To: soc.religion.islam
From: mateen@interlink.com (Mateen Siddiqui)
Subject: Sufism, Its Definition - Shaikh Hisham Kabbani (9409.sufism.shk)
Date: 49940901
Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem
Sufism Today
Praise to Allah, the Bestower of favors on His servants, the Perfecter
of gifts and the Reviver of hearts. Greetings and prayers on the one
both loved and beloved who Allah sent as a Mercy to humankind to
enlighten the way for seekers and to guide knowers on His most
upright path.
From its advent, Islam was beset with enemies from within and without,
who tried to destroy its very foundations and pillars: sometimes through
outright atheism but more often through free-thought and corruption. As
a result, the Muslim world always stands in need of effective scholars,
who struggle in its defence and who are steadfast and trustworthy in
their advice to the Ummah, who make the clear the path of good and
distinguish if from evil and error, who differentiate between what
the religion permits and what it forbids, what is false and what is
true, what is good and what is plainly corrupt.
In general, Muslims of today no longer have advisors and teachers who
possess the calibre to counsel them and to train them in the teachings
of their religion. Unfortunately, they do not find guides capable of
leading them in the teachings of their religion on that high road of
morality and ethics that constitute Islams essential character. On the
contrary, today we see cases of would-be scholars ('ulema) who are not
only unscholarly, but are also ignorant and sometimes even corrupt.
Indeed, in many places they have gotten the upper hand and now
prominently occupy seats of religious authority. Sunk in lives of
pleasure and good living, they play at the role of guiding and advising
and preaching to the Muslim community but in reality they have cast
aside the simple lifestyle and regimen of self-denial practiced by
the Prophet (s), his Companions (r) and those of the generation
immediately succeeding them. Confronted with this situation, how can
we not ask: In which direction is our Ummah headed?
No doubt it is true that timely and proper measures could have been
taken by Muslims to prepare good and wise scholars whose unstained
lives would have allowed them to function as models and to undertake
the mission of reminding the Nation of the message brought forth in
the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s). then, in our condition
as Muslims would have been improved and we would have been rewarded
and lifted to those stations that Allah ordained for us both in this
life and in the Hereafter.
But consideration of the present condition only causes to reflect. The
situation in Islam was not always as I have described it. On the
contrary, it used to be that this sacred mission, this great service
of calling the Ummah to remembrance of its proper heritage framed by
the Qur'an and set out in the Prophet's Sunnah was performed by devoted
and sincere scholars of Islam. It was in fact these individuals, who in
time, came to be known by the name of "Sufi," a word derived from the
Arabic safa'a, which means "to purify" because of the assiduousness with
which these individuals applied themselves in firmly upholding the
Sunnah and employing it to purify their character from all defects
in behavior and morality.
We know for example, that in the first century after the Hijra, a
peculiarly Islamic regimen of self-purification (zuhd) grew up among
Muslims. Derived in principle from the order of Allah to His Righteous
Apostle to purify his Companions, the practitioners of this way clove
firmly to the Prophetic Sunnah as it was reflected in the lives of his
Companions and their Successors, in the ways they employed to purify
their hearts and character from bad manners and to inculcate in their
own selves in and in those around them the manners and upright moral
stature of the Best of Mankind, Prophet Muhammad (s). Through slow
evolution, this regimen ended up as a school of practical thought and
moral action endowed with its own structure of rule and principle. This
became the basis used by Sufi scholars to direct Muslims on the right
path. As a result, the Islamic world soon witnessed the development of
a variety of schools of purification of the ego, (tazkiyyat an-nafs)
which were commonly referred to by the term Sufi, derived from the word
safa'a (purification). Sufi thought as it spread everywhere, served
as a dynamic force behind the growth and fabric of Islamic education.
This tremendous advance occurred from the first Hijri century to the
seventh, in parallel with the development of the bases of fiqh through
the Four Imams, the bases of 'aqidah through al-'Ashari and others, the
science of hadith resulting in the six authentic collections (and
innumerable others) and the science of grammar (an-nahu).
"Tariqat" or "path" came to be a term applied to groups of individuals
belonging to the school of thought pursued by a particular scholar or
"shaikh" as such person was often called. Though these shaikhs applied
different methods in training their followers, the core of each one's
program was identical. The situation is not unlike what we find in
faculties of medicine and law today. The approach in different
faculties may vary, but the body of law, the state of art in medicine
remains essentially the same. When students graduate from these
faculties, each bears the stamp of its character. Yet, for that reason
none are considered an less a lawyer or doctor.. In a similar way, the
student product of a particular shaikh will bear the stamp of that
shaikh's teaching and character. Consequently, the names given to
various schools of Sufi thought and methodology differ according to the
names and perspectives of their founders. This variation manifests
itself in a more concrete fashion in the different superogatory
devotions, known as awrad, ahzab or adhkaar, used as the practical
methodology of spiritual formation. Such differences however, have
nothing to do with religious principle. In basic principles, the
schools of Sufism are essentially the same.
