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MISINTERPRETATION
OF
TASAWWUF
Muhammad Alamgir
Publishers page
To my Teachers
Contents
Y { hamzah Mumin
} } alif a> QN} Allaah>
[ Y ba> b u Bila>l
\ Y ta> t Tawbah
] Y tha>
th th [Z Thawa>
Th b
_ ji>m j u Jama>l
` Y h}a h} H{ali>m
a Y kha>
kha> kh Khali>
Kh l
c uZc da>l d c Di>n
d uZd dha>
dh l dh d Dhikr
Dh
e YZe ra> r Ne Rabbana>
f |Zf za> z f Zindi>q
h " si>n s v" Sala>m
i & shi>
sh n sh & Shukr
Sh
j c' s}ad> s} v' S{awm
k cF d}ad> d} we Ramad
d}a>n
l Y t}aw
> t} l Lu>t}
m Y z}aw
> z} Z{uhr
n ayn Umar
Arabic Trans- Transliteration Example in
Letter/Name cription Sign Arabic/English
o ghayn
gh gh Ghari>
Gh b
p Y fa> f Faqi>r
q p qa>f q ec Qa>dir
s p ka>f k Kari>m
u v la>m l Laisa
v mi>m m c Mah}mu>d
w w nu>n n ` Nu>h}
x Y ha> h Z Ibra>hi>m
y yZy waw aw Naw
awfal
aw
u> w' S{a>lih}u>n
| Y ya> ay f Zay
ayd
ay
i> ' S{a>lih}in>
{ Y ta> marbu>t}ah h {' S{ala>h
0.01 Introduction
8
0.01 - Introduction
9
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
10
0.02
0.02 The Qura>nic Sufi
1
They are the Party of Allah; Truly
it is the Party of Allah that will achieve Felicity. Su>rah Muja>dilah,
58:22.
2
!"# $ &% '( ) * + ,
-. And hold fast all together, by the Rope which
Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves.
Su>rah A<l-i-Imra>n, 3:103.
3
/
01'* 32 ( 4 5 & + 64 -7 !"# $ 6 89 : ;<$ Be not like those who are
divided amongst themselves and fall into disputations after receiving
clear Signs. Su>rah A<l-i-Imra>n, 3:105.
4
3= > ? >@ A 0 4 B
C &% '? ; : A 08D !"#@ 6 89 And for those who divide their
religion and break up into sects, you (O Muhammad) have no part in
them in the least. Su>rah Ana>m, 6:159.
5
#*E < F G H
9 $ I
-@ .J 0$ And (O Muslims) fall not into disputes,
lest you lose heart and your power depart; and be steadfast (against your
enemies). Su>rah Anfa>l, 8:46.
11
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
belong to the Party of the Evil One, who will surely perish.1
The proof that the Muslims are indeed the legion of Allah
Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> is evidenced by the verse that says: Truly Allah
loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they
were a solid cemented structure.2 So the aim of a complete
Muslim, also styled as a Sufi (Muh}sin), is: to earn Allahs love;
and his assignment is: to fight in the Cause of Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa
Taa>la>; and the method prescribed to him is: be not slothful nor
unmindful of this task, and remain equipped with the best
weapons physical, moral, spiritual and intellectual.3
Effectively, a Muslim hands over his life to Allah,4 just as a
soldier joining the army hands over his life to his commander. It
is then mandatory for him to join hands with other Muslims in
building and maintaining an environment of solidarity the
very antithesis of sectarianism. And this community
responsibility is singularly recommended by Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa
Taa>la> when He mentions it as the distinguishing characteristic of
the Companions (r) under the leadership of the Prophet (s).5
1
#L M
K ' "I
They are the Party of the Evil
One. Truly it is the Party of the Evil One that will perish. Su>rah
Muja>dilah, 58:19.
2
O
N E# "4 P '0 + A";Q: RE
'*L >@ $ S 8 6 89 TH
8 Su>rah S{aff, 61:4.
3
: "5 . "5 . + * # $ ) ' M
U
+1G 64 WV "! 614 -& K -L "4 A T5. Against them
make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds
of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies of Allah and your
enemies. Su>rah Anfa>l, 8:60.
4
-S 8 - S '@ ) '*L >@ $ S 8 [ "0\
A Q+ A4 A C
; X
04 Y 6 4 Z# -?
Allah has purchased of the Believers their persons and their goods; for
theirs (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise); they fight in His Cause, and
slay and are slain. Su>rah Taubah, 9:111.
5
A 0' + 3^
G G < _. 3^ "5? &4 6 89 ] L"G 5N "
T4 Muh}ammad is the Messenger
of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against the Unbelievers,
(but) compassionate amongst each other. Su>rah Fath}, 48:29.
12
0.02 - The Qura>nic Sufi
1
LG a 5 * . `5"
4 5 A ? I testify that Muhammad (s) is Allahs servant and
His Messenger.
2
< b 14 #N I
+ ; "; ) ! Su>rah Kahf, 18:110.
13
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
will he do to Allah; but Allah (on the other hand) will swiftly
reward those who (serve him) with gratitude.1
And so it happened. When the Prophet (s) actually
passed away, many Companions including Syyeduna Umar (r)
could not believe that such a man could ever die. It was then
left to the wit and wisdom of the venerable Syyeduna Abu Bakr
(r) who finally managed to calm them down. Only when he
recited the above verse, that they could recall having heard it
before, but had forgotten all about it.
It was to the credit of Syyeduna Abu Bakr (r) and
Syyeduna Umar (r), indeed the other elders as well, that they
instilled in the hearts of the early Muslims the firm belief that
sectarianism was the opposite of Islam, and that it was the
deadly poison that would destroy the collective life of Muslims.
With a unity and solidarity of that magnitude, the
Muslims devoted themselves to work for the Cause of Allah
Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la>, namely, the reform and salvation of mankind. In
order that this can be achieved, great emphasis is placed on
promoting what is good and wholesome, and on suppressing
what is evil and ugly.2 On the contrary, if Muslims are divided
into sects and groups, unity amongst them will evaporate. In
such a state, neither will they have the zeal to reform others,
nor the respite (time) they need to devote to such an
assignment. The simple fact of life is, that those who fight with
each other, themselves need reforms.
A Sufi, worthy of the name, cannot but be fully aware of
this perennial responsibility as a Muslim.
1
' *S . _ . H
S 08 64 < + S . _ . - * S ; ) -! /
"4 c@ ) L T# * ! 64 B
7 5 ! ]P LG 5N "
4 4
'L `' ? "#d
6 8#: "I e\ 8 6@ Su>rah A<l-i-Imra>n, 3:144.
2
+ 04 Y $ # < 0 6 . A 0 $ f
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"0 B
( # 7 [V "4 # ' 7 - 0: You are the
best of Peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding
what is wrong, and believing in Allah. Su>rah A<l-i-Imra>n, 3:110.
14
0.02 - The Qura>nic Sufi
15
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Tas}awwuf ( ) the doctrines and practices of the Sufi.
2
Tashayyo ( )the doctrines and practices of the Shia.
3
Eclecticism is the principle or practice of choosing or involving objects,
ideas and beliefs from many different sources. The other related word in
this context is Syncretism,
Syncretism meaning, the reconciliation or fusion of
different systems or beliefs, or the attempt at such fusion.
4
Philosophia Perennis is the central concept of the Traditionalist
School formalized in the writings of Ren Gunon, Frithjof Schuon and
Ananda Coomaraswamy. The term philosophia perennis was first used in
the 16th century by Agostino Steuco in his book entitled De perenni
philosophia libri X (1540), in which scholastic philosophy is seen as the
Christian pinnacle of wisdom to which all other philosophical currents in
one way or another point. The idea was later taken up by the German
mathematician and philosopher Gottfried Leibniz, who used it to
designate the common, eternal philosophy that underlies all religions,
and in particular the mystical streams within them. The term was
popularized in more recent times by Aldous Huxley in his 1945 book:
The Perennial Philosophy. The Hindu revivalist notion of Sanatana
Dharma has been taken as a translation of philosophia perennis.
Wikipedia.
16
Section One
TASAWWUF
AND
TASHAYYO
Acknowledgement
18
1.01 Abdullah b. Saba>
anta Anta.
2
19
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
DV & 4 _ h TD# i#S
' . j
# @ e9 Verily He Who ordained the Qura>n for
you, will bring you back to the Place of Return. Su>rah Qas}as}, 28:85.
This verse was revealed to assure the Prophet (s) that he would return to
Makka after the persecution of the Quraysh forced him to emigrate to
Madina.
20
1.01 - Abdullah b. Saba>
21
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
22
1.02
1.02 The Growth of Shia Thoughts
23
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
24
1.02 - The Growth of Shia Thoughts
25
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
26
1.02 - The Growth of Shia Thoughts
27
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
I.e. nothing would be forbidden (h}ara>m) to them any more, everything
would be h}ala>l.
2
Religion of Ma>ni (216-276).
3
Maju>si> or the religion of Zartasht (Zoroaster, Zarathustra).
28
1.03 Shia Intrusion in the Sufi Circles
29
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
and allay all doubts from their minds about their genuineness.
The fact remains that in this way these Isma>i>lis had immense
success in popularizing Tasawwuf in Iran and other parts of the
Muslim world. In return for their services, they introduced in
Tasawwuf certain un-Islamic tendencies and doctrines which
started to surface in the fourth century Hijri.
He wrote further in the footnote of page 87 of the same
issue: At the beginning of the fifteenth century AD, Isma>i>li
callers came to India. They adopted the ways of the Sufis, and
informed the Hindus that Syyeduna Ali (r) was the tenth
incarnation of Vishnu. Under the stewardship of Pi>r Sadruddin,
this tactic brought many Hindus into their fold.
The Bekta>shi
hi Sufi Order
The founder of this Sufi order was Ha>ji Bekta>sh. In
1281, he moved from Khorasan (the center of Isma>i>li mission)
to Anatolia, where he died in 1338. His order gained popularity
in Turkey. In pp. 132-133 of The Bekta>shi Dervish Order, Dr. J.
K. Birge has given its doctrines in the following words:
Allah is the only Reality.
Both Muhammad (s) and Ali (r) are special
manifestations of Allah.
Allah, Muhammad (s) and Ali (r) are identical with each
other.
In reality Muhammad (s) and Ali (r) are two names for
the same person.
The sort of relationship the Sufis of this order had with
Islam is plain and clear from these doctrines. The belief these
Sufis had about Syyeduna Ali (r) are recorded in Khut}batul
Baya>n, the most reliable book of this order. The book
30
1.03 - Shia Intrusion in the Sufi Circles
The Nu>
Nurbakhshi
>rbakhshi Sufi Order
rbakhsh
This sufi order has been described in pp. 283-287 of
Kashmir under the Sultans by Prof. Muhibbul Hasan:
Hasan
The founder of the Nu>rbakhshi order was Syyed
Muhammad b. Abdullah. He was born in Kohistan in 1393. In
his youth he took a pledge of allegiance (bayah) with Khwaja
Ish}aq Khat}la>ni who was the spiritual successor of the great Sufi
master Syyed Ali H{amada>ni. Syyed Muhammad was given the
title of Nu>rbakhsh by his master. Nu>rbakhsh claimed that he
had received spiritual benediction from Imam Jafar S}a>diq (r),
whose influence featured prominently in his teachings. Sufis of
this order show their disrespect for the first three Caliphs.
Nu>rbakhsh also claimed to be the awaited Mahdi. Thats why
even the Shias did not like him.
This Sufi order was made popular in Kashmir by Pi>r
Shamsuddin. Born in Sholghan (Iran), first he journeyed to
Multan, then in 1502 to Kashmir. From there he moved to
Baltistan to preach Nu>rbakhshi doctrines. In the end he
31
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
32
1.03 - Shia Intrusion in the Sufi Circles
Nu>rbakhsh was the awaited Mahdi, so they are not Shias. (p.
147).
