Degress of Certitude in Islamic Mysticism

One of central concept within Islamic mysticism is that of yaqin which is translated as certitude or certainty. It is often considered for many as a goal toward which wayfarer (salik) has to head. In the Holy Quran from which the Sufis draw inspiration and terms they use, we find three things attributed to certitude, that are, ilm (knowledge), ‘ayn (eye or essence), haqq (real or reality). These attributes are used to mark degrees to which certitude belongs. The present paper will try to examine certitude in its connection with these three attributes.
According to al-Jurjani in his al-Ta’rifat, the word yaqin literally means unshakeable knowledge, and then is used to mean knowing thing as it really is and being convinced that this reality is not mutable. Other opinion says that it is heart’s tranquility on what really thing is. Ibn Manzhur explains yaqin as heart’s being filled with decisive faith accompanied with firmness of judgment. Yaqin, considering its meaning of verifying things (tathabbut min al-amr), has three opposites, that is, wahm (false impression), shakk (doubt), and zhann (conjecture). All these meanings can be traced in its root YQN, which signifies, when related to water, its steady and changeless. It also can originate from al-yaqnu, signifying piece of wood in the sailor’s hand used as a tool to run the boat. What is attempted here is first to collect various sayings of Sufis concerning this matter.
Talking about what theologians (mutakallimun) term, al-Ghazali explains that there are four things as to extents of soul inclination to belief. The first is shakk (doubt and uncertainty). It occurs when one does not prefer one possibility among two or more alternatives. The second is zhann (supposition while admitting that the contrary may be the case). It is the soul's inclination toward one of possible things. The third is i’tiqad (belief), that is, when soul believes in something and have no alternatives other than that thing, while there is no certain knowledge to support that belief. The fourth is yaqin (certainty). It is when soul knows something and does not doubt it at all, gained by demonstrative evidences and has no possibility to doubt it.



EARLY SUFIS ON YAQIN
I mean by early Sufis those who wrote book on sufism and those whose sayings are quoted before al-Ghazali. Here I will use representative works, such as al-Luma’ of al-Sarraj, al-Ta’aruf of al-Kalabadhi, and al-Risalah of al-Qushairi. In al-Luma’, al-Sarraj categorizes yaqin as one of the states (al-ahwal), contrasted to stations (al-maqamat). He defines al-ahwal as “something happening to the hearts”, furthermore, quoting al-Junaid, it is something descending to the hearts, therefore not lasting. The similar definition is given by al-Hujwiri, defining state as “something that descends from God into a man’s heart, without his being able to repel it when it comes, or to attract it when it goes, by his own effort”.
As to yaqin, al-Sarraj equates it to al-mukashafah (mystical vision), which is, according to him, divided into three kinds; direct vision by sights in the day of judgment, heart vision of the realities of faith (haqa’iq al-iman), and vision of signs by revealing divine sovereignty to the prophets with miracles and to the saints. In contrast to al-Sarraj, al-Qushairi classifies yaqin among spiritual stations (al-maqamat). It is nineteenth station. He identifies three things to indicate yaqin in oneself. They are seeing God in everything, returning to Him in every affair, and seeking His help in every condition.
Al-Kalabadhi collects several sayings of early Sufis concerning yaqin. Al-Junayd says “yaqin is the absence of doubt”, al-Nuri says “yaqin is vision”, and Dzu al-Nun says “what eyes see is related to knowledge, and what hearts see is related to yaqin”.

IBN ARABI ON YAQIN
According to Ibn Arabi, yaqin is noble station between knowledge and tranquility (thuma’ninah). It is whatever one really knows of and soul already accepts, whether or not it already happens. The reason as to why it is divided into three stages is because something could be certitude without having to be knowledge, or vision, or real. It has four pillars, three of which has been widely known is to be found in the Holy Quran and one is reality of certitude. This last is based on Prophetic Tradition which says ”For every truth (haqq), there is reality (haqiqah)”, from which Ibn 'Arabi deduces that for haqq al-yaqin, there is too haqiqat al-yaqin (reality of certitude). Therefore, there are four pillars for yaqin, that is, ‘ilm, ‘ayn, haqq, and haqiqah.
