The Gnostic accepts that Allah is The Almighty and because of His Almightiness anyone who happens to have a glance of Essence is destroyed. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

When Musa came to the place appointed by Us, and his Lord addressed him, he said: “O my Lord! show (Thyself) to me, that I may look upon Thee.” Allah said: “By no means canst thou see Me (direct); but look upon the mount; if it abide in its place, then shalt thou see Me.” When his Lord manifested His glory on the Mount, He made it as dust, and Musa fell down in a swoon. When he recovered his senses he said: “Glory be to Thee! to Thee I turn in repentance, and I am the first to believe.”⁵⁷

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said to the effect:

Veiling Him are the Veils of Light and if these Veils are lifted whosoever see Him will be destroyed.⁵⁸

Hence we can only know Him through His Manifestation and that refers to His creations. Our Islamic scholars of old and the recent forbid us from investigating about The Essence because there is no way to learn about Him⁵⁹. Abu Bakar As Sadiq even said that His private door is totally shut there is no way we can learn about Him.⁶⁰ Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

On the earth are Signs for those of assured Faith. As also in your own selves: will ye not then see?⁶¹

Once the Gnostic has the Gnostic Knowledge, he readily accepts that the main reason Allah created Genie and Mankind is to worship Him. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

I have only created Jinn and men, that they may serve Me.⁶²

In order to worship Him without ascribing partner to Him knowingly or subtly, a Gnostic must remember Him with a focused mind. There is no reason why we cannot do just that when we can focus at a soccer game or a soap opera on Television for hours. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

And remembrance of Allah is the greatest without doubt. ⁶³

And remember Allah much that you may prosper⁶⁴

And for men and women who engage much in remembering Allah, for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward⁶⁵

Then do ye remember Me; I will remember you. ⁶⁶

If he (Jonah) not one who remembers Allah much, he would remain in the belly of the fish until the Day of Resurrection.⁶⁷

Many of the Companions opined that the greatest act of worship which may assist us in the hereafter is Remembrance of Allah (Zikrullah).⁶⁸Muadh Bin Jabal had said to the effect:

There is no act of worship which can save a son of Adam from Hell other than the Remembrance of Allah (Zikrullah).⁶⁹

In respect of the mind, according to Imam Ghazali much of the revelations in the Holy Quran touching on the “Heart” or “Qalb” actually refer to the “Mind” or “Aql”.⁷⁰ To substantiate his point, he pointed out to the verses in the Quran where Allah has commanded to the effect:

They all have a heart but they chose not to use it to understand Allah’s words. ⁷¹

Their hearts are sealed and so they understand not.⁷²

And We put coverings over their hearts lest they should understand the Quran⁷³

Do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear?⁷⁴

When remembering Allah, there should not be any form, shape, writing, sound, light, colour and others in our mind. All these are not Allah but rather they are creations. Remembering Allah is like remembering one’s name. You do not visualise yourself nor spell your name in your mind whenever someone calls you. Instead, you will respond to the call immediately. Hence when remembering Allah, you must not visualise Him nor spell His name. Just remember Him as you remember yourself (when someone called you). Allah had commanded that there is nothing whatsoever like Him and that no vision can grasp Him.⁷⁵ In short, He is the Unseen God.⁷⁶

In order to have the remembrance of Allah all the times in our mind, we must first clear our mind of all impurities. A corrupted mind hindered the spiritual enhancement of the mind. As the Holy Prophet had said that in the body of the children of Adam there is this organ and if this organ is well so too will be the owner and this is organ is the heart (mind). To clear the mind of all impurities, do the following:

1. Closed both eyes and (with your eyes closed) focus both eyes internally in the direction of the mind. Having done that, try to pull the eyelids apart. You will find that the eyelids are stuck. This shows that your eyes are now internally focused. Your eyes which are internally focused are sometime refers to as the mental eyes.
2. Now using your mind read the whole of verses (in the Quran) of Al Ikhlas, Al Falaq, An Nas and Al Fatihah once mentally. If after reading these verses your mental eyes denote that your mind still is not clear and empty then repeat the reading of these verses (mentally) until your mental eyes note that your mind is now clear or empty.
3. Once your mind is clear or empty, place the remembrance of Allah or remember Allah promptly in your mind and then focus your mental eyes to it.
4. Remain focused as long as you can. If you continue practicing this, the remembrance of Allah is entrenched in your mind.
5. Once your mental eyes are focused at the remembrance of Allah in your mind, slowly open your eyes but at the same time maintain your mental eyes focusing at the remembrance of Allah in your mind. Your mental eyes should not be distracted in any way whatsoever with what your eyes are seeing. Practice this until you are able to do so.

Once you are able to maintain your mental eyes focusing at the remembrance of Allah in your mind with your eyes open, you should then practice alternating it with your eyes closed. Alternate it for about 10 minutes each. If you continue this practice, ultimately your mental eyes are capable of focusing at the remembrance Allah with your eyes close or open all the time. Maintaining the remembrance of Allah in your mind is just like a lighted candle. Make sure it is alight all the time because everytime it is extinguished Satans will romp your mind.

Now with your mental eyes you are able to see externally “The Little Essence” encompassing all and the same time you are also able to focus mentally at the remembrance of Allah in your mind. This is the station of “Ihsan” which Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said:

Pray as if you see Allah otherwise know that He is seeing you.⁷⁷

The Bibliography

iii. Baiat

Murid itu mestilah berjanji setia kepada mursyid atau syeikh atau guru Tarikat itu. Janji setia ini di panggil Baiat. Ikrar ini diambil sambil berjabat tangan ataupun memegang hujung tasbih ataupun sal/kain ataupun dengan lain-lain cara di antara mursyid atau syeikh atau guru Tarikat itu. Prof Aboebakar Atjeh telah juga menulis:

Melakukan sumpah setia … kepada gurunya: Aboebakar Atjeh, Pengantar Sejarah Sufi dan Tasauf, 49 (1977).

iv. Latihan

Setelah itu, mursyid atau syeikh atau guru Tarikat itu akan memberi amalan tertentu untuk di amalkan dibawah bimbingan mereka. Prof Aboebakar Atjeh telah menulis:

Syeikh atau mursyid… memberi pertunjuk mengenai riadah-riadah atau latihan dalam melakukan zikir dan wirid: Aboebakar Atjeh, Pengantar Sejarah Sufi dan Tasauf, 49 (1977).

Kebanyakan Tasawuf Tarikat mempunyai 3 taraf zikir. Taraf zikir yang paling rendah ialah zikir secara lisan. Daripada situ, zikir itu akan meresap ke qalbu murid itu dan dengan itu dia akan berzikir dengan zikir qalbu. Akhir sekali zikir qalbu ini akan meresap ke minda mereka dan menjadi zikir sirr.

Ada Tarikat mempunyai zikir-zikir atau cara zikir tertentu, baik merupakan zikir yang berbunyi yang mereka namakan zikir lisan, maupun yang hanya diucapkan di dalam hati, yang dinamakan zikir qalb, maupun yang diingat secara langsung, yang mereka namakan zikir sirr: Aboebakar Atjeh, Pengantar Sejarah Sufi dan Tasauf, 50 (1977).

v.  Diam & Menunggu

Apabila zikir sirr mereka tidak berbunyi lagi di dalam minda mereka maka hendaklah murid itu berdiam sahaja serta bersabar menunggu turunnya ilham yang membawa kepada pencapaian kepada Makrifatullah. Imam Ghazali ada menulis:

Bagi anda diperkenankan berusaha sampai pada batas-batas itu sahaja dan setelah itu anda tidak diperkenankan berusaha kecuali dalam hal menolak gangguan-gangguan yang menyimpangkan. Setelah usaha anda terbatas pada keadaan tersebut  maka bagi anda tinggal menanti “terbukanya hati” yang mana macam ini juga dinampakkan kepada para wali Allah: Imam Ghazali, Timbangan Amal, 52 (1983).

vi. Pencapaian

Marilah kita lihat contoh mereka yang mencapai Makrifatullah secara sebegini:

