Imam Jamal Rahman is one of the esteemed teachers of our Living Spiritual Teachers Project and one of the exemplars for our Spiritual Literacy Certificates Program. Imam Jamal is a co-founder and minister at Seattle’s Interfaith Community Sanctuary. He is a popular speaker on Islam, Sufi spirituality, and interfaith relations, and is also highly regarded for his work as one of The Interfaith Amigos – a trio whose work “comprises a dialogue of the mind, the heart, and the hands, encouraging greater understanding, compassion, and social action in the world.” Seven of his previous books have been S&P award winners.
Fragrance of the Qur’an encourages readers, regardless of their specific beliefs, to join Imam Jamal in his favorite spiritual practice – the practice of hal (a gift from the Divine) and maqam (spiritual station). The practice of hal and maqam involves meditating on a Qur’anic verse; furthering that meditation with other relevant material, such as other verses, sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, poetry, or teaching stories; and applying the wisdom from this meditation in daily life so as to “grow in higher consciousness and personal fulfillment.”
Imam Jamal’s reflections often include teaching stories and the poetry of Rumi. By reflecting on universal verses (verses of general wisdom that are easily understood no matter our faith tradition rather than those that require specific historical and textual context), Imam Jamal makes this practice accessible to everyone.
In 28 short chapters, he covers a wide range of topics, such as the divine feminine, marriage, and suffering. Several of the chapters correspond with Spiritual Literacy Alphabet Practices: Mysteries (X-The Mystery); Love; Compassion; Faith, Trust and Hope; Transforming the Ego (Transformation); Justice; and Forgiveness. One of my favorites is the chapter on nature. Reading this book inspires himma (spiritual aspiration). It will likely make you want to be a better person, to have an ever-increasingly purified and loving heart, and to grow in “worship [of] God by serving God’s creation.”
Go Deeper:
Beauty and Wisdom in the Qur'an: An e-course on timeless insights and practices gleaned from reflections on verses of the Qur’an.
