Why Modern Muslims Struggle to Understand Sufi Literature?

Epistemology addresses two fundamental questions: What constitutes knowledge? And what are the valid paths to acquiring it?

In this regard, the Western and Islamic paradigms of thought diverge significantly. Within Western epistemology, the full scope of knowledge is often perceived as accessible through intellect alone-the sharper the intellect, the deeper the understanding.

Islamic epistemology, however, recognizes three distinct levels of knowledge. The most basic level is indeed accessible through intellect, where greater intellectual capacity allows for a greater grasp of knowledge.

The second level is accessed through the purification of the heart; the purer the heart, the clearer the perception of truth. The highest level is reached through spiritual elevation, wherein the loftier the soul ascends, the deeper the insight into ultimate realities.

Sufi literature was produced by individuals who had attained this highest level. In contrast, many contemporary Muslims remain engaged primarily with the first level. As a result, they may find it genuinely difficult to grasp the insights and wisdom embedded in classical and contemporary Sufi texts.

What, then, would be the most appropriate response to this gap? Ideally, contemporary Muslims might acknowledge the limitations of their current spiritual state and approach such literature with humility and reverence, choosing silence where understanding has not yet dawned.

However, what we observe today is often the opposite. Many Muslims-despite having limited exposure to the spiritual disciplines that form the foundation of Sufi thought-have taken to digital platforms to publicly critique and question the writings of revered Sufis.

With large followings on platforms like YouTube, such individuals frequently highlight perceived "flaws" in Sufi literature, inadvertently trivializing the profound contributions of some of the most spiritually accomplished figures in Islamic history.

This trend reflects a deeply concerning posture toward knowledge-confidence without depth. While the ideal posture is humility grounded in true knowledge, even humility coupled with ignorance is far preferable. But to challenge spiritual giants from a place of limited understanding is to risk great disservice to both knowledge and tradition.

May God bless this Ummah with reverence (adab) for the saints, sages, mystics, and Awliya who left behind a legacy of wisdom-works that continue to illuminate, but only for those willing to seek understanding with humility.

It is our responsibility to safeguard this heritage from being misinterpreted or misrepresented by those who, however well-meaning, may not yet be ready to comprehend the depths of what they critique.