International Association of Sufism

History

International Association of Sufism (IAS) was founded by Sufi Masters Dr. Nahid Angha and Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar in 1983.

Dr. Nahid Angha is the eldest child of Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha (the twentieth century Persian Sufi) and Mahtalat Etemad-Moghadam. Dr. Angha was the first woman appointed to teach in her father’s school, the Uwaisi Tariqat, in the late 1960s. She was also the first woman to sit at the center circle with Muslim Sufi leaders from around the world to lead meditation at the International Sufism Symposium. She is one of the major Sufi scholars and writers of our time, the author or over fifteen published books and many articles. She is also a human rights advocate. Dr. Angha is the main representative of the IAS to the United Nations DPI/NGO, and was featured in media and publications including: White Fire: A Portrait of Women Spiritual Leaders in America; Women in Sufism: A Hidden Treasure; Sufi Women: the Journey towards the Beloved; and Wisdom Keepers Project among others. Nahid Angha is the founder of the Sufi Women's Organization, a women's rights organization with seventeen chapters around the globe. Her dedication to global peace has also earned the IAS a Messenger of Peace Award 2000 from UNESCO and an Ambassadorship status from the UNICEF for IAS: Voices for Justice. Dr. Angha is the first Muslim woman inducted to the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame and was the Visionary Marin honoree of 2012. She has lectured throughout the world including at the UN, at the CPWR in Cape Town, in Barcelona, Spain, at the Smithsonian Institution, the Compassion conference in Germany, Science and Spirituality in Italy, Universal Forum of Cultures in Mexico, and was among the distinguished Muslim leaders and scholars invited to gather for the first annual Shakir World Encounters, an Islamic conference of peace in Marrakech, Morocco.

Shah Nazar Seyed Dr. Ali Kianfar is a disciple of Moulana Shah Maghsoud, 20th Century Persian Master of the Uwaiysi Tariqat. He began studying Sufism under the guidance and supervision of his Master of Tariq, Moulana Shah Maghsoud, and was appointed by him to teach and lead gatherings. An internationally published author and a commentator of the Qur'an, Dr. Kianfar has taught Sufism and Islamic Philosophy for over 40 years. He has lectured throughout the world including Australia, Scotland, Egypt, and was a keynote speaker at a conference organized by the government of Uzbekistan and UNESCO on the topic of Interreligious Dialogue and Peace, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Dr. Kianfar is the Editor in Chief of the Sufism: An Inquiry, a scholarly Journal dedicated to Sufism, the History of Sufism and Sufi Schools, Science and Spirituality, Peace and Social Justice, United Nations programs, and has been featuring prominent Sufis, Scientists, Cosmologists, Poets and more for many years. Sufism: An Inquiry has been in publication since 1988, and an on-line version is also now available.

Work

IAS and its members, world-wide, have worked to successfully accomplish the Association’s founding missions and goals to: introduce Sufism in all its varied forms to the public; make known the interrelation between Sufi principles and scientific principles; provide a forum for a continuing dialogue between the different schools of Sufism; preserve and advance the study and goals of Sufism.

Through its journal: Sufism an Inquiry, the Conferences, Lecture Series, Classes, Educational Programs and Projects, Publication and Productions and Newsletters, the IAS has expanded its founding goals to also include programs focused towards global peace and non-violence, education, human rights, women’s rights and leadership, ending world’s hunger, supporting freedom of religious beliefs, providing children immunizations and school supplies, and working in partnership with grassroots organizations providing free medical care, portable water, and other critical services where most needed.

IAS has received the status of Non Governmental Organization with the Department of Public Information of the United Nations (DPI/NGO), supported and contributed towards the works of Amnesty International, UNICEF, and received recognition from UNESCO for its global peace efforts in 2000.

IAS has received many awards and recognition and has also played an important role in global peace, inter-faith dialogue and cooperation both in California and internationally. IAS has partnered with many organizations to represent Sufism and Islam, including the Interfaith Center at the Presidio, National Inter-religious Leadership Delegation to Washington, D.C., Assembly Members of the Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions, United Religions Initiative, Assembly Member at UNESCO Culture of Peace, Millennium Peace of Religious Leaders UN, among others.

Departments

The IAS has several departments:

Sufi Women

IAS-SWO and the Sufi Women Organization, founded by Dr. Nahid Angha and with the efforts and contributions of Sufi women from around the globe, was established in 1993 under the auspices of the International Association of Sufism. A forum for all women, it has been tremendously successful in gathering together women from diverse cultural backgrounds who share a dedication to the goals of Sufism, especially with respect to human rights. SWO’s primary humanitarian goals include women’s rights, education, and social awareness. The devotion of all who have volunteered their time, energy and expertise have led to many substantial achievements: opening lines of communication among Sufi women from many different schools throughout the world, bringing the influence and the leadership of Sufi women into the traditional Sufi gatherings, taking active leadership roles within the global community through interfaith organizations, Amnesty International, Habitats for Humanity, UNICEF, UNESCO, and the United Nations. SWO works with diverse community services programs including Women’s Wisdom, Women in Action educational conference series, Prison Project, Literacy Program, and more. It provides classes and a meditation series for Sufi women. SWO also introduces Sufi women’s accomplishments in art, literature, poetry, teachings, and practices in publications distributed internationally and through the SWO Quarterly Newsletter, Lecture Series Luncheon Programs, and annual Sufism Symposium meeting. SWO established an electronic mail news group and web site to facilitate sharing among Sufi women and created a forum for exchanging ideas, traditions and teachings among Sufi women from different orders and cultures. Sufi Women’s Organization has also worked for over eight months on an international forum to create a Code of Ethics which is honored by its members throughout the world.

