Need some input from the members,some one who can shed some light on this topic, what it is, how it started,is it necessary to follow it?????????
Anybody have some info about tasawwuf(sufi ism)
rameezakhtar
Citizen
I would suggest you to visit tasawwuf.org. It has all the details about tasawwuf and it is very authentic.
H
hmaliks
Guest
'Kashaf-ul-Majoob' is a very valuable resource from one of the masters of the Tasawwuf, Data Ali Hajweri (Rahmataullah).
This book should answer most of your queries.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6999799/Kashf-Ul-Mahjoob
Note: You will have to create a free account with Scribd to download it.
This book should answer most of your queries.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6999799/Kashf-Ul-Mahjoob
Note: You will have to create a free account with Scribd to download it.
Wadaich
Prime Minister (20k+ posts)
Please visit the following link http://mnk.muhammadiyah.info/Tasawwuf/Maktubaat-01/index.html
http://www.muhammadiyah.info/Books/Urdu/Ulama-E%20Deoband/Shariat-O%20Tareeqat%20ka%20Talazum%20-%20T-Shaykh.pdf
Explore the sight for the basic information on the subject issue. The files on the site will run on real player. If you want to download these lectures. Just download the .rm right click it and open it in text file editor and copy the link in the browser and download.
The orator Mr. Nadeem Khokar belongs to Chishti Silsila of Sufis. He is a head of post graduate Computer Science department in SZABIST university Islamabad Campus.
You will have some very interesting knowledge/history of all the Schools of sufism and their branches. Moreover, as to who is:
You can have his e-mail contact on request through PM.
http://www.muhammadiyah.info/Books/Urdu/Ulama-E%20Deoband/Shariat-O%20Tareeqat%20ka%20Talazum%20-%20T-Shaykh.pdf
Explore the sight for the basic information on the subject issue. The files on the site will run on real player. If you want to download these lectures. Just download the .rm right click it and open it in text file editor and copy the link in the browser and download.
The orator Mr. Nadeem Khokar belongs to Chishti Silsila of Sufis. He is a head of post graduate Computer Science department in SZABIST university Islamabad Campus.
You will have some very interesting knowledge/history of all the Schools of sufism and their branches. Moreover, as to who is:
- Saalik
- Wali
- Majzoob
- Qutab
- Abdaal etc.
You can have his e-mail contact on request through PM.
Last edited:
Pakistani1947
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
SUFISM:
Introduction
Whether it’s from a documentary on TV or a beautifully designed website, the majority have heard something about ‘Sufis’ and ‘Sufism’; programs on TV have aired, talk show hosts have made mention of them and politicians are taking a keen interest in this group… one has only to type the word ‘Sufi’ on any search engine to be overwhelmed with the videos and pictures that are available. In cyberspace one can view images and videos of Sufi mystics and elders dancing in rhythmic forms to the background of vibrant melodies. Disturbing images of mystic Sufi elders jabbing their heads with knives or submitting themselves to various means of torture are all too common as well. One interested in Islam may get a wrong idea about Islam and Muslims, for to the occident ‘Sufis’ and ‘Sufism’ is just a synonym of Islam and Muslim.
The question that arises, are they really Muslims, and are they practicing Islam? Before jumping the gun, I have to make mention that there are many sites, articles and books that have been written and put together, but most talk about Sufism in an emotional manner, which will lead one to think that they are impartial. In this humble endeavor, I attempt to write about ‘Sufism’ in an informative manner, far from any biases.
Though only a tiny minority, Sufis can be found in many countries, Muslim and non-Muslim. But contrary to the belief that Sufism is one ‘group’, Sufism is divided into ‘orders’; each differs from the other in terms of belief and practice. Some groups are larger than others, and others have gone to rest with the passage of time. Among the surviving groups today, there is the Tijaani order, the Naqshabandi order, the Qadiri order and the Shadthili order.
Origin of Sufism
In its earliest form, Sufi teachings stressed that an individual should give more emphasis to the spiritual aspects of Islam, a result of many losing sight of this lofty goal of Islam. After a period of time, however, infamous Sufi elders introduced practices foreign to Islam which were welcomed by its followers. Practices introduced included dancing, playing music, and even consuming hashish.
The Scholar Ibn al-Jawzi, wrote in his book ‘Talbis Iblis’ about the origin of the name used by this group, saying: ‘They are called by this name in relation to the first person who dedicated his life to worship around the Ka’bah, whose name was Sufah.’
According to this, those who wanted to emulate him called themselves ‘Sufis’.
Ibn al-Jawzi also mentions another reason, he said: ‘they would wear woolen clothes.’ Wool in Arabic is called ‘soof’ and woolen clothes were the sign of an ascetic during those times, since wool was the cheapest form of clothing and was very rough on the skin; in short it was a symbol of a asceticism. In any case, the word Sufi was not present at the time of Prophet Muhammad and his companions instead first appeared at about 200 Hijrah (200 years after the migration of the Prophet from Makkah to Madinah).
The well known scholar, Ibn Taymiyyah, mentions that the first appearance of Sufism was in Basrah, Iraq, where some people went to extremes in worship and in avoiding the worldly life, such as not seen in other lands.[1]
So what is Sufism?
Sufism is a series of concepts and practices that range from poverty, seclusion, deception, depriving the soul, singing and dancing; and is based on a mix of many different religions and philosophiessuch as Greek philosophies, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, as well as Islam. It is often referred to by Sufis themselves or by Orientalists as “Islamic mysticism”, in order to give the impression that Islam is either wholly or partly an dogmatic religion with a set of meaningless rituals. The very nature of Sufism (or Tasawwuf) opposes what a Muslim is to believe in, this will be explained further when I make mention of Sufi beliefs in general.
Traits of a Muslim
A Muslim always refers back to the Quran and narrations of Prophet Muhammad, may the blessing and mercy of God be upon him, called the Sunnah, in matters of religion. God tells us in the Quran:
“It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when God and His Messenger have decided a matter, they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys God and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.” (Quran 33:36)
Prophet Muhammad stressed the importance of following the Quran and Sunnah and the danger of introducing any innovations into Islam. It is known that the Prophet said: “Whoever does a deed which is not in accordance to my commands (i.e. the Islamic Law), it shall be rejected.” (Saheeh Muslim)
Ibn Mas’ood (a companion of the prophet), may God be pleased with him, said:
“The Messenger of God, may the blessing and mercy of God be upon him, made a straight line on the ground with his hand, then he said, “This is the straight path of God.” Then he made a (short) line on each side of the straight line; then he said, ‘These (short) lines, each one has a devil inviting people to it.” Then he recited the verse (of the Quran):
“And this is My path straight. So follow it, and do not follow (other) ways, lest they lead you away from My path.” (Quran 6:153)
Saheeh: Reported by Ahmad and an-Nasaae’e.
A Muslim therefore is required to obey God and His Messenger. This is the highest authority in Islam. One is not to blindly follow religious leaders; rather, we as humans are required to use the faculties given to us by God, to think and reason. Sufism, on the other hand, is a binding order that strips one of free thought and personal discretion and puts him at the mercy of the Sheikh of the order… as it has been said by some Sufi elders, ‘one must be with their Sheikh as a dead person is while being washed’, i.e. one should not argue, or oppose the opinion of the Sheikh and must display total obedience and submission to him.
True Muslims are content with the name “Muslim” given to them by Almighty God, as He says:
“He has chosen you (to conform to His religion) and has imposed no difficulty upon you in religion, the religion of your father Abraham. He named you ‘Muslims’ both before (in the preceding Divine Scriptures) and in this Book.” (Quran 22.78)
Sufis may insist that they are Muslims, but at the same time some insist on identifying themselves as Sufis rather than Muslims.
Islamic Beliefs at a Glance: Belief in God
In short a Muslim believes in the Uniqueness of God. He has no partner; no one is like unto Him. God, Almighty, says:
“There is nothing like unto Him[2] and He is the all-Hearing and the all-Seeing.” (Quran 42:11)
God is separate from His creation and not a part of it. He is the Creator, and all else is His creation.
Sufis hold a number of beliefs in relation to God, Almighty; of these beliefs are the following:
a) Al-Hulool: This belief denotes that God, Almighty, dwells in His creation.
b) Al-It’tihaad: This belief denotes that God, Almighty, and the creation are one, united presence.
c) Wahdatul-Wujood: This belief denotes that one should not differentiate between the Creator and the creation, for both the creation and the Creator are one entity.
Mansoor al-Hallaaj, a figure much revered by Sufis, said: “I am He Whom I love,” he exclaimed, “He Whom I love is I; we are two souls co-inhabiting one body. If you see me you see Him and if you see Him you see me.”[3]
Muhiyddin Ibn Arabi, another revered figure in Sufism, was infamous for his statements: “What is under my dress is none but God,” “The slave is the Lord and the Lord is a slave.”[4]
These above beliefs strongly contradict the Muslim belief in the Oneness of God, for Islam is a strict monotheism. These cardinal Sufi doctrines are not far from some of the Christian beliefs or the Hindu belief of reincarnation. S. R. Sharda in his book, ‘Sufi Thought’ said: “Sufi literature of the post-Timur period shows a significant change in thought content. It is pantheistic. After the fall of Muslim orthodoxy from power at the centre of India for about a century, due to the invasion of Timur, Sufism became free from the control of the Muslim orthodoxy and consorted with Hindu saints, who influenced them to an amazing extent. The Sufi adopted Monism and wifely devotion from the Vaishnava Vedantic school and Bhakti and Yogic practices from the Vaishnava Vedantic school. By that time, the popularity of the Vedantic pantheism among the Sufis had reached its zenith.”
Belief in the Prophet of God
A Muslim believes that Prophet Muhammad was the Final Prophet and Messenger of God. He was not divine, nor is he to be worshipped; but he is to be obeyed and one cannot worship God except in a manner that has been sanctioned by Prophet Muhammad.
Sufi orders hold a wide variety of beliefs in relation to Prophet Muhammad. Of them are those who believe that he was ignorant of the knowledge the Sufi Elders possess. Al-Bustami, a Sufi Sheikh said: “We have entered a sea of knowledge at the shore of which the Prophets and Messengers stood.”
Other Sufis ascribe some type of divinity to the Prophet saying that all of creation was created from the ‘light’ of Prophet Muhammad. Some even believe that he was the first of creation and that he is resting upon the throne of God, which is the belief of Ibn Arabi and other Sufis who came after him.
Belief in Heaven and Hell
In short, Muslims believe that both Hell and Heaven are existent now, and are two actual abodes. Hell is where a sinful person will be punished and Heaven is where a pious person will be rewarded.
Sufis in general believe that one should not ask God to grant them Paradise; they even claim that the Wali (guardian) should not seek it, for it is a sign of one’s lack of intellect. To them ‘Paradise’ holds an immaterial meaning, which is to receive the knowledge of the unseen from God and to fall in love with Him.
As for Hell, a Sufi believes that one should not try to escape from it. According to them, a true Sufi is not to be fearful of the Fire. Some even believe that if a Sufi elder were to spit on the Fire, it would be put out, as Abu Yazid al-Bustami claimed.
Footnotes: [1] Al-Fataawaa (11/6)
[2] There is no similarity whatsoever between the Creator and His creation in essence, in attributes or in deed.
[3] At-Tawaaseen by Al-Hallaj
[4] Al-Fatoohaatul-Makkiyyah & Al-Fatoohaat
Principles of Sufism
‘Willful and total submission to the Sheikh’, is probably the motto of Sufism. From a glance, it is clear that a special and complete bond is formed between the head of the Sufi order (the ‘Sheikh’) and the Mureed (follower); understanding the principles of Sufism lies in understanding its basic structure. So what is it all about?
Basically, the follower gives a pledge of allegiance, whereby he pledges to obey the Sheikh, and in turn the Sheikh promises to deliver the follower from every problem or calamity that may befall him. The Sheikh also offers the sincere follower lucrative fringe benefits. Once a follower agrees, he is blessed and assigned a set of Dhikr (chants). The follower is also to carry on with his life in a manner that is laid out by the Sufi order. If a conflict arises between his duties within the order and outside duties, the follower is to act upon the instructions of the Sheikh. In this manner the Sheikh’s hold over the follower becomes absolute.
All in all, the follower is separated from the outside world and is exploited in many ways. As Muslims we believe that no human has a special power or ability to deliver us from the calamities of the grave or the Hereafter. Each of us will stand before God and will be judged individually.
God tells us:
“And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.” (Quran 7:164)
We also believe that as Muslims we are not to submit and surrender ourselves to anyone but God, Almighty. Besides the Creator, all else is apt to make error. The Prophet, may the blessing and mercy of God be upon him, said:
“Every son of Adam makes mistakes and the best of them are those who repent.” (Tirmidthi)
The Sheikh
He is the ‘supreme authority’, the head of ‘job’ distribution within the Order and gives each of the followers their necessary Dhikr. It is to this individual whom the follower pledges full and total obedience; thereafter, the two universal laws of the Sheikh-follower bondage will come into effect:
a. The follower must never argue with the Sheikh, nor ask him for a proof in relation to the actions he does.
b. Whoever opposes the Sheikh, will have broken the ‘covenant’ and is thus debarred from all fringe benefits offered by the Sheikh, even if he stays a close friend to him.
As Muslims we believe that all acts of worship are ‘Tawqeefiyah’, i.e. not subject to opinion; thus must be substantiated with textual evidences that are both authentic and decisive. God, Almighty, tells us:
“Say (to them), ‘produce your proof if you are truthful.’” (Quran 2:111)
We believe that there is no middle-man between God and His slaves. We are to call unto Him directly. God tells us:
“And your Lord says, ‘Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’ Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.” (Quran 40:60)
In Sufism, the Sheikh is thought to be ‘the inspired man to whose eyes the mysteries of the hidden are unveiled, for the Sheikhs see with the light of God and know what thoughts and confusions are in man’s hearts. Nothing can be concealed from them.’[1] Ibn Arabi, claimed that he used to receive direct revelation from God, similar to the way that Prophet Muhammad did, and was quoted as saying: “Some works I wrote at the command of God sent to me in sleep, or through mystical revelations.” M. Ibn Arabi, “The Bezels of Wisdom,” pp.3
We believe that the knowledge of the unseen is restricted to God alone. Anyone who claims the knowledge of the unseen has indeed told a lie. God tells us:
“And who is more disbelieving than he who forges a lie against God, or says, ‘It has been revealed to me,’ when nothing has been revealed to him?”(Quran 6.93)
The Prophet said:
“Do not forge lies against me, because he who does so enters the Fire.” (Saheeh Muslim)
The Covenant
This is an interesting ceremony, which by far, is the most important principle of Sufism as it is common among all Sufi Orders. Here the Sheikh and the follower hold hands and close their eyes in solemn meditation. The follower willfully and wholeheartedly pledges to respect the Sheikh as his leader and guide to the path of God. He also pledges to adhere to the rites of the Order throughout his life and promises never to walk away, along with this the follower pledges complete and unconditional allegiance, obedience and loyalty to the Sheikh. After this the Sheikh recites:
“Verily, those who take the allegiance to you take it to Allah.” (Quran 48:10)
The follower is then given his specific Dhikr. The Sheikh asks the follower: “Have you accepted me as your Sheikh and spiritual guide before God, Almighty?” In reply, the follower is to say: “I have accepted,” and the Sheikh responds saying: “And we have accepted.” Both of them recite the Testimony of Faith and the ceremony is ended by the follower kissing the Sheik’s hand.
This entire ceremony was unknown during the Prophet’s life and the best three generations that preceded him. The Prophet said:
“Whoever lives after me shall see many differences (i.e. religious innovations); so adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of my Rightly Guided Caliphs.” (Abu Dawood)
The Prophet also said:
“Verily, the best of speech is the Book of God, and the best of guidance is the guidance of (Prophet) Muhammad and the evil of all religious matters are the innovations. Every innovation (in religion) is a bid’ah and every bid’ah is misguidance, and every misguidance will lead to the Fire.” (Saheeh Muslim)
Imam Malik, may Allah grant him His Mercy, said: “He who introduces an innovation in the religion of Islam and deems it a good thing in effect claims by that Muhammad betrayed (the trust of conveying) the Divine Message.”
The Dhikr
It is also known as the ‘Wird’ and in Sufism it is the practice of repeating the name of God, and the repetition of a set number of invocations. These invocations may include beseeching the dead or seeking help from other than God for needs that only God Almighty can grant.
Ahmad at-Tijani, a Sufi Elder, claimed that the wird was withheld by Prophet Muhammad; he did not teach it to any of his Companions. At-Tijani claimed that the Prophet knew that a time would come when the wird would be made public but the person who would do that was not yet in existence. As a result, Sufis believe that there is an ongoing chain of transmission between Prophet Muhammad and their current Sheikh.
Dhikr is categorized by the Sufi elders into three categories:
A. Dhikr of the commoners, in which they are to repeat ‘La ilaaha ill-Allah Muhammad-ur-Rasoolullah’ (i.e. there is no God worthy of being worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is the slave of God.)
B. Dhikr of the high class, which is to repeat the name of God, ‘Allah’.
C. Dhikr of the elite, which is to repeat the Divine pronoun ‘Hu’, (i.e. He).
At times, the Dhikr is chanted in melodic hymns with eyes closed, rich music may be played (to some this is essential); moreover, some will dance before the Sheikh while saying the Dhikr. Many a time the Dhikr includes open polytheism (the greatest sin in Islam). God tells us:
“And it has been revealed to you and to those before you: If you attribute partners to God, your deed shall surely be in vain and you shall certainly be among the losers.” (Quran 39:65)
Interpretation of the Quran
In Sufism, studying the exegesis of the Quran or pondering the meanings of its verses is discouraged, and at times, even forbidden. Sufis claim that every verse of the Quran has an outward meaning and an inward meaning. The inward meaning is understood solely by the Sufi elders. On account of this, Sufis have introduced concepts and words that are totally foreign to the teachings of Islam.
In the Quran God, Almighty encourages us to properly understand His words. God tells us:
“(This is) a Scripture that We have revealed unto you, full of blessing, that they may ponder its revelations, and that men of understanding may reflect.” (Quran 38:29)
The exegesis of the Quran is accomplished by studying the Quran along with the Sunnah; these two sources of Islamic law must be taken hand in hand as one integral unit. We are to understand and interpret the Quran and the Sunnah the way they were understood by the first generations.
Conclusion
As can be seen from the above, Sufism varies quite drastically from the true spirit of Islam. Sufism inculcates in the follower the will to stop using the basic faculties given to him by God, the Creator of the world and to submit himself to a form of slavery.
Islam, on the other hand, is very simple; there is no need for intermediaries or any saints between man and God, and one is only to submit and surrender themselves to God, Almighty.
Footnotes: [1] Saif an-Nasr, Seera of Hamidiyyeh, 1956
Source: http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/1388/viewall/
Introduction
Whether it’s from a documentary on TV or a beautifully designed website, the majority have heard something about ‘Sufis’ and ‘Sufism’; programs on TV have aired, talk show hosts have made mention of them and politicians are taking a keen interest in this group… one has only to type the word ‘Sufi’ on any search engine to be overwhelmed with the videos and pictures that are available. In cyberspace one can view images and videos of Sufi mystics and elders dancing in rhythmic forms to the background of vibrant melodies. Disturbing images of mystic Sufi elders jabbing their heads with knives or submitting themselves to various means of torture are all too common as well. One interested in Islam may get a wrong idea about Islam and Muslims, for to the occident ‘Sufis’ and ‘Sufism’ is just a synonym of Islam and Muslim.
The question that arises, are they really Muslims, and are they practicing Islam? Before jumping the gun, I have to make mention that there are many sites, articles and books that have been written and put together, but most talk about Sufism in an emotional manner, which will lead one to think that they are impartial. In this humble endeavor, I attempt to write about ‘Sufism’ in an informative manner, far from any biases.
Though only a tiny minority, Sufis can be found in many countries, Muslim and non-Muslim. But contrary to the belief that Sufism is one ‘group’, Sufism is divided into ‘orders’; each differs from the other in terms of belief and practice. Some groups are larger than others, and others have gone to rest with the passage of time. Among the surviving groups today, there is the Tijaani order, the Naqshabandi order, the Qadiri order and the Shadthili order.
Origin of Sufism
In its earliest form, Sufi teachings stressed that an individual should give more emphasis to the spiritual aspects of Islam, a result of many losing sight of this lofty goal of Islam. After a period of time, however, infamous Sufi elders introduced practices foreign to Islam which were welcomed by its followers. Practices introduced included dancing, playing music, and even consuming hashish.
The Scholar Ibn al-Jawzi, wrote in his book ‘Talbis Iblis’ about the origin of the name used by this group, saying: ‘They are called by this name in relation to the first person who dedicated his life to worship around the Ka’bah, whose name was Sufah.’
According to this, those who wanted to emulate him called themselves ‘Sufis’.
Ibn al-Jawzi also mentions another reason, he said: ‘they would wear woolen clothes.’ Wool in Arabic is called ‘soof’ and woolen clothes were the sign of an ascetic during those times, since wool was the cheapest form of clothing and was very rough on the skin; in short it was a symbol of a asceticism. In any case, the word Sufi was not present at the time of Prophet Muhammad and his companions instead first appeared at about 200 Hijrah (200 years after the migration of the Prophet from Makkah to Madinah).
The well known scholar, Ibn Taymiyyah, mentions that the first appearance of Sufism was in Basrah, Iraq, where some people went to extremes in worship and in avoiding the worldly life, such as not seen in other lands.[1]
So what is Sufism?
Sufism is a series of concepts and practices that range from poverty, seclusion, deception, depriving the soul, singing and dancing; and is based on a mix of many different religions and philosophiessuch as Greek philosophies, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, as well as Islam. It is often referred to by Sufis themselves or by Orientalists as “Islamic mysticism”, in order to give the impression that Islam is either wholly or partly an dogmatic religion with a set of meaningless rituals. The very nature of Sufism (or Tasawwuf) opposes what a Muslim is to believe in, this will be explained further when I make mention of Sufi beliefs in general.
Traits of a Muslim
A Muslim always refers back to the Quran and narrations of Prophet Muhammad, may the blessing and mercy of God be upon him, called the Sunnah, in matters of religion. God tells us in the Quran:
“It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when God and His Messenger have decided a matter, they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys God and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.” (Quran 33:36)
Prophet Muhammad stressed the importance of following the Quran and Sunnah and the danger of introducing any innovations into Islam. It is known that the Prophet said: “Whoever does a deed which is not in accordance to my commands (i.e. the Islamic Law), it shall be rejected.” (Saheeh Muslim)
Ibn Mas’ood (a companion of the prophet), may God be pleased with him, said:
“The Messenger of God, may the blessing and mercy of God be upon him, made a straight line on the ground with his hand, then he said, “This is the straight path of God.” Then he made a (short) line on each side of the straight line; then he said, ‘These (short) lines, each one has a devil inviting people to it.” Then he recited the verse (of the Quran):
“And this is My path straight. So follow it, and do not follow (other) ways, lest they lead you away from My path.” (Quran 6:153)
Saheeh: Reported by Ahmad and an-Nasaae’e.
A Muslim therefore is required to obey God and His Messenger. This is the highest authority in Islam. One is not to blindly follow religious leaders; rather, we as humans are required to use the faculties given to us by God, to think and reason. Sufism, on the other hand, is a binding order that strips one of free thought and personal discretion and puts him at the mercy of the Sheikh of the order… as it has been said by some Sufi elders, ‘one must be with their Sheikh as a dead person is while being washed’, i.e. one should not argue, or oppose the opinion of the Sheikh and must display total obedience and submission to him.
True Muslims are content with the name “Muslim” given to them by Almighty God, as He says:
“He has chosen you (to conform to His religion) and has imposed no difficulty upon you in religion, the religion of your father Abraham. He named you ‘Muslims’ both before (in the preceding Divine Scriptures) and in this Book.” (Quran 22.78)
Sufis may insist that they are Muslims, but at the same time some insist on identifying themselves as Sufis rather than Muslims.
Islamic Beliefs at a Glance: Belief in God
In short a Muslim believes in the Uniqueness of God. He has no partner; no one is like unto Him. God, Almighty, says:
“There is nothing like unto Him[2] and He is the all-Hearing and the all-Seeing.” (Quran 42:11)
God is separate from His creation and not a part of it. He is the Creator, and all else is His creation.
