Al-Tawhid From Sufi's Perspective

The study scrutinizes actual problems in al-Banjari’s teaching and discovers the elucidation from Islamic sources. Additionally, it attempts to reconcile the differences between al-Banjari’s and the theologian’s methodologies to the greatest possible degree. This is important because the core of al-tawhid is one, but its terminologies, pronunciations, expressions and interpretations are various in forms.

Therefore, this book analyzes al-Banjari’s teaching of al-tawhid from Sufi’s methodology of al-Durr al-Nafis and clarifies the points of the disagreements in a wider scope. The intent of the study is to help Muslims, particularly in the Malay world, to deal with disagreements in a harmonious and tolerant manner.This book examines the teaching of al-tawhid of a Sufi scholar, Shaykh Muhammad Nafis al-Banjari (b.1148 H/1735 A.D.). He employs Sufi’s methodology in explaining al-tawhid in his book, al-Durr al-Nafis (the Valuable Pearl).

However, his thoughts regarding some pivotal issues of al-tawhid are not in line with theological standpoint. The different views and methodologies between al-Banjari and theologians make his teaching to be not in line with Ahl al-Sunnah wa‘l-Jama‘ah’s mainstream thinking. It is important to seek clarification of the disagreement issues between these two viewpoints within the spirit of revelation and the authentic viewpoints of prominent scholars.