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Biography of Al-Qusyairi and His Thoughts on Tasawwuf

Lecturer:
Al-Ustadzah Tistigar Sansayto, M.Ag
Prepared to fulfil the assignment of the Mid Semester Examination of the course:
The Science of Tasawwuf

Compiled By:
Iffa Aliefah Rihhadatulaisy
442023213044

FACULTY OF USHULUDDIN
RELIGIOUS STUDIES PROGRAMME
DARUSSALAM GONTOR UNIVERSITY
MANTINGAN
1445 AH/2023 AD
 CHAPTER I

A. Biography of Al-Qusyairi's Life

Abdul Karim bin Hawazin nin Abdul Malik bin Talhah bin
Muhammad or known by the nickname Abul Qasim al-Qusyairi. Judging
from his ancestors he came from the Quraish tribe from the Hadramaut
area and the lineage of Abul Qasim Al-Quayairi met the Prophet
Muhammad SAW from the grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad named
Adnan. He came from the Qusyair tribe, which is one of the Arab tribes
descended from Rabi'ah bin 'Amir bin Sha'sha'ah bin Hawazin. 1
Abul Qasim al-Qusyairi was born in the month of Rabi'ul Awwal
in 376 AH in the village of Osto, Naisabur, and he died on Sunday 16
Robi'ul Akhir 465 AH/1073 AD at the age of 89. Imam Qusyairi was born
an orphan. He was educated by a close relative of the Qusyairi family,
Abul Qosim al-Yamany, who was known as a scholar.2
Imam Qusyairi has many titles or laqob, including, al-Qusyairi
(family clan), Al-Naisabur (residence), Al-Istiwa'y (struggle), Ash-Shafi'i
(view). In addition, Imam Al-Qusyairi also has honorary titles for
understanding religious sciences, including, Al-Imam, Al-Ustadz, Al-
Syech, Zainul Isla, Al-Jam'u Baina Shari'ah wa al-Hakikat, and so on.3
B. Teachers of Abul Qasim al-Qusyairi
Since his childhood he has learnt Arabic language and literature
from the kerbat who took care of him, namely Abul Qasim, initially Imam
Qusyairi had aspirations of becoming a government employee with the
aim of being able to ease the burden of the people who were heavy due to
the payment of taxes that were too high in the government at that time.
However, this changed after Imam Qusyairi migrated to the city of
Naisabur, the home of renowned scholars, scientists and scholars in
various fields of knowledge.
1
Muhammad Tholhah al-Fayyadl, Biography of Imam al-Qusyairi: The First Figure to
Straighten the Deviation of Tasawwuf, (tk, NU Online, 2021) pp. 1
2
Ahmad Subakir, Tasawwuf Thought of Imam Qusyairi, (Depok, Rajawali Pers, 2021)
p.7
3
Ibid.
 Imam al-Qusyairi met the great scholar Abul Ali al-Hasan al-
Naisabur famous as Al-Daqoq in Naisabur. Al-Daqoq was the most
respected and influential scholar of the time and his main speciality was
Sufism.
It was from Al-Daqoq that Imam Qusyairi learnt and learnt various
religious sciences, especially Sufism, until he eventually became a Sufi
figure. Because of Imam Qusyairi's closeness to Al-Daqoq, the ingenuity,
dedication and everything related to Imam Qusyairi was very memorable
for Al-Daqoq. Because of this Imam Qusyaisri was married to Al-Daqoq's
daughter Fatimah bint Daqoq, from his marriage to Fatimah Imam
Qusyairi was blessed with six sons and a daughter.
Then after being satisfied with the study of Sufism, Imam Qusyairi
studied the science of tawhid and the science of ushul fiqh to Abu Bakr
Muhammad Ibn Husain Ibn Faruk Al Anshory al-Ash Fahany, he was an
expert in the field of Ushul Fiqh who spread the thoughts of Imam Abu
Hasan al-Ash'ari.4 Imam Qusyairi continued to study Tawheed to Abu
Ishaq al-Isfiroini after the death of Ibn Faruk in Ramadan 410 AH. In
addition to Abul Qasim Al-Alimani and Abu Ali al-Hasan Ibn Ali al-
Naisaburi who were also his in-laws, Imam Qusyairi also studied Fiqh
with Abul-Abbas ibn Sharih, and in the field of Ushuluddin Imam
Qusyairi studied with Abu Manshur Abdul Qodir ibn Muhammad al-
Baghdady al Tamimy al-Asfarayaniy and Abu Ishaq Ibrahim idn
Muhammad ibn Mahran al-Asfarayaniy in the field of Ushul Fiqh.5
After studying religious sciences, he became a fiqh expert who
adhered to the Shafi'id madhhab and a kalam expert who adhered to the
Ash'ariyah or ahlu sunnah wal jama'ah school.
CHAPTER III
A. Tasawwuf Thought according to Imam Qusyairi
Al-Qusyairi was a famous scholar who mastered various fields of
religious knowledge, but his spirit of Sufism was more dominant, he has
4
Muhammad Tholhah al-Fayyadl, Biography of Imam al-Qusyairi: The First Figure to
Straighten the Deviation of Tasawwuf, (tk, NU Online, 2021) pp. 2
5
Ahmad Subakir, Tasawwuf Thought of Imam Qusyairi, (Depok, Rajawali Pers, 2021)
p.11
 many works that explore and discuss matters of Sufism and Islamic
sciences.
Al-Qusyairi's most valuable work for the history of Sufism is his
al-Risalah al-Qusyairiyyah, which enshrines the spiritual heritage of the
