Sufism and Jewish Mysticism | A Brief History of Inter-Religious Infatuation

A Journey across centuries and continents, tracing the relationship between Muslims and Jews through their shared mystical practices, beliefs and texts.
Exploring the moments in history of fruitful interaction between Sufism (Islamic Mysticism) and Jewish Mysticism (Pietism, Kabbalah and Hasidut).
00:00 - Intro
02:52 - 11th Century Spain | Bahya ibn Pakuda: Duties of the Heart
05:26 - 13th Century Egypt | Abraham Maimonides: Egyptian Pietism
10:22 - 16th Century Israel | The Kabbalah of Safed
11:17 - 18th Century Eastern Europe | Hasidism
If there are any Sufis or students of Sufism out there who are keen to collab and come on the channel, please please please let me know.
Please do Subscribe if you dig this kinda content. #ProjectUnity
Thank you to / bimbam for the animations.
Sources and Further Reading:
“Judaism and Sufism”, Paul Fenton, in The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Jewish Philosophy
A Sufi-Jewish Dialogue, Philosophy and Mysticism in Bahya ibn Paquda's "Duties of the Heart", Diana Lobel
Between Mysticism and Philosophy: Sufi Language of Religious Experience in Judah Ha-Levi's Kuzari, Diana Lobel
Jewish Mystical Leaders of the 13th Century, Paul Fenton
Judaism, Sufism, and the Pietists of Medieval Egypt A Study of Abraham Maimonides and His Times, Elisha Russ-Fishbane
Shalom/Salaam: A Story of a Mystical Fraternity, Thomas Block
Sufism and Jewish-Muslim Relations, Yafia Katherine Randall
Treatise of the Pool, Obadyah Maimonides, translated and introduced by Paul Fenton
“How small is your [conception of] God, if it can't include the beauty of the Muslim, the Jew and the Christian.”
If you’d like to stalk me
facebook: / seekersofunity
instagram: / seekersofunity
twitter: / seekersofu
podcast: anchor.fm/seekersofunity
website: www.seekersofunity.com

[@SeekersofUnity]

Watch Part 2. A Hasidic Jew explores Sufi Islam: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4e1aIN3a7uCsJY

[@SeekersofUnity]

@Sade Diderot Indeed. Thank you.

[@SeekersofUnity]

That is really beautiful. To be inspired by the faith of another. Unfortunately i don't know much about Muslim/Christian interfaith marriage or any suitable Muslim bachelors/bachelorettes. May G-d guide you in all that you need, with ease and may your life be filled with a flowing river of peace and love.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you friend. Inshallah.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you.

[@SeekersofUnity]

@@moharoxx3342 Eat healthy and try watering it every night. JK

[@jonathancrossley7829]

“All mystics speak the same language, for they come from the same country“ Big fan! Keep up the content. I was curious who you were planning on covering in upcoming videos

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you so much 😊

[@Ben-jd6mu]

13:31 The single most powerful line I've heard on KZbin. I received chills when I heard this.

[@justinallen3503]

True mysticism. Enjoyed the video. One reality different perspectives. Not enough people talking about the similarities within all mystic pathways.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you. Spot on. Who/what u into?

[@brooks2112a]

I loved your ending words. Well said and so true!

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Andie

[@Bildgesmythe]

So many beautiful quotes in this video, thank you!

[@chelseacollins3782]

Wow, I am very grateful to have found your channel. Thank you!

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you. I'm so glad you found it ☺️

[@narkisslayla888]

todah rabah / shukrun khtir for sharing. a beautiful synthesis of ideas and message for unity. grateful to have come across your content.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Liorah Shoshana for your kind words. We’re glad you found us.

[@EsotericMysticPortal93]

Enjoyed this fascinating, informative history of sufism and Jewish mysticism interaction. Thanks for the list of sources !

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you so much. I'm really glad you enjoyed. It's so nice to get such sweet messages at a time like this. Thank you.

[@ww-bp9el]

Yes right! my brother! Love will be known!

[@johnperkins6550]

Awesome video! What a service to humanity!!

