Al-Burdah - Translation and a Brief Explanation - Verses 30 to 47
Related Article: Al-Burdah Verses 1 to 29
Introduction:
In the Quran (14:11) : "Their apostles said to them: "True, we are human like yourselves, but God doth grant His grace to such of his servants as He pleases. It is not for us to bring you an authority except as God permits. And on God let all men of faith put their trust."
Messengers and Prophets were men, but not ordinary men. (17:93): "Glory to my Lord! Am I aught but a man, - an apostle?".
Many Messengers were well known historical personalities, but as the Quran says, there were many others the Quran did not mention.
Quran (35:24) about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): "Verily We have sent thee in truth, as a bearer of glad tidings, and as a warner: and there never was a people, without a warner having lived among them."
The Quran mentions people who insisted on seeing Prophets from a purely material point of view (as beings of mere flesh and blood and their expressions as words used by humans) and were unable to sense the spiritual aspect about the Messengers and the Scriptures.
Quran (7:198) "If thou callest them to guidance, they hear not. Thou wilt see them looking at thee, but they see not." When the Prophet talked to them they did not understand or sense the essence of the Message, of what was being said, and when they looked at him peace be upon him, they did not see who he was, as a Prophet and Messenger of God.
That was true throughout the history of man and it remains true today: Looking from an exclusively material point of view and ignoring the spiritual aspect altogether might not lead to much understanding about Prophets and the Messages they delivered to mankind.
It is true that they lived among humans, but compared to a normal man's ordinary scope of experiences, there were quite extraordinary qualities about Messengers. This is what Muslims believe about all Messengers of God.
Regarding various religious concepts and expressions, there is usually the basic widespread religious view adopted by most religious people of any particular faith, and then there is the mystics' view that is about the same concepts and expressions but with a deeper understanding based on not only historically relayed information but also on mystical awareness.
So, it might help better understand the Burdah when the three levels of viewing the Prophet (PBUH) are considered: as a human, as a Prophet from the basic widespread religious view, and then as a Prophet seen by mystics.
The Burdah, contains basic views, but being a poem written by a Sufi it also contains many hints on the mystical view about the Prophet PBUH.
In verse No. 30 the poet talks about his shortcomings,
and basically says that he is unworthy of what he intends to do -praising the
Prophet PBUH- which is a polite way to begin to praise the Prophet peace be upon
him.
ظلمت سنة من أحيا الظلام إلى أن اشتكت قدماه الضر من ورم
30-
"I am unfair regarding [or do not strictly follow] the Path (Sunnah) of [the
Prophet] who lightened the darkness (with Prayers), until his feet suffered from
swelling"
Again the poet is stressing his shortcomings as he is trying
to praise the Prophet. He is noting what was reported about how the prophet once
prayed (non-obligatory prayer: Nafilah) for a long time in the middle of the
night until his feet swelled. While the poet said about himself earlier that he
just prayed the Fard, or the obligatory prayer.
This incident was reported by Lady Aihsh (RA) and it was narrated that upon seeing that, she asked the Prophet why he did that when all his sins were forgiven. And the Prophet answered : "Shouldn't I be a thankful servant, then?"
The Prophet peace be upon him did not pray that much because he had to, but because he wanted to do that.
No one can get closer to God than the Prophet peace be upon him or be more knowledgeable about the path to God than him. The verse is about the keenness of the Prophet peace be upon him regarding prayers. Continuous prayers, unceasing for as long as one lives, are like maintaining "a light in the darkness".
The obligatory religious duties like the daily five prayers, fasting Ramadan and Zakat sets one on the Path to know God. According to a Hadith (لا يزال عبدي يتقرب إلي بالنوافل) , the extra non-obligatory religious practices like prayers and fasting and charity can bring one closer to God, faster.
The poet described himself as an unfair person because he understood how great a gift is that God has given human beings by sending a Messenger that has informed and shown us with extensive details the Path to get closer to God and to know God, and the poet is blaming himself for his own shortcomings and not taking better advantage of such important teachings.
و شد من سغب أحشاءه و طوى تحت الحجارة كشحا مترف الأدم
31-
"And [who] out of hunger, tightened [with a cloth, used as a belt] on his waist. And the pieces of rocks [under the cloth] hid a very tender skin."
Tightening the belt is an expression for dealing with less food. Tightening the belt on pieces of rock pressing on the belly is a sign of extreme shortage of food.
