Sufism - Lesson 1

“Why are you so enchanted by this world when a gold mine lives within you?” - Rumi

Sufism existed when the first revelation was revealed

The word ‘sufi’ does not appear anywhere in the Quran / Sunnah / Tassawwuf

External = things that are observable by someone else e.g. hijab and prayer

Internal = things that cannot be observed by others e.g. Iman and intentions

• Within Islam, we need both internal and external as there are people that may outwardly believe but do not believe internally.

Sufism focuses on the inward version of Islam

Tazkiyah = ‘pruning the plant’ — to remove what is harmful for growth e.g. purification

Ihsan = Excellence / perfection of faith

Key quotes:

Hadith:

“Verily when the servant commits a sin, a black spot appears upon his heart. If he abandons the sin, seeks forgiveness and repents, then his heart will be polished. If he returns to the sin, the blackness will be increased until if overcomes his heart. It is the covering that Allah mentioned:

‘No but on their hearts is a covering because of what they earned.’” (83:14)

Fitrah = natural disposition / purity / sinless

• Our journey began with purity but we moved away from it as we got older and this journey was for us to return to purity

Within sufism, the idea of returning to and being pure are given the most importance as it is focused on the path to get to that goal.

However, if Islam is also focused on the idea of being pure and focusing on purity then why does Sufism exist?

Zuhd = Asceticism

Asceticism = A lifestyle characterised by the abstinence of sensual pleasures

• The prophet (SAW) was the best of the Zaahids (people who practice Zuhd)