Hamoudeh
22-09-05, 10:57 AM
Assalamu Alaikum
A too popular misconception is that the Sufis are but a pacifist, monastic people whose Jihad never exceeds their inner selves. However, Sufi Mujahiddeen have stood on the forefront of defending and preserving Islam against countless military invasions in history.
The Jihad of Imam Shamyl (http://www.forumforfree.com/forums/index.php?mforum=ahadunahad&showtopic=468) shows a notable historical example of how Naqshbandi Sufis such as Mollah Muhammad Yaraghi, Imam Shamil and Ghazi Muhammad have fought wars against tyrany. Also mentioned is the meeting between Imam Shamil and Emir Abd al-Qader, the Sufi leader of the Algerian resistance against the French and there are many others to be named:
Among the Sufis who aided Islam with the sword as well as the pen such men as the Naqshbandi sheikh Shamil al-Daghestani, who fought a prolonged war against the Russians in the Caucasus in the nineteenth century; Sayyid Muhammad ‘Abdullah al-Somali, a sheikh of the Salihiyya order who led Muslims against the British and Italians in Somalia from 1899 to 1920; the Qadiri sheikh ‘Uthman ibn Fodi, who led jihad in Northern Nigeria from 1804 to 1808 to establish Islamic rule; the Qadiri sheikh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jaza’iri, who led the Algerians against the French from 1832 to 1847; the Darqawi faqir al-Hajj Muhammad al-Ahrash, who fought the French in Egypt in 1799; the Tijani sheikh al-Hajj ‘Umar Tal, who led Islamic Jihad in Guinea, Senegal, and Mali from 1852 to 1864; and the Qadiri sheikh Ma’ al-‘Aynayn al-Qalqami, who helped marshal Muslim resistance to the French in northern Mauritania and southern Morocco from 1905 to 1909.
The Place of Tasawwuf in Traditional Islam - Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller (http://www.saleel.com/article.php?story=20050330130504970)
Sufism is a Form of Jihad against the Whims of the Soul, Hegemony and Tyranny
Islamic Sufism, with what it entails in terms of elevation and shunning of all basic instincts and whims, the adherence to lofty values and sacrifice for their sake, is an education beyond all other forms of education known in the world because it penetrates to the core of the heart and impacts on the inner and outer dimensions. It is an education that encompasses the conscience and the psyche as well as the hand, the tongue and the senses. The arduous and violent Sufi jihad for the achievement of perfection in all walks of life is a struggle against the self, against temptation, greed and self-indulgence, hatred and envy. It is also a struggle against hegemony and tyranny using wisdom, good counsel and not terrorism, assassination, revolution and plotting against the rulers. It is a struggle for purity and ascendance, an exercise in strength and excellence, a form of jihad that grants the Sufi an unbeatable determination, a will of iron, pride, practical positivism and an emotional bravery that is unequalled in this world.
The Hujjat of Islam Al Imam Al Ghazali writes to Ibn Tachfine, Sultan of Morocco, saying: ‘Either take up your sword for the sake of Allah and the rescue of your brothers in Islam, or step down from the leadership of Muslims so their rights can be championed by other than you’. Imam Mohieddine Ibn Arabi, the chief sheikh of Sufism addressed King Al Kamel when he floundered in the fight against the Crusaders: ‘You have no pride and Islam will not recognize the likes of you. Stand up and fight or we shall fight you as we fight them’. When the Mamluks wrought havoc in the lands of Egypt, the Great Sufi Al ‘Izz Ibn Abdussalam flew into a rage and ordered that all the Mamluks be arrested, proclaiming that he intended to sell them at the slave market because they betrayed the trust of Muslims… Hatim Al Assam saw his brother Al Balkhi –both of whom were figures of Sufism- laughing as he stood among the ranks of fighters in the Battle of the Turks, and asked him: ‘What makes you laugh?’. He replied: ‘Why would not I laugh when I am in the dearest place to Allah? The happiest and most desirable of my moments is for Him to see me working my sword for the love of Him, keen on dying more than I am keen on living’.
Sufism: A Call and an Education - Shaykh Muhammed Said Chennaoui (http://islamonline.net/MercyForWorlds/English/Papers/03.shtml)
And yes even today, aside of the media propagation of an extremist militant identity of all resistance, there are many kinds of participants that include the Sufis of Chechnya and even those of Iraq.
There are two problems related to Sufis in the context of the Jihad in Iraq, particularly from an occidental or occidental-like perspective and that of particular sects.
1) Sufis are assumed to be some sort of pacifists and therefore to stay far away from politics and any armed struggle; instead the entire resistance is attributed to bogeymen and other extremists. This assumption is historically as well as contemporary incorrect.
2) If one stumbles upon Sufis in the resistance, the logic to explain this is sought in associations with secular or nationalists movements such as Ba`athists or loyalists to Saddam Hussein. A good example is the previously mentioned article Sufi Baathists among Fallujah Insurgents. However, there is no proof of this that I am aware of nor could any limited proof serve to justify such a rigid generalization.
3) If one questions the role of Sufis in today’s Iraq, such is sought in them being oppressed and caused to suffer by various elements of Iraqi society and the resistance. There may exist truth in this, however the extent is unknown to me and certain is that it's not the only role or necessarily a dominant role.
In my opinion, we might find elements of all 3 amongst today's Iraqi Sufis; as such it is worthwhile to explore them all, but the reality is that all 3 are characterized by assumption, generalization and prejudice. It is very possible that the role of Sufis as mujahiddeen fee sabeel li-llah is the one that dominates over any other role that Sufis have in today’s Iraq. Following is another article about Iraq, much better than the previous one, that discusses Sufis as Mujahiddeen:
While Sufism is often discounted as "Islam-lite" and their practices described as mystical, it appears that the Qadiri order that has long had a presence in Iraq of some importance can no longer ignore the occupation while contemplating the beauty of the universe as the oppressors spill the Muslim blood. On Saturday, The Sufi Jihadi Squadrons of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani announced their formation and the beginning of their military operations against the US occupation forces in Iraq. The new armed group made its announcement in a a statement distributed around mosques in the city of Baghdad and al-Anbar Province on Saturday. The Sufi Jihadi Squadrons of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani declared their establishment and announced that they had joined the other Resistance forces in the field fighting the US occupation. The statement by the Sufi Squadrons reads in part:
“With the blessings of God the Exalted it has been announced in the capital of Harun ar-Rashid [Baghdad] today that the Jihadi Sufi Squadrons of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani have been formed to join the rest of their brothers on the fields of combat against the tyrant America, drawing inspiration from the life of the Messenger of God [Muhammad] – may blessings and peace be upon him – and his lessons and teachings, and marching along one line together with the rest of the Jihadi Resistance organizations until such time as your Lord decrees the expulsion of the occupier from the occupied territory of Iraq. Your brothers in the Squadron of ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani have seized the day today to announce themselves as a combat force against the American occupation in Iraq, having previously limited ourselves to prayer and seeking guidance. It is God who is the source of success, before and after. He guides whom He wills to the path of the Mighty, Merciful God.”
The famous Sufi (Islamic mystic) teacher ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani (1077-1166) moved from his native Gilan on the Caspian to Baghdad when he was eighteen. In Baghdad he became an adept in philosophy and Islamic law according to the literalist Hanbali school. In 1127 he began to preach and his Sufi school of thought – the Qadiriyah order – steadily expanded. His writings were orthodox in content featuring some mystical interpretations of the Qur’an and his teachings attacked materialism and worldliness and stressed charity and humanitarianism. Many Christians and Jews are reported to have embraced Islam under the influence of his teachings. The tomb of ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani is in Baghdad.
Iraq’s Sufis Form Jihad Squadrons To Carry Out Resistance Activities - Muhammad Abu Nasr (http://www.jihadunspun.com/intheatre_internal.php?article=102292&list=/home.php)
Between Jihad in recent history and today's situation, stands Shaykh Sibghatullah Mujaddedi al-Naqshbandi of Afghanistan. As todays sitation may require a different approach, it is recent history that I will primarily focus upon at this point:
Shaikh Sibghatullah Mujaddedi an-Naqshbandi, ex-president of Afghanistan, and one of seven leaders in the jihad against the Soviet Union during the years 1980-1991.
Afghan Jihad (1980-1991) - Naqshbandi.Net (http://naqshbandi.net/haqqani/Islam/Shariah/muamalaat/jihad/afghanistan.html)
Sibghatullah Mojaddedi (1925-), Pashtun spiritual leader of the Naqshbandi Sufi order; interim President of the Islamic State as chairman of the Jihad Council from 28 Apr to 28 Jun 1992; head of the pro-monarchy mujahed party Jabha-e-Nejat-e-Milli Afghanistan (Afghan National Liberation Front)
Afghanistan Political Leaders - Gorbat.Org (http://www.gorbat.org/plead/faceson.html)
Mojaddedi is the head and founder of a group known as the National Liberation Front of Afghanistan (Jabha-e Melli-ye Nijat-e Afghanistan). Mojaddedi also served as the first President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan after the Communists were defeated and a Mujahideen government was setup in 1992. In December 2003, he served as the chairman of the Loya Jirga that approved Afghanistan's new constitution. On March 16, 2005, President Karzai appointed Mojaddedi as the chairman of the Afghan National Commission for Peace in Afghanistan. The commission's objective is to promote reconciliation. In a press conference held on May 9, 2005 in Kabul, Mojaddedi announced that participation in the reconciliation process is open to all Afghans, including Mulah Omar (head of the Taliban) and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. Both Mullah Omar and Hekmatyar are on the US most wanted list.
Biography of Sibghatullah Mojaddedi - Afghan-Web.Com (http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/today/mojaddedi.html)
Following the bloody communist coup of April 1978, Prof. Al-Mojaddedi, in consultation with prominent Afghan religious and political figures laid the foundation of a common front for resistance, the Afghan National Liberation Front (Jabhai Milli Nejate Afghanistan) and was the first to call the Afghan nation to Jehad in the face of the Soviet aided communist take over of Afghanistan, by announcing a general resistance through-out the country on 13th March 1979. During the years of the resistance to the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, Prof. Al-Mojaddedi made considerable efforts and immensely contributed towards unity of Mujahideen. The Grand Consultative Council convened by the Afghan Mujahideen parties in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, elected Prof. Al-Mojaddedi as the President of the Islamic Interim Government of Afghanistan (famously known as the AIG) on 23rd February 1989. The election of Prof. Al-Mojaddedi in this gathering of over 450 delegates representing a cross-section of the population was a testimony of his popularity and extensive support base in the Mujahid nation of Afghanistan. Prof. Mojaddedi remained President of AIG for over three years until the Mujahideen leaders reposed their confidence in him under the historic Accord of 24th April 1992 for implementing the transfer of power from the defeated communist regime to the Mujahideen Islamic government. Prof. Al-Mojaddedi took office as the first President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan in Kabul at a very critical and risky juncture of the Afghan history. His short tenure is recognised as one of the most successful and memorable periods of contemporary Afghan history, whereby the nation celebrated a glorious victory of independence and start of a new era.
