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| 786 The Zahuri Web Site |
In 1982 Dr Zahurul Hassan Sharib visited Europe for the first time - indeed it was the first
occasion he had travelled beyond the borders of the Indian sub-continent. Much time
was spent in England. On the occasion of his departing from London, to return to Ajmer
(via Delhi), there was a gathering of his disciples and well-wishers at a house near
Wembley, in West London. He was asked to make a spontaneous speech to mark the
occasion. This was recorded on tape. Here is a transcription of that tape. I have not
altered or left anything out. Where one or two points seem to demand it have added
words in brackets that seem implied but not actually used. There is one sentence that
required several additional words to make it read properly - I have included the exact
literal transcript as a footnote. (JMZ)
occasion he had travelled beyond the borders of the Indian sub-continent. Much time
was spent in England. On the occasion of his departing from London, to return to Ajmer
(via Delhi), there was a gathering of his disciples and well-wishers at a house near
Wembley, in West London. He was asked to make a spontaneous speech to mark the
occasion. This was recorded on tape. Here is a transcription of that tape. I have not
altered or left anything out. Where one or two points seem to demand it have added
words in brackets that seem implied but not actually used. There is one sentence that
required several additional words to make it read properly - I have included the exact
literal transcript as a footnote. (JMZ)
A Farewell Message by Zahurmian
I have been asked by Jamil to say a few words by the way of farewell message, or it may
constitute my advice, or it may be a reflection of thoughts and feelings. What I did. What I saw.
Where I did go and what I have to tell when I return to India.
Today I am speaking from the house of Ijlal Hussein Siddiqi, who is a very devoted person and
who often visits me in Ajmer.
Yesterday I came here, and today I have been visiting Hampton Court. There I had the occasion
of seeing a big house with all the paraphernalia of royalty. The elaborate garden system, the
blossoming flowers, the (?) so blossoming and so beautiful, and (a) very spacious greenhouse. It
was, just to say, to be close to nature. But in our life it is not enough and sufficient to be close to
nature. It is also necessary that we should be close to the people and we should have very good
cordial and loving contact with the people who we meet.
During this time Faiz has been with me like a shadow. Wherever I did go he was with me. So much
so that during this period, over one month, perhaps he could not take full rest. He was ever
vigilant and careful to see that I had every type of comfort and mental peace.
Jamil, when he was in London, he took me to the various places, notably the British Museum, as
he himself is a great artist and knows the - (?) of art. At some places he explained to me the
intricacies of the piece of art.
I think that when I go to Ajmer, what kind of question will the people ask me? And it is a fair
question, which is very much predominant in my mind. Perhaps they will ask, how did you find the
life in the west? My reply will be forthright, straight, and simple.
The life is a little fast but orderly. Life is a little self-centred but equally socialistic. Life is, so to
say, gay and jolly, and not desperate. People try to derive the zest of life, and they want to do
whatever they can for themselves and their country. This is an important factor in the evolution of
a nation. For a group, for a community, or in any country it can be an asset for the people, and
also for those who are under-developed, or handicapped, or distressed, or in any way, so to say,
not on a full scale to work with others.
In London I visited very many places, notably the Whitehall, which was a seat of power for the
whole empire. I visited Westminster Abbey which is a very famous place, and the Big Ben which is
a symbol of English unity, and which is also a symbol of English punctuality - for which the people
are so very famous. India being an agricultural country - we lose too much of our time in idle
chatter and frivolous talk. We have no sense of punctuality. Here I found the people are very
punctual, rather punctual to the minute. And when they save time, this means they save energy.
This also means that they save labour, and this also means that they have some ideal before
them. To have an ideal is itself a great thing for any man.
Inaam who came with me was at times complaining of being tired. He is just a young man, but I am
as compared to him an old man. I will not call my son an old man because I have still mental zest
and vigour and I always told him that - why are you so tired? I did not feel tired because I have
enthusiasm for life and I want to learn things.
Travelling, to me, is like going to a school. As a young student learns so many things in school, so
I tried to learn many things here. But it is rather a sad thing that I have got a very poor
observation. For one who wants to travel the wide world - he should have a good observation. It is
said of Charles Dickens, who was a famous novelist living in London, that he had a photographic
mind. Once he will see a thing or he will enter a room he could describe everything and give the
minutest detail. But I haven't got that type of mind, but I feel satisfied that I have got a good
memory. A good memory and observation do not go together. Observation may be temporary, but
memory is lasting.
I feel happy to be here. It happened one day that I found myself in London, of which I have been
hearing so much, reading so much, talking so much, and of which I have come to know that it was
the seat of power of the whole empire - in which the sun never set. But every empire or every
kingdom, or every individual, every group or every community - or every height, must suffer some
loss, someday. To reach the pinnacle of glory means ultimate decay - so is the case with our
morals. Morals have come down, rather to say we have business-like morals.
