THE CRİTİQUE OF SAMĀ‘ İN THE LİGHT OF SHARĪ‘A PRİNCİPLES BY THE JURİST AND SUFİ İBNÜ’L-HÂC EL-ABDERÎ

Authors : Mehmet Hanefi Sanır

Pages : 209-223

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Publication Date : 2025-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :In the history of Sufism, samā‘ has been regarded as a symbol of turning towards divine love and of the spiritual ecstasy arising in the heart transforming into a bodily ritual through dhikr (remembrance) and wajd (ecstatic state). In this context, samā‘ is not merely seen as a set of physical movements; rather, it is considered a manifestation of love, remembrance, and spiritual purification reflected through bodily actions. Samā‘ serves as a means that facilitates the heart’s orientation towards divine truth in the Sufi path, representing a form of spiritual cleansing where the love born in the soul is expressed through movement. However, over time, in certain Sufi circles, samā‘ has been stripped of its original meaning and reduced to a superficial ritual, a spectacle designed for entertainment, and a practice open to satisfying carnal desires. This process of degeneration has been critically addressed by thinkers like İbnü’l-Hâc el-Abderî who embodies both juristic and Sufi identities. In his renowned work el-Medhal, Abdarī observes that samā‘ has deviated from its authentic essence and has transformed into a formalistic practice, which he severely critiques within the framework of Sharī‘a principles. According to him, true samā‘ can attain the status of legitimate worship only when it is supported by fundamental principles of the Sufi path, such as asceticism (zuhd), God-consciousness (taqwā), seclusion (khalwa), silence (sukūt), and constant dhikr. In the absence of these foundations, samā‘ opens the door to hypocrisy (riyā’), base desires (hawā), and ostentation, thereby harming the essence of Sufism. This study analyzes Abdarī’s views on samā‘ based directly on his al-Madkhal, comparing them with classical fiqh and Sufi literature. His Sharī‘a-based critiques invite a reconsideration of core dualities surrounding samā‘ in the Sufi tradition, such as essence–form, ecstasy–hypocrisy, and sincerity–ostentation.
Keywords : Şer‘î Ölçü, Tasavvuf, Semâ, İbnü’l-Hâc el-Abderî, Vecd, Riyâ

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