Sufi Values and Contemporary Pseudo Sufism in Nigeria

Abstract

Tasawwuf, an Arabic word otherwise known as Sufism in English language, is an Islamic practice focused on sincere devotion to Allah and keeping in tandem with His standard of commands as well as reprobates, with the sole aim of winning His pleasure here in the present life and beyond. This is the summation of Islam structured in Shari’ah and thus, any conflict between Sufism and the main body of Islamic beliefs, principles and values is intolerable. Genuine Sufi values are in congruence with the foundations of Islam. However, there are among some claimants to Tasawwuf in Nigeria today who propagate alien misinformed beliefs and practices repugnant to provisions of the Qur’an and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Therefore, this paper x-rays such misinformation and display of ignorance by miscreants who claim to have subscribed to Sufi tradition. This would be carried out through exploratory research design to properly position the problem of excesses and of course, prohibited degrees in the practice of Tasawwuf in Nigeria especially among the Tariqah Sufi adherents. The paper discovered that veneration of Sufi luminaries to the position of Allah (I seek refuge from Allah against that), devotions for the sake of a Shaykh and utter disobedience to Shari’ah rulings are due to deliberate and self imposed ignorance of what real Tasawwuf stands for. It thus recommends that Sufi masters in Nigeria, regardless of their Tariqah inclination, should publicly disown such acts, condemn them and appeal to appropriate authorities for the Islamic law to take its full cause against such miscreants.