In the books of the Sufis, we encounter certain statements that, on the surface, appear to contradict the explicit texts and rulings of the sharia (sharia, the sacred law). These are:
They are fabrications or slanders, as we have explained, inserted by heretics, the envious, and enemies of Islam.
They are statements open to interpretation, uttered by Sufis as allusions or in figurative and metaphorical language. Such expressions are abundant in Arabic rhetoric. We also find many such statements clearly in the Book of Allah. Examples are seen in the following verses. In al-Baqara 2:93, the Exalted Allah says:
“Because of their disbelief, love for the calf was infused into their hearts.” Likewise, in Yūsuf 12:82:
“If you do not believe us, ask the city in which we were.” Here, the phrase ‘ask the city’ means ‘ask the people of the city.’ In al-Anʿām 6:122:
“And is one who was dead and We gave him life...” That is, Allah revived him when his heart was dead.
In Ibrāhīm 14:1, the Exalted Allah says:
“This is a Book which We have revealed to you so that you may bring mankind out of darknesses into the light, by permission of their Lord.” Here, the apparent meaning of ‘darkness’ is the darkness of kufr (disbelief), and ‘light’ refers to the light of iman (faith).
When we review certain verses of the Noble Qur'an, we may perceive an apparent contradiction. However, upon deeper examination of their meaning, and by investigating the indications and connections they entail, we find that these verses require interpretation (taʾwīl). It is not possible to claim that the verses of the Noble Qur'an are contradictory or inconsistent. For example, in al-Qaṣaṣ 28:56, the Exalted Allah says:
“Indeed, you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.”
Yet elsewhere, in al-Shūrā 42:52:
“And indeed, you guide to a straight path.”
One who does not understand the science of tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis) may imagine a contradiction between these two texts. For the first verse asserts that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) cannot guide, while the second affirms that he does. If one were to ask a scholar versed in dhikr (remembrance of God), he would explain that ‘guidance’ in the first verse means ‘creating guidance,’ while in the second it means ‘showing the way and giving direction.’ Thus, those endowed with understanding know there is no contradiction between these two texts.
Similarly, it is neither correct nor sound to interpret certain Prophetic hadiths solely by their outward meaning. It is necessary to interpret them in a manner that does not contradict the meanings of the sharia texts and the clear meanings of the Noble Qur'an. Imām al-Shaʿrānī (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “The people of truth have unanimously agreed that it is obligatory to interpret hadiths concerning the attributes of Allah. For example: ‘When the last third of the night remains, our blessed and exalted Lord (in a manner unknown to us) descends every night to the lowest heaven and says: ‘Whoever calls upon Me, I will answer him; whoever asks Me for something, I will grant it; whoever seeks My forgiveness, I will forgive him.’”[1] It has reached us that one of the deviants, while on the pulpit, stepped down a step and said to the people: “Just as I descend from this pulpit, so does your Lord descend from His Throne to the sky.” This is ignorance beyond compare.[2]
This hadith also requires interpretation: “Allah created Adam in His image.”[3] The great scholar Ibn Ḥajar al-Haythamī (may Allah have mercy on him) interprets this hadith by saying: “If we take the pronoun ‘his’ as referring to Allah, then ‘image’ must be understood as ‘attribute.’ That is, Allah created Adam (peace be upon him) upon His own attributes, such as knowledge, power, etc.” This meaning is confirmed by the hadith of ʿĀʾisha (may Allah be pleased with her): “The character of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was the Qur'an.”[4] Another confirming hadith is: “Adorn yourselves with the character of Allah.”
