View Full Version : Sufism..
Peace to all!
I would just want memebers here to reply to this with whatever knowledge they have..
I am in between this issue of sufism.! Now i want members to refer to scholars to what they say...and remember you cannot pour water into a cup, when it is upside down...so be open minded...!
I have read 'both' sides...just want other thoughts...!!
REPLY!!
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-04-02 AT 04:41 AM (GMT)]Dear brother...
Sufism is confusing.... a few months ago.. i was caught up between... is sufism good or bad.... i too heard both sides, looked into both, read about both, and got as confused as anyone could get.
see... what the problem is.... ITs a totally different thing! You think its same.. it seems same... but its confusing.
few months ago when i was learning more... so i could decide whether i like being just like i am now... or being a sufi.... i'll tell u i got to a point where i didn't know what i believe in any more! I literally said to my best friend..."I don't know if i am a muslim any more! I Am just lost!"
I had to stay away from internet, friends and everything and just pray and think.
it doesn't flow well... its just... confusing! As i said... i wouldn't want to even think about it! personally it messed up my life for about 2 weeks....won't want to go through it again...
my sincere advice... do not think about it! But then its up to u....its between u and Allah anyways!
servant_of_Allah
10-04-2002, 00:00
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Assalamu Alaykum dear brother and dear sister !
I too have spent a long time wondering about this question. My conclusion is this :
Sufism is an integral part of Islam.
It is wrong to conclude that Sufis are not Muslims. Imam al Ghazzali was a Sufi. Those who say Sufis are not Muslims, Astagfarullah, are they daring to say that people like Imam al Ghazzali (who was titled the 'Proof of Islam') were not Muslims? How can these people say such things?
Astagfarullah.
I seek refuge in Allah.
Imam al Ghazzali himself had spent a long time wondering about this question. In his book "Al Munqiz min Ad- Dalal" (The Safety from Deviation)" he investigated the validity of the roots, theory, and practices of many sects from Greek philosophy to the heritage of the Indians and Chinese. In this book he dissected and analyzed each sect individually and certified without any doubt that the Sufism of the Sunni Muslims was by far the best path to the Creator.
I only have one question to ask our dear sister Rasha. You said you studied both sides. Did you contact scholars from both sides? More importantly, what is this 'both sides'? One is Sufis, who is the other one?
You (brother Bin Ziad) wanted quotes from scholars. Here are some:
Imam al Ghazzali said in his book al-Munqidh min al-dalal (Deliverance from error):
"The Sufi path consists in cleansing the heart from whatever is other than Allah... I concluded that the Sufis are the seekers in Allah's Way, and their conduct is the best conduct, and their way is the best way, and their manners are the most sanctified. They have cleaned their hearts from other than Allah and they have made them as pathways for rivers to run, carrying knowledge of Allah."
Imam al Razi, who is a very famous Shafi'i scholar, said in his I`tiqadat firaq al-muslimin wa al-mushrikin:
"The summary of what the Sufis say is that the way to the knowledge of Allah is self-purification and renunciation of material attachments, and this is an excellent way... Sufis are a folk who work with reflection and the detaching of the self from materialistic trappings. They strive in order that their inner being be solely occupied with the remembrance of Allah in all of their occupations and their actions, and they are characterized by the perfection of their manners in dealing with Allah. Verily these are the best of all the sects of human beings. "
Imam al Nawawi, who is an extremely famous Shafi'i scholar, wrote in his al-Maqasid fi al tawhid wa al-`ibada wa usul al-tasawwuf (The purposes in oneness, worship, and the foundations of self-purification):
The specifications of the Way of the Sufis are five:
to keep the Presence of Allah in your heart in public and in private;
to follow the Sunna of the Prophet by actions and speech;
to keep away from people and from asking them;
to be happy with what Allah gave you, even if it is less;
to always refer your matters to Allah.
Anyone who reads Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al Gilani's books Futuh al-ghayb (Openings to the unseen), al-Fath al-rabbani (The Lord's opening), and al-Ghunya li talibi tariq al-haqq (Sufficient provision for seekers of the path of truth) will know that the Shaykh was a Sufi scholar.
Shaykh Ibn Taymiyya is often quoted by those who hate Sufis. Nevertheless, Shaykh Ibn Taymiyya gave Shaykh Abdul Qadir al Gilani the title of "my Shaykh".
Imam al Suyuti, another very famous scholar, said in book Ta'yid al-haqiqa al-`aliyya wa-tashyid al-tariqa al-shadhiliyya (The upholding of the lofty truth and the buttressing of the Shadhili path) :
"Tasawwuf (Sufism) in itself is a most honorable knowledge. It explains how to follow the Sunna of the Prophet and to leave innovation, how to purify the ego... and submit to Allah truly...
I have looked at the matters which the Imams of Shari`a have criticized in Sufis, and I did not see a single true Sufi holding such positions. Rather, they are held by the people of innovation and the extremists who have claimed for themselves the title of Sufi while in reality they are not...
Pursuit of the science of the hearts, knowledge of its diseases such as jealousy, arrogance and pride, and leaving them are an obligation on every Muslim. "
For all those who hate Sufis, i'd just like them to read carefully what Imam al Suyuti says here :
"I have looked at the matters which the Imams of Shari`a have criticized in Sufis, and I did not see a single true Sufi holding such positions. Rather, they are held by the people of innovation and the extremists who have claimed for themselves the title of Sufi while in reality they are not..."
Mulla Ali al Qari, a famous Hanafi scholar, said in the foreword to his commentary on Ghazali, Sharh `Ayn al-`ilm wa zayn al-hilm :
"I wrote this commentary on the abridgment of Ihya' `ulum al-din by the Proof of Islam and the Confirmation of Creatures hoping to receive some of the outpouring of blessings from the words of the most pure knowers of Allah, and to benefit from the gifts that exude from the pages of the Shaykhs and the Saints, so that I may be mentioned in their number and be raised in their throng, even if I fell short in their following and their service, for I rely on my love for them and content myself with my longing for them. "
And, i have already mentioned that Imam al Ghazzali was a Sufi scholar.
Imam al Junaid al Baghdadi said about Sufis :
"The Sufi is the one who wears wool on top of purity, followed the path of the Prophet, endured bodily strains dedicating his life to worship and reclining from pleasures, and left behind all that pertains to the world." (Afif al-Din Abu Muhammad `Abd Allah Ibn As`ad al-Yafi`i Nashr al-mahasin al-ghaliya fi fadl mashayikh al-sufiyya )
Shaykh Ibn Abidin, another very famous scholar, said in his Shifa' al-`alil wa ball al-ghalil fi hukm al-wasiyya bi al-khatamat wa al-tahalil:
The Imam of the Two Groups (Sufis and fuqaha') our master al-Junayd was asked: "A certain people indulge in wajd or ecstatic behavior, and sway with their bodies?" He replied: "Leave them to their happiness with Allah. They are the ones whose affections have been smashed by the path and whose breasts have been torn apart by effort, and who are unable to bear it. There is no blame on them if they breathe awhile as a remedy for their intense state. If you tasted what they taste, you would excuse their shouting"...
The Seekers in this Way don't hear except from the Divine Presence and they don't love any but Him. If they remember Him they cry, and if they thank Him they are happy; if they find Him they cry out, and if they witness Him they rest; if they walk in His Divine Presence, they melt; ... some of them they are drunk with His Blessings and lose sight of themselves...
Their assemblies for dhikr and recital (sama`) give fruit to divine knowledge and spiritual realities, which only takes place upon hearing the description of Allah, exhortations to wisdom, and praises of the Prophet. Nor do we have one word of reproach to those who follow them in their method and find in themselves the expressions of passionate longing (`ishq) for Allah characteristic of some of their states. "
We already know what was Imam al Junaid's stand on Sufism (Tasawwuf).
I have seen the people who hate Sufis praise Allamah Mawdudi quite alot. Shaykh Mawdudi said in his Mabadi' al-islam (Principles of Islam):
"Fiqh addresses only external actions: did you perform them according to what is required? The condition of your heart is not taken under consideration. As for the science that investigates the states of the heart and its conditions: this is tasawwuf. The questions asked by fiqh are: Did you complete your ablution correctly? Did you pray towards the Qibla? Did you fulfill the pillars of prayer? If you did all this your prayer is correct according to the ruling of fiqh. As for tasawwuf, it asks questions about your heart: Did you repent and turn to your Lord in your prayer? Did you empty your heart of the preoccupations of the world in your prayer? Did you pray in fear of Allah and knowing that He sees and hears you?... If you did all this and other things, then your prayer is correct according to tasawwuf, otherwise it is defective... Tasawwuf is the establishment of the Law of Islam to the utmost point of sincerity, clarity of intention, and purity of heart. "
Amongst contemporary scholars, i can quote Shaykh al Qaradawi, who says of Sufis :
http://www.muslims.net/fatwa/english/FatwaDisplay.asp?hFatwaID=39379
If one goes to www.ask-imam.com and does a word search on 'Sufis' or 'Sufism', one will see the views of Mufti Ebrahim Desai on Sufism, where he states it is an integral part of Islam. Unfortunately, right now, for some reason, i am unable to do any sort of search on his website (server problems i guess), otherwise i would have provided an exact reference. Nevertheless, others may go there and do this word search.
On one of his websites entitled www.alinaam.org.za you will see his views on Tasawwuf, where he says :
"Sufism is a process of spiritual upliftment. It is a way of reforming oneself and attaining closeness to Allah Ta’ala. Spiritual upliftment, reformation and attaining closeness to Allah are orders replete in the Qur’aan." (http://www.alinaam.org.za/tasawwuf/tasawwuf.htm)
Thus, we see the views of past and present scholars on Tassawuf. And Allah knows best.
May Allah forgive me for any mistakes or sins, whether they're major sins or minor sins, whether done knowingly or unknowingly, in this article of mine, Ameen.
Wassalamu Alaykum,
servant of Allah.
Assalamu alikom brother...
well i guess what u define as a sufi. I have read about many sufis. I spoke to some.
Some sufi's combine both Aqeeda and spiritual thing they talk about. However, many sufi's have lots of bid'a and some weird things.
Have u heard of kashf??!!! I hope u do'nt believe in that. Have you heard of other things like khalwa or something like that. These in my opinion are not allowed in islam.
There is a sect (which they too call themselves sufi's) and they simply just do extra zikr, and zikr circles etc.... these seem fine... but i personally do not like to get so confused in all these weird sects that are coming these days.
You asked me a particular question... did i contact scholars! Both sides no... i do'nt have lots of contacts.... i'm not a very knowledgable person... i was guided to truth of Allah 2 years ago... so it naturally will take me longer to figure out all the things... but i have contacted 4 scholars... one studied share'a in palestine and then in Chicago... the other is the imaam of a masjid here, the third is yahya Ibrahim (A famouse speaker). The fourth scholar didn't reply!
ALL of them said to me... STAY AWAY from Sufism. My dad has studied share'a deeply when he was young, sadly he doesn't spend time with us to teach us at alll but when i asked him about it.. he said they are a group who are misguided.
however all this didn't make me satisfied. I heard the same argument u made about Imaam Ghazali and what not.
I am in no position to speak of who is a muslim and who is not... I don't know Imaam al Ghazali personally so i can't make an opinion about him. I have not studied his work deeply so i can't judge him.
I went once to a study circle... the person teaching was a sufi herself.... she didn't seem weird... she spoke of weird people which i haven't heard of.. but the main problem is that some sufi's pay too much attention to spirituality and ignore share'a. Not all i know..
well.... the u also asked what do i mean both sides... sufis and just a muslim!!
I was asked by many what sect am i following... i simply say i'm a muslim! ok... if i must choose i am a sunni yes.. ok. I follow the 4 schools of thought....
so the both sides would be sufi's vs the schools of thoughts i guess.
now u mentioned imaam ghazali and i don't know who else being sufi's... was the prophet sufi?????? If he was... i want to be too. The prophet was nothing except a muslim. Not a Shia, not a sunni nothing. So I want to be like him. He practiced the things which most sunni do... i practice it too... so this is why you may call me sunni if u wish...
if there is a teaching from sufism which the prophet taught... it would be in sunnah too... so i will follow it anyway.... i personally do not need anything extra beside the quraan and sunnah of the prophet. I think these are enough to complete my deen.
well this is my personal opinion... if u are a sufi... this doesn't make me hate u or not learn from u.... i'm an open minded person (i try to be at least) so if u are a sufi... the "good" sufi's who follow share'a as well as their spiritual what not... then fine..
i have made notes from my studies on sufism and what i found out etc. If u are interested i'll type them out and post them for u...
again i must say... i am not a scholar... not one who have been studying islam for centuries.... i'm simply a young lady who has just found her path to Allah and has spent 2 years in learning... as much as i can.... so i will make mistakes.... but i have made sure whenever a topic comes up that i am not sure about.. i must find out so for next time... i know where i stand... and this is what i did with sufism... so now.. this is where i stand on the topic.
:)
did i say sufi's are kafirs??? if i did i apologize... i do however believe they have few mistakes (but again it depens on what type of sufi u are talking about!!)
salam akhee
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 09-04-02 AT 11:44 PM (GMT)]another thing...
see the problem is... all the names u mentioned here are of people i have not heard of...
can u quote ibn kathir?? can u quote Ibn al qayyim?? can you quote al assayed sabiq??? these are the people i learn from... if u can quote them... then i'll re look into the subject... as muslims... we can't just follow any fatwa we hear.... we must know who said it.. are they authentic etc.
I mean if u can even quote ibn baaz for me ... i might consider. I personally do not like to read much for qaradawee... so this is not a good source to convince me. But i will be willing to listen... with hadith or quraan.... if it is simply people's opinion (or scholars) then i will have to be very picky when it comes to matter of my aqeeda and deen.
:) wassalamu alikom akhee fil-islam
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 09-04-02 AT 11:51 PM (GMT)]You wrote this under what imaam an-nawawi wrote:
"to keep the Presence of Allah in your heart in public and in private;
to follow the Sunna of the Prophet by actions and speech;
to keep away from people and from asking them;
to be happy with what Allah gave you, even if it is less;
to always refer your matters to Allah."
ok..if this is what u call sufism... I accept... that means we are all sufi's i guess!!
but there are other sects in sufism who do more! And this is what i call sufism... what imaam nawawi calls sufism i call islam!
Ibn Taymiyya... some of his books are hard for my level i guess... i get lost sometimes in his books so i stopped reading them.
regarding what Imam al Suyuti said... well see hwo he said NO ONE follows it... well I gues this is why. If no one does follow it properly how are we to learn it!
again... i say if it is sunnah i do it (when i learn it that is). so if sufism follows share'a... then we are all sufi's by ur definition so we have nothing to fight over :)
servant_of_Allah
10-04-2002, 05:07
n the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful !
Assalamu Alaykum dear sister !
With regards to quoting Shaykh Ibn Katheer, i will try to find some material, if there is any. But, if i am correct, Ibn Taymiyya was the teacher of Ibn Katheer, or maybe i am getting confused between al Dhahabbi and Ibn Katheer. And Allah knows best.
"regarding what Imam al Suyuti said... well see hwo he said NO ONE follows it... well I gues this is why. If no one does follow it properly how are we to learn it! "
Imam al Suyuti said :
"I have looked at the matters which the Imams of Shari`a have criticized in Sufis, and I did not see a single true Sufi holding such positions. Rather, they are held by the people of innovation and the extremists who have claimed for themselves the title of Sufi while in reality they are not..."
He says that true Sufis do not indulge in practices which were criticized by the Imams of Shariah. Those people who do indulge in such practices, and claim to be Sufis, in reality, they are not true Sufis.
He did not say "no one follows them".
The true Sufis are those who adhere very closely to the Qur'an and Sunnah. And Allah knows best.
With regards to quoting Shaykh Ibn Baaz. The man was a Salafi. Naturally he will hate Sufis.
In his (Shaykh Ibn Baaz's) footnote to article 38 of Imam al-Tahawi's `Aqida ("He is beyond having limits placed on Him, or being restricted, or having parts or limbs. Nor is He contained by the six directions as all created entities are"), he (Shaykh Ibn Baaz) asserts, "Allah is beyond limits that we know but has limits He knows."
I know this (what the Shaykh said) is very clearly wrong and therefore, i cannot trust him.
Allah Ta'ala Has no limit.
You said you contacted four scholars, and not a single one of them was a Sufi. All of them told you to stay away from Sufism.
You heard the arguments of one side, but not once did you read or hear the arguments which the Sufi Ulema present.
I will quote to you what Shaykh Munajjid of www.islam-qa.com once said to me in one email, which i still have, dated 14.11.2000
He said :
"One can not judge a group without knowing about their ideas and thoughts from their own books and scholars."
He himself is a Salafi scholar.
You have judged Sufis, without knowing about their ideas and thoughts from their own books and scholars.
I'll tell you a bit about myself today. Once upon a time, i was very much against Sufis. I used to study from Salafi scholars only. I was a regular visitor to sites like www.islam-qa.com and i learnt alot about Sufism from them (they are Salafis). I learnt about Sufism from other Salafis as well.
They all made me develop a negative attitude towards Sufis. And for a long time, i disliked Sufis.
Over time, however, i came across certain scholars who were themselves Sufis, and scholars like Qaradawi, who although are not Sufis themselves, hold a positve attitude towards them.
I read the arguments presented by these scholars.
I weighed these arguments with the arguments presented by anti-Sufi scholars. I am now convinced that Sufism is an integral part of Islam.
Yes, there are people who claim to be Sufis, yet indulge in things which were criticized by the Imams of Shariah. As Imam al Suyuti said, such people are not true Sufis.
For example, nowadays, there are so many Muslims that indulge in adultery, drinking alcohol, gambling, etc. All these things are haraam, yet these people indulge in them. They are committing a sin by doing so.
You will probably criticize such Muslims, for indulging in these sins. Nevertheless, will you criticize those Muslims also who do not indulge in these sins? Obviously not.
If there are certain people, claiming to be Sufis, who indulge in practices that were criticized by the Imams of Shariah, then such people are not true Sufis. And Allah knows best.
You also said "sufis and just a muslim"
You are making a distinguishment between a Muslim and a Sufi. In other words, you are trying to say Sufis are not Muslims.
Astagfarullah.
I seek refuge in Allah.
Dear sister, Sufis are Muslims.
Sufism is a process of spiritual upliftment. It is a way of reforming oneself and attaining closeness to Allah Ta’ala. Spiritual upliftment, reformation and attaining closeness to Allah are orders replete in the Qur’aan.
Also, the Sufis follow the 4 schools of thought, i.e. Maliki, Hanafi, Shafi'i, Hanbali.
From what i read in your last three posts, i am forced to assume that you need to study Sufism in greater detail, especially after reading your last sentence, where you say :
"so if sufism follows share'a...."
Yes, Sufis do follow the Shariah.
Wassalamu Alaykum,
servant of Allah.
Assalamu alikom brother....
Jazak Allah khair for the replies... u'll have to be a bit patient as i do not really know much on the topic. as i said i did read a bit on it but all my personal research lead me to believe there is no need for sufism as islam should be sufficient.
Now... I do not know who is the teacher of who! I do not really pay much attention to who taught who what. So long as i know its a trust worthy source i follow it.
As to what Imam Suyuti said, let me see if i got it right... he meant.. that those who are the REAL sufi's are following the prophet properly... but there are many who make bid'a and thus they make sufi's seem bad. am i right?
you said... true sufi's are those who adhere to quraan and sunnah... if they follow quraan and sunnah why do we need sufism! I remember the hadith that says that the prophet peace be upon him said.. i leave with u two things if u adhere to them you will never go astray, quraan and sunnah. Why is sufims needed then???
If true sufi's are good and follow the sunnah, then why do many olama criticize them????
In regard to the issue of limits or what not... i have no knowledge of this and thus will not even start making conclusions... i personally do not follow everything ibn baaz believes in...to me he is to be questioned just like anyone else.... just like i question ibn taymeyya or al ghazalli or most other scholars.
The people I usually accept from with no question (well more like the books) are Bukhari, muslim, fiqh assunnah, reyadh al saliheen, and these well known books. if u can refer me to some i'd be grateful.
I have read a bit from sufi sites... so it is not true that i have not heard their arguments etc. I just didn't have a contact to a sufi alem...how in the world am i to contact one then!!
I read some of the sites (some Syrian scholar i believe) who is a sufi and spoke of some issues... it just seemed... weird... it scared me so i stopped reading.
I do trust islam-qa and yes i agree u can't judge without listening to them... as i said i did read on them .. i wish i saved that site... that imaam's name i believe is something like...kentaro or... i'm not sure.
Again, plz do not assume i didn't read and just simply judged them. I spoke with a brother who have studied sufism, who lived with them, who lived in syria and studied with that imaam i mentioned (kentaro or something like that). We spoke on at least 4 occasions on the topic so that he will explain to me on their ideas. I read the site, i spoke with this sufi lady who came to teach us in the halaqa, and spoke with my best friend who happened to know a brother who studied in syria too and knew on sufis!! I did do lots of research on the topic!!!!
ok now..... as i said before plz do not get angry at me... i am not a scholar. I personally cannot say who is a muslim and who is a kafir.. when i used the term sufi and just muslim, well how else would i describe it!!!! I have no other word to use.
when i said just a muslim... i meant like me.. one who is not with any particular sect! Simply following sunnah of the prophet. Period! So what do u call that? I call it just a muslim! am i supposed to make a new name for myself?
I do know there is good in every group! I bet there are some sufi's who are wonderful and know good things and do practice islam right. I cannot say imaam ghazali is a bad man .. i have nothing against him! I heard from tones of people he is sufi.. does that mean i do not read his books??? No. I simply have to be careful.....and as a muslim i must do it with everyone. Its only the Quran that is not questionable.
Now the stumbling block for me... is this... why do i need to be sufi when the prophet was not!
if sufism is so important... why did the prophet not teach it to his companions?????? We don't need to be sufi's to be close to Allah!
I can be close to Allah by remembrance, prayer, fasting and qeyam al lyl! That would give me closeness if done with correct intention!
Yes i do know sufi's follow schools of thought... the brother i spoke with was shafi'e.
As i said, when i read on sufism... i didn't see a need for it. If sufism is simply exactly same as muslims... then what is the difference???? Why do i call myself sufi if there is no difference!!
From my research i didn't find these differences... i saw some weird sects... in sufism... but from the "good" and true sufi's... i learned that they do zikr together... which seems ok... but this can't be the only thing which the ulema dislike!!
Akhee... don't get angry serious but i'm not tryiing to argue .. its just doesn't make sense to me that's why. I mentioned that it took so long for me to really know what i think of sufism....
my conclusion was that the prophet was not a sufi, why do i have to be.
Is there anywhere that it says the prophet taught us how to be sufi's??? Is there a place where Abu Bakr or Umar said to be sufi's???
We learn as we go on in life.... :)
this is why we speak with people....
wassalamu alikom
jazak Allah khair for ur patience :)
Salam to all!
I will only add one thing to make it more interesting;
The prophet never said he was a doctor! Can we be doctors?
The prophet never used the net! Can we use it?
So the theme of if the prophet did it or not is baseless, when comparing it with sufi's.
Continue with the topic, getting very interesting.!
Sadiq!
:)
assalamu alikom everyone...
Br. Sadiq your post made me smile :)
ok Sadiq... you are right... but these are secular things... When we look at life, we are allowed to do things the prophet didn't do so long as they are ok in islam...
when it comes to deen... we gain our COMPLETE religion from Him. I have nothing against any group... I learned a bit on Sufism and this is what i found.
so... if br. servant of Allah wants to prove me wrong... i'll be more than happy to listen. I love to learn and this is part of it. [have an exam today so u can tell how much i enjoy learning]
anyways: I will conclude my reply to Br. Sadiq's post by this:
This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. [Quraan 5:3]
After this verse was revealed, we had a complete system... we didnt need someone else to come and create sufism (which as br. Servant of Allah says follow Sunnah but i do'nt know why they are a bit distinguished) or create Shia, or Ahmadeyya, or Hanafiya, or whatever people wanted to make.
Allah has made Islam sufficient... we are all muslims. Not Muslim Sunni, Not Mulsim Shia!
This is simply how i view this issue.
:)
salam
servant_of_Allah
11-04-2002, 02:28
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 11-04-02 AT 01:43 AM (GMT)]In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Assalamu Alaykum !
The sister had asked : "can u quote Ibn al qayyim???"
Ibnul Qayyim al Jawziyya was a student of Ibn Taymiyya. He wrote his three-volume Madarij al-salikin as a detailed commentary on Abdullah al-Ansaris Manazil al-sairin, a guide to the maqamat or "spiritual stations" of the Sufi path.
Here is what Ibnul Qayyim said about Sufism :
"We can witness the greatness of the People of Sufism, in the eyes of the earliest generations of Muslims by what has been mentioned by Sufyan ath-Thawri (d. 161 AH), one of the greatest imams of the second century and one of the foremost legal scholars. He said, "If it had not been for Abu Hisham as-Sufi (d. 115) I would never have perceived the action of the subtlest forms of hypocrisy in the self... Among the best of people is the Sufi learned in jurisprudence."
[Manazil as-Sa'ireen.]
The son of Shaykh Muhammed ibn Abdul Wahhab, Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab said in ad-Dia'at mukathaffa did ash-shaykh ibn Abdul Wahhab :
"My father Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab and I do not deny or criticize the science of Sufism, but on the contrary we support it, because it purifies the external and the internal of the hidden sins, which are related to the heart and to the outward form. Even though the individual might externally be on the right way, internally he might be on the wrong way. Sufism is necessary to correct it."
Shaykh Ibn Baaz claimed to follow Shaykh Muhammed ibn Abdul Wahhab and Shaykh Ibn Taymiyya.
Here is what Shaykh Ibn Taymiyya said regarding Sufism :
"...some people criticised Sufiyya and Tasawwuf and they said they were innovators, out of the Sunnah, but the truth is they are striving in Allah's obedience [mujtahidin fi ta'at-illahi], as others of Allah's People strove in Allah's obedience. So from them you will find the Foremost in Nearness by virtue of his striving [as-saabiq ul-muqarrab bi hasab ijtihadihi]. And some of them are from the People of the Right hand [Ahl al-Yameen mentioned in Qur'an in Sura Waqi'ah], but slower in their progress.... And this is the origin of Tasawwuf. And after that origin, it has been spread and [tasha'abat wa tanawa'at] has its main line and its branches."
[Majmu'a Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya al-Kubra, Vol. 11, Book of Tasawwuf, p. 497].
Allah Ta'ala Says in The Qur'an : "He has succeeded who purifies himself" (Qur'an 87:14). Bringing about this change is the aim of the Islamic science of Sufism, and it cannot be termed bid'a, because the shari'a commands us to accomplish the change.
