Mawlana Faizani - A Gift to Humanity

In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Translation: "Praise be to God Who hath guided us to this (felicity): never could we have found Guidance, had it not been for the Guidance of God." (7:43 Quran)

Imagine an implacable, unforgiving darkness… a bleak, unimaginably sordid little hole in the middle of total emptiness, a cosmic void, where every breath is a desperate act of pain. Imagine an unspeakable place that is filled with a rancid odor, the odor of death. Imagine a place, where, at regular intervals, piercing electrical shocks course through every cell of the body, every tissue, every pulsating organ with unthinkable pain. In the night, men come with sticks, hard and unforgiving, beating again and again the living, human tissue until it becomes palpably amorphous and soaked with blood. Is this dance of pain some kind of ancient tribulation applied centuries ago to a religious martyr, choked on suffering, cloaked in rags, his eyes filled with tears of blood? Is this the victim of some ancient prosecution? No, this is not some ancient tableau of death or suffering.

Now, imagine - that in the midst of this chaotic pain, a slender beam of light penetrates the darkness. We can now see, however faintly, a large bearded men flinging open a thick wooden door at the end of a corridor, hundreds of feet away. We see a man, alone on the hard, cement floor in a cellblock, his clothing drenched in blood, barely recognizable, barely human. The dim sliver of light that barely reaches the cell emanates from a tiny light bulb in a remote chamber of torture behind those heavy doors, where bare electrical cables lay flat on the seat of a wooden chair. No, this is not some ancient tableau of suffering. This is a more modern suffering!

Suddenly, a voice cries out of this dank cell, "O' Great, Exalted and Greatest of Great God! We are defeated, give us victory for the sake of Your Honor and Glory, O the Most Pure and Holy, and hurry for its acceptance, O! The Fulfiller of needs."

The voice is clear and pure, though from a body racked with pain. And as this strange, torn figure prays - not for its poor, disfigured body, for the hairs plucked from his beard one by one in a daily litany of pain - but for the mighty body of Mankind, whose governments and leaders have permitted the devastation of another of God's peaceful servants. As the being prays, muttering again and again - a verse from the Holy Qur'an, a blessing on the heads of his tormentors and a prayer of healing for friends, - the ray of light widens in the dark temple of his cell. This is no ordinary ray of light, but a shard split off from some other dimension of unassailable brightness and purity, a light that engulfs the petitioner and pulls him hard towards his Creator until the very walls of his cell tremble in the fury of this Light. Such were the prayers of Mawlana Sahib Faizani, prayers that shattered the ignorance of tyrants and cast a light of uplifting holiness on those who followed him - out of the murky bonds of earth into the world of limitless glory, into the very presence of God.

Honorable guests, we are here to celebrate the life of Mawlana Sahib Faizani on the eve of his 33rd anniversary of his imprisonment. We are here to celebrate a life fueled by the fire of Holiness, intoxicated by the Divine Presence and saturated with daily meditations on the sacred Qur'an, a source of his happiness and power. No matter where, no matter how, this source of his strength could not be tarnished by the cruel hands of tyrants. For this was a man who lived a life of Unity in God in the splendor of the Holy Words of the Qur'an, whose graces guided his every step.

Mawlana Sahib Faizani disappeared more than three decades ago, a great man whose fate is not completely known. Only his works remain, an incredible 52 books, written in the darkest cell under the most excruciating of circumstances. Still, Mawlana Sahib Faizani works are part of the miracles of his life - for they do not reek at all of the miserable circumstances under which they were written. They glow in the light of a spiritual man whose life was lived partially outside of circumstance, in the Presence of Almighty God.

