IBN AL-JAWZĪ’S CRITIQUE OF SUFI DHIKR, SAMĀʿ, AND RITUAL CHANTING IN TALBĪS IBLĪS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46991/jos.2026.29.1.44Keywords:
Sufism, samā‘, Talbīs Iblīs, Hanbali School, Bidʿa, Ibn al-Jawzī’Abstract
Ibn Al-Jawzi's work “Talbīs Iblīs” (“The Deception of Satan”) is a significant source for understanding of the attitude of orthodox Islam, particularly the Hanbali school, towards Sufi philosophy, ecstatic practice and all kinds of religious innovations (bidʿa) in Islam. This article presents the theses of the author in the chapter entitled “The Deception of Satan During Meditation, Dance and Ecstasy”, examines and classifies them. We aimed to point out the contradictions in the work, and the logical chain of citations of sources. In addition, elements of discourse analysis are applied to understand how the author uses authoritative sources - Sunnah, hadiths, quotes from famous theologians - to defend his position. As well as to analyze how he presents these hypotheses and views, confirming or denying them. The article also analyzes the criteria according to which Ibn al-Jawzī classifies singing and ritual chanting as either permissible or impermissible. Although Talbīs Iblīs has served an important source for a numerous scholars revious studies have mainly focused on presenting the general ideas and concepts of the work. The emphasis has mainly been placed on presenting the Hanbali school's position toward Sufism, based on the mentioned work. This article attempts to provide a more detailed examination of those sections of Talbīs Iblīs that explicitly address Sufi samāʿ and other forms of ritual chanting, with the aim of analyzing Ibn al-Jawzī’s arguments and the conclusions he reaches concerning these practices.
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