Customer Reviews

The Black Pearl: Spiritual Illumination in Sufism and East Asian Philosophies

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The Black Pearl is the third book by Henry Bayman. I would like to describe it as the apex of a triangle and the other two points or corners as the two books which precede The Black Pearl (The Station Of No Station and The Secret Of Islam: Love And Law In The Religion Of Ethics).

In essence The Black Pearl is a powerhouse of light which shows us how a correct understanding of Islam (naturally coupled with contemplation and reflection) acts as/is a great mirror which reflects the highest metaphysical reaches of East Asian Philiosophies.

Whilst reading the chapter of "conclusion" I was swept away by its beauty and truth. Tears rained from my eyes and in my heart I felt a great sense of peace and happiness. Obviously I was reading something I could understand and identify with. It was a beautiful and inspiring moment.

"There Is Only One Truth"... and the chapters/subjects that precede the chapter of "conclusion" (and the appendix: how to perform a formal prayer, which in my opinion is an invaluable section) certainly informs us and helps us to understand that "There Is Indeed Only One Truth". Here is where The Black Pearl begins. One can start to see how much in common Islam has with East Asian Philiosphies, and as human beings or more importantly vicegerents of God, we shouldn't deny all the jewels of experience and wisdom from all the worlds religions... and this book sincerely offers us these jewels! In my opinion The Black Pearl is "un capolavoro" (Italian for masterpiece) encrusted with sparkling jewels.

The limited sources on Sufism I have read in the past left me befuddled and made the tradition appear impossibly exotic and inscrutable. For years, my understanding has been limited to impressions and intuition. The Black Pearl provided me a glimpse of what I have been looking for without knowing how to ask. It now feels like there is a frame of reference around what previously had no form.

Bayman writes in a style that makes Sufism accessible to people like me who have not had the opportunity to step outside their western culture. I related deeply to the passages concerning unity, ethics, and an energy that connects individuals. Bayman's language, stories, and metaphors resonate easily, naturally within me as if the wisdom of this tradition is something I have known all along that I am just now remembering. In addition, the book provides a different context in which to understand eastern traditions; I found the exploration of nothingness particularly illuminating.

If I could share only one comment about my reading, however, it would be about the powerful and unexpected access to peace The Black Pearl has provided me. Throughout my reading, I felt a pervasive sense of peace unlike anything I have experienced. There was nothing contrived about this sense, nothing manufactured by me. It was...a glimpse of Truth, for lack of language. I know no words to explain it. I have never felt such a heady mix of peace, joy, rightness, love for God, love for the world, and lightness of spirit. The Black Pearl may prove a powerful mirror for those who are willing to look.