When Shari‘a Meets Haqiqa: The Core of ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani’s Sufism

Abstract

Sufism is perhaps the most disputed part of Islam. Regarding its ontological status, some scholars assume it as acculturation of non-Islamic culture, so that by implication it is contrary to Islamic teachings. On the other hand, not a few argue that sufism is a representation of orthodoxy that arises from—and not to—the heart of the Islamic tradition, so that its teachings do not collide with the Islamic dogmas. This paper aims to discuss ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani’s sufism in relation to this academic constellation. Through a qualitative analysis of al-Jilani’s works, this paper shows that the true sufism according to al-Jilani originates from Islamic teachings and is not anti-nomian in its nature. In his teachings, epistemologically sufism itself requires the integration of the shari‘a and the haqiqa in a balanced way, in both theoretical and practical spheres. This integration has axiological implications for the deeper meaning of Islamic dogmas, so as understood not only legally and formally, but also morally and spiritually.