t:"orthodox Islam. Muhammad Fudayl, a native of Kabul, went to India ",p:41,x:89,y:548,w:486,h:15},
{t:"and acquired perfection in the mystical path. Upon his return to Kabul, ",p:41,x:89,y:571,w:485,h:15},
{t:"he, being inclined to ecstatic expe ",p:41,x:89,y:595,w:258,h:15},
{t:"riences, neglected the obligatory ",p:41,x:338,y:595,w:239,h:15},
{t:"prayers as prescribed by the Quran and Hadith. The ulama of Kabul, a ",p:41,x:89,y:618,w:485,h:15},
{t:"community of scholarly leaders, went to him and threat ened to punish ",p:41,x:89,y:641,w:485,h:15},
{t:"him if he would not say his prayers. Fudayl argued that prayer could ",p:41,x:89,y:665,w:486,h:15},
{t:"not be performed without the cus tomary ablution, which he said was ",p:41,x:89,y:688,w:486,h:15},
{t:"impossible for him to per form. The ulama, desiring to test the truth of ",p:41,x:89,y:711,w:485,h:15},
{t:"this assertion, brought some water and poured it on Fudayl’s arms in an ",p:41,x:89,y:735,w:484,h:15},
{t:"effort to fulfill the requirements of ablution. To the great surprise of all in ",p:41,x:89,y:758,w:483,h:15},
{t:"attendance, the arms and hands of the saint did not even become wet.",p:41,x:89,y:781,w:461,h:15},
{t:"The faqirs of Naushali, a splinter group of the Qadiri order, hold ",p:41,x:119,y:812,w:456,h:15},
{t:"musical festivals that end in an orgy of emotion. Then these faqirs hang ",p:41,x:89,y:835,w:484,h:15},
{t:"upside down on trees, sway violently backward and forward, and shout ",p:41,x:89,y:859,w:484,h:15},
{t:"“illa llah” until they faint from exhaustion.",p:41,x:89,y:882,w:284,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   29",p:41,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:06 AM",p:41,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"30",p:42,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:42,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"A rather common belief is illustrated by yet another story. Miyan ",p:42,x:119,y:105,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Mir was a saint whose favorite disciple was Miyan Nattha. Both men ",p:42,x:89,y:129,w:486,h:15},
{t:"lived in a two-story house, Mir living in the upper story and Nattha in the ",p:42,x:89,y:152,w:483,h:15},
{t:"lower. Each night it was Nattha’s custom to carry water to his master so ",p:42,x:89,y:175,w:484,h:15},
{t:"he could perform ablutions before prayer. One night Nattha was late in ",p:42,x:89,y:199,w:484,h:15},
{t:"bringing the water. On reaching the room he failed, in spite of a thorough ",p:42,x:89,y:222,w:483,h:15},
{t:"search, to find his master. Being very anxious about his master’s sudden ",p:42,x:89,y:245,w:484,h:15},
{t:"disappearance, Nattha spent the whole night seated outside the saint’s ",p:42,x:89,y:269,w:485,h:15},
{t:"door awaiting his return. Great was his surprise when, early in the ",p:42,x:89,y:292,w:487,h:15},
{t:"morning, he heard his master shouting from within the room for water ",p:42,x:89,y:315,w:485,h:15},
{t:"to be brought inside. Nattha, curious to know where his master had ",p:42,x:89,y:339,w:487,h:15},
{t:"been during the night and how he had managed to get inside the room, ",p:42,x:89,y:362,w:484,h:15},
{t:"naturally asked for an explanation. The saint, when pressed, replied, “I ",p:42,x:89,y:385,w:485,h:15},
{t:"generally spend my night on Mount Hira, in the vicinity of Mecca, where ",p:42,x:89,y:409,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Prophet Muhammad used to meditate in his early life.” It is a common ",p:42,x:89,y:432,w:485,h:15},
{t:"belief that Sufi saints can be spiritually transported to distant places.",p:42,x:89,y:455,w:454,h:15},
{t:"Naqshbandi Order",p:42,x:89,y:505,w:163,h:9},
{t:"Khwaja Bahaud-Din Naqshband was the founder of this order. ",p:42,x:119,y:533,w:458,h:15},
{t:"Ahmad Faruqi established the sect in India. The infl uence of this order ",p:42,x:89,y:557,w:485,h:15},
{t:"was widespread and even affected political condi tions in India, Turkey, ",p:42,x:89,y:580,w:484,h:15},
{t:"and Mesopotamia.",p:42,x:89,y:603,w:123,h:15},
{t:"A number of miracles were said to have occurred at the birth of Ahmad ",p:42,x:119,y:634,w:452,h:15},
{t:"Faruqi. All the dead saints appeared to his mother and congratulated ",p:42,x:89,y:658,w:486,h:15},
{t:"her on his birth. His father saw Muhammad, in the company of all the ",p:42,x:89,y:681,w:485,h:15},
{t:"prophets, come near the infant and repeat the name of Allah in his ears ",p:42,x:89,y:704,w:484,h:15},
{t:"and enumerate his virtues. Further, we are told that for a whole week ",p:42,x:89,y:728,w:486,h:15},
{t:"from the day of his birth, no musician could play an instrument. Many of ",p:42,x:89,y:751,w:483,h:15},
{t:"them took this to be a sign of God’s disapproval of their profession and ",p:42,x:89,y:774,w:484,h:15},
{t:"thus relinquished it. It was said that Ahmad, like Muhammad, was born ",p:42,x:89,y:798,w:484,h:15},
{t:"circumcised.",p:42,x:89,y:821,w:84,h:15},
{t:"In 1603, Baqi Billah eulogized Ahmad by saying, “Ahmad has ",p:42,x:119,y:852,w:457,h:15},
{t:"guided us to the true interpretation of Sufi pantheism. In the knowledge ",p:42,x:89,y:875,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of mysticism he is like a sun while we are like planets revolving round ",p:42,x:89,y:898,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   30",p:42,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:42,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"31",p:43,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:43,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"him. Indeed, after Muhammad there has never been a saint in dignity ",p:43,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"equal to him.”41",p:43,x:89,y:128,w:104,h:15},
{t:"Ahmad for a period of time was regarded as an enemy of the state ",p:43,x:119,y:160,w:455,h:15},
{t:"and was imprisoned by the ruler, Jahangir. But within three years Ahmad ",p:43,x:89,y:183,w:483,h:15},
{t:"was able to persuade his enemies of his saintly character. Upon release, ",p:43,x:89,y:206,w:484,h:15},
{t:"he converted Jahangir into his disciple. The emperor, following the ",p:43,x:89,y:230,w:487,h:15},
{t:"advice of his pir, proceeded to make several changes in matters of the ",p:43,x:89,y:253,w:485,h:15},
{t:"state. The custom of falling prostrate before the king, which had been in ",p:43,x:89,y:276,w:484,h:15},
{t:"force from the time of Akbar, was discontinued. The use of beef, which ",p:43,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"had been prohibited, was made permissible. The most important change ",p:43,x:89,y:323,w:484,h:15},
{t:"was that the Islamic code (shariat) was adopted as the law of the state.",p:43,x:89,y:346,w:467,h:15},
{t:"Ahmad looked upon himself as a reformer. He regarded it as his duty ",p:43,x:119,y:377,w:453,h:15},
{t:"to purge Sufi sm of many of the extraneous elements that had become ",p:43,x:89,y:400,w:486,h:15},
{t:"attached to it through its long history. Pro hibited were the use of music; ",p:43,x:89,y:424,w:484,h:15},
{t:"dancing while in the state of ecstasy; prostration before one’s pir; the ",p:43,x:89,y:447,w:484,h:15},
{t:"worship of the saints and shrines; and illuminating the tombs of saints. ",p:43,x:89,y:470,w:485,h:15},
{t:"He also made an effort to harmonize the doctrines of mysticism with the ",p:43,x:89,y:494,w:484,h:15},
{t:"teachings of the Quran and Sunnah (the record of sayings and activities ",p:43,x:89,y:517,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of Muhammad).",p:43,x:89,y:540,w:108,h:15},
{t:"Ahmad is credited with performing more than seven hundred ",p:43,x:119,y:571,w:459,h:15},
{t:"miracles. He also is said to have written 644 treatises on various religious ",p:43,x:89,y:595,w:483,h:15},
{t:"subjects. His teachings are mainly embodied in a series of letters that were ",p:43,x:89,y:618,w:482,h:15},
{t:"collected in his lifetime and are now pub lished in three large volumes.",p:43,x:89,y:641,w:468,h:15},
{t:"Ahmad was the first of the saints within Islam who claimed for himself ",p:43,x:119,y:672,w:452,h:15},
{t:"and for his three immediate successors the title Qayyum. The Qayyum is ",p:43,x:89,y:695,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the dignitary on whom the whole order of existence depends, and under ",p:43,x:89,y:719,w:484,h:15},
{t:"whose control are all names, attributes, and things actual and potential. ",p:43,x:89,y:742,w:485,h:15},
{t:"It is through his command that the heavens move in their courses, the ",p:43,x:89,y:765,w:485,h:15},
{t:"waves rise and fall in seas and oceans, the rains fall from heaven, fruits ",p:43,x:89,y:789,w:484,h:15},
{t:"ripen, and day succeeds night. The earth remains motionless or quakes in ",p:43,x:89,y:812,w:483,h:15},
{t:"accordance with his will, and all of its inhabitants re ceive joy or sorrow, ",p:43,x:89,y:835,w:484,h:15},
{t:"pleasure or pain according to his discretion.",p:43,x:89,y:859,w:291,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   31",p:43,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:43,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"32",p:44,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:44,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"The Qayyum is the substance of all that exists. He is the Vicar of ",p:44,x:119,y:105,w:455,h:15},
{t:"God on earth. The Absolute bestows upon him a special essence called ",p:44,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"mawhub, on which depends the subsistence of the universe. This special ",p:44,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"office was strictly limited to Ahmad and his three successors.",p:44,x:89,y:175,w:407,h:15},
{t:"A story is told of how one night after his prayer Ahmad’s whole ",p:44,x:119,y:206,w:456,h:15},
{t:"body became so luminous that it dazzled the eyes, and at that moment ",p:44,x:89,y:230,w:485,h:15},
{t:"he received this “revelation” from God: “O, Ahmad! this thy body is ",p:44,x:89,y:253,w:486,h:15},
{t:"made of the residue of the substance of Muham mad’s body, which I had ",p:44,x:89,y:276,w:484,h:15},
{t:"reserved for thy sake, for thou wast to be my beloved.”",p:44,x:89,y:300,w:366,h:15},
{t:"Ahmad claimed he was the custodian of “His Treasury of Mercy.” ",p:44,x:119,y:330,w:455,h:15},
{t:"He stated that an infi nite number of angels were stand ing before him ",p:44,x:89,y:354,w:486,h:15},
{t:"with folded hands ready to obey his every com mand. He further asserted ",p:44,x:89,y:377,w:483,h:15},
{t:"that he had given his son, Said, the seal of the permit to enter heaven on ",p:44,x:89,y:400,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the day of judgment. He declared that all who receive from God a permit ",p:44,x:89,y:424,w:483,h:15},
{t:"to enter heaven must fi rst obtain the permission of his son. Other acts ",p:44,x:89,y:447,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of mercy (such as rescuing sinners from hell and assisting people at the ",p:44,x:89,y:470,w:484,h:15},
{t:"bridge of death) were entrusted to another son and successor, Masum.",p:44,x:89,y:494,w:464,h:15},
{t:"The last of the Qayyums died in 1739, a time when the Muslim ",p:44,x:119,y:525,w:456,h:15},
{t:"empire was crumbling. By this date the Naqshbandi order had spread to ",p:44,x:89,y:548,w:484,h:15},
{t:"every part of the Muslim world.",p:44,x:89,y:571,w:212,h:15},
{t:"In one Muslim country, I was able to visit a reputed pir of the ",p:44,x:119,y:602,w:457,h:15},
{t:"Naqshbandi order. After driving seven hours, my friends and I turned off ",p:44,x:89,y:625,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the main road onto a dirt path that led through the fi elds. We followed ",p:44,x:89,y:649,w:484,h:15},
{t:"fifteen buses as we inched our way along the last six miles of our journey. ",p:44,x:89,y:672,w:483,h:15},
{t:"The buses were fi lled with boister ous Muslims who were all wearing ",p:44,x:89,y:695,w:486,h:15},
{t:"their prayer hats. The night air was filled with the sound of the chanting ",p:44,x:89,y:719,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of the name of Allah blaring forth from loudspeakers mounted on the ",p:44,x:89,y:742,w:485,h:15},
{t:"buses. The vehicles were stopped several times by local villagers who ",p:44,x:89,y:765,w:485,h:15},
{t:"were collecting donations for the building of new mosques.",p:44,x:89,y:789,w:395,h:15},
{t:"As we rounded the last curve we were overwhelmed by what we ",p:44,x:119,y:820,w:455,h:15},
{t:"saw. There in the most remote of villages was what looked like a small ",p:44,x:89,y:843,w:484,h:15},
{t:"town. Hundreds of lights were strung over two mammoth buildings, each ",p:44,x:89,y:866,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the size of a football field. Huge tents had been erected; under these, one ",p:44,x:89,y:890,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   32",p:44,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:44,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"33",p:45,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:45,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"hundred thousand devotees were sitting and listening to a fi ery orator ",p:45,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"holding forth regard ",p:45,x:89,y:129,w:147,h:15},
{t:"ing the virtues of the pir. Scores of small stores ",p:45,x:229,y:129,w:347,h:15},
{t:"were selling everything from tea to religious charms. The government ",p:45,x:89,y:152,w:485,h:15},
{t:"had made special arrangements to bring electricity and even a tele-",p:45,x:89,y:175,w:480,h:15},
{t:"phone exchange to the pir’s home. I was told a runway was soon to be ",p:45,x:89,y:199,w:485,h:15},
{t:"constructed to enable people to fl y in to see the pir. The two buildings ",p:45,x:89,y:222,w:485,h:15},
{t:"housed religious schools to accommodate stu dents from the fi rst grade ",p:45,x:89,y:245,w:484,h:15},
{t:"through graduate courses.",p:45,x:89,y:269,w:171,h:15},
{t:"We were taken to the eating area for a special meal of rice and meat. ",p:45,x:119,y:300,w:456,h:15},
{t:"As we walked around in bare feet (no shoes were allowed on such holy ",p:45,x:89,y:323,w:496,h:15},
{t:"ground) we were amazed to see the enor ",p:45,x:89,y:346,w:283,h:15},
{t:"mity of the pir’s following. W e ",p:45,x:361,y:346,w:213,h:15},
{t:"heard the pir extolled as a “ flower descended from heaven.” The meeting ",p:45,x:89,y:370,w:486,h:15},
{t:"place was described as the “center of the universe.” Signs placed in strategic",p:45,x:89,y:393,w:492,h:15},
{t:"locations told of a prohibition on singing and musical instruments. One",p:45,x:89,y:416,w:491,h:15},
{t:"sign said, “It is not necessary to give money to the ",p:45,x:89,y:440,w:344,h:15},
{t:"pir , but your faith will ",p:45,x:424,y:440,w:149,h:15},
{t:"be enhanced if you do.” Perhaps one disciple had little cash and was in ",p:45,x:89,y:463,w:497,h:15},
{t:"need of faith—for someone took ",p:45,x:89,y:486,w:221,h:15},
{t:"fifteen dollars from my wallet.",p:45,x:305,y:486,w:203,h:15},
{t:"The pir did not make an appearance during our time at the meeting. ",p:45,x:119,y:517,w:454,h:15},
{t:"We understood that he would lead prayer at 3 A.M. He is about sixty ",p:45,x:89,y:540,w:486,h:15},
{t:"years old and has two sons. His devotees wor ship him, while his critics ",p:45,x:89,y:564,w:484,h:15},
{t:"consider him a corrupted religious leader who has turned Islam into a ",p:45,x:89,y:587,w:485,h:15},
{t:"business venture. He initiates his disciples by pressing his fi nger into ",p:45,x:89,y:610,w:484,h:15},
{t:"their chests just over the heart. At that time the devotee becomes fi lled ",p:45,x:89,y:634,w:484,h:15},
{t:"with God and actually hears the voice of Allah within his body.",p:45,x:89,y:657,w:421,h:15},
{t:"I talked to one retired army colonel and asked him why he was ",p:45,x:119,y:688,w:456,h:15},
{t:"a follower of the pir. He told a long story of how he was tired of a ",p:45,x:89,y:711,w:486,h:15},
{t:"materialistic orientation to life. More than anything else, he wanted peace ",p:45,x:89,y:735,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and an experience with God. Contact with the pir had met his innermost ",p:45,x:89,y:758,w:484,h:15},
{t:"longing for a personal encounter with the God of love.",p:45,x:89,y:781,w:362,h:15},
{t:"At 1 A.M. we walked away from the teeming masses of simple, ",p:45,x:119,y:812,w:457,h:15},
{t:"devout, questing Muslims. Our hearts ached that these mis guided seekers ",p:45,x:89,y:835,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of God might be introduced to the one who alone can fi ll hungry souls ",p:45,x:89,y:859,w:485,h:15},
{t:"and satisfy longing hearts.",p:45,x:89,y:882,w:174,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   33",p:45,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:45,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"34",p:46,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:46,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Sufism in Conflict",p:46,x:226,y:107,w:205,h:12},
{t:"Is Sufi sm condoned in the Quran? Was Muhammad a mystic? Can ",p:46,x:119,y:138,w:455,h:15},
{t:"there be a synthesis between orthodox Islam and Sufism? How serious is ",p:46,x:89,y:162,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the breach between the two paths? These are serious questions that are ",p:46,x:89,y:185,w:485,h:15},
{t:"occupying the minds of dedicated Muslim theologians on one hand and ",p:46,x:89,y:208,w:484,h:15},
{t:"mystical practitioners on the other.",p:46,x:89,y:232,w:230,h:15},
{t:"The early Sufis were said to have been orthodox Muslims in regard ",p:46,x:119,y:263,w:454,h:15},
{t:"to their belief and practices. They put great emphasis on the teaching ",p:46,x:89,y:286,w:486,h:15},
{t:"of the Quran and the Traditions. The distinctive features of their creed ",p:46,x:89,y:309,w:485,h:15},
{t:"consisted of self-abandonment, self-mortification, and fervent piety.",p:46,x:89,y:333,w:452,h:15},
{t:"It is interesting to read of one Muslim historian who has writ ten, ",p:46,x:119,y:363,w:455,h:15},
{t:"“According to all correct doctrines, then, the Quran is the fi rst and the ",p:46,x:89,y:387,w:485,h:15},
{t:"last textbook of Sufi sm, and the Prophet Muham mad the greatest Sufi",p:46,x:89,y:410,w:479,h:15},
{t:"  ",p:46,x:564,y:410,w:3,h:15},
{t:"of all times.”42 Another Muslim writer sees the basis for Sufi sm in the ",p:46,x:89,y:433,w:485,h:15},
{t:"faith of the Prophet, who retired to the cave and received a mystical ",p:46,x:89,y:457,w:486,h:15},
{t:"communication from God.43",p:46,x:89,y:479,w:187,h:15},
{t:"The esoteric teachings of the Quran and Hadith helped in ",p:46,x:134,y:517,w:411,h:15},
{t:"the growth of ascetic and devotional tendencies. Hence it is ",p:46,x:134,y:538,w:410,h:15},
{t:"an accom plished fact that Sufi sm originated under the lively ",p:46,x:134,y:560,w:409,h:15},
{t:"infl uences of the Quran where references of Divine and ",p:46,x:134,y:582,w:413,h:15},
{t:"mystical passages with esoteric meanings are to be found and ",p:46,x:134,y:603,w:408,h:15},
{t:"also in the Hadith. A comparison between the orthodox tenets ",p:46,x:134,y:625,w:408,h:15},
{t:"and Sufi  doctrines will easily establish the theory. But the ",p:46,x:134,y:647,w:411,h:15},
{t:"modern researchers have tried to show that the development ",p:46,x:134,y:668,w:409,h:15},
{t:"of Sufism was due to a number of external factors. These non-",p:46,x:134,y:690,w:405,h:15},
{t:"Islamic influences which subsequently give a speculative and ",p:46,x:134,y:712,w:408,h:15},
{t:"pantheistic character were moulded and recast in Islamic ",p:46,x:134,y:733,w:413,h:15},
{t:"mystical inclinations. These are 1. Christianity, 2. Neo-",p:46,x:134,y:755,w:405,h:15},
{t:"Platonism, 3. Gnosticism, 4. Buddhism or Vedantism. Hence ",p:46,x:134,y:777,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the theory that the origin of Sufi sm is purely un-Islamic is ",p:46,x:134,y:798,w:411,h:15},
{t:"untenable, but it can be said that its development was fostered ",p:46,x:134,y:820,w:408,h:15},
{t:"by foreign cultural infl uences.44",p:46,x:134,y:841,w:209,h:15},
{t:"It is true that many ideas in the Quran afford a basis for Sufi sm. ",p:46,x:119,y:873,w:454,h:15},
{t:"Although Muhammad’s relation to God cannot on the whole be called one ",p:46,x:89,y:896,w:482,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   34",p:46,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:46,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"35",p:47,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:47,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"of intimacy, it had in it a mystical aspect, namely, a direct consciousness ",p:47,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of God’s presence. A list of some of his Quranic writings that indicate ",p:47,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"mysticism includes:",p:47,x:89,y:152,w:132,h:15},
{t:"“Remember Me and I will remember you” (2:152). ",p:47,x:134,y:189,w:344,h:15},
{t:"“Call unto Me and I will answer you” (11:60). ",p:47,x:134,y:225,w:312,h:15},
{t:"“Wherever you turn there is the face of God” (2:115). ",p:47,x:134,y:262,w:361,h:15},
{t:"“A people whom He loveth and who love Him” (5:57).",p:47,x:134,y:299,w:366,h:15},
{t:"“Those who love . . . and have a desire to seek the counte-",p:47,x:134,y:335,w:404,h:15},
{t:"nance of their Lord, Most High” (92:17, 20).",p:47,x:134,y:357,w:298,h:15},
{t:"“Adore, and draw thou nigh” (96:19).",p:47,x:134,y:394,w:251,h:15},
{t:"“We are from God and to God is our return” (2:156).",p:47,x:134,y:430,w:351,h:15},
{t:"The Quran is said to possess two aspects, the exoteric and the ",p:47,x:119,y:461,w:457,h:15},
{t:"esoteric. The former is meant for general readers while the latter is ",p:47,x:89,y:485,w:487,h:15},
{t:"directed toward the “elect.” The Quran is likened to a Rosetta stone ",p:47,x:89,y:508,w:486,h:15},
{t:"which when deciphered will reveal inexhaustible treasures. So it was to ",p:47,x:89,y:531,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the early Muslims who sought to be enlightened. They dedicated their ",p:47,x:89,y:555,w:485,h:15},
{t:"time and effort to unraveling the hidden meanings of the Quran. This ",p:47,x:89,y:578,w:486,h:15},
{t:"holy book thus is said to be the wellspring of Sufi sm.45",p:47,x:89,y:600,w:363,h:15},
{t:"One of my scholarly Muslim friends makes a distinction be tween ",p:47,x:119,y:632,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Islamic mysticism and Muslim mysticism. The former is that which is ",p:47,x:89,y:655,w:485,h:15},
{t:"based on and can be substantiated by the Quran and Hadith. It is the ",p:47,x:89,y:679,w:486,h:15},
{t:"mystical orientation to life that can be embraced by orthodox, practicing ",p:47,x:89,y:702,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Muslims worldwide. There is no extremism or aberrant practices within ",p:47,x:89,y:725,w:484,h:15},
{t:"this mysticism. All is explicitly or implicitly approved by the Holy Books ",p:47,x:89,y:749,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of Islam. It allows for an individual’s hunger for a relationship with a per-",p:47,x:89,y:772,w:480,h:15},
{t:"sonal God but provides boundaries.",p:47,x:89,y:795,w:236,h:15},
{t:"Muslim mysticism, on the other hand, is a pejorative term applied to ",p:47,x:119,y:826,w:453,h:15},
{t:"Sufi practice that gives only superficial acknowledg ment to Muhammad ",p:47,x:89,y:850,w:484,h:15},
{t:"and the Quran, while allowing such anoma lous activities as worshiping ",p:47,x:89,y:873,w:484,h:15},
{t:"pirs or presenting gifts at shrines. An example of Muslim mysticism ",p:47,x:89,y:896,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   35",p:47,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:47,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"36",p:48,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:48,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"would be the behavior of a group of Sufis I watched who were projecting ",p:48,x:89,y:105,w:483,h:15},
{t:"themselves as God-intoxi ",p:48,x:89,y:129,w:185,h:15},
{t:"cated people. After a prolonged session of ",p:48,x:266,y:129,w:310,h:15},
{t:"singing esoteric-type Islamic songs, they proceeded to prepare ganja (a ",p:48,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"strong, mind-altering drug). At the proper moment, a devotee shouted, ",p:48,x:89,y:175,w:485,h:15},
{t:"“Bis-millah Rahmaner Rahim”(“In the name of God the beneficent and ",p:48,x:89,y:199,w:484,h:15},
{t:"merciful”; it is blasphemy for an orthodox Muslim to utter these holy ",p:48,x:89,y:222,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Arabic Quranic words in such a context) and then took a long puff on the ",p:48,x:89,y:245,w:483,h:15},
{t:"water pipe in which the ganja had been placed. He immediately swooned ",p:48,x:89,y:269,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and almost spilled the pipe onto the grass mat in the process. Others ",p:48,x:89,y:292,w:486,h:15},
{t:"followed.",p:48,x:89,y:315,w:63,h:15},
{t:"Muslim mysticism is man-made; that is, an interpretation and ",p:48,x:119,y:346,w:459,h:15},
{t:"practice that is deviant from the Quran. Islamic mysticism is pure and ",p:48,x:89,y:370,w:485,h:15},
{t:"true. The problem with these distinctions is the task of judging that which ",p:48,x:89,y:393,w:483,h:15},
{t:"is erroneous. My experience is that fi ve Muslims will have fi ve views ",p:48,x:89,y:416,w:484,h:15},
{t:"on the gray areas of Sufi  practice. It is diffi cult, if not impossible, to ",p:48,x:89,y:440,w:486,h:15},
{t:"construct an authoritative, widely acceptable, clear distinction between ",p:48,x:89,y:463,w:485,h:15},
{t:"these two forms of mysticism.",p:48,x:89,y:486,w:201,h:15},
{t:"As we have seen, at a point in early Muslim history there was a ",p:48,x:119,y:517,w:456,h:15},
{t:"negative reaction against cold, rigid Islamic orthodoxy. Out of an ",p:48,x:89,y:540,w:489,h:15},
{t:"emphasis on intellectualism and formalism by Muslim theo logians came ",p:48,x:89,y:564,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Sufi -type mysticism. Love became the Sufi  by ",p:48,x:89,y:587,w:339,h:15},
{t:"word. This, however, ",p:48,x:420,y:587,w:156,h:15},
{t:"engendered a confl ict.",p:48,x:89,y:610,w:146,h:15},
{t:"In fact, if the Sufi  thinkers of India adhere to any religion, ",p:48,x:134,y:647,w:410,h:15},
{t:"it is the religion of love. Indeed, they outwardly profess ",p:48,x:134,y:669,w:412,h:15},
{t:"theological Islam as their religion, but their conception of ",p:48,x:134,y:690,w:411,h:15},
{t:"Islam is different, in many fundamental respects, from the ",p:48,x:134,y:712,w:411,h:15},
{t:"conception of Muslim theolo gians. The Islam they profess to ",p:48,x:134,y:734,w:409,h:15},
{t:"honor is more of their own creation than of the creation of the ",p:48,x:134,y:755,w:408,h:15},
{t:"Quran. All the formalities of Islam, its code of law (shariat), ",p:48,x:134,y:777,w:409,h:15},
{t:"its teachings and morals as incul cated by the doctors of Islam ",p:48,x:134,y:799,w:408,h:15},
{t:"(imams) have been set aside, and in their places, they have ",p:48,x:134,y:820,w:410,h:15},
{t:"installed their own formalities, laws, teach ings, and morals. ",p:48,x:134,y:842,w:410,h:15},
{t:"They have interpreted the Quran and the Tradi tions (Hadith) ",p:48,x:134,y:864,w:409,h:15},
{t:"in their own light.46",p:48,x:134,y:885,w:129,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   36",p:48,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:48,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"37",p:49,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:49,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"The Sufi  outlook is said to take a rather negative or other worldly ",p:49,x:119,y:105,w:455,h:15},
{t:"view of life. Islam is more positive, saying a firm yes to life. Anwar Ali ",p:49,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"comments that “this difference is fundamental, and it is no mere accident ",p:49,x:89,y:152,w:483,h:15},
{t:"that popular beliefs in the Sufi cults coincided with the decadence of the ",p:49,x:89,y:175,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Muslim community.”47",p:49,x:89,y:198,w:152,h:15},
{t:"An important area of confl ict concerns the personal versus social ",p:49,x:119,y:230,w:456,h:15},
{t:"orientation of Sufi s and orthodox Muslims. Islam is to be concerned ",p:49,x:89,y:253,w:486,h:15},
{t:"with the community as a whole and views life in both its spiritual and ",p:49,x:89,y:276,w:485,h:15},
{t:"temporal aspects. It seeks a balance between indulgence and asceticism. ",p:49,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"To the mystic, however, the personal experience is supremely important. ",p:49,x:89,y:323,w:483,h:15},
{t:"His whole life is wrapped up in his quest for God. He gives little thought ",p:49,x:89,y:346,w:483,h:15},
{t:"to the needs of the community.",p:49,x:89,y:370,w:205,h:15},
{t:"It is interesting to read of the mystical orientation toward the Prophet ",p:49,x:119,y:400,w:453,h:15},
{t:"that developed among Sufi s. Nicholson, one of the world’s renowned ",p:49,x:89,y:424,w:486,h:15},
{t:"scholars on Sufism, has researched the subject:",p:49,x:89,y:447,w:312,h:15},
{t:"During the Middle Ages the person of Muhammad stands in ",p:49,x:134,y:484,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the very center of the mystical life of Islam. Abu Hasan al-",p:49,x:134,y:505,w:404,h:15},
{t:"Hirali, a Sufi  of the 13th century, describes three kinds of ",p:49,x:134,y:527,w:411,h:15},
{t:"faith in the Prophet. The third and highest kind is peculiar ",p:49,x:134,y:549,w:411,h:15},
{t:"to those in refer ence to whom God hath said, “Heaven and ",p:49,x:134,y:570,w:410,h:15},
{t:"earth contain Me not, but the heart of my believing servant ",p:49,x:134,y:592,w:410,h:15},
{t:"containeth Me.” They love one another in God and are the ",p:49,x:134,y:614,w:410,h:15},
{t:"vicegerents of God in the world. Their faith consists in the ",p:49,x:134,y:635,w:410,h:15},
{t:"belief that when the Prophet ascended to heaven he received ",p:49,x:134,y:657,w:409,h:15},
{t:"of God’s Word (amr) that which is hidden from all the prophets ",p:49,x:134,y:679,w:407,h:15},
{t:"and angels and from Gabriel himself. None of the holy spirits ",p:49,x:134,y:700,w:408,h:15},
{t:"and cherubim ever enjoyed such a Divine Reve ",p:49,x:134,y:722,w:353,h:15},
{t:"lation as ",p:49,x:479,y:722,w:68,h:15},
{t:"was bestowed on Muhammad. And faith in Muhammad is ",p:49,x:134,y:744,w:411,h:15},
{t:"the measure of one’s faith in God. The only way to God is ",p:49,x:134,y:765,w:410,h:15},
{t:"through faith in Muhammad.48",p:49,x:134,y:786,w:202,h:15},
{t:"It has been a source of amazement to me to see how tolerant the ",p:49,x:119,y:818,w:456,h:15},
{t:"orthodox Muslim is of Sufi sm. Generally the two coexist with little ",p:49,x:89,y:841,w:487,h:15},
{t:"more than verbal critiques of each other’s view. Each, of course, feels ",p:49,x:89,y:865,w:485,h:15},
{t:"his position to be superior. The law-based fun damentalist is convinced ",p:49,x:89,y:888,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   37",p:49,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:49,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"38",p:50,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:50,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"his allegiance to the Quran and the Traditions is total. There can be no ",p:50,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"other method of knowing God except through the ritual as prescribed in ",p:50,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the Holy Books.",p:50,x:89,y:152,w:108,h:15},
{t:"Any experience-seeking devotee of God will be led into deviation ",p:50,x:119,y:183,w:455,h:15},
{t:"and excess. Meanwhile, the Sufi  stares in disbelief at the law-bound ",p:50,x:89,y:206,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Muslim. How can such cold ritual lead to knowing God? The only path ",p:50,x:89,y:230,w:484,h:15},
{t:"is to experience the warm emotion of love and eventual assimilation ",p:50,x:89,y:253,w:486,h:15},
{t:"into God. This is reality! Liberty, faith, absorption—these are to be the ",p:50,x:89,y:276,w:485,h:15},
{t:"dynamics operative in the life of a seeker of God.",p:50,x:89,y:300,w:329,h:15},
{t:"There is one very vocal opponent to Sufism. Saudi Arabia has never ",p:50,x:119,y:330,w:453,h:15},
{t:"been able to support a mysticism that is outside a rigid interpretation of ",p:50,x:89,y:354,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the Quran and the Traditions. Therefore, Saudis categorize what they ",p:50,x:89,y:377,w:486,h:15},
{t:"find in the subcontinent as un-Islamic. Their ambassador in one of the ",p:50,x:89,y:400,w:485,h:15},
{t:"countries of the sub continent goes throughout the land holding various ",p:50,x:89,y:424,w:485,h:15},
{t:"meetings in which he appeals to the Muslim citizenry to return to the ",p:50,x:89,y:447,w:485,h:15},
{t:"fold of true Islam. He vehemently denounces the pir system and other ",p:50,x:89,y:470,w:485,h:15},
{t:"deviations that he, from his fundamentalist perspective, finds abhorrent. ",p:50,x:89,y:494,w:484,h:15},
{t:"His appeals fall on deaf ears.",p:50,x:89,y:517,w:192,h:15},
{t:"So, one concludes, Sufi sm is here to stay. It has no plans to ",p:50,x:119,y:548,w:459,h:15},
{t:"launch crusades against orthodoxy. Its quiet work of person-to-person ",p:50,x:89,y:571,w:486,h:15},
{t:"propagation will continue—just as it has for at least one thousand years.",p:50,x:89,y:595,w:480,h:15},
{t:"Notes",p:50,x:296,y:655,w:64,h:12},
{t:"1. ",p:50,x:89,y:687,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Thelma Sioson-San Juan, “Mt. Banahaw: a world rooted in religion,” ",p:50,x:119,y:687,w:419,h:13},
{t:"Manila Times Journal (June 24, 1981), 4.",p:50,x:119,y:711,w:247,h:13},
{t:"2. ",p:50,x:89,y:734,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Jaime Bulatao, “The New Mysticism in the Philippine Church,” Manila ",p:50,x:119,y:734,w:433,h:13},
{t:"Bulletin Today (June 23, 1981), 6.",p:50,x:119,y:757,w:203,h:13},
{t:"3. ",p:50,x:89,y:781,w:14,h:13},
{t:"Quoted in Aziz Ahmad, Studies in Islamic Culture in the Indian ",p:50,x:119,y:781,w:385,h:13},
{t:"Environment (Oxford: Clarendon, 1964), 119.",p:50,x:119,y:804,w:275,h:13},
{t:"4. ",p:50,x:89,y:827,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Kenneth Cragg, Sandals at the Mosque (London; SCM, 1959), 80.",p:50,x:119,y:827,w:398,h:13},
{t:"5. ",p:50,x:89,y:851,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Fadlou Shehadi, Ghazali’ s Unique Unknowable God ",p:50,x:119,y:851,w:311,h:13},
{t:"(Leiden: Brill, 1964), 22.",p:50,x:423,y:851,w:150,h:13},
{t:"6. ",p:50,x:89,y:874,w:14,h:13},
{t:"A. J. Arberry, Sufi sm: An Account of the Mystics of Islam (London: George ",p:50,x:119,y:874,w:452,h:13},
{t:"Allen and Unwin, 1950), 35.",p:50,x:119,y:897,w:172,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   38",p:50,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:50,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"39",p:51,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"MYSTICISM IN HIST ORICAL PERSPECTIVE",p:51,x:250,y:66,w:315,h:8},
{t:"7. ",p:51,x:89,y:105,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Idries Shah, The Way of the Sufi",p:51,x:119,y:105,w:190,h:13},
{t:"  (New York: Dutton, 1970), 222.",p:51,x:306,y:105,w:199,h:13},
{t:"8. ",p:51,x:89,y:129,w:14,h:13},
{t:"John A. Subhan, Sufi sm: Its Saints and Shrines (Lucknow: Lucknow ",p:51,x:119,y:129,w:414,h:13},
{t:"Publishing House, 1938), 6.",p:51,x:119,y:152,w:167,h:13},
{t:"9. ",p:51,x:89,y:175,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Violet Rhoda Jones and L. Bevan Jones, Woman in Islam (Lucknow: ",p:51,x:119,y:175,w:415,h:13},
{t:"Lucknow Publishing House, 1941), 300.",p:51,x:119,y:199,w:242,h:13},
{t:"10. ",p:51,x:89,y:222,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Reynold A. Nicholson, “Mysticism,” in The Legacy of Islam, ed. Sir ",p:51,x:119,y:222,w:413,h:13},
{t:"Thomas Arnold and Alfred Guillaume (London: Oxford University, 1949), ",p:51,x:119,y:245,w:451,h:13},
{t:"233.",p:51,x:119,y:269,w:26,h:13},
{t:"11. ",p:51,x:89,y:292,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Edwin Elliot Calverly, Worship in Islam, being a translation with ",p:51,x:119,y:292,w:395,h:13},
{t:"commentary and introduction of Al-Ghazzali’s Book of the Ihya on the ",p:51,x:119,y:315,w:424,h:13},
{t:"Worship (Madras: Christian Literature Society for India, 1925), 82.",p:51,x:119,y:339,w:402,h:13},
{t:"12. ",p:51,x:89,y:362,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Wilfred Cantwell Smith, Islam in Modern History (New York: New ",p:51,x:119,y:362,w:408,h:13},
{t:"American Library, Mentor Books, 1957), 44–45.",p:51,x:119,y:385,w:291,h:13},
{t:"13. ",p:51,x:89,y:409,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Muhammad Enamul Haq, A History of Sufi -ism in Bengal (Dacca: Asiatic ",p:51,x:119,y:409,w:444,h:13},
{t:"Society of Bangladesh, 1975), 89.",p:51,x:119,y:432,w:203,h:13},
{t:"14. Arberry, ",p:51,x:89,y:456,w:91,h:13},
{t:"Sufi sm, 45.",p:51,x:173,y:456,w:65,h:13},
{t:"15. ",p:51,x:89,y:479,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Idries Shah, Oriental Magic (Tonbridge, England: Octagon Press, 1968), ",p:51,x:119,y:479,w:440,h:13},
{t:"vii.",p:51,x:119,y:502,w:19,h:13},
{t:"16. ",p:51,x:89,y:526,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Anwarul Karim, The Bauls of Bangladesh (Kushtia: Lalon Academy, ",p:51,x:119,y:526,w:416,h:13},
{t:"1980), 64.",p:51,x:119,y:549,w:61,h:13},
{t:"17. Subhan, ",p:51,x:89,y:572,w:90,h:13},
{t:"Sufi sm: Its Saints and Shrines, 11.",p:51,x:171,y:572,w:204,h:13},
{t:"18. ",p:51,x:89,y:596,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Nicholson, “Mysticism,” 213.",p:51,x:119,y:596,w:179,h:13},
{t:"19. Arberry, ",p:51,x:89,y:619,w:91,h:13},
{t:"Sufi sm, 67.",p:51,x:173,y:619,w:65,h:13},
{t:"20. ",p:51,x:89,y:642,w:22,h:13},
{t:"S. M. Hasan, Muslim Creed and Culture (Dacca: Ideal Publications, 1962), ",p:51,x:119,y:642,w:453,h:13},
{t:"300–301.",p:51,x:119,y:666,w:56,h:13},
{t:"21. Karim, ",p:51,x:89,y:689,w:83,h:13},
{t:"The Bauls of Bangladesh, 117.",p:51,x:165,y:689,w:183,h:13},
{t:"22. Ahmad, ",p:51,x:89,y:712,w:89,h:13},
{t:"Studies in Islamic Culture, 121–122.",p:51,x:171,y:712,w:219,h:13},
{t:"23. ",p:51,x:89,y:736,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Peter G. Gowing and William Henry Scott, Acculturation in the ",p:51,x:119,y:736,w:385,h:13},
{t:"Philippines (Quezon City: New Day Publishers, 1971), 12.",p:51,x:119,y:759,w:353,h:13},
{t:"24. ",p:51,x:89,y:782,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Ibid., 14.",p:51,x:119,y:782,w:54,h:13},
{t:"25. ",p:51,x:89,y:806,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Ikbal Ali, Islamic Sufi sm (Delhi: Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli, 1933), 292.",p:51,x:119,y:806,w:422,h:13},
{t:"26. Haq, ",p:51,x:89,y:829,w:69,h:13},
{t:"History of Sufi -ism in Bengal, 21.",p:51,x:151,y:829,w:200,h:13},
{t:"27. Ahmad, ",p:51,x:89,y:852,w:89,h:13},
{t:"Studies in Islamic Culture, 83.",p:51,x:171,y:852,w:181,h:13},
{t:"28. Haq, ",p:51,x:89,y:876,w:69,h:13},
{t:"History of Sufi -ism in Bengal, 261.",p:51,x:151,y:876,w:207,h:13},
{t:"29. Karim, ",p:51,x:89,y:899,w:83,h:13},
{t:"The Bauls of Bangladesh, 55–56.",p:51,x:165,y:899,w:199,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   39",p:51,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:51,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"40",p:52,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:52,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"30. ",p:52,x:89,y:105,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Lajwanti Rama Krishna, Punjabi Sufi  Poets A.D. 1460–1900 (Karachi: ",p:52,x:119,y:105,w:422,h:13},
{t:"Indus Publishers, 1977), 134.",p:52,x:119,y:129,w:175,h:13},
{t:"31. Ahmad, ",p:52,x:89,y:152,w:89,h:13},
{t:"Studies in Islamic Culture, 166.",p:52,x:171,y:152,w:189,h:13},
{t:"32. ",p:52,x:89,y:175,w:22,h:13},
{t:"S. Q. Fatemi, Islam Comes to Malaysia, ed. Shirli Gordon (Singapore: ",p:52,x:119,y:175,w:425,h:13},
{t:"Malaya Publishing House, 1963), 94.",p:52,x:119,y:199,w:223,h:13},
{t:"33. ",p:52,x:89,y:222,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Cesar Adib Majul, Muslims in the Philippines (Quezon City: University of ",p:52,x:119,y:222,w:450,h:13},
{t:"the Philippines, 1973), 49.",p:52,x:119,y:245,w:158,h:13},
{t:"34. ",p:52,x:89,y:269,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Mamitua Saber and Abdullah T. Madale, eds., The Maranao (Manila: ",p:52,x:119,y:269,w:420,h:13},
{t:"Solidaridad Publishing House, 1975), 31.",p:52,x:119,y:292,w:247,h:13},
{t:"35. ",p:52,x:89,y:315,w:22,h:13},
{t:"David W. Shenk, “The [Sufi] Mystical Orders in Popular Islam” ",p:52,x:119,y:315,w:387,h:13},
{t:"(unpublished paper, 1981), 1.",p:52,x:119,y:339,w:176,h:13},
{t:"36. Haq, ",p:52,x:89,y:362,w:69,h:13},
{t:"History of Sufi -ism in Bengal, 36.",p:52,x:151,y:362,w:200,h:13},
{t:"37. ",p:52,x:89,y:385,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Quoted in Subhan, Sufi sm: Its Saints and Shrines, 215. ",p:52,x:119,y:385,w:331,h:13},
{t:"38. ",p:52,x:89,y:409,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Ibid., 230.",p:52,x:119,y:409,w:61,h:13},
{t:"39. ",p:52,x:89,y:432,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Ibid., 233.",p:52,x:119,y:432,w:61,h:13},
{t:"40. ",p:52,x:89,y:456,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Ibid., 255.",p:52,x:119,y:456,w:61,h:13},
{t:"41. ",p:52,x:89,y:479,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Ibid., 279.",p:52,x:119,y:479,w:61,h:13},
{t:"42. Ali, ",p:52,x:89,y:502,w:64,h:13},
{t:"Islamic Sufi sm, 14.",p:52,x:146,y:502,w:113,h:13},
{t:"43. Karim, ",p:52,x:89,y:526,w:83,h:13},
{t:"The Bauls of Bangladesh, 63.",p:52,x:165,y:526,w:176,h:13},
{t:"44. Hasan, ",p:52,x:89,y:549,w:82,h:13},
{t:"Muslim Creed and Culture, 397.",p:52,x:164,y:549,w:193,h:13},
{t:"45. ",p:52,x:89,y:572,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Syed Naguib al Atlas, Some Aspects of Sufi sm as Understood and ",p:52,x:119,y:572,w:396,h:13},
{t:"Practised Among the Malays (Singapore: Malaya Publishing House, ",p:52,x:119,y:596,w:413,h:13},
{t:"1963), 4.",p:52,x:119,y:619,w:53,h:13},
{t:"46. Haq, ",p:52,x:89,y:642,w:69,h:13},
{t:"History of Sufi -ism in Bengal, 88.",p:52,x:151,y:642,w:200,h:13},
{t:"47. ",p:52,x:89,y:666,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Anwar Ali, Islam: Ideology and Leading Issues (Lahore: Publishers ",p:52,x:119,y:666,w:409,h:13},
{t:"United, 1978), 147.",p:52,x:119,y:689,w:117,h:13},
{t:"48. ",p:52,x:89,y:712,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Reynold A. Nicholson, The Idea of Personality in Sufi sm (1923; reprinted ",p:52,x:119,y:712,w:445,h:13},
{t:"Delhi: Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli, 1976), 63.",p:52,x:119,y:736,w:258,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   40",p:52,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:52,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"41",p:53,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"2",p:53,x:316,y:113,w:25,h:30},
{t:"Sufi Belief",p:53,x:252,y:255,w:153,h:17},
{t:"An excellent, succinct summary of Sufi  belief has been written by ",p:53,x:119,y:378,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Thomas P. Hughes:",p:53,x:89,y:401,w:129,h:15},
{t:"God exists. He is in all things, and all things are in Him.",p:53,x:134,y:438,w:374,h:15},
{t:"All visible and invisible beings are an emanation from Him, ",p:53,x:134,y:475,w:409,h:15},
{t:"and are not really distinct from Him.",p:53,x:134,y:496,w:243,h:15},
{t:"Religions are matters of indifference: they however serve as ",p:53,x:134,y:533,w:409,h:15},
{t:"leading to realities. Some for this purpose are more advan-",p:53,x:134,y:555,w:405,h:15},
{t:"tageous than others, among which is Islam, of which Sufi sm ",p:53,x:134,y:576,w:409,h:15},
{t:"is the true philosophy.",p:53,x:134,y:598,w:147,h:15},
{t:"There does not really exist any difference between good and ",p:53,x:134,y:635,w:409,h:15},
{t:"evil, for all is reduced to Unity, and God is the real Author of ",p:53,x:134,y:656,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the acts of mankind.",p:53,x:134,y:678,w:135,h:15},
{t:"It is God who fixes the will of man: man therefore is not free ",p:53,x:134,y:715,w:409,h:15},
{t:"in his actions.",p:53,x:134,y:736,w:92,h:15},
{t:"The soul existed before the body and is confi ned within the ",p:53,x:134,y:773,w:410,h:15},
{t:"latter as in a cage. Death, therefore, should be the object of ",p:53,x:134,y:795,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the wishes of the Sufi , for it is then that he returns to the ",p:53,x:134,y:816,w:411,h:15},
{t:"bosom of Divinity.",p:53,x:134,y:838,w:125,h:15},
{t:"Without the Grace of God no one can attain to spiritual union, ",p:53,x:134,y:875,w:408,h:15},
{t:"but this can be obtained by fervently asking for it.",p:53,x:134,y:896,w:332,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   41",p:53,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:53,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"42",p:54,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:54,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"The principal occupation of the Sufi  while in the body is ",p:54,x:134,y:105,w:412,h:15},
{t:"meditation on the unity of God, the remembrance of God’s ",p:54,x:134,y:127,w:410,h:15},
{t:"names, and the progressive advancement in the journey of ",p:54,x:134,y:149,w:411,h:15},
{t:"life so as to attain unification with God.1",p:54,x:134,y:170,w:268,h:15},
{t:"Pirs and Shrines",p:54,x:237,y:230,w:181,h:12},
{t:"One of the most controversial aspects of Sufi sm is the activity of a ",p:54,x:119,y:262,w:454,h:15},
{t:"select fraternity of spiritual guides known as pirs. These men are said to be ",p:54,x:89,y:285,w:482,h:15},
{t:"endued with special powers that are transmittable to murids (followers). ",p:54,x:89,y:309,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Pirs are basically mediators be ",p:54,x:89,y:332,w:224,h:15},
{t:"tween God and man. Orthodox Islam ",p:54,x:307,y:332,w:269,h:15},
{t:"forcefully rejects a system that elevates a man to a position wherein he ",p:54,x:89,y:355,w:484,h:15},
{t:"almost becomes god in the eyes of his followers. Islamic fundamentalists ",p:54,x:89,y:379,w:483,h:15},
{t:"decry what they perceive as a personality cult. They see the pirs detracting ",p:54,x:89,y:402,w:484,h:15},
{t:"attention from God and focusing it on themselves. Also, they declare the ",p:54,x:89,y:425,w:483,h:15},
{t:"financial dealings of the pir to be suspect.",p:54,x:89,y:449,w:277,h:15},
{t:"Synonymous with the word pir is the noun saint. The word for saint, ",p:54,x:119,y:480,w:453,h:15},
{t:"awliya, literally means “friend.” Saints are regarded as God’s special ",p:54,x:89,y:503,w:486,h:15},
{t:"friends. They are the elect of the Sufis. Their biog raphies, miracles, and ",p:54,x:89,y:526,w:484,h:15},
{t:"teachings, and the legends about them are studied and passed on by oral ",p:54,x:89,y:550,w:484,h:15},
{t:"tradition from generation to generation. Sufis of every class invoke their ",p:54,x:89,y:573,w:484,h:15},
{t:"names in hours of distress.",p:54,x:89,y:596,w:177,h:15},
{t:"It is for the pir to win the favor of men through his holy way of living ",p:54,x:119,y:627,w:453,h:15},
{t:"or through the performance of a miraculous deed. He might also claim ",p:54,x:89,y:650,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the status of a pir by solving a mystery of life. His esoteric knowledge ",p:54,x:89,y:674,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of God gives him the dignity and respect necessary to gather a group of ",p:54,x:89,y:697,w:484,h:15},
{t:"devotees.",p:54,x:89,y:720,w:62,h:15},
{t:"The pir should be worthy of imitation. He should have a perfect ",p:54,x:119,y:751,w:456,h:15},
{t:"knowledge, both theoretical and practical, of the stages of the mystical ",p:54,x:89,y:775,w:485,h:15},
{t:"life. He should also be entirely purged of fleshly urges so that nothing of ",p:54,x:89,y:798,w:484,h:15},
{t:"his lower self remains in him.2",p:54,x:89,y:820,w:202,h:15},
{t:"Reynold A. Nicholson further writes of the stages involved in ",p:54,x:119,y:852,w:458,h:15},
{t:"becoming a saint:",p:54,x:89,y:875,w:117,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   42",p:54,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:54,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"43",p:55,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"SUFI B ELIEF",p:55,x:480,y:66,w:86,h:8},
{t:"Asceticism and positive religion are thus relegated to the ",p:55,x:134,y:105,w:412,h:15},
{t:"lower planes of the mystical life. The Sufi  needs them and ",p:55,x:134,y:127,w:410,h:15},
{t:"must hold fast to them while he is serving his spiritual ",p:55,x:134,y:149,w:413,h:15},
{t:"apprenticeship and also during the middle stage which is ",p:55,x:134,y:170,w:412,h:15},
{t:"marked by longer or shorter intervals of illumination; but in ",p:55,x:134,y:192,w:409,h:15},
{t:"his last “state,” when the unveiling is completed, he has no ",p:55,x:134,y:214,w:410,h:15},
{t:"further use for ascetic practices and religious forms, for he ",p:55,x:134,y:235,w:410,h:15},
{t:"lives in permanent communion with God Himself. This leads ",p:55,x:134,y:257,w:408,h:15},
{t:"directly to antinomianism, though in theory the saint is above ",p:55,x:134,y:279,w:408,h:15},
{t:"the law rather than against it.3",p:55,x:134,y:300,w:198,h:15},
{t:"Mahatma Gandhi, the famous Indian statesman, was mysti ",p:55,x:119,y:331,w:425,h:15},
{t:"cally ",p:55,x:537,y:331,w:40,h:15},
{t:"oriented. During the last year of his life he went to the district of Noakhali ",p:55,x:89,y:355,w:483,h:15},
{t:"in Bangladesh seeking to bring peace and stability to the seething ",p:55,x:89,y:378,w:488,h:15},
{t:"problems that existed between the Hindu and Muslim communities. ",p:55,x:89,y:401,w:487,h:15},
{t:"In his company was a young, attrac tive female—a distant relative who ",p:55,x:89,y:425,w:485,h:15},
{t:"acted as his attendant-cum-companion. Gandhi created a sensation ",p:55,x:89,y:448,w:489,h:15},
{t:"around the world when word was leaked that he and the young woman ",p:55,x:89,y:471,w:484,h:15},
{t:"were sleeping together in the nude. The great old man of India couldn’t ",p:55,x:89,y:495,w:484,h:15},
{t:"under stand all the commotion. He was only proving to himself that he ",p:55,x:89,y:518,w:485,h:15},
{t:"had passed beyond sexual desire and that he could sleep in proximity ",p:55,x:89,y:541,w:485,h:15},
{t:"to temptation without experiencing fl eshly lust. He felt he needed this ",p:55,x:89,y:565,w:485,h:15},
{t:"assurance of becoming one with God before embracing death. In light ",p:55,x:89,y:588,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of the stir caused in the non-mystical world, Gandhi declared himself ",p:55,x:89,y:611,w:486,h:15},
