Ruling on Sufi tariqahs in Islam

This
question about tariqahs is asked in general terms. If what the questioner
is referring to is Sufi tariqahs, then they are reprehensible; some of
them are kufr (disbelief) and some of them are bid‘ah (innovation) and not
kufr, because the path (tareeq) they follow is not the path of our Prophet
Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). 

Allah, may He
be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And
verily, this  is my Straight Path, so follow it”

[al-An ‘aam
6:153]

“And
this is a blessed Book (the Quran) which We have sent down, so follow it”

[al-An ‘aam
6:155]

“And
whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)”

[al-Hashr
59:7]. 

So what the
Muslims are obliged to do is to follow the way of Muhammad (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) and adhere to his path and his religion. Allah,
may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him to mankind): “If you (really) love Allah then
follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah),
Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins”

[Aal Imraan 3:31]. 

The straight
path of Allah is that which was brought by our Prophet Muhammad (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him), which is the path of those on whom Allah
has bestowed His grace, who are mentioned in the words of Allah, may He be
glorified and exalted (interpretation of the meaning):

“Guide us to the Straight Way,

The Way of those on whom You
have bestowed Your Grace”

[al-Faatihah 1:6-7].

They are the
Prophets, the siddeeqs, the martyrs and the righteous, who are mentioned in
the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“And whoso obeys Allah and the
Messenger (Muhammad blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then they
will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, of the
Prophets, the Siddeeqoon (those followers of the Prophets who were first and
foremost to believe in them, like Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq ), the martyrs, and
the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!”

[an-Nisa’ 4:69]. 

This is the
straight path. As for the tariqahs of the Sufis, they involve shirk
(association of others with Allah), such as the worship of some of their
shaykhs and seeking help from some of their shaykhs; forsaking knowledge of
the Sunnah on the part of some of them who say “My heart told me from my
Lord”; and failure to acknowledge the laws brought by Muhammad (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him); and many other bid ‘ahs (innovations). 

Moreover, some
of the mureeds (followers) says “You must submit to the shaykh and accept
the way he is and what he likes, and not object to him, and you must be with
him like the dead person in the hands of the one who is washing him in
preparation for burial.” All of these are corrupt and misguided paths. 

Shaykh ‘Abd
al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him). 

Fataawa Noor
‘ala ad-Darb
(1/21, 22) 

We have
discussed a number of the innovations and mistakes that the Sufis have
fallen into in a number of questions under the category Schools of Thought
and Religions. Please read them as they are important. 

And Allah
knows best.