Sufism

Susm
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"Su" redirects here. For other uses, see Su (disambiguation).
Susm (or taswwuf; Arabic: ) is a branch of Islam, dened by adherents
as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam; others contend that it is a perennial
philosophy of existence that pre-dates religion, the expression of which owered
within Islam.
[1]
Its essence has also been expressed via other religions and
metareligious phenomena.
[2][3][4]
A practitioner of this tradition is generally
known as a f (

). They belong to dierent uruq or "orders" congregations
formed around a master which meet for spiritual sessions (majalis), in meeting
places known as zawiyahs, khanqahs, or tekke.
[5]
All Su orders (turuq) trace
many of their original precepts from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his
cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib, with the notable exception of the Sunni
Naqshbandi order who claim to trace their origins through the rst sunni Caliph,
Abu Bakr.
[6]
However, Alevi and Bektashi
[7]
Muslims (and some Shia Muslims)
claim that every Su order traces its spiritual lineage (silsilah) back to one of the
Twelve Imams, the spiritual heads of Islam who were foretold in the Hadith of the
Twelve Successors and were all descendants of Muhammad through his daughter
Fatima and Ali. Because of this Ali ibn Abi Talib is also called the father of
Susm.
[8][9]
Prominent orders include Alevi, Bektashi, Mevlevi, Ba 'Alawiyya,
Chishti, Rifa'i, Khalwati, Naqshbandi, Nimatullahi, Oveyssi, Qadiria Boutshishia,
Qadiriyyah, Qalandariyya, Sarwari Qadiri, Shadhiliyya and Suhrawardiyya.
[10]
The origin of Susm is also discussed in the book Mystical Dimensions of Islam,
by Annemarie Schimmel.
Sus believe they are practicing ihsan (perfection of worship) as revealed by
Gabriel to Muhammad: "Worship and serve Allah as you are seeing Him and while
you see Him not yet truly He sees you". Sus consider themselves as the original
true proponents of this pure original form of Islam. Susm is opposed by Wahhabi
and Salast Muslims.
Classical Su scholars have dened Susm as "a science whose objective is the
reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God".
[11]
Alternatively, in the words of the Darqawi Su teacher Ahmad ibn Ajiba, "a
science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the
Divine, purify one's inner self from lth, and beautify it with a variety of
praiseworthy traits".
[12]
Muslims and mainstream scholars of Islam dene Susm as simply the name for
the inner or esoteric dimension of Islam
[2]
which is supported and complemented
Susm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Susm...
1 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
by outward or exoteric practices of Islam, such as Islamic law.
[13]
In this view, "it
is absolutely necessary to be a Muslim" to be a true Su, because Susm's
"methods are inoperative without" Muslim "aliation".
[14]
In contrast, author
Idries Shah states Su philosophy is universal in nature, its roots predating the
rise of Islam and Christianity.
[15]
Some schools of Susm in Western countries
allow non-Muslims to receive "instructions on following the Su path".
[16]
Some
Muslim opponents of Susm also consider it outside the sphere of Islam.
[2][17]
Classical Sus were characterised by their attachment to dhikr, (a practice of
repeating the names of God, often performed after prayers)
[18]
and asceticism.
Susm gained adherents among a number of Muslims as a reaction against the
worldliness of the early Umayyad Caliphate (661750 CE
[19]
). Sus have spanned
several continents and cultures over a millennium, originally expressing their
beliefs in Arabic, before spreading into Persian, Turkish, Indian languages and a
dozen other languages.
[20]
Contents
1 Etymology
2 Beliefs
2.1 Teaching
3 History
3.1 Origins
3.2 Formalization of doctrine
3.3 Growth of inuence
3.4 Present
4 Theoretical perspectives
4.1 Contributions to other domains of scholarship
5 Devotional practices
5.1 Dhikr
5.2 Muraqaba
5.3 Visitation
6 Persecution
6.1 History
6.2 Current attacks
2 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
6.2.1 Pakistan
6.2.1.1 Timeline
6.2.2 Kashmir, India
6.2.3 Somalia
6.2.4 Mali
6.2.5 Egypt
6.2.6 Libya
6.2.7 Tunisia
6.2.8 Russia, Dagestan
6.2.9 Iran
7 Islam and Susm
7.1 Susm and Islamic law
7.2 Traditional Islamic thought and Susm
7.3 Traditional and Neo-Su groups
8 Prominent Sus
8.1 Abul Hasan al-Shadhili
8.2 Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani
8.3 Bayazid Bastami
8.4 Ibn Arabi
8.5 Junayd Baghdadi
8.6 Moinuddin Chishti
8.7 Mansur al-Hallaj
9 Reception
9.1 Perception outside Islam
9.2 Inuence on Judaism
10 In popular culture
10.1 Films
10.2 Music
10.3 Literature
11 Modern and contemporary Su scholars
11.1 Arabian Peninsula
11.2 Levant and Africa
11.3 Western Europe
3 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
11.4 Eastern Europe
11.5 North America
11.6 South Asia
11.7 Eastern and Central Asia
12 Gallery
13 See also
14 References
15 Further reading
16 External links
Etymology
Two origins of the word su have been suggested. Commonly, the lexical root of
the word is traced to af (), which in Arabic means "purity". Another origin is
f (), "wool", referring to the simple cloaks the early Muslim ascetics wore.
The two were combined by the Su al-Rudhabari who said, "The Su is the one
who wears wool on top of purity".
[21][22]
Others have suggested that the word comes from the term ahl a-uah ("the
people of the bench"), who were a group of impoverished companions of
Muhammad who held regular gatherings of dhikr.
[23]
Abd al-Karm ibn Hawzin
Qushayri and Ibn Khaldun both rejected all possibilities other than f on
linguistic grounds.
[24]
According to the medieval scholar Ab Rayn al-Brn, the word su is derived
from the Greek word soa (), meaning wisdom.
[25][26][27]
Beliefs
While all Muslims believe that they are on the pathway to God and hope to
become close to God in Paradiseafter death and after the "Final Judgment"
Sus also believe that it is possible to draw closer to God and to more fully
embrace the Divine Presence in this life.
[28]
The chief aim of all Sus is to seek
the pleasing of God by working to restore within themselves the primordial state
of tra,
[29]
described in the Qur'an. In this state nothing one does dees God, and
all is undertaken with the single motivation of love of God. A secondary
consequence of this is that the seeker may be led to abandon all notions of
dualism or multiplicity, including a conception of an individual self, and to realize
4 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
The tomb of Sheikh
Rukn-ud-Din Abul Fath
located in Multan, Pakistan.
The city of Multan is known
for various Su Saint tombs,
as they call it the City of
Saints
the Divine Unity.
Thus, Susm has been characterized as the
science of the states of the lower self (the ego),
and the way of purifying this lower self of its
reprehensible traits, while adorning it instead with
what is praiseworthy, whether or not this process
of cleansing and purifying the heart is in time
rewarded by esoteric knowledge of God. This can
be conceived in terms of two basic types of law
(qh), an outer law concerned with actions, and an
inner law concerned with the human heart. The
outer law consists of rules pertaining to worship,
transactions, marriage, judicial rulings, and
criminal lawwhat is often referred to, broadly, as
qanun. The inner law of Susm consists of rules
about repentance from sin, the purging of
contemptible qualities and evil traits of character,
and adornment with virtues and good
character.
[30]
The typical early Su lived in a cell of a mosque
and taught a small band of disciples. The extent to
which Susm was inuenced by Buddhist and
Hindu mysticism, and by the example of Christian
hermits and monks, is disputed, but self-discipline and concentration on God
quickly led to the belief that by quelling the self and through loving ardour for
God it is possible to maintain a union with the divine in which the human self
melts away.
[31]
Teaching
To enter the way of Susm, the seeker begins by nding a teacher, as the
connection to the teacher is considered necessary for the growth of the pupil. The
teacher, to be considered genuine, must have received the authorization to teach
(ijazah) from another Master of the Way, in an unbroken succession (silsilah)
leading back to Muhammad. It is the transmission of the divine light from the
teacher's heart to the heart of the student, rather than of worldly knowledge
transmitted from mouth to ear, that allows the adept to progress. In addition, the
genuine teacher will be utterly strict in his adherence to the Divine Law.
[32]
According to Moojan Momen "one of the most important doctrines of Susm is the
concept of the "Perfect Man" (al-Insan al-Kamil). This doctrine states that there
will always exist upon the earth a "Qutb" (Pole or Axis, of the Universe)a man
who is the perfect channel of grace from God to man and in a state of wilaya
5 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Entrance of Sidi Boumediene
mosque in Tlemcen, Algeria,
built to honor 12th century
Su master Abu Madyan
(sanctity, being under the protection of God). The
concept of the Su Qutb is similar to that of the
Shi'i Imam.
[33]
However, this belief puts Susm in
"direct conict" with Shi'ism, since both the Qutb
(who for most Su orders is the head of the order)
and the Imam fulll the role of "the purveyor of
spiritual guidance and of God's grace to mankind".
The vow of obedience to the Shaykh or Qutb
which is taken by Sus is considered incompatible
with devotion to the Imam".
[33]
As a further example, the prospective adherent of
the Mevlevi Order would have been ordered to
serve in the kitchens of a hospice for the poor for
1,001 days prior to being accepted for spiritual
instruction, and a further 1,001 days in solitary
retreat as a precondition of completing that
instruction.
[34]
Some teachers, especially when addressing more
general audiences, or mixed groups of Muslims
and non-Muslims, make extensive use of parable,
allegory, and metaphor.
[35]
Although approaches to teaching vary among dierent
Su orders, Susm as a whole is primarily concerned with direct personal
experience, and as such has sometimes been compared to other, non-Islamic
forms of mysticism (e.g., as in the books of Hossein Nasr).
Scholars and adherents of Susm are unanimous in agreeing that Susm cannot
be learned through books. To reach the highest levels of success in Susm
typically requires that the disciple live with and serve the teacher for many, many
years. For instance, Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari, who gave his name to the
Naqshbandi Order, served his rst teacher, Sayyid Muhammad Baba As-Samasi,
for 20 years, until as-Samasi died. He subsequently served several other teachers
for lengthy periods of time. The extreme arduousness of his spiritual preparation
is illustrated by his service, as directed by his teacher, to the weak and needy
members of his community in a state of complete humility and tolerance for many
years. When he believed this mission to be concluded, his teacher next directed
him to care for animals, curing their sicknesses, cleaning their wounds, and
assisting them in nding provision. After many years of this he was next
instructed to spend many years in the care of dogs in a state of humility, and to
ask them for support.
[36]
History
6 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Ali is considered to be the
"Father of Susm" in
Islamic tradition.
[37]
Main article: History of Susm
Origins
Eminent Sus such as Ali Hujwiri claim that the
tradition rst began with Ali ibn Abi Talib.
Furthermore, Junayd of Baghdad regarded Ali as the
Sheikh of the principals and practices of Susm.
[37]
Practitioners of Susm hold that in its early stages of
development Susm eectively referred to nothing
more than the internalization of Islam.
[38]
According
to one perspective, it is directly from the Qur'an,
constantly recited, meditated, and experienced, that
Susm proceeded, in its origin and its
development.
[39]
Others have held that Susm is the
strict emulation of the way of Muhammad, through
which the heart's connection to the Divine is
strengthened.
[40]
More prosaically, the Muslim conquests had brought large numbers of Christian
monks and hermits, especially in Syria and Egypt, under the rule of Muslims.
They retained a vigorous spiritual life for centuries after the conquests, and many
of the especially pious Muslims who founded Susm were inuenced by their
techniques and methods.
[41]
According to late Medieval mystic Jami, Abd-Allah
ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hanayyah was the rst person to be called a "Su."
[24]
Important contributions in writing are attributed to Uwais al-Qarni, Harrm bin
Hian, Hasan Basri and Sayid ibn al-Mussib. Ruwaym, from the second generation
of Sus in Baghdad, was also an inuential early gure,
[42][43]
as was Junayd of
Baghdad; a number of early practitioners of Susm were disciples of one of the
two.
[44]
Susm had a long history already before the subsequent institutionalization of
Su teachings into devotional orders (tarqt) in the early Middle Ages.
[45]
The
Naqshbandi order is a notable exception to general rule of orders tracing their
spiritual lineage through Muhammad's grandsons, as it traces the origin of its
teachings from Muhammad to the rst Islamic Caliph, Abu Bakr.
[6]
Formalization of doctrine
Towards the end of the rst millennium CE, a number of manuals began to be
written summarizing the doctrines of Susm and describing some typical Su
7 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
The tomb of Khoja Afq, near
Kashgar, China.
practices. Two of the most famous of these are now available in English
translation: the Kashf al-Mahjb of Hujwiri, and the Risla of Qushayri.
