The Grand Shaykh of Al Azhar Dr. Ahmed Al Tayeb has agreed to form an international organization to be known as The World Union of of Sufi Scholars in a move of first of Its kind in the Islamic world in face of the current rise in extremist radical interpretation of Islam. The Union will work to reform Sufi orders and will fight against the heresies and evils attributed falsely to Islamic Tasawwuf. Details were made public by Shaykh Yahya Kettani, the media spokesperson for the Union.
The Shaykh Al Azhar has agreed with the nomination of Dr. Hussein Al Shafei , head of the Islamic University of Islamabad Pakistan and a member of the Arabic language academy in Cairo for the post of the president of the World Union of Sufi Scholars. He said that Dr.Shafei is best suited for the job especially at its early stages of incorporation and propagation. He promised full moral support of Al Azhar to the federation.
The federation will feature eminent Sufi scholars involved in the affairs of Sufi knowledge and practice.They are the those who call people to Allah with full knowledge and sincerity from around the world. They will work to achieve the desired goals.For his part Shaykh Mohammed Yahya Kettani will be responsible as the media spokesman for the union. In an exclusive statement to Islamwattan online Shaylkh Kettani said The Sufi Union will be a an scholarly body engaged in reforming and reviving Islamic tasawwuf. it will be based upon the cooperation between various Sufi tariqahs.It will work for Islamic revival and victory based on pure Sufi thought and practice.
It will deal with the major issues faced by our nation and ummah.It will promote and activate the role of youth in revival of Tasawwuf by involving youth in community service.It will be done by the establishment of the League of Sufi Youth under the umbrella of of the elders of the Sufi tariqahs.He explained the objectives of the Union. On one hand it will work to reform the Sufis gradually from any practices contrary to Islam.On the other hand it will renew and strengthen the pure practices of Shari'ah (upon which Sufi practices and thought are based ).
The Union will fight against the false propaganda, accusation and heresies which are wrongly attributed against Islamic Tasawwuf. It will promote cooperation and will observe and promote to follow the Prophetic Sunnah. He also said that the Union will emphasize its affiliation with Al Azhar and its doctrine of Ash'ari and Matrudi aqidah, the following of four imams in fiqh and the way of moderation.The Union will establish all means like conferences meetings, setting up of Islamic schools, publishing Sufi books etc. to renew the the tradition of pure Islamic Tasawwuf .
It will restore nations confidence in Sufi thought and practice as a genuine source of purification of heart in accordance with the Truth and Sunnah. It will issue bulletins and brochures to create awareness in the ummah and to provide proper guidance to the ummah. it will highlight the role of Tasawwuf as an integral part of Islam and the nation.It will spread knowledge of deen based upon pure Sunni Aqidah and publish books and preserve our spiritual heritage and enlighten the ummah.
The League of Sufi Youth will be established in all provinces of Egypt. It will gather people to teach them the knowledge of shar'iah based upon the curriculum and methodology of Al Azhar University.
Compiled and translated from Arabic Newspapers By ISRA World Nexus
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