Noor-un-nisa Inayat Khan
Hazrat Inayat Khan and Sufism
A. Hazrat Inayat Khan
Noor's father was Hazrat Inayat Khan. He was born on July 5th, 1882 to the proud parents Khatija-Bibi and Rahmat Khan. He had two younger brothers and a cousin who lived with the family. The family grew up with two different cultures: Hindu and Muslim. To justify ideas from both cultures, a natural merger was adopted. Rahmat Khan, Hazrat's father, came from a Sufi tradition. Sufism was the religion which merged the Hindu and Muslim ideas together. Hazrat became fascinated with the religion. He was very dedicated, studious, and reflective. So much so that Hazrat's father, Rahmat became a little concerned about his eldest son, but Hazrat's dedication was rewarded. Khwaja Syed Mohammed Abu Hashim Madani, the Chief of the Sufis, took Hazrat under his tutelage. Hazrat would eventually become the head of a Sufi order with the mission of uniting the East and the West through the harmony of music.
B. What is Sufism?
So what is Sufism? Understanding this unique religion is one of the keys to understanding the character and mental make-up of not only Hazrat, but also of his daughter Noor. Then what is sufism? Sufism teaches that everything is connected. For example, people should not separate themselves into separate little groups based on differences of opinion or dogma. People should accept differences in belief. A Sufi is one seeking to remove the false self and discover God within their own lives. A Sufi seeks happiness, illumination, and harmony for themselves. They believe the ultimate goal is to practice love towards all things and to lose one's selfishness.
Noor's father was Hazrat Inayat Khan. He was born on July 5th, 1882 to the proud parents Khatija-Bibi and Rahmat Khan. He had two younger brothers and a cousin who lived with the family. The family grew up with two different cultures: Hindu and Muslim. To justify ideas from both cultures, a natural merger was adopted. Rahmat Khan, Hazrat's father, came from a Sufi tradition. Sufism was the religion which merged the Hindu and Muslim ideas together. Hazrat became fascinated with the religion. He was very dedicated, studious, and reflective. So much so that Hazrat's father, Rahmat became a little concerned about his eldest son, but Hazrat's dedication was rewarded. Khwaja Syed Mohammed Abu Hashim Madani, the Chief of the Sufis, took Hazrat under his tutelage. Hazrat would eventually become the head of a Sufi order with the mission of uniting the East and the West through the harmony of music.
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| A young Hazrat Inayat Khan |
Hazrat Inayat Khan playing
the sitar |
B. What is Sufism?
So what is Sufism? Understanding this unique religion is one of the keys to understanding the character and mental make-up of not only Hazrat, but also of his daughter Noor. Then what is sufism? Sufism teaches that everything is connected. For example, people should not separate themselves into separate little groups based on differences of opinion or dogma. People should accept differences in belief. A Sufi is one seeking to remove the false self and discover God within their own lives. A Sufi seeks happiness, illumination, and harmony for themselves. They believe the ultimate goal is to practice love towards all things and to lose one's selfishness.
