The Hindu : Philosophy of Sufism

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Tuesday, December 26, 2000

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Features \| Previous \| Next Philosophy of Sufism SUFISM AND BEYOND: Ali Ansari, edited by Mallika Sarabhai; Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 31, Somnath Road, Usmanpura, Ahmedabad- 380013. Price not mentioned. IT IS a universally-accepted fact that Sufism is an adjunct and not an offshoot of Islam. Some of the eminent Sufi saints in Sind (Pakistan) include Dr. Sai Rochardas whose teachings include Pranayama and Qalandar Lal Shahbaz who wrote the lilting prayer to Jhule Lal ``Lal mori pat rakhyo bhala Jhule Lalan..'' which denotes that Sufism is an all- embracing concept. The volume under review is dedicated to ``Murshid Isa'' - in a matching philosophical tract, ``I did not understand what you were trying to teach me until life, through much pain, forced me to learn it for myself.'' The volume is divided into three parts (chapters) and in the very first part an Urdu couplet of a Sufi poet has this to say: My mind is a prisoner of qualities and names, And Reality has no qualities, no names. Like G.B. Shaw, some of whose works had left Churchill wondering, some enunciations of the author of the volume under review being philosophical, become difficult to comprehend. The author says: ``.. the distinction between self and other is relative and not absolute.'' He confesses in ``A note about Sufi and new Sufi thought'' that this book is very indirectly about Sufism. It does not answer such questions as what is Sufism? He has remarkably answered the question himself in chapter III ``Spirituality and self-unconcerned'' saying, ``The spiritual quest is a movement away from the personal.'' Philosophical trends of Sufism have been analysed by the author at considerable length. Except for mentioning the several trends of Sufism, the book does not reveal for the benefit of the reader, the origin of Sufis. The word ``Sufi'' is a derivative of Soof meaning ``cotton-wool''. The Derveshes used to wear thick cotton filled long coats and used to chant hymns and dance around fire and from these ancient rituals ``Sufism'' came to be known as a universal concept. The volume gives some insight into the philosophy of Sufism and would serve as a guideline to the concept. MUSTAFA K. SHERWANI Send this article to Friends by E-Mail
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Front Page \| National \| Southern States \| Other States \| International \| Opinion \| Business \| Sport \| Miscellaneous \| Features \| Classifieds \| Employment \| Index \| Home

Features \| Previous \| Next Philosophy of Sufism SUFISM AND BEYOND: Ali Ansari, edited by Mallika Sarabhai; Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 31, Somnath Road, Usmanpura, Ahmedabad- 380013. Price not mentioned. IT IS a universally-accepted fact that Sufism is an adjunct and not an offshoot of Islam. Some of the eminent Sufi saints in Sind (Pakistan) include Dr. Sai Rochardas whose teachings include Pranayama and Qalandar Lal Shahbaz who wrote the lilting prayer to Jhule Lal ``Lal mori pat rakhyo bhala Jhule Lalan..'' which denotes that Sufism is an all- embracing concept. The volume under review is dedicated to ``Murshid Isa'' - in a matching philosophical tract, ``I did not understand what you were trying to teach me until life, through much pain, forced me to learn it for myself.'' The volume is divided into three parts (chapters) and in the very first part an Urdu couplet of a Sufi poet has this to say: My mind is a prisoner of qualities and names, And Reality has no qualities, no names. Like G.B. Shaw, some of whose works had left Churchill wondering, some enunciations of the author of the volume under review being philosophical, become difficult to comprehend. The author says: ``.. the distinction between self and other is relative and not absolute.'' He confesses in ``A note about Sufi and new Sufi thought'' that this book is very indirectly about Sufism. It does not answer such questions as what is Sufism? He has remarkably answered the question himself in chapter III ``Spirituality and self-unconcerned'' saying, ``The spiritual quest is a movement away from the personal.'' Philosophical trends of Sufism have been analysed by the author at considerable length. Except for mentioning the several trends of Sufism, the book does not reveal for the benefit of the reader, the origin of Sufis. The word ``Sufi'' is a derivative of Soof meaning ``cotton-wool''. The Derveshes used to wear thick cotton filled long coats and used to chant hymns and dance around fire and from these ancient rituals ``Sufism'' came to be known as a universal concept. The volume gives some insight into the philosophy of Sufism and would serve as a guideline to the concept. MUSTAFA K. SHERWANI Send this article to Friends by E-Mail
Section : Features Previous : Saga of a visionary Next : Recasting Galileo's story
Front Page \| National \| Southern States \| Other States \| International \| Opinion \| Business \| Sport \| Miscellaneous \| Features \| Classifieds \| Employment \| Index \| Home
Copyrights © 2000 The Hindu Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu