Category Archives: Modaser Shah

Putin and Nasruddin: a Question of Identity

Posted on March 1, 2022 by sufiways

” There is no place like home, not even home.” Adam Phillips,psychoanalyst. ” No matter where you go, there you are. “ It seems that Putin,the Russian president had a tumutuous,traumatic early life, having been raised by a “surrogate” family. … Continue reading →

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The Mullah and Trump: Losers and Winners

Posted on October 31, 2018 by sufiways

  by Modaser Shah Susan Sarandon, the well known Hollywood star, is reported to have said that (the American) people were more awake because of Trump. This reminded me of a story about Mullah Nasruddin, the wise-fool of Sufi lore. … Continue reading →

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Questions, Terrorism, and Nasruddin’s beard

Posted on August 13, 2017 by sufiways

by Modaser Shah Consider this Nasruddin scenario: Mullah Nasruddin has become a celebrity, much sought after. This forces him to resort to disguises to evade “fans” and their questions. A beard, if long enough, would serve purpose. One morning the Mullah … Continue reading →

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The Defeat of “Love Trumps Hate”

Posted on March 11, 2017 by sufiways

by Modaser Shah Zen, which is mostly practice and not theory, requires three things: Great Faith, Great Doubt, and Great Perseverance. Following the recent election of Donald Trump, to many practitioners of Zen, and the Sufis, and the humanists, and the universalists, it … Continue reading →

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Nasruddin’s Incompleteness Theorem: Can the “Great” Past/the Promised Land be Realized?

Posted on October 11, 2016 by sufiways

by Modaser Shah     Mullah Nasruddin, the wise fool of Sufism, had a narrative that was often obscure. Once when he left something incomplete and unexplained people asked him for more. He said, “The cause and effect cannot be … Continue reading →

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Nasruddin’s Burro and Violence, or How to Save Face

Posted on July 13, 2016 by sufiways

by Modaser Shah Should we believe Nasruddin or his burro?  Do we favor an animal over a fine human being? Before I narrate that story, let’s examine some recent events. Iran’s president Rouhani said sometime ago that there was no place … Continue reading →

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Goethe, Nasruddin…and Da’ish

Posted on November 2, 2015 by sufiways

by Modaser Shah “Mehr Licht (More light),” said Goethe. While, in the fable of the Lost Keys, Mullah Nasruddin points to the dark to look for lost keys, Goethe, captivated by the spirit of enlightenment, calls for more light. Get rid of all … Continue reading →

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ISIS and the dead

Posted on May 28, 2015 by sufiways

by Modaser Shah Da’ISH, or ISIS, has claimed responsibility for a recent (4/19/2015)  suicide bombing in Jalalabad; the Taliban have condemned it. The latter are looking more & more like moderates in light of what the former is only too … Continue reading →

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The Power of Feelings

Posted on February 10, 2015 by sufiways

by Navid Zaidi The mind is everything. What you think you become ——–Buddha As you think so shall you be ——- Jesus Once a tall young man came to Lahore from the town of Merv in Afghanistan. He went to … Continue reading →

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Learning After You Know…

Posted on January 26, 2015 by sufiways

by Modaser Shah “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”  (Earl Weaver, Zen Calendar) Behind this know-it-all, self-sufficient posture is uncertainty and doubt, those truly human qualities.I f you don’t recognize & own these, the need to learn from … Continue reading →

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