Hostility towards Tasawwuf - The Reality of Tasawwuf

Hostility towards Tasawwuf

In my opinion, the second disastrous outcome of the displacement of the term Ihsan  by the term tasawwuf  has been even more damaging. An attitude of aversion towards tasawwuf  developed among certain enthusiasts committed to the Qur’an and Sunnah. The result of this reaction against tasawwuf  was an overemphasis on the externalities of Islam — the specific, minute details of religious rituals and dogma. In other words, most of the emphasis was placed on the exoteric and formal dimension of Islam whereas its esoteric and spiritual dimension began to disappear from view. Although the aversion was initiated by the label of tasawwuf, which was perceived alien and therefore unauthentic, it is important to note that there were other significant factors as well that contributed in this regard, as discussed later. In this regard, the personality of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (RA) is the most prominent manifestation of the aversion towards tasawwuf. 

When it is argued that tasawwuf , as it is found among the Muslims, is a product of the post-Prophetic period, the point is countered by noting that many other areas of Islamic studies are also products of the post-Prophetic era. In this regard, it should be noted that the titles or labels of other areas of Islamic studies have been derived from the Qur’an and hadith. The word tasawwuf  is unique among all other fields of Islamic studies because it is the only title or label that cannot be located in the Qur’anic or Prophetic vocabulary. 

For example, the word tafseer  (Qur’anic exegesis) is used by the Qur’an itself and it was in usage among the Companions (RAA). The word hadith is also used by the Qur’an to describe itself — the Qur’an is the hadith  of Allah (SWT) — although the term hadith, as it came to be used later, refers to the speech and actions of the Prophet (SAW) and the Companions (RAA). In the same way, the word Fiqh  is found in certain sayings of the Holy Prophet (RAA), where it refers to a proper and profound understanding of Islamic teachings. These areas of Islamic scholarship locate their titles or labels in Qur’anic and/or Prophetic vocabulary. In stark contrast, however, the title or label of tasawwuf  is nowhere to be found in these primary sources. Consequently, the assertion that tasawwuf  is just like other areas of Islamic studies is totally baseless. 

It is only natural that an individual who has deep affection for, and attachment to, the Qur’an and Sunnah, would feel some reservations regarding the word tasawwuf, especially when it is asserted that tasawwuf  represents the “soul of Islam.” It is strange indeed that the label of something claiming such a noble stature cannot be found in the vocabulary of the primary sources of Islam. While the alien and unknown origin of this word produces reservations and doubts, the fact that foreign ideas and concepts influenced the development of Sufi thought further intensifies this reservation, till it leads to outright aversion. 

It has been noted that Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (RA) is the most notable example of an individual who manifests aversion towards tasawwuf. However, I still include him among the reformers of Islam. Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (RA) made significant headway in purging the religious practices and beliefs of the Muslims in the Arabian Peninsula of innovative and un-Islamic elements. He also eradicated many of the un-Islamic cultural norms that had taken on the veneer of religiosity among the Arabs. It must also be acknowledged that he made significant achievements in presenting an authentic and purified version of the exoteric and ritualistic dimension of Islam. Therefore, he must be included among the reformers of the Muslim Ummah. However, if we compare his accomplishments to his Indian contemporary, Shah Waliullah Delhvi (RA), it is obvious that there is no comparison between the two. Shah Waliullah accomplished at both the esoteric and exoteric level what Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (RA) could only achieve at the exoteric level. Shah Waliullah’s work in philosophy, spirituality, and social thought is unparalleled by any other thinker from either the classical or the medieval age of Islam. In other words, the work and personality of Shah Waliullah (RA) is much more holistic, integrated, and profound than that of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (RA). 

Here it should be noted that the ideas and achievements of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (RA) are at least partially responsible for the almost total disregard for the spiritual dimension of Islam that is a defining characteristic of modern Islamic revivalist movements. For the modern day revivalists, the accomplishments of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (RA) have remained a model of a successful effort to restore the Shari‘ah  of Islam after a long period of decay. Even though the support of the House of Sa‘ud was indispensable for his mission, the fact that his reformist movement did attain success in implementing the Islamic Law made the Najdi Movement an ideal for the later-day Muslim revivalists — and they inherited the aversion towards tasawwuf  that was so characteristic of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab’s thought. 

