Page 23 - Chapter
Two: "If, as the great Sufi teachers maintain, Sufism is essentially
Islam’s living heart, those who study specific historical phenomena have the problem
of how to judge the degree to which these phenomena deserve the name. The Sufi teachers
typically hold that criteria for authentic Sufism are found in correct activity and
correct understanding, and these pertain to the very definition of the religion. In other
words, Sufism has to be judged in terms of its adherence to the Koran, the Sunnah, and the
consensus of the ulama’, or in terms of its ability to actualize the fullness of islam,
iman, and ihsan."
Commentary:
While one could agree with the author that "those who study specific historical
phenomena have the problem of how to judge the degree to which these phenomena deserve the
name," one might not agree with several presuppositions which are implicit in his
assertion. For example, the author seems to be assuming that " those who study
specific historical phenomena" - such as events which may be related to the Sufi
Path, are qualified to make judgements about what and what does not "deserve the
name" of ‘Sufi’.
Unfortunately, most of
the people "who study specific historical phenomena" are academics, or those who
have been trained by academics, and in the case of the Sufi Path, most of these academics
are like authors of travel brochures who describe places to which they have never been.
Now, lots of people may read these brochures and may even be influenced by what these
documents have to say, but such ‘works’ hardly constitute a qualification for
passing judgement on what does, or does not, "deserve the name" Sufi.
In addition, the author
appears to be assuming that the Sufi Path is, primarily, an "historical"
phenomenon. Although, to be sure, there are footprints left behind in the sands of history
by those who have journeyed along the Sufi Path, the actual Path is really not a
historical phenomenon for it concerns a Reality which predates history and which will
continue long after history passes away.
According to the author
of Sufism - A Short Introduction, "The Sufi teachers typically hold
that criteria for authentic Sufism are found in correct activity and correct
understanding." What the author asserts here is quite incorrect.
The quintessential
dimension of the Sufi Path is the ‘nisbath’, or spiritual relationship, which
exists between a teacher and a seeker - a relationship which is enveloped by, and rooted
in, a chain of spiritual transmission extending back through the shaykhs of a given
silsilah to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and through the Prophet, to the
entire Prophetic tradition, and, ultimately, of course, Divinity. From a certain
perspective, a given ‘activity’ or a given ‘understanding’ may be said
to be ‘correct’ reflections of various facets of the Sufi Path, but unless such
‘activity’ and ‘understanding’ occurs within the context of nisbath,
it is neither here nor there, spiritually speaking, since all mystical realization takes
place through nisbath and not through activity and understanding - in fact, correct
activity and understanding are the fruits of nisbath rather than the cause of the latter.
Nisbath involves - for
both teacher and seeker - trust, confidence, faith, sincerity, compassion, love, kindness,
himma (spiritual aspiration), submission, openness, honesty, respect, and so many other
spiritual qualities. What is correct and appropriate depends on such things as
circumstances, capacity, stage, and intention, but judgements concerning
‘correctness’ or ‘appropriateness’ can only be made from within the
framework of the nisbath which is at the heart of the Sufi Path.
There is a tradition
about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in which he came to know about a member of
the Muslim community who had killed one of the opposing forces during a battle. The
Prophet sent for the man, and when the man came, the Prophet asked him whether he had, in
fact, killed the man.
The man confirmed that he
had, and, then, he was asked about the circumstances surrounding the incident. The man
related that there came a point during the fight in which he gained the advantage over his
adversary and was about to run the other individual through with his sword, when his
adversary said: ‘I testify that there is no reality but God and that Muhammad is the
Messenger of God.’ The Muslim relating this account, then, indicated he proceeded to
kill the adversary.
Upon hearing this, the
Prophet asked the man why he had killed the individual when the latter had said Shahadah
(i.e., the basic attestation of submission). The man replied that he felt his adversary
was only trying to save his life and didn’t really mean what he had said.
The Prophet rebuked the
actions of the Muslim by asking him if he could see into the heart of the man that had
said Shahadah and whom the Muslim had killed. The Prophet proceeded to repeat the same
question twice more.
Like the Muslim who had
made the foregoing mistake, no one - least of all, those who "study specific
historical phenomena", is in a position to assess and evaluate the spiritual currents
within the heart of another human being except those who have been given the authority to
do so. Furthermore, even with respect to those in whom such responsibility has been
vested, they are not in the judgement business but are interested only in finding ways to
help the individual seeker to realize the purpose of life.
Shafi’i (150-204
H./767-820 A.D.), who established one of the five major schools of Islamic jurisprudence
(and, in fact, was the first to do so), once said of a great Sufi mystic: "He fasts
and prays more than any person I know, but, sometimes, he says things which I do not
understand."
The fasting and praying
were activities which came from correct understanding and to which the great jurist could
relate. However, the utterances of the Sufi saint that were problematic for Shafi’i
came from the depths of a spiritual nisbath which the jurist could not fathom.
