TASAWWUF – تصوف

Literal Meaning & Etymology: Derived from the Arabic root s-w-f (صَوْف – wool), historically referencing the coarse woollen garments (sûf) worn — as a mark of humility, detachment from worldly adornments and simplicity — by the people of taqwâ who follow the path of zuhd1 . From this root, the verb tasawwafa (to wear wool; to adopt the way of zuhd) gives rise to the term Tasawwuf, which literally denotes "adopting a life of devotion to Allah and simplicity."

As an Islamic Term: The discipline and method of ma’nawî purification, the journey and ascent of the rûh (seyr-i sulûk) and moral transformation within the sphere of Islam.

• Primary Aim: Its ultimate aim is to reach the degree of shuhûd in ma‘rifatullah, the unfolding of the haqiqahs of îmân and the attainment of true human perfection.

• Means & Method: In this path, this aim is achieved through the purification of the nafs (tazkiyyah), the cleansing of the heart (tasfiyah al-qalb) and the journey and ascent of the rûh (seyr-i sulûk) via dhikr, riyâzah and the guidance of a murshid.

The relation of the term Tasawwuf with the terms Tarîq & Tarîqah:

• Tasawwuf is the haqiqah of the illumination and unfolding of the rûh, the cleansing of the heart and the ultimate attainment of ma‘rifatullah, all rooted in the very core of Islam. Representing the station of ihsân, it is the broad ocean of ‘ilm and haqiqah.

• Tarîqah, on the other hand, is the specific, methodised path and discipline established over time as a means to reach that haqiqah — a specialised method, such as the Naqshbandî or Qâdirî paths, drawn directly from that very ocean of Tasawwuf.

• Tarîq is the all-encompassing Qur’anic highway that encompasses all these paths, including direct avenues to haqiqah without entering a tarîqah, such as the way of Sahabah, which is the direct inheritance of nubuwwah.

The Term Ihsân in Tasawwuf and Its Distinctive Usage in the Risale-i Nur:

In Traditional Islamic Sciences and Tasawwuf: Ihsân represents the ultimate ma’nawî station, the inner haqiqah of ‘ibâdah and the very essence of Tasawwuf. The foundation of the term Ihsân rests directly upon the famous hadith known as the Hadith of Jibrîl, where the Prophet Muhammad (asm) was asked by Jibrîl (as) about the stages of the Religion (ad-Dîn):

قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْإِحْسَانِ، قَالَ: «أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ

He [Jibrîl (as)] said: “Then tell me about Ihsân.” He [the Prophet (asm)] replied: “It is to perform ‘ibâdah to Allah as though you see Him; for if you do not see Him, He truly sees you.”2

Based on this hadith, eminent Sufi authorities — such as al-Qushayrî, al-Ghazâlî and al-Suhrawardî — structure the religion into three inseparable degrees:

• Islam: The outward, legal regulations governing action (fiqh).

• Îmân: The rational and creedal tenets of belief (‘aqâid / kalâm).

• Ihsân: The inner and ma‘nawî state of the heart, where the ‘âbd attains true ikhlas perpetual hudhur and the consciousness of being observed by Allah (murâqabah) by way of tasawwuf.

Ihsân is not merely a moral virtue, but a profound ma’nawî rank (maqâm) characterised by two haqiqahs:

• Perpetual Hudhur: Transitioning from merely theoretical knowledge of Allah (‘ilm) to an unwavering, heart-centered consciousness of being continuously observed by and in the presence of Allah."

• Ma‘rifatullah: Moving beyond theoretical and rational proofs, reaching the degree of shuhûd — that is, witnessing the manifestations of the names and attributes of Allah through the cleansing of the heart — thereby performing ‘ibâdah as though in the presence of Allah.

The term Ihsân in the Risale-i Nur: As a necessity arising from the severe fitnah of the âkhirzaman, Bediüzzaman Said Nursi reframes the terminology surrounding Ihsân through the lens of the Qur’anic methodology, specifically the Great Qur’anic Highway (Cadde-i Kubrâ) and the inheritance of nubuwwah, which constitutes the Greatest Walâyah (Walâyah al-Kubra), the path of the Sahabah.

In an age dominated by the ananiyyah, self-conceit (‘ujb) and claiming ownership for the nafs, designating ihsân as a personally earned human achievement or a personal ma’nawî rank (maqâm) carries the grave risk of opening a doorway to self-glorification. If a mu’min in this era perceives high ma’nawî states as a personal achievement, the nafs swiftly claims ownership over these favours and falls into a perilous ma‘nawî downfall.

To seal this doorway to ananiyyah, self-conceit (‘ujb) and self-attribution, the Risale-i Nur grounds the term Ihsân directly in its primary, original Qur’anic meaning: Ihsân-i Ilâhî, which signifies the grace, unearned favour and pure bounty bestowed solely by Allah.

