The Unity of Being (Wahdat al-Wujud)

Summary

The script explores the misconception that Western religions like Christianity and Islam are dry, contrasting them with Eastern religions' perceived spirituality. It delves into Sufism, highlighting the doctrine of Wahdat al-Wujud or Unity of Being, which sees God as the sole reality and creation as His manifestation. The video discusses the philosophy's controversial history, its mystical aspects, and its parallels with non-dual philosophies like Advaita Vedanta. It also touches on the role of humans as microcosms reflecting God's attributes, aiming for self-knowledge to realize one's true nature as a reflection of God.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Western religions like Christianity and Islam are often misunderstood as dry and boring compared to Eastern religions, but they have rich mystical traditions like Sufism.
• 🕊️ Sufism, particularly the concept of Wahdat al-Wujud or the Unity of Being, is a profound and mystical philosophy within Islam.
• 🚨 The Unity of Being is controversial and has been seen as heretical by some scholars, yet it remains influential within Sufism and Islamic thought.
• 🌐 This doctrine posits that only God is real and all of creation is an illusion, a manifestation of God's being.
• 🧘‍♂️ Early Sufi mystics like Mansur al-Hallaj and Bayazid Bastami exemplified the Unity of Being through their spiritual ecstasies and proclamations.
• 📚 The works of Ibn Arabi, particularly his concept of God as the sole reality and the world as a reflection of divine attributes, are central to the Unity of Being.
• 🌈 The metaphor of light passing through a prism to create a spectrum of colors is used to illustrate the relationship between God and the world.
• 🔮 The concept is similar to non-dual philosophies in Hinduism and Taoism, emphasizing a singular, absolute reality.
• 🌌 Everything in the universe reflects God's attributes, making the cosmos a macrocosm that mirrors God's nature.
• 🧝‍♂️ The human being, as a microcosm, also reflects God's attributes and is seen as a central part of the divine manifestation.
• 🔍 The goal of Sufi practice is self-knowledge, realizing one's existence as a reflection of God, rather than a union with God, which is impossible.

Q & A

What is the main criticism against Western religions in the script?

The script criticizes the common misconception that Western religions like Christianity and Islam are dry and boring, suggesting they are less spiritual and more focused on a distant, judging God compared to Eastern religions.

What is Sufism and why is it significant?

Sufism is referred to as Islamic mysticism and is significant for its mystical and spiritual aspects. It is influential within Islam and has a rich tradition of diverse thoughts, orders, and philosophies, including the concept of Wahdat al-Wujud or the Unity of Being.

What is the Unity of Being and why is it controversial?

The Unity of Being is a doctrine within Sufism that suggests there is only one reality, which is God, and all creation is His manifestation. It is controversial because some Muslim scholars have viewed it as dangerous or heretical due to its non-dual nature.

Who is Ibn Arabi and what is his connection to the Unity of Being?

Ibn Arabi is a medieval Sufi thinker and mystic who is strongly associated with the Unity of Being. His teachings have been influential in the wider world of Sufism and Islam, and he is often credited with developing and promoting this philosophy.

What does the phrase 'La ilaha ilallah' mean in the context of the Unity of Being?

In the context of the Unity of Being, 'La ilaha ilallah' is interpreted not just as 'There is no god but God,' but more profoundly as 'There is no reality but the Real,' implying that nothing exists except God.

How does the concept of creation fit into the Unity of Being?

According to the Unity of Being, creation is an illusion in the sense that it is not separate from God. The multiplicity we perceive is not real; it's the idea of separation that doesn't exist. The only true self is God's self, and our existence is a reflection of this self.

What is the role of God's attributes in the creation according to the script?

God's attributes play a crucial role in creation. The world is seen as a manifestation of God's attributes, where each thing in the world reflects one or a combination of His attributes, allowing God to experience Himself through creation.

How does the concept of insan al-kamil (Universal Man) relate to the Unity of Being?

Insan al-kamil represents the perfect manifestation of God in human form, a state of complete self-annihilation where the individual recognizes themselves as nothing but a reflection of God, embodying the Unity of Being.

