Islamic Orthodoxy and Sufism: Competing Visions of Being a MuslimBy Uzma Jones

A useful way to understand the cultural dimension of Islam is by focusing on sets of binary (twin) concepts that together define the range of what Muslims have valued as ideals for a cultivated human. Historically Muslims themselves have articulated spiritual ideals by using twin-concepts which sometimes rhyme, such as: shariat-haqiqat, jalal-jamal. These binary terms present seemingly opposed, but actually complementary, spiritual ideals. Ultimately, Islamic culture can best be understood as the creative resolution of the tensions between these opposing ideals, one prescribed by the Islamic orthodoxy--consisting of the ulama, religious lawyers specializing in shariah, or Islamic law—while the other is proposed by Sufis, or the mystics. For example, the orthodox ulama have argued that Allah is unique and totally transcendent above his creation, like a king is powerful over--and removed from--his subjects, thereby stressing the quality of power and force—in Arabic, jalal, one of the ninety-nine names of God. The appropriate response to power is awe, and a formality born out of respect; and this is precisely what the shariah-minded orthodox scholars recommend for a Muslim approaching God. They have further argued that God is totally formless and cannot be conceived of by being associated with any human qualities. God cannot be said, for example, to have a son, for this would imply that he has a biology, which is a human-animal quality. But Islamic thought also recognizes a complementary aspect of God’s—jamal, or beauty. Just as beauty is one of the foremost qualities in a person we love, so Allah the beautiful is worthy of being approached with love, and not merely with awe and sober formality. It is this quality of jamal that Sufi-minded Muslims have emphasized, especially in lyric poetry. But Sufis have gone a step further, arguing that one who is beautiful can only be aware of that beauty if the beauty is known and appreciated by someone else. In other words, Beauty needs a mirror in which to see itself; and Sufis have argued that Creation is the mirror in which God sees himself, and thus becomes self-aware of his foremost essence, Beauty. In this argument, it’s not just Creation that needs God, but God who needs creation for his self-knowledge! The two are mutually dependent. And in support of this insight Sufis have quoted a hadith (Prophet’s saying): “I was a hidden treasure, and I desired to be known, so I created creation.” It is this insight that finds its expression in work after work of Islamic arts—from calligraphy to poetry. Sufis have always been present in every Islamic culture, and have been organized into brotherhoods, each with a different genealogy dating back to a particular founding figure who is revered as a saint. A Sufi saint’s successors and students form chains of transmission or a brotherhood, called silsila or tariqa in Persian and Arabic respectively. Each chain has a very different texture and profile; some silsilas, for example, have chosen to focus on music as a way of remembering God, while others have specialized in ritualized dance which has then become the signature of that silsila. Some silsilas have chosen to be closely associated with political power in order to effect change, while others have shunned all contact with royal patronage since such contact usually meant compromising their ideals

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in return for the patronage. It is often such non-political silsilas that proved to be the most successful, for they became the clearest symbols of an alternative to royal authority, attracting those who were tired of courtly machinations and power-play. Needless to say, Muslim kings were especially interested in seeking out and ‘winning over’ all silsilas, for this was one way of curbing the power of a local silsila. Thus, one of the tensions that structured medieval Muslim societies was the tension between the court and the Sufi silsilas, or brotherhoods. And this tension between political authority and spiritual authority forms one of the most persistent motifs in Sufi literature as well. The other tension which has structured Muslim cultures is between Sufis and the Islamic orthodoxy. In different historical contexts and different places the Islamic orthodoxy--consisting of canon lawyers, called ulama--has engaged the Sufis in different ways; indeed many famous Sufis were initially trained as ulama but at some point in their lives they gradually repudiated the profession of a lawyer and turned to Sufi spirituality with its emphasis on haqiqat or the inner truth, including their foundation of applying the shariat, or the law that governs social roles and obligations. Sufis have adopted various stances towards shariat—being that shariat and tariqat go hand in hand. However, the law, the academic learning, and the intellect needed to grasp the law, is compared by Sufis to the hard outer shell of a nut. The shell is necessary for the nut to exist as a nut, but it is not the germ of life that makes the nut viable as a seed. That germ is haqiqat, or the animating truth within; and this haqiqat can only be grasped by the heart, the organ of love. Islamic culture has consistently presented two faces: one, Shariah-minded, concerned with outward, socially recognizable behavior in the care of the ulama; the other Sufi-minded and concerned with the inward and the outward also but emphasis on the inward, a personal life of an individual who is nurtured by his or her Sufi master. The justification of Sufism in regard to shariah depended on a frank division of labor: it was generally agreed in Islamic cultures that the Sufis dealt with the inner side and outer side of the same faith and truth of which the ulama scholars were concerned with the outer side. Both were recognized as being necessary--at least in theory. But in practice this division of labor caused much wrangling. In fact, one could say that it is this tension and its management by ordinary Muslims and Muslim governments that makes Islamic cultures a flexible and varying narrative. Below is a brief sketch of the positions held by each group. The left column presents the canonically accepted external (Zaahiree) view which no Muslims, including Sufis, would deny. On the right is the complementary and additional set of goals by Sufis. Below that is a more detailed explanation of each of these twin terms. You will see that Sufis do extra acts of worship in comparison to non-sufis and have a much deeper and wider minded insight into religion, and spirituality. Masha Allah.