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you John 🙏🏻

[@justinbirkholz7814]

You reminded me of this William James quote at the end: "Any God who, on the one hand, can care to keep a pedantically minute account of individual shortcomings, and on the other can feel such partialities, and load particular creatures with such insipid marks of favor, is too small-minded a God for our credence."

[@SeekersofUnity]

Love that quote and love William James. Thanks so much for sharing that.

[@justinbirkholz7814]

@@SeekersofUnity Isn't he just the best? I wish his 'Varieties' was required reading for every human being. It's definitely one of my top 5 favorite non-fiction books.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Yes 100%. What are the other four?

[@justinbirkholz7814]

@@SeekersofUnity hmm it is always so hard to narrow it down because there are just so many great books but... The Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by Mahendranath Gupta (Foreword by Huxley and edited by Joseph Campbell!) The Wisdom of Man by M.R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Pathways to Joy by Vivekananda Edited by Dave DeLuca

[@SeekersofUnity]

Very very cool. Imma check those out 😉🙏🏼

[@donnilurman8276]

Beautiful and moving conclusion. Thank you

[@georgerichardson7560]

That was both informative and moving Thanks for posting :)

[@SeekersofUnity]

You’re most welcome. Thank you for watching and sharing 🙏🏼

[@RobinTurner]

Insightful and timely - thank you!

[@TorahforAll]

Fantastic video, Im learning about sufism, thanks for your work.

[@SeekersofUnity]

You're most welcome.

[@BLOOMwithANSA]

Beautiful. Thank you. It was a much-needed piece.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you for bringing the light :)

[@sarouforest]

Barakallahufik brother ❤

[@mohsinafzaal7550]

Such an awesome video….. I am thankful to Filip Holm for introducing me to you Sir…. I loved the way you have ended this video…..❤️

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Brother Mohsin. I’m deeply grateful to Brother Filip for sending you this way. We need you. We need to unite to heal this hurting world. With love, Zevi

[@mohsinafzaal7550]

@@SeekersofUnity agreed with you 100%…keep up the good work…..I am with you dear brother ❤️

[@mironalexandra4602]

brilliant ending! thank you 🙏

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Miron 🙏🏼

[@vampireducks1622]

This was really beautiful.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Vampire. Welcome to the channel 🙏🏼 (I couldn’t see your first comment)

[@lcfatima]

This was fantastic!

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you so much Fatima 🙏

[@ChadReiser]

I would be interested in seeing mystical overlaps with Zoroastrianism and Vedic traditions as well. It would be interesting to chart themes from one to the next over time.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Mmm absolutely.

[@PoliticalFuturism]

Very cool video! Nice work, very informative

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Will 🙏🏼

[@PoliticalFuturism]

@@SeekersofUnity I should also mention - I discovered your channel through Lets Talk Religion. And I'm now a subscriber :)

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you so much for joining. Filip is a great friend and colleague, it’s a pleasure to be working alongside him.

[@arturovillalobos336]

Thank you again for this precious video, totally agree with your perspective (13:45); I recommend checking the book of Rab. Sacks "Not in the name of G-d".

[@SeekersofUnity]

You’re most welcome.

[@asangelasme1]

Thank you for your teachings. Very helpful for me to find the right path.

[@SeekersofUnity]

You’re most welcome dear Maggie. Glad we could serve. With love.

[@Thebusysuperhuman]

Great informative video as usual

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you busy super man 🙏🏼

[@crazyc99]

Just BEAUTIFUL

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you 😊

[@talhasaad6970]

Beautiful

[@SeekersofUnity]

☺️🙏🏼

[@michaelpaysden4614]

Moving... Beautiful... Thank you...

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you

[@akangmalik]

assalamu alaykum bro. would love to see second video on this. Can you discuss Abraham Abulafia's mediation and zikr? He was certainly aware of it. Or relation between the Kabbalistic tree and ibn Arabi's metaphysics. I doubt there was any direct sufi influence on Hasidic thought (except few stories) Chabad Lubavitch does not talk about "bitul" concept much and it seems to go against their understanding of the self.

