World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 452

Sufi psychology and practices:
Sufism integrated various doctrines like- metaphysics, cosmology, sociology, eschatology, psychology etc. As we have said earlier that according to Sufism man is a composition of two elements phenomenal and spiritual. The phenomenal element is keenly related to the gratification of body (jism) and the second one is related to our soul (ruh). The second part of man is inevitably related to his psychological and divine elements. The life of a man will not be considered as a complete until and unless we discuss something about his psychological aspects. Moreover, his psychical structure helps to realize the soul from its own knots after illuminating its darkest aspects through rigorous practices in the inner journey of his soul. Hence, the term "Sufi psychology" is probably a deceptive one, because it implies that there is relatively homogeneous doctrines of the psyche that majority of the Sufis believe as an important factor. As for the doctrinal aspect of Sufi psychology, the human soul is the faculty of many planes that united systematically. However, one can point out the terms most frequently used and expound on the meanings of these notions drawing from Quranic verse, virtually all Sufis distinguished Latif-e-Sitta (The six subtleties) that are most pertinent parts of Sufi psychology. The latif-e-sitta is related to Nafs, Qalb, Sirr, Ruh, Khafi, and Akhfa. These lataif (sing: latifa) designate various psycho-spiritual “organs”, or sometimes, faculties of sensory and super sensory perception .In general, Sufic development involves the awakening of soul in a certain order of these spiritual centers of perception that lies absolute peace in the mind of the devotee as well as the whole universe. In Sufism, the term “muta qabla an tamuto" i.e. die before you die is an important slogan, where carnal soul, (al-nafs al-ammarah) elevated man in the state of spiritual stage. The second category of soul in Sufism is called al-nafs al lawwamah (the soul which is higher than the former one). The third category of soul is called al-nafs al mutmainna, i.e. the satisfied or purified soul. In the Quranic terminology this soul is also called al-ruh. Through latifa a Sufi can fit himself to attain divine knowledge (marifat) and then he become familiar as an arif (Gnostic). Sufi psychology elevates man beyond the empirical, earthly self that helps him to apprehend the wholeness of human state as integrated whole. The goal of a spiritual man is a journey through the cosmos and ultimately beyond it. From the psychological point of view, it must be remembered that Sufism contains a complete method of curing the illness of the human soul. They believe, only the higher can know the lower; only the spirit can know the psyche and illuminate its dark corners and crevasses. Only the man whose soul and psyche becomes integrated and illuminated has the right to cure the others. 15
Sufi Concept of Soul :
The main intention of Sufism is to attain spiritual knowledge of the
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