Majalah Al-Hikmah Edisi ke 17

MA JA L AH A L - H I KMAH 24 THE EARLY SCHOLARS OF SUFISM IN THE VIEW OF THE LATE TAN SRI ROYAL PROF. DR. SYED MUHAMMAD NAQUIB AL-ATTAS (1931-2026) Dr. Wan Mohd Fazrul Azdi bin Wan Razali, Associate Fellow, Islamic Science Institute (ISI) & Lecturer, Akidah and Religion Studies, USIM Did the salaf or the early Muslim generations learn and practice sufism? The question whether sufism is practiced by the early Muslim generations is very crucial in determining the authentic sources for sufism. Some people use their ignorance and confusion as their main capital in discussing this question, which eventually caused them and other people to be trapped in the intellectual maze and puzzle. Usually, they judge that if sufism existed in the early generations, why the word ‘ tasawuf’ is not mentioned in any of the Quranic verses or Prophetic traditions? The same question that befalls upon the speculative theology ( ilm al- Kalam) , logic ( mantiq ), and philosophy in the Islamic studies. INTRODUCTION Evidently, sufism, or tasawwuf, represents the esoteric dimension of Islam, focusing on the purification of the self and the attainment of direct knowledge ( ma'rifah ) of Allah SWT. Its historical development has seen various phases, interpretations, and figures, each contributing to the rich tapestry of Islamic spirituality. For Muslims concerned with the intellectual and spiritual history of the faith, discerning the genuine roots and early exponents of Sufism is paramount. Among modern intellectual thinkers, the late Dr. Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas (1931- 2026) stands out for his profound contributions, particularly in contextualizing Islamic metaphysics and history, often correcting what he perceived as historical inaccuracies or Western biases. This article explores Al-Attas’s perspective on the early generation of scholars of Sufism, specifically through his Some Aspects of Sufism as Understood and Practised Among the Malays (2020). The Late Dr. Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas and His Some Aspects of Sufism as Understood and Practised Among the Malays Dr. Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas was born on 5th September 1931, in Bogor, Indonesia, in a distinguished family of sayyids or sharifs , descendants of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. He received his early education in Indonesia and Malaya, before attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, England in 1952-1955. He later received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Malaya, Master’s from the McGill University, Canada; and Doctorate from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. He was the head of the Department of Malay Studies, University of Malaya; founding figure and Dean of the Faculty of Arts, National University of Malaysia (UKM); and the founder-director of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) in Kuala Lumpur. On 23rd October 2024, he was conferred the highest title Royal Professor by Sultan Ibrahim, in recognition of his most prestigious academic contributions to the world.