JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF MY SOUL
by RAHEEL RAZA

Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast,
Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast.                                                                 
If there is a paradise on earth,
It is this, it is this, it is this (India). Hazrat Amir Khusrau

2007 is the year in which I quit my fulltime job to pursue some higher learning and knowledge. I yearned to travel somewhere where my soul would be nourished. I waited and when the invitation came, it was from a most unexpected source. WISCOMP, an organization of women in Delhi, India working towards peace and conflict resolution invited me to a workshop at the end of December. I thought I would never be able to go because my passport was expiring, it was a time of the year when travel is impossible and I would never get an Indian visa in time. However at the back of my mind was the thought – “Delhi, the city of Dargahs where my parents grew up near Karolbagh, Delhi of Qutub Minar where the smallest Masjid in the grounds was built by my grandfather and the proximity to Ajmer where my soul can be renewed – I must go”

I believe that when the ‘calling’ (bullawa) is there, no one can stop destiny from working in a positive force. Within one week I got my passport renewed and arrived at the Indian consulate where a compassionate and kind Consul General gave me a tourist visa in two days (usually unheard of). My ticket to travel was arranged so smoothly that one would never believe end of December is peak season. Friends in Toronto gave me contacts and phone numbers in Delhi. Armed with nothing but my desire to seek spirituality, I arrived at Delhi airport on the morning of December 9, to the sound of chaiwallas, rickshaws, chirping birds and mooing cows. It felt like coming home. This was my third trip to Delhi but my first with a purpose of renewing my spirit. From day one, everything was perfectly orchestrated for me by a power bigger than all of us. I asked no questions because I felt a gentle hand at my back. I just said shukria and kept my head bowed in humility.

I stayed at the India Islamic Cultural Centre (http://www.iiccentre.org) which is  next to Lodhi Gardens where I would go and sit to contemplate how I got there. IICC was like an Indian “Fawlty Towers” with Muslim overtones. One phone, the internet worked maybe one hour a day but I was so disconnected with technology that it was a blessing. It was central and clean, and most importantly it was humble. This trip was not about 5 star hotels – it was important to stay rooted close the ground. Besides, who could complain -  I got strong mixed chai around the clock! The building is grand with beautiful calligraphy, manicured gardens, two auditoriums and Dilli Darbar (a Mughlai restaurant). I was immediately impressed because they had a huge Christmas tree in the front lawn because they celebrate the pluralism of India. It was across the street from Habitat which is the hub of arts in Delhi, and next to the India Cultural Centre which was the venue of our workshops.  

On Thursday I reconnected with Peachy, my childhood friend who I had lost touch with. Being a sufi at heart, she took me to the Dargah of Hazrat Amir Khusrau and Nizamuddin Auliya through the back lanes which no one knows. It was a moonlit night, and as we arrived the Sama was just beginning. Soon the strains of Mun Kunto Maula filled the night air as we inhaled ittar, agar batti and something indefinable in that night air. It was the perfume of roses, loved by our Prophet (pbuh) and musk. I was able to buy authentic Amir Khusrau music (not the commercial pop stuff). Here you see humanity at its lowest ebb and at its highest but there is no barrier between rich and poor, between Hindu, Muslim and Sikh as the only people who come there are those seeking spiritual comfort.

A bit about Amir Khusrau.
Amir Khusrau Dehlavi (1253-1325 AD), a prolific Persian poet associated with royal courts of more than seven rulers of Delhi Sultanate, is also popular in much of North India and Pakistan, through many playful riddles, songs and legends attributed to him. Through his enormous literary output and the legendary folk personality, Khusrau represents one of the first (recorded) Indian personages with a true multi-cultural or pluralistic identity.

The tradition says that one first pays respect to Hazrat Amir Khusrau as he was the student of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. So we bought flowers and incense and did our hazari. A bit about Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
Hazrat Khawaja Nizamuddin Auliya, also known as Hazrat Nizamuddin, was a famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order in India. He was born in Badayun (east of Delhi), though he later settled in Delhi, where his shrine (Nizamuddin Dargah) is still located. His original name was Mohammed. He was also the spiritual master of Amir Khusro.

