Tribute to Paul

To speak about someone who was unique, truly one of a kind, is difficult if not impossible. I suspect that those who were close to Mr. Kobari, Agha Jun’s most devoted disciple, felt the enormity of that task after his death:

For Paul was as surely a unique person as I have had the honor to know. He was unique in his devotion to the master, Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh, and to the present master. He was unique in his perseverance on the path, in his strength, in his ability to get things done, to accomplish even seemingly impossible tasks. Most of all, he was unique in his service to others, others of whatever stripe – whether stranger, acquaintance, or close friend, whether darvish or not. It didn’t seem to matter to Paul. Many of us are able to serve and sacrifice for those closest to us; it is not so simple or easy to be of service to everyone, regardless of who they are . But that was Paul.

While those of us who were around way back at the beginning of the New York khanaqah talked all the time about the path, Paul truly walked the path and pretty much remained silent otherwise, except when it was appropriate or important. He was always and constantly a model for me to emulate while travelling the path, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this.

In one way, at least, I am alone when it comes to Paul. I had the honor of basically being inseparable from Paul for just shy of four decades. Forty years is a long time to be close to another human being, to never have been physically far from that person for more than a few weeks at a time (and once for six months) over all those years. Such, however, was the blessing I had when it comes to Paul Weber. I may not have been around for Paul’s initiation into the order, though I wouldn’t be initiated until the following year. But I was there for virtually every other major event in his travels on the path, our travels together. For travel the path together we did; in fact, I don’t think I could have stayed on the path all these years if not for Paul. He kept me on the straight path more times than I can remember. I could not have written all the works I did if not for Paul’s help and support, especially Bestower of Light and the questions for the interview with Agha Jun that end the book.

I can remember when Paul led his first vocal zekr after being made a sheikh. He called me and asked if I could be there for him for support. I remember it so well because I can’t really recall any other time that Paul asked me for anything, despite the innumerable things he had done for me over the years. So I was overjoyed to be able to be of service to him, even if only in this small way, no matter how hard it was for me physically.

Over all those decades, I only missed one major life event in Paul’s life on the path, and that was the ceremony when he was formally made a sheikh. It so happened that I was in a black hole at the time, both physically and psychologically – and thus my inability to bring myself to attend.

I tell you this now because I was shocked at the time, not at my inability to attend, but that I didn’t feel worse about bailing out on Paul, about missing this honor. But then, I suddenly realized why I didn’t feel as bad as I expected. The truth is that the ceremony was an anti-climax for me and irrelevant. Because for me, Paul had always been sheikh of the New York khanaqah from its very beginning. In fact, Paul was the New York khanaqah. And not only for me, I suspect, but for all those over the years who came to and passed through the New York khanaqah. Even when Paul was first initiated, he was the sheikh of the NY khanaqah, and for forty years he devotedly remained so. There is no greater tribute to offer.

So in the end, it is not really surprising or strange that the Master would say of Paul, “He was a sufi even before he entered the path.”