[46]
Two of Imam Al Ghazali's greatest treatises, the "Revival of Religious Sciences"
and the "Alchemy of Happiness", argued that Susm originated from the Qur'an
and thus was compatible with mainstream Islamic thought, and did not in any way
contradict Islamic Lawbeing instead necessary to its complete fulllment. This
became the mainstream position among Islamic scholars for centuries, challenged
only recently on the basis of selective use of a limited body of texts. Ongoing
eorts by both traditionally trained Muslim scholars and Western academics are
making Imam Al-Ghazali's works available in English translation for the rst
time,
[47]
allowing English-speaking readers to judge for themselves the
compatibility of Islamic Law and Su doctrine.
Growth of inuence
The rise of Islamic civilization coincides
strongly with the spread of Su philosophy in
Islam. The spread of Susm has been
considered a denitive factor in the spread of
Islam, and in the creation of integrally Islamic
cultures, especially in Africa
[48]
and Asia. The
Senussi tribes of Libya and Sudan are one of
the strongest adherents of Susm. Su poets
and philosophers such as Khoja Akhmet
Yassawi, Rumi and Attar of Nishapur (c. 1145
c. 1221) greatly enhanced the spread of Islamic
culture in Anatolia, Central Asia, and South Asia.
[49][50]
Susm also played a role
in creating and propagating the culture of the Ottoman world,
[51]
and in resisting
European imperialism in North Africa and South Asia.
[52]
Between the 13th and 16th centuries CE, Susm produced a ourishing
intellectual culture throughout the Islamic world, a "Golden Age" whose physical
artifacts survive. In many places a pious foundation would endow a lodge (known
variously as a zaouia, khanqah, or tekke) in perpetuity (waqf) to provide a
gathering place for Su adepts, as well as lodging for itinerant seekers of
knowledge. The same system of endowments could also pay for a complex of
buildings, such as that surrounding the Sleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul,
including a lodge for Su seekers, a hospice with kitchens where these seekers
could serve the poor and/or complete a period of initiation, a library, and other
structures. No important domain in the civilization of Islam remained unaected
by Susm in this period.
[53]
8 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Mawln Rumi's tomb,
Konya, Turkey
Present
Current Su orders include Azeemia, Alians,
Bektashi Order, Mevlevi Order, Ba 'Alawiyya,
Chishti, Jerrahi, Naqshbandi, Nimatullahi,
Qadiriyyah, Qalandariyya, Sarwari Qadiri,
Shadhiliyya, Suhrawardiyya, Ashraa and Uwaisi
(Oveyssi).
[10]
The relationship of Su orders to
modern societies is usually dened by their
relationship to governments.
[54]
Turkey and Persia together have been a center for
many Su lineages and orders. The Bektashi was
closely aliated with the Ottoman Janissary and is
the heart of Turkey's large and mostly liberal Alevi
population. It has been spread westwards to Cyprus, Greece, Albania, Bulgaria,
Macedonia, Bosnia, Kosovo and more recently to the USA (via Albania). Most Su
Orders have inuences from pre-Islamic traditions such as Pythagoreanism, but
the Turkic Su traditions (including Alians, Bektashi and Mevlevi) also have
traces of the ancient Tengrism shamanism.
Susm is popular in such African countries as Morocco and Senegal, where it is
seen as a mystical expression of Islam.
[55]
Susm is traditional in Morocco but
has seen a growing revival with the renewal of Susm around contemporary
spiritual teachers such as Sidi Hamza al Qadiri al Boutshishi. Mbacke suggests
that one reason Susm has taken hold in Senegal is because it can accommodate
local beliefs and customs, which tend toward the mystical.
[56]
The life of the Algerian Su master Emir Abd al-Qadir is instructive in this
regard.
[57]
Notable as well are the lives of Amadou Bamba and Hajj Umar Tall in
sub-Saharan Africa, and Sheikh Mansur Ushurma and Imam Shamil in the
Caucasus region. In the twentieth century some more modernist Muslims have
called Susm a superstitious religion that holds back Islamic achievement in the
elds of science and technology.
[58]
A number of Westerners have embarked with varying degrees of success on the
path of Susm. One of the rst to return to Europe as an ocial representative of
a Su order, and with the specic purpose to spread Susm in Western Europe,
was the Swedish-born wandering Su Abd al-Hadi Aqhili (also known as Ivan
Aguli). Ren Gunon, the French scholar, became a Su in the early twentieth
century and was known as Sheikh Abdul Wahid Yahya. His manifold writings
dened the practice of Susm as the essence of Islam but also pointed to the
universality of its message. Other spiritualists, such as G. I. Gurdjie, may or may
not conform to the tenets of Susm as understood by orthodox Muslims.
9 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
The works of Al-Ghazali
rmly defended the concepts
of Susm within the Islamic
faith.
Other noteworthy Su teachers who have been active in the West in recent years
include Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, Inayat Khan, Nazim Al-Haqqani, Javad Nurbakhsh,
Bulent Rauf, Irina Tweedie, Idries Shah, Muzaer Ozak, Nahid Angha and Ali
Kianfar.
Currently active Su academics and publishers include Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee,
Nuh Ha Mim Keller, Abdullah Nooruddeen Durkee, Waheed Ashraf, Omer Tarin
and Abdal Hakim Murad.
Theoretical perspectives
Traditional Islamic scholars have recognized two
major branches within the practice of Susm, and
use this as one key to dierentiating among the
approaches of dierent masters and devotional
lineages.
[59]
On the one hand there is the order from the signs
to the Signier (or from the arts to the Artisan). In
this branch, the seeker begins by purifying the
lower self of every corrupting inuence that stands
in the way of recognizing all of creation as the
work of God, as God's active Self-disclosure or
theophany.
[60]
This is the way of Imam Al-Ghazali
and of the majority of the Su orders.
On the other hand there is the order from the
Signier to His signs, from the Artisan to His
works. In this branch the seeker experiences
divine attraction (jadhba), and is able to enter the
order with a glimpse of its endpoint, of direct
apprehension of the Divine Presence towards
which all spiritual striving is directed. This does
not replace the striving to purify the heart, as in
the other branch; it simply stems from a dierent
point of entry into the path. This is the way
primarily of the masters of the Naqshbandi and Shadhili orders.
[61]
Contemporary scholars may also recognize a third branch, attributed to the late
Ottoman scholar Said Nursi and explicated in his vast Qur'an commentary called
the Risale-i Nur. This approach entails strict adherence to the way of Muhammad,
in the understanding that this wont, or sunnah, proposes a complete devotional
spirituality adequate to those without access to a master of the Su way.
[62]
10 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Contributions to other domains of scholarship
Susm has contributed signicantly to the elaboration of theoretical perspectives
in many domains of intellectual endeavor. For instance, the doctrine of "subtle
centers" or centers of subtle cognition (known as Lataif-e-sitta) addresses the
matter of the awakening of spiritual intuition
[63]
in ways that some consider
similar to certain models of chakra in Hinduism. In general, these subtle centers
or lat'if are thought of as faculties that are to be puried sequentially in order to
bring the seeker's wayfaring to completion. A concise and useful summary of this
system from a living exponent of this tradition has been published by Muhammad
Emin Er.
[59]
Su psychology has inuenced many areas of thinking both within and outside of
Islam, drawing primarily upon three concepts. Ja'far al-Sadiq (both an imam in the
Shia tradition and a respected scholar and link in chains of Su transmission in all
Islamic sects) held that human beings are dominated by a lower self called the
nafs, a faculty of spiritual intuition called the qalb or spiritual heart, and a spirit
or soul called ruh. These interact in various ways, producing the spiritual types of
the tyrant (dominated by nafs), the person of faith and moderation (dominated by
the spiritual heart), and the person lost in love for God (dominated by the ruh).
[64]
Of note with regard to the spread of Su psychology in the West is Robert Frager,
a Su teacher authorized in the Khalwati Jerrahi order. Frager was a trained
psychologist, born in the United States, who converted to Islam in the course of
his practice of Susm and wrote extensively on Susm and psychology.
[65]
Su cosmology and Su metaphysics are also noteworthy areas of intellectual
accomplishment.
Devotional practices
The devotional practices of Sus vary widely. This is because an acknowledged
and authorized master of the Su path is in eect a physician of the heart, able to
diagnose the seeker's impediments to knowledge and pure intention in serving
God, and to prescribe to the seeker a course of treatment appropriate to his or
her maladies. The consensus among Su scholars is that the seeker cannot
self-diagnose, and that it can be extremely harmful to undertake any of these
practices alone and without formal authorization.
[66]
Prerequisites to practice include rigorous adherence to Islamic norms (ritual
prayer in its ve prescribed times each day, the fast of Ramadan, and so forth).
Additionally, the seeker ought to be rmly grounded in supererogatory practices
known from the life of Muhammad (such as the "sunna prayers"). This is in
accordance with the words, attributed to God, of the following, a famous Hadith
11 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Su gathering engaged in Dhikr
Qudsi:
My servant draws near to Me
through nothing I love more than
that which I have made obligatory
for him. My servant never ceases
drawing near to Me through
supererogatory works until I love
him. Then, when I love him, I am his
hearing through which he hears, his
sight through which he sees, his
hand through which he grasps, and
his foot through which he walks.
It is also necessary for the seeker to have
a correct creed (Aqidah),
[67]
and to embrace with certainty its tenets.
[68]
The
seeker must also, of necessity, turn away from sins, love of this world, the love of
company and renown, obedience to satanic impulse, and the promptings of the
lower self. (The way in which this purication of the heart is achieved is outlined
in certain books, but must be prescribed in detail by a Su master.) The seeker
must also be trained to prevent the corruption of those good deeds which have
accrued to his or her credit by overcoming the traps of ostentation, pride,
arrogance, envy, and long hopes (meaning the hope for a long life allowing us to
mend our ways later, rather than immediately, here and now).
Su practices, while attractive to some, are not a means for gaining knowledge.
The traditional scholars of Susm hold it as absolutely axiomatic that knowledge
of God is not a psychological state generated through breath control. Thus,
practice of "techniques" is not the cause, but instead the occasion for such
knowledge to be obtained (if at all), given proper prerequisites and proper
guidance by a master of the way. Furthermore, the emphasis on practices may
obscure a far more important fact: The seeker is, in a sense, to become a broken
person, stripped of all habits through the practice of (in the words of Imam
Al-Ghazali) solitude, silence, sleeplessness, and hunger.
[69]
Magic has also been a part of Su practice, notably in India.
[70]
The most famous
of all Sus, Mansur Al-Hallaj (d. 922), visited Sindh in order to study "Indian
Magic", where he accepted Hindu ideas of cosmogony and divine descent and also
seems to have believed in the Transmigration of the soul.
[71]
The practice of
magic intensied during the declining years of Susm in India when the Su
orders grew steadily in wealth and in political inuence while their spirituality
gradually declined and they concentrated on Saint worship, miracle working,
magic and superstition.
Dhikr
12 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Allah as
having been
written on
the disciple's
heart
according to
Qadiri
Al-Muntahi
order
Main article: Dhikr
Dhikr is the remembrance of God commanded in the Qur'an for
all Muslims through a specic devotional act, such as the
repetition of divine names, supplications and aphorisms from
hadith literature and the Qur'an. More generally, dhikr takes a
wide range and various layers of meaning.
[72]
This includes dhikr
as any activity in which the Muslim maintains awareness of God.
To engage in dhikr is to practice consciousness of the Divine
Presence and love, or "to seek a state of godwariness". The
Qur'an refers to Muhammad as the very embodiment of dhikr of
God (65:1011). Some types of dhikr are prescribed for all
Muslims and do not require Su initiation or the prescription of a
Su master because they are deemed to be good for every seeker
under every circumstance.
[73]
Some Su orders
[74]
engage in ritualized dhikr ceremonies, or
sema. Sema includes various forms of worship such as: recitation,
singing (the most well known being the Qawwali music of the
Indian subcontinent), instrumental music, dance (most famously the Su whirling
of the Mevlevi order), incense, meditation, ecstasy, and trance.
[75]
Some Su orders stress and place extensive reliance upon Dhikr. This practice of
Dhikr is called Dhikr-e-Qulb (invocation of God within the heartbeats). The basic
idea in this practice is to visualize the Arabic name of God, Allah, as having been
written on the disciple's heart.
[76]
Muraqaba
Main article: Muraqaba
The practice of muraqaba can be likened to the practices of meditation attested in
many faith communities. The word muraqaba is derived from the same root (r-q-b)
occurring as one of the 99 Names of God in the Qur'an, al-Raqb, meaning "the
Vigilant" and attested in verse 4:1 of the Qur'an. Through muraqaba, a person
watches over or takes care of the spiritual heart, acquires knowledge about it,
and becomes attuned to the Divine Presence, which is ever vigilant.
While variation exists, one description of the practice within a Naqshbandi
lineage reads as follows:
He is to collect all of his bodily senses in concentration, and to cut
himself o from all preoccupation and notions that inict themselves
upon the heart. And thus he is to turn his full consciousness towards
God Most High while saying three times: "Ilah anta maqsd wa-ridka
13 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
matlbmy God, you are my Goal and Your good pleasure is what I
seek". Then he brings to his heart the Name of the EssenceAllhand
as it courses through his heart he remains attentive to its meaning,
which is "Essence without likeness". The seeker remains aware that He
is Present, Watchful, Encompassing of all, thereby exemplifying the
meaning of his saying (may God bless him and grant him peace):
"Worship God as though you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He sees
you". And likewise the prophetic tradition: "The most favored level of
faith is to know that God is witness over you, wherever you may be".
