To: soc.religion.islam From: mateen@interlink.com (Mateen Siddiqui) Subject: Sufism, Its Definition - Shaikh Hisham Kabbani (9409.sufism.shk) Date: 49940901 Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem Sufism Today Praise to Allah, the Bestower of favors on His servants, the Perfecter of gifts and the Reviver of hearts. Greetings and prayers on the one both loved and beloved who Allah sent as a Mercy to humankind to enlighten the way for seekers and to guide knowers on His most upright path. From its advent, Islam was beset with enemies from within and without, who tried to destroy its very foundations and pillars: sometimes through outright atheism but more often through free-thought and corruption. As a result, the Muslim world always stands in need of effective scholars, who struggle in its defence and who are steadfast and trustworthy in their advice to the Ummah, who make the clear the path of good and distinguish if from evil and error, who differentiate between what the religion permits and what it forbids, what is false and what is true, what is good and what is plainly corrupt. In general, Muslims of today no longer have advisors and teachers who possess the calibre to counsel them and to train them in the teachings of their religion. Unfortunately, they do not find guides capable of leading them in the teachings of their religion on that high road of morality and ethics that constitute Islams essential character. On the contrary, today we see cases of would-be scholars ('ulema) who are not only unscholarly, but are also ignorant and sometimes even corrupt. Indeed, in many places they have gotten the upper hand and now prominently occupy seats of religious authority. Sunk in lives of pleasure and good living, they play at the role of guiding and advising and preaching to the Muslim community but in reality they have cast aside the simple lifestyle and regimen of self-denial practiced by the Prophet (s), his Companions (r) and those of the generation immediately succeeding them. Confronted with this situation, how can we not ask: In which direction is our Ummah headed? No doubt it is true that timely and proper measures could have been taken by Muslims to prepare good and wise scholars whose unstained lives would have allowed them to function as models and to undertake the mission of reminding the Nation of the message brought forth in the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s). then, in our condition as Muslims would have been improved and we would have been rewarded and lifted to those stations that Allah ordained for us both in this life and in the Hereafter. But consideration of the present condition only causes to reflect. The situation in Islam was not always as I have described it. On the contrary, it used to be that this sacred mission, this great service of calling the Ummah to remembrance of its proper heritage framed by the Qur'an and set out in the Prophet's Sunnah was performed by devoted and sincere scholars of Islam. It was in fact these individuals, who in time, came to be known by the name of "Sufi," a word derived from the Arabic safa'a, which means "to purify" because of the assiduousness with which these individuals applied themselves in firmly upholding the Sunnah and employing it to purify their character from all defects in behavior and morality. We know for example, that in the first century after the Hijra, a peculiarly Islamic regimen of self-purification (zuhd) grew up among Muslims. Derived in principle from the order of Allah to His Righteous Apostle to purify his Companions, the practitioners of this way clove firmly to the Prophetic Sunnah as it was reflected in the lives of his Companions and their Successors, in the ways they employed to purify their hearts and character from bad manners and to inculcate in their own selves in and in those around them the manners and upright moral stature of the Best of Mankind, Prophet Muhammad (s). Through slow evolution, this regimen ended up as a school of practical thought and moral action endowed with its own structure of rule and principle. This became the basis used by Sufi scholars to direct Muslims on the right path. As a result, the Islamic world soon witnessed the development of a variety of schools of purification of the ego, (tazkiyyat an-nafs) which were commonly referred to by the term Sufi, derived from the word safa'a (purification). Sufi thought as it spread everywhere, served as a dynamic force behind the growth and fabric of Islamic education. This tremendous advance occurred from the first Hijri century to the seventh, in parallel with the development of the bases of fiqh through the Four Imams, the bases of 'aqidah through al-'Ashari and others, the science of hadith resulting in the six authentic collections (and innumerable others) and the science of grammar (an-nahu). "Tariqat" or "path" came to be a term applied to groups of individuals belonging to the school of thought pursued by a particular scholar or "shaikh" as such person was often called. Though these shaikhs applied different methods in training their followers, the core of each one's program was identical. The situation is not unlike what we find in faculties of medicine and law today. The approach in different faculties may vary, but the body of law, the state of art in medicine remains essentially the same. When students graduate from these faculties, each bears the stamp of its character. Yet, for that reason none are considered an less a lawyer or doctor.. In a similar way, the student product of a particular shaikh will bear the stamp of that shaikh's teaching and