Sufi Inspirations
Bill Whitehouse
Smashwords Edition
The Interrogative Imperative Institute
P.O. Box 831
Bangor, Maine 04402
© Bill Whitehouse
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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‘Introduction’
By the Grace of God, my spiritual guide knew far, far more than what I have heard him say on any given occasion. Unfortunately, I have forgotten far, far more than what I remember of what has been related to me by him.
Moreover, I have written far less than what I remember of what he taught me. The result of this funneling process is the present book – ‘Sufi Inspirations’ -- and its companion volume: ‘Meditations of a Sufi’.
Everything which is good and correct in this book comes, by the grace of God, through my shaykh or spiritual teacher who was willing to accept me as a reclamation project. Everything which is incorrect in the aforementioned two volumes comes from my own shortcomings and ignorance.
The material contained within ‘Sufi Inspirations’ (as well as ‘Meditations of a Sufi’) is intended to stimulate reflection concerning a variety of themes which are important to spiritual life in the midst of everyday life. God willing, the content given expression through the different chapters constitutes, both individually as well as collectively, a Sufi perspective.
However, one does not have to be on the Sufi path or inclined to that path in order to engage the material in these two books. Anyone with an interest in spirituality and mysticism will find, God willing, an abundance of themes within the boundaries of this work (and ‘Mediations of a Sufi’) which are able to form the seeds of contemplative reflection for any faith background.
None of the topics is dealt with in anything remotely resembling a definitive manner. The idea was to introduce a problem, issue or focal orientation in each essay and, then, proceed fairly quickly, to give something of the flavor of a Sufi perspective concerning the theme being considered, before moving on to another topic.
During the course of this book's forty-five relatively brief essays, a fair amount of introductory material is given concerning the nature of mysticism, in general, as well as a broad outline of the Sufi Path. Perhaps, the material in this book, along with the contents of ‘Meditations of a Sufi’ will help correct a lot of misunderstandings which many people seem to have acquired in relation to both mysticism and the Sufi Path.
Although all of the essays of this work can be woven together to form, God willing, a unified whole, there is no need to read the essays in sequence. In fact, in some ways, the sequencing of the essays in the Table of Contents is largely arbitrary and suggestive. If a reader wishes to do so, then she or he could pursue alternate sequences of chapter readings according to inclination and interest.
Each essay is linked, in a variety of ways, with the rest of the material of the book. Nonetheless, for the most part, few, if any, of the chapters presuppose that other essays of either the present volume: ‘Sufi Inspirations’ or its companion volume: ‘Meditations of a Sufi’ already have been read or are necessary as prerequisites.
The material probably would be best read a little at a time. While one might be able to digest the information contained in each of the chapters within a short period of time, the reality which underwrites the information of any of these essays cannot be grasped so easily - not because of obscurity, but because of depth, richness and subtlety. Consequently, at the very least, each of these essays should be given time, reflection and serious consideration beyond that which is required to take in a certain amount of information.
Furthermore, the reader should not suppose the truths to which the essays allude can be understood fully merely through intellectual effort, or by one's own, unaided struggles. Indeed, there is far more beneath the conceptual surface of the Sufi way than the rational mind can conceive.
‘Sufi Inspirations’ and ‘Meditations of a Sufi’ are just starting points. The real path lies beyond the horizons of these two books.
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Chapter 1: Jealousy
Chapter 2: Fear
Chapter 3: Exoteric
Chapter 4: Qawwali
Chapter 5: Dependence
Chapter 6: Zikr
Chapter 7: Beliefs
Chapter 8: Identity
Chapter 9: Death
Chapter 10: Gratitude
Chapter 11: Betrayal
Chapter 12: Ascension
Chapter 13: Commitment
Chapter 14: Devolution
Chapter 15: Haqiqah
Chapter 16: Covenant
Chapter 17: Mithal
Chapter 18: Faith
Chapter 19: Aspiration
Chapter 20: Curriculum
Chapter 21: Baqa
Chapter 22: Ruh
Chapter 23: Autonomy
Chapter 24: Fanaticism
Chapter 25: Ibadat
Chapter 26: Love
Chapter 27: Catalysis
Chapter 28: Yaqueen
Chapter 29: Justice
Chapter 30: Patience
Chapter 31: Intoxication
Chapter 32: Guidance
Chapter 33: Light
Chapter 34: Gifts
Chapter 35: Freedom
Chapter 36: Silsilah
Chapter 37: Jihad
Chapter 38: Government
Chapter 39: Integrity
Chapter 40: Jami’
Chapter 41: Prayer
Chapter 42: Friend
Chapter 43: Science
Chapter 44: Alhamdulillah
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To desire or covet what someone else has and to feel ill will toward those who have what we want, reveals a great deal, in a rather unflattering way, about what we think and feel toward others, ourselves and God. To begrudge others what they have, also displays a considerable ignorance on our part about the nature of reality.