[77]
Visitation
In popular Susm (i.e., devotional practices that have achieved currency in world
cultures through Su inuence), one common practice is to visit or make
pilgrimages to the tombs of saints, great scholars, and righteous people. This is a
particularly common practice in South Asia, where famous tombs include those of
Khoja Afq, near Kashgar, in China; Lal Shahbaz Qalander, in Sindh,Ali Hajwari in
Lahore Bawaldin Zikrya in Multan Pakistan; Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, India;
Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi, India, and Shah Jalal in Sylhet, Bangladesh. Likewise,
in Fez, Morocco, a popular destination for such pious visitation is the Zaouia
Moulay Idriss II and the yearly visitation to see the current Sheikh of the Qadiri
Boutchichi Tariqah, Sheikh Sidi Hamza al Qadiri al Boutchichi to celebrate the
Mawlid (which is usually televised on Moroccan National television).
Persecution
See also: Su-Sala relations
Sus and Susm has been subject to destruction of Su shrines and mosques,
suppression of orders and discrimination against adherents in a number of
Muslim countries where most Sus live. The Turkish Republican state banned all
the dierent Su orders and closed their institutions in 1925 after Sus opposed
the new secular order. The Iranian Islamic Republic has harassed Shia Su,
reportedly for their lack of support for the government doctrine of "velayat-e
faqih" (i.e., that the supreme Shiite jurist should be the nation's political leader).
In most other Muslim countries, attacks on Sus and especially their shrines has
come from some Muslims from the more puritanical schools of thought who
believe Su practices such as celebration of the birthdays of Su saints, and
Dhikr ("remembrance" of God) ceremonies
[78]
are Bidah or impure innovation,
and polytheistic (Shirk).
[79][80]
History
During the Safavid era of Iran, "both the wandering dervishes of 'low' Susm" and
14 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
"the philosopher-ulama of 'high' Susm came under relentless pressure" from
power cleric Muhammad Baqir Majlisi (d1110/1699). Majlisi"one of the most
powerful and inuential" Twelver Shi'a ulama "of all time"was famous (for
among other things), suppression of Susm, which he and his followers believed
paid insucient attention to Shariah law. Prior to Majlisi's rise, Shiism and Susm
had been "closely linked".
[81]
In 1843, the Senussi Su were forced to ee Mecca and Medina and head to
Sudan and Libya.
[19][82]
Before the First World War there were almost 100,000 disciples of the Mevlevi
order throughout the Ottoman empire. But in 1925, as part of his desire to create
a modern, western-orientated, secular state, Atatrk banned all the dierent Su
orders and closed their tekkes. Pious foundations were suspended and their
endowments expropriated; Su hospices were closed and their contents seized;
all religious titles were abolished and dervish clothes outlawed. ... In 1937,
Atatrk went even further, prohibiting by law any form of traditional music,
especially the playing of the ney, the Sus' reed ute.
[83][84]
Current attacks
In recent years, Su shrines, and sometimes Su mosques, have been damaged or
destroyed in many parts of the Muslim world. Some Su adherents have been
killed as well. Ali Gomaa, a Su scholar and Grand Mufti of Al Azhar, has
criticized the destruction of shrines and public property as unacceptable.
[85]
Pakistan
Since March 2005, 209 people have been killed and 560 injured in 29 dierent
terrorist attacks targeting shrines devoted to Su saints in Pakistan, according to
data compiled by the Center for Islamic Research Collaboration and Learning
(CIRCLe).
[86]
At least as of 2010, the attacks have increased each year. The
attacks are generally attributed to banned militant organizations of Deobandi or
Ahl-e-Hadith (Sala) backgrounds.
[87]
(Primarily Deobandi background according
to another sourceauthor John R. Schmidt).
[88]
Deobandi and Barelvi being the
"two major sub-sects" of Sunni Muslims in South Asia
[89]
that have clashed
sometimes violentlysince the late 1970s in Pakistan.
[89]
Although Barelvi are
fully described as Sunni Sus,
[90]
whether the destruction and death is a result of
Deobandi's banned militant organizations persecution of Sus(Barelvus).
[91]
)
In 2005, the militant organizations began attacking "symbols" of the Barelvi
community such as mosques, prominent religious leaders, and shrines.
[87]
15 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Timeline
2005
19 March: a suicide bomber kills at least 35 people and injured many more at
the shrine of Pir Rakhel Shah in remote village of Fatehpur located in Jhal
Magsi District of Balochistan. The dead included Shia and sunni devotees.
[92]
27 May: As many as 20 people are killed and 100 injured when a suicide-
bomber attacks a gathering at Bari Imam Shrine during the annual festival.
The dead were mainly Shia.
[93]
According to the police members of Sipah-
i-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) and Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ) were involved.
[94]
Sipah-
e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), were arrested from Thanda Pani and police seized
two hand grenades from their custody.
[95][96]
2006
11 April: A suicide-bomber attacked a celebration of the birthday of
Muhammad (Eid Mawlid un Nabi) in Karachi's Nishtar Park organised by the
Barelvi Jamaat Ahle Sunnat. 57 died including almost the entire leadership of
the Sunni Tehrik; over 100 were injured.
[97]
Three people associated with
Lashkar-i-Jhangvi were put on trial for the bombing.
[98]
(see: Nishtar Park
bombing)
2007
18 December: The shrine of Abdul Shakoor Malang Baba is demolished by
explosives.
[99]
2008
March 3: ten villagers killed in a rocket attack on the 400-year-old shrine of
Abu Saeed Baba. Lashkar-e-Islam takes credit.
[99]
2009
17 February: Agha Jee shot and killed in Peshwar, the fourth faith healer
killed over several months in Pakistan. Earlier Pir Samiullah was killed in
Swat by the Taliban 16 December 2008. His dead body was later exhumed
16 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
and desecrated. Pir Raullah was kidnapped from Nowshera and his
beheaded body was found in Matani area of Peshawar. Pir Juma Khan was
kidnapped from Dir Lower and his beheaded body was found near Swat.
[100]
Faith healing is associated with Su Islam in Pakistan
Pakistani faith healers are known as pirs, a term that applies to the
descendants of Su Muslim saints. Under Susm, those descendants are
thought to serve as conduits to God. The popularity of pirs as a viable
healthcare alternative stems from the fact that, in much of rural
Pakistan, clinics don't exist or are dismissed as unreliable.
[101]
and suppressing it has been a cause of "extremist" Muslims there.
[102]
March 5: The shrine of Rahman Baba, "the most famous Su Pashto
language poet", razed to the ground by Taliban militants "partly because
local women had been visiting the shrine".
[99][103]
8 March: Attack on shrine of "famous Su poet" Rahman Baba in Peshawar.
"The high intensity device almost destroyed the grave of the Rehman Baba
and the gates of a mosque, canteen and conference hall situated in the
spacious Rehman Baba Complex. Police said the bombers had tied explosives
around the pillars of the tombs, to pull down the mausoleum".
[104]
May 8: shrine of Shaykh Omar Baba destroyed.
[99][105]
12 June: Mufti Sarfraz Ahmed Naeemi killed by suicide bomber in Lahore. A
leading Sunni Islamic cleric in Pakistan he was well known for his moderate
views and for publicly denouncing the Talibans beheadings and suicide
bombings as "un-Islamic".
[106]
2010
22 June: Taliban militants blow up the Mian Umar Baba shrine in Peshawar.
No fatalities reported.
[99][107]
1 July: Multiple bombings of Data Durbar Complex Su shrine, in Lahore,
Punjab. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up killing at least 50 people
and injuring 200 others.
[99]
7 October: 10 people killed, 50 injured in a double suicide bombing attack on
Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine in Karachi
[108]
17 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
7 October: The tomb of Baba Fariddudin Ganj Shakkar in Pakpattan is
attacked. Six people were killed and 15 others injured.
[99]
25 October: 6 killed, and at least 12 wounded in an attack on the shrine of
12th-century saint, Baba Farid Ganj Shakar in Pakpattan.
[109]
14 December: Attack on Ghazi Baba shrine in Peshawar, 3 killed.
[110]
2011
3 February: Remote-controlled device is triggered as food is being
distributed among the devotees outside the Baba Haider Saieen shrine in
Lahore, Punjab. At least three people were killed and 27 others injured.
[99]
3 April: Twin suicide attack leaves 42 dead and almost a hundred injured
during the annual Urs festival at shrine of 13th century Su saint Sakhi
Sarwar (a.k.a. Ahmed Sultan) in the Dera Ghazi Khan district of Punjab
province. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claims responsibility for the attack.
[99][111]
2012
21 June: Bomb kills three people and injures 31 others at the Pinza Piran
shrine in Hazarkhwani in (Peshwar). "A police ocial said the bomb was
planted in a donkey-cart that went o in the afternoon when a large number
of people were visiting the popular shrine".
[112]
Kashmir, India
In this predominately Muslim, traditionally Su region,
[113]
some six places of
worship have been either completely or partially burnt in "mysterious res" in
several months leading up to November 2012.
[114]
The most prominent victim of
damage was the Dastageer Sahib Su shrine in Srinagar which burned in June
2012, injuring 20.
[115]
While investigators have so far found no sign of arson,
according to journalist Amir Rana the res have occurred within the context of a
surging Sala movement which preaches that "Kashmiri tradition of venerating
the tombs and relics of saints is outside the pale of Islam".
[114]
mourners outside the burning shrine cursed the Salas for creating an
atmosphere of hate, [while] some Salas began posting incendiary
messages on Facebook, terming the destruction of the shrine a "divine
18 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
act of God".
[114]
Somalia
Under the Al-Shabab rule in Somali, Su ceremonies were banned
[116]
and
shrines destroyed (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyJYUr8MQGQ).
[117]
As the
power of Al-Shabab has waned, however, Su ceremonies are said to have
"re-emerged".
[113]
Mali
In the ancient city of Timbuktu, sometimes called "the city of 333 saints",
UNESCO reports that as many as half of the city's shrines "have been destroyed
in a display of fanaticism", as of July 2012. A spokesman for Ansar Dine has stated
that "the destruction is a divine order", and that the group had plans to destroy
every single Su shrine in the city, "without exception".
[118]
In Gao and Kidal, as
well as Timbuktu, Sala Islamists have destroyed musical instruments and driven
musicians (music is not Haraam under Su Islam) into "economic exile" away
from Mali.
[119]
International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda described the
Islamists' actions as a "war crime".
[120][121]
Egypt
A May 2010 ban by the ministry of awqaf (religious endowments) of centuries old
Su dhikr gatherings (devoted to the remembrance of God, and including dancing
and religious songs) has been described as a "another victory for extreme Sala
thinking at the expense of Egypt's moderate Susm". Clashes followed at Cairo's
Al-Hussein Mosque and al-Sayyida Zeinab mosques between members of Su
orders and security forces who forced them to evacuate the two shrines.
[78]
In
2009, the moulid of al-Sayyida Zeinab, Muhammad's granddaughter, was banned
ostensibly over concern over the spread of swine u
[122]
but also at the urging of
Salas.
[78]
According to Gaber Qassem, deputy of the Su Orders, approximately 14 shrines
have been violated in Egypt since the January 2011 revolution. According to
Sheikh Tarek El-Rifai, head of the Rifai Su Order, a number of Salas have
prevented Su prayers in Al-Haram. Sheikh Rifai said that the order's lawyer has
led a report at the Al-Haram police station to that eect. In early April 2011, a
Su march from Al-Azhar Mosque to Al-Hussein Mosque was followed by a
massive protest before Al-Hussein Mosque, "expressing outrage at the
19 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
destruction" of Su shrines. The Islamic Research Centre of Egypt, led by Grand
Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayeb, has also renounced the attacks on the
shrines.
[80]
According to the Muslim Brotherhood website ikhwanweb.com, in
2011 "a memorandum was submitted to the Armed Forces" citing 20
"encroachments" on Su shrines.
[85]
Libya
Following the overthrow of Muammar Gadda, several Su religious sites in Libya
were deliberately destroyed or damaged.
[123]
In the weeks leading up to
September 2012, "armed groups motivated by their religious views" attacked Su
religious sites across the country, "destroying several mosques and tombs of Su
religious leaders and scholars".
[124]
Perpetrators were described as "groups that
have a strict Islamic ideology where they believe that graves and shrines must be
desecrated." Libyan Interior Minister Fawzi Abdel A'al, was quoted as saying, "If
all shrines in Libya are destroyed so we can avoid the death of one person [in
clashes with security forces], then that is a price we are ready to pay."
[124]
In September 2012, three people were killed in clashes between residents of
Rajma (50 km south-east of Benghazi) and "Salast Islamists" trying to destroy a
Su shrine in Rajma, the Sidi al-La mausoleum.
[125]
In August 2012 the United
Nations cultural agency Unesco urged Libyan authorities to protect Su mosques
and shrines from attacks by Islamic hardliners "who consider the traditional
mystical school of Islam heretical". The attacked have "wrecked mosques in at
least three cities and desecrated many graves of revered Su scholars".
[126]
Tunisia
In an article on the rise of Salasm in Tunisia, the media site Al-Monitor reported
that 39 Su shrines were destroyed or desecrated in Tunisia, from the 2011
revolution to January 2013.
[127]
Russia, Dagestan
Said Atsayevalso known as Sheikh Said Afandi al-Chirkavia prominent
74-year-old Su Muslim spiritual leader in Dagestan Russia, was killed by a
suicide bombing August 28, 2012 along with six of his followers. His murder
follows "similar religiously-motivated killings" in Dagestan and other regions of
ex-Soviet Central Asia, targeting religious leadersnot necessarily Suwho are
hostile to violent jihad. Afandi had survived previous attempts on his life and was
reportedly in the process of negotiating a peace agreement between the Sus and
Salas.
[128] [129][130]
20 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Iran
The book Mystic Regimes. Susm and the State in Iran, from the late Qajar era to
the Islamic Republic by Matthijs van den Bos discusses the status of Susm in
Iran in the 19th and 20th century.
[131]
According to Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh, an
expert on Susm and the representative of the Ni'matullh order outside Iran, a
campaign against the Sus in Iran (or at least Shia Sus) began in 2005 when
several books were published arguing that because Sus follow their own
spiritual leaders do not believe in the Islamic state's principle of "velayat-e faqih"
(i.e., that the supreme Shiite jurist should be the nation's political leader), Sus
should be treated as second-class citizens. They should not be allowed to have
government jobs, and if they already have them, should be identied and
red.
[132]
Since 2005 the Ni'matullh orderIran's largest Su orderhave come under
increasing state pressure. Three of their houses of worship have been demolished.
Ocials accused the Sus of not having building permits and of narcotics
possessioncharges the Sus reject.
[132]
The government of Iran is considering an outright ban on Susm, according to the
2009 Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious
Freedom.
[133]
It also reports:
In February 2009, at least 40 Sus in Isfahan were arrested after
protesting the destruction of a Su place of worship; all were released
within days.
In January, Jamshid Lak, a Gonabadi Dervish from the Nematollahi Su
order was ogged 74 times after being convicted in 2006 of slander
following his public allegation of ill-treatment by a Ministry of
Intelligence ocial.
In late December 2008, after the closure of a Su place of worship,
authorities arrested without charge at least six members of the
Gonabadi Dervishes on Kish Island and conscated their books and
computer equipment; their status is unknown.
In November 2008, Amir Ali Mohammad Labaf was sentenced to a
ve-year prison term, 74 lashes, and internal exile to the southeastern
town of Babak for spreading lies, based on his membership in the
Nematollahi Gonabadi Su order.
In October, at least seven Su Muslims in Isfahan, and ve others in
Karaj, were arrested because of their aliation with the Nematollahi
Gonabadi Su order; they remain in detention.
21 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Tomb of Shaikh Salim Chisti,
Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, Uttar
Pradesh, India.
In November 2007, clashes in the western city of Borujerd between
security forces and followers of a mystic Su order resulted in dozens of
injuries and the arrests of approximately 180 Su Muslims. The clashes
occurred after authorities began bulldozing a Su monastery. It is
unclear how many remain in detention or if any charges have been
brought against those arrested. During the past year, there were
numerous reports of Shi'a clerics and prayer leaders, particularly in
Qom, denouncing Susm and the activities of Su Muslims in the
country in both sermons and public statements.
[133]
In 2009 the mausoleum of the 19th century Su poet Nasir Ali and an adjoining
Su prayer house were bulldozed.
[134]
Not all Sus in Iran have been subject to government pressure. Sunni dervish
orderssuch as the Qhaderi dervishesin the Sunni-populated parts of the
country are thought by some to be seen as allies of the government against
Al-Qaeda.
[132]
Islam and Susm
Susm and Islamic law
Scholars and adherents of Susm sometimes
describe Susm in terms of a threefold approach
to God as explained by a tradition (hadth)
attributed to Muhammad,"The Canon is my word,
the order is my deed, and the truth is my interior
state". Sus believe the sharia (exoteric "canon"),
tariqa (esoteric "order") and haqiqa ("truth") are
mutually interdependent.
[135]
The tariqa, the 'path' on which the mystics walk,
has been dened as 'the path which comes out of
the sharia, for the main road is called branch, the
path, tariq.' No mystical experience can be
realized if the binding injunctions of the sharia are
not followed faithfully rst. The tariqa however, is narrower and more dicult to
walk.
It leads the adept, called salik or "wayfarer", in his sulk or "road" through
dierent stations (maqmt) until he reaches his goal, the perfect tawhd, the
existential confession that God is One.
[136]
Shaykh al-Akbar Muhiuddeen Ibn
Arabi mentions, "When we see someone in this Community who claims to be able
to guide others to God, but is remiss in but one rule of the Sacred Law even if he
22 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
manifests miracles that stagger the mind asserting that his shortcoming is a
special dispensation for him, we do not even turn to look at him, for such a person
is not a sheikh, nor is he speaking the truth, for no one is entrusted with the
secrets of God Most High save one in whom the ordinances of the Sacred Law are
preserved. (Jami' karamat al-awliya')".
[137]
The Amman Message, a detailed statement issued by 200 leading Islamic scholars
in 2005 in Amman, and adopted by the Islamic world's political and temporal
leaderships at the Organisation of the Islamic Conference summit at Mecca in
December 2005, and by six other international Islamic scholarly assemblies
including the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of Jeddah, in July 2006,
specically recognized the validity of Susm as a part of Islamhowever the
denition of Susm can vary drastically between dierent traditions (what may be
intended is simple tazkiah as opposed to the various manifestations of Susm
around the Islamic world).
[138]
Traditional Islamic thought and Susm
The literature of Susm emphasizes highly subjective matters that resist outside
observation, such as the subtle states of the heart. Often these resist direct
reference or description, with the consequence that the authors of various Su
treatises took recourse to allegorical language. For instance, much Su poetry
refers to intoxication, which Islam expressly forbids. This usage of indirect
language and the existence of interpretations by people who had no training in
Islam or Susm led to doubts being cast over the validity of Susm as a part of
Islam. Also, some groups emerged that considered themselves above the Sharia
and discussed Susm as a method of bypassing the rules of Islam in order to
attain salvation directly. This was disapproved of by traditional scholars.
For these and other reasons, the relationship between traditional Islamic scholars
and Susm is complex and a range of scholarly opinion on Susm in Islam has
been the norm. Some scholars, such as Al-Ghazali, helped its propagation while
other scholars opposed it. W. Chittick explains the position of Susm and Sus
this way:
In short, Muslim scholars who focused their energies on understanding
the normative guidelines for the body came to be known as jurists, and
those who held that the most important task was to train the mind in
achieving correct understanding came to be divided into three main
schools of thought: theology, philosophy, and Susm. This leaves us with
the third domain of human existence, the spirit. Most Muslims who
devoted their major eorts to developing the spiritual dimensions of the
human person came to be known as Sus.
Traditional and Neo-Su groups
23 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
The mausoleum (gongbei) of
Ma Laichi in Linxia City,
China.
The traditional Su orders, which are in majority,
emphasize the role of Susm as a spiritual
discipline within Islam. Therefore, the Sharia
(traditional Islamic law) and the Sunnah are seen
as crucial for any Su aspirant. One proof
traditional orders assert is that almost all the
famous Su masters of the past Caliphates were
experts in Sharia and were renowned as people
with great Iman (faith) and excellent practice.
Many were also Qadis (Sharia law judges) in
courts. They held that Susm was never distinct
from Islam and to fully comprehend and practice
Susm one must be an observant Muslim.
"Neo-Susm" and "universal Susm" are terms
used to denote forms of Susm that do not require
adherence to Shariah, or a Muslim faith. The terms
are not always accepted by those it is applied to.
The Universal Susm movement was founded by
Inayat Khan, teaches the essential unity of all
faiths, and accepts members of all creeds. Susm
Reoriented is an oshoot of Khan's Western Susm inuenced by the syncretistic
teacher Meher Baba. The Golden Su Center exists in England, Switzerland and
the United States. It was founded by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee to continue the work
of his teacher Irina Tweedie, herself a disciple of the Hindu Naqshbandi Su Bhai
Sahib. The Afghan-Scottish teacher Idries Shah has been described as a neo-Su
by the Gurdjiean James Moore.
[139]
Other Western Su organisations include
the Su Foundation of America and the International Association of Susm.
Western Su practice may dier from traditional forms, for instance having
mixed-gender meetings and less emphasis on the Qur'an.
Prominent Sus
Abul Hasan al-Shadhili
Abul Hasan al-Shadhili (died 1258 CE), the founder of the Shadhiliyya Su order,
introduced dhikr jahri (The method of remembering Allah through loud means).
Su orders generally preach to deny oneself and to destroy the ego-self (nafs) and
its worldly desires. This is sometimes characterized as the "Order of Patience-
Tariqus Sabr". In contrast, Imam Shadhili taught that his followers need not
abstain from what Islam has not forbidden, but to be grateful for what God has
bestowed upon them.
[140]
This notion, known as the "Order of Gratitude-Tariqush
Shukr", was espoused by Imam Shadhili. Imam Shadhili gave eighteen valuable
24 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Geometric arabesque tiling on the
underside of the dome of Haz's
tomb in Shiraz.
A manuscript of Su Islamic
theology, Shams al-Ma'arif
(translated as "The Book of
the Sun of Gnosis") was
written by the Algerian Su
master Ahmad al-Buni during
the 12th century
hizbs (litanies) to his followers out of which the notable Hizbul Bahr
[141]
is recited
worldwide even today.
Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani
Al-Sayyid Muhiyudin Abu Muhammad Abdal
Qadir Al-Jilani Al-Hasani Wal-Hussaini (born 11
Rabi al-Thani, 470 Hijri, in the town of Na'if,
district of Gilan, Ilam Province Or Amol of
Tabarestan, Persia, died 8 Rabi al-Awwal 561
AH, in Baghdad,[1] (10771166 CE), was a
Persian Hanbali jurist and Su based in
Baghdad. Qadiriyya was his patronym. Al Gilani
spent his early life in Na'if, the town of his
birth. There, he pursued the study of Hanbali
law. Abu Ali al-Mukharrimi gave Al Gilani
lessons in Fiqh. He was given lessons about
Hadith by Abu Bakr ibn Muzaar. He was given
lessons about Tafsir by Abu Muhammad Ja'far, a
commentator. In Tasawwuf, his spiritual instructor
was Abu'l-Khair Hammad ibn Muslim al-Dabbas.
After completing his education, Gilani left
Baghdad. He spent twenty-ve years as a reclusive
wanderer in the desert regions of Iraq. In 1127, Al
Gilani returned to Baghdad and began to preach to
the public. He joined the teaching sta of the
school belonging to his own teacher,
al-Mukharrimii,and was popular with students. In
the morning he taught hadith and tafsir, and in the
afternoon he held discourse on the science of the
heart and the virtues of the Qur'an. He was said to
have been a convincing preacher and converted
numerous Jews and Christians. His strength came
in the reconciling of the mystical nature of the Su
and strict nature of the Qur'an. He felt it important
to control egotism and worldliness in submission to
God.
Bayazid Bastami
Bayazid Bastami (died 874 CE) is considered to be
"of the six bright stars in the rmament of the
Prophet", and a link in the Golden Chain of the
Naqshbandi Tariqah. He is regarded as the rst
mystic to openly speak of the annihilation (fan') of the base self in the Divine,
25 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
whereby the mystic becomes fully absorbed to the point of becoming unaware of
himself or the objects around him. Every existing thing seems to vanish, and he
feels free of every barrier that could stand in the way of his viewing the
Remembered One. In one of these states, Bastami cried out: "Praise to Me, for My
greatest Glory!" His belief in the unity of all religions became apparent when
asked the question: "How does Islam view other religions?" His reply was "All are
vehicles and a path to God's Divine Presence".
Ibn Arabi
Muhyiddin Muhammad b. 'Ali Ibn 'Arabi (or Ibn al-'Arabi) AH 561- AH 638 (July
28, 1165 November 10, 1240) is considered to be one of the most important Su
masters, although he never founded any order (tariqa). His writings, especially
al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya and Fusus al-hikam, have been studied within all the Su
orders as the clearest expression of tawhid (Divine Unity), though because of
their recondite nature they were often only given to initiates. Later those who
followed his teaching became known as the school of wahdat al-wujud (the
Oneness of Being). He himself considered his writings to have been divinely
inspired. As he expressed the Way to one of his close disciples, his legacy is that
'you should never ever abandon your servanthood ('ubudiyya), and that there may
never be in your soul a longing for any existing thing'.
[142]
Junayd Baghdadi
Junayd Baghdadi (830910 CE) was one of the great early Sus, and is a central
gure in the golden chain of many Su orders. He laid the groundwork for sober
mysticism in contrast to that of God-intoxicated Sus like al-Hallaj, Bayazid
Bastami and Abusaeid Abolkheir. During the trial of al-Hallaj, his former disciple,
the Caliph of the time demanded his fatwa. In response, he issued this fatwa:
"From the outward appearance he is to die and we judge according to the
outward appearance and God knows better". He is referred to by Sus as
Sayyid-ut Taifai.e., the leader of the group. He lived and died in the city of
Baghdad.
Moinuddin Chishti
He was born in 1141 and died in 1236 CE. Also known as Gharb Nawz
"Benefactor of the Poor", he is the most famous Su saint of the Chishti Order of
the Indian Subcontinent. Moinuddin Chishti introduced and established the order
in the subcontinent. The initial spiritual chain or silsila of the Chishti order in
India, comprising Moinuddin Chishti, Bakhtiyar Kaki, Baba Farid, Nizamuddin
Auliya (each successive person being the disciple of the previous one), constitutes
the great Su saints of Indian history. Moinuddin Chisht turned towards India,
reputedly after a dream in which Prophet Muhammad blessed him to do so. After
a brief stay at Lahore, he reached Ajmer along with Sultan Shahb-ud-Din
26 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
A choreographed Su
performance on Friday at
Sudan.
Muhammad Ghori, and settled down there.[4] In Ajmer, he attracted a substantial
following, acquiring a great deal of respect amongst the residents of the city.
Moinuddin Chisht practiced the Su Sulh-e-Kul (peace to all) concept to promote
understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims
Mansur al-Hallaj
Mansur al-Hallaj (died 922 CE) is renowned for his claim "Ana-l-Haqq" (I am The
Truth). His refusal to recant this utterance, which was regarded as apostasy, led
to a long trial. He was imprisoned for 11 years in a Baghdad prison, before being
tortured and publicly dismembered on March 26, 922. He is still revered by Sus
for his willingness to embrace torture and death rather than recant. It is said that
during his prayers, he would say "O Lord! You are the guide of those who are
passing through the Valley of Bewilderment. If I am a heretic, enlarge my
heresy".
[143]
Reception
Perception outside Islam
Su mysticism has long exercised a fascination
upon the Western world, and especially its
orientalist scholars.
[144]
Figures like Rumi have
become well known in the United States, where
Susm is perceived as a peaceful and apolitical
form of Islam.
[144]
The Islamic Institute in Mannheim, Germany,
which works towards the integration of Europe
and Muslims, sees Susm as particularly suited for
interreligious dialogue and intercultural
harmonisation in democratic and pluralist
societies; it has described Susm as a symbol of
tolerance and humanismnondogmatic, exible
and non-violent.
[145]
Inuence on Judaism
See also: Jewish philosophy
Both Judaism and Islam are monotheistic. However, there is evidence that Susm
did inuence the development of some schools of Jewish philosophy and ethics. A
great inuence was exercised by Susm upon the ethical writings of Jews in the
27 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Middle Ages. In the rst writing of this kind, we see "Kitab al-Hidayah ila Fara'i
al-ulub", Duties of the Heart, of Bahya ibn Paquda. This book was translated by
Judah ibn Tibbon into Hebrew under the title "ovot ha-Levavot".
[146]
The precepts prescribed by the Torah number 613 only; those dictated
by the intellect are innumerable.
This was precisely the argument used by the Sus against their adversaries, the
Ulamas. The arrangement of the book seems to have been inspired by Susm. Its
ten sections correspond to the ten stages through which the Su had to pass in
order to attain that true and passionate love of God which is the aim and goal of
all ethical self-discipline. A considerable amount of Su ideas entered the Jewish
mainstream through Bahya ibn Paquda's work, which remains one of the most
popular ethical treatises in Judaism.
It is noteworthy that in the ethical writings of the Sus Al-Kusajri and Al-Harawi
there are sections which treat of the same subjects as those treated in the "ovot
ha-Lebabot" and which bear the same titles: e.g., "Bab al-Tawakkul"; "Bab
al-Taubah"; "Bab al-Muasabah"; "Bab al-Tawau'"; "Bab al-Zuhd". In the ninth
gate, Baya directly quotes sayings of the Sus, whom he calls Perushim.
However, the author of the ovot ha-Levavot did not go so far as to approve of the
asceticism of the Sus, although he showed a marked predilection for their
ethical principles.
The Jewish writer Abraham bar iyya teaches the asceticism of the Sus. His
distinction with regard to the observance of Jewish law by various classes of men
is essentially a Suc theory. According to it there are four principal degrees of
human perfection or sanctity; namely:
1. of "Shari'ah", i.e., of strict obedience to all ritual laws of Islam, such as
prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, almsgiving, ablution, etc., which is the lowest
degree of worship, and is attainable by all
2. of ariqah, which is accessible only to a higher class of men who, while
strictly adhering to the outward or ceremonial injunctions of religion, rise to
an inward perception of mental power and virtue necessary for the nearer
approach to the Divinity
3. of "aikah", the degree attained by those who, through continuous
contemplation and inward devotion, have risen to the true perception of the
nature of the visible and invisible; who, in fact, have recognized the
Godhead, and through this knowledge have succeeded in establishing an
ecstatic relation to it; and
4. of the "Ma'arifah", in which state man communicates directly with the
28 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Deity.
Abraham ben Moses ben Maimon, the son of the Jewish philosopher Maimonides,
believed that Su practices and doctrines continue the tradition of the Biblical
prophets. See Sefer HaMaspik, "HaPrishut", Chapter 11 ("Ha-maavak") s.v.
hitbonen eifo bi-masoret muaah zu, citing the Talmudic explanation of Jeremiah
13:27 in Chagigah 5b; in Rabbi Yaakov Wincelbergs translation, "The Way of
Serving God" (Feldheim), p. 429 and above, p. 427. Also see ibid., Chapter 10
("Ikkuvim"), s.v. va-halo yodea atah; in "The Way of Serving God", p. 371. There
are other such references in Rabbi Abrahams writings, as well.> He introduced
into the Jewish prayer such practices as reciting God's names (dhikr).
Abraham Maimuni's principal work is originally composed in Judeo-Arabic and
entitled " " Kitb Kifyah al-'bidn ("A Comprehensive Guide for the
Servants of God"). From the extant surviving portion it is conjectured that
Maimuni's treatise was three times as long as his father's Guide for the Perplexed.
In the book, Maimuni evidences a great appreciation for, and anity to, Susm.
Followers of his path continued to foster a Jewish-Su form of pietism for at least
a century, and he is rightly considered the founder of this pietistic school, which
was centered in Egypt.
The followers of this path, which they called, interchangeably, Hasidism (not to
confuse with the latter Jewish Hasidic movement) or Susm (Tasawwuf),
practiced spiritual retreats, solitude, fasting and sleep deprivation. The Jewish
Sus maintained their own brotherhood, guided by a religious leaderlike a Su
sheikh.
[147]
Abraham Maimuni's two sons, Obadyah and David, continued to lead this
Jewish-Su brotherhood. Obadyah Maimonides wrote Al-Mawala Al Hawdiyya
("The Treatise of the Pool")an ethico-mystical manual based on the typically Su
comparison of the heart to a pool that must be cleansed before it can experience
the Divine.
The Maimonidean legacy extended right through to the 15th century with the 5th
generation of Maimonidean Sus, David ben Joshua Maimonides, who wrote
Al-Murshid ila al-Tafarrud (The Guide to Detachment), which includes numerous
extracts of Suhrawardi's Kalimat at-Tasawwuf.
In popular culture
Films
In The Jewel of the Nile (1985), the eponymous Jewel is a Su holy man.
In Hideous Kinky (1998), Julia (Kate Winslet) travels to Morocco to explore Susm
29 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Friday evening ceremony at
Dargah Salim Chisti, India.
and a journey to self-discovery.
In Monsieur Ibrahim (2003), Omar Sharif's character professes to be a Muslim in
the Su tradition.
Bab'Aziz (2005), a lm by Tunisian director Nacer Khemir, draws heavily on the
Su tradition, containing quotes from Su poets such as Rumi and depicting an
ecstatic Su dance.
Music
Abida Parveen, a Pakistani Su singer is one of the
foremost exponents of Su music, together with
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan are considered the nest
Su vocalists of the modern era. Sanam Marvi
another Pakistani singer has recently gained
recognition for her Su vocal performances.
A. R. Rahman, the Oscar-winning Indian musician,
has several compositions which draw inspiration
from the Su genre; examples are the lmi
qawwalis Khwaja Mere Khwaja in the lm Jodhaa
Akbar, Arziyan in the lm Delhi 6 and Kun Faya
Kun in the lm Rockstar.
Bengali singer Lalan Fakir and Bangladesh's national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam
scored several Su songs.
Junoon, a band from Pakistan, created the genre of Su rock by combining
elements of modern hard rock and traditional folk music with Su poetry.
In 2005, Rabbi Shergill released a Su rock song called "Bulla Ki Jaana", which
became a chart-topper in India and Pakistan.
[148][149]
Madonna, on her 1994 record Bedtime Stories, sings a song called "Bedtime
Story" that discusses achieving a high unconsciousness level. The video for the
song shows an ecstatic Su ritual with many dervishes dancing, Arabic
calligraphy and some other Su elements. In her 1998 song "Bittersweet", she
recites Rumi's poem by the same name. In her 2001 Drowned World Tour,
Madonna sang the song "Secret" showing rituals from many religions, including a
Su dance.
Singer/songwriter Loreena McKennitt's record The Mask and Mirror (1994) has a
song called "The Mystic's Dream" that is inuenced by Su music and poetry. The
band mewithoutYou has made references to Su parables, including the name of
their album It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright (2009). Tori
30 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Amos makes a reference to Sus in her song "Cruel".
Mercan Dede is a Turkish composer who incorporates Susm into his music and
performances.
Literature
The Persian poet Rumi has become one of the most widely read poets in the
United States, thanks largely to the interpretative translations published by
Coleman Barks.
[150]
Elif Safak's novel The Forty Rules of Love tells the story of
Rumi becoming a disciple of the Persian Su dervish Shams Tabrizi.
Modern and contemporary Su scholars
Arabian Peninsula
Abdallah Bin Bayyah (b. 1935) Saudi Arabia
Habib Ali al-Jifri (b. 1971) Yemen
Habib Umar bin Haz (b. 1962) Yemen
Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki (19442004) Saudi Arabia
Levant and Africa
Abd al-Hamid Kishk (19331996) Egypt
Abdalqadir as-Su (b. 1930) South Africa
Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri (19122004) Syria
Ahmad al-Alawi (18691934) Algeria
Ahmad Tijani Ali Cisse (b. 1955) Senegal
Ahmed el-Tayeb (b. 1946) Egypt
Ali Gomaa (b. 1951) Egypt
Amadou Bamba (1853-1927) Senegal
Gibril Haddad (b. 1960) Lebanon
Hassan Ciss (19452008) Senegal
Muhammad al-Yaqoubi (b. 1963) Syria
Muhammad ibn al-Habib (18761972) Morocco
Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy (19282010) Egypt
Nuh Ha Mim Keller (b. 1954) Jordan
Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam Egypt
31 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Wahba Zuhayli (b. 1932) Syria
Yusuf an-Nabhani (18491932) Palestine
Western Europe
Abdal Hakim Murad (b. 1960) United Kingdom
Ahmed Babiker United Kingdom
Frithjof Schuon (19071998) Switzerland
Idries Shah (19241996) United Kingdom
Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee (b. 1953) United Kingdom
Martin Lings (19092005) United Kingdom
Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada (b. 1946) United Kingdom
Eastern Europe
Hseyin Hilmi Ik (19112001) Turkey
Nazim Al-Haqqani (b. 1922) Turkey
Said Afandi al-Chirkawi (19372012) Dagestan
Said Nurs (18781960) Turkey
North America
Ahmed Tijani Ben Omar (b. 1950) United States
Hamza Yusuf (b. 1960) United States
Hisham Kabbani (b. 1945) United States
Hossein Nasr (b. 1933) United States
Kabir Helminski (b. 1942) United States
M. A. Muqtedar Khan (b. 1966) United States
Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ninowy (b. 1966) United States
Nahid Angha (b. 1945) United States
Nooruddeen Durkee (b. 1938) United States
Zaid Shakir (b. 1956) United States
Ali Kianfar (b. 1944) United States
South Asia
32 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri (b. 1951) - Pakistan
Ahmed Ullah Maizbhanderi (18261906) Bangladesh
Ahmed Raza Khan (18561921) India
Akhtar Raza Khan (b. 1943) India
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi (b. 1927) Pakistan
Meher Ali Shah (18591937) Pakistan
Muhammad Abdul Qadeer Siddiqi Qadri (18711962) India
Muhammad Ilyas Qadri (b. 1950) Pakistan
Qalandar Baba Auliya (18981979) Pakistan
Qamaruzzaman Azmi (b. 1946) India
Saheb Qiblah Fultali (19132008) Bangladesh
Syed Waheed Ashraf (b. 1933) India
Tajuddin Muhammad Badruddin (1861-1925) India
Thaika Shuaib (b. 1930) India
Eastern and Central Asia
Habib Munzir Al-Musawa (19732013) Indonesia
Muhammad Abdul Aleem Siddiqi (18921954) Singapore
Muhammad Ma Jian (19061978) China
Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas (b. 1931) Malaysia
Gallery
The Golden Chain
of the
Naqshbandiyya
order
Tomb of Khwaja
Ghulam Farid at
Mithankot
Grave of Ma
Yuanzhang, the
Su Grand Master,
in China
Su mosque in
Srinagar, India.
