Sufism is not one of these New Age movements that seek to detach itself from Revelation. It is the inner and mystical dimension of Islamic tradition. As such it is deeply rooted in the Qur’an and the tradition of the Prophet of Islam. While the word Sufism (tasawwuf) is not mentioned in the Qur’an, the concept of inner life is frequently discussed in one way or the other. Many verses indeed speak of man’s special relationship with God as friendship, hence the concept of wila>yah, (2: 115, 2: 186, 88: 25, 57:4, 50: 16).
The Goal of Sufism is to integrate body and soul: In other words, transforming man from what man is to what man can be. This can be accomplished through understanding the doctrine, method, and certain practices. Such a journey is potentially possible for every man and woman, but in every generation only a few attain such an exalted station.
For man to get to know his self, Sufism poses several major questions and provides proper answers for them in its doctrine, its method, and its practices:
- Where did we Come from?
I am the bird of the Sacred Garden, not from this lowly earth
they built a cage for my body for a few days in this world (Rumi)
2. Why did we Come?
The theophany of Your beauty on the day of eternity
manifested Love and set fire to the entire world. (Hafiz)
3. Where do we go from Here?
How happy a day it will be that I fly to the abode of the Friend,
In the hope of arriving at Him I will fly day and night
Give me the wine of union so that,
In an intoxicated state
I would break the gate of this eternal prison. (Rumi)
The idea of man being from God and returning to Him is present in all traditions and in the Qur’an it is repeated frequently. In this connection the most often cited verse in the Qur’an is 2: 156: “We are from God and to Him is our return.” Every believing Muslim waits until the moment of death to experience this. Sufis want to experience this HERE and NOW while they are alive and well in this world.
Like any other genuine spiritual tradition Sufism is comprised of a doctrine, a method, and some practices.
Sufi Doctrine speaks of a metaphysical Truth, that is, to discern between the Real and unreal. As such it is in fact a commentary on the foundational principle of Islam “There is no God but God/la ila>ha illa’l Alla>h.” Belief in God’s oneness (tawh}i@d) is the center of all traditions. Sufis indeed believe in the universality of revelation in the sense that all religions share the universal truth in the domain of meaning. It is only in the domain of form (rituals, rules, etc) that they differ. According to Sufis the above formula is the meaning of Divine Unity as understood by the common people. The Sufis understand that verse as saying, “There is no reality but He/la ila>ha illa Huwa;” that we are nothing and God is. Such an experience enables Sufis to see God everywhere and in everything as the Qur’an states, “Wheresoever you turn, indeed you will see the face of God.” (2:115). To be able to attain this station one must struggle against one’s carnal soul, cleans his soul from all impurities, so that eventually he would realize his nothingness before God, a station that Sufis call faqr (spiritual poverty). Only then can a person become worthy of earning God’s friendship (wila>yah)and divine light descends on his heart and illuminates his being. Such a person becomes like a mirror reflecting divine qualities on this earth. To attain this station man must know his self as the saying (possibly a Hadith) denotes, “He who knows himself knows his Lord.”
The METHOD: Contemplative Concentration (fikr) and Remembrance of God (dhikr)
Through contemplation and reflection of the marvels of creation both within one’s own being and in the universe around him man realizes the meaning of divine oneness (tawh}i@d). Some travelers may start this process intuitively and before initiation into an order. Once one is initiated one is given permission to recite the Supreme Name (Allah) in a systematic way.
The significance of remembering God is emphasized in the Qur’an frequently (33: 41, 2: 200, 29: 45, 8: 2)
This phase entails a death and a rebirth as the hadith of the Prophet denote (Die before you die). One dies to one’s old self and to the world and is reborn into a new self . With this “death and rebirth” the traveler indeed starts a new life when he/she is give permission to invoke the Supreme Name Allah. Life and the world will never be the same as it was before. Now all thoughts in his heart are replaced with the love of God and the longing to experience proximity and union with Him. Consistent practice of invocation gradually transforms the heart. Certainty replaces anxiety and doubt as the Qur’an promises, “Indeed, those who believe and their hearts find certainty, beware that only with the remembrance of God hearts find certainty.” (13:28) The traveler reaches a station that is honored with God’s friendship (wila>yah) and when this is attained, the Qur’an tells us that “Indeed for friends of God there is no fear nor sorrow.” (10:26)
PRACTICES: The Operative Aspects of Sufism:
An aspirant is expected to observe the Shari@‘ah and perform all obligatory duties that every practicing Muslim does. This includes all daily prayers, fasting, and other pillars of Islam. He/she must follow the tradition of the Prophet to the extent possible. However, dogmatism, prejudice, and pride have no place in this journey.
The Sufis also take regular retreat (khalwah), sometimes in a Sufi center and sometimes in nature during which they detach themselves from ordinary daily functions and devote their time to invoking the Divine Name. The period of retreat can be from a few hours to many days. The longest and most difficult one can last as long as 40 days. These and all other practices in Sufi order are what the Prophet did when he was with a small circle of his trusted companions.
I cannot overemphasize the central role of invocation in spiritual journey of Sufis. The Prophet said,
“For ever thing there is polish, and the polish of the heart is the remembrance of God”; and.
“The example of the one who remembers God (dhikr) and he who does not, is like the example of a living and a dead man.”
The entire method and practice of Sufism is summarized in a saying attributed to Ali ibn Abi@ T}alib when he wrote, “O You! Whose Name is the medicine and whose remembrance is the cure….” The Divine Name is the medicine of every heart that suffers from the disease of negligence and ignorance. To cure the disease one has to take the medicine diligently and consistently. This is the essence of Sufi doctrine and practice.
The dhikr session can be performed individually or in group, loud or silently. The remembrance of God has an alchemical effect on the heart and soul of the aspirant and a transformative quality preparing the heart of the traveler to welcome the decent of the King of the universe.
I might also add that this is a very difficult and demanding journey and that is the reason many masters in the past discourage aspirant from joining them and accepted them after many trials and tests to make sure they are apt for the journey for indeed Sufism is a lifelong undertaking.
