Dalael-us-Suluk
CHAPTER 2
DIFFERENT VlEWS ON TASAWWUF
The Rejecters
Tasawwuf is rejected under various pretexts. The favourite ground is that it is an heresy or an innovation. This aspect will be discussed later at an appropriate place to determine whether Tasawwuf is heresy or, inversely, it is ingrained in Sunnah and is the very quintessence of Islam. Suffice it here to say, in principle, that those who reject Tasawwuf are neither the Mujtahid having exalted genius, deep learning and remarkable sharpness of intellect (that their rejection is taken as an authority) nor have they any supremacy over true theologians and erudite sufis (that their opinion is accorded any weight). According to Maulana Ahmad ‘Ali Lahori (d. 1964 C.E.) the rejecters of Tasawwuf are the thieves and bandits who wish to divorce one of the vital parts of the Faith. It is indeed appropriate to brand them as heretics rather than stigmatise millions of pious souls right from Imam Hassan Basri down through the ages. Such rejecters grope in mere ignorance. Declares ALLAH:
No, but they denied that, the knowledge which they could not understand... ( 10:39)
They would have never dared reject this reality, had they heeded the following Divine Commandment:
(O man), pursue not that whereof you have no knowledge... ( 17:36)
The Upholders
Those who accept the reality of Tasawwuf are divided into two groups. The first group, though very small, not only believes in, but also lives up to its norms. They are indeed the righteous, in complete harmony with the Divine declaration:
Few of my bondsmen are thankful. (34:13)
They are found in every age and have been the beacon rays of this blessed aspect of Prophethood, throwing their light the world over.
The second group subscribes to its existence, in principle, but rejects it in practice. To them, Tasawwuf is confined to bookish knowledge, anecdotes of esoteric mystics, and occasional dips into the ecstatic moods. They do not look for an accomplished guide to the practical knowledge of the Path who would exhort them to follow the Sunnah, and if they came across one, instead of trusting him, they ridicule him.
Listless inertia lies under such stance; in fond hope, they wish to attain the stages of the Path by mere gloating in idle talk. They are for all practical purposes, the rejecters of true Tasawwuf, and at times they echo slogans as if Shari‘ah and Tariqah were two separate entities. This free lancing is nothing but an easy escape from the Qur-an and the Sunnah. 1
Notes
1 Those who deny karamah are divided into a number of groups. One indulges in outright right rejection and is averse to the very idea of piety and celebrated religious personalities. Another believes in the karamah of bygone saints, but rejects those of the contemporary saints. According to Shaikh Abul Hassan Shazli (d. 656 A.H./1258 C.E.), they resemble the Children of Israel who accepted the Prophethood of Musa 
without seeing him, yet rejected Prophet Muhammad 
for no other reason than malice, animosity and callousness. Yet another group generally acknowledges the presence of the aulia in their age, but do not accept a particular person for one reason or another. They are indeed the unfortunate ones who shirk direct knowledge and ready guidance. (Raudh ar-Riyahin by Imam Yaf‘ai quoted in Tabaqat al-Kubra by ‘Allama ‘Abdul Wahhab Sh‘arani Urdu translation p: 39)