What is the goal of Sufi practices in the context of the Unity of Being?

The goal of Sufi practices is to fight against the ego or lower self to reach a state of unity with God. However, in the context of the Unity of Being, it's more about realizing that there is nothing but God, and our being is His being.

How does the script address the misconception of pantheism in relation to the Unity of Being?

While the Unity of Being might seem pantheistic, the script clarifies that it is not. Although it affirms that the world is God, it also emphasizes that the world is not God and that God completely transcends the world.

What is the significance of the human being in the Unity of Being philosophy?

The human being is significant as a microcosm, a contained reflection of the macrocosm (the entire universe). Humans are seen as capable of reflecting all of God's names and attributes, playing a central role in the divine scheme.

Outlines

00:00

🕊️ Introduction to Sufism and the Unity of Being

The paragraph introduces the misconception that Western religions are dry and boring compared to Eastern religions, which are seen as more spiritual and non-dual. It highlights Sufism as a mystical tradition within Islam that challenges this view. Sufism includes the concept of Wahdat al-Wujud or the Unity of Being, which is a significant and sometimes controversial doctrine. This doctrine posits that there is only one reality, which is God, and that all creation is a manifestation of Him. The paragraph mentions the Sufi thinker Ibn Arabi, who is closely associated with this philosophy, and other Sufi mystics who have expressed similar ideas.

05:01

🌟 The Doctrine of Unity of Being Explained

This section delves into the specifics of the Unity of Being doctrine, explaining that it suggests everything except God does not truly exist, and that creation is an illusion of separation from God. It draws parallels with non-dual philosophies found in Hinduism and Taoism, emphasizing the idea that only God is real and that the multiplicity we perceive is a result of God's self-disclosure. The paragraph discusses how, in this view, the world is a reflection of God's attributes, much like light passing through a prism, and how this concept is expressed in Sufi poetry and thought.

10:04

🌱 The Relationship Between God and Creation

The paragraph explores the complex relationship between God and creation in the context of the Unity of Being. It explains that while everything is God in terms of existence, each created thing is not God in terms of its essence. This creates a paradox where we are both God and not God, existing as absolute beings and non-beings simultaneously. The paragraph also discusses how God's attributes manifest in the world and how everything in creation reflects these attributes, making the world a stage for God's self-manifestation.

15:05

🌌 The Human Role in the Cosmos

This section discusses the human being's role as a microcosm reflecting the macrocosm of the universe. It explains how humans, in their perfect form, are a reflection of God's attributes and how the goal of Sufi practice is to purify the heart to better reflect God. The paragraph introduces the concept of the 'perfect man' and how the human being can become a perfect mirror for God's reflection. It also touches on the theme of love as the essence of God and the relationship between the human lover and the divine beloved.

20:06

🔍 The Goal of Sufi Practice and Realization

The final paragraph summarizes the goal of Sufi practice as the realization of one's true nature as a manifestation of God, rather than the attainment of union with God. It emphasizes self-knowledge as the key to enlightenment and the understanding that the separate existence of the individual is an illusion. The paragraph concludes by noting the influence of the Unity of Being on Sufi thought and its spread in certain regions, as well as the ongoing debates about its orthodoxy within Islam.

Keywords

💡Sufism

Sufism is a mystical Islamic tradition that seeks a personal experience of the divine. It is characterized by its focus on the inner, spiritual dimensions of Islam rather than the outward, legalistic aspects. In the video, Sufism is discussed as a rich spiritual tradition within Islam that has been influential in shaping Islamic mysticism, particularly through the concept of 'Unity of Being'.

💡Unity of Being

The Unity of Being, or Wahdat al-Wujud, is a central doctrine in Sufism that posits that only God is real and that all existence is a manifestation of God. The video explains this concept as a monistic or non-dual philosophy within Sufism, suggesting that all creation is an illusion of separation from the ultimate reality, which is God.