The Sufi regimen under which individuals undertook the path to Allah,
was a finely-honed itinerary which charted the course of inward and
outward progress in religious faith and practice (din). Following
the tradition of the Companions of the Prophet (s) who used to
frequent his company, Ahl as-Suffa [the People of the Bench], the
practitioners of this regimen lived a communal life in the mosque-
schools (zawaayah), border forts (ribat) and guest-houses (khaniqah)
where they gathered together on specific occasions dedicated to the
traditional festivals of the Islamic calendar ('Eids) as well as on
a regular basis in associations for the convey knowledge (suhba),
assemblies to invoke the names of Allah and devotional remembrance
(adhkaar) from the Prophetic Tradition, study Islamic law (fiqh)
and to hear inspired preaching and moral exhortation (wa'iz).
The shaikhs exhorted their students to actively respond to Allah and
His Messenger (s), to cleanse their hearts and purify their souls
from the lower desires prompted by the ego and to reform erroneous
beliefs. All this was accomplished by cleaving to the Prophetic
Sunnah. The methods of remembering Allah which they instilled in
their students were the very same methods passed down from the
Prophet (s). In this way, they propagated upright behavior both
through word and deed; while they encouraged the believers to devote
themselves to Allah Almighty with their whole hearts. The aim of
their endeavor then was nothing less than obtaining Allah's satis-
faction and inspiring love for His Prophet (s). In short, what they
aimed for was a state where God would be pleased with them even as
they they were pleased with God.
These shaikhs therefore were the radiant beacons that dispelled
darkness from a believer's heart and they were the solid corner-
stones upon which the Ummah could build the foundations of an ideal
society. The ideal here was the spirit of sacrifice and selflessness
(dahiya) that characterized their every effort. And these values in
time, imbued the entire social fabric of Islam. The guesthouses for
example, were more often than not found in neighborhoods of the poor
and economically disadvantaged. Needless to say, for this reason they
became remedies for many social ills.
As a result of such teaching and training we find that many students
of Sufi shaikhs, graduated from their course of studies empowered to
carry other people's burdens, even as they strove to illumine the way
of Truth. Furthermore, through their training and self-discipline they
had developed the manifest and decisive will to do so. For genuine
scholars and teachers of tariqat leave no stone unturned in conducting
jihad. And I mean here both the physical jihad and the spiritual jihad
against the unseen allurements that entrap the soul.
History books are filled with the names of Sufi mujahidin and martyrs
that have devoted their lives to confronting the enemies of the faith
and calling mankind to Islam for Allah's sake as well as calling back
those who had deviated from the path of Islam and the Sunnah of the
Prophet (s). They accomplished this with wisdom and they were
effective. Their names and stories are too numerous to list in the
interval of time at our disposal.
It suffices to say that the lives of these Sufi Shaikhs are insur-
mountable evidence that Sufism, far from encouraging escapism and
quietism of the soul that causes social progress to founder, upheld
the highest values of social consciousness as well as religious
inquiry and science. In fact, they provide adequate testimony to an
unremitting jihad and struggle against social injustice and social
inaction that took place in Islam over the centuries.
THE NAQSHBANDI SCHOOL
=====================
Let us turn now to that aspect of Sufism on which I wish to specifi-
cally focus our attention. It was a school of thought and practice
that stood in the vanguard of those disseminated Islam an defended
Islamic communities where the Muslim armies did not reach, especially
in Central Asia and India where these communities numbered in the
millions. I specifically mean the Naqshbandi Muslims who took up
political, social and educational roles in their communities, acting
according to the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s),
without accepting the slightest deviation from the shari'ah.
Historically speaking, the Naqshbandi tariqat can be traced back to
the first of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, Abu Bakr Siddiq (r), who
succeed the Prophet (s) in his knowledge and in his role of guiding
the Muslim community. Allah said in the Holy Qur'an (9:40) "he was
the second of two in the cave, and he said to his friend: do not be
sad, for God is with us." Concerning Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r), the
Prophet said, "the sun never rose nor set on anyone better Abu Bakr
except prophets" ("Tarikh al-Khulafa' of Suyuti). He also said,
"Abu Bakr does not precede you in anything in the way of prayer
or fasting but in a secret rooted deep in his heart." ("Manaqib
as-Sahaba of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal). The Prophet (s) also said,
"If I had taken to myself a beloved friend, I would have taken
Abu Bakr as my beloved friend; but he is my brother and my
companion." (Sahih Muslim)
What distinguishes the Naqshbandi school from other Sufi orders
was the fact that it took its foundations and principles from the
teachings and example of five bright stars in the firmament of the
Prophet (s). These great figures were Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, Sayyidina
Salman al-Farsi, Sayyidina Bayazid Tayfur al-Bistami, Sayyidina
'Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani and Sayyidina Muhammad Baha'uddin
Uwaysi al-Bukhari, known as Shah Naqshband--the eponymous Imam
of the tariqat.
Behind the word "Naqshband" stand two ideas: "naqsh" which means
"engraving" and suggests engraving the name of Allah in the heart,
and "band" which means "bond" and indicates the link between the
individual and his Creator. This means that the Naqshbandi follower
has to practice his prayers and obligations according to the Holy
Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s) and to keep the presence and
love of Allah alive in his heart through a personal experience of the
link between himself and his Lord.
