Tasawwuf and
Self-Discipline
Tasawwuf (Sufism) has a deep connection with self-discipline. In fact, it is correct to say that the real purpose of Tasawwuf is to turn a person into a well-mannered human being from a psychological point of view.
Politics always targets external systems. Politicians, in order to establish their reform plans, give the most importance to breaking down the external social structure. Tasawwuf, on the other hand, is the opposite. The target of Tasawwuf is always the individual—that is, to bring about spiritual transformation and moral correction within a person. In this sense, Tasawwuf is like another name for spiritual or moral science.
The effort of the people of Tasawwuf is to raise the individual above material desires. They develop within a person the ability to give more importance to spiritual goals rather than material things. They help suppress the animal instincts of a person and uplift the human aspect of his being. They help build such moral strength that even in the face of wrongdoing, the person does not lose control; he responds to hatred with love; and he stays away from reactionary behaviour in all circumstances and maintains a positive attitude equally toward both friends and enemies.
Tasawwuf creates feelings of kindness and compassion within a person. It nurtures an attitude of love and modesty. The goal of Tasawwuf is to lift a person from superficial things and make him capable of living with higher realities. A person who achieves this elevated way of life begins to live like a flower in this world. Everyone experiences good character from him. In society, he becomes a harmless human being—someone from whom no one feels any threat.
True Sufis are givers, not takers. They are like trees that provide people with shade, wood, greenery, fruits, and flowers—but the tree itself asks for nothing. After adopting the way of Tasawwuf, a person receives so much spiritually that he no longer looks at others with jealousy. He doesn’t desire other people’s wealth. He doesn’t try to take a share in others’ possessions. He lives within himself. His principle is: benefit others—and if you can’t benefit them, then at least don’t harm them.
An illustrative story beautifully explains this truth of Tasawwuf. It shows what the character of a Sufi is and what difference exists between a Sufi and a non-Sufi.
The story goes like this: There was a Sufi elder who was traveling with a group of his disciples. The caravan stopped at a place to rest. There were many trees there. The next morning, a flock of doves came flying in and started circling around the tree under which the elder was resting. These doves were making sounds as if they were protesting against something.
When the elder saw the doves in this condition, he turned toward them and asked the reason for their protest. The leader of the doves replied that one of your disciples has done something deceitful to us, and we are protesting against that.
He said: One of our pigeons was resting in the shade of the tree when one of your disciples targeted it with a slingshot, shot it down, and then slaughtered it. The elder called that disciple and asked him about the complaint from the doves. The disciple replied: “Hazrat, I have done nothing wrong. These animals were made lawful for our food by God. It is allowed for us to hunt them. So, if I killed a dove and slaughtered it, then what wrong have I done?”
The elder conveyed this reply to the leader of the doves. He said: “Our complaint is not what you and your disciple think. Our protest is that you people came here in the appearance of Sufis. We felt secure because we thought we were in the presence of Sufis, from whom we had nothing to fear. If you had come in the appearance of hunters, we would have made arrangements to protect ourselves, just as we do with others.”
This illustrative story explains the reality of Tasawwuf and a Sufi very well. A Sufi is a harmless human being. A Sufi doesn’t focus on others—he focuses on himself. A Sufi never wants to hurt others. A Sufi respects the existence of others to the highest degree. That is why all the great Sufis of India were vegetarians. And the langar (community kitchen) of their shrines is vegetarian even today.
Tasawwuf gives importance to spiritual realities over material things. The purpose of Tasawwuf is to purify a person’s soul. Tasawwuf turns a person into a spiritual and moral human being. Tasawwuf develops the mindset that makes a person consider even his enemy as a friend. Tasawwuf suppresses negative emotions within a person and brings out the positive ones. Tasawwuf enables a person to embrace everyone without discriminating between “us” and “them.”
All India Radio, New Delhi, 27 October 1994.
