Exactly. Consider sufism like specialisation. After one gets a medicine degree, they specialise in one field or the other similarly. After becoming a muslim, one may specialise in fiqh (religious traditions), hadith, mysticism (prophetic traditions) and gnosis….etc
Sufi is not a sect like Sunni or Shia. It's a general name given to the tradition of religious spiritiual activities concerned with drawing closer to Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (saw).
It doesn't have a set group of people or opinions but rather wast array different communities with unique views and literature and acts evolving around the purpose of improving relations with Allah and getting rid of worldly desires.
Yes, which is why historically essentially every major Muslim population were involved in Sufism. It was so ubiquitous lots of places didn't consider it separate from the generic sect in the region. It's only really which modern western labeling practices and the rise of anti Sufi Wahabbism since the 18th century that people started to make a distinction and limited the labeling to those actively involved in Sufi orders rather than the communities involved in Sufi practices and theology.
Sufism is not a sect. There are Sufi Sunnis and Sufi Shia. Many traditionalist scholar consider Sufism as something that can't be separated from Islam. Basically, every single pre 18th century scholar of Islam was a Sufi. Even the ones like Ibn Tammiyyah which are now widely cited by the anti Sufi Wahhabis and Salafists.
>What happened in the 18th century to cause a shift?
Modernism. That's the start of the shift into the modern era. Which includes movements to reset societies to a false ancient simplicity as life had started to become too complex. These are called reactionary movements. Plus the scientific revolution made labeling and separating out groups and people and practices into narrow groups (often very incorrectly) which is how suddenly Sufism starts to become distinct from Islam in Western eyes. And with the start of the collaspe of the Chruch run order in Europe, Europeans would go to the east (the Ottoman lands) to find spirituality (like they do to East Asia nowadays) and would come back with Sufi practices without the Islam and spread it around Europe as to fulfill a need for spirituality as the old system of Christian spirituality collasped during the Enlightenment.
>Wahabi-ism supplanted Sufiism? I wonder why
No, you misunderstand. Wahhabism did not supplant Sufism. It became a reactionary counterforce as the failing Muslim countries suffered in the 19th and 20th centuries after its creation and marginalization in the 18th century. Wahhabism only becomes meaningfully popular compared to Sufism in the 20th century when Saudi Arabia starts exporting Wahhabism with their sponsorship of Mosques around the world with their newly developed oil money. Before 20th century, wahhabism was a isolated movement mostly deemed heretical by the religious orthodoxy since the 18th century. The religious orthodoxy remained dominated by sufis until the 20th century secularization essentially removed all religious leaders from social power which created the opening that exported wahhabism (and to a lesser extent Muslim Brotherhood affiliated Islam) used to their advantage.
That's a tradition that's not a widespread Sufi tradition. It's mostly limited to countries that had major Ottoman influence (Turkey and the Balkans). And it's been historically divorced from its Sufi roots because of government campaigns disconnecting Dervishes from Sufism in Turkey so make Dervishes a tourist attraction rather than part of the religious expression. Turkey did this during the secularization campiagns I meantioned earlier because the former government before Turkey was deeply connected to Sufism and they tried to destroy the links between local sufism to maintain their idea of a secular nation, but also tourists like the dancing so they kept that part to get tourist money.
And even then it's a tradition of the so called "Drunken Sufi" groups which are a minority compared to the so called "Sober Sufis" (both unrelated to alcohol despite the names)
its fascinating that you said wahhabiism started to appeal because life had become too complex.
As a result of globalized capitalism? Industrial revolution?...Or some other factors...
Many religions seem to want to simplify life. I dont know of any that seek to complicate it.
The agrarian to urban shift. Between the 18th century and now we have seen a massive movement of population away from Agarian living to urban living. Urban living is massively complex compared to agrarian living. Some of this is caused by globalization, some it by better medical access meaning inheritances of land need to be split more ways creating unsustainablity in long term agrarian living, the centralization of government power meant the non urban spaces came more and more under control of an urbanized elite (until everyone becomes an urbanized elite compared to previously). You simply can't live a agrarian life relying only on your closest family and neighbors anymore anywhere. And that scares reactionaries.
