Islam

Question 1

Sufism

Answer 1

Sufism allows the adherent to develop their relationship with Allah on a personal level → Taqwa → God conciousness → Personal inner spiritual journey → through Tariqa “The Path” → Dhikr - remembers from meditation and contemplation of Allah → Focus on 99 attributes of Allah - The Quran → Forms of Dhikr include: prayer beads, poetry, Sama → Nafs - greater Jihad → personal struggle - helps to submit to Allah and to reach Mahabbah - Divine love & knowlege of Allah

Question 2

sufism

Answer 2

Sufi orders are recognised as spreading Islam worldwide, establishes Sufi values of love, peace and acceptance, as founded in the Al-Fathia of the Quran → Sufi missionaries travelled 13th centurary onwards, taking Islam beyond the middle east to Africa and South East Asia → converted many people due to the Islamic values and Dhikr practices, inspired mass conversions - Christi Order → Sufism integrates into cultural system of country becoming one with their social structures rather than apart → built mosques, orphanages, hospitals - taught simplicity of life strength of charatcer and devotion to faith - 2017 (bangladesh) → south east Asia high population of Islamic sufis → example of spread of sufi Islam, sufi centre in Broken hill, NSW

Question 3

Sufism

Answer 3

By getting closer to Allah, through Sufi practices Dhikr, brings the adherent inner peace and strentght of faith improves reslationship with Allah → Khalwa - seclusion retreats - Muhammad practiced this form of Dhikr - caves to meditate and be close to Allah, not just to get close to Allah aswell as for respite and to seek peace - Contemplates the names of Allah - brings awareness of Allah presence → Modern day retreats based on spirituality practices on Muhammad - The Bright Path - “little sleep, little talk, little food” → 40 day retreats where they meditate and contemplate Allah and his mercy and peace, brings healing and sense of calm → ‘Hearts become tranquil through the remembrance of Allah’ - Quran - Strengthen faith

Question 4

Sufism

Answer 4

Modern day Sufis and sufi orders continue their preaching of love peaceand acceptance by being involved in social justice initiation → “Humanity by but a single brotherhood. So make peace with your brothen” Quran → Khedmet - service (beyond Zakat) serving God is serving people - Gulen - Sufi Scholar → Specific example of sufi organisation - ‘Every Act of kindness in charity’ Hadith → Sufi service committee - supporting Matthew Talbot homeless service centre - Catholic organisation Aus → Misson is based on belief on the importance of caring fornothers by doing so experiences a sense of oneness by Allah → progam in UK - Homeless and needy meals program → 2009 average 50 people weekly freshly prepared hot meals offer support Granville community centre

Question 5

Dhikr

Answer 5

• Sufi practices of Whirling, Music, Poetry and Sama encapsulates the essence of Sufism which is Tawhid and Submission to Allah.
• All these practices of Dhikrs which are different for all Sufi Orders, demonstrated the love Sufis have for Allah and resulted in the growth and appreciation of Sufi poetry, music and culture up until the present while spreading the teachings of Islam

Question 6

Rumi

Answer 6

• Rumi is considered one of the greatest sunni Islamic scholars who continues to encapsulate the essence of Sufism. 13th century Rumi, through his poetry, demonstrates his love for Allah (mahabbah) and has been named one of the most popular poets in the USA.
• Rumi’s poetry is based on Tawhid and how the one God was the centre of his life inspiring both Muslim and non Muslims alike.
• Rumi is also said to inspire the popular sama of the “whirling dervishes” of the Melevi order which has helped to bring music and dance into the repertoire of mainstream Islam.
• In Turkey today, the shrine of Rumi is most revered and continues to be a place of pilgrimage and worship for Muslims world wide
• Rumi, famous 13th century poet, inspired traditional dance of ‘whirling dervishes’ of the Mevlevi order (semi) to eliminate their ego and work toward mahabbah and god-consciousness (Taqwa) by a combination of music and whirling.

Question 7

Sama

Answer 7

• Sufi rituals—notably the sama‘ (17.81.4), a dance-like ceremony in which participants attempt to reach an ecstatic state through music and movement—are communal and celebratory.
• In the sama‘, participants use music to enabled practitioners to momentarily forget earthly and physical ties, allowing them to achieve a heightened state in which they felt encompassed by the divine (1988.430). Sufis often meditatively repeat a dhikr (a remembrance or devotional act), which may be the name of God, the Shahada (“there is no god but God”), or verses from the Qur’an.
• Sufi music has been a source of inspiration for Muslims in these areas and spreads the message of Tawhid through its sacred music.
• This has become another form of worship and introduction to Islam to non muslims and those of other religions. Music and does not generally have a place in Islamic prayer and mosque services

Question 8

Impact

Answer 8

• Sufism has impacted on Islam culturally, providing literature, art and music that together add to the richness of the tradition and provide an avenue to pass on Sufi values and the love, peace, acceptance of Allah and the understanding of Tawhid to all.
• Sufism has shaped literature and the arts in Islamic society. This impact has been felt particularly in poetry and music. Among the many excellent mystical poets, the most famous is Mawlana Jalal al-din Rumi (d. 1273), whose three-volume didactic poem The Masnavi has been translated into all major Western languages.
• Year of Rumi 2007. Through Sufism Dhikr practices such as Sama and Poetry, Islamic culture has been able to develop and the ideas and values of Islam have been able to reach millions of people crossing religious and national boundaries
• Sufism has impacted on Islam culturally, providing literature, art and music that together add to the richness of the tradition and provide an avenue to pass on Sufi values and the love of Allah and the understanding of Tawhid to all.
• By educating the masses and deepening the spiritual concerns of the Muslims, Sufism has played an important role in the formation of Muslim society. It enabled the spread of Islamic values as found in the Al fatiha (First chapter of the Quran) to all parts of the Islamic world and also the Western world. Through the poetry of Sufism, mystical ideas of Islam spread widely among the Muslims. There themes of love of Allah also made sufi poetry and music universal and attractive to the message of Islam to non Muslims.

Question 9

Example

Answer 9

• An example of increasing awareness of Allah comes from music; specifically Jennifer Grout, an American singer who featured on Arabs Got Talent who integrates passages from the Quran into her music in order to keep Allah in the consciousness of listeners.
• She has hundreds of thousands of followers from many nations, on social media who follow her music and this has contributed to developing knowledge of Sufi Musical culture that has shaped Islamic culture.
• Decisively, Dhikr involves keeping Allah at the centre of Sufi’s minds, reflecting a contribution to the expression of Islam by causing adherents to engage in deeper contemplation of Tawhid and Allah. Sufism has contributed further to the revitalisation of the Islamic tradition through developing music in other cultures.