Tasawwuf (Sufism) ?

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Salam Aleykum.

As we know it has been a matter of discussion through out the entire Islamic history. I would like to learn your opinions about Tasawwuf (Sufism). Do you think it is within Islam? Or the essential of Islam as sufis say? Or just blasphemy?

I have a sympathy for tasawwuf. But still not sure where to put it above...Allahu Alim..

Thanks
 
wa'alaikum as'salaam,

it's another sect of Islam. They claim to be on the right path but if you look at their practices, they are contrary to the Quran and the Sunnah. Islamqa .com has a good question them. Look up the question # below on there to read on:

20375: Sufi tareeqahs and the ruling on joining them
 
Here's something that may be of interest. It's an answer to a similar question made here http://askimam.org/public/question_detail/17593
_____________________________________________________________

Alhamdulillah, we are pleased to receive your question regarding Tasawwuf and delighted to learn of your enthusiasm to learn about this blessed discipline. The word Tarīqah linguistically means “manner” or “method” and in reference to the field of Tasawwuf, it refers to a school or order, e.g. the Chishtī Tarīqah, Naqshbandī Tarīqah, Shādhilī Tarīqah etc. Tariqah in relation to Tasawwuf is analogous to the word “madhhab” in relation to the schools of Fiqh. The science of Fiqh concerns itself with the external injunctions and regulations pertaining to things such as salāh, fasting, stealing, interest etc., and the science of Tasawwuf concerns itself with the internal injunctions and regulations pertaining to things such as praiseworthy qualities, e.g. gratefulness, patience, sincerity etc. and reprehensible qualities, e.g. pride, ostentation and greed etc.

In essence, the goal of all the Tarīqahs is one and the same, namely to cure spiritual maladies of the heart, elevate the spiritual status and ultimately gain closeness to Allah; the dissimilarities of the various Tarīqahs mainly revolve around the difference of approach towards achieving this objective. Some Tarīqahs implement one set of spiritual exercises whilst other Tarīqahs implement a different set of exercises. Some differences in spiritual exercises stem from the differences of the Madhāhib of the Shuyūkh of each Tarīqah. Considering the fact that the Shuyūkh of Tasawwuf adhere strictly to the letter of the law, each Tarīqah will differ in exercises of dhikr as well. This will be discussed later. At present, it should suffice to understand that this science pertains to the abstract metaphysical internal element of the soul, thus there exists many seemingly unusual practices and exercises prescribed by the Shuyūkh to address such matters. These exercises were implemented to kindle the burning love of Allah in the heart cleansing it from the rust caused by the passions of the ephemeral Dunya and all that towards which the lower self calls. Dhikr is the nourishment and sustenance of the soul. Just as there are various types of food with varying nutritional benefits, similarly, the various types of dhikr prescribed by the Shuyūkh affect the spirit of a person in diverse ways. The field of Tasawwuf is usually likened to the field of medicine. Throughout history, man has discovered cures to various physical maladies, so have the Shuyūkh, the spiritual doctors, discovered cures for spiritual maladies. Some of the practices and cures are mentioned in the Qur'ān, some in the Ahadīth, and others have been discovered through the institution of tajrubah (personal experience). Generation after generation, the Shuyūkh of Tasawwuf have dedicated their lives to this field, therefore, they know the effects of various adhkār upon the heart and soul.

To those unfamiliar with Tasawwuf, such exercises may seem extremely peculiar and unusual. It is understandable for people to feel uncomfortable and queasy during their first experience with such exercises. However, to repel this discomfort, one should bear in mind that the Shuyūkh don’t claim that these adhkār and spiritual exercises are new forms of worship where it would be classified as an innovation (bid‘ah) in Dīn. Only those bereft of the understanding of Fiqh and the subtleties of Dīn make such professions. These spiritual prescriptions should be seen and regarded as a form of treatment(tadāwī) for the sicknesses of the heart. Just as the physical body must be put through certain therapeutic exercises for the benefit and rejuvenation of the body, so to do the Shuyūkh put the spiritual patient under various exercises to strengthen and treat the soul.

To give you some examples of such exercises, the famous Hadīth of Rasūlullah صلى الله عليه و سلمdescribes the various stages of a believer, from Islam, to Imān to Ihsan.