But who besides Abu Bakr as-Siddiq are these stars in the firmament
of the Prophet (s)? One of them was Salman al-Farsi (r). His origin
was Ispahan in Persia and he was the one who advised the Muslims to
dig a trench in the battle of Ahzab. After the Muslims seized
al-Mada'in, the capital city of Persia, he was made Prince and governor
of that city and remained there until his death.
Another star was Bayazid Tayfur al-Bistami whose grandfather was a
Zoroastrian. Bayazid made a detailed study of the statutes of Islamic
law (shari'ah) and practiced a strict regimen of self-denial. All his
life he was assiduous in the practice of his religious obligations. He
urged his students (murids) to put their efforts in the hands of God
and he encouraged them to accept sincere and pure doctrine of tawhid.
This doctrine, which consisted of five elements: to keep their
obligations according to Qur'an and Sunnah, to always speak the
truth, to keep the heart from hatred, to avoid forbidden food (haram),
and to shun innovation (bida'a). Bayazid said that the ultimate goal
of the Sufis is to see God in the Hereafter. To that effect he added:
"There are special servants of Allah, who if Allah veiled them from
His vision in Paradise, would have implored Him to bring them out of
Paradise as the inhabitants of the Fire implore Him to escape from Hell."
Yet another star in the firmament of the Prophet (s), was 'Abdul
Khaliq al-Ghujduvani, who was born in the village of Ghujduvan, near
Bukhara in present-day Uzbekistan. He was raised and buried there. He
studied Qur'an, tafsir, fiqh and hadith with Shaikh Sadruddin. Having
mastered the sciences of shari'ah, he moved on to jihad an-nafs
(spiritual training--combatting the lower self) until he reached a
high station of purity. He then traveled to Damascus where he established
a school from which many students graduated. Each became the masters of
fiqh and hadith as well as spirituality in their time, both in the
regions of Central Asia and in the Middle East.
'Abdul Khaliq continued the work of his predecessors by formulating
the dhikr (remembrance of God) passed down from the Prophet (s)
according to the Sunnah. In his letters he set down the code of
conduct (adab) that the students of the Naqshbandiyya were expected
to follow. We quote from his sayings: "O my son, I urge you to acquire
knowledge and righteous conduct and fear of Allah. Follow the steps of
the pious salaf (early generations), hold on to the Sunnah of the
Prophet (s) and keep company with sincere believers. Read fiqh and
hadith and tafsir, avoid ignorant charlatans and keep the prayer in
congregation. Beware of fame and its dangers. Be among the ordinary
people and do not seek positions."
In this constellation, we come finally to Muhammad Baha'uddin Uwaysi
al-Bukhari, known as Shah Naqshband, the Imam of the Naqshbandi
Tariqat without peer. He was born in the year 1317 C.E. in the
village of Qasr al-'Arifin, near Bukhara. After he mastered the
shari'ah sciences at the tender age of 18, he kept company with the
Shaikh Muhammad Baba as-Samasi, who was Imam al-muhaddithin (foremost
authority in hadith) in Central Asia at that time. After the latter's
death, he followed Shaikh Amir Kulal who continued and perfected his
training in 'Ilm al-Quran (Science of Qur'an) and 'Ilm adh-Dhikr
(Science of Remembrance) which Kulal had inherited from his master
through the chain of teachers that started with the Prophet (s),
through Abu Bakr as-Siddiq and Salman al-Farsi and on up to his time.
The students of Shaikh Amir Kulal used to make dhikr aloud when
sitting together in association, and silent dhikr when alone. Shah
Naqshband however, never criticized nor objected tot he loud Zikr,
but he preferred the silent dhikr. Concerning this he says, "There
are two methods of dhikr; one is silent and one is loud. I chose the
silent one because it is stronger and therefore more preferable." The
silent dhikr thus became the distinguishing feature of the Naqsh-
bandiyya among other tariqats.
Shah Naqshband performed Hajj three times, after which he resided in
Merv and Bukhara. Towards the end of his life he went back to
settle in his native city of Qasr al-'Arifin. His teachings became
quoted everywhere and his name was on every tongue. Visitors from
far and wide came to see him and to seek his advice. They received
teaching in his school and mosque, a complex which at one time
accommodated more than five thousand people. This school is the
largest Islamic center of learning in Central Asia and still exists
in our day. It was recently renovated and reopened after surviving
seventy years of Communist rule.
Shah Naqshband's teachings changed the hearts of seekers from darkness
to light. He continued to teach his students the knowledge of the
Oneness of God in which his predecessors had specialized, emphasizing
the realization of the state of ihsan (excellence) for his followers
according to the hadith of the Prophet (s), "Ihsan is to worship God
as if you see Him."
When Shah Naqshband entered his final illness he locked himself up
into his room. Wave after wave of his followers began to visit him,
and he gave to each of them hat the needed. At one point he ordered
them to read sura Ya Sin. When they finished reading the sura, Shah
Naqshband raised his hands in du'a to God. Then he raised his right
finger to say the shahada. As soon as he finished saying he Shahada,
his soul returned to God. He died on a Monday night, the 3rd of
Rabi'ul-Awwal, 791 H. (1388 C.E.). He was buried in his garden as
he requested. The succeeding Kings of Bukhara took care of his
school and mosque, expanding them and increasing their religious
endowments (awqaaf).
