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How Philosophical, Theosophical and Gnostic Sufism Are Different from Islamic Sufism: an Analysis

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How Philosophical, Theosophical and Gnostic Sufism Are Different from Islamic Sufism: an Analysis CIFIA GLOBAL JOURNAL VOL – 1 e-ISSN 2582-6859 Published 10 JUL 2020 HOW PHILOSOPHICAL, THEOSOPHICAL AND GNOSTIC SUFISM ARE DIFFERENT FROM ISLAMIC SUFISM: AN ANALYSIS Ash Shaikh Mir Asedullah Quadri Citation Format: Shaikh Mir Asedullah Quadri, “How philosophical, theosophical and Gnostic Sufism are different from Islamic Sufism, an Analysis’, CIFIA Global Journal, Vol 1, July 2020 Abstract through him, Neoplatonism made an entry into the Muslim philosophy. He tried to reconcile the The origins of philosophies related to Platonism, Theosophy and Gnosticism have been discussed in this article. How opinions of Plato and Aristotle into Islamic these philosophies affected the thought process of people in scholarship, treating Plato as a mystical figure. In the world from ancient times to the Middle ages. Since Islamic his writings, he created an ‘Imam’ (like Plato’s Sufism is different from these philosophies, an attempt has King maker) whose understanding of truth is been made to elaborate the differences between these philosophies. This article is an important addition to our intuitive and his knowledge was practical. He led research related philosophy and religions. people through his writings to realize that he was Key words: Philosophical Sufism, Theosophy, Theosophical the Imam whose understanding of truth is intuitive, Sufism, Gnosticism, Gnostic Sufism, Islamic Sufism and his knowledge was practical. Some of his musical compositions later became part of the Hellenism or Hellenistic philosophies were recitations in some Sufi orders in Turkey and developed between (323-31) BC. Hellenistic Indian Sub-continent. beliefs played a major part in the formation of certain sects in Islam who later began to refer to Avicenna (Ibn Sina) (981–1037) CE, born in themselves as (Hellenistic) Sufis. Bukhara, was a follower of Al-Farabi. He embraced certain concepts of Aristotle, Plato, The Hellenistic Sufis are of 3 types, those who and Neoplatonism in his philosophical writings. practice (i) Philosophical Sufism, (ii) Some people say that he was a rationalist who Theosophical Sufism, and (iii) Gnostic Sufism. had nothing to do with mysticism, while others Each category of Sufism mentioned above can be say that Avicenna had embraced mysticism as is further broken down into two sub-categories, (a) reflected in some of his later works. those who claim Sufism is an independent Another important philosopher who followed religion that predates Islam, and (b) those who ancient Greek philosophies was, Shahabuddin synchronize Hellenistic philosophies with the Yahya Ibn Habash Suhrawardi (1154-1191) CE. teachings of Islam by interpreting Quranic and He was a Persian philosopher and the founder of Prophetic injunctions, subjecting them to (فلسفه اشراق) the Iranian philosophy of Illumination Hellenistic philosophies to portray Hellenistic based on Zoroastrian and Platonic ideas. In his Islam as real Islam. famous book ‘The Philosophy of Illumination’ he describes himself as a reviver of ,(فلسفه اشراق) Philosophical Sufism the ancient tradition of Persian wisdom. He Al-Kindi (801-873) CE was an Arab philosopher claims the ‘light’ (illumination) of his knowledge is from Kufa, Iraq, who translated most of the Greek divine and metaphysical. In other words he is philosophical works into Arabic. Scholars agree portraying himself as divine/godman. that under the influence of those translations, Abu Author’s Note: Habash Suharwardi is not to be confused with Shaikh Nasr Al-Farabi (872-950) CE of Persian descent, Shahabuddin Abu Hafs Umar Suhrawardi (1145-1234) CE, the Shaikh who lived in Baghdad, was the first Muslim of Suhurwardiyya Sufi order, who wrote his magnum opus in Islamic titled ‘Awarif al-Ma’arif’. Habash Suhrawardi’s (التصوف اﻹسﻻمي) scholar who embraced Neoplatonism. And Sufism CIFIA GLOBAL JOURNAL VOL – 1 e-ISSN 2582-6859 Published 10 JUL 2020 is different from Islamic Sufism Neo-theosophy is a term used by the followers of ’(فلسفه اشراق) ’Philosophy of illumination‘ .followed by Shaikh Umar Suhrawardi (التصوف اﻹسﻻمي) Blavatsky, to denominate the system of Habash Suhrawardi’s philosophy revolves theosophical ideas expounded by Annie Besant around the principle of divine unity hidden in and Charles Webster Leadbeater of theosophical Zoroastrianism, in ancient Hellenic and Hermetic society, who took charge of the theosophical philosophers, and in Hindu and Egyptian society after the death of Blavatsky. The traditions. He claimed, ‘Divine Secret Wisdom’ objectives of Neo-theosophy were (i) to form a is universal, and predates Islam, nucleus of the universal brotherhood without (الحكمت اللدنية) which passed directly from Hermes (Herald of distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color, (ii) gods in ancient Greek religion and mythology) to to encourage the study of philosophy, science Egypt and Persia. The Egyptian branch and comparative religion and (iii) to investigate eventually extended to Greece. From Greece, it laws of Nature and the powers hidden in human poured its beneficent light into Islamic civilization. beings. Theosophical Sufism Neo-theosophical writers hold that there is a deeper spiritual reality and that direct contact with Theosophy is a philosophy that supports the that reality can be established through intuition, argument that the knowledge of God can be meditation, revelation, or some other state achieved through direct intuition, spiritual ecstasy transcending normal human consciousness. and special individual relationship with God. You (ii) Theosophical Sufism related to certain can be the follower of any religion. The Muslim sects knowledge of God can be achieved even without following a religion because theosophical The theosophy related to certain Muslim sects is philosophy, in itself, is a religion. Based on this known as ‘Transcendent (divine) theosophy’, philosophy, a ‘theosophists society’ was which was developed by Persian Shia established in the USA in 1875. The founder of philosopher, Mulla Sadra. this philosophy was Helena Blavatsky (1831- Sadruddin Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Yahya 1891). Qawami Shirazi, popularly known as Mulla Sadra We have categorized theosophical Sufism into (1571-1640) CE, an Iranian Shia philosopher, two types, namely (i) related to non-Muslims, and was heir to philosophers like Al-Farabi, Ibn Sena (ii) related to certain Muslim sects. and Habash Suhrawardi. He was dedicated to the traditional forms of logical arguments that are (i) Theosophical Sufism related to Non- based on mental understanding, rather than Muslims beliefs which come from religious (Islamic) faith and tradition. His use of the Quranic verses and The theosophy related to non-Muslims is prophetic traditions were mainly confined to subdivided as follows. secondary or supportive arguments for his beliefs. (a) Christian theosophy In other words, he used to interpret the Quranic Christian theosophy focuses on the attainment of verses and Ahadith to fit his theosophical ideas. direct, unmediated knowledge of the nature of He claimed that mystical inspiration, intellectual divinity and the origin and purpose of the universe. intuition, and revelation to prophets, are related to the same source, therefore, the prophetic (b) Jewish theosophy revelations can be interpreted and subjected to Jewish Theosophy seeks to understand and intellectual intuitions and inspirations of describe the divine realm. philosophers / sages. He considered philosophy as more than a reasoning inquiry. It is a mode of (c) Neo-theosophy ‘being’ and a way of life whose goal is wisdom and the cultivation of a holy life in which the sage CIFIA GLOBAL JOURNAL VOL – 1 e-ISSN 2582-6859 Published 10 JUL 2020 (philosopher / scholar) strikes a resemblance to After 10 years work, the new Ammani Quran titled the divine lord (Plato’s Theaetetus). This is the ‘The Study Quran' was published in line with Neoplatonic definition of philosophy that Christian Bible and Jewish Torah/Talmud. It does reconciles Plato and Aristotle. Mulla Sadra not contain verses of Quran in Arabic. One must claimed that, in philosophy, the human acquires read only English version of Ammani a resemblance to the Creator and creates a interpretation of Quranic verses. rational order to the cosmos. This is exactly like Plato’s ‘demiurge’, who knows the essences and forms of things that exist in the Cosmos and can ascribe a rational order to the Universe. Since early 19th century, Mulla Sadra’s philosophy has become the dominant philosophical paradigm in Shia and Ammani sects among Muslims. Theosophical Sufism was revived in early 21st century (in 2004-05) when Amman Message was developed by King Abdullah II of Jordan, in coordination with the Salafi Royal family of Saudi Arabia. Amman Message was attested by hundreds of Ammani Scholars in the world. Shaikh Nazim Haqqani, Dr. Taher-ul-Qadri, etc., Figure 1: The Study Quran are famous Scholars in this regard. Perennialism or Perennial philosophy has its Modern theosophists (also known as) Ammanis roots in Platonism which was condemned by Al- claim that all world religions contain similar inner Ghazali (1058–1111) during his lifetime. teaching in their sacred texts. They claim that all Perennialism is also known as 'Universalism' and religions are truthful and followers of all religions, 'Traditionalism'. This is based on the philosophy including Jews, Christians, Buddhists, etc., and that all religions are truthful, and followers of people belonging to all sects within Muslims, are every religion will attain salvation. In Indian sub- believers
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