The sufi ways of making leisure a sacred pursuit

Sufi masters have instructed that it is advisable to busy the self with something worth doing. If not, the self shall busy you with something not worth your time.

The profound wisdom of these words finds echoes in many modern bestsellers focused on personal development and growth. The Sufis advocated that those engaged with the pursuit of refining their mind must remain cognizant of how they occupy their leisure. It is remarkable that the Sufis even turned the concept of leisure into what may be regarded as ‘sacred leisure’. Sufi sama gatherings for poetry, music, and conversation – all centred on God the Almighty – were considered sacred leisure. These activities were immersed in God, transforming the hours of ordinary rest into spiritual ecstasy.

By focusing on the importance of mindful occupation during leisure, the Sufis also always stressed on the constant practice of dhikr (deeds of worship, remembering and glorifying God with the mouth, and through thought and introspection). They illustrated the importance of dhikr through stories, metaphors and verses. One such old Sufi story teaches about the value of time through the account of the Sultan’s seven years.

It is said that a Sufi master once visited a Sultan at his palace. The Sultan asked the Sufi to guide him regarding the importance of time. The Sufi smiled and told the Sultan, “Ask your servant to bring a basin full of water.” When the water was brought, he said to the Sultan, “Plunge your head into this basin.”

As the Sultan bent into the water, he found himself on a seashore. A beautiful woman approached and said to him, “I must marry a shipwrecked man!”

The Sultan and the woman married and were blessed with seven sons, and they lived luxuriously for seven years. In time, all their wealth got spent. “My wealth is gone,” the woman told the Sultan. “You must work to provide for the family.”

So, the Sultan became a porter in the marketplace. Working as an ordinary porter and tired one day after long hours of work, he bent down to wash his face in a basin of water. As he raised his face after washing it, he found himself in his old palace. He looked up to see the Sufi smiling gently at him.

“Seven years…” muttered the Sultan, looking at the Sufi master. “No,” said the Sufi, smiling. “It was only a moment.”

Through such stories, the Sufi masters instructed their disciples about how time goes by seemingly in the blink of an eye. They urged their disciples and followers that when faced with any difficulty or at the time of making important choices in life, one must focus one’s mind on the benevolence and grace of God the Almighty and ask for His divine guidance to make the right choice.

Life is too short to waste on bad choices. Focus on the Divine Beloved, surrender to God’s will, and loving acceptance of God’s grace enable the seeker to make the right choices in life. Such is the benevolence of the Divine Almighty that what may seem like bad choices are transformed by His Grace into divine experiences of learning and growth.

Even in his leisure, a man who is a true seeker at heart remains absorbed in meditative contemplation on God. Hazrat Abul Hasan Hankari (1018-1093), a highly influential Sufi philosopher, theologian and jurist, emphasized on the significance of deep love for the Almighty and mindfulness of His benevolence and grace at all times – whether one was occupied with the world or during leisure. He said, “A Sufi is one who is fettered by nothing nor holds anything in bondage. Sufism is neither a formal doctrine nor mere mundane knowledge. If it were a ceremony, it would need some practice and if it were learning, it would need some coaching. It is really something natural with one.”

It is said that Shams Tabrez (1185-1248), the spiritual instructor of Mewlānā Jalāl ad-Dīn Rumi, used to spend his time in contemplation on God and in spiritual practices. Even when he was engaged in manual work such as weaving baskets and trouser girdles for sustenance during his journeys, he would treat every moment – including his leisure hours – as an opportunity for dhikr and God realization.

Shams used to say that when one is a true seeker, one’s heart stays immersed in loving remembrance of God irrespective of the external circumstances. He used to cite the story of the hen and the ducklings to illustrate this point. Shams narrated that in the strange ways of nature, some ducklings were raised by a hen. They regarded the hen to be their mother and followed it everywhere. One day, the hen and the ducklings reached the edge of a pond. The hen was scared to go into the water since it was unable to swim. But the ducklings, though they were only babies, were aware of their true nature. They happily jumped into the pond and moved about easily.

Shams used this story as a metaphor for a seeker’s innate spiritual capacity and purity. He used to say, “If you are of me or I am of you, come into the ocean. If not, go back to the hens. That’s where you’re hung up.” By using the imagery of ducklings naturally drawn to water, Shams spoke of seekers who were suffused with God’s love and were spiritually prepared to plunge into the ‘ocean’ of mystical love – as opposed to those whose worldly nature kept them doubtful and pacing on the sides, afraid to move in.

Molana Rumi (1207-1273), the globally loved Sufi mystic, used to express the most profound spiritual truths in simple everyday language. “Your heart knows the way. Run in that direction,” wrote Hazrat Rumi. When the heart is aligned with God’s way, it naturally flows towards the Divine Beloved. Then divine light fills one’s being with joy and one is able to tread the path towards God with love and inner bliss.