Simple and concise criteria to differentiate real sufis from fake sufis

[akabirofdeoband]

One of the signs of fake sufis is that they feel proud and look down upon everyone else as false sufis.
And see themselves as the chosen sect purified by Allah(swt) to save humanity .
And all those other bidatis are going to hell.

Run away from arrogant proud ill mannered "sufis".

[SeekerOfGuidance]

One of the signs of fake sufis is that they feel proud and look down upon everyone else as false sufis.
And see themselves as the chosen sect purified by Allah(swt) to save humanity .
And all those other bidatis are going to hell.

Run away from arrogant proud ill mannered "sufis".

The true Sufis, despite their condemnation of and harsh stance against the bidatees, always maintain the humility, and constantly beseech to Allah for guidance for themselves and others. Mujaddid Alf-e-Thaani in one of his letters stated something to the effect that one should not even regard oneself better than a Frankish disbeliever. The following article by Mufti Taqi contains valuable advice:

http://www.deoband.org/2009/10/gener...e-the-sinners/

"I have heard the following words of advice of Hakim al-Ummah Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi from my respected father, Mufti Muhammad Shafi’ and ‘Arif Billah Dr. Abdul Hayy ‘Arifi (may Allah have mercy on them): “I consider every current Muslim and every non Muslim, as far as the future is concerned to be superior to me.” “As far as the future is concerned” means that although the person is presently in the condition of kufr, maybe Allah Most High grants him the tawfiq (guidance) of repenting and he is freed from the burden of kufr. Thereafter, Allah Most High raises his status so high that he surpasses me! “Every current Muslim” means that a person who is a Muslim, a person of iman (true faith), one whom Allah Most High has granted the wealth of iman. What do I know regarding his connection and status with Allah Most High? Every person’s relationship with Allah Most High is unique. How can we judge anyone? Therefore, I consider every Muslim to be superior to me. In this statement of Hakim al-Ummah, “I consider every Muslim to be superior to me”, there is obviously no possibility of lies and deception, or that he just said it out of moral courtesy. He said it because he firmly believed it. Anyway, to think low of someone, even though it is due to his committing of sin, is not permissible."

And Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanawi said:

"Don’t despise anyone. How can anyone ever be despised? It is quite possible that with outward defects the sinner is superior to you on account of some inner attribute of beauty. The sinner may be truly superior to you because of some excellence which he may possess. His overt sin may be a temporary ugliness. At the time of Amr bil Ma’roof (and admonishment) never despise the sinner." (Malfoozaat Part 2 p. 80)

It's also important not to interpret as 'arrogant proud ill mannered', the sternness and condemnation of pseudo-Sufis and their practises, by the Ulama-e-Haqq such as the likes of Mujaddid Alf-e-Thaani, Shah Waliullah etc.

[akabirofdeoband]

Exactly.
You don't find this among the wahhabis
whose mouth spew out filth about the sufis- and they obviously have no humility





DANDARAAAAAAAAAAAAAWIiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.YA SIDII YA SIIDIII YA SIDIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

[pluto]

They say about the Sufi's that 'Dhoonde par bhi nahi milenge' [Hard to find even if you go in search if them] but nowadays every other guy is a Sufi shaykh.
They are epic failures when they leave in khurooj. One should see their non-existent tawazo when its put to test.

[SeekerOfGuidance]

From: http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/show...Bid-ah-Hasanah

Samaa' (Religious singing sessions) and Raqs (Full bodily rhythmic movements)

The Mujaddid states that the object of Sufi Tariqah is nothing but to produce conviction in the beliefs of the Shari'ah and to facilitate the observance of its rules, and that the unlawful means such as Samaa' and Raqs, are a kind of temptation with which Allah tests men. The Mujaddid's strictness on the Shariah, and his intolerance of opinions that he deems to be contrary to the Shariah, is also quite evident here:

Vol 1, Letter 266

"After one has acquired right beliefs and subjected oneself to the rules of the Shari'ah, one should, if Allah so wills, enter the path of the Sufis. But one should not pursue it in order to get something over and above the beliefs and the practices of the Shar', or acquire something new. The purpose of following the Sufi way is to gain a conviction in the objects of faith that cannot be weakened by the doubts of a sceptic or shaken by the remarks of an objector. The conviction which is founded on arguments is not firm, and one who pursues reasoning does not attain certitude.