character. Consequently, the names given to various schools of Sufi thought and methodology differ according to the names and perspectives of their founders. This variation manifests itself in a more concrete fashion in the different superogatory devotions, known as awrad, ahzab or adhkaar, used as the practical methodology of spiritual formation. Such differences however, have nothing to do with religious principle. In basic principles, the schools of Sufism are essentially the same. The Sufi regimen under which individuals undertook the path to Allah, was a finely-honed itinerary which charted the course of inward and outward progress in religious faith and practice (din). Following the tradition of the Companions of the Prophet (s) who used to frequent his company, Ahl as-Suffa [the People of the Bench], the practitioners of this regimen lived a communal life in the mosque- schools (zawaayah), border forts (ribat) and guest-houses (khaniqah) where they gathered together on specific occasions dedicated to the traditional festivals of the Islamic calendar ('Eids) as well as on a regular basis in associations for the convey knowledge (suhba), assemblies to invoke the names of Allah and devotional remembrance (adhkaar) from the Prophetic Tradition, study Islamic law (fiqh) and to hear inspired preaching and moral exhortation (wa'iz). The shaikhs exhorted their students to actively respond to Allah and His Messenger (s), to cleanse their hearts and purify their souls from the lower desires prompted by the ego and to reform erroneous beliefs. All this was accomplished by cleaving to the Prophetic Sunnah. The methods of remembering Allah which they instilled in their students were the very same methods passed down from the Prophet (s). In this way, they propagated upright behavior both through word and deed; while they encouraged the believers to devote themselves to Allah Almighty with their whole hearts. The aim of their endeavor then was nothing less than obtaining Allah's satis- faction and inspiring love for His Prophet (s). In short, what they aimed for was a state where God would be pleased with them even as they they were pleased with God. These shaikhs therefore were the radiant beacons that dispelled darkness from a believer's heart and they were the solid corner- stones upon which the Ummah could build the foundations of an ideal society. The ideal here was the spirit of sacrifice and selflessness (dahiya) that characterized their every effort. And these values in time, imbued the entire social fabric of Islam. The guesthouses for example, were more often than not found in neighborhoods of the poor and economically disadvantaged. Needless to say, for this reason they became remedies for many social ills. As a result of such teaching and training we find that many students of Sufi shaikhs, graduated from their course of studies empowered to carry other people's burdens, even as they strove to illumine the way of Truth. Furthermore, through their training and self-discipline they had developed the manifest and decisive will to do so. For genuine scholars and teachers of tariqat leave no stone unturned in conducting jihad. And I mean here both the physical jihad and the spiritual jihad against the unseen allurements that entrap the soul. History books are filled with the names of Sufi mujahidin and martyrs that have devoted their lives to confronting the enemies of the faith and calling mankind to Islam for Allah's sake as well as calling back those who had deviated from the path of Islam and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s). They accomplished this with wisdom and they were effective. Their names and stories are too numerous to list in the interval of time at our disposal. It suffices to say that the lives of these Sufi Shaikhs are insur- mountable evidence that Sufism, far from encouraging escapism and quietism of the soul that causes social progress to founder, upheld the highest values of social consciousness as well as religious inquiry and science. In fact, they provide adequate testimony to an unremitting jihad and struggle against social injustice and social inaction that took place in Islam over the centuries. THE NAQSHBANDI SCHOOL ===================== Let us turn now to that aspect of Sufism on which I wish to specifi- cally focus our attention. It was a school of thought and practice that stood in the vanguard of those disseminated Islam an defended Islamic communities where the Muslim armies did not reach, especially in Central Asia and India where these communities numbered in the millions. I specifically mean the Naqshbandi Muslims who took up political, social and educational roles in their communities, acting according to the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s), without accepting the slightest deviation from the shari'ah. Historically speaking, the Naqshbandi tariqat can be traced back to the first of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, Abu Bakr Siddiq (r), who succeed the Prophet (s) in his knowledge and in his role of guiding the Muslim community. Allah said in the Holy Qur'an (9:40) "he was the second of two in the cave, and he said to his friend: do not be sad, for God is with us." Concerning Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r), the Prophet said, "the sun never rose nor set on anyone better Abu Bakr except prophets" ("Tarikh al-Khulafa' of Suyuti). He also said, "Abu Bakr does not precede you in anything in the way of prayer or fasting but in a secret rooted deep in his heart." ("Manaqib as-Sahaba of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal). The