The Sufi Message (Vol.XIII)

by Hazrat Inayat Khan

This is the thirteenth volume of the Indian edition of all the works of Hazrat Inayat Khan, the great Sufi mystic who lectured and taught in the western world. This book and other volumes in this series contain his lectures, discourses and other teachings as taken down in shorthand.

The complete series contains fourteen volumes. Each volume is complete in itself, and therefore may be read without any necessity to study following or previous ones. However, one may get a spiritual and mental appetite to continue reading . One will find that a meditative way of reading will convey not only the words but also the spiritual power emanating from them, tuning mind, heart and soul to the pitch which is one's own.

The ‘Gathas’ represent teachings by Hazrat Inayat Khan to the ‘mureeds’, particularly for the early stages of the path.

They are ordered under seven headings: Superstitions, customs and beliefs; insight; Symbology; Breath; morals; Everyday life; Metaphysics. Each subject is treated in three stages, each consisting of 10 sections. They may be considered as a course, preferably to be followed under the guidance of an initiator.

However, apart from forming a philosophy in its own right, this book may serve as excellent guide even for study and practice by the reader on his or her own.

The present version was carefully compiled and prepared for publication by pupils and close associates of Inayat Khan. The original language and style of the lessons has been kept pure and unaltered throughout this text, even more so than in some of the earlier volumes.

About the Author:

Hazrat Inayat Khan, (Baroda, 1882 – Delhi 1927) was a famous musician in his young years. Later he left for the West in Order to spread the Sufi message of love, harmony and beauty. He preached Sufism not as an orthodox sect, but as a forward-looking world message of interreligious brotherhood. He founded many Sufi centres in the West. In India, the Sufi message has got an inspiring centre at the Dargah of the Master himself, located near the tomb of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia, New Delhi.