33 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
The Great Mosque
of Touba, home of
the Mouride Su
order of Senegal
Wali tomb, south
of Karima, Sudan
Mausoleum of
Sheikh Ali Abu
Shibbak al-Rifa'i,
in the Rifa'i
Mosque in Cairo,
Egypt
The Rumi Museum
in Konya, Turkey
An illustration of
Ibrahima Fall,
leader of the
Mouride Order
A small shrine in
Lahore
A Mughal Era Su
manuscript by
Muslim Rajputs
The Mughal
Emperor Jahangir
preferring a Su
shaikh to kings
Mazar e Soltani,
Bidokht, Gonabad
County. Shrine Of
four Qutbs
(masters) of the
Nimatullahi Su
order
34 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
See also
Index of Susm-related articles
Tawassul, a religious practice in which a Muslim seeks nearness to God.
Universal Su Festival
Rahe Bhander Ennoble Award
References
^ "Susm" (http://dialoguetalk.org/seyyed-hossein-nasr/susm/) Dialogue Talk. 1.
^
a b c
Alan Godlas, University of Georgia, Susm's Many Paths, 2000, University of
Georgia (http://www.uga.edu/islam/Susm.html)
2.
^ Nuh Ha Mim Keller, "How would you respond to the claim that Susm is Bid'a?",
1995. Fatwa accessible at: Masud.co.uk (http://www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM
/nuh/susm.htm)
3.
^ Zubair Fattani. "The meaning of Tasawwuf" (http://www.islamicacademy.org
/html/Articles/English/Tasawwuf.htm). Islamic Academy.
4.
^ The New Encyclopedia Of Islam (http://books.google.com
/books?id=D7tu12gt4JYC&pg=PA499&dq=susm+tariqah+orders+encyclopedia&
hl=en&sa=X&ei=KtQ3UeJKxPzIAf3dgPAG&ved=0CFEQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&
q=susm%20tariqah%20orders%20encyclopedia&f=false) By Cyril Glass, p.499
5.
^
a b
Kabbani, Muhammad Hisham (2004). Classical Islam and the Naqshbandi Su
Tradition. Islamic Supreme Council of America. p. 557. ISBN 1-930409-23-0.
6.
^ http://bektashiorder.com/excerpts-from-babas-book 7.
^ http://www.spiritualfoundation.net/fatherofsusm.htm 8.
^ http://khawajamoinuddin.wordpress.com/hazrat-ali-the-father-of-susm/ 9.
^
a b
The Jamaat Tableegh and the Deobandis by Sajid Abdul Kayum, Chapter 1:
Overview and Background.
10.
^ Ahmed Zarruq, Zaineb Istrabadi, Hamza Yusuf Hanson. The Principles of Susm.
Amal Press. 2008.
11.
^ An English translation of Ahmad ibn Ajiba's biography has been published by Fons
Vitae.
12.
^ Insights into Islamic Esoterism and Taoism (Sophia Perennis 2003) 13.
^ The New Encyclopedia Of Islam (http://books.google.com
/books?id=D7tu12gt4JYC&pg=PA498&dq=encyclopedia+of+islam+su&hl=en&
sa=X&ei=7Q4xUbuCH-GCyAGT24HwAw&ved=0CFsQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=su&
14.
35 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
f=false) By Cyril Glass, p.500
^ Munn, Richard C. (JanuaryMarch 1969). "Reviewed work(s): The Sus by Idries
Shah". Journal of the American Oriental Society (American Oriental Society) 89 (1):
279281. JSTOR 598339 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/598339).
15.
^ "Susm, Sus, and Su Orders: Susm's Many Paths" (http://www.uga.edu/islam
/susmwest.html). Uga.edu. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
16.
^ Idries Shah, The Sus, ISBN 0-385-07966-4 17.
^ A Prayer for Spiritual Elevation and Protection (2007) by Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi,
Suha Taji-Farouki
18.
^
a b
Hawting, Gerald R. (2000). The rst dynasty of Islam: The Umayyad Caliphate
AD 661-750. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-24073-5. See Google book search
(http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-wFp_Gv8GDYC&printsec=frontcover&
dq=Umayyad+Caliphate+661+750).
19.
^ Michael Sells, Early Islamic Mysticism, pg. 1 20.
^ The Naqshbandi Su Tradition Guidebook of Daily Practices and Devotions, p. 83,
Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, 2004
21.
^ "Susm in Islam" (http://mac.abc.se/home/onesr/f/Susm%20in%20Islam.htm).
Mac.abc.se. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
22.
^ "Origin of susm - Qadiri" (http://www.suway.net/1sec4=ORigSUF811326.html).
Su Way. 2003. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
23.
^
a b
Rashid Ahmad Jullundhry, Qur'anic Exegesis in Classical Literature, pg. 56. New
Westminster: The Other Press, 2010. ISBN 9789675062551
24.
^ Al-Brn: commemorative volume, Hakim Mohammad Said, Pakistan. Ministry of
Education, Unesco, Hamdard National Foundation, Pakistan, 2010
25.
^ The memoirs of Sus written in India: reference to Kashaful-mahjub, Siyar-
ul-auliya, and Siyar-ul-arin, Mahmud Husain Siddiqui, Dept. of Persian, Urdu, and
Arabic, Faculty of Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, 2009
26.
^ Introduction to Su Doctrine, p.3, Titus Burckhardt, Kazi Publications, ISBN
978-1-56744-217-5, 1976
27.
^ Susm, Sus, and Su Orders: Susm's Many Paths (http://www.uga.edu/islam
/susmintro.html)
28.
^ Abdullah Nur ad-Din Durkee, The School of the Shadhdhuliyyah, Volume One:
Orisons, ISBN 977-00-1830-9
29.
^ Muhammad Emin Er, Laws of the Heart: A Practical Introduction to the Su Path,
Shif Publishers, 2008, ISBN 978-0-9815196-1-6
30.
^ Cavendish, Richard. Great Religions. New York: Arco Publishing, 1980. 31.
^ Abdullah Nur ad-Din Durkee, The School of the Shadhdhuliyyah, Volume One:
Orisons; see also Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, Classical Islam and the
32.
36 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Naqshbandi Su Tradition, ISBN 978-1-930409-23-1, which reproduces the spiritual
lineage (silsila) of a living Su master.
^
a b
An Introduction to Shii Islam: The History and Doctrines of Shi'i
(https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&q=introduction+to+shia+qutb&
btnG=&surl=1#hl=en&tbm=bks&sclient=psy-
ab&q=introduction+to+shi%27i+su+qutb&
oq=introduction+to+shi%27i+su+qutb&
gs_l=serp.3...9734.11093.3.12578.3.3.0.0.0.0.78.234.3.3.0.cpsugrccpqgame..0.0...1.1
.5.psy-ab.6H1T6Q6h2mo&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&
bvm=bv.43148975,d.aWc&fp=b1df2ad3f5ce4741&biw=1024&bih=552) Page 209
33.
^ See Muhammad Emin Er, Laws of the Heart: A Practical Introduction to the Su
Path, Shif Publishers, 2008, ISBN 978-0-9815196-1-6, for a detailed description of
the practices and preconditions of this sort of spiritual retreat.
34.
^ See examples provided by Muzaar Ozak in Irshad: Wisdom of a Su Master,
addressed to a general audience rather than specically to his own students.
35.
^ Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, Classical Islam and the Naqshbandi Su
Tradition, ISBN 978-1-930409-23-1
36.
^
a b
http://www.alim.org/library/biography/khalifa/content/KAL/79/1 37.
^ IslamOnline.net (http://www.islamonline.net/english/Contemporary/2002/08
/article03.shtml)
38.
^ Massignon, Louis. Essai sur les origines du lexique technique de la mystique
musulmane. Paris: Vrin, 1954. p. 104.
39.
^ Imam Birgivi, The Path of Muhammad, WorldWisdom, ISBN 0-941532-68-2 40.
^ Hodgson, Marshall G.S. (1958). The Venture of Islam, Vol 1: The Classical Age of
Islam. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press. p. 394.
41.
^ Lloyd Ridgeon, Morals and Mysticism in Persian Susm: A History of
Su-Futuwwat in Iran, p. 32. Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge, 2010.
42.
^ Ibn Khallikan's Biographical Dictionary, translated by William McGuckin de Slane.
Paris: Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. Sold by Institut de
France and Royal Library of Belgium. Vol. 3, p. 209.
43.
^ Ahmet T. Karamustafa, Susm: The Formative Period, pg. 58. Berkeley: University
of California Press, 2007.
44.
^ J. Spencer Trimingham, The Su Orders in Islam, Oxford University Press, ISBN
978-0-19-512058-5.
45.
^ The most recent version of the Risla is the translation of Alexander Knysh,
Al-Qushayri's Epistle on Susm: Al-risala Al-qushayriyya Fi 'ilm Al-tasawwuf (ISBN
978-1859641866). Earlier translations include a partial version by Rabia Terri Harris
(Su Book of Spiritual Ascent) and complete versions by Harris, and Barbara R. Von
46.
37 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Schlegell.
^ Several sections of the Revival of Religious Sciences have been published in
translation by the Islamic Texts Society; see http://www.fonsvitae.com/susm.html.
The Alchemy of Happiness has been published in a complete translation by Claud
Field (ISBN 978-0935782288), and presents the argument of the much larger Revival
of Religious Sciences in summary form.
47.
^ For the pre-modern era, see Vincent J. Cornell, Realm of the Saint: Power and
Authority in Moroccan Susm, ISBN 978-0-292-71209-6; and for the colonial era,
Knut Vikyr, Su and Scholar on the Desert Edge: Muhammad B. Oali Al-Sanusi and
His Brotherhood, ISBN 978-0-8101-1226-1.
48.
^ Leonard Lewisohn, The Legacy of Medieval Persian Susm, Khaniqahi-Nimatullahi
Publications, 1992.
49.
^ Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Islam: Religion, History, and Civilization,
HarperSanFrancisco, 2003. (Ch. 1)
50.
^ Dina Le Gall, A Culture of Susm: Naqshbandis in the Ottoman World, 14501700,
ISBN 978-0-7914-6245-4.
51.
^ Arthur F. Buehler, Su Heirs of the Prophet: The Indian Naqshbandiyya and the
Rise of the Mediating Su Shaykh, ISBN 978-1-57003-783-2.
52.
^ Victor Danner, The Islamic Tradition: An introduction. Amity House. February 1988. 53.
^ Masatoshi Kisaichi, "The Burhami order and Islamic resurgence in modern Egypt."
Popular Movements and Democratization in the Islamic World, pg. 57. Part of the
New Horizons in Islamic Studies series. Ed. Masatoshi Kisaichi. London: Routledge,
2006. ISBN 9781134150618
54.
^ "Susm and Religious Brotherhoods in Senegal", Babou, Cheikh Anta, The
International Journal of African Historical Studies, v. 40 no. 1 (2007) pp. 1846
55.
^ Susm and Religious Brotherhoods in Senegal, Khadim Mbacke, translated from
the French by Eric Ross and edited by John Hunwick. Princeton, NJ: Markus Wiener,
2005.
56.
^ See in particular the biographical introduction to Michel Chodkiewicz, The
Spiritual Writings of Amir Abd Al-Kader, ISBN 978-0-7914-2446-9.
57.
^ From the article on Susm in Oxford Islamic Studies Online
(http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e2260?_hi=6&_pos=2)
58.
^
a b
Muhammad Emin Er, Laws of the Heart: A Practical Introduction to the Su
Order, Shif Publishers, 2008, ISBN 978-0-9815196-1-6
59.
^ For a systematic description of the diseases of the heart that are to be overcome in
order for this perspective to take root, see Hamza Yusuf, Purication of the Heart:
Signs, Symptoms and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart, ISBN
978-1-929694-15-0.
60.
38 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
^ Concerning this, and for an excellent discussion of the concept of attraction
(jadhba), see especially the Introduction to Abdullah Nur ad-Din Durkee, The School
of the Shadhdhuliyyah, Volume One: Orisons, ISBN 977-00-1830-9.
61.
^ Muhammad Emin Er, al-Wasilat al-Fasila, unpublished MS. 62.
^ Realities of The Heart (http://nurmuhammad.com/HeartLevels
/coverLataif5levelsofheart.htm) Lataif
63.
^ Annemarie Schimmel, Mystical Dimensions of Islam, ISBN 978-0-8078-1271-6 . 64.
