Page 19 - Chapter
Two: "The characteristic Sufi institutions - the "orders" or
"paths" (tariqa) - did not begin to play a major role in Islamic history until
about the twelfth century, but even after that time Sufism does not necessarily entail
affiliation with an order."
Commentary: One
is uncertain just what the author means by referring to Orders as "characteristic
Sufi institutions". To begin with, his use of "characteristic" is
problematic.
In what sense is an Order
characteristic of the Sufi Path? The author seems to be indicating that ‘Orders’
are institutions which are characteristic of the Sufi Path, but an Order is not an
institution - that is, it is not a corporate body, political group, or social organization
which, primarily, has been established for any corporate, political or social purpose.
To be sure, from time to
time, there may be some sort of spill-over into one, or another, social realm that arises
out of the activity of an Order... such as when the shaykh puts into effect an organized
program, of one kind or another, to feed the hungry, or care for orphans, or help the
poor. These kinds of efforts, however, are derivative from, and not the primary purpose
for which the Order exists.
Furthermore, even if one
were to consider an ‘Order’ to be an institution in some very loose sense of
this term - for example, as something established for a spiritual purpose, the fact of the
matter is that even in this sense, the activities which go to the heart of a Sufi Order
were established long before the twelfth century time-line cited by the author.
Indeed, the Qur’an
sanctions this manner of doing things when it states: "Lo! Allah loves those who
battle for His cause in ranks, as if they were a solid structure." (61:4) The cause
of God is the realization of the purpose for which Creation came into being - namely, to
know, according to the way in which Divinity permits, the Hidden Treasure, and the
‘battle’ is with those tendencies within ourselves which are rebellious toward,
and resistant to, the Divine Intention concerning the purpose of Creation.
Finally, the ‘solid
structure’ alluded to in the foregoing Quranic ayat is established when everyone
associated with the shaykh is sincerely pursuing, and battling for, the aforementioned
‘cause of God’. By working in concert with one another for a common cause, under
the direction of an authorized shaykh, then, a ‘space’ is created within which
people - individually and collectively, can struggle toward realization of life’s
purpose.
A Sufi Order gives
expression to a process of seeking spiritual transformation through realization of
essential identity and one’s unique spiritual capacity. This process is rooted in a
relationship with a spiritual guide or shaykh who has been authorized by God, via the
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), to serve the purpose for which the Order exists.
The Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "A person will be gathered (i.e., on
the Day of Judgement) on the Deen of one’s close friend, so let each of you look to
the person one takes as a friend." Clearly, the relationship between a seeker and a
spiritual guide is a friendship that is designed to prepare one for such a
‘gathering’.
One can refer to the
aforementioned process and relationship as Deen, Path, Way, Tariqa, Order, Silsilah, as
well as the esoteric, inner, or mystical dimension of Islam. Moreover, even if there is
only one seeker and one teacher, and even if these two restrict their activities and focus
to the spiritual process in question, one still would have an operative Order, Path, Way,
Deen, Tariqa, or Silsilah.
On the other hand, one
would be stretching, if not distorting, things if one were to attempt to maintain that
this process which has been initiated constitutes an institution in any conventional sense
of the term. In addition, to whatever extent this relationship might be considered an
institution of some sort, the meaning of the latter becomes so vague as to be rendered a
useless way of describing what is going on, and, therefore, can hardly be said to be a
characteristic institution, even though what is going on is quite
characteristic of the Sufi Path.
Divinity instituted the
first Sufi Order, not man. The processes and activities encompassed by a Sufi Order came
into being when God placed within human beings the potential for spiritual realization.
Certain aspects of this
Sufi Order became outwardly manifest when Adam (peace be upon him) began to teach others
about the essential purpose of Creation. Over time, there have been different variations
on the essential theme which were introduced in order to accommodate various kinds of
personalities, temperaments, capacities, and historical circumstances, but the underlying
purpose and goal of an Order never, ever changed.
