Notes About Sufism

Humans naturally do feel that outside him there is a greater power (the Almighty). The Almighty is trusted as a regulator of life. Furthermore, humans believed that if he was close to the regulator's life will be safe to his life and his heart at peace. Serenity of life and peace of mind is the desire of every human being; then human life has always encountered some sort of effort to get closer to the Almighty that.

A group of humanity's belief that the Almighty has given guidance to make contact with the living Almighty it (read: God), as well as life guidance to make contact with fellow human beings and their environment. A set of guidelines was then commonly called religion. Religion is essentially a system of the credo of the Absolute in the presence of something beyond human and human to the rites of the system it thinks it is the Absolute and the system of norms that govern human relationships with fellow human beings and human relationships with other natural, appropriate and consistent with good faith and procedure referred worship (Ansari 1983:9).

Religion contains a set of formal rules. Particular religious belief that if the formal rules in a religion that believes it adhered to didapatlah happy life. However, a group of people there who want to get the happiness of life not only through formal rules penempuhan only that, even there is no way through a formal rule.

Islam as a religion has a set of rules that must be adopted by its followers (such as creed, prayers, and fasting). A set of formal rules in Islam is called the Shari'a: Shari'a is mengadung God's laws. The emphasis of the Shari'a is that human beings are given the burden to implement the law, being God is the "Judge". In the meantime it turns out that not all Islamic religious view that God as "Judge" per se, which is only legal burden to men. Some Moslems believe that God gave the law because God loves His creatures, then his God is "Beloved" who with his love of God gives tutunan for peace. Because God is "Love" then most of the Islamic religion and then try to close with "Love" it was not through penempuhan formal rules alone, but coupled with practice-specific practices with a view to closer to God. Such Penempuhan road commonly known as Sufism in Islam.

In Sufism, God dipandanya as "Beloved" is a human being salik 'man who walked into his girlfriend'. Attitudes and behavior that humans are not as burdened by the servants of the law - as in the suppression of the Shari'a. All that is offered to God it is out of love for the fun of the maksyuknya (Effendi 1985:2).

Symptoms are usually called Sufism was large and his form is so great that no one could describe it as a whole, because the reality is the goal of Sufism is a spiritual experience, which are subjective. Then the existing definition of Sufism is merely guidance, which is certainly not exhaustive. Exactly which is exemplified by Schimmel (1986:1) about the picture of mysticism exemplified by the story of Rumi, when blind people touching the elephant, each describing in accordance with the elephant's body touches. No one can describe the whole elephant is actually like.

Taswuf common trait has been widely noted by researchers. Bertrand Russell, for example, provide a general characteristic of Sufism with four issues, namely (1) conviction of intuition and spiritual understanding as a method of knowledge, (ii) belief in the oneness (the form), (iii) denial of the reality of the times, and (iv) a conviction of crime as being merely an outward and an illusion (Al-Taftazani 1985:3-4).

Al-Taftazani Russell denied this opinion except for number one, because number one it was found in the mysticism of all styles and time periods. Al-Taftazani propose five characteristics of Sufism, which is psychological, moral, and epistemological. The five characteristics that are (i) an increase in morale, taswuf have certain moral values ​​that aims to cleanse the soul, (ii) the discovery of transient (disappeared) in absolute reality, which is meant is that with physical exercises as well as ultimately mystic psychic samapai on certain conditions , he no longer felt the presence of himself or his ego: (iii) intuitive knowledge, this is what distinguishes mysticism with philosophy; philosophy in understanding something intellectually to use the methods of Sufism was his understanding with the intuition (kasyaf), (iv) peace and happiness, Sufism intended as a guide and control the passions and the power balance psiki, and (v) the use of symbols in expressions, phrases are used by the Sufis usually implies not hafiah.

From the details of the general characteristics of Sufism, al-Taftazani then define taswuf as follows:

Sufism or mysticism is a philosophy of life, which is intended to enhance the soul of a human being, morally, through practical exercises certain, sometimes to declare the discovery of mortal in the Highest Reality and knowledge about him intuitively, not rationally, which is the fruit is spiritual happiness, which nature ralitasnya difficult expressions in words, because the character patterned intuitive and subjective (Al-Taftazani 1985:6).