Syaikh Moulay Al Arabi Ad Darqawi – Beliau telah menerima daripada Gurunya zikir “Allah”. Beliau dikehendaki apabila berzikir mengadakan kalimah “Allah” itu di dalam minda beliau. Beliau telah menjalankan riadah ini selama sebulan dan beberapa hari, apabila beliau diilhamkan, “Aku yang Awal dan yang Akhir; Aku yang Zahir dan yang Batin.” Walaupun beliau tidak menghindarkan ilham itu tetapi ia mendesak. Kerana tidak tertahan dengan desakkan itu maka beliau menjawab bahawa beliau faham Dia yang Awal, yang Akhir  dan yang Batin tetapi beliau tidak faham Dia yang Zahir kerana apa yang beliau lihat yang zahir adalah benda-benda yang berbentuk. Maka datang pula ilham kepada beliau bahawa yang dimaksudkan ialah yang terzahir iaitu Yang Batin terkeluar bukan dimaksudkan yang diluar. Serta merta beliau faham maksud ayat itu dan dengan itu beliau berjaya mencapai Makrifatullah. Beliau mencapai Makrifatullah setelah menunggu sebulan dan beberapa hari: Martin Lings, A Sufi Saint of the Twentieth Century, 85 (1973); Abd Qadir Al Sufi, The Way of Muhammad, 169-179 (1997).

vii. Ijazah:

Setelah si-murid itu mencapai Makrifatullah maka Mursyidnya akan menyampaikan kepadanya segulung ijazah. Murid itu juga akan diberi Silsilah (Salasilah) bersama Khirqah (secebih kain atau tulisan berkenaan cara-cara riadah atau zikir atau wirid). Prof Aboebakar Atjeh ada menulis:

Apabila seorang murid itu sudah dianggap lulus daripada latihan-latihan Tarikat itu, maka oleh gurunya diserahkanlah kepadanya semacam surat keterangan, ijazah namanya, begitu juga sebuah silsilah bersama dengan khirqah, ada yang berupa sepotong pakaian, khirqatul tabarruk, maupun berupa keterangan mengenai wirid dan wazifah, khirqatul wirid : Aboebakar Atjeh, Pengantar Sejarah Sufi dan Tasauf, 50 (1977).

viii. Talqin:

Upacara perpisahan ataupun Talqin akan diadakan oleh guru murid itu. Dengan upacara ini, Si murid pun dibebaskan oleh gurunya dengan beberapa nasihat ataupun wasiat. Syeikh Abdul Qadir Al Jilani ada menulis:

Apabila seorang murid mencapai keadaan kerohanian yang ada pada gurunya maka dia disuruh menceraikan dirinya dari gurunya. Dengan lain perkataan, dia sekarang telah setaraf dengan guru. Murid itu pun tercerai dari guru itu dan Allah sahaja menjadi penjaganya dan Allah akan menceraikan dia dari segala makhluk: Syeikh Abdul Qadir Al Jilani, Pembukaan Kepada Yang Ghaib, 51 (1990).

Prof Aboebakar Atjeh ada menulis:

Dalam suatu peringatan perpisahan, yang dinamakan talqin, guru itu memberi wasiat dan nasihat yang menjadi pegangan bagi murid itu untuk selama-lamanya: Aboebakar Atjeh, Pengantar Sejarah Sufi dan Tasauf, 50 (1977).

Namun begitu hanya sedikit dalam Jalan ini berupaya mencapai Makrifatullah, banyak yang tidak kesampaian. Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi menulis:

Sedikit yang dapat kejayaan cara ini … cara ini adalah lambat serta ramai terbengkalai di perjalanan: Muhammad Abdul Haq Ansari, Syariah and Sufism, 214 (1986).

Ramai dalam perjalanan Tasawuf Tarikat hanya memperolehi amalan zikir sahaja walaupun sudah bertahun-tahun dalam penuntutan ini. Shaikh Ahmad Al Alawi pernah di Tanya bekenaan ini:

Soalan: Adakah kesemua mereka berjaya (mencapai makrifatullah)?

Jawapan: Tidak, hanya sedikit sahaja yang berjaya. Hanya sedikit yang mampu mencapainya.

Soalan: Bagaimana pula bagi ramai yang tidak berjaya. Tidakkah mereka berputus asa?

Jawapan: Tidak, dengan berzikir mereka akan mendapat  ketenteraman:

Martin Ling, A Sufi Saint of the Twentieth Century, 22 (1973).

Daripada jumlah yang banyak yang masih belum mencapai Makrifatullah ramai juga terjerumus ke dalam alam khayalan kerana terlampau lama menunggu dan tidak tahu apa yang ditunggu. Kebanyakan menunggu kewalian bukan kemakrifatan. Mereka menunggu sesuatu keajaiban, keanihan ataupun keluar-biasaan bukan menunggu kepada pengenalan kepada Allah swt yang mendatang kearifan. Ini yang membuat Imam Ghazali menulis:

Di tengah-tengah perjuangan ini, kadang-kadang tabiat menjadi rosak, akal menjadi kacau dan badanpun sakit. Apabila latihan dan pendidikan nafsu tidak mendahului datangnya hakikat segala ilmu, maka akan maharajalela di hati khayalan-khayalan yang merosakkan, di mana nafsu akan puas dengan khayalan-khayalan tadi pada masa yang lama sehingga habislah umurnya padahal apa yang dikhayalkan itu belum pula diperoleh.

Banyak orang-orang sufi yang menempuh jalan ini, kemudian ia sentiasa berada pada satu khayalan dalam masa 20 tahun. Dan apabila dari dulunya ia sudah mempunyai suatu ilmu yang kukuh tentu terbukalah baginya segi kepalsuan khayalan tadi seketika.

Imam Ghazali, Keajaiban Hati, 47 (1979).

written by Hussien bin Abdul Latiff

A few miles into the Desert Jane drove
Wanting to view the Desert’s Grove
It was late evening when she did stop
Facing a small Hill about 25 feet to the top .

Leaving on her Jeep’s lights
On her feet to the top of the Hill she flight
Wanting to savour  the Desert’s delight
Picturesque in the evening light

She took a Jacket and a Bottle of drink
As she went onto the Hill’s brink
From the Hill, she breathe the sight
The majestic view did make her sigh

Then from behind she did hear
A strange sound approaching near
When she turned the Sky was dark
A small Cave on the Hill she dove like Lark

From the Entrance of the Cave she watched
It was raining sands everywhere she looked
She waited a long time but it did not stop
In the end she fell asleep at the spot.

After a long slumber she woke up
From the Entrance she saw the Sun was up
She stood up and rushed outside
Everywhere only sands in sight

There was no more hill standing
The sands had risen to the Cave’s footing
Her jeep could no longer be seen
In the unending sand it was hidden .

In the early morning light she decided to track
Walking through the Desert to find her way back
She walked back the direction she came
Carrying her Bottle of water in her Jacket seam.

As the Sun got higher and higher
The heat was too much for her
She drank a little as could be
The water she needed to preserve.

When the heat was unbearable to bear
She sought refuge under a hugh Boulder
There she waited for the evening
Before she started again her walking

When the sun set, the night was black
She was lucky to find a place to rest her back
In the night it was cold and quiet
With her Jacket and Jean she managed.

In the next morning light she started again
Seeking refuge when the heat was burning pain
In the evening she started once again
But this time her water none remain.

Feeling thirsty and hungry she slogged
Her throat and mouth were patched
When the night came so suddenly
She was caught with no place to lay.

So she trodded on in the night
Hoping to reach the end of the Desert
When her foot slipped and she fell free
Down a Ridge she failed to see.

Fortunately the Ridge was but small
As she tumbled down her body hit a wall
Her hands started to rub the wall
It was but a big boulder along the fall.

There she lay exhausted in great pain
Her throat  and her lips were slain
She knew then she could not survive
Another onslaught of the desert’s drive

She began to think of her parents
Their kind and loving faces apparent
She cried her heart in pain
Knowing she would not see them again.

Then she began to think of God
Never in her life she gave Him a thought
Then strange thing that night did occur
The first time in her life she said a prayer

“Oh God, I am never a believer
Hence I ignore You altogether
But if You really exist as they say
Please send an Angel to where I lay!”

She thought of her parents again
And her tears fell unrefrained.
Soon after she fell asleep
As the dark night began to creep.

That morning a few feet from the Ridge
A Husband and wife scientists did lodge
Their camp together with their instruments
To study the desert’s predicament.

Together they brought along their daughter
Who would be 5 years old two days later
And who was staring up the Ridge
A red colour thing her eyes did see.

What she saw was Jane’s sneakers
Her curiosity made she went hither
When to the colour she came nearer
She saw Jane sleeping beside the boulder.

“Hi there are you alright?” she said
Jane woke up startled and afraid
Before her was a small figure
Jane watched feeling unsure.

Then the figure moved toward her
Sitting down and grasped her fingers
“Are you alright Lady?” the voice say
Jane just do not know what to say.

Then Jane heard another voice clearly
“Angel, I coming to get you!” a voice of a Lady.
Jane tears fell and in her heart she did pray,
“Thank you God, You really exist,” she did say.

written by Hussien bin Abdul Latiff

Kukata was one year old
His parents perished in the Typhoon’s fold
To all Fishermen it was a common disaster
Many young ones left without mother and father.