This was the mode of operation of the Qara>mit}a adopt
any means including the guise of a Sufi to corrupt the Muslims
with ilh}ad> and kufr. Thus, they were greatly successful in
introducing non-Islamic doctrines in the hearts of Muslims. Dr.
J.N. Holster writes further:
A caravan of Isma>i>li syyeds came to Sabzwa>r from
Cairo. It was from here that Pi>r Shamsuddin Sabzwa>ri (not the
same Shamsuddin who belonged to the Nu>rbakhshi sect) went
to Multan. Disguising as a Sufi he preached the Isma>i>li
doctrines. Some people wrongly think that he was Shams
Tabriz, the spiritual master of Jalaluddin Ru>mi. A third Pi>r
Shamsuddin of the Niza>riya sect of the Isma>i>lis also went to
Kashmir. He used to mingle with the local Hindus in their
religious festivals. He took part in the Garbha1 dance with them
during Durga festivals. He wrote 28 Garbha songs. Many
Hindus were impressed with him, and became the devotees of
Ima>m-uz-Zama>n Qa>sim Sha>h Niza>ri. (p. 353).
From Kashmir, Pi>r Shamsuddin went to Uch, 80 miles
from Multan. Legend has it that the son of a rich man died, and
he brought him back to life. As a result, his popularity soared
high. His disciples are called Shamsis. His shrine is in Uch. (p.
355).
Pi>r Sadruddin was also a caller of the Niza>riya sect of
the Isma>i>lis. He started his mission in India in 1430. In
accordance with the Qara>mit}a principles of preaching, he
changed his name to Sahadev, and converted the Lohana
Rajputs of Punjab to his religion. He announced that the tenth
avatar of Vishnu has already appeared in the form of Ali (r). His
1
In Sanskrit Garbha means womb. It is a dance to honour Durga, the
feminine form of divinity during Durga worship.
33
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Devotional songs of the Hindus specially dedicated to Krishna.
2
Annual gathering of devotees at the shrine of a Pi>r.
34
1.03 - Shia Intrusion in the Sufi Circles
placed their trust in these holy men. For example, the Bekta>shi
order popularized a story that when the Prophet (s) was injured
in the Battle of Uhud, and blood was flowing from his body,
Archangel Gabriel came to him and asked him to use Na>d-e-
Ali>1 to make dua, i.e. to pray to Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> by
invoking the name of Ali (r). When he did so, Ali came to his
rescue, killed the Unbelievers and saved the Muslims from
getting killed. (See The Bekta>shi Order of Dervishes by Dr.
John Kingsley Birge,
Birge Hartford, USA, 1937, p. 138).
Men of knowledge are well aware of the fact that the
Prophet (s) did not make any such dua during the battle.
Moreover, during the battle, from start to finish, Syyeduna Ali
(r) was physically present with the Prophet (s), so how could
there be a need to call him who never left his side? Despite
that, this fictitious narrative managed to creep into many works
of the Ahle-Sunnah, because fanaticism in beliefs makes one
blind to research and impels one to throw caution to the wind.
So it happened with Syed Muzaffar Ali Shah Chishti.
Chishti He wrote
in his Gems of the Unseen, Lucknow, 1887, p. 641: During the
Battle of Tabuk, the Muslim army was in a tight squeeze when
Archangel Gabriel came to the Prophet (s) and said to him: O
Muhammad, call Ali. He is the one who reveals secrets. You
will find him as a helper in your distress. All your worries and
grief will soon vanish by virtue of your prophethood and Alis
sainthood. [How could we blame the reader of this dua who is
led to think that Ali was superior to Muhammad (s)?].
May Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> forgive the above writer for
his blunder. In documenting this episode in his book he did not
even think that no fighting took place in the Tabuk expedition.
That is why historians do not consider this expedition as a
Ghazwa2 per se. In fact, Syed Muzaffar Ali Shah Chishtis
1
To call Syyeduna Ali (r) for help.
2
An actual battle in which the Prophet (s) participated, is termed as a
Ghazwa.
35
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
k
? : @ 1#l d
+
C
C 8 Su>rah Yu>nus, 10:107.
36
1.03 - Shia Intrusion in the Sufi Circles
Alien Ideas
Ideas enter Tasawwuf
The objective of the Qara>mit}a was to turn the Muslims
away from Tawh}i>d, and herd them into the fold of the
Mushriks. That was in the mind of Abdullah b. Saba>>, their
religious and spiritual master, when he divinized Syyeduna Ali
(r). Even though he was put to death by Syyeduna Ali (r), he
still succeeded in sowing the seed of Shirk in the land of Islam.
The tree of Qara>mit}a has grown from that seed. Muslims in this
fifteenth century are still harvesting its bitter fruit.
Islam distinguished itself by removing the curse of the
worship of man from the pure worship of Allah alone. But that
distinction was wiped out rather deftly by Abdullah b. Saba>>
and his successors, namely, al-Qadda>h{ and H{amda>n Qarmat}.
1
h T#d
8
& 08 4 D 64 m
5 $ Su>rah Yu>nus, 10:106.
2
# 7 i A% n 4 m
5 $ Su>rah Qas}as}, 28:88.
3
X
+9& 6 4 <-@ # 7 i A% n 4 m
5 $ @ Su>rah Shuara, 26:213.
37
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
38
1.03 - Shia Intrusion in the Sufi Circles
Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la>, then every true Muslim should seek
refuge of Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> before falling in its trap.
The Qara>mit}a introduced their own expressions and
ideas in famous books like Fus}u>s> al-H{ikam and Futu>h}a>t al-
Makkiya of Ibnul Arabi. They even wrote books and ascribed
them to great authors of Islam. They wrote their own Rubaiyat
and inserted them in Ru>mis Diwan-e-Shams-e-Tabrez, or
published some Rubaiyat in the name of Syyeduna Ali (r),
Muinuddin Chishti (r) of Ajmer, and others. In all these works
they persisted in elevating the position of Syyeduna Ali (r) to
divine levels. In order to seal their obsession for Syyeduna Ali
(r), they introduced a Hadith in the name of the Prophet (s).
This Hadith is recorded in Tirmidhi, and says: I am the city of
knowledge or I am the house of wisdom, and Ali is its gate. The
narrator of this Hadith was Shari>k at-Ta>bei. Tirmidhi himself
did not regard him as trustworthy. Ibn Jauzi, Yahya b. Muin,
Syyed Hussain Ahmad Madani, Tahir Patni, and others thought
that this Hadith was fabricated (Maud{u).
At some stage this practice of interpolation reached an
epidemic proportion. When Maulana Ja>mi visited Baghdad, he
found an overwhelming presence of Rawa>fid{ (Twelver Shias) in
that city. He had gone there to face objections to what he had
supposedly written in Silsila adh-Dhahab (the Golden Chain). It
turned out that these were words interpolated by the Rawa>fid{
and then attributed to Ja>mi. It was and still is a common
practice of the Rawa>fid{ to write attractive poetry in which they
exaggerate the status of Syyeduna Ali (r) in order to establish
his divinity. Many a times they attribute such works to great
Sunni poets and thinkers by stealth.
One would ask how do they practice such forgery and
get away with it unnoticed? The answer to this enigma lies in
the fact that without exception all the Sufis hold Syyeduna Ali
(r) in high regard and ascribe to him a position of lofty dignity.
Moreover, in three out of the four major Sufi Tariqas, the chain
39
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
(silsila) of Masters starts from Syyeduna Ali (r). So, while the
Sufi Masters have devoted pious praise for the first three
Caliphs, they have been no less dedicated to Syyeduna Ali (r).
Such being the general sentiment of awe, it was not difficult for
the Rawa>fid{ to insert their exaggerations undetected into
literature produced by the Sunni Sufis. For instance, if Ja>mi
wrote a poem in his praise for Syyeduna Ali (r), quite easily the
Rawa>fid{ added a few of their own verses in his work.
The Sep
Separation
eparation of Tariqah from Shariah
The Qara>mit}a used another strategy very effectively.
Unceasingly, they preached a doctrine that Tariqah and Shariah
were two different matters altogether.1 So, when an adept
entered the fold of Tariqah, he was no longer bound by the
rigours of Shariah. It was then up to his sweet will whether he
did or did not follow the rules of Shariah.
In the body politic of Islam, the division of religious and
temporal had already made inroads. This non-Islamic concept
had created great unrest in the moral and collective life of the
Muslims. What remained of the social fabric was then knocked
down by a kind of Tasawwuf whose origin was not Islamic. The
division of Tariqah and Shariah opened the door for Iba>ha{ t-e-
Mut}laqah ( Absolute Permissibility), i.e. a carefree and
whimsical approach to Shariah rulings. As a result, the last
vestiges of the Muslims, i.e. their spiritual life was also badly
mutilated.
The Qara>mit}a needed this division of Tariqah and
Shariah, because although they had donned the garb of
Tasawwuf, their heart was fully attuned to non-Islamic
teachings. Therefore, in order not to be blamed for non-
1
Today this concept of Shariah and Tariqah being separate departments is
a fait accompli in the teachings of many Sufis, as will be seen later in this
work.
40
1.03 - Shia Intrusion in the Sufi Circles
1
Qalandari: Vagrants professing to mysticism; persons not tied down by
religious and worldly conventions. They pretend that they are fully
absorbed in the thought of Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la>.
2
Mala>mati: Path of blame taken by some Sufis which involves
deliberately provoking people to have a bad opinion of them. The
intention here is to create an impression that they are so engrossed in the
love of Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> that they have no time to care for public
opinion.
41
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
X
S '
'$Q 8 _"-
"+G 5 * . Su>rah H{ijr, 15:99.
42
1.03 - Shia Intrusion in the Sufi Circles
1
Mula>hi} da (plural of Mulh}id) and Zana>diqa (plural of Zindi>q):
Disbelievers and Atheists.
43
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
H{uru>fism: A mystical kabbalistic Sufi doctrine based on the letters of the
alphabet. An entry in Wikipedia says: According to Fazlullah
Astaraba>
Astarabadi,
>di the key to open the seventh sealed book, the Qura>n, is a
di
kabbalistic system of letters that is expounded by later H{uru>fis in the
Hida>yat-Na>ma, Ja>wida>n, and in the Mah}ram-Na>ma. The Universe is
eternal and moves by rotation. Gods visage (face) is imperishable and is
manifest in Man, the best of forms z}uhu>r kibriya>. God is incarnated in
every atom. H{uru>fis considered Fazlullah, a manifestation of Gods force
after Adam, Moses and Muhammad. God is also embodied in words. The
28 letters of the Arabic alphabet and the 32 letters of Persian are the
basis for love and beauty in the world. Seven is a key number
corresponding to the noble parts of the face, the verses of Al-Fa>tih}a, and
the verbal confession of faith. Man is a supreme copy of the divine and
the key to h}aqi>qah.
According to R.N. Fryes Cambridge History of Iran, H{uru>fism was an
expression of Isma>ilism in its mystical identification of human figure,
but differed in its recognition of h}aqi>qah in the substance of letters
rather than in the person of the Imam.
44
1.03 - Shia Intrusion in the Sufi Circles
45
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
possible for anyone to aspire for it. Nor can more than one
person be installed in this position at one and the same time.
It should be noted that this notion of the continuation of
the Poles (Aqt}a>b) can neither be established from Shariah, nor
from logical deductions. It is simply an honorific title, a later
innovation, and resembles the Shia (particularly the Isma>i>li)
doctrine, in which Ima>mah is usually inherited by the son (just
like the transfer of property). There is no doubt that the Sufis
copied this idea from the Gha>li Shias. So, just like the Ba>ti} niya
believe that the next in rank to the Imams are the Nuqaba,1 the
Sufis believe that the next in rank to the Poles are the various
grades of Awliya. The resemblance goes even further. In most
Tariqahs, when a Sufi is installed as a Shaykh, he is linked in a
chain (silsila>) of Mashaikh that connects him right back to
Syyeduna Ali (r). This is a clear evidence that they did it under
the influence of the Shias. Be that as it may, it will be wrong to
say that Syyeduna Ali (r) was endowed with a singular position
over and above the other closest Companions of the Prophet (s)
by virtue of some unique deeds.
