Tasawwuf? What is it?

westmidlands

858

Sister

481

#1 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 13:42

Salam.
can you tell me if this site is authentic?

What Is Tasawwuf

Tasawwuf is a branch of Islamic knowledge which focuses on the spiritual development of the Muslim.
Allah sent His final messenger, Prophet Muhammad , as a source of knowledge for the entire ummah. He was the fountain of Quran, Hadith, tafsir, rhetoric, fiqh, and so on. After the Prophet, the scholars of this ummah carried and propagated each of these branches of knowledge. Because no one person can attain the perfection of the Prophet , who single handedly assumed all of these roles, various branches of the Islamic sciences developed. For example, Imam Abu Hanifah preserved the science of fiqh and after him thousands of scholars continued in his footsteps. Hence these scholars preserved the fiqh of the Prophet . Similarly Imam Bukhari and the other famous scholars of Hadith, preserved the words of the Prophet. The scholars of tajweed preserved the recitation of the Prophet . And, the scholars of Arabic grammar preserved the language of the Prophet .

Along these lines, the Prophet was the model of spirituality for the world. His God-consciousness, deep spirituality, acts of worship, and love for Allah were preserved and propagated by an Islamic science called Tasawwuf. The aim of the scholars of this science was purification of the heart, and development of consciousness of Allah through submission to the shariah and sunnah.

How is Tasawwuf Related to Sufism?
Studying the life of the Prophet , the scholars who propagated the science of tasawwuf understood that a requisite for approaching Allah was abandonment of the common pursuits of the world. They often wore wool because of its simplicity and low cost. In Arabic the word for wool is suf and thus, those who wore it became known as the Sufis. Another possible derivation of the word comes from the root word safa, which means "to clean." Because the scholars of tasawwuf focused on cleansing the heart, they later became known as the Sufis.

What Do Our Scholars Say About Tasawwuf?
Traditional Islamic scholars have accepted Tasawwuf as an important branch of Islamic learning, so long as it remains within the guidelines of the Shariah and emphasizes following the Sunnah of the Prophet .

On Moderation - Imam Rabbani (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Inner Dimensions of Fasting - Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (may Allah be pleased with him)
Maulana Jami - Excerpts from the poems of Maulana Jami (may Allah be pleased with him)
Maulana Saadi - Excerpts from the poems of Maulana Saadi (may Allah be pleased with him)
What is Tasawwuf? - Condensed from the writings of Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (may Allah be pleased with him)
Fighting the Ego - Imam Nawawi (may Allah be pleased with him)
I Have Heard That Sufis Teach Praying At Graves, Dancing, Music, And Other Innovations?
It is true that there have been, and currently are, people who have deviated from the teachings of tasawwuf, thus misrepresenting this science. This is not unique to tasawwuf. Our history is full of examples of people who called themselves scholars of tafsir, or hadith while misrepresenting the essence of these sciences. Each of the Islamic sciences is interlinked and bounded by its sister sciences. For example, a scholar of tafsir cannot interpret the Quran by contradicting the hadith. Similarly a true shaykh of tasawwuf (sufism) never breaks even the smallest tenets of the shariah or the sunnah. Rather, he sees them as the means of his progress towards his Lord. In fact, he prefers death over falling into even a minute sin.

I saw a holy man on the seashore wounded by a tiger.
No medicine could relieve his pain; He suffered much,
but he nevertheless constantly thanked God, the most high, saying,
"Praise be to Allah that I have fallen into a calamity and not into sin."

If Not All Sufis Are Authentic How Can I Judge Which To Learn From?
Many of our scholars have addressed this question by listing the "signs" of a true shaykh. Needless to say the common principle has always been submission to the shariah, by following the teachings of one of the four schools of fiqh, and a complete submission to the inner and the outer of the sunnah. This is based on the idea that the Prophet is the nearest and most God conscious of Allah's creation. His daily acts are an exemplification of how the most God-conscious of all of creation lived his life. For example, the Prophet's treating others with kindness, soft speech, humility, preference for white clothing, growing of a lengthy beard, use of the tooth stick, etc are all intentional acts of service to Allah . If someone lacks these sunnan, while claiming they can help bring you closer to Allah, know that they will eventually lead you to a dead end.

What Is The Goal Of The Student Of Tasawwuf?
The goal is complete submission to the shariah and sunnah in order to attain purification of the heart and soul and to develop a true, deep, and lasting connection with Allah .

