SUFI THEOSOPHY

           

Sufism is the esoteric or inward aspect of Islam. Hence it is to be distinguished from the exoteric or “external” aspect just as direct contemplation of spiritual fulfilling of the laws that translate them. in the individual order in connection with the conditions of a particular phase of humanity . Whereas the ordinary way of believer is directed towards obtaining a state of blessedness after death, a state that may be attained through indirect and symbolical participation in Divine truths by carrying out prescribed rites. Sufism contains its aim within itself in the sense that it can give access to direct knowledge of the eternal.

The decisive argument in favor of the Islamic origin of Sufism lies, however, in itself. If Sufi wisdom came from source outside Islam, those who aspire to that wisdom which is neither bookish nor purely mental in its nature , could not rely on the symbolism of the Quran for realizing that ever afresh. Whereas, in fact, everything that forms an integral part of the spiritual method of Sufism is of necessity drawn out of the Quran and from the teachings of the Prophet of Islam.

The first Sufis expressed themselves in a language very close to that of Quran and their concise expressions already implied all essentials of the doctrine. expressions already implied of essentials the doctrine. If at a latter stage the doctrine became more explicit and was further elaborated, this is something normal to which parallel can be found in every spiritual tradition. Doctrine grows not as much by the addition of new knowledge as by the need to refute errors and to reanimate a diminishing power of intuition.

The orthodoxy of Sufism is not only shown in its maintaining of Islamic forms; it is equally expressed in its organic development from the teachings of the Prophet and in particular by its ability to assimilate all forms of spiritual expression that are not in their essence alien to Islam.

To make the inner constitution of Sufism quite clear it should be added that it always includes as indispensable elements, first, a doctrine, secondly, an intuition and thirdly, a spiritual method .the doctrine is a symbolical prefiguring of the knowledge to be attained . it is also, in its manifestation , a fruit if that knowledge.

The quintessence of Sufi doctrine comes from the Prophet, but as there is not esotericism without a certain inspiration, the doctrine is continually manifested afresh by the mouth of masters. Oral teaching is moreover superior since it is direct and “personal” to what can be gleaned from writings. Writings play only a secondary part as a preparation, a complement or an aid to memory and for this reason the historical continuity of Sufi teaching sometimes includes the researches of scholars.

As for initiation in Sufism , this consists in the transmission of a spiritual influence and must be conferred on by a representative of a “chain” reaching back to the Prophet. In most cases it is transmitted by the master who also communicates the method and confers the means of spiritual concentration that are appropriate to the aptitude of the disciple. The general framework of the method is the Islamic Law (Sharia), although there have always been isolated sufis who by reason of  the exceptional nature of their contemplative state, no longer took part in the ordinary ritual of traditionalistic Islam.

In order to forestall any objection that might be raised on this account to wht had already been said about the Muhammadan origin of Sufism, it must here be clearly stated that the spiritual on which the principal methods of Sufism are based appear as the very keystone of the Islamic symbolism; it is indeed this sense that they were given by the prophet himself.

Initiation generally takes the form of a pact (bay”ah) between the disciple and the spiritual master who represents the Prophet (esoterically). This pact implies submission of the disciple to the Sufi-teacher in all that concerns spiritual Life. The different “branches” of the spiritual “family tree” (Shajara Mubarak) of Sufism correspond quite naturally to different “paths’ . Each great master from whom the start of a specific branch can be traced has authority to adopt the method to the aptitude of a particular category of those who are gifted with spiritual life.

Thus the various “paths” correspond to various “vocations” all of them oriented to the same goal, and are in no sense schisms or “sects” within Sufism.

Authentic Sufism can never become a “movement” for the very good reason that it appeals what is most “static” in man contemplative intellect.

In this connection it should be noted that, if Islam has been able to remain intact throughout the centuries despite the changes in human psychology and the ethnic difference between the Islamic peoples, this is assuredly not because of the relatively dynamic character it possesses as a collective form but because from its very origin it includes a possibility of intellectual contemplation that transcends the affective currents of the human soul.

Sufism is commonly defined as “Islamic mysticism” and the epithet “mystical” is generally used  to designate that which distinguishes Sufis from the simply religious aspects of Islam. Hence  the tern mysticism used to designate what related to knowledge of “the mysteries” None-the-less the term “Tasawwuf” is applied in the Islamic world only to regular contemplative way that includes both an esoteric and transmission from one master to another doctrine and transmission from one master to another disciple. So Tasawwuf   could only be translated as “mysticism” on condition that the latter term was explicitly given its strict meaning.

