PHILOSOPHY OF SUFISM.
PHILOSOPHY OF SUFISM.
Prophet Muhammad, though its genesis lies in the Quran; rather, it emerged
slowly as a means for seeking salvation through intensive devotion to the
commands of God and absorption in the words of God revealed in Quran
with superlative degree of purity. Early Sufi authorities acknowledge that
the term 'Sufi' was not in general use before the time of Abu Hashim al- Sufi,
though some assert that the term was known to early Muslim religious figures
such as Hasan al-Basri (d. 728 A.D.) and Sufyan al-Thawri (d. 778 A.D.).
One group of scholars attributes it to the influence exercised on Islam
by other faiths, while others emphasize the essentially Islamic origin of Sufism.
There are several theories suggesting that Sufism was derived from Neoplatonic, Christian, Buddhist or Hindu sources. Islam prohibited its adherents
from practicing the mortifying austerity and asceticism, which were followed
by Jewish and Christian monks and Hindu Yogis. However, though external
influences on Sufism cannot be denied, the speculative and the mystical
qualities of Sufism originated within Islam and developed within its own
frame of reference. The influence of other faiths on Sufism was not
mechanical, but a sophisticated appropriation of metaphysical concepts to
mystical experience.
A Sufi's mode of resignation from material temptations brings him to
the mystical stages of purity (safa ), as followed by early mystics. Purification
of soul is essence of mysticism. Shaikh Junaid thus said: 19
_..;:.u.ul ~~ _,1 <UJt ~ jl ~ l).l,!~ ~.,>A ~r ~~ 3r -.:s~
"Tasawwufis to be chosen for prutiy. Whoever is thus chosen (and
made pure) from all except God is a Sufi."
Bishr al - Hafi of early nineth century is the first Sufi who recognized
the quality of purity as a condition to reach the goal of a Sufi and thus,
articulated :
-'~4.l).l ~~ J.l ~ ~~ ~y..o
"He is a Sufi who keeps a pure heart towards God."
The Sufis followed general Muslism mystical attitude, besides pursuing
moral and spiritual path recommended by Prophet Mohammad. They
practiced spiritual exercises, renounced every thing which is not Divine and
purify their soul to reach to the goal. While Ibn al-Arabi compared saintship to gold and Prophethood to
silver, Simnani made a cryptic note, 16 "For the Sufis (ahl-i ma 'ni) silver is
purer and stronger than gold; it is only for the externalists (ahl-i zahir) that
gold is superior."
However, superiority of Prophet can be inferred from the fact that
Prophet hood belonged to the days of ignorance,. As a dim light in darkness
has greater value, Prophethood is superior, as it was deemed to remove the
darkness or ignorance. Further it is generally agreed that sainthood is the
beginning and only on its realization prophethood was bestowed. Thus,
Nabuwat is on higher pedestral compared to Walayah.
The Sufis were to imbibe in themselves the prophetic qualities. AlHujwiri has quoted Shaikh Junaid Bughdadi having said that there are eight
qualities attributed to eight different Prophets, which a Sufi should strive to
have. Those are- generousity of Abraham, bliss ofishaq, patience of Ayub,
right direction of Zakaria, austerity ofYahya, woollen out-fits ofMusa, the
wandering of Jesus, andfaqr ofMohammad, the last Prophet. Based on 'Islamic practices and prescriptions' by the Prophet, AlHujwiri has laid down certain preliminary conditions of prayer which include
purification outwardly from filth and inwardly from lust, wearing clean clothes,
purity of place of worship, turning towards Qibla (Ka 'ba) with divine
contemplation, standing outwardly in the state of qudrat (power) and inwardly
'qurbat' (proximity to God), sincere intention, saying 'Allahu akbar' in awe,
reciting verse of Quran and bowing the head with humility. 17
Al-Hujwiri emphasizes the importance ofsafa (purity) in the derivation
of the word Sufi; safa is universally praised and its opposite is kadar of
which the Sufis have purged themselves and on that account they are called
Sufis. Prophet Muhammad is supposed to have said: " The safw (pure part,
i.e., the best part) of this world is gone and only its kadar (impurity) remains.'~
In this context, the Sufis perform an impossible task by being able to retain
their safa (purity); and the nomenclature Sufi is a proper (az asami-yi-alam),
in as much as the dignity of the Sufis is too great for their transactions
(muamalat) to be hidden, so that their name should need a derivation.