{t:"pure—and proceeded to live separately from the young woman!",p:55,x:89,y:635,w:426,h:15},
{t:"The pir, having established his reputation as a man of special power, ",p:55,x:119,y:665,w:453,h:15},
{t:"begins to recruit disciples from among those who come to him. This ",p:55,x:89,y:689,w:486,h:15},
{t:"relationship resembles that of a Hindu and his guru (Hindu spiritual ",p:55,x:89,y:712,w:487,h:15},
{t:"guide). It is to be understood that no one can become a Sufi",p:55,x:89,y:735,w:422,h:15},
{t:"  without ",p:55,x:507,y:735,w:66,h:15},
{t:"being initiated as a follower of a pir. This is the door into Sufism. So it is ",p:55,x:89,y:759,w:483,h:15},
{t:"right and proper to ask each person who claims to be a Sufi who his pir ",p:55,x:89,y:782,w:484,h:15},
{t:"is. From the answer received the path or tarika is understood. One then ",p:55,x:89,y:805,w:484,h:15},
{t:"can have a fair grasp of what the individual Sufi’s beliefs are.",p:55,x:89,y:829,w:408,h:15},
{t:"The rite of initiation is most interesting.",p:55,x:119,y:860,w:265,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   43",p:55,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:07 AM",p:55,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"44",p:56,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:56,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"The pir is believed to be able to “transmit” spiritual power ",p:56,x:134,y:105,w:410,h:15},
{t:"to his murid. This he does by the exercise of “tawajjuh”or ",p:56,x:134,y:127,w:409,h:15},
{t:"“concentration.” When a pir desires to exercise tawajjuh on ",p:56,x:134,y:149,w:409,h:15},
{t:"one of his disci ples, he seats himself near him and proceeds ",p:56,x:134,y:170,w:409,h:15},
{t:"in imagination to picture his own heart as in close proximity ",p:56,x:134,y:192,w:409,h:15},
{t:"to that of his murid, at the same time concentrating his ",p:56,x:134,y:214,w:413,h:15},
{t:"mind upon the idea that his power is now being transmitted ",p:56,x:134,y:235,w:410,h:15},
{t:"from his own heart to that of the other. At the same time the ",p:56,x:134,y:257,w:409,h:15},
{t:"murid is required to concentrate his mind on the idea that ",p:56,x:134,y:279,w:411,h:15},
{t:"he is receiving the power from his pir. This rite is generally ",p:56,x:134,y:300,w:409,h:15},
{t:"performed at the time when the pir, after the performance of ",p:56,x:134,y:322,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the dhikr, is in an abnormal state of mind.4",p:56,x:134,y:343,w:281,h:15},
{t:"I had the opportunity to observe a pir induct a group of fol lowers ",p:56,x:119,y:375,w:455,h:15},
{t:"into his order. Some three thousand people had gathered to be a part of ",p:56,x:89,y:398,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the annual event. There was a fair-like atmos phere. In one corner a group ",p:56,x:89,y:421,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of long-haired youth was playing one-string banjos and singing praises ",p:56,x:89,y:445,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to God in esoteric symbolic lyrics. In a large fi eld, hundreds of men, ",p:56,x:89,y:468,w:486,h:15},
{t:"women, and chil dren were eating rice and curry which was being served ",p:56,x:89,y:491,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to them on banana leaves. Scores of small stores had opened along the ",p:56,x:89,y:515,w:485,h:15},
{t:"sides of the meeting area. Men were sitting around gossiping and eating, ",p:56,x:89,y:538,w:483,h:15},
{t:"quite oblivious to the preaching that was blaring from a loudspeaker. ",p:56,x:89,y:561,w:486,h:15},
{t:"The Muslim preachers were giving simple exhortations to the faithful to ",p:56,x:89,y:585,w:484,h:15},
{t:"live pure lives. Their messages were punctuated with stories that caused ",p:56,x:89,y:608,w:484,h:15},
{t:"great laughter among the several hundred devotees seated in the open ",p:56,x:89,y:631,w:485,h:15},
{t:"on bamboo mats. The speakers would frequently urge the audience to ",p:56,x:89,y:655,w:485,h:15},
{t:"stay awake—an exhortation that often fell upon sleeping ears. From time ",p:56,x:89,y:678,w:483,h:15},
{t:"to time, the men giving messages would switch to a chant ing mode of ",p:56,x:89,y:701,w:485,h:15},
{t:"delivery. This seemed to be greatly appreciated.",p:56,x:89,y:725,w:317,h:15},
{t:"At one point in the meeting, the volume of the microphone was ",p:56,x:119,y:755,w:456,h:15},
{t:"lowered and the Muslims who were to be initiated were told to meet ",p:56,x:89,y:779,w:486,h:15},
{t:"the pir in one corner of the courtyard. Shortly there after, an aged man ",p:56,x:89,y:802,w:485,h:15},
{t:"with a humpback (devotees believe this pir to be more than 120 years ",p:56,x:89,y:825,w:485,h:15},
{t:"old) appeared on the veranda of a house. His movements were deliberate ",p:56,x:89,y:849,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and his voice muted. The pir began giving exhortations from the Quran ",p:56,x:89,y:872,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   44",p:56,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:56,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"45",p:57,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"SUFI B ELIEF",p:57,x:480,y:66,w:86,h:8},
{t:"regarding the necessity of following God. The one hundred soon-to-be-",p:57,x:89,y:105,w:480,h:15},
{t:"initiated disciples listened in rapt attention.",p:57,x:89,y:129,w:287,h:15},
{t:"An assistant brought a very long, narrow piece of cloth which ",p:57,x:119,y:160,w:458,h:15},
{t:"was passed from person to person. The object was for each devotee to ",p:57,x:89,y:183,w:485,h:15},
{t:"have his hand on the cloth, which was held on one end by the pir. At ",p:57,x:89,y:206,w:484,h:15},
{t:"this point, the pir had everyone stand while he prayed that God would ",p:57,x:89,y:230,w:485,h:15},
{t:"forgive each one’s sins. In this act could be seen the mediatorial role of ",p:57,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the pir. Spiritual power was being transmitted from the pir to those being ",p:57,x:89,y:276,w:483,h:15},
{t:"initiated. The bond was symbolized by the cloth that was being touched ",p:57,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"by all present.",p:57,x:89,y:323,w:93,h:15},
{t:"The next function was similar in purpose. A glass of lemonade was ",p:57,x:119,y:354,w:454,h:15},
{t:"brought to the pir. He fi rst breathed into it. (It is a common practice ",p:57,x:89,y:377,w:486,h:15},
{t:"among Sufi s for a man of spiritual power to breathe on a sick person ",p:57,x:89,y:400,w:486,h:15},
{t:"or on some object.) This puff of air from within the pir’s body is said ",p:57,x:89,y:424,w:485,h:15},
{t:"to contain power from God. Next, the pir put his fi nger in the glass of ",p:57,x:89,y:447,w:485,h:15},
{t:"lemonade and then touched his fi nger to his tongue. Then he dipped his ",p:57,x:89,y:470,w:484,h:15},
{t:"finger again into the glass. This was repeated three times.",p:57,x:89,y:494,w:381,h:15},
{t:"The lemonade was then poured into a large pitcher. Assistants took ",p:57,x:119,y:525,w:454,h:15},
{t:"the container and walked among the crowd to give each devotee a small ",p:57,x:89,y:548,w:484,h:15},
{t:"glass of the empowered drink. All were most anxious to receive their ",p:57,x:89,y:571,w:486,h:15},
{t:"share. This drink which had been sanc ",p:57,x:89,y:595,w:276,h:15},
{t:"tifi ed by the pir was a further ",p:57,x:359,y:595,w:216,h:15},
{t:"tangible expression of the trans mission of spiritual power from saint to ",p:57,x:89,y:618,w:484,h:15},
{t:"disciples. Lastly, all stood while the pir prayed. Following this, the new ",p:57,x:89,y:641,w:484,h:15},
{t:"initiates lined up in front of a clerk who received and duly recorded their ",p:57,x:89,y:665,w:483,h:15},
{t:"financial contribution to the pir for the ensuing year.",p:57,x:89,y:688,w:348,h:15},
{t:"In fact, the pir becomes a little god. He is to be followed in blind ",p:57,x:119,y:719,w:455,h:15},
{t:"faith. In one sense, the pir is a present substitute for the departed Prophet ",p:57,x:89,y:742,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Muhammad. The least word of a pir is abso lute law to the disciple. Even ",p:57,x:89,y:765,w:483,h:15},
{t:"if the pir’s commands contravene the letter of the law, they must be ",p:57,x:89,y:789,w:486,h:15},
{t:"fulfi lled. Such is the over ",p:57,x:89,y:812,w:183,h:15},
{t:"whelming power of saint over devotee. The ",p:57,x:266,y:812,w:309,h:15},
{t:"pact between saint and disciple can never be dissolved unilaterally by ",p:57,x:89,y:835,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the will of the devotee.",p:57,x:89,y:859,w:153,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   45",p:57,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:57,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"46",p:58,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:58,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Many pirs claim their lineage can be traced back to the Prophet. ",p:58,x:119,y:105,w:456,h:15},
{t:"Thus, their authority is total and not subject to question.",p:58,x:89,y:129,w:372,h:15},
{t:"As for initiation in Sufism, this consists in the transmission of a ",p:58,x:134,y:165,w:407,h:15},
{t:"spiritual influence (barakah) and must be conferred by a repre-",p:58,x:134,y:187,w:405,h:15},
{t:"sentative of a “chain” reaching back to the Prophet. In most ",p:58,x:134,y:209,w:410,h:15},
{t:"cases it is transmitted by the master who also communicates ",p:58,x:134,y:230,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the method and confers the means of spiritual concentration ",p:58,x:134,y:252,w:409,h:15},
{t:"that are appropriate to the aptitudes of the disciple.5",p:58,x:134,y:273,w:343,h:15},
{t:"The Persian word pir means “old man.” An interesting coun terpart ",p:58,x:119,y:305,w:454,h:15},
{t:"is the Buddhist word therea, which has the same mean ing. Buddhists ",p:58,x:89,y:328,w:486,h:15},
{t:"had a practice called chaitya-puja, which denotes worship at the graves ",p:58,x:89,y:351,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of saintly old men. The Buddhists attrib uted mysterious power to their ",p:58,x:89,y:375,w:485,h:15},
{t:"thereas. Therefore, they did not burn their bodies, but rather buried them ",p:58,x:89,y:398,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and built special shrines over the graves. Then the Buddhists sprinkled ",p:58,x:89,y:421,w:485,h:15},
{t:"perfume around the area of the shrine. Offerings of food and fl owers ",p:58,x:89,y:445,w:484,h:15},
{t:"were also placed within the shrine.",p:58,x:89,y:468,w:231,h:15},
{t:"Muhammad Enamul Haq has commented on the syncretism that ",p:58,x:119,y:499,w:456,h:15},
{t:"took place between Buddhism and Islam:",p:58,x:89,y:522,w:275,h:15},
{t:"Undoubtedly, when Buddhist Turks and other people were ",p:58,x:134,y:559,w:411,h:15},
{t:"con ",p:58,x:134,y:580,w:32,h:15},
{t:"verted to Islam in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, ",p:58,x:158,y:580,w:388,h:15},
{t:"they intro duced their old practices and beliefs to Islam under ",p:58,x:134,y:602,w:409,h:15},
{t:"new names. Though they kept everything intact, yet therea ",p:58,x:134,y:624,w:409,h:15},
{t:"became pir and dhupa, dhuna, sandalpaste, lotus flowers etc. ",p:58,x:134,y:645,w:409,h:15},
{t:"were subsequently replaced by luban, liar , and gulab. Chaitya ",p:58,x:134,y:667,w:408,h:15},
{t:"puja was current in Bengal as in other lands where Buddhism ",p:58,x:134,y:689,w:408,h:15},
{t:"fl ourished. The de ",p:58,x:134,y:710,w:136,h:15},
{t:"scendants of Chaitya worshipers, when ",p:58,x:262,y:710,w:284,h:15},
{t:"converted to Islam, be came saint worshipers.6",p:58,x:134,y:731,w:305,h:15},
{t:"Today at the graves of saints one sees offerings of flowers, vermilion, ",p:58,x:119,y:763,w:453,h:15},
{t:"and other articles that are used in the Hindu pujas or worship ceremonies. ",p:58,x:89,y:786,w:483,h:15},
{t:"In the next chapter, I will describe in some detail the very colorful (as ",p:58,x:89,y:810,w:485,h:15},
{t:"well as very un-Islamic) practices that are carried out at these shrines.",p:58,x:89,y:833,w:464,h:15},
{t:"It is important to understand the rationale for such worship. The ",p:58,x:119,y:864,w:456,h:15},
{t:"purpose is not just to show respect for departed saints. That would be ",p:58,x:89,y:887,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   46",p:58,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:58,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"47",p:59,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"SUFI B ELIEF",p:59,x:480,y:66,w:86,h:8},
{t:"permissible within orthodox Islam. However, the wor ship that takes place ",p:59,x:89,y:105,w:482,h:15},
{t:"at shrines throughout the Muslim world has as its purpose the attaining ",p:59,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of supernatural help for the devotee through the ongoing intercessory ",p:59,x:89,y:152,w:486,h:15},
{t:"assistance of the departed pir. There is believed to be a special power ",p:59,x:89,y:175,w:485,h:15},
{t:"present at the shrine. By presenting offerings, the disciple can make peti-",p:59,x:89,y:199,w:480,h:15},
{t:"tions to God through the mediatorial efforts of the saint. I am not an ",p:59,x:89,y:222,w:486,h:15},
{t:"expert on Roman Catholicism, but it would seem that the Catholic view ",p:59,x:89,y:245,w:484,h:15},
{t:"on departed saints through whom prayer is offered to God is a parallel to ",p:59,x:89,y:269,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Sufi saint worship.",p:59,x:89,y:292,w:124,h:15},
{t:"Often the activities of saints are lost in antiquity. There then builds ",p:59,x:119,y:323,w:454,h:15},
{t:"up an apocryphal folk history concerning these pirs. The stories related in ",p:59,x:89,y:346,w:483,h:15},
{t:"chapter 1 are examples. The disciples of any departed saint feel obligated ",p:59,x:89,y:370,w:483,h:15},
{t:"to make his activities appear as significant as possible. This is done with ",p:59,x:89,y:393,w:484,h:15},
{t:"little regard for the ethics of being truthful.",p:59,x:89,y:416,w:286,h:15},
{t:"Sufism would not exist without living pirs as well as dead pirs. They ",p:59,x:119,y:447,w:454,h:15},
{t:"are the keys that unlock Sufi  doctrine and point the way to progression ",p:59,x:89,y:470,w:485,h:15},
{t:"through the various stages of spiritual development.",p:59,x:89,y:494,w:345,h:15},
{t:"Mystical Stages",p:59,x:243,y:554,w:170,h:12},
{t:"Sufi sm is open to the charge that it is pantheistic, an issue that ",p:59,x:119,y:585,w:457,h:15},
{t:"Nicholson has sought to clarify:",p:59,x:89,y:609,w:212,h:15},
{t:"The development of Sufi  pantheism comes much later than ",p:59,x:134,y:645,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Hallaj and was chiefly due to Ibmul-Arabi (A.D. 1165–1240). ",p:59,x:134,y:667,w:409,h:15},
{t:"It would be a mistake to suppose that utterances like the ",p:59,x:134,y:689,w:412,h:15},
{t:"Subhani, “Glory to me,” of Bayazid, the Anal-Haqq, “I am ",p:59,x:134,y:710,w:409,h:15},
{t:"God,” of Hallaj, and the Ana Hiya, “I am She,” of Ibnul-",p:59,x:134,y:732,w:405,h:15},
{t:"Farid are in themselves evidence of pantheism. So long as ",p:59,x:134,y:754,w:411,h:15},
{t:"transcendence is recognized, the most emphatic assertion ",p:59,x:134,y:775,w:413,h:15},
{t:"of immanence is not pantheism but panentheism—not the ",p:59,x:134,y:797,w:412,h:15},
{t:"doctrine that all is God, but the doctrine that all is in God, ",p:59,x:134,y:819,w:410,h:15},
{t:"who is also above all.7",p:59,x:134,y:840,w:148,h:15},
{t:"Another author has described Sufi  belief by stating, “If the Creator ",p:59,x:119,y:871,w:454,h:15},
{t:"and the created are one, the created may claim god head. Then the natural ",p:59,x:89,y:895,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   47",p:59,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:59,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"48",p:60,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:60,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"conclusion that follows is that there is nothing in the universe which is ",p:60,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"not a God.”8 The issue will become a bit clearer by a consideration of the ",p:60,x:89,y:128,w:483,h:15},
{t:"stages through which the devoted Sufi passes. It is essential to grasp the ",p:60,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"impor tance of these stages.",p:60,x:89,y:175,w:180,h:15},
{t:"1. ",p:60,x:119,y:206,w:18,h:15},
{t:"The Sufi  is exhorted to serve God as the initial step toward a ",p:60,x:149,y:206,w:425,h:15},
{t:"knowledge of Him. This is the fi rst stage of his journey, and is called ",p:60,x:89,y:230,w:485,h:15},
{t:"ubudiyah or service. At this point the aspiring Sufi  looks for the ",p:60,x:89,y:253,w:489,h:15},
{t:"opportunity to assist or offer hospitality to others. Several times I have ",p:60,x:89,y:276,w:485,h:15},
{t:"had food almost forced upon me as the Sufi s felt they could not let ",p:60,x:89,y:300,w:487,h:15},
{t:"me leave their presence without receiving something from their hand. ",p:60,x:89,y:323,w:485,h:15},
{t:"“Who makes his soul mature in the service of God and makes his heart ",p:60,x:89,y:346,w:484,h:15},
{t:"habituated with good works and good activities, becomes accustomed ",p:60,x:89,y:370,w:486,h:15},
{t:"to avoiding the worldly pleasures, and gets full control over lusts and ",p:60,x:89,y:393,w:485,h:15},
{t:"desires, he it is who attains the position of nearness to God.”9",p:60,x:89,y:415,w:408,h:15},
{t:"2. ",p:60,x:119,y:447,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Ishq, or love of God, is the second stage. “It is here especially ",p:60,x:149,y:447,w:424,h:15},
{t:"that the emotional character of Sufism, so different from the cold theories ",p:60,x:89,y:470,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of the Indian philosophies, is apparent. Love here as with so many of ",p:60,x:89,y:494,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the mystics in all ages and all countries, is the Sovereign Alchemy, ",p:60,x:89,y:517,w:487,h:15},
{t:"transmuting the base metal of human ity into the Divine God.”10 At this ",p:60,x:89,y:540,w:484,h:15},
{t:"point the mystic may write songs that express his love to God. He will ",p:60,x:89,y:564,w:485,h:15},
{t:"seek out the compan ",p:60,x:89,y:587,w:157,h:15},
{t:"ionship of other like-minded individuals. They ",p:60,x:238,y:587,w:339,h:15},
{t:"will attend musi cal functions that are centered around the worship and ",p:60,x:89,y:610,w:485,h:15},
{t:"praising of God.",p:60,x:89,y:634,w:108,h:15},
{t:"3. ",p:60,x:119,y:665,w:17,h:15},
{t:"A more ascetic outlook on life is developed in the third stage, ",p:60,x:149,y:665,w:425,h:15},
{t:"which is known as zuhd or seclusion. The Sufi  may retreat from all ",p:60,x:89,y:688,w:487,h:15},
{t:"worldly cares and seek to meditate on God in an effort to come to know ",p:60,x:89,y:711,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Him more intimately.",p:60,x:89,y:735,w:142,h:15},
{t:"4. These contemplations and investigations of metaphysical ",p:60,x:119,y:765,w:462,h:15},
{t:"theories concerning the nature, attributes, and works of God lead to ",p:60,x:89,y:789,w:487,h:15},
{t:"marifah or knowledge. “The great object of the Sufi  is to escape from ",p:60,x:89,y:812,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the trammels of humanity, and return to the bosom of divinity, while the ",p:60,x:89,y:835,w:484,h:15},
{t:"teachings of their mystic creed are supposed to lead the soul onward, ",p:60,x:89,y:859,w:486,h:15},
{t:"stage by stage, until it reaches the goal of perfect knowledge.”11 It is ",p:60,x:89,y:881,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   48",p:60,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:60,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"49",p:61,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"SUFI B ELIEF",p:61,x:480,y:66,w:86,h:8},
{t:"common for a Sufi  to identify his order as Marifahti. In reality this is ",p:61,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"not one’s order, but a stage of spiritual development within an order. In ",p:61,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"common usage the term designates a Sufi  who is in quest of the knowl-",p:61,x:89,y:152,w:480,h:15},
{t:"edge of God. The Sufi’s mystical orientation to life will be appar ent from ",p:61,x:89,y:175,w:483,h:15},
{t:"his manner of speaking as well as his behavior.",p:61,x:89,y:199,w:313,h:15},
{t:"5. ",p:61,x:119,y:230,w:19,h:15},
{t:"As a result of meditation on and contemplation of God, the ",p:61,x:149,y:230,w:426,h:15},
{t:"Sufi  is introduced to a state of mental excitement known as wajd or ",p:61,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"ecstasy. This stage is a defi nite indication that the Sufi  has received ",p:61,x:89,y:276,w:487,h:15},
{t:"direct illumination from God. The more emotional Eastern seeker of God ",p:61,x:89,y:300,w:483,h:15},
{t:"especially enjoys this stage of enlightenment. As will be seen, dhikr (a ",p:61,x:89,y:323,w:484,h:15},
{t:"ceremony that focuses on the recitation of the names and attributes of ",p:61,x:89,y:346,w:485,h:15},
{t:"God) leads to a frenzy of emotion especially enjoyed by Sufi s in this ",p:61,x:89,y:370,w:486,h:15},
{t:"stage.",p:61,x:89,y:393,w:38,h:15},
{t:"6. ",p:61,x:119,y:424,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Haqiqah, or truth, is the stage when the seeker receives ",p:61,x:149,y:424,w:429,h:15},
{t:"a revelation of the true nature of the godhead. It is also a time when ",p:61,x:89,y:447,w:486,h:15},
{t:"the Sufi  may boldly identify himself as the truth. To assist the reader ",p:61,x:89,y:470,w:486,h:15},
{t:"in understanding the implications of this stage, the following widely ",p:61,x:89,y:494,w:487,h:15},
{t:"accepted biographical sketch of Al-Hallaj is presented.",p:61,x:89,y:517,w:364,h:15},
{t:"When al-Junaid in this way was succeeding to escape from ",p:61,x:134,y:554,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the mortal peril of preaching the apotheosis of man, his junior ",p:61,x:134,y:575,w:408,h:15},
{t:"con temporary, Al-Hallaj, was not so fortunate in his reading of ",p:61,x:134,y:597,w:407,h:15},
{t:"the riddle of existence, and being condemned for blasphemy ",p:61,x:134,y:619,w:409,h:15},
{t:"he was executed upon the cross in 922. He went along with ",p:61,x:134,y:640,w:410,h:15},
{t:"al-Junaid so far as seeing in the supreme mystical experience ",p:61,x:134,y:662,w:409,h:15},
{t:"a reunion with God; but he then proceeded further and taught ",p:61,x:134,y:684,w:408,h:15},
{t:"that man may thus be viewed as very God incarnate, taking as ",p:61,x:134,y:705,w:408,h:15},
{t:"his example not, as one might suppose, Muhammad, but Jesus. ",p:61,x:134,y:727,w:407,h:15},
{t:"He did not claim Divinity for himself; though the utterance ",p:61,x:134,y:749,w:410,h:15},
{t:"which led to his execu tion, “I am the Truth,” seemed to his ",p:61,x:134,y:770,w:410,h:15},
{t:"judges to have that implica tion. The context of this startling ",p:61,x:134,y:792,w:409,h:15},
{t:"paradox occurs in his Kitab al-Tawasin,",p:61,x:134,y:814,w:265,h:15},
{t:"If ye do not recognize God, at least recognize His sign. I am ",p:61,x:149,y:850,w:393,h:15},
{t:"the Creative Truth, because through the Truth I am a truth ",p:61,x:149,y:872,w:394,h:15},
{t:"eter nally. My friends and teachers are Iblis and Pharaoh. ",p:61,x:149,y:894,w:396,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   49",p:61,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:61,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"50",p:62,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:62,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Iblis was threatened by Hell-fi re, yet he did not recant. ",p:62,x:149,y:105,w:397,h:15},
{t:"Pharaoh was drowned in the sea, yet he did not recant, for ",p:62,x:149,y:127,w:394,h:15},
{t:"he would not acknowledge anything between him and God. ",p:62,x:149,y:149,w:393,h:15},
{t:"And I, though I am killed and crucifi ed, and though my ",p:62,x:149,y:170,w:396,h:15},
{t:"hands and feet are cut off—I do not recant.",p:62,x:149,y:192,w:286,h:15},
{t:"When he was brought to be crucifi ed and saw the cross and ",p:62,x:134,y:229,w:410,h:15},
{t:"nails, he turned to the people and uttered a prayer, ending ",p:62,x:134,y:250,w:411,h:15},
{t:"with the words: “And these Thy servants who are gathered ",p:62,x:134,y:272,w:410,h:15},
{t:"to slay me, in zeal for Thy religion and in desire to win Thy ",p:62,x:134,y:294,w:409,h:15},
{t:"favor, forgive them, O Lord, and have mercy upon them; for ",p:62,x:134,y:315,w:409,h:15},
{t:"verily if Thou hadst revealed to them that which Thou hast ",p:62,x:134,y:337,w:410,h:15},
{t:"revealed to me, they would not have done what they have ",p:62,x:134,y:359,w:411,h:15},
{t:"done; and if Thou hadst hidden from me that which Thou hast ",p:62,x:134,y:380,w:408,h:15},
{t:"hidden from them, I should not have suffered this tribulation! ",p:62,x:134,y:402,w:408,h:15},
{t:"Glory unto Thee in whatsoever Thou doest, and glory unto ",p:62,x:134,y:424,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Thee in whatsoever Thou willest.”12",p:62,x:134,y:445,w:239,h:15},
{t:"In the tenth century, orthodox Islam was unwilling to deal leniently ",p:62,x:119,y:476,w:454,h:15},
{t:"with such heresy. Al-Hallaj was prepared to suffer a horrible death rather ",p:62,x:89,y:500,w:483,h:15},
{t:"than recant. Sufis, in retrospect, regard Al-Hallaj as a very special saint. ",p:62,x:89,y:523,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Fundamental Islam declares him a heretic who was justly punished.",p:62,x:89,y:546,w:450,h:15},
{t:"7. ",p:62,x:119,y:577,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Wasl or union with God, is the last stage of enlightenment for the ",p:62,x:149,y:577,w:423,h:15},
{t:"Sufi. At this point the Sufi no longer is just a man, but is transubstantiated ",p:62,x:89,y:600,w:483,h:15},
{t:"into God. He then declares, “Ana-l-haqq” (I am the real). This utterance ",p:62,x:89,y:624,w:483,h:15},
{t:"is blasphemous to the orthodox Muslim. To Sufis, the person who attains ",p:62,x:89,y:647,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the seventh stage pos ",p:62,x:89,y:670,w:164,h:15},
{t:"sesses a spiritual superiority. “Arguments are ",p:62,x:245,y:670,w:333,h:15},
{t:"generally advanced in his favor with the explanation that he who can ",p:62,x:89,y:694,w:486,h:15},
{t:"utter such a seeming blasphemy, is not really blasphemous; for, it is not ",p:62,x:89,y:717,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the utterance of a man of fl esh and blood, but the utterance of the Real, ",p:62,x:89,y:740,w:484,h:15},
{t:"through the man, i.e., the utterance of the Infinite through the fi",p:62,x:89,y:764,w:420,h:15},
{t:" nite.”13",p:62,x:505,y:763,w:50,h:15},
{t:"Mystical poetry identifi es this stage of assimilation into God ",p:62,x:119,y:795,w:460,h:15},
{t:"as a completely blissful state of mind. No pain is felt. A mystic loses ",p:62,x:89,y:818,w:486,h:15},
{t:"his individual entity in the fathomless ocean of God. Just as a word is ",p:62,x:89,y:841,w:485,h:15},
{t:"inseparable from its meaning, an eye from its sight, and a flower from its ",p:62,x:89,y:865,w:483,h:15},
{t:"fragrance, so also is the Sufi inseparable from his Beloved. He is now no ",p:62,x:89,y:888,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   50",p:62,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:62,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"51",p:63,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"SUFI B ELIEF",p:63,x:480,y:66,w:86,h:8},
{t:"longer a man who obeys, but a highly developed spiritual person who is ",p:63,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"obeyed by others. In this state his utterances and actions are not his own, ",p:63,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"but those of God Himself.",p:63,x:89,y:152,w:173,h:15},
{t:"At the end of the eighth century, Abu Yazid professed to reach this ",p:63,x:119,y:183,w:454,h:15},
{t:"stage. Some of his statements included, “Beneath this cloak of mine there ",p:63,x:89,y:206,w:483,h:15},
{t:"is nothing but God.” “Glory to me! How great is my majesty!” “Verily I ",p:63,x:89,y:230,w:484,h:15},
{t:"am God; there is no god beside me, so worship me!”14",p:63,x:89,y:252,w:360,h:15},
{t:"The Sufi can go no further than this. During the remainder of his life ",p:63,x:119,y:284,w:453,h:15},
{t:"he pursues the art of contemplation. Death is regarded as fana or total ",p:63,x:89,y:307,w:485,h:15},
{t:"absorption into God.",p:63,x:89,y:330,w:137,h:15},
{t:"Adherents of a parallel school of thought are known as theis ",p:63,x:119,y:361,w:440,h:15},
{t:"tic ",p:63,x:552,y:361,w:24,h:15},
{t:"mystics. These devotees claim to be within the mainstream of Islam and ",p:63,x:89,y:385,w:484,h:15},
{t:"reject the excessive teachings that lead one to say he has become God.",p:63,x:89,y:408,w:468,h:15},
{t:"The Theist mystics do not speak of union with God, but ",p:63,x:134,y:445,w:412,h:15},
{t:"illumina tion from God or closeness to God. They hold that ",p:63,x:134,y:466,w:410,h:15},
{t:"even when the mystic passes away from his individual will ",p:63,x:134,y:488,w:410,h:15},
{t:"and enters into the Divine Will so that all his life is devoted ",p:63,x:134,y:510,w:409,h:15},
{t:"entirely to God, his ego still remains intact. Even when ",p:63,x:134,y:531,w:413,h:15},
{t:"in ecstasy he loses his senses he is aware of this loss of ",p:63,x:134,y:553,w:412,h:15},
{t:"senses as a distinct ego. There are moments when the ego-",p:63,x:134,y:575,w:404,h:15},
{t:"consciousness also seems to disappear, but actually it is still ",p:63,x:134,y:596,w:409,h:15},
{t:"there; it is only momentarily outshone by the Divine vision, ",p:63,x:134,y:618,w:409,h:15},
{t:"as the light of the stars is outshone by the light of the sun. ",p:63,x:134,y:640,w:410,h:15},
{t:"These moments rapidly pass away, and the ego-consciousness ",p:63,x:134,y:661,w:408,h:15},
{t:"appears again.15",p:63,x:134,y:682,w:105,h:15},
{t:"One can see the parallels of this mystical experience and that of the ",p:63,x:119,y:714,w:454,h:15},
{t:"Christian who is also seeking illumination and closeness to God. The ",p:63,x:89,y:737,w:486,h:15},
{t:"follower of Christ mystically speaks of God dwelling in him and of being ",p:63,x:89,y:760,w:483,h:15},
{t:"possessed of the Holy Spirit, but he does not go on to the excesses of ",p:63,x:89,y:784,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Sufism in which the ultimate experience is to become God.",p:63,x:89,y:807,w:393,h:15},
{t:"Few Sufi s claim to reach the seventh stage. If they do attain this ",p:63,x:119,y:838,w:456,h:15},
{t:"state, they will be famous and will have a huge following. Most Sufi s ",p:63,x:89,y:861,w:484,h:15},
{t:"are happy to reach the fourth stage. This indicates that they are in search ",p:63,x:89,y:885,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   51",p:63,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:63,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"52",p:64,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:64,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"of mystical truth and sets them apart as persons seriously in pursuit of ",p:64,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"God.",p:64,x:89,y:129,w:32,h:15},
{t:"Teachings and Practices of Mystics",p:64,x:131,y:189,w:395,h:12},
{t:"Several subjects are considered important in Sufi sm. There will ",p:64,x:119,y:220,w:454,h:15},
{t:"not be uniform agreement on belief and practice by all mystics on each ",p:64,x:89,y:244,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of these points. This overview, however, will describe the generally ",p:64,x:89,y:267,w:487,h:15},
{t:"accepted view rather than the anomalous.",p:64,x:89,y:290,w:275,h:15},
{t:"Terminology",p:64,x:89,y:340,w:111,h:9},
{t:"The uninitiated will not understand the terminology of the Sufi s. ",p:64,x:119,y:368,w:454,h:15},
{t:"The concept of mystery is important to the mystic. He desires to possess ",p:64,x:89,y:392,w:484,h:15},
{t:"something of value and uniqueness that no one else has. His uniqueness ",p:64,x:89,y:415,w:484,h:15},
{t:"is expressed on a metaphysical and linguistic level. He portrays his love ",p:64,x:89,y:438,w:484,h:15},
{t:"and devotion to God in eso teric terminology. These words may even ",p:64,x:89,y:462,w:486,h:15},
{t:"have sexual or fertility connotations that the non-mystic is completely ",p:64,x:89,y:485,w:485,h:15},
{t:"unaware of.",p:64,x:89,y:508,w:78,h:15},
{t:"For example, the word perfume may signify sleep or medita tion; the ",p:64,x:119,y:539,w:453,h:15},
{t:"term wine refers to devotion. The Sufis often speak of having drunk wine ",p:64,x:89,y:563,w:483,h:15},
{t:"to the point of insensibility (this is to be understood as devotional ecstasy ",p:64,x:89,y:586,w:483,h:15},
{t:"rather than drunkenness caused by the consumption of an alcoholic ",p:64,x:89,y:609,w:487,h:15},
{t:"beverage); the Sufi  is now under the total infl uence of God. A tavern is ",p:64,x:89,y:633,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the place of prayer. The tavernkeeper is the spiritual leader or the pir. The ",p:64,x:89,y:656,w:484,h:15},
{t:"word beauty refers to the perfection of God.",p:64,x:89,y:679,w:293,h:15},
{t:"The metaphysical terminology of the Sufis is largely derived ",p:64,x:134,y:716,w:409,h:15},
{t:"from the Quran: in expressions like “fi re” for the purity of ",p:64,x:134,y:738,w:410,h:15},
{t:"God, “bird” as a symbol of the resurrection or immortality of ",p:64,x:134,y:759,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the human soul, “tree” as the symbol representing the destiny ",p:64,x:134,y:781,w:408,h:15},
{t:"and vocation of man, the wine and the cup are used for ",p:64,x:134,y:803,w:412,h:15},
{t:"initiation into Sufi  orders and thence borrowed from Arabic, ",p:64,x:134,y:824,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Persian, Turkish, and Urdu poetry.16",p:64,x:134,y:845,w:238,h:15},
{t:"The word God is not quickly spoken, but rather gradually approached ",p:64,x:119,y:877,w:452,h:15},
{t:"through various so-called revelations. One of the fi rst words used for ",p:64,x:89,y:900,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   52",p:64,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:64,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"53",p:65,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"SUFI B ELIEF",p:65,x:480,y:66,w:86,h:8},
{t:"God is “existence.” This is followed by the name one. The more the ",p:65,x:89,y:105,w:486,h:15},
{t:"descriptive word particularizes, the higher on the scale it is. When the ",p:65,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"mystic finally reaches the word Allah, the intensity of the illumination is ",p:65,x:89,y:152,w:483,h:15},
{t:"such as to almost overwhelm him.",p:65,x:89,y:175,w:227,h:15},
{t:"Dhikr",p:65,x:89,y:224,w:51,h:9},
{t:"The importance of words—and particularly the name of Allah—is ",p:65,x:119,y:253,w:455,h:15},
{t:"seen in a unique and fascinating ceremony called dhikr.",p:65,x:89,y:277,w:368,h:15},
{t:"We enter a dimly-lighted room where a number of men are ",p:65,x:134,y:313,w:410,h:15},
{t:"gathered. As we do so a signal is given by a man who appears ",p:65,x:134,y:335,w:408,h:15},
{t:"to be the leader of the assembly and the doors are shut. There ",p:65,x:134,y:357,w:408,h:15},
{t:"is a hush as twelve men form into two parallel lines in the ",p:65,x:134,y:378,w:410,h:15},
{t:"center of the room. The glimmer of a solitary hurricane lamp ",p:65,x:134,y:400,w:409,h:15},
{t:"falls on the dark faces in which only eyes seem to live. The ",p:65,x:134,y:422,w:410,h:15},
{t:"rest of us fall back to the sides of the room. The dhikr is ",p:65,x:134,y:443,w:411,h:15},
{t:"about to begin. With a startling clap of the hands the leader ",p:65,x:134,y:465,w:410,h:15},
{t:"starts swaying from right to left. Very slowly he begins, and ",p:65,x:134,y:487,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the men fall into the rhythm of his swaying. Every time ",p:65,x:134,y:508,w:412,h:15},
{t:"they sway to the left, they call “Hu!” in chorus. “Hu . . . Hu ",p:65,x:134,y:530,w:409,h:15},
{t:". . . Hu. . . .” So the monotonous chant proceeds with at fi rst ",p:65,x:134,y:552,w:409,h:15},
{t:"hardly any perceptible increase in tempo. But gradually the ",p:65,x:134,y:573,w:410,h:15},
{t:"movement of their bodies becomes more rapid and the sound ",p:65,x:134,y:595,w:409,h:15},
{t:"of “Hu! Hu! Hu!” comes faster and faster with a crescendo ",p:65,x:134,y:617,w:410,h:15},
{t:"corre sponding with the quicker time. At last the excitement ",p:65,x:134,y:638,w:410,h:15},
{t:"becomes so intense that a man there, and a boy here, slip to ",p:65,x:134,y:660,w:410,h:15},
{t:"their knees, still swaying in unison with the others till fi nally ",p:65,x:134,y:682,w:409,h:15},
{t:"they fall and collapse on the floor. One man goes forward and ",p:65,x:134,y:703,w:408,h:15},
{t:"looks at the faces of these two and leaves them where they ",p:65,x:134,y:725,w:410,h:15},
{t:"lie. Thus course after course of this chanting and swaying ",p:65,x:134,y:747,w:411,h:15},
{t:"beginning from the slower and proceeding to the wild orgy ",p:65,x:134,y:768,w:410,h:15},
{t:"of motion and shouting, proceeds according to the leader’s ",p:65,x:134,y:790,w:411,h:15},
{t:"direction, who brings the whole course to its end by a loud ",p:65,x:134,y:812,w:410,h:15},
{t:"shout of “Hu!” and a wild jerk to the left. Then dead silence ",p:65,x:134,y:833,w:409,h:15},
{t:"prevails, succeeded by the low under tone of prayer in which ",p:65,x:134,y:855,w:409,h:15},
{t:"all who have not fallen unconscious join.17",p:65,x:134,y:876,w:283,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   53",p:65,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:65,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"54",p:66,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:66,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"The word dhikr means “remembrance.” Sufi s have built the ",p:66,x:119,y:105,w:460,h:15},
{t:"ceremony of dhikr on an interpretation of a verse that con stantly recurs ",p:66,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in the Quran: “Remember God often.” Actually the verse has an obvious ",p:66,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"meaning free from any interpretation that could lead devotees into an ",p:66,x:89,y:175,w:486,h:15},
{t:"excess of emotionalism.",p:66,x:89,y:199,w:160,h:15},
{t:"Dhikr is commonly practiced among Muslims of all schools of ",p:66,x:119,y:230,w:457,h:15},
{t:"thought. However, excessive emotional frenzy would be re pudiated by ",p:66,x:89,y:253,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the orthodox. The aim of dhikr is to block out all worldly distractions and ",p:66,x:89,y:276,w:483,h:15},
{t:"become completely absorbed in think ing about God.",p:66,x:89,y:300,w:349,h:15},
{t:"Dhikr can focus on more than just the name Allah. The attributes and ",p:66,x:119,y:330,w:453,h:15},
{t:"the ninety-nine names of God are frequently chanted in dhikr fashion. ",p:66,x:89,y:354,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Each of the names is emotionally repeated twenty to thirty times before ",p:66,x:89,y:377,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the participants go on to the next in the series.",p:66,x:89,y:400,w:306,h:15},
{t:"Sufi s believe that “the performance of dhikr as prescribed by the ",p:66,x:119,y:431,w:456,h:15},
{t:"murshid (spiritual guide) can save the man from the evils of the fl esh ",p:66,x:89,y:455,w:484,h:15},
{t:"(nafs) and lead him to the ultimate goal of union with God.”18 Therefore, ",p:66,x:89,y:477,w:483,h:15},
{t:"dhikr is a vehicle that moves the devotee away from sin and to holiness.",p:66,x:89,y:501,w:479,h:15},
{t:"The Quran an d Muhammad",p:66,x:89,y:550,w:235,h:9},
{t:"The word tilawat refers to the reciting of the Quran. In tila wat, both ",p:66,x:119,y:579,w:454,h:15},
{t:"the Sufi and the orthodox Muslim believe they are pronouncing the very ",p:66,x:89,y:603,w:484,h:15},
{t:"words of Allah as dictated to the Prophet Muhammad. Every word of the ",p:66,x:89,y:626,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Quran is inerrant and above critical investigation. It is to be accepted by ",p:66,x:89,y:649,w:484,h:15},
{t:"faith. The Sufi , on hearing these words, believes he is hearing the very ",p:66,x:89,y:673,w:485,h:15},
{t:"sound of the Beloved of his soul. As a result of such a belief, the mystic ",p:66,x:89,y:696,w:484,h:15},
{t:"is often thrown into a state of ecstasy while just reading the Quran—or ",p:66,x:89,y:719,w:484,h:15},
{t:"hearing it read. Thus, for Sufi s whose religious or ders forbid the use of ",p:66,x:89,y:743,w:484,h:15},
{t:"music as a means of inducing the state of ecstasy, the reading or chanting ",p:66,x:89,y:766,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of the Quran takes its place.",p:66,x:89,y:789,w:186,h:15},
{t:"There continues to be a confl ict in Islam between the impor tance ",p:66,x:119,y:820,w:456,h:15},
{t:"of the Quran on one hand and poems and songs on the other. Sufi s feel ",p:66,x:89,y:843,w:484,h:15},
{t:"comfortable with all of these.",p:66,x:89,y:867,w:195,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   54",p:66,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:66,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"55",p:67,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"SUFI B ELIEF",p:67,x:480,y:66,w:86,h:8},
{t:"To a Muslim the Arabic Quran is the sublime word of God, ",p:67,x:134,y:105,w:410,h:15},
{t:"but the mystic song speaks in a language that is easily ",p:67,x:134,y:127,w:413,h:15},
{t:"understood, for it speaks in terms of love and appeals to the ",p:67,x:134,y:149,w:409,h:15},
{t:"deepest emotion. It rouses in his heart the innermost longing ",p:67,x:134,y:170,w:409,h:15},
{t:"for union with God. This is what led Dr. Pusey to observe that ",p:67,x:134,y:192,w:408,h:15},
{t:"the speedy growth of mystical doctrine in the thin and arid ",p:67,x:134,y:214,w:410,h:15},
{t:"soil of Muhammadanism also bears eloquent witness to the ",p:67,x:134,y:235,w:410,h:15},
{t:"longing innate in the human heart for union with God.19",p:67,x:134,y:256,w:370,h:15},
{t:"The mystics’ view of the Prophet Muhammad is not uniform. To ",p:67,x:119,y:288,w:456,h:15},
{t:"highlight this conflict of views I want to present the opinions of Nicholson ",p:67,x:89,y:311,w:482,h:15},
{t:"as contrasted with those of Haq.",p:67,x:89,y:335,w:213,h:15},
{t:"Nicholson states that devotion to the Prophet is often ex ",p:67,x:119,y:365,w:407,h:15},
{t:"pressed ",p:67,x:519,y:365,w:57,h:15},
{t:"in esoteric language within Sufi  hymns and poetry. Muhammad is the ",p:67,x:89,y:389,w:485,h:15},
{t:"“Beloved of God” and therefore the Beloved of all Sufi s. Some claim ",p:67,x:89,y:412,w:485,h:15},
{t:"mystical union with him, of “passing away” (fana) in him. It is inadequate ",p:67,x:89,y:435,w:482,h:15},
{t:"only to imitate his actions and qualities. His living presence is longed for. ",p:67,x:89,y:459,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Muhammad is said by some to assume the form of a saint and is revered ",p:67,x:89,y:482,w:484,h:15},
{t:"as such by the initiated. A large number of Sufi s claim that the Prophet ",p:67,x:89,y:505,w:484,h:15},
{t:"appears to them very often in dreams. These visions are momentous and ",p:67,x:89,y:529,w:484,h:15},
{t:"create a significant impact on the life of the devotee.",p:67,x:89,y:552,w:348,h:15},
{t:"Sufi ",p:67,x:119,y:583,w:33,h:15},
{t:"s also believe, according to Nicholson, in Muhammad’s ",p:67,x:146,y:583,w:434,h:15},
{t:"intercessory role. The Prophet will make intercession on the day of ",p:67,x:89,y:606,w:487,h:15},
{t:"resurrection during the time of judgment. Sufi s claim this assistance ",p:67,x:89,y:630,w:487,h:15},
{t:"from Muhammad as part of their heritage.20",p:67,x:89,y:652,w:289,h:15},
{t:"Haq confi nes his comments to the Sufi s of the Indian sub continent. ",p:67,x:119,y:684,w:454,h:15},
{t:"He takes the view that allegiance to the Prophet is more semantic than ",p:67,x:89,y:707,w:485,h:15},
{t:"real.",p:67,x:89,y:730,w:29,h:15},
{t:"The position of the Prophet is somewhat awkward in Islam ",p:67,x:134,y:767,w:410,h:15},
{t:"among Indian Sufi s. We have mentioned before that they ",p:67,x:134,y:789,w:412,h:15},
{t:"claim a direct relation with God. There is no question that ",p:67,x:134,y:810,w:411,h:15},
{t:"the Prophet has fallen in the background owing to this direct ",p:67,x:134,y:832,w:409,h:15},
{t:"relation. Indian Sufi s certainly admit the prophethood of ",p:67,x:134,y:854,w:413,h:15},
{t:"Muhammad, but from the practical point of view, his position ",p:67,x:134,y:875,w:408,h:15},
{t:"is not so glorious and exalted to them as that of a murshid",p:67,x:134,y:897,w:405,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   55",p:67,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:67,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"56",p:68,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:68,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"or a pir. However much a direct relation they establish ",p:68,x:134,y:105,w:413,h:15},
{t:"between God and man, they cannot do away with the idea ",p:68,x:134,y:127,w:411,h:15},
{t:"of an intermediary like murshid who has practically usurped ",p:68,x:134,y:149,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the intermediary and intercessionary func tions of the Prophet ",p:68,x:134,y:170,w:408,h:15},
{t:"who thus being deprived of these two impor tant functions, has ",p:68,x:134,y:192,w:408,h:15},
{t:"really been reduced to a mere fi gurehead only to hoodwink ",p:68,x:134,y:214,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the orthodox.21",p:68,x:134,y:235,w:98,h:15},
{t:"It is my view that both Nicholson and Haq are correct. Sufism is never ",p:68,x:119,y:266,w:452,h:15},
{t:"uniform. One tarika would give teaching that presents identification with ",p:68,x:89,y:290,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Muhammad as an ultimate mystical expe rience. Another group would ",p:68,x:89,y:313,w:486,h:15},
{t:"give lip service to the position and honor of the Prophet, but in reality ",p:68,x:89,y:336,w:485,h:15},
{t:"replace him with its pir. It is important to note that few if any Sufi s ",p:68,x:89,y:360,w:484,h:15},
{t:"would openly attack the Quran or the Prophet. They may strongly react ",p:68,x:89,y:383,w:484,h:15},
{t:"against the law as presented in the Quran and Hadith, but in their minds ",p:68,x:89,y:406,w:484,h:15},
{t:"this is a very indirect criticism and not one of signifi cant offense. They ",p:68,x:89,y:430,w:484,h:15},
{t:"would say that the Quran advocates a personal relationship with God and ",p:68,x:89,y:453,w:483,h:15},
{t:"that is the really important thing in life.",p:68,x:89,y:476,w:262,h:15},
{t:"Experience and Austerit y",p:68,x:89,y:526,w:219,h:9},
{t:"Mystics can point with pride to theologians, writers, and poets. ",p:68,x:119,y:554,w:457,h:15},
{t:"Yet, by and large the academic side of Sufi sm is submerged in a sea of ",p:68,x:89,y:578,w:484,h:15},
{t:"subjectivity. Experience is the important thing in life. Sufi s thoroughly ",p:68,x:89,y:601,w:484,h:15},
{t:"enjoy “doing their own thing.” One would never charge a Sufi with being ",p:68,x:89,y:624,w:483,h:15},
{t:"eccentric. The range of acceptable behavior is too broad to allow for such ",p:68,x:89,y:648,w:483,h:15},
{t:"a charge.",p:68,x:89,y:671,w:59,h:15},
{t:"Devotees are pressured to continue to seek a deeper expe rience with ",p:68,x:119,y:702,w:453,h:15},
{t:"God. One Sufi writer urged disciples to “die to self and live to God.” This ",p:68,x:89,y:725,w:483,h:15},
{t:"dying to self is called al-Junaid fana, a term reminiscent of the Quranic ",p:68,x:89,y:749,w:484,h:15},
{t:"phrase, “Everything is perishing ex ",p:68,x:89,y:772,w:249,h:15},
{t:"cept His face.” The term does not ",p:68,x:332,y:772,w:242,h:15},
{t:"mean that the mystic literally ceases to exist. Rather his individuality is ",p:68,x:89,y:795,w:484,h:15},
{t:"perfected and eternal ized through God.22",p:68,x:89,y:818,w:270,h:15},
{t:"Islam has produced no less frequently than Christendom ",p:68,x:134,y:855,w:413,h:15},
{t:"men who combine intense spiritual illumination with ",p:68,x:134,y:877,w:417,h:15},
{t:"creative energy and aptitude for affairs on a grand scale. The ",p:68,x:134,y:899,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   56",p:68,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:68,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"57",p:69,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"SUFI B ELIEF",p:69,x:480,y:66,w:86,h:8},
{t:"Mohammedan notion of the saint as a person possessed by ",p:69,x:134,y:105,w:410,h:15},
{t:"God allows a very wide application of the term: in popular ",p:69,x:134,y:127,w:410,h:15},
{t:"usage it extends from the greatest Sufi  theosophists, like ",p:69,x:134,y:149,w:413,h:15},
{t:"Jalalud-Din Rumi and Ibn al’ Arabi, down to those who have ",p:69,x:134,y:170,w:409,h:15},
{t:"gained sanctity only by losing sanity—victims of epilepsy ",p:69,x:134,y:192,w:411,h:15},
{t:"and hysteria, half-witted idiots and harmless lunatics.23",p:69,x:134,y:213,w:365,h:15},
{t:"Love and experiential religion, to a Sufi , are what life is all about. ",p:69,x:119,y:245,w:455,h:15},
{t:"However, the emphasis on the vertical dimension of seeking and ",p:69,x:89,y:268,w:489,h:15},
{t:"knowing God often causes a neglect of the hori ",p:69,x:89,y:291,w:348,h:15},
{t:"zontal dimension of ",p:69,x:430,y:291,w:146,h:15},
{t:"showing concern for one’s neighbor. The mystic is criticized for “being ",p:69,x:89,y:315,w:484,h:15},
{t:"so heavenly minded he is no earthly good.” Dhikr and meditation are ",p:69,x:89,y:338,w:486,h:15},
{t:"often regarded as more important than earning a living.",p:69,x:89,y:361,w:367,h:15},
{t:"Mystics are prone to asceticism. Their present worldly exis tence is ",p:69,x:119,y:392,w:454,h:15},
{t:"evidence of a temporary separation from God. They must prepare for a ",p:69,x:89,y:415,w:484,h:15},
{t:"permanent union with the Beloved. Every possible care must be taken ",p:69,x:89,y:439,w:485,h:15},
{t:"for the development of the soul. The body is considered a prison from ",p:69,x:89,y:462,w:485,h:15},
{t:"which one must escape. The evils of the flesh must be overcome through ",p:69,x:89,y:485,w:483,h:15},
{t:"self-deprivation, physical hardship, and mental discipline.",p:69,x:89,y:509,w:386,h:15},
{t:"Wandering mystics with long hair, unwashed bodies, and ragged ",p:69,x:119,y:540,w:456,h:15},
{t:"clothes are more respected than pitied. They have set their sights on ",p:69,x:89,y:563,w:486,h:15},
{t:"a heavenly city. Such Sufi s are in pursuit of that which liberates and ",p:69,x:89,y:586,w:486,h:15},