Without doubt, after the Prophet (s), the most pious of
all the Companions were Syyeduna Abu Bakr (r) and Syyeduna
Umar (r). But none of them had a distinction over others by
virtue of some special religious practices. The truth is, that as
close companions, all of them were the ultimate examples of
strictness in following religion, sacrifice, abstinence and
spiritual struggle. Abundant proof of this is found in their
biographies and in the early history of Islam. However, in
manufacturing idealizing stories, the Shias wanted to paint a
different picture of Syyeduna Ali (r), in order to establish the
belief that he was raised to a higher esteem compared to all
other Companions.
1
Nuqaba>: plural of Naqi>b, proclaimer, herald.
46
1.03 - Shia Intrusion in the Sufi Circles
47
1.04
1.04 Mutilat
Mutilation
lations
ions in the Works of Popular Sufis
48
1.04 - Mutilations in the Works of Popular Sufis
49
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
50
1.04 - Mutilations in the Works of Popular Sufis
51
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
idul
Fawa>idul Fawa>id of Khwaja Nizamuddin Awliya
The famous historian Qazi Minhaj
Minhaj Siraj wrote in his
T{abaqa>t Na>si} ri> (p 98) about an event that took place during the
rule of Sultana Razia bint Altamash (1205-1240):
52
1.04 - Mutilations in the Works of Popular Sufis
Nu
Nu>
Nur> Turk Qarmat}
Qarmati} migrated to Delhi from Multan in
634 Hijri. He started a Kha>nqah there, and in the garb of a Sufi
won over many Sunni Muslims to his teachings. Gradually,
many Qara>mit}a from Gujrat and Sind gathered in that Kha>nqah.
Nu>r Turk stepped up his lectures, teachings and guidance. In his
lectures he would abuse the Sunni Ulama as plotters, and
dissuade the common Muslims from the madhhab of Imam Abu
Hanifa (r). Within six months his hold on the common folks
was fully established. On Friday 6th of Rajab, 634 Hijri, the
Qara>mit}a entered the Ja>me Masjid, and began killing unarmed
people indiscriminately. Eventually, they were surrounded by
the soldiers and put to the sword.
Since Qazi Minhaj was a contemporary witness to this
event, his reports are more reliable than any other hearsay. In
the main, it proves beyond doubt that Nu>r Turk was a Qarmat}i
preacher. But four hundred years after the event, Shaykh Abdul
Haq Muhaddith Dehlawi wrote in his Akhba>r-ul-Akhya>r:
Qazi Minhaj has mentioned about Nu>r Turk in his
T{abaqa>t Na>si} ri> in a manner that would suggest that he was a
Shia. However, in Fawa>idul Fawa>id, Shaykh Nizamuddin
Awliya has said, that even though some Ulama have denounced
him, in actual fact he was purer than rain water.
This one sentence in Fawa>idul Fawa>id elevated Nu>r
Turk Qarmat}is status in the eyes of all subsequent Sufis,
including Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlawi, as purer
than rain water. No one ever had the moral courage to point
out that it was an interpolation in the works of Shaykh
Nizamuddin Awliya. Coming from a venerable Shaykh, his
words were naturally accepted with pious sentiments. Be that
as it may, the report of Qazi Minhaj, a contemporary witness, is
certainly more reliable than any opinion formed centuries later.
By the same token, we can say that all other sayings
attributed to Shaykh Nizamuddin Awliya are not trustworthy
53
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
54
1.04 - Mutilations in the Works of Popular Sufis
55
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
56
1.04 - Mutilations in the Works of Popular Sufis
Mutilations
Mutilations in Ru>mis
is Works
To their credit, the Saba>> i>s and the Qara>mit}a have not
introduced anything in Ru>mis Mathnawi. But, in his di>wans
and other works, some passages and poems have been inserted.
Disturbing narrations which Ru>mi could not have written are
found in his works. Here is an example of that:
One night, the Prophet (s) and his Companions were
returning from a battle (ghazwa). He asked them to proclaim
aloud that they would spend the night outside the gate of the
city, and enter the city the next morning. When the
Companions asked for the reason, the Prophet (s) said: It is
possible you will find your wives in the arms of strangers. It
will hurt you, and you will become riotous. One of the
57
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
Companions did not obey the Prophet (s). He went home, and
found his wife with another man.
There is no need to analyze a revolting story like this,
but it must be said that this is manifestly a product of the
Saba>> i>s, who would do anything to undermine the noble
character of the prophethood of Muhammad (s). However, the
following implications cannot be ignored:
1. Although the Prophet (s) was divinely informed of this
sordid affair, yet he chose to tolerate it.
2. That some Companions were disobedient, and the
Prophet (s) could not distinguish between Believers and
Hypocrites.
3. That the wives of some Companions were adultresses.
4. That the character and teachings of the Prophet (s) had
no effect on the Companions.
5. That Ru>mi was so careless that he presented his
audience with frivolous stories like this. He did not
mention the name of the narrator of this story, nor the
collection of Hadith in which he found it, nor the name
of the Companion, nor the Battle after which this
episode took place.
This is the result of Personality Worship. No one dares
to question the validity or veracity of narrations ascribed to
great Saints or Imams, let alone do something to expunge them
from printed materials. Once this predicament took roots, the
zeal for ijtiha>d (interpretative judgment) evaporated in both
matters of Tasawwuf and Fiqh. As a result, Muslims have been
stagnating for the last four centuries. So has Iqbal lamented:
Na utha> phir koi Ru>mi Ajam ke la>laza>ron se.
Not another Ru>mi arose in the tulip gardens of the East.
58
1.04 - Mutilations in the Works of Popular Sufis
59
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
60
1.04 - Mutilations in the Works of Popular Sufis
61
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
an--Nasafi by Tafta>za>ni
Commentary of Aqa>id an
In the Commentary on the Creed of Imam al- al-Nasafi by
Allama Sad al-Din al-Tafta>za>ni (Sharh} Aqa>id an-Nasafi), a
text book in all madrasas of the Arab world, Imam al-Nasafi (d.
537 H) says: The Companions should always be remembered
with great respect and words of praise. In the interpretation of
this edict, Allama Tafta>za>ni, the commentator, has purportedly
added: However, the scholars have differed in the case of
Yazid b. Muawiah on the question of whether he should be
cursed or not. The matter has been decided in plain language
that it is not valid to curse Yazid or Hajjaj, because the Prophet
(s) has forbidden cursing anyone who performs Salat (daily
obligatory prayers) and belongs to the People of the Qibla.
Some have said that since Yazid issued orders to kill Hussain
rad}iyalla>ho anhu (
), he became an Unbeliever, so he should
be cursed. In addition, all those who actually killed Hussain
rad}iyalla>ho anhu (
), who allowed this to happen, and who
agreed to this plan, should also be cursed.
After narrating the dissenting opinions, Tafta>za>ni gives
his own opinion (or so it seems to the reader): The truth is,
Yazids agreeing to the murder of Hussain alaihis sala>m (
),
and then expressing his happiness, was an insult to the family
of the Prophet (s). These events have been recorded with
unbroken chains. Therefore, we do not hesitate to curse him.
We should not waver in judging his beliefs (i.e. we should
62
1.04 - Mutilations in the Works of Popular Sufis
63
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
64
1.04 - Mutilations in the Works of Popular Sufis
Rasu>lulla>
Ibn Ish}aq> s Si>rat Rasu >lulla>h
The oldest book on Si>rah [Life of the Prophet (s)] is
perhaps that of Ibn Ish}aq> . He was born in Madina in 85 Hijri
and died in Baghdad in 151 Hijri. He was a Shia by faith. Ibn
Hisha>m edited his Si>rat Rasu>lulla>h. He was born in Basra, and
in 218 Hijri, he died in Fust}a>t}, Egypt. The Si>rah of Ibn Ish}aq> is
now known as Si>rat Ibn Hisha>m. Ibn Ish}aq> writes about the
Battle of Khaybar:
Abdullah b. Suhayl told me that he heard from Jabir b.
Abdullah (r) that Marh}ab, the Jewish chieftain came out of the
fort shouting war cry, Khaybar knows well that I am Marh}ab,
etc. He then challenged the Muslims for a single combat. In
reply, Kab b. Malik (r) let out his war cry, Khaybar knows
well that I am Kab, etc. The Prophet (s) said: Who will face
this man? Muhammad b. Maslamah (r) came forward, and said:
I will combat this man. I must avenge my brothers blood
whom he killed yesterday. The Prophet allowed him to
proceed, and prayed for his success. So, Ibn Maslamah (r)
advanced to meet Marh}ab. A tree came between them. They
started to cut its branches until they were face to face with each
other. Marh}ab swung his sword at Ibn Maslamah (r), which he
defended with his shield. Then Ibn Maslamah (r) went on the
attack and killed Marh}ab.
65
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
66
1.04 - Mutilations in the Works of Popular Sufis
67
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
68
1.04 - Mutilations in the Works of Popular Sufis
and Sunnah. He would say, any statement that fails the test of
the Qura>n and Sunnah must be discarded (fa-hua mardu>d), no
matter who it came from. But, by the ninth century, because of
the tireless works of the Ba>ti} niya, the good sense of the Sufis
was all but frozen. They would blindly accept anything that
was dished out to them in the name of their previous saints
even if it was an affront to common intellect. Thus, anything
said or written with reference to great saints would receive
immediate currency. That is why wrong and dubious narrations
in many books of the Sufis of Ahle-Sunnat are in circulation for
centuries, and no one has ever dared to point them out for fear
of losing popularity, dignity, and hold on the simple-minded
common folks.
69
1.05
1.05 Ba>ti} niya
niya
1
A ' . B
; : >- ] o Q # E
A 0 . n d
8 and who will relieve them of their
burdens and of the shackles that weigh upon them. Su>rah Ara>f, 7:157.
70
1.05 - Ba>ti} niya
the end, they accepted the Ba>ti} niya teaching that, once the
sa>lik (seeker) achieves marifah (gnosis, inner realization), he is
free from the bondage of Shariah. In support of this heretical
doctrine, they applied their own meaning to verse 99 of Su>rah
H}ijr, to say: Worship your Lord ONLY until the time you
achieve certainty, when you have achieved marifah, there is no
further need to obey Shariah laws.1
In this way, the Ba>ti} niya led millions of Muslims astray.
Generally speaking, Muslims never had any means by which
they could verify the genuineness of the person who would be
sitting in their midst in the garb of a Sufi, giving discourses on
the secrets of Tasawwuf. This is true in all ages, past and
present the future could be even worse. The malady is that in
their majlis (spiritual gathering), if an ordinary person dared to
point out to something that is not in keeping with the spirit of
the Qura>n and Sunnah, then the devotees of the Sufi-in-
disguise will label him as a trouble-maker, and promptly drive
him out of the majlis. That will be the end of the matter.
Even today, this arbitrary division of Shariah and
Tariqah is widely accepted among the Sunnis. Out of deference
they refrain from asking questions on the unorthodox practices
and claims of their Sufi shaykhs. Instead, they glorify those
claims in the light of the so-called mystical dimensions of
Tasawwuf. This division of Shariah and Tariqah was created by
the followers of Abdullah b. Saba>> . It must be said that, first
the Saba>> i>ya, and then its refined version, the Ba>ti} niya, were
nothing but rebellious movements against the prophethood
(risa>lah) of Muhammad (s). Apparently, these movements
persisted with the novel concept of wila>yat, but behind the
curtain they actually spread contempt and disdain for ris>alat.
1
X
S '
'$Q 8 _"-
"+G 5 * . and worship your Lord until what is certain [i.e.
death] comes to you. Su>rah H{ijr, 15:99.
71
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
p c : 5 < ' . T6 8 ) + Su>rah H{ujura>t, 49:17.
2
- L G B
q + @ ) & $ Su>rah Ma>idah, 5:67.
72
1.05 - Ba>ti} niya
1
1 : 6 815 _. a # A r ' 1s
6 8D Z5 A + LG ) L G e9 Su>rah Tauba, 9:33;
Su>rah Fath}, 48:28; Su>rah S{aff, 61:9.