[@akangmalik]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jajEiZyrp5h6gZo This popular nigun is about a sufi sheikh, but most people have no idea who imam Shamil is! Talk about the ironies of history.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Alaykum salam brother. I hope to cover some of the things you've mentioned here in the follow up vid which should come out soon, Inshallah. Just waiting on some technical difficulties.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Yes indeed, and what a beautiful nigun it is 😍 we can say thank you to the Sufis for this one as we begin to uncover the unique relationship between these two beautiful traditions.

[@akangmalik]

@@SeekersofUnity cant wait to see it!

[@jedimmj11]

Chabad doesn't talk much about bitul in it's outreach work, but within the movement and in its holy texts it is given a great deal of attention kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIW7ioWZfsiAasU

[@Salim_Maliki]

Very interesting Video

[@SeekersofUnity]

Glad you think so. Thanks.

[@demiansolis]

Very interesting video. I loved you last reflection: you must be a very insecure person about your spirituality to not see the beauty of other spiritual traditions. I share the same opinion. In my spiritual journey I have studied different spiritual traditions, including sufism. In the end I inclined towards Kabalah, but I still find sufism very beautiful. I don't know many Muslims, but I understand that sufism was been under attack by the most intolerant orthodox branches of Islam along its history. I am loving your channel. Congrats.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Daniel, you're a kindred spirit, good to have you here.

[@PyroNexus22]

Interesting channel, will subscribe

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thanks 🙏🏻☺️

[@michaelmorris5755]

Interesting

[@michaelmorris5755]

Rabbi Abraham son of Maimonedes- I didn't know all this

[@Nurse_Traveler]

I liked the quote that you had at the end of your description. Where is it from?

[@SeekersofUnity]

Yours truly ☺️

[@nazareth.r9440]

Very good video...May ALLAH(GOD) bless your efforts to see common ground between faiths 🍂

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you brother ☺️🙏🏼

[@hayyimrothman8244]

You mention the tekke in Tsfat. You might be interested to know that in Yosef Karo's Maggid Mesharim he reports visiting it and his experience there. So, the kabbalists of Tsfat were very aware of the sufi community and there was at least some exchange.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Oh wow that’s awesome. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I most definitely would have added that had i have known.

[@whoisender]

🌹

[@DG3K]

Good content. Are you familiar with the teachings of Gurdjieff?

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you. Sure, the Fourth Way. Why do you ask?

[@DG3K]

Seekers of Unity wondering what’s your take on it.. whether it’s something to follow or worth keeping in mind? I’m aware his work is often very hard to understand and confusing lol

[@SeekersofUnity]

1) Far be it from me to instruct anyone else on their journey. 2) There's definitely a conversation to be had here, to understand some more where you're at and what you're into before i can do your question any justice. Having said that, i think Gurdjieff is cool, creative, erratic and original in ways, but... he doesn't tickle my particularly pickled needs in a mystic, and I don't count him amounts my canonical mystics whom I've learned to trust, love and rely upon, i see GG as more of a quirky curiosity that doesn't demand upon me the need to get to know his mind, but.. if you do feel that way, i can recommend reaching him via Colin Wilson (who i think expresses the essence of GG with less antics and more lucidity) who wrote on GG. And the brilliant short essay on GG in The Cambridge Handbook to Western Mysticism and Esotericism, i can look up the author when I'm back at my computer. Much love. Hope that helped. Would love to hear your story. ♥️

[@essidmedamine8130]

very easy , the fact that speculative alchimy witch is the corner stone of kabbalah and sufism make the connection beteween so called "islamic hermetism" or sufism and kabbalah very eye catching !! both are a just soup of gnosis , speculative alchimy , hermetism and neoplatonisism with a varnish of abrahimic monotheism

[@elusiveeagle8597]

Brother, may i ask if you know of Zalman Schachter-Shalomi?

[@SeekersofUnity]

Oh course, a holy brother whose footsteps loom on the horizon of this project.

