Ruling on Sufi tariqahs in Islam
Question

                What is the ruling on tariqahs (Sufi orders; lit. paths or ways) in Islam? Please note that I asked some of my teachers and one said that it is haraam, whilst another said that it is neither obligatory nor haraam. I hope that you can give a clear answer, may Allah bless you.
Praise be to Allah.
      This 
      question about tariqahs is asked in general terms. If what the questioner 
      is referring to is Sufi tariqahs, then they are reprehensible; some of 
      them are kufr (disbelief) and some of them are bid‘ah (innovation) and not 
      kufr, because the path (tareeq) they follow is not the path of our Prophet 
      Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). 

    Allah, may He 
    be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “And 
    verily, this  is my Straight Path, so follow it”

    [al-An ‘aam 
    6:153]

    “And 
    this is a blessed Book (the Quran) which We have sent down, so follow it”

    [al-An ‘aam 
    6:155]

    “And 
    whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) 
    gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)”

    [al-Hashr 
    59:7]. 

    So what the 
    Muslims are obliged to do is to follow the way of Muhammad (blessings and 
    peace of Allah be upon him) and adhere to his path and his religion. Allah, 
    may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “Say (O Muhammad blessings and 
    peace of Allah be upon him to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then 
    follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), 
    Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins”

    [Aal Imraan 3:31]. 

    The straight 
    path of Allah is that which was brought by our Prophet Muhammad (blessings 
    and peace of Allah be upon him), which is the path of those on whom Allah 
    has bestowed His grace, who are mentioned in the words of Allah, may He be 
    glorified and exalted (interpretation of the meaning):

    “Guide us to the Straight Way,

    The Way of those on whom You 
    have bestowed Your Grace”

    [al-Faatihah 1:6-7].

    They are the 
    Prophets, the siddeeqs, the martyrs and the righteous, who are mentioned in 
    the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the 
    meaning):

    “And whoso obeys Allah and the 
    Messenger (Muhammad blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then they 
    will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, of the 
    Prophets, the Siddeeqoon (those followers of the Prophets who were first and 
    foremost to believe in them, like Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq ), the martyrs, and 
    the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!”

    [an-Nisa’ 4:69]. 

    This is the 
    straight path. As for the tariqahs of the Sufis, they involve shirk 
    (association of others with Allah), such as the worship of some of their 
    shaykhs and seeking help from some of their shaykhs; forsaking knowledge of 
    the Sunnah on the part of some of them who say “My heart told me from my 
    Lord”; and failure to acknowledge the laws brought by Muhammad (blessings 
    and peace of Allah be upon him); and many other bid ‘ahs (innovations). 

    Moreover, some 
    of the mureeds (followers) says “You must submit to the shaykh and accept 
    the way he is and what he likes, and not object to him, and you must be with 
    him like the dead person in the hands of the one who is washing him in 
    preparation for burial.” All of these are corrupt and misguided paths. 

    Shaykh ‘Abd 
    al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him). 

    Fataawa Noor 
    ‘ala ad-Darb 
    (1/21, 22) 

    We have 
    discussed a number of the innovations and mistakes that the Sufis have 
    fallen into in a number of questions under the category Schools of Thought 
    and Religions. Please read them as they are important. 

    And Allah 
    knows best.