Many researchers who argue that Sufism came from outside Islam. Some argue that Sufism arose because the influence of Hinduism. There are also connecting Sufism originated from the habits of Christian monks and menjahui menjahui material pleasures of earthly life. Additionally there is mention that the incoming Sufism in Islam comes from the philosophy of Pythagoras who taught to enter the life of contemplation in a way to leave the material life. Some say also that Sufism originated from the philosophy of Plotinus with emanasinya - spirit emanating from the substance of God and then going back to God.

Opinions that actually means arise after the 19th-century Sufi texts and historical sources of printed and circulated in Europe, so that scholars began to develop his own ideas about Sufism. However, as stated by Schimmel (1986:7), most sources it rarely contains information that can be trusted.

An outline of the history of Sufism from the early centuries up to now indicate the existence of two streams in Sufism. The first, commonly called Sunni Sufism, Sufism ie school-based Expert Sunnah wal Jamaat which is also based on asktetis life, simple life, and give priority to education and moral guidance. Famous figures of this genre is Al-Ghazali. Second, commonly called philosophical mysticism, Sufism ie, whose teachings combine between vision and vision of the rational with the mystical objects bahasannya especially the preparation of the theory of "form" based on taste (dzauq) which clearly is marked by philosophical complexion. The streams of this Sufism pengasas bring the concepts of human relationships with God to the level of unification or too hulul. This flow figure is the famous Ibn Arabi. Both Sunni and Sufi mysticism in fact can be explained Philosophical his Islamic roots. The similarity of symptoms between the mysticism of Sufism or Islamic philosophy beyond that Sufism is not always drawn from sources outside of Islam.

Muslim ascetic, such as those normally associated with Christian monks, actually have a reference in the Quran:

Katakalah, 'Fun in this world is short and the hereafter is better for those who fear Allah, and you are not persecuted at all "(Sura 4:77)

Surely you find the people who most loudly enmity against those who believe is ornag-Jews and the polytheists. And thou find the closest friendship with the people who believe, are those who say this man truly has left us ". That is because amongst them (the people Nasarani) there are priests and monks, (also) because they are not proud. And when they listen to what is revealed to the Messenger (Muhammad), you see the eyes shed tears because they see themselves the truth (the Quran) that they already know (from the books of their own), and said, "Our Lord, we have faith that our record with those who witness (to the truth of the Quran and Muhammad kenabihan) (Sura 5: 82 -83)

The emergence of philosophical mysticism of Sufism bersingungan made by outside Islamic philosophy. But the mystical still not lost, because the characters keep trying to maintain the existence of Sufism (which does not rely on mere rational understanding). The characters are actually persistent compromise the teachings of Islamic philosophy from the outside into their mysticism. The notion of unification form or hulul also remain grounded in the interpretation of the following verses:

And when the servant hambak question thee concerning Me, then answer, Praise be to Allaah I was close. I grant the application for people who pray when he prays to Me (QS2: 186)

And God belongs the east and west, so wherever ye turn there is the Face of God (QS2: 115)

And indeed We created man and know aoa prompted by the heart, and We are nearer to him than his neck vein (Surah 50:16)

From the description it is clear that Sufism has strong references in the sources of Islam, although it is undeniable that the history of mysticism in his journey has been a lot of influences from outside Islam. It may be justified in saying Nicholson, that the movement of the early asceticism can be explained easily by his Islamic roots, and that therefore the original form of Sufism "is the original result of Islam itself". As Islam grows in areas influenced by ancient oriental thought, Neoplatonism, and Christian, of course, a number of additional influences may have entered Islam, and even, at the earliest stages (Schimmel 1986:8).

In line with what was described by Nurcholish Madjid, that when Islam has been developed covering an area of ​​North Africa and Spain, the orientation of the law (fiqh) became dominant. By their very nature, the law is exoteric. Then he began to arise to combat the deepening 'drought', which gave birth to the teachings of Sufism as a discipline. The review was then enriched by contact with other religions, Christianity for instance, who had already been borrowed many elements of Greek philosophy, enriched also by elements of Buddhism that when it was influential in Iran. However, the actual dimensions of Sufism has very strong roots, much stronger than the orientation of the law (Madjid 1985: 3-4). The most important of these statements is that the Sufism Madjid apart from possible influences from outside Islam, Sufism has obvious reference to Islamic sources.
About the word Sufism of whom some have argued derives from Shafa 'nodes', row 'row', ahlussuffah 'group of people who lived in the mosque of Medina', philosophers 'wool'. Some of these opinions can be seen from the conclusion of talks Hujwiri:

Some believe that the Sufis are called thus because he was wearing a woolen robe (jama-i philosophers), the others say because Sufis are in front of the array (Saff-i-Awwal), still others say it's because the Sufis consider themselves included in ashab-i suffa (the people who sit on benches around the mosque of the Prophet). And others think that the Sufis came from safa 'purity' (Schimmel 1986:12).