{t:"endures. The world with all its allurements and fl eshly attractions has ",p:69,x:89,y:610,w:485,h:15},
{t:"dimmed in the glaring light that pro ceeds from the very throne of God ",p:69,x:89,y:633,w:485,h:15},
{t:"directly to the heart of the devotee who has forsaken all in order that he ",p:69,x:89,y:656,w:484,h:15},
{t:"might come to fully know his Lord.",p:69,x:89,y:680,w:237,h:15},
{t:"A poem by the famous thirteenth-century Persian poet Jala lud-Din ",p:69,x:119,y:710,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Rumi brings Sufism into perspective:",p:69,x:89,y:734,w:248,h:15},
{t:"We have lost our heart in the way of the Beloved:",p:69,x:149,y:770,w:330,h:15},
{t:"We have sown dissension in the world.",p:69,x:149,y:792,w:259,h:15},
{t:"We have struck fire within the hearts of the people:",p:69,x:149,y:814,w:339,h:15},
{t:"And have thrown lovers into confusion.",p:69,x:149,y:835,w:264,h:15},
{t:"I have washed my hands of all my belongings:",p:69,x:149,y:857,w:310,h:15},
{t:"We have set fire to house and home.",p:69,x:149,y:879,w:240,h:15},
{t:"I had a heavy load on my back",p:69,x:149,y:900,w:204,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   57",p:69,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:69,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"58",p:70,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:70,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"But thanks be to God, we have thrown aside that heavy",p:70,x:149,y:105,w:367,h:15},
{t:" load.",p:70,x:149,y:127,w:62,h:15},
{t:"What is the wealth of the world but carrion?",p:70,x:149,y:164,w:294,h:15},
{t:"We have cast the carcass to the dogs.",p:70,x:149,y:185,w:245,h:15},
{t:"We have extracted the kernel of the Quran:",p:70,x:149,y:207,w:286,h:15},
{t:"And the husk we have cast to the dogs.",p:70,x:149,y:229,w:259,h:15},
{t:"We have scattered the seed of eternal felicity and joy",p:70,x:149,y:250,w:351,h:15},
{t:"From the earth to the sky.",p:70,x:149,y:272,w:170,h:15},
{t:"The patched robe [of the darwish], the prayer carpet and",p:70,x:149,y:309,w:376,h:15},
{t:"the rosary, ",p:70,x:179,y:330,w:73,h:15},
{t:"We have cast away in the Tavern of Souls.",p:70,x:149,y:352,w:281,h:15},
{t:"The pious cloak and turban and the babbling of ",p:70,x:149,y:389,w:318,h:15},
{t:"knowledge about jot and tittle,",p:70,x:179,y:410,w:203,h:15},
{t:"We have thrown it all into the flowing stream. ",p:70,x:149,y:432,w:309,h:15},
{t:"From the bow of desire, the arrow of Gnosis, ",p:70,x:149,y:454,w:304,h:15},
{t:"Taking straight aim, we have shot at the target. ",p:70,x:149,y:475,w:315,h:15},
{t:"Thou hast well said O Shams-i-Tabriz, ",p:70,x:149,y:497,w:261,h:15},
{t:"We have cast love glances at the Lord of the Soul.24",p:70,x:149,y:518,w:342,h:15},
{t:"Notes",p:70,x:296,y:579,w:64,h:12},
{t:"1. ",p:70,x:89,y:612,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Thomas P. Hughes, A Dictionary of Islam (London: W. H. Allen, 1895), ",p:70,x:119,y:612,w:433,h:13},
{t:"609.",p:70,x:119,y:635,w:26,h:13},
{t:"2. ",p:70,x:89,y:658,w:14,h:13},
{t:"Reynold A. Nicholson, Studies in Islamic Mysticism (Cambridge: At the ",p:70,x:119,y:658,w:434,h:13},
{t:"University Press, 1921), 22.",p:70,x:119,y:682,w:167,h:13},
{t:"3. ",p:70,x:89,y:705,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Ibid., 63.",p:70,x:119,y:705,w:54,h:13},
{t:"4. ",p:70,x:89,y:728,w:14,h:13},
{t:"John A. Subhan, Sufi sm: Its Saints and Shrines (Lucknow: Lucknow ",p:70,x:119,y:728,w:414,h:13},
{t:"Publishing House, 1938), 88.",p:70,x:119,y:752,w:175,h:13},
{t:"5. ",p:70,x:89,y:775,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Titus Burckhardt, An Introduction to Sufi  Doctrine, trans. D. M. Matheson ",p:70,x:119,y:775,w:448,h:13},
{t:"(Lahore: Shaikh Muhammad Ashraf, 1959), 9.",p:70,x:119,y:798,w:278,h:13},
{t:"6. ",p:70,x:89,y:822,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Muhammad Enamul Haq, A History of Sufi -ism in Bengal (Dacca: Asiatic ",p:70,x:119,y:822,w:444,h:13},
{t:"Society of Bangladesh, 1975), 324–325.",p:70,x:119,y:845,w:241,h:13},
{t:"7. ",p:70,x:89,y:868,w:14,h:13},
{t:"Reynold A. Nicholson, The Idea of Personality in Sufi sm (1923; reprinted ",p:70,x:119,y:868,w:445,h:13},
{t:"Delhi: Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli, 1976), 27.",p:70,x:119,y:892,w:258,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   58",p:70,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:08 AM",p:70,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"59",p:71,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"SUFI B ELIEF",p:71,x:480,y:66,w:86,h:8},
{t:"8. Haq, ",p:71,x:89,y:105,w:77,h:13},
{t:"History of Sufi -ism in Bengal, 69.",p:71,x:151,y:105,w:200,h:13},
{t:"9. ",p:71,x:89,y:129,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Mustafa Halimi Pasha, Tarikh-i-Tasawwuf-i-Islam, trans. Rayees Ahmad ",p:71,x:119,y:129,w:438,h:13},
{t:"Jafri (Lahore: n.p., 1950), 242.",p:71,x:119,y:152,w:184,h:13},
{t:"10. ",p:71,x:89,y:175,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Edward G. Browne, A Literary History of Persia, vol. 1, From the Earliest ",p:71,x:119,y:175,w:451,h:13},
{t:"Times until Firdawsi (New York: Cambridge University, 1951), 441–442.",p:71,x:119,y:199,w:440,h:13},
{t:"11. ",p:71,x:89,y:222,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Thomas P. Hughes, Notes on Muhammadanism, 3d ed. (London: W. H. ",p:71,x:119,y:222,w:429,h:13},
{t:"Allen, 1894), 228.",p:71,x:119,y:245,w:109,h:13},
{t:"12. ",p:71,x:89,y:269,w:21,h:13},
{t:"A. J. Arberry, Sufi sm: An Account of the Mystics of Islam (London: George ",p:71,x:119,y:269,w:452,h:13},
{t:"Allen and Unwin, 1950), 59–60.",p:71,x:119,y:292,w:194,h:13},
{t:"13. Haq, ",p:71,x:89,y:315,w:69,h:13},
{t:"History of Sufi -ism in Bengal, 90.",p:71,x:151,y:315,w:200,h:13},
{t:"14. Subhan, ",p:71,x:89,y:339,w:90,h:13},
{t:"Sufi sm: Its Saints and Shrines, 21.",p:71,x:171,y:339,w:204,h:13},
{t:"15. ",p:71,x:89,y:362,w:22,h:13},
{t:"M. M. Sharif, Muslim Thought: Its Origin and Achievements (Lahore: ",p:71,x:119,y:362,w:423,h:13},
{t:"Shaikh Muhammad Ashraf, 1951), 73–74.",p:71,x:119,y:385,w:252,h:13},
{t:"16. ",p:71,x:89,y:409,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Aziz Ahmad, Studies in Islamic Culture in the Indian Environment ",p:71,x:119,y:409,w:403,h:13},
{t:"(Oxford: Clarendon, 1964), 120.",p:71,x:119,y:432,w:194,h:13},
{t:"17. Subhan, ",p:71,x:89,y:455,w:90,h:13},
{t:"Sufi sm: Its Saints and Shrines, 1–2.",p:71,x:171,y:455,w:212,h:13},
{t:"18. Haq, ",p:71,x:89,y:479,w:69,h:13},
{t:"History of Sufi -ism in Bengal, 101.",p:71,x:151,y:479,w:207,h:13},
{t:"19. Subhan, ",p:71,x:89,y:502,w:90,h:13},
{t:"Sufi sm: Its Saints and Shrines, 322–323.",p:71,x:171,y:502,w:242,h:13},
{t:"20. Nicholson, ",p:71,x:89,y:526,w:106,h:13},
{t:"Idea of Personality in Sufi sm, 64–66.",p:71,x:188,y:526,w:222,h:13},
{t:"21. Haq, ",p:71,x:89,y:549,w:69,h:13},
{t:"History of Sufi -ism in Bengal, 116–117.",p:71,x:151,y:549,w:236,h:13},
{t:"22. Arberry, ",p:71,x:89,y:572,w:91,h:13},
{t:"Sufi sm: An Account of the Mystics of Islam, 58.",p:71,x:173,y:572,w:282,h:13},
{t:"23. ",p:71,x:89,y:596,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Reynold A. Nicholson, The Mystics of Islam (London: Routledge and ",p:71,x:119,y:596,w:419,h:13},
{t:"Kegan Paul, 1914), 125.",p:71,x:119,y:619,w:145,h:13},
{t:"24. Subhan, ",p:71,x:89,y:642,w:90,h:13},
{t:"Sufi sm: Its Saints and Shrines, 40.",p:71,x:171,y:642,w:204,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   59",p:71,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:71,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"61",p:72,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"3",p:72,x:316,y:113,w:25,h:30},
{t:"Practices of Folk Muslims",p:72,x:130,y:255,w:398,h:17},
{t:"The remainder of this book will encompass all of folk Islam. Many ",p:72,x:119,y:378,w:454,h:15},
{t:"of the illustrations cited will have relevance to Sufism, but some practices ",p:72,x:89,y:401,w:483,h:15},
{t:"will not fit easily into any category. Thus, the term folk Islam is used here ",p:72,x:89,y:425,w:483,h:15},
{t:"in its widest sense.",p:72,x:89,y:448,w:125,h:15},
{t:"The folk Muslim is a practitioner. To him, nothing can be so barren ",p:72,x:119,y:479,w:454,h:15},
{t:"as cognitive religion. Existence takes on meaning as it is experienced on ",p:72,x:89,y:502,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the stage of life where the actors are permitted the freedom to improvise ",p:72,x:89,y:525,w:484,h:15},
{t:"their contribution to the drama of humanness. Little does it matter if he ",p:72,x:89,y:549,w:484,h:15},
{t:"is misunderstood or maligned. Actually, he is convinced that it is the ",p:72,x:89,y:572,w:486,h:15},
{t:"world—not himself—that is out of synchronization with life.",p:72,x:89,y:595,w:406,h:15},
{t:"Over the years, I have traveled by train to and from outstations ",p:72,x:119,y:626,w:457,h:15},
{t:"where I have been engaged in evangelistic out reach. I return to my home ",p:72,x:89,y:650,w:483,h:15},
{t:"on the 9 P.M. train. My greatest relaxation on the trip, after a hot day in ",p:72,x:89,y:673,w:484,h:15},
{t:"our center (which has no fan), has been to snuggle into a comfortable ",p:72,x:89,y:696,w:485,h:15},
{t:"position on the second-class carriage bench, purchase seven cents worth ",p:72,x:89,y:720,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of peanuts, and watch the “mystic of the day” perform. These “minstrels ",p:72,x:89,y:743,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of the rails” move from carriage to carriage playing mystical songs on ",p:72,x:89,y:766,w:485,h:15},
{t:"a one-string banjo and singing at the top of their voice. The lyrics speak ",p:72,x:89,y:790,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of the “bird in the cage” or the “Beloved standing at the door of the ",p:72,x:89,y:813,w:486,h:15},
{t:"tavern.” There is something exotic about shelling peanuts, listening to ",p:72,x:89,y:836,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the clickety-clack of the train wheels, and watching a mystic sing his ",p:72,x:89,y:860,w:486,h:15},
{t:"heart out about a man in pursuit of God.",p:72,x:89,y:883,w:267,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   61",p:72,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:72,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"62",p:73,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:73,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"This chapter, then, will illustrate practices of the mystic com munity ",p:73,x:119,y:105,w:454,h:15},
{t:"throughout the world. Much of what is documented will seem to be ",p:73,x:89,y:129,w:486,h:15},
{t:"heretical. Some practices will be repugnant to the sensitive reader. But ",p:73,x:89,y:152,w:485,h:15},
{t:"I would ask for more than a casual perusal of these next pages. It is ",p:73,x:89,y:175,w:486,h:15},
{t:"necessary to look beyond form and investigate longings and unfulfi lled ",p:73,x:89,y:199,w:484,h:15},
{t:"needs. Can we identify, with in this surging restlessness, a multitude of ",p:73,x:89,y:222,w:485,h:15},
{t:"hungry hearts reach ing out for a reality that can be more than adequately ",p:73,x:89,y:245,w:483,h:15},
{t:"filled through a personal relationship with Christ? It is our responsibil ity ",p:73,x:89,y:269,w:483,h:15},
{t:"to seek to answer this question.",p:73,x:89,y:292,w:208,h:15},
{t:"Animism",p:73,x:284,y:352,w:89,h:12},
{t:"A special ritual, presided over by one or more imams, ",p:73,x:134,y:390,w:414,h:15},
{t:"involves the Maulid-like recitation of the life-story of Prophet ",p:73,x:134,y:411,w:408,h:15},
{t:"Muhammed and hymns in his praise, and also the weighing ",p:73,x:134,y:433,w:410,h:15},
{t:"of the baby on an improvised scale balanced by a chicken, ",p:73,x:134,y:455,w:410,h:15},
{t:"coconut, seedlings, and other ritual goods. At a certain point ",p:73,x:134,y:476,w:409,h:15},
{t:"in the ceremony, the senior imam moistens the baby’s hair ",p:73,x:134,y:498,w:411,h:15},
{t:"with perfume and cuts off at least three locks of the hair. ",p:73,x:134,y:520,w:411,h:15},
{t:"Sugar is then placed in the infant’s mouth in the belief that ",p:73,x:134,y:541,w:410,h:15},
{t:"thus as an adult he will utter sweet words. The severed locks ",p:73,x:134,y:563,w:409,h:15},
{t:"of hair are inserted into a young coconut in which holes have ",p:73,x:134,y:585,w:409,h:15},
{t:"been cut—and the coconut is later suspended on a nearby ",p:73,x:134,y:606,w:411,h:15},
{t:"tree, marking the end of the ceremony.1",p:73,x:134,y:627,w:262,h:15},
{t:"Animistic practices are almost always a remnant from the days ",p:73,x:119,y:659,w:457,h:15},
{t:"before Muslims came to a people and converted them. One would think ",p:73,x:89,y:682,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Islam would have purged such heretical infl uences from the lives of ",p:73,x:89,y:705,w:487,h:15},
{t:"the new believers. Such is not the case. More often than not, the initial ",p:73,x:89,y:729,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Muslim missionaries were Sufi s or at least mystically infl uenced. They ",p:73,x:89,y:752,w:484,h:15},
{t:"were in favor of accommoda tion and compromise rather than strictly ",p:73,x:89,y:775,w:486,h:15},
{t:"holding to the letter of Islamic law. This was appreciated by the converts. ",p:73,x:89,y:799,w:483,h:15},
{t:"They could retain much of the old and simply add to it that which seemed ",p:73,x:89,y:822,w:483,h:15},
{t:"good and helpful. Cultural and religious conflict was minimized.",p:73,x:89,y:845,w:430,h:15},
{t:"The resulting expression of Islam mixed with animism is indeed ",p:73,x:119,y:876,w:456,h:15},
{t:"painful to the visiting Saudi Arabian diplomat!",p:73,x:89,y:900,w:311,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   62",p:73,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:73,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"63",p:74,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:74,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"Islam was extremely accommodating when it came to the Philippines. ",p:74,x:119,y:105,w:452,h:15},
{t:"For example, Filipino Muslims currently perform a rice-planting ritual ",p:74,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"intended to appease the rice spirits in order that a good harvest may be ",p:74,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"secured. A spirit house is built at the center of the field. Certain cleansing ",p:74,x:89,y:175,w:483,h:15},
{t:"ceremonies are carried out at the four corners of the plot of land. It is ",p:74,x:89,y:199,w:485,h:15},
{t:"important for a religious man trained in Islamic law to plant the fi rst ",p:74,x:89,y:222,w:484,h:15},
{t:"seeds as well as harvest the initial crop. Such a ritual can be traced back ",p:74,x:89,y:245,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to pre-Islamic times.2",p:74,x:89,y:268,w:142,h:15},
{t:"Another rite of ancient practice found among Filipino Mus ",p:74,x:119,y:300,w:429,h:15},
{t:"lims ",p:74,x:540,y:300,w:36,h:15},
{t:"relates to the curing of sickness by calling on the spirits. The religious ",p:74,x:89,y:323,w:485,h:15},
{t:"leader applies herbs or roots to the diseased area of the body. When asked ",p:74,x:89,y:346,w:483,h:15},
{t:"how such a practice can be in harmony with the teaching of Islam, the ",p:74,x:89,y:370,w:485,h:15},
{t:"practitioner replies that he “can do nothing without the help of God; if he ",p:74,x:89,y:393,w:483,h:15},
{t:"succeeds, it is the will of God.”3",p:74,x:89,y:415,w:214,h:15},
{t:"Also, much superstition centers around graveyards. In the southern ",p:74,x:119,y:447,w:454,h:15},
{t:"Philippines the final three days of the month-long fast are known as rikor. ",p:74,x:89,y:470,w:484,h:15},
{t:"During the last afternoon the gravestones are cleaned, and that evening ",p:74,x:89,y:494,w:484,h:15},
{t:"they are lighted with candles or torches. This ceremony is known as ",p:74,x:89,y:517,w:486,h:15},
{t:"“souls of the dead.” It is believed that the spirits of the departed will ",p:74,x:89,y:540,w:486,h:15},
{t:"return during this time to visit with living friends and relatives. Therefore, ",p:74,x:89,y:564,w:482,h:15},
{t:"it is important to show respect to the cemetery, which is the abode for the ",p:74,x:89,y:587,w:483,h:15},
{t:"dead and the place to which the spirits return.4",p:74,x:89,y:610,w:308,h:15},
{t:"All religions, down through the centuries, have considered that ",p:74,x:119,y:641,w:458,h:15},
{t:"blood possesses great mystical value. Ceremonies of blood sacrifi ce ",p:74,x:89,y:665,w:484,h:15},
{t:"usually center around offering animals but have been known to include ",p:74,x:89,y:688,w:484,h:15},
{t:"offering children and even adults. In Islam, however, the focus is on ",p:74,x:89,y:711,w:486,h:15},
{t:"animals, particularly at the time of Baqr Eid, a festival that celebrates the ",p:74,x:89,y:735,w:483,h:15},
{t:"willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son to God. Charles R. Marsh has ",p:74,x:89,y:758,w:483,h:15},
{t:"observed such a ceremony in Chad.",p:74,x:89,y:781,w:236,h:15},
{t:"The priest took the knife and drew it across the animal’s ",p:74,x:134,y:818,w:412,h:15},
{t:"throat. Facing the East towards Mecca, he said, “Bismillah” ",p:74,x:134,y:840,w:409,h:15},
{t:"[in the name of God]. The crimson blood gushed over the ",p:74,x:134,y:861,w:411,h:15},
{t:"sand. Immediately there was a wild rush of people. They ",p:74,x:134,y:883,w:412,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   63",p:74,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:74,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"64",p:75,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:75,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"dipped their fi ngers in the blood and smeared it on their ",p:75,x:134,y:105,w:412,h:15},
{t:"bodies. Some rubbed pieces of paper on it, and hastened to ",p:75,x:134,y:127,w:410,h:15},
{t:"carry it to sick people to daub on their bodies. Others rushed ",p:75,x:134,y:149,w:409,h:15},
{t:"with the blood to the door of their homes and smeared it on ",p:75,x:134,y:170,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the lintel.5",p:75,x:134,y:191,w:67,h:15},
{t:"I was able to confi rm that this practice is regularly carried out in ",p:75,x:119,y:223,w:456,h:15},
{t:"contemporary times in one Asian country I visited. Particu larly valuable ",p:75,x:89,y:246,w:484,h:15},
{t:"is the cloth that is placed under the cow’s neck. The owner of the ",p:75,x:89,y:270,w:487,h:15},
{t:"sacrifi ced animal has the privilege of attach ing this bloodsoaked cloth ",p:75,x:89,y:293,w:485,h:15},
{t:"to the lintel of his front door. This is said to bestow blessing on all who ",p:75,x:89,y:316,w:484,h:15},
{t:"visit this man’s home. It is interesting to speculate whether this practice ",p:75,x:89,y:340,w:484,h:15},
{t:"has its roots in the Old Testament account of God’s deliverance of the ",p:75,x:89,y:363,w:485,h:15},
{t:"children of Israel from Egypt.",p:75,x:89,y:386,w:198,h:15},
{t:"Another ceremony that takes place among the Muslims of Chad ",p:75,x:119,y:417,w:456,h:15},
{t:"relates to fertility rites. The Baguirmi, a tribe that is wholly Muslim, send ",p:75,x:89,y:440,w:483,h:15},
{t:"a regular contribution to the pagan priests of Abu Touyour, a mountain ",p:75,x:89,y:464,w:485,h:15},
{t:"peak in the central region of Chad. The mountains of the area are ",p:75,x:89,y:487,w:488,h:15},
{t:"designated either male or female. There are innumerable altars and “high ",p:75,x:89,y:510,w:483,h:15},
{t:"places” in the region. Women desiring to bear children send signifi cant ",p:75,x:89,y:534,w:484,h:15},
{t:"offerings to the priests. Also, in times of drought, Muslims travel to the ",p:75,x:89,y:557,w:484,h:15},
{t:"mountaintops and offer sacrifi ces for the purpose of persuading God to ",p:75,x:89,y:580,w:484,h:15},
{t:"send rain.",p:75,x:89,y:604,w:64,h:15},
{t:"There are humble folk-devotions, relics of a dim past of ",p:75,x:134,y:640,w:412,h:15},
{t:"animistic belief in sacred stones, “high places,” and haunting ",p:75,x:134,y:662,w:409,h:15},
{t:"spirits. Such devotions, obscure, ignorant, and often full of ",p:75,x:134,y:684,w:410,h:15},
{t:"faith, may play their part when an Egyptian peasant woman ",p:75,x:134,y:705,w:410,h:15},
{t:"vows oil or lentils to the inhabitant of a whitewashed tomb ",p:75,x:134,y:727,w:410,h:15},
{t:"among the mudbrick houses, or when an Arab village ",p:75,x:134,y:749,w:415,h:15},
{t:"sacrifices a sheep to the wali of the neighboring hilltop.6",p:75,x:134,y:770,w:374,h:15},
{t:"The practice of animism extends to the use of the Quran. Certain ",p:75,x:119,y:801,w:455,h:15},
{t:"suras (chapters) are quoted in the belief that such a recitation of holy ",p:75,x:89,y:825,w:486,h:15},
{t:"words will assist the devotee in obtaining good health.",p:75,x:89,y:848,w:362,h:15},
{t:"Sura 113 is believed to be a deterrent to all sorts of disease. ",p:75,x:111,y:885,w:399,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   64",p:75,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:75,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"65",p:76,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:76,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"Sura 114 has the power to counteract psychic affl ictions.",p:76,x:111,y:105,w:376,h:15},
{t:"Suras 94 and 105 are to be recited early in the morning as a ",p:76,x:111,y:135,w:399,h:15},
{t:"safeguard against toothaches.",p:76,x:134,y:156,w:195,h:15},
{t:"Sura 72 is to be quoted when one is fearful of the power of evil ",p:76,x:111,y:185,w:425,h:15},
{t:"jinn.",p:76,x:134,y:207,w:30,h:15},
{t:"Sura 13 is a cure for headaches.",p:76,x:111,y:236,w:211,h:15},
{t:"Many Muslims, when ill, follow a ritual that seems baseless to the ",p:76,x:119,y:267,w:454,h:15},
{t:"scientifi c-minded Westerner. A verse from the Quran will be written ",p:76,x:89,y:290,w:487,h:15},
{t:"in ink or sandalwood paste on a plate or on the inside of a basin. The ",p:76,x:89,y:314,w:485,h:15},
{t:"container will then be filled with water, which dis solves the writing. The ",p:76,x:89,y:337,w:483,h:15},
{t:"water is poured into a glass and given to the patient to drink. Another ",p:76,x:89,y:360,w:485,h:15},
{t:"method is to write the words of the Quran on a piece of paper and wash ",p:76,x:89,y:384,w:484,h:15},
{t:"them off into a glass of water. Or, even more simply, an imam recites ",p:76,x:89,y:407,w:485,h:15},
{t:"from the Quran and then breathes over a container of water. This then is ",p:76,x:89,y:430,w:484,h:15},
{t:"given to the sick person to drink.7",p:76,x:89,y:453,w:223,h:15},
{t:"A similar illustration comes from North Africa:",p:76,x:119,y:485,w:314,h:15},
{t:"At the mosque in Mammam the boys learn the Quran from ",p:76,x:134,y:521,w:410,h:15},
{t:"wooden slates which are coated with whiting or chalk. The ",p:76,x:134,y:543,w:410,h:15},
{t:"chap ter of the Quran which is to be memorized is copied onto ",p:76,x:134,y:565,w:408,h:15},
{t:"the slate with a pen made from a split reed. This is dipped ",p:76,x:134,y:586,w:410,h:15},
{t:"in ink made from charred sheep’s wool and gum. The water ",p:76,x:134,y:608,w:409,h:15},
{t:"used to wash the slates clean is called the “Holy Water” and is ",p:76,x:134,y:630,w:408,h:15},
{t:"kept in a large earthen jar outside the mosque. It is reputed to ",p:76,x:134,y:651,w:409,h:15},
{t:"be a certain remedy for many complaints. The patients drink ",p:76,x:134,y:673,w:409,h:15},
{t:"it, and this, of course, is equivalent to drinking the word of ",p:76,x:134,y:695,w:410,h:15},
{t:"God.8",p:76,x:134,y:715,w:37,h:15},
{t:"In the subcontinent a ceremony called istikhara is usually performed ",p:76,x:119,y:747,w:453,h:15},
{t:"on Thursday nights, the favorite meeting time for Sufi s. Six suras are ",p:76,x:89,y:770,w:486,h:15},
{t:"recited from the Quran. Then the petitioner writes out his request on ",p:76,x:89,y:794,w:486,h:15},
{t:"a piece of paper. This writing is fumi gated with incense, bound with a ",p:76,x:89,y:817,w:485,h:15},
{t:"piece of white thread, and placed in an earthenware pot full of water. The ",p:76,x:89,y:840,w:483,h:15},
{t:"loose end of the thread is tied to the ear of the supplicant. He then lies ",p:76,x:89,y:864,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   65",p:76,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:76,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"66",p:77,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:77,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"down to sleep with his face toward Mecca. It is believed that the devotee ",p:77,x:89,y:105,w:483,h:15},
{t:"will receive the answer to his prayer in a dream during the night.",p:77,x:89,y:129,w:430,h:15},
{t:"The word animism has an extremely negative connotation to Jews, ",p:77,x:119,y:160,w:454,h:15},
{t:"Christians, and Muslims. It is a word that refers to a cor ruption of general ",p:77,x:89,y:183,w:483,h:15},
{t:"revelation rather than a specifi c unfolding of truth revealed to a chosen ",p:77,x:89,y:206,w:484,h:15},
{t:"people. Animism indicates a system of understanding that developed ",p:77,x:89,y:230,w:487,h:15},
{t:"along naturalistic lines. Man saw that rain was necessary for the growth ",p:77,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of his crops, so he began to seek to infl uence the rain god in times of ",p:77,x:89,y:276,w:485,h:15},
{t:"drought. Barren women, facing the ostracism of society, commenced to ",p:77,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"conceive of a fertility god that could relieve them of the stigma of being ",p:77,x:89,y:323,w:484,h:15},
{t:"less than whole. The sun was perceived to be the great est power in the ",p:77,x:89,y:346,w:485,h:15},
{t:"universe; therefore it was natural to suppose that a god existed within ",p:77,x:89,y:370,w:485,h:15},
{t:"that awesome ball of fi re.",p:77,x:89,y:393,w:168,h:15},
{t:"Muslims who are influenced by animism syncretize a very basic and ",p:77,x:119,y:424,w:453,h:15},
{t:"inadequate knowledge of Islam with a fear and wor ship of the unseen ",p:77,x:89,y:447,w:485,h:15},
{t:"spiritual and naturalistic forces of the cos ",p:77,x:89,y:470,w:305,h:15},
{t:"mos. They are seeking to ",p:77,x:387,y:470,w:190,h:15},
{t:"respond to felt needs. To the best of their simple understanding they are ",p:77,x:89,y:494,w:484,h:15},
{t:"trying to interact with the power that they perceive to be resident in the ",p:77,x:89,y:517,w:484,h:15},
{t:"universe.",p:77,x:89,y:540,w:60,h:15},
{t:"Dhikr",p:77,x:296,y:600,w:65,h:12},
{t:"Not all dhikr is performed in the same manner. An interesting ",p:77,x:119,y:632,w:458,h:15},
{t:"insight into the mechanics of dhikr as practiced by one group is given by ",p:77,x:89,y:655,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Muhammad Enamul Haq.",p:77,x:89,y:679,w:172,h:15},
{t:"The method by which the formula “la ilaha illallah” is used ",p:77,x:134,y:715,w:409,h:15},
{t:"is as follows: holding the breath in the stomach, the syllable ",p:77,x:134,y:737,w:409,h:15},
{t:"“la” should be drawn up along with the drawing of breath, ",p:77,x:134,y:759,w:410,h:15},
{t:"till it reaches the back side of the head in accompaniment ",p:77,x:134,y:780,w:411,h:15},
{t:"with its [the head’s] leftward movement, and then in the ",p:77,x:134,y:802,w:412,h:15},
{t:"protracted state of breath, the word “Allah” should be ",p:77,x:134,y:824,w:415,h:15},
{t:"uttered with energy just at the mo ment the head, in course ",p:77,x:134,y:845,w:411,h:15},
{t:"of its leftward turning, reaches the right shoulder; after this ",p:77,x:134,y:867,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the words “illallah” should be pronounced in a protracted ",p:77,x:134,y:889,w:411,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   66",p:77,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:77,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"67",p:78,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:78,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"condition of breath in such a way that the breath may reach ",p:78,x:134,y:105,w:410,h:15},
{t:"its last destination “Qalb” when the protracted breath should ",p:78,x:134,y:127,w:408,h:15},
{t:"be let out with great energy.9",p:78,x:134,y:148,w:190,h:15},
{t:"There is great signifi cance in the continual repetition of the word ",p:78,x:119,y:180,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Allah. The tongue should linger at the palate of the mouth as A-lllll-",p:78,x:89,y:203,w:480,h:15},
{t:"aaaa-h is pronounced. During this time all extraneous thoughts are to ",p:78,x:89,y:226,w:486,h:15},
{t:"be banished from the mind. However, it is per missible and even good ",p:78,x:89,y:250,w:485,h:15},
{t:"to concentrate upon one’s pir during dhikr. For variety, the pace can be ",p:78,x:89,y:273,w:484,h:15},
{t:"quickened and the name Allah repeated in harmony with the heartbeat. ",p:78,x:89,y:296,w:485,h:15},
{t:"This is a method of actually bringing Allah into one’s very being. It is ",p:78,x:89,y:320,w:485,h:15},
{t:"easy to discern the mystical element in this performance. The repetition ",p:78,x:89,y:343,w:484,h:15},
{t:"is to be continued until the mind is completely submerged within the ",p:78,x:89,y:366,w:486,h:15},
{t:"divine radiance of almighty God.",p:78,x:89,y:390,w:220,h:15},
{t:"Breath is of God. If God is manifest in anything, it is in breath. ",p:78,x:134,y:426,w:408,h:15},
{t:"The activity of our physical being depends on our breath. ",p:78,x:134,y:448,w:411,h:15},
{t:"This keeps up the rhythm of the pulse and the rhythm of the ",p:78,x:134,y:470,w:409,h:15},
{t:"beats of the brain. The centers are kept up by the rhythm. If ",p:78,x:134,y:491,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the rhythm stops, the centers stop. As the tick of the watch, so ",p:78,x:134,y:513,w:408,h:15},
{t:"is the swing of the breath.10",p:78,x:134,y:534,w:181,h:15},
{t:"Action is regarded as a psychological process. It creates pic tures in the ",p:78,x:119,y:565,w:452,h:15},
{t:"atoms of the body. In prayer, every atom of the body becomes activated. ",p:78,x:89,y:589,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Even the blood cells perform in a concert of praise to God. Recently, ",p:78,x:89,y:612,w:486,h:15},
{t:"I was talking to an educated govern ment offi cer. He was attempting ",p:78,x:89,y:635,w:487,h:15},
{t:"to explain to me the mystical unity that exists in all of God’s creation ",p:78,x:89,y:659,w:485,h:15},
{t:"through the presence of atoms. In his thinking, I was one with a table ",p:78,x:89,y:682,w:485,h:15},
{t:"or a chair. I asked him if there would be chairs in heaven. He answered ",p:78,x:89,y:705,w:484,h:15},
{t:"emphati cally in the affi rmative, but went on to explain that there will ",p:78,x:89,y:729,w:486,h:15},
{t:"be certain changes in the physical qualities of the atoms. Therefore, we ",p:78,x:89,y:752,w:484,h:15},
{t:"may not recognize chairs as chairs in the next life. This type of thinking ",p:78,x:89,y:775,w:484,h:15},
{t:"permeates Islamic mysticism and finds an outlet in the practice of dhikr. ",p:78,x:89,y:799,w:484,h:15},
{t:"During this mystical performance the atoms are assisting the believer in ",p:78,x:89,y:822,w:484,h:15},
{t:"his outpouring of worship and praise to God.",p:78,x:89,y:845,w:299,h:15},
{t:"There are many variations of the dhikr. Many of these are simply ",p:78,x:119,y:876,w:455,h:15},
{t:"superstitions that are quite unworthy of a monotheistic religion like ",p:78,x:89,y:900,w:487,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   67",p:78,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:78,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"68",p:79,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:79,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Islam. For instance, some Chishtis believe that if a man sits cross-legged ",p:79,x:89,y:105,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and pinches a vein called kaimas with his toes, then he is assured of a ",p:79,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"heart full of peace. This must be done during the performance of dhikr ",p:79,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"while saying, “La-ilaha-il-lal-laho. ”11 ",p:79,x:89,y:175,w:258,h:15},
{t:"In northern Nigeria on Friday afternoons a group of devotees squats ",p:79,x:119,y:206,w:453,h:15},
{t:"in a circle with a white “holy cloth” spread in the center. This cloth ",p:79,x:89,y:230,w:486,h:15},
{t:"signifies the mystical presence of Muhammad. At about 5 P.M., at a sign ",p:79,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"from the leader, all begin to recite the fi rst words of the Quran in a low ",p:79,x:89,y:276,w:484,h:15},
{t:"voice that gradually becomes louder as the pace quickens. When the sun ",p:79,x:89,y:300,w:483,h:15},
{t:"begins to set, these men recite the word Allah very slowly, gradually ",p:79,x:89,y:323,w:486,h:15},
{t:"fading it out. In this group there is no striving for an experience of ",p:79,x:89,y:346,w:487,h:15},
{t:"ecstasy. If a member of the group is unable to join the others, he is told to ",p:79,x:89,y:370,w:483,h:15},
{t:"recite the Tahil (“There is no God but God”) one thousand times and the ",p:79,x:89,y:393,w:484,h:15},
{t:"word Allah five hundred times with the aid of a rosary.12",p:79,x:89,y:415,w:373,h:15},
{t:"The Hadith are cited as authority for the importance of re peating ",p:79,x:119,y:447,w:456,h:15},
{t:"the name of God. A devotee came to the Prophet and asked him, “What ",p:79,x:89,y:470,w:484,h:15},
{t:"is the best and the most rewarded of all actions?” Muhammad replied, ",p:79,x:89,y:494,w:485,h:15},
{t:"“The best of actions is this: to separate yourself from the world and to die ",p:79,x:89,y:517,w:483,h:15},
{t:"while your tongue is moist with repeating the name of God.”13",p:79,x:89,y:540,w:414,h:15},
{t:"Some mystics follow eleven rules for dhikr:",p:79,x:119,y:571,w:292,h:15},
{t:"1. ",p:79,x:119,y:602,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Awareness of breathing. The mind must be attuned to be secretly ",p:79,x:149,y:602,w:423,h:15},
{t:"aware of everything, even the process of breathing. The brain should ",p:79,x:89,y:625,w:486,h:15},
{t:"pulsate with perception of the various attributes of the Beloved. This ",p:79,x:89,y:649,w:486,h:15},
{t:"increased awareness is an aid to achieving mystical union with God.",p:79,x:89,y:672,w:455,h:15},
{t:"2. ",p:79,x:119,y:703,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Travel in one’s own land. In a literal sense this applies to one’s ",p:79,x:149,y:703,w:424,h:15},
{t:"everyday actions. In a fi gurative sense the mystic is a traveler on a ",p:79,x:89,y:726,w:487,h:15},
{t:"journey. In a sense, he is a pilgrim moving through a hostile world with ",p:79,x:89,y:750,w:484,h:15},
{t:"his mind totally fixed on God.",p:79,x:89,y:773,w:200,h:15},
{t:"3. ",p:79,x:119,y:804,w:17,h:15},
{t:"Watching the feet. When walking, the seeker must continually ",p:79,x:149,y:804,w:425,h:15},
{t:"fi x his gaze on his steps. I have watched in amazement as a group of ",p:79,x:89,y:827,w:485,h:15},
{t:"ten men walked along a path in a straight line, each person looking ",p:79,x:89,y:850,w:487,h:15},
{t:"straight down at his feet. The leader was calling out instructions that the ",p:79,x:89,y:874,w:484,h:15},
{t:"other nine men immediately followed in uncanny unison. The mystical ",p:79,x:89,y:897,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   68",p:79,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:79,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"69",p:80,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:80,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"meaning of such actions is that each person must be aware of where he ",p:80,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"is going in a metaphorical sense.",p:80,x:89,y:129,w:217,h:15},
{t:"4. ",p:80,x:119,y:160,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Solitude in company. The mind is to be totally concentrated so ",p:80,x:149,y:160,w:424,h:15},
{t:"that even in the midst of other people the devotee can keep his thoughts ",p:80,x:89,y:183,w:484,h:15},
{t:"directed toward God. No distraction should be allowed to pull him away ",p:80,x:89,y:206,w:483,h:15},
{t:"from his Beloved. Most Muslims do their set prayer ritual with eyes ",p:80,x:89,y:230,w:486,h:15},
{t:"open. I have often wondered if they are any more successful in combating ",p:80,x:89,y:253,w:483,h:15},
{t:"mind wandering during prayer than is the average Christian who prays ",p:80,x:89,y:276,w:485,h:15},
{t:"with his eyes closed.",p:80,x:89,y:300,w:137,h:15},
{t:"5. Remembering. ",p:80,x:119,y:330,w:144,h:15},
{t:"The mystic should constantly keep in mind his ",p:80,x:251,y:330,w:323,h:15},
{t:"status as a dedicated seeker of God. In times of temptation he must remind ",p:80,x:89,y:354,w:482,h:15},
{t:"himself that he is a holy person who is fl eeing the distractions of the ",p:80,x:89,y:377,w:486,h:15},
{t:"world. This almost automatic reaction will be effective in keeping him ",p:80,x:89,y:400,w:485,h:15},
{t:"undefiled and separate from a hostile community of ungodly persons.",p:80,x:89,y:424,w:461,h:15},
{t:"6. Restraint. ",p:80,x:119,y:455,w:112,h:15},
{t:"The devotee must be a person of discipline. He ",p:80,x:223,y:455,w:354,h:15},
{t:"should be able to restrain and control himself in a manner appropriate to ",p:80,x:89,y:478,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the circumstances.",p:80,x:89,y:501,w:123,h:15},
{t:"7. ",p:80,x:119,y:532,w:18,h:15},
{t:"General awareness. The mystic is in the world though not of ",p:80,x:149,y:532,w:425,h:15},
{t:"the world. In dhikr he is both present and absent. In a mystical sense he ",p:80,x:89,y:555,w:484,h:15},
{t:"is in the spirit, yet he is aware of what is going on around him.",p:80,x:89,y:579,w:416,h:15},
{t:"8. ",p:80,x:119,y:610,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Recollection. Concentration brings about a process of recall in ",p:80,x:149,y:610,w:424,h:15},
{t:"which all the attributes of God are reviewed.",p:80,x:89,y:633,w:297,h:15},
{t:"9. ",p:80,x:119,y:664,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Pause of time. During pauses in thinking, the devotee must ",p:80,x:149,y:664,w:427,h:15},
{t:"recapitulate his actions and examine them. If his past deeds are unworthy, ",p:80,x:89,y:687,w:483,h:15},
{t:"then he must repent and determine to do better in the future.",p:80,x:89,y:710,w:399,h:15},
{t:"10. Pause of numbers. This refers to an awareness that the required ",p:80,x:119,y:741,w:453,h:15},
{t:"number of repetitions of various phrases has been completed during ",p:80,x:89,y:765,w:487,h:15},
{t:"dhikr.",p:80,x:89,y:788,w:37,h:15},
{t:"11. Pause of the heart. During this pause the mind is trained to ",p:80,x:119,y:819,w:456,h:15},
{t:"visualize the seeker’s heart bearing the name of Allah.14",p:80,x:89,y:841,w:370,h:15},
{t:"The Islamic mystic, Abu Said, writing in the tenth century, gave this ",p:80,x:119,y:873,w:453,h:15},
{t:"testimony of involvement with dhikr:",p:80,x:89,y:896,w:249,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   69",p:80,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:80,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"70",p:81,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:81,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"I abandoned my studies and came home to Mayhana and ",p:81,x:134,y:105,w:412,h:15},
{t:"retired into the niche of the chapel in my own house. There ",p:81,x:134,y:127,w:410,h:15},
{t:"I sat for seven years, saying continually, “Allah! Allah! ",p:81,x:134,y:149,w:413,h:15},
{t:"Allah!” Whenever drowsiness or inattention arising from the ",p:81,x:134,y:170,w:409,h:15},
{t:"weakness of the hu man nature came over me, a soldier with ",p:81,x:134,y:192,w:409,h:15},
{t:"a fi ery spear—the most terrible and alarming fi gure that can ",p:81,x:134,y:214,w:409,h:15},
{t:"possibly be imagined—appeared in front of the niche and ",p:81,x:134,y:235,w:411,h:15},
{t:"shouted at me, saying, “O Abu Said, say Allah!” The dread ",p:81,x:134,y:257,w:410,h:15},
{t:"of that apparition used to keep me burning and trembling for ",p:81,x:134,y:279,w:409,h:15},
{t:"whole days and nights, so that I did not again fall asleep or ",p:81,x:134,y:300,w:410,h:15},
{t:"become inattentive; and at last every atom in me began to cry ",p:81,x:134,y:322,w:408,h:15},
{t:"aloud, “Allah! Allah! Allah!”15",p:81,x:134,y:343,w:204,h:15},
{t:"Imad-ud Din, an Indian Muslim convert, adds his comments ",p:81,x:119,y:375,w:460,h:15},
{t:"concerning his preconversion activities:",p:81,x:89,y:398,w:265,h:15},
{t:"I wrote the name of God on paper 125,000 times. I cut out ",p:81,x:134,y:435,w:410,h:15},
{t:"each word separately with scissors and wrapped them up ",p:81,x:134,y:456,w:412,h:15},
{t:"each in a little ball of fl our, and fed the fi sh of the river with ",p:81,x:134,y:478,w:409,h:15},
{t:"them. My days were spent in this manner. During half of the ",p:81,x:134,y:500,w:409,h:15},
{t:"night I slept and in the remaining half I sat up and wrote the ",p:81,x:134,y:521,w:409,h:15},
{t:"name of God mentally on my heart.16",p:81,x:134,y:542,w:247,h:15},
{t:"It is important to grasp the utter sincerity with which these men ",p:81,x:119,y:574,w:456,h:15},
{t:"pursued a relationship with God. Their desire was to some how receive ",p:81,x:89,y:597,w:485,h:15},
{t:"more of God. How does the finite grasp the infinite? Man is so temporal, ",p:81,x:89,y:620,w:483,h:15},
{t:"so sinful, so very far from God. The Muslim supplicant raises empty ",p:81,x:89,y:644,w:486,h:15},
{t:"hands toward heaven when he prays. It is a gesture of humility. What ",p:81,x:89,y:667,w:485,h:15},
{t:"can defi led man offer a holy and righteous God? One can only, through ",p:81,x:89,y:690,w:484,h:15},
{t:"symbol and deed, cry out to the Lord for mercy and forgiveness. These ",p:81,x:89,y:714,w:484,h:15},
{t:"two Muslims were only responding in the best manner possible according ",p:81,x:89,y:737,w:482,h:15},
{t:"to their religious and cultural conditioning.",p:81,x:89,y:760,w:286,h:15},
{t:"Meditation is the focal point of dhikr. The object of concen trating ",p:81,x:119,y:791,w:454,h:15},
{t:"upon God is to elevate the soul. Meditation involves open ",p:81,x:89,y:815,w:423,h:15},
{t:"ing one’s ",p:81,x:505,y:815,w:71,h:15},
{t:"senses and faculties in a process that allows God to come in and fi ll ",p:81,x:89,y:838,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the heart of the seeker. Through this process touch becomes more acute, ",p:81,x:89,y:861,w:484,h:15},
{t:"sight becomes keener, as do the senses of hearing, taste, and smell. I well ",p:81,x:89,y:885,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   70",p:81,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:81,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"71",p:82,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:82,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"remember visiting a Hindu temple in Chicago. Seated in a back room, a ",p:82,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"beautiful young girl from a wealthy family was sharing her experience ",p:82,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"with a group of us from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. We had ",p:82,x:89,y:152,w:486,h:15},
{t:"gone to the temple to share Christ, but this Hindu devotee soon had ",p:82,x:89,y:175,w:486,h:15},
{t:"turned the tables on us. She, with great sincerity, related what her guru ",p:82,x:89,y:199,w:484,h:15},
{t:"meant to her. As she meditated very deeply on her guru as well as the ",p:82,x:89,y:222,w:485,h:15},
{t:"multiplicity of Hindu gods, she came into a “fi nal-stage” relationship ",p:82,x:89,y:245,w:484,h:15},
{t:"with the infinite. At that point a sweet nectar was released from the brain ",p:82,x:89,y:269,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and came into her mouth. When this happened, she was translated into a ",p:82,x:89,y:292,w:484,h:15},
{t:"state of ecstasy. She had now reached a point of assimilation with god.",p:82,x:89,y:315,w:470,h:15},
{t:"This girl went on to tell us of how she had been completely given ",p:82,x:119,y:346,w:455,h:15},
{t:"over to drugs and promiscuity. Her parents had despaired of her. Now ",p:82,x:89,y:370,w:485,h:15},
{t:"she had given up all sinful worldly activities. Medita tion was to her the ",p:82,x:89,y:393,w:484,h:15},
{t:"path of release and fulfi llment. The enhance ment of the sense of taste ",p:82,x:89,y:416,w:485,h:15},
{t:"gave her assurance of having reached a stage of special relationship with ",p:82,x:89,y:440,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the infinite presence. Folk Muslims often relate similar experiences.",p:82,x:89,y:463,w:452,h:15},
{t:"Dhikrs are channels through which miracles are performed. Idries ",p:82,x:119,y:494,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Shah has overviewed this process:",p:82,x:89,y:517,w:228,h:15},
{t:"Dhikrs are generally said during the hours of darkness. When ",p:82,x:134,y:554,w:408,h:15},
{t:"a supernatural result is desired, the dhikr must dwell upon ",p:82,x:134,y:575,w:411,h:15},
{t:"some facet of the Divine power allied to the effect to be ",p:82,x:134,y:597,w:412,h:15},
{t:"accomplished. Thus, when a Sufi  wishes to cure illness, he ",p:82,x:134,y:619,w:410,h:15},
{t:"prepares himself by repeating a dhikr consisting of the Name ",p:82,x:134,y:640,w:409,h:15},
{t:"of God which denotes healing. By this means the Sufi intends ",p:82,x:134,y:662,w:408,h:15},
{t:"to collect in his mind a tremendous potential of mental force ",p:82,x:134,y:684,w:409,h:15},
{t:"associated with healing. This he projects towards the object ",p:82,x:134,y:705,w:410,h:15},
{t:"of his attentions, at the same time concentrating upon the ",p:82,x:134,y:727,w:412,h:15},
{t:"desired result.",p:82,x:134,y:749,w:93,h:15},
{t:"When a Sufi’s aid is invoked to ensure, for example, success ",p:82,x:134,y:785,w:409,h:15},
{t:"in any venture, he will purify himself and spend three nights, ",p:82,x:134,y:807,w:409,h:15},
{t:"cul minating on a Thursday reciting the simple formula Ya ",p:82,x:134,y:829,w:412,h:15},
{t:"Fatih (O Victor)—one of the attributes of the All-Powerful. ",p:82,x:134,y:850,w:410,h:15},
{t:"On Thursday (the “powerful” night of the week) the full ",p:82,x:134,y:872,w:412,h:15},
{t:"quota of power will have been built up on his mind: this, ",p:82,x:134,y:894,w:411,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   71",p:82,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:82,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"72",p:83,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:83,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"at any event, is the theory. He may also give the person a ",p:83,x:134,y:105,w:411,h:15},
{t:"talisman or amulet with a dhikr writ ten on it to wear on his ",p:83,x:134,y:127,w:410,h:15},
{t:"arm. Even today, these dhikr amulets are widely worn among ",p:83,x:134,y:149,w:408,h:15},
{t:"all classes in the Muslim East. It is not uncommon for Sufi s ",p:83,x:134,y:170,w:409,h:15},
{t:"to receive a visitation from some important member of the ",p:83,x:134,y:192,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Order—perhaps long dead—advising them as to the best ",p:83,x:134,y:214,w:413,h:15},
{t:"course to take in any matter upon which they are uncertain.17",p:83,x:134,y:235,w:404,h:15},
{t:"Certain types of folk Muslims deal quite extensively in the occult. ",p:83,x:119,y:266,w:455,h:15},
{t:"They, through dhikr, claim the ability to relieve pain and cure disease. ",p:83,x:89,y:290,w:485,h:15},
{t:"They are able, supposedly, to transport people anywhere in the world in ",p:83,x:89,y:313,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the twinkling of an eye. They are able to foretell events as well as know ",p:83,x:89,y:336,w:484,h:15},
{t:"what a person is thinking even though he is not present.",p:83,x:89,y:360,w:370,h:15},
{t:"Dhikr, then, is a practice with many forms and purposes. It is ",p:83,x:119,y:390,w:458,h:15},
{t:"a ceremony that is followed by both the sincere and the false. Dhikr ",p:83,x:89,y:414,w:484,h:15},
{t:"can be used as a vehicle to come to know God or it can be exploited ",p:83,x:89,y:437,w:486,h:15},
{t:"as an instrument of power to hurt or destroy. Such is the multifaceted ",p:83,x:89,y:460,w:485,h:15},
{t:"expression of a religious practice loved and, in some instances, feared by ",p:83,x:89,y:484,w:483,h:15},
{t:"millions of Muslims worldwide.",p:83,x:89,y:507,w:214,h:15},
{t:"Mystical Leadership",p:83,x:219,y:567,w:219,h:12},
{t:"Charisma is a commonly accepted quality of leadership. For example, ",p:83,x:119,y:599,w:452,h:15},
{t:"Billy Graham relates effectively to millions of people of disparate ",p:83,x:89,y:622,w:488,h:15},
{t:"backgrounds. John F. Kennedy, in a short three years, had America ",p:83,x:89,y:645,w:487,h:15},
{t:"and Americans at his feet. Mahatma Gandhi, a small, shriveled Hindu, ",p:83,x:89,y:669,w:485,h:15},
{t:"was almost worshiped by a half billion Indians. What is charisma? Is it ",p:83,x:89,y:692,w:484,h:15},
{t:"physical attractiveness, wealth, force of personality, or some mysterious ",p:83,x:89,y:715,w:484,h:15},
{t:"mix of all three? It is very diffi cult to understand the components of ",p:83,x:89,y:739,w:486,h:15},
{t:"charisma. A per ",p:83,x:89,y:762,w:119,h:15},
{t:"sonable, handsome Christian with a doctoral degree ",p:83,x:201,y:762,w:376,h:15},
{t:"can preach the exact sermon that Billy Graham does and leave his ",p:83,x:89,y:785,w:488,h:15},
{t:"audience totally unmoved. Charisma is a quality that transcends religion, ",p:83,x:89,y:809,w:483,h:15},
{t:"nationality, or ethnic identity.",p:83,x:89,y:832,w:195,h:15},
{t:"In orthodox Islam there is little scope for a style of leadership that ",p:83,x:119,y:863,w:455,h:15},
{t:"exalts a particular person. Each mosque has its own priest who ministers ",p:83,x:89,y:886,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   72",p:83,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:09 AM",p:83,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"73",p:84,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:84,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"usually to a small group of worshipers. There is not an exact counterpart ",p:84,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in Islam to the Christian denomination with its institutionalized hierarchy ",p:84,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of leadership. In the political realm, however, there are leaders who have ",p:84,x:89,y:152,w:483,h:15},
{t:"mobilized the masses by an appeal to the teachings of Islam.",p:84,x:89,y:175,w:403,h:15},
{t:"Within folk Islam, on the other hand, men of great charisma have ",p:84,x:119,y:206,w:455,h:15},
{t:"acquired followings that resemble those of leaders of cults. The next ",p:84,x:89,y:230,w:486,h:15},
