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They
accepted the militant example of the early Caliphate, that force was
a suitable means to spread the true faith, including force against
countries like India which came under Islamic attack within a few
decades of the Prophet's death. The
real conflict between Sufis and the orthodox arose from the fact
that orthodox Sunnis do not accept the claims to spiritual greatness
that Sufis like to give themselves. As Rizvi notes "The 'ulama'
(orthodox Muslims) accused the Sufis of deifying their spiritual
teachers."
Sufis believe that their leaders -
their Shaikhs, Pirs and saints - are, though perhaps not prophets on
par with Mohammed, certainly semi-prophets worthy of adulation, a
claim that orthodox Muslims, who regard Mohammed as having no peers,
cannot accept. Just as Mohammed is regarded as able to intercede
with God on the Day of Judgment to save souls from perdition, so
Sufis claim to be able to intercede with Mohammed. This places Sufis
almost on par with Mohammed in the ability to mediate with God.
The orthodox opposed the Sufis and any mysticism that seeks to
exalt its members along with Mohammed or create any new revelation
that might rival with the Koran. They think that the worship
of the graves of Sufis, a common Sufi practice particularly in
India, goes against the Islamic injunction that all worship is to
Allah and no prophet can come after Mohammed. They oppose the Sufi
use of music because orthodox Islam is rejects the use of music in
religious rituals. Even today in India a common cause of
Muslim-Hindu riots is if Hindus play music, even of a religious
nature, near mosques or at the time of Islamic holy days.
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