Ascetic Books The Origin of Islamic Sufism- A Study of Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak

Abstract

Abstract:-Introduction: Zuhd is one of the important elements of Islam in general and of Islamic Sufism in particular. Dealing with it, most of the classic sources contain many stories and sayings quoted from the saints, prophets and the scholars. Associated with non Arabic and non-Islamic elements, such a plenty of sayings distorted the true meaning of the concept. And so many of scholars and Orientalists in particular argued that what the sufi sheikhs do is the same as the non-Muslims and the Christian monks did in the antiquity. Kutub al-Zuhd are to be thought of the most important sources to reach a precise definition of Zuhd. In order to achieve a clear definition of zuhd as the basis for Sufism and Islamic Mysticism, the author attempted to examine one of the most classical sources, namely, Kitab al-Zuhd ibn Mobarak(d. 181). This is a descriptive-analytical study. Data is collected documentarily and then is analyzed. According to what the author has found, Zuhd refers to the morality. And it can be said that ascetic life style is a kind of detachment to the world materials and possessions, in other words, a Zahid is one who mentally, behaviorally as well as characteristically detached to the world and what belongs to it. Rather than avoiding the world, Zuhd is meant to the independence of it. Mostly it refers to the behavior which is manifested in the concept of chastity or piety(“Vara’”). All might be found in the early corpus and sources called Kutub Al-Zuhd, dating back to the pre-sufism period. Most famous of these, belongs to the Ibn-Al-Mubarak called Kitab-Al-Zuhd.Key words: Islam , Islamic Sufism , Zuhd , Ibn Mubarak , Kitab al-Zuhd.