Technology. We are, indeed, masters of this art, masters at being slaves of technology.  Perhaps my generalization may not apply to a few ones in the many of the masses. However, it does establish some truth.  Allow yourself a reading of Michio Kaku’s Visions to see what I mean.

Technology, one has reason to appreciate, has taken us to where we do not know and we have taken with us, to where we do not know, what we do know. One such that many do know is their gods and I wonder of where they have taken their gods.  How can religion spread through technology? Sufism answers this wonder.

Branded as a tolerant fashion of Islam, Sufism, for those who may not know, is sold as an alternative fabric of Islam: Islam minus Jihad plus universal love equals Sufism.  A debatable equation, though this certainly is, it certainly is the one that provides a rich educational value. Sufism’s role in combating terrorism is thus a common script in discussion circles and our campus has been a stage for this act: York’s Pakistani Student Association recently concluded a conference on Pan-Islamism and the role of Sufism in dealing with terrorism. 

Historically, Sufism emerged out of individuals feeling the need to have a personal connection with their god. This need crystallized into a methodology that allowed the individual to construct his/her own path to god. This path gave rise to voices such as that of Mansur Al-Hajjaj,  a Sufi whose notion of “I am Truth” ( Ana-l-Haq ) allowed for an appreciation of all the gods known to individuals. The message was, and still is, a celebration of the individual’s love for a beloved.  The Sufi sense is also responsible for the similarities seen between Hindu and Muslim rituals within the South Asian Diaspora.

Popular Sufi discourse in the West, none more poignant than those that illuminate on the poetic works of Rumi, commemorate universal love as the nucleus of the Sufi pilgrim. The Sufi is thus who sees from the eyes of the heart.  And the speech of this sight has been the musical performance of Sufi texts, “Sufiyana Kalaam”.

Until quite recently, with the odd exception of the Late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and perhaps the Whirling dancers, musical performances of these texts, particularly the genre of “Qawalli” , remained exclusive to regions within South Asia.  However, in the recent past, thanks to the information Highway, the gods of Sufism have travelled through the universe. And all this is thanks to the technology that brings us YouTube.

Of course this is not to say the Sufi musicians have not moved beyond South Asia prior to YouTube : indeed the likes of Abida Parveen and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan have wandered far and wide with Sufi words. However, YouTube gives us a  better sense of how religion can spread through technology.

On June 8 2008, Pakistani music producer Rohail Hyatt unveiled a project entitled “Coke Studio”. As of today, his work has featured a number of sessions wherein a variety of performers, particularly those from the Sufi stage, have come together to reproduce their tracks for a universal audience.  These performances have flooded YouTube and one should search up the music at Coke Studio of “Sain Zahoor” or “ Ali Zafar” , to name a few,  to absorb the teaching of Sufi saints like Bulley Shah and Shah Hussain. The doctrines of “I do not know” and “Endless universal love” are celebrated in music, in worship.

I stand convinced that technology has surfaced as a temple for Sufism. It has made global what was, by and large, only local. Indeed how global is this “global” is another matter of debate but given the kind of religious bigotry that runs riot on the Internet, the works of Coke Studio give us reason for hope. We do know that we want peace but we do not know how. Perhaps now we may know?

The Sufiyana Kalams and the gods are moving. And it is up to us to move with them. Technology can be the transportation. However, it is up to us to become a map. In times of war, war fuelled by religious differences, perhaps the Sufi sound that moves in our cables can stop blood from spilling out of our veins. 

We live within technology and it is our temple. Let us worship together and be not blind in our faith. And if your eyes ever lead you to York University, a drop in at USAY’S ( United South Asians @ York ) Sufistication would be just the prayer of the hour!

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Jelaluddin Rumi

Jelaluddin Rumi was born in the region today known as Afghanistan in 1207. His family fled the Mogul invasion to Konya, Turkey where he spent most of his life.

His poetry filled with a longing to be with the Friend, Him, or You. Are these mysterious pronouns the names of God, Shams, or who?

 REALITY AND APPEARANCE

‘Tis light makes colour visible: at night
Red, greene, and russet vanish from thy sight.
So to thee light by darness is made known:
Since God hat none, He, seeing all, denies
Himself eternally to mortal eyes.
From the dark jungle as a tiger bright,
Form from the viewless Spirit leaps to ligth.

Our death is our wedding

Our death is our wedding with eternity.
What is the secret? “God is One.”
The sunlight splits when entering the windows of the house.
This multiplicity exists in the cluster of grapes;
It is not in the juice made from the grapes.
For he who is living in the Light of God,
The death of the carnal soul is a blessing.
Regarding him, say neither bad nor good,
For he is gone beyond the good and the bad.
Fix your eyes on God and do not talk about what is invisible,
So that he may place another look in your eyes.
It is in the vision of the physical eyes
That no invisible or secret thing exists.
But when the eye is turned toward the Light of God
What thing could remain hidden under such a Light?
Although all lights emanate from the Divine Light
Don’t call all these lights “the Light of God”;
It is the eternal light which is the Light of God,
The ephemeral light is an attribute of the body and the flesh.
…Oh God who gives the grace of vision!
The bird of vision is flying towards You with the wings of desire.

A Star Without a Name

 Author: Ali Abbas and Mehboob Hirji