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salixj · 3 years

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(December 21, 2020 / JNS) It’s one of the few rap videos around that features a lead singer in frockcoat, tallis and shtreimel—paired with a cascade of gold chains (one bearing a Magen David) and leopard-skin scarf—dancing with guys from the ‘hood facing off against others in Chassidic garb.

As such, “Mothaland Bounce,” where our hero proudly calls himself “Hitler’s worst nightmare,” reveals much about the man behind it and what it means to be a passionate and deeply committed Jew of color.

Because for Nissim Black—successful rapper, father of six and Orthodox Jew—the video makes a strong statement about how Jews of color merge their very disparate identities into a (nearly) seamless whole.

(Fans may want to check out Black’s newest rap video “Hava”—a thoroughly Nissim spin on the traditional “Hava Nagila”—its release timed for the first night of Hanukkah).

Black is perhaps the most famous of today’s Jews of color. (Readers of a certain age will recall when singer Sammy Davis Jr. could claim that honor).

Though the term itself has gained traction in the last decade, there have always been Jews of different races. Scan the globe today, and you’ll find Ethiopian Jews and the African Lemba tribe whose men test positive for the Kohen gene, a marker of the Jewish priests.

What’s more, many Sephardic, Cuban, Mexican and Yemenite Jews consider themselves Jews of color. Not to mention the murky waters surrounding pockets of the Black Hebrews found in Israel (largely in Dimona and Arad in the Negev Desert) and around the Diaspora, many of whom claim descent from the ancient Israelites.

The numbers are equally murky. Estimates range from 6 percent to 12 percent—or even as much as 15 percent—of today’s Jewish population being Jews of color. But there is little in the way of standardized definition of who is a Jew; some studies count all the members of a household as Jewish household when only one member actually is. But when researchers Arnold Dashefsky and Ira M. Sheskin held the disparate estimates of Jews of color up to the light of demographic standards earlier this year, they concluded that the percentage of Jews of color “is almost certainly closer to 6 percent nationally [from the 2013 Pew study] than 12 to 15 percent. And this percentage has not increased significantly since 1990, although it is likely to do so in the future.”

It stands to reason that this year of painful racial tensions across North America could trigger an internal debate in African-American Jews, especially those who came to the faith not through birth or adoption, but who, like Black, embraced Judaism as adults.

And embrace it many of them do—with passion, perseverance and a deep appreciation—often overcoming raised eyebrows, insensitivity and even downright racism in the process. With a surprising number of them finding their spiritual home in Orthodox Judaism.

Nissim Black

Damian Jamohl Black, whom the world knows now as rapper Nissim Black, was born into a family of Seattle drug dealers in 1986. His childhood was pockmarked by FBI raids on his home, his dad was taken away in handcuffs, and he was accustomed to assorted incidents of street violence and crime. By 9, he was smoking marijuana, and plants were growing in his room. By 12, he’d joined the family business.

The only faith Black was exposed to back then was his grandfather’s Islam. His first religious service? A mosque, which he attended until his grandfather went to prison.

But at 13, Black was pulled into Christianity by missionaries. He now says it was the best thing that could have happened to him. “This was the first time I was around people who had normal healthy relationships. No one sold drugs, they had a heart for kids from the inner city, and their summer camp was the most fun I’d had in my life,” he recalls. “Becoming religious saved me from the world of street gangs.”

By high school, he was “the poster child of the missionary center.” That’s when he met the woman who would become his wife. As a Seventh-Day Adventist, Jamie (now Adina) went to church on Saturdays. They wed in 2008 but remarried in an Orthodox ceremony after their conversion five years later.

By 19, Black was making rap music professionally, and his mother died of an overdose. But by 20, Christianity was beginning to feel foreign to him, and he began wondering what the Jews walking in his neighborhood on Saturday mornings were up to. “I went to Rabbi Google and found Chabad.org. And it all began to make sense,” he says. “I told my wife [they were newlyweds] that I didn’t want to celebrate Christmas and Easter anymore. Pretty soon, she was doing her own digging into Judaism.”

The couple’s conversion followed in 2013 and aliyah to Israel three years later. The Blacks now make their home in Ramat Beit Shemesh with their six children, ages 1 to 12. “I wanted my kids to grow up here,” he says, “where they’d see Jews of different shades all praying the same prayers.”

“I’ve checked every box, right?” he says with a laugh. “One rabbi at my yeshivah told me, ‘You have a lot of strikes against you: You’re black, you’re a convert and you’re a Breslov Chassid. And in all these things is your greatness.”

Maayan Zik

Maayan Zik was 13 when her soul woke her up. Growing up in Washington, D.C., with her mom and sister—her parents divorced when she was in first grade, and she didn’t see her dad for another 10 years—she attended Catholic schools and was close with her maternal grandparents, Jamaican immigrants who took her to museums and taught her the value of hard work and education.

Accompanying her Jamaican-born grandmother to church every Sunday, by 13, Zik had “begun to wonder if what my family believes is right for me.” She explored a number of world religions, but when she saw a photo of her light-skinned Jamaican great-grandmother Lilla Abrams, whom family lore says was Jewish, “I realized I had to go way back to find out who I am.”

When she moved to an apartment in 2005 in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., she noticed the previous tenant had a left up a poster of a white-bearded man. “I said to myself, ‘I’m going to find out who you are.’ The man turned out to be the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Two years later, after courses and a summer seminary program, she converted. Thirteen years later, now 36, Zik remains there—with her Israeli-born husband and four children. “This somewhat awkward coexistence that lives inside me” fades into the background when she begins to pray, she says. “Having a personal conversation with God as part of the Jewish people, it’s who I’ve always been; I just didn’t know it.”

Mordechai Ben Avraham

Black and Mordechai Ben Avraham are both African-Americans from the West Coast (Seattle and Los Angeles, respectively), and both found Judaism in their 20s. But their early environment could hardly have been more different.

Growing up in an affluent neighborhood with a successful businessman father and a professor mother, “my focus was on how someday I could make more money than my dad.”

Ben Avraham’s spiritual journey took him from Sufism to the Kabbalah until at 22 he experienced Shabbat in a Carlebach-style minyan. “It was like I was floating in outer space. This is what Jews do? This is amazing! The Torah, the prayers, this beautiful spiritual system God gave to the Jews for people to transform themselves—they literally grabbed my heart.” His conversion was complete in 2013 with his move to Israel three years later.