Indeed, what is required of the perfect human is to purify his traits and qualities from all deficiencies so as to be adorned with the character of his Lord. If this is not realized, there arises a distance between the Eternal (Allah) and the contingent (human). From this, it is understood that this hadith is a great praise for Adam (peace be upon him). Allah created in Adam (peace be upon him) His own attributes in the sense explained above. However, a human’s attributes can never be like those of Allah, for Allah’s attributes are eternal and everlasting, while human attributes are created and not everlasting. In summary, if we take the pronoun ‘his’ as referring to Allah, then we should interpret it according to the view of the later, more knowledgeable scholars, in contrast to the heretical sects who ascribe direction and corporeality to Allah, which is a grave sin and, according to many scholars, kufr (disbelief). May Allah, by His grace and bounty, protect us from such bāṭil (false) beliefs.[5]
The great scholar al-Munāwī (may Allah have mercy on him), in his commentary on “Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaghīr,” said regarding a hadith narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will say: ‘O son of Adam, I was ill and you did not visit Me.’ The servant will say: ‘O my Lord, You are the Lord of the worlds (transcendent above place); how could I visit You?’ The Lord of the worlds will say: ‘Did you not know that My servant so-and-so was ill and you did not visit him? Did you not know that if you had visited him, you would have found Me with him?’”[6] Some of the gnostics were asked about Allah attributing to Himself qualities specific to humans, such as hunger and thirst. Is it better to leave such reports as they are, or to interpret them as Allah Himself does in the continuation of the hadith, “How could I feed You?” The gnostics replied: “It is obligatory to interpret them for the common people, so that they do not commit inappropriate acts or show disrespect to sacred matters. For the gnostics, however, it is obligatory to believe in these reports according to the knowledge given to them, not according to their literal sense, for Allah’s ḥaqīqa (inner reality) is unlike any other reality. He does not resemble His creation in any way, nor can He be compared to them. Therefore, the early generations refrained from interpretation so as not to diminish the perfection of faith, for Allah has charged them with faith, not with interpretation. Sometimes, interpretation does not correspond to Allah’s intent. It is proper etiquette to attribute to Allah whatever He attributes to Himself. And so on.”[7]
The speech of the Master of the Prophets (peace and blessings be upon him), who was endowed with eloquence, clarity, and the ability to express much with few words, sometimes requires interpretation beyond its literal wording.
Just as the words of those among his community who do not reach his level in clarity and eloquence are interpreted and explained, so too, and even more so, should his own words be interpreted.
Moreover, every scientific and religious discipline (such as jurisprudence, hadith, logic, grammar, geometry, algebra, and philosophy) has its own technical terms, which only those versed in the field can understand. Can an engineer understand the professional tools and terms used by a doctor, or vice versa?
Anyone who reads the technical terms in scholarly books without knowing them or being familiar with the symbols and signs of that science will interpret what he reads contrary to the intended meaning of the scholars. He will deviate from the intentions of the authors and, as a result, go astray.
The Sufis have certain terms that, even if only to a small extent, help to describe their experiences and perceptions. These are used when ordinary language is insufficient. Those who wish to understand must attend their gatherings, for through continued association, their allusions and terms become clear and known. Only then does one realize that the Sufis do not depart from the Book and sunnah, and one learns their terminology. It becomes clear that they do not stray from the path of the radiant sharia. For they understand the spirit of the Muhammadan sharia and uphold its ḥaqīqa (inner reality), preserving its legacy.
Some gnostics have said: “We are a people for whom it is forbidden for those not of our tariqa (Sufi path/order) to look into our books.”[8]
The purpose of writing these books is to transmit this noble knowledge to its rightful people. If those unqualified study these books, they will not understand, and then become hostile to the community. For man is an enemy to what he does not know. For this reason, Sayyid ʿAlī b. Wafā (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Whoever writes knowledge and secrets not written by the majority, and allows the unqualified to read it, others should prevent them from reading it, for they will not understand.”[9]
To clarify the matter, we say:
