It is only in relation to the succeeding generations that one comes across the term Sufi. According to Khaliq Ahmad Nizami 4, those who devoted their lives to religious studies and religious devotion after the times of the tabii were called zahid – 'the pious' -and abid – 'the servant (of Allah)'. 3 The term Sufism embraces the philosophy and practices which aim at direct communion between God and man, and those who practice these are called Sufis. Sufis themselves prefer to say that their name is derived from 'safa' which meant 'purity'. 2 This act of devoting oneself to a mystic life is called 'sufism' in Islam. The explanation for this is also found in the oldest extant Arabic treatise on Sufism by Abu Nasr al-Saraj, who declared that "the woolen raiment is the habit of the prophets and the batch of the saints and elect". 1 It basically denoted the ones who denounced the world, chose a mystic way of life and wore coarse woolen clothes. The term is taken from the root word in Arabic 'suf' which means 'wool'. Sufism (tasawwuf) is the name given to mysticism in Islam.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |