If it is said, “The method of acquiring these qualities is what the latter generations named tasawwuf”. They react with a frown because they dread this term. Others would disapprove because of their bitter experiences with the forerunners and false claimants. They would recall unpleasant incidents and observations that they encountered with them.
This is not the case with tasawwuf alone. It is the problem with all other skills and reformations, where there will be found amongst their propagators, administrators, missionaries and claimants those who are genuine and the false, the authorized and unauthorized, the mature and immature, and even the faithful and the faithless. Inspite both of these opposing types, any just person will not deny the necessity of the profession nor object to it.
In worldly professions too, whether it is business, agriculture, industry or craftsmanship, both types are present, the expert and the novice, the guide and the deceiver. Yet, the affairs of the world and religion go on as such. One must attend to one's own affairs and neither deprive himself of this treasure because of inexperienced claimants, nor cast aside the actual reality because of disagreement with any technical term. A poet has appropriately said,
“Wise men do not get involved with words,
Is the diver's interest in the shells or the pearls ?"
There are two groups who are opposed to tasawwuf. One comprises those who accept its constituents separately, but deny it if it is referred to as a whole. The majority of the people applaud the aforementioned aim and qualities separately, but if it be said to them that, “Some people have for some reasons given all these qualities a common name then their colors change instantly and they say, ‘We don’t believe in tasawwuf, it has caused great harm’."
The other group are those to whom it is acceptable if it is proposed under a different name. For example if it is said, “The Noble Qur’aan has termed it ‘tazkiyah’ (purger). The hadith names it ‘ihsaan’. The latter jurists termed it ‘fiqh al-baatin’ (spiritual jurisprudence)”, they would then reply that there is no contradiction and that all of these are declarations of Allah and His Rasul (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam).
Verily, neither can alterations be made to all the books written, nor can the tongues of men be withheld. Otherwise, if we were given the option, we should have referred to it by the words ‘tazkiyah’ and ‘ihsaan’ and not use the word ‘tasawwuf’. Now this is the popular name. This designation is not exclusive to this science alone.
The history of the arts and sciences is full of such common technical terms. Authorities on sciences have all along laid stress on the aims and kept the means within their limits. With great courage and strong wills have they not only refuted that which was foreign to its soul, essence and real goal but they have also refuted that which proved harmful and irrelevant.
There is no such period in the history of Islam in which the experts, tutors and propagators of this subject did not differentiate between its body and soul, reality and form, aims and customs. All of them, from the peer of all peers, Shaikh Abdul Qaadir Jilaani (rahmatullahi 'alaihi) and Shaikh Shahaabuddin Suharwardi (rahmatullahi 'alaihi) upto Mujaddid al-Alf ath-Thaani (rahmatullahi 'alaihi), Hadhrat Shah Waliullah Dihlawi (rahmatullahi 'alaihi), Hadhrat Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed (rahmatullahi 'alaihi), Hadhrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (rahmatullahi 'alaihi). and Hakim al-Ummat Hadhrat Maulana Ashraf 'Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi 'alaihi), all have emphatically made a clear distinction between the kernel and shell, the correct object and incorrect interpretation. They have vehemently rejected all those customs and ways which were introduced into and regarded as part of tasawwuf and tariqat by association with non-Muslims and immature sufis who were unaware.
This subject is found in many places in the following kitaabs: ‘Futuhul Ghaib’ and ‘Ghuniyatut Taalibeen’ by Hadhrat Shaikh Abdul Qaadir Jilaani (rahmatullahi 'alaihi), ‘Awaariful Ma’aarif’ by Hadhrat Shaikh Shahaabuddin Suharwardi (rahmatullahi 'alaihi), ‘Maktubaat Imaam Rabbaani’ by Hadhrat Mujaddid Saheb (rahmatullahi 'alaihi), the works of Hadhrat Shah Waliullah (rahmatullahi 'alaihi), ‘Siraat Mustaqeem’ by Hadhrat Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed (rahmatullahi 'alaihi), the letters written by Hadhrat Gangohi (rahmatullahi 'alaihi), and ‘Tarbiyatus Saalik’ and ‘Qasd as-Sabeel’ by Hadhrat Maulana Thanvi (rahmatullahi 'alaihi). They have separated the true from the false showing absolute impartiality.
Hadhrat Shah Waliullah Saheb (rahmatullahi 'alaihi) has written thus,
“The spiritual connection of the sufis is a great blessing and an alchemy, but their customs (those for which there is no proof in the shari'ah) are worthless. Likewise all these men, without exception, have earnestly stressed the importance of proper ethics, transactions and civil rights and stipulated this as a condition of reformation and approach (to Allah). Their writings elaborate extensively on this topic and their congregations always consisted of advice and propagation in this respect."
We were blessed to stay in the company of the saints of our times. Just upon seeing them were we convinced and believed in tasawwuf. We not only found ‘tasawwuf’ and ‘tariqah’ in them, but also the essence of ‘deen’ and the ‘shari'ah’. Their characters were a reflection of the character of Rasulullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam). Their lives, actions and dealings were weighed and molded according to the shari'ah. We noticed that they always separated the aims from the means and laid stress on realities by staying away from and disregarding technical terms.
They did not attach any importance to customs and were staunch opposers and denouncers of innovations. Their obedience to the sunnah was not only confined to devotions but it also enveloped their habits and dealings as well. They were not followers of this science, but were in fact true reformers. With their divine insight and lengthy experience, they accomplished their task, sometimes with brevity and selection and at other times with omissions and amendments.
Treatment and advice were dispensed to suit each one's individual nature. In the remedy and diet, full consideration was given to conditions, occupations and temperaments.
Their status in this field is similar to that of a discoverer of medicine or an inventor of a skill. They were masters and not slaves of their profession. Their actual concern was the health and benefit of the (spiritually) sick and not to tread the beaten track (i.e. to be a slave of old customs and rites).
Their concept of the actual purpose of tasawwuf is the sincerity of desiring Allah’s pleasure, be it reformation of character, honest dealings, development of a moderate nature, self control, giving preference to others, submission, recitations, strivings, staying in the company of a shaikh and even bai’ah. If these are not achieved then all this effort is synonymous to a person who works all day long trying to move a mountain with a piece of straw.
Poem:
Khawaja Saheb thinks he has attained spiritual heights,
This conclusion of Khawaja is mere wishful thinking.
Link:
at-Talib: Shaikh Abul Hasan 'Ali an-Nadwi On Tasawwuf