SWO has partnered with other humanitarian organizations in support of peace and humanitarian efforts. This includes contributions towards medical and humanitarian aid for the Haiti disaster, support and contributions towards Project Amigo which offers scholarships, tutoring, clothing, books, medical, dental and other services for children from low income families in Mexico. SWO also contributes towards homeless shelters and offers educational programs for the prevention and understanding of domestic violence. SWO participated in a Cross Cultural Research Study, initiated by several international campaigns and the Open Letter Project to encourage political, social, and religious leaders to call for the universal application of basic human rights. SWO worked with Amnesty International in support of works towards women’s rights and equality.

Another important Program of the SWO is the “SWO Lecture Series,” a quarterly lecture series organized to introduce and honor outstanding women and learn from their knowledge and wisdom. This program has continued since 1993. SWO also holds an annual meeting when many members from around the world gather for a weekend. Some of these events include Harvest Your Treasure, Women’s Meditation Circle, and more.

Sufi Psychology Forum

The Sufism and Psychology Forum (SPF) has been created to explore the relationship between the study of Sufism and psychology; conduct research in the field of Sufi psychology; expand the SPF research library; present Sufi psychology studies at academic and professional conferences; sponsor seminars and lectures presented by spiritually oriented psychologists and therapists. Members of the SPF have advanced degrees in psychology and are skilled therapists. They are working to bring the application of Sufi principles and practices together with the study of psychology through research, translation, and discussion. The Sufi Psychology Forum is a department of IAS and is not affiliated with any one Sufi school or order. One of the outcomes of the SPF was the creation and establishment of the Community Healing Centers (http://ias.org/departments/sufipsychology/chc/) AND (http://www.communityhealingcenters.org). CHC has offices in San Francisco, Marin and Sonoma. They provide essential psychotherapy services to local communities. The clinical staff is composed of highly trained and qualified psychotherapists and interns specializing in a broad spectrum of clinical issues. The offerings include retreats, workshops, couples therapy, women in transition, stress management and time management.

Voices for Justice

Voices for Justice consists of a group of youth leader advocates for the rights of children by providing a forum for public awareness through: education, community service, events and programs. Voices for Justice wants every child and every young adult to have the opportunity to fulfill his or her highest potential. Voices for Justice is a UNICEF’s Ambassador, and was nominated for the Heart of Marin’s Award.

Institute for Sufi Studies

The Institute for Sufi Studies (ISS) is a collaborative education and research effort that invites people from around the world with the common interest of Sufism to join together for research and study of this ancient wisdom. ISS is an educational department of the International Association of Sufism (IAS). The Institute for Sufi Studies offers classes directly through its center, on-line through the Internet, and at other educational institutions. The faculty are all practitioners of Sufism and teachers in many diverse disciplines, including religion, literature, psychology, philosophy, sociology, and physics.

Taneen Sufi Music

Taneen Sufi Music Ensemble is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, members of Taneen are all salekin (students) of the Sufi Masters Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar and Dr. Nahid Angha. With an authentic fusion of Middle Eastern Sufi and Western musical influences, and deeply rooted in the Sufi tradition in its intention and inspiration, Taneen creates original melodies that wrap Sufi chant around sung Sufi poetry. They primarily sing the ecstatic love poetry of the great masters (such as Rumi, Hafez, Omar Khayam, and Moulana Shah Maghsoud) translated into English by Dr. Nahid Angha. The resulting melodies are the profound message of love which the Sufis profess is accessible to all audiences. Taneen has performed before international audiences at such events as the annual Sufism Symposium, the Parliament of World’s Religions, the Nobel Peace Institute, the United Nation’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, and many other events.

Programs

Its programs include Building Bridges of Understanding, a cooperative educational program, including conference organization, which it runs in cooperation with Humanities Department of Dominican University of California, with support from the Marin Community Foundation; Forty Days: Alchemy of Tranquility, which consists of workshops allowing participants to access their hidden wisdom and to use it in daily life; Sufi Symposium, an international, multicultural festival; and Voices for Justice.

Symposia

The annual International Sufi Symposium, sponsored by the International Association of Sufism, attracts hundreds of Sufis from around the world.

At the 2000 symposium, "The Need for Sufism in a New Century - An Old Tradition for a New World", IAS co-founder Dr Ali Kianfar delivered a speech entitled "Self and Discovery". He said:

There is a saying amongst Sufis, that always there is a question, but we have to look for a Quest. A Quest raised from the heart. So we all have a Quest, but we get the answer according to our question.

