Discussion on Sufism and Iqbal in Tasawuf Seminar at Idara Moinul Islam, Sargodha

Tasawuf seminar was held on 14th December 2022 in Idara Moin-ul-Islam, Sargodha under the supervision of Prof. Mehboob Hussain, Chairman of the institute. Guest Scholars Professor Dr. Aqeel Ahmed, Dr. Sahibzada Mustafiz Ahmed and Dr. Tahir Hameed Tanoli discussed the topic. Dr. Tahir Hameed Tanoli from Iqbal Academy Pakistan talked about Allama Iqbal's concept of Sufism and the method of early Sufis. He explained the Sufism from Allama Iqbal's poetry and prose. While introducing Sufism, he said that the shortest definition of Sufism is that it transforming the concept of God form faith to life and realizing it in practice in life. The whole training of early Sufis and their training system is a means of achieving this goal. Allama Iqbal wrote in the first of his Lectures, Knowledge and Religious Experience, that although the hostile forces of the environment are fighting against man to divert him from his purpose in life, but Allah has given man the strength to overcome them. He can direct the forces according to his purpose in any way he wants. Allama Iqbal says:    

            He has the capacity to build a much vaster world in the depths of his own inner being, wherein he discovers sources of infinite joy and inspiration.

That is, he has the power within him that can create a world in which there is joy, satisfaction and the ability to create a new world. That is, Sufism is a process of awakening the inner self, where it gets inspiration and guidance to move towards the goal of life. He said that Sufism is a system of training that gives us the confidence and ability to experience the closeness of Almighty Allah in our daily life. Allama Iqbal says:

In a state of religious passion we know a factual reality in some sense outside the narrow circuit of our personality

That is, in this state of spiritual event, we get the knowledge of Absolute Reality beyond the limited sphere of our personality. He explained this point in the light of Allama Iqbal's thought that Sufism is a process of character building, as a result of which a person acquires character maturity and strength, as a result of which even the most hostile environment leads him to the right path and does not shake him. Allama Iqbal says:

It is life and boundless Power which recognizes no obstruction and can make a man calmly offer his prayers when bullets are showering around him

That is, it is the closeness of Haye and Qayyum , due to which no obstacle can stand in front of the believer and he is offering prayers with utmost satisfaction and peace even in the rain of bullets. He explained the point that the foundation of Sufism is ethics. No school of Sufism and no mystic teacher ignores the moral foundation of man. Unless the morality meets the standards given by Sufism, Sufi practices, mujahidas and training systems never produce results. The solution to the moral crisis that our society is facing today can only be if the training of Sufism is adopted along with its requirements. He referred to Hazrat Muhammad Umar Birbalvi, one of the elder scholars and mystics of Idara Moin-ul-Islam, who has described the practical principles of Sufism in detail in his book, "Inqalab al-Haqiq". The fact that simply following the Sharia and effectively obeying the Sharia are two different things has been explained in this book. Today, objections are being made to Sufism because the Ahl al-Tariqat claimed sainthood without effectively following the Shariat. If today the mystics would have taken a careful attitude like in the previous centuries, no one would have had the chance to say even a word against sufism in this era of free thought, duality and philosophy. Because this age does not have a simple nature rather the natures have become very inquisitive. Although degeneracy in practice is increasing, there is no deficiency in intellectual powers, nor is there any deficiency in intellectual equipment.

He said that according to the Inqalab al-Haqiq, following the Shariat is certainly the sign of Wilayat, but the requirements and essentials of perfect following are completely different. Perfect obedience cannot be attained without perfection of emotions. And perfect emotion is not related to human effort, but it is a bestowal and a divine gift. The lives of the great Sufis are a witness that the life of the Sufis is a manifestation of effectiveness and impression. As a result of this, divine favor is obtained. Sufism teaches that human actions have no effect without perfect emotions, and strong emotions are what complete sufism. If a Sufi engages in the process of reformation without strong, purified and perfect feelings, he may speak sweet words and explain the points of intellectuality, but this will not bring about a real change in the society.