I have been immeasurably blessed by reading the books of Mawlana Sahib Faizani. What is so puzzling and amazing to me, even miraculous, is that, when reading his books, we do not perceive the conditions under which they were written, conditions under clear pain and duress. One could almost imagine a calm library, flooded with light from the open drapes. There, the scholar writes on a beautiful mahogany desk, by a window, where he can glance out on a blossom-drenched garden, where, upon finishing his daily tasks, in the late afternoon, he can walk in this garden by a tiled patio and a beautiful fountain. Mawlana Sahib Faizani worked under conditions that were very much different than these.

It is difficult for one to comprehend the bravery, sincerity and faith of Mawlana Sahib Faizani. In all writings, he never mentioned his prison conditions nor his horrific ordeals. In fifty two books written under this awful shadow, he mentions none of this... He does not dwell on personal details like other famous prisoners, who wrote mostly about prison, their suffering, how they missed their family and how they should be set free. Unlike the famous Count of Monte Christo, whose fictional prison contemplations consisted of revenge and prosecution of his enemies, Mawlana Sahib Faizani thought ever to lift himself beyond those sorrows, to dwell in Union with God.

We should mention that Mawlana Sahib Faizani's tortures were so severe that the strength to lift a pen and write a sentence must have taken an act of Grace. He was not allowed to write at all by the prison guards. He wrote those books sheet by sheet and passed them on to his followers in this difficult way, an act of continuous rebellion.

I know about Mawlana Sahib Faizani writings. It was these works, these books so filled with life and holiness that changed my life and started me on my journey to approaching God. I found in Mawlana Sahib Faizani a perfect exemplar, a man with an uncompromising commitment to the Truth.

In his books, Mawlana Sahib Faizani is not content to merely handle speculative or side issues related to being a Believer, indeed Mawlana Sahib Faizani directly addresses the real meaning of Islam, the very center of Islam. Mawlana Sahib Faizani addressed all the central problems of existence, everything, in a rational and logical manner. In his works, he speaks to us of God and life, of science, mankind, the world and the hearafter. He leaves nothing out and nothing to chance. Yet, although he speaks in a straightforward way, his books convey more than simple reasoning. There is a power behind his words. Why is Mawlana Sahib Faizani different than other philosophers or writers on religion? It is said that words are shadows of men's deeds. And this is true. But real deeds, like those of Mawlana Sahib Faizani, cast long shadows. Behind shadows of these kinds of deeds are words, yes, but special words; illumined by a powerful Light.

It was because Mawlana Faizani was a man steeped in the Divine presence that he could address my own questions. What is the true relationship between man and the world? What have we lost that has distanced us from the truth and reality of God, The Exalted Being? Why does Man sometimes remain sound, and other times become unsound and harmful? What leads man with all the intelligence and knowledge that he possesses towards savagery and these bestial actions? How is it possible to design an intransitive educational program with a broad range of books so that its graduates will never again do harm, and that 80% to 90% and even 100% of them become exemplary servants of society in whatever profession they may be., and so on...

In the book Man and the Secrets of Nearness, Mawlana Sahib Faizani repeats the story of Moses and Khidher (peace be upon them). While riding in a boat, Khidher (peace be upon him) asks Moses (peace be upon him) to observe a sparrow, perched on the side of the boat. After the sparrow dips his beak in the water, Khidher (pbuh) asks Moses (pbuh) how much water did the sparrow take from the Ocean? Moses replied that he took almost nothing, considering the greatness of the ocean. Khidher (pbuh) replies that such is man's knowledge compared to God's! Man's knowlege compared to God's, indeed is nothing.

But later, Mawlana Sahib Faizani also quotes Rumi, saying, "Then outwardly you are the small universe, then inwardly you are the great universe." Though man, as man, is truly unworthy/small, there is something within him that is truly remarkable. It is, in fact, man's hidden nearness to God, by means of his Soul that makes Man so revered.

So what is keeping man from finding this Nearness to Almighty God? Its an appropriate question and we must say that Man has become lost in the phenomenal world. He seeks the blossom, but not the root. He admires a beautiful face, but forgets this is but a short-lived glory. The true glory is the Light behind the things that shine in the world of the senses. Man has become lost in the artifacts and has forgotten the Artificer.

