Awaken Bharata
Major Sections
Books By David Frawley
SUFIS AND MILITANCE
Sufis and the Sharia

One must realize that any Sufi who regarded Hinduism in a favorable light was likely to be attacked, not only by orthodox Muslims but also by conservative Sufis, as the example of Dara Shikoh indicates. The Sharia or traditional Islamic law has a penalty of death for any Muslim who criticizes Mohammed or the Koran, or who gives up Islam for another religion, the so-called anti-blasphemy and anti-apostasy laws. Hence even if Sufis had more rebellious ideas they were unlikely to express them for fear of their own safety.

Any Sufi who claims to accept the Sharia, therefore, has already accepted intolerance, which is built into this cruel code of laws. To understand the intolerance inherent in the Sharia note the anti-blasphemy law that is current in Pakistan today (devised in 1986 and amended in 1991), which is a model of the Sharia. "Whosoever by words, either spoken or written or by visible representation or by an imputation, innuendo or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the holy Prophet Mohammed, shall be punished by death or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to a fine.

"This law applies to all citizens of Pakistan including Christians and Hindus and Islamic rulers in India enforced similar laws during the period of their rule. Clearly anyone who accepts such laws cannot be particularly open minded in the field of religion whatever else they may say. In this regard nearly all Sufis not only accepted but heaped great praise upon the Sharia. A few considered that it was possible to go beyond the Sharia, if one was a great mystic, but that the Sharia should otherwise be followed faithfully. Perhaps this lauding of the Sharia began as a means of self-protection, but it eventually became an important part of all Sufi orders. Ask any Sufi today to publicly denounce the Sharia and see what they say.

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About Sufis And Militance
Introduction Pg1
Introduction Pg2
Introduction Pg3
Introduction Pg4
Sufis and Islamic...Pg.1
Sufis and Islamic...Pg.2
Sufis and Islamic...Pg.3
Sufis and Islamic...Pg.4
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Sufis and Islamic...Pg.6
Sufis and Islamic...Pg.7
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Sufis and Islamic...Pg.10
Liberal Sufis Pg.1
Liberal Sufis Pg.2
Liberal Sufis Pg.3
Liberal Sufis Pg.4
Sufis and the Sharia Pg.1
Sufis and the Sharia Pg.2
Sufis and the Sharia Pg.3
Sufis and the Sharia Pg.4
Sufi Philosophy.Pg1
Sufi Philosophy.Pg2
Sufi Philosophy.Pg3
Sufi Philosophy.Pg4
Conclusion Pg.1
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