73
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
74
1.05 - Ba>ti} niya
75
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
created was my Nu>r. And he has said: I and Ali are from the
same Nu>r.1
1
1s
[ 8
0 There, the (only) protection comes from Allah, the True
One. What the author has derived from this verse is totally wrong.
Certainly he knew enough Arabic to be able to differentiate between
wala>yah (protection) and wila>yah (authority). But he changed the
meaning deliberately. Vesting of authority is not mentioned in the
Qura>n anywhere. Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> knew that the Saba>i> will one
day ascribe wila>yah to Syyeduna Ali (r), thus elevate him above the
Prophet (s), so He used wala>yah in two places, (the other in 8:72), but He
used wila>yah nowhere, nor has He mentioned Ali (husband of Fatima)
anywhere, nor any event related to him. The above verse is part of the
parable in Su>rah Kahf in which the rich man was given gardens and
wealth, but when he became arrogant his property was destroyed, and no
one could rescue him from the calamity. Then Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la>
declared that protection and help is in His hands alone; and He is the
Abiding Truth.
The verse in question has nothing to do with wila>yah, let alone wila>yah
of Syyeduna Ali (r). The Saba>i> first opened the door of fanciful
interpretations, then made the entire Qura>n a playground for the
children. The examples of this are found in every literature of the
Saba>i>ya, Qara>mit}a and Ba>ti} niya. In the eighth century Hijri,
Muhammad b. Hasan al- al-Aylami Bama>ni, i a Ba>ti} ni, wrote in his Qawa>id
A<l-e-Muhammad that ritual cleanliness means to stay clear of all
religions except Ba>ti} niya; adultery (zina) means to transfer the seeds of
hidden knowledge to one who has not taken the oath (of Ba>ti} niya);
fasting means to control passions from disclosing secrets; salat means to
invite people to the Imam of the time; tayammum means to receive
knowledge from the authorized spiritual master; hajj means to seek
knowledge that takes one to the goal; zakat means to spread knowledge
among those who have the aptitude; etc.
76
1.06
1.06 The Effects of Ba>ti} niya
niya on Tasawwuf
Izzud-
Izzud-Di>n Mahmu>d b. Ali Ka>sha>ni
Misba>h} al-Hida>yah wa Mifta>h} al-Kifa>yah (Lamp of
Guidance and Key to Sufficiency) was a treatise on Tasawwuf
written by Izzud-
Izzud-Di>n Mahmu>d b. Ali Ka>sha>ni (d. 735 Hijri). It
has been printed by Sana>i Book Publishers, Tehran, with a
preface written by Prof. Jalaluddin Hama>i. i The preface does
not begin with the usual Bismilla>hir Rah}ma>nir Rah}im > in
Arabic. Instead its Persian form has been used, which shows his
typical Shia mindset. When writing the book, Ka>sha>ni had the
Suhrawardy Awa>rif al-
benefit of using Shaykh Shahabuddin Suhrawardys
Maa>rif. That is why many people thought that his book was
just a translation of Awa>rif al-Maa>rif.
That Ka>sha>ni was a Shia was pointed out by Prof.
Hama>i with pride. He said, each time Ka>sha>ni sent blessings
on the Prophet (s), he rhymed it with blessings on his family as
77
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
well. Like all Shias, he said, Ka>sha>ni believed that Ali alaihis
sala>m 1 was the only one who acted according to the spirit of
the Verse of the Secret Counsels (A<yatun Najwa, Surah Tauba,
9:78) without blemish, thus achieving supreme success in
clearing himself of any trace of hypocrisy. He said, Ali alaihis
sala>m acted as a mentor in admonishing Syyeduna Umar (r). He
also said that Ka>sha>ni held Ali alaihis sala>m above all else in
rank and honour, but he did not want to express it openly.
All these evidences prove that Ka>sha>ni was a Ba>ti} ni
Shia. However, by way of taqiya (deception) he wrote that a
true Mumin could not entertain contempt for the Companions
because they migrated to Madina for the love of the Prophet
(s), they left behind their blood relations, and they spent their
money for the cause of Islam. On the face of it, this statement
may indicate that he was not among those who would curse the
Companions, but by the same token, he avoided mentioning the
names of Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthma>n. That is an indication of
his Shia mentality and deception.
By way of taqiya again, he says: One should take the
Companions as his friends, and stop comparing their merits. If
in his heart one loves any of them more than the others, then
one should not express it openly, because expressing ones
preference is not obligatory. Then he comes out in his true
colours, and says: In the matter of Ami>rul Mumini>n Ali
alaihis sala>m and Mua>wiah, we believe that Ali alaihis sala>m
deserved the khila>fah, it was his right. On the other hand,
Mua>wiah was wrong, he was false, he was a sinner, and he was
not deserving. He whom Allah guides is rightly guided; but he
1
The Shias use alaihis sala>m (peace be on him, form of respect shown to
the Prophets) instead of radiyalla>ho anhu> [Allah be pleased with him,
form of respect shown to the Companions of the Prophet (s) by the
Sunnis]. They do the same for all Imams as well as for Abu Talib, who
did not even accept Islam.
78
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
whom Allah leaves to stray, for him will you find no protector
to lead him to the Right Way.1
This veiled vengeance is typical with the Shias, and this
is the point around which they have fed their resentment, sowed
seeds of discord, perpetuated the division in the Ummah, and
waylaid innocent Muslims into fallacious doctrines and
practices. Indeed, Tasawwuf has been the vehicle to achieve all
that. Ka>sha>ni did use Sufi cloak to give vent to his preferences.
It will not be out of place to highlight here the
consensus among the Ahle Sunnat on matters relating to the
merits of the senior Companions of the Prophet (s). From the
first century Hijri, there has never been any disagreement
among the Ahle Sunnat that Syyeduna Abu Bakr (r) was the
most prominent of all the Companions in excellence, perfection
and piety. In fact, his excellence is regarded as the highest
among all human beings after the Prophets and Messengers.
>zi has said this in his Kita>b al-
Imam Fakhruddi>n Ra>
Razi
Arbai>n, p. 464.
Imam Najmuddi>n an-an-Nasafi said the same thing in his
Aqaid-e-Nasafi (English translation, p. 141), and added that
the next in greatness was Syyeduna Umar (r).
Imam Kama>luddi>n b. al-
al-Hama>m said the same thing in
his Kita>bul Masa>irah, p. 312, that the excellence of the four
Companions was in the order of their Caliphate; first Abu Bakr,
then Umar, then Uthma>n, then Ali. He goes on further to point
to a Hadith in Bukha>ri, narrated by Muhammad b. H{anafiyah,
who said: I asked my father Ali: Who was the best after the
Prophet (s)? He replied: Abu Bakr.
After giving the same views, Maulana Muhammad Idri>s
>ndholwi wrote in his Aqa>idul Islam that Imam Dhahabi (r)
Ka>
Kandholwi
1
%5? # T4 v' 5 \
$ 6@ ) d
8 64 5 -A A @ 5 A 8 64 Su>rah Kahf, 18:17.
79
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
80
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
81
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
Muhammad Uthma
Uthma>
man
> Ansa>
Ansari
>ri Naqshbandi Ja>landhari
One such Sufi treatise was Muh}abbat-e-Ila>hi (Love of
God) written by Muhammad Uthma> Uthma>n Ansa>ri Naqshbandi
Naqshbandi
Ja>landhari.
andhari It was translated by Muhammad Sulaiman Gila> Gilani,
>ni
ni
who wrote in the Translators Preface that the author was first
initiated in the Qa>diriya Sufi order by Shaykh Jalaluddin
Tha>nesari. Then he received authorization from Khwaja
Muhammad Ishaq in the Naqshbandiya Sufi order. He spent the
last stage of life in the service of Khwaja Ba>qi-billah (d. 1012
Hijri). It means he was a co-disciple of Mujaddid Alf Tha>ni. He
died in the first half of the eleventh century Hijri. Nothing more
is known about his life.
The learned translator has pointed out each and every
weak Hadith quoted by the author. In this connection, he has
emphasized that many doctrines have been introduced in
Islamic Tasawwuf from foreign sources. The students therefore
should accept the beneficial advices of the Sufis, and leave out
82
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
the ones that are wrong. True religion (di>n), he said, is not the
books of the Sufis, but the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the
Prophet (s). He said that the scholars of Hadith can be divided
into three categories. First, those who are foremost in
collecting Hadith, as well as foremost in critically assessing the
narrators. Second, those who are foremost in collecting Hadith
but are negligent in critically assessing the narrators. Third,
those who are foremost in critically assessing the narrators, but
are not prominent as collectors of Hadith. By and large, the
Sufis do not belong to any of these categories.1 They are not
critical of anything, nor are they well-versed in the Science of
Asma>ur-Rija>l.2
The same is true for Muh}abbat-e-Ila>hi. Most of the
Ahadith quoted in it are not authentic. Some of them are found
in the collection of weak Ahadith, some are found in the
collection of fabricated Ahadith, yet others are found nowhere.
In order to guide the reader to the actual truth, Muhammad
Sulaiman Gila>
Gilani,
>ni the translator, has added an appendix to the
ni
book, where he has discussed the merit of each narration. Here
is an example:
In one of the stories, an attempt is made to establish
the Prophet (s)s affection for the Ummah. But the way it is
done is certainly not correct. It contains elements that are
against the Shariah. It says that the Prophet (s) used to always
pray all night, and would remain busy in interceding for the
1
Ibn Jauzi has been critical of many Sufi literature because of this
shortcoming. For instance, he has shown great respect for Kashful
Mah}ju>b (Revelation of the Veiled) and its writer Ali Hujwiri (r) (990-
1077), but he has pointed out that the book contains some weak Ahadith.
Jilani Ghunyah at}-T{al> ibi>n (Provision
The same is true for Abdul Qadir Jilanis
for Seekers). It contains many weak (D{ai>f) and some fabricated
(Maudu>) Ahadith. The Sufis did not take note of these adulterations,
hence did not care to weed them out. Even the Maktu>ba>t of Mujaddid
Alf-
Alf-Tha>ni has not been left untainted. It contains weak Ahadith.
2
Asma>ur-Rija>l: Biographical evaluation of the narrators of Hadith.
83
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
84
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
B. If the Prophet (s) fell asleep, i.e. he could not control his
sleep, why should the Ummah be punished for that?
Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> has said that no one will bear the
burden of other peoples sins.
C. Syyeduna Uthma>n (r) did not collect the Qura>n during
the lifetime of the Prophet (s).
D. Syyedatuna Fatima (r) removed the veil from her head
and went into prostration. How was that permissible to
her in Shariah? According to Hadith, a woman
uncovering her head draws the curse of the angels.
Hadith also states that a mature womans prayer is not
accepted if she does not cover her head.
E. The Prophet (s) kept weeping for three days, but Allah
Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> did not honour his tears. However, He
honoured the tears of Syyedatuna Fatima (r). Moreover,
if she had prayed for the entire mankind, Allah Subh{an> ahu>
wa Taa>la> would have accepted that too, and would have
forgiven everyone including the kafiru>n and mushriku>n.
On the other hand, Syyeduna Ibra>hi>m (a) prayed for the
85
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
The
The Qalandariyah
Qalandariyah Sufis
As indicated in an earlier chapter, the qalandars
(mendicants who lived a bohemian, vagrant life) used to roam
around from village to village and from town to town. They
excelled in impressing the simple folks with all forms of hocus-
pocus in the name of miracles, and thus were regarded as people
of high spiritual standing who presumably remained totally
absorbed in the thoughts of Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la>. Their stories
and exploits are recorded in many collections. One such
collection is the Tali>ma>t-e-Qalandariyah (Teachings of the
Qalandars) written by Shah Muhammad Taqi Haider Qalandar. Qalandar
It contains inauthentic and unacceptable stories of
Qalandariyah Sufis, reminiscent of Shaykh Fariduddin Atta>rs
Tadhkiratul Awliya in which most of the stories are not backed
by credible authorities. People refrained from questioning the
authenticity of these stories because of the high esteem in
86
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
which Atta>r was held. As a matter of fact the entire nation had
given up on research and inquiry in both the domains of Fiqh
and Tasawwuf. So the field was left open at the mercy of story-
tellers and spiritual boasters.