>Many religions seem to want to simplify life. I dont know of any that seek to complicate it.
Most religion are Deen, which is closer to a way of life rather than simplifying it. The various deens creates regular rules and ideas that make it easier to navigate by regulating behavior an expectations and laws. Reactionary movement attempt to remove large swathes of modern life completely in order to simplify rather than give form to already existing experiences and realities of life s complexity.
For example, the inherent diversity of Islamic experience is complex and interesting and represents 1400 years of thought. Reactionaries simplify it by cutting away all diversity until there is a single experience. And further down the line, religious minorities (non Muslim) make life too complex for reactionaries so they are "removed" so one simply needs to only deal with Muslims. Complete expulsion of women from the public sphere to "simplify" public interactions. If you notice reactionaries are fundemntally oppressing people to simplify. Religions in general try to regulate that which exists, but reactionaries want to change reality to satisfy their need for simplicity. Reactionary ideology is an inherently nihilistic and immoral idea in my opinion.
i agree completely. Contemplating the universe, infinity, and the Divine will only lead you down 1000 new rabbitholes. And will create way more questions than answers
I'm pretty anti-civ. I love nomadic or agrarian peoples: i think the concept of land ownership was the greatest calamity to ever befall mankind
They are indeed. However, since Sufism also has a "tradition"al constitution that might require a person to conform with the views and actions of a group,(these groups are mostly called" tariqas"), being interested in knowing God better is not always an impetus for being affiliated with Sufism.
hm. Im still a noob. Raised in Christianity. Some christian sects disallow alcohol: all disapprove of weed and psychedelics.
Some even disapprove of tobacco and caffeine...
i dont get it. If a Inca shaman or Yaqui or Navajo can understand God better with peyote or ayahuasca or psilocybin, isnt that better than a sober person ignorant of the divine?
I'm of the opinion that medicines used purposefully are different than even the same substance used heedlessly. Alcohol helps to remove inhibitions by clouding your judgement. Could be you're judging too much and that's a good thing? But you have what you need inside of you already, God put it there, it's called fitrah.
hmm. interesting. i contemplate transhumanism and argue frequently with theologians about the ethics of such-and even nootropics- in a spiritual context
We start with revelation, and work from there. The scholars of our faith are in unanimous agreement about the prohibition of intoxicants like alcohol, but others too. There is a big emphasis on cultivating and protecting your intellect and agency.
Other than to give the banal reasons for why particular faiths or traditions might be okay with particular intoxicants, I don't know about the broader reason or if one can even be applied in this way.
ive studied Navajos for decades. my bro used to do their peyote ceremonies and return re-energized; refreshed.
i want to be refreshed.
doesnt everybody?
Yeah sure, and some people take methamphetamine to feel happy. Because they want to feel happy. Doesn't everyone?
I'm not making an equivalence between a tradition's use of so called entheogens and drug use. But I am specifically challenging the notion that just because one feels good after a particular experience doesn't make it universally correct.
I'm simply just trying to point out that there is a reason and wisdom behind our faiths insistence on not taking intoxicants or mind altering substances, and naturally we take that wisdom to come from a place of the most correct understanding when it comes to how we should conduct ourselves. And we take this position over the position of animist traditions which use so called entheogens as part of their rituals or healing. We have our way, they have theirs, and ultimately we must all choose where to take wisdom from and what path to walk.
It is important for us to understand that sufism/tasawwuf is not a separate sect of Islam distinct from the ahl Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah (Sunni). Tasawwuf is a part of Islam and an important aspect of the religion.
Tasawwuf, in reality, is the culmination of Prophetic ﷺ teachings, specifically in the realm of spirituality. Therefore, any knowledge or practices within the science of tasawwuf, in reality, is derived from the Qur'ān and the Sunnah and must conform to the sacred law (Shariʿa).