Prophet (s) also said, "If I had taken to myself a beloved friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as my beloved friend; but he is my brother and my companion." (Sahih Muslim) What distinguishes the Naqshbandi school from other Sufi orders was the fact that it took its foundations and principles from the teachings and example of five bright stars in the firmament of the Prophet (s). These great figures were Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, Sayyidina Salman al-Farsi, Sayyidina Bayazid Tayfur al-Bistami, Sayyidina 'Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani and Sayyidina Muhammad Baha'uddin Uwaysi al-Bukhari, known as Shah Naqshband--the eponymous Imam of the tariqat. Behind the word "Naqshband" stand two ideas: "naqsh" which means "engraving" and suggests engraving the name of Allah in the heart, and "band" which means "bond" and indicates the link between the individual and his Creator. This means that the Naqshbandi follower has to practice his prayers and obligations according to the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s) and to keep the presence and love of Allah alive in his heart through a personal experience of the link between himself and his Lord. But who besides Abu Bakr as-Siddiq are these stars in the firmament of the Prophet (s)? One of them was Salman al-Farsi (r). His origin was Ispahan in Persia and he was the one who advised the Muslims to dig a trench in the battle of Ahzab. After the Muslims seized al-Mada'in, the capital city of Persia, he was made Prince and governor of that city and remained there until his death. Another star was Bayazid Tayfur al-Bistami whose grandfather was a Zoroastrian. Bayazid made a detailed study of the statutes of Islamic law (shari'ah) and practiced a strict regimen of self-denial. All his life he was assiduous in the practice of his religious obligations. He urged his students (murids) to put their efforts in the hands of God and he encouraged them to accept sincere and pure doctrine of tawhid. This doctrine, which consisted of five elements: to keep their obligations according to Qur'an and Sunnah, to always speak the truth, to keep the heart from hatred, to avoid forbidden food (haram), and to shun innovation (bida'a). Bayazid said that the ultimate goal of the Sufis is to see God in the Hereafter. To that effect he added: "There are special servants of Allah, who if Allah veiled them from His vision in Paradise, would have implored Him to bring them out of Paradise as the inhabitants of the Fire implore Him to escape from Hell." Yet another star in the firmament of the Prophet (s), was 'Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujduvani, who was born in the village of Ghujduvan, near Bukhara in present-day Uzbekistan. He was raised and buried there. He studied Qur'an, tafsir, fiqh and hadith with Shaikh Sadruddin. Having mastered the sciences of shari'ah, he moved on to jihad an-nafs (spiritual training--combatting the lower self) until he reached a high station of purity. He then traveled to Damascus where he established a school from which many students graduated. Each became the masters of fiqh and hadith as well as spirituality in their time, both in the regions of Central Asia and in the Middle East. 'Abdul Khaliq continued the work of his predecessors by formulating the dhikr (remembrance of God) passed down from the Prophet (s) according to the Sunnah. In his letters he set down the code of conduct (adab) that the students of the Naqshbandiyya were expected to follow. We quote from his sayings: "O my son, I urge you to acquire knowledge and righteous conduct and fear of Allah. Follow the steps of the pious salaf (early generations), hold on to the Sunnah of the Prophet (s) and keep company with sincere believers. Read fiqh and hadith and tafsir, avoid ignorant charlatans and keep the prayer in congregation. Beware of fame and its dangers. Be among the ordinary people and do not seek positions." In this constellation, we come finally to Muhammad Baha'uddin Uwaysi al-Bukhari, known as Shah Naqshband, the Imam of the Naqshbandi Tariqat without peer. He was born in the year 1317 C.E. in the village of Qasr al-'Arifin, near Bukhara. After he mastered the shari'ah sciences at the tender age of 18, he kept company with the Shaikh Muhammad Baba as-Samasi, who was Imam al-muhaddithin (foremost authority in hadith) in Central Asia at that time. After the latter's death, he followed Shaikh Amir Kulal who continued and perfected his training in 'Ilm al-Quran (Science of Qur'an) and 'Ilm adh-Dhikr (Science of Remembrance) which Kulal had inherited from his master through the chain of teachers that started with the Prophet (s), through Abu Bakr as-Siddiq and Salman al-Farsi and on up to his time. The students of Shaikh Amir Kulal used to make dhikr aloud when sitting together in association, and silent dhikr when alone. Shah Naqshband however, never criticized nor objected tot he loud Zikr, but he preferred the silent dhikr. Concerning this he says, "There are two methods of dhikr; one is silent and one is loud. I chose the silent one because it is stronger and therefore more preferable." The silent dhikr thus became the distinguishing feature of the Naqsh- bandiyya among other tariqats. Shah Naqshband performed Hajj three times, after which he resided in Merv and Bukhara. Towards the end of his life he went back to settle in his native city of Qasr al-'Arifin. His teachings became quoted everywhere and his name was on every tongue. Visitors from far and wide came to see him and to seek his advice. They received teaching in his school