Orthodoxy :Belief that God is one and unique (tauhid) : Sufis:same.Orthodoxy :Muhammad (SAW) is the last prophet for humanity :Sufis:same.Orthodoxy :Prayers five times a day facing Mecca (qibla): Sufis:same.Orthodoxy :Fasting during Ramadan: Sufis:same.

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Orthodoxy :Use of Arabic as a divine language. Sufis:Recognition of Arabic, but use of other languages also.Orthodoxy :Shariat, Islamic law, as final authority: Sufis: Shariat and Tariqat and Marifat and Haqiqat, inner reality, as the final authority and Islam, Imaan and Ihsan in more depth.Orthodoxy :Allah as Lord, Master, King, Judge: Sufism:Allah is the lord and Almighty, and Allah as the Beloved who needs to be known.Orthodoxy :Creation separate and dependent on God: Sufism:God and creation seperate, creation yearn for divine love and light.Orthodoxy :Approaching Allah through affection: Hubb: Sufis:Approach Allah through affection passionate love: Ishq. In your worship to him, thoroughly enjoy it.Orthodoxy :Use of music frowned upon completely. Zikr fine: Sufis:Music and zikr both enthusiastically pursued. However not all sufi’s permit the usage of music and the matter is also controversial.Orthodoxy :Use of wine prohibited: Sufis: Use of wine is prohibited. But in writings, Wine is used as a metaphor for higher knowledge. In Jannah (Paradise), the dwellers therein will drink wine.Orthodoxy :Self control, sobriety in religious expression: Sufis:Self-abandonment permitted and ecstasy in Allah encouraged.Orthodoxy :Worship of saints frowned upon: Sufis:Worship and deeper love for of Allah through guidance of saints (closer ones to Allah) the center and focus of devotions.Orthodoxy :Mosque as the only place of worship: Sufis:Saints’ tombs (dargah) as alternate place of visiting, and worshipping Allah as well as the mosque.Orthodoxy :Kaaba as the only focus of pilgrimage: Haj: Sufis:Saints’ tomb as alternate focus of pilgrimage: ziyarat. The Kaaba being the main focus of pilgrimage.

Technical (and Binary) Terms: SufismHubb and Ishq: Two Arabic words which are both translated into English as ‘love.’ Hubb, however, is more like affection, an emotion one might feel towards one’s parents or siblings, whereas ishq is what one feels when one is in love with someone. Ishq may be translated as ‘intense romantic love.’

Zikr: the practice of chanting God’s name rhythmically, often accompanied with rhythmic breathing and rhythmic movements of the head, but without the accompaniment of musical instruments.

Hadra and Quran recitation) : The practice of listening to God’s name in the company of others and with the accompaniment of a spiritual ‘dance’. Typically, in a hadra gathering the sufis don’t just recite God’s name, they also sing a nasheed that may be a nasheed of praise to Allah, but also to one of the Sufi saints. The goal of hadra is to evoke ecstacy (hal). Once a person enters the state of hal the singers are expected to keep on repeating the verse that caused a person to

