We are writing to share with you news of great importance for our community and our work. This is news of a decision that is rooted in both reason and guidance; a decision that, we believe, will clarify the work that is ours to do in the world.

As you know, Hazrat Inayat Khan, our Murshid, brought the wisdom of Sufism to the Western world in 1910. He founded The Sufi Order in London in 1918 and The Sufi Movement in Geneva in 1923.

The word “Order” was, and remains, the standard English rendering of the Arabic word tariqa, referring to a Sufi path. The word “Movement” was a familiar designation in the early twentieth century for international spiritual organizations.

After Murshid’s death, his brothers and cousin successively led The Sufi Movement. To distinguish his own lineage and circle of mureeds, Murshid’s elder son Pir Vilayat revived the name “The Sufi Order” in 1968 (later updated as The Sufi Order International).

“The Sufi Order” is a nonspecific name: it refers to Sufism in general, but to no one tradition of Sufism in particular. When Murshid established his Order in the West, no other Sufi Orders were active in Western Europe or North America. A more specific name was therefore unnecessary and, in fact, would likely have caused confusion. This was still largely the case in 1968.

Today the situation is just the opposite: there are many Sufi Orders in the West—not to mention in Asia, where our Order is also spreading—and a nonspecific name is therefore a source of misunderstandings in the current environment.

In the history of Sufism, Orders have traditionally adopted the name of their founder in the decades following the founder’s death. Murshid understandably did not name his Order after himself, but long-established Sufi custom renders it natural and proper for us, who follow in his footsteps, to honor his memory and confirm our allegiance to his spiritual message by taking his name as the rubric of our work.

In consideration of these facts, and moved by a deep sense that the time has come, on this first day of the year 2016, we announce that The Sufi Order International will henceforth be known as The Inayati Order.

As a fuller designation the Order will be introduced as The Inayati Order: A Sufi Path of Spiritual Liberty. The name Inayatiyya will be considered a welcome synonym.

The Boards of the various national organizations have been informed in advance of this change. The trademark has been obtained, and we have acquired a number of relevant website addresses. It will, of course, still take some time to update all of our documents and printed and electronic materials in various languages throughout the world.

In adopting this name, we make no claim of exclusivity in representing Murshid’s Sufi Message of Spiritual Liberty. Indeed, we affirm all lineages, communities, and organizations linked to Murshid through initiation and devotion as our esteemed friends and allies in the Sufi cause.

The name Inayat means lovingkindness. May the name of our Order remind us always of this vitally important quality of being as we follow the path of service to God and humanity, amin.

Signed:

Pir Zia

The Message Council

By Humera Afridi

On the afternoon of October 26, a group of nearly 70 gathered outside the information center at the Dachau Concentration Camp, 15 miles northwest of Munich. We were there to honor Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan—eldest daughter of Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan—who was executed in Dachau on September 13, 1944.

Class Eight: Light
THURSDAY, November 19th, 2015, 7:00-8:15 pm EDT

Pir Zia’s eight-part online course concludes this Thursday, November 19th, 7:00-8:15 pm EST, on the theme Light. To access the live stream or recorded video, please visit the following link: https://livestream.com/sufiorder/unfolding-8/.

Pir Zia’s first seven classes on Body, Breath, Mind, Insight, Heart, Love and Soul have been moved to Vimeo for rental or purchase. Please see details below.

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/unfoldingthemessage

Also, video of last week’s class on Soul is available for free and by donation here:

A recommended donation of $10 or more per class is encouraged to help support the Sufi Order International — North America’s development of online programming. Over $10,000 has been raised so far — many thanks to all of you who have donated. If you have been enjoying the series, and have yet to give, please consider doing so today.

Donations can be made via a special donation webpage for this course.

Course Overview

In the archives of the Sufi Order, a series of folders were recently rediscovered. In them were found a compilation of quotes and clippings of passages from the works of the Sufi master, Hazrat Inayat Khan (1882-1927) collected through the years by his son, Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan (1916-2004). Inspired by this discovery, his own son, Pir Zia Inayat-Khan, has decided to offer a series of eight livestreamed classes exploring Pir Vilayat’s favorite passages on eight different themes: Body & Breath, Mind & Insight, Heart & Love, Soul & Light. Please join us for a fascinating three-generation process of unfolding the Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan. This series is open and designed for existing students of Hazrat Inayat Khan’s teachings as well as the general public.

