Thanks Giving

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim

Beloved Dervishes,  May this be a wonderful day for each of you and your families and friends!

I want to tell you how grateful I am to be among you in this precious community of spirit.
How grateful I am to be in the community of the Prophet of Love.
How grateful I am to be in the community of all the Prophets and Mothers and Mystics and Seers and Buddhas and Enlightened Ones.
How grateful to be in the community of humanity who is striving ever toward the Good and toward Love.
How grateful I am to be in the community of Shaykh Nur and the great Muzaffer Effendi and Hazreti Pir and Amina Taslima. How grateful to be alive in Allah’s magnificent Creation of countless creatures and forms and experiences, and the beautiful companions.
How grateful I am to be given a Light and a Book and a Way.
How grateful for the holy scriptures of enlightenment.
How grateful I am for language and the ability to speak and understand.
How grateful for art and beauty.
How grateful I am for my eyes and ears and faculties of understanding.
How grateful i am for my heart.
How grateful I am for my body which can walk/pray over the earth and can dance in zikrullah.
How grateful I am for beautiful sounds and music.
How grateful I am to be in the mystery of Allah’s Heart.
How grateful to have heard the primordial Word “Kun” and to become.
How grateful to have heard the Word of love, “Am I not your Lord?” and to have responded fervently with my newly given soul, “Yes, yes, forever yes.”
How grateful I am to have been sent into this world in the womb of my blessed mother.
How grateful to have grown up between the two pairs of eyes of my parents.
How grateful I am to have been born into a family of siblings from whom I learned so much.
How grateful I am for my own children and grandchildren who bring such joy.
How grateful I am for all my teachers and for those who helped me on my way.
How grateful I am for a Lord and Lover Who is closer to me than my own life, Who always draws me closer, Who hears my longing and answers my prayers, Who heals me when I am sick, Who is the most Generous of the Generous and the most Merciful of the Merciful to the hearts, Who never ceases giving and Who lives and never dies and Who never fails His servants, Who has given us Himself and all that He owns.
How grateful I am to be able to share this magnificence with each of you.
How grateful I am for gratitude that is never ending.
How ungrateful I am when I forget all of this, which seems to be at least half of the time.
How grateful I then am for Allah’s forgiveness and tenderness toward me.

Ya Shakur Ya Mahbub Ya Hu