Sufis hold a number of beliefs in relation to God, Almighty; of these beliefs are the following:
a) Al-Hulool: This belief denotes that God, Almighty, dwells in His creation.
b) Al-It’tihaad: This belief denotes that God, Almighty, and the creation are one, united presence.
c) Wahdatul-Wujood: This belief denotes that one should not differentiate between the Creator and the creation, for both the creation and the Creator are one entity.
Mansoor al-Hallaaj, a figure much revered by Sufis, said: “I am He Whom I love,” he exclaimed, “He Whom I love is I; we are two souls co-inhabiting one body. If you see me you see Him and if you see Him you see me.”[3]
Muhiyddin Ibn Arabi, another revered figure in Sufism, was infamous for his statements: “What is under my dress is none but God,” “The slave is the Lord and the Lord is a slave.”[4]
These above beliefs strongly contradict the Muslim belief in the Oneness of God, for Islam is a strict monotheism. These cardinal Sufi doctrines are not far from some of the Christian beliefs or the Hindu belief of reincarnation. S. R. Sharda in his book, ‘Sufi Thought’ said: “Sufi literature of the post-Timur period shows a significant change in thought content. It is pantheistic. After the fall of Muslim orthodoxy from power at the centre of India for about a century, due to the invasion of Timur, Sufism became free from the control of the Muslim orthodoxy and consorted with Hindu saints, who influenced them to an amazing extent. The Sufi adopted Monism and wifely devotion from the Vaishnava Vedantic school and Bhakti and Yogic practices from the Vaishnava Vedantic school. By that time, the popularity of the Vedantic pantheism among the Sufis had reached its zenith.”
Belief in the Prophet of God
A Muslim believes that Prophet Muhammad was the Final Prophet and Messenger of God. He was not divine, nor is he to be worshipped; but he is to be obeyed and one cannot worship God except in a manner that has been sanctioned by Prophet Muhammad.
Sufi orders hold a wide variety of beliefs in relation to Prophet Muhammad. Of them are those who believe that he was ignorant of the knowledge the Sufi Elders possess. Al-Bustami, a Sufi Sheikh said: “We have entered a sea of knowledge at the shore of which the Prophets and Messengers stood.”
Other Sufis ascribe some type of divinity to the Prophet saying that all of creation was created from the ‘light’ of Prophet Muhammad. Some even believe that he was the first of creation and that he is resting upon the throne of God, which is the belief of Ibn Arabi and other Sufis who came after him.
Belief in Heaven and Hell
In short, Muslims believe that both Hell and Heaven are existent now, and are two actual abodes. Hell is where a sinful person will be punished and Heaven is where a pious person will be rewarded.
Sufis in general believe that one should not ask God to grant them Paradise; they even claim that the Wali (guardian) should not seek it, for it is a sign of one’s lack of intellect. To them ‘Paradise’ holds an immaterial meaning, which is to receive the knowledge of the unseen from God and to fall in love with Him.
As for Hell, a Sufi believes that one should not try to escape from it. According to them, a true Sufi is not to be fearful of the Fire. Some even believe that if a Sufi elder were to spit on the Fire, it would be put out, as Abu Yazid al-Bustami claimed.
Footnotes: [1] Al-Fataawaa (11/6)
[2] There is no similarity whatsoever between the Creator and His creation in essence, in attributes or in deed.
[3] At-Tawaaseen by Al-Hallaj
[4] Al-Fatoohaatul-Makkiyyah & Al-Fatoohaat
Principles of Sufism
‘Willful and total submission to the Sheikh’, is probably the motto of Sufism. From a glance, it is clear that a special and complete bond is formed between the head of the Sufi order (the ‘Sheikh’) and the Mureed (follower); understanding the principles of Sufism lies in understanding its basic structure. So what is it all about?
Basically, the follower gives a pledge of allegiance, whereby he pledges to obey the Sheikh, and in turn the Sheikh promises to deliver the follower from every problem or calamity that may befall him. The Sheikh also offers the sincere follower lucrative fringe benefits. Once a follower agrees, he is blessed and assigned a set of Dhikr (chants). The follower is also to carry on with his life in a manner that is laid out by the Sufi order. If a conflict arises between his duties within the order and outside duties, the follower is to act upon the instructions of the Sheikh. In this manner the Sheikh’s hold over the follower becomes absolute.
All in all, the follower is separated from the outside world and is exploited in many ways. As Muslims we believe that no human has a special power or ability to deliver us from the calamities of the grave or the Hereafter. Each of us will stand before God and will be judged individually.
God tells us:
“And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.” (Quran 7:164)
We also believe that as Muslims we are not to submit and surrender ourselves to anyone but God, Almighty. Besides the Creator, all else is apt to make error. The Prophet, may the blessing and mercy of God be upon him, said:
“Every son of Adam makes mistakes and the best of them are those who repent.” (Tirmidthi)
The Sheikh
He is the ‘supreme authority’, the head of ‘job’ distribution within the Order and gives each of the followers their necessary Dhikr. It is to this individual whom the follower pledges full and total obedience; thereafter, the two universal laws of the Sheikh-follower bondage will come into effect:
a. The follower must never argue with the Sheikh, nor ask him for a proof in relation to the actions he does.
b. Whoever opposes the Sheikh, will have broken the ‘covenant’ and is thus debarred from all fringe benefits offered by the Sheikh, even if he stays a close friend to him.
As Muslims we believe that all acts of worship are ‘Tawqeefiyah’, i.e. not subject to opinion; thus must be substantiated with textual evidences that are both authentic and decisive. God, Almighty, tells us:
“Say (to them), ‘produce your proof if you are truthful.’” (Quran 2:111)
We believe that there is no middle-man between God and His slaves. We are to call unto Him directly. God tells us:
“And your Lord says, ‘Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’ Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.” (Quran 40:60)
In Sufism, the Sheikh is thought to be ‘the inspired man to whose eyes the mysteries of the hidden are unveiled, for the Sheikhs see with the light of God and know what thoughts and confusions are in man’s hearts. Nothing can be concealed from them.’[1] Ibn Arabi, claimed that he used to receive direct revelation from God, similar to the way that Prophet Muhammad did, and was quoted as saying: “Some works I wrote at the command of God sent to me in sleep, or through mystical revelations.” M. Ibn Arabi, “The Bezels of Wisdom,” pp.3
We believe that the knowledge of the unseen is restricted to God alone. Anyone who claims the knowledge of the unseen has indeed told a lie. God tells us:
“And who is more disbelieving than he who forges a lie against God, or says, ‘It has been revealed to me,’ when nothing has been revealed to him?”(Quran 6.93)
The Prophet said:
“Do not forge lies against me, because he who does so enters the Fire.” (Saheeh Muslim)
The Covenant
This is an interesting ceremony, which by far, is the most important principle of Sufism as it is common among all Sufi Orders. Here the Sheikh and the follower hold hands and close their eyes in solemn meditation. The follower willfully and wholeheartedly pledges to respect the Sheikh as his leader and guide to the path of God. He also pledges to adhere to the rites of the Order throughout his life and promises never to walk away, along with this the follower pledges complete and unconditional allegiance, obedience and loyalty to the Sheikh. After this the Sheikh recites:
“Verily, those who take the allegiance to you take it to Allah.” (Quran 48:10)
The follower is then given his specific Dhikr. The Sheikh asks the follower: “Have you accepted me as your Sheikh and spiritual guide before God, Almighty?” In reply, the follower is to say: “I have accepted,” and the Sheikh responds saying: “And we have accepted.” Both of them recite the Testimony of Faith and the ceremony is ended by the follower kissing the Sheik’s hand.
This entire ceremony was unknown during the Prophet’s life and the best three generations that preceded him. The Prophet said:
“Whoever lives after me shall see many differences (i.e. religious innovations); so adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of my Rightly Guided Caliphs.” (Abu Dawood)
The Prophet also said:
“Verily, the best of speech is the Book of God, and the best of guidance is the guidance of (Prophet) Muhammad and the evil of all religious matters are the innovations. Every innovation (in religion) is a bid’ah and every bid’ah is misguidance, and every misguidance will lead to the Fire.” (Saheeh Muslim)
Imam Malik, may Allah grant him His Mercy, said: “He who introduces an innovation in the religion of Islam and deems it a good thing in effect claims by that Muhammad betrayed (the trust of conveying) the Divine Message.”
The Dhikr
It is also known as the ‘Wird’ and in Sufism it is the practice of repeating the name of God, and the repetition of a set number of invocations. These invocations may include beseeching the dead or seeking help from other than God for needs that only God Almighty can grant.
Ahmad at-Tijani, a Sufi Elder, claimed that the wird was withheld by Prophet Muhammad; he did not teach it to any of his Companions. At-Tijani claimed that the Prophet knew that a time would come when the wird would be made public but the person who would do that was not yet in existence. As a result, Sufis believe that there is an ongoing chain of transmission between Prophet Muhammad and their current Sheikh.
Dhikr is categorized by the Sufi elders into three categories:
A. Dhikr of the commoners, in which they are to repeat ‘La ilaaha ill-Allah Muhammad-ur-Rasoolullah’ (i.e. there is no God worthy of being worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is the slave of God.)
B. Dhikr of the high class, which is to repeat the name of God, ‘Allah’.
C. Dhikr of the elite, which is to repeat the Divine pronoun ‘Hu’, (i.e. He).
At times, the Dhikr is chanted in melodic hymns with eyes closed, rich music may be played (to some this is essential); moreover, some will dance before the Sheikh while saying the Dhikr. Many a time the Dhikr includes open polytheism (the greatest sin in Islam). God tells us:
“And it has been revealed to you and to those before you: If you attribute partners to God, your deed shall surely be in vain and you shall certainly be among the losers.” (Quran 39:65)
Interpretation of the Quran
In Sufism, studying the exegesis of the Quran or pondering the meanings of its verses is discouraged, and at times, even forbidden. Sufis claim that every verse of the Quran has an outward meaning and an inward meaning. The inward meaning is understood solely by the Sufi elders. On account of this, Sufis have introduced concepts and words that are totally foreign to the teachings of Islam.
In the Quran God, Almighty encourages us to properly understand His words. God tells us:
“(This is) a Scripture that We have revealed unto you, full of blessing, that they may ponder its revelations, and that men of understanding may reflect.” (Quran 38:29)
The exegesis of the Quran is accomplished by studying the Quran along with the Sunnah; these two sources of Islamic law must be taken hand in hand as one integral unit. We are to understand and interpret the Quran and the Sunnah the way they were understood by the first generations.
Conclusion
As can be seen from the above, Sufism varies quite drastically from the true spirit of Islam. Sufism inculcates in the follower the will to stop using the basic faculties given to him by God, the Creator of the world and to submit himself to a form of slavery.
Islam, on the other hand, is very simple; there is no need for intermediaries or any saints between man and God, and one is only to submit and surrender themselves to God, Almighty.
Footnotes: [1] Saif an-Nasr, Seera of Hamidiyyeh, 1956
Source: http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/1388/viewall/
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H
hmaliks
Guest
Opinion of the four Imams of Ahlus Sunnah in favour of Sufism(Tasawwuf):
Imam-e-Azam Abu Hanifa (rah) (85 H. - 150 H)
"If it were not for two years, I would have perished." He said, "For two years I accompanied Sayyidina Ja'far as-Sadiq and I acquired the spiritual knowledge that made me a gnostic in the Way." [Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar, vol 1. p. 43]
Imam Malik (rah) (95 H. - 179 H.)
"whoever studies Jurisprudence (tafaqaha) and didn't study Sufism [tasawwafa] will be corrupted; and whoever studied Sufism and didn't study Jurisprudence will become a heretic; and whoever combined both will reach the Truth." [the scholar 'Ali al-Adawi' , vol. 2, p 195.)
Imam Shafi'i (rah) (150 - 205 AH.)
"I accompanied the Sufi people and I received from them three knowledges: ... how to speak; .. how to treat people with leniency and a soft heart... and they... guided me in the ways of Sufism." [Kashf al-Khafa, 'Ajluni, vol. 1, p 341.]
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (rah) (164 - 241 AH.)