Now 39, the former TV producer is living in the heart of Jerusalem’s religious Mea Shearim neighborhood, working towards his rabbinical degree and publishing a book on the joys of Torah as a black Jew.

But why would anyone who’s already making a huge leap religiously and culturally choose to embrace Orthodoxy with its full menu of mitzvot, accepting the Torah as Divine and committing to living within halachah (Jewish law)?

“If someone is going to make this big of a change completely based on their need to go beyond, there’s a very real tendency to go what many would consider ‘all the way,’ ” says Henry Abramson, dean of Brooklyn’s Touro College and author of The Kabbalah of Forgiveness: The Thirteen Levels of Mercy in Rabbi Moshe Cordovero’s Date Palm of Devorah (2014), among other titles.

A shared history

Much of this tendency to search spiritually can be traced to African-Americans’ religious experience in America, adds Abramson. “Since the 1960s, we’ve seen the phenomenon of questioning the Christianity foisted on their slave ancestors.”

And though Islam has attracted many of these disenfranchised souls—in part, he says, because the black Muslim culture permeated prisons beginning in the 1960s—Judaism offers another option.

Ben Avraham maintains that, in a spiritual sense, Judaism may feel familiar to those raised in the black church. “Like Judaism, gospel Christianity is an intense personal relationship with God without any intermediaries,” he says.

This is a connection Ben Avraham experiences every day of his life. “Living in Mea Shearim, in a fundamental way, I’m around people who are just like me. I just connect with my Chassidic neighbors.”

A growing fissure

But after the 1960s and ’70s, when Jews fought alongside blacks for civil rights in the United States and in South Africa, “there’s been a growing fissure between blacks and Jews,” says Rabbi Maury Kelman who, as director of Route 613, a New York City conversion program, has welcomed many students of different races into his classes.

And, with last summer’s rise in violence between the African-American community and the religious Jewish community, primarily in New York,” says Black, “lately, it’s gotten uglier.”

‘I cried all the way home’

Not everyone in the Jewish community rolls out the proverbial red carpet for someone of color.

After working up the courage to walk into synagogue on Shabbat, Zik couldn’t miss the two women glaring at her, eventually yelling at her to get out and threatening to call the police before giving chase.

“I cried all the way home, but my friends would not let me give up,” she says. “I also knew from everything I’d read about the Rebbe, with his emphasis on love and kindness, that eventually this would be the right place for me.”

“Unfortunately, like in all communities, you’ll find the occasional ignorant Jew or racist,” allows Kelman, who offers programs on the importance of accepting the convert.

A time of racial tensions

With this year’s heated racial debates and demonstrations following the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, where does that put Jews of color, with feet in both the African-American and Jewish worlds?

Zik, for one, helped lead a rally in Crown Heights this summer where black neighbors shared their experiences with racism. “It was a reminder,” she says, “that the Torah teaches us to protect the rights of all God’s children.”

And the learning goes both ways, she adds. “When black friends ask me if now that I’m Jewish, do I have money? I tell them about the Jews I know who struggle to pay for rent, food and their kids’ yeshivah tuitions. I tell them that, when I’ve had my babies, neighbors bring us meals and help furnish the nursery. People here always want to do another mitzvah.”

Ben Avraham also says he better appreciates African-American history because he is a Jew. “We can see our own story reflected in the Torah,” he says. “Our two peoples had so many struggles just to survive.”

Adds Black: “Just knowing there are black religious Jews can help the two communities see they aren’t completely separate after all—not to judge each other so quickly.”

Kelman agrees. “Black Jews can be a terrific bridge chiefly because they have credibility on both sides. It’s increasingly important to teach our fellow Jews that we’re a family that comes in different colors, that Judaism is colorblind,” he says. “Once they convert, they’re just as Jewish as any of us—and our diversity only strengthens us.”

‘Something bigger than myself’

By the end of “Mothaland Bounce,” the guys from the ’hood and the Chassids are dancing together with Black as ringmaster.

But it may be “A Million Years” that’s Black’s love letter to Judaism.

In this 2016 music video (with singer Yisroel Laub), Black takes a journey proudly carrying a Torah throughout Israel—archeological digs, mountain caves, a busy shuk (marketplace) and Jerusalem’s Old City—turning heads as he goes. (Don’t miss the moment when Black stops to let some haredi kids lovingly kiss the Torah), finally nestling it inside a synagogue’s ark.

“Since I was a kid, I was looking to be part of something bigger than myself,” says Black. “I prayed and prayed, and finally, I knew who I needed to be, a Jew, and where I needed to be, the Holy Land. It took time but now God’s answered my prayers. And one thing I know is that to God there is no such thing as color. He sees us for who we are inside.”

As he raps:

“I came from a distance Where everything was different … I called out to You And You showed me that You listened … I gave my all to You And You showed me who I am.”

#Israel #Jews of Color

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tawakkull · 3 years

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ISLAM 101: Spirituality in Islam: Part 36

Sakina and Itmi'nan (Serenity and peacefulness)

Literally meaning calmness, silence, steadiness, solemnity, familiarity, subsidence of waves and tranquillity, sakina (serenity) is the opposite of flightiness, restlessness, and wavering or indecision. In the language of Sufism, serenity means that a heart gradually comes to rest as a result of experiencing gifts from the Unseen. Such a restful heart always expects breezes to come from the realms beyond, and thus travels around in a state of itmi'nan (peacefulness) in the most complete care and self-possession. This rank is the beginning of the rank of certainty coming from direct observance. The resulting confusion over gifts coming through knowledge with gifts “obtained” through insight clouds the horizon of observing secret truths, which gives rise to wrong conclusions [about the reality of things]. Serenity sometimes comes in the form of perceptible or imperceptible signs; at other times it appears so clearly that even ordinary people can identify it. Sometimes serenity and its signs resemble spiritual breaths or Divine breezes that can be perceived only with great care; at other times, they come miraculously and so clearly that anyone can see them, as in the case of the Children of Israel during the time of Prophet Moses, and remain for some time among those deserving to be rewarded or equipped with it. One example is the mass of something resembling vapor or mist that surrounded Usayd ibn Khudayr while he was reading the Qur'an. [1] Such events are considered manifestations sent to strengthen the believers’ willpower and to affirm and hearten them.