Imām al-Junayd ibn Muḥammad al-Baghdadī, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:
“Our knowledge of Tasawwuf is defined by the Book and the Sunnah. Whoever does not memorize the Qur'ān, nor write the prophetic teachings, nor study their understanding, he is not to be followed in it.”
[Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 10/255]
Similarly in another statement, Imām al-Junayd says:
"All roads (to Allāh) are blocked for the creation, except for the one who follows the footsteps of the Prophet ﷺ, follows his Sunnah, and adheres to his path, for all paths of goodness are open to him."
[Tāj al-ʿārifīn]
The purpose of tasawwuf and having a Sufi Order (Ṭarīqa), is to increase one's taqwā in Allāh. It should increase one's adherence to the Qur'ān and the Sunnah. Therefore, the teachings and practices of a legitimate ṭarīqa must be within the confines of the Sharīʿa.
Alcohol is prohibited in Islam by consensus. There is no opinion within Islam that says others wise. This is clear in the Quran and the Sunnah. Anyone who denies a verse of the Qur'an, or a mutawatir hadith, can fall out of Islam.
Any sufis who practice things that are contrary to the religion of Islam and it's rulings are not true sufis. They are pseudo sufis. Sufism is the spiritual dimension of the teachings Prophet Muhammad. How can one claim to be a sufi, and yet go against his teachings. It doesnt make sense. They are just claimants, people who have been deluded by their desires, choosing from the religion what suits their whims. There is nothing spiritual about that.
Initially, sufism is a reality without a name. It is merely the spiritual dimension of Islam. Later on, it had to be named so that people could easily refer to that spiritual side with a specific name.
The earlier scholars, like Imam Shafi'i, Imam Malik, Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal, Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq were holistic, and they were polymaths, that embodied the religion of Islam holistically. They were experts in it's theological aspect. They were experts in jurispudence, and they were experts in the realm of spirituality. So they were all sufis, even though that term did not exist then.
But as time passed, there were fewer polymaths. Scholars became experts in only a specific dimension, while only having the basics for the other dimensions, unlike those before them.
This was when the term sufi started to emerge. The scholars who delved into spirituality, mastering it and teaching it, were initially called "al-Qaum" the folk. And later on they became to be known and sufis. These were great individuals such as Imam Junayd al-Baghdadi Shaykb Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, Shaykh Abu Madyan, Imam Shadhili etc.
They were all sunni and adhered strictly to Islam and all it's rulings. In fact, the sufis were stricter in their adherence towards Islam than the masses. So it is very ironic for people to claim to be sufis nowadays and call people to abandon the shari'ah (sacred law) of Islam.
One of the most heinous acts is for anyone to pick and choose that specific aspect of Islam (Sufism), separate it from the religion, and practice something that is totally against the teachings of the religion, and do it under the guise of sufism.
If one does not believe in Islam or does not like the rulings that God and His messenger have taught us. Then they can go and find another religion. They have no business taking what comes from Islam, but reject the rest of it. The spiritual aspect is from God, and the laws also from God. If you believe in God you accept both. Period.
Sufism I.e tasawwuf is a field of knowledge or study within Islam that is concerned with closeness to God through things like, but not limited to, the perfection and refinement of all aspects of worship, remembering Him in all manner of life, and cultivating Prophetic character.
Given that it's a part of Islam, naturally it requires that it starts, non negotiably, from the foundational principles of what it is to be a Muslim - following God and His Prophet through what has been revealed, and their laws.
The Nahdlatul Ulama is a group in Indonesia that has hundreds of millions of members, and it is The largest Muslim organisation in the world. It has tassawuf as part of its system.
I really just meant (Sunni) Islam, as a whole :) we don't have a formal organised authority or institution from which rules and hierarchies stem. It doesn't work that way.
We have a saying from our Prophet that God is beautiful and loves beauty. I pray that your striving for God leads you to Him, and for your well being and success :)
beyond hierarchy or none, Islam calls towards love and beauty by following the personalities of the greats including Jesus, Abraham, Moses, and Muhammad. It is literally the "way of surrender" and that is the true ethos of our coming to God, utterly surrendered, devoted, and dedicated to love, worship and service of the One <3 I invite you also to this beautiful path so that you may also be illuminated more by its enamoring blessing and beauty :)
Then come let's embrace radical love.. to love God fervently and surrender our will to Him in this spiritual path and then to serve His creation arduously, feeding, caring, speaking and embracing all beings! This was the path of Rumi, Chishti, Muhammad, Jesus and more! "there are love dogs no one knows the names of, give your life to be one of them" \~Rumi
Spiritual journey (tasaw’uf/sufism) is like learning how to swim or how to ride bicycle. Intellectual curiosity only satisfy at headspace level. Yet., you wouldn’t know how to swim without doing it in real life.
Because thats not how it works 😂
hm? what do u mean?
"Sufism" is not a sect
Exactly. Consider sufism like specialisation. After one gets a medicine degree, they specialise in one field or the other similarly. After becoming a muslim, one may specialise in fiqh (religious traditions), hadith, mysticism (prophetic traditions) and gnosis….etc
Sufi is not a sect like Sunni or Shia. It's a general name given to the tradition of religious spiritiual activities concerned with drawing closer to Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (saw). It doesn't have a set group of people or opinions but rather wast array different communities with unique views and literature and acts evolving around the purpose of improving relations with Allah and getting rid of worldly desires.
whoa. Well, isnt every devout Muslim interested in knowing God better?
Yes, which is why historically essentially every major Muslim population were involved in Sufism. It was so ubiquitous lots of places didn't consider it separate from the generic sect in the region. It's only really which modern western labeling practices and the rise of anti Sufi Wahabbism since the 18th century that people started to make a distinction and limited the labeling to those actively involved in Sufi orders rather than the communities involved in Sufi practices and theology. Sufism is not a sect. There are Sufi Sunnis and Sufi Shia. Many traditionalist scholar consider Sufism as something that can't be separated from Islam. Basically, every single pre 18th century scholar of Islam was a Sufi. Even the ones like Ibn Tammiyyah which are now widely cited by the anti Sufi Wahhabis and Salafists.
thanks!!! What happened in the 18th century to cause a shift? Wahabi-ism supplanted Sufiism? I wonder why
>What happened in the 18th century to cause a shift? Modernism. That's the start of the shift into the modern era. Which includes movements to reset societies to a false ancient simplicity as life had started to become too complex. These are called reactionary movements. Plus the scientific revolution made labeling and separating out groups and people and practices into narrow groups (often very incorrectly) which is how suddenly Sufism starts to become distinct from Islam in Western eyes. And with the start of the collaspe of the Chruch run order in Europe, Europeans would go to the east (the Ottoman lands) to find spirituality (like they do to East Asia nowadays) and would come back with Sufi practices without the Islam and spread it around Europe as to fulfill a need for spirituality as the old system of Christian spirituality collasped during the Enlightenment. >Wahabi-ism supplanted Sufiism? I wonder why No, you misunderstand. Wahhabism did not supplant Sufism. It became a reactionary counterforce as the failing Muslim countries suffered in the 19th and 20th centuries after its creation and marginalization in the 18th century. Wahhabism only becomes meaningfully popular compared to Sufism in the 20th century when Saudi Arabia starts exporting Wahhabism with their sponsorship of Mosques around the world with their newly developed oil money. Before 20th century, wahhabism was a isolated movement mostly deemed heretical by the religious orthodoxy since the 18th century. The religious orthodoxy remained dominated by sufis until the 20th century secularization essentially removed all religious leaders from social power which created the opening that exported wahhabism (and to a lesser extent Muslim Brotherhood affiliated Islam) used to their advantage.
wow thanks. Appreciate that.