"O my son, you have to sit with the People of Sufism, because they are like a fountain of knowledge and they keep the remembrance of Allah in their hearts. They are the ascetics and they have the most spiritual power." [Tanwir al-Qulub p. 405]
Imam-e-Azam Abu Hanifa (rah) (85 H. - 150 H)
"If it were not for two years, I would have perished." He said, "For two years I accompanied Sayyidina Ja'far as-Sadiq and I acquired the spiritual knowledge that made me a gnostic in the Way." [Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar, vol 1. p. 43]
Imam Malik (rah) (95 H. - 179 H.)
"whoever studies Jurisprudence (tafaqaha) and didn't study Sufism [tasawwafa] will be corrupted; and whoever studied Sufism and didn't study Jurisprudence will become a heretic; and whoever combined both will reach the Truth." [the scholar 'Ali al-Adawi' , vol. 2, p 195.)
Imam Shafi'i (rah) (150 - 205 AH.)
"I accompanied the Sufi people and I received from them three knowledges: ... how to speak; .. how to treat people with leniency and a soft heart... and they... guided me in the ways of Sufism." [Kashf al-Khafa, 'Ajluni, vol. 1, p 341.]
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (rah) (164 - 241 AH.)
"O my son, you have to sit with the People of Sufism, because they are like a fountain of knowledge and they keep the remembrance of Allah in their hearts. They are the ascetics and they have the most spiritual power." [Tanwir al-Qulub p. 405]
Assalam o Alaikum,
Tasawwuf is about knowing what are good/allowed habits/deeds & what are bad/forbidden habits/acts. It is about how to put oneself on the right course, that is on the path that leads to Allah & his Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H). Therefore, I request very humbly and sincerely every one who visits this Forum that please visit the following links. They include a large number of excellent speeches, books & articles by some of the greatest, sincere and qualified scholars living in todays world.
http://deeneislam.com/ur/v4/main.php?iPage=/ur/v4/bayan.php&Muqarrir=3&Title=Latest%20Bayanat%20-%20Mufti%20Muhammad%20Taqi%20Usmani&checksum=my.HlRHcdQlr2
http://deeneislam.com/ur/v4/main.ph...ti Abdul Rauf Sakharvi&checksum=my.HlRHcdQlr2
http://www.khanqah.org/books
http://www.darsequran.com/special/durusezindagi/durusezindagi.php
http://www.darsequran.com/scholarsbayaan/scholarbayaan.php
http://www.darsequran.com/sunehri/sunehriawaaz.php
For more convenience the home addresses of above mentioned links as well as further links of further websites are also given below.
http://deeneislam.com/
http://www.darsequran.com/index.php
http://www.khanqah.org/
http://www.mehboob-e-elahi.com/
http://www.albalagh.net/
http://www.ashrafiya.com/
Once again I request that please do visit the above mentioned websites, listen to the speeches (bayan) and read the articles and the books and then you yourself feel a change in yourself. And InshahAllah you will be led to the right path by Allah.
Tasawwuf is about knowing what are good/allowed habits/deeds & what are bad/forbidden habits/acts. It is about how to put oneself on the right course, that is on the path that leads to Allah & his Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H). Therefore, I request very humbly and sincerely every one who visits this Forum that please visit the following links. They include a large number of excellent speeches, books & articles by some of the greatest, sincere and qualified scholars living in todays world.
http://deeneislam.com/ur/v4/main.php?iPage=/ur/v4/bayan.php&Muqarrir=3&Title=Latest%20Bayanat%20-%20Mufti%20Muhammad%20Taqi%20Usmani&checksum=my.HlRHcdQlr2
http://deeneislam.com/ur/v4/main.ph...ti Abdul Rauf Sakharvi&checksum=my.HlRHcdQlr2
http://www.khanqah.org/books
http://www.darsequran.com/special/durusezindagi/durusezindagi.php
http://www.darsequran.com/scholarsbayaan/scholarbayaan.php
http://www.darsequran.com/sunehri/sunehriawaaz.php
For more convenience the home addresses of above mentioned links as well as further links of further websites are also given below.
http://deeneislam.com/
http://www.darsequran.com/index.php
http://www.khanqah.org/
http://www.mehboob-e-elahi.com/
http://www.albalagh.net/
http://www.ashrafiya.com/
Once again I request that please do visit the above mentioned websites, listen to the speeches (bayan) and read the articles and the books and then you yourself feel a change in yourself. And InshahAllah you will be led to the right path by Allah.
Wadaich
Prime Minister (20k+ posts)
:mash:One of the best answers to the query.
good bhai jaan ,
Pakistani1947
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Dr Zakir Naik - Question Regarding Sufis
Pakistani1947
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
The Naqshibandi Sufi [Deviant Sects Series] By Dr. Bilal Philips
Also see following link, a "shakhsana" of Sufism:
http://www.siasat.pk/forum/showthread.php?34140-This-molvi-can-solve-pakistan-s-electricity-problem
Also see following link, a "shakhsana" of Sufism:
http://www.siasat.pk/forum/showthread.php?34140-This-molvi-can-solve-pakistan-s-electricity-problem
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BroInIslam
Voter (50+ posts)
SUFISM: ITS ORIGINS
SUFISM: ITS ORIGINS
Courtesy: Al-Haramain Foundation
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The word Sufi is most likely to be derived from the Arabic word "soof", meaning wool. This is because of the Sufi habit of wearing woolen coats, a designation of their initiation into the Sufi order. The early Sufi orders considered the wearing of this coat as an imitation of Isa bin Maryam (Jesus). In reply to this, Ibn Taymiyyah said: "There are a people who have chosen and preferred the wearing of woolen clothes, claiming that they want to resemble al-Maseeh ibn Maryam. But the way of our Prophet is more beloved to us, and the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam.s) used to wear cotton and other garments."1 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sufism is known as "Islamic Mysticism," in which Muslims seek to find divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God2. Mysticism is defined as the experience of mystical union or direct communion with ultimate reality, and the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience (as intuition or insight)3 Both the terms Sufi and Sufism and Sufi beliefs have no basis from the traditional Islamic sources of the Qur'an and Sunnah, a fact even admitted by themselves. Rather, Sufism is in essence a conglomerate consisting of extracts from a multitude of other religions with which Sufi's interacted.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]During the primary stages of Sufism, Sufis were characterised by their particular attachment to zikr (remembrance of Allah) and asceticism (seclusion), as well as the beginning of innovated practices to 'aid' in the religious practices. Yet even at the early stage of Sufism, before their involvement in innovated rituals and structured orders, the scholars warned the masses of the extremity of Sufi practices. Imam Al-Shafi' had the opinion that "If a person exercised Sufism (Tasawafa) at the beginning of the day, he doesn't come at Zuhur except an idiot". Imam Malik and Ahmad bin Hanbal also shared similar ideas on this new movement which emanated from Basrah, Iraq. Although it began as a move towards excessive Ibaadah, such practices were doomed to lead to corruption, since their basis did not come from authentic religious doctrines, but rather from exaggerated human emotions. Sufism as an organised movement arose among pious Muslims as a reaction against the worldliness of the early Umayyad period (AD 661-750)4. The Sufis exploited the chaotic state of affairs that existed during the fifth and sixth centuries A.H. and invited people to follow their way, alleging that the remedy to this chaos was conformity to the guidance of their order's Sheikhs. Dar al-Hikmah was established during the reign of Khalifah Ma'moon, where he invited the scholars of the Romans and Greeks to meet with the Muslims and 'discuss' their respective positions. This provided the perfect breeding ground for the synthesis between Islam and Pagan theology, to produce the Sufism of the like of Ibn Arabi. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Mixing Pot [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]With the demise of the Companions and their successors, the door became open for the distortion of Islamic Principles. The enemies of Islam had already burrowed deep into the ranks of Muslims and rapidly caused Fitnah through their spreading of forged hadith and subsequently created new sects such as the Khawaarij and Mu'tazilah. Sufism gained its breeding ground during this period, whereby it gained its support from the Dynastic Rulers, who had deviated from Islam to the extent whereby magic was used as entertainment in their courts, even though magic is considered as Kufr in Islam.5 During this period, Sufism developed its Shi'a flavour, indeed the roots of contemporary Sufism have been traced back to Shi'a origins (see later). Sufi ideology and thinking flourished during the times of the likes of Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi, Jalal Ad Din Rumi, and Imam Ghazali. Their translation of Greek philosophical works into Arabic during the third Islamic century left an indelible mark on many aspects of Sufism, resulting in Greek pantheism becoming an integral part of Sufi doctrine. Pagan practices such as Saint worshipping, the use of magic and holding venerance towards their Sheikh overtook the Orthodox practices of Islam and had little resemblance to the Islam left by our Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). By examining the mystic doctrines of Christianity, Hinduism, Taoism and other religions, it becomes clear how closer Sufism is to these religions than to Islam. In fact, Sufism is never characterised under "Islam" in any system of catalogue, but rather under 'Mysticism'. Sharda highlights these unsurprising similarities by stating that: "After the fall of Muslim orthodoxy from power at the centre of India for about a century, due to the invasion of Timur, the Sufi became free from the control of the Muslim orthodoxy and consorted with Hindu saints, who influenced them to an amazing extent. The Sufi adopted Monism and wifely devotion from the Vaishnava Vedantic school and Bhakti and Yogic practices from the Vaishnava Vedantic school. By that time, the popularity of the Vedantic pantheism among the Sufis had reached its zenith."6 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The following comparison demonstrates the non-coincidental similarity that Sufism shares with other religions: [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Concept of validity of all religions [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Sufi doctrine of all religions being acceptable before Allah is derived from the Mystical beliefs of other religions, and not Islam, for Allah says: "Truly, the religion in the Sight of Allah is Islam..." [2: 19]. Take for example the Buddhists: "No Buddhist who understands the Buddha's teaching thinks that other religions are wrong... All religions acknowledge that man's present state is unsatisfactory. All teach an ethics that includes love, kindness, patience, generosity and social responsibility and all accept the existence of some form of Absolute." The Sufis also believe the same: "Allah does not distinguish between the non-believer and the Faasiq (wrong doer) or between a believer and a Muslim. In fact they are all equal to Him... Allah does not distinguish between a Kaffir or a hypocrite or between a saint and a Prophet."7 In al-Fusoos, Ibn Arabi leaves no doubt as to his conviction in the unity of all religions: "Beware of restricting yourself to one particular religion and disbelieving in everything else, so that great good would be missed by you, indeed you would miss attainment of knowledge of the affair in the form he is following. Rather be ready to accept all forms of belief. This is because Allah is higher and greater than to be comprehended by one belief to the exclusion of others. Rather all are correct, and everyone who is correct receives award, and everyone who is rewarded is fortunate, and everyone who is fortunate is one with Whom He is pleased."8 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Union with the Creator [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'aala is completely distinct from His Creation. He neither resembles His Creation, nor is He enclosed by it. Sufis however, with their deviant doctrine of Wahdat ul Wujood, believe contrary to this. Ibn Arabi, the Sufi scholar with whom which the concept of Wahdat ul Wujood is rightly attributed, asserted that since Allah's Attributes were manifested in His creation, to worship His creation is similar to worshipping Him: "So the person with complete understanding is he who sees every object of worship to be a manifestation of the truth contained therein, for which it is worshipped. Therefore they call it a god, along with its particular name, whether it is a rock, or a tree, or an animal, or a person, or a star, or an angel."9 This is how far the Sufis deviated because of their reliance on Greek and Eastern philosophy, rather than the Qur'an and Sunnah. To them God is not Allah Alone with whom no one else shares in His Dominion, but rather everything we see around us, and ultimately our own selves! Glory to Allah, who Stated "There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer" [42: 11]. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Looking at where Sufism derived its understanding from, we find the same ingrained beliefs: "When you live in the wisdom home, you'll no longer find a barrier between "I" and "you," "this" and "that," "inside" and "outside;" you'll have come, finally, to your true home, the state of non-duality."10 "Finally, the experience of realisation matures sufficiently that the [spiritual aspirant] may rightly utter the startling assertion, 'I am Shiva' (a Hindu deity)".11 "When I am in that darkness I do not remember anything about anything human, or the God-man.. I see all and I see nothing. As what I have spoken of withdraws and stays with me, I see the God-man.. and he sometimes says to me: 'You are I and I am you'".12 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Corruption of Tawheed in Allaah's Attributes [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sufis totally deny all of Allah's Attributes, such as His Face, His Hands, His Istawaa etc, using metaphorical meanings to explain His Attributes. Although the Companions and Tabi'een believed in them without any resemblance to His creation, the Sufi's deem His Attributes to be a part of His creation. Ibn Arabi went as far as to say that he saw Allah during one of his ecstatic trances, in the shape of a young blond boy sitting on a Throne! (see Bezels of Wisdom, London 1980). Other Sufi Gnostics followed suit in Ibn Arabi's trail: "In the writings of Ibn al-Arabi and Ibn al-Farid, eternal beauty is symbolised through female beauty; in Indo-Muslim popular mystical songs the soul is the loving wife, God the longed-for husband." 13 Incorporation of Music in Rituals Music of all forms is forbidden by the majority of scholars, and remains attached to forbidden practices such as drinking, fornication and parties. However, after the Muslim conquest of the Deccan under Malik Kafur (c. 1310), a large number of Hindu musicians were taken with the royal armies and settled in the North. The acceptance of the Sufi doctrines, in which music was an accepted means to the realisation of God, enabled Muslim rulers and noblemen to extend their patronage to this art.14 At the courts of the Mughal emperors Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan, music flourished on a grand scale, and Sufi Dervishes used music as a means to enter ecstatic trances. Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said in a lengthy hadith concerning the appearance of vile acts, "...when singing-girls and stringed instruments make their appearance, wines are drunk, and the last members of this people curse the first ones, look at that time for a violent wind, an earthquake, being swallowed up by the earth, metamorphosis, pelting rain, and signs following one another like bits of a necklace falling one after the other when its string is cut." [Tirmidhi ]. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The deception of Sufism is brought to full light by looking at the lives of their esteemed leaders, the Sheikhs of whom which they place full trust in heir knowledge and obey their every command, and by contrasting the Orthodox Islamic teachings against the Sufi alternative. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sufi Sheikhs: Role Models or Deviants? [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Bayazid Tayfur al-Bistami [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Bayazid is considered to be "of the six bright stars in the firmament of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)"15, and a link in the Golden Chain of the Naqshibandi Tariqah. Yet his life reeks of Shirin all aspects. Bayazid al-Bistami was the first one to spread the reality of Annihilation (Fana'), whereby the Mystic becomes fully absorbed to the point of becoming unaware of himself or the objects around him. Every existing thing seems to vanish, and he feels free of every barrier that could stand in the way of his viewing the Remembered One. In one of these states, Bayazid cried out: "Praise to Me, for My greatest Glory!" Yet this concept is to be found nowhere in the Qur'an, nor Sunnah, nor in the behaviour in the Salaf us Saalih. Bistami's belief in the Unity of all religions became apparent when asked the question: "How does Islam view other religions?" His reply was "All are vehicles and a path to God's Divine Presence." Was this the Message of Tawheed which the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) practised and was followed by the Sahaabah? He attributed the believers to be the same as the disbelievers themselves, who Allah describes as being worse than cattle (Surah 7, verse 179) and dogs; the same disbelievers who the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) stated he had been commanded to fight till they testified that there was no deity but Allah. The whole life of Bayazid is rife with such contradiction to Eeman. From a young age, he left his mother stating to her that he could not serve Allah and his mother at the same time.16 When walking through the streets, he once called out "I am God; why do you not worship me?" He spent his time sitting with his head resting between his knees, one of his companions stating he did so for thirty years. But strangest of all was his obedience to a dog he once came across. The dog had apparently become upset at Bayazid's attempt to avoid him, to which the dog spoke to him and scolded him. So Bayazid pleaded "O dog, you are so enlightened, live with me for some time."17 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ibn Arabi [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]During the late 12th and early 13th centuries, under the influence of speculative mysticism, Ibn al-Arabi produced a system that created a complete chasm between the law and Sufism. In societies, such as Islamic India, that had a strong pre-Islamic heritage of mysticism, this chasm became much wider.18 Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi holds perhaps the highest position amongst all Sufi Schools, and was pivotal in the permanent split between Islam and Sufism. He claimed to have received direct orders from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) himself, including a book of completely new hadith never seen or heard of before. Prior to his receiving 'revelation', Ibn Arabi was well known to attend nightly parties in Seville. During one of these nights, he heard a voice (his drunk inner self?) calling to him, "O Muhammad, it was not for this that you were created". He fled in fear to a cemetery, where he claims to have met, and received instruction from, Jesus, Moses and Muhammad, peace be upon them all. From his books, innumerable forged sayings attributed to the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) have been used, to the extent that countless of Muslims consider these to be real. The following are quotes from Ibn Arabi: [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"The man of wisdom will never allow himself to be caught up in any one form or belief, because he is wise unto himself".19 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"All that is left to us by tradition (Hadith) is mere words. It is up to us to find out what they mean"20. (This reflects his alliance with Baatini (inner) meanings and interpretations) [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"He (Ibn Rushd) thanked God that in his own time he had seen someone (Ibn Arabi) who had entered into the retreat ignorant and had come out like this (knowledge of inner meanings)- without study, discussion, investigation or reading"21 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Junaid [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Junaid was the fourth head of the Safavid order who sought to transform the spiritual strength of the order into political power. What may be unknown to his followers however was his policies of military adventurism combined with Shi'a and Sufi piety.22 His son, Haydar, himself established the Safavid dynasty and the Twelver Shi'a Islam in Iran came under his grandson, Isma'il I. He was said to have blown a fatal breath at his slave-girl, to which he argued that she was ruining his forty years of spiritual practices.23 This so-called 'Saint', a supposed friend of Allah, made the following remarks: "I saw a thief who was being gibbeted. I bowed to him... for being true to the profession he followed." "He who fears Allah never smiles". "One moments forgetfulness of the Lord ruins a thousands years worship". Mansur al-Hallaj Mansur is renowned for his claim "Ana-l-Haq" (I am the Truth), for which he was executed for apostasy. Yet he is still revered by Sufis even though he abandoned all the laws governing Tawheed. He was said to have lived in one cloak for a full twenty years, along with a scorpion inside. He stood bare-footed and bare-headed for one year at the same spot in Makkah. During his prayers, he would say "O Lord! You are the guide of those who are passing through the Valley of Bewilderment. If I am a heretic, enlarge my heresy." He also said "I denied your religion (Islam) and denial is obligatory on me, although that is hideous to Muslims."24 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Abu Yazid [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Abu Yazid once prayed one Juma'a prayer in 24,000 different places. He told the religious authorities in one place: "I was praying in 12,000 different houses of worship today." They asked: "How?" He said, "By the power of the Lord Almighty. If you don't believe me, send people around to ask." They sat and waited until messengers returned saying that he was seen in so many places. Abu Yazid said later: "I was afraid to say 24,000, so I only said 12,000." So Abu Yazid clearly lied, when he could have simply not mentioned anything in the first place. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Are these truly the ones who we are told to receive the knowledge of our religion from? Do these men reflect the teachings of Islam? A man who left obedience to his mother, to the obedience of a dog? Are we supposed to follow men who receive revelation in a cemetery after spending the night at a party? Or a man who kills his slave girl for 'disturbing' his worship? To us, Islam calls smiling a charity, not a deviation from Allah's Pleasure. Islam forbids prostration to anyone but Allah. The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to make du'a seeking Allah's guidance, not begging for heresy. And Islam teaches us truthfulness, not lies. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Evidence Against their teachings: their beliefs and practices [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Position of the Sheikh and Wali [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Sheikh or Wali is given a similar standing as that of a Catholic Saint, or the Dalai Lama himself. Complete obedience is enforced on his followers, and any questions are deemed as a betrayal of trust: "The seeker must submit to the will of the Sheikh and to obey him in all his orders and advice, because the Sheikh has more experience and more knowledge in Haqiqat, in Tariqat and in Shari'ah," and "he must agree with the opinion of his Sheikh completely, as the patient agrees with the physician".25 Yet Muslims believe that any single act of worship must be substantiated by the Qur'an and Sunnah only. Allah the Exalted says: "Say (to them), 'Produce your proof if you are truthful'." [2: 111], and the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said "The created is not to be obeyed over the Creator." The Sheikh is given the standing of a deity in Sufism. Attributes which belong to Allah, are also assigned to their Sheikhs. They seek help from them, whether they are dead or 10,000km away. They believe that their sheikhs know everything their students are thinking, and that they converse with the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) on a regular basis (in reality). [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Distortion of the concepts of Dhikr, hadith, Qur'an [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Since the Qur'an and Saheeh Hadith cannot be changed, the Sufi's have reverted to Ta'weel, a method of changing the apparent meaning of the verse or hadith to have a hidden one. This provided them with sufficient lee-way to support any concept they desired, by simply stating that the verse/hadith had an inner meaning which only the Sheikh himself could know. In the Bezels of Wisdom, Ibn Arabi presents certain aspects of what he terms "Divine Wisdom," as he conceives it. But Ibn al-Arabi interprets the relevant verses of Surat Noah in the most outrageous fashion, since he suggests meanings diametrically opposed to those accepted by all Muslim scholars. He interprets the "wrongdoer," "infidels," and "sinners" in Surat Noah as 'saints and Gnostics' drowning and burning not in the torment of Hell, but rather in the flames and water of knowledge of God. Ibn Arabi regarded the idols worshipped by Noah's people as divine deities. Allah condemned their deed saying: "And they (Noah's people) said, 'Do not abandon your gods, neither Wad, Suwa', Yaghooth, Ya'ooq nor Nasr'. " [71: 23] On which Ibn Arabi commented: "If they (Noah's people) had abandoned them, they would have become ignorant of the Reality ... for in every object of worship there is a reflection of Reality, whether it be recognised or not." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The act of making Zikr in circles and jumping/moving frantically is also totally unfounded. Zikr in the true Arabic sense means "Remembrance of Allah." The Prophet's (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) method, which Muslims agree to be the best and only acceptable one, of zikr consisted in reciting Qur'an, discussing religion with his companions, and making Tasbeeh on his hands. Yet the act of sitting in circles and loudly or silently chanting "Allah, Allah" was never practised by the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) nor the Salaf, and all hadith which state that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) did so (such as when he supposedly went into a room, told the companions to lift up their hands and chant "La Ilaha Illa Allah" ) are unanimously agreed upon to be forged. Ibn Taymiyyah stated that this practice opened the door to Shaytaan, whereby the Shaytaan would enter the gathering (since they were involved in innovation) and take the form of a pious person. He also stated that the recital of "Allah, Allah" was forbidden, as it was never declared to be a form of Dhikr, and has no attached word to complete it (such as Allahu Akbar, Subhaan Allah).26 The stories also of Khidr and his meeting with the 'Awliyaa', the 40 Abdaal's who are always on the Earth and can be at any place in the wink of an eye, are derived from Jewish and Christian legends, not Islamic traditions. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Innovation [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Imam Malik remarked: "That which was not religion at the time of the Messenger and his companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, is never to be religion today. He who introduces a Bid'ah (innovation) in the religion of Islam and deems it a good thing, claims by so doing that Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam.s) betrayed the Message." The Sufis are to be found indulging in and spending an enormous amount of resources defending innovated practices, declaring them to be "good innovations." These include celebrating the death of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam.s) (a practice adopted from the reign of Fatamids, who began this innovation in order to seek the pleasure of the masses), reading Qur'an over the dead and seeking blessings form them, and the building of extravagant mosques (even though our Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam.s) forbade this. Anas reports that the Messenger of Allah said: "The Hour will not come to pass until the people vie with each other in (building) the mosques." [Ahmad, Abu Dawud, anNasa'i, Ibn Majah] ). [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Why they still survive Emotional attachment [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Sufi's have become such an integral part of the lives of so many Muslims that Muslims are finding it difficult to accept that the Sufi path is wrong, and accuse anyone who pinpoints the errors of Sufism as an extremist or a follower of some 'deviant' sect. Sufism calls to human emotions rather than intellect and Islamic evidence. For example, poetry and music were the most popular form during the past hundreds of years, whereby "Sufi ideas permeated the hearts of all those who hearkened to poetry."27 Today, Sufism is followed by masses of people who desire to leave behind the complexities of this world, instead of building the ability to challenge it. Sufism provides the perfect escape, where its followers can meditate instead of thinking about the other Muslims who are suffering, let alone help them. Similarity with pagan beliefs Sufism is so similar to other religions, and as we noted earlier very tolerant of them, that a change to Sufism does not involve a complete change of life, as Islam requires. So Buddhists, Sikhs, Taoists and mystic Jews and Christians looking for an easy alternative find solace in Sufism which perhaps only adds another dimension to their previous way of life, rather than uprooting it and starting afresh Simplicity Ibnul-Jawzee says in Talbees Iblees: "Sufism is a way whose beginning was complete avoidance of the affairs of worldly life, then those who attached themselves to it became lax in allowing singing and dancing. Therefore the seekers of the hereafter from the common people became attracted to them due to the avoidance of the worldly life which they manifested, and the seekers after this world were also attracted to them due to the life of ease and frivolity which they were seen to live." Sufism offers its followers a life carefree from fighting (Jihad), politics, the initiative to seek knowledge and teach it, the work of Da'wah, and allows a person to indulge in worldly activities such as music, magic, and other prohibited acts. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The leader of the Naqshibandi Tareeqa in America, was quoted in the media as saying the following: "You have to be both material and spiritual. Sufis can give people joy in their spiritual life. Well, Madonna is giving people a kind of joy in their material life... You cannot say she is wrong. Sufis don't object and criticise - they are accepting everything. That's why, when my children are looking at Madonna on MTV, I say, 'Let me come and look also!'" Support from the governments Any group which manages to gain the support of an anti-Islamic Government must be suspicious. During the reign of the tyrant Mustafa Kemal, under whose leadership thousands of scholars were executed and Islamic practices banned, special permission was granted by the Turkish government in 1954 allowing the Mawlawi dervishes of Konya to perform their ritual dances. In fact, they have become a regular attraction nowadays, performing around the world along with their Turkish Mystical Music State Ensemble. 28 The Sheikh of the Naqshibandi's of America has greeted and received praises from the President of America Bill Clinton himself. And why shouldn't he, since the 'Islam' he portrays is one of pacifism and unity with the Kuffar. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Twisting of evidence [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Since the Qur'an and Hadith are readily available, and cannot be changed, the Sufis have resorted to another trick used by other Mystics: [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ta'weel, or changing the apparent meaning of a verse or hadith to a secret inner one which only a certified Sheikh could explain! They also rely on providing the mass with forged hadith, such as the one stating the beseeching of Adam (alaihi salaam) in the name of Muhammad when he sinned; the stories of Khidr; the rising of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) from his grave so a person could kiss his hand and so on. Because of the lack of knowledge the general mass possess on the knowledge of Hadith and Aqeedah, they believe what they are told, and pass on the stories to other generations, becoming distorted even more along the way. Another smart tactic is to attribute forged sayings in support of the Sufi's from the righteous scholars. For example, Ibn Taymiyyah is attributed to have been a member of the Qadiri order and had been initiated, and spoken great words on Bistami and his likes. Yet Ibn Taymiyyah spent the majority of his life fighting against the teachings of Sufism, was imprisoned because of them, and bluntly stated "...Ibn Arabi who wrote "Al-Fousous," and other slandering atheists such as Ibn Sab'een and his like. They even witness that they are simultaneously the worshipers and the ones being worshiped." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Damage to the Ummah [/FONT]
2 Encyclopaedia Britannica
3 Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
4 Encyclopaedia Britannica
5 The Fundamentals of Tawheed, Abu Ameenah Bilal Phillips
6 S. R. Sharda, Sufi Thought
7 The Naqshbandi Way, pp 12,16
8 Ibn Arabi, al-Fusoos, p.191
9 Hadhihi Hiyas-Soofiyah, p.38
10 The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, p.77
11 The Triadic Heart of Shiva, pp 183-4
12 Angela of Foligno: Complete Works, pp 181-2
13 Encyclopaedia Britannica
14 ibid.
