Ṣūfī Thoughts of Ashraf ʿAlī Thānvī: A Reflection on its Practical Relevance to the Present Era

Abstract

Ṣūfīsm played a significant role in the dissemination of good morals, the prevalence of peace and harmony, inculcation of Islamic norms, and spiritual values into humanity. For this purpose, the ṣūfīs had developed a structure that was conducive to their social framework, which left a remarkable impact on establishing Islamic norms among the general population. Some Sufis were far ahead of their times particularly during the late nineteenth and early twentieth-century figure Mūlānā Ashraf ʿAlī Thānvī (1865-1943), considered the most important and influential in the subcontinent/North India. He was an immensely erudite, Sufi, and the torchbearer of movements for Islamic revival in the subcontinent. But unfortunately, the least has written about his life, contribution, and particularly regarding his Ṣūfī aspect. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to highlight the prolific contribution of Mūlānā Ashraf ʿAlī Thānvī for the reformation of the subcontinent according to the Islamic paradigm and inculcation of spiritual values into the community of the subcontinent during his period. The study would devote its efforts to highlight his approach to introduce the Ṣūfīsm in a highly practical manner through his teachings and writings and addressed against all those adulterations who have been emerged into the Ṣūfīsm during his era by the Muslim community. He not only diagnosed these impurities and spiritual entanglements but provided a substantial infrastructure and an effective remedy to the Muslims to reform the mystical thought of Islam during his era. The research is qualitative, the inductive and deductive methodology would be applied to collected data. The study would be concluded by arguing the dire need for the promulgation and dissemination of such thoughts for attaining a spiritually oriented society, which doubtlessly in present morally deteriorating and spiritually distorted.