We are not living in an ideal world. People treat the world as a very ideal, but it is a very wrong
thing. We are not living in an ideal world. Our world sees so many contrasts. There is always a
clash of interest. When out interest clashes with the interest of others we always complain of that
man. We say that man is a bad man. But when our interest is in conformity with the other man we
say he is a good man. This means we judge a man by our own interest. If our interest fits in well
then he is a good man. If it collides or clashes then it is a bad man. This means we still have left
within us a lot of selfishness and a lot of egoism.
To be selfish is to be narrow-minded. To be narrow-minded means to be prejudiced. To be
prejudiced means to have mental jaundice. Those people who have mental jaundice - they live in
a cycle - they are always attached to their…..or to say their own self. But self-worship is also idol
worship. People say that idol worship is a bad thing, but let us see also whether we also worship
our own self. What is the difference between idol worship and self-worship? In Sufi-ism it is said
that self-worship is worse than idol worship. (What is required is)* the elimination of self…… or
rather the elimination of desires (which) will go to make the self a powerful institution within man,
(and which) is an ignoble phenomenon.
We should learn in life to be attached and detached. They are two words which apparently are
very contradictory. Some may say that how is it that one can be attached and detached at the
same time. By this I mean that we should try to be attached to the things that are true, good and
beautiful. At the same time we should try to be detached from the things which are ugly, ignoble,
and at the same time very disastrous. This is a technique in life.
Another technique in life is we should have the power of discrimination. It is said eloquence is
born of knowledge and it is also said that ambition makes a man terrible. Those people who are
very ambitious they are dangerous people. Ambition is never used in a good sense. So I will
advise you to have your ideals high, to aim your aims lofty, to lead a simple modest life, and only
try to achieve those things which are within your means. If you devote all your energy to worldly
acquisitions like power, like prestige, like influence, like wealth and so many other things. This
means you are putting too much burden upon your own self.
Sometimes it so happens that our heart's desires become our heart's disease. So it is not wise
that you should have a heart disease through another source. I mean your overwhelming desires,
which may ever lead you to turmoil, to confusion, to agitation, and which may deprive you of the
peace of mind which is itself the highest thing ever to be achieved.
Before I leave London I will like to place on record ………..(long pause, temporarily overcome with
strong feelings) …..my deepest love for all those who have shown me utmost concern and
showered their love upon me…..(another lengthy pause for the same reason…). Here when I am
at Ijlal Hussain's home I find that he is so very solicitous and very well concerned about me. When
I see Jamil he is always at my disposal. When I went to Southampton he took me to so many good
places, and every time asked me if I wanted anything. When I see Faiz his whole house is at my
disposal. And it is good that today Badruddin has also come. Today we met him in Southampton...
er..in Hampton Court. We were searching (for) him and the search was quite rewarding.
I am so much fascinated, not by London life, but by the care shown me by Ijlal, by Faiz, by Jamil
that sometime I was tempted to prolong my stay, but leaving London, which is itself a beauty, I
want to go back to Ajmer, which is my duty.
I bid you all my regretful farewell and I hope, and I trust, and I believe…..(pause for emotional
reasons…) I hope, and I trust, and I believe, that God will meet……..(pause…)... not only we will
meet again in this world, but I am sure we will meet again in the world hereafter too.
Tomorrow I leave - time has passed so soon. It is said that the moments of happiness pass soon
where the moments of grief are prolonged. And here I have no worry, no care, no fear, and no
tear. I was always a happy man, calm, and composed, and collected, and sometime reading some
good paper, sometimes gloating over the pages of some book.
When I went to Holland, Siraj and his wife Gulnar, they went to the utmost limit, and I cannot forget
the hospitality of all those people including Gulnar and Siraj, Faiz, Jamil, and Ijlal. And when I go
back I will say that the world is not still empty of those big ideals, which are enshrined in Sufi
morality - the ideals of a composite culture, and those ideals of service above self. Let me hope
and let me believe that Sufism will one day spread in the west. Because what I find is that the
modern man is torn between two conflicting ideals, one is love of Mammon and the other is love of
God. But it is also true that Truth always prevails. Love of God is more powerful, more magnetic,
and it is a vital force, and I am sure it will draw people to itself, and Sufism will some day win the
crown of glory, as it has done in the east - so in the west.