15 Naqshibandi Way
16 Memoirs of the Saints, translated by Dr. Bankley Behari
17 ibid.
18 Encyclopaedia Britannica
19 An unpublished poem from Ibn Arabi's 'Diwan', translated by Dr Austin
20 Stephen Hirtenstein's paper Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi: The Treasure of Compassion
21 Sufis of Andalusia, transl. by R. W. J. Austin, p.23
22 Encyclopaedia Britannica
23 Memoirs of the Saints, p.108
24 ibid.
25 Naqshibandi Way
26 Sheikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo' al Fatawaah
27 Encyclopaedia Britannica
28 They recently came to perform in Australia, charging $30 per head. Only the elite went to watch this 90 minute theatrical display.
29 The Islamic World, New Jersey 1991[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sufism is known as "Islamic Mysticism," in which Muslims seek to find divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God2. Mysticism is defined as the experience of mystical union or direct communion with ultimate reality, and the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience (as intuition or insight)3 Both the terms Sufi and Sufism and Sufi beliefs have no basis from the traditional Islamic sources of the Qur'an and Sunnah, a fact even admitted by themselves. Rather, Sufism is in essence a conglomerate consisting of extracts from a multitude of other religions with which Sufi's interacted.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]During the primary stages of Sufism, Sufis were characterised by their particular attachment to zikr (remembrance of Allah) and asceticism (seclusion), as well as the beginning of innovated practices to 'aid' in the religious practices. Yet even at the early stage of Sufism, before their involvement in innovated rituals and structured orders, the scholars warned the masses of the extremity of Sufi practices. Imam Al-Shafi' had the opinion that "If a person exercised Sufism (Tasawafa) at the beginning of the day, he doesn't come at Zuhur except an idiot". Imam Malik and Ahmad bin Hanbal also shared similar ideas on this new movement which emanated from Basrah, Iraq. Although it began as a move towards excessive Ibaadah, such practices were doomed to lead to corruption, since their basis did not come from authentic religious doctrines, but rather from exaggerated human emotions. Sufism as an organised movement arose among pious Muslims as a reaction against the worldliness of the early Umayyad period (AD 661-750)4. The Sufis exploited the chaotic state of affairs that existed during the fifth and sixth centuries A.H. and invited people to follow their way, alleging that the remedy to this chaos was conformity to the guidance of their order's Sheikhs. Dar al-Hikmah was established during the reign of Khalifah Ma'moon, where he invited the scholars of the Romans and Greeks to meet with the Muslims and 'discuss' their respective positions. This provided the perfect breeding ground for the synthesis between Islam and Pagan theology, to produce the Sufism of the like of Ibn Arabi. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Mixing Pot [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]With the demise of the Companions and their successors, the door became open for the distortion of Islamic Principles. The enemies of Islam had already burrowed deep into the ranks of Muslims and rapidly caused Fitnah through their spreading of forged hadith and subsequently created new sects such as the Khawaarij and Mu'tazilah. Sufism gained its breeding ground during this period, whereby it gained its support from the Dynastic Rulers, who had deviated from Islam to the extent whereby magic was used as entertainment in their courts, even though magic is considered as Kufr in Islam.5 During this period, Sufism developed its Shi'a flavour, indeed the roots of contemporary Sufism have been traced back to Shi'a origins (see later). Sufi ideology and thinking flourished during the times of the likes of Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi, Jalal Ad Din Rumi, and Imam Ghazali. Their translation of Greek philosophical works into Arabic during the third Islamic century left an indelible mark on many aspects of Sufism, resulting in Greek pantheism becoming an integral part of Sufi doctrine. Pagan practices such as Saint worshipping, the use of magic and holding venerance towards their Sheikh overtook the Orthodox practices of Islam and had little resemblance to the Islam left by our Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). By examining the mystic doctrines of Christianity, Hinduism, Taoism and other religions, it becomes clear how closer Sufism is to these religions than to Islam. In fact, Sufism is never characterised under "Islam" in any system of catalogue, but rather under 'Mysticism'. Sharda highlights these unsurprising similarities by stating that: "After the fall of Muslim orthodoxy from power at the centre of India for about a century, due to the invasion of Timur, the Sufi became free from the control of the Muslim orthodoxy and consorted with Hindu saints, who influenced them to an amazing extent. The Sufi adopted Monism and wifely devotion from the Vaishnava Vedantic school and Bhakti and Yogic practices from the Vaishnava Vedantic school. By that time, the popularity of the Vedantic pantheism among the Sufis had reached its zenith."6 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The following comparison demonstrates the non-coincidental similarity that Sufism shares with other religions: [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Concept of validity of all religions [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Sufi doctrine of all religions being acceptable before Allah is derived from the Mystical beliefs of other religions, and not Islam, for Allah says: "Truly, the religion in the Sight of Allah is Islam..." [2: 19]. Take for example the Buddhists: "No Buddhist who understands the Buddha's teaching thinks that other religions are wrong... All religions acknowledge that man's present state is unsatisfactory. All teach an ethics that includes love, kindness, patience, generosity and social responsibility and all accept the existence of some form of Absolute." The Sufis also believe the same: "Allah does not distinguish between the non-believer and the Faasiq (wrong doer) or between a believer and a Muslim. In fact they are all equal to Him... Allah does not distinguish between a Kaffir or a hypocrite or between a saint and a Prophet."7 In al-Fusoos, Ibn Arabi leaves no doubt as to his conviction in the unity of all religions: "Beware of restricting yourself to one particular religion and disbelieving in everything else, so that great good would be missed by you, indeed you would miss attainment of knowledge of the affair in the form he is following. Rather be ready to accept all forms of belief. This is because Allah is higher and greater than to be comprehended by one belief to the exclusion of others. Rather all are correct, and everyone who is correct receives award, and everyone who is rewarded is fortunate, and everyone who is fortunate is one with Whom He is pleased."8 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Union with the Creator [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'aala is completely distinct from His Creation. He neither resembles His Creation, nor is He enclosed by it. Sufis however, with their deviant doctrine of Wahdat ul Wujood, believe contrary to this. Ibn Arabi, the Sufi scholar with whom which the concept of Wahdat ul Wujood is rightly attributed, asserted that since Allah's Attributes were manifested in His creation, to worship His creation is similar to worshipping Him: "So the person with complete understanding is he who sees every object of worship to be a manifestation of the truth contained therein, for which it is worshipped. Therefore they call it a god, along with its particular name, whether it is a rock, or a tree, or an animal, or a person, or a star, or an angel."9 This is how far the Sufis deviated because of their reliance on Greek and Eastern philosophy, rather than the Qur'an and Sunnah. To them God is not Allah Alone with whom no one else shares in His Dominion, but rather everything we see around us, and ultimately our own selves! Glory to Allah, who Stated "There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer" [42: 11]. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Looking at where Sufism derived its understanding from, we find the same ingrained beliefs: "When you live in the wisdom home, you'll no longer find a barrier between "I" and "you," "this" and "that," "inside" and "outside;" you'll have come, finally, to your true home, the state of non-duality."10 "Finally, the experience of realisation matures sufficiently that the [spiritual aspirant] may rightly utter the startling assertion, 'I am Shiva' (a Hindu deity)".11 "When I am in that darkness I do not remember anything about anything human, or the God-man.. I see all and I see nothing. As what I have spoken of withdraws and stays with me, I see the God-man.. and he sometimes says to me: 'You are I and I am you'".12 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Corruption of Tawheed in Allaah's Attributes [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sufis totally deny all of Allah's Attributes, such as His Face, His Hands, His Istawaa etc, using metaphorical meanings to explain His Attributes. Although the Companions and Tabi'een believed in them without any resemblance to His creation, the Sufi's deem His Attributes to be a part of His creation. Ibn Arabi went as far as to say that he saw Allah during one of his ecstatic trances, in the shape of a young blond boy sitting on a Throne! (see Bezels of Wisdom, London 1980). Other Sufi Gnostics followed suit in Ibn Arabi's trail: "In the writings of Ibn al-Arabi and Ibn al-Farid, eternal beauty is symbolised through female beauty; in Indo-Muslim popular mystical songs the soul is the loving wife, God the longed-for husband." 13 Incorporation of Music in Rituals Music of all forms is forbidden by the majority of scholars, and remains attached to forbidden practices such as drinking, fornication and parties. However, after the Muslim conquest of the Deccan under Malik Kafur (c. 1310), a large number of Hindu musicians were taken with the royal armies and settled in the North. The acceptance of the Sufi doctrines, in which music was an accepted means to the realisation of God, enabled Muslim rulers and noblemen to extend their patronage to this art.14 At the courts of the Mughal emperors Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan, music flourished on a grand scale, and Sufi Dervishes used music as a means to enter ecstatic trances. Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said in a lengthy hadith concerning the appearance of vile acts, "...when singing-girls and stringed instruments make their appearance, wines are drunk, and the last members of this people curse the first ones, look at that time for a violent wind, an earthquake, being swallowed up by the earth, metamorphosis, pelting rain, and signs following one another like bits of a necklace falling one after the other when its string is cut." [Tirmidhi ]. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The deception of Sufism is brought to full light by looking at the lives of their esteemed leaders, the Sheikhs of whom which they place full trust in heir knowledge and obey their every command, and by contrasting the Orthodox Islamic teachings against the Sufi alternative. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sufi Sheikhs: Role Models or Deviants? [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Bayazid Tayfur al-Bistami [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Bayazid is considered to be "of the six bright stars in the firmament of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)"15, and a link in the Golden Chain of the Naqshibandi Tariqah. Yet his life reeks of Shirin all aspects. Bayazid al-Bistami was the first one to spread the reality of Annihilation (Fana'), whereby the Mystic becomes fully absorbed to the point of becoming unaware of himself or the objects around him. Every existing thing seems to vanish, and he feels free of every barrier that could stand in the way of his viewing the Remembered One. In one of these states, Bayazid cried out: "Praise to Me, for My greatest Glory!" Yet this concept is to be found nowhere in the Qur'an, nor Sunnah, nor in the behaviour in the Salaf us Saalih. Bistami's belief in the Unity of all religions became apparent when asked the question: "How does Islam view other religions?" His reply was "All are vehicles and a path to God's Divine Presence." Was this the Message of Tawheed which the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) practised and was followed by the Sahaabah? He attributed the believers to be the same as the disbelievers themselves, who Allah describes as being worse than cattle (Surah 7, verse 179) and dogs; the same disbelievers who the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) stated he had been commanded to fight till they testified that there was no deity but Allah. The whole life of Bayazid is rife with such contradiction to Eeman. From a young age, he left his mother stating to her that he could not serve Allah and his mother at the same time.16 When walking through the streets, he once called out "I am God; why do you not worship me?" He spent his time sitting with his head resting between his knees, one of his companions stating he did so for thirty years. But strangest of all was his obedience to a dog he once came across. The dog had apparently become upset at Bayazid's attempt to avoid him, to which the dog spoke to him and scolded him. So Bayazid pleaded "O dog, you are so enlightened, live with me for some time."17 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ibn Arabi [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]During the late 12th and early 13th