'Know that it is through the remembrance of Allah that one acquires the peace and satisfaction of the heart.' This is the object of the Sufi tariqah regarding belief. Regarding the practices of the Shar', the object is to make their performance easy and spontaneous, to remove sluggishness, and to subdue the carnal self. Likewise, the purpose of the Sufi Suluk is not to see the forms and images of transcendental realities, or behold colours and lights; they are nothing more than play or fun. Material forms and physical lights are not less interesting if one wants to have fun; why should one leave them and run after spiritual forms and lights, and take up austere and difficult practices for that purpose? Forms, these or others, and lights, physical or spiritual, are all created by Allah. He transcends them altogether; they are nothing but His signs and proofs.

What should I say about Samaa (hearing recitals), or performing Raqs (full bodily rhythmical movements), or entering into a trance, or inducing Wajd (ecstasy)! All the states and experiences which are produced by unlawful means are, in my view, a kind of temptation with which Allah tests men. People whom Allah gives latitude in this way, undergo these states, experience union, and have revelations and visions in terms of the forms of this world. The mystics of Greece and the Brahmin saints of India had all these experiences. The sign of the validity of an experience is, first, that it agrees with the doctrines of the Shari'ah and second, that in order to have it one does not commit anything which is forbidden or which is doubtful. Know that Samaa' and Raqs are but frivolous games...

One day I was in the presence of my Shaykh in a meal gathering. Shaykh Kamal, who was one of the sincere ones of my Shaykh, uttered "Allah" loudly at the beginning of the meal in His Eminence's presence. This severely displeased His Eminence to the degree that he reproached him harshly and said that he should be asked not to come to the meal gathering. And I have heard our Shaykh saying that Hazrat Khwajah Naqshband went to the Khanqah of Hazrat Amir Kulal with a group of the ulama of Bukhara in order to prevent him from doing the loud zikr. The ulama told him that loud zikr is a bid'ah and that he should shun it. He answered that he would not do it any more. When the great ones of this path make so much exagerration in preventing the loud zikr, then what can be said regarding the Samaa (hearing religious singing), Raqs (full bodily rhythmic movements), wajd (ecstasy) and tawajud (raptures). The states and ecstasies that stem from means contrary to the Shariah, to the Faqir, fall under the category of Istidraj (divine deception) that lead step-by-step to ruin. States and longings (ahwal va adhwaq) come in the hands even for the people of istidraj or people who practice occult that lead them step-by-step to ruin. They see the unveilings of tawhid (kashf-i tawhid). And they see [God] unveiled in the mirror that is the forms of the world and they also identify Him with those forms.

The philosophers of Greece and the Yogis and Brahmans of India share these experiences. The criterion of the authenticity of the states is conformity with the knowledge of the Shariah along with abstaining from the perpetration of unlawful and doubtful matters. Know that Samaa and Raqs fall in reality under amusements and fun. The verse: "And among men is such a one who buys frivolous tales." [31:6] has been revealed in order to forbid singing (Ghinaa). Hence, Mujahid, the student of Ibn Abbas, and one of the great Tabi'ees said that what is intended by 'frivolous tales' is singing. And it comes in Madarik that 'frivolous tales' means nightly talks and singing. Ibn Abbas and Ibn Mas'ud would swear that these mean singing, and Mujahid said that the words "And those who bear not false testimony," [Qur'an 25:72] of Him Azza Wa Jal, refers to those who do not attend singing sessions.

And it has been related by the Imam of guidance Abu Mansur al-Maturudi that whoever says "well recited" to a Muqri (professional reciter of the Qur'an) of our age, has committed Kufr, his wife becomes separated from him, and Allah nullifies all his good deeds. It is related by Abu Nasir al-Dabusi on the authority of Qadhi Zahiruddin al-Kharzami that whoever hears a song from a professional singer, or someone other than him, or watches an unlawful act, while considering it good, with or without conviction, becomes apostate immediately due to invalidating a dictate of the Shari'ah - and he who nullifies a dictate of the Shari'ah does not remain a believer according to all the Mujtahids, and Allah does not accept his good deeds and renders naught all his good deeds. We seek refuge in Allah from that.

