Spiritual Success

"Tasawwuf" means to assume the mantle of spiritual poverty. It is an admission of weakness, an embrace of defeat.

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

~ Matthew 5:3 (KJV)

Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

~ Luke 17:33 (KJV).

A doctrine abandoned by most Christians long ago.

Abu Bakr al-Kalabadhi (10th century, CE) wrote a little book about this subject [Kitab al-Ta'arruf li-madhhab ahl al-tasawwuf] that continues to be read 1,000 years later.

Little is known of its author.

Such is the nature of spiritual "success."