Purification involves outward purification as well as inward purification.
The Sufis were constantly engaged in purification in both, as 'God loves
these who often repent and those who purity themselves. The Sufis were fully convinced that God loves those who abandon
every thing for the sake of their Beloved (God). Abu'd Hasan al Nuri thus
says:
"Tasawwwf is hatred towards world and love for God."
Maru'f al-Karkhi said :
"Tasawwuf is to possess realities and l~ave that is in the hands of
man."
A Sufi's life was distinctive life, which had to be with 'faqr', (poverty)
and other Prophetic qualities. Sufi enjoys the spiritual state of perfect
renounciation, when he enters the stage of poverty (faqr). Shaikh Summun
al-Muhibb says, "It is to not to possess any thing and nothing should possess
you."23 Such a spirit of detachment from the world takes a Sufi to a stage of
freedom. Abul Hassan al-Nuri further says :
"Sufism is liberty, so that a man is freed from the bonds of desire, and
generosity, and abandonment of useless trouble and munificence." And when he arrives
at this degree, he becomes annihilated (/ani) in this world and the next, and
is made divine (rabbani) as his humanity disappears; and gold and earth are
the same to his eyes, and the ordinances which others find hard to keep,
become easy for him.
In order to arrive at this degree, a Sufi performs many religious exercises
and meditations - simple free prayer (dua), long and eloquent invocations
(daawat) and beautiful, intimate conversations (muajat) and repetition of
names of God (zikr). In addition purity (safa), Divine knowledge (marifa),
revelation ( kashj) and love of God ( ishq) are ~cteristics, which
help a Sufi to attain perfection. In fact the term Sufi itself describes a saint,
who is perfect. A Sufi Shaikh has said:
"He that is purified by love is pure, and he that is absorbed in the
Beloved and has abandoned all else, is a Sufi."
The inferior aspirants (taliban) are called' Mutasawwif, for tasawwuf
belongs to the form tafa 'ul, which implies 'taking trouble' (takalluf) and is a
branch of the original root. The Mutasawwifseeks to reach the rank of Sufis
by means of self mortification (miyahadata) and in his search rectifies his
conduct in accordance with that of the Sufis who are dead (/ani) to self and
living (baqi) by the Truth, escaped from the grip ofhuman faculties and have
really attained (to God). A Sufi in order to attain his goal, has to follow the instructions of his
'leader' who is his 'Pir'. Thus, Baba Farid's Pir was Shaikh Qutub al-Din
whose Pir was Shaikh Muin al-Din and so on. The first and foremost
requirement of following a path of a Sufi is to place oneself under the guide
of a 'Sufi' or 'Shaikh' or a 'Pir'. Here he has to take a vow of complete
'obedience'. The 'Pir' transmits spiritual power to his murid by the exercise
of'tawajjuh' (concentration).
The initiated disciple 'murid' proceeds along the various stages
(maqamat) of the path under the mystic guidance, develops his spiritual
knowledge and experiences the Truth (al-Haqq). The entire process of training
and teaching is personal which is undisclosed. The aspirant advances on the
path of pure love, experiences that God is truth and that existence completely
lies in the hands of the God. He desires nothing for himself and bears no ill
feeling for others. In such a stage, Rabi'a, a woman saint of second half of
eighth Century said in his prayer:
Sufi Sama(Islamic songs).
