Rrrr. First, let me start off by saying I am not a sufi, but rather an admirer of the science of tasawwuf. I don't have the dedication to completely immerse myself in tasawwuf, but it's one of the things that I hope to explore later in life, when I get other basics down.
My husband comes from a long line of Egyptian sufis. His grandfather was even a sufi sheikh. My husband, however, has rejected sufism in favor of a more Qur'an and Sunnah based approach found in the works of Ibn Hazm. He is not, however, a salafi. Despite his rejection of sufism, he doesn't seem to mind (too much) that I carry on a love affair with sufism and with dhikr. He certainly isn't fond of sufism, but he does read pro-sufism articles from time to time.
I post (on occasion) on Islamway Sister's forum. While I was aware that they are salafi, I haven't felt too alienated from them until yesterday. One of my friends posted a link to one of my favorite websites - Sunnipath. It was deleted, because Sunnipath is a "sufi site." Rrrr. So today, someone else started a thread asking what sufism is. I posted a link to an article by Sheikh Nuh Keller that was a response to claims that sufism is bidah. Now, it just so happened that others on the thread had made the claim that sufism is a bidah. Of course, the mods deleted the link, and proceeded to post how sufism was in fact a bidah, and that Sheikh Nuh is a bidah too.
I've encountered this attitude on other salafi leaning sites as well, like LI Islamic Forum, where my links to Sunnipath and Zaytuna have been deleted.
I lurk more than post on Sunniforum, and although this is a very strict madhab based website, I don't think I've ever seen them delete links to salafi based sites. They certainly warn against salafi authors and books, but I haven't seen anything as extreme as I've encountered on islamway and LI islamic forum.
Perhaps my favorite forum out there is Islamicaweb, which I joined shortly after I converted to Islam. It's populated mainly by teens and 20 something young desis, with a mix of other ummah members thrown in. Most of the posters are muslim, some salafi, some more madhab based, but there has always been a free mix of ideas and exchange of opinions. I like that.
It seems to me that it would be best to present both perspectives, carry on a little debate, and then let people decide for themselves which members of the ulema they would like to follow. That's what I have in my marriage. DH will talk about Ibn Hazm, I'll look to a more madhab based approach, we may disagree, but in the end, both points of view are presented.
Meh.
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2 comments:
Assalaamualaikum
Sister,isnt it much easier and safer to go to the root of the religion that is to the teaching of Quran and Sunnah? Hold strongly to these and we will never be lost.Moreover why is it we tend to hold on to branches when we can hold to the root that is more firm stable?!
Peace be upon you,
wow this is the first time i have heard a salafi and suni muslim actually getting on in there marriage. Mashallah i think its such a great thing that you accept each others views i guess that what marriage is about compromise and understanding. I myself follow Ahlul sunnah wal Jamaat and lean toward following a madhad. i also follow sufism. Alhamdullilah. i previously myself used to follow salafism and alhamdullilah Allah showed me toward the righ path. i truely in my heart believe there is no Islam without sufism and there is no sufisn without islam. i love being a sufi its the best thing that has happened to me, it has taught me how to become a better humanbeing above all things and has increased my love for Allah and Rasulluallah (saw).
From ur sister in the UK
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