What’s The Tariqah of Sufis?
The Tariqah is not an obligation, but it’s optional as it’s a way of doing more good deeds. Among the true Sufis, you will find those who follow a tariqah, and sit in circles to remember Allah together. The tariqah is a good innovation in Islam. It falls under the permissibility in the Religion for the top scholars of the nation of Muhammad to innovate matters in the Religion which comply with the Qur’an, hadith, ijma^, and athar. Those scholars who innovate such innovations are greatly rewarded, as are those who practice their good innovations. Muslim narrated the Prophet said:
“من سَنّ في الإسلام سنذ حسنة فله أجرها وأجر من عمل بها إلى يوم القيامة لا ينقص من أجورهم شىء”
which means: <<The one who innovates a good innovation in Islam shall have its reward and the reward of those who implement it, until the Day of Judgment, without lessening any of the rewards of those who implement it.>>
There are about 40 tariqahs–all of them are sound in principle and origin. Examples are: the Rifa^iyyah tariqah, the Qadiriyyah tariqah, the Naqshabandiyyah tariqah, the Shadhiliyyah tariqah, the Badawiyyah tariqah, among others. All of them were established and founded by great scholars of Ahl us-Sunnah in compliance with the Religion, i.e., in compliance with the Qur’an, hadith, ijma^, and athar. However, today there are many people who claim to be followers of a particular tariqah, yet have perverted and misapplied the original tariqah–thereby doing things contrary to the Religion. Although such people exist, they do not shake the foundation, the truthfulness, or the credibility of the tariqahs.