It is in the Secret of Union that man can find God. Mawlana Sahib Faizani has said: "Indeed, after the deniers fully believe (essentially acknowledge) and the ignorant ones sincerely repent, they will then be welcomed to the Forth Dimension (or the unseen world). However, one can acquire the merits of Nearness to the Presence of Him Almighty by increasing the practice and acquisition of refinement (Tasfiya) and cleansing (Tadhkiya)." The best of deeds as taught by Mawlana Sahib Faizani are "in one's efforts to spread Monotheism, to acquire Insight into Almighty God, and to serve God's creatures for the purpose of His Happiness."

Soon after reading his books, for the first time, I found hope beginning to form itself as a long-lasting presence in my heart. My outlook on life began to change as I undertook to re-examine life, destiny, matter, science, politics, history and the real meaning of the Holy Qur'an.

Very respected brothers and sisters, one should never underrate the power of a book. Books help build and destroy empires. They make for mighty civilizations. They create revolutions. They can strip a man of hope or they can rebuild him in the darkest garret. Mawlana Sahib Faizani books have given me and others the courage and have brought me closer to my Creator, and to the real meaning of the Holy Qur'an. Through Mawlana Sahib Faizani's teachings, I found in the Qur'an, the Master Key to all of my material and spiritual questions. Through his aid, I was inspired and my heart and mind were set free.

Another question - can coming accross Mawlana Sahib Faizani teachings make a miraculous change in us? I believe it can, if we are willing? He will help us build our spiritual quality and understanding to make us firm in our understanding and belief about God, His angels, His Books, His Prophets, and Judgment Day. He will help us understand that fate, be it good or bad, is determined by God. He will bring us back to the safest shores, the morality of the Qur'an and the Sunnah (traditions) of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

What's more, not only did God bless Mawlana Sahib Faizani with so much knowledge and spiritual awareness, he also gave him the power to transfer this very complex spirituality knowledge to others. The teachings themselves, although logically consistent and methodological, are arranged for the development of the reader's spiritual perception, not just as an enhancement to his/her intellectual understanding. The power of spiritual awareness is a great mystery and it was at the core of his being. For Mawlana Sahib Faizani was a spiritual master, a true servant of God, whose followers were taught to live their lives, consciously in the presence of God.

In an age filled with such general spiritual emptiness, we wonder if Mawlana Sahib Faizani teachings could be useful for those inside and outside of the fold of Islam? I certainly believe that his teachings are useful for everyone! People of all faiths or even those lacking any faith - can benefit from Mawlana Sahib's teachings. These are "nutritious" teachings feeding the human Soul in this world - which has gone spiritually hungry. He opens the methods for men to find ways to start healing their spiritually diseased hearts. His teachings act as crystal clear water for spiritually dehydrated people.

Mawlana Faizani has intelligently pulled the veil off the theory of evolution and has logically rebutted materialism. He has done so by educating his readers that everything we see in our surroundings, is only a result of the two Artificing Hands of Almighty God and of His representative Man. He has taught us to ponder on the smallest of creatures all the way up to the Court of Greatness.

He has instructed us to examine everything under the microscope and to see the immense details, colors and structures - from those swimming in a pond of algae to the largest of mammals on land and in the seas. Upon completing such an analysis, the reader comes to realize that it makes no sense to think of all of God's creation as merely 'coincidences' that evolved. Rather the reader comes to see the Imperceptible Hand of Almighty God at work everywhere.

