Sharia and haqiqa inseparable from one another

South Tangerang, NU Online
The chairman of Jakarta's Students of Ahlith Thoriqoh Al-Mu'tabaroh An-Nahdliyyah (MATAN) KH Ali M Abdillah said those who learn the shari'a (exoteric path) should also learn about the so-called haqiqa (mystical truth). Why? because both must be one entity and are inseparable from one another.

According to Kiai Ali, if someone only learns the shari'a then he will easily regard others as infidels because he only studies religion in 'textual' aspects. Likewise, if someone only studies esoteric aspects then he will become so-called zindiq (people who get lost in their faith).

According to the leader of the Islamic Boarding School al-Rabbani Islamic College, this had already happened during the time of Raden Ngabehi Rangga Warsita. At that time, Raden Rangga Warsita studied and practiced the shari'a and the haqiqa in a balanced manner. But his followers misunderstood him, so that they only practiced the haqiqa and left the shari'a.

"Even though Raden Rangga Warsita balances both shari'a and haqiqa," said Kiai Ali in a discussion held at the Islam Nusantara Center (INC) Secretariat, South Tangerang, Saturday (20/4).

As a result, Kiai Ali added, the followers of Raden Rangga Warsita did not pray anymore because they thought it was no longer needed. They abandoned the shari'a services under the pretext that they had acknowledged the existence of Allah.

"For example, it is not necessary to pray, because they have acknowledged the existence of God," he explained.

Therefore, according to Kiai Ali, both must be practiced simultaneously. Both could not be separated from one another. Because according to Kiai Ali, both of them must be one entity. (Nuri Farihatin / Masdar)