The quotes reprinted here are from a collection of passages on the theme of The Path which can be obtained through the North American Secretariat. The grammar of the 1920's considered as correct the use of masculine collective pronouns. Use of gender inclusive language is currently encouraged in the Sufi Order
The Sufi Message, which is now being given in the western world, is the child of that mother who has been known for so many years as Sufism. It connects the two lines of the prophetic mission, the Hindu line and that of Beni Israel, in order that they may become the medium to unite in God the truth of both East and West. It is the same truth, the same religion, the same ideal, which the wise of all ages have held. If there is anything different, it is only a difference of form. The Sufi Message given now has adopted the form suitable for the age. It is a Message without claim, and the group of workers in this Message and those who follow it are called the Sufi Movement. Their work is to tread the spiritual path quietly, unassumingly, and to serve God and humanity. In this lies the fulfillment of the Message.
The Sufi Message is the answer to the cry of humanity today, for it is in agreement with science and it stands in defense of all religions. Our movement renders service to God and humanity, without any intention of forming an exclusive community, but of uniting in this service people of all the different religions. This movement, in its infancy, is only beginning its work, but its culmination will be a world movement. It is the world Message, and the religion which will be the religion of the whole of humanity, a religion which does not distract the mind of any person from his own faith, but makes it more firm, more enlightened, more sympathetic to his own religion. It is a religion which teaches tolerance towards the faith of another, a religion which opens the heart to words of wisdom no matter what direction they come from. This is not only a church, but a school in which to learn a lesson, the lesson of tolerance; to learn to revere all teachers and to respect all scriptures; a lesson which teaches us that we need not give up our own religion, but that we should embrace all religions in order to make the sacredness of religion perfect.
The Sufi Message, therefore, is not for a particular race, denomination or church. It is a call to unite in wisdom. The Sufi Movement is a group of people belonging to different religions who have not left their religions but who have learned to understand them better, and their love is the love for God and humanity instead of for a particular section of it. The principal work that the Sufi Movement has to accomplish is to bring about a better understanding between East and West, and between the nations and races of this world. The note that the Sufi Message is striking at the present time is the note which sounds the divinity of the human soul. If there is any moral principle the Sufi Movement brings, it is this: that the whole of humanity is like one body, and any organ of that body which is hurt or troubled can indirectly cause damage to the whole body. As the health of the whole body depends upon the health of each part, so the health of the whole of humanity depends upon the health of every nation. Besides, to those who are awakening and feel that now is the moment to learn more of the deeper side of life, of truth, the Sufi Movement extends a helping hand without asking to what religion, sect or dogma they belong. The knowledge of the Sufi is helpful to every person, not only in living his life rightly but in regard to his own religion. The Sufi Movement does not call a man away from his belief or church; it calls him to live it. In short, it is a movement intended by God to unite humanity in brotherhood and in wisdom.
It is in self-realization that the mystery of the whole of life is centered. It is the remedy for all maladies, it is the secret of success in all walks of life, it is a religion and more than a religion. And at this time, when the whole world is upset, the Sufi Message conveys to the world the divine Message. What is wrong with humanity today is that it is not itself, and all the misery of the world is caused by this. Therefore, nothing can answer the need of humanity save this process of the sages and the wise of all ages, which leads souls to self-realization.
The condition of the world today is such that humanity has become abnormal. Man is not only scared of badness, but also of goodness. Man not only dreads war, but also peace. He is not only tired of enmity, but also of friendship. He not only suspects his adversary, but even his own brother. It seems as if the mind of the world is not only tired but ill--as if humanity has had a nervous breakdown. Individually or collectively, man does not know his life's purpose or goal. The Sufi Message warns humanity to get to know life better and to achieve freedom in life. It warns man to accomplish what he considers good, just and desirable. It warns him before every action to note its consequences by studying the situation, his own attitude and the method he should adopt.
Sufism not only guides those who are religious, mystical or visionary, but the Sufi Message gives to the world the religion of the day, and that is to make one's life a religion, to turn one's occupation or profession into a religion, to make one's ideal a religious ideal. The object of Sufism is the uniting of life and religion, which so far seem to have been kept apart. When a man goes to church once a week and devotes all the other days of the week to his business, how can he benefit by religion? Therefore, the teaching of Sufism is to transform everyday life into a religion so that every action may bear some spiritual fruit.
Sufism is a religion if one wants to learn religion from it, it is a philosophy if one wants to learn wisdom from it, it is mysticism if one wishes to be guided by it in the unfoldment of the soul. And yet, it is beyond all these things. It is the light, it is the life which is the sustenance of every soul and which raises a mortal being to immortality. It is the Message of love, harmony and beauty. It is a divine Message. It is the Message of the time, and the Message of the time is an answer to the call of every soul. The Message, however, is not in its words, but in the divine light and life which heals souls, bring to them the calm and peace of God.
The work of the Sufi Movement is not to collect all the rainwater in its own tanks, but to make a way for the stream of the Message to flow and to supply water to all the fields of the world. The work of the Sufi Message is sowing; reaping we shall leave to humanity to do, for the fields do not belong to our particular movement. All the fields belong to God. We who are employed to work on this farm of the world must do what we have to do and leave the rest to God. Success we do not trouble about. Let those who strive for it seek some other direction. Truth alone is our success, for the only lasting success is truth.