Sufi masters indicate jealousy is a function of two forces: passion and anger. Jealousy gives expression to passion through the aspect of coveting or desiring or longing which is directed at some object, process or situation. The dimension of anger in jealousy is displayed in the hostility, hatred, dislike, resentment or malice we feel toward those who have what we do not.
The experience of jealousy is not precisely the same for everyone. The precise flavor of the experience will depend on a variety of things. For example, one factor will involve just how much passion and anger have been blended together to yield the state of jealousy.
Some recipes for jealousy involve a lot of desire and only a modest amount of anger. Other concoctions of jealousy call for just a small portion of desire but spice it up with a considerable amount of anger.
Some of these preparations follow a time-tested ritual which has been handed down from generation to generation. However, we all generally garnish these efforts with idiosyncratic ingredients drawn from life’s experiences.
In addition, the final flavor of jealousy will depend on how it is cooked. Some of us like to bring jealousy to a boil right away. Others among us prefer letting the pot simmer on a back burner.
Jealousy is a sort of all-purpose-dish in the sense that it works with an incredible array of possibilities. Success, possessions, friends, power, talent, money, family, career, spirituality, health, education, status, fame, beauty, character, charisma, and happiness are just a few of the many choices we have. Furthermore, if we desire, we can bring these things together in lots of different combinations which may appeal to our individual palates.
To be jealous, means we are basing our sense of identity and wellbeing on what we do not have and not on whom we are. We are defining ourselves by what is absent and not by what is present.
To be jealous, indicates we believe clothes (or adornments) make the person. Alternatively, jealousy suggests we feel the clothes which are worn are an accurate indicator of the sort of person wearing them. As such, jealousy divulges a desperation to indulge in the superficial.
To be jealous, is an admission that happiness is not a function of what is within us. Instead, we, in effect, have thrown in the towel.
We have become convinced the keys to happiness are a matter of: "if only". If only we had this, we would be fulfilled. If only we were that, we would be content. If only this were to happen, we would be satisfied. If only we possessed such and such, then, people would know who we are.
We do not seem to understand that "if only" is a never-ending, receding horizon. The more quickly we run to grasp the apparent promise of "if only", the more quickly does the realization of its promise recede into the horizon.
Even when the object of "if only" is acquired by us, we discover we still are not as fulfilled or as content or as satisfied as we previously had anticipated would be the case. We quickly move on to the next "if only" on our wish list. The horizon recedes some more.
When we are jealous of others, we look through glasses which filter out everything but our passion and anger. We fail to see the reality of the context from which we have extricated the object of desire. We fail to see there are frequently strings attached to the objects of our desires.
We believe money, fame, power and so on are just what the doctor ordered to get our lives back on track. When we hear of the troubles of famous, powerful and wealthy people, we say: "I wouldn’t mind having some of that trouble". Yet, if by magic, we were given some of that trouble, we would find ourselves creating a new "if only" list.
Every worldly object or situation which we possibly could desire is entangled in a variety of difficulties. This is the nature of the world. It cannot be otherwise.
We have thousands of years of historical events which bear witness to the foregoing truth. All aspects of worldly processes have problematic strings attached to them.
These strings will bind and constrain and entangle us in unpredictable ways. These strings will tie us, in one manner or another, to misery, pain, unhappiness, alienation, and emptiness.
Nevertheless, we insist on seeing only what our passion and anger wish us to see. We believe snatching the cheese without getting caught is quite ‘doable’. In fact, we see just the cheese, nothing else.
