Tasawwuf or SUFISM (INTRODUCTION TO SUFISM)

Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishty R.A.A. (peace to his soul) was a great sufi1 of the Chishty order2 in India. Through Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz R.A.A. (peace to his soul) Sufism was preached under the shade of Islam in India.

Suf Means wool. Generally, it signifies a person who wears dress made of wool. The early ascetics wore garments of undyed wool and patched frocks (khirqa), hence they were called Sufis, (which was worn by the early Sufis as is, shown by Persian phrase Pashmina Posh. Later, it was of blue colour and even green, as worn by the early Sufis.

The term Sufi was first applied to Abu Hashem who was born in Kufa but lived in Syria. Its greatest gospel is to live and let live and to bestow affection upon mankind without any discrimination.

Without a religious preceptor, i.e. murshid, one cannot reach the spiritual stage, and develop a natural spark of divine love, piety and religious devotion. It exercises immaterial ism from materialism for spiritual asylum. A Sufi must evolve him self in Zikr sama (audition). The Sufi mystics have practiced this fundamental feature, secondly, they have incorporated the principle of love of God in their lives. The most important and liberal part of a Sufi is contained in this quotation: "Love towards all, Malice towards none."

Sufism was different from the theory of Islam early in its origin. One of the earlier's Sufis, Mansur Hallajl, was crucified in 920 A.D. for his orthodox views (vide Alfred Gullaume's Islam chapter).

Later on sufism was developed and purified in the 4th and 5th centuries.

Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishty (peace to his soul) spent 20 years to become perfect and achieved Khilafat and spiritual destiny.

When a person decides to become a mystic or a Sufi he has to approach a Peer Murshid or Shaikh. He has to undergo training Mujaheda, in the monastery of the Sheikh for attaining control over (nafs lower self) by fasting, worshipping along with other duties of hard and rigorous kind as directed by Peer-Murshid during apprenticeship in the monastery (Khanqah).

Kanqahas are monasteries always noted and meant for Sufis, dervishes and recluses devoted to their constant Mujahidas, prayers far from noisy and disturbing atmosphere. In these Khanqahas, the Murshid also impart the Sufistic order to their disciples and give further education and knowledge.

WHAT SUFISM REALLY MEANS

It is well known that Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz Radi Allaho Anho introduced CHISHTIYA ORDER in this sub-Continent. It will therefore be interesting for the readers to have a glimpse of what Sufism actually means. This interpretation is that it is an ORDER which teaches a man to come closer to the divine virtues for his Salvation. It perfects one for a deeper vision. A real Sufi leads a godly life. His main object is that of love and peace, because real SUFIS have discovered that the eternal order of the Universe is based on these two principles. They believe that man having been evolved out of matter is the highest form of creation and therefore, he must socially claim greater affinity with the divine attributes. Their entire concept of the order is. base on the theory of "LOVE OF GOD '. Among the SUFIS there are many schools of thoughts adopting various ways and process to achieve salvation. Two of them however, are more prominent. One sect who believe in renouncing the world altogether and in practicing abnegation, Self modification, Constant devotion etc. while the second one, believes in unsullied, harmless and normal life and is living closer to God's creatures and serving them, at the same time studiously observing all formal religious ordinances. They believe that service to mankind and all the creatures of God on this earth was the greatest act of piety and the main object of Life.

The followers of the both the schools have however, one thing in common a course of intensive, training and severe test moral and physical both. They also agree that the first step to achieve this aim, consists of complete reorientation, followed by constant struggle with 'NAFS' (Lower Self) which command sensual and physical appetite in man.

As defined by the holy quran, there are three states of LUST, i.e. NAF-S-E AMMARA, NAF-SE-LAWWAMA and NAFS-E-MUT MAINNA. INN-U-N-NAFSA-LA AMMARATUN-BISSOOYE-AL-QURAN.

The Holy Quran thus observes that –

It is the characteristic of Nafs-E-Ammara that Nafs-l-Ammara inclines man towards evil, tends to lead him into iniquitous and immoral paths and stands in the way of his attainment of perfection and moral excellence.

In short, it is the nature of human kind and is prone to evil and transgression at a certain stage in his development and so long as he is devoid of high moral qualities, this evil nature is predominant in man. He is subject to this state so long as he does not walk in the light of true wisdom and knowledge but acts in obedience to the natural inclinations of eating drinking and sleeping becoming angry or excited etc. like the lower animals.