With these words I take your leave, and hope again and reaffirm my faith that, God willing, you will
meet me soon. So (with) my regrets now I go, and I go tomorrow - in the meanwhile I give you all
my love, my regards, my sincere regards and my token of affection, which I hope will ever remind
you of me. Also I want to point out one thing - don't think that I am going alone, or with Inaam. I am
going with so much affection, and you will be always near to me, ever in my mind, because
physical proximity has no meaning; but whoever is with you mentally, he is always with you. You
will be always in my mind and sometime, whenever I think of you, I will find you where you are. So
bid you farewell.
end
Original tape recording by Faiz Ahmed Ferguson (1982),
Transcription by Jamiluddin Morris Zahuri (Southampton, 2000)
___________________________________________________________
* The actual transcript reads:- 'Elimination of self, or rather the elimination of desires will go to make the self a
powerful institution within man, is an ignoble phenomenon.'
Published by The Zahuri Sufi Web Site 2000
I have been asked by Jamil to say a few words by the way of farewell message, or it may
constitute my advice, or it may be a reflection of thoughts and feelings. What I did. What I saw.
Where I did go and what I have to tell when I return to India.
Today I am speaking from the house of Ijlal Hussein Siddiqi, who is a very devoted person and
who often visits me in Ajmer.
Yesterday I came here, and today I have been visiting Hampton Court. There I had the occasion
of seeing a big house with all the paraphernalia of royalty. The elaborate garden system, the
blossoming flowers, the (?) so blossoming and so beautiful, and (a) very spacious greenhouse. It
was, just to say, to be close to nature. But in our life it is not enough and sufficient to be close to
nature. It is also necessary that we should be close to the people and we should have very good
cordial and loving contact with the people who we meet.
During this time Faiz has been with me like a shadow. Wherever I did go he was with me. So much
so that during this period, over one month, perhaps he could not take full rest. He was ever
vigilant and careful to see that I had every type of comfort and mental peace.
Jamil, when he was in London, he took me to the various places, notably the British Museum, as
he himself is a great artist and knows the - (?) of art. At some places he explained to me the
intricacies of the piece of art.
I think that when I go to Ajmer, what kind of question will the people ask me? And it is a fair
question, which is very much predominant in my mind. Perhaps they will ask, how did you find the
life in the west? My reply will be forthright, straight, and simple.
The life is a little fast but orderly. Life is a little self-centred but equally socialistic. Life is, so to
say, gay and jolly, and not desperate. People try to derive the zest of life, and they want to do
whatever they can for themselves and their country. This is an important factor in the evolution of
a nation. For a group, for a community, or in any country it can be an asset for the people, and
also for those who are under-developed, or handicapped, or distressed, or in any way, so to say,
not on a full scale to work with others.
In London I visited very many places, notably the Whitehall, which was a seat of power for the
whole empire. I visited Westminster Abbey which is a very famous place, and the Big Ben which is
a symbol of English unity, and which is also a symbol of English punctuality - for which the people
are so very famous. India being an agricultural country - we lose too much of our time in idle
chatter and frivolous talk. We have no sense of punctuality. Here I found the people are very
punctual, rather punctual to the minute. And when they save time, this means they save energy.
This also means that they save labour, and this also means that they have some ideal before
them. To have an ideal is itself a great thing for any man.
Inaam who came with me was at times complaining of being tired. He is just a young man, but I am
as compared to him an old man. I will not call my son an old man because I have still mental zest
and vigour and I always told him that - why are you so tired? I did not feel tired because I have
enthusiasm for life and I want to learn things.
Travelling, to me, is like going to a school. As a young student learns so many things in school, so
I tried to learn many things here. But it is rather a sad thing that I have got a very poor
observation. For one who wants to travel the wide world - he should have a good observation. It is
said of Charles Dickens, who was a famous novelist living in London, that he had a photographic
mind. Once he will see a thing or he will enter a room he could describe everything and give the
minutest detail. But I haven't got that type of mind, but I feel satisfied that I have got a good
memory. A good memory and observation do not go together. Observation may be temporary, but
memory is lasting.
I feel happy to be here. It happened one day that I found myself in London, of which I have been
hearing so much, reading so much, talking so much, and of which I have come to know that it was
the seat of power of the whole empire - in which the sun never set. But every empire or every
kingdom, or every individual, every group or every community - or every height, must suffer some
loss, someday. To reach the pinnacle of glory means ultimate decay - so is the case with our
morals. Morals have come down, rather to say we have business-like morals.
We are not living in an ideal world. People treat the world as a very ideal, but it is a very wrong
thing. We are not living in an ideal world. Our world sees so many contrasts. There is always a
clash of interest. When out interest clashes with the interest of others we always complain of that
man. We say that man is a bad man. But when our interest is in conformity with the other man we
say he is a good man. This means we judge a man by our own interest. If our interest fits in well
then he is a good man. If it collides or clashes then it is a bad man. This means we still have left
within us a lot of selfishness and a lot of egoism.
