Backing down from
the extreme concept of Wahdat al-Wajood was the
later innovated concept of Wahdat as-Shuhood.
The Majlis ul-Ulema, the Deobandi lobby of South
Africa, describes the believer in Wahdat ash-Shuhood
as, a high ranking Wali whose soul dwells in a
lofty state of Divine Presence and Perception.[1]
From
Irshaadul-Mulook, “To the Sufiya, the true
Tawheed means the abandonment of every Tawheed
during the state of Tawheed because any focus of
the attention of any being other than Allah is
within the scope of Tashbeeh (comparison).”[2]
This concept
implies that the creation exists, but due to the
Sufi’s complete concentration upon Allah, the
creation becomes oblivious to him. This concept
just serves one purpose and that is to make
excuses for the previous Sufis and their open
statements of Kufr. Otherwise, this concept is
too as baseless as Wahdat al-Wajood. The best
and the most perfect worshiper of Allah –
Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam)
- did not experience Wahdat al-Wajood or Wahdat
ash-Shuhood.
What the Sufis
experience in the form of hallucinations or
imaginations is due to the excessive physical
abuse of their bodies and Shaytaan’s taking
advantage of their venerable state of mind
weakened due to starvation, anxiety and
wandering in the wilderness.