In either case, serenity is a Divine confirmation for those believers aware of their helplessness and destitution before God, a means of thankfulness and enthusiasm, as stated in: He it is Who sent down serenity into the hearts of the believers so that they may have more faith added to their faith (48:4). A believer confirmed with serenity is not shaken by worldly fear, grief, and anxiety, and finds peace, integrity, and harmony between his or her inner world and the outer world. Such a person is dignified, balanced, confident, assured and solemn, and self-possessed and careful in his or her relations with God Almighty. Egoism, vanity, and pride are abandoned; every spiritual gift received is attributed to God; humility and self-discipline are exhibited while thanking Him; and all dissatisfaction and uneasiness is ascribed to personal weakness and examined in the light of self-criticism.

As for peacefulness, it is defined as full satisfaction and the state of being at complete rest without any serious lapse. It is a spiritual state beyond serenity. If serenity is the beginning of being freed from theoretical knowledge and awakened to the truth, peacefulness is the final point or station.

Some thoughts and inclinations displeasing to God may appear in serene souls, while only perfect calmness is found in those that are peaceful and at rest. Peaceful hearts always seek God’s pleasure or approval, and the “compass needle” of their conscience never swerves. Peacefulness is such an elevated rank of certainty that a soul traveling through it sees in every station the truth of: I wish to set my heart at rest (2:260) and is rewarded with different gifts. Wherever the believer is, the breeze of: No fear shall come upon them, neither shall they grieve (2:62) is felt; the good tidings of: Fear not, nor grieve, but rejoice in the good news of Paradise that has been promised to you (41:30) is heard; the sweet, life-giving water of: Beware, in the remembrance of God do hearts find peace and tranquillity (13:28) is tasted; and corporeality is defeated.

In addition to being freed from worldly anxieties, a believer whose heart is at rest or peace welcomes with a smile both death and the obstacles following death, and hears the Divine compliments and congratulations: Return to your Lord, pleased and well-pleasing. Enter among My servants, and enter My Garden (89:29-30).

Death is seen as the most agreeable and desired result of life. When his or her life has ended in death, he or she hears, as was heard from the grave of Ibn ‘Abbas, in every station passed through after death, the same Divine congratulations or Decree: Return to your Lord, pleased and well-pleasing. Enter among My servants, and enter My Garden.

Such people spend their lives of the grave on the “shores” of Paradise, experience the Great Gathering in wonder and admiration, the Supreme Weighing of Men’s Deeds in awe and amazement, pass over the Bridge, only because he or she has to pass over it, and finally reaches Paradise the last, eternal abode of those whose hearts are at rest or have found peace and tranquillity. For such a one, the world is as 'Arafat [2] prepared on the way leading to the eternal forgiveness of the believers. The worldly life is the Festival Eve, and the other life is the Day of Festival.

[1] Usayd bin Khudayr felt surrounded by a vapor-like mass while reading the Qur'an and felt greatly exhilarated. [2] The hill where Muslim pilgrims stay for some time on the eve of the Religious Festival

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basicsofislam · 3 years

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ISLAM 101:Muslim Culture and Character:Reflections (Tafakkur): Sakina & Itmi’nan (Serenity and Peacefulness)

Literally meaning calmness, silence, steadiness, solemnity, familiarity, the subsidence of the waves and tranquility, sakina (serenity) is the opposite of flightiness, restlessness, wavering or indecision. In the language of Sufism, serenity means that a heart gradually comes to rest as a result of experiencing gifts from the Unseen. Such a restful heart always expects breezes to come from the realms beyond, and thus travels around in a state of itmi’nan (peacefulness), always careful and self-possessed. This rank is also the beginning of the rank of certainty that comes from vision or observation. The resulting confusion over gifts coming through knowledge with gifts “obtained” through insight clouds the horizon when observing secret truths, giving rise to incorrect conclusions about the reality of things.

Serenity sometimes comes in the form of perceptible or imperceptible signs; at other times it appears so clearly that even ordinary people can identify it. Whether itself and its signs resemble a spiritual breath blown into the ear of conscience or a Divine breeze that can be perceived only with great care; or it appears miraculously and so clearly that anyone can see them, as in the case of the Children of Israel during the time of Prophet Moses, and in the case of Usayd ibn Khudayr, a Companion of the Prophet, to whom it came like a vapor while he was reading the Qur’an, serenity is a Divine confirmation for those believers aware of their helplessness and destitution before God, and a means of thankfulness and enthusiasm. It is God Who sends it, as declared in the verse: He it is Who sent down serenity into the hearts of the believers so that they may have more faith added to their faith (48:4).

Serenity usually comes to strengthen the believers’ willpower, to affirm their belief and hearten them. A believer gifted with serenity is not shaken by worldly fear, grief, or anxiety, and finds peace, integrity, harmony between his or her inner world and the outer world. Such a person is dignified, balanced, confident, assured and solemn, and self-possessed and careful in his or her relations with God Almighty. Egoism, vanity, and pride are abandoned; every spiritual gift received is attributed to God; humility and self- discipline are exhibited while thanking Him; and all dissatisfaction and uneasiness is ascribed to personal weakness and examined in the light of self-criticism.

As for itmi’nan (peacefulness), it is defined as full satisfaction and the state of being at complete rest without any serious lapse. It is a spiritual state beyond serenity. If serenity is the beginning of being freed from theoretical knowledge and awakened to the truth, peacefulness is the final point or station.

Some thoughts and inclinations displeasing to God may appear in serene souls, while only perfect calmness is found in those that are peaceful and at rest. Peaceful hearts always seek God’s good pleasure or approval, and the “compass needle” of their conscience never swerves. Peacefulness is such an elevated rank of certainty that a soul traveling through it sees in every station the truth of: I wish to set my heart at rest (2:260) and is rewarded with gifts. Wherever the believer is, the breeze of: They will have no fear nor will they grieve (2:62) is felt; the glad tidings of: Fear not, nor grieve, but rejoice in the glad tidings of Paradise that has been promised to you (41:30) is heard; the sweet, life-giving water of: Beware, in the remembrance of God do hearts find peace and tranquility (13:28) is tasted; and corporeality is defeated.

