Page 23 - Chapter
Two: "Like other branches of Islamic learning and praxis, Sufism is passed on
to disciples from a master, who is typically called a ‘shaykh’ (literally,
‘old man’, ‘elder’). The shaykh’s oral teachings give life to the
articles of faith, and without his transmission the methodical practice of dhikr is
considered invalid if not dangerous. As with Hadith, transmission is traced back through a
chain of authorities (called silsilah) to the Prophet."
Commentary: In
truth, the manner through which the essential knowledge of the Sufi Path is passed on is not
"like other branches of Islamic learning and praxis". All other facets of
leaning and praxis within the Muslim community are pursued by means of a combination of
discursive, linguistic, and cognitive processes, whereas in the Sufi tradition, the
essential knowledge, is conveyed from heart to heart - quite independently of discursive,
linguistic, and cognitive processes.
While the author is
correct that the "shaykh’s oral teachings give life to the articles of
faith", as well as many other facets of Islam, the discourses, explanations, and
narratives that are given by a Sufi shaykh are only the most outward form of the
teachings. Like the Qur’an, the teachings of a Sufi shaykh may begin with words, but
these words are actually portals which, ultimately, are capable, God willing, of
transporting an individual beyond the realm of language, and, similarly, like the
Qur’an, the Origin of the knowledge to which the words of the shaykh point and allude
is of an uncreated nature.
Anyone who supposes the
Qur’an can be reduced down to a linguistic phenomenon does not understand the nature
of Revelation. Anyone who believes the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
can be reduced down to history, Hadith and Sunnah - as important as these may be, does not
fully appreciate the spiritual significance of the Prophet with respect to the purpose of
Creation. And, anyone who thinks that a Sufi shaykh’s way of communicate knowledge
can be reduced down, and equated with, the way in which "other branches of Islamic
learning and praxis" communicate with students, fails to understand something of
fundamental importance about the nature of the Sufi Path.
The knowledge to which
the shaykhs invite seekers is the same as the knowledge to which the Qur’an and the
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) invite seekers. However, while all three of these
pathways to knowledge are sacred, the Qur’an is Revelation, Muhammad (peace be upon
him) is a Prophet, while the shaykhs are not Prophets, nor are their discourses revelation
- although everything which is taught by an authentic Sufi shaykh both reflects, as well
as is imbued with, the teachings and qualities of both the Qur’an and the Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him).
According to the author
of Sufism - A Short Introduction, without a Sufi shaykh’s
"transmission the methodical practice of dhikr is considered invalid if not
dangerous." Simply stated, the author’s foregoing contention is not true.
Although the author does
not specify who is of the opinion that "the methodical practice of dhikr is
considered invalid if not dangerous" if not transmitted through a shaykh, no
authentic Sufi teacher would ever hold such an opinion. The Qur’an is replete with
encouragements and reminders concerning dhikr, and there are many Hadiths of the Prophet
Muhammad (peace be on him) which speak about dhikr.
These calls and
invitations to remembrance are intended for everyone. They are not meant for just people
on the Sufi Path, and Sufi shaykhs are not the keepers of the gate with respect to whom
can and cannot say dhikr, nor have legitimate Sufi shaykhs ever represented themselves as
such.
In the Qur’an, one
finds: "If anyone forsakes the remembrance of the Most Gracious, We appoint for that
person a devil, to be an intimate companion and who will hinder that person from the path.
Yet, they think they are being guided in the right direction. (46:36-37).
The warning which is
being given is general in nature. ‘Everyone’ and ‘anyone’ is being
addressed, and ‘everyone’ and ‘anyone’ is in need of ‘remembrance
of the Most Gracious’ - both Sufi and non-Sufi.
Notwithstanding the
foregoing comments, nevertheless, once an individual has taken initiation
into a Sufi silsilah, then, part of the adab or spiritual etiquette of the Path is for an
initiate to seek permission from her or his spiritual guide either to begin reciting
various kinds of dhikrs, or to ask the shaykh for a dhikr which would be appropriate for
the seeker to do. A shaykh knows better than the seeker about the spiritual condition,
circumstances, needs, and problems of such an initiate, and, therefore, would, by the
Grace of God, have better insight into which dhikrs are best suited to the seeker’s
spiritual situation.