[@elusiveeagle8597]

@@SeekersofUnity I asked because you seem to be looking for genuine Sufis. Brother Zalman was initiated into a genuine Sufi order, that of the Inayttis. One of the offspring of that union of two mystical streams, is the Inayatti Maymoni order. There's a book on that theme called 'When oceans merge', By Gregory Blann

[@SeekersofUnity]

Oh Yes, I'd really love to get in touch with that Sufi/Jewish order.

[@elusiveeagle8597]

@@SeekersofUnity it should be easy to contact them in this day and age, and i hope you do! Peace!

[@yosefzee7605]

As far as borrowing theories, I believe our tradition as being sufficiently rich as not to have need and alien import... and so the stoicism -hishtavus- advocated by Bahyah has early historical precedent even in Talmudic sources. if one thinks of Judaism as the “prophetic primordial” religion then it well maybe that the influence went the other way, as indicated by Rabbeinu Abraham ibn Maimon. I don’t understand though, how the very rich and indeed universalist mysticism of Bayaha -of Judaism- ever evolved and convoluted into that exclusivist ethnocentric and racist wild insobriety that is Chabad Chassidus and it’s Tanya... but that’s for a different day... Love your stuff!

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thanks brother. I don't think it's an 'either/or' solution when it comes to the question of external influence vs internal/independent origination. I think that as with any complex issue there are a plethora of causes and influences and intricate inner and inter-actions at play. And just because, for example an idea can be found within a traditions own sources, does not mean it that the idea was 'active' or influential at that particular moment in later history. It's for that reason that i only venture modest claims, shrouded by caveats, and try find actual sources and quotations to an 'outside' tradition before making any such claim. Oof tho brother, i'm a Chabad Chasid and grew up on Tanya and other sacred, if flawed, texts from my beloved, divinely intoxicated lineage. We may have to talk about this another day. With love, Zevi

[@time4099]

I'd like to. Know your opinions on the sufi Naqshiband and Imami Rabbani

[@SeekersofUnity]

Hey Ezra. To my chagrin, I don't know Sufism intimately enough to comment on specific orders and Imams, but from what I've seen they seem pretty legit.

[@zakikhan814]

theres gotta be a balance between dunya and religion. Dunya (arabic for this worldly life); ppl wud neglect dunya in search of truth to the point of harm, whether to oneself or one's own family due to the neglect (almost radicalism). Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) focused on moderation as in his time there were ppl trying to compete with him in which he explained that they were doing more harm than good due to their neglect of either their families or themselves (health). The struggle in this life is this Balance . Sufism in islam is playing with this fire to many muslims, yet if harnessed can be very beneficial. Knowledge is power, and even rank within monotheistic religions, yet without application can be not only a waste, but possibly even detrimental as there r individuals that withhold knowledge and may suffer punishment from such. Personally, i feel both jewish and islamic mysticism focuses on the death of one's own ego and being receptive to what god gives us including his signs.

[@michaelmorris5755]

The Egyptian pietists

[@abdulaleem9207]

i always thought that judaism is more exoteric and law oriented and christianity is esoteric/mystic. interesting to know about kabbalists.

[@ChabadSociologist]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@yosefzee7605]

Interesting that rabbeinu Bachya quotes and reverentially refers to sadyah Goan as “our master”.. Saadia was of course an ardent religious rationalist, with no affinity (so far as anyone can tell) for mysticism. The quote at 4:42 is from a well known Hadith about muhamad I believe.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Yes interesting. But i don't think the 'rationalism' of a religious thinker precludes them from being quoted with adoration by later mystical thinkers, take Maimonides and R' Avraham Abulafia or the dozen other mystics who quote him adoringly. Thanks for that observation at 4:42.

[@yosefzee7605]

@@SeekersofUnity are you familiar with work of menahem kellner?

[@SeekersofUnity]

Yes. I'm not saying that Maimonidies was a mystic though. I'm merely saying that being a 'rationalist' doesn't preclude one from be co-opted by later mystics as one of their own. Check out Idel on Maimondies for a bit of a fuller picture perhaps than Kellner provides.