THE SECOND STATE:

In this second state, as soon as He makes himself freem from the control of animal possessions and it is guided by reason and knowledge, puts on check on his natural desires and governs them instead of being governed by them. In short when a transformation is worked in his soul from grossness to virtue, he then passes out of the physical state and becomes a moral being in the strict sense of the word. The source of the moral state of man is known as "NAFSI-LAWWAMA', in another sense. The Self accusing spirit (Conscience) in the terminology of the holy Quaran. In the chapter entitled al QIY AMAH.

"AL-QIYAMAH" WALA OQSAYMA-BIN-NAF SAI L LAWAMATEY AL-QURAN

LAWWAMA literally means one who reproves severely and Nafsi. LAWWAMA on the self-accusing spirit has been so called because it upbraids a man for the doing of evil deeds and restrains unbridled passions and bestial appetites. Its tendency on the other hand is to generate noble qualities and a virtue disposition so to transform life as to bring the whole course and conduct of it to moderation and to restrain the carnal passions and sensual desires as to keep them within due bounds.

Nevertheless the self accusing spirit, up braids, itself for its faults and frailties, yet it is not complete master of its tendencies not it is powerful enough to practice virtue exclusively.

THE THIRD STATE

The Third or last stage in the onward movement of the soul is reached on attaining to the source of all spiritual qualities. Really the soul at this stage is, in the words of the holy Quran, the NAFSI MUTMAINNAH or the soul at the rest. Thus only QURAN says.

YA-AYIYOHAN NAF SOL MUT MA INNA TUR JAYEE ILA RABBEKA RADIYATUN MAR DE YATUN FAD KHOLI FI EBADI WAD KHOLI JANNATI

AL-QURAN

Its meaning thereby O thou soul that art at rest (and resets fully contended with the Lord return to the Lord, thou being pleased with him and he pleased with the so enter among my servants and enter into my paradise.

In fact, at this state the soul is freed from all weakness and frailty and is braced with spiritual strength. It is perfectly united with God and cannot exist in respiration from HIM.

It is further clear from the words "O SOUL THAT HAS FOUND REST IN THE LORD, RETURN TO HIM" that it is in this life and not after death that this great transformation is worked that it is in this world and not else where that access to paradise is granted to it. Then consequently the law of ALLAH is its sustenance. This state of man directly establishes a connection with Great Allah by virtue of its total annihilation and immerges in the divine knowledge. Thus worldly requirement ceased to end. This distinct state of man is embodied with salvation.

This Holy state is always engaged in submissive prayers and dutiful services to the great Allah and in the blissful vision of that vast beautiful ethereal, creation known as 'The Spiritual region. Anger, avarice, lust and other animal passion and evil propensities and the intrigues of Satan, have no existence in that pure and peaceful sphere.

Different views and definitions given by the Saints and Derveshes in the Chapter of SUFISM.

1. The Holy Quran is the original source of SUFISM.
Further Holy QURAN says:
SHE-FA-ULL-E-MA-FIS SUDOORE SURA-E- YOUNUS.

Meaning thereby that the Holy Quran is a total cure for all the spiritual ailments SURA-E-YOUNUS.
Therefore a complete negation of the "NAFS" was the first principle to be adopted/ through a course of penitence, abnegation and practice of silence, with a view to achieve upward transcendence. It is claimed that Sufis have demonstrated that mankind is gifted with unlimited potentialities and when directed to the right path/ according to the traditions of the Prophet and the commandments of God, it provides a short cut for entering the field, from where one can get a starting point towards his journey in the realm of spiritual height, ultimately leading him to the Eternal Bliss, Sufis further say that immediate reaction of hard struggle with "NAFS" helps man to acquire the habit and an attitude of broad sympathy for the common people because the motive force of life, called love, removes all barriers between man and man/ nations and countries. According to them/ this course requires complete surrender to the Divine Will. Enabling man to abstain from all unlawful acts, which helps in attaining purification of thought and action/ and while working with simultaneous force, automatically develops the habit of nonviolence, truthfulness chastity' selflessness/ and contentment etc. However this path should not be confused with that now prevalent in Europe and America because the form which spiritualism has taken in those countries is far removed from the path shown by Islamic tassawuff. In those countries it consists of 'table turning' 'spirit rapping' and holding communications with the spirits of the dead through a medium, which is altogether at variance from what true Sufism teaches. All such experience in the realm of spirit have nothing to do with higher manifestations of the soul and its mysterious relation with the Divine Attributes.