He continues to say that since in the world of meanings (‘alam al-ma‘ani), yaqin is comprised of four things, so is the case with the world of words and expressions (‘alam al-alfazh wa al-‘ibarat), in which word yaqin is made up of four letters; sound al-ya', al-qaf, al-ya' al-mu'tallah and al-nun. Furthermore, Ibn ‘Arabi explores these letters and their correspondence with macrocosm (al-‘alam al-kabir), the world of bodies (‘alam al-abdan), and the world of spirits (‘alam al-abdan).
In the chapter 269 of his magnum opus, al-Futuhat al-Makkiyah, Ibn ‘Arabi immediately expounds what these three stages of yaqin mean. He explains the first as “something given by evidence which accept no doubt”, the second as “something given by direct contemplation (al-mushahadah) and unveiling (al-kashf)”, and the third as “knowledge coming to the heart concerning the reason of that contemplation”.
Defining yaqin as heart’s steadfastness on something, Ibn ‘Arabi gives example the Ka’bah in Mecca. After knowing that the Ka’bah is in Mecca and there is no doubt about this, which is termed as ‘ilm al-yaqin, one may directly see it and, thus, gain ‘ayn al-yaqin, which is more that what he alrealy knows about the Ka’bah. This vision brings about in him taste (dhawq) of what he is seeing, relating to its form and condition. Haqq al-yaqin occurs when God opens his insight as to reason this Ka’bah has been chosen as His house around which pilgrims circumambulate.

IBN AL-QAYYIM ON YAQIN
He is not among the scholars known as Sufi, even some consider him in contrast position. Notwithstanding with this common opinion, he has, however, commentary commentary to al-Harawi’s Manazil al-Sa’irin. Ibn al-Qayyim treats Sufi Doctrines as explanation to the Holy Quran, as elucidated from the title of his work Madarij al-Salikin bayn Manazil Iyyaka Na‘budu wa Iyyaka Nasta‘in.
According to Ibn al-Qayyim, yaqin is the goal of the gnostics (al-arifin) and, when added to it patience (shabr), a man has qualification to be a leader, alluding to the Holy Quran. Yaqin is spirit of heart’s works which are spirits of bodies’ works. It is the reality of the (station of) purity (haqiqah al-shiddiqiyah). It is the axis around which tasawwuf centers. When a salik arrives at yaqin, it comes, then, love of God, fear of Him, gratitude to Him, trust in Him, and return to Him. Commenting whether it is God-giving (wahbi) or achievable (kasbi), Ibn al-Qayyim says that it is kasbi, viewing its causes, and wahbi, considering itself.
Concerning degrees of yaqin, al-Harawi, whose book Ibn al-Qayyim comments, says that it has three degrees, the first is ‘ilm al-yaqin, ‘ayn al-yaqin, and haqq al-yaqin. The first is accepting what appears from the Truth, accepting what disappears for the Truth, and being aware of His Names, Attributes, and Actions. As to the first thing to constitute yaqin, that is, accepting what appears from the Truth, Ibn al-Qayyim says that it is His commands, prohibitions, law, and religion which come through His messengers. We should accept and follow them. Concerning the second, which is accepting what disappears from the Truth, it is the faith in the Unseen (al-ghayb) about which the Truth has reported through His messenger tongues. The third is knowledge of tawhid (declaring God’s oneness), that is, knowing His beautiful Names, Attributes, and absolute perfectness.
The second level of certitude is that of ‘ayn al-yaqin (vision of certitude), i.e., direct vision sufficient from formal information and direct contemplation breaking the veil of knowledge. It is when one sees what he, before, firmly knows. To put it in other word, it is certitude gained through true information and, then, intensified by direct vision.
