Common Ground
CG: What is the goal of your teachings?
SHK: The goal is to help people feel for humanity and have a better understanding of their environment. We are humans and we are part of Nature; thus, we have to learn from Nature how to share with everyone. Without sharing we become selfish. Since what we teach is to promote love among human beings and to bring harmony, happiness and success to them, our main goal is to help people out of their state of depression and take them to a state of relief through different means, especially through spirituality. Nowadays, people are not finding spirituality anymore in any religion because religions are becoming more secular and increasingly directed towards raising enough funds to make more materialistic "progress" or just to compete. This is why people are running away from Judaism, Christianity and Islam. They are not finding themselves or finding their needs met through religion. We are giving them hope and strengthening their belief in their Creator in order to make sure they are keeping God in their hearts, and to help them believe that they are given this life to live and to enjoy Nature free from pollution, bad energies, negativity, disasters and war.
CG: Is Nature the original Holy Book?
SHK: Since God is Holy, whatever He creates is holy. That is why Nature, a creation of God, is Holy. I believe that every human being can learn from "Mother Nature." It is like a big womb of a mother that carries every human being inside. If we can read and observe the signs that God has created in this beautiful Nature, then we can truly understand why God sent us Messengers and Prophets to guide us. If you go deep into religion, you will find that everything is rendering you back to your nature, and from that nature, rendering you back to God.
CG: In the original teachings of Islam, are not men and women equal? Then why do we sometimes have situations where there doesn’t seem to be equality?
SHK: Prophet Muhammad said: "Human beings are created as equal as the teeth of the comb." Is not a woman a human being? If you look at the men and women in this room, can you see any difference? We do respect women! It is not true what the media tries to establish about the lack of women’s rights in Islam. Prophet Muhammad said that Paradise is under the feet of mothers. This means you have a responsibility to make your mother happy and satisfied with you. That is also why you owe respect to women in the community.
CG: I saw your book Angels Unveiled: a Sufi Perspective. How do your perceive angels and what is their role?
SHK: I have read many books on angels and was surprised that no one has mentioned angels from a Muslim perspective. I fount it necessary to write about angels from a Sufi perspective. The Islamic faith is rich in angels. God created angels and has mentioned them in the Holy Koran in eighty-eight places. He revealed His messages through angels and He supports us through angels because they are the angelic light of the divine presence. Through angels we receive heavenly power and support. So whenever we want to speak about heavenly support, heavenly power or spirituality, we have to know that behind these are intermediaries: angels who protect and guide us to the right path. As all religions believe, God has created angels to carry and to hold perfectly all the universes in their orbits. God allows everything to move in its orbit through angelic power. Angels also heal us through energy and spiritual guidance.
CG: Not long ago the Prime Minister of Israel was assassinated by one of his soldiers. A while before that, the President of Egypt was assassinated by one of his soldiers. In a way it is very sad that people murder each other within their own country and their own religion. Are Sufis persecuted by any other Islamic religion, group or organization?
SHK: Let us take the example of even two brothers who have different opinions. If they compete for power, they may kill each other for the Chair. So the important thing is not "who is who", but how much these people are attached to fame and positions. When those who compete fail to reach their dream, they start to assassinate and fight each other. This is a sign of pride and arrogance. When you compete, you create differences: winners and losers. That is why you find people within the same community who are not happy with those in power. However, in Sufism, you don’t find that. The reason is spirituality. Spirituality does not care for the Chair. Sufis care for spreading brotherhood and sisterhood in the community; they don’t care who is who. They only care that each person is a human being worthy of love, and together they all love their Creator. So there is no competition in the Sufi path and in Sufi spirituality. We live in peace, because whatever aspect of life is presented to us does not make any difference to us. What makes a difference is love, "the love of God and the love of each other."
CG: How
does one live one’s life, work, make money and still honour
and respect spirituality?
SHK: When people feel that they are being loved, they start to love. When that relationship is developed, money does not count anymore. Love is not only for those people who do not make money, who just live in seclusion and meditate. Our duty is to build a powerful community economically and in business. At the same time, we must help financially all those who cannot find shelter, food or medicine. That is why the presence of people who are strong financially is needed, since they can create harmony and balance among all people, rich and poor. When the system is balanced, everything runs smoothly. The same happens in our bodies: when your body is balanced, you don’t get sick. When your body is not balanced, you begin to feel sick. When you are not balanced spiritually or physically, then psychologically you motivate your glands inside you to secrete hormones that might be poisonous to your body. So if you lift your energy through spirituality and balance, you will then find that your body is becoming strong and healthy. The same thing works in the community. Those who are poor feel happy because the rich are supporting them, and the rich are happy because they feel they are doing something good for the community. By this love we can build a strong community. Business people can still have spirituality and enough love in their hearts to support their community.