You can read more about this here : http://www.sunnah.org/tasawwuf/sufisnk.htm
Wassalamu Alaykum,
servant of Allah.
:)
i'll check out some of these inshaAllah tomorrow its late now and i just got back from my exam...
however i do still have one question... "Was the prophet a sufi!" This is all that i really want u to answer for now :)
jazak Allah khair
Peace to all!
Very good points from both my brother and sister!
As i asked the brother and members to provide views from scholars and i am happy with the responses from the respected scholars.
Sufism is part of islam, such as a sufi is a muslim and a muslim is a sufi.
It is basically a concept of spirituality!! Those who resort to seek the path of the pleasure and the face of allah!
I am happy with the responses and i will continue my studies regarding this topic.
And i will say, there were many great sufi's, but nowadays, there are lot of con-men'around, so the true sufi's have left us, but the true ones now are very hard to find...
The scholars have spoken! Take heed!
ASsalamu alikom....
I have not yet gotten chance to do more studies on this due to my exams.... but inshaAllah I will do just that. But what i am saying... if sufism is simply what the prophet taught us, to get close to Allah etc, then we are all sufi's and there is no problem. Why call ourselves something different???
If the prophet didn't practice sufism... then we don't need to. Did the prophet practice sufism?? Define sufism? Give me example of actions which u call sufi practice.
Salam to all!
>I have not yet gotten chance to do more studies on this due to my exams.... but >inshaAllah
>I will do just that.
Same here, wouldn’t it be more wiser, studying both sides then saying if they are part of islam or not.?
>But what i am saying... if sufism is simply what the prophet taught us, to get close to >Allah etc, then we are all sufi's and there is no problem. Why call ourselves something >different???
Its like saying, there are a lot of muhaddith in the world, who have come and have passed the world. Now sister ‘we’ all love hadith, we all know what hadith are, we also ‘try and learn hadith, right?
The basic thing is that, we all ‘try’ and learn hadith. So is it wrong to call someone who has spent his life, all his efforts to reach a postion as a muhaddith. Is it wrong to call someone a muhaddith?
In this similar theme, we are all trying to please allah, but as there is a distinction in regards to hadith and many other topics, there are certain people trying there utmost to be pure and have a state were they will only worship and remember allah, the most great. I quote;
"The Sufi path consists in cleansing the heart from whatever is other than Allah... I concluded that the Sufis are the seekers in Allah's Way, and their conduct is the best conduct, and their way is the best way, and their manners are the most sanctified. They have cleaned their hearts from other than Allah and they have made them as pathways for rivers to run, carrying knowledge…..”
So a path that we are all on! But not all can be muhaddith, but we try, studying hadith to our best ability, so Sufism is a path were u seek the pleasure of allah, we try but some spend there whole life….nothing wrong with both that I have mentioned.
It is not easy to understand, memorise, collect hadiths, similar to the concept of sufism, it is not easy, and those who learn it have reached a stage..that many can and many will try to reach.
The scholars, the majority have said, Sufism is a part of islam, such as the part of being a hafiz, at the time of the rasul, most, not all were hafiz, now it is different, some people want to be hafiz, others pursue different fields.
And as a part of islam is for ‘some’ to be hafiz of quran, there is nothing wrong in that, and to call them hafiz is not bad too, others pursue the spiritual path, to see the face of allah, as many say, and they are regarded as Sufis. See the angle?
I hope, other members also give their views and quote from scholars too. There is two sides to a coin, read both and it will bring the value to your eyes…
BinZiad! Sharing some words!! I am learning about Sufism too…
It is not always good, learning from one or two sites, that then would mean, that site is perfect, learn and read up! If you are true in your belief and you are trying to find the truth, then allah will guide you, if there is a confusion, it is your own work.! Read up, get more views….ask scholar(S) from around the world…
It is more wise to have a couple of oranges then one, you can get more juice and the chances of good ones is better…
(I do like vitamin c a lot)..Think about it!
Akhee..
When I said I didn't do studies I meant on scholars agreeing on it. From the research I did innitialy I found out that we are not supposed to be sufi's.
I still stand to my position. Why be something the prophet was not.
If for instance to be a sufi means to be close to Allah spiritually while still doing worship.... then the question is... is this how the prophet did it?? The answer would be yes... then that means EVERY muslim has to do it.... so there is really no need for the term sufi.
if on the other hand to be a sufi you are supposed to do something like...hmm..... not eat for whole two days while just praying 24/7. Is this something the prophet did?? If the answer is no... then its a bid'a.... and thus haram and forbidden...and in this case i think those who are not calling themselves sufi's won't do it.. which is what is supposed to happen..and those sufi's would be deviated.
do u see my point here???
I am simply saying... those who call themselves sufi's most of the time are doing bid'a. If u stick to the rules and example of the prophet... u will have both sides....
I know of a man who is 'spirtual'... if u want to call him sufi go ahead. He doesn't call himself a sufi. Never the less he has a bit of their principles of purifying the soul etc. But the good thing is.. he does it according to what the prophet did. So in a way he is doing just what the prophet did. So I won't call him a sufi. If that's the type of sufi u want to be... then i'm saying we all are like that... then we all are 'sufis'.
If you want to be with the sufi sect who do other things which they think will bring them closer to Allah.. my answer is this... the prophet peace be upon him was the closest to Allah... if he didn't do it... then its not getting u anywhere...if anything it will push you away.
just my two cents
I would like to give two sides, two articles with this post;
1) Saying sufism is allowed.
2) Sufism is not allowed
Now i want seriously end this issue..with the members also replying,..here goes..!
...........
1)
The Meaning of Tasawwuf By Shaikh Shahidullah Faridi (r.a.)
Tasawwuf can be called the inwardness of Islam. Islam, like most other faiths to a greater or lesser extent, consists firstly of certain beliefs, such as the existence of God, and the coming of the Judgement, and reward and punishment in the next life, and the outward expression of these beliefs in forms of worship, such as prayer and fasting, all of which concern man’s relationship with God; and secondly, a system of morality, which concerns man’s relationship with man, and has its outward expression in certain social institutions and laws, such as marriage, inheritance, and civil and criminal laws. But it is obvious that the basis of this faith, the spirit that gives it life, is man’s relationship with God. Forms of worship are simply the physical vehicles of this relationship, and it is this relationship again which is responsible for the origin, the significance and the ultimate sanction of the principles of morality and their formulation into a specific social and legal system. If the interior converse with the Supreme Being and inspiration from Him are present, then they are comparable to the soul within the body of the exterior religion; if they die away, or in proportion to the extent that they wither or become feeble, the outward form of the faith becomes like a soulless body, which by the inexorable law of nature swiftly succumbs to corruption. It is therefore man’s direct relationship with his Maker which is the breath and life of religion, and it is the study and cultivation of this relationship that the word tasawwuf connotes.
It may be wondered why the words ‘Sufi’, which means ‘woollen-clothed’, and ‘Tasawwuf’, which means the path of the Sufis, i.e. the woollen-clothed ones, should have become so universal in order to denote something which belongs properly to the realm of the spirit. This name is symbolic rather than descriptive. To be a Sufi does not require a person literally to wear woollen clothes, but presumes an inner quality which was at one time characteristic of those who wore them. In the early generations of Islam, through the closeness to the time of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and the illumination of his incomparable spirituality, which encompassed so completely the inner and the outer, the comprehension of the inwardness of Islam enwrapped in its outward expressions was so general that no group of people who devoted themselves specially to this aspect of the faith was distinguishable. It was only when the inevitable course of development of human affairs began to run and the original trunk of universality began to throw out branches of specialisation, that Islamic knowledge was progressively divided into the interior and the exterior, and the general word ilm (knowledge) began to denote more the academic study of the Qur’an, Hadith and Fiqh than their spiritual content, contrary to its Qur’anic use in the sense of ‘knowledge of Allah’. At this stage that body of Muslims who devoted themselves more particularly to the cultivation of the spiritual heritage of their Prophet (peace be upon him), began to use the term Ma‘rifat (Recognition of Allah) and arif (One who recognises Allah) to denote this inward aspect of knowledge, and indeed still do to the present day. So it was possible that instead of being termed Sufis they might have been called Ahl-i Ma‘rifat, or Arifin. But not every aspirant to spiritual development is an Arif, and the average human mind seeks more the outward badge than the inner reality, which in this case is anyway difficult to describe, so the habit observed in certain Godly persons (in reaction to the excessive luxury of the times) of wearing coarse woollen clothes, which were then the mark of extreme poverty, was taken as the symbol of all those who sought the inner life; and this term’s convenience and simplicity has withstood all the vagaries of time and place throughout the Islamic world.
The visible formulations of Islam are therefore both enlivened by the spiritual and moral force behind them, and so they are the manifestations of this force, and at the same time they are the means of attaining these spiritual and moral quaities; this can be said to constitute their main purpose. Thus these two aspects of Islam are mutually generative, each one producing the other. It can be seen from the Word of Allah, the Qur’an, that wherever something concerning man’s outward actions is decreed, its inward content and purpose is also stressed. Take Prayer for instance; Allah says ‘Observe Prayer for My remembrance’ (20:14); or ‘The believers have attained success; who are humble in their prayers’ (32:1), emphasising that the object of Prayer is not the mere outward performance, but to remember Him with a humble heart. In the case of fasting, Allah says, ‘Fasting has been decreed for you, as it was decreed for those who came before you, that you may be God-fearing.’ (2:183) Regarding sacrifice on the occasion of Pilgrimage, He says: ‘It is not their blood or their flesh which reaches Him, but the devotion from you.’ (22:37) On the subject of marriage: ‘It is one of His signs that He has made for you mates of your own kind that you may find peace in them, and He has created affection and kindness between you.’ (30:24) On spending for the poor: ‘They (the righteous) give food to the needy, the orphan and the prisoner, for the love of Him; they say: We feed for the sake of Allah only, and desire no reward or thanks from you.’ (76:8,9) If we reflect on these and other similar indications in the Qur’an, we are led to the conclusion that if it is necessary to observe the outward ordinances of our faith, it is equally necessary to develop within ourselves those qualities which are their soul; that these two are complementary and one cannot exist in a sound state without the other. When the word ‘Shari‘at’ is used, one immediately calls to mind the basic beliefs of Islam, without which a person cannot be reckoned a Muslim, and the external decrees comprising forms of worship, rules of behaviour, and civil and criminal laws. In short, it is the outwardness of Islam which is normally referred to by this term. But we have seen that within this outer Shari‘at there exists an inner Shari‘at of equal importance, which constitutes both its inspiration and its goal. Like the word ‘ilm’ (Knowledge) which originally comprised both the inward realisation of divine truths as well as outward knowledge of Islamic tenets, the term ‘Shari‘at’ (the road) should really include the devotion of the heart to Allah as well as the specific beliefs, and the attainment of moral excellence as well as submission to the law. But just as ‘ilm’ came to mean only book-knowledge, so ‘Shari‘at’ came to mean only the law; as a result, the Sufis, the devotees of the spirit of Islam, began to use the word ‘Ma‘rifat’ for the inner relationship with God, and in place of the word ‘Shari‘at’, they chose the word ‘tariqat’ (the Path) to denote the way to spiritual perfection. Just as the outer shari‘at consists of two parts, belief and practice, so also does this inner shari‘at manifest itself in two main fields.
The first is man’s attitude to his Maker. From the Qur’an and the teachings of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) we learn that this attitude should be inspired by love, hope, fear, gratitude, patience, trust, self-sacrifice and complete devotion; and that He should be felt to be constantly near. This is the inwardness of belief. The second is man’s attitude to his fellow men: Allah and his Prophet (peace be upon him) have taught us that this should be inspired by sympathy, justice, kindness, unselfishness, generosity, sternness on matters of principle, leniency wherever possible, and that we must avoid pride, jealousy, malice, greed, selfishness, miserliness and ill-nature. These qualities will not be found explained in the books of Fiqh; it required a group of people distinct from the jurists to determine and develop the science of the soul. Of these two parts of the inner Shari‘at, it is the first, i.e. man’s relationship with God, which is the root, the moral attitude of man towards his fellows being derived from it. It is the realisation that all men are creatures of the One God, and that He wishes us to treat them with mercy and kindness, and at times justice, which should reflect His own sublime qualities, and that if we succeed in this we shall win His pleasure, that is the real basis of morality. Some have made the mistake of imagining that morality can exist by itself without the foundation of religion, and have tried to promulgate a non-religious ethical code as a substitute for faith. This is nothing but a mental illusion. It comes about in this way: through the medium of religious teaching, a certain moral outlook permeates a whole society, and colours not only the specifically religious life, but education and social customs and habits of thinking and acting. When at a later stage some people take to agnosticism and rebel against the established faith, they are unable to separate themselves from this moral attitude which has now become the very stuff of their mental being. Without realising the origin of their morality, they fall into the error of considering it self-existent, and imagine that they can reform society by simply calling upon people to be ethical. But it is a matter of observation that such inherited moral attitudes, when cut off from the tree of religion to which they owe their being, very quickly decay, and it is not long before the very basis of morality is questioned and finally denied, and non-moral philosophies are openly proclaimed. By contrast, the morality based on faith in God, derived from a revealed Book and given life by the consciousness of Divine pleasure, has in it the seeds not of decay but of growth and fruition.
That it is man’s inner relationship with Allah which gives meaning and value to his outward expression of belief and the performance of his religious duties is asserted most pointedly in one of the most famous sayings of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). The following incident is reported by Omar, the second Khalifa.
‘We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah one day when a man appeared with very white clothes and very black hair, with no signs of travel upon him. None of us recognised him. He came and sat before the Prophet (peace be upon him) with his knees touching his knees, and his hands placed on his thighs. He then said: ‘O Muhammad, tell me, what is Islam?’ The Prophet replied: ‘Islam is that you testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and that you establish prayer, and Zakat, fast the month of Ramadan, and make the pilgrimage to the House of Allah if you are able.’ The man said: ‘You are right’, and we wondered that he both asked and confirmed the answer. Then he said: ‘what is Iman?’ The Prophet replied: ‘Iman is that you believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day, and that you believe in the predestination of good and evil.’ The man said: ‘You are right. Now tell me what is Ihsan (good performance)?’ The Prophet replied: ‘That you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him and if you do not see Him, He surely sees you.’’
Then after asking about the Last Day, the man left, and the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) informed his companions that this was the Angel Gabriel who came to teach them their religion.
Here the word Ihsan, which means to perform something in the best manner, is explained as ‘the worship of Allah as if you are seeing Him, and if you do not see Him, He surely sees you.’ This means that the consciousness of the presence of Allah, and the feeling of Love and awe which accompany it, must permeate both our faith and practice (Iman and Islam) and it is in proportion to this consciousness that our excellence in religion can be judged. Clearly this sense of presence is not to be confined only to worship, but to all our actions (one version of the above incident, in fact, has ‘to work for Allah as if you are seeing Him’). It is precisely this awareness of the nearness and presence of Allah that the Sufis have as their ultimate goal in all their activities.
So far we have been speaking of the Muslims’ relationship with Allah in a general way. But Tasawwuf has a more specific content, that is to say, it aims at bringing the novice to the direct spiritual experience. The fountainhead of Islam (a fact which is often forgotten) is the direct spiritual experience of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) by means of which the message of God was conveyed to man. This spiritual experience had many forms, and was continuous throughout the period of the Prophet’s prophethood, starting from the initial vision of the Angel when the call to the divine mission was sounded, and persisting throughout the inspiration of the Divine Book, with other manifestations such as Hadith Qudsi (Divine inspirations apart from the Qur’an itself) and revelations of the next world. It is illustrated particularly in the Mi‘raj (the Ascension), which culminates in the vision of the Supreme Reality. When the essence of prophethood is the spiritual experience, it would be strange indeed if some portion of this aspect of the prophetic life were not inherited by the Prophet’s companions and those who followed them. So we find a tradition of spiritual experience alongside that of the more obvious branches of religious teaching concerned with beliefs and practices. In the early stages it was not considered proper to publish such experiences and considerable reticence was observed; it was thought sufficient only to hint at them. As time passed, reticence was lessened and gradually the science of Tasawwuf was outwardly formulated, although the very nature of these most inward matters makes some reticence inevitable at all times.
Abu Huraira, one of the intimate companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say: ‘I acquired two vessels from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), one of which I published; but if I published the other my throat would be cut.’ This is an interesting allusion to the danger of making a show of spiritual experience before those who do not understand them. If the experiences are believed, then some people out of ignorance are inclined to raise the one who is spiritually gifted almost to divinity, if not to make him into God Himself. If they are disbelieved, the doubters become guilty of denying what is true, and deprive themselves of certain special benefits which it is the Will of God that they should have. This is the reason why ‘sufis’ have always counselled great caution in the matter of describing some of their spiritual states in detail as these can only be appreciated in the tasting, and not in the description. In spite of the obvious references in the Qur’an, the Hadiths and the lives of the companions, some have tried to deny this spiritual heritage of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and claim that the early Muslims were only ‘ascetics’ and not ‘mystics’. But to perceive spirituality where it exists is not given to everyone, even to perceive it at all; let it suffice to say that the extraordinary dedication to Allah and His Prophet (peace be upon him) and their commands by the leading companions and followers would be inexplicable without a profound spiritual experience.
I have said that in the early period the outer and the inner aspects of Islam, that is, the outward observance and its spiritual content, were not divided but formed a homogeneous whole, but as time passed and specialised knowledge increased, it became necessary and inevitable that a body of Muslims should devote themselves more particularly to the inwardness of Islam which came to be known as Tasawwuf. If we consider the development of Tasawwuf as a science, that is the science of the soul, we find that it provides a close comparison with the development of other sciences based on the principle of the Divine Book and the life of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him). To take the science of Hadith as an example, we find that during the first century, which was the time of the Companions and the followers, things remained very much in the original form of personal teaching from those who sat in the company of the Great Ones, with little sign of elaboration and formalisation. During the second century we begin to find a more or less comprehensive collection and criticism, which culminate in the third century in critical recensions based on now thoroughly elaborated and determined principles. In the case of Fiqh we find a similar process; after the first century of the direct and practical teaching of the companions and followers, the second century produces elaborate compendia of legal decisions and the formulation of principles of jurisprudence which again by the third century had been built up into a relatively independent science. Tasawwuf, too, was constructed into a spiritual science on the firm foundations of the spiritual heritage of the Prophet of God; here again, the elaboration begins in the second century in the recorded sayings and treatises and books of the early Sufis, and in the third century Tasawwuf appears as a fully developed and formulated spiritual science. It is just as gratuitous to talk critically of later innovation in the matter of Tasawwuf as it is in the matter of Fiqh, Hadith and Tafsir. There is a world of difference between elaborations and innovations, which people with muddled minds find difficult to distinguish.
Although the development of Tasawwuf can be historically compared with that of the other sciences, there is an intrinsic superiority in Tasawwuf which should be well remembered. This superiority lies in that the expansion of the science of spiritual development is based on experience and direct observation confirmed in its broad pattern by thousands of travellers on the upward path of the soul, whereas the other sciences mainly owe their formulation to reason and conjecture. All, of course, are founded on tradition, that is, the Qur’an and its living commentary by the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers, but the process of later elaboration has this fundamental difference. It cannot be contested that direct experience, especially when it is common to large numbers of people, is a vastly more authoritative source of knowledge than rational speculation. For instance, after the data provided by revelation and tradition the chief instrument in the development of Fiqh is Qiyas (analogy) or Ra’y (opinion). The main pillar of the science of Hadith is Jarh and Ta‘dil, which means the critical examination of the reliability of the reporters of a certain Hadith in addition to its subject matter. Obviously these processes are rational and speculative. The development of Tasawwuf, however, has consisted in the progressively more detailed expounding of the spiritual experience constituting the inner heritage of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and has no content of conjecture and opinion. This vital element has resulted in a remarkable unanimity among the proponents of this science throughout the ages, and whatever differences that exist are those of emphasis or mode of expression and do not show any real cleavage in the essential unity.
We have already alluded to the function of Tasawwuf, which is to perfect the relationship of man first with his God, and secondly with his fellow men. Now it is obvious that only very few people have the call to devote themselves entirely to spirituality and become, as it were, specialists in the inner life. This appears to be the result of some innate urge which so drives those who possess it as not to allow them to follow any other vocation. This is not to say that even these specially gifted few entirely abandon all usual worldly activities. On the contrary, we find in Islam, in distinction from other religious communities, that its greatest scientists of the soul were mostly married, had children and conducted their household and similar affairs like other men. It is another matter that during the period of training for spiritual development a certain retirement, either total or partial, is usually required, as indeed it is during the acquirement of other branches of specialist learning. It is also true that even after reaching expertness many of the Islamic spiritualists paid very little attention to the earning of their livelihood and spent their whole time in teaching and giving solace, help and encouragement to the common people. Their physical wants were looked after by their pupils and admirers, as was the practice until recently even in the case of those who taught children how to read and write. In this deliberate neglect of their own material needs in order to devote themselves more unhamperedly to their mission, they observed the utmost selflessness and resignation to Allah, and never expressly or by implication gave any sign of the poverty or even hunger which they often had to undergo. If they neglected the world, it was only as far as their own wants were concerned; they never neglected the wants of those who came to them for spiritual nourishment, or even for physical nourishment if they had any to spare, for in addition to being at the service of those who were hungry for the things of the soul, they often conducted public kitchens for the feeding of the poor, and engaged themselves in the healing of the sick in body as well as those who were sick in spirit, as is well-known to those who have studied their lives.
Just as spiritual specialists are few by the nature of things, so also the number of the pupils who shape their lives in close conformity to those of their masters is also very small. These selected followers are those who, having the inner call, are later charged with the duty of carrying on the work of teaching and exhortation in a new generation. But the majority of those who visit these inheritors of the more inward traditions of Islam are those who, while engaged in their daily vocations, wish to refresh themselves from the toils of the world at the pure springs of sincerity and devotion which they find so abundant with the Sufis. It is here that we see the influence of the Sufis working and giving new life to the whole wide land of the community. The ordinary men and women who spend a part of their time with the Sufis acquire some measure of inspiration for their spiritual and moral betterment, and to this measure their whole lives are affected. It is the spiritual orientation and the moral attitude which constitute the fountain-head of human thought, and so of human action. Events in man’s history, and the growth, flourishing, and decay of peoples, can always be traced back to these inner sources. The contact of people of the world with the Sufis, whether they be kings, princes, captains, merchants, administrators, artisans or peasants, indirectly affects the whole movement of the nation along the uneven road of time. It is from these most intimate wells of inspiration that a certain quality is given to the thought and life of a whole culture; what a pity that some superficial intellects are unable to perceive these undercurrents of history. Economics, politics, and social life are all controlled by the mental processes of man; he can only ignore at his peril these deep directive forces from which his mental processes emerge. The apparent obscurity and detachment of the Sufi conceal an activity of radical importance to the whole Muslim nation.
..............
Another one to say it is correct;
Early Scholars on Sufism
The following quotations of the scholars of Shariah regarding the precedence of the knowledge and science of Tasawwuf (Purification of the Self).
Imam Abu Hanifa (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 (95 H. - 179 H.)
"whoever studies Jurisprudence [tafaqaha] and didn't study Sufism [tasawwaf] will be corrupted; and whoever studied Sufism and didn't study Jurisprudence will become a heretic; and whoever combined both will be reach the Truth."
[ 'Ali al-Adawi , vol. 2, p 195.]
Imam Shafi'i (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 (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 Ghazzali (450 - 505 AH.)
"I knew verily that Sufis are the seekers in Allah's Way, and their conduct is the best conduct, and their way is the best way, and their manners are the most sanctified. They have cleaned their hearts from other than Allah and they have made them as pathways for rivers to run receiving knowledge of the Divine Presence."
[al-Munqidh, p. 131].
Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi (544 - 606 AH)
"The way of Sufis for seeking Knowledge, is to disconnect themselves from this worldly life, and they keep themselves constantly busy with Dhikrullah, in all their actions and behaviors. "
['Itiqadaat Furaq al-Muslimeen, p. 72, 73]
Imam Nawawi (620 - 676 AH.)
"The specifications of the Way of the Sufis are ... to keep the Presence of Allah in your heart in public and in private; to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (s) ... to be happy with what Allah gave you..."
[in his Letters, (Maqasid at-tawhid), p. 20]
Ibn Taymiyya (661 - 728 AH)
"Tasawwuf has realities and states of experience which they talk about in their science. Some of it is that the Sufi is that one who purifies himself from anything which distracts him from the remembrance of Allah and who will be so filled up with knowledge of the heart and knowledge of the mind to the point that the value of gold and stones will be the same to him. And Tasawwuf is safeguarding the precious meanings and leaving behind the call to fame and vanity in order to reach the state of Truthfulness, because the best of humans after the prophets are the Siddiqeen, as Allah mentioned them in the verse:
"(And all who obey Allah and the Apostle) are in the company of those on whom is the grace of Allah: of the prophets, the sincere lovers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous; Ah! what a beautiful fellowship." (an-Nisa', 69,70)
"...some people criticised Sufiyya and Tasawwuf and they said they were innovators, out of the Sunnah, but the truth is they are striving in Allah's obedience [mujtahidin fi ta'at-illahi], as others of Allah's People strove in Allah's obedience. So from them you will find the Foremost in Nearness by virtue of his striving [as-saabiq ul-muqarrab bi hasab ijtihadihi]. And some of them are from the People of the Right hand [Ahl al-Yameen mentioned in Qur'an in Sura Waqi'ah], but slower in their progress.... And this is the origin of Tasawwuf. And after that origin, it has been spread and [tasha'abat wa tanawa'at] has its main line and its branches.
[Majmu'a Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya al-Kubra, Vol. 11, Book of Tasawwuf, p. 497].
"The miracles of saints are absolutely true and correct, by the acceptance of all Muslim scholars. And the Qur'an has pointed to it in different places, and the Hadith of the Prophet (s) has mentioned it, and whoever denies the miraculous power of saints are only people who are innovators and their followers." [al-Mukhtasar al-Fatawa, page 603]. Ibn Taymiyya says, "what is considered as a miracle for a saint is that sometimes the saint might hear something that others do not hear and they might see something that others do not see, while not in a sleeping state, but in a wakened state of vision. And he can know something that others cannot know, through revelation or inspiration."
[Majmu'a Fatawi Ibn Taymiyya, Vol. 11, p. 314].
Ibn Khaldun (733 - 808 AH.)
"The way of the Sufis is the way of the Salaf, the preceding Scholars between the Sahaba and Tabi'een of those who followed good guidance..."
[Muqaddimat ibn al-Khaldun, p. 328]
Tajuddin as-Subki (727 - 771 AH.)
