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Inner Spiritual Struggle Boils Over Update from the BBC (thanks to Twostellas):
Around 180 Sufi Muslims have been arrested in Iran after attacking a Shia mosque where a cleric labelled their religion "illegitimate", say reports.The confrontation in the western city of Boroujerd led to a shootout between the Sufis and police that reportedly left about 80 people injured.
Sufis are tolerated in the Islamic Republic though some religious leaders have branded them "a danger to Islam".
About 1,000 Sufis were held last year in clashes at Iran's holy city of Qom.
The disorder in Boroujerd, about 320 km (200 miles) south-west of the capital, Tehran, broke out on Saturday morning, according to local news agencies.
Sufis attacked a Shia mosque after a cleric said their lodge should be shut down.
On Sunday, police reportedly raided the Sufi lodge to make arrests and bloody clashes ensued, resulting in the building being partially destroyed.
Sufism is Islamic mysticism. Sufis believe in a mystical path to God through prayer, dance and music.
There are Sunni and Shia Sufis. Their practices are often seen as unorthodox and illegitimate by more conservative Muslims.
And in some cases that doesn't mean, of course, that they just walk away thinking the Sufis are unorthodox and illegitimate. In some cases, they take action.
Posted by Robert at November 14, 2007 6:49 AM
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"Sufis believe in a mystical path to God through prayer, dance and music."
....the other Muslims believe in a path to Allah through prayer and guns.....
...I think I see a difference already.....
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at November 14, 2007 7:06 AM
"In some cases, they take action."
True...and they don't fire RUBBER bullets...or WARNING shots, either.
Must be part of that panic-squared I mentioned some time ago...only from within this time, based on the coincidental "traitors!" speech so close to today's release of the nuke blueprints to IAEA.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C11%5C13%5Cstory_13-11-2007_pg4_16
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,310737,00.html
Either way...I bid them a long & healthy war.
at November 14, 2007 7:57 AM
I've been wondering where Sufism originated. It for sure has nothing to do with Muhammad and the early Muslims, they wouldn't waste their time on preaching and introversion when there was booty to nap.
My best guess - and it is a guess - is that it is a Zoroastrian tradition ursurped by Muslim invaders.
Anyone have a better shot?
Posted by: Henrik at November 14, 2007 7:59 AM
With all this infighting, it almost seems like we (members of the Coalition) could just walk out of the ME, and no one would notice our absence.
Almost.
Posted by: Abscedere at November 14, 2007 9:14 AM
Sufism is the Islamic reaction to Christian mysticism and liturgical rituals that permeated the religious sphere of most of the early conquests of Islam but, make no mistake about it, Sufis adhere to the core tenants and attitudes of Islam. Sufis are not pacifists and Sufi orders have been in the forefront of Jihad wars in North Africa and elsewhere.
Posted by: have_mercy at November 14, 2007 11:18 AM
Henrik,
It might not be right, but here's my shot at sufism.
From Rev. J.L. Menezes:
Sufism is a Muslim adaptation of the Vedanta Hindu philosophy, allied with Buddhism together with some doctrines and practices "borrowed" from the early Christians.
Sufism is really a form of pantheism, built on Islam. Some Sufis observe Islamic law while others don't, even though they call themselves Muslims.
Early in 20th century, they were found primarily in India and Iran.
Posted by: PMK at November 14, 2007 11:50 AM
Ibn Warraq paints a different picture.
Sufis were influenced by certain passages in the Koran, but Sufism owes as much or more to the influences of Christianity, Neoplatonism, Gnosticism and Buddhism. (The Sufis learned the use of the Rosary from Buddhist monks.)
The Bektashi order appears around the start of the 16th century. They were influenced by Christians and Gnostics and they rejected as worthless all external ceremonies of Islam and all other religions.
Sufi philosophy erased the boundaries between different creeds - Islam is no better than idolatry. As one Sufi put it, "The Koran is polytheism, pure and simple."
"Until mosque and madrasa are quite effaced, the work of the dervishes will not be accomplished; until belief and unbelief are quite alike, no man will be a true Muslim."
Abu Said
at November 14, 2007 12:12 PM
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