What is Mysticism

reality. A simile may be employed to explain a reality already established. But offering similes towards proving a reality is entirely unacademic and illogical. To prove the theory that the “essence of everything is the same,” one of two arguments are essential. Either such a theory is proved by a scientific research or else an argument in the real sense exists in its favour in revealed religions. But this theory is neither established by science, nor any real argument is to be found in its favour in revealed religions. In such circumstances a school of thought which explains the spiritual quest in terms of all is the same (hama ust) undoubtedly stands on a baseless ground as no testimony, either of science or revelation exists to support this theory. The spiritual quest means from the Islamic point of view that the servant (of God) wants to contact God, his Creator. Islamic spiritualism is in actual fact a realization of God. Whatever man gains at the level of his heart and mind through the realization of God is known as Islamic spiritualism. Here again Islamic spiritualism has come to have two schools of thought, one may be called Quranic school of thought and the other is commonly known as tasawwuf. There are several branches and forms of tasawwuf. These varied forms can not be described in the form of a single principle. However, tasawwuf, is basically another name for two things—the concept of shaikh (spiritual mentor) to guide to the path of spirituality, and muraqabat (specified time of day or night devoted to private worship in addition to the five prescribed prayers), divine contemplation, recitation of different words and phrases repeatedly. Both these two practices are total innovations in Islam as neither of these existed during the times of the Prophet and his Companions. Holding shaikh to be a means of spiritual progress certainly amounts to incorporating gurudom in Islam. Islam in fact had come to negate this concept of gurudom. Since ancient times all religions had accorded the religious gurus the status of intermediaries between God and man. Islam put an end to this middle link and proclaimed that man can establish contact with God directly. That there is no need for an intermediary. But after three hundred years of the emergence of Islam, the pre Islamic concept came to be held sacred once again and thus found their entry into Islam. Any such concept is an obstacle to the path of spiritual progress instead of being conducive to it.