Sufism
Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism.
Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
, the Majzoob or Majzub (, plural: مَجَاذِيبٌ ''majazib, majazeeb'') is a mystical station ( ḥāl) that the Muslim saint (
wali
The term ''wali'' is most commonly used by Muslims to refer to a saint, or literally a "friend of God".John Renard, ''Friends of God: Islamic Images of Piety, Commitment, and Servanthood'' (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008); John ...
) underwent in his journey within
Islam
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
ic
sufism
Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism.
Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
to reach the posture ( maqām) of reacher ( wasil) and perfect man (
al-Insān al-Kāmil
In Islamic theology, ''al-Insān al-Kāmil'' (), also rendered as ''Insān-i Kāmil'' ( Persian/Urdu: ) and ' ( Turkish), is an honorific title to describe Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. The phrase means "the person who has reached perfection ...
).
Presentation
''Majzoobs'' are such murids whose hearts ( qulub) are soaked, immersed and illuminated with anwar and
asrar
''Asrar'' () is a Persian-language reformist daily newspaper published in Tehran, Iran.
Profile
''Asrar'' has a reformist political leaning.adhkar and awrad.
They do not first engage in
dhikr
(; ; ) is a form of Islamic worship in which phrases or prayers are repeatedly recited for the purpose of remembering God. It plays a central role in Sufism, and each Sufi order typically adopts a specific ''dhikr'', accompanied by specific ...
until God illumines their hearts and guides them from the very inception.
After being illumined with divine lights, they engage in recitation and invocation which is not a hard task for them because in their state it is just as breathing is.
Duncan Forbes said:
John Thompson Platts said:
Ra Gohar Shahi said:
Muḥammad Fasī al-Dīn said:
Since the ''Majzoob'' is a wasil who has approached and reached the pinnacle of Sufism, the Sufis ascribe all sorts of Karamat and powers to them, from helping others miraculously to knowing matters of
Al-Ghaib
Al-Ghayb () is an Arabic expression used to convey that something is concealed (unseen). It is an important concept in Islam, encompassing what cannot be perceived or known by humans. This includes God, the attributes of God, the Last Day and its ...
Difference with Salik
The
wali
The term ''wali'' is most commonly used by Muslims to refer to a saint, or literally a "friend of God".John Renard, ''Friends of God: Islamic Images of Piety, Commitment, and Servanthood'' (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008); John ...
who is characterized by attraction and soaking, is distinguished, from other salikin saints who are characterized by behavior, in that he receives from God selection and care without much religious practice (
ibadah
''Ibadah'' (, ''‘ibādah'', also spelled ''ibada'') is an Arabic word meaning service or servitude. In Islam, ''ibadah'' is usually translated as “worship”, and ''ibadat''—the plural of ''ibadah''—refers to Islamic jurisprudence ( ...
) of remembrance (
dhikr
(; ; ) is a form of Islamic worship in which phrases or prayers are repeatedly recited for the purpose of remembering God. It plays a central role in Sufism, and each Sufi order typically adopts a specific ''dhikr'', accompanied by specific ...
) and rituals ( awrad), thus reaching the station ( maqām) of the linker ( wasil).
Syed Yusuf Shahab said in his book ''The Lost Sufis of Delhi'':
Legality
The Islamic legality of majzoob's position is stated in the
Quran
The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
in several verses:
* Verse 58 of Surah Maryam shows that seeking refuge (Arabic: اجْتِبَاءٌ) and guidance ( hidayah) is one of the favors () of God Almighty over some of His chosen and selected servants, and among them are those who are attracted (majazeeb):
* Verse 13 of Surah Ash-Shura shows that seeking refuge (Arabic: اجْتِبَاءٌ) is a favor (Arabic: نِعْمَةٌ) of God Almighty, and guidance ( hidayah) is offered to the assiduous and humble practitioner:
Practice
When the chosen majzoob receives the divine flow () of the
ma'rifa
In Sufism, maʿrifa ("experiential knowledge" or " gnosis") is the mystical understanding of God or Divine Reality. It has been described as an immediate recognition and understanding of the true nature of things as they are. Ma'rifa encompasses a ...
, the
irfan
In Islam, irfan (Arabic/ Persian/Urdu: ; ), literally 'knowledge, awareness, wisdom', is a concept in Islamic mysticism akin to gnosis, or spiritual knowledge.
Sunni mysticism
According to the founder of the Qadiriyya Sufi order, Abdul ...
and the haqiqa, he finds himself in a situation of sublimation (Arabic: اصطلام) due to this spiritual ascent (Arabic: التَّرَقِّي) unexpected and sudden, and therefore a whole directive of conduct must taint his subsequent behavior () in order to attain the approval and acceptance of his Lord.
He must then look for a
sheikh
Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...
or
murshid
''Murshid'' () is Arabic for "guide" or "teacher", derived from the root ''r-sh-d'', with the basic meaning of having integrity, being sensible, mature. Particularly in Sufism it refers to a Spiritual director, spiritual guide. The term is freque ...
proven and confirmed in
Sufism
Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism.
Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
to accompany him in his return to the worldly life of
Muslims
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
through a
prolapse
In medicine, prolapse is a condition in which organ (anatomy), organs fall down or slip out of place. It is used for organs protruding through the vagina, rectum, or for the misalignment of the valves of the heart. A spinal disc herniation is al ...
(Arabic: التَّدَلِّي) from this position of ecstasy to a form of moderate ritual practice (
ibadah
''Ibadah'' (, ''‘ibādah'', also spelled ''ibada'') is an Arabic word meaning service or servitude. In Islam, ''ibadah'' is usually translated as “worship”, and ''ibadat''—the plural of ''ibadah''—refers to Islamic jurisprudence ( ...
) according to
sharia
Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on Islamic holy books, scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran, Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' ...
and righteousness (), and he will then be named salik.
If this attraction is pure generosity ( karamat) from the Lord, then the etiquette of the slave () requires him to abide by the modesty of this generous gift through his commitment to uprightness in his desires, laws and commands stipulated in the
Quran
The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
and
Sunnah
is the body of traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time supposedly saw, followed, and passed on to the next generations. Diff ...
in order to achieve true servitude ().
Ibn al-Banna al-Sarqasti composed a poem in which he described the need of the devotees of God, among them the majazeeb, for a guide and a sheikh who guides them to the signs of true worship:
Misconducts
When the majzoob practices the awrad without moderation and balance, this insanity can cause a permanent physical and mental abuse to the Sufi.
People in this abused state can be seen like crazy and vagabonds near the tombs of the Sufis and in isolated places.
Sometimes, the ''Sufis'' glorify the state of these ''majazeeb'' claiming that they have not acquired this state but that it is something bestowed.