The reason for warning those who do not understand the discourse and terminology of the Sufis against reading their books is not that they wish to conceal their knowledge. Rather, it is out of fear that people will misunderstand their intent and interpret their words in a way contrary to reality. For this reason, they did not wish their books to be read by those who do not know their sciences, lest they object and deny them. When addressing people, a believer is required to speak in terms that are agreed upon, understood, and within their capacity. For this reason, Imām al-Bukhārī (may Allah have mercy on him) opened a chapter in his “Ṣaḥīḥ” entitled: “The chapter on specifying knowledge for one group over another due to their inability to understand.” Our Imām ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Speak to people according to what they know. Do you want Allah and His Messenger to be denied?”[10] The great scholar al-ʿAynī (may Allah have mercy on him), in his commentary on this hadith, said: “Some have refrained from teaching certain knowledge to those who cannot understand it. The intent is to speak to people according to their intellect.” ʿĀdam b. Iyās (may Allah have mercy on him), from ʿAbdullāh b. Dāwūd (may Allah have mercy on him), from Maʿrūf al-Karkhī (may Allah have mercy on him), said at the end of ‘Kitāb al-ʿIlm’: “Leave what they dislike,” meaning do not say to them what is ambiguous or not understood. This proves that ambiguous speech should not be uttered in public. Likewise, Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said, as recorded in the introduction to “Muslim” with a sound chain: “Do not speak to a people with words they cannot comprehend, lest it become a trial for some of them.” If someone hears a word he does not understand and, being unable to conceive of it, believes it to be false, he will not affirm its occurrence. If such a statement is attributed to Allah and His Messenger, he will feel compelled to deny it.[11]
Shaykh Aḥmad Zarrūq (may Allah have mercy on him) says in his “Qawāʿid”: “Every science has its specific and general aspects. Sufism is no different in this regard. Perhaps, while it is necessary to speak to everyone about Allah’s rulings regarding transactions, other matters should be discussed according to the listener’s capacity, not the speaker’s. The hadith says: ‘Speak to people according to what they can understand! Do you want Allah and His Messenger to be denied?’”[12] Junayd (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: “Two people asked you about a matter; you gave one answer to one, and a different answer to the other.” Junayd replied: “One answers according to the understanding of the questioner.” For Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “We have been commanded to speak to people according to their intellect.”[13]
Shaykh Muḥyiddīn Ibn ʿArabī (may Allah have mercy on him), in the 54th chapter of his “Futūḥāt,” mentions: “Know that the people of Allah, though they know openly, have established among themselves signs (terms) to prevent outsiders from understanding their states. This is out of compassion, lest someone fail to comprehend and fall into denial, thereby being deprived of that spiritual station forever. There are many wondrous things in this path not found elsewhere. Just as logicians, grammarians, mathematicians, theologians, philosophers, and others have technical terms, so too do the Sufis. Only those who study with the experts can learn these sciences and terms. However, for the sincere murīd (aspirant, disciple) who joins the path of those knowledgeable in Sufi sciences and terms, by sitting in their gatherings and listening to their allusions, he comes to understand all their discourse as if he himself had established those signs. He participates with them without strangeness and comes to see this knowledge as necessary, even without knowing how he acquired it. This is the state of the sincere murīd.
As for the false murīds, they neither understand what they hear nor what they read. Indeed, in every age, outward scholars have desired to understand the discourse of this group. The story of Aḥmad b. Surayj suffices: One day he attended the gathering of Junayd (may Allah have mercy on him) and, when asked what he understood from Junayd’s speech, he replied: “I do not know what he said, but I find the power of his words manifest in my heart. This power points to inward action and sincerity. It is clear that Junayd’s discourse is not false. The Sufis speak in allusions in the presence of outsiders or write in their books, but not elsewhere. Furthermore, this denial arises from the envy of false enemies. If these deniers abandoned envy and followed the path of the people of Allah, they would neither envy nor deny. They would benefit from their knowledge and increase their own. But such is the case! There is no power nor strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.”[14]
In his “Ḥāshiya” on “Durr al-Mukhtār,” Ibn ʿĀbidīn (may Allah have mercy on him), while commenting on the words of the author, said: When asked about Shaykh Muḥyiddīn Ibn ʿArabī’s “Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam,” caution is necessary. If it is proven to be a fabrication, the matter is clear; if not, not everyone can understand his intent. Thus, one fears that the reader may become a denier or misunderstand the intended meaning.
Ḥāfiẓ al-Suyūṭī (may Allah have mercy on him), in his treatise “Tanbīh al-Ghabī bi Tabri’at Ibn ʿArabī,” states: On this matter, people are divided into two groups. The correct group believes in his sainthood; the other rejects it. He then says: My final word is this, though neither group will accept it: believe in his sainthood, but do not read his books. It is also reported from him: “We are a people for whom it is forbidden for those not of our tariqa to look into our books.” For the Sufis have agreed to establish technical terms in Sufism, and have even concealed their meanings from jurists not of their own path. Whoever interprets these terms according to their apparent meaning commits kufr (disbelief). Al-Ghazālī (may Allah have mercy on him) argued in some of his books: “This is like the ambiguous expressions in the Qur'an and sunnah, such as ‘face,’ ‘hand,’ ‘eye,’ and ‘istiwāʾ’ (establishing over the Throne). (According to the people of the sunnah, these require interpretation.) If it is established that the book is truly by Ibn ʿArabī, then every word in it must be verified, as it is possible that an enemy, heretic, or atheist inserted something not originally present. Also, it must be established that the intended meaning is the one known among the Sufis. But this is impossible to know, and whoever claims to know it is a disbeliever, for such matters pertain to the heart, which only Allah knows. Some great scholars asked certain Sufis: ‘What led you to agree upon new terms with unpleasant literal meanings?’ The Sufis replied:
‘It is out of jealousy for our tariqa. Lest someone who does not understand the path claim to be a Sufi and introduce something foreign.’”[15]
The great scholar Ibn Ḥajar al-Haythamī (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the ruling on reading the books of Ibn ʿArabī and Ibn al-Fāriḍ (may Allah have mercy on them). He replied: “It is permissible, even recommended, to read their books, for they contain many benefits and endless good not found elsewhere, as well as wondrous divine secrets. They have expressed stations that others could not translate or articulate. However, they have also included symbols that only the gnostics can understand. Only those with complete knowledge and practice—true Rabbānīs (friends of Allah)—can approach the Sufi sanctuary. They are those who combine the outward and inward rulings of the radiant sharia in the most complete manner. For this reason, the Rabbānīs recognized and acknowledged the virtue of the authors of these books.” He also said: “The common people, the ignorant, and the unworthy constantly read these books, despite the subtlety of their meanings, the delicacy of their allusions, and the obscurity of their content. The structure of these books is free from blame and defect. They are adorned with outward sciences, true states, and radiant character. Because they are weak in understanding these excellent books, they misunderstand and interpret them contrary to their intent. As a result, they will suffer loss on the Day of Judgment, believing their mistaken understanding to be correct. Some, due to this faulty understanding, have fallen into beliefs such as waḥdat al-wujūd (unity of being) and ḥulūl (incarnation), which are false. I have even heard such corrupt and manifestly unbelieving statements from some who read these books without proper knowledge or eloquence. The situation of those who read Sufi books without understanding and go astray has led many scholars to disparage these books and quickly reject them. This should be excused, for their aim was not to deny the authors themselves, but to protect the ignorant from deadly poison.”[16]
Al-Shaʿrānī (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “It is only permissible for a perfect scholar or one who has entered the path of this group to read books specific to the science of tawḥid (the oneness of God) and the books of the gnostics. No one else may read them, for even intelligent people may fall into dangers and doubts they cannot escape. If this is the case for the intelligent, how will those without intelligence understand? Yet, it is the nature of the nafs (the lower self) to desire and pursue what is of no benefit to it.”[17]
Shaykh ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Jīlī (may Allah have mercy on him), in his work “al-Insān al-Kāmil,” says: “After stating that what I have included in this book is supported by the Book of Allah and the sunnah of the Messenger of God, I ask anyone who reads this book: If you find something that clearly contradicts the Book and sunnah, know that the meaning you have understood is not what I intended. When you encounter such a passage, withhold judgment until Allah opens to you the knowledge of what is hidden, and until you find evidence from the Book of Allah and the sunnah of His Messenger; do not act upon it until then.” He continues: “Know that any knowledge not supported by the Book and sunnah is misguidance. However, your inability to find supporting evidence does not mean that the knowledge is not valid. Sometimes, knowledge is supported by the Book and sunnah, but due to your limited capacity and understanding, you may think it is not. In such cases, your only recourse is to withhold judgment.”[18]
Certain conclusions have been drawn from the statements of the great jurists and the texts we have cited from the Sufi tradition. The most important are:
A. Out of fear of misunderstanding the ḥaqīqa (inner reality) and misinterpreting the authors’ intent, it is neither correct nor permissible for anyone other than those who have entered the Sufi path to study these books. Others are unfamiliar with their terminology, technical expressions, and allusions. Sufi books are divided into three categories:
The first category: Books that seek to correct acts of worship and perform them in both form and spirit, with humility and reverence before Allah, and that emphasize adherence to outward etiquette. The second category: Books that discuss spiritual struggle against the nafs, purification, the heart, and spiritual states, such as freeing the heart from blameworthy traits like doubt, misgivings, ostentation, malice, hatred, love of status, envy, and so on, and adorning it with repentance, tawakkul (reliance upon God), riḍā (contentment with God's decree), submission, love, ikhlas (sincerity), truthfulness, humility, vigilance, and other praiseworthy qualities. These two categories are found in works such as al-Ghazālī’s (may Allah have mercy on him) “Iḥyāʾ,” Abū Ṭālib al-Makkī’s (may Allah have mercy on him) “Qūt al-Qulūb,” and similar books. These sciences are called “practical sciences.”