The bitter irony in all this is as follows. Whether we get that for which we are jealous, or we do not get it, in both cases, we are caught and entangled. We either are ensnared by the attached strings which come with all worldly things, or we are bound up in the knots of our jealousy—jealousy being merely the world in disguise.
When we are jealous of others, we are implicitly criticizing God. In effect, we are saying: "God, once again, has got things wrong. God has gone and given to someone else, something which, by rights, belongs to me". If this were not so, why, when we are jealous, do we begrudge others that which they have but which we covet for ourselves.
Our passion is our justification and warrant for claiming the object of jealousy is, by rights, ours. Passion always assumes its desires are justified.
Our anger is our authority for asserting that the object of our jealousy ought not to have been given to the other person. Anger always feels righteous in its displays.
Our passion condemns God. Our anger condemns God. Yet, both modes of condemnation are subsidized by ignorance.
We do not know why God gives certain things to others. We do not know why God has withheld those same things from us.
We assume having is a desirable state of affairs. We presume not having is an undesirable condition.
We do not consider the possibility that having may be a curse and not having a blessing. We do not entertain the possibility that God is trying to save us from ourselves.
Tests and trials from God come in all manner of forms. Having and not having both, each in its own way, can be trials.
God knows who needs which test. God has made no mistake in giving or in withholding.
The mistake is ours. Our jealousy blinded us. Our jealousy misled us into supposing things ought to have been other than they are. Our jealousy tricked us into believing God doesn’t know why things are being arranged in the way they are.
Perhaps, instead of jealousy, we ought to feel compassion for those who have. They may be caught up in something which they really don’t understand and from which, if they have any sense, they may be desperately seeking to extricate themselves. These people may have the cheese. However, they very well could be thinking: "If only I could get this bar, which is crushing me, off my back". If so, their plight and difficulty deserve our compassion. Indeed, there, but for the grace of God, we could be.
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Sometimes God has to make people an offer they can’t refuse, or, at least, they shouldn’t refuse it. When people don’t respond to kindness, friendship, generosity, gentleness, and love, then other avenues are taken.
Human arrogance, pride and ignorance can be the source of tremendous spiritual resistance and rebelliousness. We can be incredibly dense and out of touch with everything except our own fantasies and desires.
Sometimes, fear is God’s way of reaching out and touching someone. It is a Divine wake-up call reminding the individual that she or he is due for a reality check.
Someone once said war is the continuation of diplomacy by other means. Somewhat analogously, the introduction of fear into our lives by God is a continuation of Divine love by other means. In a sense, Divinely generated fear can be considered to be a form of tough love.
Fear in the above sense is a form of compassionate severity. Alternatively, the induction of Divine fear can be construed as a species of compassionate severity. Which way one characterizes a given instance of Divinely induced fear may depend on where the emphasis falls: with compassion or with severity.
Fear has a dimension of severity because of the nature of the consequences which may ensue. These consequences may involve: pain, unpleasantness, discomfort, death, loss, destruction, rigorous chastisement, humiliation, sorrow, constraint, illness and various other kinds of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual trauma.
Unless we have masochistic inclinations, most of us tend to try to avoid such things if we can. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on one’s point of view, God has the wherewithal to ensure we cannot avoid such consequences. If a friendly warning should not succeed in drawing us out of our spiritual somnolence, then plan B comes into effect for immediate execution, so to speak.
The eliciting of fear by God has a compassionate aspect as well as a dimension of severity. If God were indifferent to our spiritual well-being, there would be no need for God to try various ways of enlisting our co-operation.
According to the Sufi masters, God is not a tyrant who is so weak, lonely and insecure that the worship of human beings is necessary to put meaning and a sense of self-worth into Divine existence. God is independent of humanity.
There is nothing we can add to Divinity if we submit to God. There is nothing we can detract from Divinity if we rebel against God.
We will be the sole beneficiaries if we seek to fulfill the purpose of our existence. We will be the sole losers if we fail to realize our true identity and essential capacity.
God invokes fear in our lives because of, let us say, God’s fear we will persist in our folly and stupidity and miss the opportunity which our lifetimes offer. This Divine fear for (not of) us is out of mercy toward, and compassion for, human beings.