He was then adopted by his uncle
Who is married but no children to cuddle
So Kukata grew up until he was fifteen
With his uncle who was also a fisherman.

At this age Kukata began to pay attention
Many Villagers did always mention
That he was but an adopted son
After his parents were killed by the typhoon

Afraid to ask his adopted father
He approached his mother’s brother
He confirmed what the villagers did mention
Kukata was but an adopted son

Since that day his life was fill with sadness
Inferiority feeling came to harness
Every day was but a torment
In his heart he cried and lament.

Eventhough he was sad and despair
He kept his griefs and did not air
Sparing his adopted parents feeling
Should they know there was no tellings.

That morning he left with his father
In a boat they row together.
However fish they could not gather
From spot to spot they move hither.

Unknowingly they entered the areas
Control by uncivilised Savages
Soon many boats surrounded them
The Savages drawing weapons at them.

After a few tensed minutes locked
The Savages Chief spoke
“We need only one life to offer
To our God, the Mountain Retainer!.”

The Chief then  continued
“So choose between you
Which one shall die!
Or what a choice, fie! fie!”

Immediately Kukata fraught
He was an adopted child, he thought
His life meant nothing to his father
He was sure his life his father would offer.

To his surprise he heard his father said,
“Take me in his stead
As he is my son, the only son I have!”
His father to the Chief did rave.

To his men the Chief then signalled
Into their boat his father was pulled
Then his boat was pushed away
The Chief signalled for him to go his way.

He took the paddle and turned  to his father,
“Father, is it true  I am your  son, your only son?”
His father looked at him and what he said
Kukata would never forget until he is dead.

“You are my son, my only son
There is no others but you the one
No words can ever show my love for you
The truth is, now my life is you!”

Eventually he concludes that the many systems apparent on The Manifestation constitute one Mega Divine Plan. To this end, Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

Nor is hidden from the Lord (so much as) the weight of an atom on the earth or in heaven. And not the least and not the greatest of these things but are recorded in a clear Record.²⁴

No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence: that is truly easy for Allah.²⁵

And of all things have We taken account in a clear Book.²⁶

Nor is there aught of the Unseen, in heaven or earth, but is (recorded) in a clear record.²⁷

It is not permitted to the Sun to catch up the Moon, nor can the Night outstrip the Day: each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit (according to law). ²⁸

Since Allah is All-Knowing, the Gnostic accepts that there is nothing amiss in His Divine Plan nor will there be any amendment to It as this will compromise the All-Knowingness of Allah. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

Nothing have We omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end.²⁹

No change wilt thou find in the practice (approved) of Allah³⁰

And the command of Allah is a decree determined³¹

Accepting that there is nothing amiss in The Divine Plan also means that he has no role to play in the daily management of the creations including his own too. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

They said: “What affair is this of ours?” Say thou: “Indeed, this affair is wholly Allah’s.”³²

Say: “All things are from Allah.” But what hath come to these people that they fail to understand a single fact?³³

Say: “Who is it in whose hands is the governance of all things, which protects (all), but is not protected (of any)? (Say) if ye know.”

They will say, “(It belongs) to Allah,” say: “Then how are ye deluded?”³⁴

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had narrated to his companions that Prophet Moses had mocked Prophet Adam that because of him, all his descendants were drove out of Paradise. Prophet Adam retorted that before he ate the forbidden fruit, this was already written 40 years ago before he was created in The Divine Plan. Such being the case, he had to follow it.³⁵

Since all creations are but The Manifestation of The Little Essence and The Little Essence is also The Hidden of all creations, the Gnostic accepts that there can never be any injustice to all creations because all creations are in reality The Little Essence. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

For Allah is never unjust to His servants³⁶

Allah is never unjust in the least degree.³⁷

Never will ye be dealt with unjustly in the very least³⁸

There is no injustice to all creations not only because the creations are, in reality, The Little Essence but also because all creations including our self belong to Allah absolutely. In this respect Allah had commanded to the effect:

To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth³⁹

Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?⁴⁰

Then which of the gifts of thy Lord, (O man,) wilt thou dispute about?⁴¹

In the light of the above, the Gnostic accepts that Allah can never be unjust in whatsoever situation. Allah had commanded to the effect:

Ah! Woe be to you for the (false) things ye ascribe (to Us).⁴²

Glory to Allah (He is free) from the things they ascribe (To Him)!⁴³

No just estimate have they made of Allah, such as is due to Him.⁴⁴

Henceforth, the Gnostic will be steadfast in his resolution that Allah is Just in whatsoever circumstances. Allah had commanded to the effect:

For Allah is never unjust to His servants⁴⁵

Never will ye be dealt with unjustly in the very least!⁴⁶

Allah is never unjust in the least degree⁴⁷

B) Increase in his acts of worship.

Imam Ghazali had said that once the Gnostic had attained the Gnostic Knowledge, he will learn to better his worship of Allah.⁴⁸

However before he can better his acts of worship, he must, as stressed by Imam Ghazali know who he worships. ⁴⁹

He must know who he worships because Allah forgives all sins but not the sin which ascribes partner to him. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

Allah forgives not (the sin of) joining other gods with Him; but He forgives whom He pleases other sins than this: one who joins other gods with Allah, hath strayed far, far away (from the Right). ⁵⁰

Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner. ⁵¹

The concept of “Ascribing partner(s) to Allah” is extended by Imam Ghazali and Syeikh Abdul Qadir Al Jilani to include ascribing Him with partner(s) in our mind or mentally. This they referred to as “Ascribing Subtly”. ⁵²

The Gnostic must also remember that Allah is hidden (from His creations) as such no form or shape must be ascribed to Him. He has commanded in the Quran to the effect:

As for those who fear their Lord unseen, for them is Forgiveness and a great Reward⁵³

No vision can grasp Him. But His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things⁵⁴

There is nothing whatever like unto Him.⁵⁵

And there is none like unto Him.⁵⁶

The Bibliography

Nama Tarikat-Tarikat yang ada pada masa itu berkait dengan pengasas sistem itu sendiri. Hamka menulis:

Di masa itulah timbul Thariqat “Thaifuriyah” (Kalau cara Baratnya Thaifurism) dibangsakan kepada Thaifur (Abi Yazid Bustami). Assuktiyah dibangsakan kepada Surri Sukti. Khazzariyah dibangsakan kepada Abi Said Al Khazzar. Nuriyah dibangsakan kepada Husain An Nuri. Mulamatiyah dibangsakan kepada Hamdun Al Qasysyar: Hamka, Perkembangan Tasauf Dari Abad Ke Abad, 110 (1976)

Berkenaan perkataan “Ahli Sufi”, yang digunakan oleh ahli-ahli Tarikat untuk diri mereka pada abad ke empat Hijriah, perkataan ini sudah wujud sebelum zaman Islam. Mengikut Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar, pernah pada satu masa di zaman pra Islam apabila semua penduduk Makkah telah meninggalkan Makkah, seorang ahli sufi sering datang dari tempat yang jauh untuk melakukan tawaf mengelilingi kaabah: M.M. Shariff, Sejarah Islam Dari Segi Falsafah, 314 (1994).

Juga setelah mengetahui Nabi Muhammad saw berada di Madinah, ramai para Ahli Sufi datang daripada pergunungan dan lembah ke Madinah untuk berjumpa baginda dan memeluk agama Islam di tangan baginda: Zainal Ariffin Abbas, op cit, 51; Mohd Sulaiman Hj Yasin, Mengenal Ilmu Tasawuf (Pengantar), 30 (1997).

Baginda meletakkan mereka di masjid baginda bersama para sahabat yang lain yang miskin dan yang tidak ada tempat tinggal mereka sendiri. Mereka digelar “Ahli Sufah”: Akram Diya Al-Umari, Madinan Society at the time of the Prophet Vol.1, 86 (1991).

Namun Ahli-ahli sufi ini (yang memeluk agama Islam pada zaman Nabi Muhammad saw) tidak mahu lagi dipanggil “Ahli Sufi”, mereka mahu dipanggil “Sahabat” kerana gelaran ini, mereka rasakan lebih mulia daripada nama “Ahli Sufi”. Dalam zaman Sahabat pula, Ahli-ahli Sufi yang bertemu Sahabat tetapi tidak bertemu Rasullulah (saw) lebih suka mereka dipanggil “Tabiin”. (Abu Al Wafa Al Ghanimi Al Taftazani, Perkembangan Tasawwuf Islam, 22 (1996); Mohd Sulaiman Hj Yasin, Mengenal Ilmu Tasawuf 2, 123 (1992)

Al Qusyairy pula berkata bahawa ahli sufi yang bertemu dengan Tabiin tetapi tidak bertemu dengan Sahabat senang pula di gelar “pengikut Tabiin”. (Al Qusyairy An Nasaibury, Risalatul Qusyairiyah, 485 (1997)

Dengan ini, perkataan “Ahli Sufi” dalam zaman Para Sahabat, Tabiin dan pengikut Tabiin tidak dipakai lagi.