Concise Biography of Prof. Sibghatullah Al-Mojaddedi - Rahimullah Mojaddedi (http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/detail/mojaddidi_detail.html)
Pir Sibghatullah Mojaddedi was born in 1925 in Herat province in western Afghanistan, Pashtun spiritual leader of the Naqshbandi Sufi order; designated after Bahauddin Naqshband, who died in 1389. More than 100 of Sibghatullah Mujaddidi's relatives were massacred at Amin's command early in 1979. followers. Few years later he is arrested because of his criticism of the pro-Soviet course of the government and spends 3 years in Kabul the prison. Upon release he moves out of Kabul and in 1979 creates "Jabha e the Najat e Mili Afghanistan" National Liberation Front of Afghanistan and starts his resistance fight against the invading Soviet Army. Without any assistance from nation, he builds a huge group of followers who join him by mere recognition of his name and the respected sufi order that he belongs to. Mojaddedi is often referred to as Pir, meaning saint or elder, as he is the oldest member of the Naqshbandi sufi order. His family holds the rank of pir in the Sufi order which is the basis for its large religious following throughout Afghanistan. Sibghatullah Mojaddedi is a conservative Maulawi. His party essentially consists of Naqshbandis
Sibghatullah Mojaddedi - Afghanan.Net (http://www.afghanan.net/afghanistan/mojaddedi.htm)
Speaking of the Naqshabandi Tariqa, we cannot but return to the Jihad in the Caucasus. Let us then return first to the more recent history; I found the following interview with Aslan Maskhadov on another forum, which is said to be published in the spring 1999 issue of "The Muslim Magazine" and called Dhikrullah: Spiritual Powersource for Jihad.
Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov asked us, "Do you know how many soldiers we had, with which we defeated Russia?" He continued, "The whole army of Chechen Mujahideen were not more than 4000 in all of Chechnya. Only 837 Mujahideen were in Grozny, the capital, and the Russian army surrounding the capital was 120,000 soldiers. 837 Chechen Mujahideen were able to defeat 120,000 Russian Soldiers. 120,000!"
He asked if we knew how. "Allah said in the Holy Qur'an that with the Support of Allah, subhana wa ta'ala, however small a group you are, you will defeat thousands and thousands of unbelieving people," he answered. The President continued, "Do you know why we were so successful, defeating this Russian Army with only a few soldiers? Islam came to us in Chechnya and Daghestan and Russia and Tataristan and Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, all these countries by the Sufis. And Islam was preserved under Communism from one generation to another for so many years by Tasawwuf. Do you know how it was preserved? By Zikrullah and Salawat on Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallim. We are Qadiris and Naqshbandis in Chechnya. Before we ever go out to a battle we sit in a circle and recite Qasidatul Burda andal-Modariyya." [Praising of the Prophet (SAWS) by Muhammad al-Busairi] "We used to recite all together, LOUD -- you hear it as if it is One Voice, and then we make Salawat on Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallim, and then Zikr, and then we go and fight, with the Baraka of these Salawat on Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallim, and this Zikrullah."
Shaykh Hisham Kabbani wrote a book titled The Naqshabandi Sufi Order: History and Guidebook of the Saints of the Golden Chain from which the following excerpts originate:
There were eight shaikhs of the Golden Chain of the Naqshbandi Order who were from the Caucasus. They were followers of the branch of the Naqshbandiyya which sprang from Shaykh Khalid al-Baghdadi. Their names, in their order of succession from Shaykh Khalid are: Shaykh Isma'il al-Shirwani, Shaykh Khas Muhammad ash-Shirwani, Shaykh Muhammad Efendi al-Yaraghi, Shaykh as-Sayyid Jamaluddin al-Ghumuqi al-Husayni, Shaykh Abu Ahmad as-Sughuri, Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Madani, Shaykh Sharafuddin ad-Daghestani, Shaykh Abdullah ad-Daghestani. Three of these shaykhs were the teachers of the three great mujahid leaders and imams of the Caucasus, and were the ones who established the order for jihad and for the establishment of the shari'ah.
Shaykh Isma'il was succeeded as inheritor of the Golden Chain of the Naqshbandi Tariqat in the Caucasus by Shaykh Khas Muhammad ash-Shirwani. Gammer in his book Muslim Resistance to the Tsar... says about the Naqshbandi shaykh Shaykh Khas Muhammad ash-Shirwani:
"... the seed sown by Shaykh Isma'il found a fertile ground in Daghestan, where it was transferred by another of his disciples, al-Shaykh Khas Muhammad al-Shirwani. He ordained al-Shaykh al-Sayyid Jamal al-Din al-Ghazi-Ghumuqi." [p. 39] "Russian and later Soviet sources call the Naqshbandiyya-Khalidiyya in the Caucasus Miuridizm...as the founder of the politico-religious movement which, ...united for a time in the great struggle for freedom a majority of the Muslim inhabitants of Daghestan and Chechnia." [p. 40]
Shaykh Khas Muhammad was succeeded as leader of the Naqshbandi in the Caucasus by Shaykh Muhammad Effendi al-Yaraghi. In Chapter 34 Gammer says of the shaykh, in his book, "Muslim Resistance to the Tsar...":
"... While the glittering circle of Russian bayonets closed in on every side, Mula Muhammad [al-Yaraghi]'s influence had been growing steadily year by year. Intangible, immaterial, it passed surely and silently through the hedge of bristling steel as a miraged ship through opposing cliffs, or as a moss-bog fire creeps up against the wind. The two forces, material and moral, moving in concentric rings of opposite direction, kept equal pace, and just when to outward seeming the last spark of liberty was trampled under foot in Central Daghestan by the soldiers of the tsar, the sacred flame was ready to burst forth and illuminate the land on every side, even to its outermost borders. The Russian sources claim unanimously that Muhammad al-Yaraghi and his disciples preached jihad against the Russians from the very beginning. This would not be surprising.....Furthermore, the role of sufi ta'ifas, and especially of the Naqshbandiyya, in jihad movements all over the Muslim world has been emphasised. ...[due] to the influence of Muhammad al-Yaraghi's preaching. ...The first concern of Muhammad al-Yaraghi and his disciples was to establish and enforce the shari'a and eradicate the 'adat. [prevailing customs]" [ p. 44]
He was succeeded as leader of the Naqshbandiyya in the Caucasus by Shaykh Jamaluddin al-Ghumuqi al-Husayni. Shaykh Jamaluddin al-Ghumuqi al-Husayni was deeply involved directing the movement against the Russians in his time. He was fighting to keep the teaching of spirituality spread in Russia, as it had been in previous times. He was supporting Imam Shamyl (http://www.forumforfree.com/forums/index.php?mforum=ahadunahad&showtopic=468) the leader who fought with Russia for nearly 40 years. His soldiers consisted solely of Naqshbandi murids, as he allowed no other affiliation in his army.
Shaykh Hisham Kabbani - Shaykhs of the Caucausus - The Naqshabandi Sufi Order (http://naqshbandi.net/haqqani/Islam/Shariah/muamalaat/jihad/daghestan.html)
The following is said about one of the most famous Mujahid of our history who liberated al-Quds from the Crusaders, Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi:
Khanqa, a Persian word, means "home", and for long these buildings served as a sort of lodge where Sufis retired to practise their faith. They believed that in order to attain the highest spiritual experience it was necessary to retreat from the world for an unspecified time, whether hours, weeks or months, and live in a community within the confines of these sacred places, secluded from the world, devoted to prayer. It was an esoteric experience in which the practitioner, through meditation, reached for God.
It was Salaheddin Al-Ayoubi, better known as Saladin, who introduced the concept of the khanqa to Egypt. This Sunni general of Kurdish origin seized power from the Shia Fatimids in 1169, and in order to help promote a Sunni revival as the official religion of Egypt he accepted the Sufi lodge as an equivalent of the Islamic madrasa or school. The first khanqa he ordered built was that of Saida Al- Soada, near Cairo's historic Bab Al-Nasr, or Gate of Victory.
Now that they had somewhere in which to live and worship, the Sufis in turn helped Saladin combat Shia influence by spreading word of the sultan's achievements and calling for Jihad against the the Crusaders. To secure Cairo from Crusaders' attack, Saladin ordered the construction of the Citadel, the largest fortress in the Middle East, and from that lofty and impenetrable perch he and his successors ruled for 80 years. During that time the Sufi community proliferated.
Refuge for mystics no longer - Veronica Balderas Iglesias - al-Ahram (http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2000/510/special.htm)
I have edited out the unnecessary semantical blurrings, al-Ahram is unfortunatly often filled with them and worse but nevertheless serves to give something to think about regarding the topic at hand. In another of its articles, the following is said about Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi:
Government sponsorship of the Sufi Orders goes back to the time of Saladin, who founded a Sufi retreat centre called Said Al-Saada and gave its sheikh preeminence over other sheikhs, with the title sheikh al-shuyukh, head of the Sufi Orders," writes Hoffman. "This position remained in [the sheikh's] family until 1946, when Ahmed Murad El-Bakri died and the position was taken over by Ahmed El-Sawi [El-Imrani]." After 1982, the head of the Sufi orders was Abul-Wafa' El-Ghunaymi El-Taftazani, dean and professor of philosophy at Cairo University. At present, the post is occupied by Hassan El-Shennawi, professor of religious philosophy at Al-Azhar. The function of the Supreme Council of Sufi Orders is to oversee the organised Sufis' affairs and ensure the propriety of the doctrine and practice they disseminate.
Searching for the path - Fayza Hassan - al-Ahram (http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2000/510/special.htm)
Aside of the war against the Crusaders, there have been Sufis who also fought against the establishment of the Zionist state and British colonialism, such as Shaykh Muhammad Abu al-Azayem, mentioned in the previous linked al-Ahram article:
Sheikh Mohamed Abul-Azayem, founder of the Azimiya, who, teaching Shari'a and Islamic jurisprudence in Khartoum, was forced to return to Egypt because of his anti-British views. During the 1919 Revolution, he opened the doors of his printing press to the anti-British organisation the Black Hand (Gam'iyat Al-Yadd Al-Sawda'). Furthermore, his was the only order to arm and send a number of adepts to Palestine (1948-1949).
However today, in recent history and throughout history there have also been those who have fought against Islam in various ways, and this is the other side of the reality. Often those are portrayed as the "peaceful" ones, "progressive ones" or simply the only ones to exist. It is a distorted picture that is far too often portrayed, and because of propaganda from all sides many have come to believe these distortions.
