Though, this valuable treatise describes, in brief, the biographical sketch, the far-reaching movement and revolutionary reform of the greatest mystic and renewer of the second millennium of Islamic era, Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi well known as Mujaddid Alf Thani; but the main theme of thesis dominates the Mujaddid's conception of Tawheed in contrast to a widely accepted doctrine of Ibn Arabi’s Wahdat-ul- Wajud or unityism.
Mujaddid’s opposition is not based on theological dogma but on direct mystic experience, which turned the tide, entirely, to the Kitab-o-Sunnat as the only genuine source of Islamic learnings.
Further, there are certain scholar receptions by both mystics and theologians of outstanding eminence such as syed Ahmed Shaheed barailwy and Shah Walilullah Muhaddis Dehelwi, which are undoubtedly very interesting and helpful for deep study and careful scrutiny of religious philosophy.
In this treatise Dr. Burhan Ahmad Faruqi has drawn our attention to a central point of religion, mysticism and philosophy affirmed which thereby became a widely accepted doctrine amongst Islamic sufis. firmly and solemnly denied it, and persisted in his denial throughout his career; and he based his denial, not on extraneous considerations, but on mystic experience itself. Dr. Burhan has formulated and clarified the issue between these two great mystics with a care and perspicuity which deserves praise; and he has brought religion and philosophy to bear on it. In this connection his discourse on the distinction of Religious Consciousness from mystic consciousness and speculative consciousness is indeed illuminating; while the logice of his relapse of Islamic mysticism again into it was high time that an earnest study of this kind should have been undertaken and pursued with the thoroughness characteristic of Dr. Burhan Ahmad’s work.
Another conspicuous service of Dr. Burhan Ahmad’s book is that it has brought the great Mujaddid and his far-reaching movement within the purview of western orientalists. Certainly it is most interesting to note how deeply has this unique personality influenced the nerve of Islamic thought, specially in India, throughout the last three and a half centuries. The inquiry if pursued further and still more in detail will, I believe, repay the time and labour bestowed upon it.
It has been my privilege to watch the growth of this valuable treatise of every stage of its development. I can confidently recommend it to all Muslim scholars and western orientalists for sympathetic study and careful scrutiny.
Aligarh
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