The Sufis: Their Categories and Ranks
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The Sufis and what they believe regarding indwelling say: The aspirant or the knower leaves off some of the obligatory acts, such as prayer, for example.And some of them say, for example, as in their poetry: "Call upon Me, and I will respond to you," or something similar to that.
What is the least that can be said about them, O Shaykh?
These Sufis who say what you mentioned, that the aspirant does whatever he wants,And that the Desired One is in a station, which is: the Lord, Mighty and Majestic,And he says: The aspirant is in the presence of this Desired One in the position of a corpse in the presence of the washer; he does with it whatever he wills. So there is no doubt that these people are disbelievers, having exited from Islam.
As for the mild Sufis, like the one who introduces some dhikr or something similar to this, he does not reach the level of disbelief.
So the Sufis are of categories and types; not all of them are on the same level. But opening the door of religious innovation, even in acts of worship, is harmful, and it leads to progression, and to there being innovation in the creed, as you pointed out.
The questioner: If the knower, for example, were to affirm what he believes, would he be killed as an apostate?The Shaykh: If the knower affirms what he believes, and his belief is what you mentioned, then if he repents, believes, and submits to Islam, the killing and the ruling of disbelief are lifted from him. Otherwise, he is killed as a disbeliever and apostate; he is not washed, not shrouded, not prayed over, and not buried with the Muslims.
What is the least that can be said about them, O Shaykh?
These Sufis who say what you mentioned, that the aspirant does whatever he wants,And that the Desired One is in a station, which is: the Lord, Mighty and Majestic,And he says: The aspirant is in the presence of this Desired One in the position of a corpse in the presence of the washer; he does with it whatever he wills. So there is no doubt that these people are disbelievers, having exited from Islam.
As for the mild Sufis, like the one who introduces some dhikr or something similar to this, he does not reach the level of disbelief.
So the Sufis are of categories and types; not all of them are on the same level. But opening the door of religious innovation, even in acts of worship, is harmful, and it leads to progression, and to there being innovation in the creed, as you pointed out.
The questioner: If the knower, for example, were to affirm what he believes, would he be killed as an apostate?The Shaykh: If the knower affirms what he believes, and his belief is what you mentioned, then if he repents, believes, and submits to Islam, the killing and the ruling of disbelief are lifted from him. Otherwise, he is killed as a disbeliever and apostate; he is not washed, not shrouded, not prayed over, and not buried with the Muslims.