Eid Mubarak

The fellowship of the Rose Sufi Crescent prays that all blessings from Allah will be upon you during this wonderful day. Eid Mubarak.

The Night of Power - Laylat al-Qadr

The Night of Power, Laylat al-Qadr, is coming upon us like a meteor. This is the night to remain vigilant. On the night of Laylat al-Qadr we must remain in prayer. This is the night that our fate for the next year will be decided. But our prayers cannot be just for ourselves, for every fiend prays for himself. They must also include those we love, for everyone human prays for those they love. But our prayers must also be for those we are acquainted with. And for those we have never met - all humans. But we must go beyond our own species. We must love all creatures. And we must love all plants and all minerals. We must love the entire planet. Laylat al-Qadr, the night the angels hand our fate to us, is the night we send prayers up on behalf of all of creation.

Meditation for Laylat al-Qadr

*Begin by counting down from 13 to 1
*Slow your breathing to 4 breaths per minute
*Repeat Ar-Rahman (in breath) Ar-Rahim (out breath)
*In your mind's eye
- See yourself lying in a cave
- Feel the cold, damp, dark cave under your skin
- Before you suddenly appears the Arch-angel Gabriel
- You see a Book - the script within the book is on fire
- Take the Book and place it on your heart
- Feel the warmth from the Book and its fire script

Now

*Bring your attention to your heart
*Call up feelings of thankfulness
- Remember a time that made you very happy
*Hold that feeling of thankfulness
*Picture
- those you love - give them the thankfulness and love
- See a giant mass of humans - give them the thankfulness and love
- See animals and plants - give them the gift of thankfulness and love
- See the earth from space - give it thankfulness and love

Before you stands the angels bringing you your fate.

Surrender before your fate

Thank the angels for the dispensation of Allah that they bring to you

Be grateful

Count back from 1 to 13

When you open your eyes praise Allah

So mote it be!

Ramadan moon cycles and Sufi practice

According to the Rose Sufi Crescent tradition as taught by Al-Khidr, each of the four phases of the moon during Ramadan correspond to the 4 stages of Sufism:

Stage 1: From the crescent through the waxing period is the time of the sharia (or law). This is why Muslims pay special attention to the rules of conduct during Ramadan. However, sharia, or religious law, is actually summed up in good works, in conduct and behavior towards others. It is the path of love, compassion, forgiveness, tolerance. During this moon cycle we become aware of, draw out, challenge, battle and overcome that in our inner world (the false self) that battles against the law of love. This year (Ramadan in Leo) we are called to overcome our own egotistical false selves.

Stage 2: The full moon is the time of tariqah, the camel's path through the desert and the spiritual oasis is reflected in the cosmic moon. During full moon tariqah we celebrate the power that the power of the particular gift that the Ramadan for the year provides. This year during the full moon of Ramadan we are called to celebrate the gifts of Ramadan, which are centered in leadership and nobility.

Stage 3: When the moon enters is wanning period we are called to surrender and be purified by experiencing haqiqah, which is the knowledge of the heart. Like a tired horse, we have left our rationale tethered at the oasis and now we proceed with the heart. haqiqah is the way of Truth - a truth that can only be known by the purified heart.

Today the moon is at 30% visibility. Now is the time to purify the heart. According to the Rose Crescent tradition, this is the day that the Prophet (PBUH) had his heart taken out and washed by the angels. We must do the same. To do so -

a. Recite La ilaha illa Allah 99 times

b. Bring your breathing down to 4 breaths per minute

c. Call upon the angels. Ask them to come to you.

d. See yourself lying prone upon the rocks as Ismail did.

e. See the knife in the angels hands.

d. Ask the angels to cut your heart out and wash it

e. See how they remove your heart. See them wash it. Feel how they replace it.

f. Turn your minds eye to the heavens. Behold the throne of God. Thank Allah for his gifts.

g. Focus your attention on your heart.

h. Allow the Love and Light of the cosmos to enter you. Feel your heart bathed in Love and Light.

I. Thank the angels. Thank Allah.

J. Return to a waking state.

Stage 4. During the new moon cycle, when the world is quiet and at peace, and the stars are intensely overhead, we will travel on a pilgrimage to the cosmic Bakkah and there we will receive marifah (gnosis).

So mote it be.

Abdulaziz Sachedina

Rose Crescent friends may benefit from the ideas and works of brother Abdulaziz Sachedina. Listen to brother Abdulaziz Sachedina discuss his work on Islam and pluralism here.

Questions he takes up:

How can we allow for an individual citizen to be both religious and separate from religion?

Is Islam and democracy reconcilable?

What are the methods of democracy and how do we define it?

How do we reconcile modern notions of human rights, and women's rights, and Islam?

Can religion define the boundaries of national identity?

Is Islam and pluralism compatible?

View his publications at Amazon here.

Approaching Full Moon in Ramadan

At this time you may want to call in the energies of spiritual leadership while at the same time guarding against the possible onslaught of the False Self's ultimate self-aggrandizement. To so so:

* Count from 13 to 1

* With each breath say "Ya Allah" (pronounced "Ya All-haaaaa")

* Say "Ya All" on the inward breath

* Say "haaaaa" on the outward breath

* You should limit your breaths to 5 per minute

After several minutes move your attention to your heart region

Breath Love and compassion into the Heart

Connect with the colors green and gold

Bathe your heart region with green and gold

Ask the Light that your Inner Leader awaken, bringing goodness to all and harming none

Draw your attention to the East - the realm of the sun. Draw in the energies of the sun. Allow them to bathe your entire energetic field. With your mind's eye take up your scimitar. Feel the scimitar in your hand. Say:

With this scimitar I discern Truth from Falsehood. With this scimitar I serve the Earth and Humanity. With this scimitar I banish all forms of shirk. With this scimitar I banish the False Self. With this scimitar I serve the Light.

Now return your attention to your heart area. Bring appreciation into the heart. Allow your mind to remember what you are thankful for. Hold thoughts of thankfulness. Remember how you felt when you were happy, loved, cared for and cared for others. Thank Allah for the life on earth you have been given and the chance to serve the Light.

When you are ready open your eyes and say "Bismallah - So mote it be!"

Ramadan in Leo Greetings

We would like to send out our sincerest greetings of joy and love to all of our Rose Crescent friends and brothers at this time.

Ramadan this year occurs during the month of August, ruled by the sun and the sign of Leo. As the moon begins to wax we take in its power. Ramadan in Leo can be a time where the energies of success are strongest. Spiritual seekers should beware, though, because Ramadan in Leo light could be used by the False Self to sway us that we are more spiritual than we are, that we are closer to the Light than we are. The False Self is especially beguiling during Ramadan in Leo. Because Leo shines through strongly, be on guard against megalomania whether it is in the political or spiritual arena.

Ramadan in Leo is an excellent time for us to wake up out of our slumber. Because the False Self is stronger, it is a time for us to become aware of it as it will not be sitting back behind the curtains of the deeper layers of the unconscious in hiding as it usually does.

A useful exercise for spiritual development: If you are a more extroverted person, catch yourself in a conversation or situation attempting to take center stage. Watch how you feel. Then the next time refuse to step forward into the center. Watch how the False Self trembles.

If you are an introverted person, let the power of Ramadan in Leo carry you into the center. Watch the False Self as it trembles either from fear of entering the center, and thus being exposed for the fraud that it is, or as it secretively enjoys the attention it usually foregoes.

Again - RAMADAN MUBARAK!

So mote it be