God grasps very well the infinite extent of power which is available to Divinity. God fully appreciates that whatever Divine commands are issued cannot be stopped or defended against by human beings.
God knows the lives, health and welfare of every human being are subject to Divine prerogative. God is acquainted, in precise detail, with the unfathomable infinitude which separate Divine transcendence from the lives of human beings. God understands the utter dependence of human beings on God and the complete independence of God from humanity.
Humanity and all of creation could be wiped from existence by God without so much as a quark left behind. This could be done in less time than no time at all.
In short, God has insight into what Divinity is capable of. God has a very solid data base out of which to develop a fear on behalf of human beings. God is afraid for us because we don’t have enough sense to be afraid for ourselves.
God lets us taste some of the flavor of this Divine fear, and the knowledge in which it is rooted, by inducing fear in us. If we learn from this fear, if we take it to heart, if we begin to try to slough off our spiritual lethargy as a result of this fear, then we will benefit from the inducement of fear in the way God intended.
The practitioners of the Sufi path confirm that God’s preferred modalities of dealing with human beings are through love, intimacy, friendship, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, generosity, kindness, ease and so on. God shows us, and alludes to, the severe side of possibilities to inform us about the alternatives to God’s preferred style of relating to human beings. The choice of which route we want to go is, for the most part, up to us.
In a very fundamental way, the fear we direct toward God is really a fear of ourselves projected elsewhere. Just as God is well aware of what Divinity can do, we too are well aware of what we can do.
We have an insider’s perspective on our selfishness, cruelty, recklessness, rebelliousness, intransigence, density, darkness and ignorance. We know the sorrow, misery and hurt we can bring into the lives of others as well as our own life. We bear witness to how uncaring, unloving, insensitive and mean we can be.
God tells us something about some of the rigorous and severe dimensions inherent in Divine possibility. From time to time, God shows something of Divine Attributes involving rigor and severity. We know something of own nature and possibilities. From the latter is born a fear of the former.
We fear ourselves because we are out of control. We cannot predict if, and when, our underside will assert itself. We are terrified of our desires, inclinations and impulses.
We are terrified of our condition of being out of control. This is so because beyond the horror of the knowledge of what we are capable, is the rude awakening that we ourselves will be responsible for whatever Divine consequences ensue from our giving into our inner darkness and ignorance.
We fear God because God has shared with us something of what Divinity is capable with the right inducement from us. Furthermore, we fear God because we know of what we are all too capable.
We fear God because we understand, however dimly, that giving expression to the dark aspect of our capacity will permit us to know, with even more intimacy, that of which God is capable. Be afraid ... be very afraid.
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‘Chapter 3 – Exoteric’
Historically, there has been a tendency by many people to try to set mysticism in opposition to those aspects of spirituality which are doctrinally and methodologically more accessible to the generality of people. The motivations for doing so are varied but always in error.
There is no conflict or contradiction between, on the one hand the so-called outer or exoteric practices, values and beliefs of spirituality, and, on the other hand, the inner or esoteric (mystical) practices, values and beliefs of spirituality. There are, however, important differences of emphasis, priorities, orientation and perspective between the two dimensions of spirituality.
Some people, for their own reasons, have tried to interpret these differences as evidence of a fundamental and irrevocable opposition between the outer or exoteric approach to spirituality and the inner or esoteric style of engaging spirituality. In other words, differences of, say, perspective have been transformed into irreconcilable antagonisms, and these manufactured antagonisms have, in turn, been escalated into polarized claims that only one of the two broad streams gives expression to the truth.
There are those who have tried to maintain that the esoteric or mystical dimension is nothing but a den of iniquity which is leading people to spiritual destruction. Simultaneously, there are others who attempt to argue that the exoteric or outer dimension is nothing but an antiquated, fossilized museum of empty rituals and institutionalized ignorance.
Both of the foregoing positions are, in general, incorrect. Nonetheless, there may be particular instances in which there is an element of truth to what each position is claiming.
More specifically, there are, in fact, some who claim to be mystics who operate on the basis of certain practices, beliefs and values which distort truth and lead its adherents away from God.
Therefore, these brands of "mysticism" have the all-too-real potential for seducing individuals to their own spiritual destruction.