and mosque, a complex which at one time accommodated more than five thousand people. This school is the largest Islamic center of learning in Central Asia and still exists in our day. It was recently renovated and reopened after surviving seventy years of Communist rule. Shah Naqshband's teachings changed the hearts of seekers from darkness to light. He continued to teach his students the knowledge of the Oneness of God in which his predecessors had specialized, emphasizing the realization of the state of ihsan (excellence) for his followers according to the hadith of the Prophet (s), "Ihsan is to worship God as if you see Him." When Shah Naqshband entered his final illness he locked himself up into his room. Wave after wave of his followers began to visit him, and he gave to each of them hat the needed. At one point he ordered them to read sura Ya Sin. When they finished reading the sura, Shah Naqshband raised his hands in du'a to God. Then he raised his right finger to say the shahada. As soon as he finished saying he Shahada, his soul returned to God. He died on a Monday night, the 3rd of Rabi'ul-Awwal, 791 H. (1388 C.E.). He was buried in his garden as he requested. The succeeding Kings of Bukhara took care of his school and mosque, expanding them and increasing their religious endowments (awqaaf). Succeeding shaikhs of the Naqshbandi Tariqat wrote many biographies of Shah Naqshband. Among them are Masoud al-Bukhari and Sharif al- Jarjani, who composed the Risala Baha'iyya which describes his and his life's works including his fatawa (legal decisions). Shaikh Muhammad Parsa, who died in Madina in 822 H. (1419 C.E.) wrote Risala Qudsiyya in which he talks of Shah Naqshband's life his virtues and his teachings. Shah Naqshband's literary legacy included many books. Among them are "al-Awrad al-Baha'iyya," "the Devotions of Shah Naqshband." Another book is "Tanbih al-Ghafilin." A third book is "Maslakul Anwar." A fourth is "Hadiyyatus Salikin wa Tuhfat at-Talibeen." He left many noble expressions praising the Prophet and he wrote many fatawa (legal rulings). One of his opinions was that all the different acts and kinds of worship, whether obligatory or voluntary, were permitted for the seeker in order to reach reality. Prayer, fasting, zakat, mujahadat (striving) and zuhd (self-denial) were emphasized as ways to reach Allah Almighty. Shah Naqshband built his school on the renewal of the teaching of the Islamic religion. He insisted on the necessity of keeping the Qur'an and the teachings of the Sunnah. When they asked him, "What are the requirements of one who follows your way?" he said, "To follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (s)." He continued saying: "Our way is a rare one. It keeps the 'Urwat ul-Wuthqa, the Unbreakable Bond, and it asks nothing else of its followers but to take hold of the Pure Sunnah of the Prophet (s) and follow the way of the Sahaba in their ijtihad (efforts for Allah)." Shah Naqshband's self-denial made him live a harsh and austere life. He was extremely concerned with acquiring only the halal (permitted) livelihood. He used to eat bread made from barley that he planted and reaped himself in his garden. He loved the poor and needy and he used to cook and serve them himself as well as visit them when they were sick. He was very wealthy and he used his money to spend in the way of God, not for himself and his family. Because of that, everyone loved him and acknowledged his generosity. Shah Naqshband said: "The Naqshbandi School is the easiest and simplest way for the student to understand tawhid. It urges its followers to seek a state of complete worship of Allah both publicly and privately by keeping the complete code of conduct of the Prophetic Sunnah. It encourages people to keep to the strictest modes of worship ('azeema) and to abandon the rukhsa. It is also free from all innovations and deviations and exaggerated statements (shaathiyyat) and dancing and dubious recitals (sama'a). It does not demand of its followers perpetual hunger or wakefulness. That is how the Naqshbandiyya has managed to remain free from the excesses of the ignorant and the charlatans (mushawazeen). In sum we say that our way is the mother of all tariqats and the guardian of all spiritual trusts. It is the safest, wisest and clearest way. It is the purest drinking-station, the most distilled essence. Naqshbandiyya is innocent from any attack because it keeps the the way of the blessed Sunnah." wa min Allah at-tafiq --Shaikh Hisham Kabbani From tyagi@HouseofKaos.Abyss.com Wed Nov 9 09:29:04 1994 From: tyagi mordred nagasiva Subject: SufiShar.shk.txt To: ceci@lysator.liu.se (Ceci Henningsson) Date: Wed, 9 Nov 1994 00:28:32 -0800 (PST) X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL0] Content-Type: text Content-Length: 24648 To: soc.religion.islam From: mateen@interlink.com (Mateen Siddiqui) Subject: Sufism of Ibn Taymiyya - Shaikh Hisham Kabbani Date: 49940906 =========================== TAKING UP THE PATH - SUFISM =========================== Sufism and Shari'ah ------------------- Shaikh Hisham Kabbani was asked: "Does Sufism come from Islam, and if so, do its adherents follow the shari'ah, and is it true that some Sufis claimed exemption from the Shari'ah because they reached a station of closeness to Allah?" Shaikh Hisham responded: We say: "Sufism is Islam and Islam is Sufism. That is the position of the Most Distinguished Naqshbandi Tariqat, and that is the position of 41 tariqats, all originating from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and reaching up to our time through the distinguished chains of transmission (masanid, salasil), from one grandshaikh to another, to another until they reached to a live shaikh in our time. If people will look back deeply into history they will find that after the brave work of the Sahaba, (the Companions of the Prophet), that Islam spread East and West and to the Far East through the dawaU and irshad of the scholars and followers of Sufism, who followed the True Way of the Caliphs of the Prophet. They were the scholars of true Sufism, which upholds the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah and has never deviated from them. Islamic zuhd (asceticism) flourished in the first Hijri century and developed into schools that had their foundation and basis of their teachings in the Sunnah and Shari'ah, propagated by zahid scholars who came to be known as the Sufis, because of their purity of heart. The term Sufi was a general name for those who possessed taqwa and practiced Islam with great devotion, keeping to its strictest forms ('azeemat) and not accepting to follow the licences (rukhas). Later it was applied to all those schools of training and discipline in manners and good character and purification of the lower desires and the evil promptings of the ego (tarbiyat and tazkiyya). These schools of tarbiya and tazkiyya were developed according to the Sunnah of the Prophet (s) in training his Sahaba. Among them were the first four Imams, Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi'i and Imam Ibn Hanbal, as well as al-Imam Abi Abdallah al- Bukhari, Abul Husain Muslim, Abu 'Isa Tirmidhi. Others were Hasan al- Basri, al-Junaid, Imam Awza'i, at-Tabarani, as-Suyuti, al-Haythami, al- Jardani, ibn al-Jawzi, Imam Muhyiddin bin Sharaf an-Nawawi, Imam Abu Hamid Ghazali, Sayyid Ahmad al-Farouqi, to name a few. The Muslim world has come to know Islam through the efforts of these zahid scholars who were known as Sufis because of their loyalty, sincerity and purity of heart. True Sufism is based on zuhd and Ihsan (purity of the heart). The great Imams of the Muslim world, whose guidance was followed in all Muslim countries, were known to have Sufi masters. Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa, (whose teacher was Ja'far as-Sadiq) Imam Shafi'i (who followed Shayban ar-Rai') and Imam ibn Hanbal (whose teacher was Bishr al-Hafi) all embraced tasawwuf. What the Four Imams said about Tasawwuf Imam Malik is known for his famous saying, "man tasawaffa wa lam yatafaqa faqad tazandaqa, wa man tafaqaha wa lam yatasawaf faqad tafasaq, wa man tasawaffa wa tafaqaha faqad tahaqaq." which means, "Whoever studied Sufism without Fiqh is a heretic, and whoever studied Fiqh without Sufism is corrupted, and whoever studied Sufism and Fiqh will find the Truth and Reality of Islam." Imam Abu Hanifa said, "law laa sannataan la-halaqa Nu'man," which means, "if not for the last two years of my life, [when he found his Sufi teacher, Jaf'ar as-Sadiq] my afterlife would have been destroyed." This means that though he is known as Imam-i 'Aadham, the Greatest Imam, because of his high standard of learning and because of the large number of Muslims that follow his school, he did not consider himself to have accomplished anything in coming closer to Allah through all his years of studying and teaching and writing on the subject of fiqh. It was only when he met his shaikh of tasawwuf, that he was able to perfect his manners and character to the state of purity which he expected of himself. And since he was such a great 'alim, what he expected of himself was much more than what the ordinary person expected of himself. What Some Great Sufis Said About the Shari'ah ============================================= A very well-known Sufi shaikh, who was the Mufti of Mecca said, "When we see someone in this Community who claims to be able to guide others to Allah, but is remiss in but one rule of the Sacred Law, even if he can produce miracles that boggle the mind, ...such a person is not a shaikh, nor is he speaking the Truth, for no one is entrusted with the secrets of Allah Most High save one in whom the ordinances of the Sacred Law are preserved." (quoted from "The Reliance of the Traveller", translated by Noah Keller) And the Naqshbandi Shaikhs go even further. They say: "When does one get to smell the Naqshbandi tariqat [an allusion to food]? The one desiring to enter the tariqat must be able to be examined by 40 true shari'ah 'ulama, who are not only 'ulama, but are practicing what they know ('alimun 'aamil). He must be prepared to be examined in all his deeds from his first waking moment to his last, in every situation and condition, and if he is found to differ from the Sunnah even once over 40 days, in any of his conditions or situations, he will never even smell the aroma of the Naqshbandiyya." The Charlatans of Sufism ======================== We are not hiding the fact that at that time, some enemies of Islam came to take an extreme approach, using the name of Sufism, and pretending to be Sufis while spreading strange ideas in order to demolish the true Sufi teachings and poison Muslim ideas about Sufism which the majority of Muslims were following. Similarly, a number of people claim to be Sufis yet they are mislead. The delusions affecting such would-be Sufis are of numerous types: Some imitate the sincere Sufis in outward forms, whereas they do not struggle against their egoes, or their lower desires. Others claim to have reached a state of ma'arifa (knowledge of God) and have passed through many states and reached the station of haqiqat (attaining to Divine closeness), whereas they have not done any of that nor reached even the