Source: The Reality of Tasawwuf

To be continued....

Disastrous Consequences - Indifference to an Important Qur’anic and Prophetic Term - Tasawwuf

A Himalayan Mistake and its Disastrous Consequences

The introduction of the word tasawwuf  into the language of Islam has produced two disastrous results. The first is the alienation from, and indifference to, a very important Qur’anic and Prophetic term; the second is the hostility towards tasawwuf  among those who are loyal and committed to the terminology of the Qur’an and the words of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Indifference to an Important Qur’anic and Prophetic Term

The first of the two disastrous consequences of the introduction of the term tasawwuf  into the language of Islam was that Muslims became virtually ignorant of an extremely important Qur’anic and Prophetic term. Keeping in mind the fact that the objectives and goals of tasawwuf  are totally in keeping with the teachings and spirit of Islam, it is only natural to assume that Islam has a specific word or term to signify that which has come to be known as tasawwuf.

In fact, the language of the Qur’an and the words of the Prophet (SAW) do indeed contain such a term, viz., Ihsan. Although the word Ihsan  can mean doing good to another person, it is primarily a very significant Islamic term. Unfortunately, since the word tasawwuf  has become prevalent and widely accepted, the use of the authentic Islamic term Ihsan  practically disappeared from the discourse of the Muslims. Consequently, although the word Ihsan  has been used in the Qur’an and Hadith  in a very profound sense, its actual usage by the Muslims became very limited and truncated. In other words, the term tasawwuf  usurped an important conceptual dimension of Islam that is defined by the term Ihsan.  Since the term Ihsan  was supplanted by tasawwuf, the meaning of Ihsan  in actual usage became limited only to benevolent and charitable behavior towards another person. The Qur’an does use Ihsan in this sense: “...and do Ihsan  to others as Allah has done Ihsan  to you…” (Al-Qassas 28:77).

The literal meaning of Ihsan  is related to its root — h-s-n — which denotes “beauty,” and therefore it is used in the sense of adding the element of beauty to a thing or task, to adorn or beautify something. For instance, consider the following hadith, in which this word is used in its literal sense. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:

“The beauty of an individual’s Islam is that he gives up all useless (and unproductive) activities.” In other words, one aspect of the beauty of Islamic behavior is to avoid wasting one’s time in diversions that provide no benefit for this world or for the Hereafter. In other ahadith too, the word Ihsan  is used by the Prophet (SAW) to denote the performance of an action in the best possible manner — doing something with full attention, putting one’s heart into it, taking care of the small details. This, in short, is the essence of the word Ihsan  when it is used in its literal sense.

In addition to its literal meaning mentioned above, the word Ihsan  has also been used in the Holy Qur’an as well as in the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in a very particular sense; this special usage of the word Ihsan  has turned an Arabic word into a very important Islamic term. Conceived as a pivotal locution, the meaning of Ihsan  is intimately and organically related to two other fundamental Islamic terms — Islam  and Iman  — as described below.

In the famous hadith  of Gabriel (AS), the first three questions asked by the Archangel refer to the essence of Islam, Iman, and Ihsan. The important point to note here is that, even though the hadith  of Gabriel (AS) is among the most well known and often repeated Prophetic sayings, the Muslims have become practically ignorant of the fact that Ihsan  is a central Islamic concept that is organically related to Islam  and Iman. This is a reflection of the fact that their understanding of the word Ihsan  has become extremely limited and truncated. The hadith  of Gabriel (AS) is as follows:

Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (RAA) reports: One day when we were with Allah’s Messenger (SAW), a man with very white clothing and very black hair came up to us. No mark of travel was visible on him, and none of us recognized him. Sitting down beside the Prophet (SAW), leaning his knees against his and placing his hands on his things, he said: “Tell me, Muhammad, about Islam.” He replied: “Islam means that you should testify that there is no god but Allah and thatMuhammad (SAW) is Allah’s Messenger,  that you should observe the prayer, pay the Zakat, fast during Ramadan, and make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to go there.” He said: “You have spoken the truth.” We were surprised at his questioning him and then declaring that he spoke the truth. He said: “Now tell me about Iman.” He replied: “It means that you should believe in Allah (SWT), His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and that you should believe in the decreeing both of good and evil.” Remarking that he had spoken the truth, he then said: “Now tell me about Ihsan.” He replied: “It means that you should worship Allah (SWT) as though you see Him, for He sees you though you do not see Him.” He said: “Now tell me about the Hour.” He replied: “The one who is asked about it is no better informed than the one who is asking.” He said: “Then tell me about its signs.” He replied: “That a maid-servant should beget her mistress, and that you should see barefooted, naked, poor men and shepherds exalting themselves in buildings.” [Umar] said: He then went away, and after I had waited for a long time, [the Prophet] said to me: “Do you know who the questioner was, Umar?” I replied: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “He was Gabriel who came to you to teach you your religion.”

(Narrated by Bukhari)

In this connection, note that the following Qur’anic ayah also reflects the relationship between Islam, Iman and Ihsan:

Those who have attained to Iman [faith] and do righteous deeds incur no blame by partaking of whatever they may have [in the past], so long as they are conscious of Allah and have Iman and do righteous deeds, and continue to be conscious of Allah and have [true] Iman, and then grow ever more conscious of Allah and do [reach the level of] Ihsan; and Allah loves those who have attained to Ihsan.

(Al-Mai’dah 5:93)

In order to appreciate the wisdom contained in this ayah, and to understand why the word Iman is used repeatedly, we need to differentiate between legal or dogmatic Iman on the one hand and actual or real Iman on the other. Legal, dogmatic faith is that which is uttered by the tongue, by virtue of which an individual enters the community of Islam. Having become conscious of Allah (SWT), the individual verbally accepts the Islamic creed and begins to live his or her life according to the Islamic Shari‘ah. At this stage, the individual is a legal Muslim and his or her behavior falls under the category of “righteous deeds” to the degree that it is in accordance with the Shari‘ah. In other words, when an individual verbally attests to the verity of the Islamic creed and shapes his or her behavior according to the Shari‘ah, that individual is said to have entered the fold of “obedience” to Allah (SWT) or Islam; he or she has, in effect, given up resistance and surrendered before the orders of the Almighty Lord. At the level of Islam, however, the verbal acceptance of the Islamic creed is not necessarily reflective of what is in the individual’s heart regarding that which he or she has uttered with the tongue. Nonetheless, verbal attestation and righteous behavior do indeed heighten the individual’s consciousness of Allah (SWT) and he or she becomes prepared to move to the next stage. When an individual’s heart genuinely understands and freely accepts that which the tongue has uttered and this understanding and utterance continues to be complemented by righteous deeds, which correspondingly improve in sincerity and elegance, then that individual is said to have attained genuine and true Iman. At this stage, the statement of faith is not merely a dogmatic, theological assertion but a living and life-giving conviction.

When there is no discrepancy between what is uttered by the tongue, what is manifested in action, and what is believed in the heart then the level of Iman has been reached. It appears that this is the apex of the religious journey but this is clearly not the case. The fore-cited Qur’anic ayah and the referenced Prophetic hadith  make it clear that there is a third stage beyond Islam  and Iman, and this is the stage of Ihsan. With the consciousness of Allah (SWT) being heightened further at the level of Iman, the individual is prepared to enter the stage of Ihsan.

Consequently, Ihsan  constitutes the apex of the religious journey in Islam — where the consciousness of the believer becomes so acute that, metaphorically speaking, Allah (SWT) is always before the believers’ eyes.  

From the Qur’anic and Prophetic point of view, therefore, Ihsan represents the zenith of spiritual development. This stage marks complete deliverance from ignorance and darkness and the attainment of gnosis. At this stage, the individual self or ego becomes so cultured and purified that it becomes capable of beholding directly the true nature of reality.

The heart is also cleansed and the light of the human spiritual soul enlightens the whole being of the person. The individual sees nothing but Divine Love, Majesty, and Beauty in the created universe and therefore selflessly devotes him/herself to the service of His creatures. In serving the creatures, he or she expects nothing in return from those being served but only heightened awareness of the Creator. In other words, the level of Ihsan  can be referred to as being the objective and goal of tasawwuf.

A very important hadith  sheds further light on the displacement of the term Ihsan  by the term tasawwuf. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “Whenever an innovation is introduced into the Deen  it is inevitable that an authentic Prophetic practice is displaced.” This hadith  clearly states that every innovation in religion invariably replaces a Sunnah and, in the context of the present discussion, we see how the word tasawwuf has displaced the genuinely Islamic term Ihsan.

Source: The Reality of Tasawwuf

To be continued....

The Term tasawwuf and its Origin

The Term tasawwuf and its Origin

While the goals of tasawwuf are completely in keeping with the goals of Islam, a critical study of the subject reveals that the practical Sufi methodologies developed to attain these objectives contain significant departures from the methodology outlined by authentic Islamic teachings. An understanding of this departure and the contrast in methodology must begin with an understanding of the departure in terminology.

The term tasawwuf  is a foreign term that has been introduced into the vocabulary of Islam from without. It is found neither in the Qur’an nor in the Hadith  literature, the latter being a record of the sayings and deeds of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and his Companions (RAA). While this point may appear to be nothing more than pedantic nit picking, its implications have been devastating and far-reaching. Not only is the term tasawwuf  not found in the primary sources of Islam, but its actual origin also remains a topic of debate. This word made its appearance in the language of Islam towards the end of the second century Hijrah . Meer Valiuddin has even identified the exact year when this word first appeared — 822 C.E. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had passed away in 632 C.E. and the Hijrah  took place in 622 C.E. Therefore this word appeared in the Islamic lexicon exactly 190 years (or 196 years according to the lunar calendar) after the demise of the Holy Prophet (SAW).

There are four different opinions regarding the origin of the word Sufi . The rules of Arabic grammar, however, make three of the four opinions untenable. These are summarized below:

• The first opinion is that the root word is safa (cleansing). But, grammatically speaking, the word Sufi cannot be derived from safa, the proper derivation is safavi.
• Another opinion is that the root word is saff (row or rank). But this is also implausible because the derived word is saffi  (one who is standing in a row) and not Sufi.
• A third opinion is that the root word is suffah  (platform), but the word Sufi  cannot be derived from this root word either, the proper derivation being suffi.

A fourth opinion is that the root word is soof  (wool). This opinion is widely accepted and there is some validity in this argument. Firstly, the word Sufi  can be derived from soof  according to the rules of Arabic grammar. Secondly, it is related to the practice of the early Sufis  who used to wear woolen clothing as a sign of their detachment from and discomfort with the material world. The early Sufis wore the rough woolen cloak without any undergarments, so that there would be constant irritation of the skin. This pricking of the skin by the wool would keep the Sufi  in discomfort which would serve as a constant reminder that the seeker has nothing to do with the comforts of this world, his only goal being to please Allah (SWT). There is a near consensus that the word Sufi is derived from soof and this is an acceptable position as far as the rules of Arabic grammar are concerned.

In this regard, my personal opinion had been that the word tasawwuf  was derived from the Greek word Sophia, meaning wisdom. It has recently come to my attention that although this view was favored by a number of Western experts in Islamic studies earlier in the century, it has now been shown to be untenable. The most likely derivation, therefore, is from the word soof.

The bottom line in this discussion, however, is the fact that the origin of the wordTasawwuf  in the language of Islam has always been a topic of debate and its origin has not been definitively established. Even more certain than this is the fact that this word is nowhere to be found in the primary sources of Islam — the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith literature.

Source: The Reality of Tasawwuf

To be continued....