'Let it be known that Allah's people always do good deeds' (qasida 62:11)

This is the motto of this section, which is for talking about the the people of Allah who are the people who are constantly preoccupied with Allah

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Sufism

 

I have found myself lately wondering about people and their opinions concerning “Sufism”, the meaning behind, and the things that are being said about Sufis which are far from the truth. I found that this misunderstanding and misconception have occurred, because people refrained from going back to the Islamic principles and taking information from their true and accurate sources. Moreover, they are speaking out of subjective views and opinions. Regarding the latter, Al Imam Ali [AHHF] said: "my utmost fear is for you to follow your subjectivity -Capriciousness- and to have a prolonged hope; as for your subjectivity, it impedes you from seeing the truth and your prolonged hope makes you forget that there is a judgment day". It is said that subjectivity is defying the religious script. Ibrahim ibn Adham also said: "subjectivity ruines, whereas the fear from Allah heals, and what expels subjectivity of your heart is fearing whom you know is seeing you at all times). Based on these two sayings I have decided to go back to the earlier and most renowned Sufi scholars and get the essence of their description of Sufism and Sufis starting with Al Imam Al Qasheeri [AAH] who said in his renowned book called “The Qasheeriyah Letter”:

The titles “Sufi” for an individual and “Sufis” for a group have no origin in the Arabic language and no extraction of any word. It seems that it was a title that was given to those people who have been known to spend all their times in praising Allah and his Prophet [PPBUH]. Some people said that the titles Sufism, Sufi, or Sufis have been extracted from “Wool” in Arabic [Soof] but wearing Wool or “Soof” has not been done exclusively by Sufis! Those who have said that the word Sufi has been extracted from the Arabic word [Safa’] meaning in English clarity or purity, are also far from what is required by Allah. Those who have also said that it has been extracted from the Arabic word “Suf” meaning “Row” in English basically to use it as a metaphor as if Sufis are always in the first rows which may be correct but is very limited linguistically.

When people started to talk about Sufis and who they were most renowned Muslim and Sufi scholars have spoken out of their experience. We are going to summarize what they said when they were asked what is Sufism?:

 

- Abo Mohammad Al Jariri said: Sufism is to enter into every best moral there is and to exit every worse moral there is.

 

- Al Imam al Junaid said: Sufism is that Allah takes your life of you to live once again by/for Him (Allah).

 

- Al Husain ibn Mansor said: the Sufi is a lonely character who is not accepted by any one and who does not accept any one as well.

 

- cAmro ibn Osman Al Makki said: Sufism is for the worshipper to be engaged in at all times with what is worth being engaged in at that time.

 

- Mohammad ibn Ali Al Qassab said: Sufism constitutes of generous morals which appeared in a generous age from a generous man around generous people.

 

- Samnon said: Sufism is to own nothing and nothing owns you.

 

- Rowaim said: Sufism is about settling yourself with what Allah wants at all times.

 

- Al Imam al Junaid also said: Sufism is to be with Allah without a purpose; needs or wants.

- Rowaim Al Bughdadi also said: Sufism is based on three traits; to hold on to scarcity and the desperate need for Allah, to be certain of giving as well as self-sacrifice and to avoid exposure to and choosing with Allah.

 

- Macrowf Al Karkhi also said: Sufism is to take in the facts and to forget about what’s in the people’s hands.

 

- Al Imam Al Junaid said also: Sufis are a family of one home that no one other than them is allowed to enter.

   Also said: Sufism is Dhikr with gathering, ecstasy with listening and doing while following.

  Also said: the Sufi is like a soil that gets only ugly things, but gives only good outcome.

 

- Al Shibli said: Sufism is to sit with Allah without any concern or worry.

 

- Al Jariri also said: Sufism is to watch yourself and to seek the discipline.

 

- Al Mazyan said: Sufism is submission to the righteousness.

 

- In addition, Dha An-Noon Al Mesri was asked about Sufis and he answered: Sufis are people who have favored Allah over everything, so Allah favored them over everything.

 

- Abo Yaqub Al Mazayli said: Sufism is a stage where the signs of humanity decay.

 

- Abo Sahl also said: Sufism is to refrain from objections.

 

We can see that all of these definitions about Sufis and Sufism have one thing in common which is describing the relationship between the Worshiper “Al cAbd” and His Lord “Allah” or the preoccupation of the worshiper by Allah in the form of a continuous non stop Dhikr [remembrance / praising] of Allah. Sayyida Rabeca Al cAdaweiyah said "My acts and doings are preoccupied by you (Allah) and no one else". It has been evident that the continuous remembrance of Allah and praising of the Prophet Mohammad [PPBUH] have been the focal and main duty these people have continued to do. For that, Al Imam Fakhraddin Mohammad Osman [AAH] has defined Sufis for us as Ahl Allah [Allah’s People], those who are preoccupied by continuous recitation of the name of “Allah”.

 

Written by A Sufi.

Translated by Mohannad.

 

 

 

 

Etiquettes of the Seeker with his Sheikh


 Sidi Abdel-Qader Al-Jilany [AAH] mentioned in his book Al-ghunia (or self-sufficiency) some of the seeker's (Murid) etiquettes with his Sheikh, such as:

1. When he is in the presence of his Sheikh, he should not speak except for necessity nor show off.

2. He should not express his point of view in a matter in his Sheikh's hand. He should only submit to what Allah reveals in the words of his Sheikh. If he finds his Sheikh's answer incomplete, he should not comment. He should only thank Allah for the knowledge and light given to him and keep this for himself. He should not mention that his Sheikh has made a mistake nor contradict his words.

Perhaps this is what Imam Al Sahrawardy meant when he said:

"The state of the seeker in the presence of his Sheikh is like someone sitting by the beach waiting for sustenance to come to him. Listening to his Sheikh's words achieves his request of gaining divine knowledge. Arguing to prove his point takes him away from his request and this would be his fault".

Sayyidi Ibrahim Al-Qurashy Addisuqi [AAH] shows us the privileges of being polite with one's Sheikh by saying:

"My seeker, if you are sincere with me, I will be close to you. I will be in your mind, in your eyes, in all your outward and inward senses. But, if you are not sincere, I will always be far from you." (the Divine Lights)

In this regard, Sheikh Fahraddin said:

'I am not far from my seeker even for a second

My seeker is the one who submits to my will'

(qasida 1:266)

Sayyidi Ibrahim Addisuqi [AAH] adds (quoted from the same book the Divine Lights):

"If the seeker is sincere with his Sheikh and calls him when they are far apart, his Sheikh, whether he is dead or alive, will answer him. Let the honest seeker direct his heart to his Sheikh in everything he faces in life! He will hear his Sheikh's voice which will rescue him from his problems. Let him close his eyes and open his heart to see his Sheikh openly! If he sees him, he can ask him whatever he likes".

Moreover, he says "the seeker with his Sheikh is like the dead with the person who washes his body. He can't speak, move, or utter a word due to the sheikh's aura. He does not enter or leave. He does not communicate with anyone. He does not engage in any science, Qur'an, or recitation without his permission, because his Sheikh is keen to do what elevates him. A good deed may be corrupted by the interference of the seeker's self".

If the seeker thinks that there is a defect in his Sheikh, he should refer this defect to himself, because the Sheikh is the mirror of the seeker. Sidi Ali ibn Wafa [AAH] mentioned: "How you see your teacher is a reflection of you, so see him however you like! If you see him a hypocrite, you are a hypocrite. If you see him faithful, you are faithful. This is because he is your mirror. You see in the mirror your image. The mirror has did nothing wrong".

Sidi Abul Hasan ash-Shadhali [AAH] educates his sons by his eyes without words. He says "the turtle raises its sons by eyes. The one who hides from it perishes. We are more capable to do that than the turtle"

Sidi Abu al-cAbbas sl-Morsy [AAH] says: "don't ask the Sheikh to be in your mind! Ask yourself to have the Sheikh in your mind! You mean to him as much as he means to you. His energy is dedicated to Allah, not to you. The seeker is the one who hangs to his Sheikh, not the opposite".

He adds: "The seeker should not tire his Sheikh in educating him by being always obedient to whatever his Sheikh is telling him". He also says: "It is not the seeker who should be proud of his Sheikh. It is the Sheikh who should be proud of his seeker".

At the end, we like to mention the saying of Imam an-Nury [AAH] "who is not following etiquette with his Sheikh in time, his time will be scourge". (Al Qushairiya Message) We also like to mention that of Zu An-Noun Almasry [AAH]; "if the seeker does not follow etiquette with his Sheikh, he should leave".

We ask Allah to help us learn the discipline of our Sheikhs and help us to be obedient so as to get us close to them. We also ask Allah to help us learn from their knowledge how to pass safely through the path to Allah.

 

Written by Sayed Husseiny

Translated by Nahed

 
 

Whoever wants to get more about this, can browse the pages of Sufism in the official site of tariqa Burhaniya.

 

The Editors Team