There is a Sufi poetry Carnival hosted on Inspirations and Creative Thoughts and on Knocking From Inside. Please visit these blogs to read beautiful Sufi poetry from diverse horizons and ages.
L’Immersion
Paint brush and pen in hand,
you wander the rug of gravity,
silenced by the Speech,
heart is the only canvas
upon which reality unfolds,
the visible phase of it
is but a remnant of these
marvels the soul beholds.
See, the lover matters not,
let the veil be lifted;
it is that divine show
that all secretly want!
Whether the lover
is unknown or renown,
why does it matter?
Do not focus on the one
who is lost in sacred intoxication,
look beyond his helpless form;
seek the object of his love,
the Cause of his immersion
and move your lips like angels
do during Fajr prayer,
draw closer to the Light
of all that exists and say:
Al hamdulillah ir Rabil Alamin!
copyrights 2007 Aida Toure
Romance of Islam
There goes Azzan within! the transcendent call to prayer that urges the soul to contemplate the beauty of its Center. Thus, the lit soul turns inward and steps upon its prayer mat to meld with the delights of Salat~prayer yet this interior love ritual seems to be unending, it endures as we are awake, go to sleep, eat, interact with others or work. It’s a state of quiet Zikr~Remembrance that we can’t detach from because it becomes inherent to our breath, it carries us therefore we can’t move through the world without this inner state of luxury.
This precious calling occurs in the most silent way yet it’s the most powerful impulse that cannot be ignored or fought! When its tender Sound strikes, one just prioritizes its command and rushes as only the lover rushes to behold The Beloved’s Face. When one walks that Path, one becomes highly sensitive to Harmony and one’s existence turns to a complete spectacle of Islam~Surrender, of its pervasive grace. Such a surrendered soul mingles with the subtle universal truths which it constantly longs to express in its own unique way, its life becomes a dance blissful worlds slip through to soften mankind, to make us more loving and to uplift us.
This is why all the prophets (as) of The Divine are so dear to the heeding souls of mankind! Whether it is Adam (as), Noah (as), David (as), Solomon (as), Moses (as), Joseph (as), Jonah (as), Abraham (as) Jesus (as) or Muhammad (saw) they have shown us the Romance of Islam. Al hamdulillah.
© 2007 Aida Toure’
The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah, that which We have sent by inspiration to you and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: namely, that you should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein … ” ~ 42:13 ~Qur’an
Inspiration: Qur’anic Verses
I delight in resting my eyes upon the Holy Qur’an’s words, the beauty they give off has been my greatest inspiration in countless octaves of my existence including creativity. I can linger on the Qur’an’s words for a long time, one by one because they are like open windows to worlds of astonishing wonder. The Qur’an’s Verses propel upward, they have a way of rendering the atmosphere holy and of making you still, humble and clear inside; these divine verses are my scriptural incense. Even in just one word, through each letter’s curves, there are perfumes, signs and universes, each offering themselves to our being like Surrender itself… Prostration upon prostration ubiquitously fading to be replaced with new ones! Untold beauties unfurl in such a generous way, one knows the Mercy of Allah (swt) is the quintessence of this magnificent, vertiginous existence. Language has never been as excellent and divine as in the Holy Qur’an! Allahu Akbar.
“Say: If the whole of mankind and Jinn were together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they back up each other with help and support.”
(~17: 88 Qur’an)
“And if all the trees on the earth were pens and the sea (were ink wherewith to write), with seven seas behind it to add to its (supply), yet the Words of Allah would not be exhausted. Verily, Allah is AllMighty, AllWise.”
(~31: 27 Qur’an)
The Persecuted Widow
I painted “The Persecuted Widow” to protest the mistreatment of the grieving. Unfortunately this practice is rampant in many African countries: ill-intended relatives and in-laws seem to rejoice when the head of the household passes away because it’s finally the opportunity for them to not only prey upon the deceased man’s children and wife but it’s also the opportunity to scheme in order to embezzle whatever property the deceased owned. Often times the children and widows who are subjected to such oppression can end up being homeless and destitute as a result of the abuse they endure at the hands of relatives.
