Page 9 - Chapter One:
"As Islam gradually assumed its specific historical forms through the codification of
various teachings and practices and the establishment of social institutions, the three
dimensions designated by the Hadith of Gabriel came to be reflected within society as
relatively distinct, though thoroughly interrelated, aspects of Islamic civilization.
However, doing the beautiful remained an intangible inner sanctum. On the individual
level, this third dimension has been found in the heart of all Muslims who practice their
religion for God’s sake alone. In the social sphere it has been given its clearest
expression in the life of those whom I would like to call the "Sufi," even
though many who claimed this label for themselves did not live up to the ideal, and many
who did in fact live up to it did not want the name.
"Sufism in this
understanding can be viewed as an invisible spiritual presence that animates all authentic
expressions of Islam. The various historical forms in which it has appeared serve to
demonstrate that this dimension of religion has remained an ideal of fundamental
importance. Nonetheless, the difficulty of achieving human perfection has meant that the
individuals and institutions historically connected with the name cannot necessarily be
held up as expressions of Sufism’s true nature. The Sufis themselves have always been
aware of the dangers of degeneration and corruption inherent in attempting to adapt social
institutions to ideals that can only be fully actualized by rare individuals. When
Bushanji said that Sufism is now a name without a reality, he was referring to these
inadequate attempts to codify and institutionalize the heart of the tradition."
Commentary: Islam
never assumed - "gradually" or otherwise - "specific historical forms
through the codification of various teachings and practices and the establishment of
social institutions". Islam is an expression of the Deen which God gave as a gift
rather than an expression of what Muslims did to, or with, that offering.
The author - like many
other authors, has a tendency to conflate Islam with the activities of Muslims, but the
two realms are not coextensive. Historical forms, codifications, and social institutions
are products of the interests, inclinations, preoccupations, agendas, understandings,
motivations, and problems faced by various Muslims in the context of certain historical
circumstances. Islam is the Way or Path provided by Divinity for realizing different
dimensions of human spiritual potential which are rooted in ‘fitra’.
In fact, the relation
between Islam and Muslim activities is, perhaps, best understood through the term
"palimpsest". A ‘palimpsest’ is a parchment or surface of some kind
which has been written on, or painted on, a number of times such that the original message
of the original surface has been either wholly or partially erased from view.
Muslims have done many
things and called what they have done "Islam". In truth, in all too many cases,
these Muslim activities are nothing more than a writing, or painting, over of the original
message of Divine Guidance concerning Deen and fitra.
Down through the
fourteen-plus centuries since the passing away of the Prophet, there have been so many
layers of Muslim activities which have been applied to the original message, that the
nature of Deen, fitra, and the purpose of life have been obliterated, to a very great
extent, from awareness. The original message has been covered up with the products of
political, social, educational, cultural, scientific, literary, artistic, economic, and
legal movements or constructions.
Islamic civilization is
entirely focused on the spiritual lives and teachings of the Prophets, together with the
Books of Divine Revelation sent to a relatively small subset of the entire Prophetic
lineage. Islamic civilization is rooted in the lives of all those who devoted themselves -
body, heart, and soul - to realizing, within themselves, the truths manifested through the
lives, teachings, and Books of Revelation of the Prophetic lineage. Islamic civilization
is only about Deen, fitra, and realizing the purpose of life.
Muslim civilization,
unfortunately, is scattered in many other directions. To be sure, from time to time, some
small facet of Islamic civilization may be lifted out of its original context and used in
relation to purposes that serve this or that Muslim interest, agenda, or movement, but
such "appropriations" are just another aspect of the ‘palimpsest
phenomenon’, alluded to earlier, in which the original message of Islam gets covered
over by other kinds of Muslim activities.
In the quote with which
the present Commentary begins, the author of Sufism - A Short
Introduction refers to the Sufi Path as: ‘doing the beautiful’, and,
then, he proceeds to offer a series of characterizations of the Sufi Path which are,
supposedly, somehow equivalent to, or entailed by, this process of ‘doing the
beautiful’. For instance, at various junctures in the above mentioned quotation, he
refers to the Sufi Path as: ‘an invisible spiritual presence that animates all
authentic expressions of Islam’; ‘found in the heart of all Muslims who practice
their religion for God’s sake alone’; ‘an ideal’; and, ‘achieving
human perfection’. All of this is problematic.
