A Simple Guide to ISLAM
Tasawwuf – Sufism
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TASAWWUF – SUFISM
Sufism places emphasis on the activities of the inner self. While fiqh
deals with the performance of external rituals.
The word Sufi is said to have been derived form the Arabic word
Safa (Purity). To another group this word has been derived form
Ashabus-Safa
or the people of the bench. With the migration of
Muslims from Makkah to Madinah, many Muslims managed to find
job to earn their livelihood. But there were some people who had
no such worldly engagements. They spent their time in worship.
For a living they gathered sticks and they often fed themselves on
fallen dates. The Prophet fed them and commanded his
companions to do likewise. The Porch of the Masjid where they
used to assemble on benches obtained their name.
But with greater certainty the word can be traced to
Suf
(wool). As
we know that in the early days of Islam, woolen garments were
frequently worn by ascetics. It was a symbol of their voluntary
poverty and renunciation of the world and all its pleasures.
The Prophet is said to have received a two fold -revelation, the one
embodied in the contents of the Quran, the other within his heart.
The Sufism of these early Muslims was characterized by the
renunciation of worldly pleasures and an intense fear of Allah and
the day of judgements. The early Sufis were strictly speaking
ascetics, with poverty as the ideal of their religious life.
Abu Darda, a companion of the Prophet used to say: “If ye knew
what ye shall see after death, ye would not eat food nor drink water
