Previous Page
Table Of Contents
Next Page

 

 

 

He wrote many books on all phases of life, stating the truth in very simple English because, he said, the world had enough puzzles and he had not come to bring another one. Profound truth is not necessarily complicated. He kept emphasizing that we should look for the unity of our religious ideals rather than for differences despite our living in such a world of variety. He appointed his first disciple here, Ada Martin, whom he lovingly renamed Rabia after the great Rabia of Basra, as Murshida of his newly founded Sufi school. Her life remained dedicated to that cause until she passed away in 1947 in her native San Francisco. She appointed the writer to carry on her work.

 

Hazrat Inayat Khan gave up the body in January of 1927, I believe in Delhi, India. His close friend, Hassan Nizami, who also had founded a Sufi school, was with him at the end. Due to certain statements made to her in person and in letters by Pir-O-Murshid Inayat Khan, plus assurances of Sheikh Hassan Nizami, Rabia Martin believed herself to be the appointed successor to Hazrat Inayat Khan and went to France when the Sufi Summer School opened in 1927 to take charge of the work. There she was met with unexpected schism and opposition, as so often happens after the death of a great saint, and the Sufi order established by Hazrat Inayat Khan split into two segments. Murshida Martin continued her work in the United States, Brazil and Australia. Pir-O-Murshid Inayat Khan's brother took over the rest of his mureeds (disciples) except those who were so appalled at the schism they would not continue their training with either leader.

 

Finding herself confronted with a terrible responsibility upon the death of Murshida Martin, the writer was for a time in a dilemma. However, Sufis have always believed in the existence of a spiritual hierarchy living in the world, a hierarchy which is beyond religious labels but which has stemmed from and through all of them. They have always known of the one Perfect Master who acts as the hub of the wheel which guides this hierarchy and the world. He is called the "Qutub." So this writer determined that if Sufism was to exist in the Americas she must locate the Qutub and get His authoritative help. Before her death, Murshida Martin had told of a Perfect Master in India named Meher Baba whom she felt must be the Qutub. I determined to find Him.

 

As it developed later, He had already found me and made it possible for me to reach Him in India the end of 1947. My daughter Charmian and I

 

34

 

Previous Page
Table Of Contents
Next Page