The following is a translation of Hazrat Nizamuddin Awlia's famous poem in honour of the Prophet:
O breeze! turn towards Medina (and) from this well-wisher recite the Salaam.
Turn round the king of the prophets (and) with the utmost humility recite the Salaam.
Sometimes pass the gate of mercy (and) with the gate of Gabriel rule the forehead.
Salaam to the prophet of God (and) sometimes recite Salaam at the gate of peace.
Put with all respect the head of faith on the dust there.
Be one with the sweet melody of David and be acquainted with the cry of anguish.
In the assembly of the prophets recite verses from the humble being 'Nizam'.

That night I slept with the fragrance of roses around me enveloped in a warmth hard to describe.  Next morning I saw a poster about an event at the Habitat center called RUMI – UNVEIL THE SUN. This was a play being performed to a select audience by invitation only. Being an eternal optimist, I arrived at the venue and who is standing at the door but Suhaila Kapoor (sister of Shekhar Kapoor) director of the play and someone I had met in Toronto. She gave me a pass for the play and I spent an evening enthralled at how a totally non-Muslim cast and crew captured the spirit of Rumi, complete with poetry, music, and whirling.  The director Amrit Kent writes:
“My search for Rumi began years ago. Sufism is part of my Punjabi heritage and as a singer I sang sufiana kalam for many years. I have also written a stage script on Punjab’s pre-eminent Sufi poet, Baba Bulle Shah. It was inevitable that my quest would lead to Jalaluddin Rumi. As I immersed myself deeper in Sufi thought, what struck me most was the secular nature of Sufi mysticism that leaves no room for prejudice about religion, race or caste. All is One’.

Such a vision is sorely needed to heal today’s increasingly violent and divided world. Amrit Kent
The play was beautifully performed with authentic music. As I was leaving, an unknown benefactor, a kind patron gifted me a CD of the music. Next day the workshops started and I met 50 young professionals from India and Pakistan as well as Kashmir. This is part of the report I did on the workshops.

Background:
WISCOMP which engages in conflict transformation in the South Asian Diaspora organized it’s sixth workshop to empower youth leaders from India and Pakistan to provide skills and expertise for peace building between the two countries. The overall mission is to encourage the participants to engage in face-to-face dialogue to build a future based on trust, mutual respect and coexistence.

WISCOMP was created by the Dalai Lama from his Nobel Peace Prize money.
WISCOMP invited 50 young Indian and Pakistani professionals from the fields of advocacy, law, public policy, media, international relations, strategic studies, education and business.  They also invited International experts as resource persons and it was in this capacity that I was there as an interfaith advocate. Note: There were also participants from various areas of Kashmir which is a major bone of contention for India/Pakistan peace.

Workshops:
The workshops ran from 9 to 5 everyday with some events overlapping into the evenings. The series of workshops covered practically every aspect of conflict transformation and were interesting and educational. Workshops were supplemented with films and performances to present the idea that art can be used for conflict transformation.

Local experts in their fields were called in to present, including Government officials, security experts and media representatives. Here is a brief synopsis of the workshops:

• Dialogue and Conflict Transformation
• Education for a Culture of Peace
• Understanding Difference, Acting on Commonalities: Coexistence in Practice
• Stereotypes & Coexistence in Multicultural Societies
• Trust Building in International Relations
• Public Diplomacy and Trust Building
• Role of Media in Conflict Generation and Conflict Transformation
• Peace Building in Kashmir – participants perspectives
• Religion, conflict and peace

On Day 2 of the workshop one young girl from Pakistan asked me if my mothers name was Salma and if I had ever lived in Sialkot? Yes I said shocked. It turns out her mother was in school with me more than 30 years ago! The young lady attached herself to me for the entire duration of the conference. I will never forget the wonderfully talented and warm people I met.

