Topic
Tasawwuf & Its Reality
23 entries
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What is dhikr, and why is it central to Sufism?
The essence of the path of Tasawwuf is not to waste a breath without the remembrance of Allah, and the path itself lies in the knowledge of the Shariah and in following the Prophetic Sunnah. Whatever form dhikr takes, the essence of every method is the invocation of the Divine Name, Allah, and La ilaha illallah. It is the dhikr of "Allah" that is the source code of this universe, as mentioned in the hadith on the final hour.
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What did Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal think of the Sufis?
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal gave great importance to the Sufis and honoured them, and Shaykh Abdul Hafiz al-Makki discusses his positive opinion of Tasawwuf and Sufism in a book dedicated to him. Asked about the seeker who takes the path of Tasawwuf, Imam Ahmad replied that the seeker should remain with Allah as Allah wishes and leave all which he himself desires for what Allah desires.
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What was Imam Abu Hanifa’s connection to Sufism?
Imam Abu Hanifa was the master of many great Sufi Mashaikh, among them Ibrahim ibn Adham, Fudayl ibn 'Iyad, Dawud Ta'i and Bishr Hafi. At first he wished to go into seclusion, but a dream was interpreted to mean that he would attain a high rank in knowledge of the Prophet and in preserving his Sunnah, and he spent all his life compiling Hadith.
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Who was Mujaddid Alf Thani, and what did his letters achieve?
Mujaddid Alf Thani, Ahmad al-Faruqi al-Sirhindi, was a great scholar known as Mujaddid, or reviver. In a time of great trial, the letters he wrote in Persian to his disciples became a movement and brought change from within the society, and they are considered the alchemy of Tasawwuf. He repeatedly emphasised that the only way to achieve the Divine love is through the Qur'an and Sunnah.
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What is the difference between a Zahid, an Aabid and an Aarif, according to Ibn Sina?
Ibn Sina calls the man devoted to absolute abstinence from worldly pleasures a Zahid, and the man who keeps almost every moment of his life devoted to worship an Aabid. The Aarif keeps his attention perennially focussed towards the Holy Omnipotent and expects every moment the manifestation of Divine Light in his inner self, and such a man is held worthy of the title of Sufi.
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What did Ibn Khaldun say about the origin of Sufism?
In his Muqaddimah the historian Ibn Khaldun writes that Sufism is based on the assumption that the method of the people later called Sufis had always been considered, by the men around the Prophet, the men of the second generation and those who came after them, the path of truth and right guidance. Constant application to Divine worship, complete devotion to Allah and aversion to the false splendour of the world were general among the early Muslims, and when worldly aspirations increased, the special name of Sufis was given to those who aspired to Divine worship.
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If no one can equal the Prophet, how can we follow his example inwardly and outwardly?
Although the Prophet's status is unequalled and unmatched even amongst the Prophets, Allah sent the believers a Messenger from themselves, so that they can follow him in his deeds and actions, whether external or internal. Tasawwuf is the path to attain the Divine love of Allah by following the path of His Last Prophet.
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What three things are indispensable for a believer, according to Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani?
Keeping the commandments of Allah, abstaining from the forbidden things and being pleased with the decree of Providence are the three things Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani calls indispensable for a believer in all conditions of life, in the first discourse of Futuh ul-Ghaib. The least that is expected of a believer is that he should not be without them, so he should make up his mind for them, talk to himself about them and keep his organs engaged in them.
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Can a heart with ailments, or with anything other than Allah in it, come to know Him?
The ghair, the other, is anything and everything except Allah. Tasawwuf is complete submission to Allah: for the heart it lies in His cognizance, which cannot be achieved in a heart with ailments or with the ghair in it, and for the body in acts of obedience in accordance with the Shariah. Complete submission of the body demands the right Aqida and following Islamic jurisprudence, and with an error in Aqida, no matter how many good deeds one performs, Allah's cognizance and pleasure cannot be attained.
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What is khilafah, and how is a successor appointed in a Sufi order?
The basis for a shaykh nominating a successor, khilafah, can be authenticated by the hadith in which the Prophet told a woman who asked, 'And if I do not find you?', to go to Abu Bakr. As it is important to nominate a successor, it is equally important that the person be qualified for the role, and where a son, a brother or a close relative is chosen because of the relation rather than the qualifications, it jeopardises the sanctity of the order.