Knocking on Heaven’s Door: Sufism in Yemen

The Sufis of the Alawiya Sufi order of Sana’a consists of about 70 Shafi’i males ranging from 12 to 75 years of age.

Sufism has come to symbolize a wide and diverse  range of perceptions to different people. Sufism is most often described as the mystic branch of Islam, however it is awkwardly conciliated with organized religion. The most popular definition places Sufism as a denomination of Islam. However, there are a large number of Muslims that are reluctant to consider Sufism as being part of their religion and there are a number of Sufis who aren’t Muslims. Because there is no lucidly tangible written historical source for this mystical branch, it abides, even to this day, under a veil of mystery, misunderstanding, veneration, fear, and even oppression in many corners of society.

Often times the lack of thorough research, or the difficulties inherent in translating  from one language to another, have  lead to confusion as opposed to enlightenment. As a result, Sufism is often only partly understood, with that understanding further shrouded by the biases and mis-interpretations of the commentators. Most scholars are in agreement  that the actual word Sufi comes from the Arabic root word Suf for wool. The ancient followers of this system were said to wear inexpensive wool clothes as an outward symbol of their renunciation and detachment from worldly goods and desires.

In many parts of Yemen, Sufism has been driven underground due to strong opposition from more mainstream religious  groups such as the Salafis, Zaydis, and even political organizations like the Islah Islamic  party. Since the very inception of Islam in Yemen, the country has been divided into two regions: The Sunni-Shafi’i region in the Southern Mountains and Coastal areas and the Zaydi-Ismaili areas of the Northern highlands.

In general, Zaydi scholars have found the vast majority of Sufi practices and Ideas ridiculous. Sufi notions of Dhikr (repetition of God’s name), Qalb (the ability to know god directly through one’s heart), and Suluk (spiritual journeying) are ungrounded and fallacious to the logic of Zaydi theology.

The more traditional forms of Sunni sects consider many Sufi Ideas and practices a form of unbelief (kufr) or associating others with God (shirk). These are considered some of the more serious offenses that a Muslim can commit, and the majority of  Islamic scholars argue that Allah does not forgive shirk.

According to a local sheikh belonging to the Alawiya Sufi order here in Sana’a,   despite the fact that Sufism as a spiritual philosophy is open to all humanity, it was born out of Islam and is the heir to the treasures of knowledge from the sacred heart of the Prophet Mohammed. When ask about the criticism that his sect receives from more traditional thinkers in Islam, he responded with an ancient Sufi saying, “Those who only reason have wooden legs, and wooden legs give an unsteady gait.” In his estimation the actual birth of Sufism as a way of thought and practice is therefore subsequent to the advent of Islam.

The vast majority of the members claim birth from the region of Taiz and the surrounding region of al-Hujjariya. The sheikh claims that his order has over 100,000 members dispersed throughout the Shafi’i regions of the country.

 Visiting the ancient city of Tarim, an arid, windswept desert valley located in the far eastern  state of Hadhramaut, it felt as if we were being transposed back in time. Being the very heart of Sufi ideology and practice here in Yemen, this historical city also has a twisting parallel of notoriety in the West: it’s the birthplace of Osama bin Laden’s father! However one only has to visit its well-known madrasa (school), Dar al-Mustafa, in order to perceive the peaceful and philosophical environment of this thousand-year-old religious center.

There wasn’t a hint of any extremism or intolerance to be found. Students coming from such diverse places as Malaysia, Senegal, and even Seattle, come  to study its ancient secrets and fellowship in its open and  harmonious surroundings. It was while experiencing the culture of  Tarim that I understood the Sufi saying, “One cannot confess truth without being that truth, and the truth does not change with the changing of cultures and times.”

Back in Sana’a, I was invited to a Sufi meeting with members of the Alawwiya sect. The members of this order meet every Thursday in the Diwan (place of worship) of a private home of one of the members in order to carry out certain rituals and fellowship. During these very informal yet deeply moving and spiritual  sessions, lessons on the shari’a (Islamic Law) as well as theoretical Sufism are taught. As the atmosphere becomes more intense the chewing of Qat leaves and the singing of endash (sacred Sufi Poetry) seem to create an almost hypnotic trance within the room. As the intensity peaked the final act of chanting Dhikr (La illahi illa Allah) seemed  not only transcendent, but almost otherworldly and peacefully haunting.

After the session I went on to ask one of the Sufi students, whom I will call Omar, about the organizational structure of this Sufi sect. He says that due to the very nature of Sufism, there is no formal organization within this order. There is no organized hierarchy, no central office, or a written code of laws. The entire practice centers around  the  of devotion to the sheikh and the individual’s personal relationship with god.

I was told by the sheikh that the basic Sufi tenants differ slightly from order to order,  however there are  basic tenants that all Sufi orders follow:

The first stage is learning the morality and ethics of all religions, which this order believes is accomplished by studying Islam. The second stage is focusing one’s attention on the inner state of being. This is usually accomplished by the chanting of Dhikr (repetition of God’s name), meditation, and practicing inner detachment.  The third stage is where the aspirant begins to understand the teaching behind these practices, and personally experiencing god within mystical states. The final stage leads to ma’rifah, or realization of God.

One important belief that all Sufi sects seem to share is that all religions offer a path to salvation, enlightenment, and true realization of God. One member says that, “a saint in any religion is equal to a saint in every other religion simply because they are all inspired by the same divine source.” I then asked if he could give me a simple explanation of what Sufism represents. He stated, “It’s necessary to remember that the verbal description of an experience is different from the experience itself. The word water doesn’t quench thirst, it’s drinking that does.”

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