The Development of Concepts in the Wujūdiyya Teachings

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the development of philosophical Sufism of the <em>Wahdat al-Wujūd</em> school or in Malay-Nusantara term called <em>Wujūdiyya</em>. The research approach uses descriptive analysis. The research data use references related to the <em>Wahdat al-Wujūd</em> study. The research findings show that the essence of Sufism is philosophical Sufism. In the early days, philosophical Sufism focused on the philosophical meaning of some verses of Al-Qur’an. The early generations of philosophical Sufism were taught, among others, by Rabi’ah al-Adawiyah and Sufyān ats-Tsaurī. The philosophical study of Sufism was started by Dhu’nūn al-Misrī. Then followed by Abū Yazid al-Bistamī with <em>Hulūl </em>teachings and Abū Mansūr al-Hallaj with <em>Ittihad </em>teachings. The teachings of <em>Hulūl </em>and <em>Ittihad</em> were then questioned by ‘Ain al-Qudhad Hamadanī, because these concepts necessitate duality, even though <em>Wahdat al-Wujūd</em> does not accept dual existence. ‘<em>Urafā </em>at that time did not have adequate language tools to teach <em>Wahdat al-Wujūd</em>. It was only at the time of Ibn ‘Arabī that <em>Wahdat al-Wujūd</em> could be explained systematically and holistically, because at the time of Ibn ‘Arabī, philosophical language was very mature thanks to <em>al-Hikmah al-Masya</em><em>’iyyah</em>, especially by Ibn Sīnā.