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Post by cortwilliams on Dec 2, 2012 15:17:59 GMT -6
Lately I've been reading "The Great Satan: Eblis by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh, a collection of quotes from, Sufi writers regarding Eblis, roughly the Islamic equivalent of Lucifer or Satan. Interestingly, some of the quotes portray Eblis in a positive light, someone pious and defiant at once. Allah commanded Iblis to bow down before Adam, but he refused to bow down before anyone save his beloved, the Absolute. Said Iblis "Even if they tear my head from my body, I'll have no regret, for I'll still have my neck.(the neck that has not bowed down) O man who has chosen to see a treasure, you must be ready to lose your very head" (The Great Shaitan Eblis, page 10) "His devotion became the cause of his accursedness, his worship the reason for his expulsion"(The Great Shaitain Eblis, page 9) "Never once did he waiver in attention to God or his spiritual journey, adoring the beloved in his absolute aloneness(Tajrid). He was cursed when he reached the point of isolation from himself and was driven from the door because he sought solitariness(Fardaniyat)"(page 29) www.amazon.com/Great-Satan-Eblis-Javad-Nurbakhsh/dp/0933546238
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Post by sin on Dec 8, 2012 9:21:58 GMT -6
I always found the correlations between Iblis and the Djinn pretty fascinating. Especially the ties to the scapegoating of sin and guilt.
Some stories tell the tale that Eblis was sent by God to possess the son's of Adam. This was a test of man's Will. Eblis itself was following God's command, and wasn't a singular entity but many, an essence of temptation that could taunt man to commit deeds if he fell subject to it.
Devils were considered earth bound spirits and part of the landscape. Islam came from Hellenization of Hinduism, so it shouldn't surprise us that a lot of similar themes are found among the Sufi mystics.
Even the Kurds had their own brand with Malek Teus, they seek to follow the example of it to gain favor with God, to ascend higher into the Heavens.
Having a concept model to visualize and emulate can be useful in trance work. There's a Sufi proverb that says: I cannot worship a God I cannot relate to.
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Post by cortwilliams on Dec 11, 2012 17:40:49 GMT -6
Yeah, the mention of the scapegoat is interesting, in that the name of Iblis prior to his "fall" was Azazel, who in Jewish religious lore is the demon to whom a scapegoat was offered on the day of atonement(as well as being a fallen angel in this tradition as well).
One reason Iblis gave for refusing to bow down before Adam was that he(and the djinn) were made of fire, whereas Adam was made of clay. Puts me in mind of a quote by Captain Ahab: "O, thou clear spirit, of thy fire thou madest me, and like a true child of fire, I breathe it back to thee."
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