Expert unveils spiritual side of Islam

In the race to establish the presence of science in Islam, the Sufi focus on spirituality is often overlooked, according to Religious Studies professor Barbara von Schlegell.

In front of an audience of around 30 students, von Schlegell addressed the position of Sufism Islamic mysticism in Islam Tuesday in Houston Hall for the Penn Arab Student Society's Arab Heritage Month.

Von Schlegell began by dispelling any belief in the secular founding of Penn. In his autobiography, Benjamin Franklin reveals that the academy was initially founded for his friend, Rev. George Whitefield, who did not have a place to preach, von Schlegell said.

However, Franklin meant to establish a place where even the "Mufti [Muslim scholars] of Constantinople could have a place in Philadelphia to preach," she added.

Having set the tone for her talk, von Schlegell then focused on Sufism. The goal of Sufis is often misunderstood as the desire to attain oneness with God, but, according to von Schlegell, no Sufi writing upholds this statement. Instead, the goal of the Sufis is to realize divine mysteries, love God and gain knowledge of Him.

The strong Sufi desire for nearness to God, not union with God, is found in Jewish mysticism as well, von Schlegell noted.

"This is an important lecture on a topic people know little about," College freshman Rania Riad said. "It's good to shed light on it."

Von Schlegell's interest lies in what she calls "Five Pillar Islamic Mysticism" those of the Sufi order who adhere to the five pillars of Islamic faith. These Sufis believe in the discipline of the body and desires through Islamic practices, such as prayer, fasting and "dhikr," which is the remembrance of God. Von Schlegell explained that dhikr is used to remove rust from the heart, which is viewed as an organ of perception, by constantly invoking the names of God an act that mirrors the New Testament's command to pray without ceasing.

The Quran and the Hadith the revelation and teachings of the prophet Muhammad are central to Sufi belief, just as they are central to mainstream Sunni Islam.

Von Schlegell read a passage from Bukhari's collection of Hadith that illustrates the Sufi desire for nearness to God.

"My servant continues to draw near to Me by free acts of devotion until I love him," von Schlegell read. "When I love him, I am the eye with which he sees, the hearing with which he hears, the tongue with which he speaks ..."

Von Schlegell's forthcoming book, provisionally titled The Power of Concealment: The Sufi Women of Damascus, deals with the role of women in Sufi Islam. She highlighted the fact that there are growing circles of female leaders in Sufism, where the extreme modesty of women has led them to join segregated groups for worship and learning. No man has authority over these groups, though the Sufi chain of teaching always goes back to a man.

Engineering junior Nazia Hashmi, who is currently one of von Schlegell's students, said, "I wanted to hear her speak. This was a nice reflection on women in Sufism I can't wait to read her book."

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