Answered by SunniPath Answer Service Team
What is the panel’s opinion, advice concerning general Muslim Sufi order? For example, there are some Sufi order with women teachers, women who do not cover and those who put up pictures of their shaikh’s in the prayer area (praying in front of their shaikh’s picture). With examples of some or a lot of these orders around, how does a Muslim choose a path of love of the Prophet (saw) and Allah (swt) that is righteous?
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate
Wa Alaykum Assalam wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,
Sufism, as traditionally understood and lived, is the very heart of the Shariah. A heart without a body simply doesn’t live.
We cannot answer for general Muslim Sufi orders’, for not all who claim to be of a people are actually of them. In short, as my teachers have taught me: no order or Shaykh is above the Shariah.
Please see the following comprehensive link on Sufism, and look to the appropriate section for the answer to your question:
Reader on Islamic Spirituality (Sufism)
May Allah Most High guide us all to that which is most pleasing to Him, ameen.
Wassalam,
SunniPath Fiqh Team