How Can A Shaykh Assist In These Goals?
A shaykh of tasawwuf spends years in training in order to develop his character, mannerisms, daily schedule, outer being, acts of worship, and knowledge under the guidance of a spiritual master. They learn the essence of worship and practical implications of abandonment of the mundane life of this world from those who are models of god-consciousness. Further, they often spend years mastering the Islamic sciences of Hadith, Quran, tafsir, fiqh, etc. Each aspect of their training further connects them through chains of scholars to the Prophet who, of course, was sent to connect creation to their Lord.

When you enter the company of such a shaykh, their knowledge and extensive experience allows them to assess your spiritual state and hence, advise you on the best "medicine" to cure the diseases of your heart. Just as a doctor is trained to cure physical ailments, so the scholars of tasawwuf treat the maladies of the diseased heart.

I Thought That All One Needs Is The Quran And The Sunnah?
It is true that the Quran and the Sunnah are sufficient. However, at the same time it is also true that a teacher is required to master any subject. If the Quran was sufficient, then Allah could have easily sent the book without a messenger. However, he sent the Prophet as a model of the Quran so that people could directly learn from his example. This then became the method of learning for each of the Islamic sciences. For example, each hadith that Imam Bukhari compiled in his collection of hadith is directly linked to the Prophet through a continuous chain of narrators. Thus, each person in the chain must have learned from someone and must be able to state who that person was. Similar requirements are present in other branches of Islamic science as well. The science of tasawwuf is no exception.

Is It Mandatory That I Learn And Develop My Spirituality Under A Shaykh?
The juristic scholars of the ummah have ruled that taking a spiritual guide is a sunnah. That is, it is not mandatory, however, it is the way of the Prophet . However, according to the scholars of this ummah achieving the aims of tasawwuf are mandatory. For example, purifying the heart from pride, rectifying one's character, etc are essential to ones religion. Thus, if one can achieve these goals on their own, they may. However, if one tries and continually fails, it is highly recommended that he seek the assistance of a spiritual doctor.

What Are The Responsibilities Of The Murid (Student) Of The Shaykh?
The murid takes an allegiance with his shaykh seeking Allah's forgiveness for past sins, shortcomings, and mistakes, and pledging to establish the shariah and sunnah in his life. The shaykh then assigns certain daily exercises of dhikr (remembrance of Allah) to the student in order that they attract the blessings of Allah . Each student has a set daily regimen of Quranic recitation and dhikr, which, if done diligently leads to rapid progress. For more information refer to Shaykh Zulfiqar's Letter Number 2 from his book Wisdom for the Seeker.

How Do I Become A Student (Murid)?
A simple intention is all that is required. You may then contact Shaykh Zulfiqar by email, regular mail, or phone to inform him that you would like to begin the first lesson. With these simple steps your spiritual journey begins.
Who Can I Contact For More Information?
While Shaykh Zulfiqar keeps an extremely busy schedule, he has certain students who have progressed far enough on their journey such that they are given ijazah (authorization) to teach and explain the fundamentals of this science. These representatives of Shaykh Zulfiqar are located throughout the world. If you are interested in getting more information please use our Contact Form. You will then be connected to a representative nearest to your locality.

Tasawwuf.org.

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

O my Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer)! Bestow wisdom on me, and join me with the righteous; grant me honorable mention on the tongue of truth among the latest (generations); make me one of the inheritors of the Garden of Bliss.�
(Qur��n 2683-84)

Unspecified

2,521

Sister

2,929

#2 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 13:54

Yes most definitely it is authentic. Shaykh Zulfiqar Nakshbandi is one of the leading Mashaikh of the time and i've sat through a few of his lectures. Very enlightening masha allah.....Everyone needs a spiritual shaykh. i hope you go for it sister. However one should try nd make contact or at least listen to different mashaikh's lectures, then make a pledge with one who one's heart goes with i.e. one should have compatibility with one's shaykh for the relationship to work

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

Fragrance of Musk

Unspecified

2,521

Sister

2,929

#3 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 14:19

I was wondering if this should be in a new topic. The subject of Tasawwuf has been misunderstood due to the extremes practiced by different groups. The Salafis on one hand totally deny Tasawwuf, branding it as a bid'at, while on the other hand ignorant extreme practices of elevating the Shaykh (pir) to unrealistic stages by Barelwis has lead to many people abstaining from this very important aspect of Deen. A list of "authentic" Mashaikh could be prepared too Insha Allah

What do other members think?

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

Fragrance of Musk

westmidlands

858

Sister

481

#4 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 14:56

To be very honest i didn't even know what tasawwuf meant,until you lot started talking about it,and i always thought Sufi's belonged in the barelvi sect,so i stayed away from them,the sufi's i came cross chant with lights off in the mosque heads turning left and right and chanting very loud,kind of scary.with the very drop of knowledge i have,i have never read anywhere that the prophet or his companion use to do that,it didnt feel or seem right..so i stayed away from sufi's.

