Definitions of Sufism According to Different Scholars

Definitions of Sufism according to different scholars:

Imam Junayd of Baghdad:

"Adopting every high quality and leaving every low quality"

Explanation:

According to this definition, Sufis want to adopt the right path that leads to God. They are very keen to know about God. So, they adopt the higher qualities and quit all lower qualities. Here higher qualities means; any thing demanded by Allah to do. Lower qualities means; things that are prohibited by God. To quit low qualities means that each and every thing which we do in our daily life like tell a lie, negative thoughts about other people and each aspect that includes in sin either big or small should not be adopted. On the other hand, high qualities are to control our Nafs upon the will of ALLAH and make our heart contented; to make the chest filled with Noor-e-Ilahi and to make the heart busy in remembering ALLAH; to be careless towards every worldly thing; striving to have friendship with ALLAH; a disliking attitude towards world.

Sheikh Ab'ul Hasan Shadhili:

"The practice and training of the self through adoration and worship to return to the path of Lordship."

Explanation:

When we come in this world we human beings are like ‘Blank slate’ (pure). We have no idea about how to do things whether it is god or bad, but our surroundings, environment and moral values teach us how to spend a perfect life. Without any appropriate knowledge we people indulge in those things which are low in quality therefore we loses our purity of soul. It is the characteristic of the Sufis that they want to change their soul to their original form, which was purest and holy. Thus Sufis control their self by adoration; which is love to Allah and return their path on the way to Allah through worship Allah and forgiveness to Allah for their sins. They do these things to gain love of Allah and his blessings.
Shaykh Ahmad Zorruq:

"The science by means of which you can put right the 'heart' and make it exclusive to Allah. Using your knowledge of the way of Islam, particularly jurisprudence and its related knowledges, to improve your actions and keep within the bounds of the Islamic Law in order for wisdom to become apparent. "

Explanation:
This is also one of the characteristics of Sufis that they think in the different aspects of life very deeply. Sufism it self is a science in which a person tries to make his heart pure to put it on the right path leading towards almighty God. It is said in these lines that in order to make one’s heart pure, gaining knowledge is very important. It is only the knowledge that helps one to improve his actions and correct his wrong deeds. Without knowledge no one is able to understand the difference between right and wrong. Knowledge is a thing that keeps one within the limits required by the almighty God hence correcting one’s deeds and purifying one’s heart for the Lord.

Sheikh Zorruq also added:

"Its foundation is theknowledge of Unity,and you need thereafter the sweetness of trust and certainty,otherwise you will not be able to bring about the necessary healing of the heart."

Shaykh Ibn Ajiba:

"Sufism is a science by means of which you learn to behave in order to be in the presence of the ever present Lord through purifying your inner being and sweetening it with good actions.The path of Sufism begins as science,its middle is actions and its end is divine gifts. "

In the explanation of these lines we can say that Sufism is a science dealing with different aspects of life. It is a phenomenon which teaches us how to behave correctly in the way of life. It teaches us that the almighty is present everywhere around us therefore we should behave exactly according to the commandments given by Him whether we see Him or not. This act will help us to purify our heart and soul for the Lord. Our behavior can be sweetened by our good deeds. Hence we can say that Sufism begins as a science as it provides us guidance for all fields of life. It has middle as an action as there is nothing in this world that can exist without action. Action is the symbol of life so for a person it is very necessary to perform actions and these actions should be according to the commandments of Lord. And finally the destination is the gifts that are promised by God if we spend our life according to the commandments given by Him.

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