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experience the ecstacy in the first place while others stand by in respectful silence. Although Hadra is made with daff, it may be contrasted to the practice of the recitation of the Quran which is done without any musical accompaniment. Sheikh Nuh Keller explains: “A person coming to the Middle East to learn something about the tariqa is likely, at some point in his visit, to see the brethren in the hadra or “public dhikr” as it has been traditionally practiced by generations of Shadhilis in North Africa under such sheikhs as al-‘Arabi al-Darqawi, Muhammad al-Buzidi, and Ahmad al-‘Alawi before being brought to Damascus from Algeria by Muhammad ibn Yallis and Muhammad al-Hashimi at the beginning of this century. Upon entering the mosque, one will see circles of men making dhikr (women participants are screened from view upstairs) standing and holding hands, now slightly bowing in unison, now moving up and down with their knees in unison, the rows rising and falling, breathing in unison, while certain of them alternate at pacing around their midst, conducting the tempo of the group’s motion and breathing with their arms and step. Singers near the sheikh, in solo or chorus, deliver mystical odes to the rhythm of the group; high, spiritual poetry from masters like Ibn al-Farid, Sheikh Ahmad al-‘Alawi, ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Himsi, and our own sheikh. Though a very stirring experience, it is meticulously timed and controlled, and as with all group dhikrs, the main adab or “proper behaviour” is harmony. No one should stand out in any way, but rather all subordinate their movement, breathing, and dhikr to that of the group. The purpose is to forget one’s individuality in the collective sea of spirits making dhikr in unison. Individual motives, thoughts, and preoccupations are momentarily put aside by means of the Sacred Dance, of moving together as one, sublimating and transcending the limitary and personal through the timelessness of rhythm, conjoined with the melody of voices singing spiritual meanings. It is an experience that joins those travelling towards Allah spiritually, socially, and emotionally. Few forget it, and visitors from the West to whom it is unfamiliar sometimes wonder if it is a bid‘a or “reprehensible innovation,” as it was not done in the time of the earliest Muslims, or whether it is unlawful (haram) or offensive (makruh); and why they see the ulama and righteous attending it in Damascus, Jerusalem, Aden, Cairo, Tripoli, Tunis, Fez, and wherever there are people of the path. I was one of those who asked our sheikh about the relation of the hadra to the shari‘a or “Sacred Law” which is the guiding light of our tariqa. As Muslims, our submission to the law is total, and there are no thoughts or opinions after legally answering the question “Does the hadra agree with orthodox Islam?” Because it comprises a number of various elements, such as gathering together for the remembrance of Allah (dhikr), singing, and dancing, we should reflect for a moment on some general considerations about the Islamic shari‘a before discussing each of these separately. First, the Islamic shari‘a furnishes a comprehensive criterion for all possible human actions, whether done before or never done before. It classifies actions into five categories, the obligatory (wajib), whose performance is rewarded by Allah in the next life and whose nonperformance is punished; the recommended (mandub), whose performance is rewarded but whose nonperformance is not punished; the permissible (mubah), whose performance is not rewarded and whose nonperformance is not punished; the offensive (makruh),

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whose nonperformance is rewarded but whose performance is not punished; and the unlawful (haram), whose nonperformance is rewarded and whose performance is punished. Now, Allah in His wisdom has made the vast majority of human actions permissible. He says in surat al-Baqara, “It is He who has created everything on earth for you” (Koran 2:29), which establishes the shari‘a principle that all things are mubah or permissible for us until Allah indicates to us that they are otherwise. Because of this, the fact that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) did not do this or that particular practice does not prove that it is offensive or unlawful, but only that it is not obligatory. This is the reason that when shari‘a scholars speak of bid‘a, they do not merely mean an “innovation” or something that was never done before, which is the lexical sense of the word, but rather a “blameworthy innovation” or something new that no legal evidence in Sacred Law attests to the validity of, which is the shari‘a sense of the word. The latter is the bid‘a of misguidance mentioned in the hadith “The worst of matters are those that are new, and every innovation (bid‘a) is misguidance” (Sahih Muslim. 5 vols. Cairo 1376/1956. Reprint. Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1403/1983, 2.592: 867), which, although general in wording, scholars say refers specifically to new matters that entail something offensive or unlawful. Imam Shafi‘i explains: New matters are of two kinds: something newly begun that contravenes the Koran, sunna, the position of early Muslims, or consensus of scholars (ijma‘): this innovation is misguidance. And something newly inaugurated of the good in which there is no contravention of any of these, and is therefore something which although new (muhdatha), is not blameworthy. For when ‘Umar (Allah be well pleased with him) saw the [tarawih] prayer being performed [in a group by Muslims at the mosque] in Ramadan, he said, “What a good innovation (bid‘a) this is,” meaning something newly begun that had not been done before. And although in fact it had, this does not negate the legal considerations just advanced [n: i.e. that it furnishes an example of something that ‘Umar, who was a scholar of the Sahaba, praised as a “good innovation” despite his belief that it had not been done before, because it did not contravene the broad principles of the Koran or sunna] (Dhahabi: Siyar a‘lam al-nubala’. 23 vols. Beirut: Mu’assassa al-Risala, 1401/1981, 10.70). As for the practice of Muslims gathering together for group dhikr or the “invocation of Allah,” there is much evidence of its praiseworthiness in the sunna—aside from the many Koranic verses and the hadiths establishing the general merit of dhikr in every state—such as the hadith related by Bukhari: Truly, Allah has angels going about the ways, looking for people of dhikr, and when they find a group of men invoking Allah, they call to one another, “Come to what you have been looking for!” and they circle around them with their wings up to the sky of this world. Then their Lord asks them, though He knows better than they, “What do My servants say?” And they reply, “They say, Subhan Allah (“I glorify Allah’s absolute perfection”), Allahu Akbar (“Allah is ever greatest”), and al-Hamdu li Llah (“All praise be to Allah”), and they extoll Your glory.” He says, “Have they seen Me?” And they answer, “No, by Allah, they have not seen You.” And He says, “How would it be, had they seen Me?” And they say, “If they had seen You, they would have worshipped You even more, glorified You more, and said Subhan Allah the more.” He asks them, “What do they ask of Me?” And one

