Sufi Annihilation and Buddhist Nirvana (A Descriptive Comparative Study)

If we pause for a moment to consider this issue, we find the debate over influence and impact never-ending, especially in Orientalist studies. A group of Orientalists have argued that Sufism originated in Christianity, a mistake because Sufism emerged from the womb of Islam and the Qur'anic texts that call for remembrance and contemplation. Al-Biruni also supported these theories, claiming that Sufism shares many similarities with Hindu and Christian doctrines, and presented models that are not valid. Al-Biruni believes that the discussion of annihilation among Sufis led them to speak of incarnation and union. We are certain that incarnation and union cannot be articulated by any Sufi scholar, as Sufism, in its very essence, calls for servitude, while incarnation and union call for divinity. Buddhism, while it believes in nirvana, means the soul's attainment of supreme perfection and ultimate happiness, and its liberation from the captivity of matter, is stated in the second volume of the book, "e;The Simplified Encyclopedia."e; Therefore, it must be emphasized that we cannot deny the influence and commonality even between religions, as God Almighty said regarding the history of fasting: "e;As it was prescribed for those before you."e; However, this prevents us from asserting that Islamic Sufism has its own unique source and has been inherent in Islamic life since the early days of Islam.