The 2001 symposium, held in Fremont, California, had the theme of "The Soul's Longing: A Language of Spirit", where attendees explored "the wisdom and beauty of Sufism in society". More than a dozen Sufi masters spoke at the conference and led prayer and meditation (zikr), and there were presentations of Sufi music and poetry.

In September 2006 the symposium was convened at Edinburgh, Scotland, the first time such an event had held in Europe. The event was sponsored by the International Association of Sufism, together with the Edinburgh Institute for Advanced Learning and the Edinburgh International Centre for World Spiritualities.

Conferences

The conferences organized by the IAS have brought together men and women from a wide variety of national backgrounds and "with different degrees of emphasis on Islamic sharia practice and customs". The meetings give prominence to Sufi Meditation, Zikr, music, poetry, interfaith discussions, and academic lectures by scholars, translators, physicians, and psychotherapists.

Projects

The IAS's projects include Literacy Project, in which members of the Sufi Women Organization help tutor those with literacy needs; Prison Project, an outreach programme to those in jail; Project Khaneghah, which is dedicated to building a Sufi community centre or Khanqah, and United Nations and Human Rights, in its role as United Nations NGO.

Modernism and equality

An important aspect of the International Association of Sufism is the role that women play in the organization. The IAS stresses a gender-equitable approach. With a foundation in Islam, which has a tradition of respect for women and rights for women dating back to the Prophet, the association and its departments stress and practice a gender-equitable approach in their work.

Arife Ellen Hammerle wrote an article entitled Women and Islam for Human Beams magazine in August 1999. Speaking from her personal experiences as a woman, mother, Sufi and American, she relates:

Sufism has taught me the meaning of freedom and equality amongst humanity. The capacity to surrender, submit and remember God in every breath and in every moment reveals the true quest of the heart.

IAS is modernist despite its traditional Sufi trappings. In the preface to The Sufi orders in Islam, John O.Voll talks of the growing strength of Sufi tariqas amongst modern people who are not trying to escape modernity, that traditionalists would have difficulty conceiving or crediting, citing the International Association of Sufism, whose annual meeting in California was attended by 800 people in 1996.

In Sufism and the 'Modern' in Islam, the authors write: "The [IAS] is very much in the avant-garde of transnational Sufism, hardly resembling traditional orders or spirituality at all. Instead, it represents itself as an 'educational organization' and a UN affiliated NGO that carries out a UN Human Rights project."

Sufism and psychology

Speaking of the way in which the science of modern psychology explains Sufi practice and experience and appeals to the European Sufi, in Sufism in the West, the editors Jamil Malik and John R. Hinnells write that examples of this connection "may be found in the Shah Maghsoud Angha lineage, the International Association of Sufism and the Maktab Tarighat Oveyssi Shahmaghsoudi (MTO)". The editors go on to say that The Gift of the Robe, published by a member of IAS, "exemplifies an understanding of the role of science in proving spiritual truths."

Notable publications by prominent members of the IAS include Psychology in Sufism by Amineh Amelia Pryor, Ph.D., Director of the IAS's Sufism and Psychology Forum. This is described as "an introductory text in which the psychological process of transformation of the self is explored from within the context of Sufism."

Other works by prominent members include The Sufi Book of Life: 99 Pathways of the Heart for the Modern Dervish by Neil Douglas-Klotz.

Another key figure in the psychotherapeutic activities carried out in collaboration with the IAS is Arife Ellen Hammerle, Ph.D. She is a practising Sufi psychologist with a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT #32398). Dr. Hammerle is the director and a clinician the International Association of Sufism's San Francisco and Marin County Healing Centers in California, at Mill Valley, Novato and San Franscisco, which specialize in an integrative approach to psychotherapy (i.e. integrative psychotherapy). She is also Clinical Coordinator at Catholic Charities.

A senior student of the Uwaiysi Tariqat of Sufism, Dr. Hammerle is also a regular teacher at the Institute for Sufi Studies and Santa Rosa Junior College, where she teaches psychology, stress management and Sufi courses. She is an active member of the Boards for the Marin Interfaith Council, the Center for Women and Religion, and the Marin Integrative Healing Network. Arife Ellen Hammerle also serves as a representative to the United Nations Department of Public Information, representing and acting as coordinator for the International Association of Sufism and Sufi Women Organization. In addition, she has written the book The Sacred Journey: Unfolding Self Essence (2000).

International cooperation

Working with other faiths, Community Healing Centers director, Uwaiysi Sufi and qualified psychotherapist, Arife Ellen Hammerle, was invited to make a presentation at the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions in 1999.

In August 2000, representatives of the IAS were amongst one thousand religious leaders, including the Grand Mufti of Syria and Chief Rabbi of Israel, who attended the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders held at the United Nations HQ in New York.

The IAS was also invited to participate in the Interreligious Engagement Project (IEP21) Global Dialogue of Civilizations Project in 2007.

IAS journal

The IAS regularly publishes a journal, Sufism Journal. Sufism: An Inquiry is also available free of charge on the internet.

IAS books

Members of the association have published a number of books, many under the association's own imprint, including translations of the works of Moulana Shah Maghsoud which often adopt a scientific approach to spiritual matters.