Similarly, there are, in fact, some people who follow an exoteric path which has been reduced to little more than a series of empty rituals to which one pays lip-service. This kind of exotericism is steeped in ignorance and, frequently, degenerates into various institutionalized forms whose primary function seems to be to transmit such ignorance and emptiness from one generation to the next.
Notwithstanding the foregoing comments, exotericism and esotericism should have a loving, caring, reciprocal relationship with one another. They should be like two friends who have many features in common but, nonetheless, lead somewhat different lives as a result of variations in interests, experiences, inclinations, goals and so on.
For instance, both friends may agree the defining essence of the human being is spiritual in nature. On the other hand, they may be committed to different perspectives concerning the precise character of that spiritual nature and what implications such nature has for issues of identity and spiritual capacity.
One friend may be interested in seeking to attain heaven and avoid hell. This person arranges his or her life accordingly.
The other friend may be preoccupied with seeking and realizing Divine love and, consequently, de-emphasizes the importance of heaven and hell as sources of motivation in one’s life, but without denying their reality. This individual also organizes her or his life in a way which reflects the life goal.
One friend may restrict herself or himself to only certain practices of worship and remembrance of God. These practices are the ones which this person finds most meaningful and useful. These practices are the ones with which the individual is happy and content. These practices are the ones with which the individual feels most comfortable and which are most consonant with his or her life.
The other friend enjoys the modalities of worship and remembrance to which her or his friend is committed. However, this friend has found other practices which also are meaningful and of practical value.
These additional practices bring happiness and contentment as well. This friend also feels comfortable with these other modes of worship and finds them quite consonant with her or his life. Moreover, this friend doesn’t feel compelled to choose one set of practices over the other, but, rather, she or he uses them in complementary fashion.
One friend may feel no need to seek out a guide to assist one in journeying toward God. This friend may feel sufficient guidance already exists in the form of sacred texts or commentaries and spends her or his time studying such materials.
The other friend may want to work in close association with a guide in order to understand how sacred texts can be given expression in living form. This friend may feel the need to seek out help to learn how to actively incorporate different levels of meanings and principles of sacred texts into one’s day-to-day life.
This person also may realize that the more deeply she or he delves into such matters that the process is fraught with possible dangers involving the capacity of the ego to distort and bias understanding. Consequently, this friend does not feel safe in pursuing these issues without benefit of consultative expertise from an active practitioner and not just a theoretician.
One friend may not be very adventuresome and may feel most comfortable staying within certain parameters of experience. The other friend may be more adventuresome and want to see what is possible in the way of experience and, yet, still be within the realms of permissibility. This is a matter of temperament and inclination, nothing more.
One friend may have a need to experience things directly. This friend may also want to be certain about the nature of such experiences.
The other friend may not be as interested in direct experience as his or her friend and is content with indirect modalities of experience. In addition, this friend may have no need to seek certainty concerning the nature of those experiences.
One friend may be prepared to wait until the next life to realize the truth about identity, reality and so on. The other friend may not be inclined to wait and, instead, this friend may want to determine what can be known in this life.
One friend may wish to use his or her mind in the most competent manner possible in order to worship God. However, this friend may have no interest in learning how to use other potential instruments within the human being in order to enhance the range and intensity of one’s manner of worshiping God.
The other friend may not be satisfied with just developing the mind as an instrument of worshiping God. This friend may want to explore and develop other modalities as well.
One friend may feel that x hours of worship per day or week is all she or he can handle. The other friend may want to devote x + y hours per day or week toward worship.
One friend may find certain teachings difficult to understand and, in addition, may have no interest in working at coming to an understanding of those teachings. The other friend also may find the same teachings difficult to understand but, unlike her or his friend, is willing to struggle toward trying to understand such teachings.
One friend may like the processes of meditation and contemplation. The other friend may not like these processes.
One friend may have something inexplicable inside her or him which is constantly urging the individual onward in pursuit of various dimensions of spirituality. This friend genuinely may be puzzled why her or his friend doesn’t seem to feel the same urge.
The other friend does not feel a constant inner urge to probe further into spirituality. This friend genuinely may be puzzled about why, to varying degrees, his or her friend does seem to be driven spiritually.
