Nimatullahi Sufi Order Houston Texas
All your restlessness comes from
your seeking the state of rest.
Become a restless seeker until
you find rest.
The Nimatullahi Sufi Order
The Nimatullahi Sufi Order is a spiritual discipline dedicated to the selfless service and love of all human beings.
The foundation of our spiritual endeavors rests upon the practice of ceaselessly remembering God in thought, word and deed. The guiding principles of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order are firmly rooted in the tradition of chivalry (futuwwa in Arabic and javanmardi in Persian) in the Middle East. In these traditions, relations among members of society were based on selfless service and consideration of others first and foremost.
What is Sufism
The practice of Sufism is the intention to go towards the Truth by means of love and devotion. This is called the tariqat, the spiritual path or way towards God.
Only by the light of the spiritual path and the mystic way can the Truth be discovered. In order for one to truly witness the perfection of the Absolute, one must see with one’s inner being, which perceives the whole of Reality. This witnessing happens only when one loses one’s (partial) existence in the whole. (Excerpted from The Path by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh)
Divine Love
The first time I read Rumi’s story of Moses and the Shepherd, I was struck by the fact that the shepherd was much closer to God than Moses even though the shepherd’s conception of God was not even remotely plausible.
Years later, when I revisited this story, it appeared to me that Rumi had unravelled a deep mystery of divine love: in order to love God, one does not need to have a correct conception or description of God; what is required is a burning heart. (Excerpted from a discourse by Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh)
Caring for Others
Altruism, as developed by early Khorasanian Sufis and practiced by Persian Sufis for centuries down to the present day, advocates that Sufis—indeed all human beings—should serve God by remaining in society and helping and serving others. It stands in stark contrast with the Sufi tradition that was developed in Baghdad by Junaid (d. 910) and his followers, which advocated the practice of renunciation and withdrawal from society as the central tenet of Sufism. (Excerpted from a discourse by Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh)
Present Master of Nimatullahi Sufi Order
Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh is the present Master of the Nimatullahi Order. With the passing of his father, Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh, he assumed the position of leadership of the Nimatullahi Order on October 10, 2008, according to the wishes and written request of his father. His Sufi sobriquet is Reza Ali Shah.
Meditation Sessions
We meet every week at 6pm on Thursday and Sunday in the Houston, Texas metro area for meditation to remember God through zekr. Contact us if you would like to join us or get more information.
Charity Service
We volunteer at CyFair Helping Hands in Houston, Texas to assist them in their mission to help provide nutritious meals to families and others in need. Contact CyFair Helping Hands directly if you would like to help.
Contact Us
If you are in the Houston, Texas metro area or any of the nearby cities of College Station, Austin, Galveston, San Antonio, or even elsewhere in Texas, contact us to learn more about our Sufi Order and join us for a meditation session.
Phone / Text: 832-819-1476
Idol Breaker by Alireza Nurbakhsh
I have come to cherish the love for You
like a precious pearl in my heart and soul,
And to lay down my head at Your threshold
and to make fruitful the love for You.
I will avert my eyes from my self and turn my gaze to You.
I am lost in the cupbearer’s beauty.
How can I behold any but You?
I have come to defeat and abolish both faith and unbelief,
and empty my head of any thought of other than You.
I have come to break idols and to break into songs of love,
To prostrate myself before you, and to fill my chest
with the fire of love.
I will set up taverns everywhere, and make wine lawful to all.
I will make everyone drunk and will take to the road once more.
I will repeat your name and breath the sorrow of love for You.
I will sacrifice my self to you and leave behind this “I” and “We.
You are love, and the light bestower of the soul,
I have a sign from You, I have come to announce Your grace to all the world.
