Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Talks about Sufism

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Talks about Sufism

This is from the lectureTitled "Changing our Condition".
To watch the full lecture:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2IJ-gaAGbQ

Lecture about Sufism:
"World of Spirituality, Tasawwuf, Sufis & Shaykhs - Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I43IriBx4BE

SHaykh Hamza Yusuf on Taking a Sufi Shaykh
Question: How necessarily important is it to commit to one shaykh to develop your spirituality?

Answer:
You'll get different opinions depending on who you ask. There's a nice translation of Ibn Abbad's letter on whether its obligatory to take a shaykh. There's a saying, "Whoever doesn't have a shaykh, Shaytan is his shaykh." Generally, first and foremost it means you have to have a teacher for the Shariah. You have to have someone who teaches you the religion. When we visit Sh. Mimmar (spelling?) the other day, what did he keep saying? "Get teachers even if you have to pay them. Have teachers. You need teachers to guide you. You need to have sources of knowledge." In terms of spiritual advancement, if people are having spiritual experiences its good to have people who know what they are doing. Suhba (companionship) is also good. Many of the shuyukh of this period, like Shaykh Ahmad Mashur al-Haddad, who I studied with, Dr. Umar studied with, Sidi Abdul Hakim Winters studied with- he was of the opinion that the idea of taslim was over, the surrendering yourselves to a shaykh completely was over, this wasn't its time. And there are a lot of dysfunctional aspect in a lot of relationships that happen, so there are problems in all these systems. And surrendering your sovereignty, you have to be very careful with that, who you surrender your sovereignty to, some people demand a lot. There's a poem by Robert Frost, "They say the truth will make you free, my truth will make you slave to me." So you just have to be careful, there's a lot of manipulation out there. People from Pakistan know very well about the peer sahibs, and what happens there. I'm not making this up, am I? A lot of these people are flat-out charlatons, there's charlatans all over West Africa, you know 'Sufi shaykh, come and be a murid.' The danger of Sufism that bothers me, is there are a lot of principles in Tasawwuf that are very easily manipulated into certain cultic control mechanisms and they become very dangerous. I think for those of us in the West, we come from a tradition of individual sovereignty and independence of self. And I personally believe those are very high Islamic characteristics and qualities. I think a lot of the problems in the East is all this slavishness, and devotion and obsequiousness to the grand Master Pu-Ba whoever. I mean, if you want my personal opinion, I do believe that. That does not mean I don't show the utmost respect to my teachers. Sh. Abdullah bin Bayyah is my teacher and what I love about him is he's somebody who respects my opinion, listens to my opinion, he's never been despotic in any way. Habib Ahmad Mashur al-Haddad was not despotic at all, he didn't get angry at people, he didn't abuse people. Sifadur Harawi was like that. You just have to look to people and observe them. You just have to be careful. And then there are some people who are just deluded or they are trying to keep something alive and they have their limitations. Sidi Ahmad Zarruq said that there weren't any complete teachers by his time, the 9th century, the completed masters were gone and to just find people that could do the best that they could do and recognize their shortcomings and don't have greater expectations that they can do that. Wallahu Ta'ala Alaam. Allah knows best.

--Taken from Shaykh Hamza Yusuf's CD set on Tasfiyah al-Qublub, (Refinement of the Heart) by Imam Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi, CD 12, Track 3 and 4 (copyright)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Hamza Yusuf
• Sufism
• Sufi
• Bidah
• Bid'ah
• Tasawwuf
• Intercession
• Islamic Spirituality
• Quran
• Prophet Muhammad
• Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
• Deviant
• Grave
• Worship
• Dance
• Music
• Crazy
• Bilal Philips
• Beware of Hamza Yusuf
• Warning Against Hamza Yusuf

[asiya1011]

He's still Sufi though. I cant trust a word that comes out of his mouth ... May Allaah ta'ala guide him, ameen.

[ByChoiceMuslim]

@asiya1011 What is your understanding of Sufism?

[shinobiung]

Firsty you should all know I was listening to Hamza Yusuf when hardly ANYONE in the UK had heard of him. And alhamdulilah I have gleemed a good amount of knowledge about Islam and Islamic history from his talks, and I would LOVE to attend any future talks he may give in the UK. But I do believe he tells people to follow a shiekh (in a master to student format) and that everyone should follow one of the 4 madhabs because people are unable to be guided just by reading Quran and Hadith.

[ByChoiceMuslim]

@shinobiung Please read the Description for Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Opinions on taking Shaykh.

[humanadvice]

@asiya1011 Brother In Islam. I don't think Shirk is okay, neither does Sheikh Hamza Yusuf and nobody would want to ever associate partners with Allah ta'ala. If you follow the Quran and the authentic Sunnah, and follow the ahlul Sunna wal Gama'a brother, and follow the way of the salaf, then stop spreading fitna here or anywhere. The day of Judgement is near, and by Allah, these comments will all be displayed in front of your very eyes! Be careful and Fear Allah ; ) Wasalam.

[TheHodan101]

Omg!!!! Is this guy a sufi!???

We never heard of him here in the UK.

[ByChoiceMuslim]

@asiya1011 You know, you should not judge him based on Abu Mussab lecture on Sufism. You don't know what Shaykh Hamza Yusuf believes so why slander him? Just because modern days sufis, worship geaveyards and dance in places like Pakistan and, India does not mean all the people of Sufism believe on those nonsense. You are just assuming Shaykh Hamza believes those stuff because Abu Mussab said in his lecture thats is what sufis do. Why don't you watch this video and then criticise.

[ByChoiceMuslim]

@asiya1011 You know, you should not judge him based on Abu Mussab lecture on Sufism. You don't know what Shaykh Hamza Yusuf believes so why slander him? Just because modern days sufis, worship geaveyards and dance in places like Pakistan and, India does not mean all the people of Sufism believe on those nonsense. You are just assuming Shaykh Hamza believes those stuff because Abu Mussab said in is lecture thats is what sufis do. Why don't you watch this video and then criticise.

[asiya1011]

@humanadvice What? So you think Shirk is okay? Well alright then, I'm not the one that needs to be guided!

I worship Allaah ALONE and do not prescribe partners with Him, But ...if you guys are all Sufi's then fair enough, I rest my case ...

May Allaah ta 'ala guide you and all of Hamza Yusuf's followers and may He open your eyes to pure guidance, i.e Tawheed (Oneness of Allaah), Insha'allaah, Aameen! (:

[humanadvice]

@asiya1011

May Allah guide you :)

[YZTWR]

Thanks to the media, Sufism is been given a bad name and understanding. When it's just pure and lovely, following the footsteps of the Rightful Masters.

[asiya1011]

@ByChoiceMuslim My understanding of Sufism and what I know about Sufism is that it is absolutely NOT related to Islaam at all! The followers of this group worship the grave, associate partners with Allaah (Azzawajal), and call upon the Messenger Muhammad (S) and ask things of him .... Doesn't anyone else find this disturbing?

I don't mean to divide the Ummah, and I know it's wrong to do so, but I really don't want my Muslim brothers and sisters to be misguided through him. Allaah knows best (:

[dj2can]

@asiya1011 Asalamalikum.

May I know why brother? He is a gem of the Ahlusunnah WalJama3a and if you can't trust him then I don't know who you can trust :)

[asiya1011]

@dj2can I'm not telling anyone to trust what I say. All I'm saying is that I don't trust this 'Shaykh' ........