“The shaikh said, ‘The Caliph has forbidden the Sema.’ This prohibition turned into a knot within a certain dervish. He fell ill and they took him to a specialist. He examined his pulse and looked for the cause of illness. It was like nothing he had ever learned about. He couldn’t find anything wrong…”— Shams Tabrizi, sufism.org
“Sema is permitted for the pure servants of God, because their hearts are clean. They love for the sake of God, and their anger is for God; their hearts are strong. If my swearing and shouting ever reaches the ears of a hundred-year-old unbeliever, he turns into a believer. If they lightly touch the…”— Shams Tabrizi, sufism.org
“In my dream I had told you, when my chest and his joint together, this becomes his rank. He had seen lots of dreams before this one, too. In the end he leaves as one in submission (muslim) and freedom. If Muhammad had not prayed for his community, if he had not begged, ‘O Great God, show my people t…”— Shams Tabrizi, sufism.org
“In the people of God, these manifestations and visions are more common during the Sema, when they have passed beyond their usual universe of existence. Sema carries them out of other universes to the Truth. It is true that there is a kind of Sema that is forbidden; but it is blasphemy to say that th…”— Shams Tabrizi, sufism.org
“The first effect on someone who finds his way to our gatherings is that he will chill; he’ll lose interest in the conversations of others. He may not only become cool to their conversations; he cannot even join them. Some of our friends find their joy in cannabis. This is the fantasy of the devil. H…”— Shams Tabrizi, sufism.org
“Don’t be hurt if I speak straightforwardly with my friends. I gave my word not to be hypocritical. Because you couldn’t wait for the word I wanted to say, it was lost. No other words come to mind. If you have something to say, wait until I have finished speaking. These dervish conversations are subt…”— Shams Tabrizi, sufism.org
“I begin in the name of God, the infinitely Compassionate and Merciful, and I ask His help. This book was gathered from the words of the beloved Mevlana Shamsuddin Tabrizi, the Sultan of those who have attained. May God not deprive us of his abundant blessings.”— Shams Tabrizi, sufism.org