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

Unspecified

2,521

Sister

2,929

#5 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 15:28

Well its never too late! Tasawwuf/Sufism/Tariqah is nothing but a path to self rectification under the guidance of a Shaykh who himself has travelled that path and has been given ijaazat to guide others by his Shaykh ...........

Perhaps you will choose my Shaykh and we shall become "soul sisters"!

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

Fragrance of Musk

westmidlands

858

Sister

481

#6 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 15:59

And may i ask sis who is your shaykh?

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

Unspecified

2,521

Sister

2,929

#7 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 16:10

does not matter who my shaikh is ....there are many very good mashaikh ....listen to their speeches and read their books and see which one you have congeniality with..eveyone will not incline to the same shaikh

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

Fragrance of Musk

6,700

Brother

945

#8 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 16:22

This topic has been split into a new one. Please always start new topics if the topic/subject completely changes such as this. Jazakumullah

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

I am not a Mufti

westmidlands

858

Sister

481

#9 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 16:30

ummi taalib wrote:

The one & only Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (hafizahullah) who established the Islamic Da'wah Academy in Leicester! Check out www.shaykh.org for his beautiful teachings which his students carefully record

i already do go on his site,maybe you could take me under your wing(smile)

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

Unspecified

2,521

Sister

2,929

#10 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 17:01

Through the barakah of these pious souls if Allah rabbul izzat takes us under His "wing" we'll be made!

The whole point of Taswwuf is that we attain a connection with Allah ta'ala and that can only be acheived by following the COMPLETE deen which includes self purification. Then the connection can Insha Allah get stronger and stronger as we work harder and harder to attain the beautiful qualites and to fight off the evil qualities..

Shaykh Mawlana Zakariyya said regarding Tasawwuf:

"The ibtidaa (beginning) of Tasawwuf is: Innamal a'amaalu binniyyaat (verily actions are judged by the intentions).

The intihaa (ending) is: An ta'budullaaha ka-annaka taraahu - (Worship Allah as though you see him)"

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

Fragrance of Musk

Unspecified

738

Brother

313

#11 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 19:06

I don't have any mashaik ..i have done a bayath with everyone else at the gathering with Hazarat Molana Yusuf Motala saheb at the youth tarbiyah conference some years ago ..it was just a general bai'ah to refrain from sins.
Don't know much about having a sheikh and what it involves really.

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

Unspecified

2,521

Sister

2,929

#12 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 20:19

So if you are inclined towards him perhaps you should contact him and ask him to help with rectification (islah)...just so we get the terminology correct, "shaykh" is singular and "mashaikh" is plural. Hope you dont mind me pointing it out but we might as well Insha Allah start off right

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

Fragrance of Musk

Unspecified

738

Brother

313

#13 [Permalink] Posted on 15th March 2010 21:18

Jazakallah for pointing that out ..didn't know that..thought it might just mean mysheikh (smile)..i need someone close to talk to on an everyday basis..Maulana Yusuf Motala Sahab is in Bury,but i also love my Mufti sahab who is also my Imam..Guess who that might be?

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

westmidlands

858

Sister

481

#14 [Permalink] Posted on 16th March 2010 10:25

To be very honest sis ummi,in Birmingham the majority are baralvi,so finding a sheikh is hard,besides i dont even know any sheikh apart from barelvi sheikh.maybe there are few Alh hadith sheikh,but thats about it,you get few circles but that's only women.and as for your shaikh,well his bit far off,i dont travel much

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

Unspecified

2,521

Sister

2,929

#15 [Permalink] Posted on 16th March 2010 12:45

You dont need to travel sister in islam as the Mashaikh on the haqq do not meet women. We have to maintain contact by letter, email or phone. I live in London but my contact with my Shaykh is regular. He advices as and when necessary. You can even have a Shaykh who lives in another country. Its easy nowadays to keep in touch.

Could it be Mufti Taqi Uthmani shining light? He is also a Shaykh who is highly respected . Alhamdulillah we are not short of great mashaikh even in our era.....

Shaykh Riyadhul Haqq - Leicester
Shaykh Ahmed Ali - Bradford
Shaykh Zulfiqar - Pakistan
Shaykh Mufti Zubayr Dudha - Dewsbury etc. etc etc.

report post quote code quick quote reply

No post ratings

Fragrance of Musk

Tasawwuf? What is it?

Font Size

Font Weight