Peacefulness is realized when believers transcend material causes and means. Reason’s transnatural journey ends at this point, and spirits are freed from worldly anxieties. Here, feelings find whatever they seek and become as deep, wide, and peaceful as a calm ocean. Those who have acquired this rank find the greatest peace only in feeling the company of God. They become aware of Divine Beauty and Grace in their hearts, feel attracted toward Him in order to meet with Him, are conscious that existence subsists by God’s Existence, and that the power of speech exists only because He has Speech. Through this opened window they acquire, despite their finitude, the power to see and hear in an extremely broad capacity. In the whirl of the most complicated events, where everyone else is bewildered and falters, such people travel in safety and escape the whirl. In addition to being freed from worldly anxieties, a believer whose heart is at rest or peace welcomes with a smile both death and the obstacles following death, and hears the Divine compliments and congratulations: O soul at rest, return to your Lord, well pleased (with Him), and well-pleasing (to Him). Enter among My servants, and enter My Paradise! (89:27–30). Death is seen as the most agreeable and desired result of life. When his or her life has ended in death, he or she hears, as was heard from the grave of Ibn ‘Abbas, in every station passed through after death, the same Divine congratulations or Decree: Return to your Lord, well pleased (with Him), and well-pleasing (to Him). Enter among My servants, and enter My Paradise!

Our Lord! Grant us in the world what is good, and in the Hereafter what is good, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. And bestow blessings and peace on our master Muhammad, the Prophet, the chosen one, and on his Family and Companions, good and virtuous.

Notes

1. Usayd ibn Khudayr felt surrounded by a vapor-like mass while reading the Qur’an and felt greatly exhilarated.

2. The plain where Muslim pilgrims stay for some time on the eve of the Religious Festival of Sacrifice as a pillar of pilgrimage.

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accuhunt · 5 years

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11 Incredible Experiences That’ll Make You Fall in Love with Uzbekistan.

Landing late evening in Uzbekistan (and Central Asia) for the first time, by myself, I was excited and apprehensive at the same time. When the airport taxi pulled into an old house, I found myself in a courtyard adorned with fig, apricot and persimmon trees. Even before I was shown to my room, my sweet 70-year-old hostess Gulnara, invited me for a cup of green tea and the sweetest melons I’ve ever had. Little by little, in broken English and Russian, she let me into her life, her childhood in Bukhara, the Soviet times and how Tashkent (the capital of Uzbekistan) has changed over the years. By the time I went to my room, I felt like I had arrived in an old friend’s house instead of a country unknown to me.

Guidebooks, travel blogs and most common wisdom suggests that Uzbekistan is all about its exquisite architecture. That to be amidst nature or experience a unique culture, one must travel to its neighbors Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan. To some extent, it’s true.

But over the course of my travels in Uzbekistan, partly solo, partly with fellow bloggers on assignment for USAID, I fell in love not just with Uzbekistan’s grand mosques, minarets and mausoleums, but also with its quaint mountain villages, ancient Sufi connection, old walnut orchards, fading Jewish history, bizarre Soviet influence, unique cuisine (even as a vegan) and most of all – the warm, welcoming, friendly locals.

The courtyard of my guesthouse – easily among the best places to stay in Tashkent <3

PIN this list of things to do in Uzbekistan to plan your trip later.

Some of you have asked me for an Uzbekistan travel guide, with specific ideas on what to do in Uzbekistan and my recommendations of places to visit in Uzbekistan. So behold, all my travel highlights that will make you fall in love with this country too:

1. Explore the old mohallas of Tashkent

Exploring the hidden old mohallas – a must do in Tashkent.

If I didn’t have to fly in to Tashkent, I probably would have skipped it, dismissing it as another soulless city. With its broad avenues, tree-lined walkways and busy streets, it feels like the Soviet influence has rubbed off on the capital. Yet turn into a small street and there are still old mohallas (traditional neighborhoods) with stone and mud houses (Tashkent literally means “stone place”) built around vine-covered courtyards, kids playing a game of marbles and curious faces eager to know what brings you to their country.

Tashkent walking tip: I discovered these mohallas thanks to the recommendations of my hosts in Tashkent. The old Tashkent walking trail on Caravanistan is lovely too.

Also read: Tajikistan: A Country That’s Not on Your Travel Radar But Should Be

2. Hike in search of 2000-year-old petroglyphs in the Nuratau Mountains

Uhum village in the Nuratau Mountains.

Along walnut orchards we hiked, past gushing streams carrying chilled water from the mountain spring, waving out to locals relaxing or toiling in their summer mud homes in the village of Uhum in Uzbekistan’s little visited Nuratau Mountains. Then we scrambled up rocks to see petroglyphs – images carved in rocks by our ancestors, depicting their animals, rituals and life – recently evaluated by archaeologists to be nearly 2000 years old. A rare glimpse into the fascinating history of humankind.

Nuratau Mountains Uzbekistan: I travelled to Uhum village in the Nuratau Mountains with Responsible Travel Uzbekistan, and highly recommend them.

Also read: What I Learnt Volunteering on a Remote Island in Cuba

3. Take in the grandeur of Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis in Samarkand at sunset

The exquisite beauty of Shah-i-zinda in Samarkand.

Although Registan is foremost on the list of “best things to do in Samarkand” and justifiably so, it was at the Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis (literally, the living king) that I felt the soul of Samarkand dwells. Between the 11th and 19th centuries, a series of exquisite, blue-tiled mausoleums with stunning ceilings were built here, including the tomb of a cousin of Prophet Mohammed. All afternoon, we watched worshippers and tourists alike, walk through the domes in awe, but at sunset, we found ourselves alone, with the grandeur all to ourselves, accentuated by the soft light of the setting sun.

Getting to Samarkand: Take the high speed bullet train from Tashkent to Samarkand and Bukhara, and make sure you book it atleast a few days in advance!

Also read: Why You Should Drop Everything and Travel to Iran Now!

4. Indulge in Uzbek food – even as a vegan / vegetarian

Gulkhanum – a twist to khanum, a traditional Uzbek dish that can be made vegan.

I was pretty apprehensive before I set out for Uzbekistan, for the only Uzbek vegan I found on Instagram recommended eating Georgian food in Tashkent! Travelling as a vegan in Uzbekistan was a mixed bag. Even though they grow and use many vegetables, meat – primarily sheep, cow and horse – is pretty much part of every dish. Yet I was lucky enough to try vegan versions of many traditional Uzbek dishes, including khanum (stuffed dumplings), pirashki (like the Indian poori), plov (rice with carrots, chickpeas and raisins), shashlik (coal grilled veggies), laghman (stretched handmade noodles), manti (pumpkin stuffed dumplings), samsa (like a puff stuffed with potato) and dimlama (boiled potato, carrot, beetroot, cabbage). I’ll be writing a detailed guide to vegan / vegetarian travel in Uzbekistan soon!