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answers, “They ask You paradise.” He says, “Have they seen it?” And they say, “No, by Allah, My Lord, they have not seen it.” And He says, “How would it be, had they seen it?” And they say, “If they had seen it, they would have been more avid for it, sought it more, and been more desirous of it.” Then He asks them, “From what do they seek refuge?” And they answer, “From hell.” He says, “Have they seen it?” And they say, “No, by Allah, they have not seen it.” And He says, “How would it be, had they seen it?” And they say, “If they had seen it, they would have fled from it even more, and been more fearful of it.” He says, “I charge all of you to bear witness that I have forgiven them.” Then one of the angels says, “So-and-so is among them, though he is not one of them but only came for something he needed.” And Allah says, “They are companions through whom no one who keeps their company shall meet perdition” (Sahih al-Bukhari. 9 vols. Cairo 1313/1895. Reprint (9 vols. in 3). Beirut: Dar al-Jil, n.d., 8.107–8: 6408). The last line of the hadith shows the highest approval for gatherings of dhikr in the religion of Allah. Some other accounts transmit the condemnation of Ibn Mas‘ud (Allah be well please with him) for gathering together to say Subhan Allah (perhaps out of fear of ostentation), but even if we were to grant their authenticity, the above hadith of Bukhari, containing the explicit approval of such gatherings by Allah and His messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) suffices us from needing the permission of Ibn Mas‘ud or any other human being. Further, the explicit mention of the various forms of dhikr in the hadith suffice in reply to certain contemporary “re-formers” of Islam, who attempt to reduce “sessions of dhikr” to educational gatherings alone by quoting the words of ‘Ata' (ibn Abi Rabah, Mufti of Mecca, d. 114/732), who reportedly said, Sessions of dhikr are the sessions of [teaching people] the lawful and unlawful, how you buy, sell, pray, fast, wed, divorce, make the pilgrimage, and the like (Nawawi: al-Majmu‘: Sharh al-Muhadhdhab. 20 vols. Cairo n.d. Reprint. Medina: al-Maktaba al-Salafiyya, n.d., 1.21). Perhaps ‘Ata' intended to inform people that teaching and learning shari‘a are also a form of dhikr, but in any case it is clear from the Prophet’s explicit words (Allah bless him and give him peace) in the above hadith that “sessions of dhikr” cannot be limited to teaching and learning Sacred Law alone, but primarily mean gatherings of Muslims to invoke Allah in dhikr. As for dancing, Imam Ahmad relates from Anas (Allah be well pleased with him), with a chain of transmission all of whose narrators are those of Bukhari except Hammad ibn Salama, who is one of the narrators of Muslim, that the Ethiopians danced in front of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace); dancing and saying [in their language], “Muhammad is a righteous servant.” The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “What are they saying?” And they said, “‘Muhammad is a righteous servant’” (Musnad al-Imam Ahmad. 6 vols. Cairo 1313/1895. Reprint. Beirut: Dar Sadir, n.d., 3.152). Other versions of the hadith clarify that this took place in the mosque in Medina, though in any case, the fact that dancing was done before the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) establishes that it is mubah or “permissible” in the shari‘a, for if it had been otherwise, he would have been obliged to condemn it. For this reason, Imam Nawawi says: Dancing is not unlawful, unless it is languid, like the movements of the effeminate. And it is permissible to speak and to sing poetry, unless it

