Status of and Relationship between Sufism and Sharia Law in View of Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi

The status of Sufism in Sharia law has always been one key question for the Muslim scholars. Ever since the foundation of the school of Sufism, Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi has allocated parts of his books on reintroduction of the relationship between Sharia law and Sufism, and on proving the fact that Sufism and Sufi instructions come from the Holy Quran and the traditions. The common point held by the majority of the Sufi thinkers was this that Sharia is the outer appearance of the religion, while Sufi order is the core of the religion. Ahmad Sirhindi, too, has reviewed this line of thought. He stressed on the need for following the religious order and avoiding any innovation in the religion. At the same time, according to him, theosophical practices and spiritual journeys are part of the religiousness that can help deconstruction and subduing of carnal whims. There is another stage after “vilayat (leadership) rank”, the last pass in a Sufi spiritual journey, that he calls “the rank of prophethood”. The rank is offered upon the descending path of spiritual wayfarer in which, the Sufi wayfarer needs Sharia order and various supplications to perform. Sirhindi is of the opinion that Sufi scholars would understand the fact that the ultimate goal of spiritual journey is the return to the rank of prophethood that is free of any belief in existential monotheism, anti-Sharia remarks, and inattention to the pillars of Sharia law if they freed themselves of the grip of leadership rank, that is characterized by intoxication, anti-Sharia remarks, belief in the union and incarnation and the unity of existence (Sufi metaphysics).