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The word tariqah (pl. turuq, tara’iq) is derived from tariq meaning a space between two rows of palm-trees. It is thus simply meant the way, path or road, as it is said in Arabic qatah atariq means he interpreted the road, and howalla tariqatah means he is following his own way. Salmon suggests in his Arabic Dictionary (p, 499) the derivation of tariqah from taraqa meaning a string of camels following a difficult tract to a well.” The word tariq occurs nine times in the Koran. The tariqah is not only internal perception of the hidden meaning of the law, it also purports to be a total discipline aimed towards the progressive purification of the soul.

Rashid Ahmad writes in Islam and Current Issues (Lahore, 1990, p. 92) that, “However, prayers, deteriorated into the performance of some mechanical actions, do not provide warmth to the human heart. The theologians turned the shariah into formalistic ritualism. Soon a powerful group of God-intoxicated Sufis (mystics) revolted against the dry discussions of the theologians. They declared that the shariah of the doctors of the law is the beginning not the end. The Sufis introduced a new term tariqah, which denotes the way leading to union with the Truth. They claimed that the tariqah alone helps man to overcome his inner disease. By purifying his soul the believer can attain a stage where he enjoys the divine bliss. In fact, the main concern of the Sufis was the inner life of man. The new term became so popular that the distinguished divines started using it for spiritual attainment and the shariah became a system concerned with appearance alone”

If the Shariah is obligatory for all people without exception, the spiritual path, the tariqah does not make the same claim. That is to say it is only for those who are predisposed and called to set out on the great adventure, which is the quest for the Divine. The route of tariqah or its following is more difficult than other path. It is an esoteric and spiritual tariqah of Islam. Cap. W.B.S. Rabbani writes in Islamic Sufism (Lahore, 1984, p. 76) that, “Islam is made up of two aspects, the outer and the inner. The outer aspect is called Shariat and the inner Tariqat” Prof. Masudul Hasan also writes in History of Islam (Lahore, 1987, 1:615) that, “There are two aspects of Islam, the outward and the inward. In the outward aspect of Islam, the emphasis is on the observance of law, in the inward aspect the emphasis is on seeking the Truth.” Martin Lings is much explicit, writing: “The Quran is the book of the whole community, yet at the same time, and above all, it is the book of a minority, the book of a spiritual elect. It achieves this double aspect in different ways. Firstly, it is full of “open” verses which every believer can and indeed must apply to himself or herself, but which may none the less be said to apply pre-eminently to the Sufis” (What is Sufism, London, 1981, p. 27). Muhsin Fayd Kashani (d. 1680) writes in al-Safi fi tafsir kalam Allah al-wafi (1:31-32) that, “If someone claims that the Koran has only an exterior meaning, he speaks strictly from self and errs grievously.”

The adherents of Islamic Shariah are known as ashab-i zahiri and the followers of the Tariqah are known as ashab-i ilm-i batin. Kul Husayan writes, “The Shariah is in the tongue, the Tariqah in the soul” (cf. Bektashi Sairleri, Istanbul, 1930, p. 249). Mir Valiuddin also writes in The Quranic Sufism (Delhi, 1959, pp. 14-15), “The science of Shariat is ‘book of knowledge’ (ilm-i safina), but the science of Tariqat is ‘heart knowledge’ (ilm-i sina).” It implies that Shariah and Tariqah mean zahir and batin. The Koran (3:163) says: “Indeed, God conferred a benefit upon the believers when He raised among them an Apostle from among themselves, reciting to them His communication and purifying them and teaching them the Book (kitab) and the Wisdom (hikmah).” Commenting on this verse, M.M. Zuhuru’d-din Ahmad writes in Mystic Tendencies in Islam (Karachi, 1981, p. 82) that, “The Sufi says that the term kitab (book) and hikmah (wisdom) in this context mean Shariah and Tariqah respectively. They say that the mission of the Prophet was two-fold, one to teach the knowledge of the Book which they call Shariah or ilmu’z zahir and the second to teach Hikmah or Tariqat, which is called ilmu’l batin. To teach the first kind of knowledge had been the mission of every prophet, but to teach Hikmah along with it was the special mission of the Prophet of Islam. The second kind of teaching, the Sufis say, he could not impart openly, since every man could not easily grasp its intricate and knotty problems. This esoteric teaching, therefore, he secretly conveyed to his more advanced followers.” The theory of two-fold mission (zahir (exoteric) and batin (esoteric) of the Prophet is also mentioned in the Koran: “He has made complete for you His favours outwardly and inwardly” (31:20).