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satirizes someone, is obscene, or alludes to a particular woman” (Minhaj al-talibin wa ‘umdat al-muttaqin. Cairo 1338/1920. Reprint. Cairo: Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi, n.d., 152). This is a legal text for the permissibility of both dancing and singing poetry from the Minhaj al-talibin, the central legal work of the entire late Shafi‘i school. Islamic scholars point out that if something which is permissible, such as singing poetry or dancing, is conjoined with something that is recommended, such as dhikr or gatherings to make dhikr, the result of this conjoining will not be offensive (makruh) or unlawful (haram). Imam Jalal al-Din Suyuti was asked for a fatwa or formal legal opinion concerning “a group of Sufis who had gathered for a session of dhikr,” and he replied: How can one condemn making dhikr while standing, or standing while making dhikr, when Allah Most High says, “. . . those who invoke Allah standing, sitting, and upon their sides” (Koran 3:191). And ‘A'isha (Allah be well pleased with her) said, “The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to invoke Allah at all of his times” [Sahih Muslim, 1.282: 373]. And if dancing is added to this standing, it may not be condemned, as it is of the joy of spiritual vision and ecstasy, and the hadith exists [in many sources, such as Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, 1.108, with a sound (hasan) chain of transmission] that Ja‘far ibn Abi Talib danced in front of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) when the Prophet told him, “You resemble me in looks and in character,” dancing from the happiness he felt from being thus addressed, and the Prophet did not condemn him for doing so, this being a basis for the legal acceptability of the Sufis dancing from the joys of the ecstasies they experience (al-Hawi li al-fatawi. 2 vols. Cairo 1352/1933–34. Reprint. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyya, 1403/1983, 2.234). Now, Suyuti was a hadith master (hafiz, someone with over 100,000 hadiths by memory) and a recognized mujtahid Imam who authored hundreds of works in the shari‘a sciences, and his formal opinion, together with the previously cited ruling of Imam Nawawi in the Minhaj al-talibin, constitutes an authoritative legal text (nass) in the Shafi‘i school establishing that circles of dhikr which comprise the singing of spiritual poetry and dancing are neither offensive (makruh) nor unlawful (haram)—unless associated with other unlawful factors such as listening to musical instruments or the mixing of men and women—but rather are permissible. To summarize, the hadra of our tariqa, consisting of circles of invocation of Allah (dhikr) conjoined with the singing of permissible poetry and dancing, is compatible with the Sacred Law of orthodox Islam; and when the latter elements facilitate presence of heart with Allah (as they do with most people who possess hearts), they deserve a reward from Allah by those who intend them as such. And this is the aim and importance of the hadra in the tariqa.”

Hajj and Ziyarat: Haj is the pilgrimage to the cities of Mecca and Medina, and in particular to the Kaaba complex in Mecca that is recommended for every Muslim. Ziyarat is the other type of pilgrimage that is performed by Muslims, and it is to the tomb of a revered saint. The saints vary from region to region, some may only be known locally in a city or its immediate environs; other saints are known throughout Islamdom, a famous example being the 10th century Baghdadi Sufi,

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Mansur Hallaj who became famous for his bold statement “I am the Truth.” (ana al-haqq)

Dargah and Mazar: Literally ‘the court,’ a dargah is the entire complex in which a famous Sufi Saint lived and taught and in which he is buried. After the death of a particularly revered teacher his tomb (mazar) becomes the focus of pilgrimage (ziyarat). The mazar is surrounded by gardens, a library, a kitchen for feeding the poor, dormitories for housing pilgrims, concert halls for performing both zikr and hadra, and finally homes of the saint’s descendants who are the caretakers of his tomb. This entire complex is called a dargah. Famous dargahs are endowed by local politicians and, in the past, by rulers and donations from pilgrims.

Shariat and Haqiqat: Shariat is the Islamic law about social matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance, property etc. It is based as far as possible on the actions of the prophet (sunnah) and on his sayings, or from inferring what he would have done or said had he been confronted with an issue. Thus, for example, the shariat stipulates that a man shave all hair on parts of his body that may be moist and covered with other skin, because moist hair was considered filthy. This means that Muslim men shave their armpits and genitals as a matter of cleanliness. Haqiqat is the inner essence of something that is gained by direct experience, and disciplined intuition. Sufis blend shariat (the tough outer skin of a nut) and haqiqat (its soft inner flesh). The flesh needs the tough outer coating, but the outer coating by itself is just a hull, lifeless and useless. So both go hand in hand.

‘Ilm and Irfan: Two words for knowledge, but very different kinds of knowledge. Ilm can be acquired by education and training and through the exercise of reason. Irfan is higher knowledge, or gnosis, that can only be acquired by, first, education, and then contemplation under the guidance of a master. The guidance would include spiritual training in zikr, hadra, and meditation. Ilm is expected to lead to the sober contemplation of God as both Creator and Judge—his awesome power-- whereas irfan may lead to ecstacy as a person is simply overwhelmed by God’s immense beauty and falls in love with that Beauty.

Jalal and Jamal: Two characteristics of Allah. Jalal is the awesome power and force of God, faced with which a person feels insignificant and powerless. Jamal is God’s beauty, faced with which a person falls in love. Jalal reminds us of the distance between God and us, Jamal reminds us of how intimate and tender he is.

