Surrender

by Ibrahim Spiegel

In Sufism, surrender is the prime force that accelerates spiritual growth. Without true and complete surrender, the next phase of learning cannot take place. The teachings of not just sufism but also Zen, Tibetan Buddhism and other true paths are to help prepare the murid (student) to let go of their attachments to the things of this world. Surrender is often misinterpreted to mean giving up responsibility for one's actions. "My teacher made me do it. My boss made me do it. You made me do it." Negative to that. Surrender means letting go of your attachments to who you think you are- those parts of you that imagine that you know what is right and wrong, your opinions, ideas, possessions, values, what you think is true and false. Notice I said "attachments" and not the possessions themselves. There is no compulsion in Islam (surrender) and no one is telling you to give up your possessions and live in a commune. A complete human being takes responsibility for their choices and actions ­ it is what differentiates us from all other life forms on this world- the ability to choose to really screw things up or not is our very own right.

A friend of mine was taking her donkey for a walk, and decided that because it was cold and slippery and she had gloves on, it would be better if she looped the donkey's rope around her wrist. After a mile or so, the donkey decided it was time for a nice run and took off. Firmly attached to the donkey, she ran as fast as she could to keep up, but it was not fast enough, and so she was dragged along on her belly until the donkey decided to stop. Cut, bruised, and needing stitches, she went in to the emergency room and got patched up. She learned that we can tie the cord of attachment to our nafs (ego) or we can tie that same cord to Allah. One is surrendering to our emotional and constantly changing world, or we can be smart and surrender to Allah. There is not much in between.

As you know, in America the advertisers and their clients want you to surrender to their products and services. Everywhere you look is the name of a product. If you to surrender to the prodding of these advertisers and believe them, no matter how many products you had, though content for perhaps a few minutes, you would not be happy or content for very long. This constant clamoring for your attention is the same way your nafs are continuously at work for themselves. They will not cease until they have your undivided attention. For the nafs, even that is not enough, They will make you their slave.

As Sufis, we wish only to do Allah's will, not our nafs'. That is why we practice and focus on surrendering to Allah. Whose universe is this anyway? Why not give your life back to the one who gave it you?

As you are able to identify those parts of you that are habits and attachments, the weaker will be the gravitational pull of the world.

What is the best way to surrender and be in the work world?

Minute by minute. Also, doing a spiritual practice before work will give you a running start to help you stay in your heart, and allow you to maintain an even keel throughout the day. Take breaks to allow you to return to the heart center, or keep something in your pocket that reminds you of Allah like prayer beads. Picture of your teacher or of nature is helpful, and the micro Zen gardens are evocative of meditational moments of peace. When the action gets too intense to allow you to think clearly, excuse yourself and withdraw. Return to your spiritual practice until you feel capable of being unattached to the outcome.

To help us keep our nafs under control, surrender allows humility to permeate our being like incense. The intention behind surrender is to have Allah happy with us. If Allah is happy with what we are doing, then we can be secure and safe in Allah's care. Imagine being totally dependent on Allah for everything. It may look as though the checks come from your boss, but the real boss is Allah. It may seem as though you are driving the car, but who is driving you? If you know that everything comes from Allah, then what danger can you be in? When you depend on the manifestations to give you what you want the result is insecurity. The truth is that it is Allah who provides for you and takes care of you, and gives you what you need. If you depend on Allah for everything, then you are surrendered and Allah's blessings shower down upon you and Allah's light surrounds you with peace.

Is surrender, i.e., letting go of attachments the same as Buddhist principle of non-attachment or is it different in sufism?

This is not intended to be a treatise on comparative spiritual disciplines. However, it is interesting to look at the differences in this one case. In general, Buddhism holds the belief that this world is illusion- Samsara. It can only lead to suffering, because there is no reality in the creation. It is a shadow play that we have gotten hooked into. Therefore, by disentangling oneself from it, and entering Buddha's wisdom (cessation of sense-bound discrimination, liberation), we can escape from the cycle of suffering.

In sufism, we practice letting go of our attachments, so that our heart can return to its original state, which is to be in continual remembrance of Allah. Attachments interfere with the heart clearly hearing what Allah wants, and so our intention is to clear our being of anything that gets in the way. The heart is a mirror that has become encrusted with dust, and must be cleaned and polished to reflect the divine light that shines upon us. The created world is thought of as manifestations of Allah's 99 names. When we have completed the cycle of cleansing our self of our attachments (nafs) we can then turn back to see the world in a completely different way. Through Allah's manifestations we are now open to learning and expanding our awareness of creation, and can participate without attachment to outcome.

