A Review of Hadiths Prevalent in Sufism in the Light of the Principles of Hadith

Abstract

This paper gives an exhaustive discussion of Sufi traditions and narrations (ahadith) within the context of the rules of Hadith criticism (usul al-Hadith). It examines the complex connection between Sufism as the inner part of Islam which studies tazkiyah al-nafs (purification of the soul) andihsan and spiritual training and the science of Hadith authentication, which protects the Prophetic Sunnah by subjecting it to extensive questioning of chains of transmission (sanad) and text (matn).). The paper starts with the background knowledge: what Sufism actually is and how it has developed throughout history following the time of the Prophetic and the Companions to the development of formalized orders (tariqas); what Hadith is and what its types are (qawli, fi‘li, taqriri); and what the essential principles of the Hadith sciences are: the evaluation of the reporters (jarh wa ta‘dil), the continu It then categorizes Sufi-prevalent narrations related to virtues of deeds (fada’il al-a‘mal), dhikr and awrad, zuhd, ikhlas, tazkiyah, and karamat/manaqib. This is then critically analyzed with leading Sufi texts like the Man arafa nafsuhu faqad arafa rabbuh and the Kuntu kanzan makhfiyan and their status is evaluated based on classical Muhaddithun. Subsequent chapters explore reasons as to why weak (da‘if) and fabricated (mawdu‘) narrations spread within Sufi communities, such as laxity in literature on virtues, folk storytelling, and confusion between malfuzat (sayings of saints) and Prophetic Hadith. The article underscores the close historical connection between the early Sufis, the Hadith scholars, and great figures, such as Imam al-Ghazali, Imam al-Nawawi and Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani who stressed on the importance of strict adherence to the Sunnah. It also deals with the issues of modernity caused by the spread of unsupported accounts on social media and the subsequent distrust in young people, and the necessity of scholarly purification (tathir) of Sufism is urgently needed. At the end of this article, a set of pragmatic avenues of harmonization are suggested: encouraging Hadith studies in khanqahs, choosing authenticated books to practice dhikr and virtues, and making spirituality subordinate to the Prophetic Sunnah. This middle way will help maintain the spiritual strength of Sufism but at the same time it is necessary to make sure it does not conflict with Shari’ah and genuine Sunnah so that the ummah is not brought down in the digital era.

Keywords: Sufism (Tasawwuf), Principles of Hadith (Usul al-Hadith), Hadith authentication, Weak and fabricated narrations, Spiritual purification (Tazkiyah), Contemporary Sufism, Social media and Hadith, Sufi hermeneutics, Adherence to Sunnah, Scholarly purification of Sufism.