Different vision, How do the Salafists view the Sufi orders?

Since its inception, the Sufi approach has been one of the models of moderation, making it a strong supporter of social and political stability for decades. This matter has represented a barrier to extremism in its various forms and trends, especially in the face of armed violence which has become to be practiced by several extremist organizations over the past decades, including Daesh (Islamic State), Al-Qaeda and other organizations. However, the Sufi approach has exposed various forms of ideological attacks by various Salafist currents, which have become the intellectual umbrella that groups all extremist organizations.

This has affected its status and role in society, especially that such a war distorted the Sufi trend inside several societies, especially after the careful portrayal of the Sufi orders as it has become the back gate of Shiite extension in many Arab countries; where Iran exploits Sufi orders in the spread of the Shiite doctrine. This necessitates exposure to the features of the vision of the Salafist currents and their attack on the Sufi orders, which greatly affected the historical role of the Sufi thought within Arab and Islamic societies.

Firstly: The historical role of the Sufi approach

The Sufi thought has played an important role in religious life. Large segments of Muslims have been associated with Sufi orders, such as their way of life and their way of expressing religiosity and love of Prophet Mohamed's family, especially that there are some Sufi orders that have represented a large umbrella followed by several Muslims across the world. This includes the Shazli method which was founded by Sheikh Abi Hassan Al-Shazli, who came to Egypt with a group of his disciples. They settled in Alexandria in 1243, formed a Sufi school and spread the Sufi orders throughout the world. It spread as an individual tendencies calling for asceticism and the intensity of worship, then developed into conflicts that then became distinctive ways well known as the Sufi orders.

As for the truth of Sufism, Imam al-Junaid defined it as: "the liquidation of the heart from its wild positions, the paradox of natural morality, the suppression of human qualities, the absence of psychological claims, the holding of spiritual qualities, the attachment to the real sciences and the use of what is best for eternity, and follow the Prophet (peace be upon him in the law). This definition, despite its length, can be shortened in two parts; the first one is the struggle of the self to work under the Shari'a law, and the other is the realization of the truth by the Shari'a law. With these two ends, Sufism is complete. This has made many people believe that that the Sufi approach is not a religious, political or even social trend, but it is a behavioral school that seeks to elevate man spiritually, religiously and psychologically.

Throughout the twentieth century, Sufism has become a rising trend. It has managed to include among its attendees many social groups, which contributed to the process of social modernization, especially since the other forms of religiosity did not lead to a decline in the influence of Sufism. This comes while the ruling regimes in a number of countries did not oppose the rise and spread of the Sufi trend, particularly with the fact that it plays a role in facing extremist trends that threaten the security and stability of communities. Therefore, these regimes have long been supporting Sufi orders as a key factor in disseminating tolerance and moderation as well as preventing division and difference that leads to violence in its various forms.

Despite these important characteristics of the Sufi movement throughout its history, it has not escaped the attacks of the Salafist currents in various forms, which have made the elimination of the Sufi approach a matter of concern. The differences between them and the Sufi orders have led to ideological conflict, during which the Salafists launched various forms of attacks against Sufi orders.

Secondly: The diversity of Salafist hostility

Salafist hostility towards the Sufi orders took many forms, some of which took the form of armed violence towards the followers of these roads, their mosques and places of assembly, as was done by some Salafist groups in Libya in July 2018 during the attack on the small mosque of Sheikh Mustafa Abu Garara al-Isawiya in el-Magori area in Benghazi city. It is known that el-Madkhalyia in Libya which is considered the dominant Salafist trend in the country have become to use force in the face of its opponents. This included the Sufi orders, as happened on December 30, 2017, when an armed battalion in el-Madkhalyia attacked el-Tag small mosque in el-Kafra city, southeastern Libya. It also destroyed the tomb of Sheikh Mohammed al-Mahdi al-Sanusi, and transferred his remains to an unknown place, and this was not the first incident of its kind. The graves and small mosques in Benghazi, Zliten and Tripoli and other areas were also destroyed. This trend has come to use its rising influence in the country to crack down on the Sufi trend which is considered one of its most importance enemies. This is achieved through targeting shrines that are of great importance to Sufism, under the banner of fighting innovation, which led to the spread of a state of unprecedented religious hostility in the country.

Despite the danger of armed attacks by some Salafist groups against the Sufi orders, the ideological attacks launched by some of these groups, which are based on attacking Sufism doctrine, are more dangerous and influential on the activity and movement of the Sufi movement. This comes on the backdrop of the attack by Yasser Borhami, the leader of the Salafist Call in Alexandria in Egypt, in April 2018, against the Sufi orders in Egypt, in which he claimed that the followers of the Sufis are considered people of heresies, forcing them to be polytheists. They do not return these things to the correct religion and the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohamed as they depend on week and false Hadiths.