The Prophet exhorted Shariah openly, but its esoteric aspects imparted secretly to few advanced believers. Hudhayfa ibn al-Yamen in particular enjoyed such privilege; thus he became known as sahib al-sirr or sahib al-sirr al-nabi means the possessor of the Prophet’s secret (Bukhari, istidhan no. 38). One day, says Abdullah bin Jafar, the Prophet made me sit behind him on his mount and secretly whisphered to me (fa-asarra ilayya) a hadith that I would never tell anyone (al-Muslim, 5:165). Once the Prophet is reported to have conversed with Ali bin Abu Talib for a very long time on the day of battle of Taif. Quoting this tradition, Fariduddin Attar writes in his Mathnawi Jawharu’dh-Dhat, a:135) that it was an esoteric conversation between them.

Some people argue that the Prophet exhorted everything and did not conceal anything by quoting the tradition: “It is sinful to say that I have concealed anything revealed to me” (Tirmizi, 9:11 and Masnad, 6:241). The actual meaning of this tradition is that the laws of Shariah and Divine guidance revealed to the Prophet were delivered to the Muslims without concealing anything, but the inner aspects contained in the revealed laws and guidance were interpreted secretly to few trusted believers. The thing which was revealed referred to the zahiri (exoteric) aspect, and the thing which was not revealed, but was the product of the interpretation (tawil) of zahiri aspect was the Sufi tariqah, for which the Prophet said, “If you know what I knew, you would laugh little and weep much” (cf. Mystical Dimension of Islam, 1975, 0. 31). Once Ali bin Abu Talib said, “I have such a knowledge in my mind that if I divulge it, you would tremble like a long rope that is let down in a deep well” (cf. The Secret of Anal Haq, Lahore, 1965, p.125). Sharani writes in Yawaqit wal Jawahir (Cairo, 1306 A.H., p. 20) that Imam Zayn al-Abidin said: “There is much mystic knowledge, which if I disclose, it will be said, ‘you are one of those who worship the idols.’ And the Muslims would deem it lawful to shed my blood and they will consider evil what previously they thought be good.” Ibn Arabi writes in Futuhat al-Makki (1:32) that Ibn Abbas narrates, “If I interpret the Koranic verse ‘Do you not see how God created the seven heavens alike’ (71:15), you will stone me to death.” Abu Talib Makki also writes in Qut al-Qulub (Cairo, 1932, 2:26) on the authority of Bukhari that Abu Huraira relates: “I acquired two kinds of knowledge from the Prophet. I disclosed the one, and if I may disclose the second one, my neck will be cut off.” The esoteric teachings were not common but confined to some advanced believers. “Indeed, an intense, passionate spirituality is evident in the life of the Prophet and certain of his Companions and is part of the message of the Quran” (Encyclopaedia of Religion, London, 1987, 14:342).

There were almost 175 Sufi tariqah, and among them the Shi’ite branch of Ismailis is a significant tariqah. Every Ismaili is a Sufi, but every Sufi is not an Ismaili. The Ismailis advocate inner meaning of Koran and hadith. They are the adherents of interpretation (ahl al-tawil).

Ismaili – a Batini tariqah
The word batin is derived from batan means hidden, concealed, covert, inward, inner or esoteric. Ibn Taymiyya quotes Hasan Basari as related that, “Verily, each Koranic verse has an outer meaning and the inner meaning” (Majmu Fatwa, Riyad, 1382 AH, 13:231). Abu Na’im related from Ibn Masud in his Kitab al-Huliya as quoted by Suyuti in al-Itaqan that, “The Koran indeed revealed in seven words, and there is not a single word which does not possess its outer and inner meanings. No doubt, Ali bin Abu Talib completely commanded the knowledge of both outer and inner meanings.” Yusuf al-Bahrani (d. 1772) quotes the Prophet as saying in Kitab al-Burhan fi tafsir al-Koran (1:17) that, “Among you is one who will fight for the tawil of the Koran as I have fought for its tanzil. That one is Ali bin Abu Talib.” In another tradition, the Prophet said, “I am the Lord of revelation (sahib al-tanzil) and Ali is the Lord of interpretation (shib al-tawil).” J.K. Birge writes in The Bektashi Order of Dervishes (London, 1937, p. 106) that, “This is understood to mean that Muhammad taught the external facts about what Muslims should believe and what they should do, but it is only through Ali that one can enter into an understanding of their deeper meaning.” Abdullah bin Masud said, “The Koran was revealed in seven letters. There is not a single letter but it has an exterior and an interior meaning and with Ali is the knowledge of these.” (Kitab al-Burhan fi tafsir al-Koran (1:21). The Ismailis are also called the Batiniyya (esotericists or interiorists) because of professing the inner aspects of Islam, and as such the Ismailism is the batini tariqah.

Ismaili – a Sufi tariqah
The word sufi is derived from safa means purity, because the foremost need in Sufism is to purify the heart. The Ismaili da’is during the 8th century formed a fraternal organization in Basra, known as Ikhwan as-Safa (Brethren Purity) due to advocating Sufic tariqah. Another view suggests that the Sufis are in the first rank (saff’i awwal); others say that the Sufis claim to belong to the ashab’i suffa (the Companions of the Prophet). Some assert its derivation from suf (wool) because of wearing woolen garment (jama’i suf). The phrase labisa’l suf means he clad himself in wool occurred frequently in early Islamic literature. When the ascetism passed into mysticism, the above words generally reduced to mean he became a sufi. Fariduddin Attar writes in Mantiq-ut-Tahir (London, 1924, p. 8) that, “The doctrines of the Sufi is ancient in Islam, and is much spread, especially among the partisans of Ali.” The Ismaili batini tariqah is the Sufi tariqah. Sufism is a form of tasawwuf in Islam. It is the code of heart (fiqh’l batin), the purification of the soul (tazkiyat’l nafs) or the feeling of God’s presence (al-ihsan).

Ismaili – a Darwishi tariqah
The Persian word darwish is from the Pahlavi driyosh is most likely derived from darviza meaning poverty. According to another view, the word darwish is composed o two syllables, dar (in) and vish (thought) means in thought. The ultimate goal of the Sufi tariqah of darwish is self-realization, and for remaining in such state (in thought), they are also called darwish. The Sufis mostly in Turkey and Persia adopted the term darwish for them, thus there is no difference between them. Spencer Trimingham writes in The Sufi Orders in Islam (London, 1971, p. 264) that, “Of course, one is darwish and a Sufi at the same time and there is no essential distinction in theory. The Sufi is a darwish and the darwish is a Sufi since neither can be in isolation from the other.” The Ismaili tariqah is thus the darwishi tariqah in Islam.

Ismaili – a Faqiri tariqah
The Sufis in Damascus and some Arabian lands also became known as the faqir. The word faqir (pl. fuqara) is derived from faqar means poverty. The term serves to designate the Muslim mystic. The Koran says, “O men, you are the poor (al-fuqara) before God; He is the Rich” (35:15). It affirms the infinity of divine plentitude and, in the light of this richness, the state of man’s dependence and his utter indigence. The Prophet also said, “Poverty (faqiri) is my pride (fakhri).” Abu Sa’id Fazalullah bin Muhammad al-Mayhani said, “al-faqr huwa’l-ghina billah means the faqiri is a wealth in God (cf. Kash al-Mahjub, London, 1911, p. 22). One of the Sufis defines the term faqir that, “The faqir is not be whose hand is empty of provisions, but he whose nature is empty of desires” (Ibid. p. 25). In sum, the tariqah of the faqir is the tariqah of the Sufis and darwish. “Hence, the term darwish referring to a person who possesses this “poverty” is the same as the Arabic term faqir used in Sufism for Muhammadan poverty” (The Encyclopaedia of Religion, 4:240).

It is therefore evident that the Shi’ite Ismaili is a Batini tariqah, the Sufis tariqah, the Darwishi tariqah or the Faqiri tariqah in Islam. It is an intellectual tariqah. The cornerstone of the Ismaili tariqah is the concept of the Imamate. The Imam is a Spiritual Guide and exhorts his followers the interpretation in accordance with the time for their worldly and spiritual progress. It must be noted that Ismaili tariqah is not a random offshoot of Islam, nor is it a hotchpotch of other faiths. Ismaili tariqah is the kernel of Islam that the Prophet himself very carefully separated from the common injunctions of the Shariah. This kernel was kept reserved for the privileged few, and kept on the other hand the Shariah for the mass of ummah. There is much more in Islam than performing salat and saum.