Events – Page 8 – Ansari Qadiri Rifai Sufi Order

‘Rubaiyat’: New Translations and New Poetry, and Zikr (Saturday, May 7, 7 PM, London)

Posted on May 7, 2016May 7, 2016 by ansariuk

Do not worry , O Khushal!

No matter how wretched you are

You are only flesh and blood

And not some heavenly seraph.

We are delighted to welcome Sami ur Rahman who has flown in from Pakistan to present his new translations of the national poet of Afghanistan – Khushal Khan Khattak. A contemporary of Bulleh Shah, he likewise rejected caste and clerical edicts. Part warrior poet who led the Pashtun struggles against emperor Aurangzeb, part mystic, part scholar, he produced ghazals, rubaiyat, and verse treatises on the body and falconry.

Sami ur Rahman (journalist, translator, lover of mystic poetry and theoretical physics), hails from the same obscure village as the 17th century Khushal, and has published two books of translations. He will be reading in Pashtu, Farsi and English, and will include Rumi in Farsi and English.

In the other half we have original poetry from guest Jane Silk who studied Islamic and Sufi philosophy at Kings College and SOAS and then deepened her academic experience with a spiritual awakening in Isfahan. She took to a form of meditation-writing at night, covering her wall with scores of jottings. This outpouring is sometimes described in farsi as ‘taravoosh zehniyat’ – a ‘dripping of the mind’.

As always we keep our floor open to contributions of original poetry or music from our audience.

Ending with a Sufi zikr- a traditional meditation of remembrance with chanting, movement, breathing, and music, which closes with prayers for humanity and the planet.

Please note: the Sufi zikr at approximately 9pm is FREE and you are welcome to come only for the zikr.

‘Rubaiyat’: New Translations and New Poetry, and Zikr

Poetry Cafe
22 Betterton St, Covent Garden WCH2 9BX
Saturday 7th May 2016
7pm to 9:45pm

£8 on the door

http://www.meetup.com/SufiMusic/

Events, Interfaith, London

‘The Mirage of Angels’: Special performance, Sufi poetry, and meditation (2nd April, 7 PM – 9:45 PM, The Poetry Cafe, Covent Garden)

Posted on April 2, 2016 by ansariuk

“An exploding horizon of Wings.

We cascade down sheering radiance, our faces burnt from the limitless sun, to receive a boy of ten in oversized Rambo T-shirt playing with other hazel-eyed children outside a white-walled house, and together dance with him to death.”

From ‘The Book of Naseeb’

RECORDING ANGELS, 1280. Manuscript illumination from The Wonders of Creation ('Aja'ib al Makhluqat) of al-Qazwini, Iraq, 1280. — RECORDING ANGELS, 1280. Manuscript illumination from The Wonders of Creation (‘Aja’ib al Makhluqat) of al-Qazwini, Iraq, 1280.

This event features a specially curated performance from ‘The Book of Naseeb’. Musicians and reader, Michael McLellan and Khaled Hakim (electric violin and loops, frame-drums and voice) weave excerpts from a poetic text which imagines the life of a petty criminal as written by his Recording Angels. This work-in-progress which draws on both modernist and Quranic language forms the centre of our evening.

We have two more guest readings of spiritual writing-in-progress: Jane Silk’s open meditations draw on initial studies in Islamic and Sufi thought and then spiritual awakening in Isfahan; Michael McLellan has been distilling spiritual experience and practice into a writing seeking its own form.

As always we keep our floor open to contributions of original poetry or music from our audience.

Ending with a Sufi zikr- a traditional meditation of remembrance with chanting, movement, breathing, and music, which closes with prayers for humanity and the planet.

Event details

Saturday, 2nd April 2016
Poetry Cafe
22 Betterton St, Covent Garden, London, WCH2 9BX
7pm to 9:45pm

Please note: the Sufi zikr at approximately 8.45pm is FREE and you are welcome to come only for the zikr.

£8 on the door (includes copy of opening chapter of ‘The Book of Naseeb’)

Events, Interfaith, London

Zikr notice – Bank holiday Monday (28 March), 7 PM start

Posted on March 28, 2016March 28, 2016 by ansariuk

Peace upon all of you,

It is bank holiday today (28 March) so today’s Zikr will start earlier at 7 PM (instead of 7:30 PM). Please join us if you can. The session will begin as usual, with a talk, and then Zikr, and ending with dinner for everyone.

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The venue is as always at Essex Unitarian Church, 112 Palace Gardens Terrace, Notting Hill Gate, London, W8 4RT.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused due to the time change this time.

We hope you are having / have had a wonderful Easter weekend.

Events, London, Web site notification

No Zikr tonight – next Zikr on the 4th of January 2016

Posted on December 27, 2015 by ansariuk

Dear all,

Please note that there is no Zikr tonight. Our next Zikr will restart again on the 4th of January 2016, at the same time and place. We hope to see you then. In the meantime, we hope you had a relaxing festive break and we wish you a blessed and beautiful new year.

Ya Wadud, Ya Salam, Ya Jaami’ (O Love, O Peace, O Bringer of Togetherness – Names of God)

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Arts, Events, Interfaith, London, Web site notification

Festive wishes from us – and last Zikr for this year (21 Dec 2015)

Posted on December 19, 2015 by ansariuk

shaykhanneoxford

On behalf of Shaykh Taner Ansari and Shaykha Muzeyyen Ansari, the Heads of the Ansari Qadiri Rifai Sufi Order, we would like to thank everyone for attending our Zikr and all of our events this year. Thank you also for all your contributions, your help and assistance, your prayers and kind thoughts.

May Allah be happy with all our Zikrs, prayers, positive actions and intentions, and may He bless you, your family and loved ones.

Next Monday, the 21st December, will be the last Zikr of the year. We will resume again on the 4th of January, if God is willing, at the same time and place, celebrating the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) birthday (Milad-un-Nabi).

We wish you a merry festive season and a happy 2016 that is full of love and light. We look forward to seeing you soon in the new year.

Ya Wadud Ya Salaam Ya Jami (Love, Peace and Togetherness),

Ansari Qadiri Rifai Sufi Order of the United Kingdom