Sufi educational purposes from Suhrewardi’s perspective

Abstract

Spiritual education rooted in teachings of theoretical theosophy and approaches of practical theosophy which are the very spiritual journey and behavior, is considered a form of moral education. The objective of this study was to derive the purposes of Sufi education from the works of Suhrewardi the sage and mystic in sixth century AD. The study is of descriptive-inferential. Based on and according to what is deducted from Suhrewardi’s works, the final purpose of the Sufi education is annihilation and survival by God, and other objectives which are considered as the progressive and intermediary ones have been proposed in order to achieve it. These intermediary purposes may include attainment of intuitive knowledge, heavenly twinkle, arbitrary and voluntary death, love, moderation, nurturance of reason and so on, each of which has a major contribution to human’s achievement of his main objective, that is, annihilation in and survival by God.

Keywords: Suhrewardi, reason, intuition, spiritual education, educational goals.