What is God? A Sufi Perspective
Introduction by Cole Goodwin
Welcome to the The Spiritual Roundtable, an interfaith roundtable featuring a diverse range of spiritual belief systems in the Gorge Community.
Each week, spiritual leaders and learners will share their take on some of humanity's biggest questions, starting with: What does your spirituality mean to you? And ramping up into discussions about the nature of existence, the soul, the divine, and of course…a question as old as time itself: why are we here?
Roundtable writings will be published each Saturday and Sunday morning of the month.
Now take a deep breath… Meditate for a moment…And when you’re ready…keep reading to explore one of the many diverse faiths, belief systems, and philosophies that exist in our communities.
This Month's Question: What is God (collective consciousness, deities, the divine, the beloved, the source, the sacred, the mother, the father, the world, the one power)? How can we have a relationship with this power? What does this power want/need/desire?
Why this question was chosen: This question asks us to examine the basic principles and values that guide our Spirituality and expand our understanding of the many paths one can walk to live a Spiritual life.
About Bobbie Harlow Combe
This past March, I moved with my husband from Tygh Valley, OR to take up residence in Prineville, OR. Most of my 72 years I’ve been on a spiritual journey beginning as a child, attending churches throughout my youth and adult life, that eventually led to the Shadhiliyya Sufi path in 2001. What is Sufism? Sufism is a spiritual teaching that leads to Oneness or Unity with God’s Presence. The meaning of the word Sufism is “to purify one’s heart”.
A Sufi Perspective
by Bobbie Harlow Combe
Allah, the One Mighty All-encompassing Love, is neither masculine nor feminine. As much as It has a divine masculine side, so It has an awe-inspiring feminine aspect. The references for this article often refer to Allah as He. Out of integrity and respect I have preserved the masculine in the quoted references.
What is God? How does one answer this question when Its vastness is all encompassing, incomprehensible, with no beginning or ending, having no constraints by time or space, an unfathomable mystery? I approach this question from my experience of walking the path of Sufi Mysticism.
The second chapter of the Quran, Sura al-Baqarah, Ayat al-Kursi, verses 238-255, offers a description of Allah.
Allah—there is no deity save Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsistent Fount of All Being. Neither slumber overtakes Him, nor sleep. He is all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. Who is there that could intercede with Him, unless it be by His leave? He knows all that lies open before men and all that is hidden from them, whereas they cannot attain aught of His knowledge save that which He wills [them to attain.] His eternal power overspreads the heavens and the earth and their upholding wearies Him not. And he alone is truly exalted, tremendous.
The ancient, sacred Arabic name Allah corresponds to the name God. The name Allah opens a doorway into the Divine Reality of the One and the experience of “what is God.”
The best way for me to know Allah is to experience what occurs within my heart when reciting this holy Name while focusing on my spiritual heart (this practice is called Remembrance).
(Remembrance can also be done with any sacred name for God, including the name God. Names such as the Aramaic name Alaha, used by Jesus, Yaweh, Elohim, Om, and others. The “ah” sound resonates in the heart area and helps to open the heart.)
The sounds that make up the name Allah carry light, vibration and tone that radiate serenity, sublimity, and mystery while transmitting Qualities of Oneness and Unity to my heart.
I may also choose to refer to Allah as the One, the Source, the Divine. Over time, referring to Allah as the Beloved came naturally.
What does Allah want? Allah wants to be known.
My Sufi guide Sidi wrote in Music of the Soul, “As Allah has said, ‘I was a hidden treasure that desired to be known. So I manifested all the creation to reveal the essence of the deep secret knowing of Myself. He who I created to reveal the treasure carries within himself this treasure, but he must explode the mountain of his existence to discover the treasure which is hidden within.’”
This treasure within my deep heart is the Divine Essence which includes the Divine Qualities of Allah. In “exploding the mountain of our existence”, that is, letting go of my beliefs, worldly attachments, egoic identity, I may discover this treasure.
How can I have a relationship with this One Mighty All-Encompassing Love”?
