Longing for Rumi
Tasawuf or Islamic mysticism has reached the cities. It reminds us of the many courses offered to the public, such as Body Language, Learn English in Three Months, and so on. Training is now offered to focus during prayers, a three-hour workshop to experience the essence of the Islamic testimony of faith without having to follow a Sufi order, and many others. There are short-cuts full of business calculations, to be sure. However, there are some which enjoy a deeper sort of tasawuf, one which is not just limited to the surface, but takes up a Sufi path.
September 30, 2008
IT is called the Rumi Cafe. Located on Jalan Iskandarsyah in the direction of Kemang, an elite area of South Jakarta, it hopes to become the latest hangout for the city’s youth. “I intend to draw young people into heaven,” said Arief Hamdani, President of the Haqqani Sufi Institute of Indonesia, with a laugh.
Rumi Cafe is not an ordinary cafe. It does not serve alcoholic drinks. A calm and peaceful atmosphere greets anyone who enters there
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