^ See especially Robert Frager, Heart, Self & Soul: The Su Psychology of Growth,
Balance, and Harmony, ISBN 978-0-8356-0778-0.
65.
^ Hakim Moinuddin Chisti, The Book of Su Healing, ISBN 978-0-89281-043-7 66.
^ For an introduction to the normative creed of Islam as espoused by the consensus
of scholars, see Hamza Yusuf, The Creed of Imam al-Tahawi, ISBN 978-0-9702843-9-6,
and Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Maghnisawi, Imam Abu Hanifa's Al-Fiqh Al-Akbar
Explained, ISBN 978-1-933764-03-0.
67.
^ The meaning of certainty in this context is emphasized in Muhammad Emin Er, The
Soul of Islam: Essential Doctrines and Beliefs, Shif Publishers, 2008, ISBN
978-0-9815196-0-9.
68.
^ See in particular the introduction by T. J. Winter to Abu Hamid Muhammad
al-Ghazali, Al-Ghazali on Disciplining the Soul and on Breaking the Two Desires:
Books XXII and XXIII of the Revival of the Religious Sciences, ISBN
978-0-946621-43-9.
69.
^ Akbar Ahmed, Diiscovering Islam, Making sense of Muslim History and
Society,ISBN 0-415-28525-9(Pbk)
70.
^ Klaus K. Klostermaier, A Survey of Hinduism, ISBN 978-0-7914-7082-4 (Pbk) 71.
^ Abdullah Jawadi Amuli, "Dhikr and the Wisdom Behind It"
(http://islamiceducationcenter.org/pdf/dhikr_and_the_wisdom_behind_it.pdf)
72.
^ Hakim Moinuddin Chisti The Book of Su Healing, ISBN 978-0-89281-043-7 73.
^ Naqshbandi Way of Dhikr (http://www.naqshbandi.org/dhikr/dierence.htm) 74.
^ Touma 1996, p.162 75.
^ What is Remembrance and what is Contemplation? (http://goharshahi.net/images
/books_les/menar-e-noor_les
/What%20is%20Remembrance%20and%20what%20is%20Contemplation.htm)
76.
^ Muhammad Emin Er, Laws of the Heart: A Practical Introduction to the Su Path,
ISBN 978-0-9815196-1-6, p. 77.
77.
^
a b c
Sala intolerance threatens Sus (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree
/belief/2010/may/10/islam-su-sala-egypt-religion)| Baher Ibrahim| guardian.co.uk|
10 May 2010
78.
^ Mir, Tariq. "Kashmir: From Su to Sala" (http://pulitzercenter.org/projects 79.
39 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
/kashmir-su-resurgence-sala-islam-belief-conict-rising-salasm-muslim-islam).
November 5, 2012. Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
^
a b
"Sala Violence against Sus" (http://www.islamopediaonline.org/country-prole
/egypt/salasts/sala-violence-against-sus). Islamopedia Online. Retrieved 24
February 2013.
80.
^ Momen, Moojan (1985). An Introduction to Shii Islam: The History and Doctrines
of Twelver Shiism (http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&
q=Introduction+to+Shi%CA%BBi+Islam+Majlisi&btnG=&surl=1#hl=en&gs_rn=5&
gs_ri=psy-ab&ds=bo&pq=introduction%20to%20shi%CA%BBi%20islam%20majlisi&
cp=40&gs_id=40&xhr=t&q=Introduction%20to%20Shi
%CA%BBi%20Islam%20Majlisi%20su&es_nrs=true&pf=p&tbm=bks&sclient=psy-
ab&oq=Introduction+to+Shi%CA%BBi+Islam+Majlisi+su&gs_l=&pbx=1&
bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bvm=bv.43148975,d.aWc&fp=f79f47bc6dd80ec5&
biw=1280&bih=609). Yale University Press,. pp. 115116.
81.
^ Yadav, Rama Sankar (2007). Global Encyclopaedia of Education (4 Vols. Set)
(http://books.google.com/books?id=6XCRmgig69MC&pg=PA406&
dq=Senussi+mecca+1843&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SRgxUZzrMMLZyQGkooDoBw&
ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Senussi%20mecca%201843&f=false). Global
Vision Publishing House. p. 406.
82.
^ Dalrymple, William (5 November 2005). "What goes round..."
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2005/nov/05/featuresreviews.guardianreview26).
The Guardian (London).
83.
^ Introduction to Shi'i Islam, Momen, Moojan, Yale University Press, 1985 p.14-16 84.
^
a b
"Sala destruction of shrines and public property unacceptable"
(http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=28330). Ikhwanweb. 3 April 2011.
Retrieved 24 February 2013.
85.
^ a think-tank based in Rawalpindi 86.
^
a b
Sunni Ittehad Council: Sunni Barelvi activism against Deobandi-Wahhabi
terrorism in Pakistan by Aarish U. Khan (http://criticalppp.com/archives/239339)|
criticalppp.com| Let Us Build Pakistan
87.
^ John R. Schmidt states, "although most Deobandis are no more prone to violence
than their Christian fundamentalist counterparts in the West, every jihadist group
based in Pakistan save one is Deobandi, as are the Afghan Taliban". The Unraveling:
Pakistan in the Age of Jihad (http://books.google.com/books?id=P_Px5TdHx1YC&
pg=PT55&dq=barelvi+deobandi+pakistan&hl=en&
sa=X&ei=DncmUdi0BMmCqgHamoGQBQ&ved=0CEIQ6AEwBA) | John R. Schmidt|
2011
88.
40 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
^
a b
"Sects Within Sect: The Case of DeobandiBarelvi Encounter in Pakistan"
(http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09700160801886330). Tandfonline.com.
1 January 1970. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
89.
^ Chakrabarty, Rakhi (Dec 4, 2011). "Sus strike back"
(http://articles.timesondia.indiatimes.com/2011-12-04/special-report
/30474274_1_susm-wahabism-su-shrines). The Times of India. Retrieved 5 March
2013.
90.
^ Researcher Amir Rana (a researcher and editor quarterly research journal Conict
and Peace Studies. What is young Pakistan thinking? (http://blogs.tribune.com.pk
/author/134/amir-rana/)) claims than Deobandi themselves are often Su, as
"Naqshbandi, the major Su cult in Pakistan, is mainly comprised of the Deobandis"
(source: Rana, Amir. "Where susm stands" (http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story
/811/where-susm-stands/). 1 August 2010. Express Tribune Blogs. Retrieved 4
March 2013.). Maulana Qasim Nomani, the Rector of Deobandi seminary Darul
Uloom Deoband has denied either that his school is anti-su or promotes militancy,
stating Deoband scholars like Ashraf Ali Thanwi, and others were Su saints as well
and they had their Khanqahs (Su hospice).
Who said we are against Susm? We very much follow the Su traditions
and all of our elders were Su practitioners of Su tradition (source: Ali,
Md. "Deoband hits back, rejects "baseless" charge of radicalizing Muslim
youth" (http://twocircles.net/2011oct19/deoband_hits_back_rejects_
%E2%80%9Cbaseless%E2%80
%9D_charge_radicalizing_muslim_youth.html). 19 October 2011.
TwoCircles.net. Retrieved 4 March 2013.)
According to the Jamestown Foundation, Deobandi have also been victims of
sectarian strife.
Scores of Deobandi leaders and members of Ahle Sunnat wal Jamat (ASWJ,
formerly the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan) have been assassinated in
Karachi in recent years. Police sources say that the Sunni Tehrik, a Barelvi
organization, is behind most of these assassinations. (source: Jamal, Arif.
[tt_news]=39288 "Karachi's Deadly Political and Sectarian Warfare
Threatens the Stability of Pakistan's Commercial Capital"
(http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews). Terrorism
Monitor April 20, 2012. Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 4 March 2013.)
91.
^ Timeline: Persecution of religious minorities (http://dawn.com/2012/11/04/timeline-
persecution-of-religious-minorities/)| DAWN.COM | 4 November 2012
92.
^ "Pakistani Shiite massacre: Pakistan - Bari Imam shrine" (http://groups.yahoo.com
/group/hazaratpv/message/1566). May 27, 2005. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
93.
^ Azeem, Munawer (14 August 2011). "Two involved in Bari Imam suicide attack 94.
41 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
arrested" (http://dawn.com/2011/08/14/two-involved-in-bari-imam-suicide-attack-
arrested/). Dawn. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
^ Raja, Mudassir (31 July 2011). "Bari Imam Shrine attack 2005: Police await
suspects on judicial remand in another case" (http://tribune.com.pk/story/236095
/bari-imam-shrine-attack-2005-police-await-suspects-on-judicial-remand-in-another-
case/). Express Tribune. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
95.
^ Bari Imam blast: Masterminds belong to LJ linked group
(http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_14-6-2005_pg7_12) By
Shahzad Malik| 14 June 2005
96.
^ Three LJ activists indicted in Nishtar Park blast case (http://www.dawn.com
/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/metropolitan/16-three-
lj-activists-indicted-in-nishtar-park-blast-case-hs-07), Dawn (newspaper), 2 September
2009
97.
^ Tanoli, Ishaq (5 February 2012). "Six years on, Nishtar Park carnage trial remains
inconclusive" (http://dawn.com/2012/02/05/six-years-on-nishtar-park-carnage-trial-
remains-inconclusive/). Dawn. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
98.
^
a b c d e f g h i
Pakistani Taliban Continue Their Campaign against Su Shrines
(http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=37826)|
Terrorism Monitor Volume: 9 Issue: 16| April 22, 2011| By: Animesh Roul]
99.
^ PESHAWAR: Another faith healer shot dead in Peshawar (http://archives.dawn.com
/archives/157926)| By Ali Hazrat Bacha| dawn.com| 18 February 2009
100.
^ "In Pakistan, faith healers have no shortage of believers"
(http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/29/world/la-fg-pakistan-superstition-20120330),
Alex Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times, March 29, 2012
101.
^ Faith Healing and Skepticism in Pakistan: Challenges and Instability
(http://www.csicop.org/si/show
/faith_healing_and_skepticism_in_pakistan_challenges_and_instability/) | Ryan Shaer
| csicop.org| Volume 36.6, November/December 2012
102.
^ Terrorism Monitor Brief, March 19, 2009 103.
^ And now Sunni vs Sunni (http://www.viewpointonline.net
/Old/fullstory.php?t=And%20now%20Sunni%20vs%20Sunni&f=full-2-july-16.php&
y=2010&m=july) Riaz ul Hassan| circa July 2010
104.
^ Al-Alawi, Irfan. "Urbanised Islam behind Pakistan's Su shrine bombings"
(http://www.lapidomedia.com/urbanised-islam-behind-pakistans-su-shrine-
bombings). 15 March 2011. Lapidomedia. Retrieved 26 Feb 2013.
105.
^ "LUBP | Sarfraz Naeemi" (http://criticalppp.com/archives/tag/sarfraz-naeemi).
Criticalppp.com. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
106.
^ Express Tribune, June 22, 2010 107.
42 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
^ Haque, Jahanzaib (October 7, 2010). "Twin suicide attacks at Abdullah Shah Ghazi
shrine" (http://tribune.com.pk/story/59617/twin-blasts-in-karachi/). Express Tribune.
Retrieved 5 March 2013.
108.
^ "Blast at Baba Farids shrine kills six" (http://tribune.com.pk/story/67328/baba-
farid-shrine-blast-4-dead/). Express Tribune. October 26, 2010. Retrieved 5 March
2013.
109.
^ "Extremist Deobandis' attack on Ghazi Baba shrine in Peshawar | LUBP"
(http://criticalppp.com/archives/33455). Criticalppp.com. 14 December 2010.
110.
^ "Blast at Pakistan Shrine Kills Dozens" (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/world
/asia/04pakistan.html?_r=0). New York Times. April 3, 2011.
111.
^ "Three killed in Peshawar shrine blast" (http://images.thenews.com.pk/22-06-2012
/ethenews/t-15526.htm). The News. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
112.
^
a b
"Clashes follow re at Kashmir Su shrine" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-
asia-india-18576201). BBC News. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
113.
^
a b c
Rana, Amir. "Kashmir: Su and Wahabbi Islam in Conict"
(http://pulitzercenter.org/projects/kashmir-india-pakistan-su-wahhabi-islam). Pulitzer
Center. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
114.
^ Ahmad, Mukhtar (June 25, 2012). "Fire destroys historic shrine, triggering anger in
Kashmir" (http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/25/world/asia/kashmir-re). CNN. Retrieved 7
March 2013.
115.
^ "Libya and Mali: Sala Islamists destroying shrines courtesy of Saudi Arabia and
Qatar" (http://moderntokyotimes.com/2012/08/26/libya-and-mali-sala-islamists-
destroying-shrines-courtesy-of-saudi-arabia-and-qatar/). Modern Tokyo Times. 26
August 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
116.
^ Al Shabab of Somalia Destroy the Graves of Su Saints (http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=zyJYUr8MQGQ)
117.
