Later Imams
Imam Ghazzali
Imam Ghazzali, Hujjat ul-Islam said about Sufism,
“I knew verily that Sufis are the seekers in Allah’s Way, and their conduct is the best conduct, and their way is the best way, and their manners are the most sanctified. They have cleaned their hearts from other than Allah and they have made them as pathways for rivers to run receiving knowledge of the Divine Presence.” [al-Munqidh min ad-Daallal, p. 131].
Imam Nawawi
Imam Nawawi said, in his Letters, (Maqasid at-tawhid), p. 20:
“The specifications of the Way of the Sufis are five:
1. to keep the Presence of Allah in your heart in public and in private;
2. to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (s) by actions and speech;
3. to keep away from people in asking them;
4. to be happy with what Allah gave you, even if it is less;
5. to always refer your matters to Allah ‘Azza wa Jall.”
Imam Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi
Imam Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi said,
“the way of Sufis for seeking Knowledge, is to disconnect themselves from this worldly life, and they keep themselves constantlybusy in their mind and in their heart, with Dhikrullah, in all their actions and behaviors. ” [‘Itiqadaat Furaq al-Muslimeen, p. 72, 73]
Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldun said,
“The way of the Sufis is the way of the Salaf, the preceding Scholars between the Sahahba and Tabi’een of those who followed good guidance. Its origin is to worship Allah and to leave the ornaments of this world and its pleasures.” [Muqaddimat ibn al-Khaldun, p. 328]
Tajuddin as-Subki
Tajuddin as-Subki (r) mentioned in his book Mu’eed an-Na’am p. 190, under the chapter entitled Sufism,
“May Allah praise them and greet them and may Allah make us to be with them in Paradise. Too many things have been said about them and too many ignorant people have said things which are not related to them. And the truth is that those people left the world and were busy with worship.”
He said, “There are the People of Allah, that Allah accepted their du’as and with their prayers, Allah supports human beings.”
Jalaluddin as-Suyuti
He said in his book Ta’yid al-Haqiqat al-‘Aliyya, p. 57,
“At-Tasawwuf in itself is the best and most honorable knowledge. It explains how to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (s) and to leave innovation.”
