AHYA Multi-Media - QSEP

Chapter 1: Overview and Background
Sufism Today
Sufism or Tasawwuf is divided into many sects, called Tareeqahs. 27
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.
27 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]
11