In order to justify their vile actions, these relatives often evoke some flimsy “tradition” as an excuse to violate the rights of the afflicted children and their mother but in truth no authentic tradition on Earth advocates to prey upon the helpless especially in times of mourning, this is the worst kind of abuse.
The creation of this painting aims at addressing a serious issue which has more so to do with heartlessness, covetousness and dishonesty. I always wanted to address this great injustice that touches too many African children when they lose their father. Working on this painting was one of the most intense experience, it brought me great hope because even though the piece depicts the pain ill-intended family members inflict upon mourning widows and orphans, it more so shows the triumph of Divine Mercy which surrounds all the evil schemes ill-intended family members cowardly direct at children and their mother during the most vulnerable moment of their life.
“O Allah! You be the witness that I consider any violation of the rights of orphan and woman as an enormity entailing serious consequences!”
~ Prophet Muhammad (saw)
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The Laughter in Between
We trace Beauty,
like the lover traces
the Hidden,
we are children
lost in inner games,
we’ve become the whirling,
the center that attracts it
and the laughter in between,
we are the prostrated
picking up the myriads of cowries
dropped by our prayer mats,
Ya Rabb, we breathe but
to wander Your Sound.
copyrights 2007 Aida Toure
Aniconism in Islam
I found this relevant quote from Titus Burckhard about the reason for aniconism in Islamic art, it’s so on point, simple and beautiful, it reads like a dance!
“Islam is centred on Unity, and Unity is not expressible in terms of any image. Thus, Islamic art as a whole aims to create an ambiance which helps man to realise his primordial dignity; it therefore avoids everything that could be an ‘idol’ even in a relative and provisional manner – nothing must stand between man and the invisible presence of God – thus eliminating all the turmoil and passionate suggestions of the world and in their stead creating an order that expresses equilibrium, serenity and peace.”
– Titus Burckhard
We Are Continuous!
Just like Islam that gradually reached the material world through the prophets (as) from Adam (as) all the way to Muhammad (saw), we are continuous. As the soul’s manifestations magnify progressively, the ego’s delusive knowing interferences diminish. Perfect peace occurs when these ego interferences cease and with all of her softness the soul flows, conveying the most luxurious love which the Heavens’ inhabitants can not resist, then they pass on that fondness to mankind. When they do this, you are done with being! All you have left to do is Not-Being! When you exist that way, you will know… Such love has no word, no tangible exterior yet it’s there, pervasive… It’s like the veil that lifts during the believer’s sincere prayer, no one sees it but him/her! And if ever s/he wills to speak this vision, s/he won’t be able to, there are secrets that are shared between worlds and the soul only witnesses the Conversation as she leans upward, here and beyond… See, we are continuous! Know that you are loved in ways you cannot imagine.
copyrights 2007 Aida Toure
Beloved Nobodies
Kindness lingers wherever there is hidden hurt that calls beyond words, silence or form. The frequency of love can be so powerful and intimidating at the same time, we often pretend to be in control yet we are not. Love sees all our inadequacies and artifices, it smiles and caresses them with the intent to nurture us until the frightened ego is tamed with all its noise, incessant desires and ruins… When we become that stillness which makes our whole being feel as light as a feather, then the inner Presence can walk out and in of us with the total freedom that surrounds all her mysterious, grand moves… As she does this, we fall deep in love with the latitude of her moves and we get moved too… to tears! Of all her grace, this Presence soothes and shakes us as she sees fit: she tears us to shreds, strikes us with the sword of love and then recreates us to push us on the edge of Annihilation… She leaves us there hanging like beloved nobodies … All along, she; majestic, intertwines with us in some ecstatic dance language can not contain. And if ever you die with that sweet taste of yearning~loving upon your lips, you’ll long to die again and again…
copyrights 2007 Aida Toure
Words on "Sidrat-al-Muntaha"
“Sidrat-al-Muntaha/The Lotus of The Limit” is going to be my “last” new painting for a little while inshAllah… Working on it has been a profound journey for me; even after it was completed it continued to pull me in… The title of the piece is self-explanatory, it invokes the sacred celestial Tree, the point beyond which no one passes but the beloved (as) of The Divine… therefore I don’t have much to say about the painting itself… I think I’ll leave it to silence … and love.
