Page 18 - Chapter
Two: "In a broad sense, Sufism can be described as the interiorization and
intensification of Islamic faith and practice."
Commentary: The
foregoing description is so broad that its characterization is rendered largely useless as
a way of helping anyone to understand the nature of the Sufi Path. Every niyat or
intention to pursue faith and practice - irrespective of whether this comes from a Sufi or
a non-Sufi, requires some degree of interiorization in order to be considered minimally
acceptable as an expression of sincerity or commitment, or worship - otherwise it would be
just vacuous activity.
Furthermore, many Muslims
who have no interest in the Sufi Path, or who even may be hostile to this dimension of
Islam (if they consider it to be Islamic at all), are very much concerned with continuing
to work toward enhancing both the interior quality and intensity of their faith and
practice throughout their lives. As a result, one is confronted with a practical problem
of having to try to establish some set of criteria which would enable one to develop a
conceptual line of demarcation that differentiates the Sufi sort of "interiorization
and intensification of Islamic faith and practice", from the non-Sufi variety.
God alone knows the
degree of focus, attentiveness, awareness, and commitment that is contained with any given
instance of faith or practice. No Sufi who hopes to remain on the Path would permit
himself or herself to entertain the idea that her or his form of faith and practice is,
somehow, more interiorized or intensified than, say, the ‘average’ Muslim - for
in such thoughts are the seeds of spiritual ruination.
On the Sufi Path, one is
permitted to compare oneself to others if the object of the comparison is to note how
others are superior to one in this or that aspect of faith, sincerity, taqwa, worship,
knowledge and so on. This sort of exercise is good for the soul for it identifies areas on
which one can work and try, God willing, to do better.
However, if the object of
the comparison is to try to indicate some way in which one is superior to others, then,
this is a sure sign of the presence of nafs. No authentic Sufi shaykh would encourage
seekers, or others, to think along such lines.
If one is preoccupied
with issues of humility, sincerity, nobility, selflessness, integrity, generosity,
repentance, and the like, then, the kind of description or characterization which the
author of Sufism - A Short Introduction is putting forth in the foregoing
quote, never arises as being either accurate or even relevant. Of course, the author might
argue that his description of the Sufi Path is just a thumbnail sketch sort of effort and
not intended as anything more than this, but if Sufi shaykhs do not tend to think in that
way about the Sufi Path, then, one has to question the value of the author’s doing
so.
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