The third category: Books that discuss divine knowledge, inspired sciences, spiritual tastes, and unveiled realities. Most of the works of Shaykh Muḥyiddīn Ibn ʿArabī (may Allah have mercy on him), such as “al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya” and “Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam,” and ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Jīlī’s (may Allah have mercy on him) “al-Insān al-Kāmil” belong to this category. However, it is problematic for those who have not entered the path of the Sufi gnostics to read such books. These sciences are called “sciences of unveiling.”
B. Sufism (taṣawwuf) is not attained merely by reading books or knowing terminology. Rather, it is attained by accompanying the people of Sufism and attending their gatherings. Shaykh al-Shaʿrānī (may Allah have mercy on him) says: I heard from my master ʿAlī Ḥawwās (may Allah have mercy on him): “O my brother, do not think you have become a Sufi simply by reading their books and learning their terminology! True Sufism is to be adorned with their character and to know how to derive the etiquette and moral principles they have taken from the Book and sunnah.”[19]
C. The Sufis have established these allusions and symbols only for those who enter their tariqa. For we have explained that Sufism is not attained by reading books, but by the company of those endowed with spiritual taste.
D. Any texts containing kufr (disbelief), deviation from the truth, or apostasy are certainly fabrications and slanders against this group (the Sufis). As seen in the previous citations, they are firmly attached to the Book and sunnah!
E. As for those statements that are authentically established and can be interpreted in a manner not contrary to the sound creed of the people of the sunnah, it is obligatory to interpret them accordingly. For these are the beliefs they hold and explain. As is their custom, they always state these in the prefaces of their books. See, for example, the prefaces of “Risāla al-Qushayriyya,” “al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya,” “al-Taʿarruf li-Madhhab Ahl al-Taṣawwuf,” “Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn,” and other Sufi works!
F. Any statement attributed to them that cannot be interpreted in a correct manner, if it is indeed from them, is to be rejected. We neither believe in it nor accept it. We may even say that believing in it is kufr (disbelief). However, we do not accuse any specific individual of disbelief, for we do not know how anyone will die. We are responsible only for the creed of the people of truth (the people of the sunnah and the community), not for that of any other person!
O esteemed reader, consider the expressions and examples that have led the ignorant to act prejudicially towards the Sufis and accuse them of departing from the sharia. If you understand the Sufis’ intent in these texts and grasp their aims, it will become clear that the cause of such behavior among the deniers is either ignorance and hasty judgment, or envy and prejudice.
1. Imām al-Shaʿrānī (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “One of the statements transmitted from that group (the Sufis) is: ‘We entered the presence of Allah. We departed from the presence of Allah.’ By ‘presence,’ they do not mean assigning a physical location to Allah (exalted is He). Some might think this implies that Allah is fixed in a place, but Allah is far above and transcendent beyond such notions. Rather, by ‘presence,’ they mean that a person is certain of being in the divine presence. As long as this state continues, he is in the presence of Allah. If a person forgets Allah, a veil comes over him and he departs from the divine presence.”[20]
2. Shaykh al-Akbar Muḥyiddīn Ibn ʿArabī (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “One day, while with some companions, I recited the following verse:
‘O you who see me, whom I do not see,
How long will I see him, but he not see me?’
When my companion heard this, he said: ‘How can you say, ‘He does not see me,’ when you know well that he does?’
