At the end of the Summer School in Suresnes in 1926 Hazrat Inayat Khan made a quiet departure for India; he left his wife and children behind in France, and most of the mureeds were unaware that he was going. As he was leaving Suresnes, his son Hidayat heard him say, “If I come back I will change everything,” but from the recently posted poem and from other indications (and even his use of the word ‘if’ in this quote), it seems clear that he did not in fact expect to return from this journey.
The few months he spent in India were very busy with lectures and public engagements, but there were also many visits to doctors, evidently to no avail. In the beginning of 1927 his health worsened, and on the 5th of February, Hazrat Inayat Khan passed away, in a house called Tilak Lodge, in New Delhi. His body was buried under a keekar tree near the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
For a realised being, the journey from ‘this world’ to the unseen holds no fears; it is a return to the divine Beloved. Therefore we celebrate this day – in India, at the tomb or Dargah of Hazrat Inayat there are prayers and flowers and music concerts, and people travel sometimes long distances to be present for this special moment. But if we have any feeling in our hearts for Hazrat Inayat Khan, if his wisdom has touched our lives in any way, we might also feel some responsibility for the work of the Message to which he devoted all his life and energy. He knew that the spiritual need of the world is great, immeasurably larger than the reach of a single person, but he also knew that Truth that is cherished can spread like a flame. Speaking to a class of mureeds, he said:
Keep burning the fire I have lighted.
It may seem very small to you, but one tiny flame, if kept burning, can be the means of illuminating a whole city, and someday many lamps that shall be lighted at this small fire will give light to thousands.
This fire of truth is now lighted, and its light will never go out.
Your work is to tend it and keep it burning.
The fuel needed is your every thought, your faith, your prayers, and your sacrifices.
You cannot see the result of this.
Light can never be lost.
I have kindled this small fire from which millions of lamps can be lit.
Their number cannot be reckoned, and millions upon millions of other fires can now be lighted.
When all have been kindled the original fire will die out, and the place thereof be known no more.
Verily the form dieth, and the spirit liveth for ever.
God bless you.
I close my eyes and imagine all the little flames burning in the hearts of all the people that through these years have kept this fire burning.In the dark night of human ignorance these little flames are like bright shining stars.Here in Barcelona we are few, but thanks to you Murshid beloved we carry on with our inner work .In silence, in our humble everyday life, in our thoughts, actions, prayers and sacrifices the Message is our northen star.It often seems like nothing , but it’s a little grain of sand in an infinite sea.May the light of Truth shine in the hearts of humanity!In the memory of our beloved Pir O Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan i humbly give thanks to all the Murshids that kept on lighting all the little fires in the firmament of the world .God bless you all!
Gracias querido Murshid por recordarnos nuestra misión de mantener encendida la llama de la Verdad en nuestros corazones. Y muchas gracias Huma por compartir tu hermoso sentir. Que La Luz de la Presencia Divina continúe iluminando nuestros caminos.
Dear Nawab,
Thank you for sharing this talk. There are so many distractions in life and so being reminded of our spiritual purpose is a great blessing today.
With love,
Sabura