Definition of Tasawwuf!

Definition of Sufism by various Akaabireen and Sufis:

1. Allama Ibn-e-Khuldoon: “The word tasawwuf means to always engage oneself constantly in the worship of and concentration towards Allah Almighty, bending all energy and thinking with extreme absoluteness towards Him and Him alone, extricating himself and keeping aloof from every tinge of sensual mundane pleasures mostly consisting of avarice of wealth and worldly status etc. which incidentally are the fountain head of all the evils in the spheres of human life on Earth. This was in general the pattern and mode of life of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) and the devoted righteous persons who succeeded them.
2. Abu Bakr Al-Kalani: “Tasawwuf is the name of “Khulq” (Moral conduct). One who excels you in “Khulq” will always excel you in cleanness both internal as well as external.”
3. Abu Muhammad Al-Jarayri: “To inculcate high quality and nice mode of moral character and to get rid of every deed of mean and debased nature is the meaning of tasawwuf”
4. Abu-l-Hassan Ahmad Al-Noori: “Tasawwuf is neither a formality of custom or ceremony nor even the knowledge but it is the name of “Khulq””
5. Ibn-e-Sina: “The man who is devoted to absolute abstinence of worldly pleasures is called Zahid and a man who keeps almost every moment of his life devoted to worship is remembered among the people with the epithet of Aabid. And the man who keeps his attention perennially focused towards The Holy Omnipotence and expects every moment the Manifestations of Divine Light in his inner self to illuminate every bit of spectrum of his life as a whole is recognized and venerated with the ever shining title of Aarif (Recognizant of Divine Manifestation in all tings in the universe). Only such an exceptional individual among the countless creatures of Allah Almighty is worthy of being honored and remembered with the title of a true Sufi.”

The two here mentioned categories of worshippers namely Zahid and Aabid adopt the mode of worship through the abstinence of worldly pleasures and over occupation in devoted worship of Allah respectively in compliance to their mental and sentimental; inclinations with the sole intention of seeking deliverance from the fire of Hell on the Day of Judgment and getting admitted in the Gardens of Paradise where they would enjoy and please themselves eternally with the bounties and delicacies of the paradise as a compensatory reward for their respective abstinence from worldly ease and comfort. But in sight of the Sufis both these concepts are not the central focus of his attention.Overlooking the dread of the fire of Hell and the pleasures of Paradise, the heart and mind, both in unison and harmony are riveted to the love and remembrance of Almighty Allah, Who Himself and Whose pleasures are the central and focal aim of the inner eye.And pray that this holy chain of Divine rays ever continue till their last breath of this worldly life so that the continuum of the Divine Manifestation remains unbroken even after the entry in the Eternal world of the Hereafter through the gate of the grave.

A true Sufi is disinterested in the fear of hell or greed of Paradise. He worships Allah Almighty with unswerving faith. The following enunciation of Rabia Basri illustrates and affirms the maxim which is the gist and soul of Sufi’s life. One day she prayed to Allah Almighty;

Oh Allah! If I worship you out of fear of hell fire then throw me down into that fire

And If I worship you in the greed of your paradise then deprive me of that.

And if I devote myself in your worship with hope of vision of your Grand Countenance the oh my Beloved Allah! Do not deprive me from that vision of Yours!