The Spirit of Renunciation

For our retreat at the Dargah, the theme is ‘Regarding the Pleasure and Displeasure of God.’ It is based on the saying from the Gayan, “Do not fear God, but regard carefully His pleasure and displeasure.”  In the course of our work, one of the passages we have been studying is the following:

“In Him we live, and move, and have our being.” This teaching of the Bible describes the nature of God: that God is the ocean, the waves of which are all its activities, small or great. The Qur’an says in support of this that not a single atom moves, groups, or scatters without the command of God. Rumi explains it still more plainly: “Air, earth, water and fire are God’s servants; to us they seem lifeless, but to God living.” In those who are conscious of this knowledge, and to the extent of their realization of this truth, there arises the spirit of renunciation which may be called the spirit of God.

He who wants anything becomes smaller that the thing he wants; he who gives away anything is greater than the thing he gives. Therefore, to a mystic each act of renunciation becomes a step towards perfection.

—Hazrat Inayat Khan

You may want to ask yourself, how does Hazrat Inayat come from the truth of God as the entire ocean of life to the spirit of renunciation?  And why does he call it the spirit of God? What IS  the spirit of renunciation? And in what way is an act of renunciation a step toward perfection?

4 Replies to “The Spirit of Renunciation”

  1. Juan Amin Betancur

    Dear murshid Nawab, thank you for this beautiful invitation to dive deep in our existence. Maybe one of many answers could be that as one is more and more conscious of ‘living, moving and having our being in God’, more we understand that nothing belongs to us; everything we ‘have’ is lent by the Providence and when we share or give anything, we are acting in unity. Wanting something for ‘me’, makes a wall between us and the Creation. So, my question would be; what is the right inner attitude to look for when we want something in our life? Loving hugs to our sisters and brothers in the sacred Dargah.

    Reply
    • Nawab Pasnak Post author

      Dear Amin,
      If we are coming to recognise that nothing belongs to us, and that all is in God and from God, then if we need something, we can only turn to God for our need; nothing else exists. The lesson of tawwakul, the sufi word for dependence on God, is only put into practice when God begins to become a reality for the seeker.
      Loving thanks for the greetings, they will be happily received and no doubt reciprocated.
      Nawab

      Reply
  2. Juan Amin Betancur

    Thank you for your answer dear Nawab. Thank you Zubin! I hope some day we meet in this discussions to be able to see better with the feeling heart.

    Reply

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