In all of the foregoing considerations, exotericism and esotericism are not in conflict with one another. They are not in opposition to one another.
The fact of the matter is, one merely has two people with differences in their respective modes of engaging spirituality. The spiritual interests, goals, inclinations, degrees of commitment, perspectives, priorities and needs of the two friends are different.
These differences do not translate into forcing one to conclude only one of the two can be true. These differences are reflections of intention or the exercise of free will in relation to the spectrum of possibilities to which spirituality gives expression.
Both of these friends believe in truth and spiritual discipline. Both friends orient their lives through spiritual values. Both of these friends are drawn, in one way or another, to the realm of spiritual transcendence. Both friends, each in his or her own way, wish to actively seek submission to Divinity. Both friends derive their sense of purpose, meaning and identity from pursuing spirituality.
Both friends believe in spiritual commitment and in honoring that commitment. The hearts of both friends are inclined toward, and attracted by, qualities of generosity, kindness, forbearance, forgiveness and love. Both friends make mistakes and try to correct and atone for those mistakes.
The exoteric stream of spirituality is the one which almost all of us start with in life. There is much to explore, understand, implement and appreciate within this stream.
The esoteric stream of spirituality is one which not everyone seeks out. However, generally speaking, the only way of getting to it is by swimming in the exoteric stream.
These streams are not separate streams. They are expressions of a much larger body of water, like mighty rivers which flow in the ocean. These streams move through one another in subtle and complex ways.
Eddies and vortices are shaped and formed by the intertwining of dimensions from both streams. We are those eddies and vortices.
Each of us has the responsibility of seeking to worship and remember God in the way one believes God feels is most appropriate for one. Each of us has the responsibility for deciding to what extent one will pursue trying to realize one’s essential capacity and identity. Each of us has the responsibility for deciding how far to pursue the different dimensions of spirituality.
We ought to do all we can to be supportive of, and encouraging to, and empathetic with, others who are struggling with these choices and decisions. In the end, however, it is God, not us, Who will judge the degree of sincerity in our respective attempts to discharge our responsibilities according to our capacities to do so.
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‘Chapter 4 – Qawwali’
There are differences of perspective among Sufi masters concerning sacred music. Some shaykhs consider sacred music to be of spiritual value and benefit when listened to under certain conditions.
Other shaykhs believe there is no, or little, spiritual benefit to be derived from sacred music, and there even may be spiritual dangers which are involved in listening to such music. Still other shaykhs, although, for various reasons, they do not listen to sacred music themselves, accept the fact there are authentic Sufi shaykhs who do not share their perspective on this matter.
Among the shaykhs who do believe sacred music has a constructive role to play on the Sufi path, there are, again, differences. Some shaykhs permit the singing of sacred songs as long as these are unaccompanied by musical instruments.
Some shaykhs permit both singing and the playing of musical instruments. On the other hand, there may be differences among various shaykhs concerning what musical instruments are to be allowed.
Other shaykhs not only permit singing and musical instruments to be used in sacred music, they also sanction sacred turning. There are a number of different forms of sacred turning, but they all involve some limited set of prescribed movements in conjunction with chanting, singing and/or the playing of certain instruments.
Differences of opinion among Sufi shaykhs concerning the role - - if any -- of sacred music with respect to the mystical path may be due to a variety of factors. Some of these are doctrinal in nature. Other reasons for these sorts of differences of opinion may reflect the spiritual etiquette of the Sufi Orders to which various practitioners of the Sufi path belong. Still other reasons behind these differences may be a function of personal spiritual experiences and/or inclinations of individual spiritual temperament.
Whatever the form of sacred music to which a person may listen, there is a spiritual etiquette which must be observed. Without this etiquette, the music may lose much, if not all, of its sacred qualities.
First and foremost, an individual needs the permission of her or his shaykh to listen to sacred music. Not everybody’s spiritual condition, circumstances or maturity is the same.
For any given individual, there may be some times which are spiritually better, or worse, than others as far as listening to sacred music is concerned. The shaykh is the only one who can sort this out for the initiate.
Secondly, as a general rule, there are constraints concerning time, place, company and even musicians/singers. Not everything is permissible.