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19 July 2024

Insights From Sufi Culture For Participatory Development – OpEd

Manvi Harde

As a Jain, I have learned the importance of anekantvada at a very early age. Anekantvada or the multiplicity of viewpoints was instilled into me as a way of understanding the truth as a summation of all its parts. We were taught that every person’s beliefs are important and true, and we must do our part in honoring and cherishing that truth.

This is why I also have fallen in love with the teachings of Sufis. For me, my faith pervades my each thought and action, especially when it pertains to work done for the betterment of others. This is why I believe that, in Morocco, a land where Sufism has deep roots, its principles offer valuable insights for participatory development. As a Jain with a profound admiration for Rumi, I am particularly excited about the potential for these insights to shape participatory development practices in Morocco.

Sufism, the mystical expression of the Islamic tradition, is a centuries-old major cultural, social, political, and religious influence in diverse Muslim cultures. The term “Sufism” comes from the Arabic word “suf,” which mens wool, referring to the simple woolen garments worn by early Sufis as a symbol of their asceticism.

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