Al- Shafi’i’s Opinion of Sufism

Al-Bayhaqi reported in ‘Al-Manaqib’: 2/207 with his own chain of narration on the authority of Yusuf ibn ‘Abd al ‘Alaa who said: I heard al-Imam al-Shafi’i saying:

If a man were to embrace Sufism in the morning, you would find that he has turned into a fool before Dhuhr came in.

He also stated while describing Sufees:

A Sufi does not become a Sufi until he has four characteristics;

• Laziness,
• Excessive Eating,
• Excessive speaking [or nosiness] and
• Excessive Fudool [being involved with things that do not concern them or things they are not in need of]."

The author of ‘Al-Hilyah’: 9/136 reported that Al Imam al-Shafi’i stated:

The foundation of Sufism is laziness

He stated concerning some of their practices:

I left Iraq while people were practicing something that hypocrites innovated called at Taqhbeer^[1], they distract the people away from the Quran with it.

Manhaj al-Imam ash Shafi’i fi Ithbat al-‘Aqidah by Shaykh Muhammad al-‘Aqeel] Shaykhul Islam ibn Taymiyyah stated:

…and what ash Shafi’i - may Allah be pleased with him – mentioned; that the practice was innovated by hypocrites, is indeed a statement by an Imam who has firm knowledge of the principles of Islam. For indeed no one was intrested in or encouraged this singing to begin with except, those who were accused of hypocrisy.”

Majmoo' al-Fatawa: 11/570

 

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[1] The beating with a rod for rhythm, therefore it is musical instrument -said by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Hadi - may Allah preserve him.