‘Alim/Shaikh and Sufi: An ‘Alim (or shaikh) is a specialist in ‘ilm or the use of reason, the study of the Quran, and the shariat or the Islamic law. Alims approach God through ilm which leads to a sober contemplation of God’s authority (jalal). A Sufi is a specialist in irfan, or a higher spiritual knowledge cultivated through religious practice, music, zikr and contemplation. A Sufi approaches God in his aspect of Beauty and typically expresses himself or herself in ecstatic, mystical absorption in God. The tension between the ‘Alim and the Sufi has characterized

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Islam since its very beginning, with each group claiming it is the true Muslim. The plural for an alim is Ulama.

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Sufi Poetry and sentiments1 It's now the judgement day, and still he bickers on with me "Why did you rise so fast?” he screams “I heard no trumpet sound!"2 “Stop! A wine-bottle tucked under your arm.” “Look closely, preacher—I think that is my heart.”(Sauda). 3. All this talk of Judgement Day-- who’s it supposed to scare? My tears smudged out the ink on the ledger of sinners, O preacher. (Dard). 4. A wine-drop spilled in the tavern-- Dust danced as Eve and Adam. (Fakhruddin Iraqi )5. I sucked the marrow from Qur’an I threw the bones out to the dogs (Rumi).6 Just think--where is the tavern and where the preacher’s home. All I know ‘s that yesterday I stumbled out, and he passed by. (Ghalib).7 Yes, all this idol smashing has left us free and light Yet as long as we are we, stones keep calling out to us. 8 Of course It's in a mosque's shadow that taverns must exist. Isn't the eye--that den of desires--right under the arch of the brow? ( Ghalib). Translation of Sufi song played in class: Granted, I am but a doll of clay But what a doll of clay I am! I am that lump of clay to which the angels kneeled in heaven This is my essence, this is my essence, This is my essence. It was in the garden that I dwelt, and Was nurtured by the hands of God. I am the lover, as well as the beloved I am the wine and also the cup that holds the wine I am love, and the pain of love, and also the remedy of that pain Sometimes I must say I am confounded by all I am This is my essence, this is my essence, this is my essence. Ibn al-Arabi 1165-1240 One of the most influential philosophers of medieval Islam. Born in Andalucia, Spain but spent most of his life in Damascus, Syria. Wrote in Arabic. Facets of Wisdom (Fusus al-Hikam) Commentary on the Quran, not by chapter by chapter, as one might suppose, but by the prophets mentioned in the Quran, each prophet exemplifying a particular quality. Arabi interprets Abraham not as a friend of God, but as one who is permeated by God, like food permeates a body, or water permeates a thread suspended in it, or as a lover permeates and penetrates our very being. “Abraham was called Khalil because he had embraced and penetrated all the Attributes of the Divine Essence, in the same way that color permeates that which is colored.” Poem in the chapter on Abraham, Facets of Wisdom: He praises me, and I him He worships me, and I him In my state of existence I confirm him But as unmanifest essence I deny him He knows me, and I nothing of him But, yes, I know him and I perceive him Where is his self-sufficiency Since I help him and grant him bliss? It’s for this that Reality created me, For I give form to his knowledge and manifestation to his essence. Thus came the message Its meaning fulfilled in me.

ORTHODOX ISLAMOrthodox Islam When we speak of Muslim Orthodoxy and we mention that they are the majority, the questions that tends to cause concern are: ‘Who is Muslim Orthodoxy ?’ ‘Just who are the Orthodox Fathers and Mothers that preceded us?’ These are valid questions and deserve an answer. What we have therefore endeavoured to do is to make a selection of some of the most outstanding scholars

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that we are aware of from each century for those who would like to read and come to understand just what it means to be or attach oneself to Ahl us-Sunna wal-Jama`ah, or to interpret it in English, ‘Muslim Orthodoxy.’ The scholars below are organised both according to chronological dating. These scholars are Orthodox in the sense that their creed, understanding of the foundations of fiqh was correct. Without this, no scholar could be included in the ranks as an Orthodox father or mother in the true sense of the word. Although we admit that there may be those who loosely and generally could be filed under the title of Orthodox Muslims, they cannot and should not be put shoulder to shoulder with the torch bearers and standard carriers for this religion. The hope is that those who are interested in the scholars listed will search out their books in English or contact us for further details so as to learn of the rich and bountiful legacy that has come down to us. Indeed the praise is for Allah who made the overwhelming majority of this nation Orthodox, Alhamdu lillah.

