What Is Sufism? by Martin Lings

I picked up the Indonesian translation of this book, Apa Itu Tasawuf?, expecting something fairly straightforward. The title made me think I was getting an introduction, something that would lay out the basic ideas and give me a clearer picture of what Sufism is. I thought I'd get an easy overview I could read with my afternoon tea.

Boy, was I wrong.

From the first chapter, I realized this wasn't going to be that kind of book. One reviewer said it wasn't exactly light reading for a coffee shop, and honestly, I can't disagree. You have to pay attention. There were times I read a paragraph and then went back to the beginning because somehow I'd understood every sentence without quite getting the whole thing. It made me feel dumb sometimes, which I suppose is not the worst thing a book can do to you.

He starts with this striking image of a tidal wave coming from the Ocean of Infinitude. The wave reaches the shores of our finite world, leaving water in what Lings calls the “consecrated hollows.” Lings uses that water to represent the formal aspect of religion, while the ebbing wave represents the movement of the mystic back towards the Source. I like that the water left behind still has a place in the image. The outward forms of religion still matter. The interesting question is what happens inside the person who practices them, and whether there is an inward movement towards the Source as well.

A lot of what he discusses wasn't new to me. I'd come across many of these ideas before, especially the relationship between outward practice and inward reality. But Lings puts them together in his own way, moving between doctrine, symbolism, spiritual practice, and metaphysics. He doesn't always stop to explain every connection. You have to keep up with him.

That was probably the part I found most interesting. Lings talks about the inward dimension of religion, but I don't think "inward" should mean separate from the outward. Prayer is outward, but it is also supposed to change something in you. Fasting is outward. Dhikr can be something you do with the tongue, but that's not where it ends. You can know the rules, do the practices, and still have a heart that hasn't caught up with any of it. It's not a new idea, but it's an uncomfortable one, and Lings takes it seriously.

Later in the book, Lings takes this further with 'Abd al-Karim al-Jili's image of ice and water. The "eye of ice" sees only ice, while the "Eye of Water" sees water. But the image isn't just about looking beyond appearances. Lings connects the melting of the ice with letting go of our claim to an existence separate from God. I had to read that part slowly.

This is where “heart-wakefulness” comes in. Lings uses it to describe Sufism from the point of view of the person practicing it. The outward practices aren't being thrown away. You can pray, study, make dhikr, work on your character, and do everything you're supposed to do, but are you actually awake to what you're doing? Or have the practices become things you're good at performing? That's a much less comfortable question.

There were also moments when his metaphysical framework was hard to miss, and I wasn't always sure how far I was willing to follow it. I wasn't sure I agreed with everything that followed from it. I wanted to think about some of those ideas a little longer before deciding what I made of them.

I can understand why some readers find his writing too flowery or philosophical. He expects a lot from the reader, and there are passages where his language gets dense enough that I had to reread a sentence just to make sure I'd understood it. I wouldn't recommend this as someone's first introduction to Islam or tasawwuf. It helps to have some familiarity with the ideas he's talking about.

As for the Indonesian translation, I found it clear enough overall, although I did sometimes wonder whether some of the difficulty came from Lings's original style or from the translation itself. Either way, this isn't a book I'd want to rush through.

But I also wouldn't want him to simplify it too much. I appreciate that Lings takes tasawwuf seriously. He doesn't turn it into a collection of inspirational quotes or a kind of Islamic self-help. He expects you to think, and sometimes to struggle a little. I certainly did.

For all that, I enjoyed the book. Not because it was easy or particularly comforting. There were parts I had to work through, and there were probably things I understood only halfway. But I was glad I read it.

If you're looking for a quick introduction to Sufism, there are probably easier places to start. But if you already have some familiarity with Islam and want to read Lings's take on its spiritual dimension, What Is Sufism? is worth the effort.

4.5/5. Just don't bring it to your coffee break expecting an easy read. I tried that already.