most basic station. Among the latter are those who claim that their closeness to Allah has exempted from the obligations and the prohibitions of the shari'ah (ibahiyyun). And among them are the sincere who do not know better and we hope that Allah will excuse them. Those are they who have experienced the state of 'ishq or in that station of 'ishq have felt the condition of fana' or ittihad. And often this situation results from following a false teacher of Sufism especially a teacher who does not regard the shari'ah as a requirement to enter his school. And we will mention the situation of those who are sincere in another discussion, as this is huge subject, which was addressed by the Four Schools and by the Salafi School. But among them are those who willfully mislead the Muslims, giving a bad name to Sufism by their false pretensions, and who are a cause for spiritual disasters to those who follow them. What Ibn Taymiyya said About Sufi Shaikhs and Tariqats ====================================================== In Majmu'a Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya, published by Dar ar-Rahmat, Cairo, Vol, 11, page 497. Book of Tassuwuf), Ibn Taymiyya says: "You have to know that the rightly guided shaikhs must be taken as guides and examples in the Din, as they are following in the footsteps of the Prophets and Messengers. And the Way (tariqat ha'uwla'i) of those shaikhs is to call people to Allah and obedience to the Prophet." Here we find Ibn Taymiyya calling for people to take a guide and mentioning that each guide has his own method (tariqat) in calling people to the Prophet's ways. He continues: "the best of these sincere shaikhs and the pious Sufi saints are those who follow most closely the footsteps of the Prophet and those who know the din better and those who obey most closely the way of the Prophet (s). And Ibn Taymiyya (ra) says on page 499 of the same volume: "wa ashuyukh alladheena aqtadaa bihim yudilloon ilayhi wa yurshidoon ilayh wa hum bi-manzillat id-daleel alladhee lil-hajj hua yuddillahum 'ala al-bayt [al-ka'aba]" "And the shaikhs whom we need to take as guides are our examples that we have to follow, as when on the Hajj, (the pilgrimage) one needs a guide [daleel] to reach the Ka'aba, these shaikhs are our guide [daleel] to Allah and our Prophet (s)." On page 494 of the same volume, Ibn Taymiyya was mentioning the names of the shuyukh, and one was Ahmad ar-Rafa'i. As we know he was following the Rafa'i way. Therefore he mentions on page 497 that every shaikh has his own tariqat, his own way. And from the shuyukh he mentioned are : al-Fudayl bin al-Ayyad, Abi Sulayman ad-Daarani, wa Ibrahim bin Adham, Ma'ruf al-Karkhi, as-Sir is- Saqati, Hasan al-Basri, and Junayd bin Muhammad, Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, Shaikh Ahmad ar-Rafa'i, Shaikh Bayazid al-Bistami [who is one of the shuyukh of Shah Naqshband, the Imam of the Naqshbandi Way.] Ibn Taymiyya quotes from Bayazid al-Bistami on page 510, Volume10: "the great Sufi shaikh Bayazid al-Bistami and the famous story about him when he saw God in his dream and said to Him: 'O Allah what is the way to You?' And Allah responded 'Leave yourself and come to Me.' Ibn Taymiyya continues quoting Bayazid al-Bistami, the famous grandshaikh in the Naqshbandi Order, who said, "ansalakhtu min-nafsi kama tansalakhu al-Hayyatu min jildiha" which means, "I shed my self as a snake sheds its skin." This quotation is an indication of the need for zuhd (self-denial or abstention from the worldly life), as that was the path followed by Bayazid al-Bistami. So we see from the above quotes, that Ibn Taymiyya was accepting many shaikhs by quoting them and urging people to follow guides to show the way to obey God and to obey the Prophet (s) and to show them the way of Qur'an and the way of Sunnah. And most of the shaikhs he quoted were Sufi shaikhs, such as 'Abdul Qadir Jilani who is the shaikh of the Qadiri tariqat, or Sayiddina Ahmad ar-Rifa'i who is the shaikh of the Rifa'i tariqat, or Sayiddina Bayazid al-Bistami who is one of the shaikhs of the Naqshbandi tariqat. Ibn Taymiyya About the Ways to God ================================== Ibn Taymiyya was asked about the saying: "at-turuq il-Allahi 'azza wa jall, ka 'addad anfaas il-khala'iq," which means "'the ways to Allah are as numerous as the breaths of men,' is that true or not?" He said, "Yes, that is true. If the person was acting according to the Book and the Sunnah. As praying, giving sadaqa, making jihad, reading Qur'an, practicing Dhikr and many things else. So we see that Ibn Taymiyya was accepting that there were many ways to reach the love of Allah and to know Allah (ma'arifatullah) and as he mentioned before, each shaikh has his own way (tariq), which we have to follow because we have to have a guide. And as long as that way and that shaikh are complying with shari'ah and sunnah, you may follow that person. Because as was mentioned in the above saying, there are ways to Allah as numerous as the breaths of human beings. And it is interesting to note in the above fatwa, that Ibn Taymiyya mentioned Dhikr as distinct from reading Qur'an. This shows that Dhikr is different than reading Qur'an, not as some modern scholars are claiming that Dhikr referred to in Qur'an and Hadith is simply recitation of Qur'an. And this is borne out by the saying of the Prophet (s), "afdal adh-Dhikr 'Laa ilaha ill-Allah'" which means "the best form of Dhikr is 'there is no God except Allah.' This means one should recite that phrase as much as possible. And it is prefereable as in the Naqshbandi Way, and as Bayazid al-Bistami said, to do this