Sufism

Text Box: "Whoever knows the true self, knows God."
The Holy Prophet Mohammad

Sufism

“Erfan, equated with Sufism in the West, in its true sense refers to the reality of religion and the keyword Aref (Sufi) refers to a person who is fully cognizant to the reality of religion. Erfan represents cognition and awareness. Cognition and awareness in this sense means discerning God through heart discovery and inward vision, rather than through reasoning and deduction.[1]

The Salek is one who seeks to discover the truth of his/her being. As the holy Prophets have taught us, this absolute knowledge cannot be known through the study of books. In fact the Prophets themselves came to find the truth through inner revelations which was then put into words as scriptures and holy books.[2]

Each person needs to and must realize the truth for themselves, with the process being on a per individual basis. In the same manner that we do not rely on others to eat and breathe on our behalf, similarly we cannot rely on others to provide us with a true and complete understanding of our religion. Instead it is us as individuals who have to experience the reality of our beings for ourselves.[3]

[1] Angha, S. (1986). The Mystery of Humanity – tranquility and survival. Lanham, Md.: University Press of Amercia, p.1

[2] M.T.O. (1997). Maktab Tarighat Oveyssi Shahmaghsoudi (School of Islamic Sufism). M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi, USA. p.12

[3] M.T.O., 1997, n2.