"...Audition is a resting place after the fatigue of the spiritual moment, and a recreation for those of spiritual states, as well as ameans to awaken the consciences of those who busy themselves withother things. It is preferred to other means of resting the naturalqualities because the soul is unlikely to cling to it or repose in it:for it comes and goes according to God's decree. Those mystics whoenjoy revelation and direct experience have no such need of such aids,for they have the means to transport their hearts to walk in the gardens of revelation. I heard Faris say: 'I was with Qutah al-Mawsili, who had remained for orty years near a column in the mosque of Baghdad. We said to him :'Here is an excellent singer, shall we call him to thee?' He replied :'My case is to grievous for anyone to release me, or for any words topenetrate me. I am entirely impervious.'
When audition strikes the ear, it stirs secret things of the heart :and a man is then confused, because he is too weak to support thevisitation, or his spiritual state gives him the power to controlhimself. Abu Muhammad Ruwaym said : 'The people heard their first dhikr when God first addressed them, saying 'Am I not your Lord?' This dhikr was secreted in their hearts, even as the fact (thus communicated) was secreted in their intellects. So, when they heard the Sufi dhikr, the secret things of their hearts appeared, and theywere ravished, even as the secret things of their intellects appearedwhen God informed them of this (ie Quran) and they believed.
I heard Abul-Qasim al-Baghdadi say : 'Audition is of two kinds. One class of man listens to discourse, and derives an adomonition : such aman listens discriminately and with his heart present. The other class listens to music (lit. melody), which is the food of the spirit : andwhen the spirit obtains its food, it obtains its proper station, andturns aside from the governance of the body; and then their appears inthe listener a commotion and a movement'.
Abu'Abdullah al-Nibajl said : 'Audition stirs thought and producesadmonition : all else is temptation'. Al-Junayd said : 'The Mercy of God descends upon the poor man (faqir?) on three occassions : when he is eating, for he only eats when he has a need to do so ; when hespeaks, for he only speaks when he is compelled; and during audition,for he only listens in a state of ecstasy.'
Kitab al-Ta'arruf li-madhab ahl al-tasawwuf
above pic: Naqshbandi whirling dervishes from Indonesia.
This inspiring Qoute was given to me by Bro Yusuf Campbell from Australia, may Allah bless him and his kind family
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