Can you be a sufi, do meditation and not be a muslim???
830518
The Sufis are fascinating but as far as I understand it, they are Muslim mystics. Mystics come in many different varieties but the Sufis are the Muslim kind.
326605
Nope. Home recovering from surgery. I just wanted to say, I really liked your take on spirituality! So many people turn away from God (or whatever you prefer to call it) when what they should be questioning are the religions created by man. God does not equal religion. When it comes to teachings, take what rings true to you! I'd love to see more people understand the difference!
1082047
Well, you can join us in Prana Shakti International Brotherhood if you are not ready to renounce everything and become a monk. It's not easy to be a monk. And I really mean it, you have to "renouce" ALL. In Prana Shakti workshop we teach esoteric energies and psychic healings and even inner power. My experience in overcoming my anxiety and panic disorder, this had brought peace of mind to me. Not only I can heal myself but others as well. We are expanding quite rapidly since the founding of Prana Shakti in the year 2003. For further details, you can checkout www.pranashaktiasia.com or our Malaysian Chapter at www.kejayaan.com.
320256
Meditation is related to mind only not parts of a body.By meditation what one can attain peace of mind,calmness and in the height of achievement called experiancing state of "samadhi",the Supreme Experiance.But reading books alone one cannot achieve this.You must approach  Guru(Teacher)and seek his guidance .As you progress in meditation you may experiance certain supernatural feelings.Even people with phyical deformities can meditate and experiance bliss
857867
ask your imam....  take my word for it, there is always a ruddy rule in religion to stop you doing what your heart needs to do
291906
Come closer to religion. Meditate regularly like five times a day and see the difference. thats the best way believe me it works. lot of people tried it.
621014
Here, we see a truthful person of Islam. No pretensions, undoubtly real and is a true human being. \n\nMy friend there is nothing wrong with you. You know what makes you suffer is the f***ing tradition and a derailed belief. We cannot solve the problem for you but we do understand you. If you understand what spirituality can do, why not explore on this aspect since it is a solid factor in terms of controlling such human weakness but if it is really difficult for you then follow your heart just as long as you don't go beyong the line. You know what I mean?
693828
You can meditate and leave your body. The thing about going where God is, well, that's kind of tricky because you are God. Everything is made of energy. God is that energy. \nLove & Light\nSharon\nOne Planet = One People
912990
Whatever crosses you bear are Karmic lessons you are  working on and thus learning from. If you do so willingly with a loving, heart with patience, and tolerance, without prejudice or preference, without animosity, hate, or greed then you will succeed and your karmic debt per situation will be nil and void. What you are trying to master is to not create karma, which can only be done by learning what not to think or do and doing that. 'tis complex to be sure. My favorite book explains it better, "Thinking and Destiny," by Harold W. Percival. I wonder if you're a master already and are but testing us neophytes?
844934
Seriously...I would give up television and radio and start reading books on things like Sufism. Especially anything at all by Idries Shah...like learning how to learn...knowing how to know...things like that...His books while not instruction in Sufism, do give the reader a basic course in STRAIGHT THINKING...something almost no one is capable in America today..\n  Also...religion is debilitating..even if you think you are intelligent now, you can increase your capacities vastly by giving up religious and 'magical' thinking...it opens up your capacities...It's is all about capacity...IQ is short for...Intelligence QUOTIENT...think about this... think think THINK.....
1109530
takes some time - and for some its easier - for some it's harder - and some even have completely different abilities in how to see the world...\n\na lot of meditation wont harm
408211
No, You shouldn't be a muslim unless you are totaly sure that this is what you really want, else you would be Monafek(pretender).\nIslam rules say that you must be convinced, mind and heart by your religion before following it, if you are not convinced, don`t follow it at all.\nAs for other religions being condemned to hell, this is not true. Islam says "there is no difference whatspever between one person and the other except how virtuious each one is" and it didn't necissate a religion, just virtue. Also islam say "Religion is how to deal not how to pray" which means that dealing with others nicly and in a just manner is the important thing . And about other religions it says"All prophets are brothers, and their light comes from the same source." it also says" We are all from adam, and adam is but a handfull of dust, only the good deeds remain"\n\nAbout christians it says"And no one will be closer and dearer to the muslims you than those who say'we are true christians' for amongst them there are priests and saints and people who dedicate their lives to Goodness" .\n\nAnd about talking to people about joining islam" Smile and talk to them with the manner they prefer best, and don't be rude or thick at heart else they yould never listen"\n\nAnd as for freedom of choosing one's religion"To each his faith, they have theirs and you have yours and only the mercifull God can judge amongst them"\n\nI hope I answered your question.
