Sufism: A Call and an Education

Paper By:  His Eminence Shiekh Muhammed Said Chennaoui,

Supreme Sheikh of Sufi Tariqas,
President of the Supreme Council of Sufism
Arab Republic of Egypt
Cairo, Imam Hussain Square
Umm Al Ghulam Street.

Praise be to Allah, the God of the Universe who made the Sufi followers among the select few he saved from transgression. They are the ones who wholeheartedly embrace truth, shun arrogance and hypocrisy for the sake of the certainty of truth and eternity. They are the harbor in times of need, the strength in times of weakness, the fortified citadels in times of fear, for they have known the value of this world and of the hereafter, favored what lasts forever over the ephemeral, and forsook what perishes for the sake of the eternal.
Prayers and peace be upon the key to the secrets of existence and sustenance, the seal of the preceding lights of prophecy, guidance and light…our master Muhammed.
May Allah’s prayers, peace and blessings be upon him, his pure and worthy kinfolk, and his inspired and inspiring companions…
Islam has come as a universal religion of which the reach embraces all humanity. Then its teachings were sent to encompass all human beings with their weaknesses and strengths, their instincts and their inclinations, their capacities and their potentialities.
Therefore, the Qur’an tells us about the various stations of daa’wa: Islam, faith, kindness, certainty, as well as about the status of the pious, the worshippers, the cherishers and the content. These are stations on the path towards Allah, and positions of Allah’s active servants, each rated according to his struggle, capacity and endeavor, and of what has been destined for him and hence made easier.
All or most of the companions, may Allah be pleased with them, crossed these stages and achieved these positions.
They were pious and devout scholars and cherishers of Allah, have dedicated themselves in submission to Him, and remain attentive to their thoughts and emotions with the same attention and care they showed toward their duties and sunan.
The geographical reach of the Islamic world spread, and its nations and peoples became many. They grew farther away from the Prophet and the revelation. Worldly matters occupied people and the quest for pleasure, greed and whims ruled them and deviated their hearts from their faith. Then rose the men of Sufism to preserve the essence and teachings of Islam.
Sharia Schools Safeguard the Pillars of Islam
Hadith schools first appeared in Medinah and Iraq and fiqh schools emerged in Al Hijaz, Egypt, the Greater Syria and Baghdad. Then schools of rhetoric, its rules and methods followed. Finally schools of interpretation with their sciences and laws surfaced.
All these movements, important as they were, were scientific and intellectual trends of which the main pillar was art and thought, as well as the research, didactic and argument they give rise to.
These were schools which, although greatly beneficial, were more like the schools of law, or medicine or architecture. With their particular method and logic, they applied the rules to predetermined curricula with little regard after that for the human being’s heart, soul, senses, action and behavior.
For this sublime goal, the great men of Islamic Sufism emerged with their message, targeting the heart, soul, senses and behavior of the human being on his itinerary towards Allah and in his march through life.
They have risen to preserve the spirit of worship and the essence of Islam. They have emerged to make lofty ideals the divine way and the human approach that leads to the perfect man, shapes the fervent and immune believer who is fit for living and representing Allah on the earth where He was created, and to become worthy of the Almighty and worthy of the tremendous powers that He bestowed on man through what was placed at his disposal in the heavens and the earth.
Sufi Schools Preserve the Essence of Islam and its Traditions
In the same way that fiqh scholars innovated in their branches, hadith experts in the rules of narration and attribution, and in the same manner that interpretation ulemas formed their theories of the quest for the self, the attributes, the possible, the causes and motives and of pre-destiny, the ulemas and sheikhs of Sufism engaged in jurisprudence and formed their knowledge of rites and morals, their behavior patterns, the diseases of the heart and the soul, the pull of good and evil, the lights of dikr and submission and the components of the perfect Muslim person.
Mohieddine Ibn Arabi says: ‘The sufis have reached consensus that there can be no prescription nor proscription after the Book of Allah and the Sharia of the Messenger, the seal of the prophets. Instead, it is the gift of understanding bestowed on the men of Allah, as witnesses the hadith of Ali Ibn Abi Taleb, may Allah be pleased with him: ‘It is a gift of knowledge that Allah bestows on those who obey him. Allah inspires and enlightens them’.
Similarly to the ulemas delving in the explicit and who safeguard the limits of the Sharia, the Sufi scholars preserve its esoteric teachings and its essence. While the former were allowed freedom and initiative in inferring evidence, identifying limits and exceptions, and ruling with lawfulness or prohibition as regards that which no text governs and which was left open for interpretation, the Sufis were free to create preferences and traditions and new forms of worship for the Mourids and the devout.
Diversity of Inferring Methods and Moral Codes of the Sufis
If ulemas have followed many paths in searching and inferring, in the types of evidence and the arts of Qiyas, the paths of Sufism varied in behavior and knowledge, in morals and traditions, in dikr and wird, in revelation and in the secrets of the soul.
A school that has forged ahead on its itinerary towards Allah on a momentum of fear and awe and followed its paths in life, combining education and elevation with fiqh and tawhid, and making the best of morals the basis and essence of every act of worship and submission.
This school was built around the fear of God and invented, in the course of its drive towards Allah, many stations and ranks with knowledge and enlightenment, glory and hymns as the stepping stones between them, urges people to embrace love, compassion and solidarity, and has turned the world into a symphony of virtue, fraternity and global goodness for those with a sensitive heart.
It is a school based on self-questioning, the purification and immunization of the soul, then proceeded to the infinitesimal and gave voice to some of the greatest secrets of the soul, the arts of the sensual and the inspiration of psyche and the senses. Then this school attracted followers, advocates and disciples.
Sufism Carried the Banner of Islam in Knowledge and Behavior
As global and diversified as Islamic Sufism is, it is structured within two trends: knowledge and behavior, and each of these two trends has its own leaders and imams.
The first generation of Sufis comprised men of knowledge and science. When they laid down the rules of Sufism, enlightened its way and determined its objectives, the educators, behavior and guidance masters followed, giving rise to these tariqas which had the greatest impact on life in the Islamic World and played a leading role in shaping its spiritual and moral traits and its intellectual features.
These tariqas which folded in their bosoms the largest numbers and strongest alliances stood fast through the centuries and the years in the face of the intruding invasions, the internal tyranny and the material and spiritual decadence.
These tariqas prevailed among the masses, preserved their faith and ethic and safeguarded them against disintegration and collapse.
These tariqas have become the sparkling lights, the shining beacons, the salvaging destination, the fertile oasis that offers shade, life and nourishment for the doubtful, the stray and the weary.
These tariqas have preserved the knowledge of Islam, the Quranic revelation and the prophetic guidance, and built in every part of the world mosques and sanctuaries, institutes and zawiyas for students and the seekers of true life.
These tariqas spread Islam and carried its banner throughout the world, won over the hearts of millions, built the dynasties of the Almoravids and the Almohads for the salvation of Andalusia and the defense of the Arab Maghreb from the pouncing Europeans and the raids of the pillaging pirates.
Sufi Tariqas are Universities of Education
Sufi tariqas are in reality great universities for education, refinement and teaching and for the positive preparation of their disciples for struggle and Jihad for the sake of life’s loftiest ideals, in addition to their original mission, the daawa to Allah the Almighty, the guidance of the mourids onto the right path that guarantees the blessing satisfaction of Allah, through dikr and adoration, the purification of the heart, the elevation of the senses, lofty morals, the service of society and love for humanity at large.
These universities are truly the most prestigious universal educational institutions. I am positive that no ancient or modern university had programmes and prospects as wide as these Sufi universities.
These tariqas represent the university of the Quran, the school of prophecy, and the higher institute that generates the ideal image of the perfect man in life and religion.
Islamic Sufism has managed to spread Islamic Daawa and make it universal with no weapon and no aggression. It has carried its glow and its guidance to Indonesia, the Philippines, China, and the heart, east and west of Africa. It had stood fast in the face of atheist and decadent movements in Russia, and rose as a barrier protecting Muslim countries from the paganism of the Mongols and the fanaticism of the Crusaders. Al Jabarti tells us that the failure of the French campaign in Egypt was owed to the popular resistance organized by the sheikhs and followers of the Sufi Tariqa who turned Al Azhar and the popular districts of Cairo into impregnable bastions and ever burning revolution torches.
The author of the ‘History of Baghdad’ adds that when the Abbassid Al Mutawakkil was overwhelmed by wars and found no release, he called upon the Sufi youth who answered his call from everywhere and formed his great army that protected Islam and defended its frontiers.
Sufism is a Form of Jihad against the Whims of the Soul, Hegemony and Tyranny
Islamic Sufism, with what it entails in terms of elevation and shunning of all basic instincts and whims, the adherence to lofty values and sacrifice for their sake, is an education beyond all other forms of education known in the world because it penetrates to the core of the heart and impacts on the inner and outer dimensions. It is an education that encompasses the conscience and the psyche as well as the hand, the tongue and the senses.
The arduous and violent Sufi jihad for the achievement of perfection in all walks of life is a struggle against the self, against temptation, greed and self-indulgence, hatred and envy. It is also a struggle against hegemony and tyranny using wisdom, good counsel and not terrorism, assassination, revolution and plotting against the rulers. It is a struggle for purity and ascendance, an exercise in strength and excellence, a form of jihad that grants the Sufi an unbeatable determination, a will of iron, pride, practical positivism and an emotional bravery that is unequalled in this world.
The Hujjat of Islam Al Imam Al Ghazali writes to Ibn Tachfine, Sultan of Morocco, saying: ‘Either take up your sword for the sake of Allah and the rescue of your brothers in Islam, or step down from the leadership of Muslims so their rights can be championed by other than you’.
Imam Mohieddine Ibn Arabi, the chief sheikh of Sufism addressed King Al Kamel when he floundered in the fight against the Crusaders: ‘You have no pride and Islam will not recognize the likes of you. Stand up and fight or we shall fight you as we fight them’.
When the Mamluks wrought havoc in the lands of Egypt, the Great Sufi Al ‘Izz Ibn Abdussalam flew into a rage and ordered that all the Mamluks be arrested, proclaiming that he intended to sell them at the slave market because they betrayed the trust of Muslims…
Hatim Al Assam saw his brother Al Balkhi –both of whom were figures of Sufism- laughing as he stood among the ranks of fighters in the Battle of the Turks, and asked him: ‘What makes you laugh?’. He replied: ‘Why would not I laugh when I am in the dearest place to Allah? The happiest and most desirable of my moments is for Him to see me working my sword for the love of Him, keen on dying more than I am keen on living’.
In all haughtiness and arrogance, the Umayyad caliph Abdulmalik Ibn Marwane said to the Sufi Ibn Al Baitar: ‘I am Abdulmalik (the slave of the king), so solicit what you need from me’. With the faith-induced confidence of the Sufi, Abu Baitar: ‘I am also the slave of the King, so let us solicit what we need from He of whom you and I are the slaves’.
Imam Ashshaarani, the historian of Sufism wrote: ‘Islam is innocent of he who dresses in new clothes, eats a hearty meal, laughs wholeheartedly and settles happily in his home while the Ummah is troubled or suffering’.
These noble Sufi virtues and these outlines of sublime humanity, good morals and unequalled bravery are what we need today in our fierce struggle, our burning conflict and our endeavor to edify the Ummah and prepare it for its great civilizational role.
Conclusion
Sufism is a Shield and a Bastion Protecting our Ummah
Today, we are facing world colonialism and confronting international Zionism. In this boiling conflict, victory shall be that of he who possesses the highest spiritual and moral powers.
When nations morally fall apart, lose their positive power, their determination to struggle and their desire to succeed, they become defeated and at the mercy of stormy events.
Let us then seek in the mission of Sufism the moral strength, the power of the faith and the spiritual values that we can be used as a shield and a bastion to protect and defend our nation, and a ladder to climb in the ascent to its objectives and ambitions.
Fidelity and nobility, authenticity and honesty, pride and salvation, bravery and strength, dignity, faithfulness and virtue, and every other divine trait, spring neither from the Wahabbite thought, nor from that of the extremist Sufi preachers.
These are virtues derived from the revelation of Allah, the inspiration of Islam and its sources, and from the mission and methods of Sufism.
The pure and strong Sufi spirit must prevail on our lives and existence, and must become a component of the curricula in our institutes and schools, a guiding light in our newspapers, books and radio stations, and an inspired way of life in every aspect of our revival.
Only then can we aspire to obtain the blessings of Allah and the prevalence of life. Only then will our hands be rich with Sufi might and the strength of faith, and will Allah’s words come true: ‘Do not fail or be aggrieved for you shall be the victorious if you are true believers’ (Al Imrane, 139).
May the prayer of Allah be on Muhammed, his family and his companions.


The above paper was presented at the seventh general conference of the World Islamic Call Society (WCIS), held in Tripoli from Friday, November 26 to 29, debates a large number of intellectual and cultural as well as administrative issues.
On the intellectual and cultural level, the conference discussed a number of important papers related to the Islamic world. These include a paper entitled Universality of Da`wah and Generalization of Mercy, and another entitled Last Message…Containing the Past…Reading the Future.

On the administrative aspect, the conference also discussed the report of the executive committee of the WCIS, covering the activities of the WICS between the sixth and seventh conference (2000-2004), reports on cooperation with international organizations, in addition to reports by the conference participants on the Islamic, cultural and social work in their homelands.

The members  also discuss a report on the Islamic Call College and its branches, the cultural activities of the society and a report on the dialogue activities.

Some 500 figures, representing 400 Islamic institutes and organizations from across the world took part in the conference deliberations.



  First working paper 'The Seal of the Messages: Accommodating the Past and Prospecting the Future' by: Ibrahim Al-Ghowail, General Rapporteur of the World Islamic Call Council

Second working paper 'Universality of Mercy and Islam' by R. Abuzeid Al Mukri Al Idrissi, lecturer and Islamic researcher, Morocco .


Third working paper 'Sufism: A Call and an Education'
                     By Sheikh Hassan Chennaoui President of the Supreme Council of Sufi Tariqas (orders), Arab Republic of Egypt.



For list of participating countries and individuals,please follow the link:-

http://www.islamonline.net/MercyForWorlds/English/Participants/01.shtml

http://www.islamonline.net/MercyForWorlds/English/Participants/02.shtml

http://www.islamonline.net/MercyForWorlds/English/Participants/03.shtml









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