Sidrat-al-Muntaha: Lotus of The Limit
Everywhere I look
it circles and circles!
My heart curves
to the calligraphy
of your Love.
Muted by Sound
and shapelessness,
ego falls off itself
and bows with joy,
all of being now
surrendered as if the letters
printed of the Scriptures.
Each page, an immaculate cloak
around the gentle soul
who whirls to the tone
of the Return.
Bewildered by the Book
of the Universe,
your inner being leaps
from worlds to worlds
wild yet wise, it reads Nature
Jesus (as) appears upon the Word
Moses (as) nearby
and Muhammad (saw) passes
the Lotus of the Limit
to unite with the Light
that made him.
There is some universal prayer
which the prophets (as) lead,
all in unity; lo! Sura Al Kahf
strolls by the eye
and right then Aida’s
brush dries out!
copyrights 2007 Aida Toure
Deep Waters (the poem)
Sometimes my paint brushes
play hide and seek as if stars,
they vanish and reappear!
“It can’t get better than this”
I smile at the playful moves
because I often get lost too!
A revolving canvas, beads on
the floor, senses crazed, tides
animate our inner undulating seas.
Sometimes I no longer know
where is center, left nor right,
what is black or white
no more notion of peace or war,
just us learning how to swim
the deep waters of Longing.
copyrights 2006 Aida Toure
Nabis’ (as) Footprints
Look at what you started!
Love has knocked again…
A kiss on your hand’s scent
and the soul collapses, every time
with the wish to no longer be.
Who will attenuate this tender
teasing that only you can do?
You drop red gold nuggets
on the believers’ prayer mat,
lo! Love nurses their fragments
and the royally wretched
ego walks out but to follow
the prophets (as) footprints.
We delight in not-being
and in laying at your feet,
a l t e r n a t e l y
There is the flirtation
we wanted: continuous,
lingering long enough
to silence the bells
of grief, of temporality.
Your kindness has left
our shy hearts confounded,
wondering how we are
worthy of all this Mercy.
copyrights 2007 Aida Toure
Emerald Verses
Illuminated is the Heart
that chants the glories
of The Sublime’s throne.
Blessed be the soul
who embraces Injil
through the Holy Qur’an
like earth embraces truths
through the galaxies’ currents.
The Word commands “read!”
Lo! The inner eye opens:
Djibril (as) on his emerald seat,
Jesus (as) walking upon the sea,
Noah (as) gathers the light of humanity
and prophet Muhammad (saw)
crowns the collective being
with the altitudes of humility.
You see, Love is this gentleness
that governs the Muslim Universe,
while the moon transcribes to us:
“… unto Him is the journeying!”
2007 copyrights Aida Toure
The Prophets’ (as) Footprints
… the soul innately journeys through form, like Ruh (as) Herself circulates through the worlds. All that exists has a mysterious glorious Purpose; phenomena upon phenomena, existence by excellence is one where the soul can freely be and flow the Way Allah (swt) intended it to. Belonging to a divine system that encompasses all the confusion of materiality is the greatest grace bestowed upon us, we are that precious. But for that preciousness to come to expression, it needs Love just like flowers need the Love of Watering and Light in order to grow and wear their fragrance… thus we should let our Water run and be wild in the way we give love as Love itself gives impartially, we should be the innate majesty of our soul: we all were born in Surrender/Islam, some get numb to it for a little while and then eventually return to it inshAllah, this is why the Prophets (as) footprints blessed the Earth… Therefore the command “READ” (96: 1 Qur’an) that Allah (swt) transmitted to Prophet Muhammad (saw) is addressed to us as well. That READING is the journey to Illumination/Enlightenment, the way to the lifting of the Veil… Once it manifests, the soul has the responsibility to just exist in the holy Octave of Kun/BE. We should not wait until separation unveils the true Reality, we must welcome our selves to Healing and Wholeness now, we must reclaim our innate grace now.
copyrights 2007 Aida Toure
Sama (the poem)
Chords, loves and signs
there is some sound
in the soul’s eye,
silent yet loud
blue tambourines then
floating red harps now;
all as one, circularly
enchanted as the globes’ Zikr
our prophets (as) repeated.