Succeeding shaikhs of the Naqshbandi Tariqat wrote many biographies
of Shah Naqshband. Among them are Masoud al-Bukhari and Sharif al-
Jarjani, who composed the Risala Baha'iyya which describes his and
his life's works including his fatawa (legal decisions). Shaikh
Muhammad Parsa, who died in Madina in 822 H. (1419 C.E.) wrote
Risala Qudsiyya in which he talks of Shah Naqshband's life his
virtues and his teachings.
Shah Naqshband's literary legacy included many books. Among them
are "al-Awrad al-Baha'iyya," "the Devotions of Shah Naqshband." Another
book is "Tanbih al-Ghafilin." A third book is "Maslakul Anwar." A
fourth is "Hadiyyatus Salikin wa Tuhfat at-Talibeen." He left many
noble expressions praising the Prophet and he wrote many fatawa (legal
rulings). One of his opinions was that all the different acts and kinds
of worship, whether obligatory or voluntary, were permitted for the
seeker in order to reach reality. Prayer, fasting, zakat, mujahadat
(striving) and zuhd (self-denial) were emphasized as ways to reach
Allah Almighty.
Shah Naqshband built his school on the renewal of the teaching of the
Islamic religion. He insisted on the necessity of keeping the Qur'an
and the teachings of the Sunnah. When they asked him, "What are the
requirements of one who follows your way?" he said, "To follow the
Sunnah of the Prophet (s)." He continued saying: "Our way is a rare
one. It keeps the 'Urwat ul-Wuthqa, the Unbreakable Bond, and it
asks nothing else of its followers but to take hold of the Pure
Sunnah of the Prophet (s) and follow the way of the Sahaba in
their ijtihad (efforts for Allah)."
Shah Naqshband's self-denial made him live a harsh and austere life.
He was extremely concerned with acquiring only the halal (permitted)
livelihood. He used to eat bread made from barley that he planted and
reaped himself in his garden. He loved the poor and needy and he used
to cook and serve them himself as well as visit them when they were
sick. He was very wealthy and he used his money to spend in the way
of God, not for himself and his family. Because of that, everyone
loved him and acknowledged his generosity.
Shah Naqshband said: "The Naqshbandi School is the easiest and simplest
way for the student to understand tawhid. It urges its followers to
seek a state of complete worship of Allah both publicly and privately
by keeping the complete code of conduct of the Prophetic Sunnah. It
encourages people to keep to the strictest modes of worship ('azeema)
and to abandon the rukhsa. It is also free from all innovations and
deviations and exaggerated statements (shaathiyyat) and dancing and
dubious recitals (sama'a). It does not demand of its followers
perpetual hunger or wakefulness. That is how the Naqshbandiyya has
managed to remain free from the excesses of the ignorant and the
charlatans (mushawazeen). In sum we say that our way is the mother
of all tariqats and the guardian of all spiritual trusts. It is the
safest, wisest and clearest way. It is the purest drinking-station,
the most distilled essence. Naqshbandiyya is innocent from any attack
because it keeps the the way of the blessed Sunnah."
wa min Allah at-tafiq
--Shaikh Hisham Kabbani
From tyagi@HouseofKaos.Abyss.com Wed Nov 9 09:29:04 1994
From: tyagi mordred nagasiva <tyagi@HouseofKaos.Abyss.com>
Subject: SufiShar.shk.txt
To: ceci@lysator.liu.se (Ceci Henningsson)
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 1994 00:28:32 -0800 (PST)
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL0]
Content-Type: text
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To: soc.religion.islam
From: mateen@interlink.com (Mateen Siddiqui)
Subject: Sufism of Ibn Taymiyya - Shaikh Hisham Kabbani
Date: 49940906
===========================
TAKING UP THE PATH - SUFISM
===========================
Sufism and Shari'ah
-------------------
Shaikh Hisham Kabbani was asked:
"Does Sufism come from Islam, and if so, do its adherents follow the
shari'ah, and is it true that some Sufis claimed exemption from the Shari'ah
because they reached a station of closeness to Allah?"
Shaikh Hisham responded:
We say: "Sufism is Islam and Islam is Sufism. That is the position of the
Most Distinguished Naqshbandi Tariqat, and that is the position of 41
tariqats, all originating from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, and reaching up to our time through the distinguished chains of
transmission (masanid, salasil), from one grandshaikh to another, to
another until they reached to a live shaikh in our time.
If people will look back deeply into history they will find that after the
brave work of the Sahaba, (the Companions of the Prophet), that Islam
spread East and West and to the Far East through the dawaU and irshad of
the scholars and followers of Sufism, who followed the True Way of the
Caliphs of the Prophet. They were the scholars of true Sufism, which
upholds the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah and has never deviated
from them.
Islamic zuhd (asceticism) flourished in the first Hijri century and
developed into schools that had their foundation and basis of their
teachings in the Sunnah and Shari'ah, propagated by zahid scholars who
came to be known as the Sufis, because of their purity of heart. The term
Sufi was a general name for those who possessed taqwa and practiced
Islam with great devotion, keeping to its strictest forms ('azeemat) and not
accepting to follow the licences (rukhas). Later it was applied to all those
schools of training and discipline in manners and good character and
purification of the lower desires and the evil promptings of the
ego (tarbiyat and tazkiyya). These schools of tarbiya and tazkiyya were
developed according to the Sunnah of the Prophet (s) in training his
Sahaba.
Among them were the first four Imams, Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa,
Imam Shafi'i and Imam Ibn Hanbal, as well as al-Imam Abi Abdallah al-
Bukhari, Abul Husain Muslim, Abu 'Isa Tirmidhi. Others were Hasan al-
Basri, al-Junaid, Imam Awza'i, at-Tabarani, as-Suyuti, al-Haythami, al-
Jardani, ibn al-Jawzi, Imam Muhyiddin bin Sharaf an-Nawawi, Imam Abu
Hamid Ghazali, Sayyid Ahmad al-Farouqi, to name a few. The Muslim
world has come to know Islam through the efforts of these zahid scholars
who were known as Sufis because of their loyalty, sincerity and purity of
heart.
True Sufism is based on zuhd and Ihsan (purity of the heart). The great
Imams of the Muslim world, whose guidance was followed in all Muslim
countries, were known to have Sufi masters. Imam Malik, Imam Abu
Hanifa, (whose teacher was Ja'far as-Sadiq) Imam Shafi'i (who followed
Shayban ar-Rai') and Imam ibn Hanbal (whose teacher was Bishr al-Hafi)
all embraced tasawwuf.
What the Four Imams said about Tasawwuf
Imam Malik is known for his famous saying,
"man tasawaffa wa lam yatafaqa faqad tazandaqa, wa man tafaqaha
wa lam yatasawaf faqad tafasaq, wa man tasawaffa wa tafaqaha
faqad tahaqaq."
which means,
"Whoever studied Sufism without Fiqh is a heretic, and whoever
studied Fiqh without Sufism is corrupted, and whoever studied
Sufism and Fiqh will find the Truth and Reality of Islam."
Imam Abu Hanifa said,
"law laa sannataan la-halaqa Nu'man,"
which means,
"if not for the last two years of my life, [when he found his Sufi
teacher, Jaf'ar as-Sadiq] my afterlife would have been destroyed."
This means that though he is known as Imam-i 'Aadham, the Greatest
Imam, because of his high standard of learning and because of the large
number of Muslims that follow his school, he did not consider himself to
have accomplished anything in coming closer to Allah through all his years
of studying and teaching and writing on the subject of fiqh. It was only
when he met his shaikh of tasawwuf, that he was able to perfect his
manners and character to the state of purity which he expected of himself.
And since he was such a great 'alim, what he expected of himself was
much more than what the ordinary person expected of himself.
What Some Great Sufis Said About the Shari'ah
=============================================
A very well-known Sufi shaikh, who was the Mufti of Mecca
said,
"When we see someone in this Community who claims to be able to
guide others to Allah, but is remiss in but one rule of the Sacred
Law, even if he can produce miracles that boggle the mind,
...such a person is not a shaikh, nor is he speaking the Truth,
for no one is entrusted with the secrets of Allah Most High save
one in whom the ordinances of the Sacred Law are preserved."
(quoted from "The Reliance of the
Traveller", translated by Noah Keller)
And the Naqshbandi Shaikhs go even further. They say:
"When does one get to smell the Naqshbandi tariqat [an allusion to
food]? The one desiring to enter the tariqat must be able to be
examined by 40 true shari'ah 'ulama, who are not only 'ulama, but
are practicing what they know ('alimun 'aamil). He must be prepared
to be examined in all his deeds from his first waking moment to his
last, in every situation and condition, and if he is found to differ
from the Sunnah even once over 40 days, in any of his conditions or
situations, he will never even smell the aroma of the Naqshbandiyya."
The Charlatans of Sufism
========================
We are not hiding the fact that at that time, some enemies of Islam came
to take an extreme approach, using the name of Sufism, and pretending to
be Sufis while spreading strange ideas in order to demolish the true Sufi
teachings and poison Muslim ideas about Sufism which the majority of
Muslims were following.
Similarly, a number of people claim to be Sufis yet they are mislead.
The delusions affecting such would-be Sufis are of numerous types:
Some imitate the sincere Sufis in outward forms, whereas they do not
struggle against their egoes, or their lower desires.
Others claim to have reached a state of ma'arifa (knowledge of God) and
have passed through many states and reached the station of haqiqat
(attaining to Divine closeness), whereas they have not done any of that nor
reached even the most basic station.
Among the latter are those who claim that their closeness to Allah has
exempted from the obligations and the prohibitions of the shari'ah
(ibahiyyun). And among them are the sincere who do not know better and
we hope that Allah will excuse them. Those are they who have experienced
the state of 'ishq or in that station of 'ishq have felt the condition of
fana' or ittihad. And often this situation results from following a false
teacher of Sufism especially a teacher who does not regard the shari'ah as a
requirement to enter his school. And we will mention the situation of those
who are sincere in another discussion, as this is huge subject, which was
addressed by the Four Schools and by the Salafi School.
But among them are those who willfully mislead the Muslims, giving a bad
name to Sufism by their false pretensions, and who are a cause for
spiritual disasters to those who follow them.