.((قالَ : فأخْبِرنِي عنِ الإحْسَانِ ، قال : (( أنْ تَعبُدَ اللهَ كأنَّكَ تَراهُ ، فإنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَراهُ فإنَّهُ يراكَ


Jibrīl (AS) asked Rasūlullah صلى الله عليه و سلم regarding Ihsān to which Rasūlullah صلى الله عليه و سلمreplied, “It is that you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him and if you are unable to see Him, then (know well) that He is seeing you.”

From this Hadīth we come to know that there is an extremely high spiritual position known as Ihsān.The question that arises is that how does a person reach such a status. The next question that arises is to whom should one go in order to learn how to attain it. If a person goes to a Muhaddith, his field and preoccupation is to merely to tell the questioner whether the Hadīth is Sahīh, Hasan, Dha‘īf, how many chains of narration exist for the Hadīth, and which narrators transmitted the Hadīth etc. In regards to the meaning of the Hadīth, at best, they could offer only a literal translation. If a person goes to a Faqīh, he would only explain the various rulings that could be extracted from the Hadīth as it pertains to the external injunctions of the Sharī‘ah. The Faqīh too could not advise the questioner how to attain such a status nor the reality of such a position because such a question does not pertain to his field of expertise. If a person wants to learn the reality of this spiritual position and experience it, he will have to go to a person who has himself reached it. He will have to go to such a person who has dedicated his life in perfecting his internal attributes and character. Only that person who has already reached the destination can direct the lost seeker to it. To acquire this state, some of the Shuyūkh advise the Murīd to sit in solitude and absolute silence with full concentration and in a state of wudhū, whilst closing his eyes, constantly repeating and deeply pondering over the verse,

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَى
“Does he not know that Allah is watching”

After continual practice, the Mūrīd will ultimately establish the understanding and perception that Allah is watching him at all times, whether he is walking, talking, eating, praying etc. Only after exercising great patience and perseverance in acting upon the prescription of his Shaykh and continuously informing the Shaykh of his conditions and states will he understand and experience the quality of Ihsān.

Other peculiar forms of spiritual exercises include making loud dhikr with bodily motion whether standing, as in the case of hadrah as performed by the Shadhilīs, or sitting, as performed by the Chishtīs. Other exercises include certain breathing exercises like pās anfās as performed by the Chishtīs and various forms of murāqabah (meditation) as done by the Naqshbandīs etc.

The inherent permissibility or impermissibility of some of these exercises will rest upon the differences of the various Madhāhib since some of these practices cross the boundary of a mere internal metaphysical sphere to the externally physical; thus, falling under the jurisdiction of the Fuqahā’. To present a brief example, the practice of hadrah, a type of spiritual bodily movement similar to swaying that some refer to dancing coupled with loud dhikr, is permissible for the followers of the Shāfi‘ī Madhhab since according to their ‘Ulamā and Madhhab dancing is permissible with certain conditions.

والرقص بلا تكسر مباح لخبر الصحيحين إنه صلى الله عليه وسلم وقف لعائشة يسترها حتى تنظر إلى الحبشة وهم يلعبون ويزفنون والزفن الرقص لأنه مجرد حركات على استقامة أو اعوجاج وعلى الإباحة التي صرح بها المصنف الفوراني والغزالي في وسيطه وهي مقتضى كلام غيرهما وقال القفال بالكراهة وعبارة الأصل محتملة لها حيث قال و الرَّقْصُ ليس بِحَرَامٍ وَبِالتَّكَسُّرِ حَرَامٌ وَلَوْ من النِّسَاءِ لِأَنَّهُ يُشْبِهُ أَفْعَالَ الْمُخَنَّثِينَ
(أسنى المطالب في شرح روض الطالب ج 4 ص 346 العلمية)

Consequently, it will be permissible for the Shuyūkh and Mūrīds who follow the Shāfi‘ī Madhhab to participate in the hadrah. On the contrary, it will not be permissible for the Shuyūkh and Murīds of the Hanafī Madhhab to participate in the dancing or swaying of the hadrah since no form of dancing is permitted in the Madhhab unless one is overtaken by an uncontrollable state of ecstasy. It is for this reason that the majority of Shuyūkh of the Ahnāf prescribe a different form of dhikr that produces the same result and effect as produced by the hadra. In the Chishti Tarīqah, the Shuyūkh prescribe loud dhikr of the Kalīmah, La Ilāha illa Allah where the Murīd sits and focuses his concentration on his heart with his head turned towards the direction of his heart. Then, with full devotion, absorption and zeal he recites La ilaaha (there is no deity) while moving his head towards the back and left intending thereby the negation and purging of everything other than Allah from the heart. Thereafter, with full vigor and force, he recites illa Allah (except Allah) while meditating that the love of Allah is flooding his heart. The similar effect of the hadra, namely, that of purification of the heart and spiritual vigor is thus produced which are some of the main ingredients for reviving the diseased heart.

