The history of Sufism goes back as many years as the history of Islam itself. It is not known for certain where the word "Sufism" came from. According to one version, from the Arabic word "suf", that is, "wool". The fact is that the first Sufis lived in the desert and wore clothes made of coarse wool - it is terribly cold there at night. Another version, the name came from another Arabic word - "as-safa", which translates as "purity".
One day a Muslim youth came to an old Sufi and asked: "Ata, how to attain wisdom?" The teacher walked by without saying anything. But the young man was stubborn. He came for an answer every day. Finally, the old man could not stand it, grabbed the guy, dragged him to the river and began to drown him, saying: "Why, you ignoramus, I'm tired of you."
The young man has already said goodbye to life. And the sage dragged him out of the water and asked: "What were you thinking when you were drowning?" “About a breath of air,” he admitted. "Have you thought about becoming wise?" - did not lag behind the old man. “No, just about a breath of air,” the young man replied. “Here,” his teacher admonished, “when you thirst for wisdom with the same strength as now thirsty for a breath of air, then you can find it.” After this lesson, he took the young man as a disciple, and he, many years later, became a real Sufi.
People of true faith
Most likely, Sufism got its name from the term "ahl as-suffa", that is, "people of the bench" - this is how his faithful followers who settled at the mosque in Medina were called during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. All these were poor people, accustomed to be content with the smallest, and they were not at all interested in earthly riches, but they listened to the words of their prophet and carried the light of his faith. They kept the purity of their thoughts, they did only good deeds and - oh yes! - wore the same woolen cloaks that served as blankets at night, and as prayer rugs on hot days.
Over the centuries of its existence, Sufism has gone through several stages. At first it was predominantly Islamic asceticism, with a complete rejection of the benefits of the then civilization. Fortunately, the Sufi ascetics had someone to learn from. In the same territory lived Christian cave monks who diligently mortified their own flesh and were engaged in only one thing - prayers. Islamic ascetics were not much different from them - the same thin, dirty and with fanatically burning eyes. For days on end, they repeated prayers to Allah, trying to comprehend the Prophet Muhammad and through him merge with God into one.
Then, when Sufism became not only the property of ascetics, but also penetrated the mass of ordinary Muslims, the time of "tasawwuf" began, that is, learning the wisdom of the true faith. It was then that the foundations of Sufi science and mysticism were laid, the basic doctrines, terms and traditions were created. At this time (IX-XI centuries), many Sufi schools appeared on the entire territory subject to Muslims. Even some sheikhs were Sufis! And Sufism found strong points not only in the native environment of the Sunnis, but also among the followers of Shiites and Ismailis.
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Sunnis, Shiites, Ismailis could hate each other, but the educated strata of believers of any kind tended to Sufism and always found a common language. Perhaps, thanks to the Sufis, the early Islamic communities did not cut each other in bloody wars for the true faith. On the contrary, each of the Islamic movements made their own contribution to the Sufi philosophy, which was formed during the period of the Tariqats, that is, the religious communities of Sufis, two or three centuries later. The tarikats are interesting in that they formed around the Sufi "monasteries" - khanaks, ribats, zawiyas - not only of their inhabitants, but also of all those who wanted to join the hermits.
In a halo of holiness
Many Sufis have suffered greatly for their struggle against unrighteousness. They were put in prisons - they wrote theological works there. They were subjected to corporal punishment - they received additional spiritual experience and proof that suffering purifies the soul. Any harm that society caused them brought them closer to Allah. One of them, Mansur al-Hallaj, a 9th century Sufi, was accused of heresy and executed - according to legend, he was crucified like Christ and then quartered. For what? Yes for the fact that he dared to compare himself with Allah! That is, he said openly that he is Allah. The judges who charged him took his statement literally. In fact, the Sufi argued that God actually exists in everything, and in him, Mansur, the cotton cardman, too.
Much that the Sufis contemplated seemed dangerous or heretical to well-meaning Muslims. For example, their doctrine of "perfect man", who must go from unbelief (kufr) to complete spiritual purity, and sometimes not only through speculation, but also through not the most virtuous deeds. It is not without reason that some Sufi saints, like their Christian brothers, were robbers or thieves before their conversion. What matters is not who you were, but who you have become.
At one time, so many saints appeared among the Sufis that crowds of Muslims followed them and demanded miracles! The main miracle was considered the appearance of Allah himself. And the Sufis eventually had to explain that not everyone can see Allah, but only the elect. They invented the doctrine of the emanation of God, his self-manifestation and the unity of being, that is, that God is always with us and can be embodied in anything. By the way, this is the very doctrine that Mansur al-Hallaj paid for.
Sufis also introduced several special ways of communicating with Allah. The constant repetition of a short prayer produced an analogue of the Buddhist trance. The same effect was given by rhythmic playing on some musical instruments or fasting, which the Sufis willingly kept, as well as special dances with accelerating movements, which were practiced by Sufi dervishes. The result of repeated recitation of prayer, hunger strikes, spinning a top to the rhythmic beat of the gong were unusual visions and auditory hallucinations.
Secret leader
Sometimes Sufism instantly captured entire regions where Muslims lived. And under his banner stood people who were not previously interested in Sufi philosophy. This was primarily due to rebel movements and national liberation wars. For example, an instant fascination with Sufism suddenly captured the whole of Anatolia, when the people there rallied around Sheikh Badruddin, or Sufism suddenly took root in the North Caucasus during the time of Shamil.
It's all about the Ismaili legacy of Sufism: the Sufis adopted from the Ismailis the teaching of a hidden imam who will come at the right time and lead the faithful to fight the oppressors. Since the name of the person in whom the Mahdi will appear is unknown, it could be any ambitious religious leader.
Sufi brotherhoods still exist today. Like centuries ago, they are based on the complete subordination of the murids (students) to their mentors. All of them must observe the charter, follow any orders of their superior brothers, take part in collective prayer and make pilgrimages to the graves of holy Sufis (each tariqat has its own saints). The one who enters the brotherhood takes an oath of allegiance, and the ceremony itself takes place in deep secrecy.
Today, Sufi brotherhoods exist in almost all Muslim countries - in the Middle East and the Balkans, North Africa, Indonesia, India, China, Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus and the Caucasus, and even in the United States.
Elena FILIMONOVA