Contrary to the
contention of the author of Sufism - A Short Introduction, "the very
definition of the religion" - or, more accurately, Deen - is not, ‘correct’
activity or understanding, but ‘niyat’ or intention. The Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him) is reported to have said: ‘Allah does not look at your forms and
possessions, rather Allah looks at your hearts and deeds.’ The Prophet also is
reported to have said: "There is an organ within your body, and if that is healthy,
the whole body is healthy, but if that is diseased, the whole body is diseased, and that
is your heart.’
Deeds spring from the
intentions of the heart. If the heart is corrupt, then, so too, will be the intentions
which arise out of that heart, as well as the actions which follow upon intentions.
In fact, as indicated
previously, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) talked about people who fasted but
derived nothing but hunger and thirst, and about individuals who prayed the whole night
but derived nothing but wakefulness. Again, as noted earlier, the Prophet said that the
prayer of the unaware heart was not accepted by God.
Prayer and fasting are
‘correct’ activities, and the performance of them arises out of - at least, in
part - a ‘correct’ understanding. Clearly, however, the foregoing words of the
Prophet strongly indicate there is something more fundamental than correct activity and
understanding. This ‘something more’ goes to the heart of Deen.
Within the Sufi
tradition, niyat, or intention, is an expression of nisbath. As nisbath develops,
strengthens, and deepens, niyat becomes purified, and with a purer niyat, comes, God
willing, a better quality of activity and understanding.
When ‘Omar (may
Allah be pleased with him) was on his way to kill the Prophet, he did not perform ablution
- a correct action, in order to become Muslim. His niyat already had changed, by the Grace
of Allah, when he was told by his sister to perform ritual ablution, and it was this
transformation in his nisbath with Allah that enabled him to perform the correct action,
and, in turn, this led to a series of actions culminating in his formal declaration to
become Muslim.
No one can take a step in
the direction of God without God first taking a step in the direction of the individual -
"No soul can believe except by the Will of Allah, and He will place doubt (obscurity)
on those who will not understand." (10:100) How receptive one’s sphere of
intentionality is to this Divine step is another matter.
The author of Sufism
- A Short Introduction concludes this section by maintaining that: "In other
words, Sufism has to be judged in terms of its adherence to the Koran, the Sunnah, and the
consensus of the ulama’, or in terms of its ability to actualize the fullness of islam,
iman, and ihsan." This is the sort of statement which Shakespeare might
have had in mind when he wrote: "...full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
More specifically, since
that which is entailed by "adherence" to the Qur’an and
Sunnah is the issue in question, the author has stated nothing more than a circular
argument upon which everyone can agree. Yes, adherence to the Qur’an and Sunnah is
fundamental to establishing authenticity, but what constitutes adherence?
He speaks of the
"ability to actualize the fullness of islam, iman, and ihsan" as a
sort of indicator of whether, or not, something called ‘Sufism’ is to be judged
authentic, and, therefore, presumably, something which adheres to the Qur’an and
Sunnah. However, one has the same problem with the word "fullness" as one had
with "adherence" - namely, what, really, is meant or entailed by either of these
terms?
The foregoing is not an
exercise in sophistry. The author has failed to establish clear, consistent lines of
demarcation concerning the issues he wishes to address.
The author does mention
"consensus of the ulama’ as an important source of guidelines, along with the
Qur’an and Sunnah. Here, again, however, there is a potential problem.
Ulama’ is the plural
of ‘alim. An ‘alim is one who possesses ‘ilm or knowledge, so ulama’
is the community of knowers.
The Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) is reported to have said: ‘There are 71 sects among Jews, and
only one of them is correct. There are 72 sects among Christians, and only one of them is
correct. There are 73 sects among Muslims, and only one of them is correct."
Elsewhere, the Prophet is reported to have said: "The learned masters are the
inheritors of the Prophets", and, presumably, the groups that are correct among the
Jews, Christians, and Muslims are instances of the "learned masters" to whom the
Prophet alluded.
Finally, the Prophet is
reported to have said: ‘Verily, God does not take away knowledge from the hands of
Divine servants, but removes knowledge by taking away the learned, so that when no learned
people remain, the ignorant will be placed at the head of affairs. Causes will be
submitted to their decisions, and they will pass sentence without knowledge, and will err
themselves, and lead others into error."
Who can be said to be a
rightful member of the ulama’ today? There are many people who have information, but
there are a rapidly diminishing number who have real knowledge.
When those of true
knowledge reach consensus, the result is of value. When those who are ignorant reach
consensus, the result is, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) indicated: ‘...
they will pass sentence without knowledge, and will err themselves, and lead others into
error.’
The word
‘Ulama’, like the words ‘adherence’ and ‘fullness’ are
problematic. By employing these words, the author of Sufism - A Short Introduction
appears as if he is saying something "full of sound and fury’, but, in reality,
is ‘signifying nothing’ at all.
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