A Message Across Time for Today's World

What can always amaze me are the words from across the centuries that still hold tremendous power and meaning for those living today. Such is the message of Moinuddin Chishti, who left a beautiful discourse for his students a month before his death:

"Love all and hate none.

Mere talk of peace will avail you naught.

Mere talk of God and religion will not take you far.

Bring out all the latent powers of your being

and reveal the full magnificence of your immortal self."

"Be overflowing with peace and joy,

and scatter them wherever you are

and wherever you go."

"Be a blazing fire of truth,

be a beauteous blossom of love

and be a soothing balm of peace."

"With your spiritual light,

dispel the darkness of ignorance;

dissolve the clouds of discord and war

and spread goodwill, peace and harmony among the people."

"Never seek any help, charity, or favors

from anybody except God.

Never go to the courts of kings,

but never refuse to bless and help the needy and the poor,

the widow, and the orphan, if they come to your door."

"This is your mission, to serve the people....."

"Carry it out dutifully and courageously, so that I, as your Pir-O-Murshid,

may not be ashamed of any shortcomings on your part 

before the Almighty God and our holy predecessors

in the Silsila on the Day of Judgement."

This, to me, is a message as relevant to us today as it was in the 10th century. May his message find resonance in your heart as well.

A little background: The Chishti Sufi Order was founded circa 900 AD in the city of Chisht, a small town near Herat, Afghanistan. Abu Ishaq Shami was sent by his teacher from Syria to spread the Sufi message.

(If the last paragraph is confusing, a Pir-O-Murshid is usually the head of a Sufi order held in high esteem. He would intervene on behalf of his initiates on Judgement Day. The Silsila is the initiatic chain which stretches back in time from the living teacher back to the Prophet Muhammad.)