Haqq al-yaqin (real certitude), according to Ibn al-Qayyim, is not attainable in this worldly life with the exception of the messengers of God, such the Prophet’s ascension in which he saw with his eye heaven and hell; and prophet Moses experience of God's manifestation in Mount Sinai. He, however, does not reject possibility of our tasting of haqq al-yaqin, with regard to realities of faith relating with one's heart and its actions, for it really tastes them. With reference to the matters of the Hereafter, such as directly seeing God, really hearing His words without medium, the believers’ portion of them is faith and ‘ilm al-yaqin, and haqq al-yaqin would be attained in the Hereafter.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abd al-Razzaq, Mahmud. Al-Mu’jam al-Shufi. Dar Majid Usayri: Jeddah. 2004
Ghazali, Abu Hamid Muhammad bin Muhammad al-. Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din. Semarang: Karya Toha Putra.
Jurjani, Ali bin Muhammad al-. Kitab al-Ta'rifat. Al-Mathba'ah al-Khairiyah.
Ibn ‘Ajibah, Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad. Iqazh al-Himam. Dar Jawami‘ al-Kalim: Cairo.
Ibn ‘Arabi, Muhy al-Din. Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyah. Dar Shadir: Beirut. 2004.
---. Kitab al-Yaqin. Dar Akhbar al-Yaum.
Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Abu Abd Allah Muhammad bin Abi Bakr. Madarij al-Salikin bayn Manazil Iyyaka Na’budu wa Iyyaka Nasta’in. Muassasah al-Mukhtar: Cairo. 2001.
Kalabadhi, Abu Bakar Muhammad bin Ishaq al-. Al-Ta’arruf li Madhhab Ahli al-Tasawwuf. Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyah: Beirut. 1993.
Sarraj, Abd Allah bin Ali al-. Al-Luma. Al-Tawfikia Bookshop: Cairo.
Schimmel, Annemarie. Mystical Dimension of Islam. Yoda Press: New Delhi.
Qushairi, Abu al-Qasim Abd al-Karim al-. Al-Risalah al-Qushairiyah. Al-Maktabah al-Ashriyah: Beirut.

endnotes:
[1]Ali bin Muhammad Al-Jurjani, Kitab al-Ta’rifat, h. 113.
[2] Ibn Manzhur, Lisan al-Arab in Mahmud Abd al-Razzaq, al-Mu’jam al-Shufi, v 3, p. 1072.
[3] Mahmud Abd al-Razzaq, ibid., pp. 1073-4.
[4] Abu al-Abbas Ahmad bin ‘Ajibah al-Hasani, Iqazh al-Himam fi Syarh al-Hikam, p. 310.
[5] Muhy al-Din Ibn ‘Arabi (a), Kitab al-Yaqin, p. 52.
[6] Abu Hamid Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Ghazali, Ihya Ulum al-Din, v. I, p. 72.
[7] Abu Nashr Abd Allah bin Ali al-Sarraj, al-Luma’, p. 46.
[8] Quoted from Annemarie Schimmel, Mystical Dimension of Islam, p. 99.
[9] Ibid., pp. 73-4.
[10] Abu al-Qasim Abd al-Karim al-Qushairi, al-Risalah al-Qushairiyah, p. 180.
[11] Abu Bakar Muhammad bin Ishaq al-Kalabadhi, al-Ta’aruf li Madhhab Ahli al-Tasawwuf, p. 121.
[12] Muhy al-Din Ibn ‘Arabi (a), op. cit., p. 52.
[13] Muhy al-Din Ibn ‘Arabi (b), al-Futuhat al-Makkiyah, v. III, p. 238.
[14] Muhy al-Din Ibn ‘Arabi (a), op. cit., p. 56.
[15] Ibid., pp. 66-78.
[16] Muhy al-Din Ibn ‘Arabi (b), op. cit., v. IV, p. 227.
[17] Ibid., p. 227-8.
[18] The Holy Quran chapter al-Sajdah verses 24.
[19] Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Madarij al-Salikin bayn Manazil Iyyaka Na’budu wa Iyyaka Nasta’in, pp. 124-5.
[20] Ibid., pp. 128-9.
[21] Ibid., p. 129.