The present day hypocrites and mediocre, V'Jho have monopolized this field, have given birth to new ideas and desires and he introduced innovations. Thus the seekers after truth have been deprived of the benefit of this illuminating order and its importance has been lost in the fog of mysticism. There is a general tendency to believe that Sufism is some sort of the secret course which, when completed, brings unlimited advantages, moral and material both and that a student of this school need not care for formalism in religion. This conception is altogether wrong. In fact sufistic order stands on thoroughly orthodox ground. It is based on Ouranic teachings and it has nothing exotic in it. The veil of mystery drawn over the subject by the Sufis of the past was due to the fact that the lessons in Sufism being vigorous, were beyond the reach and endurance of the average man, and therefore, were "imparted to the select few and only to those who showed" a desire and capacity for spiritual development and' understanding. It was necessary to go through certain" ascetic exercises and observances under the guidance of ' a 'Murshid' (spiritual preceptor), whose main object was to train his disciples in such a way as to help them in purifying their minds and hearts to enable them to attain spiritual advancement and for his, two important qualifications are considered essential namely -
(a) Theological learning.
(b) Zeal and spirit for advancement.

Among other lessons, it was emphasized that the key of this system was divine and universal it was only through that medium that one could see good in all which ultimately helped to banish prejudices and hatred. The Sufis claim that when one identifies himself with the love of God, the powers of God are manifested through him unconsciously which result in miracles known as 'KRAMMAT'.

It will thus appear that there is no secrecy about Sufistic teachings and there is no such thing as a secret course. It may be noted that some Western writers have taken the view that Sufism was engrafted upon Islam. This concept is utterly wrong. This view was probably taken because the East was famous for its mysticism before the advent of Islam. Actually the word mysticism conveys the impression of an illusive atmosphere; whereas Sufism consists in training the thoughts and actions of man by following set laws and a full scheme in details. It is based on palpable experience under set circumstances. The basic concept throughout is to develop a living sense of the presence of 11 ALLAH" in the midst of our struggle for material existence and an increasing control over passion and inordinate desires. Sufism is not a speculative philosophy or a dogmatic assertion without proof. It is the soul of Islam. Much what passes for Sufism now-a-days is not Tassawuff, and if one could peep behind the curtain of cryptic words used by the self styled Sufis, and .tried to analyze them in the light of Ouranic teachings, one will be rewarded with a true picture of this Order.

It will be of some interest to get an idea about the origin of this Order and its popularity. It is a historical fact that during the life-time of the Prophet and his four Caliphs people were so much influenced by the august presence and teachings of those forceful personalities in their midst that they did not find any difficulty in understanding the spirit of ISLAM and in molding their lives exactly on the same pattern successfully. But at a later period when, Muslim Empire expanded and a sort of Monarchy system crept in, resulting in the divorce of religion from politics, those who were exclusively religiously inclined preferred a life of seclusion and piety and were called Sufis. It was in the 2nd century of the Hijri era that the cult of Sufism took a strong root and its doctrines were considerably developed, which ultimately brought some of the advanced members of the sect into open clash with the orthodox ecclesiastical authorities. However, the yearning of the inner light seized the heart and imagination of the Islamic world so much that Sufism grew into a craze in religious circles. All early literature on the subject points to the fact that Sufism was nothing. but to accept & practice with sincerity and devotion all the ISLAMIC LAWS as laid down by Quran and the Hadees. But in order to understand and appreciate this order, spiritual guidance is considered absolutely necessary to secure rigid unity of beliefs and practices to help one to develop Sufistic outlook and that is why the help of a preceptor {Murshid} is sought for to help one to the right path. Selection of a right type of preceptor of course is one of the most difficult problems. There are various standards of judging a real preceptor, but the most elementary test prescribed is, to critically examine a would be preceptor's private life and to find out whether he has a sincere and undiluted outlook in life and whether his thoughts and actions are pure and straight in all his dealings with his fellow beings and finally whether he practiced what he preached. No person without a background of religious education can claim to be a true preceptor because one who has no religious education can have no light within and without light one is apt to grope in darkness let alone leading others to the right path.