What Ibn Taymiyya said About Sufi Shaikhs and Tariqats
======================================================
In Majmu'a Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya, published by Dar ar-Rahmat, Cairo,
Vol, 11, page 497. Book of Tassuwuf), Ibn Taymiyya says:
"You have to know that the rightly guided shaikhs must be taken as
guides and examples in the Din, as they are following in the footsteps of
the Prophets and Messengers. And the Way (tariqat ha'uwla'i) of those
shaikhs is to call people to Allah and obedience to the Prophet."
Here we find Ibn Taymiyya calling for people to take a guide and
mentioning that each guide has his own method (tariqat) in calling people
to the Prophet's ways.
He continues:
"the best of these sincere shaikhs and the pious Sufi saints are those
who follow most closely the footsteps of the Prophet and those who know
the din better and those who obey most closely the way of the Prophet (s).
And Ibn Taymiyya (ra) says on page 499 of the same volume:
"wa ashuyukh alladheena aqtadaa bihim yudilloon ilayhi wa
yurshidoon ilayh wa hum bi-manzillat id-daleel alladhee lil-hajj hua
yuddillahum 'ala al-bayt [al-ka'aba]"
"And the shaikhs whom we need to take as guides are our examples that
we have to follow, as when on the Hajj, (the pilgrimage) one needs a guide
[daleel] to reach the Ka'aba, these shaikhs are our guide [daleel] to Allah
and our Prophet (s)."
On page 494 of the same volume, Ibn Taymiyya was mentioning the names
of the shuyukh, and one was Ahmad ar-Rafa'i. As we know he was
following the Rafa'i way. Therefore he mentions on page 497 that every
shaikh has his own tariqat, his own way.
And from the shuyukh he mentioned are : al-Fudayl bin al-Ayyad, Abi
Sulayman ad-Daarani, wa Ibrahim bin Adham, Ma'ruf al-Karkhi, as-Sir is-
Saqati, Hasan al-Basri, and Junayd bin Muhammad, Shaikh Abdul Qadir
Jilani, Shaikh Ahmad ar-Rafa'i, Shaikh Bayazid al-Bistami [who is one of
the shuyukh of Shah Naqshband, the Imam of the Naqshbandi Way.]
Ibn Taymiyya quotes from Bayazid al-Bistami on page 510, Volume10:
"the great Sufi shaikh Bayazid al-Bistami and the famous story about
him when he saw God in his dream and said to Him: 'O Allah what is
the way to You?' And Allah responded 'Leave yourself and come to
Me.'
Ibn Taymiyya continues quoting Bayazid al-Bistami, the famous
grandshaikh in the Naqshbandi Order, who said,
"ansalakhtu min-nafsi kama tansalakhu al-Hayyatu min jildiha"
which means,
"I shed my self as a snake sheds its skin."
This quotation is an indication of the need for zuhd (self-denial or
abstention from the worldly life), as that was the path followed by Bayazid
al-Bistami.
So we see from the above quotes, that Ibn Taymiyya was accepting many
shaikhs by quoting them and urging people to follow guides to show the
way to obey God and to obey the Prophet (s) and to show them the way of
Qur'an and the way of Sunnah. And most of the shaikhs he quoted were
Sufi shaikhs, such as 'Abdul Qadir Jilani who is the shaikh of the Qadiri
tariqat, or Sayiddina Ahmad ar-Rifa'i who is the shaikh of the Rifa'i
tariqat, or Sayiddina Bayazid al-Bistami who is one of the shaikhs of the
Naqshbandi tariqat.
Ibn Taymiyya About the Ways to God
==================================
Ibn Taymiyya was asked about the saying: "at-turuq il-Allahi 'azza wa jall,
ka 'addad anfaas il-khala'iq," which means "'the ways to Allah are as
numerous as the breaths of men,' is that true or not?"
He said, "Yes, that is true. If the person was acting according to the Book
and the Sunnah. As praying, giving sadaqa, making jihad, reading Qur'an,
practicing Dhikr and many things else.
So we see that Ibn Taymiyya was accepting that there were many ways to
reach the love of Allah and to know Allah (ma'arifatullah) and as he
mentioned before, each shaikh has his own way (tariq), which we have to
follow because we have to have a guide. And as long as that way and that
shaikh are complying with shari'ah and sunnah, you may follow that
person. Because as was mentioned in the above saying, there are ways to
Allah as numerous as the breaths of human beings.
And it is interesting to note in the above fatwa, that Ibn Taymiyya
mentioned Dhikr as distinct from reading Qur'an. This shows that Dhikr is
different than reading Qur'an, not as some modern scholars are claiming
that Dhikr referred to in Qur'an and Hadith is simply recitation of Qur'an.
And this is borne out by the saying of the Prophet (s), "afdal adh-Dhikr
'Laa ilaha ill-Allah'" which means "the best form of Dhikr is 'there is no
God except Allah.' This means one should recite that phrase as much as
possible. And it is prefereable as in the Naqshbandi Way, and as Bayazid
al-Bistami said, to do this silently.
So that we can that the word tariqat was mentioned many times in the
books of Ibn Taymiyya as it was accepted by him. And when a person
quotes another in his books in a good way and takes from his sayings
indicating the quotations are containing guidance, it shows that Ibn
Taymiyya was accepting theseshuyukh and guides. And if we trace back
we can see that these were Sufi shaikhs of tariqats.