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Unveiling the Truth: Sufism between Influences and Purity

Islam is a din rendered into English as religion. But different perspective as to what religion is between Islam and Western civilization undoubtedly results in misunderstandings retained for centuries. It follows that those who are used to see things from Western understanding and viewpoint would consider Sufism as the alien part of Islam. From their viewpoint it is understandable to do so, for they lack the complete comprehension of teachings of Islam.
They work behind their distorted presuppositions held for centuries of hatred toward Islam. Although the situation now is growing better, there remain misunderstandings of several concepts formulated by the Sufis of old, since they are seen outwardly, i.e., not understood within Islamic worldview. To equal, for example, wahdatul wujud understood by Sufis, with pantheism known to Western civilization is one of the consequence following from such situation, where, in fact, both are of very different nature.
In this paper I will first examine mysticism generally understood in its wide context. Next, I will try to trace the origin of word Sufi. As it will be soon discovered that this word was current even in the pre-Islamic days. I will try to show that, in the case of Sufism, the mere similarity is not sufficient to support theories of influence. It will be also proven that Islamic teaching itself is already full of Sufism, so to speak, both pratical or theoritical. Thus, it does not make sense to relate the appearance of Sufism within Islam only with something external to it.


UNDERSTANDING MYSTICISM
To talk about tasawuf in wider context means to talk of special sort of mysticism that belongs to Islam or Islamic tradition. Mysticism is derived from mystic originating from Greek mustikos, from mustēs which means “initiated person”, from muein which means “close the eyes or lips”, and “initiate”. From the very original Greek meaning we can infer that mysticism is related with something beyond the senses, that is, not able to to be understood by average approaches. And it is quite surprising that the Greek original also signifies initiated person which later in the context of sufism is comparable to the necessity of the spiritual guide (sheikh).
The other origin closely related to mysticism is mystery which is also of Greek origin, that is, mustērion which means simply “a revealed secret”. This means that mustērion, from which word mystery originates, is not something incomprehensible at all; it is a secret yet able to be comprehended if revealed.
Another definition offered to explain mysticism is given by a leading author on mysticism Evelyn Underhill. She describes it as “the art of union with Reality”, and, thus the mystic is “a person who has attained that union in greater or less degree; or who aims at and believes in such attainment”. The idea of the limitless Reality is not a concern of rational understanding, since its many shortcomings to prevent the perfect knowledge. It is rather of feeling and consciousness, which have fuller ability to grasp it. But this description does not make the way to understand mysticism easy, since the goal to which all the ways lead cannot be easily apprehended by “any normal mode of perception”, as Schimmel expresses it. It can only properly comprehended by spiritual experience that depends neither to sensual nor rational methods.
Spiritual experience can only be attained by disciplines of self-purifying (takhalli/via purgativa) from all other than Him. Then it leads a mystic to higher state of beautifying his heart, self, and soul resulting in divine love and gnosis (tahalli/via illuminativa). Upon completing this, a mystic’s journey will be entirely different, for, in this stage, there is nothing other than Him (tajalli/unio mystica).
There are two types of mysticism; that of infinity and of personality. The first type speaks of the infinite being which is conceived as limitless, spaceless, and even not being; since it does not belong to the same category to which human being is classified. Th e purest form of this type can be found in the Upanishads and the system of Plotinus. This kind is often forbidden for many people as it seemed to trivialize human values and, therefore, resulting in monism and pantheism which constitute great threat to human being taken as a whole. The idea of continuing creation held by this mysticism does not seem reconcilable with creatio ex-nihilo doctrine.
In opposite to the the first type the mysticism of personality stresses on human personality as understood from the name. God in this mysticism is perceived as Creator, Lord, and Beloved whereas human being is creature, slave, and lover. Both types hardly become separated independently not connected in each purest form. The contrary is the most cases. The modern historian classify these two types as mystic and prophetic. Such classification is not proper with the case of Islam, as seen later.
With regarding to Islam there is less distinction between two approaches or rather both are integrated. This fact makes the clear grouping between the two seems to be difficult or even impossible without falling into traps which make both not be correctly understood. In Islam both are equally strong.