"May Allah praise them [the Sufis] and greet them and may Allah cause us to be with them in Paradise. Too many things havebeen said about them and too many ignorant people have said things which are not related to them. And the truth is that those people left the world and were busy with worship. ...They are the People of Allah, whose supplications and prayer Allah accepts and by means of whom Allah supports human beings"
[Mu'eed an-Na'am p. 190, the chapter entitled Tasawwuf]
Jalaluddin as-Suyuti (849 - 911 AH.)
"At-Tasawwuf in itself is the best and most honorable knowledge. It explains how to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (s) and to put aside innovation."
[Ta'yid al-Haqiqat al-'Aliyya,p 57]
Ibn Qayyim (691 - 751 AH.)
"We can witness the greatness of the People of Sufism, in the eyes of the earliest generations of Muslims by what has been mentioned by Sufyan ath-Thawri (d. 161 AH), one of the greatest imams of the second century and one of the foremost legal scholars. He said, "If it had not been for Abu Hisham as-Sufi (d. 115) I would never have perceived the action of the subtlest forms of hypocrisy in the self... Among the best of people is the Sufi learned in jurisprudence."
[Manazil as-Sa'ireen.]
Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab (1115 - 1201 AH.)
"My father Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab and I do not deny or criticize the science of Sufism, but on the contrary we support it, because it purifies the external and the internal of the hidden sins, which are related to the heart and to the outward form. Even though the individual might externally be on the right way, internally he might be on the wrong way. Sufism is necessary to correct it."
[ad-Dia'at mukathaffa did ash-shaykh ibn Abdul Wahhab, p. 85]
Ibn 'Abidin (1198 - 1252 AH.)
"The Seekers in this Sufi Way don't hear except from the Divine Presence and they don't love any but Him. If they remember Him they cry, and if they thank Him they are happy; ... May Allah bless them."
[Risa'il Ibn 'Abidin p. 172 & 173]
Muhammad 'Abduh (1265 - 1323 AH.)
"Tasawwuf appeared in the first century of Islam and it received a tremendous honor. It purified the self and straightened the conduct and gave knowledge to people from the Wisdom and Secrets of the Divine Presence."
[Majallat al-Muslim, 6th ed. 1378 H, p. 24].
Maulana Abul Hasan 'Ali an-Nadawi (1331 AH b.)
"These Sufis were initiating people on Oneness and sincerity in following the Sunnah of the Prophet (s) and to repent from their sins and to be away from every disobedience of Allah 'Azza wa Jall. Their guides were encouraging them to move in the way of perfect Love to Allah 'Azza wa Jall.
"...In Calcutta India, everyday more than 1000 people were taking initiation into Sufism. "...by the influence of these Sufi people, thousands and thousands and hundreds of thousands in India found their Lord and reached a state of Perfection through the Islamic religion."
[Muslims in India, p. 140-146]
Maulana Abul 'Ala Maudoodi (1321 - 1399 AH.)
"Sufism is a reality whose signs are the love of Allah and the love of the Prophet (saw), where one absents oneself for their sake, and one is annihilated from anything other than them, and it is to know how to follow the footsteps of the Prophet (s). ..Tasawwuf searched for the sincerity in the heart and the purity in the intention and the trustworthiness in obedience in an individual's actions."
"The Divine Law and Sufism: "Sufism and Shariah: what is the similitude of the two? They are like the body and the soul. The body is the external knowledge, the Divine Law, and the spirit is the internal knowledge."
[Mabadi' al-Islam, p. 17]
In sum, Sufism, in the present, as in the past, is the effective means for spreading the reality of Islam, extending the knowledge and understanding of spirituality and fostering happiness and peace. With it, Muslims can improve, transform, and elevate themselves and find salvation from the ignorance of this world and the misguided pursuit of some materialistic fantasy.
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The other one..
2)
Realities of Sufism
Imam As-Shaf'i on Sufism:"If a person exercised Sufism (Tasawafa) at the beginning of the day, he does not come to dhuhur except an idiot." [Talblees Iblees] "Nobody accompanied the Sufis forty days and had his brain return (ever)." [Talblees Iblees] Concerning the famous Sufi leader, Al-Harith Al-Muhasbi, Imam Ahmad ibn-Hanbal said: "Warn (people) from Al-Harith (a Sufi leader) the strongest warning!...He is the shelter of the Ahl Kalaam (people of rhetoric)."
The famous Sheikh Abu Bakr Ad-Djaza stated: "Sufism is a shameful deception which begins with Dhikr and ends with Kufr. Its outward manifestation appears to be piety, but its inward reality forsakes the Commandments of Allah." [Illat-Tasawwuf Yaa Ibadallah] Ash-Sheikh Muhammed ibn Rabee' ibn Haadee Al-Madkhalee, a well known teacher at the Islamic University of Medinah and the son of a well known scholar, brings in his book :Haqeeqatus Soofiyyah Fee Dau'il kitaabi was Sunnah", the following: Concerning the practice of the Sufiyyah in wearing woolen clothing as a sign of Zuhd (abstemiousnes/disassociation form the worldly life) and in their attempt to mirror the Prophet 'Isa (asws): "Ibn Taymiya mentions in Al-Fataawaa(11/7) from Muhammed ibn Seereen (a famous Tabi'ee who died in 11OH) that is reached him that a certain people had taken to wearing woolen clothing in order to resemble "isa ibn Maryam(asws), so he said: 'There are a people (Sufis) who have chosen and preferred the wearing of woolen clothing, claiming that they want to resemble Al-Mesieh ibn Maryam(asws). But the way of our Prophet(saas) is more beloved to us, and the Prophet(saas) used to wear cotton and other garments."
Sheikh Al-Madkhalee goes on: "As regards the first appearance of Sufism, then the word 'Sufism' was not known in the time of the Sahabah, indeed it was not well known in the first three and best centuries. Shaykhul Islam ibn Taymiyah, mentions that the first appearance of Sufism was in Basrah in Iraq, where some people went to extremes in worship and in avoiding the worldly life, such as was not seen in other lands. [Al Fataawaa (11/6)]"
Commenting on the reaction of the early Sufis while hearing Qur'an being recited (it was their practice to fall out and act dumb-struck), Ibn Taymiyah says: "This was not found to occur amongst the Sahabah, so when it appeared a group of the companions and the Tabi'een such as Asmaa bint Abu Bakr and 'Abd Allah As-Zubair and Muhammed ibn Seereen criticized that since they saw that it was an innovation and contrary to what they knew from the manners of the Sahabah." [Al-Fataawaa (11/6)]
Concerning the spread of Sufis, ibn Al-Jawziyyah said: '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 du to the life of ease and frivolity which they were seen to live." [Talblees Iblees]
Sheikh Abu Zahrah said concerning the reason for the appearance of Sufism and the sources from which it sprung:
"1. The first source: Some worshippers amongst the Muslims turned all their attention to avoidance of the worldly life and to cutting themselves off in order to worship. This first began in the lifetime of the Prophet(saas) when some of the Sahabah decided to spend the night striving in prayer and abandoning sleep. Others decided to fast every day without fail. Others decided to cease having marital relations with women. So when that reached the Prophet(saas) he said: "What is wrong with a people who say such and such. But rather I fast and refrain from fasting, I pray and I sleep, and I marry women. So whoever turns away from my Sunnah, then he is not from me." [Bukhari & Muslim] Furthermore, the innovation of living like monks (monasticism) is forbidden in the Qur'an. He(awj) said: "...the Monasticism which they invented for themselves..." [57:27] however, when the Prophet(saas) passed on to join the company of the highest angels, and many people entered into Islam from the previous religions then the number of those who went to extremes in avoidance of worldly life and its blessings grew and Sufism found a place in the hearts of these people since it had come across a fertile planting ground.
2. The second matter which attracted peoples souls was something which appeared amongst the Muslims in the form of two ideologies. One of them was philosophical whilst the other was from the previous religions. As for the first, then it was the view of the Illumist school of philosophers who held that knowledge and awareness is brought about in the soul by spiritual exercises and purification of the soul. As for the second ideology, then it was the belief that the Deity dwells in human souls, or that the Deity is incarnate in humanity. This idea began to find a place amongst those sects who falsely attributed themselves to Islam in the earlier times, when the Muslims became mixed with the Christians. This idea appeared amongst the Sabians and some of the Kaysaamiyyah, then the Qaraamitah, then amongst the Baatinees, then in its final shape it appeared amongst some of the Sufis...There is another source from which it took, and which causes the manifestation of Sufi tendencies, which is the idea that the texts of the Book and the Sunnah have an outer, apparent meaning and an inner, hidden meaning...it seems clear that they took this idea from the Baatinees." [Ibn Taymiyah by Abu Zahrah] inb Al-Jawziyayah said after criticizing the Sufis for their imposition of hardship upon themselves and for their going beyond bounds of abstemiousness the pint of self torture: "So this self deprivation which went beyond bounds, which we have been forbidden from, has been turned around by the Sufis of our time, i.e. the sixth century, so that they have become as desirous of food as their predecessors were of hunger, and they enjoy morning meals, evening meals and sweet delicacies, all of which or most of which they attain through impure wealth. They have abandoned lawful earnings, turned away from worship and spread out carpets on which they idly recline, most of them have no desire except for food, drink and frivolous activities." [Talblees Iblees]
Speaking of the false miracles claimed by many Sufi leaders, Ibn Taymiyah said: "It may also be done with the help of their devils as they are a people who are as closely attended by devils as they are by their own brothers....These people who experience these satanic happenings are under a great delusion, in their foolishness they are deprived of all blessings, they only increase that which is feared, they devour the wealth of the people in futile acts, they do not order the good, nor do they forbid the evil, and they do not fight Jihad in Allah's cause." [Al-Fataawaa]
Further, Sheikh Al-Madkhalee says: "Then I return to the point that when I saw that most of the callers were negligent of the most important aspects of Islam which is the call to Tawheed and the correction and purification of 'Aqeedah from all Shirk, which takes the form of worshipping the dead, attachment to the graves and calling upon the dead and the absent, and they remained silent about the other deviation of the present day Sufi orders which are very widespread in the lands of the Muslims, and anyone who travels outside this land will see the predominance that the Sufi orders have over the minds of the Muslims in Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Africa and India. Whether it is the Rifaa'ee order, or the Tijanis, or the Ahmadiyyah, or the Qaadiriyyah, or the Burhamiyyah, or the Shadhiliyyah, or the Khattaaniyyah, or the Darqaawees, or the Naqshbandis or whichever of the large number of Sufi orders.. when I saw this I wished to remind of that which I held to be something very important. Likewise, I wished to provide my brothers, who study in the highly regarded Daarul Hadith, and they come from various Islamic lands where there are many Sufi orders. with some knowledge and some protection from the deadly sickness of Sufism."
As for those authentic and well known books by the 'Ulemah that have refuted Sufism: Al-Fataawaa - by Sheikh Islam Ibn Taymiyah Talblees Iblees - by ibn Al-Jawziyah, [ibn Taymiyah's student] Tanbeebul-Ghabee ilaa Takfeer Ibn 'Arabee - by Burhaanudeen Al-Baqaa'ee Tahdheerul-'Ibaad min Ahlil-'Inaad bibid'atil-Ishtihad - by Al-Baqaa'ee (same as above - died in 885H).
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Another article about 'why' sufism is wrong;
SUFISM:
The Deviated Path
By Br. Yusuf Hijazi
Although many sects have appeared throughout the ages, none have outlasted as long and spread their effects into the homes of so many as Sufism has. The emotional attachment that a countless number of Muslims have towards this sect is so powerful that any analysis should be purely from an objective perspective; thus this article takes an objective approach, and tries to be conservative rather than extreme in its analysis of Sufism. Its conclusions however leave no doubt as to the alien nature of Sufi teachings that have infiltrated into the religion that our beloved Prophet (s.a.w) left us upon.
Sufism: Its Origins
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 (s.a.w) used to wear cotton and other garments."1
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.
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-Majnoon 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 likeof Ibn Arabi.
The Mixing Pot
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 (s.a.w).
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
The following comparison demonstrates the non-coincidental similarity that Sufism shares with other religions:
Concept of validity of all religions
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
Union with the Creator
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]. 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
Corruption of Tawheed in Allah's Attributes
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 (s.a.w) 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 ].
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.
Sufi Sheikhs: Role Models or Deviants?
Bayazid Tayfur al-Bistami
Bayazid is considered to be "of the six bright stars in the firmament of the Prophet (s.a.w)"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 (s.a.w) 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 (s.a.w) 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
Ibn Arabi
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 (s.a.w) 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 (s.a.w) have been used, to the extent that countless of Muslims consider these to be real.
The following are quotes from Ibn Arabi:
"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
"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)
"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
Junaid
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
Abu Yazid
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.
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 (s.a.w) used to make du'a seeking Allah's guidance, not begging for heresy. And Islam teaches us truthfulness, not lies.
Evidence Against their teachings: their beliefs and practices
Position of the Sheikh and Wali
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 (s.a.w) 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 (s.a.w) on a regular basis (in reality).
Distortion of the concepts of zikr, hadith, Qur'an
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 "wrongdoe," "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."
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 (s.a.w) 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 (s.a.w) nor the Salaf, and all hadith which state that the Prophet (s.a.w) 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 zikr, 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.
Innovation
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 (s.a.w) 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 (s.a.w) (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 (s.a.w) 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] ).
Why they still survive
Emotional attachment
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.
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.
Twisting of evidence
Since the Qur'an and Hadith are readily available, and cannot be changed, the Sufis have resorted to another trick used by other Mystics: 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 (a.s) in the name of Muhammad when he sinned; the stories of Khidr; the rising of the Prophet (s.a.w) 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."
The Damage to the Ummah
l 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.
l 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.
l 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.
In truth, Islam is sufficient for us, and it is only Shaytaan who wishes to turn us away from our religion, to make us exceed the limits, and fall into his trap. The only sure way to avoid this is to grasp tightly onto what was left to us by our beloved Prophet (s.a.w), the Qur'an and Sunnah, as understood and believed and acted upon by the best people to have lived: the Salaf us Saalih, the Companions and those who followed their footsteps.
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Two sides...of the coin..very interesting...
The basic thing i want from this, is the truth, those who hold the view, it is correct, give me more information and refute the articles and points raised by those who say it is not correct.
Those who regard it as something 'new', then provide the points and issues which are against the quran and sunnah. And try to refute the points raised by those who say it is allowed.
I hope to hear from members.!
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khalid sawani
22-04-2002, 13:07
ASSLAMOALAYKUM TO MUSLIMS
good artical , on anty sufisum I liked most
after reading all I ‘ll like to say something from my point view
for gaining spritual upliftment all you need to do is to keep one thing in mind for all times that “my Allah is watching me” that’s all ( if u don’t belive me now then practice it and know it that how many times in a day u think like this)
we do not feel like becoming sufies and invent new ideas if zikr and remembrence ( pls do not refuse this statement as I know thousands of sufies with their own styles of worshiping Allah and there are many groups of sufies like chistiya,kadaria,rafia,naqasbandia , rijwia etc…)
Remember each and everything invented (in religion not aeroplane ,net, and cars) is BIDAH and bidah will take to hell. There is no person as perfect as our prophet ( pbuh) and we have no right to reform deen which he has given
ibn_tayyiamah, ibn kathir, ibn jayujee, mohammed bin wahab , al –safai, naveee and binbaaz and albani too they are nodoubt good scholers but afterall humans and can make error,
Meaning of “tassawuf “ is good but way the sufies take for tassawuf (pureification) is dangerous.
We are not born to purify ourself only and also in the the way we like
But we are ummaah with responciblity from our supirior lord to purify a jew , a christ ,a hindu , a pagan and all others humans
Note this very well we can not purify anyone if we addopt all these confusing and tough ideas
AS ISLAM IS SIMPLE , EASY AND ACCORDING TO FITRA ( fitra means human nature) so I suggest brothers and sisters to present simple ,easy islam to non-muslims rather then confusing yourself and others
If we fail to do our duty to gain correct knowledge and spread it among others then we will be punished hard and there will be no body to save us ( qadrawhee, ba yazi bastamee, shaikh abdul qadir , imam gizalee, faqruddin razee and all )
Here are some questions I ask to most intelligent persons favouring sufiisum pls answer in yes or no
ABOUT MAJOR SUFIS TODAY
1… Do sufis go in jihad
2….Do they look after their home ,children and neighbour affairs in a way tought by prophet
3….Do they invite non muslims to islam
4….Can they prove KASAF ( knowledge of unseen ) from life of sahaba and tabaeyeen
5….Their ways of zikr is tought by Moahammed (pbuh)
6…. Do they posses COMPLEAT KNOWLEDGE of Hadeeth and fiqh (jurispendence)
I will lastly say that quran and true aheedeeth are enough if you understand
In favor of my arguments I will like to quote something from quran I hope you all are inteliggent enough to understand these verses and their naccesity and my intention for quoting them
Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow guardians besides Him, how little do you mind. (quran 7/3 )
And most of them believe in Allah and associate other partnens (with Him). (quran 12/106)
And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, (quran 3/103)
And that you should judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their low desires, and be cautious of them, lest they seduce you from part of what Allah has revealed to you; but if they turn back, then know that Allah desires to afflict them on account of some of their faults; and most surely many of the people are transgressors.( quran 5/49)
And thus have We revealed it, a true judgment in Arabic, and if you follow their low desires after what has come to you of knowledge, you shall not have against Allah any guardian or a protector. (quran 13/37)
But if they do not answer you, then know that they only follow their low desires; and who is more erring than he who follows his low desires without any guidance from Allah? Surely Allah does not guide the unjust people (quran 28/50)
And from among you there should be a party who invite to good and enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong, and these it is that shall be successful. (quran 3/104)
DEAR FRIENDS
AFTER GETTING KNOWOLEDGE IF SOME ONE FOLLOWS HIS OWN DESIRES THEN HE IS ‘MUSHRIK’
KHALID…..
Listen from everyone.... learn that which is in accordance to Quraan and Sunnah.... listen to all Imaams... and take that which makes sense and applies with Quraan and Sunnah... use your mind!
I am currently learning from a site which is run by Al ikhwan al Muslimeen.... am i with them?? No I'm a sunni Muslim. Period. Not Ikhwani, not sufi, not nothing... simply muslim. But u go... read, research...if it is true.. u take it.. if not.. u leave it. You can do the same with sufis. If they do something in according to sunnah... sure take it why not... otherwise.. .leave it! however i think sunnah and quraan will be more than enough for us inshaAllah... And Allah knows best...
khalid sawani
23-04-2002, 10:07
Asalmolaykum to those who follow guidence
why to Go to every one (72 devients) to learn religion
i am copinyg a quote from our 4th true khalifa Ali (RA)
"Haq ( truth) can not be found thro" people, first learn truth then you will find out who are people of truth "
FIRST WE SHOULD STUDY QURAN THEN THOSE HADEETH WHICH ARE QUATED AS TAFSEER OF VERSES OF QURAN THEN HADEETH RELATED TO AMAL (PRACTICE } THAT IS ENOUGH
I am sure u will easily find devients and their belief if you read and practice quran only
sitting with them and learning from them may misguide any one
true people are suppose to study beliefs of others ( all sects and religions) and guide them towards light of truth
ACCORDING TO YOU IF WE GO TO SOME DEVIENT AND KEEP ON LEARNING FROM HIM WITH GOOD INTENTION SO WE ARE NOT MISGUIDED-- OK
BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON THAT LAST DAY WHEN THAT DEVIENT PERSON WILL HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT GUIDING TO TRUTH, WHILE YOU WERE LEARNING FROM HIM THE FALSEHOOD
IT IS OUR DUTY TO GUIDE THEM ACCORDING QURAN AND HADITH IF THEY ARE FOUND WRONG SOMEWHERE
WHAT SHOULD BE A DUTY OF MUSLIM
THINK........
KHALID...
A very intersting topic..
Just want to ask the following questions?
> What is a salafi?
> Was the prophet a salafi, or the sahabahs?
Please do tell me!
I have met some 'so-called' salafi brothers, who dont shake your hands before they look at yourt ankle. There are some who curse the great imams..now
Are all salafi's wrong'? is the salafi movement wrong?
So again ask this! Was anyone of the sahabahs a muddhadith?
tell me and i will continue this later...
Let me carry on…
Now my intention is not to cause confusion to myself or those who are viewing this. Just want to clarify this issue.
So from the above questions, we come to the conclusion that, the sahahbas were not muddahadith or salaf’s and they did not use those terms, right?
Is it wrong to call someone a muhaddith, tell me?
So that is the line which I am posing, if the sahabahs were not salafs and they did not call themselves salaf, why should we?
As the word salaf means, the third generation, after the sahabahs and the taibien. When referring to that specific time in the Islamic history, were there existed great ulama and so on, they regard them as a salaf, nothing wrong with that. And those who copy them, like imam shafi who was a salaf, like many ulama, those who follow his fiqh are also known as salaf, nothing wrong with that.
So the issue is, why is it wrong to label your self a muhaddith or a salaf, (just two, there are plenty of examples)..or even a sufi?
Just explain to me…
Now I do not judge the salafs or any other group by what the people are doing, but by what their teachings or motives are, is what I look at!.So there are scholars like Ibn Arabi who did say things which were against the shariah, like other scholars too, but do I just judge a brother or a scholar from the salafi movement or the khifaha movement and regard them as ‘wrong’.( the group).tell me……. be honest!
So this issue is big….like there are salafs or khilafha people who say and do wrong things, does that make the aim of the certain group wrong.!
As the famous verse which is used to say, ‘gather together on allahs rope and not be divided’ to the nearest meaning. The scholars have said this means the belief, and it should never be different or there are no differences in belief. …But the schools of thought and groups working within the fields of islam are permissible.
So is it right to call oneself a muhaddith, as none of the sahabahs did it?
So it is wrong to call oneself a sufi, for pursing a path which does not go against islam?
And explain to me the term tawsaaf, and have you heard of it…and is it wrong..! Nothing complicated.
Sadiq!
No replies from anyone?
I want everyone to know that i am not in favour or against sufism. Just want to find the truth.
Read the following, might interest you;
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What is Sufism? :
Early Definitions
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When asked about Sufism, Muhammad ibn 'Ali al-Qassab--the master of Junayd--said, "Sufism consists of noble behavior (akhlaq karima) that is made manifest at a noble time on the part of a noble person in the presence of a noble people."
When he was asked about Sufism, Junayd said, "Sufism is that you should be with God--without any attachment."
With regard to Sufism, Ruwaym ibn Ahmad said, "Sufism consists of abandoning oneself to God in accordance with what God wills."
On one occasion when he was asked about Sufism, Samnun said, "Sufism is that you should not possess anything nor should anything possess you."
Concerning Sufism, Abu Muhammad al-Jariri said, "Sufism consists of entering every exalted quality (khulq) and leaving behind every despicable quality."
When he was asked about Sufism, 'Amr ibn 'Uthman al-Makki said, "Sufism is that at each moment the servant should be in accord with what is most appropriate (awla) at that moment."
Regarding Sufism, 'Ali ibn 'Abd al-Rahim al-Qannad said, "Sufism consists of extending a 'spiritual station' (nashr maqam) and being in constant union (ittisal bi-dawam)."
All of these definitions of Sufism given by Sufis who lived in the 9th and 10th centuries (CE) are provided by al-Sarraj (d. 378 AH/ 988 CE) in the earliest comprehensive book on Sufism, the Kitab al-Luma' (The Book of Flashes) (ed. by R. Nicholson, pp. 34-35). These definitions of Sufism, however, are mere signposts pointing one
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Assalamu alaikum,
The Shari`ah is of fundamental importance to the Sufi path. This point is very strongly made by the great Naqshbandi Sufi, Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (also known as Imam ar-Rabbani), in his letters. Here is a small excerpt from one of his letters, where he clarifies this topic:
The Shari`ah has three parts: knowledge, action, and sincerity of motive (ikhlas); unless you fulfil the demands of all these parts, you do not obey the Shari`ah. And when you obey the Shari`ah you obtain the pleasure of God, which is the most supreme good in this world and the Hereafter. The Qur'an says: "The pleasure of God is the highest good." Hence, the Shari`ah comprehends all the good of this world and the next, and nothing is left out for which one has to go beyond the Shari`ah.
The tariqah ["way"] and the haqiqah ["reality"] for which the Sufis are known, are subservient to the Shari`ah, as they help to realize its third part, namely, sincerity. Hence they are sought in order to fulfil the Shari`ah, not to achieve something beyond the Shari`ah. The raptures and ecstasies which the Sufis experience, and the ideas and truths which come to them in the course of their journey, are not the goal of Sufism. They are rather myths and fancies on which the children of Sufism are fed. One has to pass over them all and reach the stage of satisfaction (rida) which is the final goal of suluk ["travelling", i.e. the Sufi path] and jadhbah ["overwhelming love"]. The purpose of traversing the stages of of tariqah and haqiqah is nothing other than the realisation of ikhlas which involves the attainment of rida. Only one out of a thousand Sufis is graced with the three illuminations (tajalliyat sih ganah) and gnostic visions, given ikhlas and elevated to the stage of rida.
[Quoted from "Sufism and Shari`ah: A study of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi's Effort to Reform Sufism," by Muhammad Abdul Haq Ansari, pp. 221-2. Originally from Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi's letters, Vol. I:36.]
For those who may not have heard of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi, he lived in India in about the 16th Century, and he reinvigorated and repurified Islam in India, after the highly destructive anti-Islamic policies of the Moghul ruler Akbar. Most of the Naqshbandi lineages today stem from Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi -- this is an indication of his great influence. I think there is a strong parallel between Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi's time and the world today, and so I think we can learn very much from this great Shaykh's life and writings.
The Shari`ah is of fundamental importance to Tasawwuf. Therefore, if someone calls himself a "Shaykh," yet does not practice the Shari`ah, all Muslims should avoid following him, and prefer to follow a Shaykh who does teach and practice Shari`ah.
Wassalam,
Fariduddien Rice
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Sufism and Shari`ah, from Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani
Some facts about Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani
He was born in 470 AH / 1077-8 CE, in Gilan, in present-day Iran.
He left this life in 561 AH / 1166 CE, in Baghdad, in present-day Iraq.
He was of the family of the Prophet (s.a.w.), having been descended from the Prophet (s.a.w.) on both his father's side and his mother's side.
He was a scholar who taught the Hanbali madhhab.
Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani said:
Anyone who does not follow the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), taking his Law [shari`a] in one hand and the Book that was revealed to him in the other hand, and who does not attain to by his path [tariq] to Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), will perish and perish, will go astray and go astray. They are two guides to the Lord of Truth (Almighty and Glorious is He). The Qur'an is your guide to the Lord of Truth (Almighty and Glorious is He), and the Sunna is your guide to the Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace).
