Personal criticism beside, the idea that “these names [such as
Ibn Arabi and like] … have imprisoned the minds of countless
others in the vortex of their own mysteries far removed from the
simple practice of mysticism” puts responsibility of the mental
imprisonment on the shoulders of those guides and scholars and not
on that feeble mind itself who cannot fathom the true nature of
their labours. This attitude extends to implying that those teachers
were dishonest and deceitful people, intending to misguide people
into their “vortex”. With this point of view it is easy to fall
prey to a fallacy such as contested in the claim that “dark side of
spirituality … envelops so many lost souls into its vibrant vortex,
whether the movement that drags such souls is headed by a conniving
adept such as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh or by others such as Ibn Arabi
or Sirhindi”
Synthesis and extrapolation of
these two ideas as propounded by Rashid, will lead us to discounting
our common humanity’s entire cultural, intellectual, and spiritual
heritage. And that is why I have reacted the way I have. I sometime
feel that the spirit of rebellion against our heritage especially
against our spiritual heritage is not unlike rebellion of the
teenagers against their parents. Not sure of what lies ahead and
unable to grapple with the unfolding reality of grown-up life, and
at the same time trying to prove their cleverness and independence,
they rebel against their parents.
On personal level, regarding our
discussion, I did ask a very simple and direct question aiming to
elicit more information. Yes, it was a challenge too to prove his
allegations but I did not mean to cause offense to Rashid Mughal. He
may be more loved by God than I. He may be a better person than I
am. I must humble myself and offer my apology to you Mr. Mughal if
you were hurt. Now I understand you better though I still do not
approve of your contention. I will contend any such claims not
because I want others to think my way but because that it is the
fundamental condition of human existence - “To be or not to be.”
And if we are
honest, that also is mechanism of our growth, thesis,
anti-thesis-synthesis.