Within the path of the Risale-i Nur built upon absolute impotence and poverty (‘ajz and faqr), compassion and tafakkur: The ‘abd perceives no virtue, perfection or rank in his nafs, acknowledging only his absolute impotence, poverty (‘ajz and faqr), defects and shortcomings. Consequently, he cannot claim ownership over any ma‘nawî rank or illumination, viewing all excellence solely as Ihsân-i Ilâhî. Any ma‘nawî state, virtue or enlightenment granted to an ‘abd is not an earned "station of ihsân," but an unmerited Ihsân-i Ilâhî — a pure, unearned gift bestowed by Allah that must be met with deep humility (mahviyet) and perpetual shukr.

In the Risale-i Nur, the ma’nawî fruits associated with traditional ihsân are reached through a direct, Qur’anic methodology, without traversing the lengthy and arduous paths of traditional journey and ascension of the rûh (seyr-i sulûk) full of ma‘nawî hazards and pitfalls. In the path of the Risale-i Nur, these ultimate ranks of ihsân are attained through:

1. Perpetual Hudhur: Achieving an abiding consciousness of being continuously in the presence of Allah through attaining îmân al-tahqîqî and reaching the highest degree of tawhîd, where an ‘abd sees the stamp of Qoudrah upon every created entity, rends all veils of apparent causes and beholds the manifestations of the names of Allah upon all creation. As a consequence of this elevated level of îmân, the ‘abd refrains from attributing ma’nawî achievements to himself and refrains from seeking human approval, desiring solely the pleasure and acceptance of Allah, which constitutes true ikhlas.

2. Ma‘rifatullah: Transforming îmân from a mere intellectual acceptance into ma‘rifatullah at the degree of shuhûd through the tafakkur of the universe by reading it as a letter of Allah written by the Qoudrah in the form of a material Qur’an.

3. Following Sunnah as-Saniyyah: Attaining the Greatest Walâyah (Walâyah al-Kubra) — which is the direct path of the Sahabah based on the inheritance of nubuwwah — by adhering strictly to the Sunnah as-Saniyyah. In contrast to various tarîqahs of Tasawwuf, the Risale-i Nur grounds the ultimate aim of Ihsân in following the Prophet’s (asm) Sunnah, ensuring that every ma’nawî step remains firmly anchored in Qur’anic revelation.

Conclusion: Thus, by attributing all perfection and grace directly to Ihsân-i Ilâhî, the Risale-i Nur secures the ultimate haqiqah of ihsân while entirely shielding the mu’min from the most destructive ma’nawî disease of the modern age: worshipping the nafs.

Selected excerpts from the Risale-i Nur Collection that elucidate the subject:

Question: What is tarîqah?

The Answer: Having as its primary purpose the ma‘rifat and unfolding of the haqiqahs of îmân, it is being honoured with the haqiqahs of the Qur’an and îmân in a manner filled with zawq, ma’nawî states (hâl) and shuhûd, as a result of a journey of the rûh traversed on the foot of the heart under the shadow and shelter of the mi’raj of Ahmad (asm); under the names of ‘tarîqah’ and ‘tasawwuf,’ it is a lofty human mystery and a perfection of man.

Yes, since man is a comprehensive index in this universe, man’s heart is as a ma‘nawî map of thousands of ‘âlams. Yes, just as innumerable human sciences and branches of knowledge show that man's mind in his head is a kind of ma‘nawî centre of the universe, like a central exchange for wireless telegraphs and telephones; so too do the millions of luminous books written by countles people of walâyah show that man's heart within his essence is the place of manifestation, the pivot and the seed for the countles haqiqahs of the universe.

Thus, since the human heart and mind are at this centre, and while being in the state of a seed, comprise the equipment of a mighty tree, and are inserted with the tools and wheels of an eternal, majestic machine of the âkhirah; most certainly, the Fâtir of that heart willed to set that heart in motion, to advance it from potentiality to actuality and to bring about its unfolding and movement; therefore, He created them in this manner. Since He has willed it, most certainly that heart too will operate just like the mind. And the greatest means to set that heart in motion is to turn toward the haqiqahs of îmân upon the path of tarîqah through the dhikr of Allah in the degrees of walâyah.

The Twenty-Ninth Letter-First Allusion

In his book Maktubat, Imâm al-Rabbânî (ra), a hero and a sun of the lineage of Naqshbandî Murshids, said, "I prefer the unfolding of a single matter of the haqiqah of îmân to thousands of azwâq, ecstasies and karâmât."

He also said, "The ultimate goal of all tarîqahs is the clarification and unfolding of the haqiqahs of îmân."

He also stated, "Walâyah is of three kinds: One is the lesser walâyah (Walâyah al-Sughrâ), which is the well-known walâyah, the second is the the middle walâyah (Walâyah al-Wustâ) and the third is the greatest walâyah (Walâyah al-Kubrâ). As for the greatest walâyah, it is to open a direct path to haqiqah through the inheritance of nubuwwah without entering the barzakh of tasawwuf."

He also stated, "On the Naqshbandî path, the ma‘nawî journey of the rûh is traversed with two wings" — that is, through having a firm belief in the haqiqahs of îmân and fulfilling the obligations (fardh) of religion. If there is a defect in these two wings, that path cannot be traversed. In which case, the Naqshbandî path consists of three ‘veils’ (layers):

The First — and the foremost and greatest — is direct service to the haqiqahs of îmân, which Imâm al-Rabbânî (ra) himself traversed in the latter period of his life.

The Second is service to the obligations (fardh) of religion and the Sunnah as-Saniyyah under the veil (layer) of tarîqah.

The Third is working toward the elimination of ma‘nawî diseases of the heart through the way of tasawwuf, undertaking the ma‘nawî journey with the foot of the heart. The first is in the degree of fardh, the second is wâjib, and this third one is in the status of Sunnah.

Since the haqiqah of the matter is such, I believe that if exalted personages such as Shaykh Abdulqâdir Jilânî (ra) and Shah Naqshband (ra) and Imâm al-Rabbânî (ra) were present in this age they would devote the entirety of their high resolve to the reinforcement of the haqiqahs of îmân and the aqâid of Islam. For they are the very source of eternal happiness. Any neglect in them causes eternal misery. One cannot enter Jannah without îmân, yet many have entered Jannah without tasawwuf. Man cannot live without bread, but he can live without fruit; tasawwuf is the fruit, while the haqiqahs of Islam are essential sustenance.

In former times, ceratin haqiqahs of îmân could only be reached through a ma‘nawî journey ranging from forty days to forty years. If now, through the rahmah of Janâb-i Haqq, a path is found to rise to those haqiqahs in forty minutes, remaining indifferent to such a path is surely by no means rational.

Thus, those who have read the thirty-three Words with attention conclude that they have opened just such a Qur’anic way. Since this is the haqiqah, I am of the conviction that the Words written regarding the mysteries of the Qur'an are a most appropriate remedy and salve for the wounds of this age, a most beneficial nûr for the body of Islam subject to the onslaughts of darkness and the truest guide for those bewildered in the valleys of dhalâlah.

You know that: If dhalâlah stems from ignorance, its elimination is easy. However, if dhalâlah arises from science and learning, eliminating it is difficult. In former times, the latter were one in a thousand, and of those, only one in a thousand could be brought to the right path through guidance (irshâd). For such people are full of self-conceit; they do not know, yet they suppose that they do know.

I believe that in this age, Janâb-i Haqq has bestowed the Words, proceeding from the ma‘nawî flashes of the miraculousness of the Qur’an and endowed with the quality of an antidote against this zandaqah of dhalâlah.

اَلْبَاقِى هُوَ الْبَاقِى

Said Nursî
The Fifth Letter

First Point: Among the paths of walâyah, the finest, most mustaqîm, most brilliant and richest is adhering to the Sunnah as-Saniyyah. That is to say, it is to actively consider the Sunnah as-Saniyyah in one’s actions and conduct, following and emulating it, and to consider the decrees of the Sharî'ah in his deeds and dealings, taking them as his guide.

Through this adherence and emulation, while his ordinary states, customary dealings and fıtrî actions are transformed into ‘ibâdah, each of his deeds — by making him contemplate both the Sunnah and the Sharî‘ah at that point of adherence — recalls a decree of the Sharî‘ah. That recollection brings to mind the Messenger who brought the Sharî'ah (asm); that thought brings to mind Janâb-i Haqq; and that remembrance imparts a kind of hudhur. Thus, the very minutes of his life can perpetually be rendered into an ‘ibâdah performed within hudhur. This great highway is indeed the highway of the Sahabah and the Salaf as-Sâlihîn, who are the inheritors of nubuwwah at the degree of the Greatest Walâyah.

Second Point: The most essential foundation of the paths of walâyah and the branches of the tarîqah is ikhlas. For it is through ikhlas that one attains deliverance from hidden shirk. He who does not attain ikhlas cannot travel upon those paths.

The Twenty-Ninth Letter-Sixth Allusion

Question: What do you request from the shaykhs of today?

Answer: I request:

• the ikhlas which they constantly emphasise;

• also the Great Jihâd and the abandonment of self-favoritism to which they devote themselves in the ma’nawî barracks called takka and in the sanctified military service called tarîqah;

• also the renunciation of personal interest, which is their hallmark and the true meaning of zuhd3 ;

• and also the love which they constantly claim and which is the very leaven of Islam’s disposition.

For they have already received their payment by employing us. Now it is their duty to serve us.

Münazarat (75)