Allah’s Prophets of the Abrahamic tradition and other spiritual saints and guides have laid out signposts, directions, and guidance to show the way to experiencing, embracing, and embodying this Divine Essence. Love and longing for the One grows stronger over time through my spiritual practices. In this process, my human attributes are transformed by Allah into the Divine’s Qualities, whereby I come to know my true self and know Allah, for there is only One Essence. A Sufi saying is “To know yourself is to know your Lord”.”
This journey also includes my relationship with others, with all creation. “In relationship to others, God says, ‘Be My reflection in everything that you do. I have given you Myself and you can see Me in every human being. Give anyone love and mercy, if that is what he wants, and know you are giving it to Me.’ When you find the love, you find yourself. The secret of God is in the love.”
How do I sustain this relationship with the Divine while maintaining my practice of Remembrance along with other spiritual practices? For me it is a matter of continually returning my attention to the One and turning away from the distractions of this world. (Similarly Jesus said, quoting 1 John 2:15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.”)
The word for heart in Arabic is qalb, or compass, that is either pointed toward the world or toward the One. A Compassionate way has been provided for me to turn back my heart and attention to the One.
To return, I first need to catch myself when my attention has been drawn in by the many forms of worldly distraction. With love and compassion I acknowledge what I am experiencing. Next, if possible, I allow myself to feel the sadness that comes with experiencing separation from the Divine. I allow my longing and prayer to restore my connection. Sometimes I am immediately in touch with my regret for turning away, and my heart’s longing to return. At other times it takes reciting, silently or out loud, the Divine Qualities that transmit Love, Forgiveness and Mercy.
Some Forgiveness Qualities in Arabic have a form of the root that means “a substance bees make that the Arabs used to fill in the cracks of a dried-out, old leather water skin, so that it no longer leaks.” As my heart softens with the recitation of these Qualities, it can hold the Light and Love that brings me back over and over into the Presence of my Beloved. This experience is inevitably accompanied by immense Gratitude and Peace. It is from this place I continue my journey.
Through uncovering and realizing the Divine Qualities, my relationship with the Divine develops. “Neither My heavens nor My earth can contain Me. Only the heart of My faithful servant contains Me.” reads Physicians of the Heart, A Sufi View of the Ninety-Nine Names of Allah.
There are an infinite number of Divine Qualities, addressing every circumstance and need. In my Sufi tradition we work with ninety-nine. I recite these Qualities as part of my Remembrance practice.
To increase my knowledge of the Divine, I find it important to hear the Divine’s voice, to witness the Divine in all, and to receive Divine Guidance. To help me with this, I have found it essential for me to recite and seek understanding of the Divine Qualities As-Sami’ – The One who hears, the All-Hearing, the Listener; Al-Basir – The All-Seeing, the One who sees everything; and Al-Alim – The Omniscient, the absolute Owner of wisdom.
Another beautiful name is Al-Waliy, The Protective Friend, the close One. “Allah is the intimate friend of those human beings who live in surrender to Him.” said Rosina-Fawzia Al-Rawi, in Divine Names The 99 Healing Names of the One Love. To know Allah, that is the objective of this Journey of Love.
““And when the journey to God comes to an end, comes the beginning of the infinite journey in God.”
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Shadhiliyya Sufi Resources:
Institute of Spiritual Healing: https://instituteofspiritualhealing.com/what-is-sufism/
University of Sufism, https://sufiuniversity.org/
Shadhiliyya Sufi Communities, https://suficommunities.org/
PNW Sufi Newsletter: To subscribe, email Bobbie at bjharlowcombe@gmail.com
Want to contribute to the Spiritual Roundtable? Read this first.
The Roundtable Mission and Vision
The goal of these roundtable writings is to:
Bring the spiritual community together.
Share ideas that elevate the human spirit.
Elevate the conversation around the spirit.
Embrace what is universal to all, while honoring what is special about each spirituality.
Center inclusivity and equity.
Promote our collective enlightenment.
Nurture civility and friendship between those with diverse belief systems in the Gorge.
Engage readers and spiritual seekers.
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This is not a place for arguing about dogma.
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The Spiritual Roundtable IS..
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This IS a place for sharing what is special about your beliefs.
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If you are interested in being included in the roundtable please email cole@columbiacommunityconnection.com