Hands and lips smacked by
Tenderness itself,
we play invisible violins
and cosmic Neys
by the lovers’ earand lo!
they sob of all their emotions’ grace,
following the course of longing
and depth, they shed themselves
to wear the subtle Cloth;
cloaked in its glow,
they dance and chant
in the language Djibril (as)
taught the saints (as).
copyrights 2006 Aida Toure
Hidden Treasure (the poem)
Bismillah,
Eye in eye,
intermingling loud
and clear with the Key
you exist in,
your being is a cry for
the excellence of Sound;
you long to harmonize
with the divine praises
chanted by the Night,
you seek the Love of Love,
the lover’s heart knows
it’s not the form
but its songs’ Song
that it wants,
its constant flirtation
with Suras so that
eventually it becomes
particles of such scent
just like the prophet (as)
was the Qur’an itself.
A pause,
a tear,
then:
“Allah (swt) is The Light
of the unseen and the seen,
the Light of Isa (as)
and Muhammad (as),
the Light of the worlds
unfurling on the prayer
mat of gravity.
Allah (swt) is the Unmanifest
of the manifest, Nature praises Him
in ways we may ignore
yet He is The Beloved all
prophets (as) spoke of,
The globes’ Sustainer,
The tender force that enrobes us
The Healer of grieving hearts,
The Hidden Treasure
The Hidden Treasure
The Hidden Treasure…”
copyrights 2006 Aida Toure.
Hidden Treasure (the painting)
Soninke Symphony
Bewildered by the beauties
scattered on the spheres
I lost speech for weeks,
lips sealed by Sound itself,
I dissolved on the curves
of Love, abandoned in Sajdah
as if the quiet lovers
gathered in those dancy lines,
soul wrapped around the other
they lay on each verse,
beds for my tired eye.
Now colors are slipping through:
“We do this in the name of Hu,
all as one revolving like stars do
when the heart recites Suras.
We unfold with Kalima,
notice all saints evolve
upon their prayermats,
so they revolve with the skies,
existence screaming with grace;
no one we know could help it!
We are wild canals for Ruh,
intertwined in tenderness
to shower you with the
divine sense again.
We are the music between
the pages of the Glorious Qur’an,
we are the scent on Joseph’s (as) shirt
we wander your chest to reintroduce you
to The Rabb of the worlds.“
At this melodious mercy,
the ego sobbs, reclines and
suddenly longs for prostration!
copyrights 2006 Aida Toure.
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Pearly Tears
The Division
“Allah is to be praised and thanked for ridding us of the vices and pride of the days of ignorance. O People! Note that all men are divided in two categories only: the pious and God-fearing who are esteemable in Allah’s reckoning, and the transgressors and hard-hearted, who are lowly and contemptible in the eye of Allah.”
~Prophet Muhammed (saw)
Soninke Symphony (the painting)
L’Amoureuse
We are beauty in myriad of forms
We are the spheres sobbing
To every new born
“Welcome to Wildness my love!”
And lo! brush and pen broken
I leave my self …
cc 2006 Aida Toure
On the Creation of Visual Sufi Poetry
::: I immensely enjoy developing my paintings because the creative process has lessons, each time, a new one. It’s impossible to force realities that occur beyond our selves and which take shape through us; we can only respect their language-flow and this practice eventually helps us endure circumstances in life we have no control over and such is the spirit of Surrender-Islam.
Because my visual art developed from the poems I compose, I’m not inclined to paint realities the naked eye sees because they are obvious to us. I aspire to put upon canvas that which is subtle and that purely mingles with the soul and that walks it to its bliss.
