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Tasawwuf
has been explained by various aulia (friends of Allah) in varied
ways. All have, however, expounded the one and the only reality,
which is Allah. Knowledge of Allah, His worship, Our relationship
as His servants and He as our Lord and Master. Tasawwuf is the
essence of the message of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu
alaihi wasallam) as well as all other prophets of Allah. It is
the core of Islam and the goal of our existence. The Holy Quran
and the sunnah are essential in Tasawwuf. Hereunder, are a few
verses from the Holy Quran which formulate the mentality and attitude
of a sincere seeker of Allah:
I
have not created Jinn and men but that they worship me (S.51 V.56
)
And
those who believe are overflowing in their love for Allah (S.2
V.165 )
O
man, verily you are toiling on towards your Lord-strenuously toiling,
but you will certainly meet Him (S. 84 V. 6)
That to your Lord is your final goal (S.53 V. 42 )
One
who Cleansed his ego achieved salvation (S.91 V. 9)
One who spoilt his nafs became mislead (S.91 V. 10)
For
Believers are those who when God is mentioned, feel tremor in
their hearts, and when the hear his signs rehearsed, find their
faith strengthened, and put their trust in their Lord; who establish
regular prayers and spend (freely) out of the gifts We have given
them for sustenance. Such in truth are the Believers; the have
grades of dignity with their Lord, and forgiveness, and generous
sustenance (S. 8 V.2, 3,4)
Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrate
and standing (S.25 V64.)
Those
whom God wills to guide, He opens their breast to Islam (submission
to His will) (S.6 V.125)
The
Holy Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) speaking of this level
and station has called it the station of Al-Ihsaan. To worship
Allah as if you are seeing him, and if you cannot imagine that
certainly know that Allah is watching you. (Bukhari)
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Sufis
have defined Tasawwuf in various ways.
Junaid
Baghdaadi (radiallahu anhu) states:
Tasawwuf is derived from the Arabic word Istafa (selection).
A sufi is one who has been selected by Allah.
A
sufi is one who achieves the Khullat (Allah's friendship) of
Sayyiduna Ibrahim (alaihi salaam), the submission of Sayyiduna
Ismail(alaihi salaam)the grief of Sayyiduna Dawood(alaihi salaam)
the patience of Sayyiduna Ayoob (alaihi salaam)the yearning
of Sayyiduna Moosa (alaihi salaam)and the sincerity of Sayyiduna
Muhammad(sallahu alaihi wasallam).
Perhaps the most apt is "To abandon/cancel/negate everything
other than Allah and then to annihilate one's self in Allah
is Tasawwuf.
The
greatest of gifts is to keep the mind and heart clear of the
existence of anything but Allah and not to allow the thought
of any beloved but Allah to enter the heart. May we point out
that love for the Holy Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasallam),
other prophets sahaaba, aulia is also love for Allah, since
we love them for the sake of Allah, as they are the beloveds
of Allah.
Compulsory
is My (Allah's) love for those who love one another for My sake,
who sit together for My sake, who visit one another for My sake,
who spend for one another for My sake (Muwatta Imam Maalik)
Without
the knowledge of the laws of Allah (Al-Shariah) deeds are impossible
and knowledge without actions is futile. Deeds without God consciousness
(Taqwa), sincerity, and deep concentration are useless. Imam
Malik (radiallahu anhu) states: One who indulged in Tasawwuf
without Ilm is a Zindeeq (heretic) and one who indulged in Ilm
without Tasawwuf is a faasiq (major sinner) and one who indulged
in both has reached Tahqeeq (researched truth).
Sufis
don't belong to a club, clique or cult. A sufi must necessarily
posses the Sifaat (attributes) of a thoroughly cleansed human
being who has freed himself from the chains of his carnal soul
and ego; who is the bestowed with wilayah (sainthood) by Allah.
Miracles are not an integral part of Tasawwuf. "Steadfastness
(on Taqwa etc.) is greater than miracles. This, in brief, is
an introduction to Tasawwuf and the spiritual dimension of Islam.
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