silently. So that we can that the word tariqat was mentioned many times in the books of Ibn Taymiyya as it was accepted by him. And when a person quotes another in his books in a good way and takes from his sayings indicating the quotations are containing guidance, it shows that Ibn Taymiyya was accepting theseshuyukh and guides. And if we trace back we can see that these were Sufi shaikhs of tariqats. Sufism is not inventing something new in the Din, (bida') but is only following the footsteps of the Salaf who used the word Sufism as a technical term which refers to the state of ihsan. Just as the science of grammar was given the name ilm an-nahu, which did not exist by name in the time of the Prophet (s). Because at that time all Arabs knew nahu and were raised knowing that. But when many non-Arabs entered the religion, making many mistakes in the language, it was necessary to formalize and structure this science. Just as fiqh schools were established, and nahu was established so too did Ibn Taymiyya accept the establishment of Sufi ways (tariqat) and Sufi shaikhs and he was mentioning them by name. The Knowledge of the Unseen - What Allah Grants to His Beloved Servants ======================================================================== The Prophet (s), explaining about his Ascension (Mi'raj) said, "My Lord revealed to me three different sciences. He told me not to reveal the first one to anyone, because no one but I can understand this science. He said, 'You may communicate the second science to those whom you wish. Teach the third science to all of your Ummah.'" (written by al-Qastalani in Al-Mawahib) The Companions of the Prophet (s) mentioned similar information concerning what the Prophet (s) had conveyed to them: Narrated Abu Huraira (r): "I have memorized two kinds of knowledge from Allah's Apostle (s). I have propagated one of them to you. And if I were to propagate the second, then my pharynx would be cut." (Bukhari, Bab ul-'Ilm, 121) These hadith are showing that Allah Almighty is the Knower of the Unseen, (ghaib ul-mutlaq), but to whomsoever of His servants He chooses, He may reveal some of the Unseen which is within the grasp of servants. That does not mean those to whom he reveals something know all the Unseen. No, only that which Allah Almighty, in His wisdom chooses to reveal is what they will know and understand. The Absolute Unknown, al-Ghaib al- Mutlaq, is still known only to Allah Himself. And for that He said, "Wa laa y'alamul-ul ghaib illa Hua." which means "And no one knows the Unseen except Him," referring to the Unseen which is completely hidden from servants. Whereas, as these hadiths indicate, from the knowledge which Allah wished to grant certain chosen servants, he did so, to the exclusion of the rest of humanity. Because to reach true Divine Knowledge, one must possess taqwa, and this is shown by the verse, "it-taqillahi wa yu'allimukum-ullah." which means "Fear God (have taqwa) and Allah will teach you." And it is revealed in Qur'an that some favored servants of Allah were taught by Allah directly, when Allah mentioned Sayyidina Khidr (as), "wa 'alamnaahu min ladduna 'ilma" which means "and whom We had taught knowledge from Our Own Presence." (Kahf, 65) And He says, "qaal alladhee 'indahu 'ilmin min al-Kitabi ana aateeka bih qabl an yartadda ilayka tarfuk." which means "the one who had knowledge of the Book said 'I will bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye.'" That was 'Asif ibn al-Barqiyya, who was a saint (wali) in the time of Sulaiman (as), who through the knowledge Allah had granted him of understanding Allah's Word, was able to bring the throne of Sheba from her country to Sulaiman's palace in the blink of an eye. So we see that some of those advanced in Islam, who had reached the high stations of taqwa, were given knowledge to their hearts in ways that Allah only knows. And for that reason, the Sufis say that the saints have a secret with Allah. And this is borne out by hadith, one of which is: The Holy Prophet (s) also said, "Abu Bakr does not precede you in anything in the way of prayer or fasting but in a secret rooted deep in his heart." (Manaqib as-Sahaba of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal) Imam Ibn Taymiyya Mentions the Miraculous Powers of Saints ========================================================== Ibn Taymiyya mentioned in his book Tassawuf, volume 11 of "Majmu'a Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya," page 443: "na'am qad tukhraq al-'ada fee haqq ish-shakhs. fayagheeb taratan 'an absaar an-naas imma li-dafi' 'aduwin 'anhu wa imma lighairi dhalika.... Na'am yakunu nurun qalbuhu wa huda fouadhihi wa maa fihi min asraar- illahi ta'ala wa amaanaatihi wa anwaarihi wa ma'arifatihi ghayban 'an 'ayun in-naasi, wa yakunu salaahahu wa wilayatuhu ghayban 'an akthar in-naasi." The Imam continues on page 444: "fahadha hua al-waqi'u, wa asraar ul-haqqi baynahu wa bayna awli'aihi wa akthar an-naasi laa ya'alamun." "Yes, miraculous power might appear from a Saint; he will disappear sometimes from the eyes of people, either to prevent an enemy from harming him or for another matter, and this is true, because his heart is full of God's light and he is guided in his heart by the secrets that Allah has put in it, and by the trusts that Allah gave to him to carry and by his knowledge that is completely unknown to the people. And his purity and his sincerity and his sainthood are also from the unseen powers that he is hiding from many people.... This is the reality and the fact that Allah put in the hearts of his Sufi Saints but most of the people do not know." As