Vegan in Uzbekistan: Inform your homestay hosts in advance about your dietary preferences. Google translate works accurately for Russian, but not always for Uzbek. The rooftop restaurant at Boutique Hotel Minzifa in Bukhara was my favorite (and one of the few) vegan-friendly restaurants in Uzbekistan.

Also read: How to Travel as a Vegan and Find Delicious Food Anywhere in the World

Like this post? PIN it.

5. Experience Sufi mysticism at Naqshbandh Sufi shrine near Bukhara

The Naqshbandh Sufi Memorial Complex near Bukhara.

It took me a while to unearth the Sufi history of Uzbekistan, for like many of its neighbours, including Iran, there has been a backlash against Sufi mysticism in the country. Turns out though, present day Bukhara is the birthplace of the 14th century Sufi saint Bahauddin Naqshbandh Bukhari, founder of the revered Naqshbandhi Sufi order. A half hour drive from the old city of Bukhara sits the Naqshbandhi Memorial Complex, where believers come from across the country to pay homage to his shrine. In the golden light of sunset, I felt transported to another era as soulful Sufi chants filled the silence of the memorial.

Sufism in Uzbekistan: Shared taxis are easily available from the old city of Bukhara; late afternoons are a beautiful time to visit the Naqshbandhi Sufi Memorial Complex.

Also read: Travelling to Iran: Things to Know Before You Go

6. Ride the Tashkent metro – which doubles up as a nuclear bunker!

The ornate and somewhat bizarre metro stations of Tashkent.

Given the fancy cars that ply the modern streets of Tashkent, I didn’t buy the hype about the Tashkent Metro – until I actually went underground. After an earthquake destroyed Tashkent in 1966, the Soviet sent their best artists to design the Tashkent metro, which also doubles up as a nuclear bunker! Each metro station has its own theme; two of my favorite stations are Alisher Navoiy – named after the Uzbek poet who wrote the epic poem Laila Majnun in the 15th century (there’s some controversy about the author though), with dome-shaped ceilings and poetic illustrations on the walls – and Kosmonavtlar – which translates to cosmonauts, and is designed to represent the galaxy. Its tunnel walls are dedicated to famous Uzbek and Soviet cosmonauts, including the first Russian woman to go space.

Tashkent metro: Don’t just see and marvel at the metro stations, use them to get around the city. It’s easy, cheap, safe and super convenient, plus you’re bound to have some interesting conversations with local commuters. A ticket costs 1200 som (INR 10 / <10 $cents).

Also read: 9 Practical Tips to Save Money to Travel

7. Live with a rural Uzbek family in the Nuratau Mountains

My hostess in Uhum Village making khanum.

I always feel like I haven’t really experienced a culture until I’ve lived somewhere remote with a local family – and so it was in Uzbekistan. Luckily, I ended up discovering an idyllic little Uzbek paradise deep in the stark, barren Nuratau mountains. Like many local families in Uhum village, my hosts had a stone and wood summer house (and a second one in the village for winter), shaded by walnut trees atleast a 100 years old. I joined different members of the family to splash in the icy stream, collect wild mulberries, climb the barren mountains, hear local legends, relax in the tapchan under the stars and try potent homemade vodka. If there’s only one offbeat thing you do in Uzbekistan, pick this.

Uzbekistan homestays: I booked my homestay in Uhum village through community tourism based organisation Responsible Travel Uzbekistan, and absolutely loved the experience.

Also read: What the Village Folk of Kumaon Taught Me About Life

8. Find inner peace inside Hazrati Imom Jume Masjidi in Tashkent

Inner peace at the Friday mosque at Khast Imam, Tashkent.

The magnificent 16th century Khast Imam Ensemble makes it to all the ‘best things to do in Tashkent’ lists, but people seldom talk about the interiors of Hazrati Imom Jume Masjidi (the Friday mosque). Watching people pray amid the whitewashed walls, under the intricate ceilings, as sunlight poured in through the domed windows, filled me with an indescribably intense feeling of peace. I can’t think of a better way to spend sweltering hot Tashkent afternoons.

Khast Imam Tashkent: There are separate praying areas for men and women in the big hall, but you can walk around freely and take photos. Women are not required to cover their heads!

Also read: Land of a Thousand Friends

9. Witness the magic of Bukhara at sunrise

Bukhara at sunrise – devoid of shops, people and heat.

Bukhara and I didn’t get off to a good start. Arriving from the Nuratau mountains, the intense heat (like Delhi in the peak of summer) and swarms of tourists were a shock to the senses. Luckily, I managed to drag myself out of bed at sunrise, to find that the weather was cooler and souvenir shops and selfie snapping tourists hadn’t yet occupied the streets. The bustling 16th century lyab-i hauz – with once functioning madrasahs (schools) and a khanaka (a resting place for wandering Sufi dervishes), the magnificent 12th century Kalon Minaret so impressive that it was spared even by Genghis Khan’s rage and the many centuries-old mosques were just waking up from slumber. Locals cycled past the Silk Route trading domes with their morning bread, women in beautiful traditional dresses came to pray at the mosque. The old city of Bukhara (locally written Buxoro) is a living breathing testimony to our glorious and gruesome past – best witnessed in the solitude of sunrise.

Bukhara sunrise walk: Walk from Lyab-i Hauz to the Kalon Minaret, and further along the trading domes to the Abdullazizkhan Madrassa, a great spot for early morning people-watching!

Also read: Reflections on Life, Travel and Turning 29

10. Experience Tashkent life at a family-run guesthouse

My hostess at Gulnara guesthouse in Tashkent.

Staying with a friendly Uzbek family at Gulnara Guesthouse immediately gave me a sense of belonging in Uzbekistan. I spent delightful mornings having breakfast on a tapchan (traditional lounge seating) under the shade of persimmon trees, chatting with my 70-year-old hostess who told her family that I only eat melon (because that and bread/homemade apricot jam were the only vegan options ). Her sons gave me plenty of suggestions to explore the city beyond the Chorsu bazaar.