Furthermore Schimmel adds, that other definitions that come from the West, which said that Sufi comes from the Greek word Sophos 'wise', not accepted philological bias.

Widely accepted opinion is that Sufism was derived from the word meaning philosophers 'wool', which referred to the primitive coarse wool used in the past by poor people in the Middle East - in the era of luxury clothing is silk. Sufi want a simple life away from the luxury world and for that they live as poor people by using such coarse wool (Nasution 1979:71 - 72). Nasution's statement is in line with Al-Taftazani penryataan (1985:21):

... However, scientific studies prove that all the above opinion is far from precise. The more precise is the word Sufi (shufi) derived from the shuf or wool. It is said, tashawwafa al-rajul, if you wear wool. During the early development of asceticism, fleece clothing is symbolic of the sincere servants of God and the ascetic. The Sufis themselves many argue like this.

Junaid in the statement did not provide a definition of Sufism. Junaid only petujuk about Sufism. It is said to him that Sufism is based on poverty among Muhammad's key diangugerahi all the treasures that exist on earth by God with His word to Muhammad, "Do not trouble yourself, but enjoy every luxury with this treasure," but Muhammad replied, "Yes God, the servant did not want it; let the servants day and full day hunger "(Schimmel 1986:13). Junaid This statement indicates that Sufism is also derived from the behavior of the Prophet Muhammad.

From that brief description, we can draw the notion that Sufism is nothing but the appreciation of the efforts of Islam, because Islam is not religion that only rely on formality. In Sufism, Islam is seen as the moral foundation of Islamic law. Thus, Islam is essentially a moral, that is morally between a servant to his Lord, between him and himself, between himself and the environment. Quran also contains teachings basically how humans relate to God, relate to him, and relate to their environment. Allah sent Muhammad with the main task to enhance human morality, while Muhammad seniri diyatakan by God as a moral person perfectly:

And thou art virtuous character is really great (Sura 68:4)

It is therefore clear that Sufism has deep roots in the Islamic sources themselves.

Scientific studies of the sources taasawuf has been done by Louis Massignon. He concluded that there are four sources of Sufism (Al-Taftazani 1985:33):

First Al-Quran, as the most important source.
Second: the Islamic sciences, such as Hadith, Fiqh, Nahwu, and others.
Third: The terminology-terminology scientists first word of Force
Fourth scientific language that formed in the East until the sixth century AD was the beginning of other languages, such as the languages ​​of Greek and Persian, the language of science and philosophy.

In the meantime al-Taftazani (1985:34 -53) to explain the source of Sufism in Islam are: (i) Al-Quran, (ii) life, morals, and the word Muhmmad, and (III) the life and sayings of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad.

Umarie (1961:41) give directions, that Sufism when examined them contain the problem of metaphysics. Metaphysics of Sufism is an important discussion, because this will involve the existence of this nature that is associated with the presence (form) of God, which is the central point of attention of Sufism. As mentioned by Schimmel (1986:23), Sufism is an attempt to achieve personal liberation through true unity. The essence of Sufism is a long history of disclosure from the beginning again, with a different formulation, the existence of absolute that "there is no God but God" 'and the awareness that only He should be worshiped.

Al-Ghazali in Misykatul Anwar (1985:57) gives a berporoskan Quran surah An-Nur verse 35, that nature is composed of two parts: the spiritual and physical nature. Natural physical (which is termed nature Shahadah is the nature that can be seen with the eye outward (read: the senses). While the spiritual nature (which is termed nature malakut) is a nature that can only be captured by the vision care. Everyone bersuluk (walk towards the presence of God) if it has been in the nature of this malakut essentially he was at the side of God that His hand clutched the keys, ie, all causes of the existence of "something there" (maujudat) in the nature of this Shahadah. Therefore, the nature Shahadah is the "former" or as a result of malakut nature, like the shadow of an object is used of objects that are exposed to light. In verse 35 sura An-nur was mentioned that God is light on the light. Therefore, Al-Ghazali said that it is God who is the essence and a genuine form, is in addition to his manifest because of his radiant light. Then remember this is a natural Shahadah "bakas" from natural malakut, then everything in nature Shahadah can be "example" for natural malakut.

