What Is Sufi Philosophy? Sufi philosophy includes the schools of thought unique to Sufism, a mystical branch within Islam, also termed as Tasawwuf or Faqr according to its adherents. Sufism and its philosophical traditions may be associated with both Sunni Islam and Shia Islam. It has been suggested that Sufi thought...
Sufi Cosmology Sufi cosmology (الكوزمولوجية الصوفية) is a Sufi approach to cosmology which discusses the creation of man and the universe, which according to mystics are the fundamental grounds upon which Islamic religious universe is based. According to Sufi cosmology, God’s reason for the creation of this cosmos and humankind...
The Alchemy of Happiness by Mohammad Al Ghazzali This book is the translated version of Kimiya-yi Sa’ādat (کیمیای سعادت, The Alchemy of Happiness), written by Mohammed Al Ghazzali INTRODUCTION The remarkable treatise, which I introduce to your notice, is a translation from one of the numerous works of the Arabian Philosopher, Abou Hamid...
The Alchemy Of Happiness Kimiya-yi Sa’ādat (کیمیای سعادت, The Alchemy of Happiness) was a book written by Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazālī, a Persian theologian, philosopher, and prolific Sunni Muslim author regarded as one of the greatest systematic thinkers of Islam. The Kimiya-yi Sa’ādat was written towards the end of his...
What Is Taqwa? Taqwa is an Islamic term for being conscious and cognizant of God, of truth, of the rational reality, “piety, fear of God”. It is often found in the Quran. Al-Muttaqin refers to those who practice taqwa, or in the words of Ibn Abbas — “believers who avoid Shirk with Allah and...
What Is Karamat? In Sunni Islam, karamat (کرامات karāmāt, pl. of کرامة karāmah, lit. generosity, high-mindedness) refers to supernatural wonders performed by Muslim saints. In the technical vocabulary of Islamic religious sciences, the singular form karama has a sense similar to charism, a favor or spiritual gift freely bestowed by God. The marvels ascribed to Muslim saints have included supernatural...
Persecution Of Sufis Persecution of Sufis and Sufism has included destruction of Sufi shrines and mosques, suppression of orders, murder, and discrimination against adherents in a number of Muslim-majority countries. The Turkish Republican state banned all Sufi orders and abolished their institutions in 1925 after Sufis opposed the new secular order. The Iranian...
List Of Sufi Orders The following is a list of Sufi orders or schools (ṭarīqah). A attariya Razaviya Alevi Aamiria Aâbid Abbasiyya Abululai (also Abululaiya) Adhamiyya Adrawiyya Agamiyya Ahmadiya (Imamut-Tarikat Sheikh Borhanuddin Uyesi) Ahmadiyya-Idrissiyya Aissawa (also Aïssâwa, Issawiyya, Issâwa, Aïssaoua, Issaoua) Akbariyya Akmaliyya (Haqmaliyya) Alamiyya Al Hakika Mizaan Mizaani Sufi Order (Sallahudin Amaan...
Who Is Wali? Wali (ولي, plural ʾawliyāʾ أولياء) is an Arabic word whose literal meanings include “custodian”, “protector”, “helper”, and “friend”. In the vernacular, it is most commonly used by Muslims to indicate an Islamic saint, otherwise referred to by the more literal “friend of God”. In the traditional Islamic understanding of saints, the...
What Is Muraqabah? Muraqabah (to observe) refers to meditation in Sufi terminology. Through murāqbah a person watches over their (spiritual) heart and gains insight into the heart’s relation with its creator and its own surroundings. Muraqābah is a core concept in commonly found ṭarīqas (ar. sufi orders). The objective of murāqbah...
What Is Ma’rifat? In Sufism, ma’rifat (معرفة, ma‘rifah, ‘knowledge’) describes the mystical intuitive knowledge of spiritual truth reached through ecstatic experiences, rather than revealed or rationally acquired. A seeker of ma’rifa is called ‘arif, “the one who knows”.[1] In one of the earliest accounts of the Maqamat-l arba’in (“forty stations”) in Sufism, Sufi master Abu Said ibn Abi’l-Khayr lists ma’rifa as the...
What Is Tariqa? A tariqa (tariqah; طريقة ṭarīqah) is a school or order of Sufism, or specifically a concept for the mystical teaching and spiritual practices of such an order with the aim of seeking Haqiqa, which translates as “ultimate truth“. A tariqa has a murshid (guide) who plays the role of leader or spiritual director....
History Of Sufism This article covers the history of Sufism. Sufism is the mystical branch of Islam. A Sufi is a Muslim who seeks annihilation of the ego in God. Early history The exact origin of Sufism is disputed. Some sources state that Sufism is the inner dimensions of the teachings of Muhammad whereas others say that...
Islamic Meditation This article covers Islamic Meditation. Meditation and mindfulness are often associated with several eastern traditions such as Buddhism and Yoga, yet few know the essential position of meditative spiritual practice within Islam. In Islam, meditation serves as the core element of various mystical traditions (in particular Sufism), though it is...
What is Dhikr? Dhikr (also Zikr, Zekr, Zikir, Jikir, and variants; ذِكْر, ḏikr, plural أذكار aḏkār, meaning “mentioning”) are devotional acts in Islam in which short phrases or prayers are repeatedly recited silently within the mind or aloud. It can be counted on a set of prayer beads (Misbaha, مِسْبَحَة) or through fingers of the hand. A person who recites the...
Prophet Muhammad’s Marriages This article covers the Islamic Prophet Muhammad’s Marriages in detail. Some critics of Islam, either because they are unaware of the facts or are biased, revile the Prophet as a self-indulgent libertine. They accuse him of character failings that are hardly compatible with a person of average...
Women In The Quran And The Sunna This article examines the status of women in the Quran and the Sunna. In Islam, there is absolutely no difference between men and women as far as their relationship to Allah is concerned, as both are promised the same reward for good conduct...
Important Truths Of The Quran This article covers the Important Explanations To Understand Certain Important Truths of the Quran. In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Alif Lam Ra. A Book whose verses were established and set clear, and then distinguished, from One All-Wise, All-Aware. (11:1) In order...
Does The Qur’an Allude To Scientific Developments? This article covers the answer to the question: “Does The Qur’an Allude To Scientific Developments?” Before answering this question, we should point out one important fact: Considering science as opposed to religion and scientific study as separate from and independent of the Qur’an...
Does The Quran Contain Everything? This article covers the answer to the question: “Does The Quran Contain Everything?” Being a Book describing the man and the universe, the Quran contains ‘everything’. It declares: With Him are the keys of the Unseen. None but He knows them. And He knows what...