Wisdom of the Prophets: Sufism & Christianity


Wisdom of the Prophets: Sufism & Christianity
with Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, Sheikha Fariha al-Jerrahi & Pir Zia Inayat-Khan

The Astana, Richmond, Virginia
May 3-6, 2018

Hazrat Inayat Khan tells of how the Light of Unity conveyed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the words “Nothing exists but God” (la ilaha illa’llah) summed up the messages of the preceding prophets of all lands and all times.

In this sixth and final installment of the Wisdom of the Prophets series, “Sufism and Islam,” Sheikha Fariha al-Jerrahi, Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, and Pir Zia will delve into the gnosis of Islam as it has been lived and described by Sufi mystics through the centuries. Subjects of exploration will include The Affirmation of Unity, Prayer, Fasting, Alms, Pilgrimage, Peacemaking, and Divine Remembrance.

Sheikha Fariha, leader of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Order, communicates the light and life of the Path through sacred songs (ilahis) and elevating rituals of remembrance (zikr). Sheikh Ghassan, of the Qadiri Order in the Holy Land, combines esoteric scholarship with a lifelong commitment to the vital work of interreligious peacemaking. Pir Zia, author of Mingled Waters: Sufism and the Mystical Unity of Religions, on which the series is based, will again play host.

Wisdom of the Prophets is a six-part series of courses, offered in-person or online, which offers students the opportunity to study and practice the inner teachings of the prophets as enshrined in the wisdom traditions that derive from their revelations.

Video and materials from the first five courses on Sufism & Hinduism (November 2015), Sufism & Buddhism (May 2016), Sufism & Zoroastrianism (November 2016), Sufism & Judaism (April 2017), and Sufism & Christianity (November 2017; video available in 2018) may be purchased by visiting: www.inayatiorder.org/multimedia/

SAMPLE SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 3^rd  

• 2:00 – 7:00 pm – Check-in at the Astana
• 7:30 – 9:00 pm – Sufism & Islam  (Pir Zia & Sheikh Ghassan)

Friday, May 4^th 

• 9:00 – 9:30 am – Silent Meditation
• 9:30 – 11:00 am – Pir Zia
• 11:00 – 11:30 am – Tea Break
• 11:30 – 12:45 pm – Sheikh Ghassan
• 1:00 – 2:00 pm – Lunch at the Astana
• 3:00 – 4:15 pm – Special Guest TBD
• 4:15 – 4:45 pm – Tea Break
• 4:45 – 6:00 pm – Pir Zia
• 6:00 – 8:00 pm – Dinner On Your Own
• 8:00 – 10:00 pm – Zikr & Sweets

Saturday, May 5^th

• 9:00 – 9:30 am – Silent Meditation
• 9:30 – 11:00 am – Pir Zia
• 11:00 – 11:30 am – Tea Break
• 11:30 – 12:45 pm – Sheikh Ghassan
• 1:00 – 2:00 pm – Lunch @ the Astana
• 3:00 – 4:15 pm – Sheikha Fariha
• 4:15 – 4:45 pm – Tea Break
• 4:45 – 6:00 pm – Pir Zia
• 6:00 – 8:00 pm –  Dinner On Your Own
• 8:00 – 10:00 pm – Zikr with Sheikha Fariha

Sunday, May 6^th   

• 9:00 – 9:30 am – Silent Meditation
• 9:30 – 11:00 am – Sheikha Fariha, Sheikh Ghassan & Pir Zia
• 11:30 – 12:30 pm – Universal Worship

[/fusion_text][fusion_text]

BIOGRAPHIES

PIR ZIA INAYAT-KHAN, also known as Sarafil Bawa, is a scholar and teacher of Sufism in the lineage of his grandfather, Hazrat Inayat Khan. He received his B.A. (Hons) in Persian Literature from the London School of Oriental and African Studies, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Religion from Duke University. Pir Zia is president of The Inayati Order and founder of Suluk Academy, a school of contemplative study with branches in the United States and Europe. Now based in Richmond, Virginia, Pir Zia frequently travels. His schedule can be found at www.inayatiorder.org.

Sheikh Ghassan Manasra was trained by Sheikh Muhammad Hashem Al-Baghdadi, Head of the Qadiri Order in the Middle East, and was ordained a Sheikh by him while studying at his side for decades in East Jerusalem. He is both an Arabic and Hebrew Scholar, trained in interpreting the Qur’an, Arabic poetry, Sufi poetry and philosophy, and the teachings of Ibn ‘Arabi. A former board member of the World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace, he is the International Executive Director of the Abrahamic Reunion, a nonprofit dedicated to peacebuilding in the Holy Land and the world through interreligious dialogue, prayer, encounter, and solidarity. He currently lives in Sarasota, Florida.

Sheikha Fariha is the spiritual guide of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order in New York City. She was born in 1947 into a socially committed, eclectic Catholic family in Houston, Texas. At the age of 29, she met her teacher, Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak of Istanbul, and received direct transmission from him in 1980. Sheikh Muzaffer also gave direct transmission to Lex Hixon (Sheikh Nur al-Jerrahi), who envisioned a radical and illumined path of the heart which he called “Universal Islam.” After Sheikh Nur’s death, Fariha took on the guidance of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order, with circles around the world. Every Thursday, Sheikha Fariha, with her husband Ali and the dervishes, invite all seekers into the circle of zikr at the Dergah al-Farah in New York City.

PRICING

All pricing includes tuition plus lunch, tea, coffee and snacks each day. Housing and other meals are the responsibility of those attending. Please contact astana@inayatiorder.org for additional details or housing advice.

• General Tuition – $350

• Young Adult Tuition (under age 39) – $150
• Online Participation Only – $165

Please ask about a special discount for Cherags within the Universal Worship and Canadians. Also please inquire about partial scholarship opportunities.

* Details about how to access the online program will be sent separately, closer to the event. Everyone who signs up for the in-person program will receive credentials to access the online option as well.

Cancellation Policy

We accept cancellations (minus a $50 processing fee) through Friday, April 20^th. After this date, we accept cancellations (50% refund) through Wednesday, May 2^nd. Thank you for understanding the importance of this policy!