ATTITUDES TOWARDS NATURE IN WORLD RELIGIONS

Abstract

This article analyzes the role of Sufism in shaping an enlightened, socially responsible, and spiritually balanced understanding of Islam, with particular focus on the intellectual and cultural heritage of Mawarannahr. It explores the historical development, institutionalization, and doctrinal foundations of the Kubrawiya, Yasawiya, and Naqshbandiya orders, highlighting their enduring contribution to Islamic intellectual history and civilizational growth.

The study conceptualizes Sufism as a comprehensive synthesis of faith, Sharia, philosophy, and ethics, centered on the spiritual purification of the individual through divine love and disciplined self-transformation. Special emphasis is placed on the Naqshbandiya principle of active engagement in society, reflected in the celebrated Mawarannahr maxims “Dil ba yar, dast ba kar” (Heart with the Beloved, hands at work) and “Mindfulness in action,” which embody the integration of inner spirituality with social responsibility.

Drawing upon classical Arabic, Persian, and Turkic Sufi sources, the article emphasizes the inseparable unity of theory and practice in Sufism. It argues that central Sufi concepts such as al-Insan al-Kamil (the Perfect Human Being) contribute to the cultivation of ethical consciousness, civic responsibility, patriotism, and social harmony. The study concludes that Sufism remains a vital intellectual and moral resource for sustaining equilibrium between religious and secular values and for fostering the long-term spiritual development of society.