Marifa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. You can assist by editing it now. A how-to guide is available. (January 2008) |
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008) |
Marifa literally means knowledge. The term is used by Sufi Muslims to describe mystical intuitive knowledge, knowledge of spiritual truth as reached through ecstatic experiences rather than revealed or rationally acquired. M. Fethullah Gulen in his book on Sufism describes Marifa ("knowledge of God") as a special knowledge that is acquired through reflection, sincere endeavor, using one's conscience and inquiring into one's inner world. It is different from scientific knowledge or "ilm" based on study, investigation, analysis, and synthesis. The opposite of knowledge (scientific) is ignorance, while the opposite of marifa is denial. Marifa is the substance of knowledge attained through reflection, intuition, and inner perception. A person realizing marifa (divine being) is imperceptible to others, who are without such knowledge. The following words are narrated in books concerning Sufism as a hadith qudsi-saying inspited by and received from God.[citation needed]
| “ | Oh humankind! One who knows his self also knows Me; one who knows Me seeks Me, and one who seeks Me certainly finds Me; one who finds me attains all his aspirations and expectations, and prefers none over Me. Oh humankind! Be humble that you can have knowledge of Me. One who renounces his self finds me. In order to know Me, renounce your own self. A heart which has not flourished and been perfected is blind. | ” |
In one of the earliest and finest accounts of the maqamat (stations) in Sufism, the Forty Stations (Maqamat-l arba'in), Sufi master Abu Said ibn Abi'l-Khayr lists marifa as the 25th station: "Through all the creatures of the two worlds and through all the people they perceive Allah, and there is no accusation to be made of their perception."
It is preceded by the truth of certainty (haqq al-yaqin)and followed by effort (jahd), where the traveller worships Allah in their hearts and souls with no doubt in their obedience.
[edit] Marifa in the Four Spiritual Stations
The stage of Ma'rifat is a station unperceivable by minds and hearts, and therefore, this situation can not be communicated to anyone, or through anything and not even through any corporeal means. It can be attained by a person with normal order of life or anybody for that matter. However, its a privilege of one in a million who attains it. If what the sufis are saying that men can only attain ma'rifat through their way of doing it, this world must not have changed its civilization and development, but it will just stock up in a mountainous ranges as it was during the time of Adam.
But to define ma'rifat in order to suit its implication to all that strives for, let it be this way. Let the subject be in a form of a divine oath, "There is no God but Allah".
SHARI'AT : There is no God but Allah (you are affirming that Allah is the only one God. What does God means? meaning the only one and whose command of to be followed, not even of your own desire)
TARIQAT : The application of such oath is to follow all what God said in the Holy Qur'an. What is the result when one follows the Qur'an, definitely a man will become a law abiding citizen of this universe and becomes harmless.
HAQIQA : The stage of haqiqa is the station of men whereby all his affairs in life has been in consistent with all what God commanded in the Holy Qur'an. Meaning all his movements are in accordance with what God requires of him. And that is the time that all his person reflects nothing but the truth.
MA'RIFAT : Ma'rifat is not a station of excellence in men, but it is a destination. This destination is the ultimate objective of men's existence. This is the goal wherein God wants men to reach and reach their true potential.
[edit] Sources
M. Damadi, Translation of Maqamat-l arba' in April 1971 M. Fethullah Gulen, Key Concepts in the Practice of Sufism, Emerald hills of the heart. Vol 2, p135, 2004
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
This Islam-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
