Reality of Sufism

Sufism (tasawwuf) did not appear until after the first three generations regarding which the Messenger of Allaah (SAS) praised when he said, “The best of mankind is my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them…” (narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2652; Muslim, ...2533).

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (rh) said: With regard to the word soofiyyah (Sufism), it was not known during the first three generations (of Islam), rather it became known after that. [Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 11/5]

Sufism is a blend of various thoughts and philosophies. By intermingling a few traces of Islamic teachings with Greek philosophy in particular the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle, Hindu philosophy, and Christian (Roman) philosophy, all these left an indelible mark on many aspects of Sufism.


Greek pantheism [belief that God is in all nature, everything is God, worship that admits and tolerates all Gods] became an integral part of Sufi doctrine (Hulool and Wahdatul Wujood]. Manicheanism [one of the major Persian (iranian) gnostic religion] is also one of the mainstreams of Sufism.

Vedanta, the chief Hindu philosophy, which is an example of pantheism in its metaphysical strictness, also had a great impact on sufism.

Sufi occultism, with its host of philosophical and theosophical doctrines, is beyond doubt antithetical to Islam. Islam proclaims that the matchless Entity and Essence of Allah is totally different from that of His slaves, i.e., man. Sufis, on the contrary, subscribe to the belief that matter, man and God form in effect one single entity and essence.

ALLAH has named Himself, without resembling creation in any respect; that His essence does not resemble the essences of His creatures nor His attributes resemble theirs in the least possible sense. Allah the Supreme says:"There is nothing like unto Him; He is the Al-Hearing, the All-Seeing."(42.11)
Thus, the sufis have a very heretical concept of ALLAH which contradicts the very basic fundamental of Islamic creed.

Sufism is a schism developed during the fourth century of Hijrah, exploited by the deviationist sects, the Batini (clandestine) sects and the rest of the enemies of Islam, such as the Jews, the Magians and the Crusaders, to undermine Islamic aqeedah (Creed) and Muslim unity.

Ibnul Jawzee says in his book Talbees Iblees (Devils Deception): “Sufism is a way whose beginning was complete avoidance of the affairs of worldly life, then those who attached themselves to it became lax in allowing singing and dancing. Therefore the seekers of the Hereafter from the common people became attracted to them due to the avoidance of the worldly life which they manifested, and the seekers after this world were also attracted to them due to the life of ease and frivolity which they were seen to live.” [Talbees Iblees p.161]


Sufis have introduced for themselves a religious order, called Tareeqah. A tareeqah is a school of Sufism. A tarīqah has a murshid "guide" who plays the role spiritual guide of the organization and is a group of murīdīn (disciples). Nearly every tareeqah is named after its founder, of which some are balatant lies against the great scholars after which they name the tareeqa. For example ‘chishti order’ is named after Shaykh Moinuddin Chishti, and the tareeqa is called Chishtiya the "Qadiriya order" is named after Shaykh `Abd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī, and the tareeqa is called the "Qādiriyyah". The different tareeqahs and its like are among the innovated ways that go against the Qur’aan and Sunnah and the way followed by the best generations.

All the shaykhs of these tareeqahs have made up their own wirds (phrases to be uttered as dhikr), hizb (books of du’aa’ to be read daily by their followers) and ways of worship by which each of them may be distinguished from the others; this goes against sharee’ah [teachings of the Prophet(PBUH)] and divides the ummah.

Allaah has blessed this ummah by perfecting its religion and completing His Favour upon it, so everyone who comes up with an act of worship or a way that was not brought by sharee’ah is effectively rejecting what Allaah has revealed and accusing the Prophet (PBUH) of betraying the trust.

There is no such thing in Islam as the numerous tareeqahs like the Chishtiyah, Qadiriya, Naqshbandiya, Soharwardiya, Shaadhilyyah, Khalwatiyyah, Tijanniya , etc?
Allaah says: “And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path. This He has ordained for you that you may become Al‑Muttaqoon (the pious)”[al-An’aam 6:153] “And upon Allaah is the responsibility to explain the Straight Path. But there are ways that turn aside. And had He willed, He would have guided you all (mankind)”[al-Nahl 16:9]

What are the ways that separate people from the path of Allaah, and what is the way of Allaah? What is the meaning of the hadeeth narrated by Ibn Mas’ood, according to which the Messenger (SAS) drew a line and said, “This is the path of guidance,” then he drew lines to its right and another to its left and said, “These are other paths and on each path there is a devil calling people to it”?

The Prophet (SAS) said: “The Jews split into seventy-one sects, and the Christians split into seventy-two sects. My ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of which will be in Hell except one.” It was asked, “Who are they, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Those who follow the same path as I and my companions are on today.” And he (SAS) said, “A group among my ummah will continue to follow the truth and to be victorious, and they will not be harmed by those who forsake them or oppose them, until the command of Allaah comes to pass when they are like that.”

The truth lies in following the Qur’aan and the saheeh Sunnah of the Prophet (SAS). This is the path of Allaah, this is the Straight Path. This is the straight line mentioned in the hadeeth, and this is what was followed by the companions of the Prophet (SAS) and with their followers among the early generations (salaf) of this ummah, and with those who follow their path.

All tareeqahs or groups are the paths mentioned in the verse: “… and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path…”[al-An’aam 6:153]
Ibn al Jawzee very rightly said in his book Talbees Iblees (devil’s deception): "Sufism, is a shameful deception which begins with dhikr (chanting the name of Allah) and ends with disbelief. Its outward manifestation appears to be piety, but its inward reality is built to forsake the commands of Allah."

In order to explore Sufism in depth, its fundamentals must first be scrutinized, and it's must to caution the Muslim ummah against falling into the snares of this innovation, since the number of promoters and advocates of Sufism is increasing. Free-Masons and Zionists who are right now controlling the world through politics and tyranny are big advocate of Sufism and want to make it acceptable and popular amongst Muslims, in an attempt to counter the feared awakening of interest among Muslim youth in pure Islam, based on the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the His Messenger Muhammad, which is detrimental to their rule. The enemies of Islam dread the wide consequences of revival of pure Islam, because it would diminish their influence. So, they are very forefont in making sufism popular through various mediums.

Compiled by: Parvez Shakir.

References: (1) The Other Side Of Sufism. http://www.abdurrahman.org/innovation/theothersideofsufism.pdf

(2) The meaning and origin of sufism.
http://www.abdurrahman.org/innovation/meeaningOriginSufism.html

(3) The Reality Of Sufism. http://www.abdurrahman.org/innovation/therealityofsufism.pdf

(4) Devils Deception of sufism.
http://www.abdurrahman.org/innovation/devilsdeceptionSufism.html

(5) Concept Of Ascetism: The Understanding of our pious predecessors and the Bidah of sufi mystics:
http://www.abdurrahman.org/innovation/zuhud_Salaf_Sufis.pdf

(6) Are SufI Shaykhs really in contact with ALLAH:
http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/4983/sufi

(7) Sufi Tareeqas and ruling on joining them:
http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/20375/sufi