[Abu_Hind]

Hadhrat Maulana Sayyid Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi [ra] on Tassawuf:

Mufakkir al-Islam Maulana Abul Hasan 'Ali an-Nadwi (rahmatullahi 'alaihi) writes:

“There are two very difficult unavoidable stages encountered in all doctrines, be they ethics, education and training, reformation or the sciences. The one stage where the means become the object, and the other where technical terms obscure realities. Both the means and the technical terms are imperative and absolutely inborn and natural, without which the propagation and expansion, teaching and explanation of these high objects is practically impossible. However, be they the means or technical terms, for the purpose of achieving the aims and realities, their function is that of attendants and assistants. They are adopted temporarily for the completion of a necessity.

At times they are overemphasized and deemed to be the objects and realities themselves. When an expert in any skill deems it necessary, he gives instruction to do without, or completely drop both the means and technical terms. Here the expert governs the means and technical terms instead of being controlled by them. He simultaneously considers that it does not exceed the limits and so becomes detrimental instead of beneficial, and instead of conveying him to his goal, it becomes an obstacle.

An historical fact which has to be acknowledged is that time and again this misfortune befalls lofty ideals, where means become the object and technical terms obscure realities with a thick veil. Not only were they obscured, but moreover the bitter experiments and grave errors of the flag bearers of these technical terms gave rise to such grievous misunderstandings that a great number of true and upright people have learnt to dread and dislike these aims and realities. It has now become a very difficult task to make them recognize and value these realities and make an effort to attain these goals.

If a discourse to denote the importance of acquiring these aims is delivered, or an effort to satisfy them is made, then they are confronted with the enormous mountain of ‘means’, about which the immature and unauthorized reformers exaggerated and also unnecessarily compelled them to do. These reformers themselves became so confused that the actual aim was totally forgotten and disregarded.

Similarly, when the call for these self evident and undisputed realities was made, it was obscured by technical terms. These technical words could also be interpreted differently. Generally, because of the span of time, technical terms had to be formed to explain such realities and to draw people towards understanding them. This was done for particular reasons, because of the demand of the social structure and special situations that prevailed.

The forerunners of these realities, whose lives were a true reflection of these facts, were unacquainted with these technical terms.

They used different words, expressions and ways to explain these realities. If a study is made of the history of any science from etymology, syntax, rules, dialect, rhetorics (balaghat) to realities, recognition, spiritual reformation, it will be found, when a comparison is made, that the earlier ones were in full control of the means, whereas the latter ones were, in contrast, controlled by the means.

The authorized experts were propagators and inviters while the novices were captives of their mentors and technical terms. This became an agonizing factor in the path of the exalted aims of religion, ethics, skills and sciences. Students throughout the ages were always confronted by this difficult test.

The matter of tasawwuf is very similar. As far as the aims and objects are concerned, they are self evident and unanimously accepted. Tasawwuf has been adversely affected by the following two factors. The means were exaggerated and the technical terms were over emphasized and insisted on.

If a person is questioned, “Are loyalty and ethics important or not?". “Is it necessary to develop a firm belief or not?". “Is it commendable to be adorned with virtues and be free from vice, such as jealousy, kibr ( to degrade another arrogantly ), to show off, bear malice and hatred, have love for wealth and honor or not?". “Is it desirable to liberate the low nafs from these evil tendencies?". “Humility and humbleness in salaat, the state of modesty and entreatment whilst weeping in duaa, the habit of taking stock of one's soul, and above all, the love for Allah and His Rasul (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam), achievement of a feeling of satisfaction and sweetness or at least to be eager and punctual to attain it, clean dealings, truth and trust, having regard for the rights of humanity, control over ones self, especially in times of anger, are all these desirable or not?". Every sane person, especially the Muslim who is not blindfolded by prejudice, will definitely give this answer: “That these are not only virtuous but also necessary according to the shari'ah, and these are the exhortations of the entire Qur’aan and volumes of hadith literature.