Sufis of the third and fourth centuries of the Hijriyah, in the form of
accounts of the life journeys and advice of Sufi leaders.
Al-Qusyairi has a concept in Tawhid, he divides Tawhid into three
categories:
1. Tawheed of Allah for Allah, which is knowing that Allah is
One.
2. Sanctifying Allah for the creatures, i.e. Allah's decree that it
is the servant who sanctifies Him and Allah who created all
creatures with tawhid.
3. Tawheed of creatures for Allah, which is a servant who
knows that Allah is one.6
According to Al-Qusyairi and Sufi figures in getting closer to God
must always stick to monotheism and not mixed with bid'ah. The scholars
and Sufi figures really maintain the purity of monotheism in Sufism, there
is not the slightest misguidance taught in Sufi teachings as some people
think of Sufism. As written in Al-Qusyairi's writing book al-Risalah al-
Qusyairiyyah:
"Indeed, the Sufi masters have established the rules of Sufism
based on the principle of monotheism. They guarded it against innovation
and brought it closer to that which they learnt from the salaf and the Ahlu
Sunnah, and in Sufism there is no imitation of the truth (pantheism) or
atheism."7
a. Ma'rifah Allah
In Imam Al-Qusyairi's view, Ma'rifah Allah is the main key
to strengthening the foundation of a servant's faith. Without the
effort of Ma'rifah Allah, a servant will easily change his
6
Anisa Listiana, Considering the Theology of the Sufis according to al-Qusyairi in al-
Risalah al-Qusyairiyyah, (Kudus, Kalam: Journal of Religious Studies and Islamic Thought, 2013)
p. 203. 203
7
Ibid, p.204
 understanding of Tauhid. Because with Ma'rifah Allah is a start
for someone to find his identity as a servant of Allah.
The meaning of ma'rifah is to know Allah in detail or
closely, where from the depths of our hearts we can see Allah.
ma'rifah literally comes from the word 'arafa, ya'rifu, irfan,
ma'rifah, which means knowledge or experience. Ma'rifah can
also mean secret knowledge about the nature of religion, which
is a deeper knowledge than the knowledge that people
generally have.
b. Attributes of God
The attributes of God can be divided into 3 types, namely;
mandatory nature, impossible nature, Jaiz nature. Obligatory
attributes are attributes that must or must be possessed by God.
The scholars of Tawhid say that there are 13 obligatory
attributes for Allah.
c. Faith
According to linguistic understanding, Iman is at-tasdiqu bi
al-qalbi, believing or justifying with the heart. As for the
definition of Iman according to shara' is "saying with the
tongue, justifying with the heart and doing with the limbs". The
definition of faith in terms of Ibn Kathir's statement: Shar'i
faith is nothing but the confession of the heart, the pledge of
the tongue and the practice of the limbs. In other words,
pledging with the tongue the truth of Islam, confirming the
pledge with the heart and behaviour.
d. Kufr
Kufr means denying a part of the teachings of Islam
without which one's Islam is imperfect. So denying the
meaning of the shahada is kufr.
In al-Risalah al-Qusyairiyyah it is written:
"A great scholar, al-Wasiti, was once asked about the
meaning of disbelief in Allah. He replied that disbelief and
 faith, the world and the Hereafter are from, towards, with
and for Allah. From Allah are all beginnings and structures;
to Him are returns and ends; with Him are things that
remain and pass away; and to Him are all kingdoms and
creations."8

B. The concept of maqamat and Ahwal in Sufism according to Imam

Qusyairi
According to Imam Qusyairi, what is meant by maqamat is the
result of human endeavour and the nobility of character possessed by a
servant of God who can encourage him to endeavour and demand from all
obligations. Meanwhile, al-Thusi gave a different opinion about the
meaning of maqamat, namely: "The position of a servant before Allah
which is obtained through hard work in worship, earnestness against lust,
spiritual exercises and giving up all body and soul solely for devotion to
Allah".
From the two opinions above, it can be understood that maqamat is
a person's position that shows his closeness to the creator. Which position
is not obtained easily, but must go through a serious process to reach the
highest degree and through many maqam maqam.
While according to the term Tasawwuf, maqamat is the position of
a servant in the presence of Allah, which is obtained through worship,
efforts and continuous spiritual practice with Allah SWT. Technically,
maqamat means the maximum effort of a Sufi to improve his religious
quality and position before Allah SWT. with certain practices.

8
Abu al-Qasim Abdul Karim bin Hawazin al-Qusyairi, al-Risalah al-Qusyairiyyah,
translated by Umar Faruq, (Jakarta, Pustaka Amani, 2002), pp. 44-45