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.
To be continued....
Helpfull..
ReplyDelete