A too popular misconception is that the Sufis are but a pacifist, monastic people whose Jihad never exceeds their inner selves. However, Sufi Mujahiddeen have stood on the forefront of defending and preserving Islam against countless military invasions in history.
The Jihad of Imam Shamyl (http://www.forumforfree.com/forums/index.php?mforum=ahadunahad&showtopic=468) shows a notable historical example of how Naqshbandi Sufis such as Mollah Muhammad Yaraghi, Imam Shamil and Ghazi Muhammad have fought wars against tyrany. Also mentioned is the meeting between Imam Shamil and Emir Abd al-Qader, the Sufi leader of the Algerian resistance against the French and there are many others to be named:
Among the Sufis who aided Islam with the sword as well as the pen such men as the Naqshbandi sheikh Shamil al-Daghestani, who fought a prolonged war against the Russians in the Caucasus in the nineteenth century; Sayyid Muhammad ‘Abdullah al-Somali, a sheikh of the Salihiyya order who led Muslims against the British and Italians in Somalia from 1899 to 1920; the Qadiri sheikh ‘Uthman ibn Fodi, who led jihad in Northern Nigeria from 1804 to 1808 to establish Islamic rule; the Qadiri sheikh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jaza’iri, who led the Algerians against the French from 1832 to 1847; the Darqawi faqir al-Hajj Muhammad al-Ahrash, who fought the French in Egypt in 1799; the Tijani sheikh al-Hajj ‘Umar Tal, who led Islamic Jihad in Guinea, Senegal, and Mali from 1852 to 1864; and the Qadiri sheikh Ma’ al-‘Aynayn al-Qalqami, who helped marshal Muslim resistance to the French in northern Mauritania and southern Morocco from 1905 to 1909.
The Place of Tasawwuf in Traditional Islam - Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller (http://www.saleel.com/article.php?story=20050330130504970)
Sufism is a Form of Jihad against the Whims of the Soul, Hegemony and Tyranny
Islamic Sufism, with what it entails in terms of elevation and shunning of all basic instincts and whims, the adherence to lofty values and sacrifice for their sake, is an education beyond all other forms of education known in the world because it penetrates to the core of the heart and impacts on the inner and outer dimensions. It is an education that encompasses the conscience and the psyche as well as the hand, the tongue and the senses. The arduous and violent Sufi jihad for the achievement of perfection in all walks of life is a struggle against the self, against temptation, greed and self-indulgence, hatred and envy. It is also a struggle against hegemony and tyranny using wisdom, good counsel and not terrorism, assassination, revolution and plotting against the rulers. It is a struggle for purity and ascendance, an exercise in strength and excellence, a form of jihad that grants the Sufi an unbeatable determination, a will of iron, pride, practical positivism and an emotional bravery that is unequalled in this world.
The Hujjat of Islam Al Imam Al Ghazali writes to Ibn Tachfine, Sultan of Morocco, saying: ‘Either take up your sword for the sake of Allah and the rescue of your brothers in Islam, or step down from the leadership of Muslims so their rights can be championed by other than you’. Imam Mohieddine Ibn Arabi, the chief sheikh of Sufism addressed King Al Kamel when he floundered in the fight against the Crusaders: ‘You have no pride and Islam will not recognize the likes of you. Stand up and fight or we shall fight you as we fight them’. When the Mamluks wrought havoc in the lands of Egypt, the Great Sufi Al ‘Izz Ibn Abdussalam flew into a rage and ordered that all the Mamluks be arrested, proclaiming that he intended to sell them at the slave market because they betrayed the trust of Muslims… Hatim Al Assam saw his brother Al Balkhi –both of whom were figures of Sufism- laughing as he stood among the ranks of fighters in the Battle of the Turks, and asked him: ‘What makes you laugh?’. He replied: ‘Why would not I laugh when I am in the dearest place to Allah? The happiest and most desirable of my moments is for Him to see me working my sword for the love of Him, keen on dying more than I am keen on living’.
Sufism: A Call and an Education - Shaykh Muhammed Said Chennaoui (http://islamonline.net/MercyForWorlds/English/Papers/03.shtml)
And yes even today, aside of the media propagation of an extremist militant identity of all resistance, there are many kinds of participants that include the Sufis of Chechnya and even those of Iraq.
There are two problems related to Sufis in the context of the Jihad in Iraq, particularly from an occidental or occidental-like perspective and that of particular sects.
1) Sufis are assumed to be some sort of pacifists and therefore to stay far away from politics and any armed struggle; instead the entire resistance is attributed to bogeymen and other extremists. This assumption is historically as well as contemporary incorrect.
2) If one stumbles upon Sufis in the resistance, the logic to explain this is sought in associations with secular or nationalists movements such as Ba`athists or loyalists to Saddam Hussein. A good example is the previously mentioned article Sufi Baathists among Fallujah Insurgents. However, there is no proof of this that I am aware of nor could any limited proof serve to justify such a rigid generalization.
3) If one questions the role of Sufis in today’s Iraq, such is sought in them being oppressed and caused to suffer by various elements of Iraqi society and the resistance. There may exist truth in this, however the extent is unknown to me and certain is that it's not the only role or necessarily a dominant role.