Where to stay in Tashkent: If a guesthouse doesn’t sound like your thing, consider staying at Hotel Uzbekistan, with its striking Soviet design and central location opposite Amir Temur Square.

Not on booking.com yet? Sign up with my referral to get 10$ off your first booking.

11. Dine in the summer room of a 19th century Jewish trading merchant in Bukhara

The courtyard at Ayvan restaurant in Bukhara.

I landed up, by pure serendipity, at a 16th century Jewish synagogue in Bukhara – and learnt about the opulent 133-year-old house of a Jewish merchant, now refurbished as Lyabi House Hotel and Ayvan restaurant. During the Soviet era, it was bought over by a Tajik merchant, then passed into the hands of the government, became a kindergaten for kids, a communal home and finally a hotel. The extravagant summer dining room has recently been opened up to the public as a restaurant – strikingly ornate, adorned with artefacts, with a charming outdoor courtyard.

Bukhara where to eat: Ayvan only opens for dinner and seating is limited; make a reservation. Vegan options are limited to soup, stew, salad and vegetable kebabs.

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*Note: This trip was made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Competitiveness, Trade, and Jobs Activity in Central Asia. The contents of this post are my sole responsibility and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US Government.

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11 Incredible Experiences That’ll Make You Fall in Love with Uzbekistan.

Tajikistan: A Country That’s Not on Your Travel Radar but Should Be.

Why You Should Drop Everything and Travel to Iran Now!

The Epic Land Journey from Thailand to India via Myanmar.

11 Incredible Experiences That’ll Make You Fall in Love with Uzbekistan. published first on https://airriflelab.tumblr.com

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tawakkull · 3 years

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ISLAM 101: Muslim Culture and Character: Reflections (Tafakkur): Part 4

SAKINA & ITMI’NAN (SERENITY AND PEACEFULNESS)

Serenity sometimes comes in the form of perceptible or imperceptible signs; at other times it appears so clearly that even ordinary people can identify it. Whether itself and its signs resemble a spiritual breath blown into the ear of conscience or a Divine breeze that can be perceived only with great care; or it appears miraculously and so clearly that anyone can see them, as in the case of the Children of Israel during the time of Prophet Moses, and in the case of Usayd ibn Khudayr, a Companion of the Prophet, to whom it came like a vapor while he was reading the Qur’an, serenity is a Divine confirmation for those believers aware of their helplessness and destitution before God, and a means of thankfulness and enthusiasm. It is God Who sends it, as declared in the verse: He is Who sent down serenity into the hearts of the believers so that they may have more faith added to their faith (48:4).

Serenity usually comes to strengthen the believers’ willpower, to affirm their belief and hearten them. A believer gifted with serenity is not shaken by worldly fear, grief, or anxiety, and finds peace, integrity, harmony between his or her inner world and the outer world. Such a person is dignified, balanced, confident, assured and solemn, and self-possessed and careful in his or her relations with God Almighty. Egoism, vanity, and pride are abandoned; every spiritual gift received is attributed to God; humility and self- discipline are exhibited while thanking Him, and all dissatisfaction and uneasiness is ascribed to personal weakness and examined in the light of self-criticism.

Some thoughts and inclinations displeasing to God may appear in serene souls, while only perfect calmness is found in those that are peaceful and at rest. Peaceful hearts always seek God’s good pleasure or approval, and the “compass needle” of their conscience never swerves. Peacefulness is such an elevated rank of certainty that a soul traveling through it sees in every station the truth of I wish to set my heart at rest (2:260) and is rewarded with gifts. Wherever the believer is, the breeze of They will have no fear nor will they grieve (2:62) is felt; the glad tidings of Fear not, nor grieve, but rejoice in the glad tidings of Paradise that has been promised to you (41:30) is heard; the sweet, life-giving water of Beware, in the remembrance of God do hearts find peace and tranquility (13:28) is tasted; and corporeality is defeated.

Peacefulness is realized when believers transcend material causes and means. Reason’s transnational journey ends at this point, and spirits are freed from worldly anxieties. Here, feelings find whatever they seek and become as deep, wide, and peaceful as a calm ocean. Those who have acquired this rank find the greatest peace only in feeling the company of God. They become aware of Divine Beauty and Grace in their hearts, feel attracted toward Him in order to meet with Him, are conscious that existence subsists by God’s Existence, and that the power of speech exists only because He has Speech. Through this opened window they acquire, despite their finitude, the power to see and hear in an extremely broad capacity. In the whirl of the most complicated events, where everyone else is bewildered and falters, such people travel in safety and escape the whirl. In addition to being freed from worldly anxieties, a believer whose heart is at rest or peace welcomes with a smile both death and the obstacles following death, and hears the Divine compliments and congratulations: O soul at rest, return to your Lord, well pleased (with Him), and well-pleasing (to Him). Enter among My servants, and enter My Paradise! (89:27–30). Death is seen as the most agreeable and desired result of life. When his or her life has ended in death, he or she hears, as was heard from the grave of Ibn ‘Abbas, in every station passed through after death, the same Divine congratulations or Decree: Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with Him), and well-pleasing (to Him). Enter among My servants, and enter My Paradise!

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basicsofislam · 5 years

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ISLAM 101: Muslim Culture and Character: Reflections (Tafakkur): Part 4

SAKINA & ITMI’NAN (SERENITY AND PEACEFULNESS)

Serenity sometimes comes in the form of perceptible or imperceptible signs; at other times it appears so clearly that even ordinary people can identify it. Whether itself and its signs resemble a spiritual breath blown into the ear of conscience or a Divine breeze that can be perceived only with great care; or it appears miraculously and so clearly that anyone can see them, as in the case of the Children of Israel during the time of Prophet Moses, and in the case of Usayd ibn Khudayr, a Companion of the Prophet, to whom it came like a vapor while he was reading the Qur’an, serenity is a Divine confirmation for those believers aware of their helplessness and destitution before God, and a means of thankfulness and enthusiasm. It is God Who sends it, as declared in the verse: He is Who sent down serenity into the hearts of the believers so that they may have more faith added to their faith (48:4).