{t:"section will illustrate the practices of these men of great charisma.",p:84,x:89,y:253,w:441,h:15},
{t:"Pirs",p:84,x:89,y:302,w:33,h:9},
{t:"The saints of popular Islam are liberated men. They are regarded as ",p:84,x:119,y:331,w:454,h:15},
{t:"having progressed beyond the confines of legalism.",p:84,x:89,y:354,w:342,h:15},
{t:"Many pirs, however, regard the law as a curb that is indeed ",p:84,x:134,y:391,w:410,h:15},
{t:"neces sary so long as one remains in the disciplinary stage, but ",p:84,x:134,y:413,w:408,h:15},
{t:"may be discarded by the saint. Such a person, they declare, ",p:84,x:134,y:434,w:410,h:15},
{t:"stands on a higher plane than ordinary men, and is not to ",p:84,x:134,y:456,w:411,h:15},
{t:"be condemned for actions which outwardly seem irreligious. ",p:84,x:134,y:478,w:409,h:15},
{t:"While the older Sufi s insist that a pir who breaks the law ",p:84,x:134,y:499,w:411,h:15},
{t:"is thereby shown to be an imposter, the popular belief in ",p:84,x:134,y:521,w:412,h:15},
{t:"the saints and the rapid growth of saint-worship tended to ",p:84,x:134,y:543,w:411,h:15},
{t:"aggrandise the pir at the expense of the law, and to foster the ",p:84,x:134,y:564,w:409,h:15},
{t:"conviction that a divinely gifted man can do no wrong, or at ",p:84,x:134,y:586,w:409,h:15},
{t:"least that his actions must not be judged by appearances.18",p:84,x:134,y:607,w:386,h:15},
{t:"Who is a real pir? Recently, I was talking to a Muslim who is the ",p:84,x:119,y:638,w:455,h:15},
{t:"general manager of a sugar factory that employs more than 1,700 persons. ",p:84,x:89,y:662,w:483,h:15},
{t:"He was decrying the presence of the many pirs he regards as false. I took ",p:84,x:89,y:685,w:483,h:15},
{t:"advantage of the opportunity to ask this educated mystic what qualities ",p:84,x:89,y:708,w:484,h:15},
{t:"should be found in a true pir. He thought for a few moments and then ",p:84,x:89,y:732,w:485,h:15},
{t:"replied, “First, the pir must keep all the laws of Islam. Secondly, he will ",p:84,x:89,y:755,w:484,h:15},
{t:"not be a person concerned with fi nancial gain. He is a man of spiritual ",p:84,x:89,y:778,w:485,h:15},
{t:"percep tion. This will be his focus in life. Lastly, the pir will be honest ",p:84,x:89,y:802,w:485,h:15},
{t:"and upright in all his dealings with people.”",p:84,x:89,y:825,w:291,h:15},
{t:"One very important consideration was omitted by my friend. The pir ",p:84,x:119,y:856,w:454,h:15},
{t:"is expected to possess almost magical powers. “It is the saint who can ",p:84,x:89,y:879,w:485,h:15},
{t:"avert calamity, cure disease, procure children for the childless, bless the ",p:84,x:89,y:903,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   73",p:84,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:84,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"74",p:85,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:85,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"efforts of the hunter, and even improve the circumstances of the dead.”19",p:85,x:89,y:105,w:480,h:15},
{t:"In my opinion, this ability to perform miracles and meet felt needs is the ",p:85,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"root of the charisma of most pirs.",p:85,x:89,y:152,w:222,h:15},
{t:"The miracles that are attributed to Indian saints and darvishes ",p:85,x:134,y:189,w:409,h:15},
{t:"are too numerous to enumerate. They include, for instance, ",p:85,x:134,y:210,w:410,h:15},
{t:"walk ",p:85,x:134,y:232,w:42,h:15},
{t:"ing on water, fl ying in the air (with or without a ",p:85,x:166,y:232,w:382,h:15},
{t:"passenger), rain-making, appearing in various places at the ",p:85,x:134,y:254,w:411,h:15},
{t:"same time, healing by the breath, bringing the dead to life, ",p:85,x:134,y:275,w:410,h:15},
{t:"knowledge and prediction of future events, thought reading, ",p:85,x:134,y:297,w:410,h:15},
{t:"turning earth into gold or pre cious stones, producing food and ",p:85,x:134,y:319,w:408,h:15},
{t:"drink, etc. Besides these, thaumaturgic [(to perform miracles)] ",p:85,x:134,y:340,w:407,h:15},
{t:"treatment of incurable and complicated diseases is one of the ",p:85,x:134,y:362,w:409,h:15},
{t:"most characteristic miracles. Herbs, water, amulets, and the ",p:85,x:134,y:384,w:410,h:15},
{t:"outward application or inward administration of many other ",p:85,x:134,y:405,w:410,h:15},
{t:"insignifi cant things, the property of which is quite unknown ",p:85,x:134,y:427,w:409,h:15},
{t:"to medical science, are the means of their thaumaturgic ",p:85,x:134,y:449,w:413,h:15},
{t:"treatment.20",p:85,x:134,y:470,w:76,h:15},
{t:"Pirs frequently claim power to transcend time and space. They ",p:85,x:119,y:501,w:457,h:15},
{t:"reportedly have been seen at the same time in places many thousands ",p:85,x:89,y:525,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of miles apart. Shayk Abdul-Qadir Julani, one of the most celebrated ",p:85,x:89,y:548,w:486,h:15},
{t:"saints of Sufi sm, is believed to have traveled thousands of miles in an ",p:85,x:89,y:571,w:485,h:15},
{t:"instant in order to be present at the funeral of a friend.21 Flying enormous ",p:85,x:89,y:594,w:483,h:15},
{t:"distances in full view of people on the ground is believed to be a common ",p:85,x:89,y:618,w:483,h:15},
{t:"occurrence.",p:85,x:89,y:641,w:77,h:15},
{t:"Sheikh Shahab-el-Din was able, it is said, to induce the pres ence ",p:85,x:119,y:672,w:456,h:15},
{t:"of fruits, people, and objects at will. The story is related that he once ",p:85,x:89,y:695,w:485,h:15},
{t:"requested the sultan of Egypt to place his head in a large bowl of water. ",p:85,x:89,y:719,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Instantly, the sultan found himself trans ",p:85,x:89,y:742,w:296,h:15},
{t:"formed into a shipwrecked ",p:85,x:376,y:742,w:201,h:15},
{t:"mariner cast ashore in an unknown land. He was rescued by woodcutters ",p:85,x:89,y:765,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and brought to a nearby town where he commenced work as a slave. ",p:85,x:89,y:789,w:486,h:15},
{t:"After a number of years, he gained his freedom, started a business, ",p:85,x:89,y:812,w:487,h:15},
{t:"married, and settled down. His business eventually failed, and once ",p:85,x:89,y:835,w:487,h:15},
{t:"again he undertook menial tasks in order to support his wife and seven ",p:85,x:89,y:859,w:485,h:15},
{t:"children. One day he was down by the sea and decided to go for a swim. ",p:85,x:89,y:882,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   74",p:85,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:85,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"75",p:86,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:86,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"Upon entering into the water, he immediately found himself back in the ",p:86,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"palace at Cairo. Once again he was a king surrounded by servants. The ",p:86,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"grave-faced sheikh was sitting in front of him. This total experience, ",p:86,x:89,y:152,w:486,h:15},
{t:"although it had seemed to last for years, was said to have taken place in ",p:86,x:89,y:175,w:484,h:15},
{t:"just a few seconds.22 ",p:86,x:89,y:198,w:138,h:15},
{t:"Other activities of so-called saints can be questioned.",p:86,x:119,y:230,w:354,h:15},
{t:"A blind pir was once asked to exorcise a jinn from a young ",p:86,x:134,y:266,w:410,h:15},
{t:"man. He directed him to be seated on a mat and himself began ",p:86,x:134,y:288,w:408,h:15},
{t:"to recite verses from the Quran, at the same time preparing ",p:86,x:134,y:310,w:410,h:15},
{t:"some small rolls of cotton wool. When the recitation was over ",p:86,x:134,y:331,w:408,h:15},
{t:"he sat for some time in deep meditation. Finally he called on ",p:86,x:134,y:353,w:409,h:15},
{t:"his assistants to set alight the wool and let the smoke enter the ",p:86,x:134,y:375,w:408,h:15},
{t:"youth’s nostrils. Naturally there followed a fit of coughing and ",p:86,x:134,y:396,w:407,h:15},
{t:"sneezing. The pir shouted, “Get out, you evil spirit, and leave ",p:86,x:134,y:418,w:408,h:15},
{t:"him alone!” The youth looked dazed, so the pir repeated, “Are ",p:86,x:134,y:440,w:408,h:15},
{t:"you going to clear out or must I use more severe measures?” ",p:86,x:134,y:461,w:409,h:15},
{t:"In reply the young man mut tered something inaudibly. So the ",p:86,x:134,y:483,w:408,h:15},
{t:"pir ordered his assistants to beat the boy on the head with ",p:86,x:134,y:505,w:411,h:15},
{t:"their shoes. While this was going on the patient cried and ",p:86,x:134,y:526,w:411,h:15},
{t:"writhed with pain, the pir all the while repeating his question. ",p:86,x:134,y:548,w:408,h:15},
{t:"At last the young man became uncon scious. The beating was ",p:86,x:134,y:570,w:409,h:15},
{t:"stopped, and the pir assured the parents that the evil spirit ",p:86,x:134,y:591,w:411,h:15},
{t:"had departed and that they could take their son home. The ",p:86,x:134,y:613,w:411,h:15},
{t:"boy died a week later, nor did the pir long survive him. A ",p:86,x:134,y:635,w:411,h:15},
{t:"few months later he himself died in that same village and his ",p:86,x:134,y:656,w:409,h:15},
{t:"grave is now a shrine for his disciples.23",p:86,x:134,y:677,w:265,h:15},
{t:"The pir receives very special attention when he visits his dis ciples. ",p:86,x:119,y:709,w:454,h:15},
{t:"Women minister to their pir much as they would to their own husbands. ",p:86,x:89,y:732,w:484,h:15},
{t:"They wash his back, massage his legs, and serve him the best food ",p:86,x:89,y:755,w:487,h:15},
{t:"they can afford. This is regarded as holy work and therefore evokes no ",p:86,x:89,y:779,w:485,h:15},
{t:"jealousy in the husband.",p:86,x:89,y:802,w:161,h:15},
{t:"A British friend of mine went to visit an acquaintance recently. As ",p:86,x:119,y:833,w:455,h:15},
{t:"my friend is a foreigner, he received special treatment from this mystical ",p:86,x:89,y:856,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Muslim. First, he washed my friend’s feet, saying he had read in the ",p:86,x:89,y:880,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Gospels about this exercise of humility on the part of Jesus Christ. Next, ",p:86,x:89,y:903,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   75",p:86,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:86,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"76",p:87,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:87,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"he applied cold cream to my friend’s face and thoroughly rubbed it in. He ",p:87,x:89,y:105,w:483,h:15},
{t:"then requested that my friend pray at the grave of his father. At the time ",p:87,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of departure, the mystic gave my friend money equivalent to twenty-fi ve ",p:87,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"cents. The signifi cance of these activities will forever remain locked in ",p:87,x:89,y:175,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the brain of this folk Muslim. Actually, the mystic doesn’t desire to be ",p:87,x:89,y:199,w:485,h:15},
{t:"rational. The less conformed he is to social norms, the greater is the proof ",p:87,x:89,y:222,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of his mystical authenticity.",p:87,x:89,y:245,w:184,h:15},
{t:"Recently, in a village, I met with a rather poor pir who has to work in ",p:87,x:119,y:276,w:453,h:15},
{t:"a cloth factory in order to support his family of three wives and two boys. ",p:87,x:89,y:300,w:483,h:15},
{t:"His following is small, but significant. He assured me he practices birth ",p:87,x:89,y:323,w:484,h:15},
{t:"control with no aids other than mental concentration. Also, he is able to ",p:87,x:89,y:346,w:484,h:15},
{t:"predetermine the sex of each of his children. Therefore, he has had a boy ",p:87,x:89,y:370,w:483,h:15},
{t:"by each of his first two wives. He assured me his third wife would soon ",p:87,x:89,y:393,w:484,h:15},
{t:"present him with a third boy.",p:87,x:89,y:416,w:191,h:15},
{t:"Pirs are great storytellers. Each point in their sermons is rein forced ",p:87,x:119,y:447,w:454,h:15},
{t:"by a relevant story from the culture and society of the listeners.",p:87,x:89,y:470,w:421,h:15},
{t:"The pirs never argue. No proof of their assertions are ever ",p:87,x:134,y:507,w:411,h:15},
{t:"ad ",p:87,x:134,y:529,w:24,h:15},
{t:"vanced. But they give you wonderful illustrations and ",p:87,x:150,y:529,w:397,h:15},
{t:"beautiful stories. Their words come straight from the heart. ",p:87,x:134,y:550,w:410,h:15},
{t:"On the rela tionship of God and man, for instance, they would ",p:87,x:134,y:572,w:408,h:15},
{t:"say: The hearts of men are like the boats on the ocean that ",p:87,x:134,y:594,w:410,h:15},
{t:"is God; He moves them as He likes; He carries them with ",p:87,x:134,y:615,w:411,h:15},
{t:"the rising tide and leaves them on the desert land, where ",p:87,x:134,y:637,w:412,h:15},
{t:"they must wait till once more He comes and takes them to ",p:87,x:134,y:659,w:410,h:15},
{t:"a beautiful island. On the question whether it is right for a ",p:87,x:134,y:680,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Hindu to go to a Muslim saint or vice versa, they would ask, ",p:87,x:134,y:702,w:409,h:15},
{t:"“Does the butterfly that loves the light inquire about the caste ",p:87,x:134,y:724,w:408,h:15},
{t:"and the religion of the person in whose house it finds it?”24",p:87,x:134,y:745,w:390,h:15},
{t:"This illustration highlights a rather refreshing and at the same time ",p:87,x:119,y:776,w:454,h:15},
{t:"disturbing belief propagated among mystics. Firstly, the positive feature ",p:87,x:89,y:800,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of such broad-mindedness and acceptance is, in contrast to the more ",p:87,x:89,y:823,w:486,h:15},
{t:"orthodox Muslim, an almost total lack of attacking adherents of other ",p:87,x:89,y:846,w:486,h:15},
{t:"religions. Folk Muslims are syn cretistic and do not follow only one path ",p:87,x:89,y:870,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in their quest for God. A good mystic would rejoice to hear of a friend ",p:87,x:89,y:893,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   76",p:87,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:87,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"77",p:88,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:88,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"who has found God—regardless of the path utlilized in his pursuit. In ",p:88,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"this vital area, he is much like the Hindu who repeatedly asserts that all ",p:88,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"roads lead to God.",p:88,x:89,y:152,w:122,h:15},
{t:"On the other hand, it is difficult to witness for the Christian faith to a ",p:88,x:119,y:183,w:453,h:15},
{t:"group that does not make necessary distinctions among the great variety ",p:88,x:89,y:206,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of religious beliefs and practices preva lent in the world today. However, ",p:88,x:89,y:230,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the mystic does stress the necessity of a personal encounter with God. ",p:88,x:89,y:253,w:485,h:15},
{t:"This important belief will be further explored in chapter 5.",p:88,x:89,y:276,w:389,h:15},
{t:"Urs",p:88,x:89,y:325,w:29,h:9},
{t:"The word urs means “marriage.” The followers of a pir be lieve that ",p:88,x:119,y:354,w:454,h:15},
{t:"in death there will be a marriage or union between their guide and God. ",p:88,x:89,y:378,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Hence, the anniversary of the pirs’ death is celebrated with singing, ",p:88,x:89,y:401,w:487,h:15},
{t:"dancing, dhikr, and sermonizing. There is a widespread belief that the ",p:88,x:89,y:424,w:485,h:15},
{t:"pir in heaven will be extremely displeased unless the anniversary is ",p:88,x:89,y:448,w:487,h:15},
{t:"celebrated with great festiv ity on the part of the disciples. “Cows, goats, ",p:88,x:89,y:471,w:484,h:15},
{t:"and fowls are generally slaughtered on this occasion in the name of the ",p:88,x:89,y:494,w:484,h:15},
{t:"pir. The meat is served as a feast to those who attend the ceremony. On ",p:88,x:89,y:518,w:484,h:15},
{t:"this occasion a fair is held which lasts from a day up to a month.”25",p:88,x:89,y:540,w:446,h:15},
{t:"Devotees of the saints attending the celebrations are believed ",p:88,x:134,y:578,w:408,h:15},
{t:"to acquire merit. It would be an endless task to attempt to ",p:88,x:134,y:599,w:411,h:15},
{t:"describe the particular rites attached to the urs of individual ",p:88,x:134,y:621,w:410,h:15},
{t:"saints, but the form the worship generally takes on the ",p:88,x:134,y:643,w:414,h:15},
{t:"occasion of such visits combine such features as these: Suras ",p:88,x:134,y:664,w:409,h:15},
{t:"1; 112; 113; and 114 are recited; these are followed by the ",p:88,x:134,y:686,w:410,h:15},
{t:"repetition of certain prayers for the soul of the departed; ",p:88,x:134,y:708,w:412,h:15},
{t:"fi nally, the worshiper makes some personal requests. As a ",p:88,x:134,y:729,w:411,h:15},
{t:"rule, a vow is made at this time which must be paid at the ",p:88,x:134,y:751,w:410,h:15},
{t:"tomb when the favor is granted. It is a common practice to tie ",p:88,x:134,y:773,w:408,h:15},
{t:"bits of thread or pieces of cloth etc. in gratings near the tomb, ",p:88,x:134,y:794,w:408,h:15},
{t:"by way of reminding the saint of the favor asked.26",p:88,x:134,y:815,w:337,h:15},
{t:"The Prophet was said to have given warning against making tombs ",p:88,x:119,y:847,w:454,h:15},
{t:"a place of worship. Still, such veneration started very early among ",p:88,x:89,y:870,w:488,h:15},
{t:"Muslims. This may have been due to the infl uence of then-prevalent ",p:88,x:89,y:893,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   77",p:88,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:88,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"78",p:89,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:89,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Christian saint worship in Syria and Egypt. The practice soon spread into ",p:89,x:89,y:105,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Iran, where today more than a thousand known and unknown persons are ",p:89,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"worshiped.27",p:89,x:89,y:151,w:83,h:15},
{t:"There is a great difference between worship in a mosque and a ",p:89,x:119,y:183,w:457,h:15},
{t:"shrine. The congregational prayer time in the mosque is a time of dignity ",p:89,x:89,y:206,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and order. Ritual is an essential part of the ceremony. There is no singing ",p:89,x:89,y:230,w:483,h:15},
{t:"or idle talking. God is the focus of attention. In contrast, the urs provides ",p:89,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"an opportunity for men, women, and children to give way to their inner ",p:89,x:89,y:276,w:484,h:15},
{t:"feelings of devotion for a man they believe was a special saint of God. ",p:89,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Although he is dead and buried, yet the devotees believe in his continuing ",p:89,x:89,y:323,w:483,h:15},
{t:"ability to hear their prayers and intercede on their behalf before God. ",p:89,x:89,y:346,w:486,h:15},
{t:"In the shrine (or royal court, as some call it) the disciples are free to ",p:89,x:89,y:370,w:486,h:15},
{t:"honor their pir in whatever manner they choose. I have even heard of ",p:89,x:89,y:393,w:485,h:15},
{t:"extreme instances in one country where devotees work into such a frenzy ",p:89,x:89,y:416,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of emotion that they throw off their clothes and dance in the nude with ",p:89,x:89,y:440,w:484,h:15},
{t:"hands uplifted toward God. This is, of course, not the norm, but it is an ",p:89,x:89,y:463,w:484,h:15},
{t:"illustration of disciples going into a state of ecstasy in which abnormal ",p:89,x:89,y:486,w:484,h:15},
{t:"behavior takes place.",p:89,x:89,y:510,w:140,h:15},
{t:"The following examples describe saint worship as it takes place in ",p:89,x:119,y:540,w:455,h:15},
{t:"many countries around the world:",p:89,x:89,y:564,w:224,h:15},
{t:"I received a letter from a missionary friend in Pakistan who updates ",p:89,x:119,y:595,w:454,h:15},
{t:"the happenings at the tomb of Babu Farid, whom I mentioned in chapter ",p:89,x:89,y:618,w:484,h:15},
{t:"1. “During the last few days the urs of Babu Farid Ganj-i-Shaker has ",p:89,x:89,y:641,w:485,h:15},
{t:"been held at Pak Paltan. An item in the newspaper yesterday said that ",p:89,x:89,y:665,w:485,h:15},
{t:"during the last twenty-four hours over fi fty thousand pilgrims passed ",p:89,x:89,y:688,w:486,h:15},
{t:"through the ‘Bahishti Darwaza’ [Door to Paradise].” Walking through ",p:89,x:89,y:711,w:486,h:15},
{t:"this door is sup posed to assure the devotee of entrance into heaven.",p:89,x:89,y:735,w:448,h:15},
{t:"Another instance from the Punjab of Pakistan illustrates the infl uence ",p:89,x:119,y:765,w:454,h:15},
{t:"of poetry within Sufi ranks.",p:89,x:89,y:789,w:182,h:15},
{t:"The Punjab is unrivalled for the number of its Sufi  shrines. ",p:89,x:134,y:825,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Every few miles there are one or two of them. There is hardly ",p:89,x:134,y:847,w:408,h:15},
{t:"a shrine which does not possess some traditional verse of its ",p:89,x:134,y:869,w:409,h:15},
{t:"own. The Kavvalis there sing of the saints and their poetry. ",p:89,x:134,y:890,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   78",p:89,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:89,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"79",p:90,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:90,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"Credulous admirers still gather there in large numbers, to ",p:90,x:134,y:105,w:412,h:15},
{t:"admire and wor ship the saints who, singing of the Beloved, ",p:90,x:134,y:127,w:410,h:15},
{t:"were ultimately merged in Him. The Punjabis still consider ",p:90,x:134,y:149,w:410,h:15},
{t:"themselves fortunate to have such noble, pious, and sweet ",p:90,x:134,y:170,w:411,h:15},
{t:"poetry which inspires them to seek the Divine Love.28",p:90,x:134,y:191,w:358,h:15},
{t:"In Malaysia, the Muslim is seen frequently at the grave of some ",p:90,x:119,y:223,w:456,h:15},
{t:"renowned saint. His main purpose for going there is to make a petition to ",p:90,x:89,y:246,w:483,h:15},
{t:"God through the departed pir. A piece of cloth is tied to a nearby tree to ",p:90,x:89,y:270,w:484,h:15},
{t:"remind the spirit of the petition. Other devotees at the shrine will write ",p:90,x:89,y:293,w:484,h:15},
{t:"a verse of the Quran on a slip of paper and swallow it. This will, they ",p:90,x:89,y:316,w:485,h:15},
{t:"believe, ensure good health.",p:90,x:89,y:340,w:186,h:15},
{t:"A reporter recently visited the interior of Russia and found ",p:90,x:119,y:370,w:460,h:15},
{t:"thousands of Muslims going annually to the Al Bukhari mauso leum and ",p:90,x:89,y:394,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the Sumbul mazar. The local newspaper, Bakinski Rabochi, criticized ",p:90,x:89,y:417,w:484,h:15},
{t:"“fanatical” Muslims for practicing self-flagel lation during their religious ",p:90,x:89,y:440,w:483,h:15},
{t:"pilgrimages.",p:90,x:89,y:464,w:82,h:15},
{t:"An advertisement in a large-circulation English daily news ",p:90,x:119,y:495,w:420,h:15},
{t:"paper ",p:90,x:532,y:495,w:44,h:15},
{t:"in Bangladesh told of the 676th urs anniversary of Hazrat Nizamuddin ",p:90,x:89,y:518,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Aulia to be held in New Delhi. The item stated, “Special prayers will be ",p:90,x:89,y:541,w:484,h:15},
{t:"arranged on this auspicious occasion. All the desires of your anguished ",p:90,x:89,y:565,w:484,h:15},
{t:"heart and soul for worldly and spiritual attainments can Inshallah be ",p:90,x:89,y:588,w:484,h:15},
{t:"fulfilled by attending this holy urs celebration.”",p:90,x:89,y:611,w:317,h:15},
{t:"Many activities take place at the urs. Some of these illustrations I ",p:90,x:119,y:642,w:455,h:15},
{t:"have researched from reputable sources. Other descriptions are of events ",p:90,x:89,y:665,w:483,h:15},
{t:"which I have personally ob served.",p:90,x:89,y:689,w:228,h:15},
{t:"A woman petitioner at a mazar sat on a low stool before the ",p:90,x:134,y:725,w:409,h:15},
{t:"pir and told of her desire to have a child. She was asked if ",p:90,x:134,y:747,w:410,h:15},
{t:"she had brought with her the seeds and milk as specified. The ",p:90,x:134,y:769,w:408,h:15},
{t:"milk was produced in a small metal teapot, the seeds wrapped ",p:90,x:134,y:790,w:408,h:15},
{t:"up in paper. The pir thereupon took the seeds, scattered them ",p:90,x:134,y:812,w:409,h:15},
{t:"upon the milk, breathed over it, and carefully replacing the ",p:90,x:134,y:834,w:410,h:15},
{t:"lid instructed the woman how and when to drink it. Most of ",p:90,x:134,y:855,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the time his lips moved quietly as though he were repeating ",p:90,x:134,y:877,w:409,h:15},
{t:"some verses. He then bound two of the pieces of paper, ",p:90,x:134,y:899,w:413,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   79",p:90,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:90,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"80",p:91,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:91,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"containing Quran verses, in two tiny rolls of cloth and told ",p:91,x:134,y:105,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the woman to wear one around her neck and the other at her ",p:91,x:134,y:127,w:409,h:15},
{t:"waist. The woman was finally told to go home and live in the ",p:91,x:134,y:149,w:408,h:15},
{t:"power of those charms to give her the desire of her heart. She ",p:91,x:134,y:170,w:408,h:15},
{t:"went away expressing her sincere gratitude and promising ",p:91,x:134,y:192,w:411,h:15},
{t:"that her small gifts would be followed by something more ",p:91,x:134,y:214,w:411,h:15},
{t:"generous.29",p:91,x:134,y:235,w:74,h:15},
{t:"A very close Muslim friend and I left a district town around 11 A.M. in ",p:91,x:119,y:266,w:453,h:15},
{t:"a dilapidated bus for a ten-mile journey to the shrine of a well-known pir. ",p:91,x:89,y:290,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Arriving in a small market center, we left the bus and quickly negotiated ",p:91,x:89,y:313,w:483,h:15},
{t:"a price of one dollar for a four-mile backbreaking journey by horsecart ",p:91,x:89,y:336,w:485,h:15},
{t:"to the site of the mazar where a special meeting is held each Friday at ",p:91,x:89,y:360,w:485,h:15},
{t:"1 P.M. While bouncing along on the rutted dirt road, we saw scores of ",p:91,x:89,y:383,w:485,h:15},
{t:"people making their way to the shrine. Everyone seemed friendly and in ",p:91,x:89,y:406,w:484,h:15},
{t:"a festive mood.",p:91,x:89,y:430,w:102,h:15},
{t:"Upon arrival, we were confronted with a large crowd of hundreds of ",p:91,x:119,y:460,w:453,h:15},
{t:"people. The focus of attention seemed to be on huge baskets and pans in ",p:91,x:89,y:484,w:484,h:15},
{t:"which people were dumping their offerings of specially prepared rice and ",p:91,x:89,y:507,w:483,h:15},
{t:"meat curry. The food was of high quality. Children by the scores were ",p:91,x:89,y:530,w:485,h:15},
{t:"running about, many trying to divert the attention of the attendants while ",p:91,x:89,y:554,w:483,h:15},
{t:"a conniving friend would steal a bit of chicken from the pot. Over to one ",p:91,x:89,y:577,w:483,h:15},
{t:"side was a table behind which several men were sitting recording in huge ",p:91,x:89,y:600,w:483,h:15},
{t:"notebooks the cash and kind gifts of the devo tees. They were also selling ",p:91,x:89,y:624,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the chickens, eggs, and sweets, and putting the profi ts with the other ",p:91,x:89,y:647,w:486,h:15},
{t:"money. The offerings were to pay pledges that devotees had made to the ",p:91,x:89,y:670,w:484,h:15},
{t:"departed pir. These people were fi rm believers in his continuing power. ",p:91,x:89,y:694,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Therefore, they prayed to him saying if he would grant them certain peti-",p:91,x:89,y:717,w:479,h:15},
{t:"tions, they would give gifts at his mazar. From the look of the mounds of ",p:91,x:89,y:740,w:483,h:15},
{t:"food, the devotees were having a lot of prayers answered!",p:91,x:89,y:764,w:385,h:15},
{t:"Just at 1 P.M. the men made their way over to the mosque where they ",p:91,x:119,y:795,w:453,h:15},
{t:"participated in the age-old ritual of saying prayers in Arabic as orthodox ",p:91,x:89,y:818,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Muslims do the world over. Following prayers, bedlam broke loose as ",p:91,x:89,y:841,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the food was distributed to all present. Anyone, man, woman, or child, ",p:91,x:89,y:865,w:485,h:15},
{t:"who felt slighted as to the quantity received let it be known in the loudest ",p:91,x:89,y:888,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   80",p:91,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:91,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"81",p:92,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:92,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"possible voice. The children enjoyed getting a share at one distribution ",p:92,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"point, quickly consuming it, and rushing to a different dispenser. They ",p:92,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"then assumed a look of one suffering from acute malnutri tion, meanwhile ",p:92,x:89,y:152,w:483,h:15},
{t:"pressing an empty bowl toward the dispenser’s basket full of rice.",p:92,x:89,y:175,w:438,h:15},
{t:"My friend and I walked over to the mazar, which was a short distance ",p:92,x:119,y:206,w:453,h:15},
{t:"from the mosque. We removed our shoes before we entered the courtyard. ",p:92,x:89,y:230,w:483,h:15},
{t:"The old tomb was inside a recently built shelter. Flowers were spread ",p:92,x:89,y:253,w:485,h:15},
{t:"all around the area. The heavy smell of burning incense permeated the ",p:92,x:89,y:276,w:485,h:15},
{t:"air. No one knew the name of the pir, much less his claims, legitimate ",p:92,x:89,y:300,w:485,h:15},
{t:"or otherwise, to such fame being accorded him. We heard all kinds of ",p:92,x:89,y:323,w:485,h:15},
{t:"estimates as to the year he died. But the important thing is the firm belief ",p:92,x:89,y:346,w:483,h:15},
{t:"that his power is resident at the mazar and in the lives of his devotees. ",p:92,x:89,y:370,w:485,h:15},
{t:"My friend, an orthodox Muslim, was told to face the mazar and pray for ",p:92,x:89,y:393,w:484,h:15},
{t:"whatever he needed. He considered such a suggestion blasphemous—and ",p:92,x:89,y:416,w:482,h:15},
{t:"proceeded in front of everyone to say his prayers toward Mecca in the ",p:92,x:89,y:440,w:485,h:15},
{t:"prescribed fashion. As a concession to local sentiments, we walked out ",p:92,x:89,y:463,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of the tomb area backward so that we would show no disrespect to the pir ",p:92,x:89,y:486,w:484,h:15},
{t:"by turning our backs to him. We were then invited to go and sit inside the ",p:92,x:89,y:510,w:483,h:15},
{t:"mosque for a delicious meal of rice and curry. All the bearded Muslims ",p:92,x:89,y:533,w:484,h:15},
{t:"who sat chatting with us were extremely gra cious and friendly.",p:92,x:89,y:556,w:418,h:15},
{t:"My friend and I decided to walk the four miles back to the main ",p:92,x:119,y:587,w:456,h:15},
{t:"road rather than suffer the indignities pushed upon us by fi rst-century ",p:92,x:89,y:610,w:484,h:15},
{t:"transportation systems. As we walked through the lush countryside ",p:92,x:89,y:634,w:488,h:15},
{t:"observing the beauties of God’s wonderful creation, my friend reached ",p:92,x:89,y:657,w:485,h:15},
{t:"over and took my hand (an Eastern sign of close friendship between ",p:92,x:89,y:680,w:486,h:15},
{t:"two males) while he sought, with the other hand, to subdue the fi erce ",p:92,x:89,y:704,w:484,h:15},
{t:"struggles of the chicken that he had just purchased at a “bargain rate” ",p:92,x:89,y:727,w:485,h:15},
{t:"at the mazar. Suddenly, in a beautiful voice, he began to sing some of ",p:92,x:89,y:750,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the lyrics of past, great mystical poets. It was a fi tting conclusion to a ",p:92,x:89,y:774,w:485,h:15},
{t:"journey into a world of contrasts—contrasts of joy, sorrow, fear, hope, ",p:92,x:89,y:797,w:485,h:15},
{t:"love, anxiety, and devotion.",p:92,x:89,y:820,w:184,h:15},
{t:"In one Muslim country the “turtle pond” is a well-known religious ",p:92,x:119,y:851,w:454,h:15},
{t:"center for pilgrimage. As my family and I drove up to the gate just off ",p:92,x:89,y:875,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the main road, we were besieged by vendors who sought to sell us bread ",p:92,x:89,y:898,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   81",p:92,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:92,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"82",p:93,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:93,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"and raw meat that had been at tached to the end of long thin sticks. This ",p:93,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"offering of food could be conveniently fed to the turtles. Other stalls ",p:93,x:89,y:129,w:486,h:15},
{t:"sold garlands of fl owers and boxes of incense which could be given as ",p:93,x:89,y:152,w:485,h:15},
{t:"offerings at the grave of the pir.",p:93,x:89,y:175,w:210,h:15},
{t:"The actual history of this pir is lost in antiquity. This, however, ",p:93,x:119,y:206,w:456,h:15},
{t:"allows for the many apocryphal stories that are related by his devotees. ",p:93,x:89,y:230,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Observing the huge plot of land and the large pond, we knew that the pir ",p:93,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"had done well fi nancially. His disciples were said to have numbered in ",p:93,x:89,y:276,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the thousands.",p:93,x:89,y:300,w:95,h:15},
{t:"We walked over to the pond where we saw many turtles swimming ",p:93,x:119,y:330,w:454,h:15},
{t:"about. They ranged in size from large sea turtles to babies. On one side ",p:93,x:89,y:354,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of the pond were steps leading down into the water. A number of people ",p:93,x:89,y:377,w:484,h:15},
{t:"were carefully plunging the raw meat on the end of their sticks into the ",p:93,x:89,y:400,w:484,h:15},
{t:"open mouths of rather fierce-looking turtles. All were being very careful ",p:93,x:89,y:424,w:484,h:15},
{t:"not to get their feet close to the hungry turtles.",p:93,x:89,y:447,w:308,h:15},
{t:"Men, women, and children were milling about the area. Some of the ",p:93,x:119,y:478,w:453,h:15},
{t:"women were wearing black, shapeless veils. Beggars accosted us with ",p:93,x:89,y:501,w:485,h:15},
{t:"their usual vitality. In an effort to understand why people had come from ",p:93,x:89,y:525,w:483,h:15},
{t:"great distances to feed these turtles, I interviewed several of the pilgrims. ",p:93,x:89,y:548,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Their answers to my ques tions were enlightening.",p:93,x:89,y:571,w:331,h:15},
{t:"A young student gave me a bit of historical insight on the pir. The ",p:93,x:119,y:602,w:454,h:15},
{t:"saint had a great love for the turtles and thus brought them into this pond ",p:93,x:89,y:625,w:483,h:15},
{t:"from the nearby sea. In his honor people come from all over the world to ",p:93,x:89,y:649,w:483,h:15},
{t:"feed the turtles that had meant so much to the pir.",p:93,x:89,y:672,w:330,h:15},
{t:"One boy was carefully fi lling a small bottle with the fi lthy, slimy ",p:93,x:119,y:703,w:454,h:15},
{t:"pond water. He enthusiastically told me this water would be taken back ",p:93,x:89,y:726,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to his home and kept for the purpose of anointing the sick. It was his ",p:93,x:89,y:750,w:485,h:15},
{t:"belief that the water contained power to heal the diseased and infi rm.",p:93,x:89,y:773,w:459,h:15},
{t:"Another student was busily engaged in feeding a large number of ",p:93,x:119,y:804,w:455,h:15},
{t:"turtles. He was pleased to tell me that this was his thank offer ing in ",p:93,x:89,y:827,w:486,h:15},
{t:"response to having recently passed his exams.",p:93,x:89,y:850,w:305,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   82",p:93,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:93,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"83",p:94,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:94,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"A man declared that there was great spiritual power in the area ",p:94,x:119,y:105,w:457,h:15},
{t:"around the pond. One could call upon the saint in prayer to intercede in ",p:94,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"his behalf to God.",p:94,x:89,y:152,w:119,h:15},
{t:"Yet another person spoke of the spirits in the turtles which, when ",p:94,x:119,y:183,w:455,h:15},
{t:"released, could be of great assistance to the petitioner.",p:94,x:89,y:206,w:359,h:15},
{t:"Just a few yards from the turtle pond, incongruously, stands a ",p:94,x:119,y:237,w:458,h:15},
{t:"traditional mosque representing a ritualistic Islam that is the antithesis of ",p:94,x:89,y:260,w:483,h:15},
{t:"all the activity swirling around it. Yet the mosque is very much a part of ",p:94,x:89,y:284,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the total scene. Many pilgrims were inside praying in response to the call ",p:94,x:89,y:307,w:483,h:15},
{t:"to prayer that continues to go forth from the minaret five times a day.",p:94,x:89,y:330,w:459,h:15},
{t:"Over to one side, we found a man busily accepting the shoes of ",p:94,x:119,y:361,w:456,h:15},
{t:"the pilgrims. A small fee was paid for the assurance that one’s shoes ",p:94,x:89,y:385,w:486,h:15},
{t:"would be retrievable on one’s return from a visit to the saint’s shrine. ",p:94,x:89,y:408,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Barefooted, we walked up the steep stairway to the top of a hill that ",p:94,x:89,y:431,w:486,h:15},
{t:"afforded a stunning view of the pond area as well as the city and nearby ",p:94,x:89,y:455,w:484,h:15},
{t:"sea. The tomb was very well-kept with a blooming fl ower garden at the ",p:94,x:89,y:478,w:484,h:15},
{t:"entrance.",p:94,x:89,y:501,w:60,h:15},
{t:"My seventeen-year-old daughter started to enter the veran da of the ",p:94,x:119,y:532,w:454,h:15},
{t:"shrine. She was stopped by the “moneychangers” who were sitting at a ",p:94,x:89,y:555,w:484,h:15},
{t:"table collecting gifts from the pilgrims who were leaving the building. ",p:94,x:89,y:579,w:485,h:15},
{t:"She was told to go over to a side room where the women were restricted ",p:94,x:89,y:602,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to a distant look at the tomb. Inside, I found many men praying toward ",p:94,x:89,y:625,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the saint’s mazar. The room was filled with the heavy smoke of incense. ",p:94,x:89,y:649,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Pilgrims were taking slips of paper, writing out their petitions on them, ",p:94,x:89,y:672,w:484,h:15},
{t:"and then leaving the rolled-up paper either on the tomb or along the side ",p:94,x:89,y:695,w:484,h:15},
{t:"on a railing. Well-dressed men were lost in mystical con templation as ",p:94,x:89,y:719,w:485,h:15},
{t:"they stood near the remains of a saint who they are convinced lives on ",p:94,x:89,y:742,w:485,h:15},
{t:"today in spirit and in power. After prayer, all slowly backed out of the ",p:94,x:89,y:765,w:485,h:15},
{t:"room toward the men on the ver anda who were eagerly awaiting their ",p:94,x:89,y:789,w:485,h:15},
{t:"donations.",p:94,x:89,y:812,w:68,h:15},
{t:"A little distance from the mazar we met a group of long ",p:94,x:119,y:843,w:409,h:15},
{t:"-haired ",p:94,x:522,y:843,w:54,h:15},
{t:"musicians. They were happy to perform a musical con cert for a small ",p:94,x:89,y:866,w:485,h:15},
{t:"fee. These men were the transient faqirs who are to be found on buses, ",p:94,x:89,y:890,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   83",p:94,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:94,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"84",p:95,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:95,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"trains, and in most public places. Although people do not approve of their ",p:95,x:89,y:105,w:483,h:15},
{t:"ganja-smoking excesses, they thoroughly enjoy their mystical songs.",p:95,x:89,y:129,w:459,h:15},
{t:"I came away from this experience simply amazed that Muslim ",p:95,x:119,y:160,w:458,h:15},
{t:"fundamentalists do not protest such an animistic, syncretistic expression ",p:95,x:89,y:183,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of Islam. As far as I know, there has never been such a protest on any ",p:95,x:89,y:206,w:485,h:15},
{t:"significant scale.",p:95,x:89,y:230,w:111,h:15},
{t:"A word needs to be said concerning the large number of women ",p:95,x:119,y:260,w:456,h:15},
{t:"found at the mazars.",p:95,x:89,y:284,w:136,h:15},
{t:"It is a common sight to see numbers of women at these ",p:95,x:134,y:320,w:412,h:15},
{t:"shrines, and unveiled at that. The explanation given is that the ",p:95,x:134,y:342,w:408,h:15},
{t:"sanctity of the place is itself a protection against molestation ",p:95,x:134,y:364,w:409,h:15},
{t:"by men. They are permitted to come to make their requests ",p:95,x:134,y:385,w:410,h:15},
{t:"and perform their vows, but at certain tombs they are strictly ",p:95,x:134,y:407,w:409,h:15},
{t:"forbidden from enter ing the enclosure of the shrine proper.",p:95,x:134,y:429,w:391,h:15},
{t:"Curious reasons are sometimes given for such exclusion. For ",p:95,x:134,y:465,w:409,h:15},
{t:"instance, women are not allowed to enter the shrine of Dadi-",p:95,x:134,y:487,w:404,h:15},
{t:"u-din at Makanpur, Cawnpore (d. A.D. 1485), because it is ",p:95,x:134,y:509,w:411,h:15},
{t:"believed that any woman doing so will be seized immediately ",p:95,x:134,y:530,w:408,h:15},
{t:"with violent pains, “as if her whole body were wrapped in ",p:95,x:134,y:552,w:411,h:15},
{t:"fl",p:95,x:134,y:574,w:9,h:15},
{t:" ames of fi re.” Outside the shrine of Miyan Mir, Lahore ",p:95,x:139,y:574,w:407,h:15},
{t:"(d. A.D. 1635), there hangs a notice in Urdu and English ",p:95,x:134,y:595,w:412,h:15},
{t:"forbidding entrance to women. Nor is it only from the shrines ",p:95,x:134,y:617,w:408,h:15},
{t:"of well-known saints that women are excluded. At a small ",p:95,x:134,y:639,w:411,h:15},
{t:"tomb in Delhi women are not allowed past the railing because ",p:95,x:134,y:660,w:408,h:15},
{t:"the saint is reputed to have the power of looking through a ",p:95,x:134,y:682,w:410,h:15},
{t:"woman, even though she is fully clothed.30",p:95,x:134,y:703,w:283,h:15},
{t:"Women may be considered second-class citizens at the mazars but ",p:95,x:119,y:735,w:454,h:15},
{t:"still they are among the most enthusiastic supporters of the urs. One of ",p:95,x:89,y:758,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the main reasons relates to the issue of fertility.",p:95,x:89,y:781,w:314,h:15},
{t:"Many women who visit these shrines hope thereby to give ",p:95,x:134,y:818,w:411,h:15},
{t:"birth to a son. Thus a childless Pathan woman will often ",p:95,x:134,y:840,w:412,h:15},
{t:"journey many a weary mile to some shrine and there hang up ",p:95,x:134,y:861,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   84",p:95,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:95,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"85",p:96,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:96,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"a rag torn from her clothing in the belief that the reproach of ",p:96,x:134,y:105,w:409,h:15},
{t:"barrenness will thus be removed.",p:96,x:134,y:127,w:219,h:15},
{t:"Frequently there is to be seen planted at the head of a tomb ",p:96,x:134,y:164,w:410,h:15},
{t:"a godini tree, which bears little red berries. A sterile woman ",p:96,x:134,y:185,w:409,h:15},
{t:"will be given some of these to eat after some Quranic passage ",p:96,x:134,y:207,w:408,h:15},
{t:"has been recited over them, and she will make a vow to give ",p:96,x:134,y:229,w:409,h:15},
{t:"something to the saint when her desire is fulfi lled.31",p:96,x:134,y:250,w:342,h:15},
{t:"In some mazars the bricklayers make a hole in the wall near the ",p:96,x:119,y:281,w:456,h:15},
{t:"tomb. On Thursday nights women will place food in this crevice. Women ",p:96,x:89,y:305,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of poorer classes perform this rite in the belief that angels come in the ",p:96,x:89,y:328,w:485,h:15},
{t:"night and eat the food placed there. The angels are therefore pleased with ",p:96,x:89,y:351,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the behavior of the supplicant and will assist her by interceding with God ",p:96,x:89,y:375,w:483,h:15},
{t:"on her behalf.",p:96,x:89,y:398,w:92,h:15},
{t:"Finances",p:96,x:89,y:447,w:74,h:9},
{t:"Perhaps the whole system of folk Islam is most vulnerable at the ",p:96,x:119,y:476,w:456,h:15},
{t:"point of fi nances. For example, many of the minstrels are regarded as ",p:96,x:89,y:499,w:485,h:15},
{t:"social dropouts and financial parasites. I have seen travelers on trains get ",p:96,x:89,y:523,w:483,h:15},
{t:"extremely irritated when a mystical singer has completed his “concert” ",p:96,x:89,y:546,w:485,h:15},
{t:"and then makes a plea for gifts. Often he is encouraged, in rude language, ",p:96,x:89,y:569,w:483,h:15},
{t:"to give up his itiner ancy and settle down to a steady, legitimate job. The ",p:96,x:89,y:593,w:484,h:15},
{t:"plea falls on deaf ears. To the mystic, his singing is more than a way to ",p:96,x:89,y:616,w:484,h:15},
{t:"earn a living; it is a whole way of life. His being is totally wrapped up ",p:96,x:89,y:639,w:485,h:15},
{t:"in encountering God. Song and verse are only externalized expres sions ",p:96,x:89,y:663,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of who he is.",p:96,x:89,y:686,w:86,h:15},
{t:"Many, if not most, pirs are considered to be more interested in money ",p:96,x:119,y:717,w:452,h:15},
{t:"and power than souls. To the vast majority of disciples, this is not even ",p:96,x:89,y:740,w:484,h:15},
{t:"an issue. They are happy to support the pir in return for some tangible ",p:96,x:89,y:763,w:485,h:15},
{t:"assistance that meets their needs. But the unbeliever looks on from ",p:96,x:89,y:787,w:487,h:15},
{t:"afar and scoffs at what he per ceives as nothing more than a successful ",p:96,x:89,y:810,w:485,h:15},
{t:"business enterprise. There is a parallel here with how some Christians ",p:96,x:89,y:833,w:485,h:15},
{t:"view Rex Humbard, Oral Roberts, and the late Kathryn Kuhlman. The ",p:96,x:89,y:857,w:485,h:15},
{t:"critics are external to the inner circle of disciples. Devotees care little ",p:96,x:89,y:880,w:485,h:15},
{t:"for the ethics or otherwise of numerous mansions, fi fty-thousand-dollar ",p:96,x:89,y:903,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   85",p:96,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:96,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"86",p:97,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:97,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"cars, and private jets. They are seeing in their teacher a representative of ",p:97,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"God who possesses spiritual power and who can lead them on to know ",p:97,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the Lord.",p:97,x:89,y:152,w:61,h:15},
{t:"It must be said that few pirs can begin to compare fi nancially with ",p:97,x:119,y:183,w:454,h:15},
{t:"wealthy Christian leaders in the West. Yet, on a local level, they often ",p:97,x:89,y:206,w:485,h:15},
{t:"create jealousy and malice by having so much more materially than ",p:97,x:89,y:230,w:487,h:15},
{t:"their counterparts within orthodox Islam. The advertisement that follows ",p:97,x:89,y:253,w:483,h:15},
{t:"appeared in a newspaper in one Muslim country.",p:97,x:89,y:276,w:323,h:15},
{t:"If you are unable to attend the urs, you may take part in the ",p:97,x:134,y:313,w:409,h:15},
{t:"fateha of urs sharif by sending your money for purposes of ",p:97,x:134,y:335,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the Nazar-o-Niyaz by money order to my following offi ce ",p:97,x:134,y:356,w:409,h:15},
{t:"under inti mation to me. By letter in this way, you may seek ",p:97,x:134,y:378,w:410,h:15},
{t:"even being at home the pleasures and blessings of Hozrat ",p:97,x:134,y:400,w:411,h:15},
{t:"Khwaja Sahib. Your money will be spent on sacred purposes ",p:97,x:134,y:421,w:409,h:15},
{t:"as per your wish. Prayer will be offered at the holy tomb in ",p:97,x:134,y:443,w:410,h:15},
{t:"your favor. The sacred Tab barukat of the urs fateha will be ",p:97,x:134,y:465,w:410,h:15},
{t:"sent to you after the urs sharif by post.32",p:97,x:134,y:485,w:267,h:15},
{t:"The tabbarukat is a communication from the pir to the donor. ",p:97,x:119,y:517,w:458,h:15},
{t:"A Muslim friend of mine received a letter from an acquaintance in ",p:97,x:89,y:540,w:487,h:15},
{t:"Damascus. Upon opening the letter he found a small piece of cloth. This ",p:97,x:89,y:564,w:484,h:15},
{t:"cloth was part of the huge covering that had been placed over the tomb ",p:97,x:89,y:587,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of a famous pir. The attendants received offerings from devotees and ",p:97,x:89,y:610,w:486,h:15},
{t:"then gave each donor a small piece of the holy cloth, which had become ",p:97,x:89,y:634,w:484,h:15},
{t:"empowered by contact with the tomb. My friend was very pleased to ",p:97,x:89,y:657,w:486,h:15},
{t:"receive such a gift of deep religious meaning.",p:97,x:89,y:680,w:303,h:15},
{t:"Attendants at the mazars receive a percentage of all gifts given in ",p:97,x:119,y:711,w:455,h:15},
{t:"memory of the pirs. My research indicates that on the average about one-",p:97,x:89,y:735,w:480,h:15},
{t:"third of all offerings goes to those who are responsible for collections. ",p:97,x:89,y:758,w:485,h:15},
{t:"The rest of the money is designated for upkeep and salaries of caretakers. ",p:97,x:89,y:781,w:483,h:15},
{t:"In some places money is used to assist the poor through the provision ",p:97,x:89,y:805,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of primary schools and small clinics. However, accountability for ",p:97,x:89,y:828,w:489,h:15},