Some modern scholars try to explain the nature of mysticism. William James gives an explanation that mysticism can be described by four things. Firstly, that it is the state of mental perception (noetic) rather than discursive knowledge. It is like revelations of direct experience. Secondly, the ineffability of explanating such mental perception, since it is a feeling state which cannot be exactly explained by words. Thirdly, the transiency of that mental insight. But the effect of it somehow can still be recovered. Fourthly, its passivity, that is, the mystic’s being passive while acquiring that insight. Another attempt to identify the natures of mysticism is done by R. M. Bucke. He asserts that mysticism has seven characteristics; the subjective light, moral elevation, intellectual illumination, sense of immortality, loss of fear of death, loss of sense of sin, and suddeness. And although these aspects exist undeniably in most types of mysticism, yet these two attempts are not fully comprehensive to determine the whole elements of mysticism. Since there remains many aspects of it have not been explained in these two yet.

ON LEXICAL ORIGIN OF SUFI
With regard to Islam, tasawuf has been the generally accepted name for mysticism. However, some writers use tasawuf, which is derivative of sufi, as translation of English mysticism. This rendering, though loosely understandable, is not the correct one; for it is from Islamic Tradition that word tasawuf owes its existence, and hence should be grasped in Islamic context. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent historical and semantical meaning contained in word mysticism as understood in Western history when talking about Islamic mysticism, tasawuf, or, later in the early 19th century, sufism. The last has now become the common word in English-using literatures for denoting mysticism in Islam.
Scholars on Sufism, and so did the Sufi of old, have different opinions as to from what root this word originates. Some assert that it comes from safa which means purity, “the sufis was so named because the purity of their inmost ground and the cleanness of their traces”. Others say that it has its origin from al-saff al-awwal which means the first rank signifying that they are in the first rank before God. Others would say it is derived from ahl al-suffah, which originally signifies the people of the Bench, Prophet’s Companions living poverty life and always attached to spend their time in worshiping God.
It is worth noting that there is an attempt from European scholar to ascribe the origin of word sufi to Greek sophos relating with teosophist. But this, as supposed, can no longer be maintained, since it seems to be impossible philologically.
But of these origins, the most acceptable morphologically is that it is from suf, which means woolen garment. Although the last signifies only to the external aspect of sufism, it is common at the time when this term came to exist to refer to men by their outer appearance rather than their attributes and traits, just like al-Quran referring to the Companions of the Jesus Christ by al-hawariyyin alluding to their white garb rather than their virtues.
This does not necessarily mean to decrease spiritual significance of this word and to disregard other three words’ meaning, since:
“Those who relate them to the Bench and to wool express the outward aspect of their conditions: for they were people who had left this world, departed from their homes, fled from their compaions. They wandered about the land, mortifying the carnal desires, and making naked the body; they took of this world’s good only so much as is indispensable for covering the nakedness and allaying hunger.”
Furthermore, al-Kalabadhi clarifies that, although these words seem to be different, their meanings indicate the same. For, he adds, “If the term is taken from al-safa (purity) and al-safwah (tha choosen), then it would be safawiyah; if it is connected to al-saff (rank) or al-suffah (bench), it would be saffiyah or suffiyah; and it is possible that preceding of wawu over ya’ in the word sufiyah and its addition in words saffiyah and suffiyah is because of passing from mouth to mouth (tadawul al-alsun)”.
Abu Nasr al-Sarraj, one of the earliest writers on sufism, reports that the word sufi was common in the pre-Islamic days (ashr jahily), that is, by implication, already known in the Prophet’s life. To support his view on this matter he quotes from the History of Mecca by Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar that there were times in Mecca in which everybody left and no one left there to honor the Ka’bah and in these times a Sufi used to come from another place to the Ka’bah in prescribed manner. Thus the term Sufi at that time had the similar significance as the word hanif who is one practicing the religion of Abraham.
