A Proposal for a Historical Framework of the Idea of Tawhid in Sufism: An Introduction to Early Sufi Experience

Gul G. R., Uyar M.

DINBILIMLERI AKADEMIK ARASTIRMA DERGISI-JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN RELIGIOUS SCIENCES, cilt.26, sa.3, ss.2053-2084, 2026 (ESCI)

Özet

It can be argued that tawhid is the most fundamental concept shaping the development of Islamic intellectual traditions. In this context, the s & umacr;f & imacr;s also employ the concept according to their own experiences, provide definitions, and bestow a mystical depth upon it. However, certain problematic areas emerge when attempting to determine the s & umacr;f & imacr; theories of tawhid. The first of these is the difference in approach to the concept between s & umacr;f & imacr;sm and the fields of kal & amacr;m and philosophy. In the latter two disciplines, tawhid is an independent subject handled in almost every aspect. In sufism texts, although there are specific chapters on tawhid, the subject is not evaluated with all its areas of debate as it is in kal & amacr;m and philosophy. At this fundamental point of divergence, s & umacr;f & imacr;s treat tawhid in terms of the servant's actions and their position before Allah. We believe this distinction is a preliminary stage in understanding the s & umacr;f & imacr; theory of tawhid. The second stage points to more challenging problem areas. While kal & amacr;m and philosophy process the subject on the axis of reason and revelation, s & umacr;f & imacr;s utilize an experiential discourse. Therefore, a mandatory question arises at this point: What were the fundamental references that informed the s & umacr;f & imacr;s' discourse on tawhid? Naturally, they are like all other Muslims regarding basic tenets of faith, such as the existence, oneness, and absolute creativity of Allah. However, the concept of tawhid, which gains a s & umacr;f & imacr; dimension where discourses appear-such as the servant being close enough to Allah to almost disappear in Him or being an elite servant of Allah-has at some point become the understanding of a specific group. In our opinion, being able to determine a theory of tawhid depends primarily on the identification of these references. Unfortunately, orientalists were the first to explicitly voice these references, claiming that s & umacr;f & imacr;s developed a discourse of tawhid under the influence of Indian, Iranian, or Greek philosophy. While it is impossible to agree with these claims, we must admit that alternative references, which are more consistent with historical facts and reasonable, have not yet been put forward. In our study, as a proposal aimed at addressing this deficiency, two main reference areas have been identified: The first, despite having a different approach, is to read s & umacr;f & imacr; thought simultaneously with the theories of tawhid rising in kal & amacr;m and philosophy; for it is hardly possible for s & umacr;f & imacr;s to be independent of such an intense discourse and a religious atmosphere shaped by tawhid. The second is to try to understand the concept of tawhid by following the semantic potential of the concept of zuhd (asceticism) and the transformation it has undergone. For as far as we can see, the increasingly deepening semantic content of zuhd has played a central role in the s & umacr;f & imacr;s' discourse on tawhid.