During the workshops I was stressing about how to get to Ajmer. People said I shouldn’t go alone but a young girl Priyanka, said she is from Ajmer and will arrange everything. Meanwhile my Sikh friend Sohini who lives in Delhi said she’s always wanted to go to Ajmer so she would come with me. I was delighted. Workshops ended on Thursday 18 and I knew Eid was Friday 19 December in India. Priyanka booked us tickets on the Shitabdi which is the fast train to Ajmer. We left at 6am in a train full of pilgrims going to Ajmer – most of them Hindus and Sikhs. The train was air conditioned, clean and they served us amazing food in biodegradable containers. Sohini and I were contemplating the easiest way to go the Dargah and we had agreed that we would get a taxi and a guide since neither one of us knew where we were going and we had only two hours in which to do the hazari. The train was late and as we stepped on to the platform, a gentleman with rosy cheeks and a curled moustache stepped up to me and said “are you Raheel Raza?” To say I was shocked is an understatement. I said yes but how did you know? You must have seen a photo. He said no. He was Priyanka’s dad, an army colonel who had taken the day off work to come and receive us. He had a jeep and driver ready and told us that due to lack of time, we must do as he says. We followed him as he flashed his ID and rushed us through the bazaar which was packed with men, women, children, animals, vendors, slippers and everything else under the sun. Do you think we even noticed that we were walking barefoot through the streets of Ajmer? I remember Ammie always praying to Allah to introduce us to good people and that time I knew what she had meant. People had appeared as angels throughout this trip and I could not thank God enough. Colonel Singh wrapped a white handkerchief  around his head, found us a guide (he knew everyone there) and took us to the Dargah. He helped us get flowers and a chaddar and tabbaruk. Tears ran down my face and the khadim of the Dargah said “sit down – we will do dua” I wanted to pray there. He cleared a space for me and I performed nafal.  Then he asked me for names of people who wanted dua in their name and wrote then in a register and read a dua for us. We were in a daze and a dream. We also took a tour of the Dargah and saw the huge deghs in which food is cooked and distributed to the poor. Colonel Singh himself did all the rituals with great aqeedat. It was ironical. Here I was with two Sikhs at the Dargah of Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz! Such is the connection of the Sufis.

Dargah Shariff of Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti is indeed an ornament to the city of Ajmer. It is one of the holiest places of worship in India not only for the Muslims but also for the people of other faiths who hold the saint the high esteem and reverence. The Khwaja Saheb, as a ‘living spirit’ of peace and harmony, enjoys universal respect and devotion ever since he set his holy feet on the soil of Hindustan. He has unquestionably been one of the greatest spiritual redeemers of human sufferings. To the faithful and afflicted souls invoking his blessing, he has ever been a never-failing source of moral strength and spiritual enlightenment. Apart from the common people, even the mighty kings of India, both Hindu and Muslim, have paid submissive homage to the great saint and have sought his miraculous aid to solve their problems. The precious buildings and various rich endowments dedicated to the Dargah of Khwaja Saheb are living memorials to and reminders of his continued patronage enjoyed by the people of India throughout the past 750 years.

Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti says “He indeed is a true devotee blessed with the love of God, who is gifted with the following three attributes: river-like charity, i.e his sense of charity has no limits and is equally beneficial to all the creatures of God who approach him, Sun-like affection, i.e. his affection may be extended indiscriminately to all like sunlight and Earth-like hospitality, i.e. His loving embrace may be open to all like that of the earth.”

We caught the return train, both of us quiet and absorbing the experience. If I had thought the blessings ended there I was mistaken. Next morning I had to take a flight to Kuwait and since there was no connection I would have had to stay the night in Kuwait which I had not planned and was a bit apprehensive. The Kuwait airways flight was delayed and I was able to take a direct British Airways flight from Delhi to London with 3 seats to myself. This after everyone said that were no seats available. My flight landed at Terminal 1 and I was standing there with 2 heavy suitcases and a roll on, wondering how I will lug these to Terminal 3 where I had to go by train. A young boy wearing a diamond Allah pendant the size of a boiled egg, came by and said “don’t worry – I’ll take you”. He carried all my luggage and escorted me to Terminal 3 and then took off whistling.  
I am safely home with my family and pray that everyone gets an opportunity to take these journeys.

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