O Allah, cause a separation between us and our lower selves [nufus], and:
Give us in this world good, and good in the hereafter, and guard us against the torment of the fire. [Qur'an 2:201]
From Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani, "The Sublime Revelation" [Al-Fath ar-Rabbani], translated by Muhtar Holland (Published by Al-Baz Publishing, Houston, Texas, 1992). The quote is from the end of the twenty-fifth discourse, p. 182.
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Quite true article i found;
True and False Sufis,
from Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi
False Sufis steal the words of the Sufis and present them as their own, and thus trick people with the beautiful teachings, which they are merely imitators of. They do not have true knowledge of that which they are speaking. Many of the great Sufi Shuyukh speak of deceptive false Sufis - these people take the title of "Sufi" because it gives them a certain amount of prestige and power, and they take advantage of those who cannot tell false Sufism from the real thing.
On the topic of false Sufis, Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi says:
A disciple who is trained by a man of God will have a pure and purified spirit. But he who is trained by an imposter and hypocrite and who learns theory from him will be just like him: despicable, weak, incapable, morose, without any exit from uncertainties, and deficient in all his senses. "As for the unbelievers -- their protectors are idols, that bring them forth from the light into the shadows." (Qur'an 2:257).
[From the "Fihi ma fihi," translated by W. C. Chittick in "The Sufi Path of Love: the Spiritual Teachings of Jalaluddin Rumi," p. 145]
Furthermore, on the topic of false Sufis and the harm they do, Jalaluddin Rumi says (in poetry):
You are the disciple and guest of someone who in his vileness will steal away all your attainments.
He is not victorious -- how will he make you victorious? He will not give you light, he will make you dark.
Since he has no light, how can others receive light through associating with him?
Like a blind man who cures eyes: With what will he anoint your eyes other than wool? [...]
He has no scent or trace of God, but his claims are greater than those of Seth or Adam.
The devil himself is embarassed to appear before him; he keeps on saying, "We are of the saints and even greater."
He steals many of the words of the dervishes, so that people may think he really is someone.
In his talks he even cavils at Bayazid; Yazid himself is ashamed of him. (*)
He is destitute of the bread and provisions of heaven: God has not thrown him a single bone.
[From the Mathnawi of Jalaluddin Rumi, Book I, vv. 2265-68, 72-76, translated by W. C. Chittick in "The Sufi Path of Love: the Spiritual Teachings of Jalaluddin Rumi," p. 145-6.]
(*) Bayazid refers to the great Wali Allah, Bayazid al-Bistami; Yazid refers to the oppressive ruler.
Therefore we see that a great Shaykh such as Jalaluddin Rumi warns us of the false Sufis. False Sufis may even be more prevalent today than they were in the past. We must distinguish between true Sufis, who follow the Shari`ah, and false Sufis, who often do not.
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Read this article, quite appealing;
Reality of ‘Tasawwuf’ (sufism)
Sheikh Yusuf al-Sayyid Hashim al-Rafa’i
There is a great misunderstanding among the Muslims today about the reality of Tasawwuf. In fact, it is an essential part of Islamic culture and civilization. It is the spiritual part and face of Islam. It purifies the soul and the behavior of the Muslims, so to bring them close to Allah Taala Most High. The name of Tasawwuf may be related to one of the following sources: The woolen clothes (suf) which all Sufis used to wear or their intention towards purification (safa) of their souls and hearts in order to keep it ready to receive the blessing, the light, the mercy and grace of Allah Taala Most High or it is related to the name of Sahaba, the companions of Syedna Muhammad (Sallalaho Alaihe wa Sallam) peace be upon him, who were known as Ahl-e-Suffa.
Usually there is a sheikh who is also called Murshid, guide or Ustad, the teacher. Then there is Khanqa or Zawiya or Takiya which is the place where the Murshid sits in order to receive his followers, disciples or Murideen to teach them thoroughly and practically how to strive and fight with their Nafs "self" for Allah’s sake. These spiritual exercises are known to the Sufis as Mujahida. The Murid should continue the Mujahida until he reaches the stage of good will, Haq al Yaqin which is also named Maqam al Ihsan. He will then get close to the All Mighty Allah, and gain the perfect faith and tranquillity, Itminanah. The main means of reaching this stage are:
1. To be a good worshiper (Zakir) and be absorbed in continuous remembrance of Allah Almighty.
2. To be most modest and humble.
3. To refine oneself according to the instructions of the Murshid.
4. To be very pious since piety and humility are very essential.
5. To stay in the company (suhbat) of the sheikh (Murshid).
The following text has been selected from Ahmad Ibn Nagib al-Misri’s book The Reliance of the Traveler, Umdat us Salik, a classic manual of Islamic sacred law translated by Noah Ha Mim Keller.
In his book, Tanwir al-qulub fi mu’amala ‘Allam al-Ghuyub, Muhammad Amin Kurdi says: Sufism is a knowledge through which one knows the states of the human soul, praiseworthy or blameworthy, how to purify it from the blameworthy and ennoble it by acquiring the praiseworthy, and to journey and proceed to Allah Most High, fleeing unto Him. Its fruits are the heart’s development, knowledge of God through direct experience and ecstasy, salvation in the next world, triumph through gaining Allah’s pleasure, the attainment of eternal happiness, and illuminating and purifying the heart so that noble matters disclose themselves, extraordinary states are revealed, and one perceives what the insight of others is blind to.
In al-Maqasid fi bayan ma yajibu ma’rifatuhu min al-din, Nawawi states: The way of Sufism is based on five principles: having godfearingness privately and publicly, living according to the sunna in word and deed, indifference to whether others accept or reject one, satisfaction with Allah Most High in dearth and plenty, and returning to Allah in happiness or affliction. The principles of treating the illnesses of the soul are also five: lightening the stomach by diminishing one’s food and drink, taking refuge in Allah Most High from the unforeseen when it befalls, shunning situations that involve what one fears to fall victim to,
continually asking for Allah’s forgiveness and His blessings upon the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) night and day with full presence of mind, and keeping the company of him who guides one to Allah.
According to Imam Ahmad Zarruq’s book, Iqaz al-himam fi sharh al-Hikam: Aspects of Sufism, defined, delineated, and explained, amount to nearly two thousand, all of them reducible to sincerity in turning to Allah Most High, something of which they are only facets, and Allah knows best. The necessary condition of sincerity of approach is that it be what the Truth Most High accepts. Now, something lacking its necessary condition cannot exist, "And he does not accept unbelief for His servants"(Koran 39:7), so one must realize true faith (iman), "and if you show gratitude, He will accept it of you" (Koran 39:7), which entails applying Islam. So there is no Sufism except through comprehension of Sacred Law, for the outward rules of Allah Most High are not known save through it, and there is no comprehension of Sacred Law without Sufism, for works are nothing without sincerity of approach, as expressed by the words of Imam Malik (Allah have mercy on him):
"He who practices Sufism without learning Sacred Law corrupts his faith, while he who learns Sacred Law without practicing Sufism corrupts himself. Only he who combines the two proves true."
In Tabaqat al-kubra al-musamma bi Lawaqih al-anwar fi tabaqat al-akhyar, ‘Abd al-Wahhab Sha’rani writes: The path of the Sufis is built of the Koran and sunna, and is based upon living according to the morals of the prophets and purified ones. It may not be blamed unless it violates an explicit statement from the Koran, sunna, or scholarly consensus, exclusively. If it does not contravene one of these, the very most that one may say of it is that it is an understanding a Muslim man has been given, so let whoever wishes act upon it, and whoever does not refrain, this being as true of works as of understanding. So no pretext remains for condemning it except one’s own low opinion of others, or interpreting what they do as ostentation, which is unlawful.
Whoever carefully examines the branches of knowledge of the Folk of Allah Most High will find that none of them are beyond the pale of the Sacred Law. How should they lie beyond the pale of the Sacred Law when it is the law that connects the Sufis to Allah at every moment? Rather, the reason for the doubts of someone unfamiliar with the way of the Sufis that it is of the very essence of the Sacred Law is the fact that such a person has not thoroughly mastered the knowledge of the law. This is why Junayd (Allah Most High have mercy on him) said, "This knowledge of ours is built of the Koran and sunna," in reply to those of his time or any other who imagine that it is beyond the pale of the Koran and sunna.
The Folk unanimously concur that none is fit to teach in the path of Allah Mighty and Majestic save someone with comprehensive mastery of the Sacred Law, who knows its explicit and implicit rulings, which of them are of general applicability and which are particular, which supersede others and which are superseded. He must also have a thorough grounding in Arabic, be familiar with its figurative modes and similes, and so forth. So every true Sufi is a scholar in Sacred Law, though the reverse is not necessarily true.
To summarize, no one denies the states of the Sufis except someone ignorant of the way they are. Qushayri says, "No era of the Islamic period has had a true sheikh of this group, save that the Imams of the scholars of that time deferred to him, showed humility towards him, and visited him for the benefit of his spiritual grace (baraka). If the Folk had no superiority or election, the matter would have been the other way around."
In the book, Kitab qawqnin hukum al-ishraq ila kaffa al-Sufiyya fi jami’ al-afaq, Imam Ahmad Zarruq describes the characteristics of a true Sufi sheikh as follows: The conditions of a sheikh to whom a disciple may entrust himself are five:
(a) sound religious knowledge;
(b) true experience of the Divine;
(c) exalted purpose and will
(d) a praiseworthy nature;
(e) and penetrating insight.
Someone with all five of the following is not fit to be a sheikh:
(1) ignorance of the religion;
(2) disparaging the honor of the Muslims;
(3) involvement in what does not concern him;
(4) following caprice in everything;
(5) and showing bad character without a second thought.
If there is no sheikh who is a true guide (murshid), or there is one, but he lacks one of the five conditions, then the disciple should rely on those of his qualities that are perfected in him, and deal with him as a brother (A: meaning the sheikh and disciple advise one another) regarding the rest.
Al-Hall al-sadid li ma astashkalahu al-murid, written by Muhammad Hashimi, explains the purpose of taking a sheikh and a path: As for when the path is merely "for the blessing of it" and the sheikh lacks some of the conditions of a true guide, or when the disciples is seeking several different aims from it at once, or the disciple’s intention is contrary to the spiritual will of the sheikh, or the time required is unduly prolonged, or he is separated from his sheikh by the latter’s death or the exigencies of the times and has not yet completed his journey for him and convey him to what he seeks from the path, as it is not permissible for him to remain bound to the first sheikh his whole life if it is only to die in ignorance of his Lord, claiming that this is the purpose of the path. By no means is this the purpose. The purpose of the path is to reach the goal, and a path that does not reach it is a means without and end. The path was made for travel on it with the intention of reaching one’s goal, not for remaining and residing in even if this leads to dying in ignorance of one’s Lord. The meaning of true disciple is one who forthrightly submits himself to a living sheikh who is a guide (murshid) during the days of his journey to Allah Most High so that the sheikh may put him through the stages of the journey until he can say to him, "Here you are, and here is your Lord."
Sheikh Izz Ibn ‘Abd al-Salam’s book, al-Imam al-’Izz Ibn ‘Abd al-Salam wa atharuhu fi al-fiqh al-Islami, explains the importance of Sacred Law, Sharia for the Sufis: The Sacred Law is the scale upon which men are weighed and profit is distinguished from loss. He who weighs heavily on the scales of the Sacred Law is of the friends (awlyia) of Allah, among whom there is disparity of degree. And he comes up short in the scales of the Sacred Law is of the people of ruin, among whom there is also disparity of degree. If one sees someone who can fly through the air, walk on water, or inform one of the unseen, but who contravenes the Sacred Law by committing an unlawful act without an extenuating circumstance that legally excuses it, or who neglects an obligatory act without lawful reason, one may know that such a person is a devil Allah has placed there as a temptation to the ignorant. Nor is it farfetched that such a person should be one of the means by which Allah chooses to lead men astray, for the Antichrist will bring the dead to life and make the living die, all as a temptation and affliction to those who would be misled.
Sheikh ‘Abd al-Qahir Baghdadi quotes from Usul al-din, and explains the relationship between Sufism and orthodoxy: The book Tarik al-Sufiyya [The history of the Sufis] by Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Sulami, comprises the biographies of nearly a thousand sheikhs of the Sufis,
none of whom belonged to heretical sects and all of whom were of the Sunni community, with the exception of only three of them: Abu Himan of Damascus, who pretended to be of the Sufis but actually believed in incarnationism (hulul); Husayn ibn Mansur al-Hallaj, whose case remains problematic, though Ibn ‘Ata,' Ibn Khafif, and Abul Qasim al-Nasrabadhi approved of him; and al-Qannad, whom the Sufis accused of being a Mu’tazilite and rejected, for the good does not accept the wicked.
What is the relationship between philosophy and Sufism? Anyone who has made a serious study of "philosophy" must acknowledge that the term has been applied to a great many widely varying procedures and styles of thought throughout its long history, and that there is little substantial agreement among philosophers as to what philosophy is or should be. What Nawawi and other Islamic scholars seem to have in mind when they speak of the unlawful character of philosophy is not the efforts at a logical critique of the methodology of the sciences which have been seen particularly in this century, but rather cosmological theories and all-too-human attempts to solve ultimate questions about man, God, life after death, and so forth, without the divinely revealed guidance of the Koran and sunna. Any opinion that contradicts a well-know tenet of Islamic belief that there is scholarly consensus upon (ijma’) is unbelief (kufr), and is unlawful to learn or teach, except by way of explaining that it is unlawful. And Allah knows best.
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The article above which was posted, 'Deviated Path' by brother yusuf , i found this article below which refutes it...remember i am only trying to find the truth..and read everything with an open mind.
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Response to a Misleading Article on Islam and Sufism
Assalamu alaikum,
The following is a response I wrote to an article, "SUFISM: The Deviated Path" by Yusuf Hijazi, which spreads many lies about Islam and Sufism. The conclusions I came to regarding this article are:
Most of his sources criticizing the Sufis are in fact non-Muslim sources. This author seems to like to use non-Muslim sources to criticize and condemn Muslims, and to weaken the Muslim Ummah.
Most of his claims are demonstrably false, and the author is therefore guilty of spreading lies and slander about other Muslims, an act which is strongly condemned by the Prophet (s.a.w.), and which has major consequences in the next life.
The author accuses all Sufis of shirk and kufr. According to the Prophet (s.a.w.), if he is wrong in these claims, then the author of this article has himself left Islam.
The author also lacks knowledge about Ibn Taymiyah's views of Tasawwuf. Ibn Taymiyah praised some Sufis, and criticized others, on the basis of his understanding of Shari`ah.
The author also does not distinguish between authentic Tasawwuf and pseudo-Sufism, which is a major mistake.
The author apparently is not aware of a number of hadiths which support saying dhikr in a circle, saying "La ilaha illa llah," and saying "Allah Allah" as part of dhikr.
Here is the full response, which includes many references....
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>SUFISM: The Deviated Path
>By Br. Yusuf Hijazi
Insha-Allah, we will endeavour to answer every point explicitly.
The Prophet (s.a.w.) taught us that it is important to check and be very
careful about what you say, and that your tongue is one of the things
that can lead you into the Fire. It is unfortunate that, today, many
people spread lies about other Muslims. And what do they use as their
sources? They use the writings of non-Muslims!
The essay I am replying to is an example of this kind of writing. It
includes slander and lies about Muslims, and it uses as its source the
writings of non-Muslims to criticize Muslims. That this is done appears to
indicate that the author of this article considers himself closer to the
non-Muslims than to the Muslims, since he prefers to use non-Muslim
sources to slander his Muslim brothers in faith.
Insha-Allah, we will endeavour to point out the many errors which are
contained in this article. Insha-Allah, we will also endeavour to
clarify that most of the sources used in the article are in fact from
non-Muslims. Why would someone use non-Muslim sources to attack his
fellow Muslims? The only reason that comes to my mind is that such a
person may consider himself closer to the non-Muslims than to the
Muslims, and Allah knows best.
>Although many sects have appeared throughout the ages, none have outlasted
>as long and spread their effects into the homes of so many as Sufism has.
Only the first sentence, and already an error. Tasawwuf is not a
"sect." One of the great Sufis in history is Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi,
also known as Imam-i Rabbani, the great Renewer of Islam from India.
Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi wrote that the Shari`ah has three parts: knowledge,
actions, and sincerity. The role of Tasawwuf is to improve our practice
of the third aspect of the Shari`ah, namely sincerity.
Do Muslims who endeavour to improve their sincerity constitute a "sect"?
Certainly not.
>The emotional attachment that a countless number of Muslims have towards
>this sect is so powerful that any analysis should be purely from an
>objective perspective; thus this article takes an objective approach, and
>tries to be conservative rather than extreme in its analysis of Sufism.
The author seems to imply that "emotional attachment" is a negative
thing. Many people also have a strong "emotional attachment" to the
Final Religion of Allah, the religion of Islam. Is this a bad thing
too?
>Its
>conclusions however leave no doubt as to the alien nature of Sufi teachings
>that have infiltrated into the religion that our beloved Prophet (s.a.w)
>left us upon.
We shall see, insha-Allah.
>Sufism: Its Origins
> 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.
A number of origins of the word "Sufi" have been given.
In the book "Secret of Secrets" (Sirr al-Asrar), which has been
attributed to Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani, we read:
There is a group of people called the Sufis. Four interpretations
are given for this name. Some see, looking at their exterior, that
they wear rough woollen garb. In Arabic the word for wool is _suf_,
and they call them Sufis from this. Others, looking at their way
of life free from the anxieties of this world, and at their ease
and at peace, which in Arabic is _safa_, call them Sufis on that
account. Yet others, seeing deeper, look at their hearts, which
are purified of everything other than the Essence of Allah. Because
of the purity of those hearts, in Arabic _safi_, they term them
Sufis. Others who know call them Sufis because they are close to
Allah and will stand in the first row, in Arabic _saff_, before
Allah on the day of the Last Judgement.
[Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani, Secret of Secrets, translated by
Shaykh Tosun Bayrak, p. 65.]
>The early Sufi orders
>considered the wearing of this coat as an imitation of Isa bin Maryam
>(Jesus).
Certainly some Sufis might have considered this, however it is certainly
far from universal. Others would say because the wearing of a simple
woollen garment is simple and unpretentious.
>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 (s.a.w) used to wear cotton and other
>garments."1
Ibn Taymiyah did criticize some sayings and actions of some Sufis,
while on the other hand praising others. One of the Sufis he praised
was Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani, the founder of the Qadiri tariqa.
Often, people today only show one side of Ibn Taymiyah's writings --
those where he criticizes *some* Sufis -- and ignores the other part of
his writings -- those where he *praises* some Sufis. It is important to
keep this balance in mind, when considering the truth about Ibn
Taymiyah.
Ibn Taymiyah's general attitude to Sufism is given in the following
statement:
"Some people accept everything of Sufism, what is right as well as
what is wrong; others reject it totally, both what is wrong as
well as what is right, as some scholars of _kalam_ and _fiqh_
do. The right attitude toward Sufism, or any other thing, is to
accept what is in agreement with the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and
reject what does not agree."
[Quote originally from Majmu` Fatawa Shaykh 'l-Islam Ibn Taymiyah,
compiled by `Abd 'l-Rahman 'l-Asimi and his son Muhammad,
Riyadh, Vol. X, p. 82. English translation of this statement
from "Sufism and Shari`ah: A Study of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi's
Effort to Reform Sufism" by Muhammad Abdul Haq Ansari,
published by the Islamic Foundation, 1986, p. 130.]
Ibn Taymiyah was certainly not opposed to Sufism, though he did oppose
some of the statements of some Sufis, such as Ibn al-Arabi, while on the
other hand greatly praising other Sufis, such as Shaykh Abdul-Qadir
al-Jilani. Ibn Taymiyah even wrote a commentary on Shaykh Abdul-Qadir
al-Jilani's collection of talks, "Futuh al-Ghayb," which he had much
praise for.
More details on Ibn Taymiyah and Sufism can be found in the book,
"Sufism and Shari`ah" by Muhammad Abdul Haq Ansari, published by the
Islamic Foundation in 1986, pp. 130-139.
>Sufism is known as "Islamic Mysticism," in which Muslims seek
>to find divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of
>God2.
Reference 2 here which the author is using is Encyclopaedia Britannica.
It helps to demonstrate that he is relying on non-Muslim sources to
slander Muslims.
Regarding the statement, it is true that Tasawwuf is a path of
experience of getting closer to Allah. However, it is usually
non-Muslims who call it "Islamic Mysticism," and the author has decided
to copy the probably non-Muslim authors of the Encyclopaedia Britannica
in his use of the term.
>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
This is a definition from a dictionary he has referred to. It is not
clear that it has any relevence, since he has not used any Muslim
sources so far, but instead the author prefers to follow the words of
non-Muslims.
>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.
The term "tafsir" and many other terms also have no basis from the Qur'an
and Sunnah. So what? It is the meaning which we are discussing. Clearly
there were commentaries on the Qur'an were a reality before such
commentary came to be known by the name "tafsir." The same also goes for
Tasawwuf, which is the science of perfecting your ikhlas (sincerity),
according to Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi.
>Rather,
>Sufism is in essence a conglomerate consisting of extracts from a multitude
>of other religions with which Sufi's interacted.
The author does not give a reference here, however this theory comes
from non-Muslim orientalists of late last century and early this
century. By following this theory, the author again shows that he
prefers to follow the words of non-Muslims rather than the words of
Muslims.
By the way, not even non-Muslim orientalists believe this any more.
This theory is nowadays only kept alive by those Muslims who find it
convenient, and use it to attack and slander other Muslims, and who like
to divide and weaken the Ummah.
Why do they do this, and constantly weaken the Muslim Ummah? I believe
it is from the ego.... by attacking others, the ego gets a sense of
self-gratification and superiority, like Iblis who refused to bow down
to Adam, because he thought he was superior, as he was made from fire,
while Adam was made from clay. May Allah protect us from such arrogance
and egotism, and help us to be humble.
>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".
No reference has been provided. You can provide all these references to
non-Muslim sources, but you cannot even provide a reference for a
supposed statement by Imam al-Shafi'i? Why can't you provide the
reference?
>Imam Malik and Ahmad bin Hanbal also shared similar ideas
>on this new movement which emanated from Basrah, Iraq.
Again, no references are provided for these claims.
On the other hand, we do have the reported saying of Imam Malik, who
said:
"He who practices Tasawwuf without learning Shari`ah corrupts his
faith, while he who learns Shari`ah without practicing Tasawwuf
corrupts himself. Only he who combines the two proves true."
[The English translation of this comes from the book "Islamic Beliefs
and Doctrine According to Ahl al-Sunna" by Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, p. 278.
The original references are given as: "It is related by the muhaddith
Ahmad Zarruq, the hafiz `Ali al-Qari al-Harawi, the muhaddiths `Ali bin
Ahmad al-`Adawi and Ibn `Ajiba, and others." More references are
listed in a footnote, for those who wish to find the complete
references.]
>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.
This is an incorrect exaggeration. There is no limit to dhikr, there
are hadiths to this effect. Are you claiming that there is a limit to
dhikr, in contradiction to the hadiths?
>Sufism as an
>organised movement arose among pious Muslims as a reaction against the
>worldliness of the early Umayyad period (AD 661-750)4.
This is incorrect. The earliest organized Sufi tariqa was the Qadiri
tariqa, which was founded by Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani (or, more
technically, by his sons). Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani lived in the
12th Century CE. To my understanding, the organization of the Sufi
turuq was a reaction to the Mongol invasion, which destroyed and
disrupted everything in its path. The various turuq were organized
in the wake of the Mongol invasion to help preserve their teachings.
>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-Majnoon 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 likeof Ibn Arabi.
No references have been given, however such theories usually come from
orientalists, who are not Muslims. I suggest it is probably likely that
the above story has come from non-Muslim orientalists, which the author
of this article seems to prefer to follow instead of the words of Muslims,
even though not even present-day orientalists believe in this any more.
>The Mixing Pot
>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
I have never heard of Sufis using magic in the courts! What a
ridiculous story. The reference (5) given here is a reference to a book
by Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, a present-day writer. What was his
source? Please provide original sources, since I wouldn't be surprised
if the source for this also came from non-Muslim orientalists, which is
where many such stories originate from, until they are copied by Muslims
seeking ways of attacking other Muslims and wanting to divide and weaken
the Ummah, by following the words of non-Muslims.
>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 (s.a.w). 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:
Sharda is a Hindu, to my understanding. Again, we see the phenomenon of
trusting the words of non-Muslims more than the words of Muslims, which
perhaps shows with whom this author's true agreement lies.
The claim that Sufism originated in religions other than Islam comes
from non-Muslim orientalists, such as, for example, R. A. Nicholson and
others. The above paragraph is another clear example of how this author
has preferred the words of non-Muslims more than the words of Muslims,
using theories by people like Nicholson (a Christian) and quoting the
words of Sharda (a Hindu).
The traditional Islamic perspective on Tasawwuf (Sufism) is that it
originates in the Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet (s.a.w.).
Each Sufi tariqa has a silsila (chain of authority) reaching back to the
Prophet (s.a.w.). Modern orientalists also consider that Tasawwuf
originated in Islam, in agreement with traditional Islamic views on the
topic, and it is only the orientalists of late last century and early
this century who proposed the theory the author of this article likes.
It is shameful that some Muslims today have reached a stage where they
prefer to follow non-Muslims even more than their own brothers in Islam.
>The following comparison
>demonstrates the non-coincidental similarity that Sufism shares with other
>religions:
>Concept of validity of all religions
<...Things deleted....>
Here the author claims that Tasawwuf teaches the validity of all
religions. This claim is false and incorrect.
A clear discussion of this, from the viewpoint of traditional Islam
(of which Tasawwuf is a part), can be found in the article by Nuh Ha Mim
Keller,
"On the validity of all religions in the thought of ibn al-`Arabi and
Emir `Abd al-Qadir"
at the web page
http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/avenue/acf42/Islam/Nuh/amat.htm
Nuh Ha Mim Keller shows that the belief in the universal validity
of all religions is not part of authentic Sufi teachings, and not part
of the teachings of Ibn al-Arabi (contrary to the claims of the author
of this article and some others, who take only a very selective reading
of the writings of Ibn al-Arabi, rather than a comprehensive one).
>Union with the Creator
>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.
<...Rest on this topic deleted...>
There are differing opinions regarding this matter among those of the
Sufi path, and the author incorrectly does not acknowledge this.
For example, Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (the great Shaykh I mentioned
earlier), criticized Ibn al-Arabi's doctrine of Wahdat al-Wujud as being
erroneous. This he has clearly stated in his writings. He considers
this doctrine to be an error of not having traversed far enough along
the path of spiritual experience. More information on this topic can be
found in the book "Sufism and Shari`ah" by Muhammad Abdul Haq Ansari.