Series Schedule

Body – Thursday, October 1st, 2015 (7:00-8:15 PM EDT)
Breath – Thursday, October 8th, 2015 (7:00-8:15 PM EDT)
Mind – Thursday, October 15th, 2015 (7:00-8:15 PM EDT)
Insight – Tuesday, October 20th, 2015 (7:00-8:15 PM EDT) *
Heart – Thursday, October 29th, 2015 (7:00-8:15 PM EDT)
Love – Thursday, November 5th, 2015 (7:00-8:15 PM EST)
Soul – Thursday, November 12th, 2015 (7:00-8:15 PM EST)
Light – Thursday, November 19th, 2015 (7:00-8:15 PM EST)

* This class will be held on a Tuesday owing to a prior obligation.

Livestream Details

A link for livestreaming will be available before each class, distributed via e-mail and here on www.pirzia.org. All classes will be available individually for a suggested donation of $10 per class on livestream.com, immediately available for at least two weeks after the original livestream event. Thereafter, classes will be available to rent or purchase on Vimeo.com.

http://vimeo.com/ondemand/unfoldingthemessage

Vimeo Price Structure:
Single Class Rental – $5
Full Series Rental – $33
Single Class Purchase – $15
Full Series Purchase – $99

In-Person Attendees

Those who wish to attend the classes in-person at the Abode of the Message in New Lebanon, NY should be seated in the Meditation Hall by 6:45PM. Please arrive early to allow the livestream crew time to finish their preparations without distraction. No entry will be allowed after 6:55 pm. Recommended donation: $10.

Group Viewing

Sufi Center and other groups are encouraged to gather to watch the livestream/video. If viewed in a group, donations (suggested $10 per person) are still welcome, either via the donation link provided with the livestream/video or via check made payable to the Sufi Order International – North America, PO Box 480, New Lebanon, New York 12125.

Biography

Pir Zia Inayat-Khan is a scholar and teacher of Sufism in the lineage of his grandfather, Hazrat Inayat Khan. He received his B.A. (Hons) in Persian Literature from the London School of Oriental and African Studies, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Religion from Duke University. Pir Zia is president of the Sufi Order International and founder of Suluk Academy, a school of contemplative study with branches in the United States and Europe. He lives with his wife and two children in rural upstate New York. www.pirzia.org

The Unfolding the Message Online Series is sponsored in part by a generous donation from the Kalliopeia Foundation.

Caravan of Souls: An Introduction to the Sufi Path of Hazrat Inayat Khan is now available in a Dutch translation by Md. L.W. Ameen Carp. To order, please contact Sufi Publications, Den Hague: www.sufipublications.nl

At the Nekbakht Foundation in Suresnes we were kindly received by Qahira Wirgman, Archivist and Editor of The Complete Works of Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan. The Nekbakht Foundation is doing crucial work for the preservation and dissemination of the legacy of Hazrat Inayat Khan. For further information about the Nekbakht Foundation, and how to schedule a visit, see www.nekbakhtfoundation.org.

September 13 is the Urs of Noor Inayat Khan, and there will be a memorial service at the Universel in Suresnes, France, outside of Paris. See flier for details.

by Humera Afridi

The Way of Union

High on a mountain in the magnificent Ticino region of the Swiss Alps, we gathered in friendship for The Way of Union.  Speaking an array of languages, belonging to diverse faith traditions, and representing a wide spectrum of ages, over a hundred of us journeyed from near and far, united by the wish to commune with beauty.  The Way of Union (August 3-9), as this week of the Zenith Institute summer camp was titled, embodied the quintessential message of Love, Harmony and Beauty, and, over the course of the week, escalated into a multi-hued, “polyphonic glorification of the One being.”