وأما تحريك الرأس فقط يمنة ويسرة تحقيقا لمعنى النفي والإثبات في لا إله إلا الله فالظن الغالب جوازه بل استحبابه إذا كان مع النية الخالصة الصالحة فيخرج عن حد العبث واللعب ؛ لأن العبث ما لا فائدة فيه والتحقيق المذكور من أعظم الفوائد ( فيكون ) ذلك التحريك ( فعلا دالا ) دلالة عقلية ( على التوحيد مقارنا للقول ) وهو قول لا إله إلا الله ( الدال عليه ) دلالة وضعية فيجمع بين التوحيد الفعلي والقولي ( فتكون ) الكلمة الطيبة ( كلمة ككلمتين ) فالقول بلا حركة مرتين كالقول بالحركة مرة واحدة ( وأصله ) المقيس عليه ( رفع المسبحة في التشهد في الصلاة عند أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله ، وقد روي عن النبي صلى الله تعالى عليه وسلم في ) الأحاديث ( الصحاح مع أن الصلاة موضع سكون ووقار حتى كره فيها الالتفات ) يمنة ويسرة
. بريقة محمودية في شرح طريقة محمدية وشريعة نبوية ج 4 ص 139 مصطفى البابي الحلبي

It is important to bear in mind that unfortunately, there has always existed groups of self-centered, worldly motivated pseudo-Sufis who misrepresented Tasawwuf and used some of the practices of the Sufis, not to mention concocted some of their own, to suit their nafsānī (selfish) desires. Some of them feign being Sufis in order to gain fame and popularity, others to engage in singing and dancing and others to earn money etc. It is from such people that deviances began to crop up in this pristine and praiseworthy science. Examples of their innovations include the Qawāli where singing and music are rampant under the guise of Dhikr, grave-worship where people commit shirk by prostrating to the inmates of the grave, Salāmī where people stand up to offer salutations upon Rasūlullah صلى الله عليه و سلم with the belief that Rasūlullah صلى الله عليه و سلم visits the gathering and other similar practices that have no real connection with Tasawwuf. Because of the existence of such perfidious people and their impermissible practices, it has become a daunting task for sincere people such as you to find a true Shaykh and Tarīqah. Every Tarīqah has these imposters in their midst preying upon the ignorant masses; therefore, one must be cautious as to who one takes as a Murshid (guide). You should ensure that before taking formal bay‘ah to any Shaykh or entering into any Tarīqah, that the Shaykh is a complete adherent of the Sharī‘ah and upholds its dictates. Anyone who intentionally and openly breaks a single commandment of the Sharī‘ah is not worthy to be a Shaykh. A qualified Shaykh is he whose outward and inward appearance and actions conform to the Sunnah of Rasūlullah صلى الله عليه و سلم. A pious and righteous Shaykh is he in whose company a person feels the urge to act upon the dictates of the Sharī‘ah not disregard them. We advise you to continuously make du‘ā to Allah Ta‘ālā to guide you to a pious and upright Shaykh who will guide you in the field of Tasawwuf. You should make Mashwarah with pious local ‘Ulamā if any for their views on finding a genuine Shaykh. It is also important to understand that aside from the Shaykh being firm upon the Sharī‘ah, it is imperative that one have some congeniality with the Shaykh so that one can gain spiritual benefit from him. Without the existence of this congeniality and amiability, it will be difficult to consult with one’s Shaykh and follow his advices. Once you have found such a Shaykh who is strict in adherence to the Sharī‘ah and the Sunnah and you have an amicable relationship with him, you should place all your trust in him and follow all of his instructions without any doubt. Inshallah, in this manner you will ascend the stages of Tasawwuf with relative ease and obtain your objective.