In my opinion, we might find elements of all 3 amongst today's Iraqi Sufis; as such it is worthwhile to explore them all, but the reality is that all 3 are characterized by assumption, generalization and prejudice. It is very possible that the role of Sufis as mujahiddeen fee sabeel li-llah is the one that dominates over any other role that Sufis have in today’s Iraq. Following is another article about Iraq, much better than the previous one, that discusses Sufis as Mujahiddeen:
While Sufism is often discounted as "Islam-lite" and their practices described as mystical, it appears that the Qadiri order that has long had a presence in Iraq of some importance can no longer ignore the occupation while contemplating the beauty of the universe as the oppressors spill the Muslim blood. On Saturday, The Sufi Jihadi Squadrons of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani announced their formation and the beginning of their military operations against the US occupation forces in Iraq. The new armed group made its announcement in a a statement distributed around mosques in the city of Baghdad and al-Anbar Province on Saturday. The Sufi Jihadi Squadrons of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani declared their establishment and announced that they had joined the other Resistance forces in the field fighting the US occupation. The statement by the Sufi Squadrons reads in part:
“With the blessings of God the Exalted it has been announced in the capital of Harun ar-Rashid [Baghdad] today that the Jihadi Sufi Squadrons of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani have been formed to join the rest of their brothers on the fields of combat against the tyrant America, drawing inspiration from the life of the Messenger of God [Muhammad] – may blessings and peace be upon him – and his lessons and teachings, and marching along one line together with the rest of the Jihadi Resistance organizations until such time as your Lord decrees the expulsion of the occupier from the occupied territory of Iraq. Your brothers in the Squadron of ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani have seized the day today to announce themselves as a combat force against the American occupation in Iraq, having previously limited ourselves to prayer and seeking guidance. It is God who is the source of success, before and after. He guides whom He wills to the path of the Mighty, Merciful God.”
The famous Sufi (Islamic mystic) teacher ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani (1077-1166) moved from his native Gilan on the Caspian to Baghdad when he was eighteen. In Baghdad he became an adept in philosophy and Islamic law according to the literalist Hanbali school. In 1127 he began to preach and his Sufi school of thought – the Qadiriyah order – steadily expanded. His writings were orthodox in content featuring some mystical interpretations of the Qur’an and his teachings attacked materialism and worldliness and stressed charity and humanitarianism. Many Christians and Jews are reported to have embraced Islam under the influence of his teachings. The tomb of ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani is in Baghdad.
Iraq’s Sufis Form Jihad Squadrons To Carry Out Resistance Activities - Muhammad Abu Nasr (http://www.jihadunspun.com/intheatre_internal.php?article=102292&list=/home.php)
Between Jihad in recent history and today's situation, stands Shaykh Sibghatullah Mujaddedi al-Naqshbandi of Afghanistan. As todays sitation may require a different approach, it is recent history that I will primarily focus upon at this point:
Shaikh Sibghatullah Mujaddedi an-Naqshbandi, ex-president of Afghanistan, and one of seven leaders in the jihad against the Soviet Union during the years 1980-1991.
Afghan Jihad (1980-1991) - Naqshbandi.Net (http://naqshbandi.net/haqqani/Islam/Shariah/muamalaat/jihad/afghanistan.html)
Sibghatullah Mojaddedi (1925-), Pashtun spiritual leader of the Naqshbandi Sufi order; interim President of the Islamic State as chairman of the Jihad Council from 28 Apr to 28 Jun 1992; head of the pro-monarchy mujahed party Jabha-e-Nejat-e-Milli Afghanistan (Afghan National Liberation Front)
Afghanistan Political Leaders - Gorbat.Org (http://www.gorbat.org/plead/faceson.html)
Mojaddedi is the head and founder of a group known as the National Liberation Front of Afghanistan (Jabha-e Melli-ye Nijat-e Afghanistan). Mojaddedi also served as the first President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan after the Communists were defeated and a Mujahideen government was setup in 1992. In December 2003, he served as the chairman of the Loya Jirga that approved Afghanistan's new constitution. On March 16, 2005, President Karzai appointed Mojaddedi as the chairman of the Afghan National Commission for Peace in Afghanistan. The commission's objective is to promote reconciliation. In a press conference held on May 9, 2005 in Kabul, Mojaddedi announced that participation in the reconciliation process is open to all Afghans, including Mulah Omar (head of the Taliban) and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. Both Mullah Omar and Hekmatyar are on the US most wanted list.
Biography of Sibghatullah Mojaddedi - Afghan-Web.Com (http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/today/mojaddedi.html)
Following the bloody communist coup of April 1978, Prof. Al-Mojaddedi, in consultation with prominent Afghan religious and political figures laid the foundation of a common front for resistance, the Afghan National Liberation Front (Jabhai Milli Nejate Afghanistan) and was the first to call the Afghan nation to Jehad in the face of the Soviet aided communist take over of Afghanistan, by announcing a general resistance through-out the country on 13th March 1979. During the years of the resistance to the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, Prof. Al-Mojaddedi made considerable efforts and immensely contributed towards unity of Mujahideen. The Grand Consultative Council convened by the Afghan Mujahideen parties in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, elected Prof. Al-Mojaddedi as the President of the Islamic Interim Government of Afghanistan (famously known as the AIG) on 23rd February 1989. The election of Prof. Al-Mojaddedi in this gathering of over 450 delegates representing a cross-section of the population was a testimony of his popularity and extensive support base in the Mujahid nation of Afghanistan. Prof. Mojaddedi remained President of AIG for over three years until the Mujahideen leaders reposed their confidence in him under the historic Accord of 24th April 1992 for implementing the transfer of power from the defeated communist regime to the Mujahideen Islamic government. Prof. Al-Mojaddedi took office as the first President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan in Kabul at a very critical and risky juncture of the Afghan history. His short tenure is recognised as one of the most successful and memorable periods of contemporary Afghan history, whereby the nation celebrated a glorious victory of independence and start of a new era.