That there may be no misunderstanding about what has just been said, it must be clearly stated that the Sufi also realizes an attitude of perpetual adoration molded by the ritual form, Like every believer he  must pray and conform to the revealed  law since his individual human nature will always remain passive in relation to Divine Reality or Truth whatever the degree of his spiritual merger with it.

It goes without saying that not every contemplative who follows the Sufi way comes to realise a state of knowledge which is beyond form, for that does not depend on his will alone.

Exotericism stands on the level of formal intelligence which is conditioned by its objects, that are partial and mutually exclusive thoughts, as for esotericism, it realizes that intelligence is beyond forms and it alone moves freely in its limitless space and sees how relative truths are delimited.

In his “Epistle of Unity” the Risalat  al- Ahadiyah ; ibn al-Arabi says; “None know Him but He Himself ………He knows  Himself by Himself …….. Other than He connot grasp Him.

His impenetrable veil is His own oneness. Other than He does not dissimulate Him. His veil is His very existence be explained. Other then He  does not see Him; whether prophet, envoy, or perfected saint or angel neat unto Him. His prophet is He Himself. His envoy is He, His word is He, He has sent word of His piety by Himself form Himself to Himself, without intermediary or causality other than Himself…. Other than, He has no existence, and so cannot bring itself to naught.  

It is characteristic if Sufism that its expressions often hold the balance between love and knowledge. The mast of love makers it possible to enunciate the most profoundly esoteric truths without coming into conflict of mystical theology, Finally, the intoxication of mystical love symbolically corresponds to states of knowledge that go beyond discursive they do not arise from an attitude of love, none-the-less evoke love because they reflect an inner beauty and sublimity of Ultimate Truth.

Most of the Sufi Writers including Ibn al- Arabi give evidence of  attitude which is fundamentally intellectual. These writers look to the Divine Reality as the Universal of all knowledge.

In Sufism the distinction of the three ways corresponds to the three main motives of aspiration towards Allah- knowledge of gnosis, love and fear. But Sufism tends rather to synthesis to differentiation of these ways and in fact “classical” Sufism to certain equilibrium of the intellectual and emotional attitudes of man. Love is born spontaneously wherever the Divine Reality is felt or contemplated. Moreover, true knowledge on gnosis in no way implies an emphasis on the mind at the expense of the emotional faculties: its organ is the heart. A Sufi who has realized utterly “impersonal” knowledge may none-less make use of the Language of Love and reject all doctrinal dialectic. In such a case the intoxication of Love will correspond to states of knowledge that beyond forms and outpace all thoughts. In reality the distinction between the way of knowledge and the way of love amounts to question of the predominance of one or the other; there is never in fact a separation between these two modes of spirituality. The object of spiritual Love is Divine Beauty-an aspect of infinity,

For Ibn al – Arani knowledge is not a station of the soul. In the perfection of the knowledge nothing specifically human remains since such knowledge is identified with its object. The  Divine Reality. At   the same time the   most  lofty station of the soul is not a psychological correlative of knowledge like prudence or veracity but is integral love, the complete absorption of the human will be the |Divine love.

Not being a philosophy, that is, a merely human mode of thought , Sufi doctrine in not presented as the homogeneous development of a mental point of view. Of necessity it includes many points of review that may on occasions be mutually contradictory, if their logical form is alone taken into account without regard to the universal truth to which they relate. Because of this  it may be that one master rejects some doctrinal assertion of another master whose authority and legitimacy he none-the less recognises.

Sufi doctrine includes several branches in which two chief domains can be distinguished, that of ultimate truth and that which relates to human and individual stages of the way.

For profane psychology  the only link between the macrocosm and the world of the soul lies in the impressions that reach the soul through the gateway of the senses, but Sufi psychology takes account  of the analogy in constitution between the macrocosm and the microcosm.

The Sufi path can be considered as a way towards knowledge of the self in inner aspect of Islam its doctrine in substance an esoteric elucidation of the Quran, Now the prophet himself gave the key to all Quran expositions in teachings he gave orally which are verified by chins of authorities, Among these sayings of the prophet some are fundamentals for Sufism. There are also the “holy utterances” in which Allah speaks in the first person by the mouth of the prophet, these have the same degree of inspiration as the Quran and this is the basis of the Sufi inspiration.

It might be said that the ordinary expositions of the Quran take the expressions in their immediate meanings whereas the Sufi expositions uncover their hidden meanings. While esotericism understands them conventionally the Sufi interpretation conceives their direct, or final and spiritually necessary character.