💡Muhyiuddin Ibn Arabi

Muhyiuddin Ibn Arabi is a medieval Sufi thinker and mystic who is strongly associated with the doctrine of the Unity of Being. His teachings are foundational to the school of thought that the video discusses. Ibn Arabi's influence is seen as significant in shaping the understanding of God's relationship with creation in Sufi philosophy.

💡Monotheism

Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one God. The video script discusses how the Unity of Being takes monotheism to its extreme by asserting that not only is God the only divinity, but He is also the only reality or being that exists. This is a departure from the conventional Islamic proclamation 'There is no god but God' to 'There is no reality but the Real'.

💡Illusion

In the context of the video, 'illusion' refers to the perceived multiplicity and separation of creation from God. While creation has a physical existence, the idea that it exists independently from God is considered an illusion. This aligns with the Unity of Being doctrine, which sees the world as a reflection or manifestation of God, rather than as separate entities.

💡Essence and Existence

The concepts of 'essence' and 'existence' are philosophically explored in the video. Essence refers to the intrinsic nature or what a thing is, while existence pertains to the state of being. The video explains that while all existence is God, essences or whatnesses are not God but reflections of God's attributes.

💡Attributes of God

Attributes of God refer to the qualities or characteristics that define God. The video mentions that God has an infinite number of attributes, which are reflected in creation. These attributes are part of God's essence and are what the world reflects, allowing God to be known through His creation.

💡Microcosm and Macrocosm

The terms 'microcosm' and 'macrocosm' are used in the video to describe the relationship between humans and the universe. The macrocosm refers to the universe as a whole, reflecting all of God's attributes. The microcosm, or the human being, reflects these attributes in a contained form. This concept illustrates the interconnectedness of all creation.

💡Self-Annihilation

Self-Annihilation, or fana, is a state in Sufism where the individual ego is dissolved, and the person realizes their true nature as a reflection of God. The video discusses this concept in relation to the goal of Sufi practice, which is to know oneself as a reflection of God, rather than seeking union with God.

💡Perfect Man

The 'Perfect Man' or insan al-kamil is a concept in Sufism that represents the ideal human state of being, where one has achieved complete self-annihilation and acts as a perfect reflection of God. The video uses this concept to illustrate the ultimate goal of realizing one's true nature as a manifestation of God.

Highlights

Western religions like Christianity and Islam are often seen as dry and boring compared to Eastern religions.

Eastern religions are portrayed as more spiritual and non-dualistic.

This dichotomy is misguided and overlooks the rich spiritual traditions within Western religions.

Sufism, Islamic mysticism, has a strong spiritual tradition.

Wahdat al-Wujud, or the Unity of Being, is a central doctrine in Sufism.

The Unity of Being has been controversial and sometimes viewed as heretical.

The doctrine asserts that there is only one reality, which is God.

All creation is a manifestation of God according to the Unity of Being.

Muhyiuddin Ibn Arabi is a significant figure associated with the Unity of Being.

The concept sees God as the only being, and all else as an illusion.

The world is considered illusory, not in a dream-like sense, but in the sense of separation from God.

The true self is God's self, and our selves are merely reflections of this.

The concept is similar to non-dual philosophies found in Hinduism and Taoism.

The world is created as a way for God to experience himself through others.

Everything in the world reflects God's qualities and attributes.

The human being is considered a microcosm, reflecting the macrocosm of the universe.

The goal of Sufism is to realize that one's existence is an illusion and that only God exists.

The Unity of Being has had a significant influence on the history of Sufism and the Muslim world.

Despite its popularity, the Unity of Being has been divisive within Sufism.

The philosophy shows that deep spirituality and non-dual understandings of God are not exclusive to Eastern religions.