The Prophet peace be upon him had a soft and tender skin. This was reported many times by the companions who shook hands with him, and reported that his hands peace be upon him were very soft when touched. That is not normally expected in an average person living in a harsh desert environment.
This particular incident of belt tightening happened during the confrontation named Al-Ahzab, when Meccans along with other Arab tribes attacked Madina and surrounded the town, trying to force Muslims to come out and fight. The confrontation ended when a severe sandstorm blew the tents and the belongings of the Meccans and their allies and they had to go back to their homes.
During the days of the siege many interesting incidents were reported. One of them was a miracle witnessed by a large number of the companions. That was when one of the companions, Jaber Ibn Abdullah (RA), saw signs of hunger on the Prophet. So, he went home and asked his wife if they had any food. She said they had one lamb and a "Saa'" (about three kilograms) of oat. He asked her to prepare the lamb and put it in a cauldron and grind the oat to make some dough for the bread. He then went to the Prophet and discretely said that he had a lamb and a saa' of oat prepared and invited the Prophet and a selected few of his companions. However, the Prophet, with a loud voice said to the whole Madina army "Come along, Jaber has prepared food for us.". Jaber's wife panicked upon hearing that, thinking that the food will never be enough for so many people. But the Prophet told Jaber as he was rushing to his home not to touch the cauldron or the dough until the Prophet arrives at Jaber's home. When the Prophet peace be upon him entered Jaber's home he spit on the dough and in the cauldron and prayed. Then told Jaber and his wife not to take the cauldron off the fire and to call for help with baking the bread. And as the story goes, the dough kept growing every time pieces were taken from it to make bread and the cauldron would fill back as they would fill plates with meat and sauce. There were about a thousand men outside the house. Everyone ate well that night.
When the Prophet was hungry it was not because he peace be upon him was poor, or did not have any means to eat. He selected to be hungry.
The Quraish tribe was known for its wealth and its warriors. They had the mindset for business and knew how to protect themselves and their businesses. The Meccan Muslims came to Madina and were forced to leave all their belongings back in Mecca. However, a Meccan like Abdul-Rahman Ibn Aouf was offered some money upon arriving to Madina by one of Madina's Muslims, but he politely declined to accept the offer and asked instead to be shown the way to the Bazar. And within a few months he had a running business and within a few years he became one of the wealthiest people in Madina. The Prophet himself was brought up in a trading environment. When he was a boy, he went with his uncles in trading trips. Later on he himself was in the trading business.
The Meccans were also known for their fearless warriors. Among Meccan warriors (against the Muslims) on that occasion were men like Khalid Ibn Al-Waleed who became a Muslim after the Ahzab confrontation. Years later that name would become one of the best known to roman and persian generals.
The Ahzab confrontation ended without an engagement, not because Muslims feared the confrontation. It is like there was Wisdom behind the whole scene.
وراودته الجبال الشم من ذهب عن نفسه فأراها أيما شمم
32-
"Great mountains of Gold tried to attract his [the Prophet's] attention, but he showed total disinterest."
The Prophet peace be upon him was offered wealth and leadership while he was in Mecca in exchange for stopping preaching the Message of Islam. He did not accept. It is not about power and wealth. It is about delivering a Heavenly Message of Mercy and Guidance to know God.
Later, and in the presence of Angel Gabriel peace be upon him, the Prophet was offered to be a Prophet and a King (with all that might mean regarding power and wealth) or a Prophet with a modest living, and he selected the latter.
Prophet Dawood peace be upon him was a great Prophet and a great King. Being a King with a kingdom would likely mean there would be a dynasty and nobility. His son, Prophet Sulaiman peace be upon him, asked God to grant him a great kingdom and God gave him that.
As for Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, he selected to live a modest life, and his house was extremely modest. As much as the Prophet peace be upon him was careful and clear about teachings regarding religious duties and the path to know God, he did not leave wealth nor a Well or a clear successor. That was a source of tension later one, but it also made it absolutely clear that his sole aim was about Delivering the Divine Message of Mercy and Guidance to know God, and never about power or wealth.
An Arab tribe wanted to declare Islam and sent a delegate to Madina. The man entered the Madina Mosque, where the Prophet was sitting on the ground among his companions and the man had to ask "Who of you is Muhammad?". The stranger could not tell who was the Prophet. There was no palace or a throne or any formalities to meet the Prophet.
Of course, Prophets are at high levels of awareness of the Path to know God. Being a king or not does not change that.
