What is the opinion of the one who says: The original meaning of Sufism is asceticism in this world, and this is a good thing with nothing wrong with it?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: What is your opinion of the one who says that the original meaning of Sufism is asceticism in this world, that it is a good thing with nothing wrong with it, and that he considers this a point of convergence between the people of the Sunnah and the Sufis?
The Shaykh:
He considers this what?
The questioner:
A point of convergence.
The Shaykh:
There is no doubt that asceticism is good and required, but if it exceeds the limits and one becomes severe with oneself, it is not permissible.
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) heard a group of people, one of them said, "I will not marry," and another said, "I will not eat meat," and another said, "I fast and do not break my fast," and the fourth said, "I pray and do not sleep." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disapproved of them.
He said, "You are the ones who said such and such. As for me, by Allah, I am the most mindful of Allah among you and the most fearful of Him. I fast and I break my fast, I pray and I sleep, I marry women, and I eat meat. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not one of me." This will come to you, this will come to you, if Allah wills, soon. Yes.
So if asceticism exceeds the limit, it is not permissible. Yes. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:[Hud 11:112] and do not transgress by increasing in the deed. Yes.
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: What is your opinion of the one who says that the original meaning of Sufism is asceticism in this world, that it is a good thing with nothing wrong with it, and that he considers this a point of convergence between the people of the Sunnah and the Sufis?
The Shaykh:
He considers this what?
The questioner:
A point of convergence.
The Shaykh:
There is no doubt that asceticism is good and required, but if it exceeds the limits and one becomes severe with oneself, it is not permissible.
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) heard a group of people, one of them said, "I will not marry," and another said, "I will not eat meat," and another said, "I fast and do not break my fast," and the fourth said, "I pray and do not sleep." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disapproved of them.
He said, "You are the ones who said such and such. As for me, by Allah, I am the most mindful of Allah among you and the most fearful of Him. I fast and I break my fast, I pray and I sleep, I marry women, and I eat meat. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not one of me." This will come to you, this will come to you, if Allah wills, soon. Yes.
So if asceticism exceeds the limit, it is not permissible. Yes. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:
So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to Allah], and do not transgress
فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [212 -858] ما الرأي في قول القائل: إن أصل معنى الصوفية هو التزهد في الدنيا وهذا أمر طيب ولا شيء فيه؟ — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.