On the other hand, others also interpret "Wahdat al-Wujud" to mean
that nothing exists of itself, independent of everything else, except
Allah. Such an understanding is certainly within Islam, since everything
which *isn't* Allah depends upon Allah for its existence. For more on
this understanding, see the article
"`Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi and Akram Safadi," by Ustadha Umm Sahl,
on the web page
http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/avenue/acf42/Islam/MISC/nabulsi.htm
The approach taken by the author of the article I am responding to is
simply naive and incorrect, and certainly does not do justice to the
issue.
>Incorporation of Music in Rituals
Insha-Allah, I won't deal with this in great detail, as it is a lengthy
topic in itself, with much discussion already by others, such as in the
writings of al-Ghazali, for example.
>Music of all forms is forbidden by the majority of scholars, and remains
>attached to forbidden practices such as drinking, fornication and parties.
This is false, as there is a hadith that the Prophet (s.a.w.) permitted
the use of the drum at weddings, for example. Furthermore, if I recall
correctly, there are hadiths which mention that Prophet Dawud (a.s.)
played the flute.
A short answer on this topic is that:
- Many Sufi groups do not use any instruments or music whatsoever.
I have attended a Naqshbandi tariqa which never uses any music or
instruments, for example (I am speaking from experience).
- Some Sufi groups do utilize music, but with restriction, and this topic
has been discussed in detail by al-Ghazali.
- There are other opinions regarding the permissability of music, so
stating that there is only one viewpoint of the Islamic scholars is
incorrect.
I have written some articles on this topic, discussing the various
evidences and hadiths and viewpoints of the scholars, insha-Allah if
there is demand I would be happy to post my article on this e-list.
In brief, an example of a scholar who is not opposed to music in an
absolute way is Yusuf al-Qaradawi, in his opinion stated in his book,
"The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam."
>Sufi Sheikhs: Role Models or Deviants?
>Bayazid Tayfur al-Bistami Bayazid is considered to be "of the six bright
>stars in the firmament of the Prophet (s.a.w)"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.
Such a state is mentioned in a hadith qudsi:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with
him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah
(mighty and sublime be He) said:
Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at
war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything
more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon
him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with
supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him
I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he
sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he
walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it
to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant
him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate
about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death
and I hate hurting him.
It was related by al-Bukhari.
>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.
These statements are not considered to be statements of reality, but
rather statements of what they felt under ecstatic experience. The
experience is one of overwhelming experience of Allah.
If you read the above hadith carefully, you will see it refers to this
type of experience. The key is that on the authentic path of Tasawwuf,
these statements are not considered to be statements of reality, but
rather of experience, and it is what is also referred to in the hadith
qudsi quoted above.
>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."
I am not aware of such a statement. What is the reference? No
reference has been given.
<...Some more claims about Abu Yazid al-Bistami, again with no
references and which I have never heard of before, I have deleted....
please provide references...>
>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
You have left out most of the story!
Here is a summary of the story....
According to a Sufi teaching-story from Fariduddin Attar's "Tadhkirat
al-Awliyya," upon coming across a dog, Abu Yazid al-Bistami is reported
to have said to the dog,
"You are unclean outwardly, I am inwardly unclean. Come, let us
work together, that through our united efforts we may both become
clean."
The dog rejected this suggestion to work together, since the dog's
view was that
"You are not fit to travel with me and be my partner. For I am
rejected of all men, whereas you are accepted of men. Whoever
encounters me throws a stone at me; whoever encounters you greets
you as King of the Sufis. I never store up a single bone for the
morrow; you have a whole barrel of wheat for the morrow."
At this, Abu Yazid lamented,
"I am not fit to travel along with a dog, how then shall I travel
along with the Eternal and Everlasting One? Glory be to that God,
who educates the best of creatures by means of the least of
creatures!"
Abu Yazid al-Bistami was not too haughty to learn from a lowly
creature -- in fact, what he learned from the dog was simplicity and
humility, and to eschew haughtiness and fame. Avoiding haughtiness is
a very fundamental Islamic lesson, since haughtiness is in fact what
caused Satan to rebel against God (Qur'an 2:34). Those who are too
haughty to learn from a lowly creature are most likely in fact those
who need this lesson the most.
Unfortunately, by cutting out most of the story, the author of the
article I am replying to completely distorts the story, and the whole
meaning of the story is not given, which is about teaching humility, an
important teaching of Islam.
>Ibn Arabi
<...Rest deleted...>
Insha-Allah, I won't discuss Ibn Arabi. For more, please refer to what
I said already regarding opinions on "Wahdat al-Wujud."
Also, insha-Allah, I won't discuss Hallaj, except to note that, among
the Sufis, there were also those who opposed him, such as his own
teacher, Junayd.
>Evidence Against their teachings: their beliefs and practices
>Position of the Sheikh and Wali
>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:
This is false, in my experience. The Shaykh is a teacher, and is obeyed
as one would obey or disobey a teacher, in accordance with the Qur'an
and Sunnah.
>The Sheikh is given
>the standing of a deity in Sufism.
This kind of statement is slander of the worst kind, and is absolutely
false. The relationship of a Shaykh and murid is just the relationship
of a teacher and student.
The Prophet (s.a.w.) condemned such statements in the strongest terms.
It is reported on the authority of Ibn `Umar that the Prophet (may
peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Any person who calls his brother: O Unbeliever! (then the truth
of this label) would return to one of them. If it is true,
(then it is) as he asserted, (but if it is not true), then it
returns to him (and thus the person who made the accusation is
an Unbeliever).
[Muslim]
By saying that the role of the Shaykh is that of a deity, this
person is calling all Sufis to be mushriks. According to the statement
of the Prophet (s.a.w.), if this person's claim is incorrect, then the
author of this article has, by his statement, left the religion of
Islam. By my own witness and experience, the statement of the author is
incorrect.
May Allah protect us from following the slanderous author of this
article in his fate.
>Distortion of the concepts of zikr, hadith, Qur'an
>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.
It is true that the Qur'an has depths upon depths of meaning. One does
not have to be a Shaykh to realize the incredible richness of the
Qur'an.
Say: "If the oceans were ink (wherewith to write out) the words
of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the
words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it, for its
aid."
[Qur'an 18:109]
It is unfortunate if Allah has not given you the eyes to see it.
>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 (s.a.w) 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 (s.a.w) nor the Salaf,
>and all hadith which state that the Prophet (s.a.w) 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.
There are a number of hadiths about making dhikr in a group, and making
dhikr saying "La ilaha illa Allah."
Hazrat Jabir relates that he heard the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.)
having said:
"The best remembrance of Allah is `La ilaha illa llah.'"
[Tirmizi, also related in the Riyadh us-Saliheen of Imam Nawawi]
Another relevent hadith is the following one...
Hazrat Abu Sa`eed Khudri relates that once Hazrat Mu`awiyah
visited the mosque and saw a circle (of reciters). He asked,
"What has made you sit?" The said, "We have assembled here to
remember Allah." He said, "By Allah you did not sit except for
this purpose?" They affirmed, "We did not sit except for this."
Hazrat Mu`awiyah then told them, "I did not ask you to swear
on account of any malice. None of you can match me for scanty
narration of the Prophet (s.a.w.) (and as such have narrated
very few traditions about him). The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.)
once visited a gathering of his companions and inquired,
`What has made you assemble here?' They answered, `We have
gathered to remember Allah and praise Him for having led us
to Islam and granted this favour to us.' The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.)
inquired, `Do you affirm by Allah that it is so?' The Holy
Prophet's Companions affirmed, `By Allah we are sitting here for
this purpose only.' He said, `I have not put you on oath on
account of any doubt, but angel Jibreel had visited me and told
me that Allah felt proud of you among the angels.'"
[Muslim, and also in the Riyadh us-Saliheen.]
This hadith shows clearly that
- In the time of the Prophet (s.a.w.), he approved of people
gathering in circles for dhikr (against the claims of the author
we are responding to),
- The hadith is from Sahih Muslim, so it is a sound hadith.
This tradition of making dhikr in a circle in assembly continues in
the Sufi turuq.
The Qur'an also says in meaning:
Lo! In the creation of the Heavens and the earth and in the night
and day are tokens (of His sovereignty) for men of understanding,
such as remember Allah, in standing, sitting, and reclining.
[Qur'an 3:190-191]
What this part of the Qur'an establishes is that posture is not
important in performing dhikr -- standing, sitting, or reclining.
Presumably other postures are also okay, so criticisms about posture
during dhikr is irrelevent.
Finally, the Qur'an also says
Say: "Truly Allah leaves to stray whom He will, but He guides
to Himself those who turn to Him in penitence -- Those who
believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remebrance
of Allah, for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts
find satisfaction.
[Qur'an 13:27-28]
This part of the Qur'an suggests that if from your dhikr you are
finding peace in your heart, then there is something good about
your dhikr. It is for this experience of peace in your heart,
which is a reality which can be experienced, for which many on the
Sufi path do dhikr, to get closer to Allah.
>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 zikr, and has no attached word to complete it (such as Allahu
>Akbar, Subhaan Allah).26
The Prophet said, "The Hour will not arise before `Allah, Allah' is
no longer said on earth."
[Muslim]
This hadith clearly refers to repetition in saying, "Allah, Allah."
Much more discussion, based on clear hadith, regarding dhikr, can be
found on the web page
http://sunnah.org/ibadaat/dhikrtable.htm
>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.
Khidr is generally understood to be the one referred to in Qur'an 18:60
onwards, who meets Musa (a.s.), though he is not named.
>Innovation
>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 (s.a.w) 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 (s.a.w) (a practice adopted from the
>reign of Fatamids, who began this innovation in order to seek the pleasure
>of the masses),
I have never heard of "celebrating the death of the Prophet." I wonder
where this came from???
>Why they still survive
>Emotional attachment
>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.
Well, I can only speak personally here. The reason I am in favour of
Tasawwuf, or Sufism, is because it is through the practice of dhikr
within a Sufi tariqa that I felt my heart open, and I really felt some
closeness to Allah.
In contrast to the understanding of Islam of some other Muslims -- which
is often dry and devoid of spiritual reality, and consists instead of
slandering anyone who disagrees with them -- the people of the Sufi path
I have known are soft-hearted, speak kind words, and seem to truly
manifest the authentic spirit of Islam.
>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
Yes, it is true, much Sufi poetry is very beautiful. What is the
subject of this poetry? Usually the subject of this poetry is their
overwhelming love of Allah.
Those of faith are overflowing in their love for Allah.
[Qur'an 2:165]
>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.
These claims are very strange, since it is often Sufi organizations
which are active in helping other Muslims.
>Similarity with pagan beliefs
>Sufism is so similar to other religions, and as we noted earlier very
>tolerant of them,
As I pointed out earlier, this claim is false. The authentic Sufi
viewpoint considers Islam as the final religion.
The author does not distinguish between true Sufis and pseudo-Sufis,
which is a big mistake he makes. All the great Sufis condemned the
pseudo-Sufis, who use the words of the Sufis, but know nothing of the
reality of the path.
>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
This is often a hallmark of pseudo-Sufism, not authentic Tasawwuf.
>Sufism offers its
>followers a life carefree from fighting (Jihad),
What a strange claim! The Sufis have often been at the forefront of
Jihad. The founder of the Islamic independence movement in Chechnia was
Shaykh Shamil, a Naqshbandi Sufi Shaykh. The founder of the Chinese
Muslim independence movement in China last century was Ma Hualong, who
was also a Naqshbandi Sufi Shaykh. The founder of the Ikhwan
al-Muslimeen, Hasan al-Banna, was a Sufi of the Hasafiyya tariqa. And
there are many other examples in addition to this!
>politics,
Again, Hasan al-Banna was the founder of the Ikhwan al-Muslimeen, and he
was a member of the Hasafiyya tariqa. One of the founders of the
Islamic movement in Turkey was Shaykh Mehmed Zahid Kotku, a Naqshbandi
Shaykh. The man who was largely responsible to bringing much of India
back to authentic Islamic rule in the 17th Century CE, after the
pro-Hindu rule of Akbar, was Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi, a Naqshbandi Shaykh.
The man largely responsible for helping to bring Islam to West Africa was
Uthman dan Fodio, a Qadiri Shaykh. And there are many more!
The claims above, that Sufis are not involved with jihad or in bringing
the state to Islam, are clearly based on sheer ignorance of history.
>the initiative
>to seek knowledge and teach it, the work of Da'wah,
Again, this is complete ignorance. Tasawwuf was largely responsible for
bringing Islam to Central Asia, Chechnia, China, Indonesia and Malaysia,
the many countries of West Africa, and other places besides!
How can it be claimed that Sufis do not do Da'wah? It is simply a
statement based on complete ignorance of history.
>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.
What this statement ignores is that *all* the Sufi turuq were banned by
Mustafa Kemal. So to claim that Kemal approved of the Sufis is again
based on complete ignorance of the history of Turkey.
In fact, it was *especially* the Mevlevi tariqa which was persecuted,
because the Mevlevi Sufis were close to the Ottomon Sultans, and a
number of the Ottoman rulers of history were actually members of the
Mevlevi tariqa.
As for the "special permission," it was not permission for the tariqa to
function, but just permission to give a show as a tourist attraction.
It was probably a further plot to try to kill the tariqa, and certainly
not a favour.
>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.
To my understanding, the Shaykh in question is inviting people to Islam,
including Bill Clinton. This is in the tradition of the Prophet
(s.a.w.), who dictated letters which were sent to various rulers,
inviting them to Islam.
It is a shame that this author's knowledge of Islamic history seems to
be so amazingly poor.
<....Some repetition here, which I already addressed above, so it has been
deleted....>
>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."
It is unfortunate that the writings of Ibn Taymiyah are not studied by
the above author.
Ibn Taymiyah divided Sufis into three groups.
The first group were those who, according to Ibn Taymiyah, were never
"intoxicated" and did not lose their sense of discrimination, and who
never said or did anything even remotely against the Qur'an and Sunnah.
In this group, Ibn Taymiyah included Ibrahim ibn Adham, Junayd, and
Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani, for example.
The second group were those whose experience of _fana_ ("annihilation")
and intoxication (_sukr_) weakened their sense of discrimination, and
made them say words which they later realized were incorrect (in their
outer sense) when they became sober. However, he does not condemn their
experiences or what they said or did, and he offers apology for them on
account that they were in an intoxicated state, and had lost control
over reason. In this group, Ibn Taymiyah includes Abu Yazid al-Bistami
and Abu Bakr 'l-Shibli.
The third group are those who Ibn Taymiyah strongly criticized. Those
in this group include al-Hallaj and Ibn al-Arabi.
This is reported in the book, "Sufism and Shari`ah," by Muhammad Abdul
Haq Ansari, pp. 130-132. A large portion of chapter 5 of this book is
devoted to discussing Ibn Taymiyah's views of Sufism.
Therefore, to say that Ibn Taymiyah uncritically condemned Sufism is
completely incorrect. Rather, he supported some Sufis, and condemned
some, based on his understanding of Shari`ah.
>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.
These claims have certainly not been proved in this article. Rather,
what we have mostly seen are a mixture of lies about the Sufis, based on
non-Muslim sources, lack of knowledge about many hadiths and lack of
knowledge about history. We have also seen accusations of shirk and
kufr, however, we have also seen that, according to a hadith, if this
author is incorrect in his claims, then he is in fact the one who has
left Islam, and will pay for leaving Islam in the life to come.
>In truth, Islam is sufficient for us, and it is only Shaytaan
>who wishes to turn us away from our religion, to make us exceed the limits,
>and fall into his trap. The only sure way to avoid this is to grasp tightly
>onto what was left to us by our beloved Prophet (s.a.w), the Qur'an and
>Sunnah, as understood and believed and acted upon by the best people to
>have lived: the Salaf us Saalih, the Companions and those who followed
>their footsteps.
In conclusion, we note:
- Most of his sources criticizing the Sufis are in fact non-Muslim
sources. This author seems to like to use non-Muslim sources to
criticize and condemn Muslims, and to weaken the Muslim Ummah.
- Most of his claims are demonstrably false, and the author is
therefore guilty of spreading lies and slander about other Muslims,
an act which is strongly condemned by the Prophet (s.a.w.), and
which has major consequences in the next life.
- The author accuses all Sufis of shirk and kufr. According to the
Prophet (s.a.w.), if he is wrong in these claims, then the author
of this article has himself left Islam.
- The author also lacks knowledge about Ibn Taymiyah's views of
Tasawwuf. Ibn Taymiyah praised some Sufis, and criticized others,
on the basis of his understanding of Shari`ah.
- The author also does not distinguish between authentic Tasawwuf
and pseudo-Sufism, which is a major mistake.
- The author apparently is not aware of a number of hadiths which
support saying dhikr in a circle, saying "La ilaha illa llah,"
and saying "Allah Allah" as part of dhikr.
May Allah bless and reward those who seek closeness to Him sincerely.
Wassalam,
Fariduddien Rice
.............
I got some more info...
..........
HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THE CLAIM THAT SUFISM IS BID'A?
I would respond by looking to see how traditional ulama or Islamic scholars have viewed it. For the longest period of Islamic history--from Umayyad times to Abbasid, to Mameluke, to the end of the six-hundred-year Ottoman period--Sufism has been taught and understood as an Islamic discipline, like Qur'anic exegesis (tafsir), hadith, Qur'an recital (tajwid), tenets of faith (ilm al-tawhid) or any other, each of which preserved some particular aspect of the din or religion of Islam. While the details and terminology of these shari'a disciplines were unknown to the first generation of Muslims, when they did come into being, they were not considered bid'a or "reprehensible innovation" by the ulema of shari'a because for them, bid'a did not pertain to means, but rather to ends, or more specifically, those ends that nothing in Islam attested to the validity of.
To illustrate this point, we may note that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) never in his life prayed in a mosque built of reinforced concrete, with a carpeted floor, glass windows, and so on, yet these are not considered bid'a, because we Muslims have been commanded to come together in mosques to perform the prayer, and large new buildings for this are merely a means to carry out the command.
In the realm of knowledge, books of detailed interpretation of the Qur'an, verse by verse and sura by sura, were not known to the first generation of Islam, nor was the term tafsir current among them, yet because of its benefit in preserving a vital aspect of the revelation, the understanding of the Qur'an, when the tafsir literature came into being, it was acknowledged to serve an end endorsed by the shari'a and was not condemned as bid'a. The same is true of most of the Islamic sciences, such as ilm al-jarh wa tadil or "the science of weighing positive and negative factors for evaluating the reliability of hadith narrators", or ilm al-tawhid, "the science of tenets of Islamic faith", and other disciplines essential to the shari'a. In this connection, Imam Shafi'i (d. 204/820) has said, "Anything which has a support (mustanad) from the shari'a is not bid'a, even if the early Muslims did not do it" (Ahmad al-Ghimari, Tashnif al-adhan, Cairo: Maktaba al-Khanji, n.d., 133).
Similarly ilm al-tasawwuf, "the science of Sufism" came into being to preserve and transmit a particular aspect of the shari'a, that of ikhlas or sincerity. It was recognized that the sunna of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was not only words and actions, but also states of being: that a Muslim must not only say certain things and do certain things, but must also be something. The shari'a commands one, for example, in many Qur'anic verses and prophetic hadiths, to fear Allah, to have sincerity toward Him, to be so certain in ones knowledge of Allah that one worships Him as if one sees Him, to love the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) more than any other human being, to show love and respect to all fellow Muslims, to show mercy, and to have many other states of the heart. It likewise forbids us such inward states as envy, malice, pride, arrogance, love of this world, anger for the sake of ones ego, and so on. Al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi relates, for example, with a chain of transmission judged rigorously authenticated (sahih) by Ibn Main, the hadith "Anger spoils faith (iman) as [the bitterness of] aloes sap spoils honey" (Nawadir al-usul. Istanbul 1294/1877. Reprint.
Beirut: Dar Sadir, n.d., 6).
If we reflect upon these states, obligatory to attain or to eliminate, we notice that they proceed from dispositions, dispositions not only lacking in the unregenerate human heart, but acquired only with some effort, resulting in a human change so profound that the Qur'an in many verses terms it purification, as when Allah says in surat al-Ala, for example, "He has succeeded who purifies himself" (Qur'an 87:14). Bringing about this change is the aim of the Islamic science of Sufism, and it cannot be termed bid'a, because the shari'a commands us to accomplish the change.
At the practical level, the nature of this science of purifying the heart (like virtually all other traditional Islamic disciplines) requires that the knowledge be taken from those who possess it. This is why historically we find that groups of students gathered around particular sheikhs to learn the discipline of Sufism from. While such tariqas or groups, past and present, have emphasized different ways to realize the attachment of the heart to Allah commanded by the Islamic revelation, some features are found in all of them, such as learning knowledge from a teacher by precept and example, and then methodically increasing ones iman or faith by applying this knowledge through performing obligatory and supererogatory works of worship, among the greatest of latter being dhikr or the remembrance of Allah. There is much in the Qur'an and sunna that attests to the validity of this approach, such as the hadith related by al-Bukhari that:
Allah Most High says: "....My slave approaches Me with nothing more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him, and My slave keeps drawing nearer to Me with voluntary works until I love him. And when I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he seizes, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks me, I will surely give to him, and if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely protect him (Sahih al-Bukhari. 9 vols. Cairo 1313/1895. Reprint (9 vols. in 3). Beirut: Dar al-Jil, n.d., 5.131: 6502)--which is a way of expressing that such a person has realized the consummate awareness of tawhid or "unity of Allah" demanded by the shari'a, which entails total sincerity to Allah in all one's actions. Because of this hadith, and others, traditional ulama have long acknowledged that ilm or "Sacred Knowledge" is not sufficient in itself, but also entails amal or "applying what one knows"--as well as the resultant hal or "praiseworthy spiritual state" mentioned in the hadith.
It was perceived in all Islamic times that when a scholar joins between these aspects, his words mirror his humility and sincerity, and for that reason enter the hearts of listeners. This is why we find that so many of the Islamic scholars to whom Allah gave tawfiq or success in their work were Sufis. Indeed, to throw away every traditional work of the Islamic sciences authored by those educated by Sufis would be to discard 75 percent or more of the books of Islam. These men included such scholars as the Hanafi Imam Muhammad Amin Ibn Abidin, Sheikh al-Islam Zakaria al-Ansari, Imam Ibn Daqiq al-Eid, Imam al-Izz Ibn Abd al-Salam, Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Sheikh Ahmad al-Sirhindi, Sheikh Ibrahim al-Bajuri, Imam al-Ghazali, Shah Wali Allah al-Dahlawi, Imam al-Nawawi, the hadith master (hafiz, someone with 100,000 hadiths by memory) Abd al-Adhim al-Mundhiri, the hadith master Murtada al-Zabidi, the hadith master Abd al-Rauf al-Manawi, the hadith master Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, the hadith master Taqi al-Din al-Subki, Imam al-Rafi'i, Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, Zayn al-Din al-Mallibari, Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri, and many many others.
Imam al-Nawawi's attitude towards Sufism is plain from his work Bustan al-arifin [The grove of the knowers of Allah] on the subject, as well as his references to al-Qushayris famous Sufi manual al-Risala al-Qushayriyya throughout his own Kitab al-adhkar [Book of
the remembrances of Allah], and the fact that fifteen out of seventeen quotations about sincerity (ikhlas) and being true (sidq) in an introductory section of his largest legal work (al-Majmu: sharh al-Muhadhdhab. 20 vols. Cairo n.d. Reprint. Medina: al-Maktaba al-Salafiyya, n.d., 1.1718) are from Sufis who appear by name in al-Sulamis Tabaqat al-Sufiyya [The successive generations of Sufis]. Even Ibn Taymiyya (whose views on Sufism remain strangely unfamiliar even to those for whom he is their "Sheikh of Islam") devoted volumes ten and eleven of his Majmu al-fatawa to Sufism, while his student Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya wrote his three-volume Madarij al-salikin as a detailed commentary on Abdullah al-Ansaris Manazil al-sairin, a guide to the maqamat or "spiritual stations" of the Sufi path. These and many other Muslim scholars knew firsthand the value of Sufism as an ancillary shari'a discipline needed to purify the heart, and this was the reason that the Umma as a whole did not judge Sufism to be a bid'a down through the ages of Islamic civilization, but rather recognized it as the science of ikhlas or sincerity, so urgently needed by every Muslim on "a day when wealth will not avail, nor sons, but only him who brings Allah a sound heart" (Qur'an 26:88). And Allah alone gives success.
© Nuh Ha Mim Keller 1995
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TASAWWUF:
Its meaning and significance
Shaykh Siraj Hendricks
Tasawwuf has been variously defined by various scholars. In his book "awaarif al Ma`aarif" (the Fragrances of Inner Knowledge), Suhrawardi mentions that more than a thousand definitions exist for Tasawwuf. However, a cursory study of some of these definitions will reveal that they differ mostly in their wording and their emphases. For the purposes of this essay I will provide three definitions.
Shaykh Abu Bakr ash-Shibli has defined Tasawwuf as follows:
"Its beginning is the knowledge (Ma`rifa) of Allah and its end is His unification (Tauheed)."
Junayd al-Baghdadi defines it as "... being dead to one`s self and alive in Allah".
And Shaykh ul-Islam Zakariyya Ansari has said:
"Sufism teaches one to purify one`s self, improve one`s morals, and build up one`s inner and outer life in order to attain perpetual bliss. Is subject matter is the purification of the soul and its end or aim is the attainment of eternal felicity and blessedness."
These three definitions - the first pertaining to the intellect (`aql), the second to a state of being (hal), and the third to ethics (akhlaq) - cover the major concerns of the Sufi quest.
The first definition therefore, sets out the ultimate nature of things viz. That everything subsists through and by the Will of Allah. The second emphasises the importance of renouncing the ego or lower self. Arrogance, conceit, and self-centredness are considered amongst the greatest veils between man and Allah.
It is this state of being or condition (hal) which Rabia al-`Adawiyya gave expression to when she said: "If I seek repentance of myself then I shall have need of repentance again". Rabia counted the mere acknowledgement of the individual ego amongst the greatest of sins. The third definition has in mind the development of the human personality along the best of moral values. This process is made possible through the twin processes of purification (Tazkiyyah) and adornment (Tahliyya). That is, purifying the self from all blameworthy qualities, and adorning it with all praiseworthy qualities.
Origin of the term "Sufi"
Lexicographers have identified a number of source words from which the term Sufi is derived. The most widely accepted word from which Sufi is derived is "suf" meaning wool. The earlier ascetics often donned woollen garments to express their inner detachment from the world and their rejection of the excessive materialism of the earlier Islamic dynasties, particularly the Umayyad dynasty.
Other terms that suggest themselves as source words are the following:
Safa, meaning purification.
Safwe, which means those who are selected.