Mehmet Ungan, Nawal, and Mevlevi Canlar

Teachings by Pir Zia Inayat-Khan and Shaykha Nur Artiran of the Mevlevi Tariqa in Istanbul illumined our mornings and afternoons, and spun themselves into our dreams at night.  Each session was prefaced by the exquisite harmonies of Nawal, Mehmet and Ali Ungan, and the Mevlevi dervishes who’d accompanied Shaykha Nur to the camp.  Their music tuned our hearts, drew us into intimacy, and made our spirits soar.  Superficial distinctions and differences, inherent in a gathering as large and diverse as ours, were swept away in the wake of melodies whose beauty served to strengthen the chords of friendship and community.

Shaikh Peter Cunz, Shaikha Fawzia, Seljuk Can, Shaikha Nur, and Pir Zia

Distinguished guest speakers Shaikh Al-Mashaikh Mahmood Khan of the Sufi Movement, Shaykha Fawzia Al-Rawi of the Shadhili Order in Vienna, and Shaykh Peter Cunz of the Mevlevi Order in Switzerland further enhanced the rich tapestry of presentations by voicing poignant, revelatory, humorous and thought-provoking perspectives on Divine love, Sufism, and scripture.  Daily sohbet—vibrant and moving conversations between participants and honored presenters—expanded our hearts and deepened our sense of togetherness.  Each day’s teachings culminated in everyone joining together for Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan’s singing zikr, led by Ravanbakhsh Inayat-Khan on harmonium, and accompanied by the hypnotic whirling of Shaykha Nur Artiran’s dervishes.

Shaikh al-Mashaik Mahmood Khan

Beneath the tent, we were nourished by the ghiza-e-ruh—the food of the soul—in the form of lyrical teachings and a range of soulful and ecstatic devotional songs, or, ilahis.  Outside, the cascading beauty of the vistas entered our senses and replenished our beings.  Stunning peaks etched in snow and topped with glaciers, and alpine firs rising up in regal-green splendor breathed with us in silent communion.  Everywhere we turned, we were greeted by the Beloved’s beneficence—in the glance and smile of a fellow traveler, the bright yellows and purples of wildflowers, the quiet drama of the sun setting between jagged peaks.  Nature seeped into the tent and lulled us with the soft sibilance of the rushing stream below; the songs of the birds; the caresses and fragrances of the breeze, and the patter of rain against tarpaulin, all of which combined to create a synesthetic experience so rich it was hardly an exaggeration to say we were in a paradisial garden.  An atmosphere of sacredness pervaded the mountain.  On some afternoons, one spied an eagle circling and soaring above the tent as if drawn to the ecstasy of so many souls below.

Shaikha Nur and Pir Zia

Shaykha Nur Artiran, who carries the special interpretation of Mawlana Rumi’s Masnavi I Ma’navi as her legacy, narrated over the course of our days together several hadiths, or sayings, of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).  One anecdote told of how the Prophet urged his followers to go and partake of the fruits of paradise.  On exclaiming that since they were on earth, they couldn’t possibly do that, the disciples were advised by his holy Eminence that, “The place where the friends of God gather together is Paradise.  The words spoken in that place are the fruits of Paradise.”

Mevlevi Canlar

Amid the ravishing beauty of the landscape, we savored the sweet and delectable fruits offered by our esteemed teachers.  Quoting Rumi, Shaykha Nur reminded us, “An animal is nourished from the mouth, a human being nourished by the ear.  The only way to attain this nourishment is by listening.”  And so we surrendered our hearts to listening—closing our eyes, sitting in stillness, aware of the cadences of our breath.

Pir Zia shared a dream of Pir Vilayat (may his secret be sanctified) that came to him soon after his passing.  Suffused with much light, it was no ordinary dream.  “My father looked into my eyes with a smile and all he said is, ‘This world is so small,’” Pir Zia recounted, reminding us that there are worlds beyond the one we know through our five senses.  And yet, as little as this world may be, both Pir Zia and Shaykha Nur drew our attention to its profound reality—that there’s nothing that’s not alive and sensing, no bird, stone, or tree that is not part of ourselves.

Supplication after Zikr

“Whenever we glorify God, the angels come near,” said Pir Zia.  “This is a reminder to us to keep up the regularity of our acts of worship and remembrance.  In this way our friends will know where to find us.”

