Memoirs of a Sufi Traveller in the West intro

Bismillahi Babuna –  Ya Fattahu ya 'Alimu Iftahlana fathan Kareeba

“Memoirs of a Sufi Traveller in the West, autobiography of Muhammad Sajad Ali”

These are different reflections, moments, thoughts, contemplations of my life they will cover a varied array of old facebook thoughts, webpage articles, dreams and quotes and delve into my past and from the unseen world of dreams. I once wrote my memoirs but alas, I’ve lost the file from my old laptop. So let us see where these new thoughts take me and you, my beloved reader lets go on an intrepid journey into my life....

One of the dreams I had about 35 years ago, was the dream when I was a mere child, the dream is still vivid in my mind, my thoughts, engraved in my heart, my feelings, my inner core of being. It was the dream of seeing Sayyiduna Isa ibn Mariyam.

I recall; sitting on a bench on a lush green hill, the day idyllic so peaceful and serene, and there next to me on the bench was the angelic radiant and ever glowing Sayyiduna Isa ibn Mariyam, the reason it was tranquil and peaceful was due to his spiritual energy that was out pouring from his noble grace and blessed face, his smile was saintly and his gaze on me was gentle and beautiful-(Jamali).

He has this demeanour that I can only explain as a loving mothering nurturing energy, every moment in his presence only imbued engulfing love so much that it intoxicated my being, in awe and wonder being drowned at his gentle-Lutfiyyah did I look at his noble countenance and more and more, I was drawn to keep looking and yearning at his spiritual loving face. He beamed a dazzling light within him so powerful was it and such that even now, still it hits a core within my being as I bathe in that love of the beauty of Sayyiduna Isa ibn Mariyam’s smile and presence in my dream, many years later now.

Continuing with Sayyiduna Isa ibn Mariyam. 

The Great Sufi master Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi was born at Mostaganem, Algeria in 1869, it’s said that this great Sufi Saint somewhat resembled Isa ibn Mariyam, (1869 - 14, July 1934) may Allah be please with him, he  was the Sufi, master of  the 'Alawiya order from a Shadhili Sufi line of transmission.

Many easterners and westerners alike, who have visited Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi couldn't help but taken aback by the awe inspiring presence of his luminous being and at the same time many have shared a common experience that Shaykh al-Alawi resembles very much that of the appearance of Christ. If one to wonder how Christ would look like if he lived till his mature age, one has to look at some rare photograph of Shaykh al-Alawi and this resemblance that confirmed in the heart of many was confirmed in repeated spiritual visions and veridical dreams.

Taken from the Book, A Sufi Saint in the Twentieth Century: "The narrative which follows is by Dr Marcel Carret "...‘The first thing that struck me was his likeness to the usual representations of Christ. His clothes, so nearly if not exactly the same as those which Jesus must have worn, the fine lawn head-cloth which framed his face, his whole attitude - everything conspired to reinforce the likeness. It occurred to me that such must have been the appearance of Christ when he received his disciples at the time when he was staying with Martha and Mary."

Shaikh Hasan ibn Adal al-Aziz described his own vision:

I had a vision in which I was in the valley of the town of Tlemcen, and it was filled with a large crowd of people who were waiting for the descent from Heaven of Jesus - on him be Peace! and then a man descended and the people said: 'This is Jesus', and when I was able to see his face I found that he was the Shaikh Sidi Ahmad Bin Aliwah - may God be pleased with him. taken  (above from Sadiq M. Alam site)

Many people have had dreams, expressing that his face looks like sayyiduna 'Isa Ibn Mariyam, and that he reached the "maqam-station of Isa"-(isawiyyah)

All this reminds me of another dream later on in my life, I recall; I was in a cave and have entered this cave and was given sayyiduna 'Isa Ibn Mariyam's spiritual power, I felt energy absorbed me in the dream and later that day and felt it tingle across my soul and body, it was strange feeling very euphoric indeed and that was that dream. I will later talk more about his coming down to earth on the 2nd advent dressed in saffron which is mentioned in hadith and once relayed a meaning of a dream of a Shaykh Nazim mureed who saw this more to follow....