^ Timbuktus Destruction: Why Islamists Are Wrecking Mali's Cultural Heritage
(http://world.time.com/2012/07/02/timbuktus-destruction-why-islamists-are-wrecking-
malis-cultural-heritage/#ixzz2Mn8L8Wh5)| By Ishaan Tharoor|time.com| July 02,
2012
118.
^ "Susm and Salasm, Mali's deep religious divide" (http://www.theafricareport.com
/news-analysis/susm-and-salasm-malis-deep-religious-divide.html).
Theafricareport.com. 21 December 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
119.
^ "Destroying the Shrines of Timbuktu: Some Arab Responses"
(http://islamopediaonline.org/editorials-and-analysis/destroying-shrines-timbuktu-
some-arab-responses). Retrieved 24 February 2013.
120.
^ "Timbuktu shrine destruction 'a war crime' " (http://www.telegraph.co.uk 121.
43 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/9369271/Timbuktu-shrine-destruction-
a-war-crime.html). Telegraph. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
^ Leila, Reem (2329 July 2009). "Moulid ban The annual celebration of birth of
Sayeda Zeinab has been banned amid concern over the spread of swine u"
(http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/957/eg7.htm). Al Ahram. Retrieved 20 February
2013.
122.
^ "Libya S.O.S.: Democracy Arrives in Libya: Su religious sites attacked and
destroyed by Salas" (http://libyasos.blogspot.in/2012/08/democracy-arrives-in-libya-
su.html). Libyasos. 26 August 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
123.
^
a b
Libya: Stop Attacks on Su Sites (http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/08/31/libya-
stop-attacks-su-sites) | hrw.org | 31 August 2012
124.
^ Libya clashes break out over Su shrine attack (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-
africa-19522215) | bbc.co.uk| 7 September 2012
125.
^ http://tribune.com.pk/story/428052/unesco-urges-end-to-attacks-on-libyan-
su-mosques-graves/ UNESCO urges end to attacks on Libyan Su mosques, graves|
Reuters| 29 August 2012
126.
^ Benoit-Lavelle, Mischa (30 January 2013). "Tunisian Salas on the Rise"
(http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/01/amenas-hostages-ennahda-
accused-tolerating-islamist-violence.html#ixzz2MAnEv8TU). al-monitor. Retrieved 18
April 2013.
127.
^ "Sheikh Murdered Over Religious Split Say Analysts | Russia | RIA Novosti"
(http://en.rian.ru/russia/20120830/175517955.html). En.rian.ru. 30 August 2012.
128.
^ su scholar 5 others killed dagestan suicide bomb attack
(http://www.arabnews.com/world/su-scholar-5-others-killed-dagestan-suicide-
bomb-attack) arabnews.com| 2012.08.30
129.
^ http://www.jamestown.org/programs/nca/single
/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=39808&cHash=9437f44ecd602e8e9b44b05d0742f15d
CHECK THIS!!!!
130.
^ Van den Bos, M. 2002. Mystic Regimes. Susm and the State in Iran, from the late
Qajar era to the Islamic Republic (Social, economic and political studies of the Middle
East and Asia 83). Leiden: Brill.
131.
^
a b c
Esfandiari, Golnaz. "Wednesday, February 27, 2013 Features Susm Under
Attack In Iran" (http://www.rferl.org/content/Susm_Under_Attack_In_Iran
/1499990.html). February 27, 2013. rferl.org. Retrieved 27 Feb 2013.
132.
^
a b
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (May 2009).
"Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom:
Iran" (http://www.uscirf.gov/images/AR2009/iran.pdf). USG. Retrieved 25 December
133.
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2010.
^ Schwartz, Stephen. "Iran Continues Crackdown on Sus"
(http://www.hungtonpost.com/stephen-schwartz/iran-continues-crackdown-
on-sus_b_3181642.html). 04/30/2013. Hungton Post. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
134.
^ Muhammad Emin Er, The Soul of Islam: Essential Doctrines and Beliefs, Shif
Publishers, 2008, ISBN 978-0-9815196-0-9.
135.
^ Annemarie Schimmel, Mystical Dimensions of Islam (1975) pg. 99 136.
^ (source: [pp. 778795 of The Reliance of the Traveller, by Shaykh Nuh Ha Meem
Keller])
137.
^ The Amman Message Summary (http://ammanmessage.com/). Retrieved on Feb 2,
2010.
138.
^ Neo-Susm: The Case of Idries Shah (http://www.gurdjie-legacy.org/40articles
/neosusm.htm)
139.
^ "Thareeqush Shukr" (http://www.shazuli.com/thareeqush-shukr.html). Shazuli.com.
Retrieved 2012-08-13.
140.
^ http://www.deenislam.co.uk/mix/Hizb_ul_Bahr.htm 141.
^ K. al-Wasa'il, quoted in The Unlimited Mercier, Stephen Hirtenstein, p. 246 142.
^ Memoirs of the Saints, p.108 143.
^
a b
Ron Geaves, Theodore Gabriel, Yvonne Haddad, Jane Idleman Smith: Islam and
the West Post 9/11, Ashgate Publishing Ltd., p. 67
144.
^ Jamal Malik, John R. Hinnells: Susm in the West, Routledge, p. 25 145.
^ A Su-Jewish Dialogue: Philosophy and Mysticism in Bahya ibn Paquda's Duties of
the Heart, Diana Lobel
146.
^ Jewish pietism of the Su type, Mireille Loubet (http://bcrfj.revues.org
/index2312.html)
147.
^ Zeeshan Jawed (4 June 2005). "Soundscape for the soul"
(http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050604/asp/calcutta/story_4806895.asp). The
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^ Curiel, Jonathan (February 6, 2005). "Islamic verses: The inuence of Muslim
literature in the United States has grown stronger since the Sept. 11 attacks"
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150.
Further reading
45 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Abrahamov, Binyamin, Philosophical Mysticism, in Muhammad in History,
Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God (2 vols.),
Edited by C. Fitzpatrick and A. Walker, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2014.
ISBN 1610691776
Abun-Nasr, Jamil. Muslim Communities of Grace: The Su Brotherhoods in
Islamic Religious Life (http://books.google.de/books?id=BKulU4bzi7gC&
pg=PA288&dq=abun-nasr,+jamil,+communities&hl=de&
ei=6E4ZTpOsPI3Lswal5qiuDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&
resnum=2&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false). London, Hurst,
2007.
Al-Badawi, Mostafa. Su Sage of Arabia. Louisville: Fons Vitae, 2005.
Algan, Rek & Camille Adams Helminski, translators, Rumi's Sun: The
Teachings of Shams of Tabriz, (Sandpoint, ID:Morning Light Press, 2008)
ISBN 978-1-59675-020-3
Ali-Shah, Omar. The Rules or Secrets of the Naqshbandi Order, Tractus
Publishers, 1992, ISBN 978-2-909347-09-7.
Angha, Nader. "Susm: A Bridge Between Religions". MTO Shahmaghsoudi
Publications, 2002, ISBN 0-910735-55-7
Angha, Nader. "Susm: The Lecture Series". MTO Shahmaghsoudi
Publications, 1997, ISBN 978-0-910735-74-2.
Angha, Nader. "Peace". MTO Shahmaghsoudi Publications, 1994, ISBN
978-0-910735-99-5.
Aractingi, Jean-Marc and Christian Lochon, Secrets initiatiques en Islam et
rituels maonniques-Ismaliens, Druzes, Alaouites,Confrries soues; d.
L'Harmattan, Paris, 2008 (ISBN 978-2-296-06536-9).
Arberry, A.J.. Mystical Poems of Rumi, Vols. 1&2. Chicago: Univ. Chicago
Press, 1991.
Austin, R.W.J.. Sus of Andalusia, Gloustershire: Beshara Publications, 1988.
Azeemi,Khwaja Shamsuddin. Muraqaba: Art and Science of Su Meditation,
Houston:Plato Publishing,Inc., 2005, ISBN 0-9758875-4-8.
Barks, Coleman & John Moyne, translators, The Drowned Book: Ecstatic &
Earthy Reections of Bahauddin, the Father of Rumi, (NY: HarperCollins,
2004) ISBN 0-06-075063-4
Bewley, Aisha. The Darqawi Way. London: Diwan Press, 1981.
46 of 49 2014-05-14 09:33
Burckhardt, Titus. An Introduction to Su Doctrine. Lahore: 1963.
Chopra, R M, "Great Su Poets of The Punjab", Iran Society, Calcutta, 1999.
Colby, Frederick. The Subtleties of the Ascension: Lata'if Al-Miraj: Early
Mystical Sayings on Muhammad's Heavenly Journey. City: Fons Vitae, 2006.
Dahln, Ashk, Su Islam, The World's Religions: Continuities and
Transformations, ed. Peter B. Clarke & Peter Beyer, New York, 2008.
Dahln, Ashk, Female Su Saints and Disciples: Women in the life of Jalal
al-din Rumi, Orientalia Suecana, vol. 57, Uppsala, 2008.
Emin Er, Muhammad. Laws of the Heart: A Practical Introduction to the Su
Path, Shif Publishers, 2008, ISBN 978-0-9815196-1-6.
Emin Er, Muhammad. The Soul of Islam: Essential Doctrines and Beliefs,
Shif Publishers, 2008, ISBN 978-0-9815196-0-9.
Ernst, Carl. The Shambhala Guide to Susm. HarperOne, 1999.
Fadiman, James and Frager, Robert. Essential Susm. Boulder: Shambhala,
1997.
Farzan, Massud. The Tale of the Reed Pipe. New York: Dutton, 1974.
Gowins, Phillip. SusmA Path for Today: The Sovereign Soul. New Delhi:
Readworthy Publications (P) Ltd., 2008. ISBN 978-81-89973-49-0
Khan, Inayat. "Part VI, Susm" (http://www.wahiduddin.net/mv2/IX
/IX_31.htm). The Su message, Volume IXThe Unity of Religious Ideals
Koc, Dogan, "Gulen's Interpretation Of Susm"
(http://fethullahgulenconference.org/oklahoma/read.php?p=gulens-
interpretation-of-susm), Second International Conference on Islam in the
Contemporary World: The Fethullah Glen Movement in Thought and
Practice, December 2008
Lewinsohn (ed.), The Heritage of Susm, Volume I: Classical Persian Susm
from its Origins to Rumi (700-1300).
Michon, Jean-Louis. The Autobiography (Fahrasa) of a Moroccan Sou:
Ahmad Ibn 'Ajiba (17471809). Louisville: Fons Vitae, 1999.
Nurbakhsh, Javad, What is Susm? (http://www.nimatullahi.org/susm)
electronic text derived from The Path, Khaniqahi Nimatullahi Publications,
London, 2003 ISBN 0-933546-70-X.
Rahimi, Sadeq (2007). Intimate Exteriority: Su Space as Sanctuary for
Injured Subjectivities in Turkey. (http://www.springerlink.com/content
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/x73435h20h431p12/), Journal of Religion and Health, Vol. 46, No. 3,
September 2007; pp. 409422
Schimmel, Annemarie, Mystical Dimensions of Islam. Chapel Hill: University
of North Carolina Press, 1983. ISBN 0-8078-1223-4
Schmidle, Nicholas, "Pakistan's Sus Preach Faith and Ecstasy"
(http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/Faith-and-Ecstasy.html),
Smithsonian magazine, December 2008
Sells, Michael (ed.), Early Islamic Mysticism: Su, Qur'an, Mi'raj, Poetic and
Theological Writings, ISBN 978-0-8091-3619-3.
Shah, Idries. The Sus. New York: Anchor Books, 1971, ISBN 0-385-07966-4.
Shah, Sirdar Ikbal Ali. "The General Principles of Susm," (http://archive.org
/stream/hibbertjournal20londuoft#page/524/mode/2up) The Hibbert Journal,
Vol. XX, October 1921/ July 1922.
Shaikh Sharfuddin Maneri. Letters from a Su Teacher
(http://www.goldenelixir.com/press/suf_01_su_letters.html). Mountain View,
CA: Golden Elixir Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0-9843082-4-8.
Seker, Nimet. Jewish and Muslim Mysticism: Jewish Mystics on the Su Path
Qantara.de (http://en.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-478/_nr-1039
/i.html) April 2010
Wilcox, Lynn. "Women and the Holy Qur'an: a Su Perspective". MTO
Shahmaghsoudi Publications, 1998, ISBN 0-910735-65-4
External links
Susm Oxford Islamic Studies Online (http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com
/article/opr/t125/e2260?_hi=6&_pos=2)
Susm (http://www.dmoz.org/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Islam
/Susm/) at DMOZ
Susm, Sus, and Su Orders - Susm's Many Paths (http://www.uga.edu
/islam/Susm.html)
Extensive photo Essay on Susm by a National Geographic photographer
(http://www.aaronhuey.com/#/editorial-archive/susm-in-pakistan
/Su_web_009)
ProjectSusm - misconceptions, realities and true essence of susm
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(http://www.projectsusm.com)
Pak Naqshbandi (http://www.paknaqshbandi.com)
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oldid=608398237"
Categories: Susm Islam in Punjab, Pakistan Islam in Turkey
Sunni Islamic movements Arabic words and phrases
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