In the ‘Hadith of
Gabriel’ which the author cites, "ihsan" was described by the Prophet along
the following lines: ‘one worships God as if one could see Him and that even if one
were not able to achieve this, then, the individual should know that God sees the
individual.’ If one accepts the author’s contention that ‘doing the
beautiful’ is a proper rendering of "ihsan", there are a number of
questions which arise in relation to such a rendering.
More specifically, what
is being said here? Is the Prophet saying something more than that an individual should
concentrate and focus on either (a) being constantly aware that God is present during acts
of worship, or (b) being constantly aware that God is aware of what one is doing during
these times?
To answer this question,
one has to address a number of other issues involving key words in the portion of the
cited Hadith concerning ‘ihsan’. These key words are: "worships",
"God", "as if", "see", and "know".
What is
"worship"? Does worship refer only to observing and fulfilling the basic Pillars
of Islam - or, perhaps, more adequately, to observing and fulfilling the basic Pillars of
Islam through the light of faith? Or, does, worship have to do both with these sorts of
things, as well as other realms and dimensions of human potential?
The Qur’an indicates
that everywhere one looks, there is the Face of God (2:115). Does the one who practices
‘ihsan’ see the Face of God everywhere she or he looks during the process of
worship, and what does it mean to ‘see’ the Face of God?
Is "as if" one
sees, different from ‘seeing’? If so, in what ways are these two different, and
what are the implications of such differences for the author’s claim that the Sufi
Path is primarily about ‘ihsan’?
In what sense is
"know" being used? Is it a conceptual knowing? Is it the knowing of faith, and,
if so, then, given there are many different levels of faith, which sort of
‘faith-knowledge’ is being alluded to - any and all of them? Or, is some other
kind of knowing being referred to here which is complementary to, but different from, the
knowing of faith?
Finally, is it possible
someone could practice "ihsan" successfully without being Sufi or on the Sufi
Path? In other words, although ‘ihsan’ - like ‘islam’ and
‘iman’ is accessible to, but not necessarily achieved by, the generality of
Muslims, is it possible that the goal of the Sufi Path is something which both includes,
as well as transcends, the station or condition of ‘ihsan’?
The Prophet need not have
been alluding to only one kind of process in his description or characterization of
‘ihsan’. Conceivably, many different kinds of manifestation involving:
‘worship’, ‘God’, ‘as if’, ‘see’, and
‘know’ might be entailed by, and contained within, the Prophet’s words,
and, if this is the case, then, ‘ihsan’ could refer to that which is realized
when some minimal level of awareness involving ‘worship’, ‘God’,
‘as if’, ‘see’, and ‘know’ is attained.
Notwithstanding the
foregoing possibilities, one still might ask whether ‘ihsan’ is ‘the’
goal of the Sufi Path? Or, one might ask if ‘ihsan’ is the same thing as
realizing the potential of ‘fitra’? Is ‘ihsan’ equivalent to either
"fana" (so-called "annihilation" in Allah) and/or "baqa"
(subsistence in Allah ... there will be more on both of these terms in future Commentaries)?
Is ‘ihsan’ synonymous with the Sufi Station of Love? Is achieving
‘ihsan’ the purpose of life? If ‘ihsan’ is the ultimate station, then,
where, and how, do the different levels of the heart’s potential fit in, and what
about: ‘sirr’ (mystery), ‘ruh’ (spirit), ‘kafi’ (the
hidden), and ‘aqfah’ (the most hidden)? Are there ways of ‘doing the
beautiful’ other than ‘ihsan’?
The author of Sufism
- A Short Introduction not only refers to the Sufi Path as a matter of
‘ihsan’ or ‘doing the beautiful’, he also suggests this Path is:
"an invisible spiritual presence that animates all authentic expressions of
Islam". Saying Shahadah, observing the five daily prayers, fasting during the month
of Ramadan, paying the yearly zakat, as well as going on Hajj or Pilgrimage to the sacred
precincts in, and around, Mecca at least once in one’s lifetime are "all
authentic expressions of Islam", but they are not necessarily animated by "an
invisible spiritual presence" known as the Sufi Path.
In other words, being an
authentic expression of Islam is not, in and of itself, sufficient to qualify any given
act as one that might be Sufi in character. An individual must engage the Pillars of Islam
from the perspective of a Sufi oriented niyat or intention before one can say there might
be a Sufi "spiritual presence that animates" such authentic expressions of
Islam.
For example, an
individual who observes the different Pillars with the intention of pleasing God so that
the person might attain Paradise in the life to come is not approaching the
Pillars of Islam from a Sufi perspective. On the other hand, an individual who engages the
various Pillars without any desire for personal gain or reward but does so simply out of
gratitude to, and love of God, has an intention which resonates with the nature of the
Sufi Path.
Different intentions,
purposes, understandings, priorities, and value systems are operative in each of the above
examples. Both of the foregoing individuals are exhibiting authentic expressions of Islam,
but only one of these individuals is aligned with the nature of the Sufi Path.
The individual who
approaches Islam through a niyat of gratitude and love, rather than through an intention
which seeks reward, sounds somewhat like another characterization of the Sufi Path offered
by the author in the quote with which the present Commentary begins. More
specifically, the author claims the Sufi Path is "found in the heart of all Muslims
who practice their religion for God’s sake alone".
This raises a question.
What is meant by the phrase: "for God’s sake alone"? Or, said in another
way, what is the ‘sake’ of God - that is, what is God’s purpose or interest
in providing human beings with a Deen to practice?
Without doubt, as the
Qur’an indicates, God does appreciate and honor those who show gratitude (14:7), and,
as well, God loves those who love Him (5:54). However, do gratitude to, and love of, God,
in and of themselves, serve the purpose, interest, or sake of God?
There are many things for
which one might be thankful to God. There are many reasons why one might love God.
Nevertheless, being thankful to God and loving God in conjunction with Divinity’s
Purpose for Creation may involve a special kind of intention, understanding and commitment
which may not be present in all expressions of gratitude and love.
Doing things without
thought of reward is one thing. Doing things to serve the purpose of Creation may be quite
another - although there need not be any conflict between the two.
Indeed, conceivably,
actions done without thought of reward may be a necessary prerequisite to the process of
discovering what is entailed by the ‘sake’ or Purpose of God. Undertaking
activities without thought of reward (in the terminology of the Qur’an this is the
"goodly loan" - [57:11] ) is a sign of sincerity, and sincerity is a very
important quality to have on the Sufi Path even though sincerity may not be the ultimate
spiritual Purpose which is being sought.
God’s sake or
purpose has something to do with the origins of Creation. As pointed out earlier, through
a Hadith Qudsi, God said: "I was a ‘Hidden Treasure’ and desired (loved) to
be known, so I brought forth Creation". To understand something of the Purpose
underlying Creation, one needs to gain a certain degree of insight into what is entailed
by Divinity’s ‘desire to be known’, and one needs, as well, a certain
degree of insight concerning the ‘Hidden Treasure’ which is to be known - to
whatever extent this Treasure can be known.
Just as the Shahadah
consists of two parts, so too does the Purpose of Creation. The Divine Himma, Desire or
Aspiration - which is at the heart of Divinity’s love for wishing the ‘Hidden
Treasure’ to be known - is an expression of the essence of the reality underlying the
truth that there is one, and only one, God giving rise to this Divine Himma or Aspiration
out of a pure, infinite generosity and love. At the same time, the recipient of this
loving generosity is the ‘fitra’ or primordial, essential nature of the
‘Reality of Muhammad’ which is given expression through the ultimate reality and
secret in which the truth that ‘Muhammad is the Messenger of God’ is rooted.
To have gratitude for
God’s sake, or to love for God’s sake, is to have gratitude and love for
God’s Purpose concerning Creation, in general, and the individual, in particular. If,
and when, an individual comes to understand the nature of the Purpose of Creation, then,
the gratitude and love which forms part of this understanding may be of a very different
order than a general sort of gratitude for this or that blessing, or a love of God for
this or that reason - as noble and praiseworthy as these latter qualities may be, in as
much as they give expression to a doing of things without any thought of reward.
The author of Sufism
- A Short Introduction also characterizes the Sufi Path as ‘an ideal’;
and, ‘achieving human perfection’. However, since God alone is perfect,
"human perfection" may be something of a misnomer.
Consequently, rather than
speaking in terms of "human perfection", the ‘reality without a name’
might be better served, at least at this stage of the discussion, if one were to speak in
terms of either fulfilling, or failing to fulfill, the purpose for which one has been
created. Moreover, one only can fulfill such a purpose according to one’s capacity to
do so.
An individual might not
have the spiritual capacity of a Prophet of God, or may not have the capacity of some of
the great saints and friends of Divinity, but whatever capacity an individual does have,
if the potential of that capacity is realized, then, the Divine Purpose is served. In
other words, the goal is not necessarily perfection but, rather, the realization of
potential in accordance with the capacity of one’s ‘fitra’.
