On Saturday, the 15th of May, 1926, Hazrat Inayat Khan addressed the mureeds of the Sufi Center of Detroit for the last time. The next day he would be leaving for New York, and from there returning home after a tiring journey of some six months. He found America full of energy, with much interest in spiritual matters, but also very commercial and very changeable. Not surprisingly, in these last words to the Detroit Center he stresses again and again the need to remain constant, and stay firm on the path. One can also feel great love and hope in his words. And we might consider that if that ‘little infant group’ of Detroit is now no more, it only means that the torch has been passed along to us.
Murshid’s Last Words to the Mureeds in Detroit
Blessed mureeds,
Since this is the last evening that I am here and tomorrow I am leaving, I thought it better to say a few words before I leave. The first thing that I want to tell you is that your entrance into the Sufi Order is not only a membership in a society or studentship of a knowledge. It is more than that, and much more valuable than that. It may be that one day, sooner or later, your own heart will begin to tell you of the value, the importance, the need and work of the Sufi cause. It may be that there is one who understands it the moment he begins; there is another who understands it after a month; maybe there is another in whose soul the meaning of the Sufi Message will develop in a year’s time. But there will come a day when the meaning of the Message will develop in your own soul. Therefore, it does not depend upon what the Sufi Message is, and if I or anybody else told you, that will make no difference when something from outside tells you what it is. But when your heart begins to tell you, that is the truth. Therefore, he whose Message it is, when he himself will speak to you of what it is, you will know it by yourself. It is not necessary for anybody to speak to you about it.
I appreciate your confidence and trust in me, having come from such a far distance, from such a distant land, I appreciate beyond words and especially at this time, when there are twenty thousand things of the same kind, whether they are occult or something else. If in the midst of all these many things in this world, you have seriously taken to the Sufi cause, I indeed appreciate it and see in it your insight and recognition of truth.
Nevertheless, to understand the true meaning of the Message will take time, for even for myself it has taken time to understand the meaning of the Message. And I am still trying to understand it. Therefore, you may not be disappointed if you do not instantly understand the meaning. But at the same time, if no one thinks that it is the Message that is destined to be delivered to humanity, the success of which is not our responsibility, I am not disappointed. If no one came to follow, I would still go on giving it in the strength of that which is behind the Message, the meaning that the Message has, and the purpose the Message has to fulfil.
As to myself, I never make any claims. For my friends or mureeds who believe in me, my claim is that, “I am your friend,” that, “I am your brother,” “I am your well-wisher. Your happiness is my happiness, and I am sorry in your sorrow.”
You will always remember the word that my murshid has said: “Friendship in the path of God and truth is the greatest friendship, greater than any relationship and friendship in the world.” I have realized it in my own life; the happy days I have passed under the instruction of my murshid I compare with no other time in my life. And even now, when my teacher has departed, I never feel that Murshid is away.
And as I am leaving you all, that does not mean I really leave you. I am with you. If I am far away from you, the closer I am to you for the very reason that I go away from you. In your prayers and practices and studies and meditations, you will feel me with you. In your difficulties and troubles, my sympathies and prayers and blessings and thoughts will be with you. And to the extent you will be conscious of it you will feel it and it will be manifested to you.
And now only what I have to say is this, that the practices which have been given to you are of the greatest importance in your life. You must consider that in this world you are standing against the struggle of worldly life from morning till evening. And what you need is your spiritual powers well developed and well conserved. If that is not done, then know that the struggle is greater. And do not think that only your enemies will go against you, but your best friends when you have no power. And that is the spiritual power to stand against the struggle that worldly life gives you.
Remember that we live in the midst of falsehood and all that we depend upon, the praise and love and attachment and affection and sympathy, how long does it last? As long as you are in your proper condition. As soon as your condition is not proper, everything goes away, even your friends.
Remember, therefore, that is the first thing to consider: to keep yourself well tuned, tuned by the practices given to you. They are more valuable than a thousand prescriptions given by a doctor, because it is by spiritual inspiration they have been given. Never think, “To say a thing so many times, is that so important?” It is of the greatest importance.
My last words to you are that you will guard my teachings from being discussed by outside people. The secret teaching which is given to you from manuscripts will be cherished in your minds till it bears fruit, till it comes out in writing. After reading anything, do not talk about it, do not discuss it, for you may not know about it fully. Do not talk about the practices given to you, but do them. If the benefit does not come soon, have patience; it will come, it must come. This is my promise to you.
This little infant group, I leave in the hands of each one of you. And you will not let my labours and efforts that I have made go in vain. You will try to rear this plant, water and guard this plant and in this way prove your sincerity, your devotion and your faith to Murshid and the Message of God. And now I will say,
God bless you.
Thank you for this recent post. So encouraging, heart felt and full of meaning.
With gratitude.
Mariam
Beautiful and precious words, specially in these days.
They give me a feeling of responsability regarding our beloved Murshid and the Message.