To: [Tariqas Sufism Elist]
From: "Mr P.A. Hammond" <paul26@liverpool.ac.uk>
Subject: Islam pre Muhammad
Date: 49940909

I understand the point that is being made about 'stretching'
definitions of Sufism beyond their historical foundations. But what,
then are we to make of statements from the Koran which say that the
religion of all the Prophets was Islam?

I mean, historically speaking, to call someone a 'Muslim' is an
appelation that can make no sense before Mohammad brought His religion,
and yet the Koran, accepted as the word of God by Muslims, calls the
apostles of Jesus Muslims.

Personally, I get the sense that this 'Islam' refers to the heart of all
religions. All the prophets were 'Muslims' because they all practised
submission to the same God, _not_ because they all followed the
particular code of social conduct which was brought by Muhammad to the
7th century(CE) Arabs.

If one wants to refuse to call anyone a 'sufi' who predated Muhammad on
(very good) historical grounds, then surely the same sort of reasoning
would make one refuse to call anyone a 'Muslim' who predated Muhammad.
But then you would contradict the Koran (which _does_ call people who
predated Muhammad 'Muslims')!

I think we must always distinguish between the 'heart' of any particular
practice, and its outward form.

Paul Hammond
paul26@liverpool.ac.uk