و أكدت زهده فيها ضرورته إن الضرورة لا تعدو على العصم
33- What confirmed his disinterest in them ["great mountains of Gold" denoting wealth and power] was that he often was in circumstance where it appeared like he needs [such things like wealth and power]. But such needs [or fulfilling them] cannot stand [or do not have much value] in front of Divine Protection and Support ['Ismah]."
Maybe it will help understand the verse better to refer to the meaning of 'Ismah and also to "Prophets and Heaven's Support" .
وكيف تدعو إلى الدنيا ضرورة من لولاه لم تخرج الدنيا من العدم
34-
"How can he need the [the means provided in] Dunia [Earthly life and as Al-Baijori said "Power and Wealth" is particularly meant here], he who if it was not for him, the World would not have come into existence [, in the first place]."
The verse basically says that Prophet Muhammad is the reason for this whole world / all of creation to come into existence.
An explanation generally might go as follows:
- Creation, this world full of Signs, this phase known as "the abode of test", is sort of a "context" within which responsible beings (like Men and Jin) find themselves.
- God created responsible beings so they may know Him (see Quran 51:56, where the phrase "إلا ليعبدون" might be interpreted as "so they may known Me", as Imam Al-Razi mentions in his Tafseer), and know why it is essential to consciously understand the essence of religion, and why there are guidelines / pointers guiding one in the journey to seek the ultimate Truth.
- So, * It is probably possible to say that because God wants responsible beings to know Him, there is Creation. * Rearranged, it becomes "Creation exists because God wants responsible beings to know Him". (Actually, this expression is close to a common Sufi saying). * In Arabic addressing the leader of a group can stand for addressing the whole group. * Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him is the best of Creation and the leader of the Believers, hence a sentence like "If it was not for Prophet Muhammad, there would not be Creation" might become plausible, and it might be what Al-Busiri intended to say.
محمـد سيد الكونين والثقلين والفريقين من عرب ومن عجم
نبينا الآمر الناهي فلا أحد أبر في قول لا منه ولا نعم
35, 36-
"He is Muhammad, the Master of the two Worlds [the Here and the Hereafter], and the two kinds [of intelligent and responsible] Beings [of Humans and Jin], and the two groups: The Arabs and the non-Arabs."
"Our Prophet, commanding and prohibiting [being the Messenger, delivering the Commands of the Lord], and there is no one more truthful and sincere than him when saying "Yes" [do that"] or "No" [do not do that]."
هو الحبيب الذي ترجى شفاعته لكل هول من الأهوال مقتحم
37- "He is the beloved, whose intercession is eagerly sought/needed when a great disturbance happens."
دعا إلى الله فالمستمسكون به مستمسكون بحبل غير منفصم
38-
"He called [everyone] to [the Path of] Allah. Those firmly attached to him [the Prophet or the Heavenly Message] are firmly grasping an unbreakable thread [the clear Path for man to know God]"
فاق النبيين في خَلْقٍ وفي خُلُقٍ ولم يدانوه في علم ولا كرم
39-
"He is the best of all Prophets in Appearance and in Character, and none of them was close to his level of Knowledge or Generosity."
وكلهم من رسول الله ملتمس غرفا من البحر أو رشفا من الديم
40-
"And all of them [previous prophets and people of knowledge in all ages] take from him, either like a scoop from the sea or like a sip from a little pond".
Probably meaning that whatever is revealed publicly is a very small amount of knowledge. The amount might be different depending on whether the speaker is a prophet or a messenger or a knowledgeable person in some age. As the verse says, the Prophet peace be upon him is the "Sea" or the "Pond" or in other words the Source of All Knowledge.
Sufi Sheikh Abdul-Ghani Al-Nabulsi repeated the following verse (I don't know the original poet) several times in more than one of his books:
هو الرسول إلى كل الخلائق في كل الدهور ونابت عنه أفواه
It roughly means : "He [Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him] is the [real and only] Messenger to all created beings in all ages, in whose behalf someone [different prophets] always spoke".
وواقفون لديه عند حدهم من نقطة العلم أو من شكلة الحكم
41-
"And they stop [or each one stops] at a boundary set by him, and it is [their knowledge] like a drop of his knowledge or like a "Tashkeel" [A Mark on an Arabic word that helps to pronounce it right] in a word of wisdom"
Continuing the previous verse and affirming that whatever any other prophet or person of knowledge has is limited, and whatever knowledge obtained by an intelligent being has to have a boundary or it is a very small subset, out of which is far more knowledge that is the Prophet's knowledge.
