Monday, April 29, 2013

"Cushion for Your Head" - One-Day Spiritual Retreat: Khalwet


Hast-o-Neest
 Institute of Traditional Studies & Arts
presents a one-day retreat based on the workshop
 ‘The Art of Being’ Governing the City called Human Being

“Cushion for your Head” 


 One Day Spiritual Retreat - Khalwet

"Just sit there right now, don't do a thing, just rest.
For your separation from God, from love, is the hardest work in this world.
Let me bring you trays of food and something that you like to drink.
You can use my soft words as a cushion for you head." Hafiz Shirazi


“Cushion for your Head” will introduce the Sufi “Khalwet”or traditional spiritual retreat – the first in a series of spiritual retreats - to facilitate the seekers of the path to attain “solitude in the crowd”.

As a famous Punjabi verse says:

Haath kaar walae..Dil Yaar walae.
ہتھ کار ولے ،دل یار ولے ..!
Hand busy in work, Heart busy with the Beloved !

Hazrat Bibi A'isha r.a, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (saws), reported: “The first (form) which was started with the revelation to the Messenger of Allah was the true vision in sleep. And he did not see any vision but it came like the bright gleam of dawn. Thenceforth solitude (khalwet) became dear to him and he used to seclude himself in the cave of Hira' where he would engage in tahannuth (and that is a worship for a number of nights) before returning to his family and getting provisions again for this purpose. (Related by Muslim)

From time to time, following the example of the Prophet (saws), the Sufi Saaliks are instructed by his or her Shaykh to go into seclusion for the purpose of re-focusing and drawing nearer to Allah. During the khalwet a special set of practices are given that are specific to the needs of the student. The Shaykh may also prescribe a special diet or exercises.

The benefit of this kind of retreat is to provide an environment free from the distractions of the everyday world. It should be understood though that the retreat is just an intermediate step. The final outcome is "solitude in the crowd" which is to be outwardly, fully participating in society and inwardly with Allah at all times.

Sahibzada Asim Maharvi
(English and Urdu)
Sunday, 5th May 2013
10:00 am to 6:00 pm 
Kahna Nau, Ferozepur Road, Lahore

REGISTRATION
By Saturday, 4th May 2013, send name/email/cell number
to hast.o.neest@gmail.com or on 0300 847 1855

(Directions to the venue and the day’s schedule will be provided to those who register for the retreat.)

Expenses: Rs. 1000 per person/Student: Rs. 500 per person


Sahibzada Asim Maharvi Chishti, born in a Chishti Sufi family, educated in the West, a researcher, writer and columnist is the founder of Chishtiya Ribbat Sufi Studies Center in Pakistan. He has delivered lectures on spirituality, comparative religion, spiritual healing and history of civilizations in Pakistan and abroad. As chairman of Sufi Studies Center - http://www.chishtiya.org/ - he has examined, translated and published classical Sufi literature.


Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Tuesday, 30th April: Arifana Dars: Dr. Shahzad Qaiser


Hast-o-Neest 
Institute of Traditional Studies & Arts 
invites you to 

Arifana Dars - Doctrinal Sitting   
Dr. Shahzad Qaiser
(Vice President, Iqbal Academy Pakistan)


Tuesday, 30th April, 2013 
  5:00 pm

86 Arif Jan Road, LAHORE CANTT
Queries: 0300 847 1855

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

100 Ghazals of Rumi

Hast o Neest 
Institute of Traditional Studies & Arts

100 Ghazals of Rumi
(Selections from Diwan e Shams Tabriz)

Ahmed Javed Sahib

SUNDAY, 21st April
5:30 pm

82, Ataturk Block
GARDEN TOWN

Queries: 0300 847 1855

Philosophy of Unity & Evolution

Hast-o-Neest 
Institute of Traditional Studies & Arts

 3-Days Study Circle:
Thursday, 18th April to Saturday, 20th April 2013
LAST session of the series:

Ibn al Arabi: Fusus al Hikam
Fus no. 10: Fus Hazrat Hud (a.s.)
5:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Falsafa Tauheed wa Takamul
Philosophy of Unity and Evolution
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Hamid Reza Fazil
at
82 Ataturk Block, Garden Town, Lahore
(near Himayat e Islam College and Passport Office)

Queries: 0300 847 1855

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Fusus al Hikam: Ibn al Arabi & Islamic Philosophy

Fortnightly 2-Day Session: 5th & 6th April 2013


Ibn al Arabi: Fusus al Hikam
5:00 to 6:00 pm

READ ON IBN AL ARABI
Ibn al Arabi Society, Oxford

Islamic Philosophy: Falsafa Ruh
6:30 to 7:30 pm

Hamid Reza Fazil

at 
82 Ataturk Block, Garden Town, Lahore
(near Himayat e Islam College and Passport Office)

Queries: 0300 847 1855