I replied from the heart:
‘O you who see me as a sinner,
Who sees me in sin but does not punish me,
Who bestows countless blessings upon me,
Who does not see me seeking refuge in Him from my sin.’
(That is, the meaning of the poem is: He does not punish me for my sin, nor does He see me repenting and seeking refuge in Him for my sin. Translator’s note.)[21]
3. Al-Shaʿrānī (may Allah have mercy on him) says: Regarding the statement attributed to al-Ghazālī (may Allah have mercy on him): “It is not possible for there to be anything better than what exists,” al-Ghazālī’s intent is that all possible things that Allah has brought into existence have come according to the form and state in His eternal knowledge, which, like His other attributes, does not admit of increase. In Ṭāhā 20:50, Allah says:
“Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided [it].” If it were possible for there to be something better than what exists, and Allah did not know it, it would imply that Allah was ignorant at the outset, which is impossible. Allah is far above such a notion. Shaykh Muḥyiddīn Ibn ʿArabī (may Allah have mercy on him) interprets this statement similarly: “The words of the Proof of Islam (al-Ghazālī) are clear. For existence has two ranks: pre-eternity (qidam) and origination (ḥudūth). The rank of pre-eternity belongs to the Exalted Truth, and the rank of origination to the created. Even if Allah were to create beings in a manner beyond human comprehension, these created beings could never ascend from the rank of origination to the rank of pre-eternity.”[22]
4. Abū Yazīd (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “We plunged into the sea, while the Prophets stood on its shore.” Muḥammad Abū al-Mawāhib al-Shādhilī (may Allah have mercy on him) interprets this as follows: “The gnostics first plunged into the sea of tawḥid (the oneness of God) through evidence, then attained the station of direct witnessing. The Prophets (peace be upon them), on the other hand, began at the shore of direct witnessing, then attained a level of gnosis beyond description. Thus, the beginning of the Prophets was the end of the gnostics.”[23]
5. Regarding the statement attributed to Abū al-Ḥasan al-Shādhilī (may Allah have mercy on him): “When a walī (friend of God) reaches a certain rank, the burden of obligation is lifted from him,” Abū al-Mawāhib (may Allah have mercy on him) replied: “The walī first experiences the burden of hardship; when he attains realization, he finds comfort and joy in this burden.” This is like the saying of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) to Bilāl (may Allah be pleased with him): “O Bilāl, bring us comfort with the prayer!”[24] This was the aim of the people of Sufism.[25]
6. The sharia interpretation of some Sufis’ repeated use of the word ‘madad’ (help) is that they are seeking help from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) or addressing their shaykh with this word.
The objection of those who criticize the Sufis is that one should not seek help from anyone but Allah, for help is only from Allah. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When you ask, ask of Allah; when you seek help, seek help from Allah.”[26] Furthermore, in His noble Book, Allah clarifies that the source of help is Himself, as in al-Isrāʾ 17:20:
“To each [category] We extend—to these and to those—from the gift of your Lord. And never has the gift of your Lord been restricted.”
The objectors did not realize that the Sufis of true felicity are pure people of tawḥid (the oneness of God). They take their disciples by the hand and save them from all forms and varieties of shirk (associating partners with God), so that they may taste the sweetness of iman (faith) and pure certainty.
To clarify the intent behind the word ‘madad,’ we say: Every believer must have two perspectives in all circumstances: 1. The perspective of tawḥid toward Allah, for He alone is the cause of causes; He alone is the absolute agent in the universe, unique in creation and help. No matter how exalted a creature’s rank—even if a prophet or walī—it is not permissible to associate him as a partner with Allah.
2. The perspective of the causes established by Allah’s ḥikma (wisdom), for Allah has made a cause for everything.
The believer should adhere to appropriate causes, but not believe in their independent effect, lest he fall into shirk by attributing efficacy to the cause rather than to Allah. Conversely, if he focuses only on the ultimate cause and neglects the means, he opposes the sunnah of Allah, for Allah has made a cause for everything. The perfect approach is to consider both the ultimate cause and the means. To illustrate this, consider the following examples:
Allah alone creates all humanity, yet He has made the union of two parents the means for the formation of the fetus and its birth in the best form.
