November 2002
SD(B) NEWS NOVEMBER 2002
SPECIAL
GREETINGS FROM the BOARD of YOUR SUSILA DHARMA
At
this confluence of the end of Ramadan and the start of Advent we wish
each of our readers a truly blessed Eid ul-Fitr :
Eid Mubarak,
And
the true peace of Christmas.
In
a world which seems intent on confrontation, on hardening the divides
between Islam and Christianity in particular, how blessed we are to
have Subud where each of us can worship God in harmony with each other,
regardless of race or faith. Out of that latihan arises our reaching
out to the world through Susila Dharma.
So
our Eid and Christmas “card” is this reproduction of a watercolour
by Sofiah Garrard. Sofiah
is an artist, a member of the Canterbury group.
The
picture came to her in a dream after reading the Qu’ran version of the
birth of Jesus.
For
those of us so familiar with the Gospel story of this event, this
version shows the links in our traditions and faiths.
It
seems appropriate at this festival of Eid ul-Fitr to
“In
the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
And
make mention of Mary in the Scripture, when she had withdrawn from her
people to a chamber looking East,
And had chosen seclusion from them. Then We sent unto her Our Spirit
and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man.
She
said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from thee, if thou art
God-fearing.
He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I might bestow on thee
a faultless son.
She
said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have
I been unchaste?
He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me. And (it will be) that We
make of him a revelation for mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a
thing ordained.
And
she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place.
And
the pangs of childbirth drove her unto the trunk of the palm tree.
She said: Oh, I would that I had died ere this, and had become a thing
of naught, forgotten!
Then (one) cried to her from below her saying: Grieve not!
Thy Lord hath placed a rivulet beneath
thee,
And shake the trunk of the palm toward thee, thou wilt cause ripe dates
to fall upon thee.
So eat and be consoled. And
if thou meetest any mortal, say: Lo! I have vowed a fast unto the
Beneficent, and may not speak this day to any mortal.
Then
she brought him to her own folk carrying him.
They said: O Mary! Thou hast come with an amazing thing.
O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother a
harlot.
Then she pointed to him. They
said: How can we talk to one who is in the cradle, a young boy?
He spake: Lo! I am the slave of Allah.
He hath given me the Scripture and hath appointed me a Prophet.
And hath made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and hath enjoined upon
me prayer and almsgiving so long as I remain alive,
And (hath) made me dutiful toward her who bore me, and hath not made me
arrogant, unblest.
Peace be upon the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I
shall be raised alive!
Such
was Jesus, son of Mary.”
Qu’ran: Sura 19:16-34
THANK
YOU
In
this last number of 2002 we thank each one of you who has contributed
to the work of Susila Dharma Britain during the year.
You have helped to make a real difference.
Your
gifts have been varied:
Words
of support and encouragement
The contribution of your skills and knowledge as members of support
groups and friends
Taking an interest in the work of Susila Dharma in the world
Contributing time and / or gifts for sale to raise funds
Visiting projects to make closer contact with them and to show
interest and support
Responding
to appeals:
This
makes a huge difference to
the capacity of these projects and supports the continuing efforts of
those committed front-line workers out in the “field”.
So
on their behalf we thank you:
SMALL
ADS
For sale:
Small,
badly-made, fretted CLAVICHORD, used as a scratching post by cats
and in need of DIY and
tinkering; all strings present; FREE, apart from
a small contribution to Susila Dharma, to someone
who will collect it from Wookey Hole, Somerset.
Contact Rupert Cuningham, 01749 678384 or email r@rupert.charitydays.co.uk
Space
in this Small Ads column is free, but we ask that, at the successful
conclusion of a sale a small percent of the proceeds be given to SD(B)
(we suggest approximately 10%).
Send information re. items for sale or wanted to:
Lorena de Silva, 2 Dan Drive, Faversham, Kent ME13 7SW
Email: lorenadesilva@susiladharma.org.uk
Tel.: 01795 537365