The diversity of islamic sects including sunni, shii, wahabi, ismailism, and so on find common ground in opposing or integrating with sufism dependent on prevailing political, religious and other influences. The principles of sufism is a mystical guide book to help others on their spiritual path. Sufism, being the marrow of the bone or the inner dimension of the islamic revelation, is the means par excellence whereby tawhid is achieved. The heart of islam book description this engaging and wellresearched narrative provides an insiders understanding of islam in all its aspects. Naqshbandiyah sufi order, sheikh yusuf almakassari, spiritual street, ihsan. Who are sufi muslims and why do some extremists hate them. Sufism, the name given to islamic mysticism, has been the subject of many studies, but the orders through which the organizational aspect of the sufi spirit was expressed has been neglected. In the name of allah, most gracious, most merciful islaamic sharia law based on quraan, sunnah and ijtihaad. This is another article in the chapter sufism from the classical manual on sharia called reliance of the traveller. Though many shia and sunni muslims reject sufis as true muslims, sufi muslims consider themselves followers of allah. Understanding the concept of islamic sufism shahida bilqies research scholar, shahihamadan institute of islamic studies university of kashmir, srinagar190006 jammu and kashmir, india.
Pdf the interplay of sufism and shariah in tayeb salihs work. This is how sufism is described, by an islamic scholar in the classical manual on sharia called reliance of the traveller. Tasawwufsufism in islam a talk sponsored by cair stanford university, may 4, 1997 imam hamza yusuf, sometime khatib at the muslim community association of santa clara, california, spoke on sufism in islam, directly following a lecture by dr. They started adopting various spiritual practices over and above sharia, known as tariqat the path. Islamsu sm is masterpiece by titus burckhardt examines the. Most forms of sufism and quasisufism known in the west place a high priority on love. Some say it first came from constantly reciting the quran, meditating, and through experience. Nearly all sufi schools trace their ancestry to imam ali a. If we are to examine each and every custom of each and every tariqah, we would b. Tasawwuf and sharia shafiq urrahman all praises are due to allah. Understanding the concept of islamic sufism journal of education. Classical sufi texts, which stressed certain teachings and practices of the quran and the sunnah. Nov 12, 20 they started adopting various spiritual practices over and above sharia, known as tariqat the path. In tracing the history of sufism, the earliest instances of sufism can be found even before the time of the prophet muhammad.
Sufism is indirectly mentioned in the 2nd chapter of the quran in the name of the merciful and compassionate god. Sufism and islam cannot be separated in the same way that higher consciousness or awakening cannot be separated from islam. Sufi orders tariqas can be found in sunni, shia and other islamic groups. Drunken sufism has always been popular among muslims of all classes and persuasions, and even the most literalminded jurists are likely to enjoy the poetry while condemning the ideas for a good study of the role of poetry and music in contemporary sufism, see earl h. History of sufism follows a long period of evolution since the time of the prophet. Sufism, mystical islamic belief and practice in which muslims seek the truth of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of god. This deeper identity, or essential self, has abilities of awareness, action, creativity and love that are far beyond. More importantly, you will know the basis of sharia. An online critique of sufism, written by a salafi muslim, a. A rebuttal to this critique has been written by a sufi scholar, dr. At first, sufism only meant making islam more personal and internal. The four roots of islamic law and their talmudic counterparts by judith romney wegner introduction rabbinic law was a system of law akin at many points to arabian custom, founded on the same monotheistic principles and imbued with the same spirit as islam.
This deeper identity, beyond the already known personality, is in harmony with all that exists. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except. The arabic term sufi has been used in islamic literature with a wide range of meanings, by both proponents and opponents of sufism. Islamic mysticism had several stages of growth, including 1 the appearance of early asceticism, 2 the development of a classical mysticism of divine love, and 3 the rise and proliferation of fraternal orders of mystics. According orthodox mainstream islam, it is the quranic teachings of muhammad, sharia law, and hadith that set the guidelines to be strictly followed by muslims in order to attain eternal closeness with allah, the divine. Many people in the west have an idea that sufism is a separate sect of islam, somewhat spiritual and peaceful.
What many are unaware of is that sufism is a complete and practical method for transforming people from loathsome i. Bismi allahirrahmanirrahim the word sufi is derived from the arabic word suf which means wool and which refers to the coarse woolen robes that were worn by the prophet muhammad pbuh and by his close companions. The day when neither wealth nor children will avail, except him who comes to god with a heart that is sound. Sufism is a way of life in which a deeper identity is discovered and lived.
To attain this his first lesson is unshakable belief in the existence of god and unconditional surrender to his will. Spencer trimingham offers a clear and detailed account of the formation and development of the sufi schools and orders tariqahs from the. Sufism simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Others have held that sufism is striving to live like the holy prophet muhammad, bringing you closer to allah, to god. In fact sufism was in existence even before the time the prophet muhammad even though it gained recognition and popularity as a dogma only after the coming of the prophet. We seek refuge in allah from the evil in our souls and from our wrong actions. There are thousands of books written on this genre. Islam is not an historical phenomenon that began 1,400 years ago. Sufism is more accurately described as an aspect or dimension of islam. Despite these general stages, however, the history of islamic mysticism is largely a history of individual mystic experience. Download masnavi rumi, saadi, hafiz, khayam, attar in pdf format presents masterpieces of literature by sufis and saints which can be downloaded in ebook format pdf. Nov 24, 2017 sufism is a mystical form of islam, a school of practice that emphasizes the inward search for god and shuns materialism. It elaborates on how sufism is the preserved spiritual path that forms the heart of islam. As far as following sharia comes at the lowest level in sufism and when someone becomes a sufi, he gives and follows his own shaira.
Sufism is a mystical form of islam, a school of practice that emphasizes the inward search for god and shuns materialism. The path of the sufis is built of the koran and sunna, and is based upon living according to. Tareeqat when you become handy on following sharia, now you stop. This is well and good, and burckhardt himself points out that ibn iarab the greatest master of sufi theoretical teachings put love at the pinnacle of concerns. It is the timeless art of awakening by means of submission. Islam is the religion, sufism is a tariqah or path within.
Sufi practices are usually defined within the basic tenets of islam, the sharia or shariah although some orders include singing and dancing in the love of god, something some muslims frown on. The relationship of tasawuf to sharia, tariqa, hakekat, and ma rifat. Sufism is a mysticalascetic approach to islam that seeks to find divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of god. Difference between islam and sufism difference between. Islamsu sm is masterpiece by titus burckhardt examines. And paradise will be brought near for the godfearing. A study of shaykh ahmad sirhindi s effort to reform sufism by muhammad abdul haq ansari 1986.
By focusing on the more spiritual aspects of religion, sufis strive to obtain direct experience of god by making use of intuitive and emotional faculties that one must be trained to use. The fundamental difference between islam and sufism pivots around the path of attaining union with allah. Using the textual analysis method, it examines the interplay and. We praise him, seek his help, and ask his forgiveness. Sufis believe the sharia exoteric canon, tariqa order and haqiqa truth are mutually interdependent.
Pdf islamic tasawwuf or sufism hammad shah academia. Sufism, let me suggest what sets burckhardt s study apart. Alghazali is an expert and great muslim scholar who speaks up for moderate sunni sufism, a sufism which is based on the doctrine of the asceticism of the quran, prophetic traditions, and the tradition of his companions. Sufism, or tasawwuf as it is known in the muslim world, is islamic mysticism lings, martin, what is sufism. Sep 08, 2009 sufism, or tasawwuf as it is known in the muslim world, is islamic mysticism lings, martin, what is sufism. He succeeded in purifying sufism from various deviations, and harmonizing sufism with sharia, and making it halal for sunnis. History of sufism reveals that it has followed a long period of evolution since the time of its inception. Tareeqat when you become handy on following sharia, now you. However it was only after the arrival of the prophet that the practice came to be known by the name of sufism.
Briefly put, sufi is a secondcentury name applied to a type of muslim earlier known as zahid. By focusing on the more spiritual aspects of religion, sufis strive to obtain direct experience of god by making use of intuitive and emotional faculties that one must be. The forty rules of love by elif shafak, the conference of the birds by attar of nishapur, the essential rumi by rumi, the sufis. Further, sufis believe they are practicing the highest form of worship or devotion. They considered following shariat andtariqat essential to reach the haqiqat the truth. You will achieve an understanding of islam that most in the west do not have.
It is as ancient as the rise of human consciousness. It has produced some of the worlds most beloved literature, like the. May 26, 2017 many people in the west have an idea that sufism is a separate sect of islam, somewhat spiritual and peaceful. The life of a sufi is the life of the spirit regulated strictly in accordance with islamic theology and traditions.
The articles are posted one by one in the order they are given in the book. Pdf this article explores the literary work of the sudanese writer tayeb salih. The sufi orders in islam is one of the earliest modern examinations of the historical development of sufism and is considered a classic work in numerous. There are four stages, of practice and understanding in sufism, shariah religious law, tariqah the mystical path, haqiqah truth, and marifah gnosis. Sep 07, 2008 as far as following sharia comes at the lowest level in sufism and when someone becomes a sufi, he gives and follows his own shaira. Outlining the four principles of repentance, sincerity, remembrance, and love, it traces the fundamental stages and states of the spiritual novices transformative journey, emphasizing the importance of embracing both human limitations and gods limitless love.
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