Classical Sufism: Ahmad Zarruq: Qawaid al-Tasawwuf (Principles of Sufism)
Book Excerpts, Sufi Hypotheses
Principle 1
The discussion of something is a deductive procedure permitting us to express the thing’s essence and its benefit through the use of acquired or innate intellectual perception. The intellectual perception is needed to refer to the thing so as to single out what it really it though refutation and acceptance, or establishment of its origin and detailed elaboration. That must be set forth in advance before going in to a subject, since the introduction provides information on it, creates an incentive to pursue it, and delineates its content. So, understand!
Principle 2
The essence of a thing is its reality. Its reality is to what its total nature refers. The determination of a thing can be through a definition, which is the most comprehensive way, or through an illustration, which is the clearest, or through an explanation, which is the most complete exposition and quickest to understand. Nearly two thousand meanings have been used to define, illustrate and explain Sufism. The source of all these definitions is turning to God Most-High with a sincere heart. In reality they are only different aspects of the same thing. But God knows best!
Principle 3
Differences of opinion with regard to a single reality prove the incomprehensibility of its total nature. If the varying opinions refer back to a single point of origin that embraces all of the ideas expressed about this reality, then the explanation concerning the origin would correspond to how it was understood. The sum of the statements is dependent on the differentiated aspects of the origin. Each one’s perspective is in keeping with how he got at that origin, whether through knowledge, through action, through a spiritual state, through intuition, and the like. From that come the varying opinions on Sufism. Thus, the traditionalist Abu Nu’aym (may God have mercy on him!), when describing the characteristics of most people mentioned in his Hilyah, quotes a definition of Sufism from each one that is consonant with his spiritual state, saying: “It is said that Sufism is such and such.”
I feel that whoever has a measure of sincerity in turning towards God has a measure of Sufism, and that the Sufism of everyone is the sincerity of his turning towards God. So, understand this!
Principle 4
The sincerity of turning towards God is conditioned by its being pleasing to God Most-High or by that which pleases Him. That which is conditioned is invalid without its condition. “He approves not unthankfulness from His servants:” so faith is a condition that must be fulfilled. “If ye are thankful, He will approve it in you:” (39:7), so submission is a condition that must be fulfilled.
Thus, there is no Sufism without jurisprudence, because divine exoteric rules can only be known through jurisprudence. Nor is there any jurisprudence without Sufism, for action cannot be carried out without sincerity and turning towards God. Nor can jurisprudence and Sufism be without faith, since neither of the two is valid without it. So all three are necessary because they are attached to one another in principle as souls are attached to bodies: souls have no existence without bodies just as bodies have no life without souls. So, understand this!
Along these lines is the saying of Malik (may God have mercy on him!): “He who follows the path of Sufism while neglecting jurisprudence is a heretic; and he who learns jurisprudence while neglecting the Path commits transgression. But he who combines both has attained realization of the Truth.” I maintain that the first is a heretic because of his belief in the doctrine of predestination, which leads to the negation of divine wisdom and general rules. The second committed transgression because his deeds lack any turning towards God through divine wisdom and general rules, a turning that veils him from disobeying God; and because his deeds also lack sincerity, which is a condition in acting for God’s sake. The third attains realization of the Truth in that very same act of holding on to the Truth. So, know this!
Principle 5
Referring something to its principle and supporting it with its relevant proof nullify the argument of the one who rehects the reality. The foundation of Sufism is the station of spiritual virtue (ihsan), which the Messenger of God (may peace be upon him!) defined as being: “That thou adore God asa though thou didst see Him, and if thou dost not see Him, He nonetheless sees thee.” That is because the various meanings of sincerely turning to God are based on this station and revolve around it. Indeed, the word itself points to the quest for the vigilance required by the station. So insistence on vigilance is insistence on the essence of virtue (ihsan). Similarly, jurisprudence revolves around the station of submission (islam), and the principles of religion around the station of faith (iman).
Sufism is one of the elements of religion which Gabriel taught the Prophet (may peace be upon him!), in order that the Companions might learn it (may God be pleased with them all!).
Principle 6
The technical term for something points to its definition and makes one sense its reality. The term corresponds to its content and fixes its meaning without obscurity or opposition to any judicial or customary principle. Nor must it abolish any fundemental or secondary axiom or contradict either a legal conclusion or legal proposition. Assuming the term has been inflected and properly vowelized, there can be no ground for rejecting it.
The noun Sufism (tasawwuf) is of that category because it is an Arabic word that is understood, perfectly derived, non-misleading, unambiguous, and clear. Actually, its etymology gives us an idea of its meaning just as jurisprudence does for the general rules of Islam and exterior actions, and just as the principles of religion do for the principles of faith and the implimentation of its meaning. Whatever is held to be necessary in the domains of jurisprudence and principles of faith is necessary also in Sufism, for they are all equal both in principle and traditional authority.
Principle 7
Etymology requires that the meaning of the derived noun and its root be taken in to consideration. The meaning of the derived word is to be perceived from the word itself. If the meanings are multiple, the perceptions are multiple. If a synthesis is possible, then it is to be made from all of them; if not, then everyone takes in to account a single ides — so understand! — providing the word is free of contradiction in its origin.