فهو الذي تم معناه وصورته ثم اصطفاه حبيبا باريء النسم
42-
"He is the most perfect in "Meaning" [Inner aspects about the Essence of the Prophet like Inner Sight/ Spiritual Awareness/ Knowledge of God] and in "Image" [Outer appearance/ Character], and he is the one chosen as the most beloved by the Creator of human beings."
منزه عن شريك في محاسنه فجوهر الحسن فيه غير منقسم
43-
"No one [of created beings] can share his perfection [in "Meaning" and "Image"]. The Essence of Perfection [the Prophet's Essence] is indivisible."
As I have noticed, this verse appears to be simple and clear to expositors like Al-Baijori. However, in Arabic the word جوهر can mean an Essence or an Atom. When "indivisible" is used in the same sentence, I think that can get some people to wonder. I felt it looked like a hint regarding the Indivisible Atom. I have seen some Kalam scholars interested in talking about the Indivisible Atom, but do not recall Sufis having given it much attention. After further search I found that Ibn Ashoor, one of the expositors of Al-Burdah noticed this particular point and said it is just a figurative phrase.
Note about the Indivisible Atom
The raw idea appears to be ancient, and traces of the idea can be found in different cultures. This particular term was picked up from Greek philosophy by Muslim philosophers, then adopted by some Kalam scholars. Kalam is about presenting a Rational background for religious beliefs. Some Kalam scholars went as far as making the Indivisible Atom essential for proving the important idea of الحدوث or the coming of this world into existence after it was nothing. But that is not shared by all Kalam scholars, saying that what is important is the idea of الحدوث but it can be presented in different ways.
دع ما ادعته النصارى في نبيهم واحكم بما شئت مدحا فيه واحتكم
44-
"Leave what Christians claimed about their Prophet [that Jesus peace be upon him is God or the son of God], and praise him [Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him] as you like, but be wise."
Islam makes it abundantly clear that there is an unmistakable distinction between the Creator and Creation. Yes, the Prophet has a great status but he is the Messenger and Servant of God, and he is still part of Creation.
Muslims love and respect Jesus peace be upon him as much as Christians do. In Islam, Jesus is considered one of the five greatest Messengers of God in the history of humanity. The main point of difference appears to be the absolutely clear distinction between God the Creator, and Creation with all that appears in it, including personalities with very high levels of spiritual awareness like Prophets and Messengers of God.
وانسب إلى ذاته ما شئت من شرف وانسب إلى قدره ما شئت من عظم
فإن فضل رسول الله ليس له حد فيعرب عنه ناطق بفم
45, 46 -
Continuing the last part of verse 44, "And attribute to his Essence what you like of Honor (or honorable traits), and attribute to his Status what you like of Greatness,"
"There is no limit to the Graciousness of the Messenger of God, that is why no one can [sufficiently / justly] express oneself about it."
This is the third verse in Al-Burdah calling the reader's attention to the Prophet's Essence, using different words like معنى "Meaning" , جوهر "Atom" , but here the word ذات is used which is a direct and literal translation of the word Essence.
I think going straight to deeper spiritual aspects about religion and the Prophet is what distinguishes Sufi texts like the Burdah.
Most religious texts would talk about who is Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, but outer aspects are mostly emphasized like what was his life like, his character, all kinds of incidents recorded in history are basically about the outer aspect. Here, and in a clear contrast, the inner aspect is emphasized.
Quran (7:198) "If thou callest them to guidance, they hear not. Thou wilt see them looking at thee, but they see not."
Obviously it is not the outer aspect that they "see not". So, what is it that one is supposed to "see", then?
I am not sure about a suitable answer regarding such a deep subject. Some personal notes in this regard follow.
- I appreciate Modern Science and the sincere and unceasing serious efforts by dedicated professional scientists in all fields of Science. However, it is probably common knowledge that when looking at modern scientific fields and achievements on the ground, it appears that there are clear differences between Natural Sciences and Social Sciences. There are relatively far smaller margins of errors and far more stable theories in Natural Sciences. It looks like we "are aware of"/"see" the complexities of the material aspect far better than we "are aware of"/"see" the complexities of Man as a whole being (much more than man as flesh and blood). And it does not have to be something peculiar to this age. Maybe it is something that can be found in human beings, in any age.