The sama was another popular practice of the Sufis. Sarna, literally
means 'hearing' or 'music'. Sufis organized the sarna with a view to inducing
a state of ecstasy. In India it took the form of' qawwali' and the singers were
called 'qawwals'. The early mystics of Islam use to listen to formal recitation
of the Quran which used to move their hearts and arouse their emotions. At
a later stage recitations of poetry and rendering of musical compositions
were also permitted on the basis of some traditions attributed to Prophet
Muhammad and his companions. Shibli observed:
"Sarna outwardly is afitna (sedation), but internally it is a lesson."
Since lawfulness of music has been the subject of long controversy,
mystics' participation in the 'sarna' also became a matter a diverse opinion. The
Ularna objected to the Sufis' participation in the 'sama'. However, for the
Sufis it was not practiced for recreation but for facilitating their spiritual
enrichment. The object of the sarna was to attain ecstasy ( wajd). Thus,
Gazali says :
28
"For him, whose heart is overpowered with the love of God, the sama
is momentous (muhimm), because the fire (of Love) is increased by it." Shaikh Zunun Misri has said :
29
"Sarna is a gift of God. Man's heart activates on hearing this. One
who listens correctly, gets the ways to God and one who hears it for
'nafs', takes the way of non-belivers".
However, different saints practiced sama in different ways.Some
allowed musical instruments to be played, while others did not. Shaikh Nizam
al-Din, for instance did not allow the use of musical instruments in the sama.
Some allowed raqs (dancing). The Sufis of Mawlawiya silsillah which is
named after Jalal al- Din al-Rumi (d.672 A.H./1273 A.D.) were popularly
known as 'whirling derveshes' because of the pattern of their dances. 30AlHujwiri did not approve of raqs and so also Ibn Arabi. However Shaikh
Junaid, al- Shibli,Mansur al-Hallaj etc. participated in 'raqs' in sama.
Gisu Daraz divides sama into four types from the legal point of view.
Halal (Permitted) ones were those, whereby the thoughts of the listeners are
related exclusively to Reality and Truth. When thoughts tend towards the
worldly affairs, that' sama' would be haram (for bidden). If those are midway
between Reality and worldliness it is makruh (undesirable) and if those are
inclined more towards Reality, then sama is mubah (allowable). 31 Sarna had
also been identically divided by Shaikh Nizam al- Din Auliya.32
Zikr is an important practice of Sufis. Zikr, 'remembering' is a special
act of devotion whereby God's name is recited again and again. "Allah or 'La-i/aha- ilia 'llah' (there is no god but God )or Allahu hadiriAllahu Naziri- Allahu Shahidi (God is present with, sees and witnessesme), etc."
Along with recital of 'zikr', he may recite some verses of Quran.
Ziyarat or visit of Shrines of Sufi saints is a common practice. The
saints often visited the shrines of their Pir. Also, large number of visitors
come for prayer and blessings. On the day of 'wisal' i.e. the day of death of
a Pir 'urs' is celebrated. Death is considered an auspicious day when the
Shaikh became one with God. Urs Mubarak of Muin al - Din Chishti is afi
very popular event when thousands of devotees throng Ajmer Sharif, where
the saint's shrine exists. Ziyarat is the visitation to a shrine and the shrine
itself is called mazar. Some times the latter is called 'dargah'. Other wise
also everyday people from all faiths visit the dargahs. Qawwali is organized
near the dargah. The Muslim visitors recite 'fateha' (see Plate- IX )when
they visit the shrine. Flowers are offered and 'agarbattis 'are lit.
The Sufi practices were aimed partly at realization of Haqiqa and
partly to maintain their distinct identity as per their silsilhas or sub- sections
of the silsilhas. The practices that were as per the Shari 'at could not be
challenged by the Ulama or the Sultanate, but as far as the practices, which
did not originate from the Shari 'at were subject to occasio~al bone of
contention between the Ulama and the Sufis. Sometimes, the Ula~a took
help of the Sultanate in opposing such practices of the Sufis. Though the
Ulama s objection was based on their jealous attempt of preservance oflslamic
orthodoxy, they were also protective of their position, which was undermined
by the popularity and the general acceptability of the Sufis.
Comments
Post a Comment