Suffa, meaning a bench or low veranda. During the time of the Prophet (may the peach and blessings of Allah be upon him) a number of Companions disengaged themselves from normal worldly activities and devoted themselves to an ascetic way of life. They came to be known as the Ashaab us-Suffa or "Companions of the Bench". They spent the greater part of their lives in acts of devotion on a low veranda in the vicinity of the Prophet`s (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mosque.
Saff, meaning rank, line, or row. The first row in congregational prayers in Islam has been accorded a special status for it symbolises those who are in the first rank of spirituality.
From the etymological point of view the only term that qualifies as a source word is "Suf". Nevertheless the other terms are normally included in discussions on the origin of the term "Sufi" for the simple reason that all of them convey one or another of the manifold dimensions of the Sufi Way.
The Sources of Tasawwuf
Earlier orientalist studies have been at pains to show the non-Islamic origins of Tasawwuf. Islam, according to these studies, have emerged form the dry wastelands of Arabia, could never contain within itself the seeds of such a profoundly inspiring wisdom. The beautific vision of the Sufis simply could not have its roots in the desert. This was one of the prejudices which blinded many western orientalists to the vision and insights contained within the Qur`an itself and within the Prophetic Traditions. The Qur`anic origins, however, have been conclusively proven.
Amongst the many Qur`anic verses which the Sufis turn to in support of their position are those contained in Surah Waaqiah. In these verses Allah classifies people into three categories:
The people of the left-hand (Ashaab al-Mash-amah).
the people of the right-hand (Ashaab al-Maymanah).
Those who are near to Allah (Muqarraboon); alternatively referred to as the "Foremost".
The first group are those who have rejected faith. The second group are the righteous ones who are consistent in the fulfilment of their duties towards Allah. They are described as "a multitude of those of old and a multitude of those of later times (Waaqiah :39-40). And finally their are the Muqarraboon. They are a special group of believers who have attained the highest rank in spiritual development. They are often described as the elect of the elect (Khawaas ul-Khaswaas) whose intensity of faith (iman) has bestowed upon them the special privilege of enjoying nearness to Allah.
They are described in this Surah as being "a multitude of those of old and a few of later times" (Waaqiah : 13-14). It is the attainment of this high level of faith and spiritual development that describes the aspirations of the Sufi.
This idea of nearness to Allah is similarly expressed in a Sacred Tradition;
"My servant continually seeks to draw near to Me through supererogatory acts until I love him. And when I love him I become the ears with which he hears, the eyes with which he sees, the hand with which he grasps, and the feet with which he walks" (Bukhari).
When the ideas of the nearness of Allah and His love are combined with the aspect of His beauty as expressed by the Prophetic Tradition:
"Indeed Allah is beautiful and loves beauty" (Muslim), then prayers of the previously quoted Sufi Saint, Rabia al-`Adawiyyah can more readily be comprehended,
"O Allah if I worship You for fear of Hell, burn me in Hell; and if I worship you in hope of Paradise exclude me from Paradise; but if I worship You for Your own sake, grudge me not Your everlasting beauty".
It is within the context of this spiritual longing that we come to appreciate the intensity of the devotional acts in which the Sufi engages.
Later development in Tasawwuf
During the formative period of Tasawwuf the Sufis were not strictly identifiable in terms of specific orders. Students would gather around a Shaykh - known for the depth of both his knowledge and his piety - where they would often devote themselves to years of learning.
Amongst the outstanding Sufi masters of this period were Hasan al-Basri (d.728), Ibrahim ibn Adham (d.777), Rabia al-`Adawiyyah (d.801), Fudayl ibn "Iyaad (d.803), Ma`ruf al`Karkhi (d.815), Abu "Abdullah al-Muhaasibi (d.857), Sar as-Saqati (d.867), Abu Yazid al-Bistaami (d.874), and Abul Qasim al-Junayd al- Baghdadi (d.910).
The shaykh - murid relationship entailed three important features. The first is the Ilbaas ul-Khirka. This entailed the donning of a patched frock that indicated the aspirant`s initiation into Tasawwuf. The second is known as the Talqin udh-Dhirk which was the shaykh`s instruction to the murid with regard to the type and nature of the dhikr (invocation) to be practiced. The third is the suhba which referred to the nature and quality of the murid`s companionship with the shaykh. These features formed an integral part of the Sufi Way righ from the outset. In fact most of these practises are traceable to the Sunnah of the Prophet (may the peace and blessings be upon him). The teachings of the Sufi masters, along with the different dhikr forms, were handed down from shaykh to murid in a continuous chain of transmission called a silsila. It is through these silsilas - accompanied by the ijaaza system - that the teachings of the Sufi masters were protected as part of our spiritual heritage. The Ijaaza simply refers to the right, or licence, granted to the student by the shaykh with a view to furthering the shaykh`s teachings.
It was, however, only during the 12th and 13th centuries that the Tariqah orders were formalised and officially adopted particular names by which they came to be identified. This does not mean though, that certain gorups were not identified previously with certain great masters. On the contrary, Hujwiri (d.1077) in his classic work the Kash al Mahjub already refers to the followers of some of the great masters by the names of these masters. The followers of Abdullah al-Muhaasibi, for example, he calls the Muhaasibis, those of al-Junayd the Junaydis and so forth.
Nevertheless, the institutionalisation of the Orders really only started with the followers of Sayyid `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (d.1166). Later on a number of other Orders developed along similar lines such as the Suhrawardiyyah, the Shadhiliyyah, the Naqshabandiyyah, etc.
Despite this proliferation of Sufi Orders, the Sufi path has been identified by most scholars as a threefold process:
The Shari`ah - that is to acquaint oneself with and to meticulously follow the legal rulings of the Shari`ah.
The Tariqah - to engage in various spiritual excersises (such as dhirk) recommended by the Prophet (may the peach and blessing be upon him) and the established adepts of Tasawwuf.
The Haqiqah, that is the attainment of a spiritual consciousness or inner enlightenment that witnesses that all things ultimately come from and belong to Allah.
Shari`ah and Tasawwuf
During the first few centuries of Islam the Islamic world spawned a bewildering number of theological, philosophical, and legal schools of thought. All these tendencies seemed to be straining in mutually exclusive directions, to the point where the initial fabric of tolerance which had existed amongst Muslims was in danger of being torn apart. The increasing tensions, too, between the Jurists and the Sufis further exacerbated the situation. It was left to the celebrated scholar Abu Hamid al-Ghazaali (1058-1111) to restore a more balanced perspective to the situation. Amongst the great contributions left behind by Imam al-Ghazaali was his ability, and his success, in harmonising between the legal (or exoteric) and the sufic (or esoteric) strands of Islam. A rejection of either would have left Islam as nothing more than a caricature of itself.
The Chistiyyah Order
The contribution of the Sufi Orders to Islamic culture and civilisation - particularly in the fields of architecture, the arts, and literature - has been immense. The Chistiyya is one such order.
This order attained its fame under the leadership of the influential Indian Sufi Muhammad Mu`in al-Din Chisti (1142-1236). The order traces its roots to Hasan al-Basri. It is often alleged that Khwaja Mu`in at-Din Chisti is the founder of the order. This is a mistaken notion. The order was originally founded in Afghanistan in a town called Chist.
The teachings of Mu`in at-Din Chisti were further expounded and elaborated upon by his famous student Shaykh Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (1236). Shaykh Qutbuddin was succeeded by an equally famous master Shaykh Farid al-Din Ganj-i Shakar (d.1265). It was left to Shaykh Farid`s student, Khawaja Nizaam al-din Awliyaa (d.1325) to consolidate the Chistiyya order in India, particularly in the North. In addition to being a great mystic, he also excelled as a theologian. Many acknowledged him as the spiritual leader of his age.
[...portion specific to South Africa left out]
Conclusion
Tasawwuf is non other than the inner, spiritual dimension of Islam. The Tariqah - as method - is the attempt to both preserve and penetrate that dimension. The Shari`ah is the divinely ordained mould within which that spirituality takes on its distinctive "shape". These three aspects of Islam are inseparable parts of an organic whole.
Imam Malik (RA) put it well when he said:
"He who learns jurisprudence and neglects Tasawwuf becomes a reprobate; and he who learns Tasawwuf and neglects jurisprudence becomes an apostate. But he who combines both will reach the Truth".
As for the many paths which have developed over the centuries the classical Sufi saying sums is up:
"Tawhid is one, but the paths to Allah equal the number of people since the time of Adam".
These "different ways have always been viewed as a mercy by the Ummah.
© el-Zawiya Mosque
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More soon...just want to find the truth about this topic..!
khalid sawani
02-05-2002, 11:19
SALAM TO THOSE WHO FOLLOW GUIDENCE
this is reply of your answer what is salafi ?
BROTHER YOU WROTE WORD SALAF MEANS THIRD GENERATION
From where you got this meaning !!!
I think I will have to buy dictionary of your kind. Or start asking meanings to you .what else!
Here I am posting a questoon to scholer regarding salafee dawah and there after I have some replies in response to your post No.21
__________________________________________________ ____________________
Question:
I have come to know a person who follows the Salafi da’wah and I have read a book about this movement. I believe that the Salafi da’wah is correct and that those who follow it have the sound ‘aqeedah belief), but there are some matters I want to ask about
How correct is it from an Islamic point of view to use the word “Salafi” and to describe oneself in this way?
If a person says that he is a Salafi, is he praising himself? Is this considered to be dividing the ummah?
If we tell the Sufis that their madhhab is not correct, and that neither the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his Companions taught it, they will respond that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his Companions did not use the word “Salafi” either, so how should we reply to them?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
We can answer this question with the following points:
0. Each person is obliged to follow the guidance of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his Companions. This is the way of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah and the followers of the righteous predecessors (al-salaf al-saalih). Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
“Say (O Muhammad): ‘This is my way; I invite unto Allaah with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me with sure knowledge. And Glorified and Exalted be Allaah (above all that they associate as partners with Him). And I am not of the mushrikeen (polytheists… those who worship others along with Allaah or set up rivals or partners to Allaah).” [Yoosuf 12:108]
“And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the oath he has chosen, and burn him in Hell – what an evil destination!” [al-Nisa’ 4:115]
Whoever follows the way of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) belongs to the salaf al-saalih, even if the people call him something else; by the same token, whoever goes against it and deviates from the Sunnah is an innovator, even if he claims to be a Salafi.
1. If a person calls himself a Salafi to express his gratitude for having been guided to this way, or to clearly distinguish himself from innovation, then this is OK and is allowed in Islam. But if he says it only for the purpose of praising himself, then this is not allowed, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… therefore justify not yourselves…” [al-Najm 53:32 – Yusuf ‘Ali’s translation]. Similarly, it is not allowed if it is said in a spirit of tribalism or sectarianism, because such attitudes are forbidden, as is clear from the following story: Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah said: “A man from the Muhaajireen shoved a man from the Ansaar from behind, so each man’s people gathered around him, saying ‘O Muhaajireen (come and help)!’ or ‘O Ansaar (come and help)!’ News of this reached the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he said, ‘Stop this, for it is repulsive.’ Then he said, ‘What is this call of the people of jaahiliyyah? What is this call of the people of jaahiliyyah?’” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 14105; the hadeeth is also to be found in al-Saheehayn). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called it the call of the people of jaahiliyyah and described it as repulsive, even though the words “Ansaari” and “Muhaajiri” are Islamic words, the first referring to those who supported Allaah and His Messenger, and the second referring to those who left the land of kufr and migrated to Allaah and His Messenger. Why were they described in this manner? Because in this instance, the words were not used in a permissible fashion; the usage was a sectarian and political one that could have led to fighting between the two groups. The same applies to the word “Salafi”.
2. If the Ahl al-Sunnah and the salaf draw a line between themselves and the innovators, this is not considered to be dividing the ummah, as those who criticize the use of this word think is the case, but this distancing of oneself has to be done in accordance with the degree of bid’ah – whether it is major or minor – and should be regulated by the overall interests of the Islamic da’wah.
3. The Sufi claims mentioned in the question are not valid. The denunciation is not merely because of the word “Sufi”, which is a general word that may be applied to things approved of in Islam, such as asceticism (zuhd) and fear of Allaah, or it may be applied to innovations such as monasticism and extremism. Rather the denunciation is because of the various types of shirk, major and minor, that are connected with Sufism and its tareeqahs. The word Tasawwuf (Sufism) now refers to the Sufi tareeqahs and the kinds of innovations they have. Sufism – as is obvious from their books and how Sufis actually are – includes deviant ideas of kufr, such as hulool (incarnation or the belief that the Creator may be indwelling in His creation – exalted be Allaah above what they say), ittihaad (union) and wahdat al-wujood (pantheism or the unity of existence, which is the belief that the Creator and His creation are the same thing, and that everything in existence is Allaah – exalted be Allaah above what they say), and going to extremes in what they say about the awliya’, in addition to their innovations in the matter of acts
of worship and awraad (du’aa’s).
4. The one who is seeking salvation has to work hard to gain beneficial knowledge and do righteous deeds, and he should avoid vain arguments and futile discussions in which there is no benefit.
We ask Allaah to help us and you to follow the truth and act upon it. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
Salam to all!
Thankyou for that article, which i have read before.
Now i asked those questions beacause those who say,
> the prophet was not a sufi or the sahabahs.
Were they salafi's or muhaddith?
That is what i am asking.
You or those who are against sufism, always resort to questioning, if the prophet was a sufi or not, but my questions are siimilar, but the word 'salafi', was the prophet or the sahabahs salafis', then why should we use it?
What is wrong calling oneself a salafi, with the above reason (on your article)?
What is wrong calling oneself a sufi, following a path which has proven to be in shariah?
Nothing wrong with the terms, as they are used to clarify issues, such as a hafiz, one who has memorized the quran, was any of the sahabahs refered to a hafiz..? tell me! Nothing wrong with using it, similar to calling someone a sufi, anything wrong with it!!??
That are my questions.
khalid sawani
02-05-2002, 12:14
aslamoalykum to followers of guidence
dear brothers and sisters
Brother sadik
YOUR QUESTION
>> What is a salafi?
>> Was the prophet a salafi, or the sahabahs?
Your answer
>>So that is the line which I am posing, if the sahabahs were not salafs and they >>did |not call themselves salaf, why should we?
>>As the word salaf means, the third generation, after the sahabahs and the taibien.
My answer
SALAF : Its meaning in the Arabic language is "Those who precede, have gone before".
Its usage: A word used by the earliest scholars for "The first three generations of Muslims" and those who are upon their way in accordance with the Ahaadeeth of the Messenger Muhammad (sallallaahu`alaihiwasallam) which is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree: The best of generations is my generation, then those that follow them, then those that follow them.
The term SALAFEE is a relational adjective derived from the noun, SALAF, used in the phrase "as SALAF-as -saalih {The righteous fore fathers} to refer to the Sahâbah and early orthodox scholars. Hence a person who follows the Salafee is one who strictly adheres to Islaam as understood by the early generation of Islaamic Scholars.
As-Sam'aanee "As-Salafi: this is an ascription to the Salaf and following their ways, in that which is related from them."
lbn al-Atheer (rahimahullaah) (d.630H) said in al-Lubaab fee Tahdheebul-lnsaab (2/162), commenting upon the previous saying of as-Sam'aanee: "And a group were known by this ascription." So the meaning is: that the term Salafi, and its ascription to them, was a matter known in the time of Imaam as-Sam'aanee, or before him.
Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullaah) d. 769 C. E. (150 A. H.) said: "Adhere to the Athaar (narrations) and the Tareeqah (way) of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) and beware of newly invented matters, for all of it is innovation." [Reported by As-Suyootee in Sawn al-Mantaq Wal -Kalaam, p. 32.]
Al-Awzaa'ee (rahimahullaah) said Follow the footsteps of the SALAF . . .
"By clinging to their way, holding on to their beliefs and understanding the Deen (religion) as they did, worshipping Allaah in His Oneness, upon the Authentic Sunnah of the Messenger Muhammad (sallallaahu`alaihiwasallam) in the manner of the Companions one is guaranteed success in this life and security from the Fire in the next life".
Imaam al-Asbahaanee (d.535H) - (rahimahullaah) - said: "The sign of Ahlus-Sunnah is that they follow the Salafus-Saalih and abandon all that is innovated and newly introduced into the Deen." [Al-Hujjah fee Bayaanil Mahajjah 1/364]
When questioned by his Companions about those who will be saved from the Fire, the Messenger Muhammad (sallallaahu`alaihiwasallam) replied: "They are those who are upon what I and my companions are upon." [Reported by at-Tirmidhee from Amr ibn al-Aas - classified as Hasan.] All the great scholars from the earliest to the later times have advised clinging to the way and methodology (Manhaj) of the SALAF and adherence to it as it is the only means of deliverance.
Ibn Taymiyyah (Rahimahullaah) says: "There is no blame on the one who manifests, proclaims the way of the Salaf, who attaches himself to it and refers to it. Rather, it is obligatory to accept that from him by unanimous agreement (Ittifaaq), because the way of the Salaf is nothing but the Truth" (HAQQ) [From Majmoo al-Fataawaa, 4:149.]
Imaam adh-Dhahabee (d.748H) - rahimahullaah - said: "It is authentically related from ad- Daaraqutnee that he said: There is nothing more despised by me than 'irnul-kalaam (innovated speech and rhetorics). I say: No person should ever enter into 'ilmul-kalaam, nor argumentation. Rather, he should be Salafee (a follower of the Salaf)." [Siyar 16/457]
Additionally, The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu`alaihiwasallam) said: "Adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, bite onto it with your molar teeth and beware of newly invented matters, for verily every innovation (Bid'ah) is a going astray." [Reported by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad and by Abu Dawood in his Sunan, by at-Tirmidhee in his Sunan, and by Ibn Majah in his Sunan. It is an Saheeh (Authentic) Ahaadeeth.]
YOU BLAME
>>. I have met some 'so-called' salafi brothers, who dont shake >>your hands before they look at yourt ankle There are some >>who curse the great imams..now
YOUR ANSWERS
>>Now I do not judge the salafs or any other group by what the people are doing, but by what their teachings or motives are, is what I look at
MY ANSWER
PLS REFER TO MY POST ON THIS THREAD AND REPLY 6 QUESTIONS
This is the only answer to this
YOUR QUESTION
>>Are all salafi's wrong'? is the salafi movement wrong
my answer
salaf are pious people from past like sahababs 4 imams and all muhhaddith and tabeyeen ,tabe tabeyeen all salaf
yes all salaf are right as they are among jewels of ummah and they guide to truth
your question is about followers of salaf ( pious of earlier generation)
ie :salafi
this depends upon that he claims to be followers salaf or a he is really sincerely following ,
see hypocrates will be in bottom of hell
YOUR QUESTION
>> So again ask this! Was anyone of the sahabahs a >>muddhadith?
Your answer
>>So from the above questions, we come to the conclusion that, the sahahbas were >>not muddahadith or salaf’s and they did not use those terms, right
My answer
Muhaddith according dic. Means narrator of hadith and another meaning rich in hadith
This is first time I here that sahaba were not muhaddith
Hz.abu huraira r.a(a companion!) is believed to be shaikh of all muhaddith and prophet (pbuh) had suplicated for his better memory to memorise hadith
If sahaba did not collected (and narreted) hadeeth first then who did it first ?
There were lots of proof of sahaba ‘s efforts in writing,remembring and collecting hadith.
Yes actually sahabas were among first muhaddith
Their efforts and love towards collecting AHADEETH has only
Directed all of us to rightous
Brother there is lot to be learned before making statements and also before starting following anybody blindly (taqleed)
your question
>>And explain to me the term tawsaaf, and have you heard of it…and is it wrong..!
your answer
my answer
term “tassawuff”
brother I have already answered this in earlier post (this thread)
YOUR SUGGESTION
>>So the issue is, why is it wrong to label your self a muhaddith or a salaf, (just >>two, there are plenty of examples)..or even a sufi?
>>So this issue is big….like there are salafs or khilafha people who say and do >>wrong things, does that make the aim of the certain group wrong
>>As the famous verse which is used to say, ‘gather together on allahs rope and not be divided’ to the nearest meaning.
My answer
[3.103] And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited,
yes this verse is calling all of us to rope of Allah Ie. Quran and hadith not to other’s saying ,then and only then we can called united if we act accordingly
There are two more verses in quran supporting this verse and making clear statements against blind following of any other
Allah says
[4.65] But no! by your Lord! they do not believe (in reality) until they make you a judge of that which has become a matter of disagreement among them, and then do not find any straitness in their hearts as to what you have decided and submit with entire submission
[7.3] Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow guardians besides Him, how little do you mind
Please compair the beliefs of followers of the salaf with followers of others as others call to saying of their scholers and then judge accordingly
So it is wrong to call oneself a sufi, for pursing a path which does not go against islam?
I do not agree with that I am not scholer yes I am
See anyone learning deen (quran and sunnah) is scholer of quran and sunnah
Qualities of follower of salafi dawah
1.. they respect all imams( 40/50) and value their efforts in islam
2...they undersstand their limitations as human so they study every thing and take a opinion (fatwa ) of any imam which is near and according to true hadeeth becoz on the day of quiamah we will be asked about our acts on quran and sunnah not not opinions of any perticuler person (without seeking for daleel)
can you find this qualities in any other group of islam? Name with proof and I’ll join that group promise .
remember you were unable to reply 13th questions under thread http://www.aliasoft.com/htdocs/DCForumID2/73.html
I know this is not blame this is truth (with proof) but I don’t wish to discuss as we have to make efforts to unit the ummah instead of spliting
And 10th question also has some meaning if some one ponders into that
Who will ?
Now brother before you jump some where else pls reply me HONESTLY that all and everything what sufies believe are from quran and authentic hadith
Replies on day of quiahmah will not as easy as replying on this forum for anyone including me
May allah guide all of us to stright path which is only one
Now I don t find sence in pulling this any more as effort the dawah is done
KHALID….
>aslamoalykum to followers of guidence
>dear brothers and sisters
>Brother sadik
>
>YOUR QUESTION
>>> What is a salafi?
>>> Was the prophet a salafi, or the sahabahs?
>Your answer
>>>So that is the line which I am posing, if the sahabahs were not salafs and they >>did |not call themselves salaf, why should we?
>>>As the word salaf means, the third generation, after the sahabahs and the taibien.
>My answer
>SALAF : Its meaning in the Arabic language is "Those who
>precede, have gone before".
>Its usage: A word used by the earliest scholars for "The
>first three generations of Muslims" and those who are upon
>their way in accordance with the Ahaadeeth of the Messenger
>Muhammad (sallallaahu`alaihiwasallam) which is reported in
>Saheeh al-Bukhaaree: The best of generations is my
>generation, then those that follow them, then those that
>follow them.
>The term SALAFEE is a relational adjective derived from the
>noun, SALAF, used in the phrase "as SALAF-as -saalih {The
>righteous fore fathers} to refer to the Sahâbah and early
>orthodox scholars. Hence a person who follows the Salafee is
>one who strictly adheres to Islaam as understood by the
>early generation of Islaamic Scholars.
>As-Sam'aanee "As-Salafi: this is an ascription to the Salaf
>and following their ways, in that which is related from
>them."
>lbn al-Atheer (rahimahullaah) (d.630H) said in al-Lubaab fee
>Tahdheebul-lnsaab (2/162), commenting upon the previous
>saying of as-Sam'aanee: "And a group were known by this
>ascription." So the meaning is: that the term Salafi, and
>its ascription to them, was a matter known in the time of
>Imaam as-Sam'aanee, or before him.
>Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullaah) d. 769 C. E. (150 A. H.)
>said: "Adhere to the Athaar (narrations) and the Tareeqah
>(way) of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) and beware of newly
>invented matters, for all of it is innovation." [Reported by
>As-Suyootee in Sawn al-Mantaq Wal -Kalaam, p. 32.]
>Al-Awzaa'ee (rahimahullaah) said Follow the footsteps of the
>SALAF . . .
>"By clinging to their way, holding on to their beliefs and
>understanding the Deen (religion) as they did, worshipping
>Allaah in His Oneness, upon the Authentic Sunnah of the
>Messenger Muhammad (sallallaahu`alaihiwasallam) in the
>manner of the Companions one is guaranteed success in this
>life and security from the Fire in the next life".
>Imaam al-Asbahaanee (d.535H) - (rahimahullaah) - said: "The
>sign of Ahlus-Sunnah is that they follow the Salafus-Saalih
>and abandon all that is innovated and newly introduced into
>the Deen." [Al-Hujjah fee Bayaanil Mahajjah 1/364]
>When questioned by his Companions about those who will be
>saved from the Fire, the Messenger Muhammad
>(sallallaahu`alaihiwasallam) replied: "They are those who
>are upon what I and my companions are upon." [Reported by
>at-Tirmidhee from Amr ibn al-Aas - classified as Hasan.] All
>the great scholars from the earliest to the later times have
>advised clinging to the way and methodology (Manhaj) of the
>SALAF and adherence to it as it is the only means of
>deliverance.
>Ibn Taymiyyah (Rahimahullaah) says: "There is no blame on
>the one who manifests, proclaims the way of the Salaf, who
>attaches himself to it and refers to it. Rather, it is
>obligatory to accept that from him by unanimous agreement
>(Ittifaaq), because the way of the Salaf is nothing but the
>Truth" (HAQQ) [From Majmoo al-Fataawaa, 4:149.]
>Imaam adh-Dhahabee (d.748H) - rahimahullaah - said: "It is
>authentically related from ad- Daaraqutnee that he said:
>There is nothing more despised by me than 'irnul-kalaam
>(innovated speech and rhetorics). I say: No person should
>ever enter into 'ilmul-kalaam, nor argumentation. Rather, he
>should be Salafee (a follower of the Salaf)." [Siyar 16/457]
>Additionally, The Messenger of Allah
>(sallallaahu`alaihiwasallam) said: "Adhere to my Sunnah and
>the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, bite onto it with
>your molar teeth and beware of newly invented matters, for
>verily every innovation (Bid'ah) is a going astray."
>[Reported by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad and by Abu Dawood in
>his Sunan, by at-Tirmidhee in his Sunan, and by Ibn Majah in
>his Sunan. It is an Saheeh (Authentic) Ahaadeeth.]
>
>
>
>YOU BLAME
>>>. I have met some 'so-called' salafi brothers, who dont shake >>your hands before they look at yourt ankle There are some >>who curse the great imams..now
>
>YOUR ANSWERS
>>>Now I do not judge the salafs or any other group by what the people are doing, but by what their teachings or motives are, is what I look at
>MY ANSWER
>
>PLS REFER TO MY POST ON THIS THREAD AND REPLY 6 QUESTIONS
>This is the only answer to this
>
>YOUR QUESTION
>>>Are all salafi's wrong'? is the salafi movement wrong
>my answer
>salaf are pious people from past like sahababs 4 imams and
>all muhhaddith and tabeyeen ,tabe tabeyeen all salaf
>yes all salaf are right as they are among jewels of ummah
>and they guide to truth
>your question is about followers of salaf ( pious of earlier
>generation)
>ie :salafi
>this depends upon that he claims to be followers salaf or a
>he is really sincerely following ,
>see hypocrates will be in bottom of hell
>YOUR QUESTION
>>> So again ask this! Was anyone of the sahabahs a >>muddhadith?
