Ashab-e-suffa (companions of the Platform)
This group of lovers of the Holy Prophet would wear a thick coat of soof (wool) and sit on a platform outside the house of Prophet Mohammed, in exclusive devotion (yaksui). The Holy Quran has described it thus:
“Remember thou, the name of Thy Lord, and devote thyself, unto Him with an exclusive devotion”. {Para 29 : Ayat 8}
They were pure & so much mad in love of the Holy Prophet that they would wait endlessly outside his house for his one glance.
The first educational institution was established by the Prophet Muhammad (salALLAHualaiehwasallam) in Madinah and his students were known as ashab al-Suffah (i.e. the Companions of the Platform) because it was on that raised structure in al-Masjid al-Nabawiy (the Prophet's Mosque) that they received their education.
ALLAH's & Prophet Love for Ashab e Suffa
The Prophet was very careful about making sure that the Suffa Companions were fed and clothed properly for Allah ordered Him and Muslims in the Qur'an to do so in several verses. Here is one verse in the Sura al-Baqara, the second chapter of the Holy Qur'an:
(Alms are) for the poor who are straitened for the cause of Allah, who cannot travel in the land (for trade). The unthinking man accounteth them wealthy because of their restraint. Thou shalt know them by their mark: They do not beg of men with importunity. And whatsoever good thing ye spend, lo! Allah knoweth it. [2: 18]
Holy Prophet used to wear the long, white woollen soof dress. Symbolically, it is also represents wafa (faithfulness)
The word soof is made from three letters: Su’wad, Wa’oo and Fay.
According to Hazrat Junaid of Baghdad (d.910 AD):
Su’wad represents sabr (patience), sidq (sincerity), safa (purity)Wa’oo represents wu’du (friendship), wird (practice), wafa (fidelity) Fay represents fard (detachments),faqr (poverty), fana (annihilation)
* ~ * Imam Abu Hanifa
It was reported by Ibn Abidin in ad-Durr al-Mukhtar that Imam Abu Hanifa said: "If it were not for two years, I would have perished. For two years I accompanied Sayyidina Ja'far as-Sadiq and I acquired the spiritual knowledge that made me a gnostic in the Way"
(Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar, vol. 1, p. 43).
This was further explained by Ibn Abidin:
"Abu Ali Daqqaq [shaykh of Imam Qushayri] received his path from Abu al-Qasim al-Nasirabadi, who received it from ash-Shibli, who received it from as-Sirr as-Saqati who received it from al Ma'ruf al Karkhi, who received it from Dawud at Ta'i, who received the knowledge, both the external and the internal, from the Imam Abi Hanifa” (ibid.).
* ~ * Imam Malik ibn Anas
"Whoever practices Tasawwuf without learning Shari'a corrupts his faith, while whoever learns Shari'a without practicing Tasawwuf corrupts himself. Only he who combines the two proves true."
It is related by the muhaddith Ahmad Zarruq (d. 899)[Qawa`id al-tasawwuf, Cairo, 1310], the hafiz Ali al-Qari al-Harawi (d. 1014)[Sharh `ayn al-`ilm wa-zayn al-hilm, Cairo: Maktabat al-Thaqafa al-Diniyya, 1989, vol. 1, p. 33], the muhaddiths Ali ibn Ahmad al `Adawi (d. 1190)[Hashiyat al `Adawi `ala sharh Abi al Hasan li risalat Ibn Abi Zayd al musammat kifayat al talib al rabbani li risalat Ibn Abi Zayd al Qayrawani fi madhhab Maalik, Beirut: Dar Ihya' al Kutub al `Arabiyah, n.d., vol. 2, p. 195], and Ibn `Ajiba (d. 1224)[Iqaz al himam fi sharh al hikam, Cairo: Halabi, 1392/1972, pp. 5-6.].
* ~ * Imam as-Shafi'i
“I accompanied the Sufis and received from them but three lessons: their statement that time is a sword: if you do not cut it, it cuts you; their statement that if you do not keep your ego busy with truth it will keep you busy with falsehood; their statement that deprivation is immunity”
It was related from Ibrahim ibn Abdullah al-Qalanasi that Imam Ahmad said about the Sufis: "I don't know people better than them"
Advising his son Abdullah, Imam Ahmad said: "O my son, you have to sit with the People of Tasawwuf, because they are like a fountain of knowledge and they keep the Remembrance of Allah in their hearts. They are the ascetics and they have the most spiritual power"
The Sufis are often accused of bid'a, but Imam as-Shafi'i refuted these individuals: "Anything which has a support (mustanad) from the shari'a is not bid'a, even if the early Muslims did not do it" (Quoted in Shaykh Ahmad al-Ghumari, Tashnif al-Adhan, Cairo: Maktaba al-Khanji, n.d., p. 133).
* ~ * Hadrat Shah Wali'ullah Muhaddith Dehlwi states in his book Aqdul Jayyad "As the Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam) has stated, 'follow theSawad-e-A'zam', and when the four Madhabs are within the Sawad-e-A'zam, then following of any one of them, is followance of the Sawad-e-A'zam. Therefore, refuting any one of them is refuting Sawad-e-A'zam."
* ~ * Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith Dehlwi states in his book Fatawah Azeezi " The various parts of the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah in Aqaa'id (belief - kalaam) such as the Ash'ariyah, the Maaturdi; in Fiqh (Law) such as the Hanafi, the Shaafi, theHanbali, the Maaliki; in Tassawaf (Sufi Orders) such as the Qadiri, the Chisti, theNaqshabandi, the Suharwardi; this servant considers all of them to be the truth."
"It is compulsory for the wise people to amend their beliefs to be in accordance with the beliefs of the Ahl as-Sunnah Wa Jama'ah because this is the only group which will be saved from the fire of Hell."
* ~ * Hujjatul Islam Imam al-Ghazzali (radi Allahu anhu) writes: "The Ahl as-Sunnat Wal Jama'at is the successful Firqah (group) and it is this Firqa which weighs or determines its thoughts and its according tothe scales of the Noble Qur'an". (Mujarribaate Imam Ghazal)
This group of lovers of the Holy Prophet would wear a thick coat of soof (wool) and sit on a platform outside the house of Prophet Mohammed, in exclusive devotion (yaksui). The Holy Quran has described it thus:
“Remember thou, the name of Thy Lord, and devote thyself, unto Him with an exclusive devotion”. {Para 29 : Ayat 8}
They were pure & so much mad in love of the Holy Prophet that they would wait endlessly outside his house for his one glance.
The first educational institution was established by the Prophet Muhammad (salALLAHualaiehwasallam) in Madinah and his students were known as ashab al-Suffah (i.e. the Companions of the Platform) because it was on that raised structure in al-Masjid al-Nabawiy (the Prophet's Mosque) that they received their education.
ALLAH's & Prophet Love for Ashab e Suffa
The Prophet was very careful about making sure that the Suffa Companions were fed and clothed properly for Allah ordered Him and Muslims in the Qur'an to do so in several verses. Here is one verse in the Sura al-Baqara, the second chapter of the Holy Qur'an:
(Alms are) for the poor who are straitened for the cause of Allah, who cannot travel in the land (for trade). The unthinking man accounteth them wealthy because of their restraint. Thou shalt know them by their mark: They do not beg of men with importunity. And whatsoever good thing ye spend, lo! Allah knoweth it. [2: 18]
Holy Prophet used to wear the long, white woollen soof dress. Symbolically, it is also represents wafa (faithfulness)
The word soof is made from three letters: Su’wad, Wa’oo and Fay.
According to Hazrat Junaid of Baghdad (d.910 AD):
Su’wad represents sabr (patience), sidq (sincerity), safa (purity)Wa’oo represents wu’du (friendship), wird (practice), wafa (fidelity) Fay represents fard (detachments),faqr (poverty), fana (annihilation)
* ~ * Imam Abu Hanifa
It was reported by Ibn Abidin in ad-Durr al-Mukhtar that Imam Abu Hanifa said: "If it were not for two years, I would have perished. For two years I accompanied Sayyidina Ja'far as-Sadiq and I acquired the spiritual knowledge that made me a gnostic in the Way"
(Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar, vol. 1, p. 43).
This was further explained by Ibn Abidin:
"Abu Ali Daqqaq [shaykh of Imam Qushayri] received his path from Abu al-Qasim al-Nasirabadi, who received it from ash-Shibli, who received it from as-Sirr as-Saqati who received it from al Ma'ruf al Karkhi, who received it from Dawud at Ta'i, who received the knowledge, both the external and the internal, from the Imam Abi Hanifa” (ibid.).
* ~ * Imam Malik ibn Anas
"Whoever practices Tasawwuf without learning Shari'a corrupts his faith, while whoever learns Shari'a without practicing Tasawwuf corrupts himself. Only he who combines the two proves true."
It is related by the muhaddith Ahmad Zarruq (d. 899)[Qawa`id al-tasawwuf, Cairo, 1310], the hafiz Ali al-Qari al-Harawi (d. 1014)[Sharh `ayn al-`ilm wa-zayn al-hilm, Cairo: Maktabat al-Thaqafa al-Diniyya, 1989, vol. 1, p. 33], the muhaddiths Ali ibn Ahmad al `Adawi (d. 1190)[Hashiyat al `Adawi `ala sharh Abi al Hasan li risalat Ibn Abi Zayd al musammat kifayat al talib al rabbani li risalat Ibn Abi Zayd al Qayrawani fi madhhab Maalik, Beirut: Dar Ihya' al Kutub al `Arabiyah, n.d., vol. 2, p. 195], and Ibn `Ajiba (d. 1224)[Iqaz al himam fi sharh al hikam, Cairo: Halabi, 1392/1972, pp. 5-6.].