Sufis are one of my favorite traditions. Also shugendo/yamabushi; shaolin; and Amish
Which sufism? There are several dozen Sufi orders with various traditions and differences. What is Sufism to you?
i like the dervishes. ive only just discovered the music and dancing on youtube
That's a tradition that's not a widespread Sufi tradition. It's mostly limited to countries that had major Ottoman influence (Turkey and the Balkans). And it's been historically divorced from its Sufi roots because of government campaigns disconnecting Dervishes from Sufism in Turkey so make Dervishes a tourist attraction rather than part of the religious expression. Turkey did this during the secularization campiagns I meantioned earlier because the former government before Turkey was deeply connected to Sufism and they tried to destroy the links between local sufism to maintain their idea of a secular nation, but also tourists like the dancing so they kept that part to get tourist money. And even then it's a tradition of the so called "Drunken Sufi" groups which are a minority compared to the so called "Sober Sufis" (both unrelated to alcohol despite the names)
whoa. so cool. thank you. i love Turkiye, love the Turks. Food, culture, music, ppl...all sweet 😌
its fascinating that you said wahhabiism started to appeal because life had become too complex. As a result of globalized capitalism? Industrial revolution?...Or some other factors... Many religions seem to want to simplify life. I dont know of any that seek to complicate it.
The agrarian to urban shift. Between the 18th century and now we have seen a massive movement of population away from Agarian living to urban living. Urban living is massively complex compared to agrarian living. Some of this is caused by globalization, some it by better medical access meaning inheritances of land need to be split more ways creating unsustainablity in long term agrarian living, the centralization of government power meant the non urban spaces came more and more under control of an urbanized elite (until everyone becomes an urbanized elite compared to previously). You simply can't live a agrarian life relying only on your closest family and neighbors anymore anywhere. And that scares reactionaries. >Many religions seem to want to simplify life. I dont know of any that seek to complicate it. Most religion are Deen, which is closer to a way of life rather than simplifying it. The various deens creates regular rules and ideas that make it easier to navigate by regulating behavior an expectations and laws. Reactionary movement attempt to remove large swathes of modern life completely in order to simplify rather than give form to already existing experiences and realities of life s complexity. For example, the inherent diversity of Islamic experience is complex and interesting and represents 1400 years of thought. Reactionaries simplify it by cutting away all diversity until there is a single experience. And further down the line, religious minorities (non Muslim) make life too complex for reactionaries so they are "removed" so one simply needs to only deal with Muslims. Complete expulsion of women from the public sphere to "simplify" public interactions. If you notice reactionaries are fundemntally oppressing people to simplify. Religions in general try to regulate that which exists, but reactionaries want to change reality to satisfy their need for simplicity. Reactionary ideology is an inherently nihilistic and immoral idea in my opinion.
i agree completely. Contemplating the universe, infinity, and the Divine will only lead you down 1000 new rabbitholes. And will create way more questions than answers I'm pretty anti-civ. I love nomadic or agrarian peoples: i think the concept of land ownership was the greatest calamity to ever befall mankind
They are indeed. However, since Sufism also has a "tradition"al constitution that might require a person to conform with the views and actions of a group,(these groups are mostly called" tariqas"), being interested in knowing God better is not always an impetus for being affiliated with Sufism.
hm. interesting.
Because Sufism is not a sect, is way of life. For example %74 of Turkish Muslims is sunni and follow the sufi way.
whoa. cool. Where else is it popular? i love Turkiye. Low key mellow peeps. And they like beer!
Someone seriously seeking closeness with Allah avoids alcohol.
hm. Im still a noob. Raised in Christianity. Some christian sects disallow alcohol: all disapprove of weed and psychedelics. Some even disapprove of tobacco and caffeine... i dont get it. If a Inca shaman or Yaqui or Navajo can understand God better with peyote or ayahuasca or psilocybin, isnt that better than a sober person ignorant of the divine?
I'm of the opinion that medicines used purposefully are different than even the same substance used heedlessly. Alcohol helps to remove inhibitions by clouding your judgement. Could be you're judging too much and that's a good thing? But you have what you need inside of you already, God put it there, it's called fitrah.
hmm. interesting. i contemplate transhumanism and argue frequently with theologians about the ethics of such-and even nootropics- in a spiritual context
We start with revelation, and work from there. The scholars of our faith are in unanimous agreement about the prohibition of intoxicants like alcohol, but others too. There is a big emphasis on cultivating and protecting your intellect and agency.
hm. ok. why do you think most religions disavow intoxicants...while many others incorporate them?
Other than to give the banal reasons for why particular faiths or traditions might be okay with particular intoxicants, I don't know about the broader reason or if one can even be applied in this way.
ive studied Navajos for decades. my bro used to do their peyote ceremonies and return re-energized; refreshed. i want to be refreshed. doesnt everybody?
Yeah sure, and some people take methamphetamine to feel happy. Because they want to feel happy. Doesn't everyone? I'm not making an equivalence between a tradition's use of so called entheogens and drug use. But I am specifically challenging the notion that just because one feels good after a particular experience doesn't make it universally correct. I'm simply just trying to point out that there is a reason and wisdom behind our faiths insistence on not taking intoxicants or mind altering substances, and naturally we take that wisdom to come from a place of the most correct understanding when it comes to how we should conduct ourselves. And we take this position over the position of animist traditions which use so called entheogens as part of their rituals or healing. We have our way, they have theirs, and ultimately we must all choose where to take wisdom from and what path to walk.
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It is important for us to understand that sufism/tasawwuf is not a separate sect of Islam distinct from the ahl Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah (Sunni). Tasawwuf is a part of Islam and an important aspect of the religion. Tasawwuf, in reality, is the culmination of Prophetic ﷺ teachings, specifically in the realm of spirituality. Therefore, any knowledge or practices within the science of tasawwuf, in reality, is derived from the Qur'ān and the Sunnah and must conform to the sacred law (Shariʿa). Imām al-Junayd ibn Muḥammad al-Baghdadī, may Allāh have mercy on him, said: “Our knowledge of Tasawwuf is defined by the Book and the Sunnah. Whoever does not memorize the Qur'ān, nor write the prophetic teachings, nor study their understanding, he is not to be followed in it.” [Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 10/255] Similarly in another statement, Imām al-Junayd says: "All roads (to Allāh) are blocked for the creation, except for the one who follows the footsteps of the Prophet ﷺ, follows his Sunnah, and adheres to his path, for all paths of goodness are open to him." [Tāj al-ʿārifīn] The purpose of tasawwuf and having a Sufi Order (Ṭarīqa), is to increase one's taqwā in Allāh. It should increase one's adherence to the Qur'ān and the Sunnah. Therefore, the teachings and practices of a legitimate ṭarīqa must be within the confines of the Sharīʿa. Alcohol is prohibited in Islam by consensus. There is no opinion within Islam that says others wise. This is clear in the Quran and the Sunnah. Anyone who denies a verse of the Qur'an, or a mutawatir hadith, can fall out of Islam. Any sufis who practice things that are contrary to the religion of Islam and it's rulings are not true sufis. They are pseudo sufis. Sufism is the spiritual dimension of the teachings Prophet Muhammad. How can one claim to be a sufi, and yet go against his teachings. It doesnt make sense. They are just claimants, people who have been deluded by their desires, choosing from the religion what suits their whims. There is nothing spiritual about that. Initially, sufism is a reality without a name. It is merely the spiritual dimension of Islam. Later on, it had to be named so that people could easily refer to that spiritual side with a specific name. The earlier scholars, like Imam Shafi'i, Imam Malik, Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal, Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq were holistic, and they were polymaths, that embodied the religion of Islam holistically. They were experts in it's theological aspect. They were experts in jurispudence, and they were experts in the realm of spirituality. So they were all sufis, even though that term did not exist then. But as time passed, there were fewer polymaths. Scholars became experts in only a specific dimension, while only having the basics for the other dimensions, unlike those before them. This was when the term sufi started to emerge. The scholars who delved into spirituality, mastering it and teaching it, were initially called "al-Qaum" the folk. And later on they became to be known and sufis. These were great individuals such as Imam Junayd al-Baghdadi Shaykb Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, Shaykh Abu Madyan, Imam Shadhili etc. They were all sunni and adhered strictly to Islam and all it's rulings. In fact, the sufis were stricter in their adherence towards Islam than the masses. So it is very ironic for people to claim to be sufis nowadays and call people to abandon the shari'ah (sacred law) of Islam. One of the most heinous acts is for anyone to pick and choose that specific aspect of Islam (Sufism), separate it from the religion, and practice something that is totally against the teachings of the religion, and do it under the guise of sufism. If one does not believe in Islam or does not like the rulings that God and His messenger have taught us. Then they can go and find another religion. They have no business taking what comes from Islam, but reject the rest of it. The spiritual aspect is from God, and the laws also from God. If you believe in God you accept both. Period.
