A Study Of The Thought Of "Studying The Scriptures"

Aziz Nasafi is the Persian Sufi Shaykh in 13 century. He is the student of Shaykh Sa’d al-Din Hammuya who is the Shaykh of Kubrawi Sufi order. He published a lot of works and which were translated into many languages.Until today they are still widely spread in the Islamic world. One of his work Maqsad i-Aqsa which means the furthest goal focused on Sufi beliefs and practice. A Chinese Muslim scholar named She Yunshan translated Maqsad i-Aqsa from Persian into Chinese with the title of Yan Zhen Jin which is the reference book in Chinese Islamic education (Jintangjiaoyu) for advance students. Yan zhen jin provided the rich theory sources for Hui Islamic scholars such as Wang Daiyu, Liu Zhi they absorbed or used for reference from Yan Zhen Jin.Nasafi is famous for his content is concise and profound thoughts,not only had the unique concept in Sufi belief and religious tolerance as well.In Sufi practice,he hold the view that the very first thing is finishing the Shariah,the spirit advancement should be based on the performing religion acts of worship.Yan Zhen Jin has deeply influence in Chinese Islam field. According to She Yunshan’s translation,it is basically true to the original works and keeps the essence of Nasafi’s thoughts. At the same time in consideration of the practical situation of Chinese Islam, he omitted some parts of translation for avoiding sectarian tensions. Yan Zhen Jin is divided into four volumes, the structure of this book is clear and complete and with vivid language,rich content.This thesis overviews the Nasafi’s life, works and thoughts in the introduction part.The first chapter describes the Sufi belief and practice methods. Analysis from the way of Sufi devote to wayfaring, renunciation,complete themselves and return to God, and in different level has different features, requirements and roles.The second part (the second,third and forth chapter of thesis) describes the thought of the gnosis of God most high,the gnosis of Prophet and the gnosis of man.The second chapter explains the theory of the gnosis of God most high from the gnosis of the essence,attributes and the acts of God,and the three levels of gnosis of God most high which is imitation, reasoning and unveiling.The third chapter describes two attributes of Prophet Muhammad which is the friendship of God and Prophecy. Chapter four is about human beings, describes from the development of human life and soul,attributed Spirit,human ascent and microcosm and the four oceans.The third part (the fifth chapter of thesis) discusses the relations among the God,Prophet and human beings. Discussions about the relations of the God and the Prophet Muhammad,the relations between the Prophet Muhammad and human beings, the relations of the God and human beings respectivelyThe Forth part (Conclusion)summarizes the whole paper,analysis the influence of Yan Zhen Jin in China and the significance and value of study this book.Nasafis work Maqsad i-Aqsa (Yan Zhen Jin) has important study value, on the one hand, it fills a domestic gap in studying Yan Zhen Jin’s ideological contents, on the other hand,it enriches the study of the Chinese Islamic philosophy and make a better understand of Islamic thinking source in the Ming and Qing dynasty.