Similarly, "an
ideal" (which is one of the ways in which the author characterizes the Sufi Path) is
a ‘standard of perfection’ to be sought. Now, without wishing to suggest that
fulfilling the purpose of life or realizing one’s spiritual capacity is something
which is easy to do, seeking to do this has a very different aura and ambience about it
than does a search for perfection.
With God’s help,
seeking to struggle toward what one has the capacity to do would seem to be a plausible -
albeit, possibly, difficult - journey to undertake. But, if God alone is perfect, then,
perfection seems a rather quixotic quest.
The Qur’an gives
expression to God’s promises that no soul will be held accountable for what is beyond
the capacity of that soul to bear (2:286). Human beings are being encouraged to do what is
within their capacity to achieve, not what is beyond their means.
In addition, to speak in
terms of "ideals" or ‘standards of perfection to be sought’ raises the
question of what is to be the standard that is to be sought. Seemingly, the obvious answer
for a Sufi, is Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Yet, if this is the
standard, then, all spiritual quests are doomed to failure, for the spiritual station of
Muhammad (peace be upon him) is beyond the grasp and capacity of anyone but Muhammad
(peace be upon him). On the other hand, one can look to the life of the Prophet as a model
which inspires, guides, and provides many examples of character and adab (spiritual
etiquette) which may serve as seeds that one tries to grow, with God’s help, as best
one can, in the garden of one’s own soul and heart according to one’s
circumstances and abilities.
Seeking to be equivalent
to the Prophet exhibits, among other things, a lack of humility, understanding, and
perspective. On the other hand, seeking to establish a certain similarity and resonance
between one’s activities and the Sunnah, or actions, of the Prophet is quite
appropriate. This latter aspect seeks to adapt (in the sense of scaling) the teachings and
example of the life of the Prophet to one’s situation in order, with God’s help,
to realize one’s spiritual potential - which is all one can do.
According to the author
of Sufism - A Short Introduction, "the difficulty of achieving human
perfection has meant that the individuals and institutions historically connected with the
name cannot necessarily be held up as expressions of Sufism’s true nature. The Sufi
themselves have always been aware of the dangers of degeneration and corruption inherent
in attempting to adapt social institutions to ideals that can only be fully actualized by
rare individuals. When Bushanji said that Sufism is now a name without a reality, he was
referring to these inadequate attempts to codify and institutionalize the heart of the
tradition."
As indicated previously,
the goal of the Sufi Path is not necessarily a matter of achieving "human
perfection". The reason why "the individuals and institutions historically
connected with the name cannot necessarily be held up as expressions of Sufism’s true
nature" has nothing to do with "the difficulty of achieving human
perfection" since, as indicated previously, the Sufi Path is not an exercise in the
seeking of perfection but is, instead, a quest for the realization of spiritual potential.
Furthermore, the dangers
of which Sufi shaykhs always have been aware is not a function of the "degeneration
and corruption inherent in attempting to adapt social institutions to ideals that can only
be fully actualized by rare individuals". The Sufi Path is rooted in a process of
spiritual chemistry involving ‘teacher’ and ‘seeker’ and does not
involve "attempting to adapt social institutions to ideals".
The dangers of which Sufi
shaykhs always have been aware are the many forces - both within human beings and outside
of them - that are actively trying to lead people away from, as well as undermine and
misconstrue, the actual nature of the Sufi Path. "Degeneration and corruption"
seep in, when people, who are not authentic guides, and individuals, who are
not sincere seekers, come to be perceived - due to a variety of historical
and social contingencies - as being ‘authentic’ and ‘sincere’
respectively.
Consequently, when
Bushanji maintained that Sufism was now ‘a name without a reality’, he was not
"referring to ... inadequate attempts to codify and institutionalize the heart of the
tradition" as the author of Sufism - A Short Introduction suggests.
Bushanji was talking, instead, about the spiritual darkness which had entered the
awareness of the community and, as a result, there was an increasing number of people who
did not understand that many of the individuals who were ascribing to themselves the
descriptor "Sufi" were not entitled to do so because these
‘pretenders’ were not rooted in the ‘reality without a name’ which had
been transmitted during, and through, the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him), as well as through the lives of those who were the authentic heirs of this mode of
spiritual transmission.
|