Concise Biography of Prof. Sibghatullah Al-Mojaddedi - Rahimullah Mojaddedi (http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/detail/mojaddidi_detail.html)
Pir Sibghatullah Mojaddedi was born in 1925 in Herat province in western Afghanistan, Pashtun spiritual leader of the Naqshbandi Sufi order; designated after Bahauddin Naqshband, who died in 1389. More than 100 of Sibghatullah Mujaddidi's relatives were massacred at Amin's command early in 1979. followers. Few years later he is arrested because of his criticism of the pro-Soviet course of the government and spends 3 years in Kabul the prison. Upon release he moves out of Kabul and in 1979 creates "Jabha e the Najat e Mili Afghanistan" National Liberation Front of Afghanistan and starts his resistance fight against the invading Soviet Army. Without any assistance from nation, he builds a huge group of followers who join him by mere recognition of his name and the respected sufi order that he belongs to. Mojaddedi is often referred to as Pir, meaning saint or elder, as he is the oldest member of the Naqshbandi sufi order. His family holds the rank of pir in the Sufi order which is the basis for its large religious following throughout Afghanistan. Sibghatullah Mojaddedi is a conservative Maulawi. His party essentially consists of Naqshbandis
Sibghatullah Mojaddedi - Afghanan.Net (http://www.afghanan.net/afghanistan/mojaddedi.htm)
Speaking of the Naqshabandi Tariqa, we cannot but return to the Jihad in the Caucasus. Let us then return first to the more recent history; I found the following interview with Aslan Maskhadov on another forum, which is said to be published in the spring 1999 issue of "The Muslim Magazine" and called Dhikrullah: Spiritual Powersource for Jihad.
Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov asked us, "Do you know how many soldiers we had, with which we defeated Russia?" He continued, "The whole army of Chechen Mujahideen were not more than 4000 in all of Chechnya. Only 837 Mujahideen were in Grozny, the capital, and the Russian army surrounding the capital was 120,000 soldiers. 837 Chechen Mujahideen were able to defeat 120,000 Russian Soldiers. 120,000!"
He asked if we knew how. "Allah said in the Holy Qur'an that with the Support of Allah, subhana wa ta'ala, however small a group you are, you will defeat thousands and thousands of unbelieving people," he answered. The President continued, "Do you know why we were so successful, defeating this Russian Army with only a few soldiers? Islam came to us in Chechnya and Daghestan and Russia and Tataristan and Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, all these countries by the Sufis. And Islam was preserved under Communism from one generation to another for so many years by Tasawwuf. Do you know how it was preserved? By Zikrullah and Salawat on Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallim. We are Qadiris and Naqshbandis in Chechnya. Before we ever go out to a battle we sit in a circle and recite Qasidatul Burda andal-Modariyya." [Praising of the Prophet (SAWS) by Muhammad al-Busairi] "We used to recite all together, LOUD -- you hear it as if it is One Voice, and then we make Salawat on Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallim, and then Zikr, and then we go and fight, with the Baraka of these Salawat on Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallim, and this Zikrullah."
Shaykh Hisham Kabbani wrote a book titled The Naqshabandi Sufi Order: History and Guidebook of the Saints of the Golden Chain from which the following excerpts originate:
There were eight shaikhs of the Golden Chain of the Naqshbandi Order who were from the Caucasus. They were followers of the branch of the Naqshbandiyya which sprang from Shaykh Khalid al-Baghdadi. Their names, in their order of succession from Shaykh Khalid are: Shaykh Isma'il al-Shirwani, Shaykh Khas Muhammad ash-Shirwani, Shaykh Muhammad Efendi al-Yaraghi, Shaykh as-Sayyid Jamaluddin al-Ghumuqi al-Husayni, Shaykh Abu Ahmad as-Sughuri, Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Madani, Shaykh Sharafuddin ad-Daghestani, Shaykh Abdullah ad-Daghestani. Three of these shaykhs were the teachers of the three great mujahid leaders and imams of the Caucasus, and were the ones who established the order for jihad and for the establishment of the shari'ah.