centuries, under the influence of speculative mysticism, Ibn al-Arabi produced a system that created a complete chasm between the law and Sufism. In societies, such as Islamic India, that had a strong pre-Islamic heritage of mysticism, this chasm became much wider.18 Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi holds perhaps the highest position amongst all Sufi Schools, and was pivotal in the permanent split between Islam and Sufism. He claimed to have received direct orders from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) himself, including a book of completely new hadith never seen or heard of before. Prior to his receiving 'revelation', Ibn Arabi was well known to attend nightly parties in Seville. During one of these nights, he heard a voice (his drunk inner self?) calling to him, "O Muhammad, it was not for this that you were created". He fled in fear to a cemetery, where he claims to have met, and received instruction from, Jesus, Moses and Muhammad, peace be upon them all. From his books, innumerable forged sayings attributed to the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) have been used, to the extent that countless of Muslims consider these to be real. The following are quotes from Ibn Arabi: [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"The man of wisdom will never allow himself to be caught up in any one form or belief, because he is wise unto himself".19 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"All that is left to us by tradition (Hadith) is mere words. It is up to us to find out what they mean"20. (This reflects his alliance with Baatini (inner) meanings and interpretations) [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"He (Ibn Rushd) thanked God that in his own time he had seen someone (Ibn Arabi) who had entered into the retreat ignorant and had come out like this (knowledge of inner meanings)- without study, discussion, investigation or reading"21 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Junaid [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Junaid was the fourth head of the Safavid order who sought to transform the spiritual strength of the order into political power. What may be unknown to his followers however was his policies of military adventurism combined with Shi'a and Sufi piety.22 His son, Haydar, himself established the Safavid dynasty and the Twelver Shi'a Islam in Iran came under his grandson, Isma'il I. He was said to have blown a fatal breath at his slave-girl, to which he argued that she was ruining his forty years of spiritual practices.23 This so-called 'Saint', a supposed friend of Allah, made the following remarks: "I saw a thief who was being gibbeted. I bowed to him... for being true to the profession he followed." "He who fears Allah never smiles". "One moments forgetfulness of the Lord ruins a thousands years worship". Mansur al-Hallaj Mansur is renowned for his claim "Ana-l-Haq" (I am the Truth), for which he was executed for apostasy. Yet he is still revered by Sufis even though he abandoned all the laws governing Tawheed. He was said to have lived in one cloak for a full twenty years, along with a scorpion inside. He stood bare-footed and bare-headed for one year at the same spot in Makkah. During his prayers, he would say "O Lord! You are the guide of those who are passing through the Valley of Bewilderment. If I am a heretic, enlarge my heresy." He also said "I denied your religion (Islam) and denial is obligatory on me, although that is hideous to Muslims."24 [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Abu Yazid [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Abu Yazid once prayed one Juma'a prayer in 24,000 different places. He told the religious authorities in one place: "I was praying in 12,000 different houses of worship today." They asked: "How?" He said, "By the power of the Lord Almighty. If you don't believe me, send people around to ask." They sat and waited until messengers returned saying that he was seen in so many places. Abu Yazid said later: "I was afraid to say 24,000, so I only said 12,000." So Abu Yazid clearly lied, when he could have simply not mentioned anything in the first place. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Are these truly the ones who we are told to receive the knowledge of our religion from? Do these men reflect the teachings of Islam? A man who left obedience to his mother, to the obedience of a dog? Are we supposed to follow men who receive revelation in a cemetery after spending the night at a party? Or a man who kills his slave girl for 'disturbing' his worship? To us, Islam calls smiling a charity, not a deviation from Allah's Pleasure. Islam forbids prostration to anyone but Allah. The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to make du'a seeking Allah's guidance, not begging for heresy. And Islam teaches us truthfulness, not lies. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Evidence Against their teachings: their beliefs and practices [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Position of the Sheikh and Wali [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Sheikh or Wali is given a similar standing as that of a Catholic Saint, or the Dalai Lama himself. Complete obedience is enforced on his followers, and any questions are deemed as a betrayal of trust: "The seeker must submit to the will of the Sheikh and to obey him in all his orders and advice, because the Sheikh has more experience and more knowledge in Haqiqat, in Tariqat and in Shari'ah," and "he must agree with the opinion of his Sheikh completely, as the patient agrees with the physician".25 Yet Muslims believe that any single act of worship must be substantiated by the Qur'an and Sunnah only. Allah the Exalted says: "Say (to them), 'Produce your proof if you are truthful'." [2: 111], and the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said "The created is not to be obeyed over the Creator." The Sheikh is given the standing of a deity in Sufism. Attributes which belong to Allah, are also assigned to their Sheikhs. They seek help from them, whether they are dead or 10,000km away. They believe that their sheikhs know everything their students are thinking, and that they converse with the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) on a regular basis (in reality). [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Distortion of the concepts of Dhikr, hadith, Qur'an [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Since the Qur'an and Saheeh Hadith cannot be changed, the Sufi's have reverted to Ta'weel, a method of changing the apparent meaning of the verse or hadith to have a hidden one. This provided them with sufficient lee-way to support any concept they desired, by simply stating that the verse/hadith had an inner meaning which only the Sheikh himself could know. In the Bezels of Wisdom, Ibn Arabi presents certain aspects of what he terms "Divine Wisdom," as he conceives it. But Ibn al-Arabi interprets the relevant verses of Surat Noah in the most outrageous fashion, since he suggests meanings diametrically opposed to those accepted by all Muslim scholars. He interprets the "wrongdoer," "infidels," and "sinners" in Surat Noah as 'saints and Gnostics' drowning and burning not in the torment of Hell, but rather in the flames and water of knowledge of God. Ibn Arabi regarded the idols worshipped by Noah's people as divine deities. Allah condemned their deed saying: "And they (Noah's people) said, 'Do not abandon your gods, neither Wad, Suwa', Yaghooth, Ya'ooq nor Nasr'. " [71: 23] On which Ibn Arabi commented: "If they (Noah's people) had abandoned them, they would have become ignorant of the Reality ... for in every object of worship there is a reflection of Reality, whether it be recognised or not." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The act of making Zikr in circles and jumping/moving frantically is also totally unfounded. Zikr in the true Arabic sense means "Remembrance of Allah." The Prophet's (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) method, which Muslims agree to be the best and only acceptable one, of zikr consisted in reciting Qur'an, discussing religion with his companions, and making Tasbeeh on his hands. Yet the act of sitting in circles and loudly or silently chanting "Allah, Allah" was never practised by the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) nor the Salaf, and all hadith which state that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) did so (such as when he supposedly went into a room, told the companions to lift up their hands and chant "La Ilaha Illa Allah" ) are unanimously agreed upon to be forged. Ibn Taymiyyah stated that this practice opened the door to Shaytaan, whereby the Shaytaan would enter the gathering (since they were involved in innovation) and take the form of a pious person. He also stated that the recital of "Allah, Allah" was forbidden, as it was never declared to be a form of Dhikr, and has no attached word to complete it (such as Allahu Akbar, Subhaan Allah).26 The stories also of Khidr and his meeting with the 'Awliyaa', the 40 Abdaal's who are always on the Earth and can be at any place in the wink of an eye, are derived from Jewish and Christian legends, not Islamic traditions. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Innovation [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Imam Malik remarked: "That which was not religion at the time of the Messenger and his companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, is never to be religion today. He who introduces a Bid'ah (innovation) in the religion of Islam and deems it a good thing, claims by so doing that Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam.s) betrayed the Message." The Sufis are to be found indulging in and spending an enormous amount of resources defending innovated practices, declaring them to be "good innovations." These include celebrating the death of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam.s) (a practice adopted from the reign of Fatamids, who began this innovation in order to seek the pleasure of the masses), reading Qur'an over the dead and seeking blessings form them, and the building of extravagant mosques (even though our Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam.s) forbade this. Anas reports that the Messenger of Allah said: "The Hour will not come to pass until the people vie with each other in (building) the mosques." [Ahmad, Abu Dawud, anNasa'i, Ibn Majah] ). [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Why they still survive Emotional attachment [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Sufi's have become such an integral part of the lives of so many Muslims that Muslims are finding it difficult to accept that the Sufi path is wrong, and accuse anyone who pinpoints the errors of Sufism as an extremist or a follower of some 'deviant' sect. Sufism calls to human emotions rather than intellect and Islamic evidence. For example, poetry and music were the most popular form during the past hundreds of years, whereby "Sufi ideas permeated the hearts of all those who hearkened to poetry."27 Today, Sufism is followed by masses of people who desire to leave behind the complexities of this world, instead of building the ability to challenge it. Sufism provides the perfect escape, where its followers can meditate instead of thinking about the other Muslims who are suffering, let alone help them. Similarity with pagan beliefs Sufism is so similar to other religions, and as we noted earlier very tolerant of them, that a change to Sufism does not involve a complete change of life, as Islam requires. So Buddhists, Sikhs, Taoists and mystic Jews and Christians looking for an easy alternative find solace in Sufism which perhaps only adds another dimension to their previous way of life, rather than uprooting it and starting afresh Simplicity Ibnul-Jawzee says in Talbees Iblees: "Sufism is a way whose beginning was complete avoidance of the affairs of worldly life, then those who attached themselves to it became lax in allowing singing and dancing. Therefore the seekers of the hereafter from the common people became attracted to them due to the avoidance of the worldly life which they manifested, and the seekers after this world were also attracted to them due to the life of ease and frivolity which they were seen to live." Sufism offers its followers a life carefree from fighting (Jihad), politics, the initiative to seek knowledge and teach it, the work of Da'wah, and allows a person to indulge in worldly activities such as music, magic, and other prohibited acts. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The leader of the Naqshibandi Tareeqa in America, was quoted in the media as saying the following: "You have to be both material and spiritual. Sufis can give people joy in their spiritual life. Well, Madonna is giving people a kind of joy in their material life... You cannot say she is wrong. Sufis don't object and criticise - they are accepting everything. That's why, when my children are looking at Madonna on MTV, I say, 'Let me come and look also!'" Support from the governments Any group which manages to gain the support of an anti-Islamic Government must be suspicious. During the reign of the tyrant Mustafa Kemal, under whose leadership thousands of scholars were executed and Islamic practices banned, special permission was granted by the Turkish government in 1954 allowing the Mawlawi dervishes of Konya to perform their ritual dances. In fact, they have become a regular attraction nowadays, performing around the world along with their Turkish Mystical Music State Ensemble. 28 The Sheikh of the Naqshibandi's of America has greeted and received praises from the President of America Bill Clinton himself. And why shouldn't he, since the 'Islam' he portrays is one of pacifism and unity with the Kuffar. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Twisting of evidence [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Since the Qur'an and Hadith are readily available, and cannot be changed, the Sufis have resorted to another trick used by other Mystics: [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ta'weel, or changing the apparent meaning of a verse or hadith to a secret inner one which only a certified Sheikh could explain! They also rely on providing the mass with forged hadith, such as the one stating the beseeching of Adam (alaihi salaam) in the name of Muhammad when he sinned; the stories of Khidr; the rising of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) from his grave so a person could kiss his hand and so on. Because of the lack of knowledge the general mass possess on the knowledge of Hadith and Aqeedah, they believe what they are told, and pass on the stories to other generations, becoming distorted even more along the way. Another smart tactic is to attribute forged sayings in support of the Sufi's from the righteous scholars. For example, Ibn Taymiyyah is attributed to have been a member of the Qadiri order and had been initiated, and spoken great words on Bistami and his likes. Yet Ibn Taymiyyah spent the majority of his life fighting against the teachings of Sufism, was imprisoned because of them, and bluntly stated "...Ibn Arabi who wrote "Al-Fousous," and other slandering atheists such as Ibn Sab'een and his like. They even witness that they are simultaneously the worshipers and the ones being worshiped." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Damage to the Ummah [/FONT]
