51
III BEYNƏLXALQ HƏMZƏ NİGARİ
TÜRK DÜNYASI MƏDƏNİ İRSİ SİMPOZİUMU
SUFISM AND RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
IN WEAST BALKAN REGION
Prof. PhD. Zoran MATEVSKI
*
Doc. Phd. Dushka MATEVSKA
**
Prof. PhD. Rubin Zemon
3
ABSTRACT
Sufism can be defined as the mystical aspect of Islam, wherein practical life
is realized through the presence of love, cognition and ascetism. Sufism, as an
Islamic, syncretic and mystically-ascetic belief is opposed to salafism. Through its
practical actions, Sufism departs from the standard understanding of Islam, as a
religion primarily tied to the fulfillment of Sheria law. Sufism has the potential to
implement religious tolerance between the Christians and Muslim in the Western
Balkans. The religious messages of the founder of the Mevlevi order, Jalal ad-Din
Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi are fascinatingly current in the contemporary Balkan
countries. Love towards the human species is essential to his religious teachings.
According to this teaching, love towards humanity depends on the readiness of
the believers to reveal them. The members of Sufism believe they have the ability
to reveal the hidden potential of their essence and value that the members of
other religions have the same potential. If we paraphrase Jalal ad-Din Muhammad
Balkhi-Rumi who says that the believer is a mirror of the other believer, then we
can say that every person is a mirror to every other person regardless of race,
ethnicity, or religious affiliation. Furthermore the influence of the Bektashi Order is
strong in this region. They practice the ideas of religious tolerance, as evidenced
by the inclusion of both Islamic and Christian elements in their religious rituals. The
implementation of these principles can be best seen through the activities of the
Bektashi in Albania, which is now the centre of Bektashism
Key words: Sufism, Mevlevi Order; Bectashi Order; religious tolerance
Introduction. Sufism is a mystical aspect of Islam, a way of life aimed towards
accomplishing a unity with God and His presence through love, self-cognition,
asceticism and ecstatic unity with the beloved Creator. Sufism is a path that the
Sufis follow to achieve Truth, God. While this term expresses the theoretical or
philosophical aspect of this search, the physical and practical aspect usually is
synonymous with ‘being dervish’.
Sufism can be defined in different ways. Junayd al Baghdadi (910), a famous
Sufi scholar, defines Sufism as a method of concentrating the ‘loss of self in God’
and ‘being as one with God’. Shibli says that Sufism is a constant being with God,
or in His presence, with no force being able to distract the Sufi from this being,
no matter if it is of this earth or not. According to Ebu Muhamed Jerir, Sufism is a
* Ss. CIRYL AND METHODIUS University, Skopje, R. Macedonia
** University „EURO-BALKAN, Skopje, R. Macedonia
3
University „EURO-BALKAN, Skopje, R. Macedonia
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III BEYNƏLXALQ HƏMZƏ NİGARİ
TÜRK DÜNYASI MƏDƏNİ İRSİ SİMPOZİUMU
resistance to the earthly passions in a pursuit for moral characteristics deserving of
praise. [1] All these definitions can be summarized as the following:
Sufism is a path that is followed by people who because of the fact that they
can resist the human weaknesses and vices can gain traits to live in accordance with
the requirements of God’s love and knowledge, resulting in spiritual satisfaction.
Sufism. Sufism is based on compliance with even the ‘trivial’ tenets of Sharia
law, so a man can comprehend it’s inner meaning. The beginner or the traveler on
the path (sālik) never separates the outer compliance with Sharia law with its inner
dimensions, but he complies with the inner and outer aspects of Islam at the same
time. With this compliance, the sālik travels towards his goal humbly and fully
committed. [2]
The Sufis consider the prophet Muhammad to be the most important person
in the history of Islam, as well as Ali and Abu-Bekir. In the book ‘The HarperCollins
Concise Guide to World Religion’ by Ioan Petru Culianu and Mircea Eliade, it
says of the influence of the prophet Muhammad on Sufism: “Sufism started with
Muhammad, when because of the purity of his relation to God, his revelations and
mystical rising to the heavens and his cosmic status, The Sufis considered as their
own”. The proof for this has been found in the works of the Prophet and in his
sayings (hadiths) and in the Quran, a various and endless source for understanding
and moral lessons. [3] The Quran originally transferred the testimony for the
progeny of Adam and Eve who accepted God as their eternal Lord, establishing a
vow of fidelity (Surah 7:172). In another verse beloved by the Sufis God says: “We
made man and we certainly which passions create conflict in his soul, because We
are closer to him, than his vein” (Surah 50:16). [4]
Another tenet of Sufism found in the Quran is the practicing of zikr, the
remembrance of God, a contemplation or a callingout to God. In Sufi practice this
can be accompanied by prayer beads, control of breathing music or a dance that
involves whirling for which the Mevlevi Dervishes are famous for in the tradition of
Jalaluddin Rumi (1207-1273). Hasan al-Basri was one of the early Muslim mystics,
who always had God’s judgement in front of his eyes. He critiqued the materialistic
goals of the conquerors and all things of this world.His views passed moderation,
exchanged with a depression, sinking in the saying of the Prophet: “If they knew
what I know, few would laugh, and many would cry”. [5] Along Muhammad, The
Sufis respected Ali (Ali ibn Abi Talib), closely related to Muhammad, fourth just
caliph and first imam of the Shia teaching from whom the twelve imams that
respect Shia teachings originate. They consider Ali as the founder of Sufism. The
Sunni Sufi also respect Abu Bekir, first just caliph, but all, both Sunni and Shia,
respect Ali more. [6]
The origin of Sufism and its sources. There are differing opinions on the
origin of Sufism and its sources. [7]
The first opinion is that Sufism is completely Islamic in nature, in its basis and
its rules, pursuits, goals, revelations. This is the opinion of the Sufis and all who
support them
The second opinion is that Sufism has nothing to do with Islam, neither in its
appearance or origin. It is foreign, as foreign as its name, and so its bases should be