In the writings and sayings of the Sufis, as well as in
their stories and biographies, the use of isna>d (authentication)
is conspicuous by its absence. It is said are the three magical
words used to begin a story. Anything written after that is
digested without any challenge be that a supposed reference
to the Qura>n, or Hadith, or History, or common sense. No one
would even think of asking about the sanad (authority).
Shah Muhammad Ka>zi} m Qalandar (1158-1221 Hijri)
was acclaimed as an a>rif billa>h (one who has attained gnostic
knowledge of Allah). In his story in the Tali>ma>t-e-
Qalandariyah, he is said to have written a letter to his full
brother advising him to repeat Na>d-e-Aliya (chanting the name
of Ali for help) thousand times before dawn.
In an earlier chapter, it has been mentioned that the
source of Na>d-e-Aliya is a huge fabrication by the Shias. They
say that during the Battle of Tabuk, Archangel Jibrail (a)
advised the Prophet (s) to call on Ali (r) for help, who they say
is the manifestation of great secrets (Maz}harul Aja>ib). This is
a lie and a calumny on the Prophet (s). Ka>zi} m Qalandar, who
was an a>rif billa>h, should have known that no battle took place
at Tabuk, that Syyeduna Ali (r) was left behind to look after
Madina, and that for the Prophet (s) to seek help from anyone
other than Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> would be an unforgivable sin.
Still, he advised his brother to chant Na>d-e-Aliya, and since he
was an a>rif billa>h, no one ever thought of opposing him. Allah
only knows how many Muslims have thus been led astray by
these a>rifs. Indeed, once they had invented the idea that the
wila>yah of Ali (r) was higher in rank than the risa>lah of the
Prophet (s), nothing was stopping them from going out and
preaching the idea for public consumption.
87
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
88
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
89
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
G T0 _ /
rw 6 14 A( # M
8 04 i 6 89 T> Su>rah Baqara, 2:257.
90
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> says: Nor call on any, other than
Allah; such will neither profit you nor hurt you: if you do,
behold! you shall certainly be of those who do wrong. If Allah
touches you with hurt, there is none can remove it but He; if He
designs some benefit for you, there is none can keep back His
1
$ < & %xb: #: u Su>rah Jumua, 62:10.
91
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
X
r 6 14 `u
";c@ B
& @ c@ h T#d
8 & 08 4 D 64 m 5$ Su>rah Yu>nus,
10:106, and
a D *. 6 4 3^ I
8 64 + H
',8 d
"DG @ #l ' M
+ h D # 8 k
? : @ 1#l d
+
C
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8
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2
92
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
93
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
2
[V t t y
t ! 6 89 # : 5 S They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of
three in a Trinity Su>rah Maidah, 5:73.
94
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
1
1 v*
T5? 04 i 6 89 Su>rah Baqarah, 2:165.
2
_: -8 4 >$Y 8 e9 _S$Q A * "0\
' L Su>rah Lail, 92:17-18.
3
: S $ 5 0. < 4 # : Su>rah H{ujura>t, 49:13.
Afd}alul bashar badal Anbiya
4
95
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
96
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
(r). But the Qura>n says: Truly Allah loves those who fight in
His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented
structure.1 Iqbal, the great Urdu poet, has lamented on this
predicament. He said:
Haqi>qat khura>fa>t me kho gayi
Truth is lost in myths (and nonsense)
Ye ummat riwa>ya>t me kho gayi
This Nation (the followers of Islam)
is lost in legends (and narrations)
Syyed Muhammad Gesu> Dara>z of Gulbarga, Deccan,
South India, wrote in his famous work Jawa>meul Kalim
(Comprehensive Words): The khila>fat (succession) to the
Prophet (s) is of two types the minor is the visible succession;
but the major is the hidden succession, and that is exclusive to
Syyeduna Ali (r). Allah alone knows on what basis Syyed
Gesu> Dara>z discovered this division. Nothing is remotely
connected to this in the Qura>n, nor in the Ahadith. The Qura>n
has mentioned only one type of khila>fat, when it says
(addressing the Companions): Allah has promised, to those
among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will,
of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as
He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in
authority their religion the one which He has chosen for them;
and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which
they (lived), to one of security and peace.2
That these three promises were fulfilled during the
blessed ruling period of the Shaykhayn [Abu Bakr (r) and Umar
(r)] is a consensus among the scholars of Tafsi>r. Apart from the
earthly succession, the Qura>n does neither mention any minor
1
O
N E# "4 P '0 + A";Q: RE
'*L >@ $ S 8 6 89 TH
8 Su>rah S{aff, 61:4.
2
A * ! 64 6 89 k
M
-L : j
G Q >@ A "0 M
-C
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", . < 04 04 i 6 89 5 .
0%4 A @ 7 5 & + 614 A"015 *' A _d
$G e9 A 08D A "601< ' Su>rah Nu>r, 24:55.
97
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
98
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
99
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
It must be stressed here that the profession of a Sufi is simply a more
intimate commitment to and application of Islam. Sufis are not a sect
within the Sunnis. After they have put their absolute trust in the
knowledge of Ghaib given in the Qura>n, they do not indulge in
metaphysics or any other human effort to know Reality. However, the
misgivings people have about the Sufi is because of the deviant doctrines
and practices that have crept into Tasawwuf from sources other than the
canonical Scriptures. Note: Ghaib or the Invisible includes the
knowledge of God, history of creation and human past, life after death,
and the principles that run the physical, moral and spiritual world
embodied in the Will of God.
100
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
101
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
A comfortable transition into Immanence as well as Syncretism. Please
see Section Two of this work, viz. Tasawwuf and Eclecticism for more
on Syncretism. Here, Being" is equated with z}ah> ir (after
Determination), and above Being with ba>ti} n (before Determination).
Please see Tanazzula>t al-Sittah in Section Three.
Kunto kanzan makhfi>yan, fa-ah}babto
2
102
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
103
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
104
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
1
The Baha>is in points 3 and 4, and the Ba>bis in point 5 above were not
Muslims. But initially they were, and it was their Ba>ti} niya background
that led them to their eventual renunciation of Islam. The fitnah they
created is a fascinating chapter in the history of the Muslims in Iran. The
Ba>bis were put down in a short time, but their ghost endured in the
Baha>i religion, whose philosophy continued to mislead the Muslim
masses with their preoccupation with numbers.
2
The 14 Innocents are: the Prophet (s), Ali (r), Fatima (r), and the eleven
subsequent Imams starting with Hasan (r) and ending with Mahdi who,
the Shias say, has gone into occultation. The 4 Ba>bs were the leaders of
the Ba>bis.
105
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
akbar.
106
1.06 - The Effects of Ba>ti} niya on Tasawwuf
107
1.07
1.07 Tasawwuf the Synonym of Ih}sa>n
108
1.07 - Tasawwuf the Synonym of Ih}sa>n
Ad-Di>nun Nas}ih
> a} h. Religion is Advice.
1
Islam.
3
D *& + x
N, + Surely Allah (ever) watches over His Servants. Su>rah
Gha>fir 40:44, and many other verses.
4
-"0( 1+G z S 4 f
7 6 But for such as FEAR the time when they will stand
before (the Judgment Seat of) their Lord, there will be two Gardens.
Su>rah Rah}ma>n, 55:46, and many other verses.
109
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
%xb: # : u # 7 { z ' (# 8 : 61 [P 0C
WP L ] LG >@ < : 5 S You
have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful PATTERN (of
conduct) for any one whose HOPE is in Allah and the Final Day, and
who engages much in the Praise of Allah. Su>rah Ah}za>b, 33:21.
2
% 'r. %#( '$Y ; f C @ / |
# 4 32 q -+ u ) & 8 64 To him who does this, seeking
the GOOD PLEASURE of Allah, We shall soon give a reward of the
highest (value). Su>rah Nisa>, 4:114, and many other verses.
3
%5
1+G W D *& + h # I
8 % E
` . ) & ' @ 1+G 32 S (# 8 : 6@ So, whoever HOPES to
meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his
Lord, admit no one as partner. Su>rah Kahf, 18:110.
4
H
' q + 04 Y 8 Su>rah Baqarah, 2:3.
5
'A8 DV 1) : >@ A "; # $ q A & *"-8 3^ #& TI And the Poets It is those
straying in Evil, who follow them. Do you not see that they wander
distracted in every valley? Su>rah Shuara>, 26:224-225. Here Poet
means anyone who creates his own picture of Reality. It includes the
Philosophers and the free thinkers.
110
1.07 - Tasawwuf the Synonym of Ih}sa>n
1
r @
"; # : 19 0"; 6
; "; We have, without doubt, sent down the
Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption). Su>rah H{ijr,
15:9.
2
A Sufi, just like anyone else, can be a Philosopher. But Philosophy is not
a prerequisite for a Sufi. As a dicipline of thought, Philosophy is useful to
understand Allahs message; but as a tool to discover Allah and His
nature, it is harmful to the pursuits of a devoted Sufi.
111
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
Al-Ih}sa>n an tabudAlla>ha
1
S T6 K $ # : 9 + for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do
hearts find satisfaction. Su>rah Rad, 13:28.
112
1.07 - Tasawwuf the Synonym of Ih}sa>n
1
;<$ "4 < 1 & 8 [ <
-< < 1 & 8 < '1: 8 0$ 8i < ' . - 8 < 014 ` LG < '@ 0 L G :
& $ A similar (favour have you already received) in that We have sent
among you a Messenger of your own, rehearsing to you Our Signs, and
Purifying
Puri fying you, and instructing you in Scripture and Wisdom
Wisdom, and in new
knowledge. Su>rah Baqarah, 2:151. Also 2:129, 3:164 etc.
113
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
& $ - 0: # : 19 ) QL @ Fasalu> ahl-adh-Dhikre in kuntu>m la> talamu>n.
Su>rah Nah}l, 16:43.
Ad-Di>no yusrun.
2
114
1.07 - Tasawwuf the Synonym of Ih}sa>n
Man arafa nafsahu> fa-qad arafa Rabbahu>.
1
115
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
# *: # : 9 # < 0 3} I
6 . _A 0 $ W ", W ", !
-< 6 4
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4 ) $
&0,
$ 4 & 8 (O Prophet), recite the Book that has been revealed to you
and establish Prayer. Surely Prayer forbids indecency and evil. And
Allah's remembrance is of even greater merit. Allah knows all that you
do.
2
Hence, it was through s}ala>t that the Prophet (s) expressed his practice of
ih}sa>n (i.e. Tasawwuf if there is an insistence on this word). He said:
The coolness of my eye has been made in S}ala>t.
Wa joilat qurrato aini fis}-S{ala>h.
116
1.07 - Tasawwuf the Synonym of Ih}sa>n
117
Section Two
TASAWWUF
AND
ECLECTICISM
The Fusion of Eclecticism into Tasawwuf
120
2.01
2.01 Tasawwuf as Ih}sa>n
121
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
122
2.01 - Tasawwuf as Ih}sa>n
1
Among such names are: Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi (Mujaddid Alf-Tha>ni)
during the rule of the Mughal emperors Akbar and Jahangir; Shah Jalal
and Khan Jahan Ali during the Muslim rule of Bengal; Syed Ahmad
Barelwi during the British Raj.
123
2.02 Modern Sufis
But there were, and still are, many Sufis who hide
during the day and indulge in self-praise during the night. They
do not talk of justice; instead, they philosophize and discover
esoteric wisdom in accepting injustice. They do not advocate
the true cause of Islam; instead, they sponsor teachings from
other religions to dilute and suppress the supremacy of Islam.
As a result, when we examine their followers, we find that the
revolution of Islam is forced to take a back-seat in their major
pursuits.
