Imam Luqman Ahmad Mosque Without Borders

 

Sufism, also known as Islamic mysticism, has been around almost since the beginning of Islam. The discipline of Sufism aims at purification of the soul, and of the conduct of a Muslim. In essence, sufism is the inner, mystical, and spiritual dimension of Islam. It focuses on the direct, personal experience of the Divine (Allah) through love, devotion, and inner purification, seeking a deeper reality beyond mere ritual and legalism.

Sufism in the Muslim world

There are literally hundreds of different Sufi orders called [tariqas] throughout the world, with thousands of Sufi Shaykhs on every continent. In South Asia the Qadiri, Chishti, Naqshbandi, Suhrawardi, and Rishi orders that are the most popular .

 In Africa the Tijaniyya is the most widespread, followeed perhaps by the Muridiyya, Qadiriyya, and Rifa’iyya . In Senegal, 92% of Muslims identify with a Sufi order, primarily Tijaniyya (51%) and Muridiyya (34%) .

In West Asia/Central Asia you have the Bektashi, Mevlevi (notable in Turkey), and the Naqshbandiyya (prominent in Tajikistan) .

 In Southeast Asia the Nahdatul Ulama is popular amongst Indonesia. Sufis, depending on Tariqa, sub tariqa, madhhab,  and theology, follow specific, and definitive practices, regimens, conditions, initiation processes, extra curricular activities,  like the hadra, and swirling of dervishes in Morroco, circular dancing, and more.

Simply calling oneself a Sufi does not mean you are following a Sufi path. Adherence to a Sufi path requires a desire to a tremendous amount of devotion and spiritual discipline.  Being on the sufi path with the guidance of a shaykh teaches you how to acquire that devotion and spiritual discipline. A Sufi shaykh is not infallible, the are not Prophets of God. In Sufism, the Shaykh is like a ship captain, or a navigator who navigates the seeker, mureed, along the Sufi path.

A great many scholars of Islam were Sufis including the likes of; Hasan al-Basri (d. 728,  an early ascetic and mystic who influenced Sufi ethics and self-purification practices, Imam Abu Hanifa (d. 767), who was the founder of Hanafi jurisprudence, who studied spirituality under Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq, Sufyan al-Thawri (d. 778), a hadith master and jurist who emphasized combating hypocrisy through Sufi discipline, and Imam Malik ibn Anas (d. 795), founder of the madhhab named after him, was a Sufi.  He declared Sufism essential for balanced faith. It was reported that he said, “He who practices Tasawwuf without jurisprudence corrupts his faith”.

The noted scholar Al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi (d. 910), [not to be confused with Abu Eesa at-Tirmidhi author of the Sunnan] was a pioneer of Sufi metaphysics from Uzbekistan,  he integrated jurisprudence (fiqh), theology (kalam), and asceticism (zuhd) .  Imam al-Ghazali (d. 1111) the  renowned Persian, Sunni theologian who revitalized Islam through his 5 volume treatise “Ihya Ulum al-Din” which has been translated into English, was a Sufi.   

Then you have Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (d. 1166) – Iraq. He was a Hanbali jurist and founder of Qadiri Sufi order. Which emphasizes piety and social service. There was Jalaluddin Rumi (d. 1273) from modern-day Turkey,  he was a Hanafi jurist and founder of Mevlevi order which bridged orthodox scholarship and mystical poetry . 

There’s Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (d. 1236) from India, founder of the Chisti order, and the list goes on. There are tens of millions of  Sufis in the world today.

Use and Misuse of Sufism

Being a Sufi in no way indicates that you follow more sunna than anyone else, or that you follow a purer interpretation of the deen of Islam. However, being a sufi in a traditional sufi order usually indicates that the person is taking a diciplined, less haphazard, and more holistic approach to practing Islam. The best of the Sufi orders and shuyookh are those who follow and adhere to sharia law in their observance and religious practices, and there are many.

Sufi Shaykhs, especially those who are scholars, and students of scholarly discipline, as a rule, do not go around proclaiming their Sufi affiliation. A Sufi seeks inner  peace and purification, not outer recognition and notoriety. I studied hadith with one of my teachers for two years before I ever know he was a Sufi. I happened to find out after a visit to his village in the Sudan.

Many, if not most, Sufi orders Sufism operate within the framework of Islamic law (Sharia). Most Sufis view the tariqa as the inner dimension (haqiqa) complementing the outer observance of  Sharia.

However, that is not the case with all Sufis. Especially so-called Sufi novices and pretenders who are starting to appear amongst American Muslims converts to Islam. Some Sufi practices of magic, over glorification of saints and superflous veneration of them, and attributing infallibility, or divinity to the Shaykh, which have sometimes led to tension with more legalistic or reformist branches of Islam. New recruits (mureeds), or people new to Islam, are more susceptible to being misled through a wayward practice of Sufism.

Sufism, like any other intangible discipline, is always at risk of being misused, misunderstood, monetized, and taken as a fad.

In Short: Sufism is the heart-centered, mystical path within Islam, seeking a direct, loving experience of God through devotion, inner purification, spiritual practices (like dhikr and sama), and guidance under a master or a Shaykh, aiming for ultimate union with the Divine, and adherence to sharia law. It emphasizes love, knowledge of the heart,  transcending the ego, sincerity in worship, and obedience to Allah. In Sufism, the focus is on the self, not everybody else. However, Sufism can be misused by charlatans and bad actors just like anything else.  And Allah knows best.

Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad

Imamabulaith@yahoo.com