The essence of all that can teach man to bring out the good in the soul of man is to be found in the Beatitudes as taught by Jesus Christ, the Murshid of murshids. And if anybody wants to see it practiced, he may go today and watch the life that the Sufis live in the East. It is they who have understood it properly and have practiced it to their utmost ability. Therefore, the real treasure of Christ's teaching is Sufism, although the latter is not called Christianity. However, the name makes no difference so long as the sense is right.'Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' 'Poor in spirit' means mild in ego, and the ego is by nature tyrannical. All the tyranny in the world is only caused by the ego. When the ego is laid before God, in other words, when the ego is illuminated with the knowledge of God, it begins to fade; for it denies its limited being and it realizes the being of God. So it loses all its tyranny, and becomes mild, which is being poor in spirit. This makes man's whole life heaven, both here and in the hereafter.
'Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.' All things are given to those who demand; only they deserve them, and only they can enjoy them. The infant cries when it is hungry, and it is given food, it is then that it enjoys it most. So it is with the lovers of God, with the seekers of truth. When their desire becomes so deep that it makes them mourn, it is then that they are comforted.
'Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.' There is a saying in Persian, 'If your word is sweet, you can win the world.' The world is too small when meekness can win even the hearts of men, for the heart can contain a thousand such worlds.
'Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.' There are only two paths: the path of light and the path of darkness. The former leads to all joy, while the latter leads to all sorrow. Not everyone understands this, but the one who understands goes in pursuit of it, for he knows that the only sustenance of his soul is righteousness.
'Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.' The warmth of one's own feeling takes away the coldness from another person's heart. Therefore, one cannot receive mercy either from the earth or from heaven, unless one has oneself awakened mercy in one's soul.
'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.' This purity of heart is not only in thought, feeling, and action; it is the purity, which in the East is called Saf, from which the word Sufi is said to have come. This Saf makes the heart pure from all that is not God, in other words, the heart must see and realize all as God and God as all.
'Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.' Only those who make peace in life who are unbiased, unselfish, or impartial, and this is the nature of God, before whom all, rich or poor, foolish or wise, are equal. His mercy is upon all, and He bestows His gifts on all, both the deserving and the undeserving. Therefore, those who follow the way of the heavenly Father are really His deserving sons.
'Blessed are they, which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' It is easy to be righteous when everything is smooth in life, but when a person is tried it is difficult to keep to it. For the more righteous he is the more losses he has to suffer, and, though there may not seem to be any gain in righteousness, yet the reward of the righteous is heaven in the end.
'Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they the prophets which were before you .' this advice is not given only to the followers of Christ, but especially to the mureeds, whose murshid bears a message. It means that they can only prove worthy when their faith in the teaching of their teacher is so great that they stand by him and his teaching in all conditions, and suffer contentedly all that befalls them through the ignorance of man; for so it has been and will ever be with everyone who gives the message of truth.
'Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.' All things are given to those who demand; only they deserve them, and only they can enjoy them. The infant cries when it is hungry, and it is given food, it is then that it enjoys it most. So it is with the lovers of God, with the seekers of truth. When their desire becomes so deep that it makes them mourn, it is then that they are comforted.
'Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.' There is a saying in Persian, 'If your word is sweet, you can win the world.' The world is too small when meekness can win even the hearts of men, for the heart can contain a thousand such worlds.
'Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.' There are only two paths: the path of light and the path of darkness. The former leads to all joy, while the latter leads to all sorrow. Not everyone understands this, but the one who understands goes in pursuit of it, for he knows that the only sustenance of his soul is righteousness.
'Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.' The warmth of one's own feeling takes away the coldness from another person's heart. Therefore, one cannot receive mercy either from the earth or from heaven, unless one has oneself awakened mercy in one's soul.
'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.' This purity of heart is not only in thought, feeling, and action; it is the purity, which in the East is called Saf, from which the word Sufi is said to have come. This Saf makes the heart pure from all that is not God, in other words, the heart must see and realize all as God and God as all.
'Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.' Only those who make peace in life who are unbiased, unselfish, or impartial, and this is the nature of God, before whom all, rich or poor, foolish or wise, are equal. His mercy is upon all, and He bestows His gifts on all, both the deserving and the undeserving. Therefore, those who follow the way of the heavenly Father are really His deserving sons.
'Blessed are they, which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' It is easy to be righteous when everything is smooth in life, but when a person is tried it is difficult to keep to it. For the more righteous he is the more losses he has to suffer, and, though there may not seem to be any gain in righteousness, yet the reward of the righteous is heaven in the end.
'Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they the prophets which were before you .' this advice is not given only to the followers of Christ, but especially to the mureeds, whose murshid bears a message. It means that they can only prove worthy when their faith in the teaching of their teacher is so great that they stand by him and his teaching in all conditions, and suffer contentedly all that befalls them through the ignorance of man; for so it has been and will ever be with everyone who gives the message of truth.
- Sufi Inayat Khan | Credit: Sufi Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan
When you read the lines of Beatitude, know that the blessings flow for-ever. Know that it is Mighty Prophet Jesus who is even now when you read it, giving blessings to you. From the holy lips of Prophet Jesus, the blessing is given for all who hold it true in heart and strive according to it.
Ref: Wahiduddin.net | Beatitude in Wikipedia | Previous Post on Beatitude and fasting & Beatitude and Purification of Heart
:: Watch a beautiful presentation of Beatitudes
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