Gelaran Sahabah (Sahabat Nabi) dan Tabiin (Pengganti Sahabat) amat dimuliakan dan oleh itu perkataan sufi – suatu gelaran yang mulia sudah tentunya- tidak diketahui pada zaman mereka: M.M. Shariff, Sejarah Islam Dari Segi Falsafah, 349 (1994).

Sesudah Pengikut Tabiin tiada, maka gelaran mereka berakhir. Dengan ini, ahli-ahli Tarikat Tasawuf yang ada pada masa itu memutuskan untuk menggunakan kembali kekata “Ahli Sufi”.

Mengikut sesetengah orang perkataan (Sufi) ini mula digunakan semasa generasi ketiga selepas Nabi (Taba Tabiin). Menurut sumber yang lain pula, digunakan pada abad ketiga Hijriah: M.M. Shariff, Sejarah Islam Dari Segi Falsafah, 349 (1994).

Imam Ahmad Ar Rifai ada menulis:

Ahli zuhud pada masa itu itu tidak lagi dinamakan dengan ahli zuhud bahkan mereka dikenali dengan nama ahli Tasawuf (Sufi): Saiyid Ahmad Ar Rifai, Benteng Ahli Hakikat Dalam Meniti Makrifat Kepada Allah, 109 (1994)

Muliai daripada abad keempat Hijriah Tasawuf Tarikat berkembang keseluruh dunia dan di sana sini tertubuhlah pesentren-pesentren di mana ahli-ahli Tarikat ini dibimbing oleh Guru-guru. Dr Muhammad Abdul Rauf menulis:

Institusi Khanqah, pesentren ahli-ahli sufi, mulai dibina pada akhir abad keempat Hijriyyah dan setelah itu merebak keseluruh dunia: Muhammad Abdul Rauf, The Muslim Mind, 212  (1994).

Kini Tariqat Tasawuf mempunyai sistem tersendiri. Ketua ataupun Guru mereka dipanggil “Mursyid” ataupun “Syeikh” untuk membezakan mereka daripada Arif-Billah Jalan Nabi-nabi. Mursyid ataupun Syeikh mereka mempunyai Silsilah ataupun susunan guru-guru yang kononnya bermula daripada Rasulullah (saw) sehingga berakhir kepada Mursyid ataupun Syeikh yang menjadi pembimbing mereka itu. Murid-murid yang mahu belajar dengan mereka dikenakan janji setia ataupun “Baiat”. Sesudah itu, mereka menjalani latihan rohani sehingga terbuka Makrifatullah kepadanya. Latihan ini memerlukan murid-muridnya berzikir daripada lisan, ke hati dan seterus ke sirr. Setelah itu si murid akan masuk dalam keadaan hanya berdiam diri menunggu akan terbukanya Makrifatullah kepadanya.

i. Mursyid atau Syeikh

Untuk mencapai Makrifatullah menerusi cara Tarikat, seseorang itu mestilah mencari seseorang mursyid atau syeikh atau guru Tarikat yang dapat membimbingnya. Prof Aboebakar Atjeh ada menulis:

Di dalam sesuatu Tarikat terdapat syeikh atau mursyid, guru yang memberi pertunjuk: Aboebakar Atjeh, Pengantar Sejarah Sufi dan Tasauf, 49 (1977).

ii. Silsilah (Salasilah)

Mursyid atau syeikh atau guru Tarikat itu mestilah mempunyai tauliah  turun menurun daripada Nabi Muhammad saw. Inilah yang di panggil Silsilah. Prof Aboebakar Atjeh juga ada menulis:

Syeikh atau Musyid itu harus mempunyai silsilah, rangkaian pengambilan sesuatu Tarikat sampai kepada … Nabi Muhammad: Aboebakar Atjeh, Pengantar Sejarah Sufi dan Tasauf, 49 (1977).

Disambung minggu hadapan…

written by Amran Abdul Wahab

If you dim the light  ….

What will you see?
If you killed the light will you see?
Is this mysterious ….
Or does mystery occurs by itself…
Tell me friends…

From afar you see …..
A sparkle dim light
Seem too bright for the naked eyes
An inch away will blind your sight
That’s goes for the Essence of All Mighty
Even Moses is prohibited to see
At Mount Sinai fainted He
At the sight of The Light

I seek your guidance
To be within Your Circle of Light
Oh Mighty One ……
Nor can I see the present of Thy Essence

Just to be with You
In the arm of Your Lights of Iman…
Only will I feel safe
Oh Mighty One
Bless me  ….
Oh You The Mighty Essence
That’s all just what I ask…

Please grant me…
Oh One and Only Mighty Gracious
Shower me with Your Light
For to Thee astray
I should not be…

Let me be in Your arm….

Amin ….

written by Hussien bin Abdul Latiff

50 years Ali and Aliya been married
She was 23 and he was 24 when they first dated
After a year they tied the knot
After both their parents gave their nods.

Now they are seventy three and seventy four
Aliya was not as healthy as before
Just a few months ago she slipped
Her pelvis in several place was fractured.

She was admitted into a hospital
She was operated because of the fall
She was discharged a month later
Walking with a crutch supporting her

During her one month stay in the hospital
Ali was by her side thoughout the ordeal
Day and night without fail
Encouraging her with loving calls

Now they are back at home nicely
But she needs treatment twice monthly
The hospital was in another town
6 hours journey, Ali frown.

After much discussion they decided
To sell their house and moved
Log barrel and all
To a house very near the hospital

After a few months in the new residence
On her crutch with Ali’s assistance
Aliya was on hobbling home after treatment
When they passed a group of young men

Suddenly one of the men shouted,
“We hate strangers in our town resided!”
Suddenly they kicked Aliya’s crutch
She fell to the ground after a lurch.

The young men then rushed toward her
Wanting to stamp their feet over her
That was when Ali bodily covered her
He was kicked instead of her.

So vicious was their attack
Ali was unconscious on the track.
Before unconscious, they all could hear
He said “I won’t let them hurt you my dear, !”

Ali was in the hospital for 7 days
Beside him Aliya sat and stay
Tears fell almost everyday
Watching Ali unconscious day by day.

He is the only man she loves
The only man who she knows
There was never another
Her heart belong to him and no other.

She held his hand and said in a soft tone
“Don’t you die and leave me alone
I can’t bear to live without you
This world is empty if I’m without you!”

All the doctors and nurses did hear
Aliya’s lamentation so clear
Tears too roll down their cheeks
To note the pains love did reek.

Soon words spread around
First the hospital then the town
Many best wishers came around
Watch the loving couple feeling astound.

Then miracle happened on the 10th day
Ali gained consciousness in the midday
He sat upright on is bed so suddenly
Sending well-wishers and Aliya in frenzy.

Ali said something everybody did hear
“Aliya, Aliya where are you my dear?”
When he saw Aliya by his side
He held her face and they embraced.

“Thank you God for keeping her alive
I do not mind sacrificing my life
just to see her one more day in my life!”
Ali thanking God that she survives.

Tears fell from his eyes
Tears fell  from Aliya’s eyes
Tears fell from the many well-wishers
Tears too fell from the nurses and doctors.

7 days more in the hospital he did stay
Aliya was by his side all the days
The hospital discharged him
Since he was then fit and trim.

Ali and Aliya left the ward
To the main Entrance they walked
At the Entrance they stood in shock
So many strangers at the Entrance did flock

On seeing them they all clapped their hands
A stranger with a Mayor’s cap took their hands
Leading them to a strange structure
Covering in a large clothes in white.

The structure clothed in white stood
In the small garden at the Entrance’s foot
All those present shouted encouragement
For Ali and Aliya to pull the white garment.

When they tugged at the white clothes’ cord
They were shocked beyond words
Stood there are their busts in embrace
And a caption below it did state,

“I do not mind sacrificing my life
just to see her one more day in my life!”

oleh Hussien bin Abdul Latiff

Kau satu ilham daripada Loh Mahfuz
Yang di turunkan kepada sejenis makhluk
Dengan ilham itu kau mendapat nama
Nama yang diberikan adalah “Manusia”.

Kau satu ilham daripada Loh Mahfuz
Yang di turunkan kepada ibu-bapamu
Dengan ilham itu kau mendapat nama
Rahimah, Rahim, Ali dan Aliza.

Kau satu ilham daripada Loh Mahfuz
Yang di turunkan kepada kau semua
Dengan ilham yang diturunkan itu
Kau berlagak seperti Manusia.

