Hearts Turn Quotes

“In my experience an insane person (and I have met a few) is someone who believes that the entire universe and everything in it is conspiring against him. The sane person, on the other hand, is the one who believes that the entire universe and everything in it is conspiring for him. I, fortunately, am a denizen of the latter category. (p. 283)”
― Michael Sugich, Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption

“In Fez Yasmin had another dream. „I saw myself in a shower. Water poured over me, washing and purifying me and I was told ‚All your sins have been washed away by that water. You‘ve been cleansed. Your sins have been washed away and you‘re blessed.‘ „I feel that Allah has been knocking on my door for some time now, perhaps all my life. ‚But you just haven‘t recognized Me‘, He says, ‚You haven‘t recognized Me. You keep waiting but I have been there all along.‘“ (p.195)”
― Michael Sugich, Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption

“In „The Secret of Secrets“, al-Jilani refers to the Hadith Qudsi, where God speaks through His Messenger, peace be upon him:

„Man is My secret and I am his secret. The inner knowledge of the spiritual essence (ilm al-batin) is a secret of My secrets. Only I put this into the heart of My good servant, and none may know his state other than Me.“ (p. 192)”
― Michael Sugich, Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption

“If you did not sin, God would destroy you and replace you by another people who would commit sins, ask for God’s forgiveness and He would forgive them.[25] THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD”
― Michael Sugich, Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption

“The imagery of intoxication pervades the mystical poetry of Islam, from Attar to Hafiz to Rumi to Ibn al-Arabi and Ibn al-Farid, to Sidi Ahmed al-Alawi and Ibn al-Habib. „The Tavern“, „Wine“, „the Cup“, „Drunkenness“ are powerful mystical symbols that indicate the deep rapture and illumination experienced by the lovers of God. Those who deny the intoxication that comes from worship and remembrance are those who have never experienced it […] hearts overflowing with remembrance of God, filled with Light. Through worship and self-abnegation, they share a taste of the intoxication experienced by those who have entered the Tavern of the Presence and drunk the wine of Light.

To deny the possibility of spiritual intoxication is to remove a powerful incentive for purification and worship: an intoxication that removes confusion, a drunkenness with no hangover. What a difference between effulgent rapture and the darkness of an alcoholic stupor! (p. 273)”
― Michael Sugich, Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption

“When I read al-Ghazali, I thought, „Oh my God, this is true“. Al Ghazali wrote: „I am on a crumbling bank. My soul is crying „Up, up and away. If not now, when?“ I was about twenty-three years old and I thought, „My God, I am on a crumbling bank! If I don‘t do it – up, up and away – I‘ve blown it! I knew that if I didn‘t do it now, I would have blown it.“ Gray had been looking for a spiritual path all along and was drawn to Sufism. She embraced the religion of Islam and took the name Aisha. (p. 213)”
― Michael Sugich, Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption

“He was what I would call one of the Hidden Ones (Saints). His patience with me was extraordinary. He was connected with Allah. That was the only important thing for him, nanosecond to nanosecond. There was nothing else that mattered. And all the spiritual courtesy (adab) of the conventional Muslim – don‘t waste time, don‘t talk about trivia, all of these things – it came from the fact that he was connected. He didn‘t have to make the effort. He wouldn‘t involve himself in trivia. (p. 206)”
― Michael Sugich, Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption

“If you do not believe that God can take you at this moment and make you one of His friends (Awliya) then you are ignorant of His power. - Ibn Ata‘illah Al-Iskandari (p. 334)”
― Michael Sugich, Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption

“But then Yasmin changed her mind and hopped a flight to Fez. „I knew I had to go. I didn‘t know why but I had to go. And I was really quite scared because I was going alone and I‘d never been to Morocco. I didn‘t know anyone. I traveled at night so I call it my ‚isra‘, my Night Journey. I landed late. I was really scared but I prayed to Allah, „I trust in You to look after me and protect me. I‘m here for whatever the purpose You‘ve planned for me. (p. 193)”
― Michael Sugich, Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption

“I always liked living. I never went into a big depression. ‘How could this have happened to me? Why?’ It never happened. If you perceive that life is good then it is good. Your life is what you feel about it. Happiness doesn’t really depend on material things. It is how you see it and how you accept it.”
― Michael Sugich, Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption

“It is recounted that a man asked Ibn Mas’ud about a sin he had committed: did he have a chance of repentance? Ibn Mas’ud turned away from him, then turned back and saw tears flowing from his eyes. Ibn Mas’ud said to the man: ‘Indeed Paradise has eight gates which open and close, but the gate of repentance, guarded by a special Angel, does not close; do [repent], and do not despair.’[23] IMAM AL-GHAZALI”
― Michael Sugich, Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption

“I have a second chance. I would not be Muslim, I would not be Muslim, I would not be Muslim had I not taken the path I took. I became a Muslim in prison. If I hadn’t gone to prison I probably would have been a wannabe thug or maybe something else, but I wouldn’t have become a Muslim. I think sometimes you need to sin because that’s what’s going to make you repent.”
― Michael Sugich, Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption