THE NATURE OF SUFISM 9

from the Prophet, but, as there is no esotericism without
a certain inspiration, the doctrine is continually mani-
fested afresh by the mouth of masters. Oral teaching is
moreover superior, since it is direct and ‘ personal,” to
what can be gleaned from writings. Writings play only
a secondary part as a preparation, a complement or an
aid to memory and for this reason the historical conti-
nuity of Sufi teaching sometimes eludes the researches of
scholars.

As for initiation in Sufism, this consists in the
transmission of a spiritual influence (barakah) and must
be conferred by a representative of a ““chain” reaching
back to the Prophet. In most cases it is transmitted by
the master who also' communicates the method and
confers the means of spiritual concentration that are
appropriate to the aptitudes of the disciple. The general
framework of the method is the Islamic Law, although
there have always been isolated Sufis who, by reason
of the exceptional nature of their contemplative state,
no longer took part in the ordinary ritual of Islam. In
order to forestall any objection which might be raised on
this account to what had already been said about the
Muhammadan origin of Sufism it must here be clearly
stated that the spiritual supports on which the principal
methods of Sufism are based, and which can in certain
circumstances take the place of the ordinary ritual of
Islam, appear as the very keystones of the whole
Islamic symbolism ; it is indeed in this sense that they
were given by the Prophet himself.

Initiation generally takes the form of a pact (bay‘ah)

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