Volume
Vol. 2, The Mysticism of Sound and Music
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10. The Use Made of Music by the Sufis of the Chishti Order
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2
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Vol. 2, The Mysticism of Sound and Music
10. The Use Made of Music by the Sufis of the Chishti Order
Once when I was sitting in the presence of Shakr Ali Ebah Ganj, a very great mystic, I asked him whether he knew the Sufis of Afghanistan. He had travelled very far. He said: "They are Chishtis, but they do not like music." This astonished me very much, because the Chishtis have a great devotion for music. He explained that the cold climate of Afghanistan does not allow music to have its effect.
The Chishti Order of the Sufis makes a great use of music to warm the heart, to produce feeling. When a person has understood that everything in the world is false, that every being is untrue -- when this wisdom comes, then coldness comes. A little child is very magnetic because of its warmth. It is friendly to everyone. When its intelligence grows it distinguishes: "This one favored me; that one did not favor me. This one was kind; that one was not kind. This one gave; that one did not give." Then coldness comes. Then we think: "This one is my enemy; I should not speak with him. This man has written an article against me; therefore I should have nothing to do with him. This man's grandfather was my father's enemy; therefore I should avoid him." The selfishness and coldness grow in us to such an extent. To stop this coldness, to produce feeling, the Chishtis use music. The vibrations of sound produce warmth.
When I was travelling through Russia I made this prayer: "O God, do not let anyone who is poor come here. For anyone who is poor the cold is terrible. If he has no shoes, he has to bind bundles of rags round his feet. If he has no fire in the house, if he has no warm coat, if he has to go out to work or if she has to go out to work thinly clad - it is terrible!"
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