One morning, Shaykha Nur held us spellbound as she movingly recounted the profound relationship with her murshid, Shafiq Jan (may his secret be sanctified), a union that was forged in Divine love and service.  “Hold tight the hand of your murshid and your spiritual brothers and sisters,” she advised.  “The way we live in this world will determine how we’re resurrected in the next world.  God says, ‘My followers are like the stars.  Find your way by watching them.’”  Shaykha Nur Artiran reiterated the necessity of a guide on the spiritual path.  Referencing Rumi’s Masnavi, she said, “Those who find a guide were sincerely looking for one.  Desire this.  Desire it deeply.  Continue seeking, don’t be dissuaded by obstacles.”

Pir Zia reflected that our gathering reminded him of the time of Prophet Abraham, Sarah and Hagar who lived in tents and set up camp by oases.  They waited to see who God brought to them and when someone arrived, they undertook three steps—Salam: greeting whoever came in a spirit of peace; Ta’am: sharing bread and nourishment; Kalam: conversation.

Baharu’l-Mevlevi

“Friendship, kindness, and generosity, always, through the ages, have been the path to God’s realization,” said Pir Zia.  “The visitors came to know God palpably through Abraham’s generosity.  Sharing bread together forges a bond; a solid bond.  It creates a relationship.  Once people have shared bread together they can no longer be regarded as strangers,” emphasized Pir Zia Inayat-Khan.  “That ideal of the highest friend—the Beloved, Mehboob, Dost, Yaar—is only an abstraction until we learn to practice friendship.  That’s why we’re gathered here.  My sincere hope is that we’re experiencing a deepening of that friendship that has drawn us here.”

The annual SOI ritual of immersion in beauty on this exalted mountain, where we loosen our ties with the world, go deep within, and mine the peace that is our souls’ inheritance, held an especially powerful resonance during the Way of Union.  One was reminded of Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan’s phrase, “the Music of the Spheres.”  Murshid stated that when he reached the stage where he touched the Music of the Spheres—when all of life became music to him, and every soul a musical note—he began to tune souls instead of instruments, harmonize people instead of notes.  Perhaps this is what we tasted in the banquet of music and lyrical teachings in that glorious landscape.  And certainly Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan was present in the Alps, in the company of many seen and unseen friends, working his magic, harmonizing East and West, a feat that was beautifully and seamlessly exemplified in our zikr ceremonies of glorification and the Universal Worship that crowned the Way of Union.

May we continue to savor the fruits of community, harvest seeds of love, and perfect the adaab of friendship, year after year, as we have for the last forty years, honoring Pir Vilayat’s vision of ecstatic communion.

Saracen Chivalry: Counsels on Valor, Generosity and the Mystical Quest will be published in French on August 15, 2015. Framed as a medieval treatise penned by a fabled African queen, the book articulates a vision of life centered on the virtues of wisdom, courage, temperance, and generosity, illustrating these virtues with scriptural verses, prophetic sayings, sage maxims, and traditional legends and lore. Available from L’Harmattan or in English from Omega Publications.

The classic text of Hazrat Inayat Khan’s sayings, poems, and prayers has been re-released in a hardcover version newly compiled from the most authentic available sources. Available from Omega Publications as well as Amazon.

The next two-year class of Suluk Academy begins in September 2015, with applications being accepted until August 21. This is a wonderful opportunity for those on the Sufi path – new or long-time mureeds – to foster life-long spiritual friendships and immerse oneself in the teachings and practices of Hazrat Inayat Khan and other Sufi masters. More information is available at sulukacademy.org.

The Seven Pillars: Journey Toward Wisdom is now available for purchase via iTunes or Amazon. This multimedia work includes imagery, original musical compositions, narration, meditation, video, and more, and provides a unique way to illuminate the experiences of our life, deepen our insight, and inspire commitment to address the social and ecological challenges before us with integrity and beauty.

Contributors include Pir Zia Inayat-Khan as well as many other distinguished artists, scholars, activists and visionaries. Purchase on iTunes or for Kindle via Amazon.