Originally published in Sufi Journal Issue 18 (Summer 1993)
Text of a Speech by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh, Previous Master of the Nimatullahi Order, to a Sufi Gathering
The school of Sufism has two principal messages and whatever has been said concerning the rules and manners of Sufism is secondary compared to these two.
The first is a social and ethical message which teaches human beings humanitarian and ethical values.
The second message is a psychological and a heart-related message which teaches the Sufis to confirm, to seek and to see only the One and not to be concerned with anything other than the Absolute Being.
In the first place, these messages instruct people to be noble human beings and to respect, love and serve God’s creation. Secondly, by focusing on the theme of Unity in all creation, these messages instill in people the method of looking only in One direction and seeing everything as One. Thus, Sufism is a school of Unity and ethical purification, which, regardless of race and culture, can be applied to all human beings equally.
It should be noted, however, that by merely registering in the school of Sufism and participating in the Sufis’ gatherings, one does not become a Sufi. Rather, one has to strive to succeed in the practice of Sufism, namely, to be purified in such a way that one’s outward behavior is adorned by humane values and one’s inner being is ornamented by Divine attributes.
Thus, if you encounter a human being who claims to be a Sufi and behaves contrary to the human code of ethics, don’t ask, “What kind of Sufi is this?”, rather it is better to ask, “What kind of person would this have been, if he or she had not been a Sufi!?”