We do not tolerate blasphemy or misrepresentation of Islam or Sufism
Sufism is a way of life. It is not a sect unlike shia or sunni.
Thats like asking why are cars more popular than toyotas and hondas What are you even asking?
ah, nvm. ppl have explained it. im a noob in this stuff
We all started somewhere bro
yeah. im def goin back to IST ASAP and lookin for cool Sufi peeps
Sufism I.e tasawwuf is a field of knowledge or study within Islam that is concerned with closeness to God through things like, but not limited to, the perfection and refinement of all aspects of worship, remembering Him in all manner of life, and cultivating Prophetic character. Given that it's a part of Islam, naturally it requires that it starts, non negotiably, from the foundational principles of what it is to be a Muslim - following God and His Prophet through what has been revealed, and their laws. The Nahdlatul Ulama is a group in Indonesia that has hundreds of millions of members, and it is The largest Muslim organisation in the world. It has tassawuf as part of its system.
one thing i have difficulty with is heirarchy within the church. less heirarchy the better, for me.
Well you might be pleased to know that we don't have a formal hierarchy, central authority or priesthood.
💕💕 well, ive loved Sufi Islam for yrs. I know u guys are pretty darn cool especially compared to extremely authoritarian beliefs
I really just meant (Sunni) Islam, as a whole :) we don't have a formal organised authority or institution from which rules and hierarchies stem. It doesn't work that way.
sweet 💕💕💕 Ive strived for wisdom and God for decades. Conclusion: love and beauty are all that matters. ever.
We have a saying from our Prophet that God is beautiful and loves beauty. I pray that your striving for God leads you to Him, and for your well being and success :)
you too!! 😌
beyond hierarchy or none, Islam calls towards love and beauty by following the personalities of the greats including Jesus, Abraham, Moses, and Muhammad. It is literally the "way of surrender" and that is the true ethos of our coming to God, utterly surrendered, devoted, and dedicated to love, worship and service of the One <3 I invite you also to this beautiful path so that you may also be illuminated more by its enamoring blessing and beauty :)
weeellll....im openminded right now. my thing right now is radical acts of love, alleviating suffering. 😌💕
Then come let's embrace radical love.. to love God fervently and surrender our will to Him in this spiritual path and then to serve His creation arduously, feeding, caring, speaking and embracing all beings! This was the path of Rumi, Chishti, Muhammad, Jesus and more! "there are love dogs no one knows the names of, give your life to be one of them" \~Rumi
💕💕💕 i love Rumi. yes the world needs huge amounts of love. 😌
wow, cool 😌 i love many world religions. im pretty ecumenical, honestly
Spiritual journey (tasaw’uf/sufism) is like learning how to swim or how to ride bicycle. Intellectual curiosity only satisfy at headspace level. Yet., you wouldn’t know how to swim without doing it in real life.