To be selfish is to be narrow-minded. To be narrow-minded means to be prejudiced. To be
prejudiced means to have mental jaundice. Those people who have mental jaundice - they live in
a cycle - they are always attached to their…..or to say their own self. But self-worship is also idol
worship. People say that idol worship is a bad thing, but let us see also whether we also worship
our own self. What is the difference between idol worship and self-worship? In Sufi-ism it is said
that self-worship is worse than idol worship. (What is required is)* the elimination of self…… or
rather the elimination of desires (which) will go to make the self a powerful institution within man,
(and which) is an ignoble phenomenon.
We should learn in life to be attached and detached. They are two words which apparently are
very contradictory. Some may say that how is it that one can be attached and detached at the
same time. By this I mean that we should try to be attached to the things that are true, good and
beautiful. At the same time we should try to be detached from the things which are ugly, ignoble,
and at the same time very disastrous. This is a technique in life.
Another technique in life is we should have the power of discrimination. It is said eloquence is
born of knowledge and it is also said that ambition makes a man terrible. Those people who are
very ambitious they are dangerous people. Ambition is never used in a good sense. So I will
advise you to have your ideals high, to aim your aims lofty, to lead a simple modest life, and only
try to achieve those things which are within your means. If you devote all your energy to worldly
acquisitions like power, like prestige, like influence, like wealth and so many other things. This
means you are putting too much burden upon your own self.
Sometimes it so happens that our heart's desires become our heart's disease. So it is not wise
that you should have a heart disease through another source. I mean your overwhelming desires,
which may ever lead you to turmoil, to confusion, to agitation, and which may deprive you of the
peace of mind which is itself the highest thing ever to be achieved.
Before I leave London I will like to place on record ………..(long pause, temporarily overcome with
strong feelings) …..my deepest love for all those who have shown me utmost concern and
showered their love upon me…..(another lengthy pause for the same reason…). Here when I am
at Ijlal Hussain's home I find that he is so very solicitous and very well concerned about me. When
I see Jamil he is always at my disposal. When I went to Southampton he took me to so many good
places, and every time asked me if I wanted anything. When I see Faiz his whole house is at my
disposal. And it is good that today Badruddin has also come. Today we met him in Southampton...
er..in Hampton Court. We were searching (for) him and the search was quite rewarding.
I am so much fascinated, not by London life, but by the care shown me by Ijlal, by Faiz, by Jamil
that sometime I was tempted to prolong my stay, but leaving London, which is itself a beauty, I
want to go back to Ajmer, which is my duty.
I bid you all my regretful farewell and I hope, and I trust, and I believe…..(pause for emotional
reasons…) I hope, and I trust, and I believe, that God will meet……..(pause…)... not only we will
meet again in this world, but I am sure we will meet again in the world hereafter too.
Tomorrow I leave - time has passed so soon. It is said that the moments of happiness pass soon
where the moments of grief are prolonged. And here I have no worry, no care, no fear, and no
tear. I was always a happy man, calm, and composed, and collected, and sometime reading some
good paper, sometimes gloating over the pages of some book.
When I went to Holland, Siraj and his wife Gulnar, they went to the utmost limit, and I cannot forget
the hospitality of all those people including Gulnar and Siraj, Faiz, Jamil, and Ijlal. And when I go
back I will say that the world is not still empty of those big ideals, which are enshrined in Sufi
morality - the ideals of a composite culture, and those ideals of service above self. Let me hope
and let me believe that Sufism will one day spread in the west. Because what I find is that the
modern man is torn between two conflicting ideals, one is love of Mammon and the other is love of
God. But it is also true that Truth always prevails. Love of God is more powerful, more magnetic,
and it is a vital force, and I am sure it will draw people to itself, and Sufism will some day win the
crown of glory, as it has done in the east - so in the west.
With these words I take your leave, and hope again and reaffirm my faith that, God willing, you will
meet me soon. So (with) my regrets now I go, and I go tomorrow - in the meanwhile I give you all
my love, my regards, my sincere regards and my token of affection, which I hope will ever remind
you of me. Also I want to point out one thing - don't think that I am going alone, or with Inaam. I am
going with so much affection, and you will be always near to me, ever in my mind, because
physical proximity has no meaning; but whoever is with you mentally, he is always with you. You
will be always in my mind and sometime, whenever I think of you, I will find you where you are. So
bid you farewell.
end
Original tape recording by Faiz Ahmed Ferguson (1982),
Transcription by Jamiluddin Morris Zahuri (Southampton, 2000)
___________________________________________________________
* The actual transcript reads:- 'Elimination of self, or rather the elimination of desires will go to make the self a
powerful institution within man, is an ignoble phenomenon.'
Published by The Zahuri Sufi Web Site 2000