STRUCTURE OF SUFI TAREEQAH {ORDER}

STRUCTURE OF SUFI TAREEQAH {ORDER}

This tareeqah and its like are among the innovated ways that go against the Quran and Sunnah and the way followed by the best generations. All the shaykhs of these tareeqahs have made up their own wirds (phrases to be uttered as dhikr), hizb (books of du’aa’ to be read daily by their followers) and ways of worship by which each of them may be distinguished from the others; this goes against sharee’ah and divides the ummah. 

Allaah has blessed this ummah by perfecting its religion and completing His Favour upon it, so everyone who comes up with an act of worship or a way that was not brought by sharee’ah is effectively rejecting what Allaah has said and accusing the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) of betraying the trust. 

Along with this innovation of theirs, they may also be lying by claiming that they received their tareeqah from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), or that they are following the path and guidance of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs (al-khulafa’ al-raashideen). 

Sufism presumes a fundamental link between the Sheikh, head of the Sufi tareeqah (order), Like Naqshbandiya, Qaadriya, Chhishtiya, Saharvardiya, Khalwatiyyah, Shaadhiliyyah, Rifaa’iyyah, Rehmaaniya, Rizviya, Subhaniya, Gausiya, Teejaaniyah, Sanusiyyah, Sahiliyyah etc. and the murid (novice), extending throughout their lifetime and continuing after their death. The murid takes an 'ahd (oath) of loyalty and swears obedience to the Sheikh, who in turn promises to solve the murid's problems and deliver him from every dilemma whenever he calls on his Sheikh for help. The Sheikh also promises to intercede for him with Allah so that he may be admitted to Jannah

The murid pledges to be conscientious in practicing the set of dhikr (chants) assigned to him by his Sheikh, to adhere to the rules of the order and to accept its claim on his loyalty for life over a wide range of behaviour affecting the well-being of the order. The quality and extent of the Sheikh's hold over the murid is therefore almost total.

The murid's behavior even outside the order's group setting is expected to conform to rules laid down by the order. And where conflict with outside obligations arises, the murid must resolve it by acting as a Sufi and following his order's rules. The Tijaniyyeh Order makes every candidate for initiation pledge not to visit the grave of pious personality or visit any living scholar. This is one of the major factors in widening the rift between one order and another, causing an order to enter into conflict against his others in an attempt to convert, conquer or annihilate them.

The Mechanism of the order structure in Sufism leads to many evil results:

 

	Division of the Muslim ummah into fractions and orders ruled by deviant and ignorant Sheikhs, thus making the ummah an easy prey for conquest by non-Muslims.
	Enmity among the adherents of different orders, to the point that they will not marry into one another's families or cooperate with one another.
	Deception on the part of the Sheikh, who falsely claims the ability to deliver the murid from difficulties and deadly problems the befall him. The Sheikh even claims he will be present at the murid's death, regardless of time or place, and ridiculously enough, will instruct him in his grave on what to tell the two angels of the grave, and will argue with them on his behalf. Finally, the Sheikh promises to intercede for him with Allah on the Day of Judgment, and to help cross over as-Siraat (the bridge over Hell) on that Day, and accompany him to Jannah. This kind of deception, offering security in the grave as well as in the Hereafter, is a flagrant lie, not permissible under any circumstance. Sufi Sheikhs lead simple-minded Muslims to believe in such claims, and the result is shirk (polytheism). Deceiving Muslims is one of the major sins.
	Insulating the murid as far as possible from the world outside the order as to exploit and manipulate him.

The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: 

Is there any such thing in Islam as the numerous tareeqahs like the Naqshbandiya, Qaadriya, Chhishtiya, Saharvardiya, Khalwatiyyah, Shaadhiliyyah, Rifaaiyyah, Rehmaaniya, Rizviya, Subhaniya, Gausiya, Teejaaniyah, Sanusiyyah, Sahiliyyah  etc? If there is such a thing, what is the evidence for that? What is the meaning of the verses in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path. This He has ordained for you that you may become Al‑Muttaqoon (the pious)” [al-An’aam 6:153] 

“And upon Allaah is the responsibility to explain the Straight Path. But there are ways that turn aside (such as Paganism, Judaism, Christianity). And had He willed, He would have guided you all (mankind)” [al-Nahl 16:9] 

What are the ways that separate people from the path of Allaah, and what is the way of Allaah? What is the meaning of the hadeeth narrated by Ibn Mas’ood, according to which the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) drew a line and said, “This is the path of guidance,” then he drew lines to its right and another to its left and said, “These are other paths and on each path there is a devil calling people to it”? 

They answered: 

There is no such thing in Islam as the tareeqahs that you mentioned, or anything else like them. What there is in Islam is what is indicated by the two verses and the hadeeth that you quoted, and what was indicated by the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Jews split into seventy-one sects, and the Christians split into seventy-two sects. My ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of which will be in Hell except one.” It was asked, “Who are they, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Those who follow the same path as I and my companions are on today.” And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “A group among my ummah will continue to follow the truth and to be victorious, and they will not be harmed by those who forsake them or oppose them, until the command of Allaah comes to pass when they are like that.” The truth lies in following the Quran and the saheeh, unambiguous Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This is the path of Allah, this is the Straight Path. This is the straight line mentioned in the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood, and this is what was followed by the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (may Allaah be pleased with them and with their followers among the early generations (salaf) of this ummah, and with those who follow their path). All other tareeqahs or groups are the paths mentioned in the verse (interpretation of the meaning): 

“… and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path…” 

[al-An’aam 6:153] 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 2/283, 284