>Your answer
>>>So from the above questions, we come to the conclusion that, the sahahbas were >>not muddahadith or salaf’s and they did not use those terms, right
>
>
>My answer
>Muhaddith according dic. Means narrator of hadith and
>another meaning rich in hadith
>This is first time I here that sahaba were not muhaddith
>Hz.abu huraira r.a(a companion!) is believed to be shaikh
>of all muhaddith and prophet (pbuh) had suplicated for his
>better memory to memorise hadith
>If sahaba did not collected (and narreted) hadeeth first
>then who did it first ?
>There were lots of proof of sahaba ‘s efforts in
>writing,remembring and collecting hadith.
>Yes actually sahabas were among first muhaddith
>Their efforts and love towards collecting AHADEETH has only
>Directed all of us to rightous
>Brother there is lot to be learned before making statements
>and also before starting following anybody blindly (taqleed)
>your question
>>>And explain to me the term tawsaaf, and have you heard of it…and is it wrong..!
>
>your answer
>
>
>my answer
>term “tassawuff”
>brother I have already answered this in earlier post (this
>thread)
>
>YOUR SUGGESTION
>>>So the issue is, why is it wrong to label your self a muhaddith or a salaf, (just >>two, there are plenty of examples)..or even a sufi?
>>>So this issue is big….like there are salafs or khilafha people who say and do >>wrong things, does that make the aim of the certain group wrong
>>>As the famous verse which is used to say, ‘gather together on allahs rope and not be divided’ to the nearest meaning.
>My answer
>
>[3.103] And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together
>and be not disunited,
>yes this verse is calling all of us to rope of Allah Ie.
>Quran and hadith not to other’s saying ,then and only then
>we can called united if we act accordingly
>
>There are two more verses in quran supporting this verse and
>making clear statements against blind following of any other
>Allah says
>[4.65] But no! by your Lord! they do not believe (in
>reality) until they make you a judge of that which has
>become a matter of disagreement among them, and then do not
>find any straitness in their hearts as to what you have
>decided and submit with entire submission
>
>
>[7.3] Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord
>and do not follow guardians besides Him, how little do you
>mind
>
>Please compair the beliefs of followers of the salaf with
>followers of others as others call to saying of their
>scholers and then judge accordingly
>
>
>
>So it is wrong to call oneself a sufi, for pursing a path
>which does not go against islam?
>
>I do not agree with that I am not scholer yes I am
>See anyone learning deen (quran and sunnah) is scholer of
>quran and sunnah
>
>Qualities of follower of salafi dawah
>1.. they respect all imams( 40/50) and value their efforts
>in islam
>2...they undersstand their limitations as human so they
>study every thing and take a opinion (fatwa ) of any imam
>which is near and according to true hadeeth becoz on the day
>of quiamah we will be asked about our acts on quran and
>sunnah not not opinions of any perticuler person (without
>seeking for daleel)
>
>can you find this qualities in any other group of islam?
>Name with proof and I’ll join that group promise .
>
>remember you were unable to reply 13th questions under
>thread http://www.aliasoft.com/htdocs/DCForumID2/73.html
>I know this is not blame this is truth (with proof) but I
>don’t wish to discuss as we have to make efforts to unit the
>ummah instead of spliting
>And 10th question also has some meaning if some one ponders
>into that
>
>Who will ?
>
>
>Now brother before you jump some where else pls reply me
>HONESTLY that all and everything what sufies believe are
>from quran and authentic hadith
>
> Replies on day of quiahmah will not as easy as replying on
>this forum for anyone including me
>
>May allah guide all of us to stright path which is only one
>
>Now I don t find sence in pulling this any more as effort
>the dawah is done
>
>KHALID….
Salam to all
Dear brother khalid and others, I am not here to argue with anyone or find others mistakes. Please brother khalid don’t take it that way.
I only gave such examples to show that, it is not wrong to call oneself a salafi/muddith, which the sahabahs did not term them as or use, as well as the word sufi, they are same, and to say, the prophet was not a sufi, then why should we be? Then the prophet was not a salafi or a muhaddith, so it is not wrong to use these terms as they refer to someone or something.
I don’t want this topic to change or take the wrong turn…(as it seems to )
I am just asking, why is Sufism wrong? What are the things which are bidah? If one or two from the group do it, does that mean all of them are wrong?
And that verse about the ‘hold on the rope of allah’ means don’t divide in belief, as many scholars have explained it, so being a sufi or a salafi and having the same belief does not make you one who is dividing. Similar to the schools of thought, they are ‘not’ dividing or not holding on to the rope, but they are in line with it as they are fiqh issues from the same quran and sunnah.
So again, not to drift of, I am a simple muslim, who does not hate you (khalid) or any other member, if you declare the shahdaha, then you are my brother/sister. So I don’t like to go into ‘tit for tat’ method, for we are not here to win, I am not, I don’t know about you?, I am just posting articles which seem to say Sufism is allowed in shariah and I just want to find the truth about this, simple.
Please dear brother, remember I don’t have anything against you, you are my brother in islam…and I want to get into something which is termed as ‘healthy discussion’, but we are going towards the opposite (ill talking).
We are discussing Sufism, and I used the example of salafi, to show that, that term was not used at the time of the prophet, yet it does not mean we cant use it, similar to a sufi, it was not used, but it can be used.
So Sufism right or wrong?! Please do read both sides, for we will be questioned for it!
Sadiq!
:) brother...
call urself what u wish so long as u are sure ur not doing anything against Sharia.... sufi, salafi, hanafi, or whatever... so long as u follow the guidance of the prophet.. then I hope all will be fine.
I have met some who say they are sufis and i see no difference between our beliefs... I don't call myself anything.. not sufi or salafi.... yet (i hope) no one has seen me say something against islamic teachings....
Just be careful and always question what u hear... and inshaAllah you'll stay on the right track... learn from everyone... but always do ur research to know if it is consistant with the teachings of Allah and the Prophet.. then inshaAllah all will be ok.
as salaam alaikum
I've read through most of this, not all, but I haven't seen a reference to what sufis that the qouted scholars are referring to. Considering that 'sufism' is such a general term that doesn't take into account the diverse tariqahs.. one would have to specify who is talking about what.
Such general terms are misleading on this issue.
>as salaam alaikum
>
>I've read through most of this, not all, but I haven't seen
>a reference to what sufis that the qouted scholars are
>referring to. Considering that 'sufism' is such a general
>term that doesn't take into account the diverse tariqahs..
>one would have to specify who is talking about what.
>
>Such general terms are misleading on this issue.
A very true statment, just want to hear your thoughts about this issue;
Is it allowed, to your knowledge and research.. And if the are areas within the sufism areana, which are wrong, if you do know dear sister..
Please reply!
Sadiq
as salaam alaikum
I have only had interaction with th Naqshabandi Tariqah. I used to attend one of their centers in Chicago for a few years. On the surface things were good, more peaceful and I do love the dhikr sessions. But than as I found out more about the teachings of their sheikhs.. I was turned off.
I haven't studied many tariqahs in full detail and there are so many out there it would take a concentrated effort to really even scratch the surface. But i don't think sufism as a means of Muslims being more spiritual and more connected with the essense of faith rather than so consumed by rules and regulations is a bad thing. I do believe much of the muslim ummah has become very stale in this matter, taking Qur'an too litterally and being consumed with the do's and don'ts to where it tends to have others who want more of a 'spiritual' connection to seek sufi tariqahs. I do believe there must be a balanced, which however I haven't found many groups that have done that.
I would love to find a group that has the spirituality but doesn't ignore the law like many sufi groups.. or many 'sunis' that have so much law that it is absurd and ignores the spiritual aspect of Islam.
If only Ibn Arabi weren't so confusing to me :)
khalid sawani
08-05-2002, 13:46
Asslamoalykum
Dear brother sadiq
I have studied and argued with most of present tariqats (sub sects) of sufiesum i.e : naqasbandi, qadriya, chistiya, rafaiya , etc. More or less all of them are found involved deeeply in devloping new ways of dhikr and supplication ( bidah) and all of them are involved in shirk more or less
One of the past sufi shaikh Ba yazid Bastawii claimed that his flag will be above the flag of Mohammed (pbuh) on the dayof quiahmah and now the modern day sufisaint of rizwiya sect is accepting that statement made by earlier shaikh (see book fatwa e ridhwiyaa- zild.6- page 145)
How can a person following guidence from quaran ans sunnah can claim this
Now brother you pls name any sufi group on right path , and pls assure me that sufis follow quran and hadith only
Wassalamoalykum
KHALID….
Assalaamu alaikum.
I have read up some on the Naqshabandi formats and suggestions of worship, and what I have found myself mostly is that they are interestingly into deeply and extensively dua's. That in itself is not bad, and in fact is quite good, as I am sure that we are all well aware of the great need that we have ourselves of the dua, and the many benefits that are to be had in making such supplications, as well as it is a command from Allah that we seek His help by supplicating for it, and this to the extent that when we forget or for some other reason omit from making supplications, we cause upon ourselves the wrath of Allah, in that we did not come to Him in dua.
And Allah knows best.
Now, my question about the Naqshabandi's was that what I found myself of dua's, was that they were recommending various assigned dua's (in other words-things needed to be memorized) for various things in life, and at various times of the day. All of these dua's were good messages, and for the most part directed to the one and only God. However, the question was in their great numbers, and the length of them. My argument here is that it seemed to be rather a great hardship for one to sit around trying to memorize those duas (which, by the way, are in no comparison to the ease of the memorization-ability of the Quran itself)-while at the same time, we are reassured in the Quran of the ease in religion-that Allah wishes and causes for us ease, and not difficulty in performing our religious duties.
Just didn't seem to fit-a hardship in trying to complete religious duties, while Allah at the same time reassures us of necessity of ease in performing the duties.
Either way, I have a question for you, sister Nzingha-about your reference to your apparent dislike or disenfranchisement of the alleged common practice of the sunni's to be more concentrated on laws, and allegedly unnecessary laws(mind you-I am referring to this from memory of your post, and not word-for-word quote of you-so please do forgive me if I have worded anything not right-but this is what I have understood from your statement). My question is this: what laws of Islam is it that you think the sunnis are following or attempting to implement, which are not necessary or over limit? I mean, I was under the understanding that the laws of Islam were in fact the Laws of Allah, and that we are to have no choice but to obey and conform by carrying out those very laws. To go against them is to go against the directives of Allah, which is encuring on the individual the wrath of Allah. And Allah knows best.
Or...is it perhaps that in mentioning the term 'laws', you were in fact meaning 'practices' or 'accepted practices', or even the sunnah? For that is something entirely different...and although the established sunnah is something highly recommended to follow (such as praying the various nawafil associated with the mandatory prayers), still there is no sin incurred for not performing that action or deed. Quite different when the true laws are concerned.
Was just kind of wondering what exactly you meant by the laws.
Thankyou.
Lulua.
as salaam alaikum
>
>Either way, I have a question for you, sister Nzingha-about
>your reference to your apparent dislike or
>disenfranchisement of the alleged common practice of the
>sunni's to be more concentrated on laws, and allegedly
>unnecessary laws(mind you-I am referring to this from memory
>of your post, and not word-for-word quote of you-so please
>do forgive me if I have worded anything not right-but this
>is what I have understood from your statement).>>
actually that was an incorrect summarization of what I stated. I never stated "unecessary laws" what I did state was this
"But i don't think sufism as a means of Muslims being more spiritual and more connected with the essense of faith rather than so consumed by rules and regulations is a bad thing. I do believe much of the muslim ummah has become very stale in this matter, taking Qur'an too litterally and being consumed with the do's and don'ts to where it tends to have others who want more of a 'spiritual' connection to seek sufi tariqahs. "
"or many 'sunis' that have so much law that it is absurd and ignores the spiritual aspect of Islam"
>>what laws of Islam is it that you think the sunnis
>are following or attempting to implement, which are not
>necessary or over limit?>>
it is not necessarily 'what laws' but rather their total consumption with laws that it becomes absurd and impracticle. As you stated earlier in your post in reference to the length and hardship of memorizing duas for the Naqshabanid tariqah
" Just didn't seem to fit-a hardship in trying to complete religious duties, while Allah at the same time reassures us of necessity of ease in performing the duties. "
>>I mean, I was under the
>understanding that the laws of Islam were in fact the Laws
>of Allah, and that we are to have no choice but to obey and
>conform by carrying out those very laws. To go against them
>is to go against the directives of Allah, which is encuring
>on the individual the wrath of Allah. And Allah knows best.
>
Yes Laws of Islam are in fact the Laws of Allah, however such a focus on the laws to where it comes absurd is rediculous. Islam is beyond "laws" in fact very little of it is about laws, and in this I mean all regulations that control our actions and lives. And there is a point of balance which we must strive for. For to be consumned so much by what to do and not do was never the intent. An example of this understanding can be seen the report of Aisha, in which women used to send cloth to her by candle light to see if a womans menses had stopped. This total consumption had Aisha responding that they never used to do this.. when their menses stop they would just pray and fast. Islam is beyond the do's and don'ts and has a very spiritual connection which imo can be lost with an over consumption of law. This is why so many Muslims seek out tariqahs such as the naqshabandi, because so many reprsent such a stale view of Islam but it is soo rich and vast in spiritual connection that it shouldn't be ignored.
Allah says that His ummah is one that is justly balanced and I believe we all must strive to be so.
I hope that helps you understand my position.
Assalaamu alaikum.
Ok, Sis. Nzingha...thankyou for clearing up that question of mine. It is much clearer now. My mistake in the beginning, for not reprinting the quotes in question in quotes. But it has become more clear now. I rather agree with you, that when concerned merely about the rules or laws merely for that, as rules and laws, then one many times loses the soul of the worship itself.
But...as you said, that Allah desires and even expects a sense of balance in us, and from us. And therefore, we need to also realize that those rules and laws are there for a purpose-and that is to help create a sense of order and balance.
For instance-take the salat. For the onlooker, a non-muslim in particular, it is a set of physical motions, at various undetermined intervals, seeming to have no rhyme nor rhythm for the non-muslim onlooker. (I am recalling my own days before becoming a muslim, watching muslims at their prayer). A most definite mechanical practice of worship, but where is the soul? Where is the meaning? This lies with the individual himself/herself. As to what recitations they may be reading to themselves, what supplications they are repeating at the various intervals throughout the mechanical motions. And how sincere that he/she is in those supplications. And how completely (or non-completely) he/she is concentrating on the Creator and therefore losing himself/herself from this material world for those few moments of dedication and devotion.
Similarly, we must apply this concept to our very lives. Take the rules and the laws as not only commands, but guidelines as well. As for the laws-obey them without question, for these are the Laws of Allah. As for the rules, or perhaps better defined as the sunnah of the prophet(SAAW), take it as a guideline in exemplification of the best method of life to follow. Take what we can emulate of those to the best of our ability, and adapt them to our own lives. This means that to learn the lesson in the example set forth for us by the prophet's (SAAW) life and his sayings, perhaps not following things to the letter exactly, but taking the lesson from it, and applying it to our own lives where there is ease in it, as well as where and when we will benefit from such rules and examples.
Perhaps this is the best method of going about...not so much overboard with the soul-searching and enrichment that we exceed the rules or leave them entirely, and not so much concerned with the rules and laws themselves so that we lose the meaning of them, and therefore our worship becomes merely mechanical without a soul. There needs to be a balance inbetween, and moderation in all levels.
Something that all this brings to mind is similar to many of the long-established forms of Islamic learning and schooling, is strict memorization methods. Not only of the Quran, but of all the related sciences. That in itself is not bad-in fact, I am sure that we are all aware of the benefits and even rewards of those who memorize the Quran. But for the strict method of memorization of so many of the other sciences (in particular here-hadith is the first that comes to mind, along with fiqh and tawheed). I have found that the emphasis has become on the memorization, more so than on the sheer understanding of the lessons at hand. So, you find that young students are becoming as parrots, repeating every word printed in the school books...but if you close that book, and ask them retrospective questions on the lesson to be learned or comprehended from that which they have repeated in memorized account, their minds turn blank. And this is sad. Because this is indicative that they have learned nothing other than repeating an assigned sequence of letters and characters. That leaves to question even the memorization of the Quran...and the recitations. Is it empty recitation without understanding and comprehension?
This is something which we all must strive in our own communities and surroundings-to stress for the learning combined with understanding and application of that understanding into the daily life. For without this tender and important combination, such learning is rendered not only useless, but perhaps (and most likely a surety) even a dangerous and dastardly mark against us on the Judgement Day.
May Allah protect us from that.
Lulua.
Salam to all!
Thankyou for your replies everyone.. i will continue this later, as i am a bit busy with some coursework.
Dear brother, that is why i am pursing this topic, which are the ones who are the wrong ones and which are correct within the shariah. I do not know, brother khalid...that is why am asking and reading up on this.
I am neither against it or for it...just want to find the truth.
Sadiq
Salam to all!
Sorry for a late reply...
>as salaam alaikum
>
>I have only had interaction with th Naqshabandi Tariqah. I
>used to attend one of their centers in Chicago for a few
>years. On the surface things were good, more peaceful and I
>do love the dhikr sessions. But than as I found out more
>about the teachings of their sheikhs.. I was turned off.
How do you mean? PLease expand on that.
>I haven't studied many tariqahs in full detail and there are
>so many out there it would take a concentrated effort to
>really even scratch the surface. But i don't think sufism as
>a means of Muslims being more spiritual and more connected
>with the essense of faith rather than so consumed by rules
>and regulations is a bad thing. I do believe much of the
>muslim ummah has become very stale in this matter, taking
>Qur'an too litterally and being consumed with the do's and
>don'ts to where it tends to have others who want more of a
>'spiritual' connection to seek sufi tariqahs. I do believe
>there must be a balanced, which however I haven't found many
>groups that have done that.
>
>I would love to find a group that has the spirituality but
>doesn't ignore the law like many sufi groups.. or many
>'sunis' that have so much law that it is absurd and ignores
>the spiritual aspect of Islam.
but i thought we call ourselves muslims, when we use it against other groups such as shias. And to my knowledge, we are muslims, and a sufi will be known as a muslim who is a sufi. A sunni muslim is refered to as, when trying to sperate from those who dont follow the ways of the rasul.
And, yes, the idea of finding a grooup is good, as long as they dont, go over the rules or ignore the rules, a balance..neither heavy or light...:)
>If only Ibn Arabi weren't so confusing to me :)
Maybe...but the likes of imam ghazalli is good too, wouldnt you say?
I wont mind if you can explain, if you have studied it, what is the purpose of the tariqa, what does it do?
And overall, is sufism allowed from the sources which you have read?..
Please reply.! (im trying to get a sufi scholar or someone here to reply and to help us out..trying..)
Sadiq
as salaam alaikum
>>
>>I have only had interaction with th Naqshabandi Tariqah. I
>>used to attend one of their centers in Chicago for a few
>>years. On the surface things were good, more peaceful and I
>>do love the dhikr sessions. But than as I found out more
>>about the teachings of their sheikhs.. I was turned off.
>
>How do you mean? PLease expand on that.
>
If you don't mind i would rather relate my personal experience in private. the last thing i want to do is start an issue with the Naqshabandis.. :)
>
>but i thought we call ourselves muslims, when we use it
>against other groups such as shias. And to my knowledge, we
>are muslims, and a sufi will be known as a muslim who is a
>sufi. A sunni muslim is refered to as, when trying to
>sperate from those who dont follow the ways of the rasul.
>>>
Yes we are all Muslims, inshallah. However this doesn't mean a blanket statement should be made to include or disclude all. I think this is a very dangerous aspect of discussing such issues.
For instance there may be sufis who are in fact christians.. you can't label them muslims
or sunnis who take it upon themselves to label all who disagree with them as kaffir, thus posing a problem
or shia who are in fact accepted amoungst sunnis scholars, such as the Zaydis.
it all becomes murky warter.. maybe why we should stop such divisions, finger pointings and hold on tight to the rope of Allah without trying to cut the rope out from under the next person.
>
>>If only Ibn Arabi weren't so confusing to me :)
>Maybe...but the likes of imam ghazalli is good too, wouldnt
>you say?
>
I read some ibn Arabi and was very impressed, Inshallah my arabic will be up to that level one century :) and i'll find someone compatent enough to teach me his work. Ghazali is good, but he is being used (sadly) as a pawn for both sides (just like Ibn Tamiyya) it becomes confusing, each side trying to discrredit the other.
>I wont mind if you can explain, if you have studied it, what
>is the purpose of the tariqa, what does it do?
>
Tariqah is basically the sufi order which you follow. This of course will be lead by the head sheikh, and bayat is given to him. He is your only teacher in the guide of the sufi path. They differ as far as beliefs and practices. Each of course claiming to go back to the Prophet pbuh thus giving a seal of righteousness for their teachings.
here are some websites that might aid you, as I stated my knowledge on different tariqahs are limited
http://www.haqq.com.au/~salam/sufilinks/index.html
http://www.arches.uga.edu/~godlas/Sufism.html
>And overall, is sufism allowed from the sources which you
>have read?..
>
it depends on which tariqah and how the term sufi is applied.
khalid sawani
11-05-2002, 17:17
asslamoalykum brothers and sisters
dear brother Sadik
my personell opipion is that this topic is now came to an end also we have obtained views of many inteligent br.and sisters
now it will be wise to disconytinue this thread but at last I could not resist my temptation (bieng strong opp to sufiisum..the wollen people) to copy and paste this artical which contains views of modern and past scholers on to sufis I hope all will enjoy reading it
wassalam---KHALID...
__________________________________________________ ____________________
What The Islamic Scholars have said about Sufism ?
(1602 total words in this text)
(258 reads)
What The Islamic Scholars have said about Sufism
By MakTaBat MinhaaJ AlSunnaH
Imaam Ash-Shaa'fee on Sufism:
"If a person excercized Sufism (Tasawafa) at the beginning of the day, he does not come to Dhuhur except an idiot." [Talbees Iblees].
"Nobody accompanied the Sufis forty days and had his brain return (ever)." [Talbees Iblees].
Concerning the famous Sufi leader, Al-Harith Al-Muhasbi, Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbaal (R) said:
"Warn (people) from Al-Harith (a Sufi leader) the strongest warning!... He is the shelter of the Ahl Kalaam (people of rhetoric)." [Talbees Iblis].
The famous Sheikh Abu Bakr Al-Jaza'iri stated:
"Sufism is a shameful deception which begins with Dhikr and ends with Kufr. Its outward manifestation appears to be piety, but its inward reality forsakes the Commandments of Allah." [Illat-Tasawwuf Yaa Ibadallah].
Ash-Sheikh Muhammad ibn Rabee' ibn Haadee Al-Madkhalee, a well known teacher at the Islamic University of Medinah and the son of a well known scholar, brings in his book "Haqeeqatus Soofiyyah Fee Dau'il Kitaabi Was Sunnah", the following:
Concerning the practice of the Sufiyyah in wearing woolen clothing as a sign of Zuhd (abstemiousness/disassociation from the wordly life) and in their attempt to mirror the Prophet 'Isa (AS):
"Ibn Taymiyah (R) mentions in Al-Fataawaa (11/7) from Muhammad ibn Seereen (a famous Tabi'ee who died in 110H) that it reached him that a certain people had taken to wearing woollen clothes in order to resemble 'Isa ibn Maryam (AS), so he said: 'There are a people (Sufis) who have chosen and preferred the wearing of woollen clothes, claiming that they want to resemble Al-Maseeh ibn Maryam (AS). But the way of our Prophet (SAAW) is more beloved to us, and the Prophet (SAAW) used to wear cotton and other garments."
Sheikh Al-Madkhalee goes on:
"As regards the first appearance of Sufism, then the word "Sufism" was not known in the time of the Sahabah, indeed it was not well-known in the first three and best centuries. Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyah (R), mentions that the first appearance of Sufism was in Basrah in 'Iraaq, where some people went to extremes in worship and in avoiding the worldly life, such as was not seen in other lands. [Al-Fataawaa (11/6)]."
Commenting on the reaction of the early Sufis while hearing Qur'an being recited (it was their pratice to fall out and act dumb-struck), Ibn Taymiyah (R) says:
"This was not found to occur amongst the Sahabah, so when it appeared a group of the Companions and the Tabi'een such as Asmaa bint Abi Bakr and 'Abd Allah Az-Zubair and Muhammad ibn Seereen criticsed that since they saw that it was an innovation and contrary to what they knew from the manners of the Sahabah." [Al-Fataawaa (11/6)].
Concerning the spread of Sufism, Ibn Al-Jawzy said: "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." [Talbees Iblis].
Shaikh Abu Zahrah (R) said concerning the reason for the appearance of Sufism and the sources from which it sprung:
1. The first source: Some worshippers amongst the Muslims turned all their attention to avoidance of the worldly life and to cutting themselves off in order to worship. This first began in the lifetime of the Prophet (SAAW) when some of the Sahabah decided to spend the night striving in Prayer and abandoning sleep. Others decided to fast every day without fail. Others decided to cease having marital relations with women. So when that reached the Prophet (SAAW) he said: "What is wrong with a people who say such and such. But rather I fat and I refrain from fasting, I pray and I sleep, and I marry women. So whoever turns away from my Sunnah, then he is not from me (Al-Bukharee and Muslim). Furthermore, the innovation of living like monks (monasticism) is forbiddeen in the Qur'an. He said:
"...the Monasticism which they invented for themselves..." [57:27].
However, when the Prophet (SAAW) passed on to join the company of the highest angels, and many people entered into Islam from the previous religions then the number of those who went to extremes in avoidance of worldly life and its blessings grew and Sufism found a place in the hearts of these people since it had come across a fertile planting ground.
2. The second matter which attracted peoples' souls was something which appeared amongst the Muslims in the form of two ideologies. One of them was philosophical whilst the other was from the previous religions. As for the first, then it was the view of the Illumist school of philosophers who held that knowledge and awareness is brought about in the soul by spiritual exercies and purification of the soul. As for the second ideology, then it was the belief that the Deity dwells in human souls, or that the Deity is incarnate in humanity. This idea began to find a place amongst those sects who falsely attributed themselves to Islam in the earlier times, when the Muslims became mixed with the Christians. This idea appeared amongst the Sabians and some of the Kaysaamiyyah, then the Qaraamitah, then amongst the Baatinees, then in its final shape it appeared amongst some of the Sufis...There is another source from which it took, and which causes the manifestation of Sufi tendencies, which is the idea that the texts of the Book and the Sunnah have an outer, apparent meaning and an inner, hidden meaning...it seems clear that they took this idea from the Baatinees." [Ibn Taymiyah by Abu Zahra].
