by Maseehul Ummat, Maulana Mohammed Maseehullah Khan Sherwaani
one of the greatest of authorities in Tasawwuf of our times

THE NATURE OF TASAWWUF The department of the Shariat relating to a’male batini (esoteric acts or states of the heart) is called Tasawwuf and Suluk; and, the department of the Shariat relating to a’male zahiri (exoteric acts or physical acts) is called Fiqh. The subject matter dealt with by Tasawwuf is tahtheebe akhlaq or the adornment of character while the motive of this branch of the Shariat is the attainment of Divine Pleasure. The method of acquisition of this Divine Pleasure is total obedience to the commands of the Shariat.

Tasawwuf in fact is the rooh (soul) and state of perfection of the Deen. Its function is to purify the batin (the heart) of man from the lowly bestial attributes of lust, calamities of the tongue, anger, malice, jealousy, love of the world, love for fame, niggardliness, greed, ostentation, vanity, deception, etc. At the same time it (Tasawwuf) aims at the adornment of the heart with the lofty attributes of repentance, perseverance, gratefulness, fear of Allah, hope, abstention, tauheed, trust, love sincerity, truth, meditation, reckoning, contemplation, etc. In this way, attention towards Allah Ta’ala is inculcated in man. This is in fact the purpose of life. Tasawwuf or Tareeqat is therefore not at all negatory of the Deen and Shariat. On the contrary it is incumbent for every Muslim to become a Sufi (one who follows the path of Tasawwuf). Minus Tasawwuf, a Muslim cannot truly be described as a perfect Muslim