Q. Have the Sufis a method of concentration by which they can attain to this inner harmony?
A. Yes, certainly, there is a method in which a person is initiated, the one who is seriously seeking for truth and would steadily go on in that path with patience and trust.

Q. What is the difference between Sufism and other movements?
A. In the first place if a person says that my wisdom is different from the wisdom of others, he defeats his own argument. Sufism would rather take away its name Sufi, if it did not believe in the word wisdom, not only belonging to Sufism alone, but as a divine heritage of man. And therefore there is no pretense nor intention of proving the Sufi wisdom as superior to any other wisdom, but in acknowledging it as the same wisdom which has always existed, and calling it wisdom. Besides, at this moment when the mechanism of the world's life has become so upset by the spirit of competition which is arising, by the spirit of commercialism, at that time, if we -- those who try to do our best in serving God and humanity -- if we had also the same view, to prove our own way perhaps superior to the others, it will be the same spirit, we shall be going no good.

Our deepest sympathy goes to all those who are doing, in whatever way they can, good to humanity by their service, by bringing humanity together. And if we leave any opinion to form, we leave it to those who tread the path of Sufism, for them to find out for themselves how it has helped, and whether it has been more suited to their nature or not.

But to a part of your question, how it can be applied to the practical life, I will answer that in Sufism, the central theme of our esoteric working is practicing, so to speak, the Presence of God. But in metaphysical terms it may be called, "to keep before one's view reality", in spite of the continual illusions which come before us from morning till evening. Those who tread this path, whatever be their method, we respect it, we consider they are treading the same path that we are. As to the name, we must call ourselves something, if we did not have a name, someone would give us one.