Likewise, only Allah causes death, but He has made the Angel of Death the means. Regarding the ultimate cause, Allah says in al-Zumar 39:42:
“Allah takes the souls at the time of their death.”
When we say, ‘The Angel of Death took so-and-so’s soul,’ we are not associating partners with Allah, for we are considering the means. Allah says in al-Sajda 32:11:
“Say, ‘The Angel of Death will take you who has been entrusted with you. Then to your Lord you will be returned.’”
Similarly, only Allah is the Provider (al-Razzāq), but He has made trade and agriculture the means for provision. When we consider the ultimate cause, we understand from al-Dhāriyāt 51:58:
“Indeed, it is Allah who is the [continual] Provider, the firm possessor of strength.” When we consider the means, saying, ‘So-and-so earns his livelihood from his own work,’ we are not associating partners with Allah. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “No one has ever eaten better food than that earned by his own hand.”[27] The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) combined both perspectives in his saying: “Allah gives, and I distribute...”[28]
The same applies to the attribution of blessings. Allah says in al-Naḥl 16:53:
“And whatever you have of favor—it is from Allah.” For He alone is the true bestower. Allah combines consideration of both the ultimate cause and the means in al-Aḥzāb 33:37:
“And [remember, O Muhammad], when you said to the one on whom Allah bestowed favor and you bestowed favor...” The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was not associating partners with Allah by bestowing blessings upon Zayd b. Ḥāritha (may Allah be pleased with him), for the blessing was conveyed to him through the Prophet’s agency: he became Muslim through him, was freed by his favor, and married by his intercession.
The same applies to seeking help. Considering the ultimate cause, we say: “If you seek help, seek it from Allah.” Considering the means, we say, as in al-Māʾida 5:2:
“And cooperate in righteousness and piety.” The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah helps the servant as long as the servant helps his brother.”[29] When a believer says to his brother, “Help me carry this object,” he is not associating partners with Allah by seeking help from someone other than Allah. For the believer considers both the ultimate cause and the means. One who accuses believers of shirk for seeking help from others is himself astray and leads others astray.
The same applies to guidance (hudā). Considering the ultimate cause, only Allah guides. Thus, Allah says to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) in al-Qaṣaṣ 28:56:
“Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills.”
Considering the means, in al-Shūrā 42:52, Allah says to His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): “And indeed, you guide to a straight path.” The meaning is that you are the means for the guidance of those whom Allah wills to guide.
Gnostic and guiding scholars are the heirs of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) in guiding people and directing them to Allah. When a murīd seeks guidance from his shaykh, he is taking one of the means of guidance established by Allah and following the imams who are guides to guidance. Allah says in al-Sajda 32:24:
“And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.”
The union of the murīd with his shaykh is a spiritual union. Physical distance and material obstacles cannot separate the soul from Allah. Just as walls and distances do not prevent sound waves from traveling, so too nothing can separate the free soul from its Lord. Therefore, it is said: “The shaykh is as beneficial to you in his absence as in his presence.” Yes, the shaykh is a means for the guidance of the murīd. When the murīd attaches himself to his shaykh and seeks help from him, he is not associating partners with Allah, for, as explained above, we emphasize that Allah is the true guide and helper, and the shaykh is merely a means established by Allah for the guidance, spiritual nourishment, and adherence to the sacred law of His servants. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) is the ocean from which such shaykhs are born and derive their strength.
When we accept the existence of a spiritual bond between the shaykh and the murīd, we also accept the legitimacy of seeking help (madad) from him. For Allah provides for some people through others in both worldly and spiritual matters. It is hoped that the examples given from the discourse of this group will suffice for the esteemed reader. For these clear citations are from their own words. Thus, when the reader encounters some ambiguous or seemingly problematic statements, let him think well of them and seek the path of interpretation. For the examples given show that, just as it is necessary to interpret the words of Allah, the sunnah of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), and the statements of jurists, hadith scholars, legal theorists, grammarians, and other fair-minded people, so too must the words of the Sufis be interpreted. For this reason, Imām al-Nawawī (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “It is forbidden for any intelligent person to think ill of the awliyāʾ (friends of God) of Allah. As long as he does not reach their rank, it is obligatory for him to interpret their words and deeds. Only those with little share of divine success fail to do so. (May Allah not deprive us of His success and guidance! Amīn)”[30]
Notes
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Tahajjud, from Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him); Muslim, Kitāb al-Dhikr wa al-Duʿāʾ.