Sufism is not inventing something new in the Din, (bida') but is only
following the footsteps of the Salaf who used the word Sufism as a
technical term which refers to the state of ihsan. Just as the science of
grammar was given the name ilm an-nahu, which did not exist by name in
the time of the Prophet (s). Because at that time all Arabs knew nahu and
were raised knowing that. But when many non-Arabs entered the religion,
making many mistakes in the language, it was necessary to formalize and
structure this science. Just as fiqh schools were established, and nahu was
established so too did Ibn Taymiyya accept the establishment of Sufi ways
(tariqat) and Sufi shaikhs and he was mentioning them by name.
The Knowledge of the Unseen - What Allah Grants to His Beloved Servants
========================================================================
The Prophet (s), explaining about his Ascension (Mi'raj) said,
"My Lord revealed to me three different sciences. He told me not to
reveal the first one to anyone, because no one but I can understand
this science. He said, 'You may communicate the second science to
those whom you wish. Teach the third science to all of your Ummah.'"
(written by al-Qastalani in Al-Mawahib)
The Companions of the Prophet (s) mentioned similar information
concerning what the Prophet (s) had conveyed to them:
Narrated Abu Huraira (r): "I have memorized two kinds of
knowledge from Allah's Apostle (s). I have propagated one
of them to you. And if I were to propagate the second, then
my pharynx would be cut."
(Bukhari, Bab ul-'Ilm, 121)
These hadith are showing that Allah Almighty is the Knower of the Unseen,
(ghaib ul-mutlaq), but to whomsoever of His servants He chooses, He may
reveal some of the Unseen which is within the grasp of servants. That does
not mean those to whom he reveals something know all the Unseen. No,
only that which Allah Almighty, in His wisdom chooses to reveal is what
they will know and understand. The Absolute Unknown, al-Ghaib al-
Mutlaq, is still known only to Allah Himself. And for that He said, "Wa laa
y'alamul-ul ghaib illa Hua." which means "And no one knows the Unseen
except Him," referring to the Unseen which is completely hidden from
servants.
Whereas, as these hadiths indicate, from the knowledge which Allah
wished to grant certain chosen servants, he did so, to the exclusion of the
rest of humanity. Because to reach true Divine Knowledge, one must
possess taqwa, and this is shown by the verse, "it-taqillahi wa
yu'allimukum-ullah." which means "Fear God (have taqwa) and Allah will
teach you."
And it is revealed in Qur'an that some favored servants of Allah were
taught by Allah directly, when Allah mentioned Sayyidina Khidr (as), "wa
'alamnaahu min ladduna 'ilma" which means "and whom We had taught
knowledge from Our Own Presence." (Kahf, 65)
And He says, "qaal alladhee 'indahu 'ilmin min al-Kitabi ana aateeka bih
qabl an yartadda ilayka tarfuk." which means "the one who had knowledge
of the Book said 'I will bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye.'"
That was 'Asif ibn al-Barqiyya, who was a saint (wali) in the time of
Sulaiman (as), who through the knowledge Allah had granted him of
understanding Allah's Word, was able to bring the throne of Sheba from
her country to Sulaiman's palace in the blink of an eye.
So we see that some of those advanced in Islam, who had reached the high
stations of taqwa, were given knowledge to their hearts in ways that Allah
only knows. And for that reason, the Sufis say that the saints have a secret
with Allah. And this is borne out by hadith, one of which is:
The Holy Prophet (s) also said, "Abu Bakr does not precede you
in anything in the way of prayer or fasting but in a secret rooted
deep in his heart."
(Manaqib as-Sahaba of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal)
Imam Ibn Taymiyya Mentions the Miraculous Powers of Saints
==========================================================
Ibn Taymiyya mentioned in his book Tassawuf, volume 11 of "Majmu'a
Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya," page 443:
"na'am qad tukhraq al-'ada fee haqq ish-shakhs. fayagheeb taratan 'an
absaar an-naas imma li-dafi' 'aduwin 'anhu wa imma lighairi dhalika....
Na'am yakunu nurun qalbuhu wa huda fouadhihi wa maa fihi min asraar-
illahi ta'ala wa amaanaatihi wa anwaarihi wa ma'arifatihi ghayban 'an
'ayun in-naasi, wa yakunu salaahahu wa wilayatuhu ghayban 'an akthar
in-naasi."
The Imam continues on page 444:
"fahadha hua al-waqi'u, wa asraar ul-haqqi baynahu wa bayna awli'aihi
wa akthar an-naasi laa ya'alamun."
"Yes, miraculous power might appear from a Saint; he will disappear
sometimes from the eyes of people, either to prevent an enemy from
harming him or for another matter, and this is true, because his heart is
full of God's light and he is guided in his heart by the secrets that Allah
has put in it, and by the trusts that Allah gave to him to carry and by his
knowledge that is completely unknown to the people. And his purity and
his sincerity and his sainthood are also from the unseen powers that he is
hiding from many people.... This is the reality and the fact that Allah put
in the hearts of his Sufi Saints but most of the people do not know."
