Sufism? Can someone explain to me please?

[zainsmommy]

Assalamu Aleikom Brothers and Sisters

Insha'Allah everyone is in the best of health and Imaan.

I have a question:

What exactly is Sufism? I heard of it, but never paid to much attention until today.
I have read up on it, but would like to get an explanation in simple, straightforward terms....something I can wrap my crazy brain around lol

Also, is it considered a form of Bidah? I believe that is the word.(not sure about the term I used.

I mean...is it a form of Islam that has deviated from the original...changed to "better fit" certain people who cannot conform to the original teachings? OR is it in fact an original teaching?

Thanks for any help with this

p.s. If this has already been discussed here, let me know...or direct me to the link please.

 

[alkathiri]

Waalaykumsalam warahmatullah sister, there are some similar threads below. You can jsut scroll down and click on the link.....

 

[zainsmommy]

AHHHHH! hehehe...Silly me!

Thanks so much!!!!

 

[Al-Kashmiri]

As-salaamu `alaykum.

For some, tasawwuf/sufism refers to zuhd (asceticism), that it is to abstain from the world, living upon bare necessities you could say. Of course, the quality of zuhd is praiseworthy, as this is the way of the believers.

However, what the people refer to as Sufism today is far worse than the righteous quality of zuhd. For this reason, Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah defined the people of taasawwuf into 3 categories... The first he included from amongst the people of the sunnah and include some of the righteous Imaams who were associated with tasawwuf. The second refers to those Soofees who are have departed the Sunnah and are rather classed as Ahl ul-Bid`ah or the people of innovation. Such are the people who have innovated many bogus acts of dhikr or worship, which are totally independant and far-removed from Islaam and its teachings. Also included amongst these are those idiots who reach states of "trance" or "ecstasy" and then unknowingly utter statements of shirk and kufr, due to them being whacked out of their heads. Apparentley to some this is praiseworthy!?!?

As for the third category, they include those who possess clear shirk and kufr, such that the major scholars expel them from the fold of Islaam! For example you here some of them claim that they have reached such a high state that the prayer is not obligatory upon them anymore! Others order that the people suplicate to them as oppose to Allaah, may Allaah curse these filthy individuals. Likewise others believe that Allaah is everything and everything is Allaah, they also state that devoting acts of `ibaadah or worship to, for example, the dead is allowed as Allaah is everywhere and everything is Allaah?! Anyone with some sense will know that this is the same as calling upon idols?!

Anyway I'm just paraphrasing a fatwa from Ibn Taymiyyah's majmoo` which someone translated. I myself grew up a Soofee, most my people in fact fall into the two latter categories. Alhamdulillaah my father left this path that he was brought up upon, or at least has abandoned and rejected all the shirk and much of the bid`ah within it.

Since brother Al-Kathiri has referred to some threads, may Allaah reward him I don't see the need to. However I do recommend reading the many works published throughout the centuries on the topic. A good recent book is by Dr. Saleh as-Saleh called "A Chapter on the Dispraise of al-Hawaa".

If you have any further questions please PM me or another mod, however due to past fitnah I'm not even going to bother leaving this thread open.

Wa`alaykum us-salaam