Many explanations have been made about the derivation of the word “Sufism”. The explanations closest to the truth are five:
First: those who say that the term is derived from a piece of wool (fah). The reason is that the Sufi vis-a-vis God is like a piece of wool tossed on the ground with neither will nor direction.
Second: the term is derived from the lock of hair on the nape of the neck (fat al-qif) because of its softness. The Sufi, like this lock of hair, has a soft and flexible nature.
Third: the term is derived from “attribute” (al-ifah). This is to say that the Sufi is characterized (ittaafa) by performing good deeds and turning away from bad qualities.
Fourth: the term is derived from purity (al-af’) Abu al-Fat al-Bust (may God have mercy on him!) has confirmed this, going so far as to say: “People have argued and differed about the term ‘Sufi’; some think it is derived from wool (f). I do not grant this name save to the noble person who dealt purely with God and was purified till he was called a Sufi.”
Fifth: the term is derived from the Bench (al-uffah). For the Sufi has the same characteristics as the People of the Bench, whom God has endowed with certain characteristics, saying of them: “They call upon their Lord at morning and evening desiring His countenance.” (6:52) This is the origin to which every explanation of the word goes back. but God knows best!
Principle 8
In observing the rules of conduct of his predecessor, the follower is subject to the same conditions. even though the predecessor has greater pre-eminence. In the beginning the People of the Bench were so poor that they were known as the guests of God. Later on, their ranks were joined by rich men and princes, and by those who worked for a living and the poor. They were thankful for their prosperity when it existed, and were patient when it did not. Whatever state they found themselves in, they did not lose the attribute with which their Lord described them, namely, that “They call upon their Lord at morning and evening desiring His countenance.” Likewise, they were not praised for the loss of their prosperity, but for seeking the face of the King, the Judge. The latter is not restricted either by poverty or wealth or the sufficiency thereof. Therefore, Sufism is distinguished by neither poverty nor wealth as long as its possessor seeks the face of God. So, understand!
Principle 9
The difference of relationships may be due to differing realities or it may be due to different levels in a single reality. Accordingly, it has been said that Sufism, poverty, leading a spiritual life under apparently blameworthy circumstances, and drawing nearer to God belong to the first categoryl and it has been said that they belong to the second category, which is correct. The Sufi is he who strives to sift his time of everything but the Truth. If he eliminates everythign but the Truth from himself, then he is a man of spiritual poverty (al-faqr). The person who leads a spiritual life under seemingly blameworthy conditions (al-malmat) among the two categories is he who neither manifests good nor harbors bad feelings towards anyone like the artisans and tradesmen who follow the path. The one who is drawn near to God (al-muqarrab) is he whose spiritual states are perfect. Through his Lord, he “is,” for the sake of his Lord. He has nothing to say about anything except the Truth, nor has he any abode with whatever is other than God. So, understand!
Principle 10
Because of a difference of ways, it does not follow that their goals are different: the goal may be one with different ways leading to it. Thus, religious observance, asceticism, and gnosis are ways leading to nearness with God through spiritual grace. The three are intertwined with one another. The gnostic must therefore observe religious rituals; for if he does not worship the object of his devotion, his knowledge is of no consequence. His observance of religious rituals must be accompanied by asceticism; for if he has not turned away from what is not He, then there is no spiritual substance in him.
He who observes the rituals must partake of both asceticism and gnosis, for there can be no religious observance without knowledge, nor can there be any time set apart for religious observance except through asceticism. And the same holds true for asceticism, for there can be no asceticisim without knowledge, nor can there by any without religious observance; otherwise, it is worthless.
Indeed, the devotee (’bid) is the one mainly engaged in acts of devotion; the ascetic (zhid) is the one mainly concerned with abandoning the world; and the gnostic (’rif) is the one mainly occupied in considering the dispositions of the Truth.
All are Sufis! But God knows best!
Principle 11
Every thing has its adherents, a purpose, a place, and a reality. Sufism is suitable for whomsoever has true guidance, or for a gnostic who has achieved realization, or for a sincere lover, or for a righteous seeker, or for a doctor of the Law who is bound by esoteric truths, or for a jurist who is bound by the extended meanings of words. Sufism is not suitable for whomsoever is prejudiced by reason of his ignorance, or pretends to be knowledgeable, or speaks rashly in disputation, or is a stupid common man, or is a reluctant seeker of truth, or is a person determined to imitate blindly the great men he has in general known. But God knows best!
Principle 12
The nobleness of something may be due to its essence, so that is it is sought only for the sake of its essence; or it may be due to its benefit, so that it is sought as a means of reaching that benefit; or it may be due to something connected with it, so that the benefit is in seeking the related matter.
As a result of that, it has been said: “Knowledge without action is a means without purpose, and action without knowledge is an offence.”
The intelligence is the best way to know Him, and knowledge of God Most-High is the most excellent knowledge because it is the most sublime. Knowledge that is sought for its own sake is the best knowledge because its special attribute is in its essence, such as the knowledge of the reverential fear of God and of intimacy with Him, and the like. Accordingly, he whose actions do not reflect his knowledge, then his knowledge acts against him, not for him. And sometimes this testifies to knowledge having left him, if his knowledge had been conditioned by his action (if only by way of perfecting his knowledge). So, understand this and reflect upon it!
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