Tasawwuf and Sufis - An introduction

 

Tasawwuf and Sufis – An introduction

 

It is no secret that the people have different temperaments.  Some are of the temperament that they will readily starve but will never take up a demeaning job or a dishonorable occupation.  All their energies are expended towards getting into the good books of the ruling class and to remain in their service.  For this, they make great efforts and always try to stay away from those things which will lower them in the opinion of the ruling class.  Eventually, as per their reputation, efforts and courage, they succeed in their aim and gain worldly prominence.

 

          Similarly, in Islam there are some courageous self-respecting folk who think it demeaning to serve creation like themselves and consider service to their Lord as an honor.  They are searching for ways to get closer to Almighty Allah all the time.  They try to give up those etiquette/habits/qualities which are against the will and wish of the Lord Almighty and strive to inculcate and acquire those which are pleasing to Him.

 

Thus, all the time their heart is engaged in these things.  That’s the reason they don’t find the time to fulfill the cravings of their Self.  They simply make do with the necessities.  For e.g., whatever food they get wherever, they have it.  Whatever clothes they get, wherever they wear them, especially wool which is inexpensive and is pretty long-lasting, they wear it with relish, just so that they don’t need to change it or wash it again and again.  If their garments got torn, they would patch them up with whatever they could get, pieces of clothes or hide.  With this method, they could use a blanket for years together.

 

In the earlier times, such people would be called “Sufi,” i.e. those who use blankets.  People used this word only to distinguish them and gradually, it became their honorific.  The word “Tasawwuf” comes from this.  However, the essence of Tasawwuf is what motivated them to that outward state and a Sufi will be one who enjoys that (spiritual) state.

 

The terminological meaning of “Sufi”

 

Hadhrat Ja’afar Sadiq (May Allah be well pleased with him) says:

 

Translation: The one whose outward state matches that of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), he (or she) is a Sunni and the one who leads life as per the inward aspect (Batin) of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), that person is a Sufi.

 

It is apparent to the folk of understanding that the inward aspect (Batin) of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) had become the mirror on which the absolute attributes of the Lord Almighty were manifested.  No moment would pass devoid of the remembrance of Allah Most High.  Almighty Allah says:

 

…And remember your Lord when you forget…Surah Kahf (18:24)

 

The real demand of the verse is that once one forgets, the remembrance of Allah Most High should start, so that the forgetting should not become protracted.  Then how is it possible that for the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), even a moment should pass with Him being heedless of the remembrance of Allah Most High! 

 

Now consider this, if one is engaged in the remembrance of Allah Most High all the time and is engrossed in the …attributes of Allah Most High, is it possible for that person to do anything else?

 

For this reason, if one looks the life of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), one can understand that whatever the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), there was nothing was intended from them apart from the remembrance of the Lord Almighty, His visions or seeking His pleasure.  He had nothing to do with the anything of the (material) world.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also declared this time and again.

 

When it is established from the words of Imam Ja’afar Sadiq (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the inward aspect of the Sufi follows the inward aspect of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), then we learn from this that their spiritual states (as per their statuses) are of the same kind as that of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).

 

[Excerpted from Maqasid Ul Islam, Vol. 5]