In the recent years, the dominance of the West has
brought its own influence on the way the structure of Islam is
viewed. The words esoteric and exoteric have somehow
surpassed their dictionary meaning of hidden and obvious.
They have assumed technical proportions due to continuous
hammering of these words in the so-called Islamic literature
coming out of the West, and tend to divide the body of Islam
into two distinct classes: lower and higher; ordinary and elite.
Thus, those who have joined the esoteric camp have a sneaky
sense of pride in themselves that their industry is of a higher
value. For them it is a matter of distinction to belong to the
esoteric. Quietly, they look down on others with contempt, who
they think will never understand them. These people of self-
proclaimed higher taste stay away from taking a leading role in
the struggle for Islam. Instead, they ambush intelligent youth
from the ranks of Muslims to stymie any meaningful resurgence
of Islam. By some clever twist of language, they claim to
resuscitate what they assume as Traditional Islam, while their
aim, be it real or inadvertent, is to side-track Islamic Tradition.
124
2.02 - Modern Sufis
125
2.03
2.03 True Knowledge
126
2.03 - True Knowledge
127
2.04
2.04 Mu>sa and Khidr
1
Su>rah Kahf, 18:65-82.
128
2.04 - Mu>sa and Khidr
129
2.05
2.05 Dha>t and S{ifa>t
130
2.05 - Dha>t and S{ifa>t
and not a reality. In short, they think that the only existence is
the existence of God. Indeed, the Reality of God is eternal, self-
subsisting. But it is also real that God as al-Badi has created
the world from out of nothing, and has given it its own reality,
albeit derived and contingent. The important matter in this
comparison is that the two existences (i.e. of God on the one
hand and the Creation on the other) do not overlap nor impede
each other. How succinctly the Qura>n has expressed this
absolute separation, when it says: there is nothing (i.e. no
thing) whatever like unto Him,1 or there is none (i.e. no one)
like unto Him.2 This is the Truth. This is the real knowledge
given in the Qura>n. Any philosophy, expression, view or idea
that militates against this plain language is blasphemy.
Su>rah Shu>ra>, (Consultation), 42:11.
1
2
Su>rah Ikhla>s}, (Purity of Faith), 112:4.
131
2.06
2.06 Martin Lings on Gods Immanence
1
A renowned Muslim scholar and Sufi shaykh of the Maryamiyyah branch
of the Shadhiliyyah-Darqawiyyah-Alawiyyah tari>qah.
2
Splendours of Quran Calligraphy and Illumination. Thesaurus Islamicus
Foundation, 2004.
3
Ibid.
132
2.06 - Martin Lings on Gods Immanence
133
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Yadulla>hi Fauqal Jama>ah.
134
2.07
2.07 Islamic Tradition
Tradition V Traditional Islam
135
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Kullu Bidatin D}ala>lah.
2
Mujaddid Alf-Tha>ni or the Reformer of the Second Millenium was the
appellation given to Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi consequent upon the belief
derived from a Hadith narrated in the collection of Abu Daud that says:
Allah will, on the eve of every century, raise a person in this nation
(Islam) who would renew the religion. In his reforms, the great Shaykh
had to fight a three-pronged attack on Islam the heresies of the Moghul
Emperor Akbar at the behest of his anti-Islamic counsellors; the
insidious manipulations of the Shia Muslims during Emperor Jahangir;
and finally Wah}datul Wuju>d, the pantheistic world-view of some Sufis.
136
2.07 - Islamic Tradition V Traditional Islam
137
2.08
2.08 Frithjof Schuon on Gods Immanence
1
1907-1998. See worldwisdom.com for a fascinating, and from a Muslim
point of view intriguing, life of Frithjof Schuon. A summary here will
not do any justice to his colourful life.
138
2.08 - Frithjof Schuon on Gods Immanence
139
2.09
2.09 Rene Guenon on Cyclic Birth and Death
1
The meaning and intention of it is anyones guess.
140
2.09 - Rene Guenon on Cyclic Birth and Death
141
2.1
2.10 Manvantara
1
The correct form in Hindi is Manwantar; in Bangla Mon-non-tor.
Strangely, the English version has an a added at the end of the word, as
in many other Sanskrit words; for example Purana for Puran, Shiva for
Shiv, Rama for Ram, Nirvana for Nirvan, and the like.
142
2.10 - Manvantara
143
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
144
2.10 - Manvantara
145
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Wah}dat-al-Wuju>d is no more than a variation of the same idea. More on
it in Section Three.
146
2.1
2.11 No Death After Death
Death
147
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
148
2.11 - No Death After Death
There have been times in history when social life lost all
decent control in a nation or in a tribe or in the entire world,
as at the advent of Muhammad (s), the Messenger of Allah, the
last of all Prophets. At such junctures, Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> did
restate his Guidance in order to cleanse it of the debris of
metaphysical speculations.1 This paved the way to a fresh
collective effort in the realization of truth under the leadership
of a Prophet. As for the subsequent generations, i.e. in the post-
Prophetic era, it became for them an assignment of re- re-
realization
realization of the same truth, over and over again. In the case of
failure in achieving that, both the individual and the collective
had been (in the past), and will be (in the future), held
responsible, simply because of the violation of their own
primordial nature. It is in this sense, that the primordial
nature of man, like the faculty of sight, has the ability to see, see
as well as respond to, the truth contained in the Guidance
presented to it.
1
The case of the Scribes and the Pharisees when Jesus (a) arrived is of
special note.
149
2.1
2.12 Light and Guidance
It was We who revealed the Torah (to Moses),
therein WAS guidance and light . . .
Su>rah Ma>idah 5:44
And again:
And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary,
confirming the Law that had come before him.
We sent him the Gospel, therein WAS guidance and light . . .
1
Leading to Bas}ir> ah (insight) and Fira>sah (intuitive knowlegde of human
nature).
150
2.12 - Light and Guidance
151
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
152
2.1
2.13 The Abuse of Liberalism
1
Al-Sawa>d al-Az}am the great majority.
2
Imam Ghazzali (r) and others.
153
2.1
2.14 Syncretism makes an inroad
154
2.14 - Syncretism makes an inroad
155
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
The state of being a synonym is called synonymy.
synonymy
156
2.14 - Syncretism makes an inroad
157
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
158
2.1
2.15 Islams Perfection is Absolute
159
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
The Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His Will).
Nor did the People of the Book dissent therefrom except
through envy of each other, after knowledge had come to them.
But if any deny the signs of Allah,
Allah is swift in calling to account.
Su>rah A<l-i-Imra>n 3:19
160
2.1
2.16 Some
Some usual Skepticism
161
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Qura>n,
or are their hearts locked up by them?
Su>rah Muhammad 47:24
The same is true for the word tafakkur (reflect, ponder,
meditate); for instance:
Thus does Allah make clear to you (His) Signs;
that you may reflect.
Su>rah Baqarah 2:266
Finally, there are 49 occurrences of the various forms of
the word aql (reason, rationality, intellect); for instance:
But he (Shaytan) did lead astray a great multitude of you.
Did you not then understand?
Su>rah Ya>si>n 36:62
In short, Reason in a subordinate role to Revelation, is
certainly a God-gifted tool that must be used to comprehend
and appreciate the Truth. It is like going through a top-down
structure in which Revelation sits at the top as the starting
point, and everything else down to the smallest detail cascades
from there in a perfectly reason-
reason-able connection.
On the other hand, eclecticism, syncretism or the more
radical discovery of synthetic unity of Rene Guenon (Shaykh
Abdul Wahid Yahya) are also the products of rationalism, but
with complex metaphysics as their mainstay. Reason, that is
subordinate to metaphysics, can never arrive at the truth
proclaimed by Revelation. Any approach through metaphysics
is like going through a bottom-up structure in which the path to
162
2.16 - Some usual Skepticism
They want to extinguish Allahs (guiding) light with their
utterances; but Allah will not allow (this to pass),
163
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
for He has willed to spread His light in all its fulness, however
hateful this may be to all who deny the truth.
Su>rah Taubah 9:32; Su>rah S}aff 61:8
164
2.1
2.17 The Maryamiyyah Tari>qah
1
The Milk of the Virgin: The Prophet, the Saint and the Sage by Renaud
Fabbri; page 11, worldwisdom.com. A highly intriguing insight into the
minds of these syncretic Sufis can be obtained from this one essay.
165
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
The Traditionalist School of thought, also known as Integral
Traditionalism (in the sense of Integralism) or Perennialism . . . is an
esoteric movement inspired by the . . . French metaphysician Ren
Gunon and developed by authors such as German-Swiss philosopher
Frithjof Schuon, the Ceylonese-British scholar Ananda Coomaraswamy,
Italian occultist Julius Evola, Titus Burckhardt, Martin Lings, Huston
Smith, and Seyyed Hossein Nasr. The movement . . . also influenced Ken
Wilber and the Integral thought developed by followers of Sri
Aurobindo. Wikipedia.
2
See Wikipedia for the life and works of Seyyed Hossein Nasr.
166
2.17 - The Maryamiyyah Tari>qah
167
2.1
2.18 To Protest is Bitterness is it?
it?
168
2.18 - To Protest is Bitterness is it?
169
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
170
2.1
2.19 The Jihad of Mujaddid Alf-
Alf-Tha>ni
1
The divine religion.
2
There is no God but Allah; Akbar is the deputy of Allah.
171
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
172
2.19 - The Jihad of Mujaddid Alf-Tha>ni
173
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
174
2.19 - The Jihad of Mujaddid Alf-Tha>ni
175
2.20
2.20 Conclusion
176
2.20 - Conclusion
1
La> rahba>niyyata fil-Isla>m. There is no monasticism in Islam.
177
Section Three
TASAWWUF
AND
PERENNIAL
PHILOSOPHY
Acknowledgement
180
'
"# 6
"# C
+
Allah1 Subh}an> ahu> wa Taa>la> 2 says in three places of the Holy Qura>n:
1
In this study, it will be an endeavour to use the word Allah for the
Creator. The word God will be used where the subject is speculation or
philosophy. God has not been revealed in any known scripture. As such,
it is assumed to be a man-made concept pointing to the Creator.
2
Glorified and Exalted is He.
181
3.01
3.01 Introduction
182
3.01 - Introduction
183
3.02 Understanding Allah
1
And surely he (Satan) did lead astray a great
multitude of you. Su>rah Ya>si>n, 36:62.
Then do you see such a one who takes as his god
2
184
3.02 - Understanding Allah
185
3.03 Religio
Religious
us Consciousness and Speculative
Consciousness
There is not a thing but
1
celebrates His praise, and yet you understand not how they declare His
glory. Su>rah Isra>, 17:44.
2
In simple words, religious consciousness is mans awareness of, and
response to, anything that enters his psyche through divine scriptures.
186
3.03 - Religious Consciousness and Speculative Consciousness
1
Speculative consciousness is mans awareness of, and response to,
anything that enters his psyche through non-divine i.e. mundane sources,
on the question of all that exists, seen and unseen, temporary and
permanent.
2
This is known as the process of a priori or deductive reasoning which
involves drawing conclusions logically from other things that are already
known. In other words, it is a journey from the general to the particular. It
involves in determining the Effect by looking at the Cause, e.g. it has
rained so the ground must be wet.
3
This is known as the process of a posteriori or inductive reasoning in
which individual facts and ideas are used to reach a general rule or
conclusion. In other words, it is a journey from the particular to the
general. It involves in determining the Cause by looking at the Effect, e.g.
the ground is wet so it must have rained.
187
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
The Periodic Table in Chemistry illustrates this phenomenon rather
nicely. It shows how Hydrogen with an atomic number of 1 gets
progressively transformed into more complex elements until Lawrencium
appears with an atomic number of 103.
188
3.03 - Religious Consciousness and Speculative Consciousness
was the result of setting pure Energy into motion. Energy was
the manifestation of Intelligence, and finally, Intelligence was
the reflection of Spirit.1
It is not the intention here to dwell on the accuracy of
these presumed stages of transformation which attempt to take
us back to the very origin of the process of creation. Nor indeed
the accuracy of the hierarchy of such stages is of any serious
concern. That is the domain of the physical sciences, especially
cosmology. The important matter is to reiterate that the aim of
Philosophy is to find a path that strings all the natural
phenomena, plus all concepts and hypotheses, into a coherent
system. It can only discover the connections between pieces of
information and experience in both directions, forwards and
backwards. In short, to arrange is the assignment of Philosophy.
