Re: Islamic Spirituality - The Forgotten Revolution
In the end, the Tehreek (sufism), Ulama, and other groups such as Tablighi Jamaat all are part of Islam. We should not criticize one over the other as all are integral.
Sometimes people say sufism is just about love and total esoteric lifestyle with neglecting the dunya, but this is not the belief of the majoirty of learned sufis. The sufi warrior was a great part of the history of the Muslim expansion in India and we should not become passive to this.
Some people say the ulama are unlearned mullahs, but you know perhaps the reason is because we don't care enough to listen to what they are saying. The ulama have consistently supported Islamic law and Khalifah in Pakistan (which according to University of Minnesota poll is the wish of 74% of the respondents they interviewed in Pakistan). There are literally fatawa on any matter which one has a question about, and it si impossible for a single person to know everything on his own, especially if he does not have knowledge fo the Quran and hadith.
The Tablighi Jamaat are often cited as being out of touch andwasting their enegries in the wrong area, but are you familiar witht he fact that thesesame Tablighi were responsible for the conversion of thousands into Islam and for the return of an Islamic lifestyle of many people who had gone astray. For what they do, call people back to the religion, they are the best in this. there is no doubt about this. Yet we like to believe we know better, and this pride has destroyed people before us.
Also, let us not tarnish the name of pious people in the past, because for what we know maybe Allah swt loves them more than us. Islam spread in South Asia for a multitude of reasons, not just one.