Top US Think Tank Endorses Sufism: Do we rejoice? Or do we proceed with utmost caution?
The following are a few excerpts I was sent recently taken from a 2003 report on Islam, by the Rand Corporation, a U.S. Government supported research organisation in the United States. The report was entitled 'Civil Democratic Islam: Partners, Resources and Strategies', and what follows is a reply I sent back to the person who sent it to me.
Instead of writing a whole article on this issue, at this point, I have decided to share this email exchange here on my website because I believe that it actually highlights quite a few key issues that are being thrown around and discussed today. Issues that need to be clarified and, relating to the particular ones laid out in the excerpts, that hopefully I have clarified somewhat in my reply in the bottom half of this page.
(N.B. The three individuals cited at the end are, I am only assuming (as this wasn't clarified in the email exchange) and am probably wrong, people who either contributed or endorsed some or all of the material in the report. Or they and their works were cited, in turn, by the report's author. You have to remember that the report is an extensive one dealing with many issues and viewpoints and the issues discussed below are but a part of a wider sphere of topics addressed. There are serious problems with the report but that is for another time and another place. Let us deal with one subject matter at a time and on its own merits.)
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Sufis
Sufis are not a ready match for any of the categories, but we will here include them in modernism. Sufism represents an open, intellectual interpretation of Islam. Sufi influence over school curricula, norms, and cultural life should be strongly encouraged in countries that have a Sufi tradition, such as Afghanistan or Iraq. Through its poetry, music, and philosophy, Sufism has a strong bridge role outside of religious affiliations.
...
Build up the stature of Sufism. Encourage countries with strong Sufi traditions to focus on that part of their history and to include it in their school curricula. Pay more attention to Sufi Islam.
- discriminating between different sectors of traditionalism
- encouraging those with a greater affinity to modernism such as the Hanafi law school as opposed to others to issue religious opinions that, by becoming popularized, can weaken the authority of backward Wahhabi religious rulings
- encouraging the popularity and acceptance of Sufism.
...
Muhammad Shahrur, author of the "Proposal for an Islamic Covenant," stresses the need for Arabs to "have a plan to deal with the twenty-first century" that includes political freedom, pluralism, democracy, and equality (Shahrur, 2000). Serif Mardin attempts to bring the concept of civil society into alignment with Islam and Islamic history (Mardin, 1996). Fethullah Gulen puts forward a version of Islamic modernity that is strongly influenced by Sufism and stresses diversity, tolerance, and nonviolence (Gulen, 1999). His writings have inspired a strong multinational following and have proven attractive to young people.11
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Reply to Rand excerpts
Asalaamu alaykum all
I have in fact come across this before and, I have to admit, that the impulse to say "right on!!" is great. However, we have to be very very careful in not to jump onto the bandwagon when it comes to "classifying" Islam, or for that matter Sufism. We cannot allow us ourselves to be sucked into the trap of allowing the kufaar to delineate our religion for us. We have to do it ourselves.
As an example, it is true that Sufism is in line with modernism but only because Sufism is Islamic open-mindedness and flexibility at its best. Sufism just crystallises the Qur'anic concepts, it does not make them up it self. So if Sufism is modern in terms of its flexibility, that is only because it has highlighted what we all should be highlighting about Islam anyway: that Islam is open-minded in terms of that it does not force people to convert. Dialogue is one of the key concepts of Da'wah in Islam. Allah, Most Loving says in the Qur'an to call people in the best manner possible. The dialogue that is to be done with people of other faiths is clearly spelt out.
Remember: There is no such thing as Liberal Islam, Modern Islam, British Islam, Democratic Islam etc, etc.
Islam is Islam. Nothing more and nothing less. When we come to characterise the Muslims that is another thing altogether.
For example, it is the Muslims who need a reformation (I really should say renewal (tajdeed)) NOT Islam. It is the Muslims who need to start acting righteously on the battlefield NOT Islam. It is the Muslims that need to stop murdering innocent people NOT Islam. None of these things are ordered by Islam. The reason that such a dirty brush has been painted over the Muslim Ummah is that we have actually stopped practicing Islam. We are the problem not Islam.
However, it is true that the kufaar will try to defame us anyway they can but then we should not give them the chance to. Also we need to show the kufaar that it is good that they like Sufism but to remember that Sufism is not external to Islam. It is in fact the very essence of Islam. This is the message we need to get across to them. Furthermore, it's the flexibility of the Hanafi school of law that puts it in line with modernism, if anything, not the fact that it is modern in any sense. Though, the same goes for the other three schools as well IF they are practiced properly.
Things like pluralism, modernism (which actually should be called flexibility, I can accept that but the word modernism should be avoided because modernism usually (and realistically) means that people sin freely and transgress against Allah), freedom, democracy, equality, diversity, tolerance and nonviolence are truly Islamic concepts. Don't forget that modern western civilisation only exists due to the influx of progressive thinkers and ideas from the Islamic world in the Middle Ages resulting in the Enlightenment, Renaissance, etc. These people have literally stolen the Qur'aan's ideas and forgot to give credit to Allah!
We do not, however, want to water Islam down into a sterile entity with no backbone. Islam is the most peaceful religion, however, this must not overshadow the legitimate grievances that we have. This is not what I am advocating. We need to balance the flexibility of Islam with the solutions to our own problems which are a direct result of the colonial and neo-colonial powers. Malcolm X once said that he would not want anything to do with a religion that prohibits self-defence. We have a right to defend our honour, dignity, lives, families, homes, livelihoods and lands by any means lawful.
In terms of the "issues" between Democracy and Islam, I strongly and urgently recommend that the respected reader watch the DVD documentary between Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Noah Feldman entitled: Islam & Democracy: Is a clash of civilisations inevitable? Suffice it to say that it has all the answers to the contentious issue between Islam and the West (democracy). As the Great Shaykh Hamza puts it: The question is not whether Islam can embrace Democracy, the question is can Democracy embrace Islam. That is the question. For more go to http://zaytuna.org/multimedia.asp and listen to Shaykh Hamza's address (online with RealPlayer or MP3) to the ISNA '04 entitled: A Message to all Humanity.
I would like to remind ourselves that at the end of the day our priority is to practice the Deen ourselves and develop our relationship, realisation and connection with Allah Almighty. The purpose of our creation is to know Him. We are heading at breakneck speed towards the Aaakhirah and we need to make sure we are well prepared for the longed-for moment of the meeting between Awesome Master and Awestruck Slave. May Allah give us all His Walayaah (Friendship). I hope you are all in good health and imaan.
Fi amaan Allah
Tauseef Naqshbandi