- [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sufis distracted the Muslims from the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah towards the servitude of the Sheikh. Muslims thus became alienated from the teachings of Islam, and possessed no protection from the innovations and trappings of the deviant sects. Teachings such as "He (the follower) must not look to any other than his Sheikh" did nothing to cement the community. Rather, it sent the ball rolling for the wars between the various Mathabs, which culminated in fighting, rejection of each other faiths, and praying at different stations in Makkah itself. [/FONT]
- [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Sufi's have left a lasting impression on the image of Islam, portraying it as one of peace and apolitical, and anyone who contravenes this is an impostor and considered an extremist. By relying on forged hadith such as the 'bigger Jihad is Jihad'ul Nafs (i.e. struggle against the self)' and its like, Muslims have been made to believe that work and family is the greatest Jihad, rather than establishing Allah's religion on Earth though the use of the sword. [/FONT]
- [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Sufi influence undoubtedly contributed greatly to the decline of the Ottoman Empire. The pacifist views they spread, the lack of Shari'ah knowledge, and their befriending of the disbelievers, made sure that no one would oppose the vast changes being made to the Ottoman Laws. By 1880, the Tanzimat period was in full force, where Shari'ah was replaced by European Laws (except in limited circumstances such as in Hadd punishments), yet little opposition was heard29. Whilst the masses were busy in the construction of extravagant mosques and spinning around in circles, the Ottoman Empire was overtaken by Masons and eventually torn to parts. Conclusion Sufism was doomed to destruction from when it first emerged, because of its deviation from the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah. The small excess, the little innovation, led to the snowball effect, such that it emerged as a movement for well-meant increased Ibaadah and Zuhd, to Kufr and Innovation.[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]- Br. Yusuf Hijazi [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1 Al Fataawa 11/7 2 Encyclopaedia Britannica
3 Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
4 Encyclopaedia Britannica
5 The Fundamentals of Tawheed, Abu Ameenah Bilal Phillips
6 S. R. Sharda, Sufi Thought
7 The Naqshbandi Way, pp 12,16
8 Ibn Arabi, al-Fusoos, p.191
9 Hadhihi Hiyas-Soofiyah, p.38
10 The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, p.77
11 The Triadic Heart of Shiva, pp 183-4
12 Angela of Foligno: Complete Works, pp 181-2
13 Encyclopaedia Britannica
14 ibid.
15 Naqshibandi Way
16 Memoirs of the Saints, translated by Dr. Bankley Behari
17 ibid.
18 Encyclopaedia Britannica
19 An unpublished poem from Ibn Arabi's 'Diwan', translated by Dr Austin
20 Stephen Hirtenstein's paper Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi: The Treasure of Compassion
21 Sufis of Andalusia, transl. by R. W. J. Austin, p.23
22 Encyclopaedia Britannica
23 Memoirs of the Saints, p.108
24 ibid.
25 Naqshibandi Way
26 Sheikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo' al Fatawaah
27 Encyclopaedia Britannica
28 They recently came to perform in Australia, charging $30 per head. Only the elite went to watch this 90 minute theatrical display.
29 The Islamic World, New Jersey 1991[/FONT]
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The Ease and Simplicity of Islam
The Ease and Simplicity of Islam
Islam is neither complex nor difficult. It is essentially a simple religion. Often it is the persons who practice this religion who make it complex and difficult to follow. There has been a general misunderstanding among people that it is very difficult to follow Islam. But these people either have a misconception or are not fully aware of the ways of Islam.
The basic beliefs of this religion are easy to understand and contain no mystery or mysticism. Each tenet is subject to inquiry and analysis. The obligations and duties that are laid down by Allah are easy to undertake. Thus the five daily prayers and the fasting during the Ramadan month are obligatory, which all men can easily follow. Hajj is essential for those who can afford it. There are many provisions made for persons who are unable to follow the general rules of the religion. Like if a person does not have water to perform the ablution prior to the prayer then he can use clean earth. Similarly if one is unable to pray sitting then you can also lie down.
It has been seen in the verses of (Quran 2:185) that “Allah wishes to make things easy for you and not to make things difficult for you.” It is a pertinent testimony to the fact that Islam is inherently an uncomplicated religion and does not demand out of its followers, what they are not capable of committing.
You are not asked to do anything which is beyond your capacity in this religion. The religion focuses on the fact that we live a balanced life and as well as fulfil all the duties towards Allah. Only those things which are harmful to people are prohibited in this religion. Another reason why people find it hard to follow this religion is that Satan makes it difficult to follow. He makes the good actions look to you complicated and boring. If you can overcome this hindrance then you will surely be at peace with your inner self.
In Imam Bukhari’s Sahih there is a chapter that states the simplicity of the religion. This Hadith, proves that Islam is straightforward and uncomplicated:“Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but aim to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings and the nights.” This has been taken from(Al-Bukhari, 1/2, no.38).
We are humans and often make mistakes. Allah is the ‘Most Merciful’ or Ar-Rahman and ‘Most Forgiving’ Al-Ghafoor. Hence Allah’s door of forgiveness is forever open for those who are remorseful and penitent. The simplicity of the Islamic religion has proofs in the Quran. This has been taken from (Quran, 22:78)that proves the simplicity of Islam. – “We did not place difficulty in this religion.”
Islam and its basics are easy to comprehend and simple to implement. This makes this a universal religion which can be practiced and followed despite physical and intellectual handicaps. The simplicity of this religion makes it universally appealing.
The minimum requirement to be successful is mentioned in the following Hadith from Sahih Bukhari
Narrated Talha bin 'Ubaidullah: A man from Najd with unkempt hair came to Allah's Apostle and we heard his loud voice but could not understand what he was saying, till he came near and then we came to know that he was asking about Islam. Allah's Apostle said, "You have to offer prayers perfectly five times in a day and night (24 hours)." The man asked, "Is there any more (praying)?" Allah's Apostle replied, "No, but if you want to offer the Nawafil prayers (you can)." Allah's Apostle further said to him: "You have to observe fasts during the month of Ramad, an." The man asked, "Is there any more fasting?" Allah's Apostle replied, "No, but if you want to observe the Nawafil fasts (you can.)" Then Allah's Apostle further said to him, "You have to pay the Zakat (obligatory charity)." The man asked, "Is there any thing other than the Zakat for me to pay?" Allah's Apostle replied, "No, unless you want to give alms of your own." And then that man retreated saying, "By Allah! I will neither do less nor more than this." Allah's Apostle said, "If what he said is true, then he will be successful (i.e. he will be granted Paradise)." (Sahih Bukhari Book #2, Hadith #44)
We should try our level best to avoid the greatest sin of all , "SHIRK". There is no forgiveness for this sin. Do not make religion complicated by add new ideas like "Sufism" and other "bidats" (بدعت).
Ref: http://www.tazkirah.net/the-ease-and-simplicity-of-islam/
The Ease and Simplicity of Islam
Islam is neither complex nor difficult. It is essentially a simple religion. Often it is the persons who practice this religion who make it complex and difficult to follow. There has been a general misunderstanding among people that it is very difficult to follow Islam. But these people either have a misconception or are not fully aware of the ways of Islam.
The basic beliefs of this religion are easy to understand and contain no mystery or mysticism. Each tenet is subject to inquiry and analysis. The obligations and duties that are laid down by Allah are easy to undertake. Thus the five daily prayers and the fasting during the Ramadan month are obligatory, which all men can easily follow. Hajj is essential for those who can afford it. There are many provisions made for persons who are unable to follow the general rules of the religion. Like if a person does not have water to perform the ablution prior to the prayer then he can use clean earth. Similarly if one is unable to pray sitting then you can also lie down.
It has been seen in the verses of (Quran 2:185) that “Allah wishes to make things easy for you and not to make things difficult for you.” It is a pertinent testimony to the fact that Islam is inherently an uncomplicated religion and does not demand out of its followers, what they are not capable of committing.
You are not asked to do anything which is beyond your capacity in this religion. The religion focuses on the fact that we live a balanced life and as well as fulfil all the duties towards Allah. Only those things which are harmful to people are prohibited in this religion. Another reason why people find it hard to follow this religion is that Satan makes it difficult to follow. He makes the good actions look to you complicated and boring. If you can overcome this hindrance then you will surely be at peace with your inner self.
In Imam Bukhari’s Sahih there is a chapter that states the simplicity of the religion. This Hadith, proves that Islam is straightforward and uncomplicated:“Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but aim to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings and the nights.” This has been taken from(Al-Bukhari, 1/2, no.38).
We are humans and often make mistakes. Allah is the ‘Most Merciful’ or Ar-Rahman and ‘Most Forgiving’ Al-Ghafoor. Hence Allah’s door of forgiveness is forever open for those who are remorseful and penitent. The simplicity of the Islamic religion has proofs in the Quran. This has been taken from (Quran, 22:78)that proves the simplicity of Islam. – “We did not place difficulty in this religion.”
Islam and its basics are easy to comprehend and simple to implement. This makes this a universal religion which can be practiced and followed despite physical and intellectual handicaps. The simplicity of this religion makes it universally appealing.
The minimum requirement to be successful is mentioned in the following Hadith from Sahih Bukhari
Narrated Talha bin 'Ubaidullah: A man from Najd with unkempt hair came to Allah's Apostle and we heard his loud voice but could not understand what he was saying, till he came near and then we came to know that he was asking about Islam. Allah's Apostle said, "You have to offer prayers perfectly five times in a day and night (24 hours)." The man asked, "Is there any more (praying)?" Allah's Apostle replied, "No, but if you want to offer the Nawafil prayers (you can)." Allah's Apostle further said to him: "You have to observe fasts during the month of Ramad, an." The man asked, "Is there any more fasting?" Allah's Apostle replied, "No, but if you want to observe the Nawafil fasts (you can.)" Then Allah's Apostle further said to him, "You have to pay the Zakat (obligatory charity)." The man asked, "Is there any thing other than the Zakat for me to pay?" Allah's Apostle replied, "No, unless you want to give alms of your own." And then that man retreated saying, "By Allah! I will neither do less nor more than this." Allah's Apostle said, "If what he said is true, then he will be successful (i.e. he will be granted Paradise)." (Sahih Bukhari Book #2, Hadith #44)
We should try our level best to avoid the greatest sin of all , "SHIRK". There is no forgiveness for this sin. Do not make religion complicated by add new ideas like "Sufism" and other "bidats" (بدعت).
Ref: http://www.tazkirah.net/the-ease-and-simplicity-of-islam/
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