{t:"expenditures is minimal, if it exists at all.",p:97,x:89,y:851,w:275,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   86",p:97,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:10 AM",p:97,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"87",p:98,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:98,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"I have seen a collector going around from house to house and shop ",p:98,x:119,y:105,w:454,h:15},
{t:"to shop collecting subscriptions for an upcoming urs. His notebook ",p:98,x:89,y:129,w:487,h:15},
{t:"indicated many gifts had been solicited and received.",p:98,x:89,y:152,w:353,h:15},
{t:"The system is open to simple misappropriation of funds. In one ",p:98,x:119,y:183,w:457,h:15},
{t:"meeting a saint promised to bestow great blessings on those who donated ",p:98,x:89,y:206,w:483,h:15},
{t:"to his causes. He started with higher amounts and asked those who ",p:98,x:89,y:230,w:487,h:15},
{t:"agreed to give to raise their hands. Slowly, he decreased his request to ",p:98,x:89,y:253,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the point where even the poorest per son present could afford to give. ",p:98,x:89,y:276,w:486,h:15},
{t:"The manipulative techniques of that pir could teach even some of our ",p:98,x:89,y:300,w:485,h:15},
{t:"cleverest Christian fund raisers in the West a new trick or two!",p:98,x:89,y:323,w:412,h:15},
{t:"One pir with a small following in a remote village stipulates that ",p:98,x:119,y:354,w:455,h:15},
{t:"each devotee must give him two dollars each year. This is the minimum. ",p:98,x:89,y:377,w:484,h:15},
{t:"At the annual meeting it is expected that a family will give at least another ",p:98,x:89,y:400,w:483,h:15},
{t:"two dollars. However, the pressure at the time of taking the offering is ",p:98,x:89,y:424,w:485,h:15},
{t:"such that few can resist giving larger amounts.",p:98,x:89,y:447,w:309,h:15},
{t:"All would agree that full-time religious workers must receive an ",p:98,x:119,y:478,w:456,h:15},
{t:"income adequate to meet their needs. As is true in Christian ity, the ones ",p:98,x:89,y:501,w:484,h:15},
{t:"who take advantage of the system bring disrepute to all.",p:98,x:89,y:525,w:372,h:15},
{t:"A Case Study: The Bauls",p:98,x:202,y:585,w:253,h:12},
{t:"This short description of one mystical group has been re searched ",p:98,x:119,y:616,w:456,h:15},
{t:"empirically through my interaction with individuals as well as through ",p:98,x:89,y:640,w:485,h:15},
{t:"visits to Baul meetings. The academic notes on the Bauls have been ",p:98,x:89,y:663,w:486,h:15},
{t:"gleaned from The Bauls of Bangladesh, which is written by Anwarul ",p:98,x:89,y:686,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Karim, noted folklorist and director of the Lalon Academy in Kushtia, ",p:98,x:89,y:710,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bangladesh.",p:98,x:89,y:733,w:81,h:15},
{t:"The exact date of the origin of the Baul cult has been lost in antiquity. ",p:98,x:119,y:764,w:453,h:15},
{t:"There are few references to the Bauls in medieval literature. Mention ",p:98,x:89,y:787,w:486,h:15},
{t:"of this sect is made in Maladhar Basu’s Sree Krishna Vijoy, which was ",p:98,x:89,y:810,w:485,h:15},
{t:"written in the fourteenth century. Other subsequent references prove that ",p:98,x:89,y:834,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the Bauls existed in the fourteenth and fi fteenth centuries. These texts ",p:98,x:89,y:857,w:485,h:15},
{t:"show the Baul movement came into being through Muslim mysticism. ",p:98,x:89,y:880,w:485,h:15},
{t:"The actual derivation of the word Baul is unknown, although schol ars ",p:98,x:89,y:904,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   87",p:98,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:98,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"88",p:99,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:99,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"speculate it may have come from words which in English mean “mod,” ",p:99,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"“crazy,” “devoted friend,” or “impatiently eager.” Today the Bauls are ",p:99,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"found throughout Bangladesh and in many parts of India.",p:99,x:89,y:152,w:381,h:15},
{t:"The Bauls enjoy wide popularity because of their singing of mystical ",p:99,x:119,y:183,w:453,h:15},
{t:"songs. Many people are dissatisfied with a materialistic orientation to life. ",p:99,x:89,y:206,w:482,h:15},
{t:"They have felt attracted to this group of non conformists who constantly, ",p:99,x:89,y:230,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in speech and song, appeal for a deeper and more personal relationship ",p:99,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"with God.",p:99,x:89,y:276,w:66,h:15},
{t:"In the West people become hippies. They are fed up with the ",p:99,x:134,y:313,w:409,h:15},
{t:"society they live in. The Persian Sufi sm of which the Bauls ",p:99,x:134,y:335,w:410,h:15},
{t:"are also a part might have infl uenced them. Yet, hippies and ",p:99,x:134,y:356,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the Bauls are poles apart. Hippies are of modern origin, but ",p:99,x:134,y:378,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Bauls are not. They have a past as well as a glorious future. ",p:99,x:134,y:400,w:410,h:15},
{t:"They are the mainspring of a whole range of literature, poetry, ",p:99,x:134,y:421,w:408,h:15},
{t:"and music. Occasionally they are misunderstood. Some have ",p:99,x:134,y:443,w:409,h:15},
{t:"abandoned wandering and have opted to settle down. In part of ",p:99,x:134,y:465,w:407,h:15},
{t:"Kushtia District there are Baul villages. Many are quite rich. ",p:99,x:134,y:486,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Some have made a fortune by selling ganja or participating in ",p:99,x:134,y:508,w:408,h:15},
{t:"special radio and television shows. The Bauls have a magical ",p:99,x:134,y:530,w:408,h:15},
{t:"knowledge about self, occult training, and the mystery of the ",p:99,x:134,y:551,w:409,h:15},
{t:"body. They have con structed a shortcut by which people may ",p:99,x:134,y:573,w:408,h:15},
{t:"come to attain knowl edge of God.33 ",p:99,x:134,y:594,w:240,h:15},
{t:"Many male Bauls do not marry but keep a woman in a type of ",p:99,x:119,y:625,w:456,h:15},
{t:"common-law relationship. She is known as an associate rather than a ",p:99,x:89,y:649,w:486,h:15},
{t:"wife. Most Bauls smoke ganja, a powerful drug that is sold openly in the ",p:99,x:89,y:672,w:483,h:15},
{t:"subcontinent. They usually smoke ganja in clusters at the time of group ",p:99,x:89,y:695,w:484,h:15},
{t:"singing. Baul men wear loose pants and shirts. Their hair grows long ",p:99,x:89,y:719,w:486,h:15},
{t:"and flows down over their shoulders. Bauls do not use a comb or brush, ",p:99,x:89,y:742,w:484,h:15},
{t:"so their straggly hair and beards give them a distinctive unconventional ",p:99,x:89,y:765,w:484,h:15},
{t:"look. Often they will wear beads around their necks. They carry shoulder ",p:99,x:89,y:789,w:483,h:15},
{t:"bags and walk with curved sticks in their hands. Bauls are generally ",p:99,x:89,y:812,w:486,h:15},
{t:"vegetarians, but at certain festivals they will eat fi sh.",p:99,x:89,y:835,w:349,h:15},
{t:"Bauls place high value on their mantra, the word of mystery that ",p:99,x:119,y:866,w:456,h:15},
{t:"carries great spiritual signifi cance for the individual. Each Baul has a ",p:99,x:89,y:890,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   88",p:99,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:99,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"89",p:100,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:100,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"guide to show him the path of light. It appears that Muhammad and ",p:100,x:89,y:105,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Krishna are the ultimate guides in the process of spiritual attainment. ",p:100,x:89,y:129,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Bauls hold the Prophet in high esteem and believe that within him is ",p:100,x:89,y:152,w:486,h:15},
{t:"fully represented the power of God.",p:100,x:89,y:175,w:237,h:15},
{t:"Man, to the Bauls, is very important. He is made in the image of ",p:100,x:119,y:206,w:455,h:15},
{t:"God and therefore, regardless of caste or creed, should be honored. Both ",p:100,x:89,y:230,w:483,h:15},
{t:"body and soul are important, but the body will perish after death, while ",p:100,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the soul is indestructible.",p:100,x:89,y:276,w:166,h:15},
{t:"Bauls teach that the more mystical aspects of their belief can be ",p:100,x:119,y:307,w:456,h:15},
{t:"understood only by the initiated. Outsiders can enjoy the poems and ",p:100,x:89,y:330,w:486,h:15},
{t:"songs but will never come to fully appreciate the truths of Baulism unless ",p:100,x:89,y:354,w:483,h:15},
{t:"brought into the inner group. Baul songs are full of unconventional ",p:100,x:89,y:377,w:487,h:15},
{t:"symbols, imagery, and riddles. Their most famous esoteric song states:",p:100,x:89,y:400,w:470,h:15},
{t:"How does the unknown bird move in and out of the cage? ",p:100,x:149,y:430,w:389,h:15},
{t:"If I could catch the bird, I would put the fetter of my heart ",p:100,x:149,y:451,w:391,h:15},
{t:"around its feet. ",p:100,x:171,y:473,w:103,h:15},
{t:"The cage has eight cells and nine doors, besides small ",p:100,x:149,y:495,w:363,h:15},
{t:"openings at points. ",p:100,x:171,y:516,w:129,h:15},
{t:"And on the top of it is a mirror chamber.",p:100,x:149,y:538,w:269,h:15},
{t:"On my heart, the cage you pursue is made of raw bamboo. ",p:100,x:149,y:560,w:393,h:15},
{t:"It may collapse any day.",p:100,x:149,y:581,w:161,h:15},
{t:"The bird will then open up the cage and escape. ",p:100,x:149,y:603,w:321,h:15},
{t:"No one knows where he will go.",p:100,x:149,y:625,w:216,h:15},
{t:"Lalon Shah, who lived in Kushtia, is the venerated pir of the Bauls. ",p:100,x:119,y:648,w:454,h:15},
{t:"He lived in the last century and was widely recognized for his literary ",p:100,x:89,y:671,w:485,h:15},
{t:"talents as well as his spiritual quest for God. His mazar is in the suburbs ",p:100,x:89,y:695,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of Kushtia. I have visited his urs and seen the thousands of disciples ",p:100,x:89,y:718,w:486,h:15},
{t:"who come to listen to the song -fest that goes on nonstop for three days ",p:100,x:89,y:741,w:484,h:15},
{t:"and nights. Baul songs are often punctuated with the phrase Lalon says. ",p:100,x:89,y:765,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Without doubt, Lalon was a great syncretizer of religions, as this song ",p:100,x:89,y:788,w:485,h:15},
{t:"illustrates.",p:100,x:89,y:811,w:68,h:15},
{t:"Everyone asks what religion or birth does Lalon belong to? ",p:100,x:149,y:840,w:399,h:15},
{t:"Lalon says, I have never experienced the exact nature of either ",p:100,x:149,y:862,w:421,h:15},
{t:"religion or birth. ",p:100,x:171,y:884,w:113,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   89",p:100,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:100,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"90",p:101,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:101,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"If one is circumcised he is a Muslim, but what is the rule for ",p:101,x:149,y:105,w:405,h:15},
{t:"women?",p:101,x:171,y:127,w:56,h:15},
{t:"I recognize the Brahmin because of his sacred thread, but how ",p:101,x:149,y:149,w:419,h:15},
{t:"do I recognize the female Brahmin? ",p:101,x:171,y:170,w:243,h:15},
{t:"Some wear a string of beads around their neck. But does this ",p:101,x:149,y:192,w:408,h:15},
{t:"change their birth or religion? ",p:101,x:171,y:214,w:203,h:15},
{t:"What caste is announced by a person at his birth and death?",p:101,x:149,y:235,w:397,h:15},
{t:"Water, when it is found in a ditch, is called ditch water. ",p:101,x:149,y:257,w:370,h:15},
{t:"When it is found in the river Ganges it is called Ganges water. ",p:101,x:149,y:279,w:418,h:15},
{t:"But originally it is all the same water. ",p:101,x:149,y:300,w:254,h:15},
{t:"The difference is only how it is kept.",p:101,x:149,y:322,w:245,h:15},
{t:"Such simplistic doctrine has a Hindu basis. All paths are equal and ",p:101,x:119,y:345,w:454,h:15},
{t:"all lead to God. One will go by this road while another takes a different ",p:101,x:89,y:369,w:484,h:15},
{t:"but equally valid route. This makes Bauls easy to live with but rather ",p:101,x:89,y:392,w:485,h:15},
{t:"hard to win to Christ.",p:101,x:89,y:415,w:142,h:15},
{t:"So it is apparent that Bauls are reacting against what they consider to ",p:101,x:119,y:446,w:453,h:15},
{t:"be an overemphasis on ritual on one hand and materialism on the other. ",p:101,x:89,y:470,w:484,h:15},
{t:"They want to be free—free to fl y away into the bosom of the Beloved ",p:101,x:89,y:493,w:485,h:15},
{t:"and be at rest. This world defl ects them from their desire to know God. ",p:101,x:89,y:516,w:484,h:15},
{t:"What better thing than to have a foretaste of heaven through using drugs ",p:101,x:89,y:540,w:484,h:15},
{t:"and filling one’s bosom with the songs of the mystics.",p:101,x:89,y:563,w:358,h:15},
{t:"There is a parallel here with the impact Hinduism has made on ",p:101,x:119,y:594,w:457,h:15},
{t:"Western youth. The Krishna cult looks attractive to young people who are ",p:101,x:89,y:617,w:483,h:15},
{t:"disgusted with a society that dictates success in terms of new cars, large ",p:101,x:89,y:640,w:484,h:15},
{t:"houses, and beachfront cottages. They are in pursuit of a new reality—a ",p:101,x:89,y:664,w:484,h:15},
{t:"reality they themselves cannot explain. However, they are willing to ",p:101,x:89,y:687,w:487,h:15},
{t:"experiment as long as the options are outside the “establishment.”",p:101,x:89,y:710,w:438,h:15},
{t:"Bauls, as well as all Muslim mystics, are crying into the dark. They ",p:101,x:119,y:741,w:454,h:15},
{t:"want light. Their hearts are hungry, but, unfortunately, even in their ",p:101,x:89,y:765,w:487,h:15},
{t:"openness they have created a closed system. Their way is superior. Lalon ",p:101,x:89,y:788,w:483,h:15},
{t:"is the pir of pirs. Islam, Hinduism, Bud dhism, and Christianity are all ",p:101,x:89,y:811,w:485,h:15},
{t:"components to truth, but inade quate in their institutionalized forms. Man ",p:101,x:89,y:835,w:483,h:15},
{t:"is not made to be bound. He must be free.",p:101,x:89,y:858,w:278,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   90",p:101,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:101,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"91",p:102,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"PRACTICES OF FOLK MUSLIMS",p:102,x:337,y:66,w:225,h:8},
{t:"But what is freedom? In my view, the Bauls have not yet satisfactorily ",p:102,x:119,y:105,w:452,h:15},
{t:"given an answer to that question.",p:102,x:89,y:129,w:219,h:15},
{t:"Notes",p:102,x:296,y:189,w:64,h:12},
{t:"1. ",p:102,x:89,y:222,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Peter G. Gowing, Muslim Filipinos—Heritage and Horizon (Quezon City: ",p:102,x:119,y:222,w:452,h:13},
{t:"New Day Publishers, 1979), 67.",p:102,x:119,y:245,w:192,h:13},
{t:"2. ",p:102,x:89,y:268,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Ibid., 65.",p:102,x:119,y:268,w:54,h:13},
{t:"3. ",p:102,x:89,y:292,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Inger Wulff, “Continuity and Change in a Yakan Village,” Dansalan ",p:102,x:119,y:292,w:413,h:13},
{t:"Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 3 (April 1980), 154.",p:102,x:119,y:315,w:251,h:13},
{t:"4. ",p:102,x:89,y:338,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Nagasura Madale, “Ramadhan as Observed in Lanao,” Mindinao Journal, ",p:102,x:119,y:338,w:448,h:13},
{t:"vol. 1, no. 3 (1975), 19.",p:102,x:119,y:362,w:141,h:13},
{t:"5. ",p:102,x:89,y:385,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Charles R. Marsh, Streams in the Sahara (Bath, England: Echoes of ",p:102,x:119,y:385,w:411,h:13},
{t:"Service, 1972), 4.",p:102,x:119,y:408,w:106,h:13},
{t:"6. ",p:102,x:89,y:432,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Constance E. Padwick, Muslim Devotions: A Study of Prayer-Manuals in ",p:102,x:119,y:432,w:443,h:13},
{t:"Common Use (London: S.P.C.K., 1961), 235.",p:102,x:119,y:455,w:271,h:13},
{t:"7. ",p:102,x:89,y:478,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Violet Rhoda Jones and L. Bevan Jones, Woman in Islam (Lucknow: ",p:102,x:119,y:478,w:415,h:13},
{t:"Lucknow Publishing House, 1941), 365.",p:102,x:119,y:502,w:242,h:13},
{t:"8. ",p:102,x:89,y:525,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Charles R. Marsh, Too Hard for God (Bath, England: Echoes of Service, ",p:102,x:119,y:525,w:438,h:13},
{t:"1970), 67–68.",p:102,x:119,y:548,w:83,h:13},
{t:"9. ",p:102,x:89,y:572,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Muhammad Enamul Haq, A History of Sufi -ism in Bengal (Dacca: Asiatic ",p:102,x:119,y:572,w:444,h:13},
{t:"Society of Bangladesh, 1975), 104.",p:102,x:119,y:595,w:211,h:13},
{t:"10. ",p:102,x:89,y:618,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Hazrat Inayat Khan, The Sufi  Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan (London: ",p:102,x:119,y:618,w:432,h:13},
{t:"Barrie and Rockliff, 1962), vol. 7, 142.",p:102,x:119,y:642,w:234,h:13},
{t:"11. ",p:102,x:89,y:665,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Thomas P. Hughes, Notes on Muhammadanism, 3d ed. (London: W. H. ",p:102,x:119,y:665,w:429,h:13},
{t:"Allen, 1894), 248.",p:102,x:119,y:688,w:109,h:13},
{t:"12. ",p:102,x:89,y:712,w:22,h:13},
{t:"J. Spencer Trimingham, Islam in West Africa (Oxford: Clarendon, 1959), ",p:102,x:119,y:712,w:440,h:13},
{t:"100.",p:102,x:119,y:735,w:26,h:13},
{t:"13. ",p:102,x:89,y:758,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Titus Burckhardt, An Introduction to Sufi  Doctrine, trans. D. M. Matheson ",p:102,x:119,y:758,w:448,h:13},
{t:"(Lahore: Shaikh Muhammad Ashraf, 1959), 133.",p:102,x:119,y:782,w:293,h:13},
{t:"14. ",p:102,x:89,y:805,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Idries Shah, Oriental Magic (Tonbridge, England: Octagon Press, 1968), ",p:102,x:119,y:805,w:440,h:13},
{t:"75.",p:102,x:119,y:828,w:18,h:13},
{t:"15. ",p:102,x:89,y:852,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Reynold A. Nicholson, Studies in Islamic Mysticism (Cambridge: At the ",p:102,x:119,y:852,w:434,h:13},
{t:"University Press, 1921), 8–9.",p:102,x:119,y:875,w:174,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   91",p:102,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:102,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"92",p:103,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:103,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"16. ",p:103,x:89,y:105,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Samuel M. Zwemer, Islam: A Challenge to Faith (New York: Student ",p:103,x:119,y:105,w:420,h:13},
{t:"Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions, 1907), 146.",p:103,x:119,y:129,w:332,h:13},
{t:"17. Shah, ",p:103,x:89,y:152,w:75,h:13},
{t:"Oriental Magic, 69.",p:103,x:156,y:152,w:119,h:13},
{t:"18. ",p:103,x:89,y:175,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Reynold A. Nicholson, The Mystics of Islam (London: Routledge and ",p:103,x:119,y:175,w:419,h:13},
{t:"Kegan Paul, 1914), 127.",p:103,x:119,y:199,w:145,h:13},
{t:"19. ",p:103,x:89,y:222,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Anwarul Karim, The Bauls of Bangladesh (Kushtia: Lalon Academy, ",p:103,x:119,y:222,w:416,h:13},
{t:"1980), 57.",p:103,x:119,y:245,w:61,h:13},
{t:"20. Haq, ",p:103,x:89,y:269,w:69,h:13},
{t:"History of Sufi -ism in Bengal, 110–111.",p:103,x:151,y:269,w:236,h:13},
{t:"21. Shah, ",p:103,x:89,y:292,w:75,h:13},
{t:"Oriental Magic, 62.",p:103,x:156,y:292,w:119,h:13},
{t:"22. ",p:103,x:89,y:315,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Ibid., 61–62.",p:103,x:119,y:315,w:76,h:13},
{t:"23. ",p:103,x:89,y:339,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Jones and Jones, Woman in Islam, 349–350.",p:103,x:119,y:339,w:264,h:13},
{t:"24. ",p:103,x:89,y:362,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Hira Lal Chapra, “Sufism,” in The Cultural Heritage of India, ed. Haridas ",p:103,x:119,y:362,w:447,h:13},
{t:"Bhattacharyya, vol. 4, The Religions (Calcutta: Ramakrishna Mission ",p:103,x:119,y:385,w:420,h:13},
{t:"Institute of Culture, 1956), 607–608.",p:103,x:119,y:409,w:220,h:13},
{t:"25. Haq, ",p:103,x:89,y:432,w:69,h:13},
{t:"History of Sufi -ism in Bengal, 325.",p:103,x:151,y:432,w:207,h:13},
{t:"26. ",p:103,x:89,y:456,w:21,h:13},
{t:"John A. Subhan, Sufi sm: Its Saints and Shrines (Lucknow: Lucknow ",p:103,x:119,y:456,w:414,h:13},
{t:"Publishing House, 1938), 107.",p:103,x:119,y:479,w:182,h:13},
{t:"27. ",p:103,x:89,y:502,w:22,h:13},
{t:"A. M. A. Shushtery, Outlines of Islamic Culture, vol. 1, Historical and ",p:103,x:119,y:502,w:426,h:13},
{t:"Cultural Aspects (Bangalore: Bangalore Press, 1938), 230.",p:103,x:119,y:526,w:351,h:13},
{t:"28. ",p:103,x:89,y:549,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Lajwanti Rama Krishna, Panjab Sufi  Poets A.D. 1460–1900 (Karachi: ",p:103,x:119,y:549,w:418,h:13},
{t:"Indus Publishers, 1977), 134.",p:103,x:119,y:572,w:175,h:13},
{t:"29. ",p:103,x:89,y:595,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Jones and Jones, Woman in Islam, 315.",p:103,x:119,y:595,w:234,h:13},
{t:"30. ",p:103,x:89,y:619,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Ibid., 311–312.",p:103,x:119,y:619,w:91,h:13},
{t:"31. ",p:103,x:89,y:642,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Ibid., 313–314.",p:103,x:119,y:642,w:91,h:13},
{t:"32. ",p:103,x:89,y:665,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Sahibzada Syed Riyasat Husain, “Urs Mubarak 1981 of Hazrat Khwaja ",p:103,x:119,y:665,w:431,h:13},
{t:"Moinuddin Chishty (R. A.) Ajmir Sharif [India],” handbill advertising a ",p:103,x:119,y:689,w:433,h:13},
{t:"meeting, 1981.",p:103,x:119,y:712,w:89,h:13},
{t:"33. Karim, ",p:103,x:89,y:735,w:83,h:13},
{t:"The Bauls of Bangladesh, 7.",p:103,x:165,y:735,w:169,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   92",p:103,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:103,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"93",p:104,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"4",p:104,x:316,y:113,w:25,h:30},
{t:"A Critique of Folk Islam",p:104,x:144,y:255,w:370,h:17},
{t:"It is important to note that not all folk Muslims are as extreme, ",p:104,x:119,y:378,w:456,h:15},
{t:"emotional, or corrupted as some of those cited in chapter 3. There are ",p:104,x:89,y:401,w:485,h:15},
{t:"pirs who sincerely seek to lead their disci ples in the path of godliness. ",p:104,x:89,y:425,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Recently, I attended a three-hour meeting that contained little that I could ",p:104,x:89,y:448,w:483,h:15},
{t:"criticize. This urs was arranged by a very gracious and influential man in ",p:104,x:89,y:471,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the town in which I resided.",p:104,x:89,y:495,w:186,h:15},
{t:"The meeting commenced at 5 P.M. under a gaily decorated tent ",p:104,x:119,y:525,w:457,h:15},
{t:"that had been specially erected to accommodate the ex pected crowd. ",p:104,x:89,y:549,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Women went into the adjacent house of the spon sor of the urs. Men, ",p:104,x:89,y:572,w:484,h:15},
{t:"all wearing prayer hats, sat cross-legged on the cloth fl oor of the tent. ",p:104,x:89,y:595,w:485,h:15},
{t:"The middle-aged pir had arrived with six of his close associates. We ",p:104,x:89,y:619,w:486,h:15},
{t:"were told that the pir was suffer ing from high blood pressure and would ",p:104,x:89,y:642,w:484,h:15},
{t:"not be able to partici pate signifi cantly in the meeting. One of the fi rst ",p:104,x:89,y:665,w:484,h:15},
{t:"events of the evening was beautiful chanting in a language most of the ",p:104,x:89,y:689,w:485,h:15},
{t:"people attending could not understand. I was told the chants started with ",p:104,x:89,y:712,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the exaltation of the prophets and then praised the most signifi cant pirs ",p:104,x:89,y:735,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of this particular tarika. The chants were emo tional, and it was evident ",p:104,x:89,y:759,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the people attending were deeply moved. In this case the medium was ",p:104,x:89,y:782,w:485,h:15},
{t:"even more powerful than the message. It is true that all understood the ",p:104,x:89,y:805,w:485,h:15},
{t:"chanting was of an intensely religious nature.",p:104,x:89,y:829,w:302,h:15},
{t:"The fi rst speaker of the evening was a polished orator. He gave a ",p:104,x:119,y:860,w:455,h:15},
{t:"sermonette on the offering of Abraham’s son. The emo tional trauma of ",p:104,x:89,y:883,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   93",p:104,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:104,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"94",p:105,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:105,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"the cost of obedience was narrated with pun gency. Soon several of the ",p:105,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"men were wiping tears from their eyes. Another speaker droned on for ",p:105,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"forty-fi ve minutes, and just about succeeded in putting the audience to ",p:105,x:89,y:152,w:485,h:15},
{t:"sleep. The last exhor tation came from a man who said that, at Allah’s ",p:105,x:89,y:175,w:485,h:15},
{t:"command, he left his dying mother to come to the meeting. He urged all ",p:105,x:89,y:199,w:484,h:15},
{t:"pres ent to have a vital relationship with God, one that would lead on to ",p:105,x:89,y:222,w:484,h:15},
{t:"high morals and involvement in the needs of others.",p:105,x:89,y:245,w:345,h:15},
{t:"At last the pir took the microphone and spoke in a low voice for only ",p:105,x:119,y:276,w:453,h:15},
{t:"ten minutes. He gave his lineage from his tarika’s origi nal pir. This was ",p:105,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"done to establish his authenticity. Lastly, pro tracted prayer was offered ",p:105,x:89,y:323,w:485,h:15},
{t:"by the first speaker of the evening.",p:105,x:89,y:346,w:230,h:15},
{t:"Every half hour during the meeting, scented water was sprin kled ",p:105,x:119,y:377,w:456,h:15},
{t:"over the audience. Also, I noted that at the mention of Muhammad or any ",p:105,x:89,y:400,w:483,h:15},
{t:"pir the men would put their hands over their faces and make a clicking ",p:105,x:89,y:424,w:484,h:15},
{t:"sound with their tongues. This was done as a sign of respect for the ",p:105,x:89,y:447,w:486,h:15},
{t:"departed religious leaders.",p:105,x:89,y:470,w:175,h:15},
{t:"As the three hundred devotees filed out, many were given a box that ",p:105,x:119,y:501,w:453,h:15},
{t:"contained delicious rice and curry. The rest of us were asked to sit in long ",p:105,x:89,y:525,w:483,h:15},
{t:"rows and were then served in a special, individual manner. My wife and ",p:105,x:89,y:548,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the other women had followed the service from behind the curtains of the ",p:105,x:89,y:571,w:483,h:15},
{t:"nearby house. The women were fed separately from the men.",p:105,x:89,y:595,w:407,h:15},
{t:"In retrospect, I would give this urs very high marks for dignity as ",p:105,x:119,y:625,w:455,h:15},
{t:"well as content. It is true there was frequent reference to the prophets and ",p:105,x:89,y:649,w:483,h:15},
{t:"their teaching. Also, other religious men were cited favorably. But is this ",p:105,x:89,y:672,w:483,h:15},
{t:"not done in an average Christian meeting in the West? Paul and John, as ",p:105,x:89,y:695,w:484,h:15},
{t:"well as D. L. Moody and Billy Graham, are mentioned as men who are ",p:105,x:89,y:719,w:484,h:15},
{t:"authorities on religious issues. The people at this gathering were being ",p:105,x:89,y:742,w:485,h:15},
{t:"ex horted constantly to love God and fervently follow his path. After the ",p:105,x:89,y:765,w:484,h:15},
{t:"meeting, I questioned the polished orator as to his view of God’s law. He ",p:105,x:89,y:789,w:483,h:15},
{t:"gave an answer similar to that which a Christian would give. This was in ",p:105,x:89,y:812,w:483,h:15},
{t:"contrast to some Sufi s who fl agrantly violate God’s commands in order ",p:105,x:89,y:835,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to prove their freedom from the law.",p:105,x:89,y:859,w:241,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   94",p:105,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:105,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"95",p:106,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"A CRITI QUE OF FOLK ISL AM",p:106,x:354,y:66,w:215,h:8},
{t:"Thus, I would not fault these men for methodology or overall aims. ",p:106,x:119,y:105,w:454,h:15},
{t:"They want to know God. Their path, at least what I ob served, was one of ",p:106,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"dignity. But, as a Christian, I am forced to disagree with important areas ",p:106,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of substance. They see Jesus Christ as only a prophet, not the Savior ",p:106,x:89,y:175,w:486,h:15},
{t:"of mankind who was God incarnate; the Bible is only part of God’s ",p:106,x:89,y:199,w:486,h:15},
{t:"revelation and has less authority than the Quran; salvation is by faith and ",p:106,x:89,y:222,w:483,h:15},
{t:"works, not by grace alone.",p:106,x:89,y:245,w:175,h:15},
{t:"This chapter will critique folk Islam in general terms. It is impossible ",p:106,x:119,y:276,w:453,h:15},
{t:"to be exhaustive in these few pages. However, the comments will be ",p:106,x:89,y:300,w:486,h:15},
{t:"suggestive and may lead others to engage in a more thorough critique.",p:106,x:89,y:323,w:467,h:15},
{t:"The Teaching of Universalism",p:106,x:164,y:383,w:330,h:12},
{t:"Hazrat Inayat Khan presents a description of Sufi sm that causes us ",p:106,x:119,y:415,w:454,h:15},
{t:"to realize the complex nature of the beliefs with which we are dealing.",p:106,x:89,y:438,w:468,h:15},
{t:"Sufism cannot be called a religion because it is free from princi-",p:106,x:134,y:475,w:405,h:15},
{t:"ples, distinctions and differences, the very basis on which ",p:106,x:134,y:496,w:411,h:15},
{t:"relig ions are founded; neither can it be called a philosophy, ",p:106,x:134,y:518,w:410,h:15},
{t:"because philosophy teaches the study of nature in its qualities ",p:106,x:134,y:540,w:408,h:15},
{t:"and varie ",p:106,x:134,y:561,w:72,h:15},
{t:"ties, whereas Sufi sm teaches unity. Therefore, it ",p:106,x:199,y:561,w:347,h:15},
{t:"may best be called simply the preparation of the view.",p:106,x:134,y:583,w:359,h:15},
{t:"The word “Sufi” implies purity, and purity contains two quali-",p:106,x:134,y:620,w:405,h:15},
{t:"ties. Pure means unmixed with any other element, or in other ",p:106,x:134,y:641,w:409,h:15},
{t:"words, that which exists in its own element, unalloyed and ",p:106,x:134,y:663,w:410,h:15},
{t:"un stained. The second quality of purity is great adaptability.",p:106,x:134,y:685,w:399,h:15},
{t:"Such is also the nature of the Sufi. In the first place he purifi es ",p:106,x:134,y:721,w:409,h:15},
{t:"himself by keeping the vision of God constantly before him, ",p:106,x:134,y:743,w:409,h:15},
{t:"not allowing the stains of earthly differences and distinctions ",p:106,x:134,y:765,w:409,h:15},
{t:"to be mirrored upon his heart, nor good or bad society, nor ",p:106,x:134,y:786,w:410,h:15},
{t:"intercourse with high or low class people. Nor can a faith or ",p:106,x:134,y:808,w:409,h:15},
{t:"a belief ever interfere with his purity.",p:106,x:134,y:830,w:247,h:15},
{t:"The Sufi  shows his universal brotherhood in his adaptibility. ",p:106,x:134,y:866,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Among Christians he is a Christian, among Jews he is a Jew, ",p:106,x:134,y:888,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   95",p:106,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:106,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"96",p:107,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:107,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"among Muslims he is a Muslim, among Hindus he is a Hindu: ",p:107,x:134,y:105,w:408,h:15},
{t:"for he is one with all, and thus all are one with him. He allows ",p:107,x:134,y:127,w:408,h:15},
{t:"every one to join in his brotherhood, and in the same way ",p:107,x:134,y:149,w:411,h:15},
{t:"he allows himself to join in any other. He never questions, ",p:107,x:134,y:170,w:410,h:15},
{t:"“What is your creed or nation or religion?” Neither, does he ",p:107,x:134,y:192,w:409,h:15},
{t:"ask, “What are your teachings or principles?”",p:107,x:134,y:214,w:303,h:15},
{t:"Call him brother, he answers brother, and he means it.1",p:107,x:134,y:250,w:364,h:15},
{t:"The teaching of religious universalism is a doctrine of con venience. ",p:107,x:119,y:281,w:454,h:15},
{t:"It is inclusive rather than exclusive. Such a teaching leads to a high ",p:107,x:89,y:305,w:486,h:15},
{t:"degree of social acceptance. Sufis glory in their broad-mindedness. Islam ",p:107,x:89,y:328,w:483,h:15},
{t:"is their foundation; but it is quite per missible to adulterate religious forms ",p:107,x:89,y:351,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and expressions in order to accommodate diverse preferences. However, ",p:107,x:89,y:375,w:483,h:15},
{t:"we believe the Christian message cannot be just another way to God. ",p:107,x:89,y:398,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Scripture is unequivocal as to the uniqueness of salvation only through ",p:107,x:89,y:421,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the person and work of Jesus Christ.",p:107,x:89,y:445,w:242,h:15},
{t:"Recently, I was talking to a mystic who has become a believer in ",p:107,x:119,y:475,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Christ. This man was expressing repugnance at some of the activities ",p:107,x:89,y:499,w:486,h:15},
{t:"he observed while he was an active participant in one of the tarikas. ",p:107,x:89,y:522,w:484,h:15},
{t:"He asked how followers of God could be sexually promiscuous, smoke ",p:107,x:89,y:545,w:484,h:15},
{t:"marijuana, and generally be a drag on society. The mystic would respond ",p:107,x:89,y:569,w:483,h:15},
{t:"that he was only doing that which, to him, is spiritually meaningful. Once ",p:107,x:89,y:592,w:483,h:15},
{t:"again, we fi nd such behavior and lax attitudes toward biblical norms of ",p:107,x:89,y:615,w:484,h:15},
{t:"moral ity to be an area of serious disagreement between folk Muslims ",p:107,x:89,y:639,w:486,h:15},
{t:"and Christians.",p:107,x:89,y:662,w:100,h:15},
{t:"Folk Muslims pay little attention to the study of holy books. Mystics ",p:107,x:119,y:693,w:453,h:15},
{t:"see such a study as diversionary. Therefore, there is little self-criticism ",p:107,x:89,y:716,w:485,h:15},
{t:"within folk Islam. Either one accepts the total mes sage or leaves the fold. ",p:107,x:89,y:740,w:483,h:15},
{t:"This is true of orthodox Islam as well. I have never seen a book written ",p:107,x:89,y:763,w:484,h:15},
{t:"by a Muslim that questions the authority of the Quran. In this respect ",p:107,x:89,y:786,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Islam is indeed deviant from truth because of the lack of openness to ",p:107,x:89,y:810,w:486,h:15},
{t:"criticism from within the camp.",p:107,x:89,y:833,w:210,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   96",p:107,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:107,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"97",p:108,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"A CRITI QUE OF FOLK ISL AM",p:108,x:354,y:66,w:215,h:8},
{t:"Superstition",p:108,x:259,y:107,w:139,h:12},
{t:"If a person sincerely believes in something, then the object of ",p:108,x:119,y:138,w:458,h:15},
{t:"his belief has become a reality—at least for him. So, in a sense, the ",p:108,x:89,y:162,w:486,h:15},
{t:"definition of superstition depends, at best, on an external evaluation. The ",p:108,x:89,y:185,w:483,h:15},
{t:"participant is a believer. He is convinced of the validity of the object of ",p:108,x:89,y:208,w:484,h:15},
{t:"his belief. The skeptic may look on and ridicule, but he is doing so from ",p:108,x:89,y:232,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the perspective of his own value system. He doesn’t believe; therefore, ",p:108,x:89,y:255,w:484,h:15},
{t:"for instance, to apply holy water to an open sore is blatant stupidity to ",p:108,x:89,y:278,w:485,h:15},
{t:"him. But this is not so for the devout disciple who reaches into the slimy ",p:108,x:89,y:302,w:484,h:15},
{t:"turtle pond and with hope and faith fills his little bottle. The world views ",p:108,x:89,y:325,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of believer and agnostic part as ships passing in the night.",p:108,x:89,y:348,w:384,h:15},
{t:"We must be sympathetic with the devotee who, out of a heart-hunger ",p:108,x:119,y:379,w:453,h:15},
{t:"for God, has been led down a path that the Christian regards as false. ",p:108,x:89,y:403,w:485,h:15},
{t:"What if the Christian had had only the oppor tunities that most mystics ",p:108,x:89,y:426,w:485,h:15},
{t:"have in regard to understanding the truth and light of the gospel? Few folk ",p:108,x:89,y:449,w:482,h:15},
{t:"Muslims have received a relevant explanation of salvation in Christ.",p:108,x:89,y:473,w:454,h:15},
{t:"On the other hand, we as Christians do have an objective guide by ",p:108,x:119,y:503,w:455,h:15},
{t:"which we can and must judge error from truth. The Bible is a universal ",p:108,x:89,y:527,w:484,h:15},
{t:"expression of God’s will for man. When folk Islam is evaluated biblically ",p:108,x:89,y:550,w:483,h:15},
{t:"it is found seriously wanting. So, although we do so sympathetically, we ",p:108,x:89,y:573,w:483,h:15},
{t:"must speak the truth—with love.",p:108,x:89,y:597,w:218,h:15},
{t:"Idries Shah comments on the excesses of belief in pirs.",p:108,x:119,y:628,w:366,h:15},
{t:"The Sufi teacher is a conductor and an instructor—not a god. ",p:108,x:134,y:664,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Personality-worship is forbidden in Sufi sm. Hence Rumi: ",p:108,x:134,y:686,w:412,h:15},
{t:"“Look not at my exterior form, but take what is in my hand;” ",p:108,x:134,y:708,w:409,h:15},
{t:"and Gur gani: “My humility which you mention is not there ",p:108,x:134,y:729,w:410,h:15},
{t:"for you to be impressed by it. It is there for its own reason.” ",p:108,x:134,y:751,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Yet such is the attraction of personality to the ordinary man ",p:108,x:134,y:773,w:410,h:15},
{t:"that the successors of Sufi  teachers have tended to produce, ",p:108,x:134,y:794,w:410,h:15},
{t:"rather than a living application of the principles taught, ",p:108,x:134,y:816,w:413,h:15},
{t:"hagiographies and bizarre and defi cient systems. The theme ",p:108,x:134,y:838,w:410,h:15},
{t:"of the temporary nature of the “cocoon” is conveniently ",p:108,x:134,y:859,w:413,h:15},
{t:"forgotten.2",p:108,x:134,y:880,w:69,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   97",p:108,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:108,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"98",p:109,x:89,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:109,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"How do we evaluate all the myths that build up around a pir? These ",p:109,x:119,y:105,w:454,h:15},
{t:"relate to miracles, chronological age, and so many other areas. The pir ",p:109,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"is perceived as a superman. Perhaps ordinary man well understands his ",p:109,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"own weakness and therefore desires to relate to strength. He receives a ",p:109,x:89,y:175,w:484,h:15},
{t:"vicarious satisfaction from being part of a particular tarika that is led by ",p:109,x:89,y:199,w:484,h:15},
{t:"a strong, dynamic personality. It is wise for the Christian to realize this ",p:109,x:89,y:222,w:484,h:15},
{t:"same thing often occurs as people flock to a church that is pastored by a ",p:109,x:89,y:245,w:484,h:15},
{t:"colorful, charismatic leader. But personality worship is to be condemned ",p:109,x:89,y:269,w:483,h:15},
{t:"whether it is found in folk Islam or Christianity. God will share His glory ",p:109,x:89,y:292,w:483,h:15},
{t:"with no man.",p:109,x:89,y:315,w:87,h:15},
{t:"A distraught Muslim wrote this letter to the editor of a large ",p:109,x:119,y:346,w:458,h:15},
{t:"newspaper.",p:109,x:89,y:370,w:74,h:15},
{t:"Recently a pious Muslim lady died of a tumor without taking ",p:109,x:134,y:406,w:408,h:15},
{t:"any recourse to treatment because her pir said that if she ",p:109,x:134,y:428,w:412,h:15},
{t:"placed herself under medical or surgical treatment, it would ",p:109,x:134,y:450,w:410,h:15},
{t:"cause harm to her sons who were at that moment in foreign ",p:109,x:134,y:471,w:410,h:15},
{t:"lands for study and service. The poor lady put implicit faith in ",p:109,x:134,y:493,w:408,h:15},
{t:"the saying of the pir and embraced death without disclosing ",p:109,x:134,y:515,w:409,h:15},
{t:"her ailment to any body outside her immediate close family ",p:109,x:134,y:536,w:410,h:15},
{t:"unit. At the last moment she was removed to the hospital ",p:109,x:134,y:558,w:411,h:15},
{t:"and the cause of death was detected. She may not be alone ",p:109,x:134,y:580,w:410,h:15},
{t:"in falling victim to the unholy clutches of a so-called pir. ",p:109,x:134,y:601,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Many others may have followed her way. It is time that we ",p:109,x:134,y:623,w:410,h:15},
{t:"become alert and save innocent people from an untimely and ",p:109,x:134,y:645,w:409,h:15},
{t:"agonizing death.3",p:109,x:134,y:665,w:114,h:15},
{t:"Faith should have a rational basis. Blind faith can lead one down ",p:109,x:119,y:697,w:455,h:15},
{t:"a path of destruction, as was the case with this particular Muslim lady. ",p:109,x:89,y:720,w:485,h:15},
{t:"There should be a distinction made between a respected religious teacher ",p:109,x:89,y:744,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and the commonly-found pir. The former points away from himself to ",p:109,x:89,y:767,w:485,h:15},
{t:"God. He seeks no personal exaltation. It is legitimate for him to suggest ",p:109,x:89,y:790,w:484,h:15},
{t:"prayer to obtain physical, spiritual, and emotional healing, but the teacher ",p:109,x:89,y:814,w:483,h:15},
{t:"would not give counsel that opposes medical science. He sees God as ",p:109,x:89,y:837,w:485,h:15},
{t:"responding to a prayer of faith as well as working through the hands of a ",p:109,x:89,y:860,w:483,h:15},
{t:"skilled surgeon. Unfortunately, the pir often basks in the glory of all the ",p:109,x:89,y:884,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   98",p:109,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:109,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"99",p:110,x:554,y:946,w:15,h:8},
{t:"A CRITI QUE OF FOLK ISL AM",p:110,x:354,y:66,w:215,h:8},
{t:"praise heaped upon him by his initiated disciples. He slowly begins to ",p:110,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"see himself as a person of great power and wisdom. The unskilled use of ",p:110,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"such authority over man leads to the excesses we find in mystical Islam. ",p:110,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"The pir is vulnerable particularly in cases that involve physical healing. ",p:110,x:89,y:175,w:484,h:15},
{t:"His advice to the sick may be to drink holy water or to just wear amulets ",p:110,x:89,y:199,w:483,h:15},
{t:"that contain Quranic verses. If such counsel fails to bring healing, the pir ",p:110,x:89,y:222,w:484,h:15},
{t:"will simply shrug and say that whatever happened was the will of God.",p:110,x:89,y:245,w:473,h:15},
{t:"Such an unquestioning faith is capsulated in these words:",p:110,x:119,y:276,w:381,h:15},
{t:"Fortunate and happy are those that get attached to the pirs of ",p:110,x:134,y:313,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the world and happiest is the seeker that can say inwardly to ",p:110,x:134,y:335,w:409,h:15},
{t:"his pir, “As thou wishest, so let it be. Only let me remember ",p:110,x:134,y:356,w:409,h:15},
{t:"all the while that thou wishest so;” and later on, “But if for ",p:110,x:134,y:378,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the fulfillment of thy purposes, thou wishest to induce in me ",p:110,x:134,y:400,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the beginning of thyself, let it be so too.”4",p:110,x:134,y:420,w:277,h:15},
{t:"It is dangerous for a disciple to say to his pir, “As thou wishest, so ",p:110,x:119,y:452,w:454,h:15},
{t:"let it be.” I am reminded of the shock experienced when the news fl ashes ",p:110,x:89,y:475,w:484,h:15},
{t:"about Jonestown came over television. The cameras slowly panned the ",p:110,x:89,y:499,w:485,h:15},
{t:"rows upon rows of corpses. A mother clutch ing a baby, a child huddled up ",p:110,x:89,y:522,w:483,h:15},
{t:"to a father—all the victims of faith in an unworthy leader who declared ",p:110,x:89,y:545,w:484,h:15},
{t:"he was God’s special agent of revelation. Jim Jones had attracted ",p:110,x:89,y:569,w:489,h:15},
{t:"primarily the poor and unschooled. Often pirs attract a similar group of ",p:110,x:89,y:592,w:484,h:15},
{t:"people. Super stition breeds most quickly among the ignorant. Yet, there ",p:110,x:89,y:615,w:484,h:15},
{t:"are signifi cant exceptions where the rich and highly educated be come ",p:110,x:89,y:639,w:486,h:15},
{t:"disciples. They also can be victims of superstition, but in many instances ",p:110,x:89,y:662,w:483,h:15},
{t:"they are simply expressing a hunger for a greater spiritual reality. We ",p:110,x:89,y:685,w:486,h:15},
{t:"must constantly remember that the pirs portray themselves as specially ",p:110,x:89,y:709,w:485,h:15},
{t:"empowered men of God and therefore worthy of complete trust.",p:110,x:89,y:732,w:426,h:15},
{t:"A critical word needs to be said concerning the financial ",p:110,x:119,y:763,w:394,h:15},
{t:"deal ing ",p:110,x:520,y:763,w:49,h:15},
{t:"of many pirs. Consider one instance: “A young pir, who had passed his ",p:110,x:89,y:786,w:484,h:15},
{t:"B.A. set out on a six weeks’ tour to visit his murids. He returned with ",p:110,x:89,y:810,w:485,h:15},
{t:"twenty sheep and goats, six cows, and rupees six hundred in cash.”5",p:110,x:89,y:832,w:451,h:15},
{t:"One of the recurring criticisms of mystical leaders relates to ",p:110,x:119,y:864,w:459,h:15},
{t:"fi nances. Seldom is there a system of accountability for the col lections ",p:110,x:89,y:887,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   99",p:110,x:16,y:1052,w:112,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:110,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"100",p:111,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:111,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"that are made in the name of a pir, departed or alive. I have seen huge ",p:111,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"amounts of money being dropped in a hole in the top of a large steel ",p:111,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"container during the urs of one famous departed pir. These disciples ",p:111,x:89,y:152,w:486,h:15},
{t:"are convinced they will receive an earthly and a heavenly reward as a ",p:111,x:89,y:175,w:485,h:15},
{t:"result of their sacrifi cial gift. The local keepers of the money delight to ",p:111,x:89,y:199,w:484,h:15},
{t:"use the offerings to purchase marijuana and other mind-altering drugs. ",p:111,x:89,y:222,w:485,h:15},
{t:"This repre sents quite a contrast between belief and action of giver and ",p:111,x:89,y:245,w:485,h:15},
{t:"recipient!",p:111,x:89,y:269,w:63,h:15},
{t:"The donations made at a mazar or during an urs are col lected by ",p:111,x:119,y:300,w:455,h:15},
{t:"the caretakers of the site. It would be unrealistic to think that such large ",p:111,x:89,y:323,w:484,h:15},
{t:"sums are needed to keep the shrine in good repair. Rather, it is obvious ",p:111,x:89,y:346,w:484,h:15},
{t:"that certain people are exploit ing the followers and misappropriating this ",p:111,x:89,y:370,w:483,h:15},
{t:"money in the name of religion.",p:111,x:89,y:393,w:205,h:15},
{t:"Pirs usually do not charge for their services, but devotees are ",p:111,x:119,y:424,w:458,h:15},
{t:"expected to give substantially to the pir as a thank offering for his ",p:111,x:89,y:447,w:487,h:15},
{t:"concern and prayers. Many pirs have small schools which they operate ",p:111,x:89,y:470,w:484,h:15},
{t:"as part of their ministry. Some feed the poor, par ticularly on the occasion ",p:111,x:89,y:494,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of their annual meeting. However, there are extremely wealthy and ",p:111,x:89,y:517,w:487,h:15},
{t:"infl uential pirs who seem to be very greedy. These are the men who ",p:111,x:89,y:540,w:486,h:15},
{t:"are charged with hypocriti cally using religion as a convenient way to ",p:111,x:89,y:564,w:486,h:15},
{t:"conduct business. The nonbeliever may objectively evaluate these pirs ",p:111,x:89,y:587,w:484,h:15},
{t:"as frauds and deceivers—but devotees continue to fill the coffers.",p:111,x:89,y:610,w:435,h:15},
{t:"While visiting one Muslim country, I was able to interview a ",p:111,x:119,y:641,w:458,h:15},
{t:"brilliant retired professor who has intensively researched Sufism and has ",p:111,x:89,y:665,w:483,h:15},
{t:"produced an excellent book on the history, doctrine, and practices of ",p:111,x:89,y:688,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Sufi sm. It is not prudent to reveal his identity, but I copied some of his ",p:111,x:89,y:711,w:484,h:15},
{t:"comments into my notebook while we chatted.",p:111,x:89,y:735,w:311,h:15},
{t:"Almost all Muslims in this country are worshipers of pirs. ",p:111,x:134,y:771,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Only very few Muslims are orthodox. . . . Imams who are ",p:111,x:134,y:793,w:411,h:15},
{t:"connected to mazars only support the pir’s memory for ",p:111,x:134,y:815,w:413,h:15},
{t:"fi nancial reasons. . . . There is no relationship between ",p:111,x:134,y:836,w:413,h:15},
{t:"orthodox Muslims and pirs and Sufi s. I would like to go to ",p:111,x:134,y:858,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the mazars and kick them, but I won’t because I’m afraid I ",p:111,x:134,y:880,w:410,h:15},
{t:"would lose my neck. . . . DAMN THE PIRS!",p:111,x:134,y:901,w:298,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   100",p:111,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:11 AM",p:111,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"101",p:112,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"A CRITI QUE OF FOLK ISL AM",p:112,x:354,y:66,w:215,h:8},