The verses of the Qur'an, Ahadeeth, and rulings of the jurists regarding the unlawfulness of singing and hearing songs are too many, to such an extent that counting them is burdensome. If a person brings forth an abrogated tradition or an anomalous narration regarding the permissibility of singing, then he should not be relied upon - since no jurist has in any time and age given the ruling of permissibility of singing, or has regarded Raqs (full bodily movements) and foot-pounding as lawful, as has been mentioned in the treatise Multaqat by al-Imam al-Hammam Dhiya Uddin Shaami.

No practice of any Sufi is an argument to decide that which is lawful or unlawful. Will it not be sufficient that instead of reproaching them we pass over their actions and leave them to the judgement of Allah Ta'ala? This is a matter in which the opinion of Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Abu Yousuf or Imam Muhammed should be considered authoritative rather than the practice of Abu Bakr Shibli or Abul Hasan Nuri. The half-baked Sufis of our day have taken Samaa and Raqs as an accepted religious rite and raised it to the level of divine service. These are persons who have taken their religion for sport and pastime"

From the foregoing reports it becomes apparent that he who considers an unlawful deed commendable, exits the Muslim community and becomes apostate. Then it should be realised what an enormity it is to show respect towards a gathering of Samaa or Raqs, rather even considering them acts of virtue and worship. Praise and thanks be to Allah, that our seniors were not afflicted by such things and kept us followers free from the following of such matters."

[SeekerOfGuidance]

Hafiz Ibn Qayyim (may Allah mercy him) mentions the prerequisites of the shaykh in Al-Wabil al-Sayyib min al-Kalim al-Tayyib, a treatise on the condition of the Sufis and their dhikr, litanies and merits:

“When a person intends to follow a man then let him see: Is he from among the people of remembrance (dhikr) or the people of heedlessness (ghaflah)? Are [his] desires (hawa) in control of him or revelation (wahi) [in control of him]? If [his] desires are in control of him and he is from the people of heedlessness then his behaviour has exceeded the limits … It is hence advised for a man to look at his shaykh, his exemplar (qudwah) and followers. If he finds him as such then he should remain far from him. If he finds him from those upon whom the dhikr of Allah Most High and the following of the Sunnah is supreme, and not extreme in his matters but prudent, then let him hold tight to him. The only difference between the alive and the dead is by way of dhikr. The example of he who remembers his Cherisher and he who does not is the example of the alive and the dead.”

[SeekerOfGuidance]

Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani states in his Maktubaat:

"Imperfect sufis are careless about observing the Sunna and the obligatory, whilst considering [their] zikr, muraqabah (contemplation), Chillas (seclusion for forty days),...Yes, zikr and muraqabah along with the observing of the Shariah is better and weightier, but the negligent ulama employ their energies for the promotion of the supererogatory whilst ruining and damaging the obligatory...When such is the case with those who are the leaders in Islam, what to state of the public. By the misfortune of this practice, feebleness has entered into Islam and by the darkness of this attitude, waywardness and bid'ah have appeared." (1:160)

[SeekerOfGuidance]

Shaikh Shahab uddeen Suharwardi (Allah have mercy on him) wrote:

"For a slave of Allah there is no spiritual station or state or enlightenment that waives from him the observance of decorum (a’adab) of Shariah." (Awarif al-Ma’arif (Urdu translation), page 455)

[Rahmaniyyah]

Statement of Hazrat Mawlana Thanwi (ra)

The occupation of people of Bid'ah is to perpetually criticise and condemn others. They never speak or do anything beneficial. They lack Deen and they lack understanding.

http://books.themajlis.net/node/448

[SeekerOfGuidance]

http://books.themajlis.net/node/448

Hazrat Mawlana Thanawi said:

"The commercial peers (spiritual guides) say that they will not divulge the special mysteries without one becoming bay't to them. This is nothing but their fabrication. Indeed, what are the special mysteries which they will not divulge? Most certainly, whatever mysteries were essential (for Muslims) were delivered to the world by Rasulullah (saws) from the hilltops, from the mimbars and in public. In fact, whatever 'special mysteries' they (the commercial mentors) claim to know of -- mysteries which are apart from what Rasulullah (saws) had divulged -- are evils. By means of such evils they are desirous of trapping people in their pernicious nets of deception. Most assuredly, they are unable to publicly divulge such evils. Indeed, their 'special mysteries' are such evils which they can not divulge even after one has become bay't to them, for no one will divulge his own faults and evils."