What is the response to those who consider "contemplation" to be part of Sufism?
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Question:
I was speaking with a person about contemplating the creation of Allah, and he said to me: It is from the practices of the people of Sufism. What is your opinion?
Answer:
No, this is prescribed. Contemplating the creation of Allah and His signs is what Allah has prescribed: [Surah Saba: 46], [Surah Yunus: 24]. So contemplation is prescribed and commanded, and it is not a characteristic of the people of Sufism; it is prescribed for everyone.
Some of the Salaf said: "Whoever has a thought has a lesson in everything," and some of the Salaf also said: "Thought is part of deliberation; it shows you your good deeds and your bad deeds."
So contemplating the creation of Allah, and His great Book, and the blessings Allah has given you, and your own self; all of this is what Allah loves and what Allah has prescribed.
And likewise, contemplating the meanings of the names and attributes of Allah, not the modality, not the modality of the essence of Allah. No, we do not know the modality; no one knows it except He . So the contemplation is in the meanings of His names: the meaning of the Merciful, the meaning of the Most Merciful, the meaning of the God, the meaning of the Mighty, the meaning of the All-Powerful, and so on, which benefits the person with great knowledge and many benefits.
I was speaking with a person about contemplating the creation of Allah, and he said to me: It is from the practices of the people of Sufism. What is your opinion?
Answer:
No, this is prescribed. Contemplating the creation of Allah and His signs is what Allah has prescribed:
Say, "I only advise you of one [thing] - that you stand for Allah, [seeking truth] in pairs and individually, and then give thought." There is not in your companion any madness
قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَعِظُكُمْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ أَنْ تَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ مَثْنَى وَفُرَادَى ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُوا مَا بِصَاحِبِكُمْ مِنْ جِنَّةٍThus do We explain in detail the signs for a people who give thought.
كَذَلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَSome of the Salaf said: "Whoever has a thought has a lesson in everything," and some of the Salaf also said: "Thought is part of deliberation; it shows you your good deeds and your bad deeds."
So contemplating the creation of Allah, and His great Book, and the blessings Allah has given you, and your own self; all of this is what Allah loves and what Allah has prescribed.
And likewise, contemplating the meanings of the names and attributes of Allah, not the modality, not the modality of the essence of Allah. No, we do not know the modality; no one knows it except He . So the contemplation is in the meanings of His names: the meaning of the Merciful, the meaning of the Most Merciful, the meaning of the God, the meaning of the Mighty, the meaning of the All-Powerful, and so on, which benefits the person with great knowledge and many benefits.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.