- I once followed a dialogue between two gentlemen, one of them was interested in Sufism and in modern Psychology. He expressed his feeling that Psychology can help in studying and understanding Sufism. The other man said while there might appear to be some similarities, there are deep and important differences between the two fields, in starting points, methodologies, and final goals. Let's consider the plausibility of the second view.
One field depends on a rational approach, the other encourages clarifying inner sight. One mainly tries to help people live a "normal" life, the other has one fixed goal: Knowing God. One starts with selected assumptions and proposes testable hypotheses, the other starts with absolute certainties about basic points of belief and works on realizing those points with a firsthand experience using age-old methods (starting with basics like curbing cravings and improving manners and behaviors). The second man's conclusion as I recall was that Psychology can benefit from Sufi literature and the reverse might be possible but limited.
As for any rational approach to try to figure out the essence of man, Ibn Arabi said in Al-Fusus that a rational approach cannot help in knowing about man's essence. As he put it, that would be like thinking that a swelled body (due to an ailment) is a healthy one [it is a mistaken perception] or thinking that fire can be started from cold ashes [it is impossible].
I think it is interesting to notice how Sufis describe the transformation from what they say is being at a normal level of awareness that most people are at, and being at a Mystic/Sufi level of awareness. Sometimes it is described as the death of the normal level or the lower ego with all its problems. Yes, the person is the same after the inner transformation, but previous problems sort of fade away, or melt, or look insignificant, or appear like a tree without a root, or a balloon that used to fill a room and it has just popped and it is no more, or like a bundle of entangled threads that somehow became finely weaved threads (With such experiences, intense focus on one's individuality is also said to be quite weakened and in some cases appear to be lost, and a far wider perspective of existence and a deeper view of one's own being are gained. So maybe that partly explains the relieving and peaceful attitude gained with or after such experiences. By the way, I recall reading about experiences regarding community service, and how that can make one "feel better", maybe because it involves a lesser focus on "I".). And in place of all that was seen/experienced at different levels of intensity in the previous situation, a deep serenity and peace is realized as the solid inner basis (The Sufi term "Hal" is about when deeper insights are only occasionally glimpsed or briefly experienced but not persistent, when a deeper insight is persistent it is a "Maqam"). This is only the start of the real phase, in the journey to know God. Maybe this explains why the second gentleman saw deep and important differences between modern Psychology and Sufism. (Again, it is clearly and repeatedly emphasized in the Sufi literature that the transformation is not always a simple process or something that is encouraged to be tried alone without sufficient information and an expert person's care and guidance.)
- Seeing in a spiritual sense is not the same as seeing in a material sense. Please see note #3, here. It is not about which is better, of course each has its place in existence, it is all about the full picture and a balanced view.
So, what is that Sufi Balanced View like? Here is what I understand. It might sound new for someone not familiar with the Sufi view of existence. Basically, appearances are to be treated in the most competent manner one knows (just like anyone would do, regardless of how familiar he or she is with the spiritual aspect of existence), yet, they (appearances) are not to be relied upon (as if they have any innate nature of their own, since any displayed traits are not that of a creature, they are just instances of created attributes, by God who is the Creator of all things), or stopped at (as if they are what one ultimately is dealing with, since they are mere "possible" appearances ), at the same time. So, it is sort of (important here not to jump to common literal meanings of words, it is most likely much deeper than that) dealing with the world as something that is very real, yet, with an absolutely clear recognition of its unreality (or its total inability to stand and have a potential existence, every instance, on its own), at the same time. The part of realizing the "unreality" of existence is taken quite seriously, yet the part of one's "real life" is not taken lightly at all. I understand how all that might sound strange to some readers, who might be seeing this information for the first time, but that is what I have seen consistently in Sufi writings. I have tried to explain what I think I have understood several times in different articles on this site, and I am still not sure I understand it as real Sufis do, or if I can explain it appropriately.
In note #3 cited above, there are some quoted verses from a Sufi poem that expresses the deep yearning and strong desire of a Sufi on the Path, who has briefly experienced the deeper insight about what is beyond appearances, and he is impatient to experience it again. It appears to be what is often described as a Sufi's "Ishq" or deep love and yearning for something; it is a common theme in Sufi poetry. If I understand it correctly, it is about what is way beyond the normal and common level at which "Love" is usually understood. Of course Love has its place and meaning in human relationships (again, never forget the balanced view), and Sufis do not have any problem recognizing that. However, when it comes to deeper Sufi awareness, it is about a different realm, a different level of awareness, it is exactly about what is beyond surroundings including relationships with other humans. Using the sweetest, most romantic and most tender expressions is probably the closest kind of expression in a human language of that deep yearning to what is beyond surrounding appearances, and it is only indicative of how precious is the advancement on the Path to know God. The Sufi words and expressions about "Love" can sometimes be understood literally, or taken as being about normal appearances, when they might hold quite a different meaning and only hinting and pointing to a much deeper goal of an aspirant on the Sufi Path. (This is a personal attempt to present an idea, within the limits of what I think I understand about the subject.)
