Author: M. Asim Esmayel Zahi
Sufism and Mysticism (Part Five)
The Origin of the Term “Sufi”
Some have said that the term “Sufi” emerged in the second century AH when Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) applied this title to one of the ascetics. Al-Sufyan (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, “If it were not for Abu Hashim al-Sufi (may Allah have mercy on him), I would not have known about the different types of ‘riya’ and their states.” Others claim that this title appeared and became evident two hundred years after the Hijra, as also mentioned in “Awaraaf al-Ma’arif.”
What is certain is that during the early days of Islam (the first century AH), there was no group among Muslims known as “Arif” or “Sufi.” The name “Sufi” appeared in the second century AH.
Some have mentioned that the first person to be called by this name was Abu Hashim al-Sufi al-Kufi, who lived in the second century and built a monastery (khanqah) for a group of worshippers and ascetics in Palestine. He was the teacher of Sufyan al-Thawri (who passed away in 161 AH), but the exact date of his own death is unknown.
Nicholson and Abu al-Qasim al-Qushayri, notable figures in Sufism, state that this name appeared before the year 200 AH. If Abu Hashim al-Kufi was indeed the first to be called by this name and was also the teacher of Sufyan al-Thawri, then this term became well-known in the first half of the second century AH, not in the late second century, as Nicholson and others have claimed.
Due to their asceticism and renunciation of worldly pleasures, the Sufis avoided wearing soft clothing and instead donned coarse woolen garments. However, there is no precise information on when this group began to call themselves “arif.”
From the words attributed to Sari al-Saqati (who died in 243 AH), it is evident that by the third century AH, this term was common and prevalent. In any case, there was no group known as “Sufi” in the first century AH; this name emerged in the second century, and apparently, during this century, this group became a specific “community,” not in the third century, as some believe.
Although there was no specific group known as “Arif” or “Sufi” in the first century AH, this does not imply that the companions of the Prophet were merely ascetic and devout individuals living a simple faith devoid of spiritual life, as is often claimed by Westerners and those influenced by the West.
While some of the virtuous Sahaba may have focused solely on asceticism and worship, many were endowed with a rich spiritual life.
Continues…
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