Kau satu ilham daripada Loh Mahfuz
Yang menjadi penuntun bagi hidupmu
Dan segala tindak tandukmu
Untuk kamu hidup sebagai Manusia.

Kau satu ilham daripada Loh Mahfuz
Pelan Induk Allah Maha Bijaksana
Tidak ada yang dilupakanNya
Loh MahfuzNya adalah sempurna.

Maka menjadi rukun iman ke enam
Semua sudah ditakdirkan Tuhan
Kalau kau ingat masih boleh diubahsuai
Maka kau masih belum beriman.

Maka jelaslah Tasawuf Jalan Wali-wali ataupun Tasawuf Tarikat muncul dalam sejarah Islam buat pertama kali di Abad ketiga dan keempat Hijriah.

Maka dari sini buat pertama kali wujudnya tariqat tasawwuf dalam Islam: Abu Al Wafa Al Ghanimi Al Taftazani, Perkembangan Tasawwuf Islam, 19 (1996).

MAKRIFATULLAH

            1. TASAWUF JALAN NABI-NABI                       2.  TASAWUF JALAN WALI-WALI 

 Penyampaian ilmu Tasawuf Jalan Nabi-nabi tidak ada perubahan. Arif-Billah yang menyampaikannya masih bersendirian (tanpa berinstitusi) dan cara ia menyampaikannya masih seperti di takuk lama ia itu menerusi syarahan-syarahan. Sehubungan dengan ini, Saiyid Ahmad Ar Rifai ada menulis:

Hendaklah kamu segera mencari cahaya bicara orang-orang Arif-Billah itu sebelum kewafatannya: Saiyid Ahmad Ar Rifai, Benteng Ahli Hakikat Dalam Meniti Makrifat Kepada Allah, 112 (1994)

Masalah di dalam Tasawuf Jalan Nabi-nabi ialah mendapatkan Arif-Billah yang sebenarnya iaitu seseorang yang arif bukan sahaja dalam ilmu tasawuf tetapi juga arif dalam bidang syarak. Contoh:

Al Muhasibi diiktiraf sebagai seorang imam yang menjadi ikutan orang Islam dalam bidang fiqh, Tasawuf, Hadith dan ilmu kalam: Zakaria Stapa, Tasawwuf Dan Empat Tokoh Sufi, 107 (1996). Al Harith Al Muhasibi adalah seorang tokoh sufi yang terkenal dalam permulaan abad ketiga Hijriah.

Al Junayd atas nasihat al-Saqati telah memulakan pengajiannya dengan mendalami ilmu fiqh dan hadith dan hanya setelah beliau menyelesaikan pengajian fiqh dan hadith itu barulah beliau berjinak-jinak untuk mendalami dan menghayati ilmu Tasawuf: Zakaria Stapa, Tokoh Sufi dan Penyelewengan Akidah, 7 (1998). A lJunaidy adalah seorang tokoh sufi yang terkenal dalam abad ketiga Hijriah.

Al Qushayri telah menghadiri kelas-kelas yang dikendalikan oleh al Imam Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Bakr al Tusi seorang tokoh Fiqh al Syafiyyah untuk mempelajari ilmu fiqh sehingga selesai dan mantap dalam bidang tersebut….kemudiannya mempelajari ilmu kalam daripada ..al Imam Abu Bakr bin Furak. Di samping ilmu kalam, al Qushayri juga mempelajari ilmu usul al-Fiqh daripada ibn Furak. Beliau juga merupakan salah seorang daripada kalangan yang mengambil hadith Rasulullah (saw) daripada gurunya ini: Zakaria Stapa, Tokoh Sufi dan Penyelewengan Akidah, 19-20 (1998). Al Qushayri adalah seorang tokoh sufi yang terkenal dalam akhir abad ketiga Hijriah.

 Tokoh-tokoh yang tersebut di atas ini adalah ahli-ahli Tasawuf yang awal di Jalan Nabi-nabi yang berpegang keras kepada Syariah yang telah ditinggalkan oleh Rasulullah saw. Sambil itu mereka melawan dengan keras hawa nafsu mereka, mereka selalu bertaubat dan sentiasa berusaha mendekatkan diri mereka kepada Allah swt. Dengan itu mereka disegani oleh kesemua orang.

 Selain menekan bahawa seseorang ahli Sufi hendaklah pada setiap waktu berpandu kepada Syariah sebagai kata pemutus, ahli-ahli Sufi awal juga jarang ketinggalan menunjukkan sesiapa yang tidak memperdulikan Syariah akan terlibat dengan kekeliruan dan pertentangan: M M Sharif, Sejarah Islam Dari Segi Filsafah, 317 (1994).

Apabila ahli-ahli sufi berkata tentang taubat, jihad melawan nafsu, muraqabah (merasa kewujudan Allah swt), mereka disanjung oleh para muhaddithun: Muhammad Abdul Rauf, The Muslim Mind, 76 (1994).

Maka hendaklah seseorang yang mencari Arif-Billah di Jalan Nabi-nabi sentiasa berwaspada supaya mereka tidak tersalah pilih dan dengan itu mereka tersesat. Al Sarraj menulis:

Terdapat (pada zaman kita) ramai orang  yang berlagak sebagai ahli Sufi mendakwa mereka ahli sufi yang tulen dan bersedia diri bagi tugas menjawab semua soalan dan pertanyaan berkatian ajaran Sufi. Setiap penipu itu mendakwa menulis sebuah atau dua kitab tentang ajaran Sufi yang pada hakikatnya hanya jawapan yang karut-marut dan sampah yang sia-sia kepada pertanyaan yang sama tidak bermakna dan juga bodoh itu: M M Sharif, Sejarah Islam Dari Segi Filsafah, 311 (1994).

Kalabadhi juga ada menulis:

 Orang yang tidak mengetahui hakikat (kebenaran)  berlagak sebagai tahu, orang yang tidak pernah pun memerikkannya, menghiasi diri dengannya, orang yang banyak sekali memperkatakannya, menafikannya dengan perbuatannya dan orang yang banyak menunjuk-nunjukkannya dengan perbuatannya, melindunginya dengan tingkah laku yang sebenar: M M Sharif, Sejarah Islam Dari Segi Filsafah, 312 (1994).

 Al Hujwiri juga ada menulis:

Allah menjadikan kita dikalangan manusia yang mencemarkan nama Syariat menurut hawa nafsu

Mereka: M M Sharif, Sejarah Islam Dari Segi Filsafah, 312 (1994).

Penyampaian ilmu Tasawuf menerusi Jalan Wali-wali adalah satu pendekatan yang baru. Prof. Hamka ada menulis:

Kerana guru tadi telah mencobakan beberapa tata cara dan kaifiat berhasillah dia lantaran kaifiat itu, bertambahlah tinggi jiwanya. Lalu di tentukannya misalnya bacaan zikir, wirid sekian dan masing-masing guru atau thariqat mempunyai sistem sendiri-sendiri: Hamka, Perkembangan Tasauf Dari Abad Ke Abad, 110 (1976)

Disambung minggu hadapan…

After achieving the Gnostic Knowledge, the Gnostic must be ready to undergo:

A) Changes in his mental set-up.
B) Increase in his acts of worship.
C) Spiritual experiences.
D) The Station.

A) Changes in his mental set-up.

The Gnostic’s perception changes after achieving The Gnostic Knowledge. Now he sees not only with his physical but also with his mental eyes. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

Thou was heedless of this, now have We removed thy veil, and sharp is thy sight this Day!¹

With his physical eyes he sees the multi facet creations but with his mental eyes he sees only One and that is, The Little Essence (the source of all creations). Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

Says, “Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? ²

The blind and the seeing are not alike; Nor are the depths of Darkness and the Light; Nor are alike those that are living and those that are dead. ³

He soon realises that the multi facet creations are in reality The Manifestation of The Little Essence and once The Manifestation ensues, The Little Essence hides behind The Manifestation and became The Hidden. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

He is The Manifest and The Hidden⁴

Since The Little Essence is The Manifest and The Hidden, it goes without saying that The Little Essence encompasses all existence (including space and time). This being the case, the Gnostic realises that, even if he tries, he cannot not escape from The Little Essence. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

He it is that encompasses all things.⁵

The earth seemed constrained to them, for all its spaciousness, and their (very) Souls seemed straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah (and no refuge) but to Himself. ⁶

Later, through self introspection, he discovers that even he, did not exist. To this end, Imam Ghazali had said to the effect:

If you know yourself then you know you did not exist.⁷

The Gnostic then throws his gauntlet and surrenders to his Lord. Allah had commanded to the effect:

And I (Muhammad) am commanded to be the first of those who bow to Allah in Islam.⁸

Say: “Nay! but I am commanded to be the first of those who bow to Allah (in Islam).⁹

Whoever submits his whole self to Allah, and is a doer of good, has grasped indeed the most trustworthy hand-hold.¹⁰

Who can be better in religion than one who submits his whole self to Allah¹¹

Ibrahim was not a Jew nor yet a Christian; but he were true in Faith, and bowed his will to Allah’s (which is Islam).¹²

We (Jews) make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam).¹³

Say the disciples (of Jesus): “We are Allah’s helpers: we believe in Allah, and do thou bear witness that we are Muslims¹⁴

The act of surrendering to Allah and submit to His Will is Islam.¹⁵

O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly¹⁶

He accepts that each and every action of the creations, in reality, is the actions of The Little Essence. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

It is not ye who slew them; it was Allah: when you threw (a handful of dust), it was not your act, but Allah’s¹⁷

We have honoured the sons of Adam; by transporting them on land and sea.¹⁸

Seest thou not that Allah sends down rain from the sky, and leads it through springs in the earth? Then He causes to grow, therewith, produce of various colours: then it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then He makes it dry up and crumble away. Truly, in this, is a Message of remembrance to men of understanding.¹⁹

Eventually, The Greatness of The Essence unfolds before him. At every turn he sees The Little Essence behind each and every creation including space and time. This humbled him and moved him to tears. Allah had commanded to the effect:

Thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognise the truth: they pray: “Our Lord! We believe; write us down among the witnesses.”²⁰

At the same time he begins to notice that there are innumerable systems apparent on The Manifestation such as the similar physical features of human beings or animals of the same species or trees, birds, fish, amphibians and others as well as the ways they communicate with each other, the way they deliver their off springs, the environment they dwell in, the food they partake and many more. He also notices systems such the solar system, the ever changing four seasons, the rising and ebbing tides and many more.

On the earth are Signs for those of assured Faith as also in your own selves: will ye not then see? And in heaven is your Sustenance, as (also) that which ye are promised. Then, by the Lord of heaven and earth, this is the very Truth, as much as the fact that ye can speak intelligently to each other. ²¹

He merges Night into Day, and He merges Day into Night, and He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His Law): each one runs its course for a term appointed.²²

He begins to see that The Manifestation is in fact governed by the many systems apparent and he starts to ponder about it.

When he saw the sun rising in splendour, he said: “This is my Lord; this is the greatest (of all).” But when the sun set, he said: “O my people! I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving partners to Allah.”²³

The Bibliography

SEMINAR MAKRIFATULLAH

Oleh Ustaz Hj Hussien Bin Abdul Latiff

Ahad, Jam 9 pagi hingga 1 tgh hari

oleh Amran Abdul Wahab

Walaupun kau berdetik bising
Namun kau tidak pernah runsing
Engkau pengamanah
Manusia juga yang lalai kering
Mata selalu menjeling
Memperhatikan tanganmu berpusing
Bukan untuk menunggu masa yang terjamin
Di hujung waktu mula mengelapah
Baru berwuduk mencari sejadah
Mahu merendahkan diri pada Si Penjamin

Wahai jam dinding
Engkau sungguh ta’at menjalankan tugasan mu
Tiada pernah engkau menerima rasuah
Untuk melambatkan waktu
Begitu juga kawan rapatmu
Hang mentari, Sri purnama
Kamu berganding bahu
Menjalankan perintah Tuhan mu
Sesaat pun engkau tidak pernah jemu…
Taat selalu…

Wahai jam dinding
Aku tahu engkau memang amanah
Pada Tuhan mu
Yang juga Tuhan ku

Demi masa …..
Firman Allah Tuhan semesta
Kerugian bagi mereka yang melekakan kamu
Meranalah nanti mereka di hari tua
Masa muda mereka membuang masa
Masa berada pula berfoya-foya
Membuang harta dan masa begitu saja
Mengigit jarilah nanti akhirnya

Wahai jam dinding
Engkau penjaga waktu
Ramai yang tidak mengendahkan kamu
Sesaat detikmu
Nilai manusia menjadi sia-sia sesaat itu
Kesedaran tiada wujud
Bagi yang melekakan kamu

Wahai jam dinding
Bila kau berhenti berpusing
Waktu itu tiada sesiapa pedulikan sekeliling
Di waktu itu pintu taubat sudah menjadi asing
Padang berumput menjadi kering
Bumi dan langit dilipat tidak bertebing
Kerugian manusia pasti terjamin

Wahai manusia beringatlah selalu
Ingatlah akan firman Tuhan mu
Ingatlah akan pesanan Rasul mu
Masa tiada waktu mengejar kamu
Jangan biarkan dirimu mengejar waktu
Hormati lah masa
Waktu itu baru  berharga diri kamu

Demi masa…
Benar firman Tuhanku

Tugas kesemua nabi-nabi ialah mengajar umat mereka mengenali Allah swt, Tuhan Yang Satu, dan selepas itu menyuruh mereka menyembah Allah swt. Di dalam Al Quran ada  tertulis:

Kemudian Kami jadikan sesudah mereka umat yang lain. Lalu Kami utus kepada mereka seorang rasul dari kalangan mereka sendiri (yang berkata), “Sembahlah Allah oleh kamu sekelian, sekali-kali tidak ada Tuhan selain daripada-Nya.”: Al Mukminun (23): 31-32.

Dan Kami tidak mengutus seorang rasulpun sebelum kamu melainkan Kami wahyukan kepadanya, “Bahawasanya tidak ada Tuhan (yang hak) melainkan Aku, maka sembahlah olehmu sekalian akan Aku.”: Al Anbiya (21):25.

Nabi yang terakhir dihantar oleh Allah swt ialah Nabi Muhammad (saw). Namun Nabi Muhammad (saw) dihantar bukan kepada satu kaum tetapi kepada ummah sejagat. Allah swt ada berfirman yang bermaksud:

Muhammad itu sekali-kali bukanlah bapa dari seorang laki-laki di antara kamu tetapi dia adalah Rasulullah dan penutup Nabi-nabi: Al Ahzab (33):40.

Dan Kami tiadalah mengutus kamu melainkan untuk (menjadi) rahmat bagi semesta alam: Al Anbiya (21):107.

Mengikut Imam Ghazali Tasawuf sebagai ilmu mukasyafah (ilmu batin) yang dapat mengenalkan manusia kepada Allah swt (Makrifatullah). Imam Ghazali berkata:

Ilmu mukasyafah ialah ilmu batin. Dan itulah kesudahan segala ilmu. Imam Ghazali, Ihya Ulumiddin Bk. 1, 94 (1981).

Ilmu mukasyafah itu ialah bahawa terangkat tutup yang menutupi sehingga jelaslah kenyataan kebenaran Allah pada semuanya itu dengan sejelas- jelasnya laksana mata memandang yang tak diragukan lagi. Imam Ghazali, Ihya Ulumiddin Bk. 1, 97 (1981).

Lalu jelaslah ketika itu sehingga berhasillah makrifat yang hakiki… Imam Ghazali, Ihya Ulumiddin Bk. 1, 95 (1981).

Dengan ini, sesiapa juga yang mengajar seseorang lain untuk mengenali Allah swt telah mengajar ilmu Tasawuf. Dari penjelasan di atas ini jelaslah yang pertama-tama mengajar Tasawuf adalah Allah swt (di dalam alam azali) dan ini diikuti oleh para nabi-nabiNya.

Setelah wafat Nabi Muhammad (saw) pada hari Isnin 12hb Rabiul-Awal tahun kesebelas Hijriah, para sahabat melanjutkan dakwah baginda untuk mengenalkan manusia kepada Allah swt dan menyembah-Nya. Dengan ini para sahabat juga mengajar ilmu Tasawuf. Rasulullah (saw) pernah berpesan kepada para sahabat supaya mengenalkan orang-orang yahudi (yang mahu memeluk agama Islam) kepada Allah swt dahulu sebelum memberitahu mereka sembahyang lima waktu itu wajib.

Engkau akan datang pada suatu kaum Ahli Kitab. Kerana itu, hendaknya yang pertama-tama engkau serukan kepada mereka ialah beriman kepada Allah Azza wa Jalla. Apabila mereka telah mengenal Allah, maka beritahulah mereka bahawa Allah mewajibkan kepada mereka shalat lima waktu sehari semalam: Terjemahan Sahih Muslim Bk.1, 28 (1994).