Serenity usually comes to strengthen the believers’ willpower, to affirm their belief and hearten them. A believer gifted with serenity is not shaken by worldly fear, grief, or anxiety, and finds peace, integrity, harmony between his or her inner world and the outer world. Such a person is dignified, balanced, confident, assured and solemn, and self-possessed and careful in his or her relations with God Almighty. Egoism, vanity, and pride are abandoned; every spiritual gift received is attributed to God; humility and self- discipline are exhibited while thanking Him, and all dissatisfaction and uneasiness is ascribed to personal weakness and examined in the light of self-criticism.

The ranks or stations of radiya (being pleased with God in resignation) and mardiya (being approved by God) are two dimensions of peacefulness belonging to good and virtuous believers and are the depths of resignation. The ranks of mulhama (being inspired by God) and zakiya (being purified by God) are two other difficult-to-perceive degrees of peacefulness relating to those brought near to God. The gifts coming through them are pure and abundant. Some thoughts and inclinations displeasing to God may appear in serene souls, while only perfect calmness is found in those that are peaceful and at rest. Peaceful hearts always seek God’s good pleasure or approval, and the “compass needle” of their conscience never swerves. Peacefulness is such an elevated rank of certainty that a soul traveling through it sees in every station the truth of I wish to set my heart at rest (2:260) and is rewarded with gifts. Wherever the believer is, the breeze of They will have no fear nor will they grieve (2:62) is felt; the glad tidings of Fear not, nor grieve, but rejoice in the glad tidings of Paradise that has been promised to you (41:30) is heard; the sweet, life-giving water of Beware, in the remembrance of God do hearts find peace and tranquility (13:28) is tasted; and corporeality is defeated.

Such people spend their lives in the grave on the “shores” of Paradise, experience the Supreme Gathering in wonder and admiration, the Supreme Weighing of People’s Deeds in awe and amazement, pass over the Bridge, only because they have to pass over it, and finally reach Paradise—the last, eternal abode of those whose hearts are at rest or have found peace and tranquility. For such a person, the world is an ‘Arafat prepared on the way leading to God’s eternal forgiveness. The worldly life is the eve of the festival, and the other life is the festival day. Our Lord! Grant us in the world what is good, and in the Hereafter what is good, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. And bestow blessings and peace on our master Muhammad, the Prophet, the chosen one, and on his Family and Companions, good and virtuous.

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tawakkull · 7 years

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SUFISM 101-Sakina and Itmi’nan (Serenity and Peacefulness)

Sakina and Itmi’nan (Serenity and Peacefulness) Literally meaning calmness, silence, steadiness, solemnity, familiarity, subsidence of waves and tranquillity, sakina (serenity) is the opposite of flightiness, restlessness, and wavering or indecision. In the language of Sufism, serenity means that a heart gradually comes to rest as a result of experiencing gifts from the Unseen. Such a restful heart always expects breezes to come from the realms beyond, and thus travels around in a state of itmi’nan (peacefulness) in the most complete care and self-possession. This rank is the beginning of the rank of certainty coming from direct observance. The resulting confusion over gifts coming through knowledge with gifts “obtained” through insight clouds the horizon of observing secret truths, which gives rise to wrong conclusions [about the reality of things]. Serenity sometimes comes in the form of perceptible or imperceptible signs; at other times it appears so clearly that even ordinary people can identify it. Sometimes serenity and its signs resemble spiritual breaths or Divine breezes that can be perceived only with great care; at other times, they come miraculously and so clearly that anyone can see them, as in the case of the Children of Israel during the time of Prophet Moses, and remain for some time among those deserving to be rewarded or equipped with it. One example is the mass of something resembling vapor or mist that surrounded Usayd ibn Khudayr while he was reading the Qur’an. [1] Such events are considered manifestations sent to strengthen the believers’ willpower and to affirm and hearten them. In either case, serenity is a Divine confirmation for those believers aware of their helplessness and destitution before God, a means of thankfulness and enthusiasm, as stated in: He it is Who sent down serenity into the hearts of the believers so that they may have more faith added to their faith (48:4). A believer confirmed with serenity is not shaken by worldly fear, grief, and anxiety, and finds peace, integrity, and harmony between his or her inner world and the outer world. Such a person is dignified, balanced, confident, assured and solemn, and self-possessed and careful in his or her relations with God Almighty. Egoism, vanity, and pride are abandoned; every spiritual gift received is attributed to God; humility and self-discipline are exhibited while thanking Him; and all dissatisfaction and uneasiness is ascribed to personal weakness and examined in the light of self-criticism. As for peacefulness, it is defined as full satisfaction and the state of being at complete rest without any serious lapse. It is a spiritual state beyond serenity. If serenity is the beginning of being freed from theoretical knowledge and awakened to the truth, peacefulness is the final point or station. The ranks or stations of radiya (being pleased with God in resignation) and mardiya (being approved by God) are two dimensions of peacefulness belonging to good and virtuous believers and the depths of resignation. The ranks of mulhama (being inspired by God) and zakiya (being purified by God) are two other difficult-to-perceive degrees of peacefulness relating to those brought near to God. The gifts coming through them are pure and abundant. Some thoughts and inclinations displeasing to God may appear in serene souls, while only perfect calmness is found in those that are peaceful and at rest. Peaceful hearts always seek God’s pleasure or approval, and the “compass needle” of their conscience never swerves. Peacefulness is such an elevated rank of certainty that a soul traveling through it sees in every station the truth of: I wish to set my heart at rest (2:260) and is rewarded with different gifts. Wherever the believer is, the breeze of: No fear shall come upon them, neither shall they grieve (2:62) is felt; the good tidings of: Fear not, nor grieve, but rejoice in the good news of Paradise that has been promised to you (41:30) is heard; the sweet, life-giving water of: Beware, in the remembrance of God do hearts find peace and tranquillity (13:28) is tasted; and corporeality is defeated. Peacefulness is realized when believers transcend material causes and means. Reason’s transnatural journey ends at this point, and spirits are freed from worldly anxieties. Here, feelings find whatever they seek and become as deep, wide, and peaceful as a calm ocean. Those who have acquired this rank find the greatest peace only in feeling the company of God. They become aware of Divine Beauty and Grace in their hearts, feel attracted toward Him in order to meet with Him, are conscious that existence subsists by God’s existence, and that the power of speech exists only because He has Speech. Through this opened window they acquire, despite their finitude, the power to see and hear in an extremely broad capacity. In the whirl of the most complicated events, where everyone else is bewildered and falters, such people travel in safety and escape the whirl. In addition to being freed from worldly anxieties, a believer whose heart is at rest or peace welcomes with a smile both death and the obstacles following death, and hears the Divine compliments and congratulations: Return to your Lord, pleased and well-pleasing. Enter among My servants, and enter My Garden (89:29-30). Death is seen as the most agreeable and desired result of life. When his or her life has ended in death, he or she hears, as was heard from the grave of Ibn ‘Abbas, in every station passed through after death, the same Divine congratulations or Decree: Return to your Lord, pleased and well-pleasing. Enter among My servants, and enter My Garden. Such people spend their lives of the grave on the “shores” of Paradise, experience the Great Gathering in wonder and admiration, the Supreme Weighing of Men’s Deeds in awe and amazement, pass over the Bridge, only because he or she has to pass over it, and finally reaches Paradise the last, eternal abode of those whose hearts are at rest or have found peace and tranquillity. For such a one, the world is as ‘Arafat [2] prepared on the way leading to the eternal forgiveness of the believers. The worldly life is the Festival Eve, and the other life is the Day of Festival. [1] Usayd bin Khudayr felt surrounded by a vapor-like mass while reading the Qur’an and felt greatly exhilarated. [2] The hill where Muslim pilgrims stay for some time on the eve of the Religious Festival of Sacrifice. www.reverthelp.com

