QUESTION 5. Why did you find the Islamic Mystical tradition particularly suited to answering these questions? What does Sufism offer that that purely legal or theological understanding of Islam may not? The Islamic spirituality and mysticism can be described as a deep experiential, internal approach to faith that addresses the existential and spiritual dimensions of human existence, whereas purely legal (Fiqh) or theological (Kalam) frameworks focus primarily on external compliance and intellectual dogma. As Qur’an and ‘Sunnah’ form the basis of all Islamic Teachings, the Sufis also take all the inspirations from these and from our beloved Holy Prophet (PBUH) and merely reiterate the truths enunciated by him centuries ago.

The most important distinction between mystical understanding of Islam and Islam based on law or Theology is that it does not ask what we believe about God, but what it means to experience, encounter and become transformed by the Divine. When individuals grapple with deep existential questions such as the problem of suffering, the purpose of life, or the feeling of separation from the source of existence, Sufism provides answers rooted in spiritual psychology, cosmic unity ‘Wahdat al-Wujud’ and the journey back to Divine. The questions about longing, mortality, divine love and the possibility of experiencing Allah’s presence are not simple questions of religious doctrine, but questions relating to deepest dimensions of human existence.

Knowing about Allah to knowing Allah. Islamic theology explores the existence, attributes and the unity of........

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