Setelah ketiadaan para Sahabat, pada abad ketiga dan keempat Hijriah orang-orang yang mencari Allah swt telah mendampingkan diri mereka dengan tokoh-tokoh kerohanian yang mereka anggap “Arif-Billah” untuk mempelajari ilmu Tasawuf. Dr Abu Al Wafa Al Ghanimi Al Taftazani menulis:

Pada abad ketiga dan keempat Hijriyah … terdapat ramai perminat Tasawuf duduk berkumpul di sekeliling tokoh-tokoh tersebut dengan tujuan untuk memudahkan tokoh-tokoh itu mendidik murid-murid cara tertentu: Abu Al Wafa Al Ghanimi, Perkembangan Tasawwuf Islam, 19 (1996).

Dan di antara orang-orang yang Kami ciptakan ada umat yang memberi petunjuk dengan hak dan dengan yang hak itu (pula) mereka menjalankan keadilan. Al Araaf (7):181.

Berkenaan “Arif-Billah”, Syeikh Abdul Qadir Al Jilani ada menulis:

Orang dalam golongan ini mempunyai ilmu-ilmu ketuhanan dan tanda-tanda Allah. Hati mereka menjadi gedung ilmu Allah yang amat berharga dan orang itu akan diberi Allah rahsia-rahsia yang tidak diberinya kepada orang lain. Allah telah memilih mereka dan membawa mereka ke sisi-Nya. Hati mereka akan dilapangkan untuk menerima rahsia-rahsia ini dan ilmu-ilmu yang tinggi. Allah jadikan mereka itu pelaku dan lakuannya dan pengajak manusia kepada jalan Allah dan melarang membuat dosa dan maksiat. Jadilah mereka itu “orang-orang Allah”. Mereka mendapat bimbingan yang benar. Mereka boleh memberi pertolongan kepada orang-orang yang benar dan mengesahkan kebenaran orang lain. Mereka ibarat timbalan nabi-nabi dan rasul-rasul Allah. Mereka sentiasa mendapat taufik dan hidayah dari Allah Yang Maha Agung: Syeikh Abdul Qadir Al Jilani, Pembukaan Kepada Yang Ghaib, 95 (1990).

Pada masa abad ketiga dan keempat Hijriah inilah penuntutan di dalam bidang ilmu Tasawuf berpecah menjadi dua haluan. Ahmad Sirhindi, seorang mujtahid Islam, menamakan Jalan Tasawuf yang awal sebagai (i) Tasawuf Jalan Nabi-nabi dan yang baru dinamakannya sebagai (ii) Tasawuf Jalan Wali-wali ataupun Tasawuf Tarikat. Beliau menulis:

Jalan Wali-wali berusaha kepada kesatuan dan dengan itu selalu berada dalam keadaan kemabukan.

Jalan Nabi-nabi kewujudan makhluk tetap terpelihara dan dengan ini mereka bersikap waras. Muhammad Abdul Haq Ansari, Sufism and Shariah, 211 (1986).

It is alike that of the water; once it manifested into ice, it is hidden by its manifestation.

Be that as it may, The Little Essence is the obligatory existence for all other existence as water is the obligatory existence for ice. As such, The Little Essence is “The Hidden” in every creation (including space and time). In this way, He is therefore All-Encompassing, All-Seeing, All-Hearing, All-Knowing, He is with us all the time and wheresoever we turn, we are mentally seeing “The Hidden” lurking behind the creations. Alike that of the ice, when we see it mentally we know there is water behinds the tough looking ice. Such being the case, not even a leave dropped in the remotest part of the Amazon without His Knowledge. This extends too, to our thinking and feeling. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

With Him are the keys of the Unseen, the treasures that none knoweth but He. He knoweth whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is (inscribed) in a Record clear (Loh Mahfuz). ²⁶

Since the source of all creations is The Little Essence as such, The Greatness, Vastness and Loftiness of The Whole Essence are beyond human comprehension. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

And if all the trees on earth were pens and the Ocean (were ink), with seven Oceans behind it to add to its (supply), yet would not the Words of Allah be exhausted (in the writing).²⁷

The Little Essence in each and every creation (including space and time) dutifully carries out whatsoever He had decreed in His Divine Plan (Loh Mahfuz). Consequently, whatsoever happenings to us or those around us or elsewhere are, in reality, orchestrated by the partnership of The Little Essence and The Divine Plan. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

Seest thou not that Allah merges Night into Day and He merges Day into Night; that He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His law), each running its course for a term appointed.²⁸

Allah had created His creation in stages. For the seven heavens, the earth and those in between, He created them in six phases. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

He who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between, in six phases²⁹

See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another.³⁰

However before He created heavens, earth and in between them in six phases, He had already created His Throne, the Veils of Light, Ring of Water (vapours), the “Pens”, the Sidratul Muntaha (a place above the seventh heaven) and others. In this way, these creations existed before the creation of heavens, earth and in between them. Hence in the Quran there are many provisions of His commandment, “Be”.³¹

That there are the Veils of Light in existence before the creations in the six phases are created, is fortified by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) saying that God is veiled by Veils of Light and to God’s commandment that He spoke behind Veils. Hence when He commanded,” Be”, this was done behind Veils. Allah had commanded to the effect:

It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a Messenger to reveal.³²

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said to the effect:

Veiling Him are the Veils of Light and if these Veils are lifted whosoever see Him will be destroyed.³³

Many are confused as to how the 70 Veils of Light can veil Allah, The Exalted. Hopefully, the diagram below can assist. The veiling is actually all around the creations (not The Essence) to protect them from the destructive power of The Essence.

• The 70 Veils of Light shield all living creations (Angels, Trees, Mankind and others) from the destructive power of The Essence

The fact that His Throne existed before the creations in the six phases were created can be noted from His following commandment to the effect:

It is Allah Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all between them, in six Days, and is firmly established on the Throne.³⁴

His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth³⁵

Many cannot accept that The Throne can accommodate Allah, The Great. Hopefully the diagram below can enlighten them. The Essence at the edge of the 70 Veils of Light is as if sitting on the Throne. The Veils are but the cushion on The Throne.

• We will say that Jack is sitting on a chair notwithstanding there is a cushion beneath his buttock. Similarly, Allah commanded that He sat on The Throne notwithstanding there are the Veils of Light.

His Throne was then on (Ring of) water. Allah had commanded to the effect:

He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six phases – and His Throne was over the Waters.³⁶

According to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to the effect:

Above the seventh heaven there is the “sea” which dimension is alike the distance between sky and earth.³⁷

Many are unable to envisage what Allah meant by His commandment that His Throne is above the water. Hopefully the diagram below can enlighten them.

• Below The Throne is the (Ring of) Water (Vapours). Water vapours are found in abundance in Space.³⁸

WEEKLY CLASS ON ISLAMIC GNOSTICISM

As for Sidratul Muntaha and the Pens, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ascended the seventh heaven and from there he was taken by Gabriel to a place called “Sidratul Muntaha” and he was also taken to a place called Al Mustawa and he heard the creaking of the Pens. Allah had commanded to the effect:

For indeed he (Muhammad) saw him (Gabriel) at Sidratul Muntaha.³⁹

• Abu Dzar asked Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) whether he had seen Allah during the ascension and he answered to the effect that there were the Veils of Light hence he could not see Him. This proves that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had ascended until he saw the Veils of Light and received the Divine Instruction on worship. That last station is called Al Mustawa where Gabriel could not ascend because he would be destroyed if he nears the first Veil of Light.⁴⁰

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said to the effect:

Then (after the seventh heaven) I was made to ascend to Sidratul Muntaha⁴¹

Then Gabriel ascended with me to a place where I heard the creaking of the Pens.⁴²

Then Gabriel ascended with me until I saw Al Mustawa. There I heard the creaking of Pens.⁴³

As for the soul of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), it was created before the creations in the six phases. Jesus had said that after it was created, it was placed in celestial splendour (we opined that it was The Sidratul Muntaha⁴⁴) and Allah said to it that for Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) He created all creations and he shall be the blessing of The Lord for all creations.⁴⁵ Allah had commanded to the effect:

We sent thee not, but as a mercy for all creatures.⁴⁶

All creations are within the Divine Plan or Loh Mahfuz including the voice of Allah speaking to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) during his ascension to heaven and also to Prophet Moses at the Mountain. To Moses Allah had commanded to the effect, “By no means canst thou see Me (direct).”⁴⁷

When all the creations within the Loh Mahfuz ended that is left behind is His Essence or His Face. He commanded to the effect:

I am the Last.⁴⁸

To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return⁴⁹

Everything (that exists) will perish except His own Face.⁵⁰

All that is on earth will perish but will abide (forever) the Face of thy Lord, Full of Majesty, Bounty and Honour.⁵¹

Prophet Muhammad had said to the effect:

You are the Essence to which creations shall return.⁵²

Many could not fathom what Allah meant when He commanded that when all creations including space and time are annihilated that remains is “His Face”. Hopefully, the diagrams below can enlighten them. “His Face” referred to by Allah is the face of The Essence at the outer boundary or the edge of The Little Essence (void of all creations).