Consequently, the author
of Sufism - A Short Introduction is quite wrong when he contends that even
after his alleged date of the origin of Orders (i.e., the twelfth century),"Sufism
does not necessarily entail affiliation with an order." He is incorrect because there
can never be an affiliation with the Sufi Path unless one has a relationship with a
spiritual guide through whom Deen, God willing, is pursued or realized - and this
relationship embodies, so to speak, the essence of what an Order is ... that is, there is
no Order apart from such a relationship.
Generally speaking, a
seeker is initiated by a physically living teacher. There are occasions, however, and
these are not the norm, in which an individual may be initiated into the Sufi Path by a
spiritually living teacher who is not biologically alive.
For example, some people
have been directly initiated by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) even though he
passed away from this physical/material world more than 1400 years ago. Others have been
directly initiated by Hazrat Khizr (may Allah be pleased with him and sanctify his
spirit), who is sometimes referred to as a patron saint of the Sufi Path, but who does not
exist in a biological form.
Irrespective of whether
an individual is initiated by a physically living or a non-physically living spiritual
master, the process of initiation is the opening of the door to the Order, Path, Silsilah,
Way, or Tariqa through which spiritual realization is pursued. Without the Order, or, more
specifically, without the spiritual relationship which is at the heart of what an Order
is, there can be no spiritual realization of an essential kind.
To be sure, beginning
around the twelfth century and following, there were a number of centers of spiritual
activity which arose, from time to time and from place to place, in conjunction with the
spiritual presence and teachings of a number of Sufi saints such as: Hazrat Qadir Jilani,
Hazrat Mu’in ud-din Chishti, Hazrat Shaha-bud-din Suhrawardi, and others. Just as the
term "Sufi" eventually emerged as a linguistic way of labeling or making
identifying reference to certain kinds of spiritual activities and teachings, so too, did
the term "Order" emerge as a linguistic way of making reference to the teachings
and activities which were associated with these centers of spirituality that had
crystalized in the form of the life of one, or another, saint and friend of God.
Nevertheless, just as the
reality, to which the word "Sufi" attempts to make reference, had existed for
many years prior to, and quite independently of this term, so, too, did the reality, to
which the word "Order" tries to make reference, exist for many years prior to,
and quite independently of, the etymology of the term "Order". Sometimes,
academics get so caught up in words and concepts, the academics are unable to understand
that their words are one thing, and the reality which those words seek to identify is, all
too frequently, entirely something else.
All one has to do is look
at the names of the Sufi shaykhs which constitute the spiritual lineage linking an
initiate with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and, therefore, the rest of the
Prophetic tradition, to realize that the reality underlying Sufi Orders did not begin in
the twelfth century. One is not denigrating Hazrat Qadir Jilani or Hazrat Mu’in
ud-din Chishti, or any other Sufi shaykh if one says that Sufi Orders did not begin with
them although, by the Grace of God, the force of their spiritual presence did set in
motion a variety of events, activities, and so on which came to be associated with the
term "Order".
Any authentic shaykh
would not only be extremely reluctant, but, in fact, would be loathe, to point to
themselves as the initiator of a Sufi Order. They are merely passing on to others what had
been passed on to them by their own shaykhs, just as their shaykhs, in turn, had passed on
to such spiritual luminaries the transmission of Divine barakah or grace which had been
passed on to the latter individuals by their own spiritual guides.
To assert, as the author
of Sufism - A Short Introduction does, that either Orders arose in the
twelfth century or that it is possible to be on the Sufi Path without being affiliated
with an Order, is misleading in a very fundamental manner. The essence of what a Sufi
Order involves has been around since the creation of humankind, and all authentic, Sufi
shaykhs would unanimously agree that it is not possible to be on the Sufi Path
independently of the relationship which constitutes the essence of all Sufi Orders
everywhere and throughout history.
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