Sufi Orders between Spiritual Function and Political Ideology – A Content Analysis of Television Programs on Arab Channels – A Video on Sufism – A Field Study

Abstract

Islam, as a divine religion whose sacred book, the Qur’an, is considered infallible, has been subjected to numerous strategies aimed at transforming it from a divine religion into a human-made construct designed to serve the interests and objectives of non-Muslim states. Intellectual manipulation under the guise of political policies and strategies has been one of the most effective means to achieve these goals. But who is the target of such manipulation? It is primarily those characterized by weak religiosity, who pursue self-fulfillment and personal interests under the name of Islam, while seeking alternatives and justifications when these underlying interests and objectives are not achieved.
Sufi orders have been regarded as one of the most significant instruments in building this “new religion,” despite their positive doctrinal and spiritual meaning for a minority. This is because a considerable proportion of their followers approach Sufism itself as a method of belief based on a misunderstanding of its true nature. Consequently, it became easy to use them as instruments to achieve external objectives directed against the Islamic religion.