How Sufi people view Jihad?

Mohamed el-Dabouli

Sufism is widely regarded as the safest and best ideology to put out the raging fire of Jihadism and terrorism across the Muslim world. The spiritual ideology has also gained a reputation for having the potentials to deaden calls raised by Salafis and Jihadists to re-establish the alleged Muslim State. Nonetheless, Sufi people stirred controversy over their view of Jihad, the constitution of militant and terrorist groups.

Sufi ideological and religious potentials to dampen the alleged radical Islam drew attention in 2007 when a US think-tank suggested steps and measures to ‘build networks of moderate Islam’. The Rand Corporation, which enjoys strong contacts with the CIA, was entrusted with this task as the US was struggling to recover from the traumatizing memory of the 9/11 attack.  

In its report, the think-tank also proposed mechanism to decompose and undermine radical Islam, a disastrous rising phenomenon. The Rand Corporation discovered that seculars, Muslim liberals and Sufi people were better qualified and more ideologically equipped than any other people to take on the job. Sufi people were described in the Rand’s report as ‘Muslims faithful to the moderate Islam’.

The report indicated that Sufi would welcome their new role to piece together their image shattered and humiliated over centuries by extremists and Salafis, who called for the scalp of Sufi people and their leaders for allegedly propagandising religiously condemned vogue and rituals.  

The CIA-linked Rand substantiated its support to Sufi people by indicating that Sufi people are living in harmony with their non-Muslim neighbours in Western societies.

It appears that Sufism won the hearts of the architects of Rand’s report for its repudiation of radical and violent ideology adopted by militant and fundamentalist groups and movements. Lobbyists for Sufism are also optimistic that such aspiritual moderate ideology, which is derived from Islam, could broker a historical reconciliation between Judaism and Christianity.

Rand, however, stirred up controversy when its report fit the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria and Egypt into the category of Sufi organisations being moderate and revolutionary. The report’s appreciation of the MB encouraged much criticism to its architects. The MB is designated terrorist group in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

Stepping up their criticism, these skeptics are warning that Sufi ideologists and sheikhs are not unaware of the principles of Jihad (holy war). Nor, the critics continued, would the powerful leaders of Sufism stop calling for the firm implementation of Muslim Sharia, which could lead one way or another to declaring Jihad. Pioneers and founders of Sufism are allegedly given credit by their followers for their campaign for firm and honest implementation of Muslim law.  

Sufism’s alleged embrace of Jihad is attributed to iconic figures, such as late Sheikh Abdel-Halim Mahmoud, who was the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar (the highest seat of Muslim teaching in Egypt). Sheikh Mahmoud had published several books, in which he debated and elaborated the Sufi vision of Jihad. He had also declared that Sufism should be acknowledged for a series of initiatives it had made to exhort Muslims to take part in the holy war to defend Islam and its Sharia (law).   

Sufi eminent Sheikh Hatem el-Assam, did not limit Jihad to fighting the Devil or resisting the corporeal pleasures. Rather, el-Assam decreed that Muslims are duty-bound to defend their divine religion by fighting its enemy. Likewise, iconic Sufi leader Sufiyan al-Thawri used to remind Muslims of Prophet Mohamed’s calls for Jihad.

Nonetheless, it must be said that Sufi view of Jihad is vastly different from the violent principle embraced by militant and radical groups. That latter are associating their Jihad with the use of violence to compel Muslims [and non-Muslims] to honour the Muslim Sharia. Sufi people have also relegated the violent Jihad to the lowest step of the ladder.