Diversity in Tariqat

8/6/2019 Diversity in Tariqat

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DIVERSITY IN TARIQATDIVERSITY IN TARIQAT

ABBAS HUSAIN ABBAS HUSAINDirectorDirector

Teachers Development CentreTeachers Development CentreKarachiKarachiwww.tdc.edu.pkwww.tdc.edu.pk



NOTHING THAT CAN BE PUT

INTO WORDS IS COMMONTO ALL SUFISM

---Sufi saying



I INTEND IN THE FOLLOWING TOI INTEND IN THE FOLLOWING TO

SHARE WITH YOU SOME INSIGHTS ON THESHARE WITH YOU SOME INSIGHTS ON THEGOALS, TECHNIQUES AND CHALLENGESGOALS, TECHNIQUES AND CHALLENGES

OF THE INNER PATH TODAY OF THE INNER PATH TODAY

My own credentials are very humble: I can onlyMy own credentials are very humble: I can onlyspeak of some grace/faiz (of Suhbat andspeak of some grace/faiz (of Suhbat andreading) that I have received (and continue toreading) that I have received (and continue toreceive) from my Teachers some in this worldreceive) from my Teachers some in this worldand some not.and some not.



SUFISM MAY BE CALLEDSUFISM MAY BE CALLED

THE SPIRITUALITY OF ISLAMTHE SPIRITUALITY OF ISLAM

And I know that there are powerful forces And I know that there are powerful forcesthat seek to exclude it from the purview of that seek to exclude it from the purview of relevance in the modern worldrelevance in the modern world



BUT IF ONE CAN SAY BUT IF ONE CAN SAY

THAT SUFISM SEEKS TO ADDRESS THETHAT SUFISM SEEKS TO ADDRESS THEINTERIOR DIMENSION OF EACH OF US,INTERIOR DIMENSION OF EACH OF US,THE DOMAIN OF INTENTIONS ANDTHE DOMAIN OF INTENTIONS AND

ASPIRATIONS, THEN IT IS OBVIOUS ASPIRATIONS, THEN IT IS OBVIOUSTHAT ALL OF US NEED TO KNOW ITSTHAT ALL OF US NEED TO KNOW ITS

TEACHINGSTEACHINGS



We need to hear these words:We need to hear these words:

WHICH OF YOU CAN BY WHICH OF YOU CAN BY

TAKING THOUGHT ADD ATAKING THOUGHT ADD ACUBIT TO HIS STATURE?CUBIT TO HIS STATURE?------Jesus Christ Jesus Christ



I cannot deal with theI cannot deal with the

History of Sufism, nor its place in Islam, norHistory of Sufism, nor its place in Islam, northe way you can seek a Shaikh forthe way you can seek a Shaikh for

yourself in modern times nor what to doyourself in modern times nor what to dowith the claims of someone who claims towith the claims of someone who claims tobe a Pir, and cure many diseasesbe a Pir, and cure many diseases

THESE QUESTIONS ARE OUTSIDE OF OURTHESE QUESTIONS ARE OUTSIDE OF OURDISCUSSION TODAY (SORRY DISCUSSION TODAY (SORRY ))



MY TOPIC ISMY TOPIC IS

DIVERSITY IN TARIQATDIVERSITY IN TARIQAT

i.e. WHAT RESOURCES DOES THE INNERi.e. WHAT RESOURCES DOES THE INNERPATH AND ITS TEACHINGS HAVE TOPATH AND ITS TEACHINGS HAVE TOOFFER TO DEAL WITH THE OTHEROFFER TO DEAL WITH THE OTHER

Or simply put: If Sufism is essentialOr simply put: If Sufism is essentialknowledge, why are there different knowledge, why are there different silsilas?silsilas?



So let me briefly offerSo let me briefly offer

Some definitions of the FIVESome definitions of the FIVE

MAJOR ORDERS and then offer aMAJOR ORDERS and then offer away of lookingway of lookingat them as attempts to deal withat them as attempts to deal with

the diversitythe diversity



The Indo Pakistan SubThe Indo Pakistan Sub- -Continent Continent

Has had the presence of the four majorHas had the presence of the four majorbrotherhoods:brotherhoods:

With a fifth also present here but its spreadWith a fifth also present here but its spreadhas been mainly in Africahas been mainly in Africa

THE CHISHTI, THE NAQSHBANDI, THETHE CHISHTI, THE NAQSHBANDI, THESUHRAWARDI AND THE QADRISUHRAWARDI AND THE QADRI



THE QADRIYYA ORDERTHE QADRIYYA ORDER

Is connected to the great saint Hazrat AbdulIs connected to the great saint Hazrat AbdulQadir Jilani (RA)Qadir Jilani (RA)

Insisting on the Shari a, it offers a most Insisting on the Shari a, it offers a most vigorous set of practices that truly involvevigorous set of practices that truly involvethe body, mind and soul.the body, mind and soul.



