On 29th January 2018, a group of 33 from all over Europe attended the Al Mahdi Institute to find out more about the Institute and to meet its director Shaykh Arif to talk about the spiritual, mystical side of Islam. The visit was facilitated by the Asha Centre which aspires to create a special environment in which everyone who visits feels a deep sense of inspiration, connection and purpose.
After the tour of the library which the participants really enjoyed, it was followed by a sitting with Shaykh Arif Abdul hussain, who talked about the mystical element of Islam and how it is similar and different to the philosophical trend. Shaykh Arif touched on the concern of the mystics in terms of morality, and how important it is to embody morality within the soul. The discussion ended with him answering questions on how we can reconcile the legal and spiritual sides of Islam, and also how religion is used to justify violence amongst many other questions. The participants left with a refreshed outlook of Islam and religion as a whole.
