I have question regarding Question# 6133 The word ?Sufism? was known at the time of the Messenger or the Sahaabah or the Taabi?een ? It arose at the time when a group of ascetics who wore wool (?soof?) emerged, and this name was given to them. It was also said that the name was taken from the word ?soofiya? (?sophia?) which means ?wisdom? in Greek. The word is not derived from al-safa? (?purity?) as some of them claim, because the adjective derived from safa? is safaa?i, not soofi (sufi). The emergence of this new name and the group to whom it is applied exacerbated the divisions among Muslims. The early Sufis differed from the later Sufis who spread bid?ah (innovation) to a greater extent and made shirk in both minor and major forms commonplace among the people, as well as the innovations against which the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned us when he said, ?Beware of newly-invented things, for every newly-invented thing is an innovation and every innovation is a going-astray.? (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said it is saheeh hasan). Do we really need any tareeqahs to follow ISLAM ? Thanks
We do acknowledge that a number of new sects have exacerbated the divisions
amongst the Muslims. This does not imply that all movements or sects are
false.
The Soofies whose lives were in accordance to the teachings of Islam and the
Sunnah were on the straight path. Irrespective of the name attributed to
them, they are still members of the Ahlus sunnah Wal Jamaa. The Tareeqahs we
follow are basically pathways en-route to our spiritual enhancement. They
may be termed as a good Bid’at just like a number of other newly construed
mediums of Deen. The Madaaris for instance.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Muhammad Kadwa
FATWA DEPT.
CHECKED AND APPROVED: Mufti Ebrahim Desai