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To: Tariqas Elist (and Usenet) From: HaramullahSubject: Sufism Model 1.2 (940914) (9409.sufimdl.h) Date: Revised 49940914 Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. La ilaha illa 'Llah. Assalam alaikum, my kin. A MODEL FOR DISCUSSION OF SUFISM By Haramullah _________________________________________ Contents: A. Model (a suggested context for discussion) B. Speculations on Relationships C. Review of Tariqas Sufi Discussion List Progress D. Deficiency (unchanged) E. Conclusion and Query (unchanged) ______________________________________________________________________ A. Model (a suggested context for discussion) Given my state of understanding of 'sufism/Sufism', I present the following theory regarding its substance for your review. Perhaps it will stimulate an interesting conversation and clear up some of the arguments we seem to perpetuate: ________________________________________________________________ DIAGRAM A: The faces of sufism <--- Ex - Exotericism ---> _____________________________ | | | . . . . . . . | | |<--- Es - Esotericism | . . . . . _______|_______ | |OOOOOOO|+++++++| | . . . . . |OOOOOOO|+++++++|<--- S - Sufism | |OOOOOOO|+++++++| | . . . _______|_______|_______|______ | |\ \|UUUUUUU|XXXXXXX|/ /| | . . . | \ |UUUUUUU|XXXXXXX| / | | | \ |UUUUUUU|XXXXXXX| / | | . . . | \ |_______|_______| / | | | \ \ | / / | | . . . | \ \ | / / /| | |\ \ \ | / / / | |_____________|_______________| / / / | | / / / / / / | |/ / / / / / |<--- s - sufism |______________________________| ___________________________________________________________ Key: Ex Exotericism (Includes all blank areas, areas with '/', '+' and 'X') This is composed of all strictly political and social entrapment schemes by which individuals are divested of their personal power and integrity through rigid and irrational adherence to verbal or behavioral forms. It is the devolution of all religion and it approaches what I have come to identify as 'cults'. This usually includes strict hierarchy, extremist theoretic, and location of authority within the social leader rather than in the divine or within the individual. (blank) General Exotericism which does not associate with the terms 'sufism' or 'islam'. / Exoteric sufism which does not identify itself as Islamic, yet includes only 'shams', 'charlatans', and the leaders of deceptive cults. + Exoteric Islam which had no part of the pre-Islamic roots of sufism. These would be Sufis in name only and have no actual connection to anything other than the politico-religious aspects of Islam. X Exoteric sufism, if it exists. This would a devolution of the pre-Islamic sufism which later associated with Islam. Es Esotericism (Includes areas shaded by '.', '\', 'U' and 'O') This is composed of all traditions and processes which deal with psycho-spiritual events/growth. Included here would be traditional and some unorthodox teachers and organizations, such as Zen Buddhism, Hindu Vedanta, and perhaps such teachers as we have been discussing such as Gurdjieff, Osho and Crowley. These go by many names, not usually anything like 'sufism', though they may associate themselves with it in some way. . Esotericism without association to the terms 'islam' or 'sufism', not necessarily involving itself with any particular culture or time period. \ Esoteric sufism which does not identify itself as Islamic. U Esotericism which derives its practices from within the pre-Islamic sufi heritage, and which identifies as Muslim (perhaps the various Orders). O Esotericism which does not derive its practices from within the pre-Islamic sufi heritage, yet which identifies as Muslim. s sufism (Includes areas shaded by '/', '\', 'U' and 'X'.) This represents the movement which predated the social tradition of Islam and drew from various sources, including Christianity, Neoplatonism, Gnosticism and Buddhism (I got these from Nicholson, through I agree they are open to question). This movement continues to this day and may or may not associate itself with Islam, though it does indeed use the term 'sufism' to describe itself. Included here would be the groups which focus on dance or on many traditions, perhaps including such heretics as Idries Shah and the 'Urban Dervish'. Here it is broken down into the two main groupings, identified by diagonal lines. Those which are still alive in their retention of what can only be called 'true' or 'valid teachings' fall within 'esotericism'. Those which call themselves 'sufism' yet are not either Islamic or anything more than political or business schemes are now called strictly 'Exoteric'. S Sufism (Includes areas shaded by '+', 'X', 'U' and 'O'.) This is the Muslim tradition of sufism, and it includes the four Orthodox Orders (Chishti, Qadiri, Suhrawardi and Naqshbandi, according to Shah in _The Way of the Sufi_). I've designated four divisions based on characteristics with respect to their esoteric content and association with the therm 'sufism'. _______________________________________________________ B. Speculations on Relationships Ex - Exotericism (nonmystical/nonspiritual) Es - Esotericism (neither 'islamic' nor 'sufism' by name) S - Sufism ('islamic' and 'sufism' by name) s - sufism (sufism, not 'islamic' by name) Of these groupings, Es focuses on the mystical aspect of experience, s focusses on expression and experiment which may lead to that experience, and S focusses on the tradition and structure which gives rise to that expression. In other words, S is a manifestation of s, and s of Es. Traditional Islamic Sufism contains within it the capacity to experiment within certain limitations and makes possible a particular kind of mystical experience/exploration. Of the multitudinous brands of 'sufism', many make the mystical experience available to their adherents. Esoteric schools aim at precisely this goal, though perhaps all of them may not do so with the same quality, while exoteric devolutions only serve to blemish the whole through mimicry and deceipt. I am as yet unsure if there is an 'esoteric sufism'(s) which does not identify as Islamic in the strict, religious sense, though I gather that Sufi Order of the West does not require such an identification as a condition of its membership. _____________________________________________________________ C. Review of Tariqas Sufi Discussion List Progress 1) Various members of group #2 continue to claim that those outside the Islamic tradition "are not Sufis". Given the terminology accepted in this model, they are correct. They are not 'Sufis', but they may be 'sufis' (i.e. non-Muslims who associate with the label 'sufi'). 2) Many have claimed that controversial writers, such as Aleister Crowley and gurus such as Osho are not 'sufis'. Given the terminology accepted in this model, they are correct. They are not 'sufis' in that they don't appear to identify strictly as such, but they may be 'esotericists' who claim to be involved with a similar (or the same) process AS 'sufism/Sufism' (in Crowley's case Hermeticism, in Osho's some nondescript global-esotericism). 3) I continue to hear recapitulation of the debate between groups S and s, perhaps assisted by some from Es. What I'd rather see is the use of some sort of model (such as the one presented here) as a focus for discussion of an historical analysis of sufism as it developed over time (including both controversial and conservative writers), as well as an examination of the traditional and unorthodox practices with included within ALL of the groups. ______________________________________________________ D. Deficiency (unchanged) 1) To date there has not been a clear and adequate analysis of the orthodox Sufi orders and their workings. 2) To date there has not been a clear and comprehensive evaluation of the major groups which associate with the label 'sufism', even if they don't consider themselves completely and solely 'Islamic'. 3) Little has been done to tie any of these groups together, showing their influences (e.g. from Rumi or other orthodox Muslim Sufis) and common histories. Little has been done to show up their differences in regard doctrine, practice or membership. 4) Little has been done to reveal the esoteric process as a basis for Sufism, sufism and other mystical groups, at least not in this mailgroup. Authors such as Evelyn Underhill have written very wide- ranging treatises on the subject, and surely there is much to draw from. 5) To date there has not been a listing of comparable traditions and/or social organizations, such as Zen Buddhism and Hindu Vedanta. Perhaps this lies outside the scope of this mailgroup, yet it would seem valuable to gather an understanding of sufism not only by an examination of that which lies within, but also of that which lies without - comparison and analysis. ____________________________________________________ E. Conclusion and Query (unchanged) There is much to be done. This is only one model among many possibilities. Discussion regarding all of this would seem of benefit to all sufis, let alone all Esotericists. Below I offer some queries from the context of this model for your contemplation Perhaps they will illuminate some of the possible avenues of of research from which we might benefit: 1) Is there a group in S (i.e. Sufism) which is not considered to be part of s (i.e. one which does not use the term 'sufi' and is yet considered 'Sufi' by the orthodox establishment? Another way to ask this question would be, 'Is S a complete subset within s?' Are all Sufis 'sufis'? 2) Are there ANY groups in S OR s which are not contained within Es? Is Es a universal for the others? Another way to ask this question would be 'Are there any Sufis or sufis who ARE Exotericists?' Compare this to the possible statement that Freemasons are no longer religious or mystical. ___________________________________________________________________ Thank you for your time. Muhammad rasulu 'Llah. Alaikum assalam, my kin. Love is the law, love under will. Revision 3 (c) 1994 Haramullah tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com House of Kaos 871 Ironwood Drive San Jose, CA 95125-2815
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