Recommended ReadThe book, entitled “The Creed and way of Muslim orthodoxy” by Al Hajj Abu Jafar al Hanbali is excellent and The core of Islam is theology. Most of the Qur'an and Sunnah deal with theology and creedal points. It is therefore fitting that for the first time - and long overdue - a catalogue of Muslim creeds has been translated and annotated with Arabic text into the English language. These three creeds - never before brought into contemporary English - will give any reader, Muslim or not, a concise but profound elucidation of the beliefs of the Vast Majority of Muslims in every era according to the agreed upon creedal formulations of Imams Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu Mansur al-Maturidi and Abul Hasan al-Ash`ari.

LIST OF SCHOLARS THROUGOUT THE CENTURIES1st Century/7th Century -Shaikh ul-Islam Abu Bakr as-SiddiqShaikh ul-Islam `Umar al-FaaruqImaam `Uthmaan Ibn `Affaan al-GhaniImaam Asadullah `Ali ibn Abi Taalib al-MurtadaaUmm il-Muminin `Aisha as-SiddiqaImaam `Abdullah ibn Mas`udImaam al-Hasan ibn `Ali Imaam al-Hussain ibn `AliImaam Anas ibn Maalik -2nd Century/8th Century -Imaam Sufyaan ath-ThawriImaam Sufyaan ibn `UyainahImaam Abu `Umar al-Awzaa`iiImaam al-Hasan al-BasriImaam TawusImaam Ibrahim an-Nakha`ii Imaam Waki` ibn al-Jarraah Imaam Yazid ibn Harun -3rd Century/9th Century -Imaam Abu HanifaImaam Maalik ibn AnasImaam ash-Shaafi`iiImaam Ahmad ibn HanbalImaam `Ali ibn al-MadiniImaam `Abdur-Razzaaq an-San`aaniImaam `Abdullah ibn alMubaarakImaam Abu Mansur al-MaaturidiImaam Abul Hasan al-Ash`ariImaam Abu Ja`far at-Tahaawi-4th Century/10th Century-Imaam Abu Bakr al-KhallaalImaam Ahmad al-AthramImaam al-MuziniImaam Abu Zur`aImaam Saalih ibn AhmadImaam al-MaimuniImaam Abu YusufImaam Ibrahim al-HarbiImaam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ash-ShaibaaniImaam Ibn al-QaasimImaam Abul-Hussain al-KhiraqiImaam Abu Bakr al-AajuriImaam Harb al-KirmaaniImaam Ishaaq al-MarwadhiImaam `Ubaidullah Ibn Battah Imaam Abu Bakr an-NajjaadImaam Abu Bakr al-Aajuri-5th Century/11th Century-Imaam Ibn `AqilImaam Abu MansurImaam Abu Ismaa`il al-AnsaariImaam Abu Haamid al-GhazzaaliImaam Abu Bakr ibn al-`Arabi-6th Century/12th Century-Imaam Abdul Qaadir al-JilaaniImaam Ibn al-JawziImaam Abul Hussain al-Yusufi Shaikha Shahidah ad-Dinuri Shaikh Shams ud-Din `Abdul Waahid-7th Century/13th Century -Imaam Muwaffaq ud-Din Ibn QudaamahImaam Majd ud-Din `Abdus-Salaam Imaam Bahaa ud-Din al-MaqdisiShaikha Sayyida al-MaqdisiyyahImaam `Imaad ud-Din Ibn QudaamahImaam Abu `Umar ibn QudaamahImaam Shihaab ud-Din al-Harraani Imaam Ibn Naasih al-HanbaliImaam Yahya an-NawawiImaam Shams ud-Din ibn Qudaamah Shaikha Raabi`a al-MaqdisiyyahImaam `Abdul Waahid al-MaqidisiImaam Ibn Diqaaq al-BattiImaam `Abdul