It cannot invent anything on its own, for that is not its mission.
Speculative consciousness is not restricted to arranging
data received from the physical sciences alone. It would do the
same with data received from the social sciences, as well as the
theological sciences. Its sole preoccupation is to put all data
into a melting-pot regardless of the source and regardless of
accuracy, and come out at the other end with a world-view.
Every data received is treated as immanent2 in that world-view,
because every data is nothing more than a part among parts or a
link among links that are put together to form the world-view.
The implication here is that speculative consciousness cannot
1
There is no need to complicate the discussion here with the introduction
of matter, anti-matter, particles, anti-particles, quarks, anti-quarks and
such other concepts from Physics.
2
H{ulu>l. If a thing or quality is immanent in something else, then that thing
or quality cannot exist or cannot be imagined without that something else.
189
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
It refers to existence beyond the practical experience of ordinary people;
that which cannot be discovered or understood by ordinary reasoning;
for example, the transcendental nature of Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la>.
2
H{ulu>li>yah.
190
3.03 - Religious Consciousness and Speculative Consciousness
1
Hama U<st.
191
3.04
3.04 A Christian Scholar on Speculative
Consciousness
1
Ministry of Healing, Chapter 36, Danger in Speculative Knowledge, page
283, Harvestime Books.
192
3.04 - A Christian Scholar on Speculative Consciousness
193
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
I.e. God assumed the form of Jesus Christ, and entered human history.
194
3.04 - A Christian Scholar on Speculative Consciousness
1
A Prophet is one to whom Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> communicated what to
believe (the doctrines) and what to practise.
2
Indeed for the major part of human history that was the only method.
195
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
196
3.04 - A Christian Scholar on Speculative Consciousness
1
Frithjof Schuon; also known as Shaykh Isa Nuruddin (1907-1998). See
worldwisdom.com
2
Tajalli> or transfiguration.
197
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Visit http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/pharisee.htm for Wayne Blanks
Who were the Pharisees? Basically, they were the custodians and
interpreters of Divine Law.
2
Law refers to the teachings based on the Torah, followed by the Jews.
Jesus Christ (a) came to correct and uphold the Law.
198
3.04 - A Christian Scholar on Speculative Consciousness
199
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
He said, I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful [of dust] from
the track of the messenger and threw it, and thus did my soul entice me.
Su>rah T{a-> ha>, 20:96.
200
3.04 - A Christian Scholar on Speculative Consciousness
1
Certainly, there was a long time in human history when written scriptures
were not available.
2 We have, without doubt, sent down the
Message (the Qura>n); and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption).
Su>rah H{ijr, 15:9.
201
3.05
3.05 Muslim Scholars
Scholars on Speculative
Consciousness
1
For instance, Martin Lings, also known as Shaykh Abu Bakr Sirajuddin
(1909-2005), wrote in his Splendours of Quran Calligraphy and
Illumination, Thesaurus Islamicus Foundation, 2004: The difference
between man and all other creatures is that the latter merely reflect
various Divine Qualities, whereas man reflects the Divine Essence,
which comprises all the Qualities. He based this notion on the premise
that man was made in the image of God, an anthropomorphic Judeo-
Christian dogma.
202
3.05 - Muslim Scholars on Speculative Consciousness
1
Aqa>id and Ama>l.
2
See http://www.kheper.net/topics/esotericism/esoteric_and_exoteric.htm.
Alan Kazlevs article on Esoteric and Exoteric. He says: In fact, the very
idea of a sharp Exoteric-Esoteric dichotomy is a recent one, developing
out of the Traditionalist School of Guenon, Schuon etc. on the one hand,
and Theosophy and later occult movements on the other.
203
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Philosophia Perennis is the central concept of the Traditionalist School
formalized in the writings of Ren Gunon, Frithjof Schuon and Ananda
Coomaraswamy. The term philosophia perennis was first used in the 16th
century by Agostino Steuco in his book entitled De perenni philosophia
libri X (1540), in which scholastic philosophy is seen as the Christian
pinnacle of wisdom to which all other philosophical currents in one
way or another point. The idea was later taken up by the German
mathematician and philosopher Gottfried Leibniz, who used it to
designate the common, eternal philosophy that underlies all religions, and
in particular the mystical streams within them. The term was popularized
in more recent times by Aldous Huxley in his 1945 book: The Perennial
Philosophy. The Hindu revivalist notion of Sanatana Dharma has been
taken as a translation of philosophia perennis.
Wikipedia.
204
3.05 - Muslim Scholars on Speculative Consciousness
205
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Burhan Ahmad Faruqi (1906-1995). The Mujaddids Conception of
Tawhid. Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, Lahore, Pakistan.
206
3.05 - Muslim Scholars on Speculative Consciousness
1
To postulate a concept means to make an assumption which although
unproven is convenient in the build-up of an argument, and seems
agreeable. Since the objectivity of these concepts cannot be proved, they
have been reduced to the rank of mere Regulative Ideas by Immanuel
Kant (1724-1804), i.e., they regulate the discussion almost ad hoc, hence,
they do not have any real worth.
207
3.06 Differences between Speculative
Speculative Unity
and Religious Unity
1
That is, matter which is still at the stage of a concept, and has not
materialized yet, i.e., has not become a fact yet.
208
3.06 - Differences between Speculative Unity and Religious Unity
209
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
210
3.06 - Differences between Speculative Unity and Religious Unity
to the rank of divinity. So, Allah is over and above the world
and man. Within the unity, He is wholly the Other. It is for this
reason, that in times of despair, man seeks help from a Source
other than the sources of his trouble, which originate in the
nature around him as well as in his own nature. That is why
religious consciousness postulates the existence of a Being who
has full control over the entire world of men and things, and
who can provide succour in mans difficulties.
211
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
212
3.06 - Differences between Speculative Unity and Religious Unity
1
Karma is the theory of inevitable consequences of ones actions. The
Indian thinkers universally accepted and adopted the doctrine of Karma in
all the major religious systems originating in India, namely, Hinduism,
Buddhism and Jainism. Though the emphasis varied, all these major
systems gave a prime place to the Doctrine of Karma in the scheme of
things spiritual, pertaining to each system.
2
Fad{l or grace. The Qura>n is replete with its mention throughout a
singularly unique feature of the doctrine of Islam.
213
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
214
3.06 - Differences between Speculative Unity and Religious Unity
215
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
216
3.06 - Differences between Speculative Unity and Religious Unity
1
Empirical: Knowledge derived from or relying on observation and
experiment. Data is mainly gathered from the physical and social
sciences.
2
Metaphysics; ma> badut}ta} bi>ya>t; beyond physics. It is the branch of
philosophy that investigates principles of reality transcending those of any
particular science.
3
Rationalistic knowledge comes from the exercise of reason, rather than
experience, authority, or spiritual revelation.
4
It is based on a critical method which requires that if one cannot prove
that a thing is, he may try to prove that it is not.
217
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
La> yalamohu> illa> hu>.
2
Su>rah T{a-> Ha, 20:110. Muhammad Asad translation.
218
3.06 - Differences between Speculative Unity and Religious Unity
1
For an example from comparative Theology, see the Hindu concept of
Manvantra in Wikipedia (quoted in Section One of this work). It
describes the endless cycle of birth and death; i.e. a non-stop alternation
of the appearance of multiplicity as the external modes of the origin and
then their disappearance as its (i.e. the origins) internal thoughts.
219
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
with the Divine Will. In fact, the struggle, rather than the
harmony achieved, leads to the gradual realization of the
yearnings. From the moral point of view it can be said that
struggle is not just a means to achieve realization, in itself it is
realization. Be that as it may, the task is so gigantic that it
must continue till the end of the world. In short, religious
consciousness is yearning; it is yearning to become something,
to get to something, and to bring about something. Contrasted
with knowledge consciousness, it really is practical
consciousness, which by design generates activity.
A summary of the above differences between the
speculative unity and the religious unity is given in the table
below:
Speculative Unity Religious Unity
1 The origin is Non- The Origin is Qualitative
Qualitative
2 The origin is Immanent The Origin is Transcendent
3 The Unity is Monistic The Unity is Dualistic
4 The origin is Impersonal The Origin is Personal
5 The origin is not Free The Origin has absolute
Freedom
6 No concept of Immortality Immortality is intrinsic
7 The origin is Knowable The Origin is Partly
Knowable
8 Promotes Contemplation Promotes Activity
220
3.07 The Effects of Speculative
Consciousness on the Religious Unity of
Islam
221
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
222
3.07 - The Effects of Speculative Consciousness on the
Religious Unity of Islam
1
Su>rah Furqa>n, 25:1.
2
It is He (Allah) Who has named you
Muslims; both before and in this (Revelation). Su>rah H{ajj, 22:78.
223
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
224
3.07 - The Effects of Speculative Consciousness on the
Religious Unity of Islam
1
That is, Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> plus other-than-Allah (ghayrulla>h); the
Creator plus the creation; the Origin plus the existential facts and
manifestations.
2
A mystic is one who uses spiritual reason to fulfil his yearning to know
Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la>.
225
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Spiritual reason is the same as kashf wa shuhu>d, i.e. experience of the
transcendental through spiritual insight.
226
3.07 - The Effects of Speculative Consciousness on the
Religious Unity of Islam
227
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
H{aqqul Yaqi>n: literally, absolute certainty. With regards to the
knowledge of the Unseen, three varieties of yaqi>n or certainty have been
mentioned in the Qura>n: ilmul yaqi>n, ainul yaqi>n and h}aqqul yaqi>n.
To the mystics they represent the three stages of certainty. One finds
smoke, and is certain that there is fire; this is ilmul yaqi>n, or knowledge
of certainty. One sees fire with his own eyes, so he is more sure of the
existence of fire; this is ainul yaqi>n, or direct observation of certainty.
Finally, one puts his hand in fire and gets a burn, so he realizes the
existence of fire; this is h}aqqul yaqi>n, or absolute conviction of certainty.
With reference to the Being of Allah, the mystics believe that one passes
through similar stages of certainty and realization. Contrary to that, the
orthodox teaching of Islam maintains that none of these kinds of yaqi>n is
possible in the context of the Being of Allah.
2
Subh}an> i> ma> az}ama Sha>ni>. He is also reported to have said: Liwa>i>
arfao min liwa>e Muh}ammad (s) my flag is higher than the flag of
Muhammad (s). [Although often watered down by the devotees, it is not
acceptable to laud this kind of utterance even if it was said in a state of
intoxication (sukr). May Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> forgive us and protect us
from such audacity].
228
3.07 - The Effects of Speculative Consciousness on the
Religious Unity of Islam
1
Ana> l-H{aqq.
2
Famous for his Philosophy of Illumination, he was the author of
H{ikmat al-Ishra>q. He propounded the emanationist cosmology in which
all creation is a successive outflow from the original Supreme Light of
Lights (Nu>r al-Anwa>r).
3
Born in Murcia, Spain, Ibnul Arabi> died in Damascus. Author of some
400 books, his most famous works were Futu>ha} t> al-Makki>yah and Fus}us> }
al-H{ikam. He was denounced as a heretic in Egypt, and there was a move
to assassinate him there.
229
3.08 Tanazzula>t al-
al-Sitta or The Six
1
Descents
1
Tanazzul (singular) means to lower oneself, i.e. to decline, decay or
demote. It should not be confused with tanzi>l, which means Revelation,
for example, of the Qura>n.
2
The underlying conception is that Allah is Light and His Light shines
forth, as if bodily, in many forms. Hence, Tajalli> may be translated as
eradiation, effluence, emanation, manifestation etc. In philosophical
terminology it is equivalent to Mode.
230
3.08 - Tanazzula>t al-Sitta or The Six Descents
231
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
H{aqi>qah al-Muh}ammadi>yah.
232
3.08 - Tanazzula>t al-Sitta or The Six Descents
2. The Determinate
Determinate Oneness: This was the second
descent. This was the state of Omnipotence (Jabaru>t) in which
Allah brought into His consciousness His Oneness (Wa>hi} di>yah).
He became conscious of S{ifa>t-i-tafs}il> i>, or Attributes in details,
i.e. His Attributes became explicit. The concept of the Reality
of Man springs up in this state.
The first two descents seem to be conceived as
conceptual or logical rather than actual, i.e. they were existent,
but only in the knowledge of Allah. These descents were
inclusive of all subsequent states, and were the fountain-head of
all later possibilities called existent essences (Aya>n-uth
Tha>bitah) by Ibnul Arabi>.1
The three states above were out of time. Here, the
distinction of Essence and its Attributes is only logical
(Mant}iqi>). Nonetheless, the Indeterminate Unity (Ah}adi>yah la>
Taayyun) is assumed to have descended into a state of
Determinate Unity (Taayyun-i-Wah}dah), and then into a state
of Determinate Oneness (Taayyun-i-Wa>hi} di>yah). After that
began the real actual descents.
1
Ayn, singular of Aya>n, is used by Ibnul Arabi> to mean essence.
Essence could be the concept of the nature of a thing, or the nature itself
of the thing. The later is something that exists (Tha>bitah), and may rightly
be called the existent nature of the thing. Therefore, for Ibnul Arabi>,
Aya>n are necessarily Tha>bitah, because they are posited as existent.
They are therefore existent essences.
233
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
234
3.08 - Tanazzula>t al-Sitta or The Six Descents
235
3.09 Further Viewpoints of Wah{dat al-
al-Wuju>d
In the previous chapter, the core of Wah{dat al-Wuju>d,
i.e. the six descents of the Godhead from His state of being
absolutely Indeterminate to His exhausting Himself into the
most finite, has been presented. The picture that is produced
could be likened to the process or stages of creation from the
very earliest to the very latest. However, the traditional
meaning of the word creation is lost in the speculative unity
so diligently presented by Ibnul Arabi>. The impression he
gives is more of a transformation, of the implicit becoming
explicit, of the potential becoming actual, in short, of the
hidden becoming manifest.
Now, Wah{dat al-Wuju>d may further be tested by
changing the point of view from descent to ascent, i.e. starting
from the point of view of the most Determinate, in order to see
if this doctrine changes its overall picture in any way. In other
words, it should be tested to see what it says about Allah
Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> in relation to the multiplicity around, or in
relation to the world, or man, or the very purpose of creation.
236
3.09 - Further Viewpoints of Wah{dat al-Wuju>d
1
Al-aya>n ma> shammat ra>ih}ata min al-wuju>d. The essences which are
the existent nature of things havent got the slightest touch of reality
about them.
237
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
over and above these modes.1 Therefore, the mystic should not
take the trouble of seeking Allah beyond this world.
To further explain his position, Ibnul Arabi> speaks of
Difference-after-Identity.2 However, for the mystic, one that
really exists may be called either Allah (when he is in a state of
identity), or the world (when he is in a state of difference) it
remains one and the same. Nevertheless, he allows for the
possibility that a lesser mind may not be able to differentiate
between the two, i.e. between identity and difference.
On the question whether the Godhead is transcendent or
immanent in relation to the world, Ibnul Arabi> denies the
primacy of any of these conceptions, because, according to him,
both of them imply duality of the existent. He says: if Allah
Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> is posited either as transcendent or as immanent,
then His infinitude would be lost. Hence, both transcendence
(tanzi>h) and immanence (tashbi>h) should be affirmed as far as
Allahs relation to the world is concerned.3 In order to establish
this view, he introduces the concept of As}l-wa-Z{ill (Thing and
1
Ma> bado ha>dha> illa> l-adam il-mah}d}. There is absolute
nothingness beyond these modes.
2
Farq bad l-jam. Farq is a state of mind in which the mystic senses
being different from Allah and separate from Him. Jam is a state of
mind in which the mystic feels one with Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la>. So, in
farq bad l-jam the mystic outgrows the stage of jam and feels
himself other than Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la>.
3
Tashbi>h means likeness. In theology it means attributing the likeness of
Creatures to the Creator, and that is Shirk. But with Ibnul Arabi> likeness
is the same as identity, hence, for him Tashbi>h means immanence.
Likewise, Tanzi>h means to purify. Theologically, it means that the
attributes of the Creatures cannot be ascribed to the Creator. Qura>n says:
Your Lord is holier than the qualities which
they ascribe to Him. ( Su>rah S{af> fa>t, 37:180). However, in Ibnul Arabi>
Tanzi>h comes to mean transcendence.
238
3.09 - Further Viewpoints of Wah{dat al-Wuju>d
1
In Ibnul Arabi>, Z{ill is used as equivalent to appearance. It is conceived
as Inika>s or Reflection, which is well-nigh equivalent to Tajalli> or
Emanation.
Su>rah Qa>f, 50:16.
2
3
Khalaqa l-A<dama ala> S{ur> atihi>.
4
Man arafa nafsahu> faqad arafa Rabbahu>.
239
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Kunto kanzan makhfi>yan fa-ah}babto an orafa fa-khalaqtu l-khalq.
240
3.10 Wah{dat al-
3.10 al-Wuju>d in the Light
Light of
Revelation
241
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Meaning, the Mujaddid (Reformer) of the second millennium of Islam.
2
Inna Lla>ha wara> al-Wara> thumma wara> al-Wara>.
242
3.10 - Wah{dat al-Wuju>d in the Light of Revelation
1
I<ma>n bil-ghayb. Ghayb or Unseen, for example, Allah, Angels, Heaven,
Hell, and the like, is opposed to Shaha>dah (that which can be seen and
observed). In this study, Ghayb is used with particular reference to the
Being of Allah.
Qura>n 7:180, 17:110, 20:8 and 59:24.
2
3
Su>rah Ankabu>t, 29:6.
243
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Su>rah S{af> fa>t, 37:180.
2
Literally, self-annihilation. It is that stage in which the mystic turns away
from, and forgets, everything other than Allah. In certain cases, this
obliviousness leads to the denial of everything other than Allah Subh{an> ahu>
wa Taa>la>.
244
3.10 - Wah{dat al-Wuju>d in the Light of Revelation
1
Su>rah S{ad> , 38:27. See also 3:191.
2
Awa>mir wa Nawa>hi>, i.e. Amr bil-Maru>f wa n-Nahi> an il-Munkar.
Commanding the good, and prohibiting the bad.
3
This idea is strikingly similar to the doctrine of Ma>ya>, as concluded in the
Hindu philosophy.
245
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
hold that the world is Mawhu>m, in the sense that it does not
exist, or is identical with Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la>.
Ibnul Arabi> upheld the sole reality of Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa
Taa>la>. According to the Mujaddid, this happens when the mystic
feels that he is apprehending the Being of Allah (Tajalli>-i-Dha>t)
directly. He needs to outgrow this stage. Only then he can
realize that Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> is wholly other and beyond
this world; and that he, the mystic, cannot approach Him; and
that to identify Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> with the world is a
fabrication of the mystics mind. In other words, the mystic is
limited by the natural limits of speculative consciousness.
Moreover, if Ibnul Arabi> had fully realized Tajalli>-i-Dha>t, he
would have talked of Allah alone, and not at all of the world
and its identification with Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la>. As a matter of
fact, the conclusion of Ibnul Arabi>s mystic intuition is
absolutely opposed to Revelation. It must be added that
according to Revelation it is a heresy of the worst kind.
Ibnul Arabi> states that Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> should be
understood both as transcendent and immanent. (See the sub-
section Allah and the World in Chapter 3.09 above).
Otherwise, he says, Allahs infinitude will be lost. It means,
Allahs infinitude is not complete until immanence is
complemented to His transcendence, i.e. He remains limited to
His transcendence. Now, the question is, if Aya>n-uth
Tha>bitah or the existent essences do not have the slightest
touch of existence about them, i.e. if the world is non-existent,
non-objective and imaginary, then how can it ever represent
Allahs immanence, and therefore, how can its negation from
the equation, reduce the infinitude of the existentially real, and
destroy the quality of His uniqueness? Equally, if Allahs
246
3.10 - Wah{dat al-Wuju>d in the Light of Revelation
1
Su>rah A<l-i-
Imra>n, 3:64.
247
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
uphold that one may call the real Allah or the world, or may
express perplexity on account of their indistinguishability.
Ibnul Arabi> builds his doctrine of Wah{dat al-Wuju>d
on the identity of As}l and Z{ill, i.e. identity of the thing and its
adumberation. The Mujaddid points out that the Z{ill or
adumberation of a thing can never be identical with its As}l or
being. The Z{ill is only a copy or a likeness of the As}l. In the
case of Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la>, the Z{ill is contingent, while the
As}l is necessary. The essence of the contingent is non-being,
whereas the essence of the necessary is being. Therefore, As}l
and Z{ill can never be identical. For example, if the shadow of a
person is prolonged, it can never be said that the person is
prolonged. The truth of the matter is, that the world is not the
Z{ill of Allah. Even if there is an insistence on that, the identity
of the two is not proved.
Ibnul Arabi> based his idea of mans identity with
Allah on the Revelation that says: We are nearer unto him than
his own life-artery.1 Certainly, Allah Subh{an> ahu> wa Taa>la> is nearer to
us than our life-artery, but the nature of His nearness is beyond
our comprehension. Moreover, that does not automatically
mean that man could be identified with Allah, or that man and
Allah belong to the same genre.
Similarly, the conception that Allah created Adam
(man) after His own image,2 is taken by Ibnul Arabi> to mean
that man is the embodiment of the attributes of Allah. It is
possible that he has taken the cue from the fact that both Allah
and human soul are non-spatial; therefore, it can be said that
2
Khalaqa l-A<dama ala> S{ur> atihi>.
248
3.10 - Wah{dat al-Wuju>d in the Light of Revelation
Whatever good (O man) happens to you, is from
Allah; and whatever evil happens to you, is from your (own) soul. Su>rah
Nisa>, 4:79.
249
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Su>rah Ankabu>t, 29:6.
I have only created Jinns and men, that they
2
250
3.10 - Wah{dat al-Wuju>d in the Light of Revelation
251
3.11
3.11 Understanding Allah in the Lig
Light
ight of
Revelation
252
3.11 - Understanding Allah in the Light of Revelation
1
Shuyu>n, plural of Sha>n, literally means an exalted state or condition. In
the Revelation it occurs as: Everyday He is in a new
exalted Condition. Su>rah Rah}ma>n, 55:29. To Ibnul Arabi> and others,
it is S{ifa>t at their developing phase during the World-Process, i.e. the
Universe or Allah at a certain point of time. The Mujaddid puts Sha>n
between Dha>t and S{ifa>t. According to him Sha>n is an aspect of the Dha>t,
while S{ifa>t are something over and above Dha>t, and derivated from
Sha>n.
2
Huwa Subh}an> ahu> wara> al-Wara> thumma wara> al-Wara> thumma
wara> al-Wara>.
253
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Moral good and evil.
2
Lawful and prohibited.
3
Su>rah Nisa>a, 4:126.
Su>rah Qa>f, 50:16.
4
254
3.11 - Understanding Allah in the Light of Revelation
1
Su>rah H{adi>d, 57:4.
255
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Za>id ala> adh-dha>t.
256
3.12
3.12 Understanding Man
Man in the Light
Light of
Revelation
257
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Su>rah Bani> Isra>il, 17:85.
2
Su>rah Yu>suf, 12:53.
3
Su>rah Kahf, 18:29.
Su>rah Baqarah, 2:286.
4
258
3.12 - Understanding Man in the Light of Revelation
259
The Misinterpretation of Tasawwuf
1
Al-ijzo an derk il-idra>ki idra>ko fa-Huwa subh{an> ahu>: man lam
yajal lil-khalqe ilayhe sabi>la>, illa> bil-ijze an marifatehi>.
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