Path of Misguidance
We have previously discussed the history of the Sufi sect and their misguided beliefs with regards to Allaah and His Messenger and also their belief in the Fire, the Awliyaa and Satan. We will now, Allaah willing, discuss their beliefs and practices in matters of worship and also their resources of knowledge and revelation.
Their Beliefs regarding the Acts of Worship
I - The Sufis believe that the prayer, the fast, the Hajj and the Zakat are all types of ! The Sufis are special people, and thus practice a higher type of worship. Hence, the various Sufi Turuqh have invented their own method of practicing Thikr, that is, remembering Allaah in supplication. They also practice isolation, avoid seeing people for extended periods of time, eat special kinds of food, wear special uniforms, etc.
The legal acts of worship in Islaam are a means to purify the individual's soul, and the community at large. The Sufi acts of worship, on the other hand, are claimed to put the Sufi 's heart into direct contact with Allaah, so that the Sufi will be able to receive direct revelation from Allaah!! The Sufis also seek to acquire the status of Fanaa' and to acquire Allaah's Attributes, until when the Sufi says to a thing "Be.". it comes into existence!
Further, it is not important for the Sufi to adhere to the apparent acts of worship in Islaam. or to refrain from the prohibitions. such as alcohol consumption and mingling between men and women etc. This is because Prophet Muhammed’s (SAW) law is for the commoners. while the Sufis have their own law which is reserved for the special breeds of people, so they claim.
2 - With regards the prohibitions: As we have stated the Sufis have their own law that Allaah Himself reveals directly to their hearts. Hence, there were those among the Sufis who would commit adultery, sodomy, and even have sexual intercourse with donkeys, in public! Ahmad ibn Mubarak said that he once heard about a Sufi Shaykh who had several students, among whom was one student whom the teacher thought showed promise. So the Shaykh made the image of a woman appear to his students (!), and she then entered the private room with him. Since the students thought that the Shaykh was committing adultery with the woman, they all left, except for that one student. This student then started heating some water, so that his Shaykh could use it to take a shower (after he had sex with that woman). When the Shaykh went out, he asked the student, "What are you doing?" He said, "I saw the woman enter with you, and I thought that you will need to perform Ghusul, so I heated the water for you!" His Shaykh then said, "0 my son! That was the Dunya (meaning the woman was actually the life of this world, not a real woman!), taking the image of a woman. I did this intentionally, so that the people (meaning his students who did not have faith in their adulterer teacher) would abandon me." [Al-lbreez, p.188].
3. The Sufis try their best to eradicate any independent thinking that the new Sufl might have. They also strive to enlarge the role of the Sufi Tareeqhah, so that the new Sufis will strictly and loyally adhere to their Tareeqhah, never think about abandoning it even to any other Tareeqah. Al–Qushayri in Al-Qushayriyyah, p180, "It is not allowed for the Mureed (the Sufi commoner) to join any other Mathhab whose members are not followers of the Sufi Tarceqhah; and if this occurs, the Mureed will be testifying to his ignorance."
The Resources of Knowledge to the Sufis
1. The Sufi Shaykhs and teachers, who claim that they receive direct revelation from Allaah. Abds-Aziz Ad-Dabbagh said, "Know, may Allaah direct you unto success, that the Wali whom Allaah has rightly guided, knows the truth and the correct way, and does not follow a certain Mathhab. Even if it happens that all the Mathahib that exist disappear, the Wali will still be able to revive the Shari 'ah (meaning Islaamic Law, for the Wali does not need the Mathahib, as he receives direct revelation from Allaah, the Sufis claim!). And why not, since he does not leave the Messenger for even an instant!" [AlIbreez,p. 192].
2 The Messenger of Allaah, who regularly attends the Sufi meetings, so they claim. At-Tijani falsely claimed, "I was told by the master of existence (meaning Prophet Muhammad), while I was awake not asleep, and he said to me and he revealed to him some matters of the religion. AdDabbagh also said that, "Sometimes, the Prophet attends (the Diwan where the Walis meet to decide on the future) and when he arrives, he sits in the Ghawth's place." [Al-Ibreez, p. 164].
3 The angels and the Jinn. As-Suljuinasi claimed that his Shaykh, Ad-Dabbagh, said, "First, the Diwan was inhabited by the angels." [AI-Jbreez, p. 174]. Also, Ahmad Ar-Rifa'i said, "If the heart becomes pure, it will be the residence of the revelation, the secrets... and the angels." [Tabaqhat Ash-Shi'rani9 p.141].
4 - AI-Kashf, that is, when the Wali's heart uncovers the Unseen, thus having access to the secrets of the heavens and the earth, so the Sufis claim. AI-jeeli describes a grand scene during which, "I saw all the Messengers and the Prophets, all the Awliyaa', the close angels, the angels who control (the various powers of nature that Allaah facilitated for mankind) and the spirits of all that which exists, and was able to achieve Al-Kashf regarding the true nature of all things, from the infinite beginning to the infinite end." [AI-Insan AlKamil, p.97' v.2]. Further, AI-Ghazali said, "The Prophets and the Awliyaa' have Kashfpowers that uncover all matters, as the light (of knowledge) flows on their hearts without teaching, studying, or writing," until he said, "The Sufi sits by himself, repeating the word, 'Allaah, Allaah', continuously, with his heart paying full attention.... until the only thing left for him to achieve is for Allaah to send down His Mercy (meaning granting the Sufi the Kashf that uncovers all secrets and knowledge of the Unseen), as He has sent it upon the Prophets and the Awl iyaa'!" [I'hyaa' 'Uloom Ad-Deen, V. 3, p.19-20].
Imam As-Shafi'i said, "No one accompanies the Sufis for forty days will ever be able to reclaim his sanity!" He also said, "I left Baghdad after the Zanadiqhah (heretics) innovated something which they call As-Sama'." As-Sama' is the dancing and singing that the Sufis have invented in the third century of Islaam and which still exists until the present time. Yet, the Sufis call such innovated deviated practice, "Thikr". The legal Thikr, on the other hand, entails remembering Allaah by adhering to the legal practices and types of Du'aa' that Allaah
and His Messenger have legislated-. not the Bid'ahs of the Sufis.Further, Imam Ahmad ibn 'Hanbal used to strongly warn Muslims against embracing the deviant beliefs and practices of the Sufis. In addition. Imam ibn AI-Jawzi wrote a book that he called. Talbees Iblees (Satan's Deceit [of those who fall into deviant beliefs and practice, such as and especially the Sufis]). He dedicated most of this book's chapters to criticizing the Sufis.
Finally, we should note again that the Imaam who was the most active with regards exposing the Sufi deviation from the true Islaam. was Imam ibni Taymiah who wrote many books that exposed the misguided opinions and the deviant beliefs of the Sufis One of his beneficial books in this regard, is his book, AL-Furqan Bayna Awliyaa' Ar-Rahman wa Awliyaa As Shjaytan (The Distinction Between the Loyalists of Allaah and the Loyalists of Shaitan)"