Transcripts

it's quite common to hear people talk

about the Western religions like

Christianity and Islam as these quite

dry and honestly boring philosophies

where God is this man in the sky he was

watching over us in judging us and by

contrast those so-called Eastern

religions like Hinduism or Taoism or

Buddhism is often portrayed as these

very spiritual and beautiful

philosophies they aren't often non-dual

and very interesting by comparison

according to many opinions and with a

relationship to God that is a lot more

imminent and often as I said non-dual

but not only is this dichotomy very

misguided and narrow it also undermines

the incredibly strong and rich spiritual

and often mystical traditions within

these so-called Western religions Sufism

is often referred to as Islamic

mysticism and while this term is rather

problematic

there are certainly aspects of Sufism

that we could call mystical and one of

the most influential widespread and

important philosophies or doctrines

within Sufism is something known as what

at elbow Jude or the unity of being

[Music]

the unity of being is a philosophy that

has been rather controversial in certain

circles and in certain times some Muslim

scholars in history have viewed it as

dangerous or sometimes even heretical

but this should not just this should not

confuse us into believing that it is

some fringe philosophy the unity of

being as a doctrine has been incredibly

important and influential in the wider

world of Sufism and Islam in general and

has even sometimes dominated the

intellectual environment of the certain

regions in Muslim lands and Sufism

itself is of course very entirely

diverse with many competing schools of

thought and orders and ideas and

philosophies one of these being of

course the unity of being or what

attitude the unity of being in short

terms can be described to use pre

simplifying terms as a monastic or even

non dual philosophy or school of thought

within Sufism it states that there is

only one reality which is God and that

all creation are or is his manifestation

this philosophy is often strongly

connected to the medieval Sufi thinker

and mystic Mohideen even Arabi whom I've

made a very long video about that you

can find on my channel but this isn't to

say that if inaudible was the first to

express these ideas or similar ideas in

Sufism a very famous early example is

the Baghdad Sufi man surah al-hajj who

is said to have entered a spiritual

ecstasy and proclaimed an al hawk or I

am the truth for I am the reality

basically saying I am God similarly by

acid bastami who also lived in the 9th

century once proclaimed glory be to me

both signify a kind of annihilation of

the individual self into the absolute

reality that is God but the school of a

banana bee is the school that is most

strongly associated with this idea and

that is this school that I will be

basing this presentation on as I've said

I've made a much longer video where I

talk about it but not abhi and his

thought in a more comprehensive matter

and I should also point out that much of

this video we'll be using parts of that

same script so

you want a more thorough introduction to

these ideas and to even out of in

particular and I suggest you go watch

that video so what is what a tell would

or the unity of being in short terms the

adoption of the unity of being is based

on taking monotheism to its most extreme

and it not only states that God is the

only divinity in existence he is the

only being in existence one of God's

so-called 99 names in the Quran is al

Haq which means the truth or the real or

the reality with this in mind the

Islamic Proclamation la ilaha ilallah

isn't simply read as there is no god but

God or there is no divinity but the

divinity but instead as there is no

reality but the real or thus ultimately

there is nothing but God to a banana bee

and his followers there is only one

singular reality and that reality is God

a banana be identifies God in his utmost

essence as would or being or existence

so God is being he isn't a being he is

being itself and since Islamic theology

requires that God not only be the only

divinity but also that he is absolutely

one that must necessarily mean that

being or existence itself is one

absolutely one this also means that if

anyone says that anything exists except

of God one is actually committing

shidduch or polytheism which is the

greatest sin in Islam since you are

saying that there is a being that isn't

God but being is God and that basically

means you're saying that there is

another God but if God is the only

reality what are we what is creation

there appears to be

multiplicity everywhere what what's that

- a banana be anything other than God

which is creation basically is utterly

non-existent it's a kind of illusion he

writes quote the world is illusory and

has no real existence this is what is

meant by imagination hi al you have been

made to imagine that the world is

something separate and independently

real outside

the absolute but in reality this is not

so but it isn't an illusion in the

ultimate sense we do have a certain

existence on the physical plane it's not

all a dream like an Advaita Vedanta and

Hinduism for example the illusion is the

idea of separation that I exist as a

separate being when in reality only God

exists the only true self is God's self

