SAMPLE PAGE : Beginning of Chapter Two

DERVISHHOOD (FAQR)

Know that Dervishhood (faqr) is an extremely exalted state in the way of God Almighty, and dervishes are men of high rank. Says God, The Most Exalted:"Charity is for those who take to contentment for God's sake and cannot get about in the world (being too busy in remembering God) but those who are unaware of their cult, imagine that they are rich." [2:273].

Commentary: Nicholson has translated faqr as "poverty" which is the literal meaning of the word, whereas in the language of Sufism it stands for being rich with God, known as istighna. A near substitute of this word in English is "asceticism" which is the life of complete trust (tawakkal) in God and non-dependence on anything other than God. But actually in Islam, asceticism or renunciation is purely spiritual or mental, not physical, which means that an ascetic of Islam need not renounce the world and sit in seclusion for good. What the Muslim ascetics do is that they live in the world, attend to its affairs, earn a livelihood, having full trust in God and believing that it is not their efforts which bring them bread, but it is through God's grace and kindness that they get what they get. In other words their tawakkal (trust in God), or renunciation is really mental or spiritual not physical, for physically they are men of the world and do not run away from its duties, pains and sorrows unlike the ascetics of other religions who do not face the world and take to seclusion for good.

So in Sufism faqr does not means poverty. It means wealth and abundance, because a faqir in the real sense, is an extremely rich person who lives on spiritual and not physical wealth. That is why the Prophet (s.a.w.) said," Faqr is my Fakhr (pride)". Persian poetry is very rich on the subject.

One of the saints of Islam has said: "I am the monarch of the domain of Faqr, enjoying the fruits of Fana (self-negation). I am the Ghazal (deer) of the realm of Divinity, free from 'otherness' (anything other than God)."