Rabia al-Adawiyya

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Rabia al-Adawiyya

• 8th Century Islamic mystic
• Powerpoint prepared by Ms T. Coyle

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• Rabi'a al-Adawiyya is a major saint of Islam and
  was one of the central figures of the Sufi
  tradition. She was born around 717 A.D. in what
  is now Iraq, near the city of Basra.
• She is the most famous woman saint of classical
  Islam.

• Old houses from Basra

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• The founder of Islam, Muhammad, was born in the
  Middle East, in Arabia in the 6th Century.
• Rabia al-Adawiyya was born in the Middle East, in
  Iraq, in the 8th Century.

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• Sufis are sometimes called the Masters of Love
  because the Sufi path strives for the ultimate
  experience of God. It is a path of total love and
  involves completely overcoming the ego and the
  deepest love of God and others.
• The experience of Gods Divine Love results in a
  state of ecstasy and devotion.
• The fire of Gods love overcomes the ego and
  the person is ultimately no longer separate from
  God. They are transformed by Gods Love.

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• Poetry has been a revered art in every world
  culture, but this is particularly so throughout
  the Islamic world. This is partly due to the
  traditional Islamic restrictions on art.
• Portrayal of people and things was largely
  forbidden. So the visual arts tended to focus on
  rich, elaborate patterns and calligraphy.
• Much of the Islamic artistic genius emphasized
  the power of words and poetry, over the visual
  image.

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• Some spiritual poetry composed by Rabia.

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Brothers, my peace is in my aloneness

• Brothers, my peace is in my aloneness.My
  Beloved is alone with me there, always.I have
  found nothing in all the worldsThat could match
  His love,This love that harrows the sands of my
  desert.If I come to die of desireAnd my Beloved
  is still not satisfied,I would live in eternal
  despair.To abandon all that He has
  fashionedAnd hold in the palm of my handCertain
  proof that He loves me---That is the name and
  the goal of my search.
• Rabia al-Adawiyya

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My joy

• My joy
• My Hunger
• My Shelter
• My Friend
• My Food for the journey
• My journey's End
• You are my breath,
• My hope,
• My companion,
• My craving,
• My abundant wealth.
• Without You -- my Life, my Love --I would never
  have wandered across these endless countries.
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• You have poured out so much grace for
  me,Done me so many favors, given me so many
  gifts --I look everywhere for Your love --Then
  suddenly I am filled with it.O Captain of my
  HeartRadiant Eye of Yearning in my breast,I
  will never be free from YouAs long as I live.Be
  satisfied with me, Love,And I am satisfied.
• Rabia al-Adawiyya

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O my Lord, the stars glitter

• O my Lord,the stars glitterand the eyes of men
  are closed.Kings have locked their doorsand
  each lover is alone with his love.Here, I am
  alone with you.Rabia al-Adawiyya

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• THE HOLY WATER
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• No one lives outside the walls of this sacred
  place, existence.
• The holy water, I need it upon my eyes it is
  you, dear, you each form..
• ..
• Rabia

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• The poetic tradition within Islam is still very
  much alive today and Rabias poetry is still
  inspiring.
• Islamic poetry has given us an amazing bounty of
  sacred and mystical poetry from the Sufi and
  Muslim traditions.

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• Rabias poetry reveals her relationship with God.
  This inspires and teaches others.
• The sole object of Rabia's life was bound up in
  her yearning and passionate love (shawq) for her
  Beloved. This is revealed in her poetry as well
  as her life story.
• She demonstrated, like many other saints and
  mystics that to become closer to God means
  letting go of self-love .
• and loving God more and more. Ultimately this can
  result in the destruction of the separate self
  (nafs).

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Rabia also taught that the spiritual path
ultimately requires the surrender to Allah in
every moment. Rabia revealed her experience
and her desire where the goal is perfect Union
with God. This is state where there is no Lord
and slave, no Creator and created being, only He
in Himself. That is, the person and God are
one. Mystics like Rabia strive to get closer and
closer to God in every moment.
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• In a state of complete surrender and union with
  God, she demonstrated that life was lived to its
  ultimate levels when there was no separateness
  from God.

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