Ibn Al-Jawzy said after criticising the Sufis for their impostition of hardship upon themselves and for their going beyond bounds of abstemiousness to the point of self torture:
"So this self seprivation which went beyond bounds, which we have been forbideen from, has been turned around by the Sufis of our time, ie. the sixth century, so that they have become as deserious of food as their predecessors were of hunger, and they enjoy morning meals, evening meals and sweet delicacies, all of which or most of which they attain through impure wealth. They have abandoned lawful earnings, turned away from worship and spread out carpets on which they idly recline, most of them have no desire except for food, drink and frivolous activities. [Talbees Iblis].
Speaking of the false miracles claimed by many Sufi leaders, Ibn Taymiyah said:
"It may also be done with the help of their devils as they are a people who are as closely attended by devils as they are by their own brothers... These people who experience these satanic happenings are under a great delusion, in their foolishness they are deprived of all blessings, they only increase that which is feared, they devour the wealth of the people in futile acts, they do not order the good, nor do they forbid evil, and they do not fight Jihaad in Allah's Cause." [Al-Fataawaa].
Futher, Sheikh Al-Madkhalee says:
"Then I return to the point that when I saw that most of the callers were negligent of the most important aspects of Islam which is the call to Tawheed and the correction and purification of 'Aqeedah from all Shirk, which takes the form of worshipping the dead, attachment to the graves and calling upon the dead and the absent, and they remained silent about the other deviation of the present day Sufi orders which are very widespread in the lands of the Muslims, and anyone who travels outside this land will see the predominace that the Sufi orders ahve over the minds of the Muslims in Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Africa and India. Whether is is the Rifaa'ee order, or the Tijanis, or the Ahmadiyyah, or the Qaadiriyyah, or the Burhamiyyah, or the Shadhiliyyah, or the Khattaaniyyah, or the Darqaawees, or the Naqshabandis or whichever of the large number of Sufi orders...when I saw this I wished to remind of that which I held to be something very important. Likewise, I wished to provide my brothers, who study in the highly regarded Daarul Hadeeth, and they come from various Islamic lands where there are many Sufi orders, with some knowledge and some protection from the deadly sickness of Sufism."
As for those authentic and well known books by the 'Ulemah that have refuted Sufism:
1. Al-Fataawaa - by Sheikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyah .
2. Talbess Iblis - by Ibn Al-Jawzy .
3. Tanbeebul-Ghabee ilaa Takfeer Ibn'Arabee - by Burhaanuddeen Al-Baqaa'ee .
4. Tahdheerul-'Ibaad min Ahlil-'Inaad bibid'atil-Ittihaad - by Al-Baqaa'ee .
These are just some of the statements by scholars, past and present, concerning the Sufiyyah. There are many, many more...and the research goes on...
Source---http://www.ahya.org/amm/modules.php?name=Sections&sop=viewarticle&artid=69
Salam to all!
I think it has come to end too dear brother...
thankyou for that article....i hope the articles which i posted before here also appeal to you and others...
I think sufism or tawassuf is allowed, within the shariah...with the correct guidlines, agree with me bro or not, does not matter...most ulama i have asked said it is a good thing..and the articles which i have read also say it is allowed...
Hope you are in good health...and as you said, more research needed by both sides wouldnt you say?...
Sadiq
omar abdulwahid
18-08-2006, 04:24
asalaamu alaikum, this thread has been very good and I have learned alot. (rest of message removed by Admin)
s3 br.
Welcome to myiwc.com.
The division among Muslims is a reality, but in this space we discourage cricism and attacks on Muslim movements. In fact they are against the rules that you can find under FAQ.
I am going to edit your message and remove the parts that are in violation.
Ma'a-salaama,
THE RIGHT UNDERSTANDING OF BID'A
Today we hear so often word bid'a. But most people don't actually understand its right meaning and use it in a haphazard manner. It is often resorted to calling bid'a all practices in Muslim community that were not present in that form during Messenger and sahaba! But are all those positive practices bid'a???
Of course not!
Messenger said that 'He who establish positive practice (sunnat-al-hasana) will have reward of all those who perform it’! Thus He alayhissalam opened the door for new forms of the previously existing practice...
I'll be clearer in example of celebrating Mawlid – the birth of Messenger. Mawlid is congregation of people who sharing the love for messenger listen and participate to group zikr in form of verses from Qur'an, chanting kalima La Ilaha Ill-Allah or envoke certain names of Allah Almighty, listen to pious qasidas written in honor of Messenger alayhissalam and bring forth lots of salawat on beloved Rasool. Now all those practices existed individually during life of Messenger and Sahaba although not in that form. How they existed previously : are we not all obliged to learn and chant from Qur'an, didn't Rasool say that La Ilaha Ill-Allah is the best of words, did Allah not declared that 'To Allah belong The Beautiful names so call Him by those (names)', didn't Hassan ibn Thabit r.a. kept singing qasida in vindication of Rasool, and didn't Rasool said that Gabriel inspired Hassan to make forth such qasida, and didn't Allah order us to make salawat on beloved Rasool 'Indeed Allah and his angels bring salawat upon Nabiyy, Oh you who believe send bring salawat upon him and salaam'. Now all will have to say YES all those practices existed during Messenger and Sahaba... but opponents will say – YES but not in that form and that new form is what makes it a bid'a and is forbidden thereof!!!
Not really!
In order to understand right meaning of bid'a we must trace its Arabic meaning which is exactly Innovation – something completely new and not existing before in no way. See in Qur'an Allah calls Himself 'Badi'u-ssamawati wal ard' – the Innovator of heaven and earth i.e. the creator of heaven and earth from nothing, that is to say He bring all creatures from non existence.
There you got the meaning of bid'a – something whose essence didn't exist before.
Essence of Mawlid which is zikr, salawat and qasidas existed before and therefore it is not a bid'a, rather it is just giving new form to existing practice. You could see it in life of Sahaba after Messenger left, until that time salat Tarawih during Ramadan consisted of 8 rakats – Khalifa 'Umar made it into 20 rakats that we know it today. Sahaba didn't oppose it as they understood that it was just giving new form to existing practice and they knew is allowed and even advisable at certain times to foster and influence life of Muslims as was in the case of Mawlid.
It falls within words of Rasool 'He who establish positive practice (sunnat-al-hasana) will have reward of all those who perform it'
Therefore those practices are not bid'a but sunnat-al-hasana!
And such are many sufi practices - just giving new form to old practice!!!
Salaamun Alaykum
Safwat
assalaum-u-alaikum,
the practice of mawlid is a bida, regardless of what anyone says. the acts that are performed (eg. dhikr) are obviously not the problem. the problem is the fixing of a date. mawlid has become a fixture in the calendar of the sufis and this is what makes it a bida. an additional date has been added to the islamic calendar when there was no such date during the times of the sahabah, tabi'een or taba tabi'een. because the deen was complete during the prophet saw's time, any new dates which become fixtures within the islamic calendar are innovations. regardless of what practices take place during this date, regardless of how noble these practices may be, the fact is that this date has been added to the islamic calendar without authority from the prophet (saw), the sahaba, the tabi'een or the taba tabi'een and this is what makes it a bida. the deen is complete. you cannot add new things and new dates and say it's ok because these new things are similar to the things of old. can i for example start a new type of salah and say that for isha, we shall pray 5 rakahs instead of 4 and justify this by saying that it has the essence of the regular 4 rakah and so is allowed? sounds ludicrous doesn't it?.... well your mawlid is just as ludicrous for those that can quite clearly see that it is a new thing added to the deen...an INNOVATION. and all innovations lead to the fire, regardless of whether people deem them to be good. may Allah (swt) protect us from all things considered by some to be part of the deen of islam , yet were unknown to the prophet (saw), the sahabah (ra), the tabi'een or the taba tabi'een, for those things are surely what the messenger of Allah (swt) warned us of in many ahadith, and he also told us that these things shall be considered as good by those that practice them.
brothers and sisters, the formula is simple.... if something was practised by the prophet (saw), the sahabah, the tabi'een or the taba tabi'een, then we should strive also to practise it but if there is no evidence of certain practises within the islamic world today being practised by the first 3 generations of islam, then we also must not practise these things, for these are surely the things that we have been warned about.
s3 br Franky,
Not all bidah are haraam. Perhaps our brother sufis and others over the llimits on celebrating the Mawlid. I have witnessed these off limits by myself and want pleased. True that al-Israh and Mawlid weren't celebrated during the time of the prophet (s.a.w.). I think these are too divise themes among Muslims and shpuçd be cause of fitnah:
I go always for the middle ground and don't start to say this and that is bidah. I tend to agree with the following fatwa:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503549022&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaEAskTheScholar
M'a-salaama,
assalam-u-alaikum,
brother tayeb, i have to say i totally disagree with that fatwa for which you have provided a link. i would instead agree with the fatwa in the following link.......... http://www.qss.org/articles/milad.html .... minus the stuff about Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab near the bottom of the fatwa as there are conflicting reports as to what this persons true objectives were. this is a totally different matter but i thought it best to point out as i only agree 100% with the part of the fatwa regarding the matter of mawlid.
while i'm no great fan of sheikh bin baaz because he issued the fatwa to allow the american forces into the arabian peninsula and also because he was a paid scholar of the kufria saudi regime, i have to agree totally with his stance regarding mawlid and other similar innovations.
s3 br,
What I have said is that some scholars want to state that this is haraam, but then the same scholars shut up and don't say anything in worst bidah. I'll give you one example: after Hajj we went to Madinah. Guess what we could see on TV? Music and dances. I asked the Manager of the Hotel and his response was rude: unplug the TV. There are in Madinah non-Muslims. Anyone stops them or do the Saudi authorities do anything to throw them out of Madinah? There are even apostates in Madinah. I won't even tell you who controls telecomms, electricity, refineries etc in Saudi Arabia.
Now one more incident. I am regular at Mosque Aisha Sidikka, Odivelas, Portugal. For the first time last monday there was no bayyan allusive to Lalatul-Miraj or better known as al-Israh. Our new Imam chose instead to spend all the time to talk about bidah and how wrong our ancestors were in celebrating the ascension of the prophet (s.a.w.)
These atittudes make anyone think if there is more to it than just talking about bidah. One thing is certain, the night when we hear the oft-recounted history of the prophet ascending to Heaven was emptied of all meaning by this Imam of Masjid Aisha Siddika in name of bidah. Some people were quick to comment that this must be a new order from government, or even the USA government, not to mention Jerusalem at all. In fact I have noticed that even Jumah khutbas Jerusalem or the plight of our brethren in Palestine are no more mentioned or even duah done for them. God forbid!
Akhi, our Ummah has so many problems and we enter into futile infighting.What these people who shout bidah will succed in is to empty the Mosques. That's what we witnessed at Masjid Aisha Siddika. Most of the people got up and went home or whatever they did that night.
You may ask me what did br Tayeb do? I just stayed and listened. I was very angry with the Imam I must say. What will I do next time? If I am alive I'll go to another mosque and forget my dear Masjid Aisha Siddika.
Ma'a-salaama,
asslam-u-alaikum brother,
while i empathise with certain things that you have mentioned, the issue that we were discussing was one of bidah and not the current situation of the ummah. regardless of how bad things are for muslims throughout the world, bidah is still bidah. mawlid is one of the major bidahs practised in the world today and regardless of what the situation of the muslims is, the things that are bidah will remain to be bidah until the day of qiyamah. it can never be justifiable to defend any form of bidah, regardless of the situation. as i said, the issue of bidah and the issue of the state of the ummah are two different topics so i suggest it would be better to discuss each issue on it's own merit and in it's own context.
s3 br Franky,
On the state of Ummah, we squander everything possible to fight each other and unfortunately for the Ummah the matter of biddah specially on Mawlid and al-Israh is being used to divide us.
I beg to differ from you and lay the matter to rest. Allah knows best.
Ma'a-salaama,
Deathpasser
30-08-2006, 09:13
Asalamu Alaikum
It's my opinion that I would rather be one of the few sticking to the deen rather than one of the mass uniting over biddah. Just today I was talking to Muslim youth in America and they've gone so far as to justify the NOI, it's racist ideology and the shirk in their claims of a God-incarnate. I love the idea that Muslims should unite, but is it really worth it to unite over ghuna? Would the prophet(saw) have united the Arab tribes over biddah inovated by them (the tribes) simply for the sake of unity?
I'm all for political support and unity of course, but Abu Bakr(ra) didn't take Musaiylmah into his arms acceptingly so that he could have some extra cash and save the lives of a few Muslims and Muhemmed(saw) didn't acknowledge the lier's prophethood and settle with him (that the world should be divided between Muhemmed(saw) and him).
zubair Ahmed
30-08-2006, 10:28
us salam alaikum,
I am very new your to forums I have joined just today. may be my reply to this subject is very late but brother I just like to add that few years i befoe I my self is part ahl-e-bidah but all praise be to allah when I came to KSA before 14 years I reverted back to true fold of Islam by garce of allah subhan o' ta'ala.
Allaah says in His Noble Book: "Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya'qoob and he said to his children: 'What will you worship after me?' They said: 'We will worship your God and the God of your forefathers, Ibraaheem, Isma'eel and Ishaaq - one God and to Him we submit as Muslims.'" [Surah Al-Baqarah: 133]
And in an authentic hadeeth, Ibn 'Abbaas (radyAllaahu 'anhumaa) reported: "I was behind the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) one day when he said to me: 'O young lad! I will indeed teach you some words: Safeguard Allaah and He will safeguard you. Safeguard Allaah and you will find Him before you. If you ask for something, then ask Allaah (for it). And if you seek someone's assistance, then seek assistance in Allaah. And know that if all of the people in the world were to gather together to do something good for you, they would never be able to do good for you except with something that Allaah has already ordained for you. And if they were to all come together to harm you with something, they would not be able to harm you except with something that Allaah has already ordained for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.'"
This ayah and hadeeth and those similar to them serve as a foundation in instructing the children with profound words concerning the subjects of the Oneness of Allaah and teaching about worshipping Him, guarding His boundaries, relying upon Him, and that He is always observing us, as well as the belief in Divine Decree (Qadar) - the good of it and the bad of it. This is the correct religious way of cultivation through which it is hoped that the one who abides by it will become one of the best of Allaah's righteous servants.
In the Name of Allaah, Most Merciful Bestower of Mercy.
"Who created you?"
Allaah created me and everything that exists. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "Allaah created everything." [Surah Az-Zumar: 62]
"Who is your Lord?"
Allaah is my Lord. He is the Lord of everything. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "Say: Shall I seek a lord other than Allaah, when He is the Lord of everything?" [Surah Al-An'aam: 164] And He says: "All praise is for Allaah, Lord of all that exists." [Surah Al-Faatihah: 2]
"Why did Allaah create you?"
Allaah created all of us so that we can worship Him. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "And I did not create the jinn or mankind except to worship Me." [Surah Adh-Dhaariyaat: 56]
"What is your religion?"
Say: My religion is the true religion of Islaam. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "Verily, the only true religion in the sight of Allaah is Islaam." [Surah Aali 'Imraan: 19] And Allaah says: "He is the One who sent His Messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth." [Surah At-Tawbah: 33]
And Allaah says: "And whoever looks for a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted from him and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers." [Surah Aali 'Imraan: 85]
"Who is your Prophet?"
My Prophet and the prophet of this nation (of people) is Muhammad, the Messenger of Allaah. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but rather he is the Messenger of Allaah and the last of the prophets." [Surah Al-Ahzaab: 40]
"What is the first thing that is mandatory upon a servant of Allaah?"
It is to learn about the Oneness of Allaah. The proof for this is the hadeeth of Ibn 'Abbaas (radyAllaahu 'anhumaa) who said: "When the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) sent Mu'aadh bin Jabal to Yemen, he told him: 'You are going to a group of people from the Jews and the Christians. So the first thing you should call them to is that they should make Allaah One (in worship).'" This hadeeth is agreed upon and the wording here is from Al-Bukhaaree.
"What is the meaning of Laa Ilaaha IllaaAllaah?"
This means that there is nothing that has the right to be worshipped truly except Allaah. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "Then know that there is no god that has the right to be worshipped except Allaah." [Surah Muhammad: 19]
And Allaah says: "That is because Allaah is the only true God that deserves to be worshipped." [Surah Al-Hajj: 62]
"What is the meaning of Muhammadu Rasoolullaah?"
This means that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah sent to all of mankind - whether jinn or human beings. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "And We did not send you (O Muhammad) except to all of mankind." [Surah Saba': 28]
All of us must obey him, believe in him and stay away from what he prohibited. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "Say: Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad)." [Surah An-Noor: 54]
And Abu Hurairah (radyAllaahu 'anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Whatever I forbid you from, stay away from it. And whatever I command you to do, then do that as much as you are able to." [Agreed upon]
Also, Allaah says: "This is what the Most Merciful (Allaah) has promised and the Messengers have spoken the truth." [Surah YaaSeen: 52]
The right that Allaah has over His servants is that they should worship Him alone and not mix any partners in worship with Him. The proof for this is the hadeeth where Mu'aadh bin Jabal reported that the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "The right that Allaah has over the servants is that they worship Him alone and not mix any partners with Him (in worship). And the right the servants have over Allaah is that He should not punish anyone that doesn't mix partners with Him in worship." [Agreed upon]
It is when you worship something other than Allaah. So every act we do as worship to Allaah, if it is done for someone other than Allaah, then that is Shirk (polytheism). The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "And worship Allaah alone and do not mix any partners with Him (in worship)." [Surah An-Nisaa: 36]
Making images of things with souls is one of the major sins. The proof for this is the hadeeth of Ibn Mas'ood (radyAllaahu 'anhu) who reported that the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Verily, the people with the worst punishment on the Day of Judgement are the ones who make images." [Agreed Upon]
And in a hadeeth, Abu Juhaifah (radyAllaahu 'anhu) said: "The Messenger of Allaah forbade us from taking money for selling dogs and blood...and he cursed the picture-makers." [Reported by Al-Bukhaaree]
Making images is a form of creating in which the picture-makers are competing with Allaah and taking part in His ability to create. The proof for this is what 'Aa'ishah (radyAllaahu 'anhaa) reported from the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) that he said: "The people with the worst punishment on the Day of Judgement are those who compete with Allaah's creation." [Agreed Upon]
Also, Abu Hurairah (radyAllaahu 'anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Allaah said: 'And who is worse than he who tries to create like My creation...'" [Agreed Upon]
"What is the definition of the word worship?"
worship is a comprehensive term that includes everything that Allaah loves and is pleased with. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "If you disbelieve, then verily, Allaah is not in need of you. And He does not like disbelief for His servants. But if you are grateful, then He is pleased with you." [Surah Az-Zumar: 7]
"Where is Allaah?"
Allaah is above the heavens, over His Throne. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "Do you feel secure that He who is above the heavens will not cause the earth to sink with you and then it should quake?" [Surah Al-Mulk: 16]
And Allaah says: "The Most Merciful (Allaah) rose over the Throne." [Surah TaHa: 5]
And in a hadeeth, Abu Hurairah (radyAllaahu 'anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Our Lord, may He be blessed and exalted, descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, saying: 'Who is invoking Me that I may respond to him? Who asks of Me that I may give him? Who seeks my forgiveness that I may forgive him?'" [Agreed Upon]
The word "descend" here can only come from one who is above.
"Is Allaah with us?"
Allaah is with us through His Knowledge. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "He is with you wherever you may be." [Surah Al-Hadeed: 4]
And Allaah says: "And He is Allaah in the heavens and on the earth. He knows what you conceal and what you reveal, and He knows what you earn." [Surah Al-An'aam: 3]
Ibn Katheer said: "This means that Allaah is the One who knows what is in the heavens and on the earth from the things that are hidden and open."
"What is the definition of Islaam?"
It means to surrender to Allaah by making all of the worship for Him alone, to submit to Him in obedience and to be free from Shirk. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "So your God is one God. Therefore, submit to Him and give the glad tidings to the good-doers." [Surah Al-Hajj: 34]
And Allaah says: "O you who believe! Fear Allaah as He ought to be feared and do not die except while you are Muslims." [Surah Aali 'Imraan: 102]
"Is the Religion of Islaam complete or does it need to be completed?"
Islaam is a complete and perfect religion. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "Today I have perfected your Religion for you and completed my favor upon you and I am pleased with Islaam as a religion for you." [Surah Al-Maa'idah: 3]
"Where does a Muslim take his Religion from?"
A Muslim takes his Religion from the Qur'aan and the Sunnah, basing them on the understanding of the pious predecessors (Salaf). The proof for this is Allaah's statement: "Is it not enough for them that We revealed a Book to you (O Muhammad) that is to be recited to them?" [Surah Al-'Ankaboot: 51]
And His saying: "And if you differ in anything, then refer it back to Allaah and the Messenger if you truly believe in Allaah and the Last Day." [Surah An-Nisaa: 59]
And Allaah says: "Guide us to the Straight Path - the Path of those whom You have blessed, not of those who have earned Your Anger or those who are astray." [Surah Al-Faatihah: 7]
And Allaah says: "And whoever opposes the Messenger after the guidance has been made clear to him and follows something other than the Way of the Believers, We will turn him to what he has chosen and land him in Hell - what an evil destination!" [Surah An-Nisaa: 115]
Also see the hadeeth that comes after this.
"What is your Creed?"
follower of the Sunnah (Sunnee), a follower of the Salaf (Salafee). The proof for this is the hadeeth reported by Al-'Irbaad bin Saariyah where the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khaleefahs. Cling tight onto that and bite on it with your molar teeth. And beware of newly-invented matters, for indeed every newly-invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a misguidance." [Reported by Abu Dawood and others and it is a sound hadeeth]
They call them to worship Allaah alone and without any partner. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "And We have indeed sent a Messenger to every nation (saying): 'Worship Allaah alone and avoid the false gods.'" [Surah An-Nahl: 36]
"What is the definition of this Tawheed that all of the Messengers call to?"
It is to single Allaah out in worship. The proof for this is Allaah's saying: "And worship Allaah alone and do not ascribe anything in worship with Him." [Surah An-Nisaa: 36]
And Allaah says: "Say: He is Allaah, the Indivisible. Allaah is the One that is in need of no one. He does not give birth nor was He given birth to. And no one is equal to or like Him." [Surah Al-Ikhlaas: 1-4]
"What are the categories of Allaah's Tawheed (Oneness)?"
There are three categories:
1. Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah (Oneness of Allaah in His Lordship)
2. Tawheed Al-Uloohiyyah (Oneness of Allaah in His Worship)
3. Tahweed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (Oneness of Allaah in His Names and Attributes)
The proof for this is Allaah's saying; "In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, Bestower of Mercy." [Surah Al-Faatihah: 1]
And His saying: "He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and what lies between them. So worship Him alone and be constant and patient in worshipping Him. Do you know of anyone similar to Him?" [Surah Maryam: 65]
These two ayahs contain the three categories of Tawheed.
"What is the greatest of good deeds and the worst of evil deeds?"
The greatest of good deeds is implementing the Oneness of Allaah and the worst of evil deeds is ascribing partners to Allaah. The proof for this is Allaah's statement: "Verily, Allaah does not forgive it when partners are ascribed to Him (in worship). But He forgives what is less than that to whom He wills." [Surah An-Nisaa: 48]
And Allaah says: "Now we have no intercessors or any close friend. (Alas!) If we only had a chance to go back, we would truly be from the believers." [Surah Ash-Shu'araa: 100-102]
Zubair Ahmed
s3 br Zubair,
Welcome br Zubair and I hope to see you here more regularly.
I must say that this discussion violates our rule which doesn't allow discussions that create divisions among the Muslims. We have made this policy - right or wrong - long time ago as it goes on and on and there seems to be no agreemnt. Anyhow I will allow for a while for these matters related to bidah to be discussed because I close this thread.
I understand the dangers of bidah.
Let me ask you since you live in Saudi Arabia if it is permissible for a place like Madinah, less than 1Km away from the Mosque of Prophet (s.a.w.) to be able to watch music and dances on TV. There is a free market of CD and DVDs of Indian and Arab films and music.This is something that got stuck in my neck since having been in Hajj last year. Another fact was that apostates that are advertising from Madinah. Can apostates live in Madinah?
I am not trying to divert from the theme of discussion. I worte on this before your presence and response. This matter is something that bothers me as a Muslim, besides other things, which are of course a problem for the Saudis like all the non-Muslims and specially Americans controlling everything that matters in that country from telecomms to refinaeries, brand of cars, machinery etc.
Ma'a-salaama,
assalam-u-alaikum,
as brother deathpasser (sure hope that's not his real name :D) has said, we do not unite upon bidah. we are all for muslim unity, but those that continue unabaited with their acts of bidah, then they are the ones that need to change and not us. can anyone give me one example of any respected scholar, past or present, who has said that we should unite with those that commit biddah? i'll tell you that there is no example. it is true that we need to unite, but it is also true that we need to unite upon huq and not baatil. those that continue to live the life of innovators and do not heed our advice, we leave them to their evil deeds and stay away from them, for that is what we have been told to do. did you know that imam abu hanifa said that we should not even sit in their company? why?... because we do not what our ears will hear and it may be that we become influenced by their words.
regarding the issue of haram activities taking place within madinah, i fail to see what this has to do with the discussion of bidah and islamic unity. we all know that the kufria saudi regime are controlled by their kafir masters so it's about as much as we can expect.
also, how is this discussion creating divisions amongst muslims? all we are saying is that people need to give up their practise of innovated matters and that we must only unite upon the huq. surely this is sending the message of truth rather than causing divisions. after all, the divisions that exist already exist. how can speaking the truth make matters worse???
s3 br Franky,
I didn't say we need to unite and let alone bidah. What I said is that the question of Mawlid and Al-Isra & Al-Miraj, and all others that crop up, do divide us. The objective of this space is to promote the discussion on what unites us rather than what divides us, as there other spaces on the Web where these matters can be discussed.
To avoid any further grievances and to defend the rules of this space, I'll imediately lock this thread before we start calling each other names like believer / unbeliever, which I as Admin will view as grievous breach of rules.
On KSA, being the detentor of 2 Holy Places, we as Muslims have the right of having opinions at least on these 2 places. Saudi Arabia is the country that most promotes this division among Muslims based on bidah, yet they are no examples at all for Muslims as I have seen from my Hajj period. I find relevant because there is a lot of investment in diving Muslims into small groups each saying we are better than you.
I have locked this discussion and won't allow further discussions on what constitutes bidah. Anyone infringing the rules will get warning points and ultimately risk being banned altogether from myiwc.com.
Allah knows best!
Ma'a-salaama,
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