83706
Hello hamshahri,\nThe first thing I would do, if I were you, would be to REALLY learn english or another useful foreign language. If you are not satisfied with your life & the regime you are living under, then organize & change it. Your future & the faith of the rest of us depends on that!!!\n\nThe question is can you do it???\n\n~O
704678
Yes, you can, but not all of them.\n\nSome Mosque like the ones in Mecca and Medina, you can't enter even if you were starving to death, but they probably bring the food out for you.  outside of these cities.  Because if you are not Muslim, you are unholy, unclean, Nijis.  so your feet can't touch their holy city ground, unless you convert! then you become clean! \n\ndraw your own picture.  These are facts, I didn't make anything up.  They are known for their hospitality, and giving or providing food for those who needs it is not out of the ordinary.
549862
I am a Buddhist and I meditate instead of praying.\nI was raised a Christian and also pray sometimes.\nNo they do not have a sacred book.\nNo most Buddhists do not pray.\n\nThere are certain rituals the monks do.\nThere are many books, such as the famous The Way of Zen, that talk about meditation and buddhist teachings.\nBut no sacred book and no sacred being.\nBuddha was a great teacher, but was not a godlike figure like Jesus.\nBuddhism teaches taht we must find our own spiritual path through meditation.\nI realized I was a Buddhist only after 20 years of almost daily meditation. No one told me about it.\nI had read a book called The Book of Secrets, written by a famous Swami, when I was 14. It told of various ways of meditating. It started me on my path.
96328
Traditional Islamic schools of thought and Sufism\nIslam traditionally consists of a number of madhhabs (i.e of Sunni, Shi'a and of their subdivisions). Sufis do not define Sufism as a madhhab. What distinguishes a person as a Sufi is practicing Sufism, usually through association with a Sufi order. Belief in Sufism is not sufficient for being recognized as a Sufi. These facts lead to some ambiguity because Sufism has characteristics of a tradition and, for example, use of the term "Sufi Islam" is generally accepted.\n\nW. Chittick explains the position of Sufism and Sufis this way:\n\nIn short, Muslim scholars who focused their energies on understanding the normative guidelines for the body came to be known as jurists, and those who held that the most important task was to train the mind in achieving correct understanding came to be divided into three main schools of thought: theology, philosophy, and Sufism. This leaves us with the third domain of human existence, the spirit. Most Muslims who devoted their major efforts to developing the spiritual dimensions of the human person came to be known as Sufis \nThe relationship between traditional Islamic scholars and Sufism is complicated due to the variety of Sufi orders and their history.\n\nIn the history of Sufism, the founders and early scholars of the schools (madhhabs) had positive attitudes towards Sufism, for example Imam Hambal used to visit the Sufi master Bishr al Hafi frequently[10]. Later, there were some scholars who considered some aspects of Sufism rank heresy as well as those like Al-Ghazali who defended Sufis as true Muslims. In time, even the controversal words of Al-Hallaj came to be accepted by some scholars.\n\nToday, most Muslims hold Tasawwuf, in the sense of Sufi doctrines and philosophies, to be the science of the heart or gnosis (as distinct from other branches of Islamic knowledge which are exoteric in nature) and appreciate Sufis for their extensive contributions to Islamic arts and philosophy. Many Muslims who are not themselves Sufis are influenced by Sufi teachings.\n\nModern criticism of Sufism by Muslims has different aspects, the most important being criticizing the lifestyle of some Sufis like the wandering dervishes, and holding rigid beliefs in Sufi Shaykhs.\n\nSome Muslim movements (such as Salafism, alternatively called Wahabism, a fundamentalist Islamic movement) hold Sufism to be a form of reprehensible innovation influenced by unislamic sources [11], [12]. Although some Islamic scholars hold their view on the issue to be baseless and assert the position that Sufi spirituality is essentially Islamic, adherents of Sufism argue the necessity of mysticism in Islamic practice and a figurative interpretation of their religion. [13]\n\nAlthough Sufism as a whole is approved in Islamic thought, there is a tendency to distinguish between different Sufi thoughts and practices in terms of their conformity with Shari'a and hence the introduction of an Islamic or authentic form of Sufism by religious authorities.[14]\n\nFor example in Shi'a Islam, a form of Sufism held to be in conformity with Shari'a is called Irfan (lit. gnosis\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufi#Traditional_Islamic_schools_of_thought_and_Sufism
771391
if you pray to Allah it wont matter what culture your from...your life will improve GARUNTEED!! :)