Sheikh (Sufism)
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A Sheikh or shaykh (Arabic: شيخ shaykh; pl. شيوخ shuyūkh), of Sufism is a
The legitimacy of the sheik is based on the unbroken chain of authors or other sheiks. The shorter the chain the more authoritative the person becomes.[3] Teaching-sheiks provided their disciples with religious instruction as well as theology. During this time student travelled and interacted with different teacher-sheiks. Sufi sheiks flourished throughout the Islamic world more than any other type of personal authority because their mediatory skills were required for the smooth functioning of an agrarian-nomadic economy with a decentralized form of government.[4]
Khirka
An example of the importance of lineage in Sufism is the Khirka. Khirka, literally meaning 'Rough cloak, scapular, coarse gown,' an initiation process in Sufism known as "Investiture with the Cloak" in which the sheik puts his khirka on the disciple.[5] This acts as the manifestation of blessings being transmitted from sheik to disciple. The act is reminiscent of when Muhammad placed a cloak over Ali. After this the disciple is able to join the Sufi order and continue studying underneath the sheik.[6]
Silsila
Silsila is used in Sufism to describe the continuous spiritual chain that links Sufi orders and sheiks in a lineage relating back to Muhammad and his Companions.[7]
See also
References
- Shah, Idries (1974). The Way Of The Sufi. England: Penguin Group.
- Nasr, Seyyed (2007). The Garden of Truth. new York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Footnotes
- ^ Buehler, Arthur (1998). Sufi Heirs of the Prophet. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press. pp. 1–2.
- ^ Buehler, Arthur (1998). Sufi Heirs of the Prophet. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press. pp. 3–4.
- ^ Buehler, Arthur (1998). Sufi Heirs of the Prophet. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press.
- ^ Knysh, Alexander. "Irfan revisited: Khomeini and the Legacy of Islamic Mystical Philosophy". Middle East Journal.
- ^ Brown, Jonathan. Hadith Muhammad's Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World. Oxford. p. 188.
- ^ Michon. > "Ḵh̲irḳa". Brill. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
- ^ Trimingham, J.L. "Silsila". Brill Online. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
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