Thirdly: The motives of Salafist attack

It is certain that the Salafist hostility towards Sufi thought stems from an ideological basis in the first place. The ideological and doctrinal bases of the Salafist approach were fundamentally based on violating the Sufi approach, the fight of its ideas and rituals, as a violation of the Islamic faith, and its calling for the spread of heresies. That made these Salafist trends in its various forms and orientations attacks the Sufi orders and some of its rites, such as visiting shrines and circling them, the Moulids for its Sheikhs, the slaughter and the vows, and other works in many countries of the Islamic world. Salafism sees these actions as violating to the Islamic shari'a law.

The Salafist trend is also based on its attack against the Sufi orders as they are the oldest Islamic currents, and not the Sufi approach. It is believed that it belongs to the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and those who followed them in charity until the Day of Judgment. That is why most Salafist groups are keen on defining themselves as did the permanent committee of research and fatwa in Saudi Arabia. The definition was, "The Salafists are the companions and imams from the people of the first three centuries (May Allah be pleased with them), who witnessed the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), Salafists are the plural of Salafi attributed to the predecessor. They are the ones who followed the path of the predecessor from following the Qur'an and Sunnah."

On this basis, this trend represents the doctrine of Ahl al-Sunnah and al-Jama'ah, and therefore all those who disagree with its opinions and ideas are considered either from the Kharijites as various party or from the people of heresies, such as the Sufism. They must be eliminated and their ideas must be destroyed. From this point the most important features of the Salafi vision can be clarified in the following points:

Ideological disorder: The Salafist trends in general focus on the call to correct the belief of the members of the trend in particular and the masses of Muslims in general, so Salafism focuses on clarifying and detailing ideological issues, such as monotheism, names and attributes and the like with other Islamic schools, such as Ashayara among others. From this point, these trends see that the Sufi orders have a doctrinal imbalance that greatly affects the Islamic faith, especially when they present themselves as the Sunnis and the community, as well as being the owners of a call they wish to spread among the masses of Muslims.

The relationship with the authority: Sufi orders since its inception and throughout its long history have a good relationship with the ruling authority in the countries in which they exist. That made them enjoy a great deal of freedom of movement and spread, in exchange for granting legitimacy to the ruling authority and producing a religious discourse that helps face extremist groups, especially those who pose themselves as an alternative to the regime, such as the Muslim Brotherhood and others.

Therefore, the two parties are keen to be in positive relationship along the line (6), which made the Salafist currents - although some of them closer to power than some Sufi orders - afraid of that relationship, deducting from its balance at a time when it wishes to take that relationship alone. That has made it seek to limit the effectiveness of Sufi orders, by distorting its image, especially since the relationship between the two parties is not a positive one.

The controversy over Shari'a: Sufi orders, although historically standing alongside the state and the existing authority, whether in Egypt or other Arab countries, such as its support for President Gamal Abdel Nasser against the Muslim Brotherhood, Sadat in the correction revolution, as well as former President Hosni Mubarak. That has not prevented it from calling for the application of Islamic Shari'a law Islam, although in the form of advice. This is considered a common denominator between it and the Salafist trends, although it requires it without specifying specific features of the form of Shari'a that it wishes to apply, whereas Salafism demands the application of Shari'a in a positive manner and according to its vision and vision of Shari'a.

Looseness of Jurisprudence: All the Salafist trends are characterized by the strictness of the jurisprudent. They always adopt the most rigid views and always take the most extreme words. That means that there is no kind of doctrinal flexibility, because from their point of view that all flexibility means disobedience to religion. That is probably attributed to the stickiness of these trends to the literality of text and not the jurisprudence of reality which is based on the observance of developments in the communities. Such an approach is adopted by Sufi orders, especially in the light of the close link between Sufi thought and Al-Azhar, or other official religious institutions, especially in the Arab countries.

Political views: The Salafist trends consider that one of the most important dilemmas faced by the Sufi orders, in addition to ideological and doctrinal problems, is the lack of political formation among members of the Sufis, which is an integral part of social upbringing. Political upbringing is considered a method to correct the deviated political culture in the society and to create a new and civilized civil culture that bridges society from underdevelopment to progress. That makes the majority of Sufism followers do not have a clear political vision - in the opinion of the Salafists.

Therefore, the Sufis are always subject to the political vision of the ruling regime wherever they are, especially since they have not been subject to proper political formation. Sufis do not have any means of healthy political upbringing despite the existence of economic capability and geographical spread.

Fourthly: Influential implications

It is certain that the Salafi attack on the Sufi approach in many countries - in the light of the multiplicity of Salafist trends and their widespread spread - has clearly influenced the activity of the Sufi movement and its ability to perform its expected role in religious, social and political terms. These attacks led to the political ineffectiveness which contributed to the decline of the political role of the Sufi orders and the inability to influence the political trends, especially where the Salafist trends and the Muslim Brotherhood interact.