Reactualizing Ma‘rifah and Fanā’: A Sufi Spiritual Path for Addressing the Existential Crisis of Modern Society
Dirasah International Journal of Islamic Studies March 12, 2026 Zakariyah Zakariyah, Ainul Muttaqin
Modernity's rationalism, materialism, and technological dominance have created spiritual, moral, and existential crises. This work argues that Sufi teachings, specifically the concepts of ma‘rifah (inner knowledge of God) and fanā’ (dissolution of the ego in the Divine), can be reinterpreted to address these challenges. In classical Sufism, ma‘rifah is attained through spiritual purification and mystical experience, while fanā’ dissolves the ego without abandoning Islamic law. In modern Sufism, ma‘rifah becomes spiritual awareness integrated with rationality, ethics, and social responsibility; fanā’ transforms ego-centered consciousness into ethical awareness fostering social concern. This reinterpretation shows Sufism can serve as a spiritual and ethical foundation for modernity's crisis of meaning.