Ishaq with sons Dan and Shems at Sladden Park, Eugene

Dear Friends in Heart,
As I contemplate what to say about my friend Ishaq at the close of our time on earth together, I wanted to write less of the Sufi teacher who inspired and guided his students, but more about the human being which I had come to know over many years: friend, parent, neighbor, colleague, musician.

And yet the sufi teacher which Ishaq embodied shines out as the driving passion of his life on earth. All the qualities that sometimes made earthly life difficult for him were servants to his unwavering realization of the Reality. He stubbornly refused to be anyone else. He exemplifies the teachings on single mindedness. The
passing hot topics of the day did not interest him much-the political landscape, emotional tides of interest did not move him. His intelligence and talents were focused on the gathering of lovers to experience the unity of all souls.

He served like a court musician, like the Ghandarvas of the court of Indra and his realization of that realm was so strong, it seems to me that his life energy focused on manifesting that beautiful makaam where ever possible-from his living room with crying twin babies to a hot springs in the wild to the Oregon Country Fair.

Again, this quality could seem like an amazing manifestation of clarity of purpose or a real pain in the patoot depending on the circumstances. In our younger days, the playful Krishna quality he possessed so abundantly, especially when we were having meetings,
could erupt during our "serious" issues and derail the proceedings.

I sometimes had to separate him from other like minded "trouble makers!" This might be news to you who experienced his skillful leadership running meetings either with the Red Cross or the board of NWSC.

This may be because he had a living realization that this life is passing and we will be giving everything back really very soon. Just what is there that we should take seriously?

Another example: Salik and I asked Ishaq to come up to officiate at our wedding. He arrived, wildly decorated guitar case in hand, and performed the ceremony in stocking feet, stopping the ceremony in the middle to sing us a "surprise" gift of a song with words of Rumi: "
this love between us has no beginning and no end." Our friends from Singapore and Yugoslavia were a little confused about this "priest."

Charming or irritating? Simply Ishaq.

Ishaq manifested a very clear vision of what constituted spiritual practice. His dance leading in particular in Eugene in the 70's and 80's when we were living as neighbors, always focused on the basics-rhythm, melody, movements and most of all, transmission. He had less to say about what one might feel or think or imagine about the
spiritual content or historical context of the dances and far more actual practice of the basic elements by which the dances transform our being-again this could be irritating or enlightening depending on your state. Practicing a melody over and over until everyone got it could take a really long time some nights! For me he provided a very
high bar in spiritual dance leadership and the legacy of this training and attunement has spread to those who don't even know his name. He was one of the very first leaders in the West of the moving, melodically harmonizing zikrs which many mureeds think are traditional. Yet in our lifetime Ishaq is someone who helped create and expand that practice.

Though there is a great deal more I could write, I do want to say that there was/is one area of human life that I know he found wonderful and that kept him on the earth for many years beyond what is health might have allowed: love of his children. To ask about "the kids" was to see his face light up with joy. He knew that his children are the best, most fabulous, capable of anything. He was proud of everything they did and I experienced his love for them as
unconditional. My feeling is that if he could not give them everything money could buy, he did give them what no treasury on earth can purchase.

It seems to me that Ishaq's soul was a bridge between the past of the realized masters and the present day. Our zikrs together in Eugene were some of the highest and deepest journeys I've experienced. He told me twice that what he wanted when he passed was 24 hour zikr-which I know his mureeds and friends are just naturally taking up as
they remember him.

I'll end this with a piece of a letter he sent out in 1999 in response to some kefluffle we were "seriously" all involved in:(which I can't even remember at this time:>)
"When you were initiated those many years ago , you were not initiated into an organization. You were hooked up and linked with the illuminated souls, with the pirs and murshids of all the Sufi orders. A door was opened and a connection was made to the Living Light. A world of potentiality was opened.

Let go of what leaves you stuck, leaves you dissatisfied.

Our spiritual connection is not based on an organization. I know that the spiritual hierarchy is a reality and it is not bound by man or woman made rules. If the Hierarchy is more real than creation itself, how can it be hedged in by limitations of an organization?
I believe five minutes of deep prayer is worth a lifetime of feeling tortured by organizational issues."

As he often said "above the heaven of Ishaq (laughter) is a gate that reads : 'abandon tension all ye who enter.' But don't get stuck there in that state."

And in closing, I wish to express my deep and personal gratitude to Anna Armaiti, Ishaq's partner, who kept him healthy and with us for much longer than might otherwise have been so. To the Eugene community and Ishaq's students, may your hearts be filled with the music of the spheres for I believe there you will find the living presence of our friend and your sheikh.

Love,
Majida Inayat Nelson