As my Arts are islamically spiritual and spiritually islamic therefore universal, I see no division between these creative activities and the practical rituals which come with being a Muslimah. When I soak my brushes in water, it takes me back to ablutions yet this time instead of preparing my self to step upon the prayermat, it’s my paint brushes that will “step” upon canvas, they become instruments I do not view outside of my body… At that moment, everything that lingered with the words of a composed poem unravels upon canvas, each brushwork brings me the utmost solace and invites me to reflection as well. The alternate smoothness and wildness inherent to the act of painting is a mirror of the Returning process I am subjected to. :::
Pearly Tears
Your scent lingers
with each curve
tracing the Universe.
Reduced to physicality,
the soul wanders beauties
for the sake of Love
until it beholds
your face again,
between each space,
there are insane lovers
whose vocabulary flirts
with the light scattered
like pearls to adorn
your precious hiddenness.
cc 2006 Aida Toure
Life of Light (*Aida Toure’s poem plagiarized & illegally appropriated)
*UPDATE January 3oth 2008: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY THEFT and COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT: this poem of mine “Life of Light” has been illegally appropriated by a singer against my wishes and without my permission. The poem has appeared in the inside jacket of his album without any credit nor copyright notice to my name. To see my poem illegally published on his album click here. The six last verses of the poem are missing. The purpose of this update is to reclaim the integrity of my work. ~Aida Toure.
Soul intertwined with Soul
We are the glorious colors
That make up the world,
We are the Word, scattered,
wildly wandering materiality
In longing to mirror Beauty.
We are the planets in orbit
Which from the time
We are born ecstatically sing:
“Welcome, welcome to Love!”
We are light in myriads of forms,
Mingling with individuality for
The few seconds called Life.
Still, all together we are one,
Manifest and resourceful like
the Solar star and its lovers
That whirl to stir the presence
dormant in us: See, there is no
such thing as exclusion in
this immense Universe.
In your pulse, there is a teacher
who repeatedly whispers:
“Everybody is you!
Hold a hand, help the truth,
reflect the compassion and
the love that put you in motion
As life stirs every nation
To the Return’s station,
embrace one another
Despite the current difficulties,
The light does kiss the heart
That gives, heals and sings!”
copyright 2006 Aida Toure.
Harps & Tambourines
Soul wild with grace,
the heart prostrates
to the Light of its light,
Sobbing of all its softness
with all lovers of Oneness,
playing harps & tambourines,
they chant by the Spheres:
“Collectively, we are love
bowing to itself for the sake
of Beneficence, we unroll
like prayermats before
The Beloved’s eyes…”
cc 2006 Aida Toure
Unlawful Wars’ Mongers
… the power-hungry elitists
thrive off of humanity’s misery,
they invent demonic ideologies
and their spiritual corruption
shows in their nations’ policies.
See, they henerited from the
the prophets’ (as) enemies;
remember those who plotted
to silence the Messengers (as)?
Well they are their inheritors!
Their threat is unity and love;
What good is to be expected
from one whose heart
conceals such a disease?
What civilized men would
prone the racial superiority
of a people over another?
Thieves, usurpers and usurers,
these are our world leaders,
no wonder babies are massacred!
Allah (swt) is the sole Owner
of everything, Everything!
Picture a mere mortal taking
“his” property to his tomb?
Indeed when the ego leads, man
becomes a consummate fool.
Woe to the scheming elitists
who slaughter children and
the bonds of the human family.
CC 2006 Aida Toure
La Note Orange
Peace to all my readers. I have been working on so many things lately that I have barely had time to update my blog… About three nights ago, I was sitting in my room and my eyes rested on my light beige guitar and all of the sudden I saw it painted with interesting patterns. I gathered my tubes of paint and I started working on it right away… I entitled the piece La Note Orange.
Reclusion: Soul Opening
We are compelled to
praise you limitlessly
for all the beauties
you scattered across
those lines and forms
which make us circle
and wonder what are
we doing in all this?
Nothing but not-being!
Aimless and insane,
generously one with
some Grace; ink spills,
letters and pen bow …
And the soul torn open:
this was the caress
I had longed for.
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