If it is so, then why is it not prevalent in the days of Prophet and his Companions? Al-Sarraj argues that it is because the honor of being Prophet’s Companions is the highest honor that no body would ever think to call them other than their being so. In spite of that, their spirituality is of high rank to be the inspiration for next people.

INFLUENCES ON SUFISM
So far as influences toward sufism is concerned, there are several theories. E. H. Palmer considers that sufism is a developed form of primeval religion of the Aryan race. Sufism, thus, is merely considered as a sort Iranian development within Islamic spirituality. And so is the case with Thoulk who identifies the origin of sufism to Zoroastrian with the argument that many of Zoroastrians living in the northern Iran from which early Sufi leaders came and some of the Sufi path founder was of Zoroastrian origin. In spite of these arguments they argue with, we still cannot say that sufism is simply of Iranian sort of spirituality dressed in Arabic, since there were many sufi leaders who lived in Syria, Egypt, and other parts of Islamic world, even some of them are more influential.
Some are convinced that sufism is of Christian origin. This opinion is held even by seemingly moderate Western scholar on sufism, R. A. Nicholson. He writes: “We have seen that the woollen dress, from which the name 'Sufi' is derived, is of Christian origin: vows of silence, litanies (dhikr), and other ascetic practices may be traced to the same source”, and “It must also be allowed that the ascetic movement was inspired by Christian ideals, and contrasted sharply with the active and pleasure-loving spirit of Islam.” But this similarity by which Nicholson maintains his view is no longer valid if we read verses from al-Quran which lucidly elucidates that: “And nearest among them in love to the Believers wilt thou find those who say: ‘We are Christians’. because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant”, “And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth; they pray: "Our Lord! we believe; write us down among the witnesses.” Besides, there is a number of Quranic Verses and Prophetic Traditions which command to live in this world while remembering its transience and forbid from fully absorbed in the worldly life.
Scholars, like Goldziher who is a Jew, are convinced that sufism has been influenced to the great extent by jewish teachings. One of the arguments they propose to establish their view is that many Jews who converted to Islam fabricated many sayings later known as israiliyyat. The other argument they employ to assure their opinion is that incarnation theory of sufism is similar to the antropomorphism tendency within Jew tradition. But, again, the mere similarity does not prove that there is influence. The so-called sufism theory is alien to the core teachings of true sufism, and therefore cannot show any influence toward it.
One more theory is given to trace the origin of sufism. It traces origin of sufism back to Indian Civilization, that is to say that elements of Hindu and Budha had been absorbed into sufism. They argue that annihilation (fana’) in sufi tradition is comparable to the concept of nirvana within Buddhism and Hinduism. And so is the thought of incarnation (hulul) and union (ittihad) ascribed to sufism with reincarnation of souls (tanasukh) of Indian belief. From these resemblances we cannot arbitrarily infer that sufism has been affected by Hinduism or Buddhism.
Another influence from which sufism is identified to be developed is neoplatonism. This so-called influence of neoplatonism is detected by the prominence of literary tradition, containing mystical ideas, translated into Syrian from Greek through which the doctrines of emanation, illumination, gnosis, and ecstasy were transmitted. In addition to his opinion about Christian origin of sufism, he assuredly writes that “Neoplatonism poured into Islam a large tincture of the same mystical element in which Christianity was already steeped”. That Greek thought had permeated some aspects of theosophical sufism is undeniable. However, it should be noticed that it does not necessarily mean that the so-called theosophist merely adopted Greek concepts without appropriating them into their own system of thought; and it is also possible, viewing the conceptual possibilities contained within al-Quran and Prophet’s Tradition, that they just borrow Greek terms to give an explanation of concepts already included in the Two Sources.