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Ghaani al-Maqdisi-8th Century/14th Century -Imaam Ibn Rajab al-HanbaliImaam Taqi ud-Din as-SubkiImaam `Ataa Allah al-IskandariImaam Sulaimaan at-TufiShaikha Faatimah bint JawharImaam Ismaa`il Ibn KathirImaam Taaj ud-Din as-Subki-9th Century/15th Century-Imaam Ibn Hajar al-`AsqalaaniImaam Jalaal ud-Din as-SuyutiImaam QutlubaghaImaam Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Hanbali-10th Century/16th Century -Imaam Musa al-HijaawiImaam Ibrahim as-SaalihiImaam Shihaab ud-Din as-SaalihiImaam Muhibb ud-Din al-`AqiliImaam Muhyi ud-Din Muhammad-11th Century/17th Century-Imaam Mansur al-BahutiImaam `Abdullah ad-Danushi Imaam al-Jamaal `Abdul Qaadir al-HanbaliImaam ash-Shihaab Ahmad al-Waarithi-12th Century/18th Century -Imaam Sulaimaan ibn `Abdul WahhaabImaam `Abdul Baaqi al-HanbaliImaam Muhammad Salim al-KurdiImaam `Abdul Wahhaab ibn SulaimaanImaam `Alawi al-HaddaadImaam Ahmad ad-DardirImaam Muhammad al-`AfaaliqImaam Jamil al-AfandiImaam al-AhdalImaam Ahmad as-SaffaariniImaam Muhammad `Ali BashaImaam Wali ullah ad-Dahlawi-13th Century/19th Century -Imaam Jawdat BashaImaam Muhammad Amin Ibn `AabidinImaam Ahmad as-SaawiImaam Muhammad `IllishImaam Sa`d ibn `AtiqImaam Jamil ash-ShattiImaam Diyaa ud-Din Khaalid al-BaghdaadiImaam Muhammad al-AlusiImaam Ahmad Ridaa Khaan-14th Century/20th Century -Imaam Muhammad Zaahid al-KawthariImaam Yusuf an-NabahaaniImaam Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Imaam `Abdul Qaadir BadraanImaam `Abdul Latif as-SubkiImaam Muhammad al-Khidr ash-ShanqitiImaam Badr ud-Din al-HasaniImaam `Abdul `Aziz ibn al-GhaithImaam Muhammad al-Khidr al-Hussain-Contemporary Imaams -Imaam Muhammad Fuaad al-BarraaziImaam `Abdullah Bin BayyahImaam Muraabit al-HaajImaam Ismaa`il BadraanImaam Hamud ash-Shu`aibiImaam `Umar `Abdur-RahmaanImaam `Abdul Hamid KishkImaam Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan ash-ShanqitiImaam `Abdur-Rahmaan al-JibrinImaam Muhammad al-KhalifiImaam Muhammad Ba`yun ar-RankusiImaam Muhammad ibn `Alawi al-MaalikiImaam Mustafa CericImaam Hussain Hasan Sab`iyyahImaam Abdul Fattaah Abul GhuddaImaam Al-Haaj Maalik ibn DawudImaam al-Hussain ibn al-MahmudImaam Harun Musa JallImaam Sa`id JallImaam `Abdul `Aziz DaarimiImaam `Uthmaan ibn `Abdillah al-MaalikiImaam Ahmad Haaj BabaImaam Ahmad `Isa SokotowiImaam Muhammad Naasir ud-Din al-HaajImaam Habib ur-Rahmaan al-`Azami.

BIOGRAPHIES

Biography-of-Uzma-JonesUzma Jones was born on March 4th 1973 to a Muslim house hold who kept their traditional family surname as Jones. When looking at her surname Jones, one would presume that she had reverted to Islam at some part of her life so far, but this is not the case. Uzma was born a Muslim, and she grew up in a Muslim household. Both Uzma’s parents, Muhammad and Amira Jones, were also Muslims. Muhammad Jones was known as Kenneth Jones before reverting to Islam, in his teen years. Amira Jones, had the maiden name of Amira Gulab Zohra before marrying Muhammad. Uzma has a deep love for the religion of Islam and has met pious people throughout her life. Uzma is keen on the knowledge of Sufism and the subject of Mathematics. Uzma urges Muslims to study at least an extra language or two, if they don’t know many. Uzma also wishes that Muslims must endeavour to purify themselves, inwardly and outwardly as much as they can in this perishing life and prepare well for the next life, the eternal life. Uzma has studied under a variety of traditional scholars including Sheikh Nazim al Haqqani and Al-Hajj Abu Jafar al Hanbali. Uzma, a mother of 6, currently resides in Amman, Jordan. Uzma’s husband wishes not to mentioned so much.

Biography-of-Roshan-Naqshbandi

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Roshan Naqshbandi was born on November 7th 1977 in Cape Town, South Africa.Roshan has a very large extended family all over the world. Roshan has a love for studying the religion of Islam and has particular interest in Meditation and Writing.Roshan first met her best friend and sister-in-law, Uzma Jones (mentioned in the biography just above) in Lefke, Cyprus. This meeting was during a spiritual retreat to see the world famous Sheikh Nazim al-Haqqani (Late). Roshan sat with Uzma one day and they both decided to dedicate time towards book writing and publishing. Roshan and Uzma enjoy the company of scholars of Islam and are both very friendly and caring in nature. Roshan recommends that Muslims travel, to explore the beautiful world Allah has created and she urges people to put effort into learning and applying Islamic Shariah and Tariqah. Roshan has also spent time studying under Sheikh Hisham Al Kabbani and Sheikh Ibrahim Osi-Efa. Roshan Currently resides with her husband and 4 children in Amman, Jordan.

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