Islamic Theology, Philosophy and Law

(Ron) #1

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya in the “Lands Below the Wind” 231


despite the fact that orthodox Sufism – also known as “tasauf modern”
(Hamka), “neo-Sufism” (Rahman), or “urban Sufism” (Sufi kota) –
is becoming more popular and has attracted many followers among
the educated middle class, who now look to religion and preachers
for guidance and practical tips on how to attain spiritual happiness.^36
Gradually, the writings of Ibn al-Qayyim and the like become alterna-
tive to older treatises on Sufism. Many now compare Ibn al-Qayyim
to al-Ghazālī since both helped to uncover and clarify the orthodox
roots of Islam’s interior dimension, explaining the way to God with
insistence upon the main sources of orthodoxy: Koran, Sunna and the
practice of the first two generations of Muslims.
Last but not least, even though Ibn al-Qayyim was deeply influ-
enced by Ibn Taymiyya and likewise engaged in polemics against
heretical groups such as the Jahmiyya, Jabriyya and Qadariyya, he
was more ready than his teacher to be lenient and amiable to those
with whom he differed. In refuting the views of his opponents, Ibn
al-Qayyim refrained from using offensive words and preferred instead
a sober tone typical of a spiritual teacher. Ibn al-Qayyim managed to
talk to the heart, combining verses and tradition with logical persua-
sion and stylistic finesse. It is this sympathetic approach that makes his
writings more popular and fascinating. Lastly, one finds in him flashes
of linguistic genius, pious spiritual insights and the answer to the most
vital questions of life, soul, happiness, the afterlife etc.
In order to illustrate and map this recent interest in Ibn al-Qayyim
as an eminent scholar especially of Sufism, I provide in what follows a
list and a brief description of published as well as unpublished works
by and on Ibn al-Qayyim, mostly in Indonesia but also in Malaysia
and Singapore classifying them in three categories: full translation, par-
tial translation (of excerpt or abridgement) and studies on his texts.
Such an account enables us to trace important patterns of perception
and preference.


36 For an interesting discussion about “urban Sufism” in Indonesia, see Howell,
Julia Day: Sufism and the Indonesian Islamic Revival, in: The Journal of Asian
Studies 60 (2001), pp. 701–729. See Sila, Muhammad Adlin: Tasawuf Perkotaan.
Kasus Pusat Kajian Tasawuf (PKT) Tazkiyah Sejati Jakarta, Jakarta 2000.


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