Inter-religious Dialogue
Dr. Makarević at International Sultan Bahoo & Mevlana Rumi Conference on 9th of December, 2014
On 1st session of International Conference on “Sultan Bahoo & Mevalan Rumi” Organized by MUSLIM Institute, on 9th December 2014, at Islamabad Club in Islamabad, Dr. Nedim Makarević had a speech available completely in the coming paragraphs.
The complete speech of Dr. Makarević
My honourable guests respected Friends, colleagues and elders, Asalam o Alaykum.
It’s a great honour and privilege for me to address this marvellous conference.
Today we are celebrating the spirit of Maulana Rumi and Sultan Bahoo. From Central Asia to South Asia and beyond that, they are renowned as great mystical poet, jurist, theologian and master of spiritual world. Their influence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions.
Although, there is a difference of approx. 350 years between these two personalities, but their poetry tells the same story. The story of ardent love, peace, harmony and brotherhood, the focal point of their mystic poetry is self-awareness, knowing about your soul and purpose of life. There is more or less no difference between the physical body of human being and animals, but human being has been blessed by the soul of Divine. This soul makes us superior among all other creatures. As Rumi said:
“There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled.
You feel it, don’t you?”
Similarly Sultan Bahoo said:
“Hearts are deeper than rivers and oceans who would know about hearts Hoo
Stretched like tent fourteen realms are within the hearts slots Hoo”
Both personalities have really stressed on rectifying our inner selves. All the positive vibes are generated from our heart, the heart of the soul. When we remain unaware of our souls, the negative vibes dominate us and we are bogged into this greedy and material world.
“The lover’s cause is separate from all other causes
Love is the astrolabe of God’s mysteries”
The love, which Maulana Rumi is describing, is the love of creator and its creation. The mystery of your soul and creator can only be solved by love.
This journey of love takes the seeker towards the truth, grows through love, abandons the ego, finds the truth and arrives at the Perfect. The seeker then returns from this spiritual journey, with greater maturity, to love and to be of service to the whole of creation without discrimination with regard to beliefs, races, classes and nations. Maulana Rumi said:
“Two there are who are never satisfied — the lover of the world and the lover of knowledge.”
Sultan Bahoo has explained same thing:
“Due to wealth learned scholars lament in the isolation Hoo
Those who have vast wealth they sleep with complication Hoo”
Their poetry is not just based on philosophy, but full of personal mystical experiences and revelations. This poetry can transform the very personal and confusing world of personal growth and development in a very resounding and clear way. They do not offend anyone and try to include every one. The message is very clear that all people from different religions and backgrounds can live together in peace and harmony. As Rumi said:
“Christian, Jew, Muslim, shaman, Zoroastrian, stone, ground, mountain, river, each has a secret way of being with the mystery, unique and not to be judged”
Sultan Bahoo said:
“Even though the believer or disbeliever even though the living or dead even though the lucky or misfortune, I’m present for everything which a seeker of right wants”
This message is so powerful and attractive that no religion or belief can contradict this. That’s why Rumi’s poetry is being translated into many languages of the world and can be heard in mosques, churches, synagogues, and Zen monasteries and also in downtown New York. Similarly Sultan Bahoo’s poetry is also being heard in mosques, temples, gurdwaras (Holy place of Sikhs) and core music of sub-continent.
The need of the time is that we try to grasp the real essence of these great teachings. It teaches us how to reach inner peace and happiness so we can stop the continual stream of hostility and hatred and achieve true global peace and harmony. I would like to finish my speech with this quote of Maulana Rumi:
“When we are dead, seek not our tomb in the earth, but find it in the hearts of men”.
Dr. Nedim Makarevic
DEUTSCHE ISLAM KONFERENZ
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UNIVERSITAT HOHENHEIM
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