[@yosefzee7605]

@@SeekersofUnity agreed. Which book?

[@SeekersofUnity]

Idel: _Some Images of Maimonides in Jewish Mysticism,_ Studia Judaica 17, 2009. _Maimonides’ Guide of the Perplexed and the Kabbalah,_ Jewish History 18: 197-226, 2004: www.zefat.ac.il/media/3414/maimonides_guide_of_the_perplexed_and_t.pdf _Maimonides from Mysticism to Skepticism,_ KZbin, 2017: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGbHg2Cgj5qMjZY _Maimonides and Kabbalah,_ Studies in Maimonides, 1990. Idel is bomb imho.

[@ganjaericco]

Oh, I feel kinda bad asking you if you are Jewish in your latest video now. I have some respect for Sufism. What do you think about the antisemitism within Islam? I find Sufism much more accepting overall over other sects of Islam, but they can't escape the hate of Judaism (and other religions) within the Quran and Hadiths. You say it's blamed on God, but what could be done to resolve these differences within the religious scriptures themselves?

[@SeekersofUnity]

Haha no problem. The question of hatred within religion is a serious one and one that much be addressed and thought about. However, this applies to all religions and religious scriptures and not just Islam. Based on my small understanding of the relationship between religious scriptures and their lived religious communities, I don't believe that the text, as it is, is the final arbiter of anything. Humans read, understand, translate, interpret, select and teach texts with themselves as the medium and conduit to extract meaning from the otherwise inert text. The same stands true for religious texts and religious readers. I think therefore the way forward is not to attemp to change the text, which almost certainly won't work, but to change ourselves and by extension, the way we read our sacred texts. May it be G-d's will that we only read texts held as holy, in a way that champions love, unity, peace, understanding, tenderness and compassion. And then they shall be truly Holy. Amen.

[@ruthgoldbergives6945]

I wonder who is behind this? Which Senatorial Committee? Which congressional Committee? It all leads back to which Bill they are trying to pass. It all leads back to government contracts which the poor never get to benefit from or profit from. This scene which endangered both men, started as a thought in the mind of United States Senators and United States Congressmen. No wife or mother wants her husband or her father or her son or any of her male relatives abused like this. Sincerely, gospelgirl🌸 Sincerely, gospelgirl🌸

[@wahidazal]

Just remember, and as several scholars have proven (such as Wasserstrom, Idel, et al), the sephirotic Kabbalah derives its theoretical inspiration and influence from Islamic Neoplatonism (especially the cosmologies of al-Farabi and his students) and has no pedigree before the 9th-10th centuries CE since before this period Jewish mysticism is the Hekhalot and not the sephirotic Kabbalah. It was the circle of Saadia ben Gaon in Baghdad who is credited by Wasserstrom for spawning the Sefer Yetzirah itself.

[@wahidazal]

And according to Wasserstrom the Sefer Yetzirah is actually hebrewfied from the Arabic translation of a 2nd-3rd century CE Greek text attributed originally to Apolonius of Tyana whose Arabic title is the Sirr al-Khala'iqa (the secrets of creation).

[@SeekersofUnity]

Is this in Wasserstrom's Between Muslim and Jew: The Problem of Symbiosis under Early Islam?

[@youtubedeletestomanyaccoun4247]

I want you to host a passover dinner

[@SeekersofUnity]

With pleasure.

[@annekaltschmidt135]

Are you kidding me!? :D

[@SeekersofUnity]

Made this one just for u 😉😋

[@yosefzee7605]

How does someone from tei-mchei te-mim become so well read?

[@SeekersofUnity]

They didn't have you reading Avrohom ben HaRambam's _Hamaspic_ and _Chovos HaL'vovos_ during seder nigleh? Lol truth be told the first book i read outside of Kehos or Oz v'Hodor was R' Avrohom Yeshua Heshel, _Someone in Search of Someone or Something_ and he turned me on to a whole new world. They really were right to be strict about what we were reading.

