only in relation to the succeeding generations that one comes across the
term Sufi. According to Abdur Rahman Jami
2
, who quotes earlier sources,
the first spiritualist to be given the title of Sufi was Shaykh Abu Hashim Kufi
(d. 776).
3
Let us examine the etymological meaning and origin of the term
Sufi
. It
is made up of three Arabic letters:
s- w- f,
but there is much scholarly
dispute surrounding it. One view is that the word Sufi is derived from the
Arabic word
saf
, which means
line
or
row
, referring here to those early
Muslim contemporaries of the Prophet who stood in the first row during
prayer, having reached the mosque well in time. Others contend that the
word is derived from the word
suffa
, the
verandah
or
porch
of the Prophet’s
mosque in Madinah. The traditions say that a number of the companions of
the Prophet who had no home stayed in this verandah. They spent their
time in worship, in learning by heart the verses of the Qur’an and
memorizing the words of the Prophet. They disengaged themselves from
worldly activities.The Prophet and his companions looked after their needs.
Since the porch of the mosque had virtually become their home, they
came to be called
Ashaab-i Suffa
or ‘People of the Porch’. However, the
majority of the scholars are of the opinion that the word Sufi comes from
the word
suf,
or wool. This is because most of the early pious people were
inclined to asceticism and wore undyed, coarse woolen garments.The rough
cloth symbolized voluntary poverty and renunciation of the world with all
its pleasures.
2
see Abdur Rahman Jami,
Nafahatu’l Uns
, Teheran, 1337/1918-19, pp. 31-32. Abdur Rahman
Jami was a prominent Sufi of the Naqshbandi order (see the chapter on the Naqshbandi order in this
book)
3
see Rizvi, S.A.A.,
A History of Sufism in India
, Vol. I, Delhi, 1975, p..31; and Dar, B.A.,
Early Sufis
,
in Sharif, M.M.,
A History of Muslim Philosophy
, Delhi, 1961, p..336