#sufism 101 #sufism #sufi #Allah #islam #revert #revert help #revert help team #love #tasawwuf

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tawakkull · 7 years

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SUFISM 101-Ma’rifa (Spiritual Knowledge of God)

Ma’rifa (Spiritual Knowledge of God) Ma’rifa literally denotes skill or talent, a special capacity belonging to certain people, means and knowing by means of something. According to travelers on the path of God, it is the station where knowing is united with the one who knows, where knowing becomes second nature, and where each state reveals what or who is known. Some have defined ma’rifa as the appearance and development of knowledge of God in one’s conscience, or knowing God by one’s conscience. In other words, one has attained self-realization and has realized his or her humanity with all of its intrinsic values and dimensions. This may be what is meant by: The one who knows himself knows his Lord. [1] The first rank of ma’rifa is discerning the manifestations of the Divine Names surrounding us, and traveling in the amazing climate of the Attributes behind the door of mystery that is half-opened through these manifestations. During this traveling, lights flow continuously from the traveler’s eyes and ears to his or her tongue, and one’s heart begins to direct those acts that serve as a tongue confirming and proclaiming the Truth. This tongue becomes, so to speak, a diskette of “good words,” and various lights from the light-giving truth of: Unto Him good words ascend, and the righteous deed causes them to rise (35:10) begin to be reflected on the screen of his or her conscience. One who has acquired such ma’rifa is closed to all evil and is enveloped by breezes blowing from the realms beyond. Corridors of light are opened from his or her spirit toward the One known by the heart, as Ibrahim Haqqi of Erzurum stated allegorically: God said: I can be contained by neither the heavens nor Earth. He is known by the heart as if a hidden treasure in the heart. The traveler is so enraptured with observing such scenes that he or she does not think of returning to a normal life. A traveler who is completely closed to all else save God, who has resisted all corporeal desires and impulses in order to be carried by the tides of peace, has reached the stage of ma’rifa. One who travels around this point is called a traveler to ma’rifa; one who has reached it is called an ‘arif (a Gnostic, or one who has spiritual knowledge of God). The differences found in commentaries on ma’rifa are based on the temperaments and schools of thought or levels of the Gnostics. Some have sought ma’rifa in the Gnostics themselves, and have seen the feeling of awe observed in them as the manifestation of ma’rifa. Others have seen it as connected with serenity and judged the former’s depth according to the latter’s profundity; as the heart’s complete closure to everything but God; or as the heart’s wonder and admiration amidst the tides of Divine manifestations. Such hearts always beat with wonder and amazement, for the eyes of their owners open and close with amazement, and their tongues pronounce with wonder and admiration: I acknowledge that I am unable to praise You as You praise Yourself. [2] With the spirit always flying upward toward eternity, and the heart enraptured with the pleasure of finding peace or being at rest but always self-possessed and cautious, a life lived in ma’rifa is as calm and peaceful as that lived in the gardens of Paradise. Side-by-side with angels, those who have acquired ma’rifa are included in the meaning of: They do not disobey God in whatever He commands them, and carry out what they are commanded (66:6). With feelings like buds waiting for daylight to open, such souls open fully with ma’rifa in “daylight” and experience the pleasure of intimacy with Him at every moment with a new dimension of ma’rifa. So long as they keep their eyes fixed on the door of the Truth, they are intoxicated with meeting Him several times a day or even every hour, and are enraptured with a new manifestation at every moment. While those supposing themselves to be scholars continue to “crawl” and philosophers continue to philosophize and build on the information they have with great difficulty, an ‘arif always tastes peace and talks about peace in a downpour of “light.” Even when others quake with fear and awe of the Almighty, an ‘arif feels infinite pleasure and, while his or her eyes weep, his or her heart smiles. There are differences of manners and tendencies among Gnostics based on temperaments and schools of spiritual training. While some are deep and silent like whirlpools, and thus hard to identify because of their simple, quiet appearance, others “gurgle” like waterfalls. Some always weep for fear of committing sins and their inability to do a single good thing, and never tire of praising their Lord; others continuously travel in awe, modesty, and familiarity and never think of leaving this “ocean” Still others are like the earth which everybody else “treads” as no one shows them respect or thinks that they are Gnostics; or like clouds sending “water” to everyone under them; or like breezes, for they touch our feelings and blow us good and favor. A Gnostic can be recognized in several ways: such a person expects favor from and becomes intimate only with the Known One; lifts his or her eyelids and the doors of his or her heart only to Him; turns only to Him in love; and experiences the greatest suffering when anyone other than Him is desired. One who has not acquired true knowledge of God Almighty cannot distinguish between the Beloved and others, and one who is not intimate with the Beloved cannot know separation’s torment and pain. [1] Al-‘Ajluni, Kashf al-Khafa’, 2:262. [2] Muslim, “Salat,” 222; Abu Dawud, “Salat,” 148. www.reverthelp.com

#sufism101 #sufism #tasawwuf #Allah #islam #revert #revert help #revert help team #quran #hadith

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