Is Sufism against Shari'ah:
There is a difference of opinion among scholars of Islam regarding origin of the root word Sufi as the word Sufi was not known till the third century AH. After quoting various opinion scholars say that it is derived from Suf (woolen garment) some say that, it is extracted from the word 'Safa' (cleaning of impurity).
The first Sufi group arose in Basra (Iraq) and the founders of the first Khanqah (Sufi Seminary) were the students of Abdul Wahid bin Zayd, who was a disciple of the famous Hasan Basri.
Sufism and Tasawwuf as a term were coined in later years but words such as Tazkia and Ahsan appear in the Qur'an and Hadith respectively.
The word Tazkia which means to purify oneself appear several times in the Quran.
For example:
Our Lord, and send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify (tazkia) them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
— Al-Baqarah: 129
This particular verse points out that the job of the Prophet was to introduce recitation of the Quran to his Sahabah (companions), to purify their souls and to establish a bond with God, to teach the wisdom of Quran & Sunnah which covers all spheres of life and familiarize them to numerous treasures of knowledge they were ignorant of.
It is very important and necessary to liberate the Nafs (the lower self) to achieve and develop a firm belief, remove oneself from the adornments of vices such as jealousy, greed, to show off, anxiety, malice, hatred, etc. To remove these vices is not only virtuous but also necessary according to the Shari'ah. The method of removing such vices from oneself is what later generations termed as tasawwuf.
Abul Hassan ali Nadvi (ra) - A contemporary scholar of Islam emphasizes that there are four categories of men.
The first lowest state is that of a self-oppressor who has a hard heart, which does not soften by listening to the Qur'an or by remembering God. About whom God says -
Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. For indeed, there are stones from which rivers burst forth, and there are some of them that split open and water comes out, and there are some of them that fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do (Quran 2:74)
these people consists of major part of human being with very little spiritual sense many of whom have no concern for religion.
The second state is that of pious believers who cannot endure inspirations because of weakness in their hearts, they either faint or die. In worldly matters too, some people become insane or even die due to excessive happiness or grief.
If this stage befalls on anyone, then without transgression on his part, he is neither sinful nor suspected.
Similarly, if one listens to the Qur'an without transgressing any law and an inspiration enters his heart due to which he becomes unconscious, such state is known as Fana or Sukr (a spiritual state where the Sufi loses consciousness).
Such a person is excused as it is outside the control of a person. such people are much better than those who cannot reach this rank because of weak faith, hardened hearts.
The third state refers to those who do not loose their consciousness in spite of achieving a high degree of faith and these are superior and more exalted than those of second stage are Sahaba (companions of the Prophet) never lost their senses during the period of ecstasy.
The highest degree of faith is bestowed upon the Prophets.
An example can be cited of the Prophet Muhammd (pbuh) experienced Meraj and many such things were shown to him, yet his condition was unchanged the next morning. This state of the Prophet was more superior to that of the Moses (pbuh) who fainted, while observing Divine manifestation at Mount Toor. Certainly, Moses's state cannot be questioned but prophet Muhammad had an even higher and sublime experience. (Saviours of Islamic Spirit ,p37-38)
Ali Miyan Nadvi argues that people react with grimace because they are dismayed by the term tasawwuf because of their bitter experience with false Sufi saints. They recall unpleasant incidents and observations that they encountered with them. This is not the case with tasawwuf only but in every field and walks of life yet, the affairs of the world and religion are running.
One must adopt the practice of purification (Tazkia) for his own benefit and not to give up these treasures due to, inexperienced claimants, nor cast aside the actual reality because of disagreement with any technical term.
The word Ahsan appears in the hadith of Jibreel : which mentions about Islam and Ahsan the hadith of Jibreel goes as follows:
One day while the Prophet (ﷺ) was sitting in the company of some people, (The angel) Gabriel came in human form and asked, "What is faith?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, 'Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, (the) meeting with Him, His Apostles, and to believe in Resurrection." Then he further asked, "What is Islam?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "To worship Allah Alone and none else, to offer prayers perfectly to pay the compulsory charity (Zakat) and to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan." Then he further asked, "What is Ihsan (perfection)?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is looking at you." Then he further asked, "When will the Hour be established?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "The answerer has no better knowledge than the questioner. But I will inform you about its portents.
1. When a slave (lady) gives birth to her master.
2. When the shepherds of black camels start boasting and competing with others in the construction of higher buildings. And the Hour is one of five things which nobody knows except Allah.
The Prophet (ﷺ) then recited: "Verily, with Allah (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour--." (31. 34) Then that man (Gabriel) left and the Prophet (ﷺ) asked his companions to call him back, but they could not find him. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "That was Gabriel who came to teach the people their religion." Abu 'Abdullah said: He (the Prophet) considered all that as a part of faith.
Shah Wali Allah Dehlvi (one of the greatest Muslim scholar India has ever produced) says in Altaf al-quds:
The sacred arrangements of the Shariah with regard to the foregoing is developed in two directions. The first involves effecting a reformation through good deeds, the abandonment of the major sins, and the establishment of the marks of true community. For these three things the observance and limits are laid down, and all followers of the Shariah are required to abide by them. This is the outward form of the Shariah and is called Islam. The second direction consists in the purification of the different levels of self through the reality of the four virtues, and passing from these goodness to the splendors which they contain, and progressing from the mere outward abstention from sin to a repudiation of its very essence. This is the inward form the Shariah, and it is called Ahsan (inward virtue and beauty).
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