Continued from the
previous post –
Differences
in the two religions - 5
Belief
in the "Day of Resurrection", (Yawm
al-Qiyāmah:
يوم
القيامة)
is crucial for Muslims. They believe the time of Qiyāmah is
preordained by God but unknown to man. The trials and tribulation
preceding
and during the Qiyāmah
are
described in the Koran and the Hadith, and also in the commentaries
of Ulema.
The Koran emphasizes bodily
resurrection,
a break from the pre-Islamic
Arabian
understanding of death.
On
Yawm al-Qiyāmah, Muslims believe all dead Arabs will be, judged on
their good and bad deeds. The Qur'an lists several sins that can
condemn a person to hell,
such as
disbelief
(Arabic:
كفر
Kufr),
and dishonesty; however, the Koran makes it clear God will forgive
the sins of those who repent if HE so wills. Good deeds, such as
charity and prayer, will be, rewarded with entry to heaven. Muslims
view heaven,
as
a place of joy and bliss, with Koranic references describing its
features and the physical pleasures to come.
Sufism
does not believe in all those things as given above. Many Sufi laugh
away these Islamic beliefs. One Sufi saint pointing towards the heap
of bones of dead persons piled up in one corner of the burial ground
said how can even the most pious of Muslim come out of this tangle of
bones? He wanted to say, it is a ridiculous idea to believe in such a
saying even by the prophet Mohammad. He was burnt alive on that by
the Imam. Since that Sufi saint ridiculed Prophet he was declared as
a non-Muslim and so deserved death by burning alive!
Classical
Sufi characterized by their attachment to rumination (a practice of
repeating the names of God, Hindu practice of Japa) and asceticism.
Sufism gained adherents among a number of Muslims as a reaction
against the worldliness of the early Umayyad
Caliphate (661-750
CE) and later many other rulers of various parts of then Muslim
world. Sufi approach was appreciated by most converted Muslims who
were not Arabs and practiced Sufi faith under Muslim cover. This was
necessary because it was suicidal to challenge the Arab rule in those
days. In Hindustan Mogul and Afghan marauders introduced Sufism under
the cover of Islam. Most so called Muslims in India and Pakistan are
actually practicing Sufi faith though they call it Islam. This
confusion continues till this day. They practice something like a
hybrid religion which is not Islam mixed with Sufi concepts believing
in worshiping Sufi saint along with Prophet Mohammad which is a wrong
practice as per strict Islamic dictates. Sufism encourages practices
such as black magic or calling of Jinn to help them. Islam is
strictly against such a practice as it amounts to condemnation of
first pillar, Shahadah.
Other
exclusive schools
of Sufism
describe themselves as distinctly Sufi, a separate religion from
Islam. According to Idries
Shah,
the Sufi philosophy is universal in nature, its roots predating the
arising of Islam and the other modern-day religions; likewise, some
Muslims consider Sufism outside the sphere of Islam. The reason for
such thinking comes from the many differences between the two
religions. Most historians of religions admit that Sufism existed in
many forms in that region of Mediterranean part of Asia. Spread from
Turkey down to Arabia and from Persia to Syria. Some claim that it
originated in Turkey while other believe the birthplace to be Persia.
But all accept that Sufism was practiced by Arabs in pre-Islamic
period. That tradition continued till the time of Prophet Mohammad.
Ali was a practicing Sufi and therefore, rejected by true followers
of Islam. That was one reason why his candidature to the first
Rashidun was challenged. Interesting part is that Mohammad knowingly
accepted Ali as his heir. That is an example of dual belief by Ali in
both Islam and Sufism. This was however not allowed for any other
person by Mohammad.
This topic
continues in next post -
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