As a result we see that Ibn Taymiyya was on the line that described Sufi
saints as the beacons that guides human beings to the line of the Prophet,
'alayhis salaam, and his Sunnah. They are the sincere and loyal servants to
Allah and they are the true ones (sadiqeen) to guide us to the way of the
Prophet (s). For this reason, Ibn Taymiyya understood the secret they
were carrying in their hearts. In the same book, he mentioned Bayazid al-
Bistami, who is one of the Naqshbandi shaikhs and who was a very
famous saint.
In Volume 11, page 497. Book of Tassawuf, of Majmu'a Fatawi Ibn
Taymiyya, the Imam says:
"You have to know that the rightly guided shaikhs must be taken as guides
and examples in the din, as they are following in the footsteps of the
Prophets and Messengers. And the Way (Tariqat ha'uwla'i) of those
shaikhs is to call people to Allah and obedience to the Prophet."
Imam Ibn Taymiyya Explains Those Who Speak About Fana'
=======================================================
The subject of fana' is mentioned in a complete chapter in detail from page
337-page 343 entitled:
"al-Fana' alladhee yujad fi kalam as-sufiyya yuffassar bi-thalathat umur"
This title means:
"the word of Annihhilation [fana'] found in Sufism explained in
three ways"
In Book 2, volume 2, pages 396-397 of Majmu'a Fatawi Ibn Taymiyya,
published by Dar ar-Rahmat, Cairo, speaking about subject of fana' known
is Sufism as annihilation, Imam Ibn Taymiyya said,
"This [matter] has in it Truth (Haqq) and there is in it that which is wrong
(Batil). But when someone will enter a state with his fervor intense love
('ishq) to Allah, he will enter a state of absentmindedness, and when he
enters the state of absentmindedness, he will find himself as if he is
accepting the [concept] ittihad. I do not consider this a sin. Because that
person is excused and no one may punish him as he is not aware of what
he is doing. Because the pen does not condemn the crazy except when he is
restored to sanity. And when that person is in that state and he was wrong
in what he did, he will be under Allah's address:
"Rabbana laa tuakhidhna in-nasseeena aw akhtaana"
--"O Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or
make mistakes." (Baqara, 286)
And Allah says in other verse,
"wa laa junaaha 'alaykum fimaa akhtaatum bihi"
which means "there is no blame on you if you unintentionally do a
mistake."
On page 339, in Volume 10, Ibn Taymiyya says:
"there is a story of two men who were so respectful and loved each other
very much. One of them fell in the water [of the sea] and immediately the
other threw himself behind him. Then the first one, who was sinking
asked, "what made you throw yourself here?" He said,"I vanished in you.
and when I vanished in you I thought you were me and I was you."
Further on Shaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyya continues:
This state of love is the state of many people that are from the people
of Love to Allah 'azza wa jall, they are the poeple of the love of Allah
and the People of the Will (al-Irada) of Allah (it is typical of many of the
people that love God and seek Him.) Because that person has vanished in
his lover, in Allah 'azza wa jall--through the intensity of the love, because
He vanished in Allah's love, not his own ego's love. And he will recall Allah,
not recalling himself, remember Allah not remembering himself,
visualizing Allah [yastashhid], not visualizing himself, existing in Allah,
not in the existence of himself. When he reaches that stage, he no longer
feels his own existence. And that is why he says in this state, "Ana al-Haqq"
(I am the Truth), or "Subhanee. (Glory to Me!)" and he will say "maa fil
jubba ill-Allah" (there is nothing in this cloak except Allah), because he
is drunk in the love of God and this is a pleasure and happiness that he
cannot control. As long as he is not drunk through something that is
prohibited, it is accepted, but if it were prohibited, (the intention was
bad) then he is not excused."
Ibn Taymiyya continues:
"And because of that [situation] many of the saints, like Abdul Qadir
Jilani, have an excuse, because they are in a state of love ('ishq)."
(vol 2., page 397).
This chapter describes in detail the concept of fana' and explains why some
Sufis made statements which appeared to be kufr while in the state of
'ishq.
What Shah Naqshband Said about Exaggerated Statements (shaathiyyat)
===================================================================
And we would like to mention here what Shah Baha'uddin Naqshband, the
Imam of the Naqshbandi Order, said about this subject:
Shah Naqshband said: "The Naqshbandi School is the easiest and simplest
way for the student to understand tawhid. ...It is also free from all
innovations and deviations and exaggerated statements (shaathiyyat) and
dancing and dubious recitals (sama'a). It does not demand of its followers
perpetual hunger or wakefulness. That is how the Naqshbandiyya has
managed to remain free from the excesses of the ignorant and the
charlatans (mushawazeen). In sum we say that our way is the mother of
all tariqats and the guardian of all spiritual trusts. It is the safest,
wisest and clearest way. It is the purest drinking-station, the most
distilled essence. Naqshbandiyya is innocent from any attack because it
keeps the the way of the blessed Sunnah."
As for Imam Ibn Taymiyya, he wrote three long chapters in the same
volume 2, explaining in detail the very famous tasawwuf book of Shaikh
'Abdul Qadir Jilani, Futuh ul-Ghaib. And we plan to translate this chapter
page by page in the future, insha-Allah.
--Shaikh Hisham Kabbani