Al Qushayri's Epistle on Sufism
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Cigaal
يا نبي سلام عليك
TRANSLATOR’S INTRODUCTION
Al-Qushayri’s “Epistle on Sufism”:
The author and his book The author of the Epistle on Sufism, Abu πl-Qasim ∏Abd al-Karim b. Hawazin al-Qushayri, was born in 376/986 in the region of Ustuwa (or Ustawa), a district in northern Khurasan that was famous for the fertility of its soil and abundant grain production.1 His parents were Arab settlers whose ancestors had arrived in Iran with the conquering Arab armies and were allotted substantial tracts of land in compensation for their military service. By the time of al-Qushayri’s birth, his family must have been speaking Persian at home, but as a son of a country squire he was educated in the intricacies of Arabic language, poetry and polite letters (adab). As was common for young men of his social standing he was also trained in martial arts, horsemanship and archery. As a youth al-Qushayri traveled to Nishapur (Naysabur), the political and administrative center of Khurasan and a major center of Islamic scholarship and culture in the eastern part of the Muslim world up to the Mongol conquest of the seventh/thirteenth century.2 There he attended the lectures and sermons of the renowned Sufi master (shaykh) Abu ∏Ali al-Hasan al-Daqqaq (d. around 405/1015 or somewhat later), who headed a popular religious school (madrasa).3 A student of Ibrahim b. Muhammad al-Nasrabadhi (d. 367/977), the foremost Sufi master of Khurasan in his age, al-Daqqaq belonged to the spiritual tradition that stretched back to the celebrated Sufis of the Baghdad school, including [al-]Sari al-Saqati (d. 251/865 or somewhat later),4 al-Junayd al-Baghdadi (d. 297/910), and Abu Bakr al-Shibli (d. 334/946). Al-Qushayri soon became al-Daqqaq’s foremost disciple, married his daughter Fatima and eventually succeeded his father-in-law as the head of his religious school. Al-Qushayri repeatedly acknowledges his debt to, and admiration for, his Sufi master throughout his Epistle. Al-Daqqaq was instrumental in introducing al-Qushayri to another outstanding Sufi authority of Khurasan, Abu ∏Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami (412/1021), who is quoted on almost every page of the Epistle.
Al-Qushayri’s “Epistle on Sufism”:
The author and his book The author of the Epistle on Sufism, Abu πl-Qasim ∏Abd al-Karim b. Hawazin al-Qushayri, was born in 376/986 in the region of Ustuwa (or Ustawa), a district in northern Khurasan that was famous for the fertility of its soil and abundant grain production.1 His parents were Arab settlers whose ancestors had arrived in Iran with the conquering Arab armies and were allotted substantial tracts of land in compensation for their military service. By the time of al-Qushayri’s birth, his family must have been speaking Persian at home, but as a son of a country squire he was educated in the intricacies of Arabic language, poetry and polite letters (adab). As was common for young men of his social standing he was also trained in martial arts, horsemanship and archery. As a youth al-Qushayri traveled to Nishapur (Naysabur), the political and administrative center of Khurasan and a major center of Islamic scholarship and culture in the eastern part of the Muslim world up to the Mongol conquest of the seventh/thirteenth century.2 There he attended the lectures and sermons of the renowned Sufi master (shaykh) Abu ∏Ali al-Hasan al-Daqqaq (d. around 405/1015 or somewhat later), who headed a popular religious school (madrasa).3 A student of Ibrahim b. Muhammad al-Nasrabadhi (d. 367/977), the foremost Sufi master of Khurasan in his age, al-Daqqaq belonged to the spiritual tradition that stretched back to the celebrated Sufis of the Baghdad school, including [al-]Sari al-Saqati (d. 251/865 or somewhat later),4 al-Junayd al-Baghdadi (d. 297/910), and Abu Bakr al-Shibli (d. 334/946). Al-Qushayri soon became al-Daqqaq’s foremost disciple, married his daughter Fatima and eventually succeeded his father-in-law as the head of his religious school. Al-Qushayri repeatedly acknowledges his debt to, and admiration for, his Sufi master throughout his Epistle. Al-Daqqaq was instrumental in introducing al-Qushayri to another outstanding Sufi authority of Khurasan, Abu ∏Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami (412/1021), who is quoted on almost every page of the Epistle.
This is the sort of stuff I love about Islam. I definitely love ancient sufi text, it's so deep niyahow and not just this 'literal' salafi position without pondering the different meanings and sitting down with the jama'ah for a concensus.
But I like ancient SUFI and not so much the CULTURAL SUFIS of today. The ones who know LAWS are important like Shariah because without LAWS you are basically in 'chaos' look at Somalia. It's proven in science the absence of laws leads to chaos even in the world beginning. It was just random things flying all over the space before LAWS were applied to it and it came to form what we know today. The absence of law is DESTRUCTION, the second the LAWS of the universe are removed, we will be in destruction and every scientist knows this. That's why they call each topic of the sciences THE LAWS OF THIS AND LAWS OF THAT. We know in Islam who lives in destruction, SHAYDHAN.
But Sufis take it further then just natural physical laws, there is also spiritual laws. The laws only god knows. For example do not steal is a law, physical law can only place cameras but what if there is no cameras or u have the opportunity to steal? see this another LAW character law and spiritual law only god knows. Sufism go in depth about stuff like that
But I like ancient SUFI and not so much the CULTURAL SUFIS of today. The ones who know LAWS are important like Shariah because without LAWS you are basically in 'chaos' look at Somalia. It's proven in science the absence of laws leads to chaos even in the world beginning. It was just random things flying all over the space before LAWS were applied to it and it came to form what we know today. The absence of law is DESTRUCTION, the second the LAWS of the universe are removed, we will be in destruction and every scientist knows this. That's why they call each topic of the sciences THE LAWS OF THIS AND LAWS OF THAT. We know in Islam who lives in destruction, SHAYDHAN.
But Sufis take it further then just natural physical laws, there is also spiritual laws. The laws only god knows. For example do not steal is a law, physical law can only place cameras but what if there is no cameras or u have the opportunity to steal? see this another LAW character law and spiritual law only god knows. Sufism go in depth about stuff like that
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@Cigaal I am definitely Sunnah in terms of the Quran, the way leaders are selected thru jama'ah consensus not blood line(shia method), I also accept hadith but also know it's not from heaven and take that on-board and apply my best judgement but always say 'may allah guide us to the right path' especially regarding the hadith and accept the jama'ah. But where I swing differently inside the Sunnah is definitely the deeper stuff like the ancient sufi texts, I relate much better with that level of teaching. I also love the jama'ah method because if god supports your faction or idea, he will help you convince the jama'ah who are the body and majority, if he doesn't support your idea and the jama'ah reject it, u need to ask yourself WHY? NOT BLAME THE JAMA'AH
Cigaal
يا نبي سلام عليك
Agreed this is similar to imam qushayri's sentiments in the introduction. He shows proof that sufism is compatible of ahlu sunnah and in particular ashari creed. A true sufi adheres to the sharia and fulfills their religious obligation as the imam has shown by quoting sufi shaykhs of the past
Sufis are on another level and most literal students would not find it easy to understand. It's more intended for people who question, ponder, look at different angles, the inquisitive mind. It's not so much intended for the 'ayeeyo' or people of a simpler nature like the saudis ma garatay? who think it's all about having a beard, hijab, etc and mimicking the prophet. Oh the prophet loved honey, so I must love it also. It's a very simplistic salafi teaching. The only reason their so dominant now is because of oil money backing them not so much they have convinced the jama'ah, they BOUGHT THEM WALAL.
There is no point if you look, dress, act like the prophet is what the sufis teach if inside your DEAD, as god knows your spirit and soul and there is laws applied to this SERIOUS ASPECT.
Cigaal
يا نبي سلام عليك
Good to hear, the majority of classical sunni scholars were also sufis and wrote works on tassawuf. Imam suyuti was a shadhili, Iman abidin was naqshbandi and even imam ibn taymiyya was a qadiri sufi.
@Cigaal some of the topics SUFIS talk about in those ancient text, I have never even come across in my life or ever thought about. I know that your emotions especially around love, fear, trust must and always be reserved for the LORD. In-fact you can never love anything in the DUNYA including your parents. It tells you to respect your parents not LOVE THEM or else your heart is being shared between a human and god. They talk about this deep stuff. You can enjoy life though just don't put your love into it, just ENJOY IT. If a man stands before u, don't fear him is what sufis teach or your fear is being shared between a man and god.
I sometimes Wish I lived when those great sufi sheikhs were around, you would want to attend the mosque and be enlightened, not this dumb down islam by saudis, where u FLEE THE MOSQUE. Who knows maybe that is their INTENTION. Because god word should make u want to chase it not flee it, only thing ppl flee is when there is nothing to learn and jahiliya increases. We are in dark period in Islam right now and the responsibility is on US as humans, don't blame the book, their were great times when the right people and the book were together, now the wrong people and the book are together.
@Cigaal It's like Somalia, you can't blame the LAND for the problems, it's the people. U can't blame Quran or Islam, it's the people that we have today who are in charge of it. Somalia had great periods so obviously it can't be the LAND, the people on the land though are the problem just like the people in islam today are serious PROBLEM for enlightment period to re-emerge for this religion. Saudi iyo salafi xun ah oo engriska la shaqayn jiray si ay cusmaniyinta ka eryan HIJAZka ayaa manta gacanta ku haayo diinta and their BUYING PEOPLE OUT towards this FAKE ISLAM.
Answer me @Cigaal why was it BARWAAQO under the ancient sufis in iraq/syria and a great period of learning and innovation? well maybe they HAD THE RIGHT ISLAM and god STRENGHTHENED THEM TO CONQUER THE WORLD. Why is it now the ISLAM we have there is nothing but destruction everywhere, maybe GOD IS STOPPING THEM so it doesn't effect the future of the ummah and dies out like 'khawarij' cancers of the past. The Islam we have today reports to either Russia(Iran) or America(saudi n gulf) or NATO(turkey). There is no way god will strengthen people like this to succeed, you are with the KAFFIR. Untill they are absolutely independent economically, militarily, technologically, and refined ISLAM using ancient SUFI teachers I don't think god is ever going to help muslims succeed ever again.
Cigaal
يا نبي سلام عليك
I believe the reason why so much doubts occur with muslims in the west is because tassawuf is heavily overlooked. They dont try to purify their hearts or get closer to Allah. They may know the sharia but they dont know Allah
Of course when you are the poorest region and weakest part of the world(islamic world) maybe someone should ask themselves why is this the case if we have the right religion? but no-one does. If I went before the jama'ah and couldn't convince them, I won't blame them, but ask why allah didn't help me convince the majority, I won't sit there and pick up a gun and bomb and try to force you to accept my view which clearly allah hasn't strengthened with support to convince the ummah. U see what I mean brother? muslims have to ask themselves if we have the right islam circulating, why is it all our countries are A DAMN MESS and the world powers are KAFFIREEN? Maybe allah is telling u even the KAFFIREEN AYAA KU DHAAMO MANTA
Cigaal
يا نبي سلام عليك
Allah knows best, one of the signs of judgement day is that knowledge will be taken away and ignorance will prevail. May allah guide us to the right path
@Cigaal Sufis teach allah strengthens the believers not test them. He only tests them when their on the wrong path or have doubts or something that makes them not believers and he only does so they return to the path. So can't it be said we are disbelievers today or else why wud god test believers when he usually supported them in the past? god supports the good, he doesn't support the bad. So we must be bad in some way today and we have to find out where or else we wouldn't look like 'satans playground'
Cigaal
يا نبي سلام عليك
The majority of muslim leaders are corrupt today, most muslim countries have abandoned Islamic law for secularism and more muslims are fighting each other. Even amongst the sufis you see more deviants. The muslim world is slowly going away from the right path
@Cigaal when your on the right path god 'pushes' and 'helps' you further, he doesn't place obstacles and hurdles and make it hard for you, he only does that when ur on the wrong path so u reflect and think and return to the RIGHT PATH. Look at the hurdles, obstacles, the mess that is put in front of muslims so they wake up and return to the right path not following this garbage nonsense from saudi arabia 100 years ago, it's obvious god is telling us something not to stay on this path or else he wouldn't make our nations and muslims look like starvin marvins and little bombing experts. Those obstacles are there so ppl like u and me can reflect and say allah we know this isn't the right path, if he strenghtened these people especially the evil ones we would all think it's the right path, u get it? and end up in hell so he always puts obstacles, hurdles, so ppl can reflect that this is not BARWAAQO so it must not be stregthened by god
@Cigaal . Satan can only build up desires in you but he has no other power, it's up to you to act on those desires and when u do that's when god steps in and puts obstacles and hurdles against satan so he doesn't take the ummah into hell. That's why we see the destruction and hell holes today, it's so the ummah REFLECTS back on the DEEN and know DESIRES OF SATAN have entered our UMMAH and god is helping us by making it PAINFUL in our societies so we ponder back to him.
That's exactly what u just did @Cigaal you know this evil u see today isn't endorsed by god, u know it's satan whispers in men's heart and many men have fallen to it, now god is saving us from TAKING US ALL with satan by fighting back and making it hard for satan to swallow us up. Most muslims will probably be fine except the ones participating in it.
That's exactly what u just did @Cigaal you know this evil u see today isn't endorsed by god, u know it's satan whispers in men's heart and many men have fallen to it, now god is saving us from TAKING US ALL with satan by fighting back and making it hard for satan to swallow us up. Most muslims will probably be fine except the ones participating in it.
Cigaal
يا نبي سلام عليك
We muslims need to go back to our roots and abandon all these man made laws, we must follow the sharia, the 4 madhabs and abandon our love for this worldly life. As you have said so many muslims have fallen for shaytans whispers in turn for more wealth and enjoyment in this world. We must reflect back on the deen and recognise shaytans whispers
one
ᶜᵃʷᵒ ᶜᵃʷˡᵒ
You're fighting a losing battle, Cigaal. Getting muslims back to Islam and abandoning their worldly life, is like wishing for world peace. In another 100 years or so, 90% of muslims will only be muslims by name.
It's better to focus on saving yourself instead.
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