Furthermore, there are
dhikrs involving jalali Attributes of Divinity which could prove to be difficult for a
given initiate. After all, when one invokes a certain Name of God, one is asking for God
to engage the individual through the qualities of that Name, and not every individual has
the necessary faith, strength, courage, or capacity to be able to withstand the Presence
of a Name which gives expression to some quality, or other, of jalal that is being
invoked.
Even with the support and
help of the shaykh, such engagements can be very difficult to go through. Consequently, on
the Sufi Path discretion is the better part of valor and this means that before
undertaking certain dhikrs, an initiate needs the permission of the shaykh in order to
ensure that whatever form of remembrance an initiate is seeking to practice will serve the
best spiritual interests of such a person.
On the Sufi Path, dhikrs
are never performed in isolation by an individual. In other words, a dhikr is not just a
methodological form which is given, and once given, that is the end of the matter.
While the initiate to
whom the dhikr is given must make efforts to follow the instructions which are given by
the shaykh in relation to that dhikr, the seeker’s saying of the dhikr is said in the
context of the shaykh’s spiritual himma or aspiration for the seeker. In effect, the
himma of the seeker is joined with the himma of the shaykh, and both are embedded in, as
well as are reflections of, the Divine Himma for the teacher and the initiate.
The Sufis maintain that,
God willing, this sort of spiritual ‘joint venture’ tends to work more to the
advantage of the individual than if a dhikr is pursued independently of such a context. To
be sure, invoking the Names of God always has, God willing, a constructive effect on an
individual irrespective of whether, or not, the dhikr is said under the guidance of a
shaykh, but there are some ways which, if God wishes, work more to the benefit of the one
who remembers than do other ways.
The Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "All Muslims are like the component
parts of a foundation, each strengthening the other. In such a way must they support each
other."
By the Grace of God, Sufi
shaykhs excel in not only lending this kind of spiritual support and strength to others,
but in helping, as well, to teach individuals how to go about establishing themselves to
be able to offer, God willing, similar support and strength to still others in the
community. In fact, the spiritual development which occurs, if God wishes, through the
guidance and assistance of a shaykh in conjunction with the practice of dhikr is a very
good example of the aforementioned Hadith of the Prophet in action.
The author of Sufism
- A Short Introduction asserts that: "As with Hadith, transmission is traced
back through a chain of authorities (called silsilah) to the Prophet."As it stands,
this statement is somewhat misleading.
The chain of transmission
of any given Hadith is referred to as an ‘isnad’, not a silsilah, and an isnad
is based, primarily, on verbal reports from reliable sources. These sources need not be
authorities of any kind, but they must be honest individuals of unquestionable moral
character and integrity whose reports concerning what someone had said could be trusted as
being accurate and, therefore, reliable.
A Sufi silsilah, on the
other hand, consists of a chain of spiritual transmission which is not,
primarily, based on verbal reports, and the very presence of this chain lends authority
and reliability to those - i.e., the shaykh - who are invested with the responsibility of
being a locus of manifestation for giving expression to the transmission. This
transmission soars on the wings of the nisbath which links any current shaykh with all
those shaykhs who have come before in a given spiritual lineage and, ultimately,
culminating with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The soundness of the
isnad of a Hadith depends entirely on methodological considerations. That is, there are a
variety of criteria which have been established by certain scholars in order to try to
distinguish between, on the one hand, those reports attributed to, or about, the Prophet
which are likely to be true and, and on the other hand, those reports which are not likely
to be true.
The authenticity of a
silsilah is not, primarily, a function of methodological considerations - although,
naturally, these have a role to play in different facets of the teachings of the silsilah.
Instead, the authenticity of a silsilah rests entirely with whether, or not, Allah,
through the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), has sanctioned the chain of spiritual
transmission in relation to that silsilah.
In short, with respect to
the realm of Hadith, the soundness of a verbal or written report is only as strong as the
underlying methodology is capable of demonstrating. In the realm of a silsilah, a given
spiritual methodology is only as sound as the presence of Divine sanctioning permits.
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