a result we see that Ibn Taymiyya was on the line that described Sufi saints as the beacons that guides human beings to the line of the Prophet, 'alayhis salaam, and his Sunnah. They are the sincere and loyal servants to Allah and they are the true ones (sadiqeen) to guide us to the way of the Prophet (s). For this reason, Ibn Taymiyya understood the secret they were carrying in their hearts. In the same book, he mentioned Bayazid al- Bistami, who is one of the Naqshbandi shaikhs and who was a very famous saint. In Volume 11, page 497. Book of Tassawuf, of Majmu'a Fatawi Ibn Taymiyya, the Imam says: "You have to know that the rightly guided shaikhs must be taken as guides and examples in the din, as they are following in the footsteps of the Prophets and Messengers. And the Way (Tariqat ha'uwla'i) of those shaikhs is to call people to Allah and obedience to the Prophet." Imam Ibn Taymiyya Explains Those Who Speak About Fana' ======================================================= The subject of fana' is mentioned in a complete chapter in detail from page 337-page 343 entitled: "al-Fana' alladhee yujad fi kalam as-sufiyya yuffassar bi-thalathat umur" This title means: "the word of Annihhilation [fana'] found in Sufism explained in three ways" In Book 2, volume 2, pages 396-397 of Majmu'a Fatawi Ibn Taymiyya, published by Dar ar-Rahmat, Cairo, speaking about subject of fana' known is Sufism as annihilation, Imam Ibn Taymiyya said, "This [matter] has in it Truth (Haqq) and there is in it that which is wrong (Batil). But when someone will enter a state with his fervor intense love ('ishq) to Allah, he will enter a state of absentmindedness, and when he enters the state of absentmindedness, he will find himself as if he is accepting the [concept] ittihad. I do not consider this a sin. Because that person is excused and no one may punish him as he is not aware of what he is doing. Because the pen does not condemn the crazy except when he is restored to sanity. And when that person is in that state and he was wrong in what he did, he will be under Allah's address: "Rabbana laa tuakhidhna in-nasseeena aw akhtaana" --"O Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or make mistakes." (Baqara, 286) And Allah says in other verse, "wa laa junaaha 'alaykum fimaa akhtaatum bihi" which means "there is no blame on you if you unintentionally do a mistake." On page 339, in Volume 10, Ibn Taymiyya says: "there is a story of two men who were so respectful and loved each other very much. One of them fell in the water [of the sea] and immediately the other threw himself behind him. Then the first one, who was sinking asked, "what made you throw yourself here?" He said,"I vanished in you. and when I vanished in you I thought you were me and I was you." Further on Shaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyya continues: This state of love is the state of many people that are from the people of Love to Allah 'azza wa jall, they are the poeple of the love of Allah and the People of the Will (al-Irada) of Allah (it is typical of many of the people that love God and seek Him.) Because that person has vanished in his lover, in Allah 'azza wa jall--through the intensity of the love, because He vanished in Allah's love, not his own ego's love. And he will recall Allah, not recalling himself, remember Allah not remembering himself, visualizing Allah [yastashhid], not visualizing himself, existing in Allah, not in the existence of himself. When he reaches that stage, he no longer feels his own existence. And that is why he says in this state, "Ana al-Haqq" (I am the Truth), or "Subhanee. (Glory to Me!)" and he will say "maa fil jubba ill-Allah" (there is nothing in this cloak except Allah), because he is drunk in the love of God and this is a pleasure and happiness that he cannot control. As long as he is not drunk through something that is prohibited, it is accepted, but if it were prohibited, (the intention was bad) then he is not excused." Ibn Taymiyya continues: "And because of that [situation] many of the saints, like Abdul Qadir Jilani, have an excuse, because they are in a state of love ('ishq)." (vol 2., page 397). This chapter describes in detail the concept of fana' and explains why some Sufis made statements which appeared to be kufr while in the state of 'ishq. What Shah Naqshband Said about Exaggerated Statements (shaathiyyat) =================================================================== And we would like to mention here what Shah Baha'uddin Naqshband, the Imam of the Naqshbandi Order, said about this subject: Shah Naqshband said: "The Naqshbandi School is the easiest and simplest way for the student to understand tawhid. ...It is also free from all innovations and deviations and exaggerated statements (shaathiyyat) and dancing and dubious recitals (sama'a). It does not demand of its followers perpetual hunger or wakefulness. That is how the Naqshbandiyya has managed to remain free from the excesses of the ignorant and the charlatans (mushawazeen). In sum we say that our way is the mother of all tariqats and the guardian of all spiritual trusts. It is the safest, wisest and clearest way. It is the purest drinking-station, the most distilled essence. Naqshbandiyya is innocent from any attack because it keeps the the way of the blessed Sunnah." As for Imam Ibn Taymiyya, he wrote three long chapters in the same volume 2, explaining in detail the very famous tasawwuf book of Shaikh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani, Futuh ul-Ghaib. And we plan to translate this chapter page by page in the future, insha-Allah. --Shaikh Hisham Kabbani