• After all creations are annihilated, and before that little portion of His Essence reverted, the edge of that Little portion of The Essence during the transition serves as the “Face” of The Whole Essence.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said that in the hereinafter we shall see Allah clearly as clear as we are seeing the full moon.⁵³ Allah had also commanded in the Quran to the effect:

Some faces, that Day, will beam (in brightness and beauty). Looking towards their Lord. ⁵⁴

And know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter)⁵⁵

O thou man! Verily thou art ever toiling on towards thy Lord – painfully toiling – but thou shalt meet Him⁵⁶

Many cannot fathom the saying of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), hopefully the diagram can enlighten them.

• Those in Paradise can see the “Face” of His Essence as clear as the full moon when all other creations are annihilated.

To show to His creations that His Divine Plan (Loh Mahfuz) is completed, perfect and all comprehensive, He caused our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to ascend and see the inhabitants of Paradise and Hell. Since the Armageddon has not happened, the Holy Prophet was seeing a phenomenal future event which is far beyond his time. The aforesaid inhabitants of Hell and Paradise as seen by him may not even been born at the time of the ascension.⁵⁷

The Bibliography

Mengikut istilah Imam Ahmad Ar Rifai, Makrifatullah adalah:
Pengenalan kepada Allah swt menerusi kesedaran yang jati di mana seorang itu benar-benar sedar atau dikejutkan kepada KewujudanNya atau KeesaanNya atau KebesaranNya: Saiyid Ahmad Ar Rifai, Benteng Ahli Hakikat Dalam Meniti Makrifat Kepada Allah, 42 (1994)

Syed Sabiq berpendapat bahawa Makrifatullah adalah keperluan asas untuk kehidupan kerohanian kita. Beliau menulis:

Makrifat kepada Allah Ta’ala itulah yang merupakan asas atau fundamen yang di atasnya didirikanlah segala kehidupan kerohanian: Sayid Sabiq, Aqidah Islam, 30 (1988).

Imam Ghazali berpendapat bahawa wajib kita mengenali siapa yang kita sembah sebelum menyembahNya. Beliau menulis:

Wajib bagimu mengenali dahulu siapa yang harus disembah  setelah itu baru engkau menyembah-Nya: Imam Ghazali, Minhajul Abidin, 24 (1997).

Syeikh Abdul Qadir Al Jilani berkata bahawa tanpa pengenalan kepada Allah swt (Makrifatullah), ibadah seseorang itu tidak akan sempurna.

Manusia tidak akan beribadah secara sempurna kepada-Nya tanpa makrifat yang sesungguhnya: Syeikh Abdul Qadir Al Jilani, Sirrur Asrar, 17 (1997).

Kerana itulah jumhur ulama khalaf dan salaf mengatakan, “Awaluddin Makrifatullah” iaitu awal agama mengenal Allah swt : [Mohd Sulaiman Hj Yasin, Mengenal Ilmu Tasawuf 2, 39 (1992)] .

Mustahaknya makrifatullah kepada kita adalah kerana Allah swt mencipta Jin dan Manusia untuk satu perkara sahaja iaitu menyembahNya. Allah swt berfirman yang bermaksud:

Tidak-Ku jadikan jin dan manusia melainkan untuk menyembah-Ku : Adz Dzaariyaat (51):56

Ibnu Abbas dan Syeikh Abdul Qadir Al Jilani mentafsirkan ayat, “Tidak-Ku jadikan jin dan manusia melainkan untuk menyembah-Ku” sebagai “Tidak-Ku jadikan jin dan manusia melainkan untuk mengenali-Ku”: Al Quraisy An Naisaibury, Risatul Qusyairiah, 8 (1997); Syeikh Abdul Qadir Al Jilani, Sirrur Asrar, 17 (1997).

Kerana pentingnya seseorang mengenal akan Tuhannya sebelum menyembahNya maka Allah swt di alam azali lagi telah mengenalkan  roh kita kepadaNya. Allah swt ada berfirman yang bermaksud:

Dan (Ingatlah) ketika Tuhanmu mengeluarkan keturunan anak-anak Adam dari sulbi mereka dan Allah mengambil kesaksian terhadap jiwa mereka (seraya berfirman), “Bukankah Aku ini Tuhanmu?” Mereka menjawab, “Benar (Engkau Tuhan kami) kami menjadi saksi“: Al Araaf (7):172

At the beginning there is only God and He named Himself, “Allah”. He had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

Say, “He is Allah, The One and Only.¹

Then He created all creations. He had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

For to anything which We have willed, We but say the word, “Be”, and it is.²

However before He says the word, “Be”, He had made ready a perfect and all comprehensive Divine Plan. He had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

When He hath decreed a Plan, He but said to it, “Be” and it is!³

And that Divine Plan is called, “Loh Mahfuz”. It is a perfect and all comprehensive Plan created by The All-Wisest, Allah. He forgets nothing in this Plan and as such there can be no amendment. He had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

With Him is the Mother of the Book (Loh Mahfuz)⁴

Nothing have We omitted from the Book.⁵

Nor is hidden from your Lord (so much as) the weight of an atom.⁶

No change will you find in the practice (approved) of Allah⁷

And the command of Allah is a decreed determined.⁸

Many had compared His command, “Be” to that of the “Big Bang” and recently scientists too had attempted to emulate the “Big Bang”. However, the attempt is destined to fail because there was absent of the Divine Plan (Loh Mahfuz) which is the prerequisite for the “Big Bang” to work. Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

It is He who created all things, and ordered them in due proportions.⁹

Verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion.¹⁰

This Divine Plan fortified the fact that there is an Intelligent Design. Thus we can see the physicals of human being with the head on the top, the body and hands below that and the legs at the bottom remain constant all over the world. Similarly, the trees too have their leaves on the top, stem in the middle and the roots at the bottom. Animals give birth to animals, human to human and so on. We can note many more similarities not only on physical aspects but also on the non-physical as well as environment where they live. All these denote the Divine Intelligent Design. Allah had commanded to the effect:

Verily, all things have We created in proportion and measure.¹¹

Lest you think that the Intelligent Design is due to the Divine Plan (Loh Mahfuz) alone, you are greatly mistaken. It is actually the result of the partnership between the Divine Plan and the Divine Essence. In respect of the latter, at the beginning there is God and nothing was with Him. So when He commanded, “Be” and creations were created, this begets the question, “From which source the creations were created from?” If there was another existence apart from Him then the concept that at the beginning He was alone collapsed and collapsed too the foundation of Monotheism.¹² Such being the case, it is indisputable that the source of creations is He, alone. Thus Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said to the effect:

You are the Essence from which creations evolved.¹³

And Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

I am The First.¹⁴

• Although He is unknown (a Hidden God), His Essence is without doubt the source of all creations and so He is conveniently referred to as The (Whole) Essence.¹⁵ The Whole Essence is immeasurable and unfathomable.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said to the effect:

Verily Allah is the Glorious Essence¹⁶

There is no God but The Essence.¹⁷

Thus when He commanded, “Be”, His Essence manifested in accordance to the role given in the Divine Plan (Loh Mahfuz). Allah had commanded in the Quran to the effect:

I am The Manifest.¹⁸

The next inevitable question is, “Is The Whole Essence manifested into all creations?” To this end, we have the following answers:

1. According to the Concept of Wahdatul Wujud, all the creations are He in manifestation. Hence they said, “One in all, all in One.”¹⁹
2. According to the Concept of the Light of Muhammad, before commanding, “Be”, part of The Whole Essence became the Light of Muhammad then the remaining part of The whole Essence commanded, “Be” to the Light of Muhammad and beholds creations were created (from the Light of Muhammad).²⁰
3. According to the Concept of Wahdatul Syuhud, the only real existence is God and creations are an unreal existence.²¹
4. According to the Concept of Dzatiyah, a little of The Whole Essence is used as the source of all creations. How little of The Whole Essence was used as source of all creations, according to:

a) The Bang Theory- lesser than an atom. ²²
b) Prophet Jesus – Lesser than a particle of sand.²³
c) Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – like the full moon in the sky (you can block it with your thumb) but Allah is greater than this.²⁴

It has to be stressed at the outset that we subscribed to the Concept of Dzatiyah.

• In the light that a little of His Whole Essence is the source of all creations hence creation alone or as a whole can never be God.

The whole creations are but the manifestation of The Little Essence. The manifestation hides The Little Essence and thus He commanded to the effect:

I am The Hidden.²⁵

The Bibliography