[@yosefzee7605]

@@SeekersofUnity I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure you better for it. In fact with those first two, anyone would be. It boggles the mind why it’s not part of the curriculum. In the litvish world, they both are.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thanks. Ya it's a real shame.

[@Radknafeh]

Sufi has a long history in Palestine. There many Sufi shrines in 48 land in Palestine as well as in 67 land. Even today here in Nablus there are a lot of Sufis. I don’t completely agree that Judaism influenced Sufism but there are just basic principles that we have in common in abrahamic monotheism. Unlike the Christians, with all due respect to them, they don’t exactly practice monotheism.

[@Freddy-Zamora-MX]

The audio is very low.

[@SeekersofUnity]

It improves as the videos go on.

[@Freddy-Zamora-MX]

@@SeekersofUnity indeed, I realized that later on, thanks.

[@zevilover3591]

so what does that actually mean?🤔

[@yosefzee7605]

Actually interesting that he (Bahyah) makes the point in saying that the trait of true altruism is only specific to the almighty, where as ALL human beings find it almost impossible to transcend. Now contrast that with the insane convoluted theory put forward by the Tanya , that only jews can behave unselfishly whereas ( the supposed) evil souls of the gentiles are “metaphysically handicapped” from doing so.

[@SeekersofUnity]

We'll have to talk about this.

[@yosefzee7605]

@@SeekersofUnity there no talking about it. your universalist proclivity is despite it...You ll realize it one day.

[@SeekersofUnity]

I'm your ally in this cause. Trust me. Just trying to see if i can work from the inside. Where lasting change usually takes place from.

[@1995yuda]

Don't be so quick to conclude because there is danger in that far more than you would like to believe... You might end up living your life thinking you are walking in God's path but you are not. A quick tip for the true seeker: The core of each spiritual path, tradition, religion and so on, the very heart and soul of it, which functions as the Catalyst for that path, is the Mystical aspect of it, and the end goal of that mysticism. And so, if one wishes to know where will the path he follows leads to, he will get his answer there... For example, the path of the Torah, of Moses and of the Hebrew God is not that of a Unitive mystical experience. As is written in the Torah, the Hebrew God will meet His true seekers "Face to Face" and not "Unite" with them at all, quite the opposite truly... If you are a follower of the Hebrew God beware the words of the Sly Serpent, "you will be like God", for if you aim to be united with God, that is precisely that which the Serpent had offered...

[@SeekersofUnity]

Hmmm, i take it you reject Kabbalah and Chassidut as authentic parts of Judaism then?

[@1995yuda]

@@SeekersofUnity Achi, this is about God and His Torah, not about me and what I accept or reject. The end result of the Kabbalah you speak of, and that of the Chasidic movement you refer to and its teachings, is a mystical experience that is the polar opposite(!) of the Numinous mystical experience described in the Torah. Is that not a big, red warning sign to you ? As a true seeker of the Hebrew God ?

[@SeekersofUnity]

I'd love to see the description(s) of that experience.

[@rmk2879]

