A Source of Spiritual Perfection
The mystery of sound is mysticism; the harmony of life is religion.
The knowledge of vibrations is metaphysics, and the analysis of
atoms science; and their harmonious grouping is art. The rhythm
of form is poetry, and the rhythm of sound is music. This shows
that music is the art of arts and the science of all sciences; and
it contains the fountain of all knowledge within itself.
Music is called a divine or celestial art, no only because of its
use in religion and devotion, and because it is in itself a universal
religion, but because of its fineness in comparison with all other
arts and sciences. Every sacred scripture, holy picture or spoken
word, produces the impression of its identity upon the marrow of
the soul; but music stands before the soul without producing any
impression of this objective world, in either name or form, thus
preparing the soul to realize the Infinite.
Recognizing this, the Sufi names music Giza-I Ruh, the food of the
soul, and uses it as a source of spiritual perfection; for music
fans the fire of the heart, and the flame arising from it illumines
the soul. The Sufi derives much more benefit from music in his meditations
that from anything else. His devotional and meditative attitude
makes him responsive to music, which helps him in his spiritual
unfoldment. The consciousness, by the help of music, first frees
itself from the body and them from the mind. This once accomplished,
only one step more is needed to attain spiritual perfection.
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