When the heart is clear, Allah's will becomes as our own.

How do you know Allah's will?

By being quiet and listening. Learn to look for and see Allah's answers. When a possible message or answer is perceived or received, we then need to ascertain that it is true and correct. We look for confirmation within and without. If the message comes from within, as in a dream, we look for outer confirmation from a friend, colleague or book. If it comes from a friend, or book, then we wait for confirmation from within as a dream, or hearing the heart clearly.

Is surrender acceptance of reality as it is and if so what's the role for those who want to change reality, i.e., reduce suffering and increase justice?

It is important to understand that everything that happens does so on multiple levels. What you perceive in an action is, at best, only one seventh of the actual event. If it is a natural disaster, there may be many obvious causes. If a tornado wipes out a village, you can track down the wind velocities, and see the low pressure areas in motion. Allah through nature is responsible, and the causes are sometimes more obvious, and then again, maybe not. Perhaps Allah wanted to cleanse an area, or provide the soil with needed nutrients for a future time. There may reasons that may never be revealed why Allah does an action, but you can be sure it is not vindictive, meaningless, or random. Allah's mercy and compassion are everywhere.

When it is a human action, like a coup, war, or bombing, then it is humans who are responsible, not Allah. Since Allah has provided us with the ability to make choices, then it is we are responsible for our actions, and therefore accountable for them.

Trying to change the world before you change yourself will only lead to an inner sabotage, and will pollute the intention to change the world with your own pride, arrogance, and "righteousness." True and lasting change only happens when you are clean enough within to hear your heart. One cannot predict what Allah's direction will be. Should Allah decide that you are to march to Washington to protest water poisoning, then that is Allah's message to you. A good sufi delivers the message without expectation and without attachment. It is Allah's will that is to be done. It is too easy to become attached to the message or the messenger. This would only infect the "cause" with the self, and destroy it. As with the UPS, the message is delivered, and that's that. You will know if you are chosen to lead others, or participate in a march. Until that time, it is much more efficient and better to prepare and to purify yourself and work on clearing out the pride. This is Allah's world, and though we are responsible for our actions, in sufism we try to act with our heart in all humility and modesty. The best kind of change comes from within.

That which is in our power is the ability to become the best human being we can (with Allah's help), and that is a cause that needs to be championed above all others. Sufis believe that a group of individuals who are good examples to others can teach and change more people and cause more justice than a thousand marches into Washington.

What happens if my car breaks down? Do I say, "This is Allah's will and that's that? Is that surrender?"

We have been given intelligence as well as responsibility for our actions. Certain things are within our charge, and they are ours to deal with. We should do everything within our power to take care of our family, our cars, our education, our relationships. We are expected to do our best whatever the situation is. We know that Allah is in charge, and guiding everything around us. What is most interesting, is that whatever is happening to you is your path, your teaching, your secret. No one else is experiencing the world in this way. Therefore it is up to you to understand the situation fully. See the event in the multiple option way, from different eyes, different viewpoints. Try to see patterns, lessons. Get all the juice you can from the situation so you can learn from it. Use all your senses and facilities to be present, in the sacred NOW. This is where the future starts, so be aware of the seeds you are planting.

What about acceptance of negative events?

Allah is the best teacher. Taking time to reflect on a "negative" experience is vital to a deeper comprehension of the cause(s). By tracing back the source of the experience, there is a definite possibility of not repeating the event, and being able to move forward. The concept of "negative" implies a subtraction or no-ness to a situation. If the situation is used to learn from and grow, then you have turned it about and made it a positive addition to your life. If you are given lemons, make lemonade. If you are given a lot of shit, sell it for fertilizer.

How do we deal with the acceptance of what we are given?

Reflecting and not reacting helps one to accept. Looking at the whole situation, attempting to see how other pieces fit in can give you a larger picture that allows understanding to take place. Once the understanding is established, acceptance can begin to shape itself to the overview.

How do you trust Allah?

By getting yourself out of the way. By watching and observing how Allah does things.

What must relax for surrender to happen?

The desire to be in charge. The desire to defend yourself.