Running head: FIVE TEACHINGS IN SUFISM 1

Five Teachings in Sufism

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Five Teachings in Sufism

Introduction

Sufism entails a path that is apparent to Muslims. In this case, it is an inner dimension

in Islam that is essentially based on mysticism in the religion. It is worth to note that

practitioners of this school of thought seek to deploy knowledge and love in a divine way to

enable them to experience the Beloved from a personal point of view. The path is arduous,

deeply devoted, and rapturous but the rewards are worth the effort. As these people seek

Allah, they forget any reasoning because seeking Him requires a high level of spirituality and

emotional consideration. Thus, the essence of this document is to explain five major

teachings of Sufism from the perspective of Abdullah Ansari of Herat and Rumi. In this case,

it depicts love and service as the pillars of Sufism on which all other aspects grow.

Love

Love is one of the best and greatest feelings in the world considering it has

insurmountable effects when shown to the right persons and in the required contexts. As

such, the predilection to love should encourage humans to consider its advantages to their

lives. According to Sufism, it is essential to annihilate the self in the Beloved and this is

possible when done in the context of love (Farhadi, 2013). As such, the love that humans

depict is supreme and may be depicted in three major forms. The first entails love that

transcends all conventions that are focused on mutual benefits or expectations of parties that

depict or receive it. In this case, the principle in this context is ‘I am for you, you are for

whoever you choose; I accept whatever you want without any expectations whatsoever.’ The

propensity of humans to want returns for their positive actions is extremely high. However,

this should not be the case when one wants to depict love toward others. In this case, they

should show it without expecting anything in return. The second is based on a solid

foundation that people who love each other gain mutually from the relationship. It is a form
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of encouragement when humans reciprocate the love others have shown them in the past or

present. The final type of love entails two people loving each other and expecting mutual

benefit. It is common in relationships between two people where they assist each other at

different times.

Chanting the Divine Name

Several traditions in the world that deploy a form of spirituality are based on the fact

that chanting the divine name is a part of the spiritual process. In this case, it is a way that

religious adherents deploy to make sure they purify their minds and attain desirable divine

qualities. For instance, the Hindu chant over one hundred and eight names of the divine as

outlined in ancient scriptures. As such, they deploy these in the greatest times of need.

According to the Quran 13:28, when people remember Allah, hearts become tranquil.

Chanting the mantra is one of the best ways to develop the mind and focus. As such, it is one

of the most applicable ways to the transformation of the spirit, body, and mind to a higher

state of consciousness as well as a means to energize the chakras of individuals as well as

transform their vibrations (Farhadi, 2013). Sufism takes these to a new level by deploying

extensive levels of chanting and ritual dancing sessions. Consequently, repeating the name of

God and his attributes results in devotees becoming absorbed in it. Their lives get filled with

the sacred pronunciations that assist them to remain focused on higher levels of wisdom.

Working with One’s Dreams

In the ancient world, Sufis turned to their dreams for wisdom, clarity, and guidance.

As such, it was an essential tool that assisted them to chart their spiritual lives. The tradition

also allowed them to interpret dreams because it deployed a high level of philosophical

psychology. According to Rumi, when people sleep, they return to where they came from. As

such, it is a universal belief that God created humans and this implies that sleep assists them

to return to their maker. In this case, sleep presents the best time to restore, heal, and grow
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from a spiritual perspective. When people meet several challenges, they need time to focus on

them to get a response. As such, dreaming assist them to focus better by sleeping and

allowing God to give them the response to their problems (Farhadi, 2013). When they share

their dreams with others, they begin to gain an understanding of the role that dreams play in

their lives. It is especially crucial to seek divine guidance this way because Allah responds to

people when they sleep through their dreams.

Entering Service and Devotion

Sufism has an essential message that beseeches its adherents to remember God and

serve others. As such, being devoted implies that one wants to serve God for the betterment

of the community (Rumi, Arberry, & Yarshater, 1979). In this case, service to others is one of

the best ways to evaluate one’s values, dreams, aspirations, and inclinations. In this case, they

may smoothen their rough ego with love, tenderness, and humility, which they should depict

at all times and as to many people as possible. On a similar note, loving others implies that

people who adhere to these teachings will get rid of divisive qualities, arrogance, and

judgments. In this context, it is imperative to understand the two major pillars of Sufism are

love and selfless service. Consequently, it is only the person who depicts love that can begin

serving others and expect nothing in return.

Revel in Rumi

Rumi is one of the most important poets of the thirteenth century who focused on

Sufism. As such, the belief at this point is that the pathway to reach God is to deploy dance,

poetry, and music. In this context, music may assist a devotee to focus the entire being on

what is divine in an intense manner that culminates in the destruction of the soul and the

subsequent resurrection.

Conclusion
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Abdullah Ansari of Herat and Rumi depict five teachings in Sufism that adherents

should follow to remain on the critical path that leads to eternal life. In this case, they propose

love, chanting the divine name of God, working on the interpretation of one’s dreams,

entering in service and devotion, and focusing on dance, poetry, and music (Rumi et al.,

1979). When a devotee to the religion engages in these teachings, it is apparent that he or she

gains a level of understanding that encourages rational thinking. For instance, those who love

have learned not to expect anything in return for any of their actions.
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References

Farhadi, A. R. (2013). Abdullah Ansari of Herat (1006-1089 Ce): An Early Sufi Master (Vol.

1). Routledge.

Rumi, J. -D., Arberry, A. J., & Yarshater, E. (1979). Mystical Poems of Rumi. Chicago:

University of Chicago Press.