Sufi mystic and visionary Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri is an enlightened spiritual master. His life and works serve as a reminder that spirituality is a science and an art vitally relevant to our times. Shaykh Fadhlalla grew up in an environment where religious scholars, as well as Sufi and mystics, were part of his formative experience. His love and understanding of the universality of the Qur'anic message have imbued him with respect for other religions and spiritual paths.

Websites:

shaykhfadhlallahaeri.com

zahrapublications.pub

Books mentioned during the interview:

Son of Karbala: The Spiritual Journey of an Iraqi Muslim

Sufi Encounters: Sharing the Wisdom of Enlightened Sufis

Spectrum of Reality: Sufi Insights

The Garden of Meaning

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded May 1, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump Interview

00:03:45 - The Curiosity of a Child

00:07:51 - The Dichotomy of Earthly and Spiritual Desires

00:11:57 - The Inner and Outer Self

00:15:55 - Preparation for Infinite Life

00:19:44 - The Filter of the Brain

00:23:28 - The Shift into a Higher Consciousness

00:27:16 - The Progress of Consciousness

00:30:58 - The Influence of Consciousness on Animals

00:34:36 - Awakening to the Higher Within

00:38:38 - Reverencing the Divine Light within us

00:42:15 - Learning from a Spiritual Teacher

00:46:01 - Celebration of the Soul's Journey Beyond

00:49:57 - The Decline of Fundamentalism and the Rise of Universal Spirituality

00:53:48 - The Emergence of Spirituality and Technology

00:57:27 - The State of the Garden Within Me

01:01:22 - Losing the small self

01:05:07 - Living a Full Life without Denial

01:08:58 - The Cosmic Justification for Suffering

01:12:31 - Wealth Distribution and the Future

01:15:53 - The Value of Suffering

01:19:12 - The story of the scorpion and the saint

01:22:48 - Liberation and Freedom

01:26:42 - Inner Freedom and Liberation

01:30:22 - Inner Freedom and Reconciliation

01:34:04 - Creating a Community in Messina, Texas

01:37:35 - Books and Connections with Shaykh

01:41:19 - Trusting the Cloud and the Aversion to Institutionalizing Things

01:44:43 - The Essence Within Us

01:48:06 - The Outer and Inner Self

01:51:48 - Awakening to the High Treasure