“Religion, Medicine and Warriorship” with Wahid Azal

Meet N. Wahid Azal. He is Founder and Grand Sheik of the Fatimiya order of Sufi Islam. In this conversation we hear about Wahid incorporates plant medicine as sacrament his religion, and the official decree from the the Grand Ayatollah Rohani stating that Ayahuasca is approved in Shia Islam. We also talk about Wahid’s experiences of doing plant medicine work with indigenous tribes in the subtropical jungles of Iran and the proliferation of psychedelic patterns in Islamic art and architecture, especially throughout Iran and Pakistan. We talk about the history of Islam and Sufism. We speculate about the role of plant medicines the origins of religions, and throughout this conversation we return to complex tension and interdependence between of modernism and traditionalism. We both feel into the importance of being warriors for the Earth, warriors of light and warriors for the human spirit in these times.

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Want to connect with Wahid?

Here is Facebook page for the Fatimaya Sufi order.
Here is his Wahid's Blog.

Here is an Interview with Wahid where he talks about how in 2014 the Grand Ayatollah issued a formal legal ruling (that is, a fatwa) determining the use of entheogens and psychoactive substances to be licit and thus permissible (ḥalāl) for Shi’i Muslims provided it be under the direction and supervision of qualified experts (ahl al-ikhtiṣāṣ), and that, moreover, such plant substances as a rule do not impair the mind. Ayahuasca and the Godhead: An Interview with Wahid Azal of the Fatimiya Sufi Order.

N. Wahid Azal

Here is an excellent quick primer on the history of world religion:

Music:

The HU is hard core rock played on traditional Mongolian instruments.
Music video of 'Maste Hoo' (Iranian mystic sufi music) by Ador Hooyar with music group 'Tahur' recorded during a concert in Tehran.

Psychedelic Art and Architecture in Islam:

DMT-inspired artwork by SalviaDroid. Very mosque-like space, with mosques in the background.