- Al-Taṣawwuf al-Islāmī wa al-Imām al-Shaʿrānī, by Ṭāhā ʿAbd al-Bāqī Surūr, p. 105.
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Birr wa al-Ṣila, from Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him). The beginning of the hadith: “If one of you fights with his brother, let him avoid striking the face.”
- This is a segment of a longer hadith. Its wording: Saʿd ibn Hishām asked ʿĀʾisha: “O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the character of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him).” She replied: “Do you not read the Qur'an?” He said: “Yes.” She said: “The character of the Prophet of Allah was the Qur'an.” Muslim, Kitāb Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, Bāb Jāmiʿ Ṣalāt al-Layl.
- Ibn Ḥajar al-Haythamī, Fatāwā Ḥadīthiyya, p. 214.
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Birr wa al-Ṣila, from Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him).
- Al-Munāwī, Fayḍ al-Qadīr, vol. 2, p. 313.
- Al-Shaʿrānī, al-Yawāqīt wa al-Jawāhir, vol. 1, p. 22.
- Al-Shaʿrānī, al-Yawāqīt wa al-Jawāhir, vol. 1, p. 22.
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-ʿIlm.
- Al-ʿAynī, ʿUmdat al-Qārī, vol. 2, pp. 204–205.
- Al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-ʿIlm, Bāb “Man khaṣṣa qawman dūna ākhirīn.”
- Al-Daylamī, with a weak chain, from Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both); Qawāʿid al-Taṣawwuf, Shaykh Aḥmad Zarrūq, p. 7.
- Al-Shaʿrānī, al-Yawāqīt wa al-Jawāhir, p. 19.
- Ibn ʿĀbidīn, Ḥāshiya, vol. 3, p. 303.
- Ibn Ḥajar al-Haythamī, Fatāwā Ḥadīthiyya, p. 216.
- Ṭāhā ʿAbd al-Bāqī Surūr, al-Taṣawwuf al-Islāmī wa al-Imām al-Shaʿrānī, pp. 104–105.
- ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Jīlī, al-Insān al-Kāmil, p. 5. Warning: Readers are advised against reading this book, as it contains fabrications and deceptions contrary to the creed of the people of the sunnah, though the author himself composed it in accordance with the Book and sunnah, as he states in the introduction. We confirm that many fabrications and deceptions have been inserted into it.
- Al-Shaʿrānī, Laṭāʾif al-Minan wa al-Akhlāq, vol. 2, p. 149.
- Al-Shaʿrānī, Laṭāʾif al-Minan wa al-Akhlāq, vol. 2, p. 127.
- Shaykh Muṣṭafā Madanī, commentary on al-Rāʿiya, al-Nusrat al-Nabawiyya, p. 82.
- Al-Shaʿrānī, Laṭāʾif al-Minan wa al-Akhlāq, vol. 1, p. 126.
- Qawānīn Ḥikam al-Ishrāq ilā Kāffat al-Ṣūfiyya min Jamīʿ al-Āfāq, Qānūn al-Wilāya al-Khāṣṣa, p. 58.
- Musnad Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Adab, Bāb Ṣalāt al-ʿAtama.
- Qawānīn Ḥikam al-Ishrāq ilā Kāffat al-Ṣūfiyya min Jamīʿ al-Āfāq, Qānūn al-Wilāya al-Khāṣṣa, p. 59.
- Al-Tirmidhī, Kitāb Ṣifat al-Qiyāma, from ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both), who graded the hadith as hasan ṣaḥīḥ.
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ, Bāb Kasb al-Rajul wa ʿAmalihi bi Yadihi, from Miqdām (may Allah be pleased with him).
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-ʿIlm, Bāb Man yuridi Allahu bihi khayran, from Muʿāwiya (may Allah be pleased with him).
- Muslim, Kitāb al-Dhikr, Bāb Faḍl al-Ijtimāʿ ʿalā Tilāwat al-Qurʾān, from Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him).
- Al-Yawāqīt wa al-Jawāhir, vol. 1, p. 11.