and ours our only relative reflections

of this self one of the more celebrated

scholars for Abu Dhabi schools Muhammad

shall be story or a masterpiece of

Persian poetry called the Gulshan Yas in

which he xpick AIT's the doctrine of the

unity of being and he writes quote when

absolute existence is alluded to people

use the word I as a matter of expression

when reality has taken form through

individuation you refer to it in

language with the word I you and I are

accidents of the essence of being like

openings and the covering of the lamp of

being a banana be himself loves to use

metaphors to describe this relationship

between God in the world one of them is

where he describes it almost like a

lights a pure white light which is God's

being that travels through a prism and

creates a multitude of colors which

would be the world the colors themselves

are never the same as the white light

just as the creatures or creation is

never the same as God but at the same

time they consist of nothing but the

white light latina Rafi another

famous writer in the a banana b-school

writes the following in his book a llama

at quote come then into my eyes and look

and you will see a sun shining through a

thousand bits of glass beaming to plain

sight through each array of color why

should any difference appear between

this one and that all light is one but

colors a thousandfold

if you've read Hindu philosophy or

Taoism or Christian mystics like Meister

Eckhart Allah this will seem very

familiar to you in fact the doctrine of

the unity of being sometimes bears a

striking resemblance to philosophies

like Advaita Vedanta or certain ideas

within Taoism first

among many other things there are

differences of course but they share

aspects explained thus far with a single

absolute non dual reality being

identified with God and denying the

reality of anything beside him but what

creates the forms of the world

themselves what is the world when it is

not pure being and where does

multiplicity come from it will help a

bit to try to look at things like the

people back then would have viewed the

world partly thanks to a benzina or

Avicenna philosophically one had at this

time started to separate between

existence or being assured on the one

hand and essence or what 'no SMAW here

on the other when talking about a thing

or an object in the world like this

table in front of me

we can ask two basic questions about it

we can ask is it and we can ask what is

it the first question is it is a

question of existence or being and the

answer to that question would be yes or

no the second question what is it gives

a completely different answer and this

is the question of essence or what Ness

in this case a table table is

independent of whether or not it exists

it is an essence or what Ness that can

either exist or not exist it can either

have existence or which would being or

it can have it can not have existence or

being so according to what a turtle was

you would in terms of the existence or

the being the was you would of the

objects of the world they are God

because remember God is being he is

being itself is the only being and so

God is thus our being

he is our being however in terms of our

essences are what nasai are absolutely

not God we are that which by definition

God isn't I as a human being feel if

home cannot possibly be God because I am

everything that God isn't I am I am

finite I am temporal I am mortal I have

a certain form these are all things that

God cannot possibly be so this is the

relationship that we have here we are

simultaneously God and not God we are

absolute existence and we are absolute

Nanak

systems we are being and non-being all

at the same time but it doesn't end here

these essences or what misses also has a

relationship with God even if they

aren't God directly here we will need to

have some basic knowledge of Islamic

theology again so according to

mainstream islamic theology God is

absolutely transcendent beyond any

creaturely qualities so he doesn't have

any attributes or qualities that any

created things or creatures have but

according to the Koran and mainstream

Islamic theology he still has certain

attributes and each of his names like

al-haq or the ar-rahman rahim and so on

all these names that he's referred to by

corresponds to a certain attribute that

he has so al haqq means the truth or the

real he is the real he is the truth and

a man means the merciful he's merciful

Rob means the Lord for some all these

names that he has is also an attribute

that he has not traditionally in the

Koran it is thought said that God has 99

names and thus also 99 attributes but

according to a banana be the names are

actually infinite he has an infinite

amount of names and an infinite amount

of attributes and qualities and these

attributes and qualities have a very

important role to play in creation

there's a hadith Qudsi a saying of the

Prophet Muhammad where God is speaking

through him in which God says I was a

hidden treasure and I loved to be known

so I created the world so that I might

be known in gotta be loves this hadith

as he used it frequently it is the key

to understanding creation and the

purpose behind it I was a hidden

treasure refers to God's essence and the

attributes that are hidden therein I

loved to be known he wants to he wants

