RLG204H5 Chapter Notes -Tariqa, Sufi Philosophy, Asceticism
Document Summary
Rlg 204 exam notes: an introduction to islam by frederick. Sufism is generally understood by scholars and sufis to be the inner, mystical, or psycho- spiritual dimension of islam. Today, however, many muslims and non-muslims believe that. Since sufism represents the inner aspect of islam its doctrine is in substance an esoteric commentary on the qur n. There are also the holy utterances (a d th quds yah) in which god speaks in the first person by the mouth of the prophet. These latter have the same degree of inspiration as the qur n, though not the same objective mode of revelation, and in the main they set forth truths not intended for the whole religious community but only for contemplatives. This is the basis of the sufi interpreta tion of the qur n. Every religion crystallizes after the death of its founder into differentiated exoteric and esoteric institutional forms.