THE SUHRAWARDIYYATHE SUHRAWARDIYYA

Trace their lineage to Shaykh Abu NajeebTrace their lineage to Shaykh Abu NajeebSuhrawardiSuhrawardi

Strong on the Shari a they follow theStrong on the Shari a they follow theillumination path and seek the lightsillumination path and seek the lightswhereby the fruits of their practices maywhereby the fruits of their practices maybe recognized.be recognized.



THE NAQSHBANDIYYATHE NAQSHBANDIYYA

May be called the intellectual path: theyMay be called the intellectual path: theyoffer a set of practices that are lateroffer a set of practices that are later

grasped intellectually.grasped intellectually.

Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshband was anHazrat Bahauddin Naqshband was anintellectual giant and his teachings haveintellectual giant and his teachings haveleft a permanent imprint on the spiritualityleft a permanent imprint on the spiritualityof Central Asian region and beyond.of Central Asian region and beyond.



THE CHISHTIYYATHE CHISHTIYYA

Are famous for the music, the qawwalis, the Are famous for the music, the qawwalis, thedevotional songs that many see asdevotional songs that many see as

outside the Shari a outside the Shari aIt must be recalled that Chishti MastersIt must be recalled that Chishti Masters

have said:have said: If lion flesh can be declared halal to cure a If lion flesh can be declared halal to cure a

sick body, what must be done for a sicksick body, what must be done for a sickheart?heart?



THESE FOUR YOU MAY BETHESE FOUR YOU MAY BE

FAMILIAR WITHFAMILIAR WITHBUT THE FIFTH MAJOR ORDER IS NOWBUT THE FIFTH MAJOR ORDER IS NOW

VASTLY BETTER KNOWN FOR ITS VASTLY BETTER KNOWN FOR ITSINTERNATIONAL FAMEINTERNATIONAL FAME

The Shazliyya: after Shaykh Abul HasanThe Shazliyya: after Shaykh Abul HasanShazliShazli



Please recall that all thesePlease recall that all these

impressions are simply personalimpressions are simply personal You may not agree with any or all of them You may not agree with any or all of them

BUT I AM MAKING THSE POINTS TO GETBUT I AM MAKING THSE POINTS TO GETTO THE CRUX OF MY TOPIC:TO THE CRUX OF MY TOPIC:

ALL SILSILAS MAY BE SEEN AS ALL SILSILAS MAY BE SEEN ASRESPONDING TO THE GREAT DIVERSITY RESPONDING TO THE GREAT DIVERSITY OF HUMAN NATURES.OF HUMAN NATURES.



CONSIDER THIS PROFOUNDCONSIDER THIS PROFOUND

SAYINGSAYINGTHERE ARE AS MANY PATHS AS THERE ARETHERE ARE AS MANY PATHS AS THERE ARE

BREATHS OF MENBREATHS OF MEN

Consider that spirituality not only recognizesConsider that spirituality not only recognizesvariety in social class, or race, orvariety in social class, or race, orlanguage, or ethnicity or gender, but language, or ethnicity or gender, but accepts the uniqueness of each individualaccepts the uniqueness of each individualhuman beinghuman being



IF THE REVELATION OF ALLAHIF THE REVELATION OF ALLAH

IS AN ABSOLUTE FORIS AN ABSOLUTE FOR

MANKIND, SO TOO ISMANKIND, SO TOO ISHIS/HER REVELATION TOHIS/HER REVELATION TO ALLAH A SIGN OF ALLAH A SIGN OF ACCEPTANCE ACCEPTANCE





AND IN AN AGE WHERE AND IN AN AGE WHERE

ACTION MATTERS, IMPROVING THE WORLD ACTION MATTERS, IMPROVING THE WORLDMATTERS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE,MATTERS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE,

PERHAPS SOME OF US NEED TO HEED THEPERHAPS SOME OF US NEED TO HEED THEWORDS OF THE PROPHET S GREAT DISCIPLEWORDS OF THE PROPHET S GREAT DISCIPLEHAZRAT ALI (AS) revered by all Sufi Orders asHAZRAT ALI (AS) revered by all Sufi Orders asthe Fount of the Initiatic Chainthe Fount of the Initiatic Chain



Man arafa nafsuhu faqad arafaMan arafa nafsuhu faqad arafarabbohurabbohu

Whoever knows himself knows his LordWhoever knows himself knows his Lord



THANK YOUTHANK YOU

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Diversity in Tariqat