Mawlana Sahib Faizani has explained science in a way where we may begin to perceive the Glorious Artificer's Magnificence and Perfection through His artifacts. Without his crucial explanations, we would be missing a fundamental seed in our faith and in our awareness for God. He is a real scholar of Islam, who presents Islam and the Qur'an in a spiritually scientific method, which can be appreciated by Muslims as well as non-Muslims. He has taught us that although God first needs to be known though reason, the encounter with God goes beyond mere thought, into the cradle nature of one's own experience. For Mawlana Sahib Faizani, although he begins with Almighty God as an abstraction, he ends with something far more real. Mawlana Sahib Faizani helps the true Seeker feel the presence of Almighty God in all times and everywhere. We learn to serve God's creatures for His Happiness and to seek the pleasure of no one else but God.

Besides, doesn't this reality dramatically impact the faith of the Believer? Doesn't the Qur'an itself open its pages wider by virtue of this direct experience? I am awed by these words found in surah Al-Anfal, verse 2 "True believers are those who, when God is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts, and when they hear His revelation, find their faith strengthened, and put all their trust in their Lord." The God Mawlana Sahib Faizani speaks of is a True Living Presence. And although the road may begin with abstraction, it does not end there.

It was natural that once I had submerged myself in Mawlana Sahib Faizani works, I would want to know more about him. I found that he was born in 1923 into a family of religious scholars. It is said that his family were descendents of a great Islamic saint. At an early age, they taught him at home, in the manner tradition would have dictated to them. He then went to High School in Herat, finally studying teaching at Kabul University, where he graduated in 1941. For eight years, he then served as a High School principal in his hometown until his passion for God over came him. He was then driven to travel widely, seeking the knowledge of Islam, like the first Mawlana (Jalaludin Rumi).

However, Mawlana Sahib Faizani was a man who was meant to be more than a mere man of letters. Although words and logic, written and taught by great thinkers in Islam, in the form of logical reason and persuasion, would enlarge his understanding, they would not quench his thirst.

As Mawlana Sahib Faizani traveled, he found - again, like the honarable Jalaludin - that, to find what he sought, he must go beyond rational thought into the realm of experience. He began to thirst for solitude and began seeking God, alone, in fasting and daily meditation. For years he did this until he was filled with God's Light.

And then this light that forced him to stop his incessant meandering now drove him to travel again. He wound up in Mazar-i Sharif, where he lit another kind of fire, the fire of moral and spiritual discontent. Mawlana Faizani delivered a crushing sermon that took on the corrupt political practices that surrounded the people of Mazar-i-Sharif. He spared neither cleric, nor government official nor the landlords who participated in the crude feudalism of their country of that time. He became a target for men of great power.

He was arrested and put in prison. From then on, his public life was interspersed between good works and exercising public responsibility and prison sentences. Between incarcerations, Mawlana Faizani created a library in Pul-i-Khumri, where he attracted a large following of professionals, military personnel and students. As time progressed, his followers were to include both Sunni and Shiites, an accomplishment that has not been repeated in Afghanistan outside his University.

Indeed, one dramatic moment in his political career was his appearance at the Pul-i Khishti Mosque, the central Mosque in Kabul. This was during the religious uprising of 1969, when the outcry began against the communist tyranny imposed on the Afghan people. The result of this was his fifth imprisonment, another year and a half behind bars.

When he was released again, he centered himself in Kabul. There he set up a library near the famous Mosque and began to supervise regular zikir ceremonies. Attracted to the practical applications of Muslim spirituality, well-known Muslim youth leaders, military and government officials expanded his growing center of influencer.

Unafraid to act on his sense of righteousness, Mawlana Faizani allied himself with Hizb-i Tauhid, an organization that was accused of plotting against the Daoud regime. He was again put into prison along with a number of his key disciples. He was still there following the Khalqi take over in 1978, a year before the Soviet invasion. Since 1953, until his disappearance, Mawlana Sahib Faizani had been imprisoned seven times.

Mawlana Faizani's books are a major intellectual achievement with vital Islamic political implications. I admire Mawlana Sahib's sheer courage of undertaking his peaceful humanitarian mission, in a critical moment in our secular humanistic society.

In today's day and age where the world of Islam, as a religion, is often considered anathema, Mawlana Sahib teachings assist Muslims and non-Muslims to come to really know what Islam is and where it stands. Mawlana Sahib's teachings demonstrate that Islam is a religion of peace, a relgion of vast oceans of knowledge, where manifold wisdom and innumerable miracles wait to be discovered. Anyone who wants to know himself and the responsibilities assigned to us by Almighty God needs to study the teachings of Mawlana Faizani, which are in fact, the teachings of Islam.

In these times, where so many innocents perish daily, victims of mankind's naked aggression against his brothers, Mawlana Sahib Faizani's message of reason and enlightenment cries out to be heard. No man suffered as much as Mawlana Sahib Faizani while steadfastedly putting an intellectual fight in his vision, instead of the destruction of his enemies.

Why was he tortured to such a degree? Because the Daud government of that time needed his confession to support their argument that Mawlana Sahib Faizani had planned an armed uprising. Mawlana Sahib Faizani compliance would have been their ticket to justify the enlargement of their communist ideological objectives in Afghanistan. As an atheistic, anti-religious government, they needed to find some way to capture the heart of the people. What better way than to create the seeds of conspiracy?

Yet, in the face of tyranny, he steadfastedly chose a path of resistance and rebellion. He chose not to fight with the sword, rather he choose to fight with his mighty pen, by the Grace of Almighty God.

But more than even his battles with the pen, was the purity of his INTENT. His ultimate purpose was to bring men to God, not in words, but tangibly, in their very spirits. And this nearness, this absorption with God, is the only true antidote for the ailing spirit of mankind, for the end to evil and destruction, for an end to the futile contest between nations. If men can find unity in God, then they will be able to find unity with each other. There is no higher or more profound cure for Mankind than the Presence of God in his/her daily life.

Did the signposts to higher reality, to real answers in a troubled world, end with Mawlana Sahib's disappearance? I am happy to say that I am here because, in fact, it did not! Mawlana Sahib teachings grew, in part, because of his books and teachings, but also because of the support of many established schools in Afghanistan and in other countries. But what is even more wonderful, his teachings continue to live because of the leadership of his honorable son, Ustaad Mazhabi Sahib, who has tirelessly worked on spreading Mawlana Sahib's teachings beyond his native country to the world at large.

Despite the fact his teachings have been presented to the Afghan nation and, more recently, to the world at large, the clouds of man's inhumanity continue to rumble through the Earth. Children are abandoned to face alone the angry weapons of war, women rush down empty streets to hide from lust-filled men; tiny microbes escape from unmarked flesh to spread the terror of diseases fabricated in a renegade laboratory. Ragged infantries roam the Earth, seeking fresh victims to satisfy their endless appetite for carnage. Each day passes with new horror, new torture and new corruption.

If Mawlana Sahib Faizani were here today - would he grieve any differently for the plight of man than he did so many decades ago? Would he formulate the essential questions any differently? Would he seek for new answers?

I believe, he would grieve more but not differently, for the message of Mawlana Sahib Faizani is a timeless one, rooted in the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and in his profound encounters with the Divine Presence. Mawlana Sahib Faizani would not have changed, but we MUST - before humanity passes into the world of darkness and flames… - we must change before it is too late!

May God Guide all of mankind!

Thank you!

A PRAYER ›› by Mawlana Faizani

O' Bestower, Sovereign and Holy! O Great Merciful and Generous God, that "the hearts of people are between the two fingers of Your Almighty Being," Turn all these hearts of us, companions, supporters, friends, families and all Muslims and of all mankind of our time, as far as you will, towards Yourself, - for practicing Your commands, leaving the forbidden and acquiring Insight into Your Unique Being. For the sake of Your Names, Treasured and Secret, Great, Exalted and Greatest of Great. We are defeated, give us victory for the sake of Your Honor and Glory, O the Most Pure and Holy, and hurry for its acceptance, O! The Fulfiller of needs. Ameen.

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