Discussion "form" is also a central theme of Ibn Arabi (Hadi 1985: 66). Must first distinguish between being used as a concept, the idea of ​​being (existence) and form in the sense of something that entities (held).

Arabi is a manifestation of God according to the absolute (universal form), the nature of which is the base and end of all that exists. Outside of God is the being relative. According Arabi only the Esa's all there in earnest. He is the essence of which can be viewed from two perspectives. When he saw as the essence of any event, it is called haq (nature). When he saw as the incidence (the embodiment of the essence) then called khalq. Haq is the essence of something and khalq is appearance. Arabi split form as follows:


Form




Perhaps the relative-absolute
Essence, the substance of God, Nature Gen.
Can not be interpreted
And be described


Depending on the free
The substance of Nature, events,
Relationship-chamber
s, kewaktuan, etc..



Material (maddi) Spiritual (spiritual)


The relationship between haq and khalq according Arabi can be explained only figuratively and symbolically. Arabi disclose that relationship as "mirror" and "shadow". Of truth as an object called its shadow reflected in the mirror. Khalq is an image in a mirror; image to appear in different forms according to the nature of the mirror.

The whole world is under Arabi like a puppet stage, and God is moving the child. Arabi also use the class "boats" that "go back". The Truth is the origin of all things, and to the one that's all going to come back, as the boat will return back to port.



In addition to the problem of metaphysics, Umarie also provides clues that tawawuf also a matter of ethics (Umarie 1961:41). Sufism issues ranging from relations with the Creator the creature. Relationship based on love and beauty, rather than a relationship like slaves who are forced to do his master's command.

According Arabi (Hadi 198:75), love is the main principle of creation. Through His love He manifested in the creation of these entities. God loves beauty, beautiful because it essentially is the radiance of His beauty and radiance of His manifestation. Sufi longing to God rather like the longing that yearns maksyuknya fun, and often expressed through symbols of human love. As noted Schimmel (1986:3), "... and finally, the longing and yearning beings who love to chime expressed through symbols taken from human love; gabungan human and divine love are often seeps into the mystic poems". Thus it is clear that Sufism is not going to be separated from aesthetics. It is clear that the statement attributed denagan Al-Ghazali, that does not rely taswuf reasoning behind the common sense because there is still a condition in which the visible range of things that did not seem to mind; the condition can be captured with dzauq, ie arising from subtle perasaan_perasaan conscience (Al Ghazali 1985:85).

About the imagery and symbols in relation to this Sufism Schimmel (1986:2) explains:

... The mystics of various religions have tried to represent their experiences in three groups of divergent images yang: the endless efforts to seek and find God symbolized by the "Road", and the traveler must stay a step as illustrated in a number of Travel stories about the Pilgrims or figurative journey to Heaven. Changes and purification of the soul through the painful misery is often expressed in a description of alchemy or similar processes in nature and science prailmiah; ancient dream of making gold from metal rencahan transformed reality in spiritual level. And finally, kerinduhan beings who love and yearning to chime expressed through symbols taken from human love; gabungan human and divine love are often seeps into the mystic poems.

Dr. Abdul Hadi Abdul Tawwab (1986:35), after studying the interpretation of the Koran by the Sufis, concluded that there are four methods of institutionalization in Sufism:
1. Appropriation between "born" with "inner"
2. Separation (separation)
3. Adjustment of sensory signs that existed at birth with inner meaning
4. The principles of language in general covers pegertian Nahwu, balaghah, prononsiasi, and forms of writing

Sufism is essentially an effort to someone close to God. Efforts to approach ourselves with God requires also a belief that the existence of God is close to humans. Thus the talk about the existence of God becomes an important position in Sufism. Even in tawuf philosophical (which brings understanding and unification hulul form) the theme of God's existence is a prominent theme of discussion.

Road for up to God contains several stages (al-maqamat). Al-maqamat agreed by all Sufism is repentance, ascetic (anti excessive worldly matters), patient, tawakal, and mahabbah (love of God) (Nasution 1979:78-79). With the arrival on stage mahabbah means Sufis have come to the makrifah (God knows the heart). Sufis believe that mahabbah will cause mutual love between God and His creation (divine love). Thus mahabbah is important (high stage in Sufism).