Mysticism and Islam

Prof. Liaquat Samma

Mysticism is a foreign system that has entered into Islam. Mysticism and Islam are much different in their paths. Mysticism is the path of the mystics; whereas, Islam is the straight path of Allah. The goal of mysticism is obedience to the mystic guide, the peer; the goal of Islam is obedience to God’s commands through Muhammed(pbuh), the haadi, i.e. the guide. Islam requires humans to be devout (muttaqi) to God; whereas, mysticism, that is called sufism in Islam, requires direct communion with God. God requires humans to achieve His nearness by being obedient to Him.

Mysticism refers to a direct and immediate experience of the sacred or the knowledge from such an experience. Islam refers to submission to God and getting knowledge from Him through the Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh). Meditation, prayer, ascetic discipline, experience of ecstasy, levitation, visions, power to heal, and to perform unusual acts are claimed to accompany mystics. Reading and remembering God’s guidance, meditating on the message of God, offering prayers daily in order to promise one’s obedience, acting on the guidance in life, doing one’s duty in life, developing one’s character and personality, and urging upon others to do good, accompany Islam. Mysticism is isolation from life, Islam is working hard in life. Direct experience and knowledge from God without the Prophet as a means, has no place in Islam.

Mysticism is the extension of the ordinary fields of consciousness. It is the perfection of intuition. But Islam is based on revelations from God expressed through the Prophet. Islam demands obedience in accordance with the revelations. Humans consciously accept the revelations and work accordingly.

Instead of developing “angelic” (malakooti) traits, Muslims should develop their personality and their conduct according to the Quran. Instead of walking on the mystic’s path (suluk), Muslims should walk on the straight path (siraat al mustaqeem) shown by God in the Quran, also called sharia. No mystic experience is required. God requires us to obey His commands and work righteously. Every human should strive hard to do good deeds so that one may achieve permanent happiness and success. Humans have invented monastic asceticism ( 57:27).
One should, therefore, avoid mysticism, and truly, sincerely follow the Quran and be a good Muslim.