And Allah knows best

Wassalam u Alaikum
Ml. Abrar Mirza,
Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah
 
وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته​

There is a difference between Tasawwuf and modern day "Sufi Tariqahs". The two should not be confused. Tasawwuf is part of Islaam. It is also known as Tazkiyah. The purpose of Tasawwuf is to become close to Allaah Ta`aalaa. To become beloved by Allaah Ta`aalaa. To follow the Sunnah. To have Zuhd (abstinence) from the Dunyaa and turn your attention towards the Aakhirah. To correct your Akhlaaq (character), by weeding out all of the Akhlaaq-e-Razeelah (evil characteristics, like jealousy, greed, love for wealth, love for fame, etc.) and replacing them with the Akhlaaq-e-Hameedah (noble characteristics, like patience, tolerance, Shukr, etc.)

Tasawwuf is most definitely a part of Islaam. It is only a Jaahil who rejects Tasawwuf. Shaykh-ul-Islaam ibn Taymiyyah himself was a proponent of Tasawwuf. As was Shaykh `Abdul Qaadir al-Jaylaani, whom he had great respect for. Imaam Hasan al-Basri, Imaam `Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak, Imaam Junayd al-Baghdaadi, Sirri Saqati, Bishr Haafi, Maalik ibn Deenaar, Zhun-Noon Misri, etc. All great Awliyaa of Allaah Ta`aalaa.
 
Salam alaykum,

Sufism comes from within you. Sufism is the core of Shariah. It places an importance on getting closer to God, seeing all life as sacred, veneration of saints and more. Sufism is present in your spiritual heart when you love everything that happens to you, because everything that happens is an opportunity to get closer to God. I don't believe that it's necessary to follow a tariqah or sheikh; I'm a sufi and I follow neither. You can cultivate taqwa without a spiritual guide. All you need is love for God and a willingness to renounce what displeases Him.

Some consider Sufism a sect and some do not. We're not all grave worshipers or pantheists; it is possible to be a sufi and affirm Tawheed.
 
If you mean by your question that you want to flow a tariqa sofiya and there many
Don't flow any of them because they add a lot of things to the religion
And we all know that Allah tells us all what we need to be a good Muslim in the Quran and sunnah but they add many of adkar and "award " to Islam and made a lot of thing which doesn't exist in the sunnah
So .. if you want to be closer to allah just follow the Quran and sunnah help the other as you can, memorise Quran , and don't flow a thing can let you far from allah will you trying to be close to him
 
[FONT=&quot]1- Imam Abdurrahmaan bin Mahdi:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Ishaq bin Dawood bin Sabeeh said:

I asked Abdurrahman bin Mahdi: O Abu Saeed! In our city there are people who call themselves Sufis.

He replied: Do not get near them, we have seen some of them who have been driven by this (Sufism) to craziness. Others were driven to apostasy.

Source: Talbees Iblees by Ibn Al-Jawzi page 257.

note: page reference my be different in Arabic or English.[/FONT]
 
I would say that the entirety of Tasawwuf can be found in one Aayah of the Qur'aan, and that is:

والذين آمنوا أشد حباً لله​

{"Those who have Imaan are more extreme in their love for Allaah..."** [Soorah al-Baqarah, 2:165]

That is really the crux of Tasawwuf. What it comes down to. When a person has become intoxicated with the Love of Allah (as the Sufis always say), then fulfilling the obligatory duties and abstaining from the prohibitions becomes amazingly easy. One's entire existence becomes full of bliss. Happiness which cannot be tainted or affected. Love for other things can fade, but the Love of Allaah is eternal. Allaah Ta`aalaa does not change. Allaah Ta`aalaa does not die. He has always been and He will always be.

Attain the love of Allaah Ta`aalaa, and you will attain everything.

There is no religion/methodology/ideology/sect/group/way of life which can ever give you the happiness, serenity, tranquility and contentment of Islaam, because we have Allaah Ta`aalaa, and they don't.

There's a famous Tasawwufana poem in Urdu:

Allaah, Allaah - Kaisa Pyaara Naam Hai! Aashiqo ka Meena aur Jaam Hai...

(Allaah, Allaah - what a beautiful Name (It is)! The wine and goblet of the lovers...)
 
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Muhammad said:
As our respected shaykh mentioned, there are different kinds of Sufis, so perhaps we need to clarify if this quote refers to a particular type. And Allaah :swt: knows best.
Click to expand...

Chapter 10 covers this area in detail.
This version is also in English but havent found it yet.
تلبيس إبليس
الباب العاشر: فِي ذكر تلبيسه عَلَى الصوفية من جملة الزهاد
ظهور الصوفية
 
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startingarabic said:
1- Imam Abdurrahmaan bin Mahdi:

Ishaq bin Dawood bin Sabeeh said:

I asked Abdurrahman bin Mahdi: O Abu Saeed! In our city there are people who call themselves Sufis.