* ~ * Imam as-Shafi'i
"Be both a faqih and a Sufi [sufiyyan]: do not be only one of them. Verily, by Allah's truth, I am advising you sincerely"
(Imam as-Shafi'i, Diwan, pp. 47, 66).
"Three things in this world have been made lovely to me: avoiding affectation, treating people kindly, and following the way of tasawwuf"
(Muhaddith al-'Ajluni, Kashf al-khafa wa muzil al-albas, vol. 1, p. 341, no. 1089).
“I accompanied the Sufis and received from them but three lessons: their statement that time is a sword: if you do not cut it, it cuts you; their statement that if you do not keep your ego busy with truth it will keep you busy with falsehood; their statement that deprivation is immunity”
(ibid.; Imam Ibn Qayyim, Madarij al-Salikin, vol. 3, p. 128; and Imam as-Suyuti, Ta'yid al-haqiqa al-`aliyya, p. 15).
* ~ * Imam Ahmad
It was related from Ibrahim ibn Abdullah al-Qalanasi that Imam Ahmad said about the Sufis: "I don't know people better than them"
(Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Saffarini al-Hanbali, Ghidha' al-Albab li-Sharh Manzumat al-Adab, Cairo: Matba'at al-Najah, 1324/1906, vol. 1, p. 120).
Advising his son Abdullah, Imam Ahmad said: "O my son, you have to sit with the People of Tasawwuf, because they are like a fountain of knowledge and they keep the Remembrance of Allah in their hearts. They are the ascetics and they have the most spiritual power"
(Shaykh Amin al-Kurdi, Tanwir al-Qulub, p. 405).
The Sufis are often accused of bid'a, but Imam as-Shafi'i refuted these individuals: "Anything which has a support (mustanad) from the shari'a is not bid'a, even if the early Muslims did not do it" (Quoted in Shaykh Ahmad al-Ghumari, Tashnif al-Adhan, Cairo: Maktaba al-Khanji, n.d., p. 133).
* ~ * Hadrat Shah Wali'ullah Muhaddith Dehlwi states in his book Aqdul Jayyad "As the Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam) has stated, 'follow theSawad-e-A'zam', and when the four Madhabs are within the Sawad-e-A'zam, then following of any one of them, is followance of the Sawad-e-A'zam. Therefore, refuting any one of them is refuting Sawad-e-A'zam."
* ~ * Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith Dehlwi states in his book Fatawah Azeezi " The various parts of the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah in Aqaa'id (belief - kalaam) such as the Ash'ariyah, the Maaturdi; in Fiqh (Law) such as the Hanafi, the Shaafi, theHanbali, the Maaliki; in Tassawaf (Sufi Orders) such as the Qadiri, the Chisti, theNaqshabandi, the Suharwardi; this servant considers all of them to be the truth."
* ~ * Imam Sufyan Souri (Radi Allahu anhu)(95AH-161AH) in his book Al Mizaan al-Qubra states " By Sawad-e-A'zam is meant those who are called the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah."
* ~ * Imam Rabbani Mujaddid Alf Thani (Radi Allahu anhu)(971AH-1034AH) states in his famous book Maktubaat " The way of Salvation is followance of the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah. May Almighty Allah bestow blessings upon the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah, in their speech, in their actions, laws, for this is the successful group. Besides this, all other groups have become victims of deception. Today, nobody realises how much these misled groups will be punished, however, on the Day of Judgement this secret will become apparent. Even though at that time this knowledge will be of no benefit to the misled."
"It is compulsory for the wise people to amend their beliefs to be in accordance with the beliefs of the Ahl as-Sunnah Wa Jama'ah because this is the only group which will be saved from the fire of Hell."
"Opposing the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah will completely destroy you forever and make you liable for everlasting punishment. If there are shortcomings in your worship, then there is still hope of forgiveness. However, if your beliefs are incorrect then there is no hope of forgiveness at all."
* ~ * Imam Rabbani states that Khwaja Ubaid-Ullah Al-Ahrar (Radi Allahu anhu)(895AH) stated "If I were given all the Kashfs (revelations) and all the Karamats (miracles), yet were deprived of the faith of Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah, I would consider myself ruined. If I did not have any kashf or karamas but had lots of faults, and if (only) the faith of Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah were bestowed on me, I would not feel sorry."
* ~ * Ghawth-al A'zam, Hadrat Shaykh Abd'al Qadir al-Jilani (radi allahu anhu) states: "There are 73 groups as foretold by Sayyiduna Rasoolallah (Salla Allahu alaihi wa Sallam) and (bear in mind that), the Ahl as-Sunnat wal Jama'at was the rightful group". (Ghunyatut Taalibeen)
* ~ * Hujjatul Islam Imam al-Ghazzali (radi Allahu anhu) writes: "The Ahl as-Sunnat Wal Jama'at is the successful Firqah (group) and it is this Firqa which weighs or determines its thoughts and its according tothe scales of the Noble Qur'an". (Mujarribaate Imam Ghazal)
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