{t:"In the same country, the president, prime minister, and chief of the ",p:112,x:119,y:105,w:454,h:15},
{t:"armed forces visited a certain immensely popular pir to seek his blessing. ",p:112,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"This pir has several hundred thousand people attending his annual ",p:112,x:89,y:152,w:488,h:15},
{t:"gathering. Needless to say, it is expedient for politicians to pay respect ",p:112,x:89,y:175,w:485,h:15},
{t:"to such a leader—whether or not they are sympathetic to his religious ",p:112,x:89,y:199,w:485,h:15},
{t:"views.",p:112,x:89,y:222,w:43,h:15},
{t:"A good, succinct critique of Sufi  excesses has been penned by the ",p:112,x:119,y:253,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Islamics expert, Kenneth Cragg.",p:112,x:89,y:276,w:215,h:15},
{t:"“Come where I am; I can show you the way” is the mystic’s ",p:112,x:134,y:313,w:409,h:15},
{t:"call to man, not: “Believe what I teach, I can tell you the ",p:112,x:134,y:335,w:411,h:15},
{t:"orthodox truth.” As such the Sufi represents at once a protest, ",p:112,x:134,y:356,w:408,h:15},
{t:"an aspiration, and a goal. His very lack of rational concern ",p:112,x:134,y:378,w:410,h:15},
{t:"and some of the forms of his technique are liable to lead him ",p:112,x:134,y:400,w:409,h:15},
{t:"into aberration and bring his purpose into disrepute. Some ",p:112,x:134,y:421,w:411,h:15},
{t:"Sufi  doctrines of passivity and the Sufi  veneration of saints ",p:112,x:134,y:443,w:410,h:15},
{t:"have occasioned no little apathy and crude superstition. ",p:112,x:134,y:465,w:414,h:15},
{t:"Sufism has suffered from its own excesses and is reproached ",p:112,x:134,y:486,w:409,h:15},
{t:"by many modern reformers.6",p:112,x:134,y:507,w:190,h:15},
{t:"The Teaching about Absorption",p:112,x:152,y:568,w:353,h:12},
{t:"William Wells, former professor at Wheaton Graduate School, has ",p:112,x:119,y:600,w:455,h:15},
{t:"written concerning the Sufi doctrine of absorption:",p:112,x:89,y:623,w:336,h:15},
{t:"Mysticism is often divided into mysticism of communion and ",p:112,x:134,y:660,w:408,h:15},
{t:"mysticism of absorption. The first is entirely compatible with ",p:112,x:134,y:681,w:408,h:15},
{t:"the Christian (and Western) distinction between the Creator ",p:112,x:134,y:703,w:410,h:15},
{t:"and the created. It doesn’t move me much personally, but I ",p:112,x:134,y:725,w:410,h:15},
{t:"have no theo logical objections. The second undermines that ",p:112,x:134,y:746,w:410,h:15},
{t:"most fundamen tal distinction. Nevertheless, it has been found ",p:112,x:134,y:768,w:408,h:15},
{t:"in the West within all three major Western religious traditions. ",p:112,x:134,y:790,w:408,h:15},
{t:"However, mysticism of absorption is more characteristic of ",p:112,x:134,y:811,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the Eastern religious tra dition. Sufism, in my understanding, ",p:112,x:134,y:833,w:409,h:15},
{t:"is of the second type. It would be, therefore, fundamentally ",p:112,x:134,y:855,w:410,h:15},
{t:"incompatible with Muslim thought. Why don’t Sufis recognize ",p:112,x:134,y:876,w:407,h:15},
{t:"that incompatibility?7",p:112,x:134,y:897,w:143,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   101",p:112,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:112,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"102",p:113,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:113,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Wells has accurately assessed a fundamental distinction be tween folk ",p:113,x:119,y:105,w:452,h:15},
{t:"Islam and orthodox Islam. That is why mystics of past ages have been ",p:113,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"maligned by the fundamentalists within Islam. But there is a distinction to ",p:113,x:89,y:152,w:483,h:15},
{t:"be drawn between excesses of teaching, which cross an unseen boundary ",p:113,x:89,y:175,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and tumble into heresy, and a more benign presentation of the same or ",p:113,x:89,y:199,w:485,h:15},
{t:"a similar belief. For instance, few Christians would say a believer ever ",p:113,x:89,y:222,w:485,h:15},
{t:"spiritually merges into God, but they have no diffi culty affi rming that ",p:113,x:89,y:245,w:484,h:15},
{t:"God comes into a believer and takes up a pervasive and permanent ",p:113,x:89,y:269,w:487,h:15},
{t:"residence within the heart. The former belief system seems radical while ",p:113,x:89,y:292,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the latter has been accepted by millions of Christians down through the ",p:113,x:89,y:315,w:484,h:15},
{t:"ages. In both instances, the central teaching is the establishment of a ",p:113,x:89,y:339,w:486,h:15},
{t:"meaningful relationship be tween God and man.",p:113,x:89,y:362,w:316,h:15},
{t:"A Muslim friend of mine has sent his two sons to a pir in order that ",p:113,x:119,y:393,w:454,h:15},
{t:"this man who is reputed to possess great spiritual power may breathe ",p:113,x:89,y:416,w:486,h:15},
{t:"upon them. This exercise is supposed to assist the boys to study for ",p:113,x:89,y:440,w:486,h:15},
{t:"upcoming exams. The belief is that, in a mysti cal manner, God is in that ",p:113,x:89,y:463,w:484,h:15},
{t:"puff of air that is coming from the body of the pir. So, here we have a ",p:113,x:89,y:486,w:485,h:15},
{t:"commonly accepted practice meant to ensure that one is fi lled with the ",p:113,x:89,y:510,w:485,h:15},
{t:"presence and power of God.",p:113,x:89,y:533,w:187,h:15},
{t:"Folk Muslims enjoy the ambivalence and vagaries of Islam. It ",p:113,x:119,y:564,w:458,h:15},
{t:"allows them to be at times mildly heretical and at other times grossly ",p:113,x:89,y:587,w:485,h:15},
{t:"inconsistent. Some mystics believe in assimilation, others in being fi lled ",p:113,x:89,y:610,w:484,h:15},
{t:"with God, and still others claim a more external spiritual infl uence. ",p:113,x:89,y:634,w:484,h:15},
{t:"This apparent lack of unifi ed teaching is of no real consequence to the ",p:113,x:89,y:657,w:485,h:15},
{t:"mystic.",p:113,x:89,y:680,w:48,h:15},
{t:"A Muslim has interestingly written of what he perceives to be the ",p:113,x:119,y:711,w:455,h:15},
{t:"meaning of Christian baptism as compared with the teach ing of Sufis on ",p:113,x:89,y:735,w:484,h:15},
{t:"absorption into God.",p:113,x:89,y:758,w:137,h:15},
{t:"The water symbolizes the ocean in which there are so many ",p:113,x:134,y:795,w:409,h:15},
{t:"waves and yet it is one ocean. Baptism means immersion in ",p:113,x:134,y:816,w:409,h:15},
{t:"this spiritual ocean, which is the Spirit of God, and becoming ",p:113,x:134,y:838,w:408,h:15},
{t:"as nothing, in the love of God, in the knowledge of God, and ",p:113,x:134,y:860,w:409,h:15},
{t:"in the realization of God. From that time one understands ",p:113,x:134,y:881,w:411,h:15},
{t:"the meaning of the saying, “I exist no more as myself, as ",p:113,x:134,y:903,w:411,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   102",p:113,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:113,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"103",p:114,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"A CRITI QUE OF FOLK ISL AM",p:114,x:354,y:66,w:215,h:8},
{t:"a separate entity; and yet I exist, and this existence is the ",p:114,x:134,y:105,w:411,h:15},
{t:"existence of God.”",p:114,x:134,y:127,w:124,h:15},
{t:"This is the main teaching of Sufism: to sink into the conscious-",p:114,x:134,y:164,w:405,h:15},
{t:"ness of God, that no trace of one’s limited being may be ",p:114,x:134,y:185,w:412,h:15},
{t:"found, at least in one’s consciousness. That is really the ideal, ",p:114,x:134,y:207,w:408,h:15},
{t:"the path, and the goal of all.8",p:114,x:134,y:228,w:190,h:15},
{t:"It is most instructive to observe how this Muslim writer has used ",p:114,x:119,y:260,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Galatians 2:20 (“I have been crucifi ed with Christ; and it is no longer ",p:114,x:89,y:283,w:485,h:15},
{t:"I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the ",p:114,x:89,y:306,w:485,h:15},
{t:"flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered ",p:114,x:89,y:330,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Himself up for me”) as a proof text for Sufi sm. He simply extends the ",p:114,x:89,y:353,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Christian belief of being fi lled and con trolled by God into a further and ",p:114,x:89,y:376,w:484,h:15},
{t:"final stage—that of absorption into the Divine Being.",p:114,x:89,y:400,w:354,h:15},
{t:"Whether or not the Sufi  can distinguish between absorption ",p:114,x:119,y:430,w:461,h:15},
{t:"and being fi lled with God is an important point to the Christian. This ",p:114,x:89,y:454,w:486,h:15},
{t:"teaching about absorption, taken to its logical conclusion, ends with man ",p:114,x:89,y:477,w:483,h:15},
{t:"as God. The merger becomes complete. Man is no longer recognizable ",p:114,x:89,y:500,w:485,h:15},
{t:"as a separate entity, but rather has be come an incarnation of God. This ",p:114,x:89,y:524,w:485,h:15},
{t:"belief completely undercuts the truth that man is a sinner who stands ",p:114,x:89,y:547,w:486,h:15},
{t:"in desperate need of the reconciling and redeeming work of the Savior, ",p:114,x:89,y:570,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Jesus Christ. Therefore, folk Muslims must be brought to a point where ",p:114,x:89,y:594,w:484,h:15},
{t:"they can see that their legitimate spiritual needs can be met only in Christ, ",p:114,x:89,y:617,w:483,h:15},
{t:"rather than in a psychological exercise based on false teaching.",p:114,x:89,y:640,w:419,h:15},
{t:"Notes",p:114,x:296,y:701,w:64,h:12},
{t:"1. ",p:114,x:89,y:733,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Hazrat Inayat Khan, The Sufi  Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan (London: ",p:114,x:119,y:733,w:432,h:13},
{t:"Barrie and Rockliff, 1963), vol. 9, 256.",p:114,x:119,y:757,w:234,h:13},
{t:"2. ",p:114,x:89,y:780,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Idries Shah, The Way of the Sufi",p:114,x:119,y:780,w:190,h:13},
{t:"  (New York: Dutton, 1970), 31.",p:114,x:306,y:780,w:191,h:13},
{t:"3. ",p:114,x:89,y:803,w:15,h:13},
{t:"H. Rahman, “Anomalies,” in Reader’s Forum of The [Dacca] New Nation ",p:114,x:119,y:803,w:446,h:13},
{t:"(March 15, 1981), 5.",p:114,x:119,y:827,w:124,h:13},
{t:"4. ",p:114,x:89,y:850,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Hira Lal Chapra, “Sufism,” in The Cultural Heritage of India, ed. Haridas ",p:114,x:119,y:850,w:447,h:13},
{t:"Bhattacharyya, vol. 4, The Religions (Calcutta: Ramakrishna Mission ",p:114,x:119,y:873,w:420,h:13},
{t:"Institute of Culture, 1956), 609.",p:114,x:119,y:897,w:190,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   103",p:114,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:114,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"104",p:115,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:115,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"5. ",p:115,x:89,y:105,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Violet Rhoda Jones and L. Bevan Jones, Woman in Islam (Lucknow: ",p:115,x:119,y:105,w:415,h:13},
{t:"Lucknow Publishing House, 1941), 363.",p:115,x:119,y:129,w:242,h:13},
{t:"6. ",p:115,x:89,y:152,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Kenneth Cragg, The Call of the Minaret (New York: Oxford University, ",p:115,x:119,y:152,w:434,h:13},
{t:"1956), 135.",p:115,x:119,y:175,w:68,h:13},
{t:"7. ",p:115,x:89,y:199,w:15,h:13},
{t:"William Wells, personal letter to the author (May 20, 1981), 1.",p:115,x:119,y:199,w:374,h:13},
{t:"8. Khan, ",p:115,x:89,y:222,w:84,h:13},
{t:"The Sufi  Message, vol. 9, 188.",p:115,x:159,y:222,w:180,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   104",p:115,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:115,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"105",p:116,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"5",p:116,x:316,y:113,w:25,h:30},
{t:"Bridges to Mystical Islam",p:116,x:132,y:255,w:393,h:17},
{t:"Bridges are a necessary part of life. Even in ancient times, primitive ",p:116,x:119,y:378,w:453,h:15},
{t:"man built bridges to assist him in movement. The special thing about ",p:116,x:89,y:401,w:486,h:15},
{t:"bridges is that they are instruments of bringing together that which is ",p:116,x:89,y:425,w:486,h:15},
{t:"separated. A few years ago, I journeyed from Asia to Europe. Actually, it ",p:116,x:89,y:448,w:483,h:15},
{t:"wasn’t difficult. It required only a ride across the bridge in Istanbul that ",p:116,x:89,y:471,w:484,h:15},
{t:"spans the Straits. How important this bridge is for the purpose of linking ",p:116,x:89,y:495,w:483,h:15},
{t:"two continents together.",p:116,x:89,y:518,w:159,h:15},
{t:"Bridges are also valuable in a religious sense. They can func tion ",p:116,x:119,y:549,w:456,h:15},
{t:"as connectors between people of entirely diverse viewpoints and world ",p:116,x:89,y:572,w:485,h:15},
{t:"views. Islam and Christianity can be likened to two continents opposite ",p:116,x:89,y:595,w:484,h:15},
{t:"each other. Antagonism, suspicion, and even hatred swirl in the raging ",p:116,x:89,y:619,w:485,h:15},
{t:"waters that separate the two. A few brave people have set out in small ",p:116,x:89,y:642,w:485,h:15},
{t:"boats in an attempt to cross over to the other bank with a message of ",p:116,x:89,y:665,w:485,h:15},
{t:"peace, understanding, and sensitivity. A few of these boats have crossed ",p:116,x:89,y:689,w:484,h:15},
{t:"safely; others have been swept away in the tumultuous current.",p:116,x:89,y:712,w:419,h:15},
{t:"What is needed is a new structure to bridge the gap. Islam has ",p:116,x:119,y:743,w:457,h:15},
{t:"listened, observed, and evaluated. Christianity has been found wanting. ",p:116,x:89,y:766,w:484,h:15},
{t:"There is much validity in the Muslim judgment. This chapter will seek ",p:116,x:89,y:790,w:485,h:15},
{t:"to explore reasons for the distance that remains between Muslims and ",p:116,x:89,y:813,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Christians, as well as postulate suggestions for closing the gap.",p:116,x:89,y:836,w:419,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   105",p:116,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:116,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"106",p:117,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:117,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"The Muslim Perception of Christianity",p:117,x:113,y:107,w:426,h:12},
{t:"Do we really want to understand how others perceive us? It can be a ",p:117,x:119,y:138,w:453,h:15},
{t:"painful process. The difference between how we see ourselves and how ",p:117,x:89,y:162,w:484,h:15},
{t:"others see us can be immense. Remember ing that folk Muslims are very ",p:117,x:89,y:185,w:484,h:15},
{t:"much within the worldwide community of Muslims, let us examine some ",p:117,x:89,y:208,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of the root causes of antagonism by looking at pivotal points in history.",p:117,x:89,y:232,w:474,h:15},
{t:"622—Islam experienced a bloody birth as Muhammad fl ed Mecca ",p:117,x:119,y:263,w:454,h:15},
{t:"and found refuge in Medina. His subsequent battles and victories ",p:117,x:89,y:286,w:489,h:15},
{t:"established Islam as a dominant religious and political force in Saudi ",p:117,x:89,y:309,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Arabia.",p:117,x:89,y:333,w:49,h:15},
{t:"632–750—The death of the Prophet in 632 served to inspire his ",p:117,x:119,y:363,w:456,h:15},
{t:"followers to move from the Arabian desert and to make overwhelming ",p:117,x:89,y:387,w:485,h:15},
{t:"conquests in the Middle East and North Africa. The Christian church ",p:117,x:89,y:410,w:486,h:15},
{t:"in this area fl ickered out, with the excep ",p:117,x:89,y:433,w:290,h:15},
{t:"tion of the Coptic church in ",p:117,x:373,y:433,w:202,h:15},
{t:"Egypt.",p:117,x:89,y:457,w:43,h:15},
{t:"750–1100—Islam sparkled into a cultural and intellectual force. ",p:117,x:119,y:488,w:457,h:15},
{t:"Muslims, during this so-called Golden Age, excelled in science and in ",p:117,x:89,y:511,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the arts. I have visited museums and mosques in Istanbul and Damascus. ",p:117,x:89,y:534,w:483,h:15},
{t:"The artifacts from this historical period are exceed ingly beautiful.",p:117,x:89,y:558,w:438,h:15},
{t:"1100–1450—European soldiers on horseback slowly skirted the ",p:117,x:119,y:588,w:458,h:15},
{t:"northern shores of the Mediterranean into Lebanon, finally reaching the ",p:117,x:89,y:612,w:484,h:15},
{t:"“holy land.” Several years ago, I toured this area and was able to go ",p:117,x:89,y:635,w:486,h:15},
{t:"inside several of the Crusader fortresses which even today are in excellent ",p:117,x:89,y:658,w:483,h:15},
{t:"condition. Between Beirut, Sidon, and Tyre, a number of forts stand on ",p:117,x:89,y:682,w:484,h:15},
{t:"small man-made islands just off the mainland. I relived the experiences ",p:117,x:89,y:705,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of these “pious” soldiers who had painted the sign of the cross on their ",p:117,x:89,y:728,w:484,h:15},
{t:"breastplates and saddles. On Sundays, for a brief period, they would ",p:117,x:89,y:752,w:486,h:15},
{t:"lay aside their task of slaughtering Muslims and partici pate in a time of ",p:117,x:89,y:775,w:484,h:15},
{t:"fervent worship and petition, asking the Lord Jesus to assist them in their ",p:117,x:89,y:798,w:483,h:15},
{t:"conquests. Fierce battles raged between the followers of Christ and the ",p:117,x:89,y:822,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Sons of Ishmael. Control of Palestine and particularly Jerusalem shifted ",p:117,x:89,y:845,w:484,h:15},
{t:"between these two opposing forces a number of times during these years. ",p:117,x:89,y:868,w:483,h:15},
{t:"At the end of the eight Crusades, antagonism between adherents of the ",p:117,x:89,y:892,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   106",p:117,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:117,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"107",p:118,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:118,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"two religions had cemented. The memory of this dark stain on church ",p:118,x:89,y:105,w:485,h:15},
{t:"history remains fresh and vivid for millions of Muslims.",p:118,x:89,y:129,w:374,h:15},
{t:"1700–1960—Colonialism, to the Muslim, meant that more than ninety ",p:118,x:119,y:160,w:462,h:15},
{t:"percent of his co-religionists were, at some time during this period, subject",p:118,x:89,y:183,w:492,h:15},
{t:"to “Christian” foreign rule. How de ",p:118,x:89,y:206,w:250,h:15},
{t:"meaning for an orthodox Muslim to ",p:118,x:328,y:206,w:252,h:15},
{t:"be forced to submit to the authority of a white-faced foreigner who at",p:118,x:89,y:230,w:491,h:15},
{t:"least nominally adhered to a religion regarded as antithetical to Islam. ",p:118,x:89,y:253,w:466,h:15},
{t:"The ",p:118,x:543,y:253,w:29,h:15},
{t:"memory of this age of subjugation burns deep in Muslims today",p:118,x:89,y:276,w:426,h:15},
{t:".",p:118,x:505,y:276,w:4,h:15},
{t:"1945–1970—The Second World War served as a springboard for the ",p:118,x:119,y:307,w:453,h:15},
{t:"independence movement among Muslim countries. The modus operandi ",p:118,x:89,y:330,w:483,h:15},
{t:"varied from rational negotiations to violent confrontations. But did the ",p:118,x:89,y:354,w:485,h:15},
{t:"nations of Islam really become free of foreign influence? In some cases, ",p:118,x:89,y:377,w:484,h:15},
{t:"these countries were forced to continue to look westward for economic ",p:118,x:89,y:400,w:484,h:15},
{t:"assistance—with all the attendant political obligations.",p:118,x:89,y:424,w:364,h:15},
{t:"1970 to the present—Discovery! Muslim countries convulsed the ",p:118,x:119,y:455,w:456,h:15},
{t:"world overnight by driving oil prices to phenomenal heights. Suddenly ",p:118,x:89,y:478,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Muslims obtained a new sense of identity. They had now arrived in ",p:118,x:89,y:501,w:487,h:15},
{t:"the community of nations. No longer would they be obsequious. Their ",p:118,x:89,y:525,w:485,h:15},
{t:"posture would be one of strength.",p:118,x:89,y:548,w:223,h:15},
{t:"As one carefully reviews Muslim-Christian relations from a historical ",p:118,x:119,y:579,w:452,h:15},
{t:"perspective, it becomes clear why the few extreme leaders in the Muslim ",p:118,x:89,y:602,w:483,h:15},
{t:"world can obtain a dedicated following. It is important to note that not all ",p:118,x:89,y:625,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Muslims approve of religious fanaticism. Many of my friends are deeply ",p:118,x:89,y:649,w:483,h:15},
{t:"embarrassed over events in Libya and Iran. Yet that doesn’t mean that the ",p:118,x:89,y:672,w:483,h:15},
{t:"more rational Muslims are drawn toward Christianity. It only means that ",p:118,x:89,y:695,w:483,h:15},
{t:"they disagree with Christians and Christianity in a more sane manner.",p:118,x:89,y:719,w:463,h:15},
{t:"Now let us examine perception on a more limited basis. How does ",p:118,x:119,y:750,w:454,h:15},
{t:"it relate to individuals? A pertinent illustration is that of the missionaries ",p:118,x:89,y:773,w:484,h:15},
{t:"who lived in the old-style compounds in India.",p:118,x:89,y:796,w:311,h:15},
{t:"In India the missionaries were called dore. The word is used ",p:118,x:134,y:833,w:409,h:15},
{t:"for rich farmers and small-time kings. These petty rulers ",p:118,x:134,y:855,w:412,h:15},
{t:"bought large pieces of land, put up compound walls, built ",p:118,x:134,y:876,w:411,h:15},
{t:"bungalows, and had servants. They also erected separate ",p:118,x:134,y:898,w:413,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   107",p:118,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:118,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"108",p:119,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:119,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"bungalows for their second and third wives. When the ",p:119,x:134,y:105,w:414,h:15},
{t:"missionaries came they bought large pieces of land, put up ",p:119,x:134,y:127,w:410,h:15},
{t:"compound walls, built bungalows, and had servants. They, ",p:119,x:134,y:149,w:411,h:15},
{t:"too, erected separate bungalows, but for the missionary ladies ",p:119,x:134,y:170,w:408,h:15},
{t:"stationed on the same compound.",p:119,x:134,y:192,w:222,h:15},
{t:"Missionary wives were called dorasani. The term is used not ",p:119,x:134,y:229,w:409,h:15},
{t:"for the wife of a dore, for she should be kept in isolation away ",p:119,x:134,y:250,w:408,h:15},
{t:"from the public eye, but his mistress whom he often took with ",p:119,x:134,y:272,w:408,h:15},
{t:"him in his cart or car.",p:119,x:134,y:294,w:141,h:15},
{t:"The problem here is one of cross-cultural misunderstanding. ",p:119,x:134,y:330,w:409,h:15},
{t:"The missionary thought of himself as a “missionary,” not ",p:119,x:134,y:352,w:412,h:15},
{t:"realizing that there is no such thing in the traditional Indian ",p:119,x:134,y:374,w:410,h:15},
{t:"society. In order to relate to him the people had to fi nd ",p:119,x:134,y:395,w:409,h:15},
{t:"him a role within their own set of roles, and they did so. ",p:119,x:134,y:417,w:411,h:15},
{t:"Unfortunately the mission aries were not aware of how the ",p:119,x:134,y:439,w:411,h:15},
{t:"people perceived them.1",p:119,x:134,y:460,w:159,h:15},
{t:"My research on this subject has led me to a startling conclu ",p:119,x:119,y:491,w:403,h:15},
{t:"sion. The ",p:119,x:508,y:491,w:65,h:15},
{t:"missionary is often perceived by the Muslim commu ",p:119,x:89,y:515,w:357,h:15},
{t:"nity as nothing more ",p:119,x:434,y:515,w:139,h:15},
{t:"than an effi cient secular administrator . He has great resources available ",p:119,x:89,y:538,w:486,h:15},
{t:"and is able to ef fectively initiate and complete programs. ",p:119,x:89,y:561,w:375,h:15},
{t:"This was brought ",p:119,x:457,y:561,w:115,h:15},
{t:"home to me in a powerful, painful manner a few years ago. ",p:119,x:89,y:585,w:410,h:15},
{t:"At that time ",p:119,x:489,y:585,w:85,h:15},
{t:"I was renting of fi ce space from a very high-placed Muslim govern ",p:119,x:89,y:608,w:460,h:15},
{t:"ment ",p:119,x:536,y:608,w:38,h:15},
{t:"offi cial. We had many talks together on a great variety of subjects. One",p:119,x:89,y:631,w:489,h:15},
{t:"day he piercingly looked at me and said, “Mr",p:119,x:89,y:655,w:306,h:15},
{t:". Parshall, are you a man of ",p:119,x:387,y:655,w:186,h:15},
{t:"God like my friend Mr. Lakin?” That question caught me off guard. Mr. ",p:119,x:89,y:678,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Lakin, a missionary colleague, looks, acts, and talks like one of God’s ",p:119,x:89,y:701,w:486,h:15},
{t:"special saints. Regaining my composure, I sought to assure the of",p:119,x:89,y:725,w:440,h:15},
{t:"ficial of ",p:119,x:518,y:725,w:55,h:15},
{t:"my theological orthodoxy",p:119,x:89,y:748,w:174,h:15},
{t:". After a few moments of re fl ection, he quietly ",p:119,x:259,y:748,w:318,h:15},
{t:"said, “But Mr. Parshall, you are more like an American diplomat.” What ",p:119,x:89,y:771,w:485,h:15},
{t:"a contrast in perception! I was being perceived merely as being in ",p:119,x:89,y:795,w:444,h:15},
{t:"formed, ",p:119,x:518,y:795,w:56,h:15},
{t:"articulate, and dynamic, whereas my desire was to be perceived as godly ",p:119,x:89,y:818,w:496,h:15},
{t:"and humble. That encounter led me to study how Muslim priests and ",p:119,x:89,y:841,w:495,h:15},
{t:"Christian missionaries are frequently per ",p:119,x:89,y:865,w:286,h:15},
{t:"ceived in society (see table 1). ",p:119,x:362,y:865,w:218,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   108",p:119,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:119,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"109",p:120,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:120,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"Table l",p:120,x:306,y:135,w:45,h:15},
{t:"Popular Perceptions of Muslim Priests ",p:120,x:123,y:187,w:416,h:12},
{t:"and Christian Missionaries",p:120,x:181,y:209,w:295,h:12},
{t:"Muslim Priest",p:120,x:201,y:259,w:90,h:13},
{t:"Christian Missionary",p:120,x:388,y:259,w:136,h:13},
{t:"Image",p:120,x:110,y:288,w:37,h:13},
{t:"Passive disposition",p:120,x:175,y:288,w:114,h:13},
{t:"Energetic—a doer",p:120,x:361,y:288,w:109,h:13},
{t:"Subjective outlook",p:120,x:175,y:317,w:112,h:13},
{t:"Objective orientation to life",p:120,x:361,y:317,w:166,h:13},
{t:"People-oriented",p:120,x:175,y:350,w:94,h:13},
{t:"Task-oriented",p:120,x:361,y:350,w:82,h:13},
{t:"Financially poor (with the ",p:120,x:175,y:377,w:159,h:13},
{t:"exception of certain pirs)",p:120,x:175,y:393,w:151,h:13},
{t:"Regarded as wealthy—possesses ",p:120,x:361,y:377,w:201,h:13},
{t:"a car, camera, tape recorder",p:120,x:361,y:393,w:165,h:13},
{t:"Does not attend theater, ",p:120,x:175,y:424,w:145,h:13},
{t:"watch television, or go to ",p:120,x:175,y:440,w:155,h:13},
{t:"movies",p:120,x:175,y:457,w:43,h:13},
{t:"Does all of these",p:120,x:361,y:424,w:100,h:13},
{t:"Does not eat in expensive ",p:120,x:175,y:484,w:157,h:13},
{t:"restaurants",p:120,x:175,y:501,w:64,h:13},
{t:"Eats in expensive restaurants (at ",p:120,x:361,y:484,w:197,h:13},
{t:"least occasionally)",p:120,x:361,y:501,w:111,h:13},
{t:"Does not eat pork",p:120,x:175,y:529,w:106,h:13},
{t:"Eats pork",p:120,x:361,y:529,w:57,h:13},
{t:"Clothing identifies him as a ",p:120,x:175,y:554,w:168,h:13},
{t:"religious person",p:120,x:175,y:570,w:96,h:13},
{t:"Clothing identifies him as a ",p:120,x:361,y:554,w:168,h:13},
{t:"secular person",p:120,x:361,y:570,w:86,h:13},
{t:"Wears a beard",p:120,x:175,y:594,w:84,h:13},
{t:"Infrequently has a beard",p:120,x:361,y:594,w:145,h:13},
{t:"Wife wears a veil or modest, ",p:120,x:175,y:622,w:175,h:13},
{t:"culturally-approved clothing",p:120,x:175,y:638,w:171,h:13},
{t:"Wife does not always dress in ",p:120,x:361,y:622,w:182,h:13},
{t:"clothing that Muslims consider ",p:120,x:361,y:638,w:190,h:13},
{t:"modest; thus missionary wives ",p:120,x:361,y:655,w:188,h:13},
{t:"are identified with the “sinful” ",p:120,x:361,y:672,w:186,h:13},
{t:"actresses seen in Western movies ",p:120,x:361,y:688,w:202,h:13},
{t:"and television series",p:120,x:361,y:705,w:121,h:13},
{t:"Ministry",p:120,x:103,y:735,w:51,h:13},
{t:"Mosque is focus of life",p:120,x:175,y:735,w:138,h:13},
{t:"Goes to church a few hours per ",p:120,x:361,y:735,w:191,h:13},
{t:"week",p:120,x:361,y:751,w:31,h:13},
{t:"Prays publicly five times a ",p:120,x:175,y:779,w:162,h:13},
{t:"day",p:120,x:175,y:796,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Rarely prays in public",p:120,x:361,y:779,w:132,h:13},
{t:"Fasts for one month during ",p:120,x:175,y:822,w:166,h:13},
{t:"daylight hours",p:120,x:175,y:838,w:86,h:13},
{t:"Seldom, if ever, fasts",p:120,x:361,y:822,w:126,h:13},
{t:"Constantly uses religious ",p:120,x:175,y:871,w:154,h:13},
{t:"vocabulary",p:120,x:175,y:887,w:66,h:13},
{t:"Rarely uses religious vocabulary",p:120,x:361,y:871,w:196,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   109",p:120,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:120,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"110",p:121,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:121,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Many of these perceptions are shared by folk Muslims as well as the",p:121,x:89,y:620,w:490,h:15},
{t:"orthodox.",p:121,x:89,y:644,w:64,h:15},
{t:"We ignore this data to our peril. It does matter what Mus lims think of ",p:121,x:119,y:675,w:453,h:15},
{t:"Christians—and particularly what they think of those who are committed ",p:121,x:89,y:698,w:483,h:15},
{t:"to the propagation of the gospel. There are many facets to effective cross-",p:121,x:89,y:721,w:480,h:15},
{t:"cultural communica tion, which is a complicated process. It is simply not ",p:121,x:89,y:745,w:483,h:15},
{t:"possible for a Westerner to become an Easterner. But such a reality does ",p:121,x:89,y:768,w:484,h:15},
{t:"not preclude making the distance as minimal as possible.",p:121,x:89,y:791,w:379,h:15},
{t:"Table 1 (cont.)",p:121,x:280,y:135,w:97,h:15},
{t:"Muslim Priest",p:121,x:255,y:191,w:90,h:13},
{t:"Christian Missionary",p:121,x:412,y:191,w:136,h:13},
{t:"Ministry (cont.)",p:121,x:96,y:218,w:100,h:13},
{t:"Does not distribute relief ",p:121,x:216,y:218,w:153,h:13},
{t:"funds or financial aid; ",p:121,x:216,y:235,w:134,h:13},
{t:"receives local money only",p:121,x:216,y:251,w:157,h:13},
{t:"Dispenses funds from ",p:121,x:398,y:218,w:134,h:13},
{t:"foreign sources—in the ",p:121,x:398,y:235,w:144,h:13},
{t:"form of relief funds, ",p:121,x:398,y:251,w:125,h:13},
{t:"jobs, training institutions, ",p:121,x:398,y:268,w:157,h:13},
{t:"hospitals",p:121,x:398,y:285,w:53,h:13},
{t:"Has no employees",p:121,x:216,y:313,w:109,h:13},
{t:"Has employees and thus ",p:121,x:398,y:313,w:149,h:13},
{t:"acquires status",p:121,x:398,y:329,w:87,h:13},
{t:"Puts little value on non-",p:121,x:216,y:354,w:143,h:13},
{t:"Quranic education",p:121,x:216,y:371,w:110,h:13},
{t:"Puts great value on formal, ",p:121,x:398,y:354,w:165,h:13},
{t:"secular education and ",p:121,x:398,y:371,w:133,h:13},
{t:"degrees",p:121,x:398,y:388,w:45,h:13},
{t:"Memorizes vast parts of the ",p:121,x:216,y:413,w:170,h:13},
{t:"Quran in Arabic",p:121,x:216,y:429,w:96,h:13},
{t:"Memorizes very little of the ",p:121,x:398,y:413,w:171,h:13},
{t:"Bible—in any language",p:121,x:398,y:429,w:142,h:13},
{t:"Involves himself in a ",p:121,x:216,y:467,w:129,h:13},
{t:"ministry of healing—pours ",p:121,x:216,y:484,w:166,h:13},
{t:"consecrated water on a sick ",p:121,x:216,y:500,w:168,h:13},
{t:"person, puts charms on the ",p:121,x:216,y:517,w:164,h:13},
{t:"diseased, chants the Quran, ",p:121,x:216,y:534,w:167,h:13},
{t:"says prayers",p:121,x:216,y:550,w:73,h:13},
{t:"Emphasizes the scientifi c, ",p:121,x:398,y:467,w:159,h:13},
{t:"not the spiritual—offers ",p:121,x:398,y:484,w:147,h:13},
{t:"a mild prayer for the ",p:121,x:398,y:500,w:127,h:13},
{t:"sick with little faith or ",p:121,x:398,y:517,w:137,h:13},
{t:"conviction; people go to the ",p:121,x:398,y:534,w:171,h:13},
{t:"missionary for medicine, ",p:121,x:398,y:550,w:153,h:13},
{t:"not prayer",p:121,x:398,y:567,w:61,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   110",p:121,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:121,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"111",p:122,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:122,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"Felt Needs",p:122,x:272,y:107,w:113,h:12},
{t:"The mystic, above all, wants to know his Beloved. The ulti mate ",p:122,x:119,y:138,w:456,h:15},
{t:"experience is to be intoxicated with God. How similar this desire is to ",p:122,x:89,y:162,w:485,h:15},
{t:"that of the psalmist as he records his hunger for the Lord.",p:122,x:89,y:185,w:381,h:15},
{t:"As the deer pants for the water brooks,",p:122,x:134,y:222,w:258,h:15},
{t:"So my soul pants for Thee, O God.",p:122,x:134,y:243,w:232,h:15},
{t:"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. ",p:122,x:134,y:265,w:293,h:15},
{t:"(Psalm 42:1–2)",p:122,x:134,y:287,w:102,h:15},
{t:"O God, Thou art my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly:",p:122,x:134,y:331,w:358,h:15},
{t:"My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee,",p:122,x:134,y:353,w:338,h:15},
{t:"In a dry and weary land where there is no water. ",p:122,x:134,y:374,w:324,h:15},
{t:"(Psalm 63:1)",p:122,x:134,y:396,w:85,h:15},
{t:"My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD; ",p:122,x:134,y:440,w:408,h:15},
{t:"My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. ",p:122,x:134,y:462,w:356,h:15},
{t:"(Psalm 84:2)",p:122,x:134,y:483,w:85,h:15},
{t:"Charles R. Marsh, writing from an African context, sees both the ",p:122,x:119,y:522,w:454,h:15},
{t:"Christian and the Muslim as desiring a relationship with the Creator",p:122,x:89,y:545,w:452,h:15},
{t:".",p:122,x:552,y:545,w:4,h:15},
{t:"It is clear that in the hearts of many African men, be they ani-",p:122,x:134,y:582,w:405,h:15},
{t:"mists, Muslims, or Christians, there is a reaching out for the ",p:122,x:134,y:603,w:409,h:15},
{t:"mys tical and unseen, and God can use this deep desire, even ",p:122,x:134,y:625,w:409,h:15},
{t:"when it is debased and primitive, to prepare a man or woman ",p:122,x:134,y:647,w:408,h:15},
{t:"to drink of the living streams.2",p:122,x:134,y:668,w:202,h:15},
{t:"The forms of folk Islam are all directed toward this mystical ",p:122,x:119,y:699,w:459,h:15},
{t:"experience. Singing gustily with head turned upward and eyes closed ",p:122,x:89,y:723,w:486,h:15},
{t:"takes the devotee into another world. Mystics who sit in a circle and ",p:122,x:89,y:746,w:486,h:15},
{t:"pass around the water pipe (hooka) fi lled with mari juana are taking a ",p:122,x:89,y:769,w:486,h:15},
{t:"“trip” into the cosmos. There, for a brief moment, they are merging into ",p:122,x:89,y:793,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the Divine. Dhikr provides another ecstatic experience with God. The ",p:122,x:89,y:816,w:485,h:15},
{t:"emotional repetition of the names of God lifts one into the heavens. ",p:122,x:89,y:839,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Without doubt, the majority of folk Muslims seek a mystical encounter ",p:122,x:89,y:863,w:484,h:15},
{t:"with God.",p:122,x:89,y:886,w:66,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   111",p:122,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:122,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"112",p:123,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:123,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Bill Musk, an astute observer of African folk Islam, has con structed ",p:123,x:119,y:755,w:454,h:15},
{t:"a chart (see table 2) to highlight felt needs of mystical Muslims. A few ",p:123,x:89,y:779,w:484,h:15},
{t:"categories apply only to African Islam, but the chart is a good overview ",p:123,x:89,y:802,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of popular Islam.",p:123,x:89,y:825,w:114,h:15},
{t:"As Musk shows, one recurrent problem is fear: fear of the unknown, ",p:123,x:119,y:856,w:453,h:15},
{t:"fear of the future, fear of evil, and fear of sickness. Historically, mystics ",p:123,x:89,y:880,w:484,h:15},
{t:"have sought to shift emphasis from the fear of God to the love of God. ",p:123,x:89,y:903,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Table 2",p:123,x:304,y:135,w:49,h:15},
{t:"Popular Islam: Felt-Needs, Animistic, and ",p:123,x:111,y:187,w:440,h:12},
{t:"Possible Christian Answers3",p:123,x:180,y:208,w:297,h:13},
{t:"Felt-Needs",p:123,x:109,y:258,w:60,h:12},
{t:"Animistic Answers",p:123,x:294,y:258,w:106,h:12},
{t:"Christian",p:123,x:496,y:258,w:54,h:12},
{t:"in Popular",p:123,x:109,y:272,w:60,h:12},
{t:"to Felt-Needs",p:123,x:310,y:272,w:75,h:12},
{t:"Answers to",p:123,x:492,y:272,w:63,h:12},
{t:"Islam",p:123,x:124,y:288,w:31,h:12},
{t:"Not Acceptable to More Acceptable",p:123,x:247,y:288,w:200,h:12},
{t:"Felt-Needs",p:123,x:493,y:288,w:60,h:12},
{t:"fear of ",p:123,x:96,y:321,w:43,h:13},
{t:"unknown",p:123,x:96,y:337,w:55,h:13},
{t:"idolatry ",p:123,x:198,y:321,w:50,h:13},
{t:"stone worship",p:123,x:198,y:337,w:83,h:13},
{t:"fetishes ",p:123,x:292,y:321,w:49,h:13},
{t:"talismans ",p:123,x:292,y:337,w:60,h:13},
{t:"charms",p:123,x:292,y:354,w:43,h:13},
{t:"superstition",p:123,x:386,y:321,w:70,h:13},
{t:"security in ",p:123,x:482,y:321,w:66,h:13},
{t:"Christ as ",p:123,x:482,y:337,w:56,h:13},
{t:"Guide, Keeper",p:123,x:482,y:354,w:87,h:13},
{t:"fear of evil",p:123,x:96,y:378,w:65,h:13},
{t:"sorcery ",p:123,x:198,y:378,w:47,h:13},
{t:"witchcraft",p:123,x:198,y:394,w:60,h:13},
{t:"amulets ",p:123,x:292,y:378,w:50,h:13},
{t:"knots",p:123,x:292,y:394,w:32,h:13},
{t:"exorcism",p:123,x:386,y:378,w:54,h:13},
{t:"exorcism, ",p:123,x:482,y:378,w:62,h:13},
{t:"protection in ",p:123,x:482,y:394,w:79,h:13},
{t:"Christ",p:123,x:482,y:411,w:36,h:13},
{t:"fear of the ",p:123,x:96,y:435,w:65,h:13},
{t:"future",p:123,x:96,y:452,w:35,h:13},
{t:"angel worship",p:123,x:198,y:435,w:84,h:13},
{t:"divination ",p:123,x:292,y:435,w:64,h:13},
{t:"spells",p:123,x:292,y:452,w:34,h:13},
{t:"fatalism ",p:123,x:386,y:435,w:52,h:13},
{t:"fanaticism",p:123,x:386,y:452,w:62,h:13},
{t:"trust in Christ ",p:123,x:481,y:435,w:86,h:13},
{t:"as Lord of the ",p:123,x:481,y:452,w:87,h:13},
{t:"future",p:123,x:481,y:468,w:35,h:13},
{t:"shame of not ",p:123,x:96,y:493,w:81,h:13},
{t:"being in the ",p:123,x:96,y:510,w:74,h:13},
{t:"group",p:123,x:96,y:527,w:34,h:13},
{t:"magic ",p:123,x:198,y:493,w:40,h:13},
{t:"curse or bless",p:123,x:198,y:510,w:81,h:13},
{t:"hair or nail ",p:123,x:292,y:493,w:69,h:13},
{t:"trimmings",p:123,x:292,y:510,w:61,h:13},
{t:"acceptance in ",p:123,x:481,y:493,w:84,h:13},
{t:"fellowship of ",p:123,x:481,y:510,w:83,h:13},
{t:"believers",p:123,x:481,y:527,w:54,h:13},
{t:"powerlessness ",p:123,x:96,y:555,w:89,h:13},
{t:"of individual ",p:123,x:96,y:572,w:80,h:13},
{t:"against evil",p:123,x:96,y:588,w:68,h:13},
{t:"saint worship",p:123,x:198,y:555,w:80,h:13},
{t:"baraka ",p:123,x:386,y:555,w:43,h:13},
{t:"saint/angel ",p:123,x:386,y:572,w:68,h:13},
{t:"petitioning",p:123,x:386,y:588,w:65,h:13},
{t:"authority and ",p:123,x:481,y:555,w:83,h:13},
{t:"power of the ",p:123,x:481,y:572,w:79,h:13},
{t:"Holy Spirit",p:123,x:481,y:588,w:67,h:13},
{t:"meaningless-",p:123,x:96,y:623,w:79,h:13},
{t:"ness of life",p:123,x:96,y:640,w:65,h:13},
{t:"familiar spirit",p:123,x:292,y:623,w:82,h:13},
{t:"purpose in life ",p:123,x:482,y:623,w:90,h:13},
{t:"as God’s child",p:123,x:481,y:640,w:85,h:13},
{t:"sickness",p:123,x:96,y:669,w:49,h:13},
{t:"tree/saint ",p:123,x:197,y:669,w:58,h:13},
{t:"worship",p:123,x:198,y:686,w:48,h:13},
{t:"healing magic",p:123,x:292,y:669,w:84,h:13},
{t:"divine healing",p:123,x:482,y:669,w:85,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   112",p:123,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:123,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"113",p:124,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:124,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"To some extent, they have been suc ",p:124,x:89,y:105,w:259,h:15},
{t:"cessful. Their poems, songs, and ",p:124,x:341,y:105,w:234,h:15},
{t:"preaching center on the theme of love. But my observation is that, on the ",p:124,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"grassroots level, there is pervasive fear. Each little hamlet, every small ",p:124,x:89,y:152,w:485,h:15},
{t:"village contains scores of people weighed down under the heavy burden ",p:124,x:89,y:175,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of fear.",p:124,x:89,y:199,w:47,h:15},
{t:"Of greater concern and preoccupation are the Muslim’s ",p:124,x:134,y:235,w:414,h:15},
{t:"efforts to cope with the various acute problems and hostile ",p:124,x:134,y:257,w:410,h:15},
{t:"forces which crowd his world and keep him from peace of ",p:124,x:134,y:279,w:410,h:15},
{t:"mind and heart. There is the magic he feels he must practice. ",p:124,x:134,y:300,w:409,h:15},
{t:"And what of the demons he must placate? Or the fetishes he ",p:124,x:134,y:322,w:409,h:15},
{t:"must not fail to use? Will his invoking of the saints help him ",p:124,x:134,y:344,w:409,h:15},
{t:"surmount his fears? On and on. His world is dominated by the ",p:124,x:134,y:365,w:408,h:15},
{t:"“evil eye,” by sickness and death, by sorcery and curses. Not ",p:124,x:134,y:387,w:409,h:15},
{t:"by Quranic Islam but by animistic Islam, and the hunger of ",p:124,x:134,y:409,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the heart it constantly discloses.4",p:124,x:134,y:430,w:217,h:15},
{t:"Fear is a continual, strong force that moves the mystic toward ",p:124,x:119,y:461,w:458,h:15},
{t:"animistic and, at times, esoteric practices. His heart-hunger is for release. ",p:124,x:89,y:485,w:483,h:15},
{t:"On the other hand, what about love? Has the mystic been able to drown ",p:124,x:89,y:508,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in the swirling currents of the ocean of God’s love? Has fear been ",p:124,x:89,y:531,w:487,h:15},
{t:"overcome by the emphasis on the wine of love dispensed by the gracious ",p:124,x:89,y:555,w:483,h:15},
{t:"tavernkeeper?",p:124,x:89,y:578,w:93,h:15},
{t:"Folk Muslims think of love in most subjective terms. It is what is ",p:124,x:119,y:609,w:455,h:15},
{t:"good, beautiful, benign, and artistic. It is to be enjoyed. It is self-centered ",p:124,x:89,y:632,w:483,h:15},
{t:"as well as God-centered. It is, above all, free and liberating. Love—the ",p:124,x:89,y:655,w:484,h:15},
{t:"queen of all virtues. “In the end it was this mystical love, so close in its ",p:124,x:89,y:679,w:484,h:15},
{t:"conceptions and language to the primitive Christian Mysticism, which ",p:124,x:89,y:702,w:485,h:15},
{t:"reduced the ascetic motive of fear to the second place, and supplied the ",p:124,x:89,y:725,w:484,h:15},
{t:"basis for Sufi sm.”5",p:124,x:89,y:748,w:123,h:15},
{t:"It is because of this element of love that Sufi sm has been ",p:124,x:134,y:785,w:411,h:15},
{t:"the source of vitality to Islam. It bears out the truth of what ",p:124,x:134,y:807,w:410,h:15},
{t:"someone has said, “Dogma and duty are not the whole of a ",p:124,x:134,y:829,w:410,h:15},
{t:"religion.” There are, in our nature, needs of loving and of ",p:124,x:134,y:850,w:411,h:15},
{t:"suffering, as well as of believing and of doing; and no faith ",p:124,x:134,y:872,w:410,h:15},
{t:"that does not contain some thing to satisfy these needs could ",p:124,x:134,y:894,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   113",p:124,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:12 AM",p:124,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"114",p:125,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:125,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"ever have wielded that vast power which, as a matter of fact, ",p:125,x:134,y:105,w:409,h:15},
{t:"has been and is being exercised by Muhammadanism.6",p:125,x:134,y:126,w:364,h:15},
{t:"Another need clearly seen among folk Muslims is that of fellowship. ",p:125,x:119,y:158,w:453,h:15},
{t:"One seldom fi nds mystics alone for an extended period of time. A few, ",p:125,x:89,y:181,w:485,h:15},
{t:"with extreme meditative tendencies, will go off into isolated places. They ",p:125,x:89,y:205,w:483,h:15},
{t:"are the exceptions. The norm is an intensely personal intercourse between ",p:125,x:89,y:228,w:483,h:15},
{t:"mystics. The tie be tween pir and disciple is proverbial. As mentioned ",p:125,x:89,y:251,w:486,h:15},
{t:"earlier, the devotee is required to follow the advice of his spiritual guide ",p:125,x:89,y:275,w:484,h:15},
{t:"at all costs. This relationship becomes equal to if not greater than that of ",p:125,x:89,y:298,w:484,h:15},
{t:"blood kinship.",p:125,x:89,y:321,w:95,h:15},
{t:"The whole Sufi community forms one indivisible brotherhood, ",p:125,x:134,y:358,w:407,h:15},
{t:"so that the meanest [devotee] feels himself to be joined in ",p:125,x:134,y:380,w:411,h:15},
{t:"spirit with the most exalted hierophant. The Sufi s look upon ",p:125,x:134,y:401,w:409,h:15},
{t:"themselves as God’s chosen people, loved by Him and loving ",p:125,x:134,y:423,w:408,h:15},
{t:"one another in Him; and the bond between them can never be ",p:125,x:134,y:445,w:408,h:15},
{t:"broken, for it is a marriage of true souls, which was made in ",p:125,x:134,y:466,w:409,h:15},
{t:"heaven.7",p:125,x:134,y:487,w:56,h:15},
{t:"One of the most recurrent of all felt needs involves healing. All ",p:125,x:119,y:519,w:456,h:15},
{t:"people in the world regard illness as an undesirable reality. The Christian ",p:125,x:89,y:542,w:483,h:15},
{t:"usually responds to sickness with a dash to the medicine cabinet ",p:125,x:89,y:565,w:489,h:15},
{t:"followed by a prayer to God for healing. The folk Muslims reaction to ",p:125,x:89,y:589,w:485,h:15},
{t:"illness is often of a more mystical nature. He will go to his pir so that ",p:125,x:89,y:612,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the pir may breathe upon his body. Holy water will be drunk. Amulets ",p:125,x:89,y:635,w:485,h:15},
{t:"with Quranic verses of healing potency will be worn. Magical formulas ",p:125,x:89,y:659,w:484,h:15},
{t:"will be repeated. Promises of donations to a special saint will be made. ",p:125,x:89,y:682,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Fervent prayer will be offered in the name of a departed pir.",p:125,x:89,y:705,w:398,h:15},
{t:"How does the Christian respond to this and other needs of the mystic ",p:125,x:119,y:736,w:453,h:15},
{t:"community? This next section will seek to identify ways to answer the ",p:125,x:89,y:760,w:485,h:15},
{t:"cries of the folk Muslim.",p:125,x:89,y:783,w:165,h:15},
{t:"Methods of Meeting Felt Needs",p:125,x:155,y:843,w:348,h:12},
{t:"In Muslim Evangelism, I listed seven areas that could serve as ",p:125,x:119,y:875,w:458,h:15},
{t:"bridges between Sufism and Christianity.",p:125,x:89,y:898,w:273,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   114",p:125,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:125,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"115",p:126,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:126,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"1. ",p:126,x:111,y:105,w:16,h:15},
{t:"The Sufi view of God. Allah is above all and totally in ",p:126,x:134,y:105,w:365,h:15},
{t:"control of His creation.",p:126,x:134,y:127,w:154,h:15},
{t:"2. ",p:126,x:111,y:156,w:16,h:15},
{t:"The Sufi stress on a personal relationship with God.",p:126,x:134,y:156,w:344,h:15},
{t:"3. ",p:126,x:111,y:185,w:16,h:15},
{t:"The de-emphasis of the value of ritual and form.",p:126,x:134,y:185,w:322,h:15},
{t:"4. ",p:126,x:111,y:215,w:16,h:15},
{t:"The necessity of a hunger for God.",p:126,x:134,y:215,w:231,h:15},
{t:"5. ",p:126,x:111,y:244,w:16,h:15},
{t:"An awareness of the working of God’s grace in the lives of ",p:126,x:134,y:244,w:397,h:15},
{t:"men and women.",p:126,x:134,y:265,w:114,h:15},
{t:"6. ",p:126,x:111,y:295,w:16,h:15},
{t:"A similar goal of being with God one day.",p:126,x:134,y:295,w:279,h:15},
{t:"7. ",p:126,x:111,y:324,w:16,h:15},
{t:"A belief in intermediaries between God and man. This is ",p:126,x:134,y:324,w:380,h:15},
{t:"a natural bridge to an effective presentation of Jesus as ",p:126,x:134,y:345,w:369,h:15},
{t:"mediator for estranged mankind.8",p:126,x:134,y:366,w:222,h:15},
{t:"And now we will take up in some detail these suggestions as well ",p:126,x:119,y:390,w:455,h:15},
{t:"as others.",p:126,x:89,y:414,w:62,h:15},
{t:"Theological Simi larities",p:126,x:89,y:463,w:214,h:9},
{t:"A high view of monotheism dominates almost all mystical thought. ",p:126,x:119,y:492,w:454,h:15},
{t:"The only exception would be Hindu-influenced Sufism which, if it led to ",p:126,x:89,y:515,w:483,h:15},
{t:"polytheism, would be considered anomalous to the main stream of Sufi",p:126,x:89,y:538,w:480,h:15},
{t:"  ",p:126,x:564,y:538,w:4,h:15},
{t:"belief. It is on the important point of belief in one God that Muslims and ",p:126,x:89,y:562,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Christians agree.",p:126,x:89,y:585,w:112,h:15},
{t:"The most common form of dhikr is the recital of the ninety-nine ",p:126,x:119,y:616,w:456,h:15},
{t:"names of God. To facilitate this repetition, the worshiper uses a rosary ",p:126,x:89,y:639,w:485,h:15},
{t:"of ninety-nine beads. The origin of this practice is thought to lie with ",p:126,x:89,y:663,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the Buddhists. Use of a rosary is a common phenomenon throughout ",p:126,x:89,y:686,w:486,h:15},
{t:"the Muslim world; history indicates that Roman Catholics adopted the ",p:126,x:89,y:709,w:485,h:15},
{t:"practice from Muslims (c. 1100).",p:126,x:89,y:733,w:219,h:15},
{t:"There are several lists of the ninety-nine names of God. It is quite ",p:126,x:119,y:763,w:455,h:15},
{t:"exciting to read and meditate on these names. Most of them can be fully ",p:126,x:89,y:787,w:484,h:15},
{t:"accepted by believers in the Old and New Testaments. This certainly sets ",p:126,x:89,y:810,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the stage for dialogue and wit ness. It is an excellent beginning to discuss ",p:126,x:89,y:833,w:483,h:15},
{t:"what some of these names—such as The Merciful, The Pardoner, The ",p:126,x:89,y:857,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Judge, The All-Loving, The First, and The Last—mean. In the list that ",p:126,x:89,y:880,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   115",p:126,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:126,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"116",p:127,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:127,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"follows the left-hand column contains the Arabic; its English equivalent ",p:127,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"is on the right.",p:127,x:89,y:129,w:96,h:15},
{t:"1. ",p:127,x:134,y:160,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Rahman ",p:127,x:166,y:160,w:59,h:15},
{t:"The Compassionate ",p:127,x:329,y:160,w:136,h:15},
{t:"2. ",p:127,x:134,y:183,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Rahim ",p:127,x:166,y:183,w:48,h:15},
{t:"The Merciful ",p:127,x:329,y:183,w:92,h:15},
{t:"3. ",p:127,x:134,y:206,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Malik ",p:127,x:166,y:206,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The King ",p:127,x:329,y:206,w:67,h:15},
{t:"4. ",p:127,x:134,y:230,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Quddus ",p:127,x:166,y:230,w:56,h:15},
{t:"The Holy One ",p:127,x:329,y:230,w:99,h:15},
{t:"5. ",p:127,x:134,y:253,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Salam ",p:127,x:166,y:253,w:45,h:15},
{t:"The Peace ",p:127,x:329,y:253,w:73,h:15},
{t:"6. ",p:127,x:134,y:276,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Momin ",p:127,x:166,y:276,w:53,h:15},
{t:"The Faithful ",p:127,x:329,y:276,w:87,h:15},
{t:"7. ",p:127,x:134,y:300,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Mohymin ",p:127,x:166,y:300,w:69,h:15},
{t:"The Protector ",p:127,x:329,y:300,w:95,h:15},
{t:"8. ",p:127,x:134,y:323,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Aziz ",p:127,x:166,y:323,w:35,h:15},
{t:"The Incomparable ",p:127,x:329,y:323,w:125,h:15},
{t:"9. ",p:127,x:134,y:346,w:16,h:15},
{t:"Jabbar ",p:127,x:166,y:346,w:47,h:15},
{t:"The Benefactor ",p:127,x:329,y:346,w:107,h:15},
{t:"10. ",p:127,x:134,y:370,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Mutakabbir ",p:127,x:166,y:370,w:81,h:15},
{t:"The Mighty Doer ",p:127,x:329,y:370,w:120,h:15},
{t:"11. ",p:127,x:134,y:393,w:24,h:15},
{t:"Khaliq ",p:127,x:166,y:393,w:49,h:15},
{t:"The Creator ",p:127,x:329,y:393,w:84,h:15},
{t:"12. ",p:127,x:134,y:416,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Bari ",p:127,x:166,y:416,w:32,h:15},
{t:"The Maker ",p:127,x:329,y:416,w:77,h:15},
{t:"13. ",p:127,x:134,y:440,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Musawwir ",p:127,x:166,y:440,w:75,h:15},
{t:"The Former ",p:127,x:329,y:440,w:83,h:15},
{t:"14. ",p:127,x:134,y:463,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Ghafar ",p:127,x:166,y:463,w:50,h:15},
{t:"The Forgiver",p:127,x:329,y:463,w:87,h:15},
{t:"15. ",p:127,x:134,y:486,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Qahhar ",p:127,x:166,y:486,w:53,h:15},
{t:"The Powerful",p:127,x:329,y:486,w:91,h:15},
{t:"16. ",p:127,x:134,y:510,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Wahhab ",p:127,x:166,y:510,w:58,h:15},
{t:"The Giver",p:127,x:329,y:510,w:68,h:15},
{t:"17. ",p:127,x:134,y:533,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Razzaq ",p:127,x:166,y:533,w:53,h:15},
{t:"The Bestower of Daily Bread",p:127,x:329,y:533,w:196,h:15},
{t:"18. ",p:127,x:134,y:556,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Fattah ",p:127,x:166,y:556,w:45,h:15},
{t:"The Opener",p:127,x:329,y:556,w:79,h:15},
{t:"19. ",p:127,x:134,y:580,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Alim ",p:127,x:166,y:580,w:38,h:15},
{t:"The Omniscient",p:127,x:329,y:580,w:106,h:15},
{t:"20. ",p:127,x:134,y:603,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Qabiz ",p:127,x:166,y:603,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The Restrainer",p:127,x:329,y:603,w:98,h:15},
{t:"21. ",p:127,x:134,y:626,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Basit ",p:127,x:166,y:626,w:38,h:15},
{t:"The Expander",p:127,x:329,y:626,w:93,h:15},
{t:"22. Khafiz ",p:127,x:134,y:650,w:80,h:15},
{t:"The Depresser",p:127,x:329,y:650,w:96,h:15},
{t:"23. Rafi ",p:127,x:134,y:673,w:63,h:15},
{t:"The Exalter",p:127,x:329,y:673,w:78,h:15},
{t:"24. ",p:127,x:134,y:696,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Muiz ",p:127,x:166,y:696,w:39,h:15},
{t:"The Strengthener",p:127,x:329,y:696,w:115,h:15},
{t:"25. ",p:127,x:134,y:720,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Muzil ",p:127,x:166,y:720,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The Lowerer",p:127,x:329,y:720,w:86,h:15},
{t:"26. ",p:127,x:134,y:743,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Sami ",p:127,x:166,y:743,w:38,h:15},
{t:"The Hearer",p:127,x:329,y:743,w:75,h:15},
{t:"27. ",p:127,x:134,y:766,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Basir ",p:127,x:166,y:766,w:39,h:15},
{t:"The Seer",p:127,x:329,y:766,w:59,h:15},
{t:"28. ",p:127,x:134,y:790,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Hakam ",p:127,x:166,y:790,w:52,h:15},
{t:"The Judge",p:127,x:329,y:790,w:68,h:15},
{t:"29. ",p:127,x:134,y:813,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Adl ",p:127,x:166,y:813,w:29,h:15},
{t:"The Just",p:127,x:329,y:813,w:56,h:15},
{t:"30. ",p:127,x:134,y:836,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Latif ",p:127,x:166,y:836,w:36,h:15},
{t:"The Benignant",p:127,x:329,y:836,w:98,h:15},
{t:"31. ",p:127,x:134,y:860,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Khabir ",p:127,x:166,y:860,w:50,h:15},
{t:"The Knower",p:127,x:329,y:860,w:83,h:15},
{t:"32. ",p:127,x:134,y:883,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Halim ",p:127,x:166,y:883,w:45,h:15},
{t:"The Clement",p:127,x:329,y:883,w:86,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   116",p:127,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:127,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"117",p:128,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:128,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"33. ",p:128,x:134,y:105,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Azim ",p:128,x:166,y:105,w:41,h:15},
{t:"The Great",p:128,x:329,y:105,w:67,h:15},
{t:"34. ",p:128,x:134,y:129,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Ghafur ",p:128,x:166,y:129,w:51,h:15},
{t:"The Great Pardoner",p:128,x:329,y:129,w:131,h:15},
{t:"35. ",p:128,x:134,y:152,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Shakur ",p:128,x:166,y:152,w:51,h:15},
{t:"The Rewarder",p:128,x:329,y:152,w:94,h:15},
{t:"36. ",p:128,x:134,y:175,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Ali ",p:128,x:166,y:175,w:25,h:15},
{t:"The Most High",p:128,x:329,y:175,w:101,h:15},
{t:"37. ",p:128,x:134,y:199,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Kabir ",p:128,x:166,y:199,w:42,h:15},
{t:"The Great Lord",p:128,x:329,y:199,w:103,h:15},
{t:"38. Hafiz ",p:128,x:134,y:222,w:71,h:15},
{t:"The Guardian",p:128,x:329,y:222,w:92,h:15},
{t:"39. ",p:128,x:134,y:245,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Muqit ",p:128,x:166,y:245,w:44,h:15},
{t:"The Giver of Strength",p:128,x:329,y:245,w:146,h:15},
{t:"40. ",p:128,x:134,y:269,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Hasib ",p:128,x:166,y:269,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The Reckoner",p:128,x:329,y:269,w:93,h:15},
{t:"41. ",p:128,x:134,y:292,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Jalil ",p:128,x:166,y:292,w:31,h:15},
{t:"The Glorious",p:128,x:329,y:292,w:88,h:15},
{t:"42. ",p:128,x:134,y:315,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Karim ",p:128,x:166,y:315,w:46,h:15},
{t:"The Munifi cent",p:128,x:329,y:315,w:103,h:15},
{t:"43. ",p:128,x:134,y:339,w:24,h:15},
{t:"Raqib ",p:128,x:166,y:339,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The Watcher",p:128,x:329,y:339,w:84,h:15},
{t:"44. ",p:128,x:134,y:362,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Mujib ",p:128,x:166,y:362,w:44,h:15},
{t:"The Approver of Supplications",p:128,x:329,y:362,w:206,h:15},
{t:"45. ",p:128,x:134,y:385,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Wasi ",p:128,x:166,y:385,w:37,h:15},
{t:"The Expander",p:128,x:329,y:385,w:93,h:15},
{t:"46. ",p:128,x:134,y:409,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Hakim ",p:128,x:166,y:409,w:49,h:15},
{t:"The Physician",p:128,x:329,y:409,w:94,h:15},
{t:"47. ",p:128,x:134,y:432,w:24,h:15},
{t:"Wadud ",p:128,x:166,y:432,w:50,h:15},
{t:"The All-Loving",p:128,x:329,y:432,w:104,h:15},
{t:"48. ",p:128,x:134,y:455,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Majid ",p:128,x:166,y:455,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The Glorious",p:128,x:329,y:455,w:88,h:15},
{t:"49. ",p:128,x:134,y:479,w:24,h:15},
{t:"Bais ",p:128,x:166,y:479,w:32,h:15},
{t:"The Awakener",p:128,x:329,y:479,w:96,h:15},
{t:"50. ",p:128,x:134,y:502,w:24,h:15},
{t:"Shahid ",p:128,x:166,y:502,w:50,h:15},
{t:"The Witness",p:128,x:329,y:502,w:82,h:15},
{t:"51. ",p:128,x:134,y:525,w:24,h:15},
{t:"Haqq ",p:128,x:166,y:525,w:39,h:15},
{t:"The True",p:128,x:329,y:525,w:60,h:15},
{t:"52. ",p:128,x:134,y:549,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Wakil ",p:128,x:166,y:549,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The Provider",p:128,x:329,y:549,w:87,h:15},
{t:"53. ",p:128,x:134,y:572,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Qawwi ",p:128,x:166,y:572,w:52,h:15},
{t:"The Powerful",p:128,x:329,y:572,w:91,h:15},
{t:"54. ",p:128,x:134,y:595,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Matin ",p:128,x:166,y:595,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The Firm",p:128,x:329,y:595,w:62,h:15},
{t:"55. ",p:128,x:134,y:619,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Wali ",p:128,x:166,y:619,w:35,h:15},
{t:"The Friend",p:128,x:329,y:619,w:73,h:15},
{t:"56. ",p:128,x:134,y:642,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Hamid ",p:128,x:166,y:642,w:49,h:15},
{t:"The One to Be Praised",p:128,x:329,y:642,w:150,h:15},
{t:"57. ",p:128,x:134,y:665,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Muhsi ",p:128,x:166,y:665,w:46,h:15},
{t:"The Counter",p:128,x:329,y:665,w:83,h:15},
{t:"58. ",p:128,x:134,y:689,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Mubdi ",p:128,x:166,y:689,w:48,h:15},
{t:"The Cause",p:128,x:329,y:689,w:70,h:15},
{t:"59. ",p:128,x:134,y:712,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Muid ",p:128,x:166,y:712,w:40,h:15},
{t:"The Restorer",p:128,x:329,y:712,w:86,h:15},
{t:"60. ",p:128,x:134,y:735,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Mohyi ",p:128,x:166,y:735,w:48,h:15},
{t:"The Life-Giver",p:128,x:329,y:735,w:101,h:15},
{t:"61. ",p:128,x:134,y:759,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Mumit ",p:128,x:166,y:759,w:49,h:15},
{t:"The Death-Giver",p:128,x:329,y:759,w:113,h:15},
{t:"62. ",p:128,x:134,y:782,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Hai ",p:128,x:166,y:782,w:28,h:15},
{t:"The Living",p:128,x:329,y:782,w:74,h:15},
{t:"63. ",p:128,x:134,y:805,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Qaiyyum ",p:128,x:166,y:805,w:66,h:15},
{t:"The Self-Subsisting",p:128,x:329,y:805,w:131,h:15},
{t:"64. ",p:128,x:134,y:829,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Wajid ",p:128,x:166,y:829,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The Finder",p:128,x:329,y:829,w:73,h:15},
{t:"65. ",p:128,x:134,y:852,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Majid ",p:128,x:166,y:852,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The Grand",p:128,x:329,y:852,w:71,h:15},
{t:"66. ",p:128,x:134,y:875,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Wahid ",p:128,x:166,y:875,w:47,h:15},
{t:"The Unique",p:128,x:329,y:875,w:79,h:15},
{t:"67. ",p:128,x:134,y:899,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Samad ",p:128,x:166,y:899,w:49,h:15},
{t:"The Perpetual",p:128,x:329,y:899,w:93,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   117",p:128,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:128,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"118",p:129,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:129,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"68. ",p:129,x:134,y:105,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Qadir ",p:129,x:166,y:105,w:42,h:15},
{t:"The Powerful",p:129,x:329,y:105,w:91,h:15},
{t:"69. ",p:129,x:134,y:129,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Muqtadir ",p:129,x:166,y:129,w:66,h:15},
{t:"The Prevailing",p:129,x:329,y:129,w:98,h:15},
{t:"70. ",p:129,x:134,y:152,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Muqaddim ",p:129,x:166,y:152,w:77,h:15},
{t:"The Bringer Before",p:129,x:329,y:152,w:130,h:15},
{t:"71. ",p:129,x:134,y:175,w:24,h:15},
{t:"Muwakhkhir ",p:129,x:166,y:175,w:89,h:15},
{t:"The Bringer After",p:129,x:329,y:175,w:119,h:15},
{t:"72. ",p:129,x:134,y:199,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Awwal ",p:129,x:166,y:199,w:50,h:15},
{t:"The First",p:129,x:329,y:199,w:60,h:15},
{t:"73. ",p:129,x:134,y:222,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Akhir ",p:129,x:166,y:222,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The Last",p:129,x:329,y:222,w:58,h:15},
{t:"74. ",p:129,x:134,y:245,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Zahir ",p:129,x:166,y:245,w:40,h:15},
{t:"The Evident",p:129,x:329,y:245,w:81,h:15},
{t:"75. ",p:129,x:134,y:269,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Batin ",p:129,x:166,y:269,w:40,h:15},
{t:"The Hidden",p:129,x:329,y:269,w:79,h:15},
{t:"76. ",p:129,x:134,y:292,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Wali ",p:129,x:166,y:292,w:35,h:15},
{t:"The Governor",p:129,x:329,y:292,w:93,h:15},
{t:"77. ",p:129,x:134,y:315,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Muta’a ",p:129,x:166,y:315,w:52,h:15},
{t:"The Sublime",p:129,x:329,y:315,w:85,h:15},
{t:"78. ",p:129,x:134,y:339,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Barr ",p:129,x:166,y:339,w:33,h:15},
{t:"The Doer of Good",p:129,x:329,y:339,w:122,h:15},
{t:"79. ",p:129,x:134,y:362,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Tawwab ",p:129,x:166,y:362,w:60,h:15},
{t:"The Propitious",p:129,x:329,y:362,w:98,h:15},
{t:"80. ",p:129,x:134,y:385,w:24,h:15},
{t:"Muntaqim ",p:129,x:166,y:385,w:72,h:15},
{t:"The Avenger",p:129,x:329,y:385,w:85,h:15},
{t:"81. ",p:129,x:134,y:409,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Afu ",p:129,x:166,y:409,w:30,h:15},
{t:"The Eraser",p:129,x:329,y:409,w:72,h:15},
{t:"82. ",p:129,x:134,y:432,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Rauf ",p:129,x:166,y:432,w:36,h:15},
{t:"The Benefi ter",p:129,x:329,y:432,w:91,h:15},
{t:"83. ",p:129,x:134,y:455,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Malik-ul-Mulk ",p:129,x:166,y:455,w:104,h:15},
{t:"The King of Kingdoms",p:129,x:329,y:455,w:155,h:15},
{t:"84. ",p:129,x:134,y:479,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Zuljalal-wal-Ikram ",p:129,x:166,y:479,w:130,h:15},
{t:"The Lord of Glory and Honor",p:129,x:329,y:479,w:198,h:15},
{t:"85. ",p:129,x:134,y:502,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Muksit ",p:129,x:166,y:502,w:51,h:15},
{t:"The Equitable",p:129,x:329,y:502,w:93,h:15},
{t:"86. ",p:129,x:134,y:525,w:24,h:15},
{t:"Jami ",p:129,x:166,y:525,w:34,h:15},
{t:"The Assembler",p:129,x:329,y:525,w:100,h:15},
{t:"87. ",p:129,x:134,y:549,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Ghani ",p:129,x:166,y:549,w:44,h:15},
{t:"The Rich",p:129,x:329,y:549,w:61,h:15},
{t:"88. ",p:129,x:134,y:572,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Maghani ",p:129,x:166,y:572,w:63,h:15},
{t:"The Enricher",p:129,x:329,y:572,w:87,h:15},
{t:"89. ",p:129,x:134,y:595,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Muti ",p:129,x:166,y:595,w:36,h:15},
{t:"The Giver",p:129,x:329,y:595,w:68,h:15},
{t:"90. ",p:129,x:134,y:619,w:24,h:15},
{t:"Mani ",p:129,x:166,y:619,w:39,h:15},
{t:"The Withholder",p:129,x:329,y:619,w:105,h:15},
{t:"91. ",p:129,x:134,y:642,w:24,h:15},
{t:"Zarr ",p:129,x:166,y:642,w:31,h:15},
{t:"The Affl icter",p:129,x:329,y:642,w:85,h:15},
{t:"92. Nafi ",p:129,x:134,y:665,w:64,h:15},
{t:"The Benefactor",p:129,x:329,y:665,w:103,h:15},
{t:"93. ",p:129,x:134,y:689,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Nur ",p:129,x:166,y:689,w:30,h:15},
{t:"The Light",p:129,x:329,y:689,w:66,h:15},
{t:"94. ",p:129,x:134,y:712,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Hadi ",p:129,x:166,y:712,w:36,h:15},
{t:"The Guide",p:129,x:329,y:712,w:70,h:15},
{t:"95. ",p:129,x:134,y:735,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Badia ",p:129,x:166,y:735,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The Incomparable ",p:129,x:329,y:735,w:125,h:15},
{t:"96. ",p:129,x:134,y:759,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Baqi ",p:129,x:166,y:759,w:35,h:15},
{t:"The Eternal ",p:129,x:329,y:759,w:82,h:15},
{t:"97. ",p:129,x:134,y:782,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Waris ",p:129,x:166,y:782,w:42,h:15},
{t:"The Inheritor ",p:129,x:329,y:782,w:92,h:15},
{t:"98. ",p:129,x:134,y:805,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Rashid ",p:129,x:166,y:805,w:50,h:15},
{t:"The Director ",p:129,x:329,y:805,w:89,h:15},
{t:"99. ",p:129,x:134,y:829,w:25,h:15},
{t:"Sabur ",p:129,x:166,y:829,w:43,h:15},
{t:"The Patient9",p:129,x:329,y:828,w:81,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   118",p:129,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:129,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"119",p:130,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:130,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"It is scriptural to meditate upon God and on His Holy Word. The ",p:130,x:119,y:105,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Lord commanded Joshua that “this book of the law shall not depart from ",p:130,x:89,y:129,w:483,h:15},
{t:"your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may ",p:130,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"be careful to do according to all that is written in it” (Joshua 1:8).",p:130,x:89,y:175,w:436,h:15},
{t:"Longing for God is an area of compatibility between Chris ",p:130,x:119,y:206,w:425,h:15},
{t:"tians ",p:130,x:538,y:206,w:38,h:15},
{t:"and Muslims. Rabia-al-Adwiyya, in 802, penned these heart-searching ",p:130,x:89,y:230,w:485,h:15},
{t:"words: “O my Lord, if I worship Thee from fear of Hell, burn me in ",p:130,x:89,y:253,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Hell, if I worship Thee from hope of Para dise, exclude me thence, but ",p:130,x:89,y:276,w:485,h:15},
{t:"if I worship Thee for Thine own sake, then withhold not from me Thine ",p:130,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"eternal beauty.”10 The mystic’s hunger for a personal relationship with ",p:130,x:89,y:322,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the Lord opens a door for sharing Christ as the one who can bridge the ",p:130,x:89,y:346,w:484,h:15},
{t:"distance between sinner and God.",p:130,x:89,y:370,w:224,h:15},
{t:"The mystic is a strong believer in prayer. Abd-al-Masih, a mis-",p:130,x:119,y:400,w:449,h:15},
{t:"sionary to Muslims for fi fty years, gives his impressions of the Islamic ",p:130,x:89,y:424,w:485,h:15},
{t:"prayer ritual.",p:130,x:89,y:447,w:86,h:15},
{t:"Together they recited the fi rst chapter of the Quran: “In the ",p:130,x:134,y:484,w:410,h:15},
{t:"name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. All praise belongs ",p:130,x:134,y:505,w:408,h:15},
{t:"to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. The Gracious, The Merciful, ",p:130,x:134,y:527,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee alone do we worship, ",p:130,x:134,y:549,w:410,h:15},
{t:"and Thee alone do we implore for help. Guide us in the right ",p:130,x:134,y:570,w:409,h:15},
{t:"path, the path of those on whom Thou has bestowed Thy ",p:130,x:134,y:592,w:411,h:15},
{t:"blessings, those who have not incurred Thy displeasure, and ",p:130,x:134,y:614,w:409,h:15},
{t:"those who have not gone astray.”",p:130,x:134,y:635,w:220,h:15},
{t:"The sheikh said, “God is great” and bent down until his fore-",p:130,x:134,y:672,w:404,h:15},
{t:"head touched the ground. The men did the same after him. In ",p:130,x:134,y:694,w:409,h:15},
{t:"this position they said,",p:130,x:134,y:715,w:150,h:15},
{t:"“Glory be to God the Lord of the Universe.”",p:130,x:134,y:752,w:295,h:15},
{t:"Then they stood and said,",p:130,x:134,y:781,w:170,h:15},
{t:"“God hears those who praise Him.”",p:130,x:134,y:810,w:236,h:15},
{t:"Three times they bowed themselves saying,",p:130,x:134,y:840,w:290,h:15},
{t:"“Glory to God the Lord most high.”",p:130,x:134,y:869,w:239,h:15},
{t:"Kneeling and raising their heads they cried, “God is great.”",p:130,x:134,y:898,w:394,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   119",p:130,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:130,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"120",p:131,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:131,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Then they recited,",p:131,x:134,y:105,w:120,h:15},
{t:"“O God, forgive me, have pity on me, direct me aright, ",p:131,x:134,y:135,w:413,h:15},
{t:"preserve me and make me great. Strengthen my faith and ",p:131,x:134,y:156,w:411,h:15},
{t:"enrich me . . . .”",p:131,x:134,y:178,w:106,h:15},
{t:"At last the prayer was fi nished. Each man turned his head, ",p:131,x:134,y:215,w:410,h:15},
{t:"first to the right, then to the left, and saluted the angels saying ",p:131,x:134,y:236,w:408,h:15},
{t:"the age-long formula,",p:131,x:134,y:258,w:143,h:15},
{t:"“Peace be unto you.” “Peace be unto you.”",p:131,x:134,y:295,w:285,h:15},
{t:"As Abd-al-Masih watched, he was deeply moved. There ",p:131,x:134,y:331,w:413,h:15},
{t:"was something uncanny, deeply mystical, yet profoundly ",p:131,x:134,y:353,w:413,h:15},
{t:"impressive in this early morning prayer. He could not do ",p:131,x:134,y:375,w:412,h:15},
{t:"otherwise than respect this solemn observance of prayer, the ",p:131,x:134,y:396,w:409,h:15},
{t:"acknowledgement of the one God. For many of these men it ",p:131,x:134,y:418,w:409,h:15},
{t:"expressed a true desire, a deep yearning for God.11",p:131,x:134,y:439,w:335,h:15},
{t:"The Muslim observes the Christian and asks why he doesn’t pray. It ",p:131,x:119,y:470,w:454,h:15},
{t:"is very difficult for him to understand the Christian’s hesitancy to pray in ",p:131,x:89,y:494,w:483,h:15},
{t:"public. It is my firm belief that prayer can be a bond—and a catalyst for ",p:131,x:89,y:517,w:484,h:15},
{t:"witness—between sincere Muslims and followers of Christ. There is so ",p:131,x:89,y:540,w:484,h:15},
{t:"much in the Islamic prayer ritual, both actual and symbolic, that can be ",p:131,x:89,y:564,w:484,h:15},
{t:"appreciated by Christians.",p:131,x:89,y:587,w:173,h:15},
{t:"Years ago, my wife and I were invited to the home of a very infl uential ",p:131,x:119,y:618,w:454,h:15},
{t:"Muslim family for tea. Everyone was friendly and gracious. At dusk, ",p:131,x:89,y:641,w:486,h:15},
{t:"all rose and excused themselves to go into an inner room to pray. My ",p:131,x:89,y:665,w:485,h:15},
{t:"wife and I sat on the couch feeling a bit awkward talking about trivial ",p:131,x:89,y:688,w:485,h:15},
{t:"matters while the Muslims were inside praying to Allah. But weren’t we ",p:131,x:89,y:711,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the missionaries who possessed the real truth about God? I decided at ",p:131,x:89,y:735,w:485,h:15},
{t:"that time that I would not let this occur in my home.",p:131,x:89,y:758,w:347,h:15},
{t:"This same Muslim family has become very intimate with us. When ",p:131,x:119,y:789,w:454,h:15},
{t:"they visit us, at prayer time, I go into a private room with my friend. We ",p:131,x:89,y:812,w:484,h:15},
{t:"put down the prayer mats and I kneel beside him in silent petition while ",p:131,x:89,y:835,w:484,h:15},
{t:"he goes through the prescribed Muslim ritual. At the end he prays a very ",p:131,x:89,y:859,w:483,h:15},
{t:"fervent extemporaneous prayer.",p:131,x:89,y:882,w:210,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   120",p:131,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:131,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"121",p:132,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:132,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"I then pray, fi nishing in Jesus’ name. My friend is deeply im-",p:132,x:119,y:105,w:450,h:15},
{t:"pressed that I will pray with him. He fully understands our theo logical ",p:132,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"distinctions. There is no question of religious syncretism. But there is an ",p:132,x:89,y:152,w:483,h:15},
{t:"appreciation that I too sincerely want to know and follow God. This has ",p:132,x:89,y:175,w:484,h:15},
{t:"opened up many meaningful oppor tunities for witness.",p:132,x:89,y:199,w:364,h:15},
{t:"The person and teachings of Jesus Christ are appreciated by mystics. ",p:132,x:119,y:230,w:453,h:15},
{t:"“Moreover Sufi s hold that the Lord Jesus is of all the Divine Envoys ",p:132,x:89,y:253,w:486,h:15},
{t:"(rusul) the most perfect type of contemplative saint. To offer the left ",p:132,x:89,y:276,w:486,h:15},
{t:"cheek to him who smites one on the right is true spiritual detachment; ",p:132,x:89,y:300,w:485,h:15},
{t:"it is a voluntary withdrawal from the interplay of cosmic actions and ",p:132,x:89,y:323,w:486,h:15},
{t:"reactions.”12",p:132,x:89,y:345,w:81,h:15},
{t:"Like Gandhi of India, mystics are impressed with the teach ings of the ",p:132,x:119,y:377,w:452,h:15},
{t:"Sermon on the Mount. The high moral and ethical standards elucidated ",p:132,x:89,y:400,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in these Scriptures are similar to what folk Muslims believe should be ",p:132,x:89,y:424,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the behavior of mankind.",p:132,x:89,y:447,w:167,h:15},
{t:"The most important bridge is the mediatorial role of Christ. He stands ",p:132,x:119,y:478,w:452,h:15},
{t:"between God and man as friend, guide, comforter, and, most importantly, ",p:132,x:89,y:501,w:483,h:15},
{t:"as Savior. To many Muslims this type of mediator is the person of ",p:132,x:89,y:525,w:487,h:15},
{t:"Muhammad. “The ideas developed in later Folk Islam concerning the ",p:132,x:89,y:548,w:486,h:15},
{t:"person of Muhammad show a remarkable likeness to what is known in ",p:132,x:89,y:571,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Christian theology as the doctrine of a Mediator.”13 But, on a folk or ",p:132,x:89,y:594,w:486,h:15},
{t:"popular level, mystics actually look to their pirs, departed or alive, as the ",p:132,x:89,y:618,w:483,h:15},
{t:"spe cially empowered saints who can act as mediators for them. These ",p:132,x:89,y:641,w:485,h:15},
{t:"saints are said to intercede in much the same manner as Christ does for ",p:132,x:89,y:665,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the believer.",p:132,x:89,y:688,w:81,h:15},
{t:"I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those ",p:132,x:134,y:725,w:409,h:15},
{t:"you have given me, for they are yours. (John 17:9 NIV)",p:132,x:134,y:746,w:362,h:15},
{t:"Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name. (John ",p:132,x:134,y:783,w:409,h:15},
{t:"17:11 NIV)",p:132,x:134,y:805,w:67,h:15},
{t:"My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that ",p:132,x:134,y:841,w:409,h:15},
{t:"you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, ",p:132,x:134,y:863,w:408,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   121",p:132,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:132,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"122",p:133,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:133,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word ",p:133,x:134,y:105,w:409,h:15},
{t:"is truth. (John 17:15–17 NIV)",p:133,x:134,y:127,w:189,h:15},
{t:"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where ",p:133,x:134,y:164,w:409,h:15},
{t:"I am, and to see my glory. (John 17:24 NIV)",p:133,x:134,y:185,w:286,h:15},
{t:"A verse that has pungency in witness to folk Muslims is 1 Tim othy ",p:133,x:119,y:216,w:454,h:15},
{t:"2:5–6 NIV:",p:133,x:89,y:240,w:67,h:15},
{t:"For there is one God and one mediator between God and ",p:133,x:134,y:276,w:411,h:15},
{t:"men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom ",p:133,x:134,y:298,w:411,h:15},
{t:"for all men.",p:133,x:134,y:320,w:77,h:15},
{t:"Here is a clear reference to the one mediator. The multiplicity of ",p:133,x:119,y:350,w:456,h:15},
{t:"mediators between God and men is denied. Questions will then arise as ",p:133,x:89,y:374,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to who Jesus Christ really was. What does it mean to give oneself for ",p:133,x:89,y:397,w:485,h:15},
{t:"others? The pirs only dispense holy water, amulets, and advice . . . and ",p:133,x:89,y:420,w:484,h:15},
{t:"that often for the purpose of mone ",p:133,x:89,y:444,w:248,h:15},
{t:"tary gain. Christ, in stark contrast, ",p:133,x:331,y:444,w:244,h:15},
{t:"has no hidden agenda. His act of giving was without self-interest. The ",p:133,x:89,y:467,w:485,h:15},
{t:"next query concerning this verse is in regard to the word ransom. Here a ",p:133,x:89,y:490,w:483,h:15},
{t:"whole range of subjects opens itself to the Christian communicator, for ",p:133,x:89,y:514,w:484,h:15},
{t:"using the term ransom leads to making cross-references to original sin; ",p:133,x:89,y:537,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the condemnation which lies upon all men; Jesus as a sinless substitute ",p:133,x:89,y:560,w:484,h:15},
{t:"for the sinner; the death and resurrection of Christ; and the forgiveness ",p:133,x:89,y:584,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the confessing sinner finds in the work of the atonement.",p:133,x:89,y:607,w:377,h:15},
{t:"I have never met a Muslim who could assure me that he knew he ",p:133,x:119,y:638,w:455,h:15},
{t:"was going to heaven when he died. Islam teaches that there are degrees ",p:133,x:89,y:661,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of rewards in heaven as well as various measures of punishment in hell. ",p:133,x:89,y:685,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Each time a Muslim prays, he is to pray for the dead, particularly for the ",p:133,x:89,y:708,w:483,h:15},
{t:"prophets. No living person can be sure of the present state of those who ",p:133,x:89,y:731,w:484,h:15},
{t:"have died. Muslims often articulate their personal fear of death. They ",p:133,x:89,y:755,w:486,h:15},
{t:"can only hope their good deeds outweigh the evil they have done. The ",p:133,x:89,y:778,w:485,h:15},
{t:"following verses have been effective in causing Muslims to realize the ",p:133,x:89,y:801,w:485,h:15},
{t:"inadequacy of their soteriology.",p:133,x:89,y:825,w:210,h:15},
{t:"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in ",p:133,x:134,y:861,w:408,h:15},
{t:"Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 NIV)",p:133,x:134,y:883,w:204,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   122",p:133,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:133,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"123",p:134,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:134,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by ",p:134,x:134,y:105,w:409,h:15},
{t:"faith in Jesus Christ. (Galatians 2:16 NIV)",p:134,x:134,y:127,w:273,h:15},
{t:"“Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, ",p:134,x:134,y:164,w:410,h:15},
{t:"is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of ",p:134,x:134,y:185,w:409,h:15},
{t:"death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to ",p:134,x:134,y:207,w:409,h:15},
{t:"God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ",p:134,x:134,y:229,w:409,h:15},
{t:"(1 Corinthians 15:54–57 NIV)",p:134,x:134,y:250,w:193,h:15},
{t:"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the",p:134,x:134,y:287,w:405,h:15},
{t:"Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. ",p:134,x:134,y:309,w:409,h:15},
{t:"(1 John 5:13 NIV)",p:134,x:134,y:330,w:113,h:15},
{t:"The three key words in the passage from 1 John are believe, know, ",p:134,x:119,y:361,w:454,h:15},
{t:"and have. These concepts have been very powerful in communicating ",p:134,x:89,y:385,w:485,h:15},
{t:"assurance to folk Muslims. It is easy to convince mystics of the inadequacy ",p:134,x:89,y:408,w:482,h:15},
{t:"of the law. They are fully aware that the law condemns but gives no ",p:134,x:89,y:431,w:486,h:15},
{t:"power to overcome the flesh. Mystics are looking for a relationship with ",p:134,x:89,y:455,w:484,h:15},
{t:"God that leads to assurance of eternal life. This, uniquely, we can offer in ",p:134,x:89,y:478,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the lib erating message of the gospel of Christ.",p:134,x:89,y:501,w:306,h:15},
{t:"Love is a supracultural truth. This concept is part of every religion in ",p:134,x:119,y:532,w:453,h:15},
{t:"the world. The word is often caricatured and made into a gross distortion ",p:134,x:89,y:555,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of that which God intended. In the world today one can “love” God or ",p:134,x:89,y:579,w:485,h:15},
{t:"“love” a prostitute. It is indeed sad that one word can be used to describe ",p:134,x:89,y:602,w:483,h:15},
{t:"a heavenly encounter as well as a fleshly tryst.",p:134,x:89,y:625,w:308,h:15},
{t:"Man acknowledges the need to love and be loved, both on a human ",p:134,x:119,y:656,w:454,h:15},
{t:"and a divine level. To the mystic, love is the very core of his being. ",p:134,x:89,y:680,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Hate is the antithesis of all he stands for. Many folk Muslims have been ",p:134,x:89,y:703,w:484,h:15},
{t:"gripped by biblical references such as these:",p:134,x:89,y:726,w:294,h:15},
{t:"See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that ",p:134,x:134,y:763,w:410,h:15},
{t:"we should be called the children of God. (1 John 3:1)",p:134,x:134,y:785,w:355,h:15},
{t:"Every one who loves is born of God and knows God. (1 John ",p:134,x:134,y:821,w:408,h:15},
{t:"4:7)",p:134,x:134,y:843,w:26,h:15},
{t:"By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has ",p:134,x:134,y:880,w:410,h:15},
{t:"sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might ",p:134,x:134,y:901,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   123",p:134,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:134,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"124",p:135,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:135,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but ",p:135,x:134,y:105,w:409,h:15},
{t:"that He loved us and sent His son to be the propitiation for ",p:135,x:134,y:127,w:410,h:15},
{t:"our sins. Beloved, if God so loves us, we also ought to love ",p:135,x:134,y:149,w:409,h:15},
{t:"one another. (1 John 4:9–11)",p:135,x:134,y:170,w:190,h:15},
{t:"So there is a necessity to point out that love is the motivation for ",p:135,x:119,y:201,w:455,h:15},
{t:"God’s divine plan for the redemption of sinful man. The mystic will be ",p:135,x:89,y:225,w:484,h:15},
{t:"drawn to Christ as he sees the scope and purpose of the incarnation. ",p:135,x:89,y:248,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Scripture, Christian songs, and poetry can all be effectively used to ",p:135,x:89,y:271,w:487,h:15},
{t:"define love in a meaningful way.",p:135,x:89,y:295,w:217,h:15},
{t:"Among mystics, love may be the ideal, but fear is often the norm. ",p:135,x:119,y:325,w:455,h:15},
{t:"The Word of God has much to say in regard to stilling the raging storms ",p:135,x:89,y:349,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of fear that often buffet the soul.",p:135,x:89,y:372,w:215,h:15},
{t:"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and ",p:135,x:134,y:409,w:408,h:15},
{t:"love and discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)",p:135,x:134,y:430,w:239,h:15},
{t:"The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear: ",p:135,x:134,y:467,w:410,h:15},
{t:"The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? ",p:135,x:134,y:489,w:411,h:15},
{t:"(Psalm 27:1)",p:135,x:134,y:510,w:85,h:15},
{t:"The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? ",p:135,x:134,y:547,w:409,h:15},
{t:"(Psalm 118:6)",p:135,x:134,y:569,w:93,h:15},
{t:"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the ",p:135,x:134,y:605,w:410,h:15},
{t:"world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, ",p:135,x:134,y:627,w:409,h:15},
{t:"nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27)",p:135,x:134,y:649,w:218,h:15},
{t:"Fear is the basis of most psychosomatic illnesses. It is the force that ",p:135,x:119,y:680,w:454,h:15},
{t:"cripples and destroys. Fear breeds in darkness. Oh, the thrill of presenting ",p:135,x:89,y:703,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Christ, the Light of the World, the one who can assist the supplicant in ",p:135,x:89,y:726,w:484,h:15},
{t:"overcoming the dread of en slavement to the forces of fear: the haunting ",p:135,x:89,y:750,w:484,h:15},
{t:"fears of the past; the anxious fears of the present; the enslaving fear of ",p:135,x:89,y:773,w:485,h:15},
{t:"hell—all put under the blood of Christ. Release is more than a romantic ",p:135,x:89,y:796,w:484,h:15},
{t:"ideal; it is an ever-present potential for the humble petitioner.",p:135,x:89,y:820,w:407,h:15},
{t:"The Muslim is a person of community. Tarikas provide people with ",p:135,x:119,y:850,w:454,h:15},
{t:"a sociological sense of belonging. Christianity should be presented as a ",p:135,x:89,y:874,w:484,h:15},
{t:"warm, loving fellowship of people who care one for another. This has to ",p:135,x:89,y:897,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   124",p:135,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:135,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"125",p:136,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:136,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"be more than pious theory. Muslims must see Christian fellowship. This ",p:136,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"will have a drawing effect. Paul powerfully makes his appeal for this ",p:136,x:89,y:129,w:486,h:15},
{t:"type of community in Philippians 2:1–2:",p:136,x:89,y:152,w:269,h:15},
{t:"If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is ",p:136,x:134,y:189,w:410,h:15},
{t:"any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, ",p:136,x:134,y:210,w:407,h:15},
{t:"if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by ",p:136,x:134,y:232,w:410,h:15},
{t:"being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in ",p:136,x:134,y:254,w:408,h:15},
{t:"spirit, intent on one purpose.",p:136,x:134,y:275,w:190,h:15},
{t:"The apostle John, writing in 1 John 1:3, speaks of the two dimensions ",p:136,x:119,y:306,w:452,h:15},
{t:"of fellowship:",p:136,x:89,y:330,w:93,h:15},
{t:"What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, ",p:136,x:134,y:366,w:412,h:15},
{t:"that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our ",p:136,x:134,y:388,w:410,h:15},
{t:"fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.",p:136,x:134,y:410,w:402,h:15},
{t:"David W. Shenk has given a helpful suggestion on the possibil ity of ",p:136,x:119,y:440,w:454,h:15},
{t:"using the Book of Hebrews as a bridge in witness.",p:136,x:89,y:464,w:334,h:15},
{t:"Hebrews seems to relate to the spiritual and theological ",p:136,x:134,y:500,w:413,h:15},
{t:"aspira tions of Sufi Islam. It quite explicitly recognizes certain ",p:136,x:134,y:522,w:408,h:15},
{t:"socioreligious elements which seem to be similar to aspects ",p:136,x:134,y:544,w:410,h:15},
{t:"of Islamic Sufi sm. Some of these elements include: An ",p:136,x:134,y:565,w:414,h:15},
{t:"intercessory mediational priesthood. Effective and evidential ",p:136,x:134,y:587,w:409,h:15},
{t:"mediation of grace or blessing. Satisfactory divine-human ",p:136,x:134,y:609,w:412,h:15},
{t:"relationship. Power. Sacrifi ce and suffering. An alternative ",p:136,x:134,y:630,w:411,h:15},
{t:"cultic community in tension with the larger religious milieu. ",p:136,x:134,y:652,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Progression toward the true knowl edge of God so that one ",p:136,x:134,y:674,w:411,h:15},
{t:"can experience inner rest and forgive ",p:136,x:134,y:695,w:272,h:15},
{t:"ness. The mediation ",p:136,x:398,y:695,w:148,h:15},
{t:"of revelation through angels. Obedience to divine law. A ",p:136,x:134,y:717,w:412,h:15},
{t:"recognition of incarnational Logos which is, never ",p:136,x:134,y:739,w:362,h:15},
{t:"theless, ",p:136,x:489,y:739,w:57,h:15},
{t:"somewhat tempered by the parameters of transcenden ",p:136,x:134,y:760,w:397,h:15},
{t:"tal ",p:136,x:522,y:760,w:25,h:15},
{t:"monotheism. These and other aspects of the theology of ",p:136,x:134,y:782,w:413,h:15},
{t:"Hebrews suggest that the writer participated in a world view ",p:136,x:134,y:804,w:409,h:15},
{t:"not dissimilar to that of contemporary Sufi sm. He attempted ",p:136,x:134,y:825,w:409,h:15},
{t:"to inter ",p:136,x:134,y:847,w:58,h:15},
{t:"pret life and work of the Messiah into that world ",p:136,x:185,y:847,w:361,h:15},
{t:"view.",p:136,x:134,y:869,w:35,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   125",p:136,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:136,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"126",p:137,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:137,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"The interpretation of the Christian faith and community ",p:137,x:134,y:105,w:414,h:15},
{t:"which is developed by the writer of the Hebrews is both ",p:137,x:134,y:127,w:412,h:15},
{t:"understandable and relevant to people who have accepted ",p:137,x:134,y:149,w:412,h:15},
{t:"the Sufi  theological presuppositions with the concurrent ",p:137,x:134,y:170,w:414,h:15},
{t:"tarika sociological dynam ics. This is not to suggest that Sufi  ",p:137,x:134,y:192,w:409,h:15},
{t:"theology is the same as the theology of Hebrews. It is not. ",p:137,x:134,y:214,w:410,h:15},
{t:"But there are redemptive analogies in Sufi sm and the tarika ",p:137,x:134,y:235,w:409,h:15},
{t:"system which the theology of biblical Hebrews may enlarge ",p:137,x:134,y:257,w:409,h:15},
{t:"and fulfill under the enlightening power of the Holy Spirit.14",p:137,x:134,y:278,w:400,h:15},
{t:"These are a few of the theological potentials for reaching the Muslim ",p:137,x:119,y:310,w:453,h:15},
{t:"mystic.",p:137,x:89,y:333,w:48,h:15},
{t:"The Mystery of the Gospel",p:137,x:89,y:382,w:228,h:9},
{t:"Mystics are advocates of the esoteric. They like to feel they have ",p:137,x:119,y:411,w:455,h:15},
{t:"reached out and received something from God that is unique and ",p:137,x:89,y:434,w:489,h:15},
{t:"somewhat removed from the normal stream of human experience. The ",p:137,x:89,y:458,w:485,h:15},
{t:"concepts mystery and secret are chal lenging to the folk Muslim. The ",p:137,x:89,y:481,w:486,h:15},
{t:"words mystic and mystery both come from the Greek root myst.",p:137,x:89,y:504,w:421,h:15},
{t:"While in North Africa, I was delighted to pick up a book entitled ",p:137,x:119,y:535,w:455,h:15},
{t:"(as I recall) Seven Secret Steps for Attaining a Knowl edge of God. This ",p:137,x:89,y:558,w:484,h:15},
{t:"small volume was written decades ago by a veteran missionary who was ",p:137,x:89,y:582,w:483,h:15},
{t:"seeking to communicate Christ to the Sufi s of North Africa. She had ",p:137,x:89,y:605,w:486,h:15},
{t:"chosen seven as a number that would immediately appeal to Sufi s, who ",p:137,x:89,y:628,w:484,h:15},
{t:"believe in moving through seven distinct stages in their quest for God. ",p:137,x:89,y:652,w:485,h:15},
{t:"The word secret was attractive, as it suggested the esoteric. This book ",p:137,x:89,y:675,w:485,h:15},
{t:"was a very effective bridge between where the Sufi  was in his spiri tual ",p:137,x:89,y:698,w:484,h:15},
{t:"pilgrimage and the point to which the missionary wanted to see him ",p:137,x:89,y:722,w:486,h:15},
{t:"progress. Literature of this nature should be carefully prepared and fi eld-",p:137,x:89,y:745,w:480,h:15},
{t:"tested among folk Muslims throughout the Islamic world.",p:137,x:89,y:768,w:384,h:15},
{t:"The Book of Colossians was written with the Gnostic heresy very ",p:137,x:119,y:799,w:455,h:15},
{t:"much in mind. Gnostics were reaching out into the vast unknown for an ",p:137,x:89,y:823,w:484,h:15},
{t:"experience with God. They emphasized that spirit was good and matter ",p:137,x:89,y:846,w:484,h:15},
{t:"evil. They thought that Christ as sumed only the appearance of a material ",p:137,x:89,y:869,w:483,h:15},
{t:"form. Man as matter had to overcome evil in order to have a knowledge ",p:137,x:89,y:893,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   126",p:137,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:137,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"127",p:138,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:138,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"of God. Gnostics also believed that “there is a long series of emanations ",p:138,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"between a man and God; man must fi ght his way up that long ladder to ",p:138,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"get to God. In order to do that he will need all kinds of secret knowledge ",p:138,x:89,y:152,w:483,h:15},
{t:"and esoteric learning and hidden passwords. He will need an elaborate ",p:138,x:89,y:175,w:485,h:15},
{t:"system of secret and recondite knowl edge in order to reach God.”15",p:138,x:89,y:198,w:447,h:15},
{t:"There are similarities between fi rst-century Gnostics and mystical ",p:138,x:119,y:230,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Muslims of the twenty-fi rst century. Therefore, the Book of Colossians ",p:138,x:89,y:253,w:485,h:15},
{t:"can be helpful in presenting the gospel to folk Muslims.",p:138,x:89,y:276,w:372,h:15},
{t:"Of this church I was made a minister according to the steward-",p:138,x:134,y:313,w:404,h:15},
{t:"ship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, that I might ",p:138,x:134,y:335,w:409,h:15},
{t:"fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, ",p:138,x:134,y:356,w:412,h:15},
{t:"the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and ",p:138,x:134,y:378,w:410,h:15},
{t:"generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, to ",p:138,x:134,y:400,w:411,h:15},
{t:"whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the ",p:138,x:134,y:421,w:410,h:15},
{t:"glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in ",p:138,x:134,y:443,w:409,h:15},
{t:"you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:25–27)",p:138,x:134,y:465,w:297,h:15},
{t:"Here we see that which was hidden from past genera tions of people. ",p:138,x:119,y:495,w:453,h:15},
{t:"But now a select group of people, “the saints,” are to be brought into the ",p:138,x:89,y:519,w:483,h:15},
{t:"secret counsels of God. They will be allowed to comprehend “the riches ",p:138,x:89,y:542,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of the glory of this mys tery.” It is commendable that Paul did not stop at ",p:138,x:89,y:565,w:484,h:15},
{t:"this point and leave the reader grappling with the complexities regarding ",p:138,x:89,y:589,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the Divine—an exercise that could be as frustrating as a novice seeking ",p:138,x:89,y:612,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to master a Rubik Cube. No, the divine mystery is clearly identifi ed as ",p:138,x:89,y:635,w:484,h:15},
{t:"“Christ in you, the hope of glory.”",p:138,x:89,y:659,w:227,h:15},
{t:"Paul continues, expressing the hope that his readers attain . . .",p:138,x:119,y:690,w:409,h:15},
{t:". . . all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of ",p:138,x:134,y:726,w:412,h:15},
{t:"understand ",p:138,x:134,y:748,w:83,h:15},
{t:"ing, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s ",p:138,x:207,y:748,w:342,h:15},
{t:"mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the ",p:138,x:134,y:770,w:410,h:15},
{t:"treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:2–3)",p:138,x:134,y:791,w:373,h:15},
{t:"This passage contains exciting promises for the seeker of God.",p:138,x:119,y:822,w:417,h:15},
{t:"1. ",p:138,x:111,y:859,w:16,h:15},
{t:"A spiritual wealth will be attained.",p:138,x:134,y:859,w:229,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   127",p:138,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:138,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"128",p:139,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:139,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"2. ",p:139,x:111,y:105,w:16,h:15},
{t:"There will be a complete assurance that one has been able to ",p:139,x:134,y:105,w:407,h:15},
{t:"understand God.",p:139,x:134,y:127,w:110,h:15},
{t:"3. ",p:139,x:111,y:156,w:16,h:15},
{t:"The knowledge gained about God will be that which is true.",p:139,x:134,y:156,w:399,h:15},
{t:"4. ",p:139,x:111,y:185,w:16,h:15},
{t:"The mystery of God is revealed to be Christ.",p:139,x:134,y:185,w:296,h:15},
{t:"5. ",p:139,x:111,y:215,w:16,h:15},
{t:"In Christ is found real wisdom and knowledge.",p:139,x:134,y:215,w:312,h:15},
{t:"These are all concepts that will communicate meaningfully to the ",p:139,x:119,y:238,w:455,h:15},
{t:"folk Muslim. Another passage with potential as a bridge is 1 Corinthians ",p:139,x:89,y:261,w:483,h:15},
{t:"2:6–8,10:",p:139,x:89,y:285,w:63,h:15},
{t:"Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a ",p:139,x:134,y:321,w:411,h:15},
{t:"wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this ",p:139,x:134,y:343,w:411,h:15},
{t:"age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom ",p:139,x:134,y:365,w:412,h:15},
{t:". . . which God predes tined before the ages to our glory; the ",p:139,x:134,y:386,w:409,h:15},
{t:"wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; ",p:139,x:134,y:408,w:409,h:15},
{t:"for if they had understood it, they would not have crucifi ed ",p:139,x:134,y:430,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the Lord of glory. . . . For to us God revealed them through ",p:139,x:134,y:451,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths ",p:139,x:134,y:473,w:410,h:15},
{t:"of God.",p:139,x:134,y:495,w:50,h:15},
{t:"God’s wisdom is here defi ned as a mystery. The rulers did not ",p:139,x:119,y:525,w:457,h:15},
{t:"understand the wealth of the mystery. They were blinded to God’s plan. ",p:139,x:89,y:549,w:484,h:15},
{t:"But now, in this age, the Holy Spirit reveals all the deep secrets of God ",p:139,x:89,y:572,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to those who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ.",p:139,x:89,y:595,w:372,h:15},
{t:"Another relevant passage is Ephesians 3:8–11:",p:139,x:119,y:626,w:309,h:15},
{t:"To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to ",p:139,x:134,y:663,w:410,h:15},
{t:"preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and ",p:139,x:134,y:685,w:409,h:15},
{t:"to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery ",p:139,x:134,y:706,w:411,h:15},
{t:"which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; ",p:139,x:134,y:728,w:407,h:15},
