Al-Huda
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the Message Continues ... 11/136
Newsletter for December 2012
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Article 11
The Concepts of 'Irfan, Sufism, Hikmat and Philosophy
Before explaining the originality of Islamic gnosis, in order to
avoid confusion and misunderstanding it is appropriate here to
give an explanation of the terms gnosis (`irfan) and sufism (tasawwuf).
The term gnosis (`irfan), like another term of the same family,
ma`rifah, [also translated as gnosis] literally means knowledge,
but its technical meaning is specific to knowledge of a certain
kind which can be achieved neither through the senses nor
experience, nor through reason nor narration, but rather is
acquired by inner witnessing and interior unveilings. Then,
these are generalized to some propositions which describe these
witnessing and unveilings. Considering the fact that the
acquisition of such witnessing and unveilings which depend on
special exercises and spiritual discipline are also called
gnosis (`irfan), it is known with the qualification `amali
(practical), i.e., as practical gnosis, or the manner of
spiritual wayfaring (sayr wa suluk), just as the propositions
which describe the witnessing are called theoretical gnosis, and
also, like the Philosophy of Illumination, [1] is mixed to some
extent with rational argumentation.
The expression sufism (tasawwuf), which, according to the most
likely possibility, is derived from the word suf (wool), meaning
wearing woolen garments, which symbolizes the hard life far from
comforts and hedonism, is more appropriately used for practical
gnosis, as the term gnosis (‘irfan) is more appropriate to
theoretical gnosis. In this way, in the realm of gnosis, at
least three elements can be identified. One is the specific
practical instructions which are alleged to lead man to
intuitive and interior gnosis and conscious knowledge by
presence related to God, the Exalted, and the Most Beautiful
Names and His sublime attributes and their manifestations. The
second is the specific spiritual and psychic states and traits
of character, and ultimately, the unveilings and witnessing
achieved by the wayfarer. The third is the propositions and
statements indicating these intuitive direct findings, and even
for those who personally have not travelled the pant of
practical gnosis, can be more or less understood, although
finding their truth and essence is specific to the true
Gnostics.
By attending to these explanations it becomes clear that the
true Gnostic is the one who follows a specific practical
programme and attains an intuitive and direct gnosis of God, the
Exalted, and His attributes and actions. Theoretical gnosis is,
in fact, an account and interpretation of this gnosis, which,
naturally, has many shortcomings. If we are not very exact about
the terminology and expand its scope we can use the term gnosis
for all spiritual wayfaring which is undertaken to find the
truth and attain felicity, as well as the resulting spiritual
states and witnessings. In this way, gnosis will include even
the kinds of gnosis found in Buddhism and Hinduism and the
gnosis of some of the tribes of Siberia and the native tribes of
Africa, just as the term religion may be applied, with the same
sort of extended meaning to Buddhism, totemism, and the like.
Here it is appropriate to indicate the concepts of wisdom and
philosophy, too.
The expression hikmah (wisdom), which is an originally Arabic
word, means a firm and certain gnosis (ma`rifah), and it is
often applied to practical gnosis, as the sense in which it is
used in the Glorious Qur'an (17:39). However, in current
terminology it has the meaning of divine philosophy as well as
practical philosophy and the science of ethics, and in ethics
itself it is used in the sense of a trait of the soul related to
the use of reason, and as the mean between the extremes of
cunning and stupidity. In any case, it is not applied to
atheistic philosophies or skepticism, to the contrary of
philosophy which is derived from Greek roots meaning any
intellectual or rational efforts to understand the problems of
all existence, even if this leads to the rejection of certain
and established gnosis, or even the rejection of objective
existence.
Notes:
[1]. The Philosophy of illumination was formulated by Shihab al‑Din
Yahya Sohravardi (1153‑1191).
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