this hidden treasure to be experienced

and of course he knows his own

attributes since he well he is he but he

still wants his essence and attributes

to be experienced through someone who is

not him so I created the world so that I

might be known therefore the world is

created as a way for God to experience

himself through someone other than

himself but since this hidden treasure

is to be

own through the world that must mean

that the world contain traces of these

attributes and qualities of God right

this is absolutely true - banana be the

world is nothing but to use William

jeddaks words the loci of God's

self-disclosure or God's self

manifestation so everything in the world

every essence in philosophical terms

every particle of this world reflect and

reveal God's qualities and attributes in

an indirect sense like in a mirror this

is based partly on a Quranic verse that

a banana be loves to apply which goes

whichever way you turn there is the face

of God now remember the things of the

world or creation itself is not God he

is absolutely transcendent of them but

in a real sense they reflect everything

in the world the entire cosmos reflects

God's attributes and thus they are God

in a sense - in any case since God is

infinite and so are the possibilities of

his attributes there is no end to the

constant self manifestation of God in

the world at every moment at every

instant the world is created anew

revealing a new self disclosure the

world in that sense becomes the

continuous unfolding of God's

manifestation in limited form it's the

unfolding of possibilities inherent in

actuality the essences of the world the

things are contained in God's knowledge

beyond time and space as something he

calls the Ayana Thabet ah the immutable

entities these are non-existent in

themselves but function almost as

archetypes that determine what is

created in the actual cosmos and these I

Anitha bita are themselves determined by

God's attributes as they in their

totality reflect him so God has these

attributes of qualities and then he has

a knowledge of his own attributes or

qualities which are infinite so there's

an infinite number of possibilities an

infinite number of ways that his

attributes can be manifested and all

these ways all these forms in which he

can manifest himself are contained in

his own knowledge beyond time and after

which when he wants to create something

he

simply gives those archetypes those iana

Thabet ah he gives them being and at

each instant is a new creation at East

instant is a new reflection of God

that's constantly unfolding before our

eyes I know this is a whole lot to take

in and you may have to watch this a few

times if you this is all new to you but

believe it or not that is actually the

basic very basic simple explanation of

the adoption of what a Telugu ruled it

is you could see a non dual philosophy

where reality is ultimately oneness and

nothing exists except for God he is all

of being and he is the one in whose

being my being resides but there are

many other nuances to it that make it a

lot more complicated as I hope I have

shown you some scholars Western scholars

especially in the past have referred to

a banana B as a pantheist

or a pantheist and of course well this

is understandable it really isn't that

accurate at least from the traditional

prosperity traditional understanding of

the word pantheism now if not abhi does

in a way affirm that the world is God

since there is nothing but God but at

the same time he's very careful to point

out that the world is happened at the

same time absolutely not God and that

God completely transcends the world in

fact the world is as I've said the very

definition of what God isn't in terms of

itself the world is absolute nothingness

non being who has quote never smelled a

whiff of existence this point is finally

expressed by the 19th century figure

Amira birth Khadija xiety famous for his

defense against French colonialism who

was also a follower of banana be on his

school he states quote I am two things

according to two different relations

with respect to you I am the eternal for

ever and ever

I am the necessary being who epitomizes

himself with respect to me I am pure non

being who has never breathed the perfume

of existence the adventitious being who

remains non-existent in his adventitious

Ness so as I mentioned earlier the

entire cosmos is a manifestation a

reflection of the entirety of God

names are the entirety of God's

attributes while a certain object in the

world or a certain thing only reflects

one or a certain combination of certain

attributes or names the entire cosmos

reflects all of the names so the

creation as a whole is a direct

reflection of God's entire nature his

whole all of his attributes the cosmos

is thus often referred to by Manabi as

the macrocosm or the great man in san al

Kabeer but the human being also has a

central role to play in this scheme and

he is often referred to as the microcosm

or the small man in San elsewhere the

human being thus also reflects all the

names and all the attributes but in a

contained form so the human being is a

microcosmic reflection of the macrocosm

that is the entire universe and so

everything that exists on the inside

access exists on the outside as above so

below and and and so on man in his most

perfect and primordial form is known as

insanity camel or the perfect or

universal man in sanik camel is a

designation of god's perfect

manifestation in human form a human

being who has reached a state of

complete self annihilation where he

recognizes himself as nothing but God's

reflection and acts accordingly in the

perfect man

God is finally able to witness and

glorify himself like in a mirror one of

the more famous writers and poets from

the school of a banana be as a man by

the name of father Dean Iraqi who wrote

a incredible piece of was a combination

of prose and poetry called LaMotte which

means divine flashes and in this book he

presents this relationship between God

and the world through a triad of love

lover and beloved which is a rather

common theme within Sufi poetry now love

can be seen as the utmost essence of God

being itself and lover and beloved are

the relationship between the human being

and God as he is experienced by the

being man is the lover who longs for his

beloved which is God and they gaze upon

each other like in in a mirror in

mirrors so in a sense God sees his own

reflection in the mirror of the human

being and the human being sees his own

reflection in the mirror of God and

these two these lovers want desperately

to be close to each other they want to

unite with each other and so the human

being cleans this mirror of his heart so

that it more and more can reflect more

perfectly God's own reflection and when

this process is finally finished and

reaches its culmination the two are

finally United and they reflect each

other perfectly and in this meeting they

realized that the difference between

lover and beloved was only really an

illusion and the only thing that ever

existed was the reality of love itself

which is identical with God's essence of

that or being itself as such then the

eye of certainty opens and staring

inwardly at himself he finds himself

lost vanished but he finds the friend

and when he looks still deeper realizes

the friend is himself he exclaims

beloved I sought your hair and there

asked for news of you from all I met

then I saw you through myself and found

we were identical

now I blush to think I ever searched for

science of you the goal of these while

these Sufi practices or the goal of life

in general is to fight against your nafs

your ego or your lower self and finally

reach a unity or you to unite with God

but to a banana bee and many other Sufis

there is never any uniting with God this

would actually be an impossibility since

that would mean that's there was an

imperfection in God if something can be

added to him non-existence can never

unite with absolute being this is just

an impossibility instead if none of it

puts a lot of emphasis on self-knowledge

since these the human being and the self

is a direct reflection of God as

everything else is the key to sort of

say enlightenment is actually to

know yourself to gain knowledge of your

own self there's a hadith where the

Prophet Muhammad is thought to have said

know yourself and you shall know your

Lord thus the goal is to realize that

one's own separate existence is a kind

of illusion as we are only the

continuous self manifestations of God

thus to know ourselves and to know our

soul in a proper way is to know God so

there's no uniting with God the part of

us that is creature the part of us that

is separate from him can never unite

with him the goal is to realize that

there is nothing but God and that our

being is his being put in another way

uniting with God is not a process it's a

realization of what what has always been

we don't unite with God we realized that

we in a sense were God all along that

about summarizes it it should be point

out that there have been diverging

opinions and understandings within

Sufism regarding details and certain

aspects of this idea or this philosophy

but it has been incredibly influential

and important in the history of Sufism

and has had effects or influence on many

regions of the Muslim world

a banana bee school and the unity of

being has had a particularly strong

spread in the Persian and Indian regions

and as you can imagine its meeting with

certain Vedanta schools of Hinduism

garnered some incredibly interesting

results which I can and probably will

dedicate several videos to in the future

but that's for another day in any case

the unit of being has also been a very

divisive philosophy while it was rather

popular in certain Sufi circles others

have rejected it completely scholars

like even Tamiya or even Haldol and many

more have seen it as dangerous and even

heretical and there always been a debate

even though has been very popular in

certain times and places there has

always been a debate about its orthodoxy

so to speak I will be doing more videos

about these subjects and about

individuals from a banana bee school

this is one of my favourite subjects to

talk about so be sure that I will be

doing more material like

and I hope this video has shown you that

it isn't only in the so-called Eastern

religions that we find deep spirituality

or even non-dual understandings of God

but that the same kinds of philosophies

or ideas can be found in our own Western

context as well if you want to support

the channel you can like the video or

leave a comment and subscribe I'll see

you next time

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