Sin - consists evil, crime - is universal problem, is ubiquitous. Humanity contaminated by sin. Sin in us by default, not learnt, not taught. Sin manifests in many forms. Sin is the opium. The origin of sin is unanswered. Sin is pre-existing in all. Nobody taught us to sin. Sin pre-dates The Bible. The Bible explains origins of sin. The Bible provides remedy for pre-existing sin, through Jesus Christ death and resurrection. The Bible is best selling book in the world for this reason. Sin is real, The Bible is relevant. Sin is born at every child birth. Sin is disease of heart, and Jesus Christ is the cure. Satan is the enemy, came to steal, kill and destroy. Misleads us to blame good loving God. God is not the author of evil. Media, Police, Defense, Judiciary, Penitentiary, Security, Contracts confirm sin exists. The origins of life, natural laws, sin, morals, purpose, meaning, conscience, music, creativity, intelligence, beauty, color, nature, water, air, light and amalgamation, remain unevidenced - elsewhere. God created universe, placed natural laws, made man in His image, gave talents, instructed man to multiply and explore - The Initiation of Science. Science is the legitimate child of natural laws. We are made with good purpose and meaning. We are good. Then sin entered and we all fallen. Disease, despair, deformities, deficiencies, depression, stress, guilt, greed, hate, anger, rebellious spirit, spiritual death entered. Sin plays spoilsport. Unloose the Soul from the tight knot of sin. Soul outlasts death. Sinners cannot save themselves from sin. Jesus Christ, the Holy God, intervened, willingly died on The Cross and resurrected, for remmissions of our sins, to save us from sin and hell. We are weak at the core, however we try to portray otherwise. We need Holy God's help, who is willing to help with open arms. Unable to find any motive any reason for Jesus Christ to die willingly on Cross and resurrect - except His love to save us from pre-existing sin and hell. Nobody died for our sins and resurrected - except Jesus Christ. Exclusivity. Jesus Christ claimed: "I am The Way, The Truth and The Life". "I am The Resurrection and The Life". "I am The Good Shepherd". Jesus Christ has the authority to forgive sins. Religion says "Do". Jesus Christ says "Done". Religion is man attempts to 'search gods'. Jesus Christ came from heaven in 'search of man'. Salvation from sin and hell is not earned through works or deeds or pilgrimages or rituals or ceremonies or traditions or cultures or meditations or public displays or making personal sacrifices or making animal sacrifices. Salvation from sin and hell is free, but not cheap. Because Jesus Christ laid His life on The Cross, and resurrected. God loves the sinner, but hates the sin. Just like a mother loves child, but hates disease in child. We are saved by God's grace, not by our works. Karma is getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we don't deserve. Only Grace can be pre-fixed with Amazing. Amazing Grace. Karma is not Amazing. GRACE: Getting what we don't deserve - i.e. forgiveness of sin, eternity in heaven through Jesus Christ. MERCY: Not getting what we deserve - i.e. punishment of sin, separation from God, eternity in hell. God offers grace and mercy for free through Jesus Christ death and resurrection. Jesus Christ suffered, ridiculed, spat-on, humiliated, crucified on The Cross, and therefore He understands our pain. He raised victorious, we will too. Those who endure till end are victorious. Jesus Christ coming again to judge all. The doors will be closed. Jesus Christ reveals every mystery, answers every question. He is The Alpha and The Omega. He judges everyone. One day every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The First Coming of Jesus Christ - He is Lamb, slaughtered for remission of sins to save us from sin and hell. And resurrected. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ - He will be Lion, The Judge. The Lion and The Lamb. Jesus Christ forgave all who crucified Him, and now forgives all, even who reject, ridicule and mock Him. He loves all unconditionally. Believe, trust, repent of pre-existing sin in Jesus Christ that He died for remission of our sins and resurrected, and coming back to judge, accept Him as Lord and Saviour, and be saved from sin and hell. Any time, any where. Even now. Simple. Nothing to lose, everything to gain. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. I found God loved me regardless of sins, weaknesses and rejections by others. As sinner I cannot save myself through deeds. He believed me and has faith in me. God loves you all, individually. (My journey to life journal - after testing all 'isms' and religions, after failing to find origins, purpose and meaning of life, after swallowing pride, egos, anger, hate.)

[@SeekersofUnity]

Amen

[@mido3ontheway]

I'm truly surprised that you claim that Kabbalah influenced Sufism and not the other way around when it's very HISTORICALLY apparent that it was the exact opposite. Classic. Lol

[@SeekersofUnity]

Turns out it they both influenced each other. History is funky like that.

[@mido3ontheway]

@@SeekersofUnity Well, I don't think so. It doesn't even need a debate. We'll let the watchers do a few seconds worth of research to find out which one was there first.

[@SeekersofUnity]

🙏🏼

[@Raised_by_God]

Jesus is the Lord! Amen! Hallelujah!!!

[@BuddyGreenbloom]

Amen!

[@SorayaAzizSouleymane]

"Let's talk religion" 🫱🏿‍🫲🏾🫶🏾