Hazrat Hujwiri and the Chistiyya

“Sufism was intellectually born in Arabia, devotionally reared in Persia and spiritually completed in India.” Hazrat Inayat Khan

Our on-line classes alternate between the “Love, Harmony and Beauty” series focusing on the teaching of Hazrat Inayat Khan and Pir Vilayat and “Keys to the Divine Treasury” introducing teaching of Sufi masters from the past. It can be particularly deepening to receive teaching from those teachers of the past who speak in a timeless language - threads of which we find as a living transmission within the present teaching of the Inayati Order. This on-line series introduces the life and teaching of Hazrat al-Hujwiri, who introduced Sufism to the sub-continent and authored “Kashf al Mahjub”, along with five great teachers who span “the first cycle” of the Chistiyya silsila in India: Khwaja Muinuddin Hasan Chisti, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, Khwaja Fariduddin Ganj Shakar, Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia, and Khwaja Nasiruddin Chiragh.

The Chistiyya are of particular importance to us as they mothered the Inayati Order – and as Hazrat Inayat Khan noted Sufism was completed in India. To the question “completed for what?” the answer might be to unite the world in the Divine message of love, harmony, and beauty. Murshid said: “For the last forty years (prior to his arrival in the West) the direct and indirect influence of the East has prepared the ground in the West for the seed of the Sufi message. Every event has its time, and it has been ordained by the Supreme Will that East and West shall now unite in the bond of love and wisdom which neither politics nor commerce can bring about, but only the call of God, the Lord of both East and West.”

This class will introduce six great masters who span the introduction of Sufism to India – laying the foundation for the subsequent spiritual life (including ours) birthed through that transmission. Their lives, teaching, and spiritual practices will be explored in a manner that offers an opportunity for your personal path and practice to be quickened and deepened.

Class Reviews:

"Before I embarked on the online class about "The Early Sufis", I was reading some books about them. But I got the real clue to their precious teachings only with the help of Himayat, who not only introduced us to them but also pointed out essential points of their teachings, and gave us practices which either came directly from them or were given out of a deep attunement to them. This enabled me to go into a deep process, into a dialogue with these beings, being attracted here, being possibly challenged there, learning a lot about myself, while having the feeling that those beings watched and cared about my inner processes. It was helpful to exchange thoughts with the other classmates from around the world, who brought up additional viewpoints - offering the possibility to clear my own thoughts and experiences through formulating and sharing them with a greater audience." Nurunnahar Ingrid Dengg, Vienna, Austria

“The "Keys to the Treasury" series is truly an important educational opportunity reminding me of the value placed on lifelong learning by Hazrat Inayat Khan: "If one could explain the real meaning of education, of true education it would be from the beginning to the end of man's life the realization of the circulation of the divine blood through the veins of the universe -- for there is no limitation of time for the study and practice of this: it is endless!" Rizvana Charlotte Mason, Albany, New York

"Having participated in all of the courses in both on-line series offered by Himayat I can without reservation say that they have been a richly rewarding experience. The combination of the books selected by Himayat of these revered Sufi mystics, his selection of key passages from the texts, his commentary illuminating an understanding of what is being expressed by the authors, and his assigned practices which have accompanied each class of the courses has combined to immerse us deeply in the sacred perspectives of these great souls. For me it has led to a new engagement in the very foundations of Sufism, it has given me a heightened sense of both my own experience and the teachings I have received from my own teachers over almost forty years of being on the path. It has also been wonderful to be engaged with international classmates in a journey together." Kalimi Marshall, Florida

Class Dates: March 16^th – June 8^th, 2018

Tuition: $185.00

Registration Ends: February 27th, 2018

To Register: Send $185.00 check addressed to: Universal Awakening, PO Box 1958, Leicester, North Carolina 28748 or process via PayPal (Merchant: office@universal-awakening.org / Item: Spring 2018 On-line Class)