Spiritual Intuition within Sufism

"Rumi was fully aware that... spiritual awareness and comprehension had dimmed since the time of the Prophet[Mohammed]." -- Sufism: Love and Wisdom by Jean-Louis Michon & Roger Gaetani

Writing in his book, Sufism: Love and Wisdom, French scholar Jean-Louis Michon notes that "both the Sharia path and Tariqa path, the laws and spiritual path, existed from the beginning." He attributes a decline in practice during this period, the 13th century, to a tendancy towards forgetfulness and complacency in the collective minds of believers. Thus it became necessary in the minds of inspired believers in Rumi's day to institute more clearly discernable forms; making formulations more explicit, it was thought, would call those to renewed fervor in the Quran or Koran, and "breathe new life into spiritual intuition." The poet was inspired.

As spiritual matters, Truths and Faith may not easily be contained or systemized.  It is possible that within the writings of even a single author there may be seeming inconsistencies; viewed with the heart moreover the mind, many of these curiosities fade away.While elaborate and systemic forms of Islamic practice may not have been a feature in its earlier days, by the time of Rumi, it was increasingly present, contained within Islam. And while such formulations are not necessary for the spiritual life, its presence constituted a guide and a companion of sorts for those disciples of the Tariqa. If, in later years writes Michon, there are similarities between Sufism and other monotheistic traditions, it is because "in certain cases there are borrowings from other traditional sources."

In Sufism, a doctrine does not exist merely for its own sake. Rather it is because it may serve as a guide on the path, if you will. The author of this book, Michon concludes, "doctrine is the key to open the door... a guide to lead the traveler..." each one unique, and many, though all on one path. Once arrived, it may be discarded.