| Awaken Bharata |
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| Books By David Frawley |
| SUFIS AND MILITANCE | |
| Sufis
and Islamic Orthodoxy/ Conservative Sufis
Sufis, we should note, are not universally found in all Islamic groups. They are mainly a phenomenon of Sunni Islamic society, and are generally opposed to the Shias, the other main Islamic branch, who however have their own mystical traditions (which incidentally are not always tolerant either). Yet orthodox Sunni Islam is itself anti-mystical and has targeted the Sufis as heretics, to the extent of massacring them on a number of occasions. This has given some people the impression that Sufis are unorthodox and not true Muslims or that they are opposed to militant Islamic activities. However we must note that this conflict between orthodox Sunnis and the Sufis, between the Mullahs (orthodox leaders) and the Sufi, is not for these reasons. It is not because the Sufis are against Islam, Mohammed or the Koran, or are opposed to Islamic expansionism.Most Sufis, except for a few rebels, accept all these aspects of traditional and fundamentalist Islam. As Risvi notes "Hujwiri (a great early Sufi) saw in Sufi saints a vehicle by which the Truth and the proof of Muhammad's veracity could be continued" that "through their spiritual influence the Muslims could gain victories over the unbelievers." Most Sufis not only regarded Mohammed as the greatest of prophets and followed the dictates of the Koran; they worked in the world to promote the expansion of Islam. |
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