The Teaching of Hazrat Inayat Khan1

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Topic

Archetypes

Astrology

Attainment

Chakras

Character

Christ

Compassion

Dervish

Desire and renunciation

Destiny and Free Will

Dimensions

Discipleship

Dreams

Duties and debts

Ego

Elements

God

Guidance

Healers

Healing

Health

Heart

Immortality

Initiation

Light and Love

Lovers

Magnetism

Mastery

Material life

Meditation

Message

Mind

Physical Body

Planes

Poets

Power

Prayers

Purpose

Reconstruction of World

Relationships

Religions

Saints

School

Scientists

Sexuality

Sleep

Speaking

Stages

Stories

Sufism

Teaching Style

Voice

Women

World

Wounds of the Heart

Sub-Topic

Alchemy

Attitude of a Disciple

Children School

Confidence

Discipleship

Finding a Guide

Five Necessities

Ideals and Aims

Initiation

Inner School

Kinds of Disciples

Resistance of Pupils

Science of Breath

Sufi Training

Symbol of the Sufi Order

Ten Sufi Thoughts

The fire I have lighted

The Murshid

Two Duties

Way of Working

Yoga and Sufism

The Message Papers

The Duty of Happiness

(From a transcript of his lecture in 1922 in Brighton) "Mureed" refers to a dedicated student, while "murshid" refers to a master teacher. Hazrat Inayat Khan uses the male pronoun exclusively, in keeping with the custom of his time, with the assumption that the male pronoun refers to all people.

I wish to bring to the notice of my mureeds two great duties which every one of them must consider it most important to perform. The first duty is towards himself, the second is towards God and humanity.

  1. The first and most important is towards himself. It must be known and understood that your murshid does not give particular principles, tenets, or doctrines; nor does he impose any particular belief. He keeps you free to make your lives really happy, that others may share your happiness. This happiness can be attained by thoroughly studying the nature of happiness, finding out what it is that gives true happiness, for so often in seeking happiness the soul is deceived and deluded and so remains without happiness.

    The mureeds must take care that their bodies are strong, healthy, vigorous, and ready to work, that their minds are balanced, sound and clear. Then they can have happiness and give it to those around them. If in this time of great distress every mureed would realize that he is a volunteer in an army, working for the peace of souls, a great work would be done.

  2. The second duty, towards God and humanity is to show their devotion to the Cause, to Murshid, and to God, by some service. You ask, what service can you do for the Cause? You can create an interest in the Message in those around you, in your friends. You may for instance bring your friends to this centre, where sometimes there are readings, and so you will help the movement, and by so doing, you may help humanity and the Cause of God.

    Remember, it is a world movement, the responsibility of which is too great for words to express. If anything can give you an idea of its greatness, you will show it by sympathy for Murshid and appreciation for the teachings which are given to you. Words say little. And the service must not be done in order to oblige Murshid; it must be done for God and for humanity. You must consider it as your most sacred task, given by God, therefore most important to fulfill, and the main purpose of your life.