The debate of orthodox sufism and philosophical sufism The Study of Maqamat in the Siraj al-Talibin of Shaykh Ihsan Jampes

Abstract

This article discusses the mystical view of Shaykh Ihsan Jampes Kediri, East Java. He is known as a muslim jurist as well as a practical Sunni Sufi of Nusantara (Indonesia), with a worldwide reputation. The main reason for his reputation originates from his monumental work Siraj al-Talibin a voluminous commentary of al-Ghazali work, Minhaj al-'Abidin, which had successfully reaffirmed orthodox Sunni sufism that built and developed by al-Ghazali. The sufism attitudes and ways of Shaykh Ihsan in the journey were as if dealing with a sufi group which had philosophical pattern. Additionally, Shaykh Ihsan Jampes in Siraj al-Talibin reviewed the sufistic core stages which are called maqamat by many sufis, but Shaykh Ihsan calls them steep road ('aqabah) consisting of seven steep stages. These differences bring some consequences not only on the number of steps/stairs/maqam and the final destination of his mystical journey, namely gnosis and deification; but also question the limit of human being who physically cannot be united with God. On the other hand, God could have chosen to be invited to unite in accordance with His will. These seven 'aqabah are to deliver a traveller towards ma'rifatullah (gnosis) as the ultimate mystical journey. [Artikel ini membahas pandangan sufistik Syaykh Ihsan Jampes Kediri Jawa Timur. Ia adalah ahli hukum Islam yang juga sebagai praktisi sufi sunni yang terkenal di nusantara kala itu. Alasan utama yang membuatnya diperhitungkan adalah karyanya Siraj al-Talibin yang berupa komentar terhadap Minhaj al-'Abidin karya al-Ghazali. Sikap dan jalan sufi Shaykh Ihsan Jampes tampaknya bersepakat dengan pola sufistik falsafati. Dalam karyanya tersebut ia membahas tingkatan yang oleh para sufi biasa disebut maqamat, dimana ia sendiri menyebutnya dengan jalan terjal ('aqabah) yang terdiri dari 7 tingkatan. Perbedaan ini tidak hanya membawa perbedaan konsekuensi jumlah tangga dan tujuan akhir (gnosis dan deification), tapi juga soal batasan kemampuan fisik manusia untuk menyatu dengan Tuhan. Di sisi lain, Tuhan dapat juga mengundang untuk bersatu berdasarkan kehendakNya. Tujuh tingkatan 'aqabah inilah yang akan membawa para musafir menuju ma'rifatullah sebagai puncak perjalanan spiritual.]