URDU تعمیرِ معاشرہ میں تصوف کا کردار

The Role of Sufism in Social Development

Abstract

Sufism, as an integral dimension of the Islamic spiritual tradition, embodies the pursuit of inner purification, moral excellence, and transcendental nearness to the Divine. More than a personal spiritual journey, Sufism has historically functioned as a transformative social force. Through the establishment of khanqahs (spiritual lodges), the emphasis on ethical reform, education, altruistic service, and the cultivation of communal harmony, the Sufi tradition has played a pivotal role in shaping cohesive and morally grounded societies. Influential mystics such as Hasan Basri, Rabi‘a Basri, Junayd Baghdadi, Ma‘ruf al-Karkhi, Bayazid Bustami, and later masters like Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani and Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti greatly expanded its spiritual and social horizons. From the Islamic worldview, society is not a mere aggregation of individuals but a moral and spiritual organism, bound by mutual rights, duties, and responsibilities. It is upon the foundations of justice, compassion, cooperation, patience, and trust that an Islamic society is established. The realization of such a society depends upon the spiritual and ethical refinement of its members—an aspiration that Sufism seeks to fulfill. This study underscores the enduring relevance of Sufi thought and practice in addressing the moral crises and social fragmentation of the modern world.