7/31/2019 Al-Shfi` and Tas.awwuf

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Al-Shfi and Tas.awwufby GF Haddad Qasyoun@ziplip.com Shawwl 1423

Imm al-Shfi recommended tas.awwufon condition that knowledge accompany it. He declared inhisDwn:

Faqhan wa-s.ufiyyan fakun laysa wh. idanfainnwa-h.aqqillhi iyyka ans.ah.u

Fadhlika qsin lam yadhuq qalbuhu tuqanwahdh jahlun kayfa dhl-jahli yas.luh.u

Be both a jurisprudent and a s.f never just one of the two.Truly, by the Divine Right, I am advising you sincerely!For the former is hardened, his heart tastes no Godwariness,While the latter is ignorant of what use is the ignorant? 1

This is similar to Imm Sufyn al-Thawrs statement that Among the best of people is the S.f

learned in jurisprudence.2

Among al-Shfis sayings on Sufism and S.fs:

I accompanied the S.fs for ten years and benefited from them but from two words: theirstatement that time is a sword: if you do not cut it, it cuts you, and their statement that deprivation isimmunity.3 Some versions have three words and add their statement that if you do not keepyour ego busy with truth it will keep you busy with falsehood.

If a rational man does not become a S.f he does not reach noon except he is a dolt!4 Ab

Nuaym narrates this from Muh.ammad ibn Abd al-Rah.mn ibn al-Fad. l, from Ab al-H. asan[Ah.mad ibn Muh.ammad ibn al-H. rith] ibn al-Qattt [al-Mis.r], from the thiqa Muh.ammad ibnAbYah.y, from the thiqa Imm Ynus ibn Abd al-Al, from the Imm.

A contrary version of the latter saying reads: A rational man does not become a S. fexcept he

reaches noon a dolt!5 Al-Bayhaqnarrates this from al-H. kim, from Ab Muh. ammad Jafar ibnMuh. ammad ibn al-H. rith, from al-H. asan ibn Muh. ammad ibn al-D. ah. h. k (Ibn Bah. r), both ofunknown reliability. For obvious reasons, this is the preferred version of the detractors of Sufis.

Imm al-Nawaw in hisBustn al-rifn fl-Zuhd wal-Tas.awwuf(The Garden of the Knowers inAsceticism and Tas.awwuf) narrated with his chain from al-Shfi the saying: Only the sincere one(al-mukhlis.) can recognize self-display (al-riy). Al-Nawaw comments: This means that it isimpossible to know the reality of self-display and see its hidden shades except for one who resolutelyseeks (arda) sincerity. Such a one strives for a long time, searching, meditating, examining at lengthwithin himself until he knows, or knows something of what self-display is. This does not happen foreveryone. Indeed, this happens only with special ones (al-khaws.s.). But for a given individual to claimthat he knows what self-diplay is, this is real ignorance on his part.

6

In Makka al-Shfiwas the student of al-Fud.ayl ibn Iyd. . It is said that he also tooktas.awwuffromthe ascetic shepherd Shaybn al-R. Little is known of the latter and there is no report of the twohaving ever met but there is a narration that Shaybn went on pilgrimage on foot with Sufyn al-Thawr who witnessed him tame a lion and tweak its ear

7 Allh have mercy on them and be well-

pleased with them!

1Al-Shfi,Dwn (p. 177 #45).

2Narrated by al-Haraw al-Ans. r in his T. abaqt al-S. fiyya.3Narrated from Muh. ammad ibn Muh. ammad ibn Idrs al-Shfi by al-Bayhaq in Manqib al-Shfi (2:208) cf.Ibn al-Qayyim inMadrij al-Slikn (3:128) and al-Jawb al-Kf(p. 208-209) and al-Suyt. in Tayd al-H. aqqatal-Aliyya (p. 15).4Narrated from Ynus ibn Abd al-Al by Ab Nuaym,H. ilya (1985 ed. 9:142).5Narrated by al-Bayhaq,Manqib (2:207) cf. Ibn al-Jawz, S. ifat al-S. afwa (1:25) and Talbs Ibls (1985 ed. p. 447)and Ibn Taymiyya in hisIstiqma (p. 414).6

Al-Nawaw

,Bustn al-

rif

n (p. 53-54).7In Ab Nuaym,H. ilya (1985 ed. 7:68-69) and al-Dhahab, Siyar(7:203-203=al-Arnat. ed. 7:268). Another rare

narration reports other of his miraculous gifts (karmt) in Ab Nuaym, H. ilya (1985 ed. 8:317 #434=1997 ed.8:354 #425).