{t:"in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made ",p:139,x:134,y:750,w:408,h:15},
{t:"known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in ",p:139,x:134,y:771,w:409,h:15},
{t:"the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal ",p:139,x:134,y:793,w:409,h:15},
{t:"purpose which He car ried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.",p:139,x:134,y:815,w:365,h:15},
{t:"Here we see the necessity of proclaiming the unlocked mys ",p:139,x:119,y:845,w:420,h:15},
{t:"tery of ",p:139,x:524,y:845,w:51,h:15},
{t:"God. The “unfathomable riches of Christ” must be shared with all of God’",p:139,x:89,y:869,w:485,h:15},
{t:"s ",p:139,x:562,y:869,w:9,h:15},
{t:"creation. Muslim mystics will be drawn by the concept ",p:139,x:89,y:892,w:358,h:15},
{t:"of mystery, but then, ",p:139,x:439,y:892,w:134,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   128",p:139,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:13 AM",p:139,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"129",p:140,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:140,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"like Paul, they must see their responsibility to be “stewards of the mysteries",p:140,x:89,y:105,w:492,h:15},
{t:"of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1). Acceptance must lead to proclamation.",p:140,x:89,y:129,w:447,h:15},
{t:"The Supernatural",p:140,x:89,y:178,w:149,h:9},
{t:"Consider the supernatural elements of this true story of three MBBs ",p:140,x:119,y:207,w:453,h:15},
{t:"who were about to be killed because of their faith in Christ.",p:140,x:89,y:230,w:396,h:15},
{t:"The sun had reached its zenith hours ago and the afternoon was ",p:140,x:134,y:267,w:407,h:15},
{t:"sultry and foreboding. The mob had conveniently arranged ",p:140,x:134,y:288,w:411,h:15},
{t:"for men to come with bamboo poles, used to crack the skulls ",p:140,x:134,y:310,w:409,h:15},
{t:"of wild animals or thieves. The three prayed, yet the first blow ",p:140,x:134,y:332,w:408,h:15},
{t:"never came. Suddenly, a crazy man, who was known to be a ",p:140,x:134,y:353,w:409,h:15},
{t:"spirit worshiper, burst into the ring of beaters. He was always ",p:140,x:134,y:375,w:408,h:15},
{t:"a little weird, carrying chains and uttering incantations. At ",p:140,x:134,y:397,w:411,h:15},
{t:"this moment he went from man to man staring at each and ",p:140,x:134,y:418,w:410,h:15},
{t:"muttering in a monotone, “These men are righteous men; do ",p:140,x:134,y:440,w:409,h:15},
{t:"not harm them; these men are righteous men; do not harm ",p:140,x:134,y:462,w:411,h:15},
{t:"them.” The village Muslim is an unorthodox breed, and the ",p:140,x:134,y:483,w:410,h:15},
{t:"incantations of this man had a lot of weight. The religious ",p:140,x:134,y:505,w:411,h:15},
{t:"leaders reconvened and decided that it was better not to beat ",p:140,x:134,y:527,w:409,h:15},
{t:"them, but to have them all pray and show respect to Allah. ",p:140,x:134,y:548,w:410,h:15},
{t:"The believers were delighted and prayed concluding each ",p:140,x:134,y:570,w:412,h:15},
{t:"prayer in Jesus’ name. After the trial was over, the crowd of ",p:140,x:134,y:592,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Muslims dispersed. The crazy man was not to be found. One ",p:140,x:134,y:613,w:409,h:15},
{t:"of the [MBBs] offered his explanation, “The crazy man was ",p:140,x:134,y:635,w:409,h:15},
{t:"an angel.”16",p:140,x:134,y:656,w:77,h:15},
{t:"The effect of this supernatural intervention was worth more than ",p:140,x:119,y:688,w:456,h:15},
{t:"a year’s Bible-school training to these new MBBs. They were totally ",p:140,x:89,y:711,w:486,h:15},
{t:"convinced God is alive and on their side. Is it not legitimate to expect ",p:140,x:89,y:734,w:485,h:15},
{t:"God to do special things for His children in times of need? What about ",p:140,x:89,y:758,w:484,h:15},
{t:"a sign from the Lord to a non-Christian in order to confirm His Word? I ",p:140,x:89,y:781,w:484,h:15},
{t:"have known of several Muslims who have felt that God spoke to them ",p:140,x:89,y:804,w:485,h:15},
{t:"through dreams. R. Max Kershaw comments,",p:140,x:89,y:828,w:302,h:15},
{t:"Two nights ago, a Muslim friend who was visiting in my ",p:140,x:134,y:864,w:411,h:15},
{t:"home asked me what I thought about dreams. I told him ",p:140,x:134,y:886,w:412,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   129",p:140,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:140,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"130",p:141,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:141,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"that the Bible contained many stories of dreams and their ",p:141,x:134,y:105,w:411,h:15},
{t:"signifi cance. He’s been dreaming a lot of late and he’s ",p:141,x:134,y:127,w:414,h:15},
{t:"thinking about them. I have known several Muslim converts ",p:141,x:134,y:149,w:409,h:15},
{t:"where dreams have been used as stepping stones to Christ.17",p:141,x:134,y:170,w:399,h:15},
{t:"A missionary took an opportunity to witness to a Muslim for three ",p:141,x:119,y:201,w:454,h:15},
{t:"hours one evening. It was evident the Lord was speaking to this young ",p:141,x:89,y:225,w:485,h:15},
{t:"man, but his fi nal response was, “I believe in what you say, but I want ",p:141,x:89,y:248,w:485,h:15},
{t:"to wait for two months before I make a final decision to trust in Christ.” ",p:141,x:89,y:271,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Later that night the Muslim tossed and turned restlessly on his bed. In the ",p:141,x:89,y:295,w:483,h:15},
{t:"early morning he finally drifted off to sleep.",p:141,x:89,y:318,w:292,h:15},
{t:"The next day the missionary was surprised to receive a visit from ",p:141,x:119,y:349,w:455,h:15},
{t:"the Muslim, who declared he was ready and eager to accept Christ ",p:141,x:89,y:372,w:487,h:15},
{t:"immediately. When pressed for the reason for his change of mind, he ",p:141,x:89,y:395,w:486,h:15},
{t:"told this story.",p:141,x:89,y:419,w:94,h:15},
{t:"After you left last night, I laid awake for several hours ",p:141,x:134,y:455,w:413,h:15},
{t:"contem plating your words. When I fi nally got to sleep I had ",p:141,x:134,y:477,w:409,h:15},
{t:"a dream about making the Haj to Mecca. In my dream I was ",p:141,x:134,y:499,w:409,h:15},
{t:"so excited about being able to fulfill the deepest desire of my ",p:141,x:134,y:520,w:409,h:15},
{t:"heart. I was traveling along a path with many curves. After ",p:141,x:134,y:542,w:410,h:15},
{t:"each turn I eagerly looked ahead to see the skyline of the ",p:141,x:134,y:564,w:411,h:15},
{t:"holy city of Mecca. My heart pounded with excitement. Each ",p:141,x:134,y:585,w:408,h:15},
{t:"mile took me closer to God Himself. Then, at last, I realized ",p:141,x:134,y:607,w:409,h:15},
{t:"that around the next curve I was to arrive in Mecca. Just as ",p:141,x:134,y:629,w:410,h:15},
{t:"I came around the turn I saw—not Mecca, but a huge sign ",p:141,x:134,y:650,w:410,h:15},
{t:"which said, “Follow the Holy Bible.” I then awoke with the ",p:141,x:134,y:672,w:409,h:15},
{t:"realization that I am to accept Christ as my Savior, I am ready ",p:141,x:134,y:694,w:408,h:15},
{t:"now to believe.",p:141,x:134,y:715,w:102,h:15},
{t:"Such is a documented testimony of the power of God being ",p:141,x:119,y:746,w:459,h:15},
{t:"manifested through a dream. This young man is today a strong believer.",p:141,x:89,y:770,w:477,h:15},
{t:"Another opportunity for witness involves healing. Illness is a ",p:141,x:119,y:800,w:459,h:15},
{t:"serious problem among the poor. I have been deeply touched as I sit by ",p:141,x:89,y:824,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the roadside in a Muslim village and watch masses of humanity pass by. ",p:141,x:89,y:847,w:484,h:15},
{t:"At least one in five persons has an evident physical infirmity. For many, ",p:141,x:89,y:870,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the cost of medicine is beyond their means. They will suffer curable ",p:141,x:89,y:894,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   130",p:141,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:141,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"131",p:142,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:142,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"illness for many years because of economic privation. The alternative, to ",p:142,x:89,y:105,w:483,h:15},
{t:"many Muslims, is to seek help through the prayers of the pirs. Or many ",p:142,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"will perform a ritual, as I did. I went to a bearded Muslim sitting by the ",p:142,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"roadside and told him I wanted to purchase an amulet. He had a selection ",p:142,x:89,y:175,w:483,h:15},
{t:"of Quranic verses printed on very thin paper laid out in front of him. He ",p:142,x:89,y:199,w:484,h:15},
{t:"picked out one and explained the Arabic prayers that were written on it. ",p:142,x:89,y:222,w:484,h:15},
{t:"After some typical haggling, I agreed to pay the demanded price, which ",p:142,x:89,y:245,w:484,h:15},
{t:"was thirteen cents. The Muslim then began to quote Quranic verses while ",p:142,x:89,y:269,w:483,h:15},
{t:"he stuffed the paper into a small metal casing which he then sealed with ",p:142,x:89,y:292,w:484,h:15},
{t:"wax. He gave a beautiful prayer for my health and told me to always ",p:142,x:89,y:315,w:485,h:15},
{t:"wear the amulet close to my body. He, being a good salesman, assured ",p:142,x:89,y:339,w:485,h:15},
{t:"me he had other special amulets for children if I would be interested.",p:142,x:89,y:362,w:458,h:15},
{t:"I asked another Muslim friend if he feels that amulets are effective ",p:142,x:119,y:393,w:454,h:15},
{t:"in curing infi rmities. He said they are for those who believe and they ",p:142,x:89,y:416,w:486,h:15},
{t:"aren’t for those who don’t believe. This is not a bad answer. But isn’t ",p:142,x:89,y:440,w:485,h:15},
{t:"there a better way? Did not Christ consis tently heal the sick? There is no ",p:142,x:89,y:463,w:483,h:15},
{t:"recorded instance where Jesus refused to heal an individual. We are told ",p:142,x:89,y:486,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in James 5:14 to pray over the sick and anoint them with oil in the name ",p:142,x:89,y:510,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of the Lord. Many mystics could be persuaded to accept the gospel if ",p:142,x:89,y:533,w:485,h:15},
{t:"they experienced healing as a result of a Christian’s prayer.",p:142,x:89,y:556,w:393,h:15},
{t:"Adaptations",p:142,x:89,y:605,w:105,h:9},
{t:"Unfortunately, it is the foreign missionary who is usually in the ",p:142,x:119,y:634,w:457,h:15},
{t:"vanguard of Muslim evangelism. He is either directly in volved in or is ",p:142,x:89,y:658,w:485,h:15},
{t:"indirectly supervising outreach. One can hope and pray for the day when a ",p:142,x:89,y:681,w:482,h:15},
{t:"true indigenous church in each Muslim land is carrying out its own viable ",p:142,x:89,y:704,w:483,h:15},
{t:"evangelistic program. Until that occurs, we must realistically analyze ",p:142,x:89,y:728,w:486,h:15},
{t:"what we as for eign missionaries are exporting from our home culture ",p:142,x:89,y:751,w:486,h:15},
{t:"in the West. All too often our ethnocentricity causes us to reproduce our ",p:142,x:89,y:774,w:484,h:15},
{t:"total Western church program in our target country. Stee ples, crosses, ",p:142,x:89,y:798,w:486,h:15},
{t:"benches, pulpits, choirs, and organs create a huge psychological block ",p:142,x:89,y:821,w:485,h:15},
{t:"to Muslims who have worshiped God all their lives with none of these ",p:142,x:89,y:844,w:485,h:15},
{t:"things. I seriously question the wisdom of this methodology for witness ",p:142,x:89,y:868,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   131",p:142,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:142,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"132",p:143,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:143,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"in an Islamic country, James L. Barton, an unheeded prophet, wrote these ",p:143,x:89,y:105,w:483,h:15},
{t:"insightful words in 1918:",p:143,x:89,y:129,w:168,h:15},
{t:"The Christian missionary in approaching the Mohammedan, ",p:143,x:134,y:165,w:409,h:15},
{t:"must be ready to make concessions respecting Christian ",p:143,x:134,y:187,w:413,h:15},
{t:"customs and traditions. This in no way implies that there ",p:143,x:134,y:209,w:412,h:15},
{t:"must be a con cession in Christian truth, but a concession in ",p:143,x:134,y:230,w:410,h:15},
{t:"practices and methods. We have been altogether too fi xed in ",p:143,x:134,y:252,w:409,h:15},
{t:"our forms of preaching and of conducting church worship, ",p:143,x:134,y:274,w:411,h:15},
{t:"when approaching the Mohammedan of the East. He is also ",p:143,x:134,y:295,w:410,h:15},
{t:"fixed in his methods and is often repelled at the outset by ",p:143,x:134,y:317,w:411,h:15},
{t:"what he sees and hears, when the things that repel him have ",p:143,x:134,y:339,w:409,h:15},
{t:"no particular signifi cance to Chris tian worship, doctrine, or ",p:143,x:134,y:360,w:410,h:15},
{t:"life.18",p:143,x:134,y:381,w:36,h:15},
{t:"In the next section of this chapter I will present the attempts of one ",p:143,x:119,y:413,w:454,h:15},
{t:"group to contextualize a witness for Christ in a Muslim setting. It is ",p:143,x:89,y:436,w:486,h:15},
{t:"much too early to be dogmatic about this type of approach. Time will ",p:143,x:89,y:460,w:485,h:15},
{t:"allow us to make an accurate evaluation. However, a small group of ",p:143,x:89,y:483,w:486,h:15},
{t:"observers has felt such adaptations to be syncretistic. I have sought to ",p:143,x:89,y:506,w:485,h:15},
{t:"deal in depth with these issues in Muslim Evangelism. But I cannot resist ",p:143,x:89,y:530,w:483,h:15},
{t:"quoting again from the evangelical Baptist Barton. Was he prophetic in ",p:143,x:89,y:553,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the year 1918?",p:143,x:89,y:576,w:98,h:15},
{t:"It would be well for those who wish to get near to the Moham-",p:143,x:134,y:613,w:404,h:15},
{t:"medan and to remove prejudice and win his confi dence, ",p:143,x:134,y:635,w:409,h:15},
{t:"seriously to consider whether the buildings which stand for ",p:143,x:134,y:656,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Christianity cannot wisely, and should not, for psychological ",p:143,x:134,y:678,w:409,h:15},
{t:"purposes alone, be shorn of their ornamentation which is ",p:143,x:134,y:700,w:412,h:15},
{t:"repulsive to those whom they wish to win. This is a matter ",p:143,x:134,y:721,w:410,h:15},
{t:"for careful consideration in the construction of churches and ",p:143,x:134,y:743,w:409,h:15},
{t:"all places of worship in coun tries where the Mohammedan ",p:143,x:134,y:765,w:411,h:15},
{t:"is the special object of approach. Is there any reasonable ",p:143,x:134,y:786,w:412,h:15},
{t:"objection, as many workers among Mohammedans have ",p:143,x:134,y:808,w:414,h:15},
{t:"already suggested, to using the Muslim method of calling ",p:143,x:134,y:830,w:411,h:15},
{t:"to Christian services? The minaret is a graceful addition to ",p:143,x:134,y:851,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the place of worship. What could be more impressive than to ",p:143,x:134,y:873,w:409,h:15},
{t:"have the call go out from the minaret in the name of the God ",p:143,x:134,y:895,w:409,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   132",p:143,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:143,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"133",p:144,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:144,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"of heaven and the Savior of men, to all within the sound of ",p:144,x:134,y:105,w:410,h:15},
{t:"the voice, summoning to the worship of God through Jesus ",p:144,x:134,y:127,w:410,h:15},
{t:"Christ?19",p:144,x:134,y:148,w:57,h:15},
{t:"Earlier in this chapter, I used a series of contrasts to highlight the ",p:144,x:119,y:180,w:455,h:15},
{t:"problem of the Muslim’s perception of the missionary (refer to table 1). Is ",p:144,x:89,y:203,w:483,h:15},
{t:"it not right to prayerfully consider the whole ques tion of image from the ",p:144,x:89,y:226,w:484,h:15},
{t:"view of the receptor community? Per haps missionaries should consider ",p:144,x:89,y:250,w:484,h:15},
{t:"specifi c changes that would be appreciated by Muslims but would not ",p:144,x:89,y:273,w:485,h:15},
{t:"involve any form of theological compromise.",p:144,x:89,y:296,w:301,h:15},
{t:"For example, is dhikr an acceptable form for communicating Christ ",p:144,x:119,y:327,w:454,h:15},
{t:"to mystics? “Professor D. B. Macdonald urges that dhikr be studied ",p:144,x:89,y:350,w:487,h:15},
{t:"by the Christian missionaries with a view to discover ",p:144,x:89,y:374,w:379,h:15},
{t:"ing, if possible, ",p:144,x:461,y:374,w:114,h:15},
{t:"some underlying principle or truth to aid in propagating Christianity ",p:144,x:89,y:397,w:487,h:15},
{t:"among Muslims and especially among the followers of Sufi sm.”20 Can ",p:144,x:89,y:420,w:485,h:15},
{t:"meditation on the names of God be a bridge that will move us close ",p:144,x:89,y:444,w:486,h:15},
{t:"to the folk Muslim? I well remember the excruciating experience of ",p:144,x:89,y:467,w:487,h:15},
{t:"hearing new MBBs try to sing hymns with Western tunes. Fortunately, ",p:144,x:89,y:490,w:485,h:15},
{t:"the leader soon switched to Muslim tunes with Christian words. This was ",p:144,x:89,y:514,w:483,h:15},
{t:"followed by enthusiastic chanting of “God is One” and “Jesus is Savior.” ",p:144,x:89,y:537,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Those converts were enjoying a meaningful worship experience that was ",p:144,x:89,y:560,w:483,h:15},
{t:"dynamic but not overly emotional. It was in forms that were familiar and ",p:144,x:89,y:584,w:483,h:15},
{t:"appreciated. Chanting is allowable in the mosques whereas singing is ",p:144,x:89,y:607,w:486,h:15},
{t:"not. However, religious sing ing is very common among mystics outside ",p:144,x:89,y:630,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the mosque. One Muslim writer has said, “Those who prohibit music ",p:144,x:89,y:654,w:486,h:15},
{t:"do so in order that they may keep the Divine commandment, but theo-",p:144,x:89,y:677,w:479,h:15},
{t:"logians are agreed that it is permissible to hear musical instru ments if ",p:144,x:89,y:700,w:485,h:15},
{t:"they are not used for diversion, and if the mind is not led to wickedness ",p:144,x:89,y:724,w:484,h:15},
{t:"through hearing them.”21 Music should be contextualized. Attempts ",p:144,x:89,y:746,w:488,h:15},
{t:"should be made to have converts write original lyrics and set them to ",p:144,x:89,y:770,w:485,h:15},
{t:"existing religious tunes or chants.",p:144,x:89,y:794,w:223,h:15},
{t:"One last word needs to be said in regard to adaptation. The early Sufi",p:144,x:119,y:825,w:449,h:15},
{t:"  ",p:144,x:564,y:825,w:5,h:15},
{t:"missionaries to the Indian subcontinent were ex tremely successful. It is ",p:144,x:89,y:848,w:484,h:15},
{t:"important to note that these men en dured great sacrifi ce and privation. ",p:144,x:89,y:871,w:485,h:15},
{t:"They possessed indomitable zeal for their task. How they longed to see ",p:144,x:89,y:895,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   133",p:144,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:144,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"134",p:145,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:145,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"the polytheistic Hindu turn from his idolatry to serve one God. Millions ",p:145,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"did. It is said that Sufi s impressed the heathen with their saintlike ",p:145,x:89,y:129,w:488,h:15},
{t:"qualities. They looked, acted, and preached like men sent from heaven. ",p:145,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"Love was the consuming motivation for their mission.",p:145,x:89,y:175,w:361,h:15},
{t:"Now foreign missionaries are moving in to labor and preach among ",p:145,x:119,y:206,w:454,h:15},
{t:"folk Muslims. The heart-searching question before us is: How will we ",p:145,x:89,y:230,w:485,h:15},
{t:"be evaluated?",p:145,x:89,y:253,w:91,h:15},
{t:"Alipur: A Case Study",p:145,x:220,y:313,w:217,h:12},
{t:"Relevant details of this case study are true, although certain ",p:145,x:119,y:345,w:460,h:15},
{t:"descriptions and names have been altered in order to assure necessary ",p:145,x:89,y:368,w:485,h:15},
{t:"anonymity. Alipur, a town with a population of sixty thousand, has a ",p:145,x:89,y:391,w:486,h:15},
{t:"very small animist-background Christian com munity that is quite cut off ",p:145,x:89,y:415,w:483,h:15},
{t:"from social interaction with the Muslim majority. Generally Muslims are ",p:145,x:89,y:438,w:483,h:15},
{t:"friendly and religiously quite tolerant. Most of the people throughout the ",p:145,x:89,y:461,w:483,h:15},
{t:"district are influenced by folk Islam.",p:145,x:89,y:485,w:241,h:15},
{t:"In the early 1980s, the World Outreach Mission placed three foreign ",p:145,x:119,y:515,w:453,h:15},
{t:"couples in Alipur. This summary of their ministry is based on these ",p:145,x:89,y:539,w:487,h:15},
{t:"few brief months. The work is untested by time and is not presented ",p:145,x:89,y:562,w:486,h:15},
{t:"as a model for success. Rather, it is given as a description of a cross-",p:145,x:89,y:585,w:479,h:15},
{t:"cultural ministry among Muslims in a pioneer setting. At the start of ",p:145,x:89,y:609,w:486,h:15},
{t:"their ministry, there were no believers from a Muslim background and ",p:145,x:89,y:632,w:485,h:15},
{t:"no Christian outreach was being attempted.",p:145,x:89,y:655,w:288,h:15},
{t:"The three couples decided to work in five small towns in the district, ",p:145,x:119,y:686,w:453,h:15},
{t:"I will focus on one missionary, Dan, and his evangelistic efforts in two ",p:145,x:89,y:710,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of the towns, which will be designated A and B.",p:145,x:89,y:733,w:318,h:15},
{t:"The missionaries made a study of local culture and then made these ",p:145,x:119,y:764,w:454,h:15},
{t:"adaptations.",p:145,x:89,y:787,w:80,h:15},
{t:"Dress that is common among Muslim religious leaders is worn by ",p:145,x:119,y:818,w:455,h:15},
{t:"the missionary men. This is in contrast to Western clothes, which are ",p:145,x:89,y:841,w:486,h:15},
{t:"worn by the majority of national men. The missionaries also have beards, ",p:145,x:89,y:865,w:483,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   134",p:145,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:145,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"135",p:146,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:146,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"which are a sign of a truly relig ious person. The wives wear clothes that ",p:146,x:89,y:105,w:484,h:15},
{t:"are culturally accept able to local people.",p:146,x:89,y:129,w:269,h:15},
{t:"Dramas and movies are greatly enjoyed by the general popu ",p:146,x:119,y:160,w:425,h:15},
{t:"lace, ",p:146,x:538,y:160,w:37,h:15},
{t:"but religious leaders would never attend. Therefore, the missionary ",p:146,x:89,y:183,w:488,h:15},
{t:"refrains from attending entertainment that by West ern standards would ",p:146,x:89,y:206,w:485,h:15},
{t:"be regarded as quite innocuous. Eating pork is believed by Muslims to ",p:146,x:89,y:230,w:485,h:15},
{t:"be a major sin, so it is therefore avoided.",p:146,x:89,y:253,w:271,h:15},
{t:"It is impossible for missionaries to live on the economic level of the ",p:146,x:119,y:284,w:454,h:15},
{t:"religious leaders of Alipur. However, the foreigners have sought to live ",p:146,x:89,y:307,w:484,h:15},
{t:"on as simple a level as physically and emotionally possible.",p:146,x:89,y:330,w:397,h:15},
{t:"Muslims place great emphasis on that which is observable. Religion ",p:146,x:119,y:361,w:453,h:15},
{t:"is to be expressed in terms of externals. Even mystics, who stress ",p:146,x:89,y:385,w:488,h:15},
{t:"subjective experience, have their own systems of ritual that make them ",p:146,x:89,y:408,w:485,h:15},
{t:"identifiable to others. In light of these facts, missionaries have sought to ",p:146,x:89,y:431,w:484,h:15},
{t:"project an identity and to preach Christianity in terms that communicate ",p:146,x:89,y:455,w:484,h:15},
{t:"effectively to their target audience.",p:146,x:89,y:478,w:232,h:15},
{t:"Dan is privileged to work with an outstanding MBB who possesses ",p:146,x:119,y:509,w:454,h:15},
{t:"unusual spiritual and intellectual qualities. Abdul is a volunteer worker ",p:146,x:89,y:532,w:485,h:15},
{t:"who, with his wife, has agreed to labor for Christ in return for various ",p:146,x:89,y:555,w:485,h:15},
{t:"gifts which are at best a subsistence allowance. Abdul, without doubt, ",p:146,x:89,y:579,w:485,h:15},
{t:"would be a suc cessful businessman if he left the ministry. The outreach ",p:146,x:89,y:602,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in nearby villages A and B is very much a team effort. Muslims have been ",p:146,x:89,y:625,w:483,h:15},
{t:"quick to acknowledge the spiritual gifts of Abdul and have categorized ",p:146,x:89,y:649,w:485,h:15},
{t:"him as a special teacher rather than just an employee who is paid to ",p:146,x:89,y:672,w:486,h:15},
{t:"preach the gospel.",p:146,x:89,y:695,w:120,h:15},
{t:"The villages each had a population of fewer than a thousand. A small ",p:146,x:119,y:726,w:453,h:15},
{t:"“office” was rented in each place. No signboards defi ne the function of ",p:146,x:89,y:750,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the rooms. The offices have no fans or furniture. Mats are laid out on the ",p:146,x:89,y:773,w:483,h:15},
{t:"floor. Literature is placed on riyals, wooden stands on which holy books ",p:146,x:89,y:796,w:484,h:15},
{t:"are placed). Arabic quotes extolling God have been colorfully painted on ",p:146,x:89,y:820,w:483,h:15},
{t:"posters and hung on the walls.",p:146,x:89,y:843,w:201,h:15},
{t:"Each of the villages is visited once a week, usually for a period ",p:146,x:119,y:874,w:456,h:15},
{t:"of ten hours. The visits are made on a very regular basis so a pattern ",p:146,x:89,y:897,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   135",p:146,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:146,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"136",p:147,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:147,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"of familiarity is established. Dan and Abdul seek to make these visits ",p:147,x:89,y:105,w:486,h:15},
{t:"together, but often, because of various circum stances, only one of them ",p:147,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"makes the trip.",p:147,x:89,y:152,w:98,h:15},
{t:"The literature used in the offi ces is a series of specially pre pared ",p:147,x:119,y:183,w:456,h:15},
{t:"courses that are very carefully written in cultural and linguistic forms ",p:147,x:89,y:206,w:486,h:15},
{t:"appreciated by Muslims. Covers of the books are decorated with eye-",p:147,x:89,y:230,w:480,h:15},
{t:"catching Islamic art forms. Each book has pages of questions to fi",p:147,x:89,y:253,w:444,h:15},
{t:" ll out ",p:147,x:529,y:253,w:44,h:15},
{t:"and turn in. These courses are geared to personal contact. Doing the ",p:147,x:89,y:276,w:486,h:15},
{t:"courses by mail is not encouraged.",p:147,x:89,y:300,w:230,h:15},
{t:"Dan and Abdul do not distribute literature outside their offi ces. ",p:147,x:119,y:330,w:454,h:15},
{t:"However, they do discreetly walk around and make con ",p:147,x:89,y:354,w:408,h:15},
{t:"tacts in the ",p:147,x:489,y:354,w:87,h:15},
{t:"bazaars and the various shops. They avoid any type of profound religious ",p:147,x:89,y:377,w:483,h:15},
{t:"discussions outside their offi ce. Other for eigners are not encouraged to ",p:147,x:89,y:400,w:485,h:15},
{t:"visit these villages. No pictures are taken of inquirers or new believers.",p:147,x:89,y:424,w:473,h:15},
{t:"There have been some sensitive linguistic adjustments to the local ",p:147,x:119,y:455,w:455,h:15},
{t:"situation. Muslims regard “Christians” as polytheistic wor shipers of three ",p:147,x:89,y:478,w:482,h:15},
{t:"gods, pork eaters, and wine drinkers. In an attempt to move the focus of ",p:147,x:89,y:501,w:484,h:15},
{t:"attention from cultural Christian ity to spiritual Christianity, the words ",p:147,x:89,y:525,w:486,h:15},
{t:"followers of Isa are used. Arabic words that communicate meaningfully ",p:147,x:89,y:548,w:484,h:15},
{t:"to Muslims are frequently used in conversation.",p:147,x:89,y:571,w:318,h:15},
{t:"Prayer is offered with uplifted hands, as is the custom among ",p:147,x:119,y:602,w:458,h:15},
{t:"Muslims. Chanting, as well as Islamic tunes, is used in worship. Spiritual ",p:147,x:89,y:625,w:483,h:15},
{t:"dynamics are constantly emphasized.",p:147,x:89,y:649,w:248,h:15},
{t:"There is no option for fl ight for new believers. They are told from ",p:147,x:119,y:680,w:455,h:15},
{t:"the beginning that they must remain totally within their society. They ",p:147,x:89,y:703,w:486,h:15},
{t:"are to carefully share their faith with relatives and friends. They are to ",p:147,x:89,y:726,w:485,h:15},
{t:"demonstrate their faith before articulating it.",p:147,x:89,y:750,w:296,h:15},
{t:"The aim of this work is to see a homogeneous, Muslim-background, ",p:147,x:119,y:780,w:453,h:15},
{t:"worshiping group established in each village. Until the believers can ",p:147,x:89,y:804,w:486,h:15},
{t:"afford to erect a building, meetings take place in homes. No fi nancial ",p:147,x:89,y:827,w:484,h:15},
{t:"assistance has been given to believers.",p:147,x:89,y:850,w:255,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   136",p:147,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:147,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"137",p:148,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O MYSTICAL ISL AM",p:148,x:339,y:66,w:230,h:8},
{t:"At a certain point, sufficient inquirers and MBBs were iden tified and ",p:148,x:119,y:105,w:453,h:15},
{t:"a monthly meeting for Bible teaching and fellowship was commenced ",p:148,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"in Alipur. The men travel in from the villages at their own expense. ",p:148,x:89,y:152,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Until now, the missionaries have paid for the simple meal that is served. ",p:148,x:89,y:175,w:484,h:15},
{t:"However, some donations have been made by the believers to help offset ",p:148,x:89,y:199,w:483,h:15},
{t:"the cost of the food. The men have been spiritually strengthened and ",p:148,x:89,y:222,w:486,h:15},
{t:"stimulated by meet ing others like themselves.",p:148,x:89,y:245,w:304,h:15},
{t:"In the fi rst year there have been nine clear professions of faith in ",p:148,x:119,y:276,w:455,h:15},
{t:"villages A and B. All of these are from middle-aged men who are respected ",p:148,x:89,y:300,w:482,h:15},
{t:"within their Muslim society. Several others are inquiring. Almost all of ",p:148,x:89,y:323,w:485,h:15},
{t:"these are mystical in background. The significance of this small group lies ",p:148,x:89,y:346,w:482,h:15},
{t:"in its contrast to the almost nonexistent Muslim-background Christian ",p:148,x:89,y:370,w:485,h:15},
{t:"community in the coun try in which Alipur is located.",p:148,x:89,y:393,w:353,h:15},
{t:"This case study is shared for the purpose of stimulating Chris tian ",p:148,x:119,y:424,w:455,h:15},
{t:"workers to commence a ministry among Muslims where none presently ",p:148,x:89,y:447,w:484,h:15},
{t:"exists. As Dan and Abdul would testify, such work requires a great deal ",p:148,x:89,y:470,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of patience and tenacity—but the results make it eminently worthwhile.",p:148,x:89,y:494,w:477,h:15},
{t:"(Afterword: By 2006, the number of MBBs in this general area of ",p:148,x:119,y:525,w:455,h:15},
{t:"Alipur has grown to over 800.)",p:148,x:89,y:548,w:206,h:15},
{t:"Notes",p:148,x:296,y:608,w:64,h:12},
{t:"1. ",p:148,x:89,y:641,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Paul Hiebert, “Social Structure and Church Growth,” in Crucial ",p:148,x:119,y:641,w:387,h:13},
{t:"Dimensions in World Evangelism, ed. Arthur F. Glasser et al. (Pasadena, ",p:148,x:119,y:664,w:436,h:13},
{t:"Calif.: William Carey Library, 1976), 63.",p:148,x:119,y:687,w:246,h:13},
{t:"2. ",p:148,x:89,y:711,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Charles R. Marsh, Streams in the Sahara (Bath, England: Echoes of ",p:148,x:119,y:711,w:411,h:13},
{t:"Service, 1972), 32.",p:148,x:119,y:734,w:113,h:13},
{t:"3. ",p:148,x:89,y:757,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Bill Musk, “Popular Islam: The Hunger of the Heart,” in The Gospel and ",p:148,x:119,y:757,w:441,h:13},
{t:"Islam: A 1978 Compendium, ed. Don M. McCurry (Monrovia, Calif.: ",p:148,x:119,y:781,w:419,h:13},
{t:"MARC, 1979), 215. Used by permission.",p:148,x:119,y:804,w:247,h:13},
{t:"4. ",p:148,x:89,y:827,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Arthur F. Glasser, “Power Encounter in Conversion from Islam,” in The ",p:148,x:119,y:827,w:434,h:13},
{t:"Gospel and Islam: A 1978 Compendium, ed. Don M. McCurry (Monrovia, ",p:148,x:119,y:851,w:450,h:13},
{t:"Calif.: MARC, 1979), 137.",p:148,x:119,y:874,w:162,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   137",p:148,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:148,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"138",p:149,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:149,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"5. ",p:149,x:89,y:105,w:15,h:13},
{t:"H. A. R. Gibb, Mohammedanism: An Historical Survey (New York: ",p:149,x:119,y:105,w:408,h:13},
{t:"Oxford University, 1962), 133–134.",p:149,x:119,y:129,w:215,h:13},
{t:"6. ",p:149,x:89,y:152,w:14,h:13},
{t:"John A. Subhan, Sufi sm: Its Saints and Shrines (Lucknow: Lucknow ",p:149,x:119,y:152,w:414,h:13},
{t:"Publishing House, 1938), 322.",p:149,x:119,y:175,w:182,h:13},
{t:"7. ",p:149,x:89,y:199,w:14,h:13},
{t:"Reynold A. Nicholson, The Idea of Personality in Sufi sm (1923; reprinted ",p:149,x:119,y:199,w:445,h:13},
{t:"Delhi: Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli, 1976), 71.",p:149,x:119,y:222,w:258,h:13},
{t:"8. ",p:149,x:89,y:245,w:15,h:13},
{t:"Phil Parshall, Muslim Evangelism (Authentic: Tyrone, GA, 2003).",p:149,x:119,y:245,w:395,h:13},
{t:"9. ",p:149,x:89,y:269,w:15,h:13},
{t:"This list, originally given by Muhammad Al-Bakhari, is from Thomas P. ",p:149,x:119,y:269,w:437,h:13},
{t:"Hughes, Notes on Muhammadanism, 3d ed. (London: W. H. Allen and ",p:149,x:119,y:292,w:424,h:13},
{t:"Company, 1894), 249–253.",p:149,x:119,y:315,w:163,h:13},
{t:"10. Subhan, ",p:149,x:89,y:339,w:90,h:13},
{t:"Sufi sm: Its Saints and Shrines, 16.",p:149,x:171,y:339,w:204,h:13},
{t:"11. ",p:149,x:89,y:362,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Charles R. Marsh, Too Hard for God (Bath, England: Echoes of Service, ",p:149,x:119,y:362,w:438,h:13},
{t:"1970), 44–45.",p:149,x:119,y:385,w:83,h:13},
{t:"12. ",p:149,x:89,y:409,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Titus Burckhardt, An Introduction to Sufi  Doctrine, trans. D. M. Matheson ",p:149,x:119,y:409,w:448,h:13},
{t:"(Lahore: Shaikh Muhammad Ashraf, 1959), 8.",p:149,x:119,y:432,w:278,h:13},
{t:"13. Nicholson, ",p:149,x:89,y:456,w:106,h:13},
{t:"Idea of Personality in Sufi sm, 67.",p:149,x:188,y:456,w:199,h:13},
{t:"14. ",p:149,x:89,y:479,w:22,h:13},
{t:"David W. Shenk, “The [Sufi] Mystical Orders in Popular Islam” ",p:149,x:119,y:479,w:387,h:13},
{t:"(unpublished paper, 1981), 11.",p:149,x:119,y:502,w:182,h:13},
{t:"15. ",p:149,x:89,y:526,w:22,h:13},
{t:"William Barclay, The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians and ",p:149,x:119,y:526,w:387,h:13},
{t:"Thessalonians (Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1959), 120.",p:149,x:119,y:549,w:359,h:13},
{t:"16. Parshall, ",p:149,x:89,y:572,w:93,h:13},
{t:"Muslim Evangelism.",p:149,x:175,y:572,w:122,h:13},
{t:"17. ",p:149,x:89,y:596,w:22,h:13},
{t:"R. Max Kershaw, personal letter to the author, January 8, 1979, 1.",p:149,x:119,y:596,w:394,h:13},
{t:"18. ",p:149,x:89,y:619,w:22,h:13},
{t:"James L. Barton, The Christian Approach to Islam (Boston: Pilgrim Press, ",p:149,x:119,y:619,w:450,h:13},
{t:"1918), 257.",p:149,x:119,y:642,w:68,h:13},
{t:"19. ",p:149,x:89,y:666,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Ibid., 262.",p:149,x:119,y:666,w:61,h:13},
{t:"20. ",p:149,x:89,y:689,w:22,h:13},
{t:"Ibid., 203.",p:149,x:119,y:689,w:61,h:13},
{t:"21. ",p:149,x:89,y:712,w:21,h:13},
{t:"Ikbal Ali, Islamic Sufi sm (Delhi: Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli, 1933), ",p:149,x:119,y:712,w:395,h:13},
{t:"265–266.",p:149,x:119,y:736,w:56,h:13},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   138",p:149,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:149,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"139",p:150,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"A Final Word",p:150,x:227,y:256,w:204,h:17},
{t:"In recent years and in light of 9–11, Islam has become a subject ",p:150,x:119,y:378,w:456,h:15},
{t:"of fre ",p:150,x:89,y:401,w:47,h:15},
{t:"quent analysis in the Western press. Secularists are seeking to ",p:150,x:129,y:401,w:447,h:15},
{t:"understand a religious force of ancient vintage in light of twenty-fi rst-",p:150,x:89,y:425,w:480,h:15},
{t:"century social and political norms. Because of differ ing perspectives and ",p:150,x:89,y:448,w:483,h:15},
{t:"presuppositions, the analysis is little more than a caricature of the real ",p:150,x:89,y:471,w:485,h:15},
{t:"situation. Muslims are castigated for maintaining a seventh-century mind-",p:150,x:89,y:495,w:480,h:15},
{t:"set. The West seeks to cajole and coax Islam into modernity. Muslims, ",p:150,x:89,y:518,w:485,h:15},
{t:"for their part, evaluate so-called progress as the door to secularism and ",p:150,x:89,y:541,w:484,h:15},
{t:"mate rialism. To many, this is religiously unacceptable and undesirable.",p:150,x:89,y:565,w:471,h:15},
{t:"This is not to say that all Muslims are living in the past. Islamic ",p:150,x:119,y:595,w:456,h:15},
{t:"nations have learned to use the political clout of oil in the same way the ",p:150,x:89,y:619,w:484,h:15},
{t:"West has used the dollar in times past. Iran and Iraq have been willing to ",p:150,x:89,y:642,w:483,h:15},
{t:"go to war to expand geographical boundaries.",p:150,x:89,y:665,w:304,h:15},
{t:"Islam, then, is dynamic. It is multifaceted and complex. There are ",p:150,x:119,y:696,w:455,h:15},
{t:"secular Muslims in leadership posts in fundamentalist Is lamic nations. ",p:150,x:89,y:720,w:485,h:15},
{t:"There are contradictions as well as consistencies.",p:150,x:89,y:743,w:327,h:15},
{t:"Yet there are many similarities among individual Muslims. They ",p:150,x:119,y:774,w:456,h:15},
{t:"desire to know God and to be accepted by Him. They have a high view ",p:150,x:89,y:797,w:484,h:15},
{t:"of one God who is uniformly regarded as all-powerful and merciful. ",p:150,x:89,y:820,w:486,h:15},
{t:"Mystics go on to press for a satisfying personal relationship with Allah. ",p:150,x:89,y:844,w:484,h:15},
{t:"They may follow unorthodox paths to gain this experience, but most of ",p:150,x:89,y:867,w:484,h:15},
{t:"them are sincere in the quest.",p:150,x:89,y:890,w:194,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   139",p:150,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:150,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"140",p:151,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:151,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Do evangelical Christians really care about Muslims? Perhaps less ",p:151,x:119,y:105,w:454,h:15},
{t:"than 5 percent of our missionary staff is assigned to Muslim countries. ",p:151,x:89,y:129,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Approximately one-fi fth of the world’s population is Islamic. Certainly ",p:151,x:89,y:152,w:484,h:15},
{t:"our response to the Muslim challenge has been grossly inadequate.",p:151,x:89,y:175,w:445,h:15},
{t:"I dream of the day when Christians really begin to be con cerned ",p:151,x:119,y:206,w:456,h:15},
{t:"for the Muslim masses. When will we send our best young people to go ",p:151,x:89,y:230,w:484,h:15},
{t:"forth in Christ’s name to the hard places? Can we trust God to speak to ",p:151,x:89,y:253,w:484,h:15},
{t:"mission societies and bring them to a place where they will reexamine ",p:151,x:89,y:276,w:485,h:15},
{t:"well-established method ologies—if this is the will of God? What about ",p:151,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"fi nances? May we cry out to God for a fl ow of money to back up the ",p:151,x:89,y:323,w:485,h:15},
{t:"frontline soldiers on the battlefi eld.",p:151,x:89,y:346,w:233,h:15},
{t:"Some years back, a large Muslim country was in the throes of a ",p:151,x:119,y:377,w:456,h:15},
{t:"bloody civil war. At about midpoint in the confl ict I made a trip into a ",p:151,x:89,y:400,w:485,h:15},
{t:"very remote area of this country for the purpose of dis ",p:151,x:89,y:424,w:387,h:15},
{t:"tributing relief ",p:151,x:470,y:424,w:105,h:15},
{t:"funds to starving people. Our little boat slowly made its way through ",p:151,x:89,y:447,w:486,h:15},
{t:"the narrow canals. We carefully avoided the larger market towns, which ",p:151,x:89,y:470,w:484,h:15},
{t:"were being bombed every few days.",p:151,x:89,y:494,w:240,h:15},
{t:"At one point, my boatman asked me if I would like to visit a covert ",p:151,x:119,y:525,w:454,h:15},
{t:"hospital that had been established to treat wounded free dom fi ghters. ",p:151,x:89,y:548,w:484,h:15},
{t:"This involved a certain degree of risk, yet I was anxious to make contact ",p:151,x:89,y:571,w:483,h:15},
{t:"with the brave young men who were fi ghting for the independence of ",p:151,x:89,y:595,w:485,h:15},
{t:"their country.",p:151,x:89,y:618,w:88,h:15},
{t:"Just at dusk we beached our boat and walked into an aban doned ",p:151,x:119,y:649,w:456,h:15},
{t:"courtyard. There were five bamboo thatched huts around the edge of the ",p:151,x:89,y:672,w:484,h:15},
{t:"clearance. A young man cordially greeted us and invited us into one of the ",p:151,x:89,y:695,w:483,h:15},
{t:"small houses. Once inside, I was shocked to see a very handsome young ",p:151,x:89,y:719,w:484,h:15},
{t:"man lying on a table and grimacing in pain as a nurse put a dressing on ",p:151,x:89,y:742,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the stump of his amputated leg. He had been shot in a campaign against ",p:151,x:89,y:765,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the opposing soldiers. It was a miracle he survived the ordeal.",p:151,x:89,y:789,w:411,h:15},
{t:"Some minutes later, the boy hobbled out into the courtyard on ",p:151,x:119,y:820,w:457,h:15},
{t:"crutches and began to chat with me. He had left the univer sity to pursue ",p:151,x:89,y:843,w:484,h:15},
{t:"a cause. He now was a cripple for life. I asked this very gracious patriot ",p:151,x:89,y:866,w:484,h:15},
{t:"if he regretted his decision to join the guerillas. Never will I forget his ",p:151,x:89,y:890,w:485,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   140",p:151,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:151,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"141",p:152,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"A FINAL WO RD",p:152,x:452,y:66,w:115,h:8},
{t:"answer. Without hesitation, he, with a faint smile playing on his lips, ",p:152,x:89,y:105,w:486,h:15},
{t:"said, “No, no, never. If I had it to do all over again, I would gladly do it ",p:152,x:89,y:129,w:484,h:15},
{t:"in order that my country be free!”",p:152,x:89,y:152,w:224,h:15},
{t:"What a price to pay for political freedom. We as Christians are ",p:152,x:119,y:183,w:457,h:15},
{t:"engaged in a battle for the spiritual liberation of souls. Are we willing to ",p:152,x:89,y:206,w:484,h:15},
{t:"count the cost, move out into the front lines, suffer the reverses, endure ",p:152,x:89,y:230,w:484,h:15},
{t:"the pains in the cause of presenting Christ to the Muslim world? Nothing ",p:152,x:89,y:253,w:483,h:15},
{t:"less will enable us to experience the joys of victory—victories that ",p:152,x:89,y:276,w:487,h:15},
{t:"become meaningful only after we have been in the fierce conflict where ",p:152,x:89,y:300,w:484,h:15},
{t:"eternal destinies are determined.",p:152,x:89,y:323,w:215,h:15},
{t:"The author invites correspondence at the following address:",p:152,x:119,y:354,w:398,h:15},
{t:"Dr. Phil Parshall",p:152,x:269,y:405,w:109,h:15},
{t:"PO Box 7900",p:152,x:269,y:427,w:90,h:15},
{t:"Charlotte, NC 28241",p:152,x:269,y:449,w:139,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   141",p:152,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:152,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"143",p:153,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"Glossary",p:153,x:261,y:255,w:135,h:17},
{t:"Al-Junaid fana—the act of dying to self",p:153,x:89,y:373,w:265,h:15},
{t:"Awliya—saint",p:153,x:89,y:398,w:93,h:15},
{t:"Baqr Eid—Muslim festival that celebrates Abraham’s willingness to ",p:153,x:89,y:424,w:460,h:15},
{t:"sacrifice his son to God ",p:153,x:119,y:442,w:160,h:15},
{t:"Barakah—spiritual influence or blessing ",p:153,x:89,y:467,w:274,h:15},
{t:"Bismillah Rahmaner Rahim—“in the name of God, the beneficent, and ",p:153,x:89,y:493,w:475,h:15},
{t:"merciful” ",p:153,x:119,y:511,w:68,h:15},
{t:"Chaitya-puja—Buddhist ceremony of worship at the graves of holy ",p:153,x:89,y:536,w:455,h:15},
{t:"men",p:153,x:119,y:554,w:28,h:15},
{t:"Chishti—one of the four major orders of Sufi sm ",p:153,x:89,y:580,w:325,h:15},
{t:"Darwish—wandering religious mendicant ",p:153,x:89,y:605,w:284,h:15},
{t:"Dhikr—ceremony that centers around the recitation of the names and ",p:153,x:89,y:631,w:465,h:15},
{t:"attributes of God ",p:153,x:119,y:649,w:117,h:15},
{t:"Fana—total absorption into God",p:153,x:89,y:674,w:218,h:15},
{t:"Faqir—religious person who solicits alms in the name of Islam ",p:153,x:89,y:700,w:426,h:15},
{t:"Folk Islam—Islam as it is practiced by adherents on grassroots level of ",p:153,x:89,y:725,w:477,h:15},
{t:"society",p:153,x:119,y:743,w:47,h:15},
{t:"Ganja—strong, mind-altering drug ",p:153,x:89,y:769,w:237,h:15},
{t:"Guru—Hindu spiritual leader ",p:153,x:89,y:794,w:201,h:15},
{t:"Hadith—Islamic traditions ",p:153,x:89,y:820,w:183,h:15},
{t:"Hagiology—book of saints’ lives and legends ",p:153,x:89,y:845,w:307,h:15},
{t:"Haqiqah—“truth”; sixth stage of Sufi sm ",p:153,x:89,y:871,w:274,h:15},
{t:"Hooka—water pipe used for smoking tobacco or ganja ",p:153,x:89,y:896,w:371,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   143",p:153,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:14 AM",p:153,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"144",p:154,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"BRIDGES T O ISLAM",p:154,x:89,y:66,w:147,h:8},
{t:"Imam—Islamic priest ",p:154,x:89,y:105,w:149,h:15},
{t:"Inshallah—“God willing” ",p:154,x:89,y:131,w:178,h:15},
{t:"Isai—“follower of Jesus” ",p:154,x:89,y:156,w:174,h:15},
{t:"Ishq—“love of God”; second stage of Sufi sm ",p:154,x:89,y:182,w:306,h:15},
{t:"Istikhara—a special mystical ceremony in which a Sufi makes a prayer ",p:154,x:89,y:207,w:479,h:15},
{t:"request and expects the answer to come during a dream ",p:154,x:119,y:225,w:373,h:15},
{t:"Madrasa—Muslim religious school",p:154,x:89,y:251,w:238,h:15},
{t:"Mantra—a word that has spiritual significance for an individual mystic",p:154,x:89,y:276,w:475,h:15},
{t:"Marifah—“knowledge”; fourth stage of Sufi sm",p:154,x:89,y:302,w:315,h:15},
{t:"Mazar—shrine of a departed Muslim mystic",p:154,x:89,y:327,w:296,h:15},
{t:"Murid—follower of a pir",p:154,x:89,y:353,w:168,h:15},
{t:"Murshid—spiritual guide",p:154,x:89,y:378,w:168,h:15},
{t:"Nafs—the fl esh",p:154,x:89,y:404,w:103,h:15},
{t:"Naqshbandi—one of the four major orders of Sufi sm",p:154,x:89,y:429,w:353,h:15},
{t:"Pir—mystically-oriented Muslim spiritual guide",p:154,x:89,y:455,w:323,h:15},
{t:"Puja—Hindu worship ceremony",p:154,x:89,y:480,w:217,h:15},
{t:"Qadiri—one of the four major orders of Sufi sm",p:154,x:89,y:506,w:317,h:15},
{t:"Rikor—the last three days of the Muslim fast as observed in the ",p:154,x:89,y:531,w:428,h:15},
{t:"Philippines",p:154,x:119,y:549,w:75,h:15},
{t:"Riyal—wooden stand on which holy books are placed",p:154,x:89,y:575,w:359,h:15},
{t:"Shariat—code of Islamic law",p:154,x:89,y:600,w:196,h:15},
{t:"Sufi sm—mystically-oriented school of thought within Islam",p:154,x:89,y:626,w:398,h:15},
{t:"Suhrawardi—one of the four major orders of Sufi sm",p:154,x:89,y:651,w:350,h:15},
{t:"Sunnah—record of sayings and activities of Muhammad",p:154,x:89,y:677,w:376,h:15},
{t:"Sura—chapter of the Quran",p:154,x:89,y:702,w:185,h:15},
{t:"Tabbarukat—communication from a pir to his devotees who send him ",p:154,x:89,y:728,w:473,h:15},
{t:"money or gifts",p:154,x:119,y:746,w:97,h:15},
{t:"Tahil—recitation of “there is no God but God”",p:154,x:89,y:771,w:310,h:15},
{t:"Tarika—a path or order within Sufi sm",p:154,x:89,y:797,w:254,h:15},
{t:"Tawajjuh—power of concentration; method by which the pir transmits ",p:154,x:89,y:822,w:474,h:15},
{t:"his spiritual power to his disciple",p:154,x:119,y:840,w:220,h:15},
{t:"Therea—Buddhist word for “old man”; Buddhist counterpart of a pir",p:154,x:89,y:866,w:460,h:15},
{t:"Tilawat—recitation of the Quran",p:154,x:89,y:891,w:218,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   144",p:154,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:15 AM",p:154,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"145",p:155,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
{t:"GLOSSARY",p:155,x:491,y:66,w:78,h:8},
{t:"Ubudiyah—“service”; first stage of Sufi sm",p:155,x:89,y:105,w:286,h:15},
{t:"Urs—“marriage”; a union between the pir and God at the time of ",p:155,x:89,y:131,w:439,h:15},
{t:"his death. This event is celebrated by disciples each year on the ",p:155,x:119,y:149,w:425,h:15},
{t:"anniver sary of the pir’s death. The word also denotes the annual ",p:155,x:119,y:167,w:430,h:15},
{t:"religious meeting of a living pir.",p:155,x:119,y:185,w:214,h:15},
{t:"Wajd—“ecstasy”; fifth stage of Sufi sm ",p:155,x:89,y:210,w:261,h:15},
{t:"Wasl—“union with God”; seventh stage of Sufi sm",p:155,x:89,y:236,w:334,h:15},
{t:"Zuhd—“seclusion”; third stage of Sufi sm",p:155,x:89,y:261,w:274,h:15},
{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   145",p:155,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:15 AM",p:155,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"147",p:156,x:546,y:946,w:22,h:8},
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{t:"Bridges to Islam.indd   147",p:156,x:16,y:1052,w:118,h:9},
{t:"3/8/2007   10:21:15 AM",p:156,x:549,y:1052,w:103,h:9},
{t:"148",p:157,x:89,y:946,w:22,h:8},
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