End of Sufism or will it fade out as a medieval diversionary phenomenon by Shravan Kumar Sharma
End of Sufism.A very famous Sufi Qawwali maestroAmjad Sabri was assassinated by the Talben in Karachi very recently.In a way, it represents the culmination of a conflict between two idealogical positions of Islam,Hardliner Wahabi orSalafi fundamentalism and moderate Sufism.Wahabi fundamentalism is becoming stronger because of the financial support of Saudis.This historical clash was in existence even in Seventeenth century when a bigot Aurangzeb killed moderate Dara Shikoh and captured the throne of Delhi and reversed the flow of history.Sufi Saints like Rumi or Nizamuddin believed in music ,poetry and art for reaching the ultimate.But according to Wahabi theology that Aurangzeb believed in ardently, Music has no place in Islam and is forbidden and Tomb worship and pray to dead are against the basic tenets of Islam.Even tomb worship is against the principles of Hinduism as Hindus believe in the immorality of soul and in the principle of Moksh or dont believe in anything except this materialistic world.In any situation Sufism is a part of Islam. Sufism is loved by many for its passionate music and poetry,but now apparently it is being discarded in its original South Asian soil. Though it is still surviving in some tombs located in India and lacs of devotees visit these shrines every year ; but the question is, Can Sufism survive long without theological support of its followers or will it fade out as a medieval diversionary phenomenon of the main religion?