ISLAM AND SUFISM
For some, it sounds somewhat strange to question relationship between sufism and Islam. But it is incumbent upon us to clarify this issue, since there are many misunderstandings on sufism from our muslim brothers. Read, for example, Abdurrahman al-Wakil’s book entitled Hadzihi Hiya al-Sufiyyahin which he writes:
“It is an obligation for Sheikh to invite his followers back to Islam; believing in al-Quran and the Prophet’s Tradition; disbelieving the Sufis and their idolatrous legacy. And if their followers do not accept Allah swt as the only God, His book as the only guide, His messenger as the only model, then he must go to Allah swt. and leave this position and its idols; the curse of Allah is upon them”
First of all it is essential to state that sufism is an integral part of Islam. It is no more than an interiorization of Islam, as Schimmel rightly puts it, or practice of the shari’ah at the station of ihsan, as formulated by al-Attas. It is very easy to trace the Sufi’s thought and practices back to the Sources of Islam, that is, al-Quran and Hadith of the Prophet. And, once again, Schimmel correctly notes that “In fact, the quintessence of the long history of Sufism is to express anew, in different formulation, the overwhelming truth that ‘there is no deity but Allah’ and to realize that He alone can be the object of worship”. Keeping this in mind, we should be able to see the position of tasawuf within Islamic context. It is just like fiqh; while the latter is concerned with outer aspect of Islam, the former is concerned with the inner aspect of it. Both are, so to speak, dynamic. Denying one of them means rejecting half of Islam. As alluded to in al-Quran: “Eschew all sin, open or secret” , there are two kind of sins; open or outer sin and secret or inner sin. The first-mentioned is of fiqh matter, so is the latter of tasawuf matter.
As far as the measurement by which Sufis judge their insights, it is a fact that they draw theirs first and foremost from al-Quran and Prophet’s tradition. Both constitute guides par excellence for every Sufi. If the ma’rifah is the highest goal toward which a Sufi should walk, then al-Quran is the only means by which he can know Him and has formed the cornerstone for all mystical doctrines. Sufis also are also inspired by the Prophet through whom al-Quran was revealed. He is the first link in the spiritual chain of sufism.
Al-Attas guidedly states:
“Tasawuf is none other than the intensification of shari’ah upon one’s self; it is the expression of ihsan in the ‘abd; it is ‘ibadah fortified and enlightened by intellectual discernment leading to spiritual apprehension of realities; it is the practice of the shari’ah at the station of ihsan; it is established upon certainty as it is based upon hikmah and al-ilm al-ladunniyy—wisdom and spiritual knowledge which God grants to whomsoever He pleases of the elect among His servants. ... Its technical vocabulary is derived from its chief Source, the Holy Qur’an, and its interpretation and practice is grounded upon the Sunnah.”
The core concept upon which tasawuf is based is concept of covenant sealed between God and pre-existent human being, in which human being acknowledged Allah swt. as their Lord as referred to in al-Quran:
“When thy Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam--from their loins--their descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): "Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?"--They said: "Yea! we do testify!" (This), lest ye should say on the Day of Judgment: "of this we were never mindful."
This, too, is related with the very essential purpose for which human being and jinn are created. Allah swt. says in al-Quran: “I have only created the Jinn and Man that they may serve Me” . Ibadah in its profoundest sense ultimately means ma’rifah (knowledge), so that His purpose of creation is for the creature to know Him, as He says in Holy Tradition (hadith qudsiyy): “I was a Hidden treasure, and I desired to be known, so I created creation that I might be known”. Such knowledge can only be obtain by the ways commanded in the shari’ah; both obligatory and supererogation. Of this, He sayas in Holy Tradition:
“My Servant ceases not to draw nigh unto Me by supererogatory worship until I love him; and when I love him I am his ear, so that he hears by Me, and his eye, so that he sees by Me, and his tongue, so that he speaks by Me, and his hand so that he takes by Me.”
Observing these facts, i.e., al-Quran and Hadith talking of these so-called theosophical concepts, we should be aware that the very essential of Two Sources is pregnant with such teachings, and thus avoid us from being unduly influenced by theories of influences conveyed by orientalists and their followers.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ali, Sayyid Nur bin Sayyid. al-Tasawuf al-Syar’i Alladzi Yajhaluhu Katsirun min Mudda’iihi wa Munataqidiih. Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyah: Beirut. 2000.
al-Attas, Syed Muhammad Naquib. Islam and Secularism. ISTAC: Kuala Lumpur. 1993.
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