Question:
Asalamualaykum,
I was hoping you could help me resolve some of the confusion that I’ve been facing lately. I’ve only begun to learn more about Sufism and Tasawwuf, and I’ve found that it bares much similarity and common ground (such as having a mantra and practicing meditation, adopting concepts like the ego or inner-self, character refinement, etc,) to the spiritual paths of Buddhism, Taoism, as well as other mysticisms. How is it such that people who pursue such spiritual paths other than that of Sufism are able to attain (or at least claim to) degrees of spiritual enlightenment? Please excuse me for my lack of understanding in this regard. I really want to clear these misconceptions, and embark on a spiritual journey with confidence inshAllah. If you could please get back to me at your earliest convenience, I would greatly appreciate it. JazakAllah for all your help.
Answer:
Alaykum as-Salam,
Each gazer believes their horizon is the ultimate one and their sincerity carries them to appreciable heights and spiritual gains over their lower selves. However, Allah Most High said: “And above every knower there is a higher knower.”
Hajj Gibril Haddad