He replied: Do not get near them, we have seen some of them who have been driven by this (Sufism) to craziness. Others were driven to apostasy.

Source: Talbees Iblees by Ibn Al-Jawzi page 257.

note: page reference my be different in Arabic or English.
Click to expand...

Shaykh-ul-Islaam ibn Taymiyyah رحمة الله عليه said:

"Some people criticized the Soofiyyah and Tasawwuf and said that they were innovators, out of the Sunnah, but the truth is they were striving in the obedience of Allaah [Mujtahidoon fee Taa`atillaah] as others besides them strove from the people of Allaah’s obedience. So from them you will find the Foremost in Nearness by virtue of his striving [as-Saabiq al-Muqarrab bi hasabi Ijtihaadihi]. And some of them are from the People of the Right hand [Ahl-ul-Yameen]. For both kinds, they might make Ijtihaad and in that case they might be correct and they might be wrong. And from both types, some of them might make a sin and repent. And this is the origin of Tasawwuf. And after that origin, it has been spread (Tasha`aba wa Tanawwa`a) and has its main line and its branches. And it has become three kinds:

1. Soofiyyah al-Haqaa'iq - the True Sufis.

2. Soofiyyah al-Arzaaq - the Professional Sufis (those who use Tasawwuf for personal gain).

3. Soofiyah ar-Rasm - the Caricature Sufis. (Sufi by appearance only)." [Majmoo`-ul-Fataawaa.]

Imaam `Abdur Rahmaan ibn Mahdi, Imaam ibn al-Jawzi, etc. were referring to the second and third category of Sufis; the "pseudo-Sufis". Not the true Awliyaa of Allaah Ta`aalaa.
 
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Yes there is a middle path.
I read something fantastic by him last week on this topic.
But couldnt find it again.
Basically there are 2 extremes on those that over praise them and over criticize them.
You have to look at the action if it is in line with Quran and Sunnah then we accept it and if not we reject it.
 
Like with many things in life, it is important to distinguish between "Tasawwuf" and between those who attribute to themselves to Tasawwuf (i.e. Sufis). It is necessary to distinguish between "Islaam" and between those who attribute themselves to Islaam (i.e. Muslims).

So what does that mean? It means that the actions or statements of a particular person should not be used as the criterion to judge an entire group. For example, a person tells you that he rejects Islaam. You ask him "Why?" He says it's because his neighbour, Zaid, is a Muslim, but Zaid is a drug-dealer who's corrupted the whole neighbourhood; therefore, he rejects Islaam. Is that logical? Not in the least. The actions and drug-dealing of Zaid are not representative of the Deen of Islaam. The Deen of Islaam stands on its own, independent from the actions/statements/behaviour, etc. of `Amr or Zaid, or any person who attributes himself to it.

It is the same with Tasawwuf. Tasawwuf (also known as Tazkiyah) is a branch of Deen - is that correct? So it is part of Islaam. What Tasawwuf entails is derived and understood from Qur'aan and Sunnah, not the opinions of people. Mere "opinions" - as in, "it's just my opinion (i.e. I don't have a shred of evidence for what I'm saying but I'm saying it just because I feel like it)" have no place in the Deen. The Deen is based on Qur'aan and Sunnah. Every branch of Deen can only be based on Qur'aan and Sunnah. If anyone speaks in Tasawwuf from his own personal whims and fancies, it does not affect or represent Tasawwuf. It's very important to understand this.

These days, you get a myriad of weird sects around the world who all lay claim to Tasawwuf, but as the true Awliyaa always say, such people are "highway robbers". The true path of Tasawwuf has been clearly demarcated. It's as bright as day. There are no "grey areas" or "cloak-and-dagger, Kabbalah type" ideas and practices.

Once this is understood, the mist surrounding Tasawwuf clears up instantly, and any condemnations the A'immah of the past and the Salaf had made regarding certain "Sufis" becomes immediately and easily understood. Those "Sufis" who were condemned were doing their own thing, outside of Qur'aan and Sunnah. They were innovating Baatil ideas and practices into the Deen, and hence the Salaf condemned them. Condemned them, not Tasawwuf/Tazkiyah itself.

