Sufism misunderstood big time.

২৩ শে আগস্ট, ২০১৬ সকাল ১১:২৮

Islamic extremists have one thing in common with many other medias: they don’t understand what Sufism is. A growing number of Islamic extremists accuse Sufis of idol worship, or shirk, and have recently taken to violence by destroying Sufi shrines and killing Sufi worshippers in the name of purifying Islam. These extremists understand neither Sufism nor Islamic laws for justifying the killing of people, and are part of an increasingly large group of both non-Muslims and Muslims that characterize Sufism in a way that benefits them.

Major media outlets rarely provide any level of depth or context to a story or concept, and their characterization of Sufism isn’t any different.The world is far from black and white, and Sufi Islam is no different.

Many people often associate Sufism and Sufis with whirling dervishes, spiritual trances, and the poetry of Rumi. While all of these are important cultural markers and/or contributions to Sufism, they are only a few aspects that make up this multilayered Islamic tradition.

Sufism attempts to cleanse the heart and beautify the self through attaining and enacting praiseworthy traits–charity, compassion, humility, honesty, and justice. Sufis cite the various manifestations of one’s nafs, or ego, as the the cause of individual suffering and the world’s ills, and believe salah (prayer) and dhikr (meditation and the remembrance of God) are foundational to purifying the heart and understanding tawhid or oneness of God, the ultimate goal of Sufism.

Sufis of all orders agree that the combination of love and knowledge is necessary for the seeker to come close to God in this world and to prepare for the next. All Sufis are Muslims and adhere to Islamic Law. Being Sufi does not affect other aspects of one’s faith.

Any complex system of acquiring knowledge and wisdom, whether purely intellectual or spiritual (Sufism requires intellect, love, and action) cannot be done justice with a one-word summary. Sufism is no different.

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