لو ناسبت قدره آياته عظما أحيا اسمه حين يدعى دارس الرمم
47-
"Had Signs been suitable to his great Status, mere mentioning his name would have brought a dead person alive."
His Signs and Miracles that appeared to the companions were far less and fewer than what could have appeared. Otherwise, if Signs were to appear on earth suitable to his great Status, mere mentioning his name would bring a dead person alive.
Sometimes words are used like "Normal" and "Abnormal" or "Natural" and "Supernatural". However, As I understand information is basically of two kinds, one is within one's awareness and one that is not. Regarding the one within awareness there are levels of clarity and understanding. It appears that there is a common tendency to call some information "abnormal" or "supernatural" when it is really just an expression about what there is not enough background to understand it or to explain it. It could be something right from outside one's circle of awareness, entering it for the first time, or about something one has known but has very little information about.
There will always be something knowable, within one's awareness, and something outside.
In many cases there were miracles right before the disbelievers' eyes, that were dismissed in one way or another. Maybe it is not about what appears, and more about the angle to see, and about how it is interpreted. Everyone "sees" appearances at different levels of awareness. According to Sufis, the thicker the veil the harder to "see" beyond appearances.
I guess it is expected to demand evidence that a piece of information is true. But given that a piece of information can be out of one's normal circle of information, maybe it is a good idea to keep an open mind regarding the information and to have an open mind about the method or the angle from which appearances are seen.
Euclidean Geometry was taken as a given for a very long time. Most people viewed the outside world through the eyes of that geometry and expected everything to be consistent with it. It was useful and because of continuous successful implementations there were no real needs to look at things differently. But eventually it was realized that that geometry as useful as it is, gives a relatively limited view of the world compared to more comprehensive geometries that were developed in the 19th century. Our world today could have been very different had man's awareness not moved beyond Euclidean Geometry.
The Earth was the center around which the Sun, the Moon and all planets were revolving. That was another view that was taken for granted for a long time. And there was "evidence" that that view was valid. Calculations about planet movements and seasons on earth were useful and seemed to be consistent with what is seen in the outside world. That view gave little doubt if any that there is a need to change the way to look at Earth and the solar system. But that eventually did happen. The angle needed to change from which the same information (movements of planets and changing seasons) is now seen differently and the method needed to change by which information is now interpreted differently.
Exactly the same raw gathered information can be seen and interpreted differently. With development of Science that is now well known and accepted.
With almost all Prophets previous to Prophet Muhammad peace be upon them all, there were people demanding a "proof", a "clear-cut evidence" or saying "seeing is believing". There were always those able to see the truth without much effort, and those who did not, and there are many shades between the two points.
It is not wrong to ask for an evidence. The point of contention is more about asking to consider adjusting the way to see and the way to interpret what is seen.
From what I understand about religion and science, the spiritual view is about a wider view than what an immediate material view can tell, it complements that view, it is about something inherent in man, it can be ignored for as long as one likes, but with calmness and silence inside, it gets clearer that it cannot be shaken off no matter how developed the rational approach that goes nicely with a material view can get. The final reality of things is one, as Ash'ari scholars say, even if there are different levels of understanding/clarity/awareness regarding the same final reality.
It is unfortunate that throughout the history of man religion was used and abused in negative ways, but the pristine and pure ideas persist, clear and available for anyone interested to see.
What I understand about Sufism is that "Appearances" that might be considered as "Miracles" or something "abnormal" or "supernatural" as well as appearances that might be considered "normal", are not to be a "veil" for what's beyond appearances. They should not hinder sight at different stages of realization about the ultimate Reality. Even at high levels there are belief in God, Sight of God, Fanaa, Baqaa ....
Sufis describe situations in which one can get "stuck" at a level and does not know how to pass it and move ahead.
Prophet Muhammad's recorded miracles were several, but as Al-Busiri said they are not all that could have happened. Maybe there is an explanation for that.
"Al-Burdah" in Arabic means a piece of cloth used to cover the upper part of the body.
