What is the authenticity of Sufi terms such as: the Gnostic (arif), intoxication (sukr), effacement (maḥw), and drowning (gharq), which were not used in early Islam?
Most of the terms mentioned appear in Ibn al-Qayyim's books when he discusses the Sufis and criticizes their discourse, as in "Madarij al-Salikin," which explains al-Harawi's "Manazil al-Sa'irin," a Sufi text. Ibn al-Qayyim used them to clarify their meanings and what they might entail of truth or falsehood, and there is no harm in that. However, when there is no need, it is better to adhere to the terminology of the Salaf, as those terms might carry un-Shar'i or misleading meanings. There is no dispute over terminology, the matter lies in its intended meaning, and ambiguous terms that suggest incorrect meanings should be avoided.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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