Sufi Soul: A documentary offered in Love for your enjoyment.

[SageTree]

Hello Friends,

I wish to share a documentary I watched a while ago.
I'd be interested to hear people's comments and opinions.
This isn't the 'debate' section, so I hope we can more or less express ourselves and perhaps go so far as to lightly comment on parts of others' posts.

What put in on my mind is that tonight my Wife and I are going to the Sufi Centre here in Toronto to have an evening with the Dervishes, the music and watching them join with the whirl of the Cosmos.


Caution:

Don't be turned off by the opening scenes please. It's not as bad as it looks. Opening with an explosion was not THE most enticing start...

However..

This is one seriously awesome documentary about spirituality and music.... not that they are separate by any means....

So be patient please and bear with the beginning, it's part of the point/contrast, I feel.

Google:

Sufi.Soul Documentary

Youtube playlist in 5 parts:

Part 1:

[youtube]ha0T5Vro6_w[/youtube]
Sufi.Soul.Channel4.Documentary part 1 - YouTube

The film follows William Dalrymple’s personal journey into the mystical and musical side of Islam as he charts traditions of Sufi music in Syria, Turkey, Pakistan, India and Morocco.

With a dogmatic and fundamentalist view of Muslims increasingly predominant in the Western media, there has never been a more important time to show an alternative view of Islam. Sufism is the mystical dimension of Islam that preaches peace, tolerance and pluralism, while encouraging music as a way of deepening one’s relationship with God. This documentary explores Sufism and its music in different parts of the Islamic world, including Syria, Turkey, Pakistan and Morocco.

Sufi Soul reveals the views and beliefs of devotees while examining the growing threat from fundamentalist Islam and showcasing fantastic performances from some of the world’s greatest Sufi musicians.

As Muslim extremists dominate the headlines, writer and historian William Dalrymple explores an altogether different side of Islam. Sufi Soul – the Mystic Music of Islam, follows Dalrymple on a personal journey into the mystical and musical side of Islam as he charts the traditions of Sufi music in Syria, Turkey, Pakistan, India and Morocco.

For 1400 hundred years there has been a debate within Islam between liberal Sufi and orthodox approaches. For millions of Sufi followers worldwide, music is at the heart of their tradition; a crucial vehicle for getting closer to God. This is at direct odds with fundamentalist Islam which either disapproves of music or, at its most extreme, thinks it should be banned. This has led to varying degrees of Sufi persecution by fellow Muslims over the centuries.

Taking many different forms across the Islamic world - from the Whirling Dervishes of Turkey to the Qawwali music of Pakistan or the latest Grammy-winning CD by Youssou N’Dour - Sufism has produced some of the world’s most spectacular and inspirational music celebrated by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Exactly where and when Sufism began is difficult to say, but it’s often forgotten that Islam and Christianity have shared roots in the Middle East. Dalrymple’s film traces this common history, and discovers Sufism to be a peaceful, tolerant and pluralistic bulwark against fundamentalism.

Sufi Soul shows the music in its authentic, live setting in Sufi shrines and meeting places across the Islamic world, but also how it’s a part of popular culture. In Pakistan it features the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, his nephew Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, the extraordinary Sufi troubadour Sain Zahoor and Pakistan’s most popular pop group Junoon. In Turkey there’s ney player Kudsi Erguner, Whirling Dervishes from Istanbul and the club-Sufi Mercan Dede. Dalyrmple also charts the worldwide impact of Rumi, the 13th century Sufi mystic who was – perhaps surprisingly - the best-selling poet in America in the 1990s. The film closes in Morocco at the Fes Festival of Sacred Music where the ideals of Sufism are extended to embrace faiths worldwide. The Senegalese star Youssou N’Dour performs a song celebrating one of the Sufi saints of Fes. “Before the recent problems, for the majority of Muslims Islam was always a religion of peace and tolerance. I believe music can correct the image of Islam”.

May you enjoy it and experience it fully and deeply in your Heart.


-The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me-

:namaste
SageTree

 

[SageTree]

(inside voice)
** Wonders what you have to do to get a reply around here??**



YOU ARE ALL WRONG!!!! EVERYONE ON RF IS WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING!!!!!!


(inside voice)
**OK.... lets see how that works**

 

[Bob Dixon]

YOU ARE ALL WRONG!!!! EVERYONE ON RF IS WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING!!!!!!

No. You are wrong. How dare you insult me like that.

 

[YmirGF]

Bookmarked it, Sagetree. I'll watch it tonight and will offer a few comments in the morning.

 

[SageTree]

Bookmarked it, Sagetree. I'll watch it tonight and will offer a few comments in the morning.

Thanks, Brother.

Fair warning though.

Other than the beginning which might leave you wondering for a second why I recommended this, you might also want to watch this and see if you feel like there is any likenesses between this and the host of the doc. LOL

[youtube]Cn8Pua5rhj4[/youtube]
Monty Python - Whicker Island - YouTube

It's not annoying or anything, actually, it's a little funny.


Good sound track! A good movie for a Saturday night!

Hope you end up dancing a bit! WOOP WOOP!!!

:namaste
SageTree

 

[SageTree]

No. You are wrong. How dare you insult me like that.

That's what I'M saying maaaan!!!

 

[SageTree]

Bump for love!

 

[YmirGF]

Bump for love!

Sorry, I got as far as the five minute mark and thought it was about as interesting as watching paint peel. I'll give it a go again tonight. Maybe it was just my mood, LOL.

 

[SageTree]

Sorry, I got as far as the five minute mark and thought it was about as interesting as watching paint peel. I'll give it a go again tonight. Maybe it was just my mood, LOL.

I won't take it personally

That 'world in chaos'/'typical western view of Islam' portion is the first several minutes... after that I think the philosophy and music really kick in.

Hope tonight is your night

But I'm also open to the fact that A. It's not your thing B. It's a bad documentary C. I'm infatuated with Sufism




Have a good evening, and no pressure if you don't get to it tonight or ever!

I'll be away from Wednesday night to Sunday, so if you still want to watch it take your time and enjoy in of your own terms.
I'll be back in town in a few days.

Off to Maine for that job interview w/ my Wife.
Think positive for us

:namaste
SageTree