For example, in India and Pakistan, one sect among the Barelvis called the "Naqshbandi Haqqanis" used to worship a certain "Peer" called Nizaam Haqqani (an absolute Shaytaan in human form). They used to put a picture of him up on the wall of their house, and they would make Salaah facing it, i.e. the picture as the Qiblah. These satanists also claimed to be "Sufis". Now, if the `Ulamaa condemn them and say that what they are doing is Kufr and Shirk, then this is not an attack on the pure, pristine Tasawwuf; it is an attack on Shaytaan and his followers who try to undermine it and transform it into something it never was.

Other false claimants to Tasawwuf, "pseudo-Sufis", entertain Baatil, Shirki ideas and satanic practices like believing the Shaykh has power over all things, or is all-knowing, or they eat the excreta of the Peer-o-Murshid as "Tabarruk" (to take blessings from it), or they make Sajdah to him, or they believe he can overrule the Sharee`ah, etc. These people have nothing to do with Tasawwuf, just like Shi`as, Qadiyanis, etc. have nothing to do with Islaam. The Islaam of Rasoolullaah صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Sahaabah.

Once again: distinguish between "Tasawwuf" and those who attribute themselves to Tasawwuf; between Islaam and those who attribute themselves to Islaam. The actions of the claimants to a particular group are not necessarily representative of that group.

It is narrated that Hadhrat `Ali ibn Abi Taalib رضي الله عنه used to say - and this is a really amazing quote which people should ponder over:

إعرف الحق تعرف أهله, لا تعرف الحق بالرجال​

"Know the truth and you will know who are the people of the truth. You will never know the truth from the people."

والله تعالى أعلم​
 
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Some Quotes of Imaam ibn Taymiyyah on Tasawwuf:

"Alhamdulillaah. As for the word ‘Tasawwuf’, then it (this term) was not well-known in the first three generations; rather, it became well-known after that. Many of the A’immah and Shuyookh have spoken about it, such as Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu Sulaymaan ad-Daaraani, and other than them. It has also been mentioned that Sufyaan ath-Thawi spoke about it (Tasawwuf), and some mention that so too did al-Hasan al-Basri.” [Majmoo`-ul-Fataawaa.]

"Tassawuf has realities and states of experience which they talk about in their science. Some of it is that the Sufi is that one who purifies himself from anything which distracts him from the Dhikr of Allaah and who will be so filled up with knowledge of the heart and knowledge of the mind to the point that the value of gold and stones will be the same to him. And Tasawwuf is safeguarding the precious meanings and leaving behind the call to fame and vanity in order to reach the state of Sidq, because the best of humans after the Ambiyaa are the Siddeeqeen, as Allaah mentioned them in the Aayah:

'And all those who obey Allaah and His Rasool, are in the company of those on whom Allaah has bestowed His Favour: of the Nabiyyeen, the Siddeeqeen, the Shuhadaa (Martyrs) and the Saaliheen (Pious); And what a beautiful fellowship that is!
(Soorah an-Nisaa, 4:69, 70)” [Ibid.]

"And the Sufi is in reality a kind of Siddeeq (i.e. from one of the categories of the Siddeeqeen); a Siddeeq who specialises in Zuhd and `Ibaadah." [Ibid.]
 
REALITY OF TASAWWUF (IHSAN, SUFISM, SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE)


You have asked, what is Tasawwuf? Tasawwuf is the name of two qualities: First [quality] is that [the slave] should be obedient to Allah, i.e., he/she should be acting on the Shari’ah (the outer laws of Islam including obligations, commandments, and prohibitions). And second [quality] is that [the seeker] is the one who is sympathetic and a doer of good towards [all of] Allah’s creations [which is not possible without purifying one’s soul from all evil qualities and then embellishing one’s soul with all good qualities]

. One who has perseverance in acting on the Shari’ah and has the qualities of [desiring] betterment (true success) for the entire humanity is a “Sufi” (this actually is the correct use of this term as opposed to the wrong uses of the term that are prevalent today).

Loyalty [and obedience] to Allah is that [the seeker] sacrifices his own happiness for the sake of Allah.

Sincerity to [all] people [of the world] is that [the seeker] does not keep relations with the people for his/her own motives [but instead is selfless towards them and performs selfless duty to them] and refrains from selfishness. But instead should dedicate himself/herself for the good (welfare) of [all] the people [of the world], however the condition is that, this welfare should be in accordance with the Shari’ah (the Divine laws).
 

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