Sufism or Tasawwuf is
divided into many sects, called Tareeqahs.[1]
The four major Tareeqahs are, Chistiya, Qadriyah,
Naqshbandiya and Soharwardiyah. Sufism in India is
represented by ‘the Deobandis’ and ‘the Barelawis’,
who follow all these four Tareeqahs.
Until the seventeenth
century, there was no distinct school of thought
amongst India’s Sufi Hanafee Scholars. But mutual
disagreements later caused a great rift among them
and led to the formation of two different and
opposing institutions; the ‘Barelawis’ and the ‘Deobandis.’
Hostilities and bitter disagreements between these
two groups have taken dangerous proportions and the
Barelawis in particular have exaggerated in the
Takfeer (declaring Kufr) of the Deobandis. Both
these groups claim to follow the Hanafee Madhhab,
though they only follow the Hanafee Fiqh and do not
share the beliefs of Imam Abu Haneefah.
Since this book
focuses primarily on the beliefs and methodology of
the School of Deoband and the Jamaat Tableegh, we
shall limit ourselves only to those aspects of
Sufism that are related to the Deobandis, and study
Sufism from their (Deobandi) perspective.
[1] Tareeqah and Sharee’ah:
According to the Soofis, Tareeqah is the way by
which one reaches to Allah, and Sharee’ah is the
path which reaches the Jannah. Tareeqah is
special and Sharee’ah is common. Tareeqah is
based upon a particular set of beliefs, actions
and exercises. [A Dictionary of the Technical
Terms used in the Sciences of the Musalmans by
Moulvi Muhammad Alee Ibn Alee Al-Thanvi, p.919]