Shaykh Isma'il was succeeded as inheritor of the Golden Chain of the Naqshbandi Tariqat in the Caucasus by Shaykh Khas Muhammad ash-Shirwani. Gammer in his book Muslim Resistance to the Tsar... says about the Naqshbandi shaykh Shaykh Khas Muhammad ash-Shirwani:
"... the seed sown by Shaykh Isma'il found a fertile ground in Daghestan, where it was transferred by another of his disciples, al-Shaykh Khas Muhammad al-Shirwani. He ordained al-Shaykh al-Sayyid Jamal al-Din al-Ghazi-Ghumuqi." [p. 39] "Russian and later Soviet sources call the Naqshbandiyya-Khalidiyya in the Caucasus Miuridizm...as the founder of the politico-religious movement which, ...united for a time in the great struggle for freedom a majority of the Muslim inhabitants of Daghestan and Chechnia." [p. 40]
Shaykh Khas Muhammad was succeeded as leader of the Naqshbandi in the Caucasus by Shaykh Muhammad Effendi al-Yaraghi. In Chapter 34 Gammer says of the shaykh, in his book, "Muslim Resistance to the Tsar...":
"... While the glittering circle of Russian bayonets closed in on every side, Mula Muhammad [al-Yaraghi]'s influence had been growing steadily year by year. Intangible, immaterial, it passed surely and silently through the hedge of bristling steel as a miraged ship through opposing cliffs, or as a moss-bog fire creeps up against the wind. The two forces, material and moral, moving in concentric rings of opposite direction, kept equal pace, and just when to outward seeming the last spark of liberty was trampled under foot in Central Daghestan by the soldiers of the tsar, the sacred flame was ready to burst forth and illuminate the land on every side, even to its outermost borders. The Russian sources claim unanimously that Muhammad al-Yaraghi and his disciples preached jihad against the Russians from the very beginning. This would not be surprising.....Furthermore, the role of sufi ta'ifas, and especially of the Naqshbandiyya, in jihad movements all over the Muslim world has been emphasised. ...[due] to the influence of Muhammad al-Yaraghi's preaching. ...The first concern of Muhammad al-Yaraghi and his disciples was to establish and enforce the shari'a and eradicate the 'adat. [prevailing customs]" [ p. 44]
He was succeeded as leader of the Naqshbandiyya in the Caucasus by Shaykh Jamaluddin al-Ghumuqi al-Husayni. Shaykh Jamaluddin al-Ghumuqi al-Husayni was deeply involved directing the movement against the Russians in his time. He was fighting to keep the teaching of spirituality spread in Russia, as it had been in previous times. He was supporting Imam Shamyl (http://www.forumforfree.com/forums/index.php?mforum=ahadunahad&showtopic=468) the leader who fought with Russia for nearly 40 years. His soldiers consisted solely of Naqshbandi murids, as he allowed no other affiliation in his army.
Shaykh Hisham Kabbani - Shaykhs of the Caucausus - The Naqshabandi Sufi Order (http://naqshbandi.net/haqqani/Islam/Shariah/muamalaat/jihad/daghestan.html)
The following is said about one of the most famous Mujahid of our history who liberated al-Quds from the Crusaders, Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi:
Khanqa, a Persian word, means "home", and for long these buildings served as a sort of lodge where Sufis retired to practise their faith. They believed that in order to attain the highest spiritual experience it was necessary to retreat from the world for an unspecified time, whether hours, weeks or months, and live in a community within the confines of these sacred places, secluded from the world, devoted to prayer. It was an esoteric experience in which the practitioner, through meditation, reached for God.
It was Salaheddin Al-Ayoubi, better known as Saladin, who introduced the concept of the khanqa to Egypt. This Sunni general of Kurdish origin seized power from the Shia Fatimids in 1169, and in order to help promote a Sunni revival as the official religion of Egypt he accepted the Sufi lodge as an equivalent of the Islamic madrasa or school. The first khanqa he ordered built was that of Saida Al- Soada, near Cairo's historic Bab Al-Nasr, or Gate of Victory.
Now that they had somewhere in which to live and worship, the Sufis in turn helped Saladin combat Shia influence by spreading word of the sultan's achievements and calling for Jihad against the the Crusaders. To secure Cairo from Crusaders' attack, Saladin ordered the construction of the Citadel, the largest fortress in the Middle East, and from that lofty and impenetrable perch he and his successors ruled for 80 years. During that time the Sufi community proliferated.
Refuge for mystics no longer - Veronica Balderas Iglesias - al-Ahram (http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2000/510/special.htm)
I have edited out the unnecessary semantical blurrings, al-Ahram is unfortunatly often filled with them and worse but nevertheless serves to give something to think about regarding the topic at hand. In another of its articles, the following is said about Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi:
Government sponsorship of the Sufi Orders goes back to the time of Saladin, who founded a Sufi retreat centre called Said Al-Saada and gave its sheikh preeminence over other sheikhs, with the title sheikh al-shuyukh, head of the Sufi Orders," writes Hoffman. "This position remained in [the sheikh's] family until 1946, when Ahmed Murad El-Bakri died and the position was taken over by Ahmed El-Sawi [El-Imrani]." After 1982, the head of the Sufi orders was Abul-Wafa' El-Ghunaymi El-Taftazani, dean and professor of philosophy at Cairo University. At present, the post is occupied by Hassan El-Shennawi, professor of religious philosophy at Al-Azhar. The function of the Supreme Council of Sufi Orders is to oversee the organised Sufis' affairs and ensure the propriety of the doctrine and practice they disseminate.
Searching for the path - Fayza Hassan - al-Ahram (http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2000/510/special.htm)
Aside of the war against the Crusaders, there have been Sufis who also fought against the establishment of the Zionist state and British colonialism, such as Shaykh Muhammad Abu al-Azayem, mentioned in the previous linked al-Ahram article:
Sheikh Mohamed Abul-Azayem, founder of the Azimiya, who, teaching Shari'a and Islamic jurisprudence in Khartoum, was forced to return to Egypt because of his anti-British views. During the 1919 Revolution, he opened the doors of his printing press to the anti-British organisation the Black Hand (Gam'iyat Al-Yadd Al-Sawda'). Furthermore, his was the only order to arm and send a number of adepts to Palestine (1948-1949).
However today, in recent history and throughout history there have also been those who have fought against Islam in various ways, and this is the other side of the reality. Often those are portrayed as the "peaceful" ones, "progressive ones" or simply the only ones to exist. It is a distorted picture that is far too often portrayed, and because of propaganda from all sides many have come to believe these distortions.